The Immortal Kobold

Xing Lei slashed both spear and sabre aside throwing off the dark blood of Tyrix's avatar. Looking down the bisected body burst into flames quickly incinerating the two halves on the ground. He had gotten extremely lucky, in Tyrix's distraction he had been able to land a critical blow on that misshapen avatar of his, having to fight a god entity at his current level would be painful.

Gingerly Osilliaice walked over carrying Al.u.s.triea, both looked at him with curious gazes a similar question on their minds. Xing Lei smiled lightly, "The drider was Aunrae Luen, Pellanistra's twin sister. She wanted to live on the surface and was turned into that form. However it seems the d.e.s.i.r.e for the surface was something goaded on by Tyrix. Unknown to him however was the fact she secretly learned that technique I gave the Luens."

Looking down, the spreading sun was touching the sludge and under its brilliance even the sludge was melting into dark wisps, "The technique had a drawback as you know and just witnessed. I had hoped to convince Aunrae to go back inside but hopefully the emergence of Quellia spared the poor girl the pain of this particular end."

Al.u.s.triea glanced at the mess on the ground then looked to Xing Lei, "We should put a marker or something here for her then, to be caught up in the plans of these two monsters, no one deserves that."

Xing Lei nodded softly then looked to his elven lover, "Al.u.s.triea, is it normal for gods to be wandering around like Tyrix?"

Al.u.s.triea thought a moment and nodded, "Most gods have mortal avatars at one point or another, they usually observe and work against each other, only the darker ones interfere with mortal life."

Xing Lei poked at the ashes of Tyrix's body, "How easy is it to make an avatar?"

Al.u.s.triea shook her head, "Not easy at all, most prefer using the method Quellia tried, being born in mortal form and awakening through a ritual. Just gods tend to use volunteers while the dark use sacrifices."

As they found a stone of decent size, Xing Lei used drow letters to carve Aunrae's name onto it setting the impromptu gravestone where the body use to be. Offering a silent prayer the three turned to head into the port, they needed to find out where they were. Things didn't go so well though, before too long an armed contingent bore down on them, apparently a kobold and Lizardfolk wasn't exactly extended a welcome mat. Being escorted out of town at sword point wasn't the highlight of anyone's day. What they did learn was that they were in another human kingdom which meant they weren't on the western side of the inner sea. They were likely closer to the kingdom that held the Heavenly Rose sect.

With a vague idea of where they were, the trio trekked off into the wilds, while the human kingdom they had found themselves in was much like Ironhand's there were distinct differences. This one seemed to be the Kingdom of Talashear, what few talkative travellers they saw it seemed a peaceful enough place. Demi-human like peoples were sparse, elves and dwarves along side halflings and half elves seemed the norm though they generally made up very small parts of each major city, the outlying villages and such were predominantly human. As Xing Lei found out quickly, reptilian races were unheard of except for monstrous occasions so a warm welcome for he and his mate were in short number.

Al.u.s.triea found herself elected to be the groups spokeswoman who had to enter towns and pick up supplies and information. Still, even elves received a less than warm welcome, more than one town they passed had chased her away much as the initial towns had chased himself and Osilliaice. While the welcomes for non humans were cold at best, at least it appeared more a situation of lack of information than the kingdom being in direct conflict with other races or exploiting non-humans.

Still it wasn't all bad, Talashear seemed to be a small kingdom that was not hard to traverse even with a lack of welcoming inns, camping under the stars with Al.u.s.triea's and Osilliaice without crazy drow or gods around gave them a chance to relax. Being away from the oppressive darkness of the drow city was equally revitalizing for his companions, neither had been truly able to stretch their legs or wander about while guests alongside Xing Lei, and while tempering had been important the enforced restriction from the open world had piled alot of stress on the two women's shoulders.

Sadly not everything was roses, try as they might, they could find no wild monstrous beasts to hunt. Other than the occasional bandit camp or goblinkin nest they saw no signs of monstrous creatures. Not even basic ranks which would seem to imply whoever ran this kingdom had decisively hunted out the beasts early on before they could truly grow and cement their place in the local ecosystem. For Xing Lei this meant no replenishment of their tempering supplies, so he worked the pair hard to quickly get them towards a border.

The border itself was an easy enough solution, passing by the border town they easily crossed over from the lush lands of Talashear into a less hospitable region. Cresting a large hill, Xing Lei looked into the distance gauging what lay ahead, what he saw gave him pause, a long road filled with caravans of refugees were making their way towards Talashear, from where they came Xing Lei could see vegetation getting sparse. Glancing to Al.u.s.triea he asked, "Know of any deserts on the eastern side of the eastern sea?"

The elf shook her head, "Most elves don't travel this far east, least none of the high elves. When I researched my journey years ago I was focused on the western kingdoms and territories. Never crossed my mind that I'd come this far east."

Glancing back at the border town he sighed, "Looks like we better stock up on water, you should see if they'll allow you into town to get survival supplies. Water skins, robes, tents. Also see if you can find out why so many are fleeing from the south east, a desert is certainly not an easy place to live but there must be something happening for so many to flee that harsh land."

Al.u.s.triea nodded and headed off towards the town after confirming where they would meet back up, he and Osilliaice back tracked to a stream they had passed some time before, since he couldn't restock the blood the empty barrels he filled with water and stored in his ring. Osilliaice helped but asked as well, "Why not head north east? Avoid the desert altogether?"

Xing Lei capped off the latest barrel before thinking how best to answer, "From what I've seen this continent is horse shoe shaped. The western side is dominated by the Silvertree Empire to the north and the savage lands towards the southern spur. East arm we have the lands the Heavenly Rose sect dominates with what appears a desert to the south, but even further south east is another continent."

Osilliaice nodded lightly, "We're leaving these lands?"

Xing Lei nodded, "From what few maps I could locate the south eastern continent is vastly untamed, most civilizations have cooperated to make a staging area on its northern shore, makes a good place to carve a place for ourselves."

Osilliaice nodded in thought, "There's something else isn't there?"

Xing Lei nodded softly, "If my hunch is right, it's where our tribe is."

The lizardess blinked, "The Mistress?"

Xing Lei nodded looking into the distance, "While I owe her nothing, I even left the tempering formula for her and my son, I still think to grow stronger it's a place we belong."

Xing Lei returned to filling a barrel with water, when it came to crossing a desert he knew that it was an arduous task, especially for those ill prepared. Reptiles as he and his mate were there were still challenges to crossing a sandy waste. Though he k ew hardest hit of all would be Al.u.s.triea, born of a more lush climate her trek into the sands would probably push most of her limits. Which Xing Lei did not think bad, if his plan worked out a desert would hardly prove the most trying environment for her, rejoining his and Osilliaice's tribe the war of the swamp would prove harsher still.

As if on cue, the lovely elf sang out from near by, trotting over with several backpacks slung over her narrow shoulders. Were this back when they first met, carrying one alone, laden as they were, would have staggered Al.u.s.triea. Now a handful of ranks into her tempering she easily carried the heavy load as if it were full of naught but feathers. Smiling inwardly he looked forward to seeing how far she'd go.

Osilliaice moved to unload her friend chuckling as the feigned strength saw the elf drop down and start shoveling the chill waters into her mouth and across her face. Looking up wiping her mouth she smiled, "Most of that stuff came really cheap, seems travel to the south east has become more rare."

Xing Lei could guess as much from the refugees motioning for his lover to get to the important part of why...

Al.u.s.triea sighed and sat back, "Same as everywhere else, monstrous beasts are choking the desert, but the real reason that has the southern tribes fleeing is the emergence of a new city towards the southern coast, it's been waging war on the local tribes enslaving all they could. Seems something called an infernal took control of the region."

Xing Lei's attention snapped to her, "An infernal? Hrm. Seems I'll have to delay our trip south for a few days and trouble you both to guard over me."

Osilliaice looked over, "Second evolution?"

Xing Lei nodded flexing a fist, "Seems smashing Tyrix's avatar was worth alot."

Osilliaice grumbled and turned away, her mate was already stronger than her, evolving again would just see the gap widen. Sighing she squatted down, "Do what needs doing my mate, we'll wait. Though I'm curious, what did you get this time?"

Xing Lei looked inward looking over the options...

1. Winged Kobold (Dragon blooded) - Final Evolution

2. Blackscale Lizardfolk (Dragon blood variant) - Final Evolution

3. Kobold (Variant Progenitor) - Second last Evolution

4. Blackscale Lizardfolk (Progenitor) - Final Evolution

He glanced over his four options in thought, once again he had two routes each with two options. He could stay a kobold become a winged variant or something called a progenitor... Likewise for the Lizardfolk evolution, a regular variant versus another progenitor. Osilliaice listened and frowned, "I think it safe to discard the winged kobold and basic variant Lizardfolk. Becoming a progenitor is unheard of. It should mean you embody the purest form of that shape, in essence refining your blood to be pure to an unheard of degree, but the odd thing is that such is not the end for your kobold form, I have no idea what would or could come after it."

Xing Lei listened looking between the two options, to halt evolution now or go a step further down the road. Sighing he looked to his mate and lover, the pair laughing and shook their heads, Al.u.s.triea smirked, "Guess we still have a midget for a lover Osilliaice."

The lizardess nodded, "Though I wonder what he'd look like as a Lizardfolk, maybe he'd stay short?"

Osilliaice teased glancing aside at Xing Lei who had already picked, as they suspected as light surrounded him a kobold sized egg once again encased his body and settled onto the bank of the river leaving the two to laugh at his expense. He wanted to be the apex. He would master body tempering, he would master spirit cultivation, and now he would master this worlds evolution concept. Even if it meant another long stretch of him being a three foot tall midget.