The Immortal Kobold

Reunited the trio were left alone, surprising as it was for them. Despite a search of the palace they could find no sign of the genie Alhana Al-Duress. They did discover the lavish bedroom from which she watched Xing Lei battle her abyssal bugs, peering through the magical mirror they could see the bugs still fighting, their numbers had shrunk but there was still a good two score fighting each other for some unknown purpose. Al.u.s.triea had surmised with the death of the red mask, the bugs were trying to re-establish order or in essence choosing a 'new' red mask.

Watching the fight for a bit, neither reptile could refute her suggestion, but it ultimately didn't matter. The bugs were leaving them alone and if their own plans worked out the creatures wouldn't pose a problem for much longer regardless if a new leader was found or not. For alongside the magical mirror they had found a gemstone that served, as Xing Lei put it, the heart of the structure. The pulsing large ruby seemed to be designed to give orders to the floating palace, not in a linguistic sense, but more through the holders intent.

As much as Xing Lei suggested they keep it as their new home, as a floating fortress was just rather awe inspiring even for a cultivator. The others argued with the common rumor that the ruby was likely tied to the unfounded prior owner of the genie, when he died and the palace fell it would be a natural disaster for whatever region was smashed beneath the massive structure. Ultimately it was decided they would lower it into the sea just off the coast of the port but Xing Lei still was adamant about keeping the ruby. The enchanted gem was likely to be the only windfall from dealing with the genie who had fled.

While the furnishings of the palace were numerous and lavish, they really weren't to the trio's tastes. Xing Lei refused to lug the stuff around in his ring just on the off chance they could find some value in them. As much as treasure seeking seemed to be a part of his blood, it was tempered by how easy it was to convert his windfall into value. Short of opening a furnishing shop, unloading several rooms worth of opulent gaudy chairs, tables and so forth was just too much trouble in his mind. Though Al.u.s.triea did manage to convince him to store away a bed, after her little blanket and quicksand experience she rather implored him on keeping around a way to keep them comfortable.

Gathering around the ferry Xing Lei rang the bell. Watching the boat with nothing happening they were rather surprised when a dull voice asked from nearby, "Ready to head back already? Like I said, the trip won't be cheap!" The ferryman had somehow appeared next to the bell leaning casually against the wall as his eyes settled on the three.

Xing Lei looked the man over curiously, his head c.o.c.ked in wonder at the mans words. Sheepishly Al.u.s.triea broke into the story of finding their way up and how it had emptied their combined money purses just to get up here. The kobold took this in stride, his yellow eyes narrowing on the ferryman who didn't seem to even flinch as the pressure of the kobolds stare fell upon him. "Stare all you like my friend, my price is my price, to ride my ferry you'll have to pay thrice!"

Xing Lei snorted at the man walking towards the edge of the landing, formerly a road approached the front gates when it was moored to the ground, now a cloudy expanse stretched beneath the torn earth. Motioning to Al.u.s.triea and Osilliaice he urged them over and chuckled. "Shall I show you something interesting?"

Al.u.s.triea looked upon the kobold warily, the look in Xing Lei's eyes made her nervous especially so when he held out his hand to her. The nervousness in her blood seemed to freeze, taking that outstretched hand would, in all probability, lead to the kobold doing something insanely stupid in her thoughts. Osilliaice watched before looking over the edge then to her mate, "Really?"

Xing Lei chuckled as his mate clued into what he was likely proposing, Al.u.s.triea had warily stretched out her hand into his, yelping as he pulled her into his embrace and swept the elf into a proper princess carry. Her face hot she looked at the kobold before screaming as both kobold and Lizardfolk jumped off the side. The ferryman gaped watching the three jump, rushing over to the side to peer down, watching the three bodies vanish into the clouds that covered the rough bottom of the floating palace.

The man growled to himself then sighed walking over to his ferry and sitting on the deck in discontent. "Why ring my bell if you plan to fell, hope you lot rot in hell."

While the ferryman lamented being summoned to the palace with no way back himself as he was as much a construct of the wish as the palace was, the trio was free falling through the clouds. Xing Lei and Osilliaice were very much composed, but Al.u.s.triea clung to the kobold for dear life and was screaming like a banshee. Her emerald eyes were held closed as she listened to the wind whip past her ears. They were going to die! They were so going to die! They were going to hit a roof, crush a building be nothing more than a stain on the land below in her minds eye.

Xing Lei glanced to the terrified elf in his arms, then looked to his mate who trusted him without qualm. While her own eyes betrayed a little nervousness as the port erupted below them, every second bringing them closer to the ground, she still looked to Xing Lei with trust. He had never struck her as suicidal, rather he must have known something. Thus she trusted him to not get them all killed by jumping off the floating palace. "What do I do my mate?"

Xing Lei glanced down, they had been higher than he expected but it ultimately didn't matter. Looking to Osilliaice as he reassuringly stroked Al.u.s.triea's back he yelled over, "Brace and roll when you land, just like you would normally when jumping from a height, your body can take it. Just try to not land on anyone, you'll live... them, not so much."

As the ground rushed up to meet them, time seemed to slow down. The people below had noticed that two things had dropped from on high and were panicking, rushing around and away from the most likely impact zone. Both hit the ground with a mighty thump, the kobold had braced himself, the kinetic energy flowing through his body putting great strain on his bomes before ultimately exploding out from the soles of his feet, blasting a shallow crater under his form. Nearby, Osilliaice had heeded his word to just roll when she touched down, though maybe channeling a bit of Al.u.s.triea's poor luck her roll took her headlong into a fruit cart, shattering it with all the force of a batteringram.

Picking dates and figs out of her armor as Osilliaice stepped from the ruins of the merchant cart she looked to her mate and laughed. She had to admit life was never boring in his company, without true foes to push her instincts, leave it to Xing Lei to find new ways to push life to the extreme. Jumping off a floating fortress miles above the ground? Were they ever to have hatchlings she would certainly be telling them often about the thrill of free falling... though she'd omit the rough landing as she pulled at the curiass portion of her armor dumping another load of dried dates across the ground. Of the experience, the landing definitely needed work...

As for Al.u.s.triea, she laid in Xing Lei's arms, the whites of her eyes showing and a thin foam bubbling from her lips. Just before impact her mind had shut down, dropping her blissfully into unconciousness to save her from the logical conclusion of jumping off a castle in the sky, namely their bodies smeared across the hard packed sand. Thankfully she remained unsoiled, the number of frights and terrors she had experienced was starting to show as she now seemed less inclined to embarrassing herself in such a fashion.

Stretching slowly Xing Lei laughed walking beside his mate, carrying off the elf as they left the impact site swiftly, the frightened locales would swiftly return and once they saw the wreckage, at least one merchant would be pissed to no end as Osilliaice had obliterated his stand. The brisk pace also served to wake Al.u.s.triea from her nap where she started to beat on his c.h.e.s.t in frustration, why couldn't he do things that involved normal common sense?!

Released from his arms, she sighed before kissing his muzzle. In hindsight, Al.u.s.triea felt the jump wasn't so bad now that she knew it wasn't the crazy kobold risking their lives. If Osilliaice could do it, eventually she would as well, she wasn't that far behind her friend... well... other than being a scholarly mage not a honed warrior use to physical exertion, that little difference surely shouldn't be too hard to cross, right?

Slipping into the side streets Xing Lei had quickly lead the two back towards the docks, Osilliaice glanced to the open sea in wonderment. The inner sea was a vast stretch of water but in its purest sense, it was an oversized bay bordered on three sides by land. This however was the true ocean, an expansion of rolling waves that stretched beyond what the eye could see. In alot of ways it reminded the lizardess much of the desert, only instead of sand the vast reaches was water. Just what lay beneath the surface? What waited over the highest waves? In truth alot of Osilliaice's motivation was a thirst for adventure, she wanted to see all the world to share it with the tribe.

Al.u.s.triea saw the ocean in a different light, it was featureless, another expanse of nothing that likely held untold danger and more risks that would threaten her impromptu family. Over the years her own wanderl.u.s.t and thirst of adventure had been tempered by her ill luck. She saw far less fun in travelling the unknown reaches, facing deadly challenges. She still wanted what Xing Lei had shown her, she wanted to taste the universe again but these forays into the vast world of unknown lands she knew nothing of was wearing on her. She was not ready to give up, she just wished Xing Lei could take the straight easy road for once instead of dragging them through warzones and bandit filled wastes.

Xing Lei himself looked to the horizon with boundless optimism. His body tempering had completed. The demonic bug blood had pushed his body over its limit, strength saturated every fiber of his existence now. He felt the untapped energy of this world all the more clearly, the vessel for holding that energy was now perfected, he could shatter a boulder to gravel with his pure physical might. His mind looked upon the ocean and shifted through his memories, he could always use the cultivation he had steadfast followed in his original life... but that path had lead ultimately to failure. Perhaps now with a different route, a new method was in order...

Smiling he focused inward letting his status rise in his minds eye....

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Name: Xing Lei (Dull Scale, Kobolicus)

Gender: Male

Race: Kobold (Progenitor)

Level: 3

Job: Soul Cultivator Rank: Copper

Titles: Slayer of the Forest Lord, Elven Outcast, Fleet Spear's Mate, Dwarf Friend, Executioner of Infernals, Ally of House Luen, Arena Master, Dragonmarked, Xing Kah's Father, Tyrix's Bane, Quellia's Bane

Strength: 10 (+18) Dexterity: 10 (+18)

Constitution: 10 (+18) Intelligence: 15

Wisdom: 18 Charisma: 10 (+18)

Charm: 10 (+18) Luck: 15

Mana: 80/80

Condition: Healthy

Innate Abilities: Varied Voice (Supreme) Rank: Demon Steel, Alchemy Flame (Novice) Rank: Silver, Inspection (Intermediate) Rank: Iron, Draconic Breath (Intermeadiate) Rank: Copper

Skills: Alchemy (Novice) Rank: Bronze, Crimson Mountain Sects Body Tempering (Advanced) Rank: Heavenly Mercury, [Dragon Scales], [Dragon Fertility], [Progenitor Vitality], [Sealed], Herbology (Basic) Rank: Iron, Cloud Dragons Spear Technique (Novice) Rank: Silver, Weapon Crafting (Basic) Rank: Iron, Kobold Swordsmanship (Basic) Rank: Iron, Kobold Archery (Basic) Rank: Silver, Pottery (Basic) Rank: Iron, Stealth (Basic) Rank: Mithril, Kobold Axe Weilding (Basic) Rank: Copper, Elven Spellcasting (Basic) Rank: Copper, Draconic Spellcasting (Intermeadiate) Rank: Demon Steel, Drow Hand Crossbow Expertise (Novice) Rank: Gold, Kobold Sabre Weilding (Novice) Rank: Iron

Elven Spells: Ignite

Draconic Spells: Minor Heal, Curse, Bless, Dragon's Strength, Light Heal, Light Harm, Dragon's Terror, Heavenly Feast, Wyverns Grace, Polymorph, Lesser Illusion, Greater Heal, Greater Harm, Summon Familiar

Unused Points: 3

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Smiling as he looked over his stats he nodded in satisfaction. His stats were once again o.b.s.c.e.n.e but even better he had unlocked another sealed portion of his bloodline, Progenitor Vitality seemed to extend his life to almost double that of a regular kobold. Still, sixteen years was hardly an extensive life span in his eyes, once he settled on a cultivation technique that would expand exponentially.

Beyond his life almost doubling his spellcraft had finally improved, this aspect he really couldn't understand, he had quite literally, used his Light Heal extensively for ages but it never seemed to improve his spell casting. If he had to guess, unlike the elven spellcasting, his innate spellcraft was tied to his bloodlines purity. Looking over the spells he noted he gained a handful of new ones and his Dragon Fear had evolved to Dragon Terror.

Looking over the spells he turned to ask Al.u.s.triea about one in particular...