In the hut of Fleet Spear a trio of tired kobolds slumbered together. Xing Lei laid beneath the two females, snuggling them in close. While Fleet Spear and Leaf Dancer slept Xing Lei was focused on something else, during the tryst between the three a brief alert had made itself apparent, having ignored it during the curing of Leaf and the mating of Fleet it was now time to address the virtual elephant in the room. He was now level ten. For the life of him, Xing Lei couldn't rationalize how he gained enough to push his final racial level, defeating Gruck had been like beating a sand bag, facing the Mistress was a negotiation, laying with the two females? Frowning to himself he stroke either back, if that was one way to level he'd stick to thrashing brutes.
Glaring at the notification he summoned his status, where formerly his stats and skills were was now a prompt to evolve and a list of options...
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Do you wish to evolve? Choose your next form.
1. Kobold (Variant) - Continue with existing race with bonuses. Further evolution possible.
2. Winged Kobold - Reset stats, grow gliding wings. Final evolution.
3. Blackscale Lizardfolk - Reset stats, improve size and base stats. Further evolution possible.
4. Blackscale Lizardfolk (Variant) - Reset stats, greatly increase base stats, improve size. Final evolution.
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Xing Lei looked over the four options, two were to remain a kobold, though one seemed to be the races 'ultimate' form, but in truth gliding wings didn't appeal to him, in a distant cultivation teir his bodily energy would allow him to fly, and truly at that, not just glide. Glancing to the new race he wondered what a lizardfolk was? A bigger kobold? Though in that line becoming a variant would see him halt at that race.
Looking over the options he chose the first, while he was rather tired of being only around three feet or so tall at least he lost nothing but gained some sort of windfall for continuing as he was. Not feeling any different he opened his status again...
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Name: Xing Lei (Dull Scale)
Gender: Male
Race: Kobold (Variant)
Level: 10
Job: Soul Traveller Rank: Mithril
Titles: Slayer of the Forest Lord, Elven Friend, Fleet Spear's Mate
Strength: 7(+6) Dexterity: 9(+6)
Constitution: 9(+6) Intelligence: 15
Wisdom: 18 Charisma: 14(+6)
Charm*: 15(+6) Luck: 15
Mana: 50/50
Condition: Healthy
Innate Abilities: Varied Voice (Supreme) Rank: Mithril, Alchemy Flame (Basic) Rank: Iron, Inspection (Basic) Rank: Iron, Draconic Breath (Basic) Rank: Copper
Skills: Alchemy (Basic) Rank: Bronze, Crimson Mountain Sects Body Tempering (Basic) Rank: Iron, [Dragon Scales], [Sealed], [Sealed], [Sealed], Herbology (Basic) Rank: Iron, Cloud Dragons Spear Technique (Basic) Rank: Silver, Weapon Crafting (Basic) Rank: Iron, Kobold Swordsmanship (Basic) Rank: Bronze, Kobold Archery (Basic) Rank: Copper, Pottery (Basic) Rank: Iron, Stealth (Basic) Rank: Mithril, Kobold Axe Weilding (Basic) Rank: Copper, Elven Spellcasting (Basic) Rank: Copper, Draconic Spellcasting (Novice) Rank: Copper
Elven Spells: Ignite
Draconic Spells: Minor Heal, Curse, Bless, Dragon's Strength, Light Heal, Light Harm, Dragon Fear, Heavenly Feast, Wyverns Grace
Unused Points: 0
Draconic Spellcasting - Most races learn magic, for those of dragon bloodlines you become magic.
Fleet Spear's Mate - Improved Charisma when negotiating with your partner.
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Xing Lei drew in a sharp breath, while he had gained no additional stat points to spend the bonus seemed to be an unlocking of a draconic bloodline. The tempering had gained a special factor, glancing to his arm he focused on bringing forth the Dragon Scales and was rather surprised when his small smooth scales condensed into something like thick armored plates on the limb, while he was sure his body could resist stone and bone weapons with ease normally, with the scales he could probably turn aside some solid lesser metal weapons.
Looking through the listing he noted that he now had a breath weapon, again not very useful to a cultivator since they could do much the same with the right techniques, but in the interim a trump card was a trump card. Scanning further down he was rather surprised the bonus included a formal mystical gift, with the duel his training with Alustriea had fallen short but now it seemed he had some magic all belonging to his blood, Lei could surmise, given the selection, that kobolds with the Mistress' bloodline gained spells like these.
Laying back he smiled and casually ran his fingers down the bare back of the two females drooling on his chest, when his finger tips neared their tails both sets of eyes opened wide and both bodies sqirmed in protest, Leaf in particular rolled right off the cot and curled up on herself with a sleepy "Nuuuu more, let me sleep!"
Fleet Spear smiled and lazily looked at her lover, "Mmm We're not as hardy as you love, you pretty much wrung us out yesterday."
Laughing he leaned down and licked her cheek, "Wasn't waking you up for another time, the day is drawing late and we should make an appearance for either the guard or hunt teams before they complain to the Mistress about three lazy kobolds."
A groan from the floor, turned Xing Lei and Fleet Spear, Leaf Dancer was pushing herself up and staggered a bit, stumbling around blindly she looked to the couple on the cot, "Where's my gear?"
Xing Lei chuckled pointing to a wall in the general direction of the living hut, "Likely by your sleeping spot, you've been wandering naked for the last few days you know."
Leaf Dancer glared at him and sighed slipping out of the hut, she could hardly blame him for her condition. She'd gone into heat and that made her all the more open to the Mistresses whispers. Still, rubbing her belly with a warm smile, she got what she wanted and now the need was gone. So she'd walk back like a new blood, no big deal! Striding off like she was ten feet tall she went to get her stuff, a good hunt was in order.
Back in Fleet's hut she looked curiously at Xing Lei, "That was rather cold of you."
"To dismiss her like that? She got what she wanted and she's no longer in risk of mental collapse, there's no more I owe her."
Fleet propped herself up to look at Xing Lei then to the huts exit, considering what they did and to such degree realization struck her like one of Grull's club. "She wanted an egg... your egg..."
Nodding his eyes focused on his mate and rolled his shoulders, "She'll have a healthy little kobold I think, if the Mistress dosen't claim it at birth. So now that our third wheel is preoccupied shall we collect our charge and start the journey?"
Fleet Spear sighed and looked around, with a groan and a rather embarrassed look feeling how she did she gave a curt nod, "Grab the elf, I'll take what I've hidden away and try to stop smelling like I bathed in your scent."
Licking her other cheek as he rose to collect his armor and head out, he turned watching her stiff movements. Human or kobold, it seemed like something's were all the same. Crossing the hunter camp to the medicinal hut, he knocked on the entry frame, "Alustriea you decent?"
A grumpy elven voice muttered inside softly, "Yes unlike a certain trio of beasts."
Stepping inside Xing Lei chuckled seeing Alustriea all packed and ready, "You knew I'd be heading out after that?"
Alustriea nodded and stretched, the movement obviously feigned to get his attention onto her amplified chest before sighing, "Where's Fleet Spear? Thought for sure she'd be coming with."
"Not Leaf Dancer?"
Alustriea shook her head, "Xing Lei I'm not even the same species and I recognize that she has bedded alot of your brethren on the sly. If you willingly wanted that sort of companion then both I and Fleet Spear would have grossly misjudged you."
Xing Lei chuckled and nodded, "Good eyes, come on, let's collect Fleet Spear and head out, I'm truly interested in seeing other places. By the way, having a couple of kobolds in tow won't harm you will it?"
The elf shook her head, "Most aren't as friendly as this tribe but if left alone most know they're harmless unless completely wild, then they can be trouble for human farmers and their bred fowl."
"You mean some kobolds waste time stealing chickens? Why?"
Alustriea sighed and shrugged, "From what I hear such tribes are usually very primal and lacking anything in the way of intellect so as mentioned they only serve to trouble farmers and those chicken things."
Shaking his head Xing Lei shrugged, "No matter, let's get going before Fleet Spear thinks I started doing something in appropriate without her."
Following behind him she stumbled a bit at his wording, inside her head her brain was in a flurry, 'Did he mean if Fleet Spear WAS here he'd try something with me?!' Blushing hotly she hurried after him, earning a curious stare from him and a shake of his head, in his own mind he smirked, 'Always be prepared for someone to call your bluff.'
Finding Fleet Spear outside her hut with a bundle of furs strapped to her back and Lei's spear in her hand the trio exchanged pleasantries before striking out. Both Xing Lei and Fleet Spear looked back at the hunter camp, a similar thought of wondering if they'd ever return crossed their minds. For Lei, he doubted it unless the Mistress demanded his presence, but for Fleet Spear she vowed to return in her later years, to bring wealth and knowledge back to her people if the tribe was still around.
Alustriea's look was more at the pair, both looks on their faces she could read for those same faces were of her old companions. Some escaping their home to find their true one...out there. The other a face of duty to return the benefits they had earned back to the future generation. Sighing sadly thinking of her dead companions, she hoped at least these two would see their dreams in reality. Tapping those heavily weighed backs the elf chuckled, "Wrong way you two, that's back to start." Smiling she walked away from the tribe and shortly after the two kobolds were beside her, she was rather stunned, who ever guessed they'd party up with kobolds of all things?
Trekking into the forest Fleet Spear was on her guard, after returning Lei his weapon she had taken out her own. Comparing the two made her wish she had asked Lei to make her one like he had done for himself, but with everything going on, begging a young blood for a new weapon struck her as shameful, yet even now when intimate with him she couldn't bring herself to ask. So she made do with hers. "How far till we reach your tribe?"
Alustriea chuckled softly, "By foot, weeks of travel, but I'll lead us to a small town on the northern edge of the forest, we should be able to barter a ride with a wagon if you don't mind giving up a couple of those furs."
Fleet Spear was shocked, "Weeks?! Just how far away is your tribe elf?"
Alustriea sniggered and then coughed, "There's two kingdoms between this wild land and my homeland."
Perking up Xing Lei glance at her, "Kingdoms? Of what rank?"
Alustriea glanced curiously at him, "I don't think they have any set rank. As for whose they are, the nearest is owned by a loose alliance of tribes, mostly goblinkin with a few rarer tribes mixed in, next to them is a human kingdom lead by King Tovul Ironhand, an alright man for a human though he is a bit lax in handling a border dispute with my people currently."
Listening Xing Lei continued to pepper her with questions, some were common knowledge but others made her truly consider what she knew of foreign life. Had he asked about elven culture she could talk for days but human etiquette and power distribution? She'd heard rumors of course but nothing she could verify. Beside them, Fleet Spear listened as they chattered on in elvish, rather put out to not be included in the discussion.
As the forest passed and the sun started to dip into the forest canopy Fleet looked to Alustria, "Are we far from this town you talked about?"
Alustriea shook her head, "Judging by the few landmarks I've seen, we're about a days walk away, if we start early we should arrive there by sun fall tomorrow, but for now finding a spot to bed down for the night would be ideal."
Xing Lei glanced to Alustriea and asked, "What is this town like? Being so close to our tribe I'm rather surprised this is the first I've heard of it."
Alustriea shrugged, "I can't explain it either, by all rights a black dragon on their doorstep should make them prosperous but as far as I know it's a hard place, when we first travelled through there we suspected that the leaders sold out our caravan to those goblins. We were barely in the forest when their hunters had us surrounded."
"Then we will encounter troubles when we look for a place to rest our heads there, be prepared in advance. Of one other trouble, will those hides sell well there? Or should we hunt some more before we reach the town?" Xing Lei realized while out in the wilds money was a useless thing, back in town it was hard to make a being do anything without sufficient reward.
The elven woman nodded as she moved to help Fleet Spear setup the tent while Xing Lei dug a fire pit, "More never goes astray but if we carry too much in I fear us being robbed directly. This tribal kingdom is a brutal setup, strong preys on the weak and the only rule is to be strong enough to protect what you need to."
"Just what I'm use to." Xing Lei stated as he darted off into the dim setting sunlight to hunt up something for their dinner.