Xing Lei watched the trio depart with a passing disregard, Ferus was probably the most difficult opponent of the three but that was more to him sitting back letting others take the fall while he watched and learned. Such opponents were often very troublesome since they casually cut off pawns they sent out to test the water, only ever moving themselves if they were assured success. Then of course there was the latest arrival, his eyes turned to gaze at Velusa who was casually studying him.
Like Ferus, Xing Lei felt a greater threat from this Velusa character than the two thugs. She seemed well integrated into the goings on of this draconic battlefield. Ferus' claim she had her fingers in activities all over would not surprise him one bit. Tilting his head slightly, the spear in his hand vanished, tucked back in his ring, the poor weapon needed repair badly. It had held against Ashen Cloud and Gronk for their short bouts but had Gronk pressed with his strength chances were high the faithful weapon may well have snapped.
"So, do I pass inspection Xing Lei?"
Velusa's question pulled him from his considerations and looked to the relaxed Greenscale, if she was nervous facing the one holding that name she didn't show it, and to associate him with the name on their first meeting obviously meant she knew his reputation, "I imagine you do, most in the draconic circle would use one of my aliases before greeting me with that name."
Velusa chuckled tilting her head, "Come walk as we talk."
Xing Lei chuckled, "You know where I'm headed?"
Velusa laughed and nodded, "Naturally, it's not hard to deduce when my pet met a poor end there."
Xing Lei stepped up beside her, easily matching her pace, like her his steps were quite soft even in the cold snow, where she left no trace his own passage was like the wind itself, "The Ice Tiger was yours?"
Velusa nodded and the huffed in displeasure, "I was quite put out when I felt it die, you are a true brute you know that?"
Xing Lei rolled his shoulders in a hapless shrug, "In my defense, it WAS trying to eat me."
Velusa's mock pout broke into a soft laugh, "Merely a nibble, from what I hear even sword and axe can't touch your blood, what chance did my poor kitten have?"
Xing Lei chuckled, "Being a rank four monstrous beast, it had alot going for it." Still as he spoke he trailed off, Velusa seemed to have a natural ability in getting one to talk in time with her rythym. She said very little useful herself but here he was expounding upon what he went through with her guard cat. "So, why has the well known Velusa sought me out?"
The Greenscale glanced at Xing Lei briefly when he stopped himself but as before she merely laughed off the fact she had been caught red handed. "The infamous Kobolicus is skulking around the battle zone, only a foolish person would not investigate the matter, namely to see where his allegiances lay."
Xing Lei chuckled and shrugged, "Where they have always lain, close to my chest. To be honest I'm more interested in the purpose of thus little wargame, there has to be something important to have twelve factions fighting over it."
Velusa gave him a sidelong glare, "You honestly don't know what's going on here?"
Xing Lei shook his head and shrugged helplessly, "Destorianaxe has been less than forthcoming about the matter, she suspects... and potentially rightly so, that should I learn the purpose I'll take an active role against her."
Velusa looked over in surprise at that, "Oh, you consider yourself a mercenary do you? Perhaps if your fee isn't too high our Master could tempt your allegiance...?"
Xing Lei laughed casually folding his arms over his chest and bowed his head in thought, "Well now I can't say I'm a mercenary, but if a goal is worth going for I might be tempted to become the thirteenth faction after it."
Velusa stopped in her tracks, a light snort coupled by a deep laughter exploded from the female Lizardfolk, "Surely you're joking! Each faction has hundreds of us Lizardfolk and our weaker kobold cousins fighting for each side. A single kobold without dragon backing wants to be the thirteenth force? Such an amusing concept."
Xing Lei tilted his head, his form shifting, the five foot kobold growing larger under the shocked gaze of Velusa. His heavy claws sinking into the snow as he stepped closer to her in his wyrmling form. His yellow eyes staring into her shocked gaze with intent, "Why would I need such a thing?"
His form quickly changed back, the kobold him straightened his clothes before turning and striding off, "Ah there's the tunnel. Thank you for the escort Velusa, I'll see myself out. I'm sure you have alot to think about." Snickering evilly inside his mind he did not look back at the Greenscale, her jaw nearly dragging along the snow in disbelief. Her information had been impeccable... when did Kobolicus evolve into a dragon?!
In his senses he 'saw' her fumble with her ring before rushing off, stealth was no longer something she cared about. This news was too big to worry about other minor things over. A thirteenth faction? A second Black Dragon going for the goal? Was evolution a way around the restrictions in place? Velusa's mind was all over the game board, Xing Lei had not just changed this from two dimensional chess to three... the revelation that an evolved being could see the rise of additional representatives?! Who knew of this hidden clause? Who would allow their elites out now if it were possible for them to evolve into wyrmlings?! No this didn't just add another faction to the game, he had potentially just flipped the entire table.
Leaning against the mouth of the passage he watched her reaching the limits of his sense and shook his head. Perhaps it was 'unwise' to show this change to a potential enemy but only he himself knew he was no dragon. He could assume the form but while powerful, it was not permanent. He was a kobold. A special one perhaps, but still just a kobold. Feeding his enemies and allies the same misinformation would only help strengthen the lie.
Making his way back through the Ice Tigers passage he considered Velusa, prying information out of her had not been easy but from her reactions and Xing Kahs explanations he was getting a better picture of the battle. The trouble was, nothing he thought of could truly move twelve dragons and their troops to this regard, just what were they competing over? A lost treasure vault? Perhaps a mini world rich with resources? Maybe it was an ancient weapon or artifact? There just wasn't anything that jumped at him as being important enough to move that over grown lizard Destorianaxe nor eleven of her fellow dragons.
Walking briskly along the passage he kept turning it over in his mind but the more things he considered the less this whole battle made sense. Yet it seemed like it was designed for twelve dragons, or more specifically those twelve dragons. Hinting at a thirteenth had truly shocked the Greenscale Velusa. Like the mere thought of another dragon was such an impossibility that it had not been tried before... which was even more unlikely in his eyes. Dragons were hardly social creatures, but he doubted that the world only housed twelve of them, especially based on scale pigmentation. Surely there were others of the same shades... so why could they not participate?
Stopping at the jungle entrance Xing Lei looked at the thick canopy of branches and leaves. The closest thing he could relate to it was in his old life when sects sent their representatives into trial grounds. Usually these elites had won the right over their family and friends, being the strongest of their order to step forth as a representative. Was it the same here? Hence could be why Velusa thought his thirteenth faction so laughable, as an outsider trying to force a spot in a contest established by a higher power the sheer impossibility was immense, in fact such arrogance often earned the offender a quick death.
Yet when he revealed his draconic form it was like he had revealed he had used a counterfeit token to access the trial grounds. The impossible made possible? If he continued that path could he truly beat the twelve other dragons and claim a prize dedicated to their presence? Xing Lei rubbed the top of his muzzle in frustration, there was simply too much he didn't know, not only about the situation but also about the other parties. There was Destorianaxe of course but what other dragons were involved? Their natures and quirks? He needed more information if he was going to crash the trial and claim for himself the prize, but where to get such information?
Frowning to himself he pushed off the wall, in a few weeks he'd meet Destorianaxe again and have to grill her for that knowledge and hope she at least had that much, but considering she nearly fed his son and apparently their new skilled shadow team to an enemy ambush, he had to question if she truly had enough information. Then there was Velusa, her checking out of the slain Ice Tiger was a cover story, that much was obvious. She was there for other reasons, and with extensive knowledge of him.
With little else he could do, the kobold rushed back through the jungle. While he ran he kept his senses swirling around his body, if any of the groups sent a tag along he wanted to deal with them before fully exposing the location of Osilliaice and Alustriea, both were coming along well with the former already in [Qi Fortification] and making grand strides to [Spirit Foundation]. Alustriea however was still in body tempering, he was still exploring what options a mana user could use without disrupting their spell casting.
Darting around trees and beasts his mind was spread over so many things, Osilliaice also needed to evolve, this was likely to be her final form too so she had been holding back, getting additional experiences and stimulus trying to see if the options would also change. Thus far nothing had worked, perhaps the thrill of their return to the tribe might spur a difference but regardless she'd need to evolve before setting out, rehatching in a battle zone would not be safe.
Pulling up short, Xing Lei perched on a thick branch watching a patrol of halflings sneak by, his yellow eyes watching their movements. From their path, it looked like they were a forward scout group. Likely another attack force was near by. He would miss this game of cat and mouse with the indigenous humanoids, they made practicing ones stealth and control of group combat an essential thing. Hopefully dealing with the other Lizardfolk might provide similar opportunities, especially with Velusa's bunch.
Slipping forward, Xing Lei made it back to town easy enough, this had been their first real home for the three of them, and now they would be moving on to another day by day situation. He hoped the tribe had an actual town instead of the huts of the original spot, asking Osilliaice and Alustriea to give this up for savage living conditions would be a bit much. Looking over the streets he was also a tiny bit glad to be moving on, the port town was expanding rapidly, whatever the elf lord had planned was likely to come to a head in the next few years, better to not be swept up in that mess when it happened. A city of mercenaries would be a very bad place to be when that elf Lord made his plans public.
Shaking his head he slipped into his house looking around the sparse living area, Osilliaice was likely still in the jungle, she'd be back for eveningfast. Alustriea was likely at the market, the pills had been slowly moving after she took over selling them so they still had plenty of stock, better to hold onto it now, it could be traded with the tribe perhaps, but again, that would depend on the situation there. To be honest with himself, he really didn't know the current status of the Blackscales, he hoped with evolution they had developed better than their kobold roots but seeing the Whitescales... that hope may not be true.
For now he'd focus on picking a cultivation manual for Alustriea, if she could break through before they set out, that would be best. With her beginner cultivation and Osilliaice's final evolution, he'd feel much safer leading his mate and wife to war...