Of course, this was of no concern to Alexander and the party mbers, who were already on their wary way forward.
The tunnel stretched before them for miles on end, weaving left, right, on a constant path downward. It ca to a point that Alex wondered if they had stayed on the Earth plane, how far under Jeju or the ocean they would be right now.
Of course, there was no use thinking of this, since they weren't even on the sa plane of existence anymore.
Traps sprung on them every mile or so, their danger levels varying from mild inconveniences to deadly traps, were they not prepared and on the watch for them. Their progress was hindered, yes, but they kept trudging forward.
That was, at least, until they a snarl ahead of them, and the tunnel opened up to a new cavern, this one larger than all the previous ones.
Awaiting them in the room, throngs of kobolds, big and small, wielding a variety of weapons that were far from the usual stone-tipped spear, crude knife, or stone sling. Swords, shields, tal spears, and bows; these kobolds were ard for war.
And to the eastern end of the cave, a single smaller kobold, whose breath seed ragged, snarling at them.
"That's the one who escaped us earlier!" Kary shouted, pointing at him.
Alex's head snapped toward the lone lizard, and he grinned.
"I've had enough of your whack-a-mole ga. It ends now," he growled, his skin turning black.
The kobold in question yipped in fear when Alex suddenly appeared before him, and before he could react, a sword pierced its throat, the life draining away in a streak of crimson as Alexander pulled his sword back.
He returned to his human form, trying to preserve as much of his mana as possible, and turned back to face the cavern, where the small army of kobolds was now eyeing him.
Kary glared at him from the entrance, angry that he had split from them, but braced to take command of the fight.
"Alright! No more splitting up! Full group formation!" Kary shouted as the kobolds started howling in anger toward Alex and their dead brethren.
"Co at , you fugly lizards!" Alex shouted back, taunting them into action.
If he could get most of their attention, his allies could collapse on their back and end this quickly. But they weren't that lucky.
A whistle echoed throughout the cavern, silencing the kobolds' rage, before a clanging of shields started resounding, rhythmic and in sync, almost like footsteps.
A single kobold pulled before Alexander, a shining sword in hand, along with a pristine tal shield and a half-plate armour that would render a lot of new players in New Eden jealous.
It stopped thirty feet away from Alex and stared him in the eye, its mouth still closed.
Alex felt the hair on his arms stand on end, and he knew this was an opponent that would require him to beco serious.
"I take it you're the head honcho around here," Alex said, seeing the whistle around the kobold's neck.
"Silence, human," the kobold responded, its tone cutting.
Alex frowned at the attitude, knowing full well that a monster, even a powerful one, wouldn't stand a chance against him, and should quake in fear. Yet, there was none of that present in the single open eye of this kobold.
The scar on its right eye was the width of the entire eye, making it clear that even if the eyelid rose from it, there would be nothing to stare at behind it.
And in its open eye, a glowing fire of resolve and bloodlust shone as it glared directly at Alexander.
"Intruders to his sanctum, for your cris against kobold-kind, your lives are forfeit. Surrender now, and your deaths will be painless."
Alex looked at him, before scoffing.
The mocking look on his face angered the kobold, who snarled at him.
"I'm sorry. I thought you were joking," Alex said, wiping away a fake tear of laughter.
"Your answer is all I require, to pass judgent. I will take pleasure in killing you in front of your allies, and torturing them before the great one's altar," the kobold declared, his stance lowering, his shield up and his sword pointed at Alex.
Alex was about to make another snide remark when a sonic boom echoed in the cavern, the stone shattering where the kobold stood a mont ago. Alex's eyes went wide for a nano- second, as a glimr of red caught the corner of his eye to the right.
He reflexively raised his sword, putting his weight behind it, and the ringing of tal on tal burst through the cave, Alex feeling his feet skid back five feet under the weight of the impact of blades.
The kobold had sothing vanish behind his back, the flicker of flas reflecting on the wall behind him, and Alex's mocking tone and gaze disappeared instantly.
Pushing back the airborne kobold, sending him flying back toward the little army, Alex dashed forward, not intent on letting him land and catch footing.
As he swung his sword in a downward arc, another ring of tal on tal echoed before a flicker of red burst out again, the kobold disappearing from before him.
Alex's head spun toward the movent, which he had barely followed, and caught sight of what caused this phenonon.
A bright pair of wings, resembling that of a dragon, made entirely of red flas, vanished from his back, this ti in plain sight.
"Kill them!" the kobold shouted, regaining his footing.
The kobolds hissed and howled, their rage drowning the cavern's space, pushing on the party's shoulders like a wave of seething anger, ready to tear them apart. The bloodlust was
almost palpable.
The kobold leader's eye never left Alexander, whom he deed as his priority, and he lowered his stance, shield braced and sword laying atop it, pointed toward Alexander.
"Prepare to et your demise, human."
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