The Innkeeper

Chapter 1321  Please delay

Flashes of light often dispersed the darkness of the battlefield, and large raging fires ate away at bits of the darkness as well. For immortals, it hardly mattered whether there was light or darkness so their battles remained uninterrupted regardless of the state.

Even so, more often than not, the Kraven would try to light up the field. The monsters thrived in darkness, so there was no reason to allow them to be at ease. Yet there was one region where the darkness was exceptionally deep. No lighting flashed, no fires blazed, nor did any enchantments illuminate that region.

In fact, even the laws of light seemed to shy away from it. The darkness was as old as the realm, as if it had seen the moment of the realms birth, and had directly battled against the bang that created the realm. It was like a living malevolence, eating away not just light, but anything that was associated with it.

There was no hope in the darkness, no courage or valor. There was only the cold, hopeless despair - and of course, in the depths of the seemingly living darkness, there was a monster.

Even from far away, as Lex approached, he could sense it. Compared to the monsters that fought, compared to the ones born from darkness, to the ones that brought fear into the hearts of many, the monster in the darkness up ahead was a true, genuine monster.

It was also a Deity.

Even from afar Lex could feel the overwhelming divine energy that radiated off the body hidden within the darkness, though ironically, despite being extremely rich, it was actually one of the weaker Deities Lex had met.

Compared to the likes of Ra and Sekhmet, this deity was a lot weaker. That did not mean it was actually weak, as Lex felt a great pressure on his body from even coming close to it. But Lex himself was no less of a monster.

For a brief moment, as Lex entered the Darkness, he was genuinely blinded. His normal vision failed, as did his spirit and soul sense. But his eyes were not normal, and Lex needed only to use his ability to see once again. At the same time, his affinity for divinity allowed him to use the thick amounts of divinity that filled the darkness for himself, acting similar to a live map. Lastly, a single, powerful heartbeat from his chest relieved some of the effects of the darkness on him.

That is why, within the darkness, Lex had no trouble approaching the large black bird.

Vinei, in his true form, looked much like a Sol or Frio bird, except that it was pitch black.

"I remember you," the dark Deity said, turning his gaze to Lex.

"I remember you as well. Weren't you interested in becoming my colleague?" Lex asked with a smile.

Up close, Lex discovered that Vinei's body was quite a bit larger than his own, and it felt a lot more dangerous too. His instincts were prickling at his proximity to the Deity.

"That is still my plan," Vinei said evenly, as if he was speaking facts.

"Well, I'm here to expedite the process. If you can help me bring down the Kraven prince, I can get you a platinum key. With it, you can take a test to become a worker at the Inn."

Of course, he did not mention that the Inn itself was not in a situation to allow Heavenly immortal tribulations. Only the territory of the Inn itself could even allow their existence, as the Midnight realm was not yet at the level to allow their existence.

The bird looked at Lex for a moment, analyzing his strength.

"I have an army of immortals. One more or less won't make a difference. The Kraven exist for war, so they know how to survive."

"I believe in quality over quantity. Besides, I just visited their capital, and it seems like it has been destroyed. The survivors probably moved to a new capital. They're probably vulnerable during the move. Now would be a good time to attack."

"It would appear so, but that is not actually the case," Vinei said calmly. "The Kraven were… coerced into joining with our latest guests in this realm, and together, they are much stronger than before. The Kraven, on their own, are a threat, but they're not so serious. Their army of immortals mainly consists of newly born immortals, and does not pose a grave threat. But empowered by the Hellions, under their guidance, their power has grown drastically.

"Even so, it is not like they cannot be defeated, but timing is everything. In their hubris, they have turned their gaze towards the Crystal race. Their defeat is imminent. It is then that I will strike down the prince."

"Are you so confident that they will lose? The Hellions would not have made their move if they were not confident. They have their own agenda with this realm."

"I am aware of their attempts to raise it to support the threshold of Heavenly immortal. But I did not claim the Hellions would lose. In fact, their purposes would be further progressed. But the Kraven would be at their weakest after centuries. Furthermore, the Crystal race would reap what they have sowed after ignoring the plight of the realm and their betrayal of the Deities of old."

Lex shook his head.

"That might not be the Hellions only purpose. Back at the capital, I discovered their attempt to turn the laws of this realm into that of another realm entirely. Although I put an end to their attempts there, who knows where else they may have also made such attempts? In fact, I have reason to believe that using their methods requires a great sacrifice, or the death of countless beings, which is why they're exacerbating the war. The growth of the realm itself due to the death of countless immortals is just an additional benefit."

For a moment, Vinei was silent. The bird narrowed its eyes as it tried to determine the veracity of Lex's claims. Lex could feel the surge in divine energy and dissipate into the air itself. After a while, the bird hissed.

"It seems the guests have fooled us all along. Their claim that their goal to raise the capacity of the realm must have been a ruse… a ruse so that the higher powers of the realm would silently consent to their actions while they plotted something else. Quite cunning. Quite cunning indeed. "But young tavern keeper, it is still not time to attack the prince. The Crystal realm is not as simple as many think it to be, and these outsiders will suffer because of it. Whether the realm becomes their stepping stone, or their bodies nourish the realm is yet to be seen. I request that for now, you delay your revenge. In exchange, I will personally reward you for your continued contribution to the Crystal realm."

Lex pursed his lips. He had been really looking forward to revenge. This was not a light matter. When the Kraven prince had attacked, Betty, the tavern's bouncer's wife, had a miscarriage. Although it was not the same as losing a child, Lex felt immense guilt and shame for allowing such a thing to happen.

That was not the kind of thing he could just overlook for a reward. Except, looking at the black bird, the Deity of Darkness, or perhaps the Deity of Monsters, or maybe even both, Lex felt like it would not make this request lightly. After all, it too wanted to kill the Kraven prince. The massive war between the monsters and Kraven all around him was proof. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"How long do you want me to delay?" Lex finally asked.

"I cannot be certain. Just as the outsiders hide and plot, the citizens of this realm are not without their own plans. It is a delicate balance. I can, however, promise you that when the time comes, I can personally invite you to end this Kraven infestation with me once and for all."

Lex took a deep breath, and then nodded. It was not easy to give up on revenge, even if it was temporary.

"Your cooperation is appreciated. Allow me to give you your reward. I hope you will find it satisfactory."

The darkness around them trembled, and then Lex felt it wrap itself around his body, holding it securely as they warped out of place.

It was not teleportation - not exactly. It was not even moving from between the planes. No, they experienced some other kind of phenomenon, but whatever it was, Lex was no longer surrounded by war.

The veil of darkness began to retreat into Vinei's body, as the bird flapped its wings a couple of times before landing.

Lex looked around, and found himself standing on a stone bridge, built floating upon a serene lake in the middle of some mountains. Trees, plants and flowers filled the surrounding mountains, while vibrant colored fish swam in the clear waters of the lake. It looked like they had arrived in some kind of sanctuary.