The interior of the throne room was silent like a tomb, as Xing Lei looked around it was quite obvious that House Luen had already fallen. The elites who should have been arranged by the door were scattered around the room like toys scattered by an errant child. The strangest thing was while each appeared dead, there were no obvious signs of battle or wounds, rather each simply had fallen dead where they had stood.
Of all the beings in the room, only five still drew breath. The Matron Mother sat upon her throne while Malice stood before her confronting a slender figure that stood back on to Xing Lei. Calimar stood behind this floating figure looking calm and unconcerned. With the doors being kicked in the main play before the throne turned its attention Xing Lei's way. As he and his allies strode in Nadal practically screamed like a little girl, "Brother Calimar, that's who you were waiting for!?"
Xing Lei could hear the fear in Nadal's voice, even the troops crowding around the door shrank back seeing the floating figure. The figure was willow thin dressed in a fine flamboyant robe like most mages were wont to do, but other than the whole floating a foot off the stone, the strangest thing was the back on head which looked to be bald, but was also a rich purple, the flesh undulating weirdly as if there was no solid skull beneath the flesh. Calimar glanced at the intruders indifferently, he truly was here to severe ties with all factions so he took no joy or anger in Xing Lei's abrupt entrance.
•● Is this the one you wished us to see Calimar Luen of the falling Cheth Rrihinn? ●•
The strange figure had not spoken, yet its 'voice' hammered into the brains of everyone present. Matron Mother and Malice winced in pain, as did Osilliaice, Alustriea, Nadal and his troops. Xing Lei tilted his head slightly studying the figure who slowly turned around. Ugly was the first thought that came to his mind, the figure was not a neutral party dark elf, rather it looked like an octopus or squid had grown a humanoid body. Small tentacles writhed around its 'mouth' area while a pair of milky white eyes swept across the kobold. Its purple skinned hands only had three fingers and a thumb and they were lightly pressed together before the telepathic being.
Nadal whimpered behind them all, "Illithid... oh Brother Calimar you've screwed us all haven't you?"
Calimar didn't answer, merely watched as his ally turned fully and stared at this rag tag group of invaders. That octopus head tilted slightly as those inhuman white eyes narrowed. Sensing something, Xing Lei grabbed Osilliaice and Alustriea's hands and yanked them to the side a moment before a THWAMP seemed to vibrate in everyone's mind. A blast of mental pressure swept over Nadal and his troops, like marionettes with their strings cut the lot slumped to the floor lightly foaming at the mouth.
•● You sensed our psionic blast? Calimar Luen of the now fallen Cheth Rrihinn, your advice to us was sound. We accept the terms and we will welcome your mind to our collective. ●•
The illithid 'spoke' openly which made Malice launch herself at the creature. Without even turning its gaze away from Xing Lei another THWAMP echoed in peoples minds. The serpent whips head exploded, Malice fell to the floor much like her brother, senseless. Matron Mother slumped on her throne, equally stunned by the strange mental attack of the creature who watched Xing Lei running around the edge of the throne room, dragging the two females with him.
Calimar sighed, "Better to surrender Kobolicus, make it easier on yourself and your friends. While you will be enslaved they do not mistreat their cattle. When it comes time to feed, you will not even be of mind to resist."
Xing Lei frowned ignoring Calimars calm monotone explanation, the fact he referred to them all as cattle was enough indication that whatever the hell these illithid were they ate their slaves. Being captured was not just losing your freedom but also assigning yourself to the dinner table. While he also wasn't sure what psionics were, he could infer it was some sort of spiritual attack that overloaded the mind, thus, no surprise the rumored spell resistance of the dark elves was as useful as armor made of paper.
The silent figure turned, the once slow gradual rotation was sped up to keep apace of Xing Lei's movements. Those THWAMPS continuously rung out just missing Xing Lei as he dragged Alustriea and Osilliaice in his wake, both grimaced in pain, their respective shoulders hurting as the kobold pulled them along at a speed neither of them could manage on their own.
•● Why do you resist? You are but small minds before we of the hive mind. Surrender, such strong unique beings are valued highly in our hive. The elf can massage the mother, the Lizardfolk can fight in the pits. Even you little kobold serve in nourishing us. We suspect your thoughts sweet. ●•
As Xing Lei was closing on his first full circuit of the room he raced towards the open doors throwing Alustriea and Osilliaice through them and slamming the doors shut. The muffled cries of the pair sounded from the other side of the door as he faced the illithid who watched his antics with minor amusement on that disgusting face. The tentacles curled mockingly.
•● You think them safe now from us? We shall simply deal with you first then harvest all the slaves from this gift. ●•
Xing Lei frowned, he really couldn't refute the things logic. As strong as he was, mental, mystic and sonic attacks were his current forms three greatest weaknesses. His scales could turn aside axe, sword and claw, but their toughness helped nary a bit when it came to attacks that assaulted his mind. The mithril tipped spear appeared in his hand as he eyed the monster by Calimar, he needed to get close, but getting close simply meant taking one of those 'psionic blasts' head on.
Narrowing his eyes he rushed forward up the carpeted approach to the throne, his clawed toes tearing into the rug as he darted back and forth between the pillars that framed the central approach. The feeling of the blasts barely streaking by him made his scales crawl but he focused now on reaching his goal, of spitting that octopus on his spear.
As Xing Lei closed in with a speed that denied mortal limits Calimar glanced to the illithid, "Lord Quisothel, should I...?"
Lifting a strange hand Quisothel watched the kobolds approach, those white eyes seeming to not even follow the rapid advancement of the little reptile. When Xing Lei appeared to his left that ugly head did not even turn before a loud THWAMP echoed around the chamber. The mithril spear had almost sunk into the squishy flesh of the illithid's head when Xing Lei was thrown back colliding heavily with a pillar, the force of the blast blowing the small scaly body straight through the stone column.
Floating over the illithid raised a hand and the kobolds limp body levitated out of the rumble, drawn in closer. Eyes snapping open, Xing Lei briskly inhaled but before he could spit a gout of flame into Quisothel's ugly face another loud THWAMP sounded... then another... and another after that. Those milky white eyes stared at Xing Lei who was quickly slammed with three consecutive blasts, and still the kobold was trying to fight off unconsciousness.
•● We believe Calimar Luen formerly of House Luen of the fallen Cheth Rrihinn has not been completely forthcoming to us. This is not 'just' a food being. We demand to know what this is? ●•
Calinar stepped back a bit and swallowed nervously, he had hoped to be taken in by the illithid hive and own Kobolicus himself, the little kobold had untold secrets and Calimar had meant to harvest Xing Lei's thoughts himself. Now being questioned the likelyhood of that was quickly vanishing. If Quisothel learned the truth...
•● So that is it. We thank you for being so forth coming Calimar Luen of the former House Luen of the now fallen Cheth Rrihinn. We see this is not just food. We will see these secrets ourselves. You will wait for us. ●•
Calimar clenched his teeth in anger, he'd been played! The illithid had been reading his surface thoughts so when asked about Kobolicus he naturally had spilled his guts with his thoughts. Quisothel paid the anger of the drow mage no concern, waving a hand to draw the kobold in close, those tentacles wriggling in desire for hidden knowledge crawling across the scaled face of Xing Lei.
Briefly he thrashed in the illithid's grip, but as he was drawn in a haze fell across his thoughts. Whiteness choked out sound and sight, the haze deepening as the world fell away. All there was was rhythmic breathing, a soft warmth pressed against his arm. Conciousness slowly returned as he lifted a hand to rub over his unshaven face, fingers tracing his nose and jaw in confusion, the wisp of a thin beard graced his square jaw.
Sitting upright tossing back the covers that wrapped his pink muscled body he blinked in confusion. Beside him a disgruntled moan slipped from the mouth of a beautiful woman curled against his side, rolling over that ivory skin was on full display, her pert mountains peaked with twin pink tops welcomed his gaze, a soft hand caressed a taut belly just above a patch of soft black curls that hid her womanhood from view.
A pair of mismatched eyes blinked wearily in confusion at his abrupt rise in bed, "Mmmm dearest not again, little sister MingMing is too tired this morning after appeasing Brother Lei's dragon all night. If Brother Lei desires more, perhaps first sister Alustriea is up?"
The honeyed voice tinged with the grace of slumber echoed in his ears. Little MingMing... his third wife in his old life... wait... Alustriea? His first wife? Had he suffered from some sort of qi deviance all this time?
Jumping from the bed he staggered, his sense of balance no longer affected by a tail, MingMing giggled as the naked man stumbled across the room to a standing mirror, standing before it he looked into his ocean blue eyes, a handsome man stared back at him. A body toned and well maintained yet covered in scars from the many battles and adventures marred his chest and arms. Glancing down, his proud dragon stood aloft greeting the new day with a vigor that coursed through his body. An appreciative moan sounded from the bed as MingMing watched him from where she lay, "On second thought, perhaps you should treat little sister to more of your grand favor husband, we should not let your dragon go forth unappeased..."
Glancing back he saw the gorgeous woman laid back in the ruffled bed, her pale white thighs spread invitingly as her long fingers pet the silky curls above her desire. Her hooded green eyes stared at him with an open lust as her teeth softly nibbled her plump pink lower lip, "Come back to bed dear husband, the day can wait, after all who is left to admonish the great Lord Xing Lei?"
As she practically purred his name the chamber door burst inwards, a slender woman with wheat colored hair and emerald eyes stood in the door way. Glancing from the little sister to Xing Lei she face palmed, "Husband, I know you plan to ascend in ten days time but until you claim immortality you have a city state to lord over..."
MingMing pouted pulling the covers over her nakedness, "Awww big sis Alustriea does he have to?"
Alustriea glared at her little sister, "And you should be moving too, Father in law is coming to see you this morning, what ever will he say if his darling little peach blossom is reported to be spending the day abed with our husband?"
Xing Lei smiled, watching his first wife with his third, a contented sigh escaping his lips.