Mattariel

The Tale of Lalep the 'Bold. (Complete)

Apr 28th, 2019
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  1. The Tale of Lalep the 'Bold
  2.  
  3. Prologue
  4.  
  5. “We live in interesting times, of that there can be no doubt. Ever since the Great Dragon Firaegin began its 'harassment' of our towns, cities and the grand capital of Marfield, many questions were asked, defences bolstered like the raiding wyrms of old, as in the stories our parents and grandparents would spin. Yet unlike the hiding, paranoid sky-gazing and water-collecting for fires feared of the past; this great 'tyrant', as he's been called, couldn't be further from this old-wives tale and its knee-jerk reactions.
  6.  
  7. “Indeed. Should we be rousing a mob; spears and pitchforks in hand to try and slay our scaled overseers? Should we be ignoring their demands, praying for a hero to come to our aid in our desperate times of need when such a creature last deemed to control us simple folk? Were this a week within our first meeting with the beast, I would likely concur!
  8.  
  9. “Yet, I sit here, supping a finer vintage than I've seen the nobility drink, eating a foreign spiced, meat-heavy dish I can scarcely pronounce, with fare the likes of salted porridge and dry bread a distant memory. The common man walks the streets, unafraid of water seeping into his boots, new pairs and spares prevalent and available. No, my fellow citizens, fear is not a response that makes any sense anymore. Coin flows in obscene amounts, so much that even the upper crust of society struggles to find more frivolities to spend it on.
  10.  
  11. “The diminished King Goshev III still able to pass judgement on his subjects, despite his resignation to our greater still scaled ruler. It seems the day to day trials and tribulations of the commonfolk is beneath, in so many ways both metaphoric and literal, the gaze of the Emperor; I suppose the nature of avarice is still high on the Draconic agenda. The taxes we pay are great, but once more I must stress, I've yet to see a single citizen worse off.
  12.  
  13. “One could theoretically complain about being forced into this though; tales spun in dark taverns daily speak volumes to the bullying, fiery eyed glare of our Draconic ruler; gloating, firm threats of decimation or worse. More than one crater sized hand or clawprint in quiet corners of town edges prove the vast Dragon has threatened harm even while attempting to broker a peaceful settlement, slamming and roaring as a beast would, and yet few can prove any harm rendered.
  14.  
  15. “More curiously, though; I've heard rumblings and rumours both that those who have had a face to face talk with our Emperor in recent months have met a far more measured, reasoned or, dare I say, charming approach. Perhaps, as control is instilled in the populace, the need for sword-tip, or claw-tip in this case, diplomacy has waned....THIS Chronicler, though, would suggest that wherever this Dragon emerged from, surpassing all others, may have been suffering from the bane of many upstart conquerer that hasn't cooled their blazing trail, the thing that has seen them fall time and time again in history.
  16.  
  17. “Firaegin, the One Emperor was suffering a power high. It's gratifying to know even beings beyond our scope are vulnerable to mortal foibles. If this is what new age tyranny consists of, I for one hope he has indeed calmed; for all our sakes”
  18.  
  19. Marfield Chronicler Giuseppe “By Tooth and Claw; One Nation: A study on Emperor Firaegin”
  20.  
  21.  
  22. Chapter 1:
  23.  
  24. Tension was a word that lacked sufficient emphasis on this meeting; In the Great Firaegin's lair, an unusual though increasingly common sight; a retinue of humans, lead by a foppish looking fellow with a feathered chapeau, armoured though notably unarmed men numbering ten around him. On another section of the lair; a sleek lavender Dragon, breathing heavy frustrated breaths, a shadow-like haze emitting from his nostrils. Between them; a line of Kobold's, armoured as heavily as the humans despite being a meagre three feet tall on average, though they brandished longspears pointed at each side of the argument, the green flag dangling from each polearm with script in the draconic lexicon; By Tooth and Claw; One Nation.
  25.  
  26. The two strangers to the lair stared at one another, the smaller sweating and worried as opposed to the frustrated drake, neither gave the Kobold's much heed; they were a disciplined bunch, and both had never any problems so long as they kept a sensible distance apart. Any other time or place, the dragon would have spewed his draconic breath, gassing the crew and sapping their stamina with his potent poison and slaughtered them as breath became laboured and hearts fluttered in feeble twitches. However, these were different times; A year and four months had passed since Firaegin landed on King Goshev's Castle roof and collapsed it with his overpowering mass, and that same presence now firmly stopped any active hostility.
  27.  
  28. The great green Dragon himself sat upright, massively thick musculature rippling from the slightest motions, looming over both the miniscule, claw-sized humans and the belly high fellow Dragon. The forty foot long purple drake finished his intimidation stare and turned his attention to the glowing amber eyes of the fearsome Emperor of Goshev, crowned by some ten horns in symmetrical arrangement. While one could call Firaegin a 'typical Dragon', with a modest neck that allowed him to turn his head completely behind himself. and body length tail that tapered without major detail besides typical flight guiding fins, he was simply bigger than any that had come before.
  29.  
  30. “You see my concern, then, Oh Great One? It's a lack of respect!” He spoke in a low hiss, raspy, his long neck slowly flowing about; a serpent measuring its prey. He was a skulking type, anyone could see that; narrow, able to spread his limbs to flatten down so he was barely taller than a horse, wings wrapped into coils and sunken wide on his body rather than prominent on his back, and a long, snaking tail more than the length of his body.
  31.  
  32. “I assure you both, we are taking our fair share as the terms dictate! Our trade simply saw a greater return than normal, which the new charter CLEARLY states, besides a five percent taxation to you, My Emperor, the regional Dragon gets no extra cut!” The human mopped his brow, knowing he was in the right, but being correct didn't circumnavigate the ability to be smeared into the rock floor by a single swipe of a tail.
  33.  
  34. Jaraesi lazily observed the mildly amusing back and forth, she lounged on the gold behind her mate, who sighed deeply, the floor vibrating from the bass of the sound. Her deep blue scales glistening in the lit audience section of the lair. She was a notably stockier Dragon than the one arguing his case; a short neck, webbed digits a sign of an aquatic stock, a powerful build better suited to swimming as well as flying, power rather than speed, assisted by a finned tail.
  35.  
  36. “The representative of Marfield is correct, Naebas. You have performed your duty protecting the roads well, your hoard has grown to twice its size since my plan was put into effect; You should both be appeased by the arrangement” He loomed lower, staring at both in turn, narrowing his amber eyes as both parties backed away a step or two. That said, Naebas wouldn't take the judgement laying down, as he regained his lost ground and took a step or two more in return.
  37.  
  38. “You'd side with the HUMANS!? What kind of Dragon are you!? What of solidarity! I've heard the rumours; coddling the lesser drake-kin! Conceding to manfolk!? You'd best watch yourself, or-” A predictable response and an echoing crack. Jaraesi giggled to herself as Firaegin's massive hand slammed Naebas' head into the ground, barely a firm handed slap for the larger drake, who then grabbed him around the neck, and lifted him off the ground effortlessly. Horn fragments scattered from Naebas' once majestic arrangement, teeth falling from his maw and blood smearing the ground.
  39.  
  40. “Forgive me, Naebas of the Endless Plains, I daresay I struggled to hear you all the way down there. Now that we're a little closer” He pulled him right up to his muzzle. If Naebas could breathe, he would smell the ozone-like odour of the lightning breath within along with the acrid bitter tinge of a ghastly fume to carry it. “Care to repeat that, friend?”
  41.  
  42. No words, just choking, an instinctual attempt to breathe his poison despite it being an awful idea, a desperate but feeble clawing at the few foot thick armoured plating of the forearm leaving thin scratches on the rich green surface. The hold was maintained for a full minute, each jerking, clawing motion slowed, the smaller drake's blue eyes rolling back into his skull as darkness swam in his vision. Mercifully, at last, Firaegin released his kin, who flopped to the ground, the shock almost assisting Naebas' shock into being able to breathe again.
  43.  
  44. Gasping and writhing slightly, the purple Dragon finally coughed and clutched at his aching head, the initial shock impact ringing in his skull. If Dragons could cry like their diminutive distant cousins, Naebas would be bawling. Instead, he flattened himself in submission.
  45.  
  46. “Forgive me, My Emperor! I lost control of my emotions! Mercy!”
  47.  
  48. Firaegin snorted a small, buzzing cloud from his nostrils and turned back to the human party.
  49.  
  50. “It would perhaps behove you to offer a token gesture of your great success in trade to your designated defender. Not a percentage, but even an entourage of thanks, some luxury surplus in tow. I'm sure Naebas would appreciate a good wine barrel or premier breed livestock to indulge in your celebrations, and a little celebratory fare for his tireless Kobold's?”
  51.  
  52. The human looked at Naebas, who continued to clutch his muzzle and head in pain.
  53.  
  54. “An excellent idea, Oh Great One! We shall do just that. A thousand thanks on behalf of Marfield!”
  55.  
  56. Both groups, one after the other, left the hall; Naebas sheepishly circling around Firaegin and again mockingly giggled at by Jaraesi, the humans were escorted out by the Kobold Peacekeepers.
  57. After a few minutes, Firaegin heaved a sigh and returned to lounging beside his mate.
  58.  
  59. “He was right though, my beloved. You DO coddle the help too much” Jaraesi sighed, rubbing her lightly distended belly. A second clutch well underway, although not as dramatic, though still top-ending the average quantity at five eggs. A side chamber away, nine young slept off a substantial meal, the tenth sadly having not survived the hatching, each a gradiant of cyan in colour and already able to breathe a thundercloud when playing, the tickling touch of electricity harmless to them, a tool for playing, and eventually of destruction.
  60. Firaegin rolled his massive eyes and shook his head.
  61.  
  62. “On the day some pretender coerces my subjects, my precious one, I'll concede the point. As it stands, I have integrated small pockets of our Kobold's into the other clans who report to me every move made, every scheme is known to me” He was rightly smug; the same rule that had made mankind bow the knee was an opiate to the Kobold ranks. The praise each other clan offered their Dragons was always shadowed by praisings for the Over-Dragon here, or Greater One there. So great were the improvements in all beings' livelihoods, it was likely only jealousy that drove rebellion, and each time that word began to gain prominence, individuals disappeared and the standard flow of duty was maintained.
  63.  
  64. “Oh, I'm not questioning you, blessed mate, it's just a little different than the domineering Emperor who fucked me so hard I literally couldn't speak or even engage in deep thought for three days....speaking of” She lifted herself and sauntered over, nuzzling his thickly muscled neck.
  65.  
  66. “If you'd like to remove some stress, as filled with eggs as I am, there's another 'cave' you could 'plunder', hmm?” She pried her head past his relaxed limbs and ran her tongue along the passage that concealed his rather infamous shaft. It reacted, the androgynous slit pulling apart and bumping the Dragoness' muzzle. She returned the gesture with a long, draw-out lick as it approached its full length. Jaraesi gasped softly.
  67.  
  68. “Every time I see it....it's a wonder you can walk normally, My Emperor” She purred and suckled on the tip, tongue teasing the opening and with a low, thrumming purr of his own. He cast his unique pliability spell, the familiar ripple running across her body as it completed. The Dragons' shaft at twenty feet in length, a fifth of his body and literally half of her torso long, was obscenely disproportional, but frankly that just excited Jaraesi even more. She was ruined to conventional sizes, the sensation of her very being at risk of permanent injury or even death every time she tackled it drove her crazy.
  69.  
  70. Her forty foot body, again that for tail length not included, couldn't be sufficient without the spell; she was anticipating the deeply alien sensation of her vital organs being shoved around. It was a fetish to her now, a sensation she knew she couldn't get anywhere else. She drove herself onto his length with gusto, tongue wrapping around the cartilage prongs on the underside as she began engaging a swallowing sensation, the rippling muscles still running a pressure along her mates vast cock as each protrusion raked at her insides. The tongue snaked, plucked and pulled on each as she drove deeper and deeper along it, the occasional flex of her neck a futile resistance as his member engorged to full width.
  71.  
  72. Firaegin growled with approval, a shiver running up his back that made him jerk against her slightly, driving him deeper into her body as he stood over her, watching her tail wiggle with excitement. Her shoulders visibly pulled apart from the internal pressure, her heart pulsed at an atypical rhythm for a moment as it got pushed aside as he went full hilt within her, knocked about again and again as she thrust her whole body back and forth against him. The dazed, mild panic it spun into her brain was the headiest, loftiest high; she needed that risk, the once conquering Dragoness freshly reminded she was a speck, a nothing to his majesty, a frail little hatchling, and she almost came herself right then and there.
  73.  
  74. But she had been conditioned. She knew what he wanted, and that was control. The kindness to his underlings, his measured response to all other races under his rule were well and good. Right here, as he started pulling and pushing her along his building crushing, blood red Dragon-hood was all the proof she ever needed that he was the apex being. Gracefully, being his official mate, he then showed his returning affections by arching over her and driving his huge pointed tongue into her folds. Being penetrated on both ends again threatened to make her collapse, to give in; practice and discipline just keeping her barely sane.
  75.  
  76. Her mind didn't react to a shrill, approaching cry, distant in reality and as her mind faded to animalistic lust. The sound drove Firaegin into an angry lunge of the head though, a selfish desire to sate both his and his partners' lusts though frustrated at being hurried by the intrusion. Burying his muzzle into her cloaca and compressing her from both sides; a wheel of two Dragons was made and his broad nose pulled the opening apart, extended by another thrust of a tongue so deep in her vaginal passage he could probably reach her forming eggs, thankfully also effected by the pliability spell. She couldn't hear what the screeching noise was anymore, her eyes lost all focus and she splattered Firaegin's nose with her ejaculate as a river of his own swelled her belly twice over, then three times as he came, the sensation too short for him to be truly satisfied, but the encroaching noise had to be dealt with.
  77.  
  78. Firaegin slowly pulled the limp body of his mate off of his retracting length, licking his muzzle clean, then showing a great deal of concern as he gently lowered her into a comfortable position on his hoard. He watched for her to start breathing on her own again, coughing a little of his seed to clear the airway, and once she did, he turned to face the entry hall, and shot a blood-curdling stare down the corridor at the attempted interruption.
  79. Before him, a sight that caught him off guard; three Kobolds at the front, a few others behind them in pursuit all bowing as his attention turned to them.
  80.  
  81. A yellow eyed red Kobold, Kaja, the recently appointed Underboss, clutching the dull yellow legs of the second Kobold.
  82.  
  83. Lalep, fond memories flooding Firaegin's mind as well as a distinct tinge of relief, currently face buried in the floor, covered in minor wounds and desperately reaching for the third Kobold.
  84.  
  85. A white female, pale grey eyes open but she looked dead, only the slightest of her chest rising and falling told him she lived, motionless otherwise. This one wasn't known to him, his impressive memory knew each of his subjects by name, maybe half of them he knew on a personal level to some degree.
  86.  
  87. Lalep's pink eyes were bloodshot, he'd been weeping, and still was by the looks of it. Distress evident as he tried to crawl to the white Kobold.
  88.  
  89. “Forgive us, Oh Mighty Firaegin! I tried to stop Scout Lalep, I fear he's lost his mind!” Kaja crawled on top of the yellow Kobold and further restrained him.
  90.  
  91. “Please! Oh Mightiest of Mighty's Firaegin! I's beggin' you, help Vala! I's don't care what you do to me, but I's promises her to save her!!” He gushed with tears again at the spouting of the name. What little remained of his anger subsided further from the mighty Dragon, who looked down closely at the white Kobold and sniffed, his eyes flaring as he engaged his supernatural senses. A few moments of study as her stare bore into her and he tilted his head.
  92.  
  93. “She's been cursed. A human Mind-Maze. Few practitioners know this spell; it traps the spirit within itself, a puzzle of the mind and body specifically designed to lock the mind within until it passes from starvation or old age; even under care, it is a slow, near guaranteed death” He sat down and gestured for Lalep to be released with the wave of a hand. Kaja grumbled and released him, but kept a hand on him.
  94.  
  95. “It's just a Kobold, Mightiest of Lords, there are others”
  96.  
  97. “Not like her! Please! You's gotta help! I'll work quadralatal shifts!”
  98.  
  99. Firaegin was intrigued if nothing else, he briefly closed his eyes to recall what he'd studied back as a Kobold on magic, the many books they'd retained from human raids and such, adventuring groups slain by his tenure as Underboss and so many before him had lead to a vast library with few to read from it. He dare say that he wouldn't be where he was without studying with most of his spare moments in that previous life.
  100.  
  101. “A Mind-Maze is unique to the individual, and the more I know of this Kobold, the more likely I will be to draw her spirit back into being. Lalep!” He bellowed, snapping him to attention. “You have been missing for a few days, by the scout reports. Tell me everything you remember, leave no detail out, it is crucial!” He stared at the female, eyes glowing brighter as he engaged in a form of Draconic hypnosis; the same ability that let any Dragon's shouted words cause any Kobold to kowtow to whatever was said, now silently used to try and pry a reaction from her, attempting to worm his way into her subconcious even while he listened intently for the Kobold to begin.
  102.  
  103. Lalep crawled over to and crouched down, affectionately stroking Vala's head and cradling her, then nodding, he took a deep breath.
  104.  
  105. “So, it was being three days ago...”
  106.  
  107. End
  108.  
  109. * * * * *
  110.  
  111. “I've seen it! An astonishing thing; a huge tunnel, slowly being further expanded out, supported by struts of precise engineering. Very professional, so many of those Kobold underlings working in tandem, shovel, barrow and pick in hand. They're a well trained sort to create such a passage in what I understand to be a single month of constant work, fifty miles long no less!
  112.  
  113. “The union of the new Emperor and his mate, our former scourge, obviously spurred the construction, but I do hope some day that they will allow our merchants to use it; the capacity for rapid, cross country trade would be tremendous...as well as the rumours of old Scalecasters having once lived beneath the Goshev mountain range. I dare say the discovery of one of their old hideaways would lead to riches beyond our best annual estimates
  114.  
  115. “At the very least, I hope Emperor Firaegin will allow the purchase of those Kobolds; I swear those little bastards could replace my workforce for a song! Even if that's not viable, at least we no longer have to bow to the frosty breath of that bitch Jaraesi”
  116.  
  117. Dictated quote from the late Lord Hessing of Whiteshore-on-Cliff, Former Subject of Jaraesi, Empress of the Vast Ocean.
  118.  
  119.  
  120. Chapter 2
  121.  
  122. “Pick up the pace. Count on three” Gestured, a roll of a hand with index finger pointed, then three clawed digits waved back and forth twice. Nothing said aloud; a series of hand signals for silent work. A Charcoal scaled Kobold lead the march, five strong, on patrol, the back four in a square with him at the point. The objective was simple; walk up and down the tunnel and watch for any Crag-biter holes, and seal them, exchange greetings with an identical crew of scouts from Empress Jaraesi's clan, under the seaside caves of Whiteshore-on-Cliff. Buckets of sand lay every fifty meters, each with a bottle of an alchemical agent that turned the granular substance into solid rock.
  123.  
  124. The colourful bunch marched to their leaders urging, although each only had small patches of scale visible; each was clad in new, fancy armour; thick leather wrapping around the foot, plate shin and knee guards, a skirt of chain around the thigh, plate armour with faulds, pauldrons, elbow pads, gloves that left the claws exposed, and hard, dome-top helmets leaving their snouts visible. Each complete with a spear, and a dagger on the hip, although one also had a large wooden tower-shield on his back. Even the average Overcaver soldier would likely be concerned facing the group, they looked every bit the trained squad. Yet they moved silently, each was covered in a peculiar, pasty substance that quieted their movements to the sound of clawed feet on stone or occasional cough.
  125.  
  126. This was somewhat marred by the ponderous gait of the left and backmost Kobold. Mustard-yellow scales, pink eyes visible, he glanced about, unsure and deeply worried, and not necessarily about the immediate area. This detail wasn't missed by his companions, atypical footfalls clear to all of them despite their attentive gazes trailing elsewhere. The silence was broken in hushed, harsh tones.
  127.  
  128. “Private Lalep! Why do you not march with the others! Are you trying to embarrass us in front of the Empress' crew?” The dark Kobold turned about and smacked the helmet on the squat, two and three quarter foot scout.
  129.  
  130. “I'm sorry, Sergeant Tuha, I'm just distracted is all” He said, pulling himself to attention.
  131.  
  132. “That's no excuse, but I'll bite; what're you distracted by?” Tuha gave Lalep a squinted, irritated glare from his purple eyes.
  133.  
  134. “It's uh....um my turn to....” he mumbled, trailing off.
  135.  
  136. “SPEAK UP, PRIVATE!” The yell was deafening. Tuha even winced and huffed at his own frustrations.
  137.  
  138. “It's my first turn at the mating halls tomorrow and I'm scared!!” he screeched.
  139.  
  140. * * * * *
  141.  
  142. “Oh for Drake's spit's sake, really, Lalep?” Kaja placed a hand on his head and shook it, incredulous.
  143.  
  144. “I's just shy, Mighty Emperor, Great Underboss! I's was worried they'd make fun at how small I's am!”
  145.  
  146. “Hush, Kaja, let him continue” Firaegin nodded for Lalep to carry on as he continued his focused gaze on the white Kobold.
  147.  
  148. * * * * *
  149.  
  150. “What's there to be scared of. You take your prick and jam it in the hole! It's kinda like what we do if we see a Crag-biter!” Another Kobold, Dafal, this one of orange colour and dark blue eyes straddled his spear and thrusting, the other kin laughing amongst themselves. Tuha hissed loudly at them, making go silent.
  151.  
  152. “You can worry about it when you get back, Private, I need you focused! Now, Eyes on the left and back! Private Dafal, you can shut YOUR hole before I jam it shut with MY prick! Everyone else, as you were!” He moved back to the front of the group, spear pointed up and to attention.
  153.  
  154. “Company. Single file.” The return of hand gestures; a raised, fully opened hand, then index claw cutting from back to front as they passed through a narrow, unfinished section of the tunnel. The crew moved with disciplined pattering footsteps. Their march continued for some distance, when Tuha stopped suddenly, raising an open hand again, then clenching fist as the company stopped.
  155.  
  156. The silence was filled with a subtle chattering, scuttling noise. At the edge of their vision, a multi limbed, furry arachnid was busy spinning a funnel web on some of the looser, jagged rocks, roughly half the tunnel wide and about neck high to the average Kobold. The crew all went shoulder to shoulder, spears braced and ready as they slowly approached. The bulbous creature was largely impervious to lethal harm from the back, but killing it wasn't the objective here.
  157. Once within a less than safe distance, Tuha raised a hand, counting down by closing each clawed finger in turn, and on a final pointing at the Crag-biter, the group charged.
  158.  
  159. The impaling was flawlessly executed, although naturally the creature wasn't impressed. It screamed a horrific, ear-shredding noise and bolted away, as was expected by Tuha, who yelled for the others to follow, pursuing and jabbing wildly back to the Crag-biter's place of origin, the relatively large creature scuttling into the narrow space almost like it was secretly only as big as one of the Kobolds. It was frustratingly right in the middle of two of the sand buckets as well, Tuha had to make a quick judgement call.
  160.  
  161. “Lalep! Left! Dafal! Right! Sand bucket! First one back gets a recommendation!” He said, keeping his spear, as well as the unnamed two, poised at the hole with the shield bearer central. The two bolted their indicated directions, though Lalep was worried as his route was further along the tunnel rather than back the way he knew was safe. Still, he plucked his courage and fled down the tunnel, seeking the bucket.
  162.  
  163. It came into view, and the squat Kobold reached and grabbed it. The ground gave under his clawed feet, and before long, he plunged into a sinkhole at the cave side, bucket and spear falling from his grip. He tumbled, bouncing painfully off of uneven surface after jagged point, his armour thankfully sparing him any grevious injury. Loose rocks tumbled with him, and before he could get his bearings, he fell into an open space, glowing with dull light.
  164.  
  165. He slammed into the ground, his helmet crumpled and did its job at the expense of it obscuring his view. He shakily stood, grabbed the offending headgear and pried it off, finally able to see where he was. It was a vast, well carved chamber, although old, and not well maintained from the loose rocks gathering. It was further ruined as the tumbling Kobolds dislodging fall sent an increasing number of large rocks in after him. He was momentarily distacted though; an odd, smokey scent on the air, like burning plants. It was quite pleasant.
  166.  
  167. Lalep snapped back to reality and panicked as a large stone as big as his head landed next to him, the room though started collapsing, the age giving way from the disruption. Fleeing the cave in, Lalep turned a corner, and saw the glowing lights source; a weird, circular glowing thingie...
  168.  
  169. * * * * *
  170.  
  171. “Thingie? A portal, surely?” Kaja offered.
  172.  
  173. “Oh, that soundings better. Right, circular glowing portal thingie...”
  174.  
  175. * * * * *
  176.  
  177. With no choice and increasingly less safe areas to stand, he fled and hoped he could pass through the glow to whatever stood on the other side, unsure what would happen and too desperate to think of another plan. He dived through, the portal, and felt and saw nothing for a time; awash in the dark was a new experience for him, it wasn't a nice feeling either, but hardly unpleasant as well.
  178.  
  179. With a flash and a snapping sound, he tumbled through onto a carpet, a lit area, though thankfully rather dimly so which spared Lalep being blinded. It still took some time to focus on his surroundings; a large circular room, stone circles erected in eight locations around him, even if the only glowing one was behind him, and a central table, a red crystal sitting upon it. Loose rocks fell through the portal behind Lalep, into the back of his legs, toppling him and making him scramble to run towards the far end exit, only to see a tall figure, over twice Lalep's height. It was turned looking behind him, it spoke in Overcaver-speak.
  180.  
  181. “I'm goin', fuck sake! Gimme a second!” he barked at a presumed second entity. Lalep pinched his muzzle shut as a scream tried to break free, instead looking around, hopping from foot to foot then running back to, and slipping behind, the active portal as more stones poured through. From behind the glow, the Kobold could peer between the circle itself and the portal proper, observing the man-kin.
  182.  
  183. * * * * *
  184.  
  185. “Man-kin? Here? Nearest I've heard of Man-kin is Marfield on the base of the North East slopes” Muttered one of the former pursuing Kobolds, now an interested audience.
  186.  
  187. “I'd always heard of enclaves of Man-kin Scalecasters hiding in the Goshev's” Kaja tapped a clawed finger against his chin “Never had a chance to send any scouts to look though”
  188.  
  189. “'course not, Underboss, you've only been in charge since Our Mighty Emperor told us all to dig out the Great Tunnel. We can only do one great work at a time, sir!”
  190.  
  191. Kaja realised his mistake, and was glad for typical Kobold ignorance in potentially outing himself from his previous, Draconic existence.
  192.  
  193. “Right...right...um, Lalep, you were saying?”
  194.  
  195. * * * * *
  196.  
  197. The Overcaver stepped up and tampered with the table, removing the crystal. The portal sputtered and swam, losing coherency, and Lalep already knew his cover was about to vanish. He attempted to place himself against the stone circle proper, but it was lousy cover at best; he then was extremely glad he'd taken a leak not five minutes before being chewed out by Sergeant Tuha, or he'd be going again.
  198.  
  199. The swirling energy drew to the center, spiraling quicker as it did, and with a flash, a stillness and calm set in. The Overcaver kicked a loose stone, tilting his head in confusion. He was an ugly thing; weird flat face, odd bumpy sticky out nose, hair sprouting all over, tiny mouth and he had these weird, white rings around the proper parts of his eyes, tiny pupils to boot.
  200.  
  201. “Shit, hope that wasn't on me....shouldn't use it to smoke pipe-weed on the sly” He looked around the portals circle for any damage, only to spot an odd, horned protrusion sticking out from the grey stone. He reached out, and grabbed it, only to have tiny pin-prick claws rake his hand, a shrill scream, and a tiny figure tear away and out towards the door.
  202.  
  203. “Shit, raise the alarm!!” The Overcaver bellowed. A scramble of movement in the room beyond as Lalep found himself in a bizarre, overcrowded room of clear containers, glass objects, liquids and fluids bubbling all over, many red in colour. He couldn't help but stare a bit longer than he should as he spotted a Kobold sealed in one of the fluid filled bigger containers, floating and dead eyed. It made his stomach turn slightly more than seeing the Overcaver's bizarre facial features.
  204.  
  205. Two more Overcavers, with different colours but largely the same features from what Lalep could glean, approached, each armed with Man-kin blades. Lalep was hyperventilating, but he dove under one of the tables, using his small size as he'd always been told to when training to be a scout. He sought any other exit, any opening that wasn't back the way he came, and took the first one he found, thankfully on the furthest side from the Man-kin.
  206.  
  207. The lit corridors weren't working in Lalep's favour as he began turning corridor after corridor, failing to find a single cave or dark area to hide, another trick he'd been drilled into remembering; darkness works against Man-kin, always move towards it. Huge beds with wooden frames in one room here, a large stockroom of Overcaver clothing and armour in another.
  208.  
  209. Eventually options ran dry, but he saw a door ahead, a big, heavy looking thing. Lalep dashed to it, leaping at the handle and planting his feet against it, tugged as hard as he could, twisting and turning it, but it rattled and clicked with no progress discernable. He heard foosteps, heavy and numerous, behind him.
  210.  
  211. Having had time to settle into his panic, he dropped down, and drew his dagger, turning to face four Overcavers, the new one a bizarre sight; Draconic horns grew from his head, and while his features were just as hideous as the other three, the eyes were more conventional; thick in red colour and slitted in pupil. He regarded Lalep with a studious gaze.
  212.  
  213. “Good, fresh material. Take him” He said, a worrying tingle ran down Lalep's back; he spoke as a Dragon did as well.
  214.  
  215. One of the Overcavers showed his freakish, flat teeth and stepped forward. Lalep met the approach and hopped about, swinging his blade as a threat.
  216.  
  217. “Haha, bold one, aren't you?”
  218.  
  219. What an odd statement...of course Lalep was a Kobold. He'd prove his worth, just as soon as the pain in his face subsided as a booted foot met it, just behind him smacking his head against the wall behind him, and right after the darkness stopped taking his vision.
  220.  
  221. End
  222.  
  223. * * * * *
  224.  
  225. “Dragon's are a whorish kind
  226. Always seekin' to unwind
  227. They stick their cocks in any hole
  228. Their ends away their only goal!
  229.  
  230. “The Kobold's aren't much better either
  231. They'll not turn down a socket neither
  232. Beast, man, kin or one another
  233. Watch out or they'll fuck your mother!
  234.  
  235. “So maybe we'll put them to the sword
  236. Unless we learn to come on board
  237. We'll jump at the chance to not be flooooored!
  238. As we all go ass up on the Draaaaagoooon's hooooooooorrrde!!!”
  239. Bawdy Songs for the Uncouth Crowd; Book XXIII. Penned by Ayneni Muuse.
  240.  
  241.  
  242. Chapter 3
  243.  
  244. * * * * *
  245.  
  246. “A living scalecaster? Here!? My Emperor! We must locate this fiend and deal with him before he begins to subvert our numbers!” Kaja looked braced to run to Crater-Vale proper, although Firaegin's notable lack of concern confused him, but at the same time it did put him at ease; no longer a Dragon, Kaja was aware that while much of his mind as Karajan was intact, the outer edges of quick thinking and logic were muffled, something that Firaegin had in droves. In all things, Kaja was proud of himself for choosing Figin to succeed him with the rite, a decision that probably benefitted the land more than anyone really knew.
  247. The Kobold audience looked around, evidently waiting for someone to ask the inevitable question to what Kaja had said.
  248.  
  249. “Whassa Scalecaster?” The query lead to the others to relax, watching for Kaja to take up the slack in their knowledge. The red scaled Underboss looked about and tugged at one of his horns, clearly still a bit nervous but plucking his memories and dumbing it down for the crowd.
  250.  
  251. “So Man-kin can sometimes learn magic as Kobold's can, but like Kobold's, they can only learn so much. They're called wizards, mages or sorcerers...doesn't matter; anyway. It takes them a long time to get good at it. Our Masters, as in all Dragon's, can pull a lot of magic and learn a lot of different ways of using it, and they have a bunch of magic already in them that all Dragon's have, like Our Emperor's ability to grow Kobold's for his Servicing.”
  252.  
  253. “You can do that too, right? Underboss?” Another Kobold looked to his nodding companions.
  254.  
  255. “Well, yes, but not like Our Mighty Firaegin can. It's one of the easier magic's, that and strength improvement, as the Dragon's blood we all have a bit of yearns for being bigger and stronger, and one richer in Dragon's blood can draw more of this yearning from them. As a fellow Kobold, I can double a Kobold, and make their muscle as strong as a like sized Dragon's. His Greatness can quadruple one and make it as thick of arm as our tails! Picture a Kobold twelve feet tall with muscles so big you can see the fibres through the scale!” A collecting 'Ooohh' sounded.
  256.  
  257. “I wanna see that!”
  258.  
  259. “Yeah, yeah, that'd be amazing!”
  260.  
  261. “I'm gettin' a chub thinkin' about it....” All eyes turned to the statement spouter, then slightly down on him; he spoke the truth. He only defended himself with a shrug, unabashed.
  262.  
  263. “Right, 'cos I'm the only Kobold who 'greases the pickhandle' to the idea of a even bigga than bigga-kin sized Kobold who can use'em as a de-stressin' toy? Or bein' the bigga than bigga-kin Kobold and havin' a bunch of fine lads and ladies climbin' his prick?”
  264.  
  265. They looked at each other again, each rather blank in expression, unsure what to make of the situation; if any agreed with him, they weren't going to admit it. Kaja was looking away, breathing heavily as the statement was one of the things in his new life that flustered him the most, coincidently looking at Firaegin and down between his hind legs.
  266.  
  267. “Hopefully tonight” he whispered, then turned back to the group.
  268.  
  269. “ANYWAY!! So, yes, Kobold's learn magic naturally, Man-kin learn magic by studying a long time, Dragon's learn mighty magic because they're the obvious Greater being above us all. Scalecasters are freak Overcaver's who've started using weak magic on Dragon material to make it bond to them, slowly turning them more and more Draconic, until they start getting magic naturally as well, and learn to speak Dragon Commands and other powers”
  270.  
  271. “They're an affront to the natural order of things” Firaegin briefly turned his eyes to the Kobold group. “There's a reason few, if any, still exist; Any Dragon that locates one is rightly compelled to slay them before they can start twisting your little heads into following their every word. It is a truth that every Kobold owns a little piece of a Dragon's soul; it is how they get their magic, and when a Dragon gains the following of enough Kobold's, the Dragon's magic is enhanced, just as a strong Dragon instills great strength and well being to their Kobolds” Once more he returned to the white Kobold, the gathered group absorbing the information given to them.
  272.  
  273. “Okay, Lalep. What happened next?” Kaja sat down by the yellow Kobold, who continued to stroke Vala.
  274.  
  275. “I's came to while they were pullin' me somewhere, they was talking...”
  276.  
  277. * * * * *
  278.  
  279. “....real soft and plush as well” A distant voice, Overcaver language, gained traction, seeming to get closer as Lalep's vision returned to him. He was being held by his arms, outstretched to his sides, legs dangling and not touching the floor. He was naked, no trace of his damaged armour.
  280.  
  281. “How the fuck do you know what a Kobold ringpiece feels like? This place is getting to you” Said another voice.
  282.  
  283. “Well, y'see Kobold's digestive process is real efficient, they barely pass anything. It's like baby skin in there, and really spongy. Then, when they're aroused, the flesh thickens up with blood and tightens around whatever's in there”
  284.  
  285. “Stop”
  286.  
  287. “Not to mention they're supposed to be really liberal with fuckin' each other regardless of gender; it's a show of dominance, affection...I'm thinkin' when I get back to the cities after Caladar gives us our promised reward, I'm gonna start callin' havin' a fuck the 'Kobold Handshake', or havin' a wank a 'Kobold wave'”
  288.  
  289. “Go 'wave' yourself and your drivel in your own time! Saint's fuckin' preserve me! I don't know if I have enough alcohol rations saved up to burn this conversation out of my head; might ask for some fucking formaldehyde and pour it in my ear”
  290.  
  291. Lalep saw them turn into a darker room; a cage, thin metal bars in a crossed arrangement with gaps about as wide as one of his arms, a hinged door made with the same materials roughly five feet tall, with an odd, bulky metal object attached between it and the cage proper; it looped around a hook with a bar sticking out of it like and had a small hole in it.
  292.  
  293. * * * * *
  294.  
  295. “That would be a lock, Lalep. Probably a padlock” Kaja explained.
  296.  
  297. “Oh? OOOHHHH that makings a lotta sense! I jus' knew a key and lock was a thing where you stuck a thing inside another thing to open the second thing. Not like we have any of'em around here....uh, anyway...”
  298.  
  299. * * * * *
  300.  
  301. Lalep perked up when he saw the enclosure had another Kobold in it, an orange coloured fellow with red eyes. The two met gazes as the Man-kin shifted grip on the yellow Kobold so he could hold both of Lalep's arms, as the other busied himself sticking the key thing into the padlock thing, then drew his blade and kept it poised at the small door in case the pre-existing occupant attempted to leave. No such drive to escape occurred, and Lalep was kicked into the cage, grunting as he tumbled over himself.
  302.  
  303. With a slam, a click and the sound of boots moving away, Lalep and the new Kobold gave each other a once over. The new kin was a well muscled one, likely a soldier wherever he was from, and a fair bit taller than the average, probably three inches or so more.
  304.  
  305. “Huh, been a while since I've seen kin.” He walked over and offered a hand to help Lalep up. It was gratefully accepted, Lalep smiling for the first time since before going on his patrol.
  306.  
  307. “Hi, I'm Lalep! Crater-Vale clan!”
  308.  
  309. “Moda. Red-Lake clan...damn, Crater-Vale? I feel like I should bow, I'm in the presence of one of the Mighty One's own!” Moda smiled and returned resting against the wall. It was only now he had time to really take in everything that Lalep noticed a number of missing scales, scarred skin beneath, located on Moda's arms and legs, some still glistening, wounds recent and untreated.
  310.  
  311. “Any idea where we are?” Lalep joined Moda in sitting by the wall.
  312.  
  313. “Nope...sounds like we're somewhere in the Goshev's but no idea which peak, how high or low or anything.” Moda handed across a bowl, half filled with water.
  314.  
  315. “So what do they want with us?” Lalep nodded and took a few laps of water and returned the bowl.
  316.  
  317. “They're experimenting with us. Keep taking blood from me and scales. Heard'em say I was 'ready' last time. I don't think I'm gonna be alive much longer though...none of the others came back, and they kept being brought back lookin' worse and worse like I do now” He looked at his arms, running a finger claw gently over the gaps.
  318.  
  319. “Can't we escape? There's gotta be a way!”
  320.  
  321. “The guards have the keys, sure. But whenever they get one of us out of here, that horned fucker turns up, tells everyone to lay flat, then whispers to whoever's going out next with his Dragon's tongue. They go quietly, obediently. It feels like everything he says is right. He's called Caladar from what I've heard from the other Man-kin”
  322.  
  323. “So....we're dead...”
  324.  
  325. “.....yeah...”
  326.  
  327. Lalep brought his knees to his chest; He suddenly wished the big problem in his life was mockery from females who found him not big and strong enough. Moda put a friendly hand on Lalep's shoulder, the look of resignation on his face clear through the attempt to comfort the smaller Kobold.
  328.  
  329. “I've heard all other of these Man-kin pretenders are dead, this one'll be as well soon enough. That's what I believe; not like they're gettin' much from us, right? Be like takin' the red outta Red-lake by scoopin' the clay a bucket at a time”
  330.  
  331. “I'll take your word for it....”
  332.  
  333. The morose situation did little to spur much more conversation. Both Kobold's eventually just tried sleeping.
  334.  
  335. Some duration passed; it didn't feel like much. No sleep was there to be enjoyed if either did actually drift off, but the sound of the door opening snapped both to. The horned silhouette struck dread in Lalep, and if Moda was afraid, he didn't show it. He even stood up, approached the cage door as the Scalecaster Caladar, followed by two of his underlings, walked almost to meet him.
  336.  
  337. “Just get it over with, ya cocksuckin' wannabe!”
  338.  
  339. “Down” The response was a weight, irresistible. The ground pulled at Lalep into laying spread flat.
  340.  
  341. The Scalecaster knelt down, speaking in hushed tones, and Moda obediently stood, shoulders slumped. He twitched, clearly not himself as he moved. The cage door was opened, and Lalep attempted to stand. He might as well have tried to fight an actual Dragon unarmed. He watched Moda leave the cage, the Man-kin locked up behind the only friend Lalep still had, and when they all left, even as control was given back, he only used it to flop onto his back, trying not to cry.
  342.  
  343. * * * * *
  344.  
  345. “Hmm...” Firaegin mused to himself for a moment. The rumbling bass of his voice could be felt through the floor.
  346.  
  347. “Your Greatness?” Kaja looked up as Firaegin.
  348.  
  349. “Oh, nothing. Clearly this Caladar wasn't a very good Scalecaster though. He couldn't focus his ability to Command if he had to whisper, this Moda could functionally attempt to resist if he wasn't completely under, hence the twitching. Lalep only couldn't because Commands weaken with time with familiarity, but when a degree of trust or fear is established, the Commands become something more...something deeper”
  350.  
  351. Kaja nodded, then looked puzzled. He turned to Lalep briefly, then back at Firaegin.
  352.  
  353. “'Wasn't'? As in...”
  354.  
  355. A low grumble sounded behind the vast Emperor, coins clinking together as movement occurred, a body stretching from sleep-seized limbs. With a grunt of mild effort, Jaraesi stood and shook, feeling her muzzle and licking the dried buildup clean.
  356.  
  357. “Are you well, my blessed mate?”
  358.  
  359. “Oh, yes, My Emperor, that certainly scratched the itch” She walked up to her mate and brushed up against him in a feline manner.
  360.  
  361. “We were just listening to Scout Lalep's report of his trials he met while he went missing. It's quite riveting”
  362.  
  363. “Oh, that all? You enjoy yourselves, but I'm sure you'll tell me all about it later in a less scatterbrained manner later. If you'll excuse me I'll get some exercise in before your powerful offspring make it too awkward to fly, and bring some food back. Hm, who's turn was it to provide, Kaja?” She sat briefly
  364.  
  365. Kaja, distracted, hesitated, still lost in his thoughts. Jaraesi cleared her throat loudly, and he was brought back.
  366.  
  367. “Oh, uh...The Joweren farm community, south west fields. Their offering should be ready by the time you get there, My Empress” He bowed as she turned, leaping up towards the long winding cave to the surface. Before he could even straighten up and carry his original thought process, Firaegin interrupted.
  368.  
  369. “In response to your burning question, My servant, because I know you won't drop the subject until I answer, even if it would spoil Lalep's tale. This Scalecaster, Caladar, is dead”
  370.  
  371. “Ah, so that's why you didn't seem worried” Kaja sighed and returned to sitting to listen to Lalep. One of the other Kobold's chimed up though.
  372.  
  373. “Who killed him though?”
  374.  
  375. “Lalep”
  376.  
  377. A silence grew as all eyes turned to the diminutive Kobold, a lot of surprised expressions, but he didn't notice. He was still very much focused on the white Kobold in his arms.
  378.  
  379. “Aw, now the story's ruined!” Another Kobold grumbled, laying on his back out of frustration.
  380.  
  381. “Not so, my subject. Any fool can learn a story by reading the start and end of a book, but the real joy is the journey, as they say. We can clearly assume our clan member here succeeded, or he wouldn't be here, and he would have mentioned the threat, but who his female companion is and how he overcame such odds? That's the important part” Firaegin grinned, incredibly smug, shining teeth exposed.
  382.  
  383. “Pfft, I thought everyone just wanted all the good stuff; Who fucked who or who stabbed who or who fucked then stabbed who”
  384.  
  385. It was a little loose for standard Kobold to Dragon talk, but Firaegin let it pass.
  386.  
  387. “So, it was a while later....” Lalep continued, he looked worried, he even spoke slower.
  388.  
  389. * * * * *
  390.  
  391. Lalep snapped to attention as the door opened. As he had been brought in, Moda was carried above the floor, groaning, barely concious. The door was opened, their captive thrown in, and the door locked before Lalep could even think of trying anything, largely because his brief talk with the other Kobold left his priorities largely in helping the crumpled kin.
  392.  
  393. “Moda, are you alright?”
  394.  
  395. The orange Kobold retched a few times but brought nothing up, then he tried lifting himself on shaky arms. Lalep helped pull him up, supporting him as they headed to where Moda had been sitting earlier.
  396.  
  397. “They forced me to swallow a lump of.....something! I don't feel well, like my belly's.....moving”
  398.  
  399. Lalep wished he could say something in support, or do something, but other than sitting next to him and returning the hand on shoulder gesture Moda had done to him earlier, he felt helpless.
  400.  
  401. “I...I feel tired. I'm gonna get some sleep...” Moda looked at Lalep, smiling despite his obvious discomfort.
  402.  
  403. “Okay, I'll...um.... just keep an eye out, I guess” Lalep gave Moda some distance, as he lowered himself and lay on his back, clutching his midsection.
  404.  
  405. Maybe twenty minutes passed, before Lalep heard Moda hiss.
  406.  
  407. He looked at him; he'd turned himself over at some point, face down. He supported himself and tried to heave something again, only to breathe in a laboured fashion. He tried to say something, only to scream, clutching his sides and writhing on the floor. Lalep stood and got slightly nearer, completely lost on how to respond, only to go wide-eyed as he watched in equal parts wonder and horror.
  408.  
  409. With a series of cracking noises echoed through the room, punctuated with Moda grunting and crying in pain. His tail stretched longer, torso lengthening as well. His limbs likewise gained in length, then thickened as muscle swelled. His head shifted, jaw snapping, teeth being pulled apart as extra teeth sprouted between them, giving them a saw-like appearance as Kobold teeth were intersected with larger, decidedly more Draconic ones.
  410.  
  411. Blood splattered against the floor as extra horns, uneven and misnumbered, sprouted from his head, the original two almost untouched as the haphazard arrangement clustered around them. Moda flung himself onto his front again as two mangled limbs stretched from his back, crude skin trying to grow and gain purchase against his back, like loose straps of leather fluttering about. The once three foot Kobold was fast doubling his original size when with a final surge, he stopped shifting, a freakishly misformed but powerful Kobold, or a small Dragon that failed to attain the greatness of the breed.
  412.  
  413. Either way, after a few moments of stillness, Moda, or whatever he was now, pulled himself onto all fours, the seven foot long beast looked at Lalep. He looked enraged just a hint of something else, something...worse...
  414.  
  415.  
  416. End
  417.  
  418. * * * * *
  419.  
  420. Name: Lalep
  421.  
  422. Clutch-Mother: Yula
  423.  
  424. Birth Date: 1549, 2nd season
  425.  
  426. Profession: Scout
  427.  
  428. Notes: Lalep's an odd one. I personally find him to be an earnest, hard working Kobold, with great promise. He was first brought to my attention because, as a runt of the clutch, he was designated to miner or cooking duties, but he insisted on training for Soldier and Scout crews. When he kept on failing the tests, but refused to obey his superiors, I was told to reprimand him and give an official order under threat of being subject to Our Mighty Karajan's Command.
  429.  
  430. Yet when I met him, I felt compelled to try and understand him, why he was so driven to work towards a task he wasn't very good at. True, he's shorter than the average kin, weaker, he never took to speaking well but could converse well enough to pass his basic education. But when he convinced me to spar with him to show that he could do it, I was amazed at how fast he could be. I ran him through some of the clan healers testing for mental acuity, something usually used when a Kobold had been recovering from head injuries to ensure they wouldn't potentially cause a danger to themselves or the clan.
  431.  
  432. I soon discovered that, when his nerves weren't getting the better of him, he scored second highest in reaction times, third highest in running speed and fifth in dark-vision distance detail recognition of any Kobold since our records began, four Underbosses ago. I would state for the record that the top five of these three fields where he's surpassed are all completely different Kobold's. I believe that given time and conditioning, he would be a Master Scout and a more than able Soldier. He just needs the right motivation. Look after him, keep him working, because I suspect some day he'll be a notable asset to your crew. Also; have him run clan news to me, as a personal favour.
  433.  
  434. Letter of Exception, addressed to Scout-Master Kugu, from Underboss Figin.
  435.  
  436. * * * * *
  437.  
  438. Silence.
  439.  
  440. It lasted a full minute, Lalep coughed.
  441.  
  442. “Then....then he.....he....” He began crying.
  443.  
  444. Firaegin focused on Lalep, studying him, and frowned.
  445.  
  446. “Lalep” His words were calm, quiet, no command threaded within it. “Did you tell Vala what happened here, later?”
  447.  
  448. The Kobold nodded.
  449.  
  450. “Then I'm sorry, you must tell me, because the memory of it within her will be a part of her Mind-Maze...if you'd like me to send everyone else away, just nod”
  451.  
  452. Every other Kobold looked at Lalep, any joking or wonderment had dropped.
  453.  
  454. “We'll go if it helps” One said “You did good, Lalep, no matter what. You know how many Kobold's have killed a Man-kin in single combat? Not fuckin' many”
  455.  
  456. “Yeah, can't think of any that've killed a Scalecaster any either! That takes thick scales and Dragon's sized balls!”
  457.  
  458. “If what Underboss and Our Mighty Emperor said is true, it should be impossible...yet you did it! That's gonna be a biiig load of words in the clan records! I'm proud that even my clutch-brother Peyo'll have to write about it!”
  459.  
  460. Kaja looked down, slightly ashamed of himself.
  461.  
  462. “I'm sorry about doubting you at any point, Private. As His Mightiness says, if you want do talk about this alone, I'll go, right now, and get you set up with a private sleeping quarters, and prime food for a month! Two months!” Kaja patted Lalep on the shoulder, who sniffed loudly and looked up at Firaegin. He shook his head, firm defiance at his own fears.
  463.  
  464. Firaegin felt a smile on his muzzle, pride deep within. He then gestured for Lalep to continue with a wordless nod; one could almost construe as a bow.
  465.  
  466. * * * * *
  467.  
  468. With a bloodthirsty screech, Moda leapt and slammed Lalep against the floor, who flopped and ricocheted from the stone, into the cage wall, then back to the ground. The Kobold's vision swam and he tried to crawl away, only to feel his tail be grabbed and used as a grip for Moda to fling the smaller being back across the cage, bouncing off the wire construction, probably a blessing against the stone floor as it had a degree of give, although pain shocked through his shoulder all the same. There was a respite as Moda clutched his head and bellowed something between a roar and a scream, slamming his head into the cage roof then the floor over and over.
  469.  
  470. Everything ached, Lalep backed into the corner and did his utmost to remain as small as possible, wrapping himself into a ball. Moda stopped snarling for a moment, and the rage seemed to pass. This left the other expression, and Lalep felt his heart freeze. Moda drooled, staring across at the runt, head twitching unnaturally, Lalep saw an appendage beneath.
  471.  
  472. “No, no! Please, Moda! NO!” Lalep continued to remain as tightly bound as possible as the hybrid approached, slower but deeply predatory. The Kobold had no way to defend himself against his short lived friend, and he felt the clawed hands grip his limbs, trying to stretch him out. Try as he might, Lalep was eventually turned onto his front and he felt a tongue beneath his tail, lapping....preparing.
  473.  
  474. The door opened, Lalep was almost thankful for the distraction.
  475.  
  476. “Hah, well well, look who's getting' frisky! Damn, Caladar's right, this one's a keeper!” Lalep stared at the talker, again using his mind to focus on the Overcaver's horrific, smarmy face as it laughed loudly, approaching the cage and crouching down for a closer look.
  477. Lalep wasn't a hateful Kobold, he'd barely felt anger, but at that moment, he marked the human, memorised the shade of the fur poking from his head and face, the small scars on its putrid beige skin; he wanted to ram a spear into his weird white ringed eyes, piss in the hole then burn the body. Suddenly, Moda roared in pain.
  478.  
  479. Lalep felt the barest prod before Moda gasped, pushing the Kobold off from under him. Lalep was able to scramble away, leaving a thin sticky trail behind him. He was able to look at Moda, who despite his malformed features, looked absolutely horrified, staring at Lalep, then down at himself.
  480. He tried to form words, but instead just winced as he clutched his head, roaring in a savage manner.
  481.  
  482. The Overcaver laughed loudly.
  483. “Ah, a shame! Almost as much of a shame that we'll have to bleed you and chop you up for your essences. I could watch you and you playmate all day!” He stood, returning to the door.
  484.  
  485. “Caladar! He's turned! We gonna process him now?”
  486.  
  487. Lalep watched as the horrified hybrid suddenly shuddered, gasping and screeching in pain. He convulsed violently and slammed his head into the ground.
  488.  
  489. “Shit, hurry up! We're having a late collapse! Quick!” The Man-kin left the room, door swinging open. Moda was sucking air in sharp, unnatural bursts. He turned an eye to Lalep as he clutched a hand to his chest, baring his teeth in obvious pain.
  490.  
  491. “Frrrrggiiive.....I'mmm......sorrrryy......rrrruuunnnn whennnnn.....nnggghhh!” Both Dragon-kin watched as three Overcavers, including Caladar, entered the room. Moda slammed his arms into the ground and screamed in pain, then charged at the door.
  492.  
  493. “STOP!” Caladar barked. Lalep felt his body cease moving, but Moda wasn't exactly a Kobold any more. Any hesitation was long gone as the hybrid tore through the fencing of the cage and leapt at the Man-kin in front of the door, sadly the one that wasn't in the room earlier. Panic set in with the Overcavers as the victim of Moda screamed in horror, pain and panic as squelching sounded, blood and viscera was obvious through the doorframe as Moda did his damnedest to rip the human apart, successfully so.
  494.  
  495. Lalep felt control return as all focus was drawn to the bloody scene. Caladar drew an odd object from his clothing, it looked like a gem-hewers tonal prong, a long pair of metal bars the Kobold's would use to test for imperfections in cut stones. At the same time, the Man-kin pulled a rope-bound bottle off of a leather cord around his waist, and drank from it. In a motion similar, but smoother to Moda's change, the human swelled, garments giving way as red skin pushed through, swollen muscle and fingertips popping with claws. A small, vestigial tail sprouded under the leather cord and his head was pushed dangerously close to the ceiling of the chamber, he ducked instinctively though, and pulled himself through the doorway.
  496.  
  497. As Caladar approached, and his other remaining henchman did his best to pull Moda off though the savagery was clearly a difficult thing to work against, the prong hummed and the hybrid started writhing. With a scraping of his legs, something flung itself back to Lalep in his cell; it was a ring of metal sticks with odd shaped ends. He grabbed them and watched as Caladar struck the prong against the door frame, the sound muffled all of Lalep's hearing, but Moda clenched, unable to move, as if every muscle was flexing at once, and he toppled sideways.
  498.  
  499. All eyes on the hybrid, Lalep dashed for the doorway, turning the corner away from where the others were watching the effects Caladar's tool was having on Moda. Lalep didn't look back as he bolted down the corridor as fast as his legs could carry him. He quickly saw the same room, beakers, flasks and more still bubbling away, red liquid and perished, preserved Kobold remaining. He noticed his old dagger belt placed off a hook, blade in its sheathe and wrapped it around his hips. Lalep recalled his previous attempts to flee, gathering his bearings and rushed down the corridor he used before, ignoring the side rooms and reaching the metal braced barricade he found last time.
  500.  
  501. Lalep started feeling the pain in his head and ribs as the adrenaline started to subside. He became aware of a small drop of blood trickle from the top of his head where the initial strike reached him, but despite the increased discomfort and pain, he gritted and teeth and focused. He looked at the bundle of metal twigs on the ring, and started to push them into the hole in the door. He knew he was doing something wrong, none of them fit, until as a yell sounded behind him, and one of the last ones entered the slot. The voice got closer, and Lalep looked either side of him; he had to hide. It sounded like he was checking the rooms, just as the Kobold had his last time through, so he knew he had at least a moment to think.
  502.  
  503. Having a brief moment to take in the room he'd been desperately chased into twice now, he saw the room was fairly empty, a pair of torches on each cavity on the sides, ceiling some eight feet high yet higher and lower in places, patches of shadow between the outcroppings; clearly still mostly cave than carved room, with large cracked rocks either side, except for the doorway, which obviously had the majority of the focus on construction.
  504.  
  505. Lalep had nowhere to hide at ground level, so instead, he looked at the corridor he came from, spent a moment observing the crude walls, and climbed as high as he could over the entranceway, keeping rigid once he'd reached the top as footsteps drew close, and managed to nestle himself in between a gap that had a good view of the doorway and entrance hall, he dug his claws into the stone as best he could. The Man-kin slowly entered, blade drawn, looking low, for a skulking nuisance.
  506.  
  507. Once the Overcaver saw the door though, he muttered a swear under his breath and approached it. He gripped the handle and twisted it, only for the door not to move. Lalep watched as the Man-kin twisted the metal stick, it clicked in a satisfying way. He then turned it back and pulled the stick ring from the door.
  508.  
  509. “Dumb fucker....alright, pipsqueek, where are you?” He turned, approaching the entranceway again. He stopped just shy of it as he heard an odd sound, a scraping of stone with something solid, like bone. He tried to pinpoint the sound, looking about; it seemed very near. Suddenly, he felt something land on his bristling head-fur, instinctively brushing it off, looked at his hand, seeing a small spot of scarlet, then looked up.
  510.  
  511. Strangely, a dark, black sensation found the Man-kin's right eye, but he saw clear enough with his left, the scaled, toothy muzzle of a yellow, pink eyed Kobold, red staining the side of his head, holding something towards his face, he seemed to float in the air. He couldn't make out how or why he was floating, but he felt his head had a weight in front of it that wasn't supposed to be there, and as he felt himself fall forward, and finally saw what was in the Kobold's hand, a long, thin dagger, bloody...it had an odd, red-backed orb halfway down its length. He became aware of a weird, distant sounding clanking, and saw his sword come into view on the floor
  512.  
  513. Warmth flowed over his right cheek, he reached to wipe it off, but the oddest thing, he had trouble moving his arms, or keeping his balance. He fell over, but didn't feel much pain, and he rather welcomed the sensation as the Kobold stepped over him and drove the blade into his neck, a funny sounding hiss erupting from it. He felt tired. So he fell asleep. He never woke up
  514.  
  515. * * * * *
  516.  
  517. “Fuck yeah, Lalep! Show those fuckin' lanky assholes who's boss!”
  518.  
  519. “See? NOW you care about who's stabbing and being stabbed!” A louder volume of cheerings blended together
  520.  
  521. Lalep looked behind him to the audience, which had increased in size. Where he vaguely recalled four Kobold's who'd pursued him before, now there were ten. A few more were trailing in as well, and some of the originals were apparently bringing them up to speed. The yellow Kobold wiped the remnants of his tears away, puffed out his chest, and carried on.
  522.  
  523. * * * * *
  524.  
  525. Lalep quickly rummaged through the Man-kin's belt, and relocated the metal twig ring. He also saw the same bottle type that the other Man-kin had drank from and turned Dragonish. The Kobold unfastened it and strapped the bottle onto his dagger belt, cleaned the dagger on the Overcaver's clothing, and resheathed the blade, just as he'd been trained to. He picked out the right twig from memory, inserted it, and twisted it, earning the same satisfying click. He wasted no time twisting the handle, and going into the darkness beyond, moving slower as his injuries began to dig into his ability to function. He was going to pass out, he knew it as his balance was all over the place, he could barely take in his surroundings; a wide cave, the sound of water moving somewhere.
  526.  
  527. He made it to a stone bridge, and felt himself stagger to one side, missing grabbing himself on a handrail present and under the wood instead, falling into the darkness below.
  528.  
  529.  
  530. End.
  531.  
  532. * * * * *
  533.  
  534. “Oh Maiden of the Cave, your song doth speak to me
  535. You make a man feel ten feet tall, yet never shall we be
  536. As shipmen crash upon the rocks, your voice they all did'st crave
  537. All would give ourselves to wed the Maiden of the Cave
  538.  
  539. “Oh Maiden of the Cave, where have you gone alone?
  540. To have you grace us all once more, the King I would dethrone
  541. To hear your dreaded song again, which turned knight into knave
  542. To merely visit your lonely beach, Oh Maiden of the Cave
  543.  
  544. “We never saw, but thusly thought, your beauty was divine
  545. Your very voice alone the finest, deepest, sweetest wine
  546. We know the days when you alone had saved us from the our foes
  547. Protected us of rogues, invaders; spared us from their woes
  548.  
  549. “We named you Valarie, the Saint of Wealth and Oceans
  550. We named you our protector, of threats and flared emotions
  551. You never spoke, nor never asked, for anything in return
  552. But when you left we couldn't help but feel that harmful spurn
  553.  
  554. “Oh Maiden of the Cave, your song doth speak to me
  555. You left a hole within our souls, the gravest tragedy
  556. We simply cannot carry on, we beg thee to us save
  557. our lives themselves of empty worth, Oh Maiden of the Cave”
  558.  
  559. Collected works from the poet Grigori Farsky, missing. Found at the cliffs above the coastal rocks on Crayfield beech.
  560.  
  561. * * * * *
  562.  
  563. Chapter 5
  564.  
  565. Lalep awoke. Water surrounded most of him, lapping over his muzzle, dripping down his throat and coaxing his lungs, causing him to cough as he came to in earnest. He felt a tightness across his hips and felt about them, still trying to get to grips with seeing again. His dagger belt was snagged on an exposed root dipping into the flowing water, which continued to try and drag him along the stream.
  566.  
  567. Vomiting up a half lung of water, the painful sting in his ribs hadn't subsided any, but he mustered his senses; he squinted his eyes, taking in the scenery. A large, fast flowing underground river, huge cliffs either side and a few large stone teeth poking through the surface. The water flowed somewhere high upstream in the distance and skirted around the flatter rocks, only slowing where Lalep was due to the width of the area. Even so, he struggled to release himself from the roots he was latched to.
  568.  
  569. Considering the pain shooting through his head still, he blessed Firaegin's name he didn't just outright drown. He struggled to pull himself free, at least without risking being pulled along with the water. Lalep instead coiled his skinny arm around the upper part of the pliable root, and drew his dagger, sawing at it, his eyes following up the twists and turns; a flare of hope sputtered as the Kobold saw the roots had punched through the otherwise endless looking cave walls. If nothing else, it seemed there was some flat land to work with, somewhere to hopefully catch his breath and make sense of the last...how long had it been by that point?
  570.  
  571. With a squirt of sappy water, the root gave, only the more flexible fibres within holding it together. Lalep resheathed his dagger, and raked his little claws on it to cut them down further. Finally, he began to climb the root structure, pulling the last of the root away with him as he climbed out of the water, fire in his lungs preventing him from getting up to a full scramble he would normally be capable of.
  572.  
  573. Even so, within him lived a heart unending; Tales had always been told that Kobold's were the hardest working creatures above and below the surface, each having the stamina to work for a day non-stop, sleep the few hours of dayfall, and repeat for a week before succumbing to exhaustion proper. Lalep really wished this was truer now, as the twenty foot climb, with him finally flopping weakly onto the flat surface, lead to him to conclude he couldn't take much more; he hadn't actually slept for what must have been going on over thirty hours having thought about it.
  574.  
  575. He almost wished he could cry, but he suspected he'd spent all his tears already. His heart ached as he thought of his short term friend Moda, twisted into something horrible by Man-kin. The anger sparked within him again, he was growing used to the feeling, small muscles in his face flexing and tugging as he used the motivation to climb to his feet. He didn't know where he was, but he would carry on, and even if he died from it, then for the clan, no, the clans; For Crater-Vale and Red-Lake, he would avenge them, and however many Kobold's that had been taken.
  576.  
  577. * * * * *
  578.  
  579. “Coincidently, My ward” Firaegin looked down at the red Kobold “When most convenient, send an official message of thanks to Red-Lake along with news of Lalep's tale; increase their trade percentage by three- no, five permanently, and have their record keepers enter Moda down as a clan Exemplar; I expect banners of his strength and courage the next time you hold a meet with them”
  580.  
  581. “As you say, My Emperor. He did as any Kobold should while afflicted most heinously; I hope he had hatchlings; Red-Lake deserves his lineage” Kaja nodded. The other Kobold's all bowed their heads for a moment.
  582.  
  583. “From the Blood, By the Blood, To the Blood” They recited, Lalep included, in unison, before he continued.
  584.  
  585. * * * * *
  586.  
  587. Lalep dragged himself on, noticing a number of narrow, passable cracks under thicker part of the root. He stood, looking at each, unsure how to progress.
  588. At the faintest edge of hearing, Lalep swore he heard a voice, then more definitively, two sharp clapping noises; slapping or something similar. To his left.
  589.  
  590. He listened and peered into the dark; the muffled talking clearer as he focused, and the two sharp noises again. It was rhythmic, which was odd, but it told Lalep one thing; someone was there. Whether it was someone new, maybe a Kobold, or one of the Scalecaster's group, it didn't matter, it was as good an objective as any.
  591.  
  592. Lalep squeezed his way through the narrow gap, the sounds growing louder, but the reverberation muffling any specific markers. The stretch carried on some distance, dipping down, another stream, but mellow; he even saw fish swimming up and down the three foot wide and two foot deep channel.
  593.  
  594. Not passing up a free meal, he lowered himself into the water and remained still for a moment. The subterranean fish didn't react to his presence quite so drastically as he thought, owing to the relative warmth of the water; heat emerging from the old, dormant volcanic springwater melding with his own ambient temperature. With a smooth thrust of his clawed hands, he snapped up one of the fish as the rest swam away. Finally having something positive to focus on, he tore into the flopping fish as he proceeded down-stream, the periodic noise never ceasing.
  595.  
  596. A low light could be seen after about ten minutes of walking, interfering with Lalep's darkness vision. Low, blue light, cool and unnatural; the Kobold approached slower, the water level dropping as it rushed quicker towards a small waterfall ahead. Lalep, having finished his impromptu meal, he kept running his hands along the wall in case he slipped.
  597.  
  598. Finally, at the end of the corridor, he gasped in mild awe. A wide, circular chamber, easily a hundred feet from the waterfall to the far end, where a huge, masterfully chiselled relief stood alone, with smooth rock elsewhere, crystal formations appeared as though they were stabbed through the roof like crude spears, disorganised but illuminating the room quite well. It was only when Lalep reached the precipice that he froze in place; a white Dragon roamed the chamber.
  599.  
  600. A female, Lalep quickly realised, roamed in a circle; apparently this was all she was doing, the dirt floor was visibly hewn down in an almost perfect ring midway her width in two grooves, a path of endless wandering. Suddenly, she spoke, voice hoarse and strained.
  601.  
  602. “Servants key....Masters lock” she paused in her wandering, bracing her shoulder against the chamber wall, and flailed her head against the stone twice in quick succession, groaning in pain before carrying on the walk. It was on closer inspection, Lalep saw the white scales were pressed deeply onto her bones, ribs obvious, narrow arms and legs a poor spectre of Draconic might. Curiously, she lacked wings, not even shoulder and chest muscles in case they had been cut off; she was naturally bereft of them.
  603.  
  604. She ponderously circled the chamber, reaching a pool that had formed from the flowing water; she briefly dipped her muzzle into the water, lapping some up and biting into it, a few fish wriggled in her maw. Gulping down the meager sustinance, she continued to pace the chamber, stopping again a short ways away.
  605.  
  606. “Servants key....Masters lock” The Dragon punctuated the statement again by slamming her head against the wall, twice. Lalep saw her horns on both sides of her head were chipped, worn and snapped in places. Her both the sides of her head and her muzzle were bloodied, cracked and damaged, teeth likewise in a sorry state. Form wise she was lithe, and even without the obvious signs of malnutrition this was likely always the case. Her horns, while damaged, were threaded together with an almost flower-petal like arrangement of silvery fins that gently flowed about as she moved. Her tail and neck were both extremely long, giving her a frail appearance, both having fins of the same brilliant shining silver along her length. She was otherwise of a similar size to most female Dragon's, thirty foot long in body, twenty for a neck and some fifty for the tail, although likely half the width of a powerful Dragoness like Empress Jaraesi.
  607.  
  608. Lalep was paralysed by natural fear; he dared not approach an unknown Dragon, much less in a presumed lair, but he was deeply saddened by the state she was in. Even the smallest of Dragon's held themselves with an ingrained pride, a strength that Kobold's would follow, by fear or example. This Dragon though, was pathetic by every definition of the word.
  609.  
  610. “Servant key....Masters lock” Lalep winced along with the two cracks of her head against the walls. He looked down below; the water seemed deep enough to drop into, some thirty feet below him. He could make the dive.
  611. Another voice entered the chamber, before the Dragon could repeat her solitary line.
  612.  
  613. “'ello, girlie!” Lalep recognised the voice; the Man-kin who was speaking about Kobold 'passages' from before. He entered the chamber, completely unafraid, holding a lantern, only it held a red crystal.
  614.  
  615. “Stop your pacin'” He said, the crystal glowed. The Dragon obediently stopped in her tracks, head sinking low. The Man-kin walked over to her.
  616.  
  617. “Now, I don't suppose you've seen a Kobold around here, hm? About...oh, yay high?” he gestured low, about mid thigh to him “Yellow fuck, colour of piss? Surprisingly bold for a runt”
  618.  
  619. Lalep again questioned why people kept stating the obvious with the shortened version term for Kobold. That was twice now. The Dragoness stared blankly ahead, eyes twitching slightly.
  620.  
  621. “No? Aw, shame...so, how about we 'ave some fun? A li'l of the ol' usual? Change” He said, holding the lantern ahead of him. The Dragon looked to try and recoil from it, but stared at it, her grey eyes bulging as she raised a hand, whispering something Lalep couldn't make out.
  622.  
  623. With a glow across her whole body, she shrank, light fading as she reached a tiny size compared to the Overcaver, leaving her a Kobold with the same colouration; white scales and grey eyes.
  624.  
  625. * * * * *
  626.  
  627. Every Kobold in the room gasped, some even pulled back from Vala, the same fear and respect Lalep faced when first seeing her.
  628.  
  629. “Da fuck did they do to a Dragonlord!? I'm hopin' you ate his face, Lalep; this ain't okay!” One snarled in outrage.
  630.  
  631. “I know some Dragonlord's're mean and bullies and such, but kin is kin! Nobody with scales deserves that!”
  632.  
  633. Firaegin's eyes wandered about as he contemplated something.
  634.  
  635. “Well, that makes sense. I assumed the distances within Vala's Mind-Maze had were a show of power from the Scalecaster, but I should have trusted my assessment when discovering his lack of power, it's a depth of memories, long, centuries old. Excellent, Lalep, this is a major turning point in my search; carry on, good Scout”
  636.  
  637. * * * * *
  638.  
  639. “There we go, all small and bundled up in a nice li'l package for me! So much easier to give what you fuckin' deserve. Just so you'll NEVER forget what you did to Crayfield, you whore! I can never get over jus' how fun this keeps bein'!” He handled the Dragon turned Kobold firmly about, lining her up to stand dead still before him as he backed up a few steps. There was nothing but a dead stare from the Dragon, no anger, or hatred, just a slow, lazy blink as he dashed at her and slammed his foot in her muzzle, sending her sprawling to the ground. She barely reacted, just a slow, lazy attempt to stand up, a response the Man-kin seemed to expect as he hopped on his feet, preparing for another run.
  640. For a third time, hatred, and this time with his eyes bulging and teeth in full bare, Lalep screeched, using his learned Overcaver from years of education.
  641.  
  642. “LEAVE HER ALONE!!” He didn't even think as he leapt into the water below, scratching at the pools rough inner wall to get out as quickly as possible. He sharply pulled himself from the basin, mindless; nerves and fear being gnawed upon by rage and the indignation of his kin. He drew his blade as the human looked in shock, then bemusement, then turned fully away from the Dragon.
  643.  
  644. “Well, well, well! Lookie what we 'ave here? You just made my job a whole bunch easier, there, piss-stain” He drew a blade himself, the blade longer than Lalep was, finally gave the Kobold pause.
  645.  
  646. “Aw, c'mon, you looked the right cock o' the walk there! C'mon, I doubt Caladar'll care too much if I bring you in with less a few limbs, and Saints know I need the practice” He began his approach instead.
  647.  
  648. Lalep took a few steps back, looking for some opening to make use of, only to spot a rope-bound bottle.
  649. Lalep then tore his own from his belt, bit the cork and pulled it free. The human grinned.
  650.  
  651. “Hah, this'll be amusing. Might be an actual fight on me hands!” He swung his blade in diagonal cuts, limbering up with lazy figure eights as Lalep gulped the liquid. Lalep managed to quaff the entire bottle; it tasted of iron, blood, and other disgusting things, but if it made him bigger and stronger like it did the Man-kin from earlier, it would be worth it.
  652.  
  653. He dropped the bottle, the short fall meaning it simply bounced on the hempen wrap and rolled away. Lalep hiccuped, then his stomach made a ghastly rumble. A cold, then hot shiver ran through the Kobold and he clutched his belly. His belt snapped free as with a surge, everything started moving. The pain in his ribs and head cleared as flesh and bone mended, swelling as a lot of extra mass was added to him.
  654.  
  655. The floor fell away, going further and further from his vision, he looked at his surroundings as everything shrank, or rather, he was growing bigger. Much bigger. The Overcaver stopped his playful swings and stepped back as he was soon as high as Lalep's waist, then knees, then ankles. The giant Kobold looked at himself; he was almost forcibly hunched, as though he had been pushed just a few steps into needing to move on all fours. His tail was some half length longer overall as a counterbalance, and he noticed his muscles had swelled as well, appearing more balanced instead of scrawny, like he was a seasoned soldier. He eyed the Man-kin with angry eyes and a toothy smirk.
  656.  
  657. * * * * *
  658.  
  659. “Wait, wait a minute! How come the Man-kin earlier turned KINDA bigga, but you turned bigga than a Dragon! Are you's pullin' our tails!?” One Kobold folded his arms, giving Lalep a funny glare.
  660.  
  661. “Aw, shut up, Naha” A female slapped the other Kobold on the back of his head “Weren't you listenin' to the Underboss' talk about magicks an' shit? Kobold's wanna get bigga and stronger! Overcavers have to turn Dragony to do that, and we's already Dragony-ish!”
  662.  
  663. “Very astute” Kaja nodded to the second Kobold “The Man-kin have to spend magic changing themselves to be receptive to the Draconic blood. We have no such limitations. Raw magic doing what the Blood wants to do”
  664.  
  665. * * * * *
  666.  
  667. The human spent perhaps a second reassessing the situation before he bolted. Still riding the bizarre sensation, Lalep went to stamp the Man-kin as he fled, cracking the dry floor but missing. He swiped with his hands, but his lack of experience chasing small prey like this yielded little in the way of results. The Man-kin made it to the small entrance and dived through.
  668.  
  669. “Dammit!! No!” He said, slamming a fist against the wall, which yielded slightly instead of him, fragments of stone falling free. The forty foot tall Kobold stepped away, and turned back to the white Kobold, who without further influence from the Man-kin, had shifted back into Dragon form.
  670.  
  671. “Servants Key....Masters Lock” She said, resuming her endless path. Before she could smack her head against the wall, Lalep got between her and it, carefully catching her head, even embracing it a little, holding the passive female still.
  672.  
  673. “I don't know what you mean, or if I can help you, but I promise I won't leave you like this” He sat down, pulling the frail Dragon onto his lap and holding her still. While she initially went to stand and continue walking, she seemed to slump into him.
  674.  
  675. “Servants Key? And a Masters lock....so....a thing....that sticks into another thing to open a thing”
  676.  
  677. “S....servant?” An odd inflection caught from the female, who finally looked straight at him, a short lived clarity evident, she struggled to carry on with the logical progression of her perpetual riddle.
  678.  
  679. “Like a Kobold is to a Dragon? Who's a Master....So a Servants thing to stick....oh” They shared an awkward moment, and Lalep looked down between his legs. The female did as well.
  680.  
  681. “Key....” she turned, presenting. “Lock”
  682.  
  683. * * * * *
  684.  
  685. Giggles circled the Kobold audience.
  686.  
  687. “Fuckin' really? This, whassit...curse or whatever? Make a Kobold fuck a Dragonlord?”
  688.  
  689. Kaja rolled his eyes and gestured for everyone to shut up.
  690.  
  691. “It makes sense. Curses have to be breakable, it's an unwritten but widely known law of magic; they're powerful and specific in their purpose. The real clever part is making the counter to it as improbable as possible. Think about it; how many Kobold's, given the opportunity, would want to try and mate with a female Dragon?”
  692.  
  693. There was a hush in the room, before one threw his arms up, although not in confirmation.
  694.  
  695. “Underboss, I don't think anyone wants to go anywhere near that question! It's one of them....whassit called?” Another Kobold whispered to him “Right, loaded questions! We say we do and we're bein' disrespectful, and if we say we don't, we're sayin' the female Dragonlord's aren't completely fucking mindblowin'! None of us wanna get stuck with latrine duty! Or eaten! Or get eaten and become part of the latrine duty! Mighty Emperor, we know it's not right for a Kobold to OFFICIALLY wanna do that! We knows our place!”
  696.  
  697. Firaegin couldn't help but chuckle, then he turned his eyes on the crowd, and rolled up a Draconic Command.
  698.  
  699. “All of you! Now! Who wants to mate with a female Dragon!?”
  700.  
  701. Most of the crowd stuck their hands up. This included several females. Kaja smacked his forehead, affected by the command but disinterested.
  702.  
  703. “Fucking imbeciles. ANYWAY! The point I was TRYING to make was that it goes against a Kobold's correct instinct to refuse to perform such an act against a Dragon, so already unlikely. Make the curse breakable by a Kobold mating with a female Dragon many times his size. Even more unlikely, while she wanders in a circle to getting into..uh..position would be even more difficult. Point is, it makes sense!”
  704.  
  705. “What if there were like...a whole bunch of Kobold's standing on each others' shoulders, and we all's had the bigness and strength spell, but the bigness was cast on our pricks, so-” The thought process was ended as Kaja hissed loudly at the crowd
  706.  
  707. “Lalep, just...just get on with it!” The Underboss rubbed the sides of his head, nursing a sudden headache.
  708.  
  709. * * * * *
  710.  
  711. The increasing clarity in the female Dragon gave to a sense of excitement as well as relief. She dug her muzzle to Lalep's crotch and licked his slit, eliciting him to gasp in a slight shudder. He sprung to attention over the course of five seconds as she licked the respectively averagely sized, deep orange shaft, and then turned, presenting as a willing mate would.
  712.  
  713. Lalep breathed heavily, still unsure this was a wise idea, a shortish lifetime of training telling him to never befoul, insult....do anything negative to a Dragon, even some positive things out of respect. With a heavy growl, she pushed backwards and guided herself onto his length. They both gasped, and she began to rock back and forth. Lalep's eyes narrowed and a dumb smile grew on his muzzle.
  714.  
  715. “Oookaay....now I get it.....why was I scared of this again?” He felt instinct take over, he gently placed his hands on her haunches, squeezing the scales and massaging her hips, then sliding across her narrow thighs and applying modest pressure on her skinny waist for grip, and began reciprocating the motions. The female purred, an intense joy on her face as she looked back at Lalep, who met her gaze, pink eyes lidded. They smiled at each other in mutual enjoyment, and as Lalep gripped a bit firmer, the female lowered her front and let him start taking charge.
  716.  
  717. The small prongs of his Kobold-hood gently stroked and teased the warm interior, each pass running a tingle up both their spines. She let her tongue droop and her eyes shut, a look of pure bliss on her expression as Lalep leaned against her, pumping faster and harder, the chamber echoed with their efforts and the subtle slapping of flesh meeting flesh, shaking slightly as their combined mass sent vibrations alone. A pleasing ache ran through his groin as his body prepared for the inevitable end, but he tried to hold it back.
  718.  
  719. Her desperation and his lack of experience though, sadly made the affair over all too soon. Lacking self control, Lalep yelled loudly, voice filling the hall with his cacophonous release. The female instead, bellowed a single, overpowering note, a singsong tone that shook the crystals of the room violently, the walls shuddered as the tone rolled low and high, the fins on the base of her head flared out. The sound drove Lalep into a frenzy, his mind became overwhelmed with nothing but lust, as almost without skipping a beat, he began pounding harder again, as if he'd never had a release already.
  720.  
  721. One by one, the light crystals shattered, darkening the chamber but the shards still illuminated enough as the process repeated, another climax, another empowering song from the Dragon, another bout of frantic mating. A solid half hour passed, her narrow belly was distended from his repeated efforts as exhaustion caught up, and she couldn't sing again as her own energy was spent. As Lalep relaxed against her, he suddenly felt his feet pull from the ground and he shrank at his point of embedded contact within her cloacal folds. Thankfully, before he could fall, she settled down, laying flat on her front, adrift in a relaxed sleep, and he slipped in a vast pool of both their fluids. It was disgusting, slimy and smelled all over the place of good and bad, but Lalep hadn't ever found a happier sleep.
  722.  
  723. * * * * *
  724.  
  725. “Fuckin' lucky bastard....” someone in the audience muttered.
  726.  
  727. * * * * *
  728.  
  729. End
  730.  
  731. * * * * *
  732.  
  733. “Physiologically speaking, the differences between Dragon's and Kobold's aren't so much night and day, as they are twilight and dawn or sundown. A common ancestor, perhaps one beyond human records, at some point were forced to breed with weaker, smaller Dragon's for a prolonged period, I would almost assume perhaps a time of great famine killed off the larger of their kind; we've yet to truly discover the age of the land we live upon, so proof isn't forthcoming. Regardless, this would eventually cause a smaller, less able Dragon. I suspect that a weakening of this nature lead to them developing a need for a bipedal arrangement so as to maximise their heights and free their hands for tool usage to better defend themselves.
  734.  
  735. “All we know for sure is that the only reason we haven't seen Dragon and Kobold attempt copulation to bare offspring is the societal faux-pas it represents. They are both locked in a biological stand-off that has seen the two breeds grow further and further apart in terms of size, magical connection and muscular ability.
  736.  
  737. “Still, they are definitely of a kind; this isn't much of a debate. What always has interested me though is why Dragon's have hands. I would assume, as many do, that Dragon's would have paw-like appendages, leading me to believe that Dragon's have re-mated with Kobold's in the past, if only to attain the superior function of such a thing. This likely also explains the prevalence of magic in such a servile species.
  738.  
  739. “This bears further study though, how much magic plays a role, an ability we humans require excessive study to uncover, is something these Kobold's can simply stumble upon. I daresay such power is such an attractive prospect. I have dedicated much to the topic, and some day, it shall bear fruit”
  740.  
  741. Vincenzo Maltobar. Scholar of Draconic Studies. The first Scalecaster.
  742.  
  743. * * * * *
  744.  
  745. Chapter 6
  746.  
  747. A nearby, muffled sound snapped Lalep awake; he had barely drifted off near as he could tell. He sat up only to receive a booted foot slam into his face, sending him sliding across the Dragon-kins' combined sexual leavings.
  748.  
  749. “Not a fan of you helpin' yourself to what's MINE, you shit!” The Man-kin, having returned after Lalep's resumed runt-hood, cautiously stepped up and slammed a foot into his recently repaired ribs. One advantage to being light though was that he dispersed the force of the kick with help by being sent flying again. Mixed blessings, perhaps, but all the same, the Kobold tried to get himself off the floor and able to at least dodge the attacking Overcaver.
  750.  
  751. Thanks to the slick surface, the Man-kin stumbled slightly. As he rebalanced himself, the Dragoness beside him began to stand, turning towards them. The Overcaver frowned and looked at her briefly.
  752.  
  753. “Get back to your roamin', you scaly whore!” He once again held aloft the lantern, and it gave her an obvious struggle. Clearly her main affliction was over, though apparently not to the Overcaver, but Lalep already assumed that the lantern itself was probably used to get her under control to begin with. He looked about, seeing his snapped dagger belt, and made a sprint for it.
  754.  
  755. Spotting the Kobold's target, the Overcaver's longer legs and shorter distance meant the two collided, or rather, he slammed his knee into him as he got near. Lalep rolled and recovered quickly; he scrambled, arms reach of one of the torn straps of the belt, when he felt a foot slam into his head, shaking his brain. The Man-kin then leaned down, pushing a knee into his back, just slightly off of his full weight, pinning him. He saw the human place his sword down and draw Lalep's tiny blade from its sheathe.
  756.  
  757. “Saw what you did to Cheltham; nasty business. Now, I can't kill you, but I can certainly make sure one good turn deserves another, so I'm gonna take an eye, piss-stain” He poised the blade tip near his muzzle. “I'm gonna be a good sport though! Pick one, left or right?”
  758.  
  759. Lalep saw the Dragoness slowly approach, pushing against the lanterns effects. The Man-kin focused back on her.
  760.  
  761. “I said get back to roamin'! Hell, while we're at it, Change!”
  762.  
  763. Once again, a gentle light bathed the Dragoness, and her form shrank down into Kobold form. Lalep saw it before the Man-kin did. The white Kobold approached, unhindered.
  764.  
  765. “What part of get back don't you understand, you Draconic cunt!?” He waved the lantern with a childish intensity, staring at slitted grey eyes that burned with a satisfied mockery.
  766.  
  767. “Not a Dragon now” She said, inhaling deeply, then screaming at him in a single, sharp burst. He was physically thrown from Lalep, sliding along the ground, and before he could stand, while on one knee and set to rise, she calmly began singing, a vaguely Draconic language but Lalep couldn't understand it. The Overcaver slowed his movements, lacking the strength to move as his face went from anger and panic to calm; he looked placid, peaceful.
  768.  
  769. Lalep got to his feet, and hefted the massive Overcaver sword, and dragged it across to the pacified Man-kin. He thrusted it upward, pointed skyward, balanced in his clawed hands, staring dead into the eyes of the human, who was visibly shivering as he tried to shake the beguiling song.
  770.  
  771. “Left or right? How about somewhere in the middle!” Lalep smirked, then used the heft of the blade and helped it along by throwing his body behind it, straight into the forehead, cleaving his head in two.
  772.  
  773. * * * * *
  774.  
  775. “By the Blood, did you really say that? And I doubt the sword was that sharp, did you really cut his face in two?” Kaja groaned, his headache wasn't improving any.
  776.  
  777. “.....yes?” Lalep looked a bit sheepish, clearly lying.
  778.  
  779. Firaegin shook his head. His amusement fading slightly
  780.  
  781. “Lalep! Remember what I said about every detail? Did you want to save Vala or not?”
  782.  
  783. “.....sorry, Mighty one”
  784.  
  785. * * * * *
  786.  
  787. “FUCKIN' DIE!” Lalep screamed and lopped off a chunk of skull, skin and head-fur. The Man-kin wasn't dead, so he heaved it up and repeated, slowly bludgeoning the Man-kin to death, lacking the strength to make the blade work for him. Eventually, as strength finally left the Man-kin in earnest, Lalep stabbed the sword into his neck, a squirt of blood narrowly missing Lalep.
  788.  
  789. He only vaguely noticed the singing stop. He was finally brought to as he was ploughed into by the white Kobold, dragging him to the ground, wrapping her arms and legs around him and tearfully laughing with absolute, superlative joy as she buried her head into his chest, rubbing him all across as he tried to continue to catch his breath.
  790.  
  791. “Thank you! Thank you thank you THANK YOU!” She adjusted her position and pressed her muzzle against his, lapping at his mouth. “That was so brave of you! You were amazing! And...and...” she nuzzled him further, only pulling away to clutch both hands to her muzzle like a shy female Kobold's first approaching mate, although her eyes were filled with a firmer adoration. “You were so gentle with me...”
  792.  
  793. “It's- it's alright! I was just doing what any Kobold would, Oh Dragonlord! I'm sorry if I overstepped-” He was interrupted as she again pressed her muzzle to his, tongues dancing together. Lalep admitted to himself he could get used to this sort of treatment. He finally just put his arms around her, and she grew still in response, the two shared a moment, or six, enjoying the feeling.
  794.  
  795. “So, Oh Great One, um....I'm Lalep, clan Crater-Vale”
  796.  
  797. “Oh, so you're one of Karajan's! Good to meet you, Lalep. I'm....” she stopped, pulling herself off of him, searching within herself if Lalep had to guess.
  798.  
  799. “Is something wrong, Oh Mighty Dragonlord?”
  800.  
  801. “You...don't need to call me that, Lalep. I'm not much of a Dragon, much less a lord” she looked deeply troubled, it was a strange look for anyone of the Draconic race, even in the form of a Kobold.
  802.  
  803. “But you're a Dragon, Oh Mighty One! I sometimes wish I wasn't a simple Kobold, but that's just how it is”
  804.  
  805. “Lalep, please stop, I'm not worthy of titles. I don't even use my true name any more. Too much pain. I used to help a coastal town while I was hiding, helping them with their problems, be it disputes or attacks from the other humans. They called me Valarie, one of their Saints. I guess they thought I was this woman, reborn. Just call me Vala though...heh, it feels proper while I'm a Kobold”
  806.  
  807. “Hah, yeah, that's Man-kin for you. They're weird. But okay, Vala! That's a pretty name for a pretty Dra...uh, Kobold!” Lalep kept close to Valarie, waiting for her to continue. She smiled at his compliment, and gently rested her head on his shoulder.
  808.  
  809. “I know we should probably be looking for a way out but all I want to do is just enjoy having my mind again. I know; Lalep, tell me about yourself. I would like to know about my brave saviour, then I'll tell you more about me”
  810.  
  811. “Oh, okay! Well, let's see...”
  812.  
  813. * * * * *
  814.  
  815. “I's did so, not that I's find myself that interesting, reallies. I's said where I's was hatched, an' trained, an' all about Underboss Figin who believinged in me! Figin...?” He looked a little sad for a moment, an odd haze crossed his vision, the signs of Draconic mind alteration were only obvious to two entities in the chamber. Firaegin looked at Kaja, who gently shook Lalep's shoulder. He carried on almost like he never stopped.
  816.  
  817. “an' all about trainin' to be a scout, an'....an' everything that happened on the way to meetings her” He looked down at the unmoving Valarie, caressing her chin.
  818.  
  819. “We're close, Lalep. I can feel her within herself, desperately seeking a way out....” Firaegin narrowed his eyes, as though focusing on something that wasn't in the lair “I have worked out how to find her, just a few details about her will pin the final path; but the conditions of the curse are like a haze, obscuring the way. Just a bit further”
  820.  
  821. * * * * *
  822.  
  823. Vala sat quietly and absorbed every word he said, committing it to memory. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it, reassuringly.
  824.  
  825. “You don't give yourself enough credit, you're incredible to fight on like that. When I....I was a Dragon's mate, he wouldn't let his Kobold's disobey the designations given on growing up. He didn't allow any disobeying at all, no freedom or free will....he would make me sing to those he would subvert, cripple them from within. I did horrible things to people, other Dragon's, Kobold's....” Vala's eyes grew wet, she clutched at Lalep's arm.
  826.  
  827. “Even when he was slain and I escaped, hiding in this form amongst his number, I used the Kobold's to obscure my escape even as they gave their lives for me; it was all I knew how to do! That's why I fled to that cave, I just wanted to be alone, I didn't want to hurt anyone anymore. I would listen to the villagers near there, entertaining myself with their ways, only coaxing them away from the cave if they drew near, but eventually they caught on that I was in that coastal cave. I've never seen another of my kind on this land before, but we were referred to as Siren's, as my old mate told me
  828.  
  829. “So when the villagers would get as near as I would allow, and talk, and ask for help when invaders approached their shore, I realised I was threatened too, and began singing again, warping the attacking humans' minds to crash their boats on the rocks. More and more of the village folk would arrive, offering gifts and such, asking for boons. Again, I started manipulating people for the sakes of others. I went to hide, taking this form, when I was captured, taken here....I deserved it though, going through that curse; I understand it now, the horrifying feeling of being trapped within while your body does as demanded”
  830.  
  831. “Nobody deserves that, Vala. People and your Dragonlord mate made you do that! You- you could always come back to Crater-Vale! Emperor Firaegin's the nicest Dragonlord ever! He always has time for our problems! Maybe you could come with me and live like a Kobold, nobody would have to know!”
  832.  
  833. “They'd know...and they would see me as a threat or use my power again” Vala closed her eyes and buried her muzzle against his arm.
  834.  
  835. “Do you trust me, Vala?” He whispered. He gently patted her on the head.
  836.  
  837. “Yes, more than anyone I've ever known”
  838.  
  839. “Then trust me when I say I promise everything will be okay. Emperor Firaegin and Underboss Kaja...I trust them with my life, even if they can be mean sometimes, because they know better than me but they listen when we ask things of them!”
  840.  
  841. “I don't really have any choice, I suppose. I'm with you, now and forever, Lalep” She smiled at him. At that moment, Lalep felt like he was forty foot tall again. He stood, helping her up as she stood, shaky on her legs.
  842.  
  843. “I'm sorry, Lalep. I'm still weak from...I don't even know how long I've been here, decades I suppose”
  844.  
  845. “Whatever we face, I'll defend you” He retrieved his dagger belt, retying it around him. As with his previous conquest, he tied another bottle of the Draconic might concoction onto it too.
  846.  
  847. “Hm, we can do better than that, brave Lalep” Vala smiled and gripped the Man-kin sword. She tried to lift it from the ground by its handle, but lacked the strength. Lalep put his hands on hers and helped her, their eyes met for an extended moment, before she refocused on the blade.
  848.  
  849. She slowly sang a high pitch note, barely on the edge of Lalep's hearing, and brought it smoothly, slowly lower; the blade began to vibrate, and she slowed the changing pitch further, until the blade snapped about three-fifths along its length; a fifteen inch blade, perfect for a Kobold. Ripping off the Man-kin's belt, they fashioned a coil of leather and threaded it on Lalep's own dagger belt, a crude sword loop bracing against the dagger sheathe. They then took parts of the humans clothing, binding a handle around the snapped end of the blade.
  850.  
  851. Lalep practised swinging the new blade, then slid it smoothly into the loop on his belt, hands went to hips and he puffed out his chest, beaming a silly grin to Vala, who clapped her hands in approval.
  852.  
  853. “Very gallant and bold, my saviour” It sounded so nice coming from her instead of the Man-kin. He felt like nothing could stop them.
  854.  
  855. * * * * *
  856.  
  857. “So we's got some fish, ated them, drank our fills of water, washed ourselves, and headed out the passaging the Man-kin came from. We's didn't know where we were going, it was a labyrinthingie but we knew we could make it if we sticking side by side”
  858.  
  859. “I suppose she had to trust someone as earnest as you, Lalep; she couldn't trust herself. Such power isn't easy to stop using, even when you know the harm it can cause to those you care for. There's nothing more powerful than this solidarity, this kinship. Stronger than a thousand spells” Kaja said, looking wistful, experiencing his own failings all over, only discovering his ability to let go when he put his own trust in another so firmly that he himself no longer mattered.
  860. He again looked longingly at Firaegin, who was busy searching for Vala. He wished things were different, but knew it was his fault. He didn't notice Firaegin turn a brief gaze to him, a returned gesture, a light sigh.
  861.  
  862. The now fifty strong crowd all let their minds wander elsewhere. Some caught each others' gazes, smiling, those with close bonds knowing that same sensation.
  863.  
  864. “It took a long time to find the ways out. We had to stop to rest, both's of us hadn't properly rested in sooo long...” Lalep continued
  865.  
  866. * * * * *
  867.  
  868. The two Kobold's were shivering. Having gone further from the volcanic springs and by several paths over looked by the sky, stars blazing but temperatures plummeting. Lalep found a small cave off to one side, a small entrance only a few feet wide, so they both climbed within, and ensuring it was clear, huddled together. What meagre fraction body-heat they generated together wasn't enough to improve the situation.
  869.  
  870. “Oh, oh! I remember Sergeant Tuha taught me a little spell. Let's see....Umm...” He gestured about a few times, repeating the motions until he got it right; his clawtips sparked, a slight glow ran from there through his body. He felt a warmth flow over him, and he pulled Vala to him, cuddling her.
  871.  
  872. “Oh, that's a nice spell...do you know any others?” She said as she slowly stopped shaking, getting comfortable and gently brushing his chest.
  873.  
  874. “Hah, no...Underboss Figin told me I had a good chance of learning a spell as I grew older. He was real smart; there was a cave-in that killed a bunch of our clan, and he was real upset over it, and began studying a lot of books. He created a spell nobody had seen before, made Kobold's super flexible, so they could be saved if a rock fell on them. I- I guess he taught it to Emperor Firaegin before....before...” His eyes glazed over. He winced, his mind was muddled.
  875.  
  876. Vala looked him in the eyes, and looked deep in thought as well, apparently coming to some conclusion, then with a coy, subtle smile, she changed position, matching her hips with his, and snatching his attention with a kiss on the nose.
  877.  
  878. “I just thought of another way we can use that body heat spell” She said, slowly grinding against him. Lalep smiled as she coaxed him to full attention, and gently lowered herself onto his shaft. She wriggled about, teasing him with subtle sensations as they took each others hands in one another's, her rising and falling as he met her receptions with increasing vigour.
  879.  
  880. Compared to the frantic, and slightly desperate events of breaking Vala's curse, this time they both knew that this was a simple attraction; likely only attainable for a Kobold who hadn't gotten to routine visits to the mating hall, sullying the joy of individual contact, and a Dragon who had been used by a supposed mate as a weapon, craving only affection. The trust between them, his gentle and heroic ways, her frailty and supporting words. It wasn't likely any Dragon or Kobold before or after was as soft as this; conditioning and instinct played no part, just the subtle joy and pleasure, a slow build, his heat slowly spreading to her as she felt every light pull of every protrusion of his dark orange, copper-like member, and her silvery folds mingling, the plucking of skin and cartilage each sending a twinge of pleasure through one another.
  881.  
  882. They carried on as if all the troubles in the world were a world away, only letting emotion control the speed and drive. They tasted each others' tongues so many times, licked each others necks and nibbled on each others muzzles as the tension mounted, momentum gained speed and the small whimpers and moans gave way to energetic and almost bestial gasps and moans. Finally, after long spell of gradual shifting of positions since the casting of Lalep's heating cantrip and the sharing of increased temperatures, Vala locked herself against him as he released within her, soft gasps and intertwined limbs the only bedding and pillow-talk needed for the pair to finally fall asleep. This time, for the first time for both in so long, uninterrupted.
  883.  
  884.  
  885. End
  886.  
  887. * * * * *
  888.  
  889. “I offer my home and my rank for my failings, My Lord. Consider this letter a resignation. However, I beseech thee to spare the remaining men, and I shoulder the blame alone. Allow me to explain.
  890.  
  891. “We had planned the attack for three months; we had injured the beast as expected as she hunted, and proceeded to assault the lair. The Kobold defence was predictable. As we had ascertained by scholars and those with past experience, they are a flighty sort, unsuited to the rigours of war although feverishly devoted to it. We had alchemically treated facecloths for the front line shielded contengent to ward off the poisons these cowardly things use, and their armed and armoured forces broke as we breached the lair.
  892.  
  893. “We had not anticipated the effect a harmed Dragon overseer would have on the last, desperate line of defence. Miners, engineers, record keepers and hatchery workers fought with savagery, true but this was expected, but there was something else; a focus, their eyes were pinprick thin, they moved with unnatural speed and struck with outrageous strength for their size. I saw a man piled upon by six Kobold's, who gouged his eyes and tore his neck as soon as the others peeled the helmet away. The ones not engaging would intercept our attempts to save the overwhelmed, dancing between blades and spears, bashing into the backs of our knees to stop our movements. They bolted from and to the darkness beyond our torches in perfectly organised packs whenever a man would get too far from the rest, or their back was turned. When we realised we were not only outnumbered but being picked off with almost no casualties on their side, we had no choice but to retreat.
  894.  
  895. “I executed the Dragonhunter we hired for not telling us this, and I only learned when consulting with some scholars that Kobold's in defence of their ruler? Dangerous, but manageable. But when I learned that this bitch Dragon was a beloved figure of their clan, rather than the despot we assumed?
  896.  
  897. “They're terrifying. Whatever magic bond they share is a force beyond anything I've seen. Better to hire a Dragon to do the dirty work and pay the enormous fee”
  898.  
  899. Account of the Siege on the lair of Caralaefon, Terror of Basfeld Forest. Penned by Captain Korham.
  900.  
  901. * * * * *
  902.  
  903. Chapter 7
  904.  
  905. * * * * *
  906.  
  907. “Awww! I wish MY matings were that gentle an' tender an' sweet” A female Kobold, looking rather touched with damp green eyes and a dopey, doe-eyed smile as she gazed up and away, deep in her own imagination.
  908.  
  909. “Eh, sounds boring, an' inefficient. I dunno about all you kin, but I've got work to do before and after a mating visit, I can't sit there takin' hours to give a poke to a single female. I guess if a Dragon wanted to do it that way though? Not like I'd be able to say otherwise I guess, but whatever, you do you”
  910.  
  911. “Sure sure, Naha. Maybe we should call you Naha the Quick-prick”
  912.  
  913. “Might as well! You go bounce slowly forevers while I go and do what a Kobold's supposed ta; work hard an' fast in all things!”
  914.  
  915. “Wait, does that mean Vala could be with eggs!? Is Lalep gonna have a lineage!” The female Kobold looked increasingly excited; clearly the celebrity of the tale was gaining a following, but Firaegin licked his teeth and cleared his throat.
  916.  
  917. “One of the first things a female Dragon does when starved is cease the production of eggs to conserve energy and fat. It's a trait Kobold's lack due to the emphasis on carrying on the Blood over self preservation; a Draconic selfishness, I will confess. When, and I mean that word wholeheartedly, I restore Vala, and she is fed and healed properly, she should return to her normal functions”
  918.  
  919. “Great, then Lalep can waste another day just bouncin' up and down” Naha shrugged, Lalep turned and gave him a surprisingly fierce glare, not dissimilar to how he'd looked at the Man-kin when he was handling Vala. He was close to acting against the increasingly brazen Naha, but Firaegin put a stop to that.
  920.  
  921. “Oh, shut up, Naha” Firaegin gave the Kobold a tired and slightly frustrated glare, causing the Kobold to reel back slightly, head bowed. “There's nothing wrong with savouring the moment. Not to mention Vala was likely still taxed from her original curse and mistreatment, I doubt a quick 'poke' was suitable. When she is back to her full strength, I'm sure the couplings will undergo at a pace they feel comfortable with” The Great Dragon smirked, a slightly sinister and intentionally targetted dismissal of the already cowed Kobold.
  922.  
  923. “Just because of how I conduct my matings; quaking the halls with my efforts and ensuring my Empress' screams can be heard at her domain down the great tunnel is well known doesn't mean Jaraesi and myself don't snuggle, and enjoy the utter joys of simple contact, both physical and verbal; try it some time, Naha, it may give you some perspective. Anyway, I know Jaraesi she is sharp with you all at times, but she's just set in her ways. Otherwise our private moments would make a Overcaver poet blush”
  924.  
  925. “AWWW!” The female reiterated her exclamation , clasping hands and bringing them to the side of her muzzle with tender tears “You's a sweet pairing, Oh Mighty Emperor an' Empress! I'm so glad you're also close friends and it's not just you wearin' her over your Divineness' Dragon-hood like an extra layer of scales!”
  926.  
  927. Even Firaegin couldn't tell if that was too far; rather stunned to silence by the concept to the point he couldn't help but smirk awkwardly.
  928.  
  929. Lalep carried on despite the barely held giggling talk in the crowd.
  930.  
  931. * * * * *
  932.  
  933. There were many reasons for Lalep not to want to wake up. The feel of scale on scale was something he'd only known in passing; an accidental collision here, a push there, but feeling the softer belly skin of a female against his own, a female Dragon in Kobold form whom he adored like no-one he'd ever known. The fact he'd been on edge and under firm duress the entire time since he donned his scout armour and could have slept a whole day away.
  934.  
  935. Most crucially though, was the fact that at the tiniest opening of Lalep's eyes, he was assaulted with a circle of burning light that now represented the cave entrance. The top-sun hour was on them, and the cave-dwelling Lalep grunted as he adjusted his hold on Vala as he covered his eyes. He felt her stir.
  936.  
  937. “....Lalep? AAH!” Her short shriek shocked his ear-holes, all of his senses temporarily failed him “Oh, right, I remember. Kobold eyes. Wait here” Lalep felt her pull away, then there was a subtle vibration through the floor; something of greater mass shifting nearby.
  938.  
  939. “Okay, feel your way out of the cave” Vala's voice, only with a depth and potency. Lalep headed towards the blinding light, stumbing out of the circular opening, stumbling onto the floor. A merciful shadow loomed over him, taking the edge off, before a hand wrapped slowly and gently around him, a cradling sensation as he was soon pressed against the large ribs of Vala's Dragon form. She walked three-legged, a bit of an uneven gait but soon the area grew dark enough for Lalep to open his eyes. A large surface of pristine white scales, still regretfully marred by the sunken ribs, a feature that at least looked somewhat normal on her Kobold form.
  940.  
  941. Lalep felt her slowly lower him, and he fully opened his eyes, looking at the still damaged Vala's Draconic face, as she coiled her neck around to put it near him.
  942.  
  943. “Good morning, or I suppose 'Sun-rise' for you. Wait, even that might not be correct when it's at its zenith....hm, what's the term again?”
  944.  
  945. “Top-sun, Vala. Usually the most common time for sleeping, but here we are, going into the unknown. But at least we're going together” He studied her face, not really having the time to do so up close before. Vala gave him a curious tilt of the head as he stepped from under her, looking up in awe. He looked beyond the wounds, cracks and damage, despite their deepness from the decades spent.
  946.  
  947. “So pretty....I know you want to live as a Kobold, but we have to find a time when you can just be you”
  948.  
  949. Vala smiled and lowered her head to him, slowly placing the top of her head against his whole body. He wrapped his arms around her for a few moments, before letting go. She raised her head and cast her transformation spell, form shrinking back into a far less tortured looking shape. They walked deeper into the darkness of the cave, hand in hand.
  950.  
  951. The path was clearer at least, as the Man-kin serving Caladar had clearly been through here; torches, burnt out mostly but a few were still flickering with slowly decreasing light. Lalep even found some safe cave fungus gathering around the areas that hadn't been disgraced by light. The sticky, drippy looking puff-balls sprouting in clusters were a tasteless but nutritious, although the texture was the most interesting part.
  952.  
  953. “By the blood, what are you doing!?” Vala looked nauseous as Lalep crammed a wad of the pale, blue smeared bumpy spheres into his maw, chewing them, strands of slime sticking between his teeth.
  954.  
  955. “Dish shtuff ish gooffor you! Heuh, dryid!” He handed a bundle to Vala, who eyed it as one would being handed one of their own organs. She looked back at him and to the mass, before pinching her eyes shut and dabbing it on her tongue. The sticky coating made her want to heave, but again, she looked at Lalep and his dumb, blue smeared maw in a wide, eager grin, and she finally pushed it in deep enough so when she closed her mouth, it wouldn't just fall out.
  956.  
  957. She mulled it over, wincing every moment, before swallowing it.
  958.  
  959. “I'll dake youh wowd fou id” she said, licking at the strands gumming up her pointy teeth. Lalep laughed, and before long, Vala couldn't help but giggle along with him.
  960.  
  961. After a while spent de-sticking teeth, Vala observed one of the unlit torches.
  962.  
  963. “So, you can cast a little magic, right?”
  964.  
  965. “Yeah, but I'm not real good at it, and only one spell”
  966.  
  967. Vala walked close to Lalep, resting her head onto his shoulders, and pointed his attention to the torch.
  968.  
  969. “If we run into the Man-kin again, it'll help if we can't get a little more power out of you. We'll work on a spell that's an extension of what you already know. We're going to make the inner heat spell....outer”
  970.  
  971. “Are you sure I can do it? I mean, it took a bunch of tries to get it working on just myself”
  972.  
  973. “You can! Of course you can, Lalep!”
  974.  
  975. The words tingled through him, made him stand straighter, narrow his focus on nothing but what she desired.
  976.  
  977. “Remember the feeling. That tingle when it triggered, that little part of yourself that was reborn at the ends of your claws.” Her voice continued to enrapture, it filled him with confidence. His slitted pupils drew thin and breathing slowed.
  978.  
  979. “Yeah, yeah! I think I can feel it” He raised his hand, and performed the short, odd gestures, but maintained focus on the unlit torch. Vala looked at Lalep's over-focused eyes and gasped, pulling back.
  980.  
  981. “No, I'm doing it again!” She turned away, Lalep snapped back to reality, looking to her as she clutched her muzzle, looking panicked.
  982.  
  983. “Doing what?” He put an arm around her shoulders.
  984.  
  985. “I'm making you do things, just like I always do. Manipulating and coercing”
  986.  
  987. Lalep didn't understand the concern, but he realised this was important to her, yet there came a time when pragmatism was more important to dealing with a Scalecaster than principles. Firaegin was famous for it, after all; threatening and roaring and slamming about to make people better was how they got where they were now, Man-kin and Dragon's working together.
  988.  
  989. “Vala. Oh Mighty Firaegin once said to us Kobold's; You can't manipulate the willing. I want you to make me the best at what I can do. Please! We don't know when that prick-licker Caladar'll come straight for us” He brought her closer, and gave her shoulder a squeeze. She looked unsure still, and for the second time, decided to take another step with him, still assured that he cared deeply for her.
  990.  
  991. “Alright, only if you're sure. As you were then”
  992.  
  993. Again, they conjoined on their focus on the torch, her arms around his shoulders and head by head, staring together.
  994.  
  995. “Remember the feeling. That tingle when it triggered, that little part of yourself that was reborn at the ends of your claws. Push the magic inside you to your hand, to the fingers, to the claw tips...”
  996.  
  997. Again, Lalep's eyes narrowed razor thin, he saw a glow forming at his clawtips. Time seemed to slow. Vala whispered into his soul.
  998.  
  999. “Look at the torch, look at the charred grain of the material, look closer! Focus; distance doesn't matter, magic connects all things, you only need to know what you're pushing your magic into....into that spot, where you're looking” The wood sizzled, sputtered, Lalep's eyes bulged; he was afraid to blink despite how dry they felt. He inhaled deeply once, then thrust his hand the short distance he'd been withholding.
  1000.  
  1001. A blaze erupted from the wood. Fragments flew about as the core wood beneath the previous burned material shook itself free.
  1002.  
  1003. Lalep babbled incoherently, tugging his horns and hopping about like a thing possessed, laughing like a lunatic, partially pulling Vala along for the wide.
  1004.  
  1005. “FIRAEGIN'S BLOOD! I KNOW MAGIC!!”
  1006.  
  1007. “Lalep, stop!” She forced herself to hold back the urge to command him, and was deeply glad when he slowed by his own accord. She was enjoying the bond they had; despite his request to be pushed and coaxed, it was obvious they were developing a give and take. A simple thing, but something she had always craved.
  1008. “You cast a spell, but you don't know magic....yet. Now do it again, without me saying anything”
  1009.  
  1010. She eyed the torch, faced it directly and sang a low tone. The torch, as the air vibrated around it and choked it of the oxygen needed to sustain the burn, extinguished from nothing visible.
  1011.  
  1012. Lalep nodded, confident still. He performed the motions, felt the tease of power, and pointed!
  1013.  
  1014. A small spark popped into life about an inch away from his clawtip. He sagged.
  1015.  
  1016. “As someone who threw himself into training despite failing, Scout Lalep...” She left the sentence unfinished, simply gesturing to the torch again.
  1017.  
  1018. Lalep smiled; just like back then, just like with Figin. Someone believed in him, and he would succeed.
  1019.  
  1020. * * * * *
  1021.  
  1022. “Most impressive, good Scout. I trust you indulged in your training with the same vim and vigour as the reports say for your Scout training?” Firaegin nodded approvingly as Lalep made the gesture in front of everyone; thumb, index and middle fingertips pinched, palm down in the four fingered appendage. He upturned the hand in a smooth gesture, brought his little clawtip in to touch his palm.
  1023.  
  1024. Where the original spell, which several attending Kobold's of them knew from their own training as Scouts, involved a simple opening of the hand, Lalep thrust the middle and little fingers away from him, his index kept against the thumb a small pop of flame appeared some ten feet in the air, where the yellow Kobold was looking.
  1025.  
  1026. “Huh, that's not that impressive” A Kobold scratched the skinfold around one of his horns.
  1027.  
  1028. “It's not the affect of a spell, it's the effect that counts” Kaja chimed in. All he earned was confused focus from the crowd. He cleared his throat and extrapolated.
  1029.  
  1030. “As an example; you make a Kobold bigger. Great, fantastic. It's what the Kobold does while bigger that's important. Just making them bigger doesn't mean anything until then”
  1031.  
  1032. “Well, not necessassarily...” Lalep muttered, then cleared his throat “A-Anyway!”
  1033.  
  1034. * * * * *
  1035.  
  1036. It'd been a couple of hours. The first torch was long since burnt out, having been mostly depleted anyway, but Lalep and Vala now walked down the corridor, the impeccably self-impressed yellow Kobold sparking each torch as they went through, and Vala simply enjoying his sense of accomplishment; they were making progress on several fronts.
  1037.  
  1038. The tunnels narrowed, shortening as well; sections were visible carved, joining smaller pockets of caves, torches far more prevalent, but also clearer signs of recent activity; a makeshift well, maintained, clean iron fixtures, a crank that glistened in the local light from greasing. The bucket was sitting on a the well walls themselves, a wooden table with sawn legs to match its height. Vala sung the torches out, knowing darkness would help them better than the light would.
  1039.  
  1040. Lalep drew his sword, expression turning serious. He dared to think of having to go back into the Scalecasters lair, but he remembered the only other openings being taking a risk on the fast underground river, or the huge, high walls of the section the pair had slept in, with Vala a flightless Dragon, too weak to climb that high in either form; he doubted his own ability to climb the height without falling to his death.
  1041.  
  1042. No, here they were, a Kobold variant on a popular Overcaver storybook format; a male protector and an equivalent female royal in tow. He hadn't read them; he understood the language and spoke it at a modest ability, but the written words were all loopy and twisty, not the strong, obvious and distinct lines of Draconic. No, he didn't want to read them because those that had always joked about how Kobold's were a frequent villain in it, but heard others who had. Lalep didn't have time to feel worse about himself, at least back then; he reflected on his journey, looking at the sword in his hand, still slightly stained with Man-kin blood. All the pieces were falling into place.
  1043.  
  1044. His training had been instrumental; he wanted to get home to thank Tuha since Figin wasn't there any more, as the Kobold who forced him into improving himself. He certainly understood why Overcaver was taught to the soldiers and scout teams though; it had kept him able to learn about his foes and respond accordingly, so he wanted to thank the Crater-Vale tutors. He wanted to thank Emperor Firaegin for giving his Kobold's the ability to thrive as a people rather than just be thrown in mines for crude softmetals.
  1045.  
  1046. All these things, though, were met in full by the patient, awaiting look of Vala, who looked at him like nobody else ever had for reasons to succeed. There wasn't a Draconic word for what he felt for her and how she felt about him; affection wasn't sufficient. There was an Overcaver word, but it wasn't exactly at the forefront of lessons over potential aggression and basic conversation. No matter how many Man-kin were in the Scalecaster lair, including the pretender himself; he'd find a way through, for her, for Crater-Vale, and lastly, he remembered his internal oath to avenge Moda.
  1047.  
  1048. The pair pressed on, and exited through the dark into the beyond of the small maze-like area surrounding the well. On the edge of their vision upon reaching a large, open and familiar cave. A bridge, the sound of rushing water below, and beyond it all on the opposite side, a metal door, guarded by a familiar Man-kin, now clad in full steel armour, shield and axe in hand, sword on hip, braziers lighting all but the furthest edges of the wide space. Lalep gritted his teeth and tightened the grip on his sword.
  1049.  
  1050. * * * * *
  1051.  
  1052. “I was wondering when this would come up; your journey back so far was understandable; you escaped the Scalecaster lair, but were too injured to control how you got away, falling from the bridge. You pulled yourself from the water and followed the sounds to Vala, and clearly they intentionally kept her at a dead end. I'm surprised there weren't other entrances or exits, though the Goshev's are a vast mountain range, I suppose this Caladar picked his lair to be as secluded as possible with the least chances of interruption, hence the controllable portal. I've made the craft illegal on punishment of death as one of my conditions for the humans
  1053.  
  1054. “I'm sure you're going to cover how you actually got back; but did you believe you'd be able to get back? The portal was caved in, you were approaching a crucial spot of danger so the ability to explore and work things out after the fact couldn't have been the most likely scenario”
  1055.  
  1056. “My Emperor; If's I's being totally honest with you? I wanted to protect Vala, an' the only's way to do that in my thinkings was killin' the fucker who hurt her to beginnings with so he couldn't do it again. That and they likelies to have food and water so we's could work out somethin' later” Lalep felt movement in his arms, he gasped and looked down, watching as her breathing had strengthened, she stirred slightly, seeming more in a deep sleep than near dead dead.
  1057.  
  1058. “We simply need her moments before this new curse was cast and I can break it. The way is found, your experiences together have lead me to her; I have seen her in her mind, through bars of the actual curse, where no sight or sound can escape. However, and I understand if you would want to skip to that moment, but” Firaegin gestured behind Lalep; he looked behind him at the quiet audience of Kobold's, now likely some eighty sitting and looking at him intently.
  1059.  
  1060. “I think you should tell us the whole encounter, for our curiosity. Let us bring this to a close, Lalep the Bold”
  1061.  
  1062. Lalep smiled longingly at Vala, stroking her face, then cleared his throat, head raised.
  1063.  
  1064. * * * * *
  1065.  
  1066. End
  1067.  
  1068. * * * * *
  1069.  
  1070. “A Braver Kobold there never was ever
  1071. A scout from Crater-Vale, oh so clever
  1072. A dagger and sword in hand and claw
  1073. An unlikelier hero we did never saw
  1074.  
  1075. “From humble beginnin's, a clutch of six, he was the last to hatch
  1076. Grew up as a runt, and thought of as stunted, a break he'd never catch
  1077. He was yellow of scale, a pitiful male, claws likely too small to scratch!
  1078. Yet he was a fighter,
  1079. a cutter and biter!
  1080. In the Tale of Lalep the 'Bold!
  1081.  
  1082. “Destined for cookin', of writin' or chippin', a lesser life for he
  1083. Yet trainin' for killin, of stabbin' and seekin', he said he'd rather be
  1084. He couldn't talk well, he'd scramble and yell, and often would just flee!
  1085. Yet a slayer of Men,
  1086. Again and again!
  1087. In the Tale of Lalep the 'Bold!
  1088.  
  1089. “A Braver Kobold there never was ever
  1090. A scout from Crater-Vale, oh so clever
  1091. A dagger and sword in hand and claw
  1092. An unlikelier hero we did never saw
  1093.  
  1094. “Set out on patrol, the dutiful Kobold, and his very best, he did
  1095. Fell into a portal, so nearly crushed and from Man-kin did he hid
  1096. Captured and beated, but never defeated, they'd never be of him rid!
  1097. He cut out their eyes
  1098. left'em to the flies!
  1099. In the Tale of Lalep the 'Bold!
  1100.  
  1101. “Discovered a female, and rescued her too, a Kobold of pretty white
  1102. They fled off together, protector and charge, bonding together to fight
  1103. She sung to amaze, beguile'em and faze, he cut'em and set'em alight!
  1104. They fucked up a wizard
  1105. an' tore out his gizzard!
  1106. In the Tale of Lalep the 'Bold!
  1107.  
  1108. “A Braver Kobold there never was ever
  1109. A scout from Crater-Vale, oh so clever
  1110. A dagger and sword in hand and claw
  1111. An unlikelier hero we did never saw
  1112. It's a tale we'll keep tellin' until we're old!
  1113. Good ol' Firaegin bless Lalep the 'Bold!”
  1114.  
  1115. The Ballad of Lalep the 'Bold. Unknown creator. Adopted as one of the songs sung by the Kobold Mining Team
  1116.  
  1117.  
  1118. * * * * *
  1119.  
  1120. Chapter 8
  1121.  
  1122. Lalep's confidence was likely his first mistake. He stepped forward without a plan, so assured with his successes and the supporting Kobold behind him. He stepped into the edge of the light, and almost immediately, the Man-kin quaffed a small bottle with his shield arm, and lowered the visor of his helmet, a round faced, slitted eyed thing with small holes along the muzzle-like shape over his mouth.
  1123.  
  1124. “Not bad, Kobold. I'm guessin' Sully's dead? Of course he is, stupid bastard wouldn't let you walk away with our source of clean Dragon's blood” The Man-kin swished the war-axe around, before adopting a readied stance. His shield was low, axe hovering over ready for a downward chop as he approached Lalep.
  1125.  
  1126. The yellow Kobold hopped about rapidly, light on his feet but looking for openings; every time he made a move forward, the Man-kin would push his shield towards him, the torso-sized, circular metal dish bigger than Lalep was tall, it made an intimidating barrier. Lalep was undeterred though, and made a charge to get under it, sliding on the stone floor.
  1127.  
  1128. His feet clashed with the shield as Lalep soon found himself pinned down as the Man-kin tipped the barrier so it was pushing him into the ground, head exposed. The axe swung down to it, only meeting ground as Lalep scratched and scraped at rapid speed, pulling against the rim of the shield to escape from beneath it, and leapt over a horizontal swing of the axe, getting some distance.
  1129.  
  1130. “Here's the deal, lizard. We don't need to worry about not killin' ya any more. While you've been gone, we've opened up that portal you came through, cleared the way to that hole you fell through; we've got all the Kobold's we could ever want, ripe for the pluckin', a nice gradual feed of 'em to go missin' as they go by that big ol' tunnel you carved out; fairly sure your arsehole Dragon masters won't worry too much about the occasional missin' grunt.
  1131.  
  1132. “So, let's be sensible; you mean fuck all, but if you wanna be a good, obedient Kobold, and save the Dragon from me choppin' off her legs so she can't run anymore, drop the toothpick, I'll kill ya quick, Caladar'll put her back under control, and we can slowly use her blood like we always were to power out work. She won't need to die, and hell, this time, she won't even get a good routine fuck from one of us. Win-win on all fronts!” He chuckled, inching forward. Lalep growled.
  1133.  
  1134. “I mean, I'm sure someone'll want to fuck her at some point, gotta replace the folks you offed after all. Who knows, when Caladar starts makin' us more Draconic, maybe I'll take a liking to her!”
  1135.  
  1136. “Shut up, Man-kin dick-licker!” Lalep barked back in Overcaver, increasingly angry.
  1137.  
  1138. “Struck a nerve? Aw, shame! Not like you can do anythin' about it, runt” The human stepped forward. To Lalep, it was a slow move, easy to read, but ultimately, the Man-kin's reach made Lalep jump back, unsure how to proceed. Vala grimaced and began to sing.
  1139.  
  1140. There was a mild hesitation to his motions, then he chuckled. Vala stopped, looking confused.
  1141.  
  1142. “Ah, we figured you'd get the Siren on your side; kin siding with kin's understandable. Didn't wanna leave anything to chance; I've got Dragon's ears for a good while; let's see how long it'll take for me to gut you and beat that silvery white whore into the ground? You're gonna wish that other Kobold had made you his bitch; it'd be a kinder fate than you're gonna get now!”
  1143.  
  1144. Lalep screeched and bolted at an angle, hoping to get around the Man-kin, behind his shield, try and stab an opening; bleed bigger foes and wait it out, he was taught. Spotting the Man-kin's slow turn, he dashed straight for him; the axe was only half raised, and swung down to intercept. Lalep saw the blade coming, sidestepping it; Lalep was getting near, he started raising his blade. He hadn't wagered on the Man-kin to throw his foot clumsily against him; less a kick, more a shove, the half-baked swing grazing the metal coated thigh and earned light scrape and naught else.
  1145.  
  1146. It flung Lalep back and he rolled expertly on the floor, catching his footing again, with just enough time for the Man-kin to charge in, swinging wide and low. Lalep leapt over the swing, but his lack of experience was a painful weakness; a metal shield was swung in unison, delayed and higher, cracking into his face and gashing his muzzle as the airborne Kobold lacked the ability to react. He was sent sprawling, bouncing off the floor, scales thankfully preventing much of the harm from any grazes, a small victory in the face of the ringing in his head from the instigating impact.
  1147.  
  1148. The advantage was pressed; the Man-kin stomped over as quickly as he could while Lalep desperately scraped his claws on the ground for grip, trying to move. A scream from Vala stunned both of them, though directed high enough that Lalep was able to shake it off and stand as the Man-kin grunted and shook his head. Largely though, it did give Lalep a chance to take a swing.
  1149.  
  1150. His sword was thrust up and under the thicker plating of the Man-kin's armour, and he felt it embed just a little, but he saw no blood and heard no grunt. Pulling the still dry blade back and getting some distance as the human went to block another prospective thrust.
  1151.  
  1152. “Bitch.....well, she's more effective than you are! That actually hurt a little” He rocked his head about slightly, briefly looking back at Vala, then preparing to fight once more. The second bout began with Lalep jumping left and right in short hops, the Man-kin raised his axe, picking his moment with little short practice chops, trying to get the scampering lizard to flinch or hesitate. Giving up on waiting, he took another chop down, bringing his shield across to prevent any approach.
  1153.  
  1154. Starting to think things through, the Kobold surprised the Man-kin when Lalep hopped from the blow, as expected, but instead of retreating with no way to approach, the Kobold grabbed onto his shield, trying to pull it away. He stifled a chuckle, lifting up with the Kobold still attached. The smooth surface didn't give Lalep much of a chance to try and use the elevation, and with no way to get a good angle on a solid chop, the Overcaver elected to axe-punch the lizard, eliciting a sharp shriek as a gash was formed on his chest, knocking him to the floor.
  1155.  
  1156. Another swing of the boot, over and then down on where Lalep fell, snagged part of his tail. Lalep gasped with pain and pulled away just in time for the axe head to almost cleave into his back, still nicking him on the side. Far from his own plans of inflicting small wounds on the human, Lalep was starting to feel the crippling effects of his own growing wounds, his confidence was fast being outstripped.
  1157.  
  1158. Before the fight could continue, a louder, stronger scream from Vala. This one visibly pushed the Man-kin into a light stumble. Unfortunately, as bonded as they were, it was mistimed as Lalep was still recovering from another near-miss, unable to capitalise. The Overcaver growled, disregarding Lalep who looked confused as the human pulled a torch from his belt, holding it in his shield hand and lighting it on one of the braziers. He then turned back towards both Kobold's.
  1159.  
  1160. “Change of plans; this little fucker's boring. You're now first!” He said, pointing at her with his axe and began his approach. Lalep moved to intercept, but the Man-kin simply walked through the Kobold, who had anticipated some sort of slowing; he even took a sword to the back, the thin arms of the lizard clearly unable to elicit a dent on the armour.
  1161.  
  1162. Vala was still catching her breath as she retreated back into the dark, Man-kin in direct pursuit, jogging after her, sliding the axe into his belt. Lalep felt his heart skip a beat, desperately racking his mind as he moved in pursuit. He saw the Man-kin turn into the small maze of corridors, Vala clearly was moving to slow him down for Lalep to catch up.
  1163.  
  1164. Following the path of the Man-kin was easy, the light stood out tremendously against the dark. Another scream sounded, but the human pursuer was unimpressed, bracing against it. Lalep swung his blade against the back of the humans' left knee, earning a slight jerk, but the padding and chain muted the blow to a light twitch of the leg. He reflexively swung his shield behind him, vertical, narrowly missing bashing Lalep as the Kobold lept back, and he ran on again in pursuit.
  1165.  
  1166. Vala found and began running down the corridor back the way they had originally come from, just as the Man-kin reached the entraceway.
  1167.  
  1168. “Aw, that's no fun. Oh well, you go on back to your cell, Dragon. I'll take my time with your little friend here; I've always wanted to see if Dragon's actually gave a solitary fuck about the help” He spun and stood beside the opening, covered from Vala's direct scream attacks and also preventing Lalep from getting to her either.
  1169.  
  1170. Lalep had time to plan; Vala was lost in how to act, the Man-kin between them, and likely to pull back if the hour of his transformed hearing drew near, and they'd be back to square one.
  1171. He looked about the well room, occasionally looking at one of the entrances that gave a clear show of the Man-kin's torch. He looked around the adjacent areas, spotting more sticky puffball, the bucket, the table....maybe he could hew down a spear, but he doubted the wooden point would do much better than his sword had.
  1172.  
  1173. He let his mind wander a bit, wondering if anything would come to him. He was still full from his puffball breakfast, so that wasn't useful. Weird though he suddenly thought about what he'd heard about them, how you shouldn't cook them. He furrowed his eye-ridges, and plucked a small piece from the fungus, scraping it onto the well wall. He took a deep breath and cast his ignition spell.
  1174.  
  1175. The fungus sparked and burned brilliantly, violently; it responded to the flame and the light alike, the reason it couldn't grow anywhere but in the dark. Lalep smiled.
  1176.  
  1177. It was time to work.
  1178.  
  1179. The Man-kin had caught his breath; somewhat glad for it, frankly. Keeping up with the hyperactive Kobold was an interesting challenge, but he hoped they would make the first move. He heard, and felt, a light thud ring off his helmet. He looked around, and saw nothing in reach of his torchlight. He looked down, seeing a small fragment of wood.
  1180.  
  1181. “Really? That's your provocation, you Dragon-sucking shit?” He sighed and looked about for a moment, and decided to remain patient. Another thud, and another. He felt a weight on his helmet gathering. A moment later, the area lit up brighter. He looked at his torch, confused. Then he felt his head getting hot.
  1182.  
  1183. He reached for his helmet, feeling about, only for something to stick his hands to it. He wrenched his arms down, and saw his hands were on fire. He started panting as fear struck through him. He shook his gauntlets off, he started sweating heavily as the head started sapping through then thin metal surface in specific points. He caught himself from pulling the helmet off, instead, he rushed down the corridor, turning left towards the well room. His obscured sight from the increasing flames saw him trip over the water filled bucket and much of the rope, severed and coiled around to widen the hazard, precariously placed right around the corner.
  1184.  
  1185. He hit the floor hard, and the flames, rather than burning up and away as they had been, danced in his vision, through the slits of his helmet; he smelled burning hair. He screamed, the echoing becoming clearer as he pulled his helmet free, deepening his shriek as the flames surrounded his hands as the sticky substance coated them.
  1186. He then felt a cold pain shoot through the length of his body, then he couldn't feel his body at all. Lalep yanked his sword out from deep in the Man-kin's neck, right across the airway and into the jugular, a scowling yellow scaled Kobold, pink eyes illuminated, dancing lights in the large, slitted stare. He didn't even wince as the smell of burning hand-flesh wafted across his snout.
  1187.  
  1188. * * * * *
  1189.  
  1190. A whooping set of cheers erupted behind Lalep. He didn't want to lose his place, so he let them finish.
  1191.  
  1192. “I's and Vala met up again, took the metal door sticks from his belt, and headed to Caladar's lair...”
  1193.  
  1194. * * * * *
  1195.  
  1196. Lalep identified the same key as he used last time, and slowly unlocked the door. He remained still, listening for any movement, before slowly prying the barrier open. Within, the same sight of the roughly hewn chamber greeted them. A bloodstain evident on the stone floor from Lalep's previous conquest, but while he would have enjoyed the chance to relish the moment, he firmly pulled Vala along and braced both of them against the wall by the passage through to the main corridor of the lair.
  1197.  
  1198. Any other time, Lalep knew he'd be fleeing by now. He'd ran in a panic to leave twice before, and now he was literally walking into one of the most dangerous situations since the emergence of Firaegin and his conquest of Jaraesi. He thought back to rushing to help the front lines, the twenty minutes of combat he knew was going to reach him at the back of the crowd. He almost fled then, only the collective will to fight to the last Kobold for Karajan kept him in place. It was one of many reasons he threw himself at Firaegin's feet upon his return to Karajan's lair, and the fair treatment since then only bolstered that devotion.
  1199.  
  1200. He felt the hand in his own, they both squeezed before he released it and drew his blade again. He appreciated Vala's support here, but he knew they were fighting long odds. Vala, weakened and unable to adopt her Dragon form in these enclosed spaces; his own combat prowess clearly lacking after the disaster of that last fight, dealing with an unknown number of Man-kin who were likely as prepared as the one he'd just fought. Man-kin who were no doubt alerted to their approach by the fact that the one at the door was so well equipped. Even if they didn't expect Lalep to get through, even if they somehow decided to be utterly complacent and assume the door guards victory, there was a Scalecaster.
  1201.  
  1202. Lalep wondered if blocking his ears would work, but frankly, there had never been a Kobold who had successfully blocked a demand from someone speaking as a Dragon. Vala could clearly perform a similar function even in Kobold form, but would it be enough? Not to mention what they used to capture Vala before might still be there.
  1203.  
  1204. “We've gotta just sneak through, find the portal, and get through; we can get backup from Crater-Vale” Lalep whispered
  1205.  
  1206. “No point in heroics, Lalep” She nodded. Lalep peered down the corridor and dashed through to the first door to the side. A room filled with beds, numbering about ten; he hoped that wasn't the number of Man-kin; he wasn't really trying to recognise the different Man-kin last time; they all looked the same until he focused on the one he'd just slain when he was back here.
  1207.  
  1208. With the corridor still clear, they moved up, a room of clothing and armour. Lalep noticed his own armour was there, damaged and scratched, but also the Man-kin had clearly been in the process of breaking it down for spare materials. The list of the Overcavers' crimes just grew and grew.
  1209.  
  1210. “We're going to need to draw them out, then sneak up” Vala suggested. Lalep pondered; he had combustible materials, his new spell...it should work.
  1211.  
  1212. “Wait here, I'm gonna scout ahead; if I get spotted...” he rethought over what he was about to say, looked Vala in her pretty eyes, and steeled himself.
  1213. “If I get spotted, I'll lure them out into the dark, you get to the portal; It's at the end of this corridor, with all the glass containers, and to the right. Take my dagger, just in case, and I know you don't want to use it, but convince the Kobold's there to let you see Firaegin or Kaja, they'll know what do do” He unbuckled his damaged belt, and pulled the dagger sheath off, handing it to her. She hesitated, then slowly took it.
  1214.  
  1215. “...it won't come to that, Lalep. We're getting out, together” They pressed their noses together for a few seconds, simply looking into each others' eyes, then Lalep positioned Vala so she could face the exit; he pulled down a number of articles of clothing, creating a bundle from which to obscure her; leaving only a small gap from which for her to observe.
  1216.  
  1217. He finally plucked his courage up, clutched his blade, and crept out into the corridor.
  1218. Lalep skulked up the corridor, towards the room with the glass objects. He saw a small alcove he'd skipped over before, likely not noticing it as it was covered with a hanging blanket of a similar colour to the walls. Within, a foul smell, an odd wooden box with a hole in the top. He peered within.
  1219.  
  1220. * * * * *
  1221.  
  1222. “...I's meaning; who stores their own shit in a bucket in a box?” Lalep chuckled to himself, trying to lighten things up. He expected a shared chuckle, but every face in the chamber was bolt neutral and focused on him.
  1223.  
  1224. “Right, right, sorries”
  1225.  
  1226. * * * * *
  1227.  
  1228. He went to leave, only to hear footsteps on the approach. He backed into one of the small corners by the entrance, sword poised up in front of him. A Man-kin threw the cloth off to the side, stepped up to the box. He was covered in the same armour as the Overcaver outside was, although he removed his helmet, placing it to one side of the upper opening of the box perhaps a bit too swiftly, as it teetered on the edge before falling directly next to Lalep. The Kobold froze in place as the Man-kin did something to his midsection, then began to urinate in the opening with mixed success in his aim.
  1229.  
  1230. An awkward twenty seconds passed. Lalep couldn't risk moving without bumping into the Man-kin, and the Man-kin was too well armoured for him to do anything back. He bided his time, looking at the helmet, then back up. A few more seconds of drippage later, Man-kin sighing, and he readjusted himself, and bent down to collect his helmet. Half a second later, a snapped sword was jammed through his eye and into his brain; he died instantly and slumped on his knees overhanging the bucket hole.
  1231.  
  1232. Lalep didn't even want to consider how many Kobold's could boast two unaided Man-kin kills, or even two more with help, but it did wonders for his morale being away from Vala. Still, his plan was on track for the moment. He glanced up and down the corridor again, now in sight of the first rows of glass vessels of the room ahead, and one other room to the side. He snuck to it, looking within; tables, chairs, the smell of dried food; a feeding hall. Lalep almost wished for more rooms.
  1233.  
  1234. He heard voices ahead though, and stayed where he was.
  1235.  
  1236. “Corridor's mostly clear now; a little loose rock in the way, but nothin' that'll interfere”
  1237.  
  1238. “Excellent” Caladar's voice “That means we can fully process the last subject instead of playing it safe. Still no word back from Sullivan?”
  1239.  
  1240. “Nothin' heard. Grigori's still on his shift on the door, I'm takin' over in about an hour”
  1241.  
  1242. “We can't risk losing 'Valarie'; I'm impressed with the latest batch of Draconic essence, we shall subject more Kobold's to the same treatment; the fact this one was able to be resuscitated was a surprise, but we aren't going to get another source of pure Dragon blood any time soon. I don't care if you have to maim her, do NOT let her escape and do NOT kill her”
  1243.  
  1244. Lalep dared not hope; Moda was alive!?
  1245.  
  1246. “We know, Caladar, relax. She'll be forced to get here in Kobold form, we're all braced with Draconic hearing potions. Shit, we're in armour all the fucking time at the moment; there's not much else we can do without chargin' around the tunnels and hope they don't slip through!”
  1247.  
  1248. “There won't be much more needed once the essence finishes refining. The moment draws near; this will further my Draconic potency, prove my methods. Then next time we can begin augmenting all of you. At least you won't have to wait your turns; the three of you will benefit from a single batch instead of having to take turns”
  1249.  
  1250. Lalep had heard enough; he quickly peered into the room, and saw most of the apparatus was filtering a deep, red substance into a small bottle, drop by drop. Caladar observed it with admiration on his Draconic eyes; the expression readable thanks to his subtle less human features. The Kobold made a mental note of it, and decided it was time to enact his plan.
  1251.  
  1252. He retreated back to the corridor section by the sleeping chamber and the clothing room. He gave a brief wave into the clothes room, eyeing the subtle movement of the bundle opposite the entrance. He then entered the sleeping chamber, and began pulling the blankets and bedding all over, making sure everything was overlapping in some manner. He then cast his ignition spell, returning to the corridor, and beckoning Vala over.
  1253.  
  1254. “C'mon, there's a feeding hall we can hide in. That Kobold that helped me escape? He's still alive, I'm gonna try and get to him while you wait at the Portal”
  1255.  
  1256. “Lalep, I know he saved you, but...we can't take that risk!” Vala was pulled by Lalep down the corridor, straight to the feeding room without a response. Lalep knew she was right, but he couldn't bare the thought of leaving Moda behind, not if there was the slimmest chance of saving him as well. He hoped his luck would last.
  1257.  
  1258. It took a short while for the smoke to begin trailing down the corridor.
  1259.  
  1260. “Right, I've begun to apply a mild restorative to the subject, hopefully we can get another run of....What's burning?” Caladar asked. The clanking of metal boots sounded the approach of the last living Man-kin underling.
  1261.  
  1262. “Shit, it's coming from by the exit!”
  1263.  
  1264. “Tsk, damn this. Go, I'm going to move the essence to the extraction chamber; it'll be safer until we can control the fire”
  1265.  
  1266. The Man-kin headed down, stopping briefly by the bucket alcove, Lalep saw him spot the feet poking under the hung blanket.
  1267.  
  1268. “Sick again!? Fuck it, hurry up and get over here, something's on fire!” Boots down the corridor, away.
  1269.  
  1270. This was the moment; Lalep pulled Vala into the glass vessel room, and pointed her to the portal corridor.
  1271.  
  1272. “It's clear, there's no more Man-kin. There's gonna be a table with a crystal on it, put it on there, move it around until the circle opposite as you enter flares up, that's the way to Crater-Vale”
  1273.  
  1274. “But-”
  1275.  
  1276. “Please, I have to do this, Vala. None of this would have been possible if it wasn't for him. I wouldn't have been able to flee, we wouldn't have met and I wouldn't have been able to save you...You trust me, right?”
  1277.  
  1278. Vala sighed and looked pained, but nodded. Despite everything she had known in her centuries of life, she'd never known a Kobold accomplish so much alone; she couldn't help but believe in him.
  1279.  
  1280. Vala went on her own down towards the portal chamber. Lalep took in his surroundings. He looked at the apparatus used to create the essence, and noticed an identical bottle to the one Caladar had been working on, albeit empty. Again, the Kobold was plotting; it'd served him well so far. He poured a flask of some other component into the bottle, and followed down the corridor, past the cells he had been taken to. The cage inside still broken, although the bent bars had been pulled together, clearly awaiting proper repair.
  1281.  
  1282. One other room was at the end of this corridor. Inside, Lalep sucked back a gasp.
  1283.  
  1284. It was a two tiered room. On the upper floor, Caladar was busy working on something with a row of small glass bottles. Before him though, the mishapen form of Moda, laying still, arms buckled down with thick metal bracers, tongue lulling out from his muzzle. A large, open topped glass vessel, filled with a dark, purple liquid hung over him; a long metal tube, oddly hollow with a small gap near its top by where it was connected to the vessel, and the pipe was thrust into the back of Moda, feeding the liquid gradually into an open wound. Beneath Moda was a bloodstained recess, complete with containers, stained with old blood.
  1285.  
  1286. Lalep looked around, and spied the essence to one side. The Kobold crept beneath Moda's comatose form, and slowly crawled towards where the bottle was. He listened for the distinct clinking of Caladar's efforts, peering over occasionally. Caladar suddenly stopped, and headed over to the vessel, pouring a vial into the open top. He then crouched low, peeling open one of Moda's still, unmoving red eyes, looking closely at it
  1287.  
  1288. “Hm, this isn't working...too much extracted at once. Oh well, live and learn. The next Kobold we will take half as much, should get....” He muttered to himself trailing off as he headed over to where he was working, scrawling something down. Lalep felt his heart sunk; it was too late, but he could still get rid of the essence.
  1289.  
  1290. “Let's see to this fire....” Caladar sighed and headed out of the room. Lalep sighed with relief, and put the fake bottle he had been carrying down near Moda's body. Lalep felt the hybrid's neck, feeling the coldness of his scales, and closed his eyes.
  1291.  
  1292. “From the Blood, By the Blood, To the Blood...let me return it to you” he whispered, climbing the section of tables where the essence stood. He carefully hopped down after retrieving it, and unable to reach the vessel opening, he dragged a smaller table over, and perched the essence on top of it.
  1293.  
  1294. “What the-” A voice called from the entrance. Lalep sprung like a spring in motion; he grabbed the nearest thing by him; the fake bottle, and flung it at the re-entering Caladar.
  1295.  
  1296. Lalep's reactions and spiked adrenaline made the affair occur slow. The Scalecaster opened his mouth to talk, only to take the flying bottle to the face. He screamed in pain as the shards and liquid coated his face. Lalep performed a vertical leap he hadn't even known he could achieve onto the table, lifted the bottle, and began pouring it into the vessel. About halfway poured, Caladar screamed.
  1297.  
  1298. “STOP!”
  1299.  
  1300. Lalep froze, pulling the half-empty bottle back obediently as the Draconic command seized him, barely able to peer at the wincing glance of the Scalecaster as he wiped his sleeve over his face, eyes irritated.
  1301.  
  1302. “You wretch! Almost! You'll make a fascinating study case....bring me the bottle!” He commanded. Lalep obediently hopped down, approaching him with the essence bottle in hand.
  1303.  
  1304. He tried to resist, unable, approaching the towering Man-kin pretender.
  1305.  
  1306. “Hand me the bottle”
  1307.  
  1308. Lalep did that; he handed him a bottle on his person.
  1309.  
  1310. “I was going to infuse this into me slowly, for greater potency...but I suppose I'll have to make do” He knocked back the bottle smoothly, a wince on his expression beyond the soreness of his eyes.
  1311.  
  1312. The drinking was long enough for Lalep to hurl the bottle still in his hands on the floor, briefly free of control. Half a bottle of essence, scattered into shards and the sticky, deep red substance splattering over the stonework floor.
  1313.  
  1314. “What the-” Caladar gasped, feeling his body begin to grow. The essence bottle had no rope tied to it; he'd been duped!
  1315.  
  1316. Lalep bolted between Caladar's legs, drawing his sword and stabbing it into the back of his unguarded knee, causing him to fall, crying in pain as his clothes constricted; his already partial Draconic blood absorbing power and swelling tremendously. Lalep still remembered his own wounds mending when he consumed the same concoction, and moved as quick as he could; he managed to get to the glass filled chamber and screamed for Vala just as another command barked from behind.
  1317.  
  1318. “STOP!” Caladar's command was law once more. Vala came back through the corridor, seeing the yellow Kobold stand still.
  1319.  
  1320. “Come to me, Lalep! Let's go!” she cried out, her command outstripping the pretender's.
  1321.  
  1322. They barely made it to the portal room, the right passage open ahead, when they heard a half-bestial snarling from behind. Caladar, a bizarre facsimile of Moda's hybrid form, was wedged in the corridor, struggling to make progress. His body was expanding against the unforgiving rock, he realised his mistake all too late. Spite was all he had left. He was clutching a hewers prong, this one smaller than the one used on Moda earlier.
  1323.  
  1324. Vala's eyes went wide, a horrified recognition in them, leading her to inhale deeply and she screamed at Lalep, deafening him, naught but ringing in his ears. His hearing gone as Caladar screamed something at them in return. Lalep watched as Vala's eyes went wide, she tried to block her ears as she began to clutch at her head in desperation, before her eyes went dead, yet open. Her arms fell to her side, and she fell to the floor, lifeless.
  1325.  
  1326. Caladar smiled, through the pain as his ribs caved in, blood pouring from his mouth as his Draconic might, the endless seeking of power, slew him.
  1327.  
  1328. Lalep's ringing ears slowly faded as he sat over Vala's lifeless body. He'd held back more tears in the last day than he'd ever thought possible, but now, he wept deeply, sobbing and screaming in absolute remorse as he cradled her body. He only caught himself when he felt the subtlest rise in her, the very edge of a breath.
  1329.  
  1330. “Vala? Wake up!” He got no response. He lifted her, and carried her through the portal. The room beyond was still a mess, but a pile of rocks had been formed beneath the passage. He climbed them, mustering every ounce of strength within him, making a slow climb up to the Great Tunnel.
  1331.  
  1332. * * * * *
  1333.  
  1334. “Ah, so that was when you came through Crater-Vale screaming for Firaegin” Kaja said.
  1335.  
  1336. “Yeah”
  1337.  
  1338. There was a long silence, before Naha opened his big mouth again.
  1339.  
  1340. “Well? You's gonna bring her back or what?”
  1341.  
  1342. Firaegin contemplated something for a moment, before looming up.
  1343.  
  1344. “EVERYONE! Fall quiet and listen!”
  1345.  
  1346. Everyone, oddly not Lalep yet including Kaja, had their heads dip as a firm command overrode their own thoughts.
  1347.  
  1348. “You will remember this tale; with one exception. Vala is a Kobold, a uniquely potent one, but not a Dragon! You will, however, respect her as Lalep's bonded mate!”
  1349.  
  1350. Lalep looked confused.
  1351.  
  1352. “Why's not I's fallen under your command?” he looked around.
  1353.  
  1354. “Good Scout; you are no longer my Kobold....you are hers” he nodded to Vala. Lalep went wide eyed, fearful.
  1355.  
  1356. “I's didn't mean to do it, whateverings it was! Forgive me, Oh Great one!”
  1357.  
  1358. Firaegin smiled warmly. He cast a spell upon himself, reducing his enormous size to a quarter, and with a simple gesture, Lalep felt himself enlarge four-fold. The slightly greater than twenty foot bodied Dragon and the barely over ten foot Kobold looked at each other; Lalep immediately felt a strange sense of deja-vu, the larger green scaled figure before him authoritative but friendly.
  1359.  
  1360. “Lalep, I release you from my service as Dragon and Kobold....and humbly ask you lend your talents as Crater-Vale's Exemplar” He offered a bow.
  1361.  
  1362. It was a strange feeling; a request from a Dragon, not a command, or an order. He felt his own mind reach its own conclusion.
  1363.  
  1364. “Yes, of coursings, My Emperor” He smiled. Firaegin reached forward, and pulled the Kobold into a firm hug.
  1365.  
  1366. “My Champion, Lalep the Bold; your trials and duties have been and shall be many ongoing, but know you are, and forever will be, special to me, to us, to Crater-Vale. Along side you, though, shall ever be Vala; her true form will be your burden to bear...but I wish to speak with her alone, if you would allow me the honour?”
  1367.  
  1368. Lalep turned from Firaegin's embrace, looking at his new Dragonlord. He felt the air move as Firaegin regrew to his full size and his own reduced back to its usual size, before he turned and nodded.
  1369.  
  1370. “Awaken!” Firaegin bellowed. Every Kobold came to.
  1371.  
  1372. “I shall complete Vala's restoration! First, all present, go back to the clan grounds and alert everyone; I name Lalep Exemplar! By my decree, he is Crater-Vale's champion, and I dub Vala his exclusive mate; any who would lay an unbidden hand upon her shall be driven from the Clan or stoned to death!! Spread the word of Lalep the Bold! Let all within our clan and those beyond it know of his triumph over the unnatural Man-kin pretender Caladar!
  1373.  
  1374. “Within three hours, I demand a full contingent of soldiers and miners; seek the portal on the Great Tunnel, I want the Scalecaster enclave destroyed! Seek out Moda's body and I want it recovered and sent to Red-Lake for a true return of his blood to his clan! I want Caladar's body carved and BURNED!” He roared the final command, an accidental discharge of lightning from his maw as his outrage reached full fury, and Kobold's scattered away to enact his orders.
  1375.  
  1376. Lalep gave Vala one final parting lap of tongue on muzzle, and left, giving Firaegin a nod as he left the chamber.
  1377.  
  1378.  
  1379. End.
  1380.  
  1381. * * * * *
  1382.  
  1383.  
  1384. Epilogue
  1385.  
  1386. Vala opened her eyes, gasping for air as she pulled herself up. She was in a vast, unfamiliar chamber.
  1387.  
  1388. “I bid thee welcome, Karoesila” A low, but booming voice called her attention. A colossal Dragon of deep, potent green and glowing orange eyes studied her. Vala immediately reverted to her Dragon form, and couldn't work out whether to raise tail and present to the overpowering male or lay low, her instincts were going faster than she could process.
  1389.  
  1390. “Great One! Forgive my encroachment!” She finally settled on, prostrating herself.
  1391.  
  1392. “Be calm; you are amidst friends” He gently lowered himself. “I suppose I should respect your wishes as told by Lalep; he is my Exemplar, and you are now his mate, if that is agreeable to you, Valarie”
  1393.  
  1394. “You're...Firaegin....By the Blood, I didn't quite believe dear Lalep when he told of your stature, Great One” She slowly raised herself as Firaegin adopted a more comfortable position, laying on his belly, arms crossed.
  1395.  
  1396. “Lalep spun his tale of your rescue with much detail. While he did, I've been plucking at your curse imposed prison, getting a sense of who you are; between what I saw there and what Lalep told us, I have no doubts your honesty in wishing to live a simpler life as a Kobold. I have no objections, Vala, but I do have some concerns” He looked relaxed, but his expression was firm.
  1397.  
  1398. “Name them; I wish nothing more than to live my days as your servant, Great Firaegin. I failed as a Dragon, I have caused more pain and suffering in my four hundred years than can ever be forgiven; living under the direction of another would be a blessing”
  1399.  
  1400. “Lalep has understandably become your Kobold during your time together, but he has agreed to be this clan's Exemplar. I expect you to obey my commands as he will; not by the Blood, but by my rule alone. If I find others falling under your spell, then I shall rectify them. I feel, as practice to resist the urge to control others, I wish to name you my personal diplomat, with Lalep as your protector, for meeting with the humans; you shall weave words naturally, and not by magic.”
  1401.  
  1402. “I agree to your terms; you will find no trouble from me, I bow to your rule. There was one thing though. You....Mighty Firaegin....you...” she struggled to pull the words, deeply afraid of the connotation.
  1403.  
  1404. Firaegin smirked.
  1405.  
  1406. “'Shall you be ever cursed, Siren and servant, until your heart stills and breath ceases; No Dragon born shall find and deliver you from my dying breath'?”
  1407.  
  1408. Vala's heart stopped a moment on hearing those words again.
  1409.  
  1410. “You're...not a Dragon? Or....you weren't....”
  1411.  
  1412. “Indeed....we are of the same coin, it would seem. A Kobold reborn as a Dragon, and a Dragon wishing to be a Kobold”
  1413.  
  1414. “I had heard tales of the ritual, but I understood it to be a fairly diminished Passing of the Flame”
  1415.  
  1416. “Let's just say I excelled; Crater-Vale's old master, though weakened by his age, was still a conduit of such magic that I dared not miss absorbing the vaguest scrap of power. Now, before I let you return to your beloved. There was one thing I wished to ask as a personal favour”
  1417.  
  1418. “Name it” Vala nodded.
  1419.  
  1420. * * * * *
  1421.  
  1422. Crater-Vale was abuzz with the returning hero, Lalep. Celebrations ongoing and much disruption to normal work about. Jaraesi had returned and Firaegin had retold her of the adventure, her usually taciturn demeanour actually shattered as even she felt a sense of pride in one of their number succeeding against such odds. She was likewise cowed into knowing silence concerning Vala's actual being, being assured that Firaegin was again enacting a plan to secretly having a source of tremendous power hiding in the Kobold ranks in case of desperate times. Her pragmatism allowed it so, if not her devotion to Firaegin.
  1423.  
  1424. A few days had passed, and the Crater-Vale Kobold's were working hard to get into the Scalecaster Enclave; their tireless efforts making speedy progress. A green Kobold observed from afar, oddly not applying his arm to the effort, and nobody seemed to notice him anyway. He was a tall figure, generously muscular as Kobold's go, deep forest green scales and orange eyes.
  1425.  
  1426. He wandered Crater-Vale upon returning from the Great Tunnel, feeling a nostalgia as he looked about the place. He watched Lalep for a time, arm in arm with Vala, who saw the green Kobold and smiled at him as her yellow mate made his way to practice. He was being pushed to practice with the best fighters of the clan; with his confidence and experience, he would excel, fulfilling his new role as Exemplar, especially for any expeditions as Vala's protector when conducting Firaegin's official business.
  1427.  
  1428. The green Kobold finished wandering, and saw Kaja, barking out orders and directing the last few missives of the day. His hour was late, and fatigue was obvious on his red scaled face. The Underboss made his way back to his chamber at the back of the community hub; the green Kobold followed in pursuit.
  1429.  
  1430. Kaja opened his door, and stepped through, pulling it to a close behind him. The green Kobold cast a spell and dashed after him, squeezing through the narrowing door, flexible and pliable. Kaja went to shout for help, only to have his muzzle pinched closed and pulled into an embrace.
  1431.  
  1432. The former venerable Dragon went wide eyed as he recognised his attacker.
  1433.  
  1434. “F-Figin! Uh...Firaegin, what-” He was interrupted as muzzle met muzzle, two Dragon's in Kobold form, both bereft of the instinct and rage now, just two individuals with a history.
  1435.  
  1436. The door shut fully; and within, an old flame rekindled, conversation and passion within. Old obligations and new duties put aside as Masters and Wards both shared a tender moment away from normality. It was the start of a new habit, whenever Jaraesi wished to return to her old grounds or fly. Any who potentially caught on were soon told to forget by their Emperor.
  1437.  
  1438. * * * * *
  1439.  
  1440. Tuha held his shoulder, wounded but otherwise fine. The body of the last Man-kin lay dead, armour peeled away by coordinated strike, several spears thrust through the humans' chest and neck.
  1441.  
  1442. “Fine work, one and all! An extra wine ration for each of you!” He smiled at his prideful crew. A scout rushed to him.
  1443.  
  1444. “Sergeant Tuha! Report!” He whispered into Tuha's earhole, and the charcoal coloured Kobold frowned, then ran back into the Scalecaster compound, currently being dismantled for resources. He turned left at the glassware room and into the extraction chamber.
  1445.  
  1446. There, broken hinged brackets, blood, empty glass vessel hanging over a recessed area for bodies.
  1447.  
  1448. Moda wasn't there.
  1449.  
  1450. The End.
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