The Innkeeper

The entire attack lasted less than ten seconds. The Tree of Heaven had been planning this assault for weeks, and prepared thoroughly for it. The mass of wood that Anita pulled out from the ground weighed hundreds of tonnes, and was more than strong enough to destroy entire nations.

In fact, it had actually destroyed countless nations over the course of its many years with much fewer preparations. It couldn't be helped, since the Midnight Inn had countless members who were at the Nascent realm, or at least pretended to be.

But it did not believe they were as strong as they were portraying. Even among Nascent soul cultivators, there were levels, and the Tree had never found an equal in its entire age. It was unparalleled. It was the master of heaven and earth. It was the savior and executioner of races. For his arrogance, the Innkeeper would pay.

It was with that mindset it began to make extensive preparations, even going as far as tolerating disrespect and biding its time. Everything was set. The accursed residents of the Inn were to meet their fate. The Tree had willed it so.

So then, why was everything going wrong? The Tree of Heaven was the first living being, the most ancient, the most powerful. So then why... why was the two legged she-abomination so easily able to yank out its entire clone body, and play with it like a toy? Did she not know her blasphemy by acting against it? It was her duty to lower her gaze and revel in the knowledge that the Tree had decided to kill it!

The Tree's thoughts stopped there, for when Anita's soul flames tortured him it had no energy to spare for any more thoughts. Instantly it wanted to sever the connection it had to this clone, for the pain of the soul could be felt by its entire being. Yet it was all for naught, as it had lost all control over its clone, including the piece of its soul inside of it.

For the first time in its existence, the Tree of Heaven knew true, unyielding pain. While its clone was twisted and squeezed into a ball, completely outside the control of itself, its real body was free to writhe in agony, and it did.

Tremors shook all of Menara as its roots, which had reached the farthest corners of the continent, twisted and turned within the ground. To the residents of the continent, it seemed like the end of the world had arrived. For once, they did not know how close they were to the truth.

But once Anita had pulled up the bodies of all those who had dared attack the Inn, and hung them in the air to be whipped by her green flames, Lex finally decided it was time to get a word in.

"I don't want to disturb you," he began politely, but the Lich could not hear his words at all, too focused on properly marinating the souls of her enemies in endless pain, ripening them for when she would pluck them from their mortal containers for an eternity of servitude.

"She can't hear you right now," Qawain said, as he showed up next to Lex. "If it's something important, I suggest you really speak up. But be ready to face the backlash. She hasn't had one of her mood swings in a while, but when she first got pregnant... well, let's just say I've learned to keep my nose out of her affairs when she's like this."

Lex frowned, but did not hesitate to add a hint of Domination to his voice.

"Lady Anita, you need to control your power," he said, his voice reverberating through the Inn, and finally reaching Anita. For a moment, instead of waking her, the voice only attracted her ire, and she turned to Lex ready to lash out at him. But just as she was about to make her move, her instincts sensed a hint of danger, waking her up.

Anita's pupils dilated, because she realized the source of danger was this little human in front of her. Attacking him would actually cause her to face the possibility of danger!

Of course, she was not timid and danger did not deter her, but her motherly instincts told her not to face any unnecessary danger for now. Moreover, once she woke up from her anger driven stupor, she recalled that Lex was her ally, not enemy. There was no reason to attack him.

"Lady Anita, the Midnight realm is a newborn realm. It cannot take your power. Please retract it, and keep it contained within the bounds of the Midnight Inn."

Anita blushed, and suddenly withdrew her powers. The darkness withdrew from the realm, and Lex received the familiar ting of a notification informing him he had completed his quest.

"Excuse me, I might have lost control for a bit," she said as she covered her face with her hands. She had committed a faux pas.

"It's okay, no harm done," Lex said, then turned his gaze towards the ball of wood in her hands. "If you're able, can you also question all your prisoners about who was involved in this attack. I'll take some time to examine the Inn, but once that's done, I should really go and see to it that everyone who escaped your just retribution is unable to escape punishment."

Anita, who was blushing one moment, suddenly remembered what caused this whole incident, and her gaze turned cold.

"I'll have a whole list ready. In fact, do you mind if I come with you? The seriousness of this travesty cannot go unanswered! I must deal with them personally!"

Lex raised an eyebrow, and then looked back at the Inn. He wasn't sure if she was talking about the damage to the Inn anymore. He'd never seen her get so riled up over an attack on the Inn. But, whatever the case, her timely intervention had prevented more damage, so he wasn't going to complain.

"Sure, you can come. In fact, I'll bring a few others as well. But just remember tokeep your powers in check. This is still just a new realm. It cannot sustain your power yet."