Catalin and Tybris laughed as they approached the end of familiar road. The end of another successful patrol. "Good boy Dirge, good buy Hunly!" Catalin called as he flung a mongbat wing to them which thumped to the ground. Catalin blinked once, but instantly crouched and motioned to Tybris to do the same - it wasn't like them to let their favorite treat last two seconds in the air. As the canines' noses examined the air, the hairs on their back stood taller with each sniff. "I think there's somebody in the tower. You go check the stables," Catalin whispered. Slowly he opened the metal portal to the main common room, he sent Dirge and Hunly in. The dogs raced to the antechamber leading upstairs and barked furiously as they looked up. Catalin hurried after and saw a great brutish form turn and face them. In what seemed at once an eternity and a fleeting moment, he locked eyes with the creature. With surprising agility it took two shuddering steps and heaved both hands over hits head, then clasped them together and brought them down with what certainly would have sprawled Catalin into a coma. Although the Ogre was fast, Catalin had his dagger drawn in a flash and side stepped the hammering strike. The shelving did not fare as well and splintered instantly under the shock. He would have preferred this skirmish anywhere out in the field, but not in this tight corridor. Out in the open he could use his spear to impale the blundering oaf from a safe distance. Instead he would have to see how many punctures an Ogre's hide could withstand. He found himself making a wager in his head "I bet I can get it to fall in less than ten strikes..." "Eight, eight and a half!", the main doors swung open and Tybris saw Catalin clinging to the Ogres back stabbing at the creatures nape. Tybris saw the Ogre's next and only move - smash Catalin into a manwich between it's back and the stone wall. But the creature also heaved with labored breath and Tybris instantly knew the rhythm to beat - the steady throb of bloodletting. At once each puncture Catalin had scored, began spurting dark bubbling blood. The creature fell to one knee, making one last futile reach to the stinging pest on its back, then collapsed entirely with the dogs rushing to ensure the threat was both neutralized and thoroughly mangled. Catalin called them off, so he could examine the body before they destroyed all evidence. He examined the creatures satchel and found a book. He flung it to Tybris and continued searching. "Oi, this is the same as I found on the Lizard in the stables," Tybris held the book up and faced the pages to Catalin, "looks like these weren't some blundering intruders. I've heard tales of these kinds of books in my studies. It's said these are journey books, that scouts (or bards) could use to transmit messages or tales of heroism over great distances. They come in handy in those cases where nobody makes it out alive, but the tale still needs to be told." Tybris shook his head, "I can't make out exactly what it says, but it looks like the were able to send something back to whoever is on the other end of these books. And this here looks to be a map of Kos Heb." "We should show these books to Jupiter," Catalin started as he rose when the books suddenly took flame. Tybris dropped the book and the pages disappeared in a quick flash before they reached the ground. "Well, I guess we're headed to Kos Heb..."
