Three to One

Gronk's eyes narrowed as the albino lizardman made to charge ahead, however despite the sudden surge of movement the brute was brought up short when a softly glowing mithril Spear head appeared before his red eyes. In the time it had taken him to step forward three steps, the kobold had intercepted his path placing the metallic head right before his tiny eyes. Snarling in contempt, Gronk reach out to bat aside the thin obstacle, yet as his thick fingers pushed upon the shaft he found unbelievable resistance. Glancing over, the kobold was holding the base of the shaft one handed, by such a grip, the large kobold should be able to put no resistance to a larger brute like himself pushing the weapon aside from just behind the spear head.

Yet, despite using both hands and straining, Gronk could not move the spear.

Sure the weapon bent a bit, but that was more its nature as a flexible spear, but push it out of the way by such a half assed grip? Gronk couldn't fathom it, it felt like he was pushing a tree lodged in a mountain, the tree would eventually snap far sooner than the roots being torn from their stone prison. Staggering back Gronk heard that pompous Redscaled ass chortling at his failure. Growling the Whitescale snarled, "Trick, this not kobold. This giant made small..."

Ashen Cloud laughed watching the kobold slide his spear back before himself. The Redscale licked the edge of his dagger as he pulled the cutlass from his opposite hip, "Bah, can't trust the grunt to get things done. Not a kobold? You're just a weakling Gronk. Watch how a real Lizardfolk handles this little shit..."

Gronk snorted crossing his arms. Most considered his people dumb brutes, they just lacked social graces. He would not take the Redscales insults to heart cause to be honest, he figured the only times Ashen Cloud was not insulting people was when the pirate was kissing his own red scaly arse, or if Gronk suspected right, likely when this fake kobold put the fool in the cold earth.

Ashen Cloud had rushed forward, his cutlass and dagger working in a flurry, the former took broad strong slashes while the latter darted in and out with quick stabs. Ashen Cloud always did this same routine, it was an impressive display against his foes as it quickly knocked off their rythym before making his true strike happen. However things didn't quite go as he planned. The ring of metal against metal sounded out, the kobolds stance unmoving as the spear in his hands seemed to be more akin to a living animal, twisting and turning to counter each wild slash and devious poke, before Ashen Cloud realized his routine had been completely seen through his world tilted.

One second Ashen Cloud was facing off square with the kobold, the next moment his eyes were facing the sky. A sense of nausea welled in his gut like he had tumbled head over tail down a slope. When sensation and realization returned the Redscale found himself lying on the flat of his back, neither weapon in hand, and Gronk looking down at him laughing, "Yes, you show me how fight. Gronk now know best way to get own ass kicked."

Ashen Cloud snarled in embarrassment, were he human his entire face would have burned in the shame he felt, yet as he sat up and looked around, for the life of him, where had his weapons gone? Ashen Cloud soon found out as a cutlass and dagger fell down before his widened eyes, either blade sinking into the snow framing his tail between his legs, the sharp edge of either slicing along his tight leather pants, the material ripping as his thighs flexed and exposing his crotch to the frigid air. A whole new chorus laughter erupted from the Whitescale, "Good thing you not roll around too much, might have lost something of questionable importance."

Ashen Cloud snarled and scuttled back climbing to his feet, snatching up his weapons and shivering as a brisk chill wind tickled his crotch scales uncomfortably, "Lucky fucking bastard, I'll get that little shit this time..."

Gronk laughed, "Sure will, next we likely see your red butt shivering in wind."

Sir Ferus sighed rubbing his face watching not only Gronk, but now Ashen Cloud too being driven back by this 'distraction'. He questioned if his own sword play would work on the dangerous opponent, unlike Ashen Cloud he had watched the flurry of movement that had resulted in the Redscales embarrassment. The kobold had swept aside the blades not only sweeping them up and out of Ashens hands but also had swept the unbalanced lizardman feet out from under him, the spear had deftly struck the pirate blowing him back in a tumble to land beside them. Even worse, the kobold had leapt up and smacked either blade, realigning both flung weapons to land quite accurately between Ashen Clouds legs... either blade hit slightly wrong or too hard and Ashen Cloud likely would be pulling those weapons out of his tail.

The Bluescale knight frowned to himself, this was a feat outside any that he knew of. Besting Gronk in strength he could see, the Whitescale was a brute. Yet besting the wily eastern sea pirate in force of arms took skill, Ashen Cloud was well known for his two handed fighting style on the eastern reaches, rumors told he trained with dark elves to perfect his craft... yet just now he had been disarmed, smacked down and his weapons turned into potentially fatal missiles had this kobold so desired. Narrowing his eyes he looked at the gray scales of the kobolds hide, the simple common clothes he wore yet the fine spear and ring he had, this wasn't one of the Blackscales.

Grumbling the lizardman knight stepped forward, keeping his hands clear of his blade, "I seek parlay distraction. I would ask, are you one of Velusa's number?"

Ashen Cloud hissed and backed up, "What?! He's one of that Greenscaled bitch's men?! Fuck me with a canon..."

Gronk looked at the others, "Who Velusa?"

Ferus sighed, "She is the Mistress of the Greenscale faction, spymaster, assassin and general pain in everyone's ass. She runs her own missions in every territory." Looking back to Xing Lei he snarled out, "That's who you serve isn't it you conniving bastard! What's her game?!"

"Why not ask me yourself dear Ferus?"

The Bluescales eyes went wide and spun away from Xing Lei glancing back behind Gronk and Ashen, where he had originally stood. Standing in his foot prints in the snow a lithe female Lizardfolk stood, a thick fur cloak covered her body aside from her emerald green face. Her laughter was light as the other two broke to either side away from the woman who seemed to step out of thin air. Looking to the Red and White Lizardfolk she drawled lazily, "Aw boys, no need to fear lil ol' me, I'm harmless despite Ferus' claim... well unless you value your chastity, then yeah Ferus would know something about that being robbed..."

Xing Lei watched this comedy routine with some boredom, while it first appeared that the three originals were working together, their helpfulness to each other was quite questionable. In fact it seemed to him that this Ferus character was trying to arrange a situation to remove the leadership of the other two factions with as little cost to himself as possible. Then there was the late comer, Velusa, while he had seen how she had appeared out of thin air, he had to admit her skill at using his take down of Ashen Cloud and addressing by Ferus to slip intomposition and remove a ring from her hand.

Kobold and Greenscale met gazes to the side of the wary Ferus, Xing Lei gave a non committed shrug at that probing look before she focused on teasing the prideful Bluescale. Ashen Cloud and Gronk both looked between the three with their own misgivings waiting to see just what was going on. A tentative bargain had been struck, such was obvious by their presence but exactly which faction was on the chopping block? With this strange kobold and now Velusa, both Redscale and Whitescale were questioning if the Blackscales were actually the target or were they?

All this chaos and confusion caused by a lone kobold sticking his nose in things.

Xing Lei held his position as Velusa and Ferus argued, in truth he was more focused on Ashen Cloud who was getting more agitated by the moment. While both he and Gronk were having misgivings about the situation it was more the Redscale pumping himself up to take drastic measures. The question would be, just who would the fool lash out against? Chances were very high Ashen Cloud would come Xing Lei's way to avenge his humiliation but with Velusa present, and how... familiar... she was acting with Ferus, those two were potential targets as well.

Still Xing Lei was hardly surprised when Ashen Cloud lunged his way again, the same routine leading the charge. Lei would have rolled his eyes at the one dimensional nature of the Redscale pirates attack pattern and this time decided to show the fool how outclassed he was. As the other three watched, Xing Lei twirled his spear intercepting not only the lunge of the dagger but also batting the slash of the cutlass high. With arms raised Ashen Clouds eyes widened as the sharp point of the spear stabbed down between his ankles, almost moving in slow motion as it nicked the back of his cage and swept his off balance legs out from under him.

Before he could fall however, the butt of the spear came down like a guillotine chopping across Ashen Clouds ribs, feeling every bit as heavy as Gronk's discarded ice club. Not only did the strike blast the air from the Redscales lungs but also planted his ass on the ground, Ashen Cloud had barely realized his new position when he had his bell rung. Xing Lei had followed with a swift kick to the side of the pirates head that sent his prone form spinning back the way he had come. Laying on the ground, his eyes crossed in confusion he watched the spear extend like another limb snatching his falling weapons out of the air and flinging them back his way.

Ashen Clouds eyes rolled back in a dead faint when both cutlass and dagger once again framed a part of him, this time stabbing the snow to either side of his throat. Ferus gave a low whistle while Velusa covered her muzzle to keep from crying out behind him. Unlike the first time which seemed to happen in the blink of an eye, this time Ashen Clouds beatdown was almost like it was redone in slow motion, each skilled movement of the kobold on display as he not only blocked the pirates attack but knocked the Redscale for a loop before handily returning the disarmed weapons to their owner.

Gronk shook his thick head, "Strong."

Velusa laughed, "While I'm sure whatever you wanted to do was very important I hope you realize you can't win right? How about withdrawing? I mean your targets are already gone are they not?"

Ferus grumbled and nodded, while the Whitescales could catch up, the Blackscales could handle the savages. No it was actually suppose to be a three prong attack, the Whitescales, Ashen Clouds pirates and then themselves. The Whitescales on their own were troublesome but not a major threat. With Ashen Cloud out cold, his pirates would likely be unmanageable. Then there was the kobolds presence here, even if he gave the order and the two groups converged, without the leadership it was just a mob of thugs waiting to get beat down.

Sighing the Bluescale reached down picking up Ashen Cloud's limp body, slinging the Redscale over his shoulder like one would a sack of turnips before nodding to Velusa, "Another time perhaps. Gronk, we're going." Turning to leave he kept a wary eye on the kobold and grit his sharp teeth. For all their planning to come undone was shameful but what really burned him was one simple fact.

The kobold had yet to move a single step from where he first confronted the trio.

Xing Lei watched the trio trudge off into the snowy wilds before he looked to the remainder, they both knew he was not her man, yet she had played along with it, seemed only fair to hear out this Velusa...