“What the hell do you mean?” Valleria riled in irritation at the Longtail guard. Just weeks ago they were fawning over her for returning treasure to their horde. She stepped forward towards him with a snarl. “I already told you, you sack of—”

“We come to negotiate with your Clan Lord and dungeoncore.” Simon interrupted her, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her back. Silver looked curiously between the three of them.

Valleria wasn’t sure if the Changed Kobold was smiling or just showing its teeth, but its mouth opened to seemingly endless, uneven rows of white bone, an ocean of blades that filled its jaw.

“Negotiate for what?” The tall, gangly Kobold asked. Then it twitched, as if something from very far away had called its name. It turned, looking behind itself, and its face changed from a domineering snarl to a look of nervousness. Slowly, deliberately, it nodded once. Then it turned back to Simon. “Follow me.”

Without another word, the Changed Kobold, as well as several of the others who had slight adjustments to their form, turned as one, walking away. The other Kobolds with them looked around before following their cue.

Simon and Valleria exchanged glances. Silver whispered, “Their dungeoncore…”

“Sorta creepy how they all turn around at once.” Valleria talked at regular volume, prompting accusatory glances from the Kobolds surrounding them.

“Thats just what its like when a dungeoncore talks.” Simon whispered back. “Its what you look like when Mark and Alverost talk too.”

“Theres no way its that creepy though!” Valleria replied.

“It is.” Simon replied, ignoring the angry glares of the Kobolds around them.

Valleria scratched her snout. “Have you thought anymore about their offer to assimilate?”

“Thats not for me to decide. Zeek should be meeting with your… Clan Lords…?” Simon paused, looking to Silver. “He should be meeting with Mark and Alverost today. If he accepts, I will be among the first to assimilate. I follow the will of the Clan Lord.”

Valleria nodded as they reached the inner city proper. Something strange happened here. The motley impression of wooden planks that covered the earth became more uniform, the buildings less rambling messes and more organized, stable, and uniform. Valleria felt a sense of unease, like something was watching her here.

There were clearly new buildings, not made of wooden planks but uniform sheets of wood that rose up until they pressed against the ceiling, solid and curving ramps acting as staircases leading to gaping, open doorways in various buildings. The streets became more and more pressed together as the ramshackle mess of the Rot-City disappeared entirely, replaced entirely by cramped roads, but not the kind Valleria was familiar with.

The Rot-City was full of cramped spaces; places between buildings made of rotten boards that wind would howl and blow through. You could see your neighbors through poorly joined wood that was all the wrong shapes and sizes, twisted by water and bent into shape. This was different.

The city was solid sheets of seamless gray wood, lacking even a grain. Even the mud disappeared beneath a uniform blanketing. Eventually, as they reached the city center, the place where the Longtail Clan Hall used to sit, and there even the familiar patterns of streets gave way, straight lines and square buildings disappearing in favor of twisting paths and walls that curved away.

The city Valleria knew was gone, replaced with an alien nest, made of more wood they once dreamed existed. She couldn’t help but step irregularly, looking around to high open doorways that surrounded her. She felt like she was stepping into the web of a spider.

It also felt… larger. The city had changed. Before it was oppressive, the ceiling curving low at places to press against the city, cramped and compressed in a ramshackle of wooden huts. At first she thought she was imagining it because of the odd curvature of the buildings, but now, approaching the Clan Lords Hall, she knew for sure that the ceiling rose much higher than previously. Or maybe the floor sunk lower.

Finally, they arrived at the Clan Hall, central, tall and oppressive. It towered upwards, a circular spire that rose until it connected the floor and the ceiling. Valleria swallowed spit back when she saw it. They followed the guard in front of them inside.

Inside, they found a changed hall. A central dungeoncore, now the size of Valleria’s head, was surrounded by seats that were fused to the walls, growing out of it as a solid piece. It was a beautiful, light purple, filling a three faced pyramid. Dungeon roots twisted through the pedestal it sat on, the glowing mana visible.

It was only after she noticed every seat was filled. Changed Kobolds sat, looking down at her lazily from their extended heights.

“Valleria.” A Changed Kobold with a voice Valleria recognized spoke before standing. He was different, his body a sleek purple, his scales tighter together. He seemed almost younger.

“Raeph.” She replied as Raeph stood to his full height, a full Kobold taller than any other changed. Then he bent, his body a curved question mark as he stepped forward, his head swinging side to side with the look of predator. He looked down at her, studying her. Valleria felt his hot breath brushing down against her.

“You have a dungeoncore.” Raeph observed, staring down her form, and then to the glittering armor and weapons they each carried. “A weak one. One that relies on building tools instead of uplifting you. Making you stronger. Your reliance on metal— and each other— makes you weak. Especially you, Tinyfinger.” Raeph glared at Simon.

Valleria stepped towards Raeph aggressively, hand rushing to the dagger strapped to her side. She drew—

And Raeph slapped it out of her hand. She stared at the dagger that clattered away. “You—”

“Get out of here. Don’t come back. Our clan has no need for alliances with weaklings like you.” Raeph stared down at Valleria, then at Simon, then he sauntered away. Valleria reached for her knife— just for Silver to pull her away from it. Before he could reach his chair, Raeph paused. As if he had heard something Valleria didn’t. He turned, eyeing the baskets that their Kobold’s had carried as gifts. “And leave the baskets behind. We accept your gifts.”

Valleria snarled, but Silver and Simon were already dragging her away.

“What are you doing? We cant let that bastard do that!” Valleria snarled as she was dragged from the clan hall.

“We’re surrounded.” Silver said. “If we want to fight, we come back later.”

Simon only nodded as they returned to the expanse of gray streets.

Valleria freed herself from their grasp. “We have one more place to stop on our way out.”

“Friends?” Simon asked. Valleria kept moving forward.