The Immortal Kobold

Slipping into the cavern, Xing Kei's eyes swept over the bones that littered the passage, other than the unique one at the mouth of the hole there was none further in, rather, all the bones were beast origin. Still the kobold advanced as the lair of the Ice Tiger continued to dip down, rather than a stale scent, there was a brisk icy wind coming from somewhere ahead. Icy? This chill breeze brought the kobold up short, what would an icy wind be doing here in the heart of a jungle?

The answer became readily apparent as he reach the end of the passage, another yawning hole greeted Xing Lei, but rather than exiting into a small basin he found himself standing before a snowy field! Glancing behind, gone was the jungle and in its place an ice capped mountain loomed over his back like an impassable wall. Xing Lei shook his head, the fact he was no longer in a sweltering jungle but rather a freezing tundra played havoc on his mind.

From his vantage point he saw in the distance different landscapes separated by shimmering rainbow walls of energy, like spokes on a wagon wheel these different areas surrounded a deep basin, from this distance it was hard to make out but it appeared two vast armies were clashing on that distant space. Was this where Destorianaxe had carried him last time? No, the Blackscale area was a swamp not this frozen wasteland! It was possible he was in the right area... but the wrong factions territory!

Glancing around, Xing Lei tried to reclaim his bearings, making a mental note of the caves location his feet sunk into the freezing snow as he marched out into the snow scape. He slowly circled his [Alchemy Flame] around himself to ward off the biting cold but even with the flames warmth, every howling wing cut through his body like a butcher's knife, all his body wanted to do was curl up, sleep. Yet he forced himself forward, to rest here would mean freezing to death, and such a pathetic end was not his!

After a few hours new sounds beyond the whistle of winter winds reached the kobolds ears, rushing over a ridge, Xing Lei laid eyes on two forces in the throes of battle. Crude huts made of ice blocks and snow stood amongst a small grove of thick dark trees. Between the trunks he saw two groups of Lizardfolk deep in the process of trying to kill each other. The owners of the igloos were likely the pale ones, they were thickly built but no taller than Xing Lei himself was, their scales blended in against the snowy landscape, only crimson eyes and naturally the leaking red of fresh raw wounds marred their bodies, this tribe didn't seem to wear clothes or use real tools, most of what looked like warriors favored whatever they laid hand on.

The attackers were much more familiar to Xing Lei. Tall and lithe with scales as deep as a high built flame, yet covered in a dark leather armor and thick robes. A force of redscales were in the process of massacring the whitescales villagers, a force that easily out numbered their targets two to one. While the igloos were unlikely able to burn, Xing Lei noted several had melted due to alchemical fire being tossed upon the glossy icy surface.

Standing atop the hill, Xing Lei watched the two groups totally set on killing each other, he almost missed the arrival of a third force. Swift and deadly, the third group rushed into the wild melee slaying both attackers and defenders. Much like the redscales this new force were adorned in thick hide robes that covered much of their bodies, from this distance, Xing Lei could not tell who the third force was but whoever they were struck terror into the other two groups.

The robed force was as silent as death, no flash of steel or fancy weapon, just where the robed force passed a whitescale or a redscale lost a life. Xing Lei watched with rapt attention as the group of assassins struck with the speed of a snake and left twice as quick, despite the dark full robes they seemed to shimmer and vanish as the force rushed into the blinding snow field. The ravaged forces left behind were rather struck dumb by the vicious fast assault that left both sides reeling and severely outmatched.

One of the redscales sounded a retreat but the pushed to the brink whitescales didn't seem as inclined to back off to lick their wounds. The remaining stocky Lizardfolk fell upon their attackers with renewed fury and it wasn't long that the attacking force was wiped out. As the whitescales were starting to relax a war horn sounded and the robed assassins reappeared... but they were not alone. Opposite them, pincering the village neatly was a squad of Blackscales, decked in leather and hide armor the two forces clamped shut on the whitescales village bringing the bloody battle to a definite conclusion before their victims could even catch their breath.

Xing Lei exhaled a fine cloud of breath and moved to back track, there was no telling who was part of that attack force. Skulking around the perimeter of a well executed massacre wouldn't be received well regardless of who he knew. As he was about to turn, his eyes narrowed and instead of moving the way he originally intended he jumped back as a pair of robed individuals shimmered into view, each holding a wicked looking dagger, had he continued forward he'd have likely experienced those weapons bodily.

The left looked to his compatriot, neither spoke but both rushed Xing Lei like wraiths, thos vicious looking blades taking the lead with one going high for the kobolds throat while the other blade sought to expose his guts to the chill air. His trusty mithril Spear appeared in his hands blocking both high and low strikes with an audible ring of metal on metal. Wary shouts came from the near by battle field and the rushed crunch of feet through snow greeted his ears.

Swinging his spear around parrying the vicious jabs and slices of the pair, Xing Lei did his best to remain aware of his surroundings. The ease at which this pair ambushed him had shocked Xing Lei, even now the duo made no sound, even with some of his full strength parries and counter strikes neither dagger weilder made so much as a grunt of exertion or gasp of discomfort. His situation became even more precarious as the force from the village stepped over the ridge. The, what appeared to be, leader, waved his hand forward and the half dozen other robed ones surged forth from the troop.

Xing Lei cursed watching the half dozen begin to pull various weapons from beneath their robes, each looking more and more suited for spilling a targets insides out of their body. The leader however lifted a fist and snarled, "Subdue, don't kill dammit!" The leader stepped to the side pulling a crystal from a pouch and started speaking to it while his troops seemed to huddle together pointing at the now mad melee of an over sized kobold versus eight robed assassins, the troops seemed to be treating the situation rather lightly with a few even taking odds on which side would win...

For Xing Lei, the glimpse of what was going on was all that he was afforded when the six robed killers seamlessly integrated into the darting fighting style of the two dagger holders. Gritting his teeth he had to bomb and weave between the eight attackers, while the first two kept to their daggers the others assailed him from all sides with everything from sickles to chains. One of the robed assassins had even withdrawn pulling a short bow from it's back, while Xing Lei was relieved to see the killer was using blunted arrows, dodging missiles was going to make this even harder.

At one point in the wild darting and striking he had taken his hand off his spear and let a small hand crossbow appear in the freed hand, this had caught the closest robed one off guard as Xing Lei pulled the lever and a quarrel flew into the shadowed hood throwing the attacker back onto the snowy ground. The troops let out a whoop, pointing the rather decisive strike out to the leader who looked over and g.r.o.a.n.e.d, "His Shadows Match, don't take it personal!"

Xing Lei had withdrawn the crossbow and resumed the swinging of his spear when he heard the leader call out. Blinking he gave a casual glance back at the fallen killer watching a lithe kobold pushing herself up from the snow where she fell. As the female kobold yanked out the quarrel that had dug into the side if her muzzle the other robed figures seemed to draw back as one leaving Xing Lei to wonder what was going on. He soon found out as the kobold quickly downed a vial from a pouch on her belt and glared at him.

The troops hooted and hollered, yelling out that he shouldn't have shot her in the face and taking some mirth as the female broke her silence to roar like a mountain lioness and launched herself at Xing Lei, her yellow eyes reddening as a thin rapier like blade was pulled from her hip and the deceptively thin point started jabbing at Xing Lei in a flurry of strikes, eachmone aimed at precise points to do as much pain as possible. He had to admit, the cat calls might be onto something as the enraged kobold came at Xing Lei with a fury that bordered on wanton insanity, shrugging off the strikes of his spear haft and focusing on making him bleed.

Renewed betting sang out from behind the ring if robed killers that were now watching as one of their own completely lost her shit on Xing Lei. He could hear the exasperation in the leader as he too watched the killer coming at Xing Lei like a raging storm. As for himself, Xing Lei was doing his best to block and parry her strikes, even with his [Spirit Foundation] he found the young female to not be far off his level. Her speed and strength was off the charts compared against what most kobolds should be and was giving Xing Lei adequate pressure in her blitzkrieg like assault.

Pushing her back again, Xing Lei flipped backwards himself, he now had a decent idea of who this force belonged to and was quick to toss down his spear, crossing his arms over his c.h.e.s.t as the female lunged in with a snarl. Xing Lei however made no move, not even flinching with the wicked tip of her sword hovered right before his left eyeball like an angry hummingbird. The female stared at him angrily, barking in an older dialect of the dragon tongue, "Pick up thy weapon, not done are we!"

The group behind boo's and hissed as Xing Lei gave a slow shake of his head, "We're done here." His eyes stared into the rage filled ones of the females, he could see the debate behind her gaze, to follow orders like had likely been driven into her body from an early time or to throw discipline to the wind and complete the crippling strike on this smug looking bastard? Just a decision was solidifying in her angry gaze a large fist covered her hand holding her sword from continuing forward, "His Shadows Match, that is enough." The Lizardfolk turned to regard Xing Lei, and as he suspected, even from the females dark gray scales this leader was a Blackscale.

"Pick up your weapon Dull Scale. We will guide you to our camp." The leader had a dark look in his eyes as Xing Lei noted his grip shaking, the female was putting all her effort into pushing her blade forward yet the leader was equally straining at holding her back. Sighing he looked to his troops, "Shows over you idiots, clean the village. We move out in ten." Pulling the female away from Xing Lei the leader shook his head, the other robed ones silent as death itself as they surrounded the female to calm her down and draw her away. This left Xing Lei to look over the two groups with a smile, it was rather obvious that the methods he had given Destorianaxe were baring fruit, if the kobold assassins were any indication they seemed even more skilled than their evolved cousins.

Picking up his spear, Xing Lei followed this bunch wondering what awaited at the camp...