The Innkeeper



There was no opening on the tower that could serve as a door so Lex just approached its surface with the intention to see how Impervious Hands reacted to it, but the moment he touched the tower he disappeared.

The millions of beings watching were further aggravated as a feeling of falling behind filled them. Though most of them did not know what this place was or what approaching the tower entailed, it was clear that it was the only way to get out of here.

A few, however, clearly knew what this place was, or perhaps it only appeared that way since they maintained their calm even as the canyon was whipped up into a frenzy. It was a strange coincidence that all those who seemed to be 'in the know' were from the Crystal race, though not all members of the Crystal race seemed to be privy to this knowledge.

But despite the fact that Lex already disappeared, no other change seemed to occur in the canyon. More and more beings began to be dropped in, slowly filling up the entire canyon.

Lex, who had vast experience in teleportation, felt the familiar sensation of being moved through space, though this time was not instantaneous. A special kind of energy seemed to cover him, protecting him from the turbulence as this teleportation seemed to take a long time.

Unable to move, as his body was 'stuck' in the position in which he touched the tower, he decided to take this time to study the sensations he felt while being teleported. Since space was apparently one of his affinities now, he should learn how to make use of it.

If he only knew how much progress Z had made despite having a lesser affinity than himself, Lex might have blushed from shame. Fortunately, or unfortunately, they were as far from one another as they could get.

Using his spirit sense, soul sense and instincts, Lex continued to study space for what felt like hours before he finally appeared in what felt like an ancient yet grand courtroom. Lex immediately began to study the room, failing to notice that for the first time, his connection to his system was suppressed. If he tried to contact Mary, for the first time, he would be unable to do so.

Everything in the massive hall seemed to be carved out of stone, from the floor to the walls and pillars, to the endless intricate designs etched over every inch of the room. In front of Lex, in the far corner of the room, was a kind of throne, once again carved out of stone. On each side of the throne were smaller chairs, as if to accommodate aids or advisors for whoever sat in the middle.

Despite the primitive impression the room gave, it also projected feelings of grandeur and an ancient power. It was not easy to make Lex feel like he was being judged, since he was the one usually doing the judging, but standing in this place, he felt like a mere plebeian waiting for his sentence. The cold, hard stone of the room reminded him of the days where he was just a mortal, and his existence was fragile.

Lex narrowed his eyes as he began circulating his spirit energy, his determination fighting against the oppressive aura of this place. Regardless of the circumstances, he would not accept being belittled. Although he had started out only pretending to be someone powerful and significant to play the role of the Innkeeper, he had slowly come to accept that he was far from ordinary.

He did not know if it was a good thing or bad, but he had developed a bit of pride. Even knowing his cultivation level was much lower than that of many, and that his existence could be a matter of no more than a whim for such beings, he could not keep himself from developing such a mindset.

As if rewarding his reaction, the aura in the room disappeared, and the chair became inviting instead of intimidating. It was as if the room was made specifically for his coronation, and he was to be awarded great honors as soon as he took his rightful place on his throne.

Lex was not really swayed by the changing pressures of the room, but as nothing else seemed to be happening, he approached it.

Soft, distant whispers seemed to fill the room as Lex walked, initially incomprehensible. Yet the further he walked, the clearer the voices became, up until he reached the throne, and the hall was filled with voices of various political figures, discussing the future of some sacred civilization.

Lex looked around and saw nothing, even as he felt people were talking right next to where he stood. Unable to stop his curiosity, Lex sat down and saw as countless figures appeared in front of him, garbed in ancient cotton gowns in golden and silver colors. They wore basic, handmade jewelry, yet the impression they gave was of opulence and luxury.

Lex noticed almost immediately that their discussions never seemed to reach any conclusion, and they continued to debate quite audibly as if the their very purpose was to make Lex aware of the situation based on the content of their conversation.

Simultaneously, a stream of information entered Lex's mind. The white tower he was in was an artifact that had existed from time immemorial and had played a role in the development of the entire universe itself.

The origin of the tower was unknown, and the exact reason for its existence was also unknown. What mattered was that the function of the tower was known, and in fact was directly transmitted to Lex.

Any time a group, or an organization, or a company, or a country, civilization, or race accumulated enough merit, and reached a turning point in their history that would either lead them to the pinnacle of success, or to an unprecedented nadir, the tower would automatically activate.

There was no explanation for what this merit was or how it was accumulated. What was explained was that the towers purpose was to help the specific group as much as possible. Moreover, it would not randomly send people over. Each and every person who had been summoned to the canyon was specifically chosen by the tower, for they would have the exact specific skills or necessary expertise to help specific groups.

But just because someone had been chosen did not mean they would automatically be able to help. Entering the tower was the first hurdle. If someone wasn't able to enter, they would stay at the canyon till the specific group that needed their help would go through whatever situation they were stuck in.

The second hurdle was actually being able to help the situation once the tower brought them into the specific scenario. If they were not able to overcome the situation, they would never be able to return. The only way of returning was to help his assigned group successfully go through the turning point in their history, or survive the repercussions of failure.

Of course, he was not randomly hurled into an unknown situation. The tower arranged for an appropriate identity for Lex, so that he could seamlessly involve himself in the present circumstances.

Lastly, it wasn't as if there was no reward for the people the tower had summoned. If Lex was able to successfully navigate the situation and return, the tower would provide him with something he sorely needed.

There was too much about this situation and the tower that made no sense to Lex, but there was nothing he could do about it for now. Instead, he focused on his new identity.

As it turned out, the identity that Lex got from the tower… was the leader of a rising nation! Information about this nation, and the general information about the world was automatically provided to Lex. Moreover, information about the turning point was even specifically given to him.

This country, which was quite similar to ancient Eygpt, was facing an unprecedented danger that they were incapable of overcoming. The country had formed a unique form of governance where their leaders and leader candidates were orphans, trained from birth to rule justly and without bias. There was no concept of inheriting power, at least as far as the ruler was concerned.

Moreover, their strict moral and cultural values made it so the country had excellent security and living conditions. As a result of a government and ruler who genuinely wished to benefit the country instead of accumulating their own power, the country rose up quickly, and their quick rise was also what attracted trouble.

With insufficient military and wealth that did not match their global status, they had been targeted by their three neighboring countries. Their existing leader had been assassinated, as well as all the orphans who were being trained.

As per the scenario set by the tower, Lex took the identity of the lone survivor who qualified to take the rulers position. He had, just now, been coronated, and in a few hours representatives for all three neighboring countries would arrive to offer 'condolences' and 'aid' during this difficult time.

The impending negotiations would forever determine the fate of this fledgling country.

Lex smiled. Was this supposed to be a challenge?