Chapter 1565 — 1565: Circles

Within the Castle tavern, Lex did not have an office, but there was a Great Hall. Located within the Great Hall was a seat of power, designed using Lex's tenet of supremacy. Anyone who sat on that chair, and had the authority over the tavern as dictated by the Innkeeper, would gain complete control over the tavern.

That control was not as simple as being aware of all the services within the tavern, or controlling its layout - although those were also possible. Lex had created the castle with the express intention of being able to survive the most dangerous of sieges, making it the toughest and most durable tavern yet.

Control over the castle meant that one could supply it with more energy, making it even more durable, or changing the way the defenses work, allowing it to survive various kinds of attacks. Of course, it also allowed one to make use of the weapons Lex had fit into the tavern itself.

Most likely before this expedition in Abaddon was over, he would make use of those weapons and features heavily. For now, though, the Great Hall just served as the venue where he and Kaemon could talk.

By now, the Magma Lion had stopped its bleeding, which meant it no longer dripped a boiling liquid, hot enough to boil an ocean, all over the tavern floor. It was for the best, really, since the smell of blood was not really as pleasant as the aroma wafting through the castle. Originally, Lex had meant to make the tavern smell like lilies. Instead, he had made it smell like fresh linen.

It was not a mistake, just a random whim. He could change the smell whenever he wanted.

"Can you tell me how long your tavern is going to be here?" the lion asked. "And are you certain it can survive the onslaught of the locusts? The walls of your castle prevent my spirit sense from extending outwards, so I'm not so certain what's happening outside."

"The walls are impermeable to ensure our guests' privacy," said Lex. "But rest assured, I am completely aware of the situation outside. The castle has many contingencies, so it will not fall so easily. Of course, if there are other threats out here in Abaddon that I am not yet aware of, then do let me know. The more we know about what to expect, the better we'll be able to handle it."

"The first and greatest mistake you can make here is thinking you fully understand your enemy. If you begin to expect them to behave in a certain way, then you are setting yourself up to fail. I will, however, tell you what I know. But that is a long conversation - first I need to understand a few things on my own."

"Right, you asked about the tavern. The tavern will stay here until you complete your mission and rescue a soul from the Chalice of the Abandoned. But 'here' does not literally mean this position. The tavern can move, so the decision that needs to be made is whether we will travel with you once you leave the tavern, or teleport directly to you once you stop.

"The problem with accompanying you is that we have countless workers who are not equipped to fight and survive in such a terrain. Staying within the tavern would be the best option for them. However, if we accompany you, then our mutual strength will allow us to travel further and hasten our quest."

"I'm afraid you do not have as much of a choice as you think," Kaemon said gravely. "If the distance between our groups becomes so great that you lose sight of us, even for a moment, then we will become separated not only by an immense space, but also by an irregular flow of time. It will be almost impossible to find each other again."

Lex frowned. He was not about to disregard Kaemon's advice, for he had literally put his life on the line to accumulate experience. That did not mean, however, that he would take him at his word either.

The difference in their abilities and experiences meant that they would approach a situation differently, and might come out at different results. For example, Kaemon had used a very powerful law to fight the locusts, but the drawback of using powerful laws was the strain of using them.

Comparatively, Lex used a simpler law more creatively to achieve a desirable result. That did not mean Lex was stronger than Kaemon. He certainly wouldn't underestimate someone supported by a system specifically designed for mercenaries. In fact, he was certain that the Reaving Dread had some hidden advantages over others which is what had allowed them to survive for so long.

Lex silently summoned a few clones of himself and sent them out of the tavern using stealth. His clones weren't strong enough to put up a decent fight, but they could be used to accumulate information.

"If that's the case, then we'll likely accompany you when you depart. You need not worry about protecting us - the Inn has its own ways of ensuring that its staff comes to no harm. This does put us in a favorable position to explore Abaddon faster though. While my main mission is to provide you with sanctuary until you complete your own quest, I have also been tasked with learning as much about Abaddon and its history as possible. Traveling through the lands will help with those aspects of my mission."

"You are taking this too lightly. Your first priority should be trying to figure out how to survive in this place as long as possible. We've been here for years, and likely will be here for years more. If we complete our mission, or learn anything about this place, it will be incidental, and will be done while we try our best to survive."

Lex studied Kaemon. The lion was clearly suffering from PTSD, and was severely demoralized. If he did not adjust his mentality, then the chances of them completing this mission any time soon would really be miniscule.

Simultaneously, the lion studied Lex, and could tell that the human wasn't taking their situation as seriously as he should have. If he did not wise up, he would not survive long in Abaddon.

"I assure you, I would not do anything that would besmirch the Midnight name," Lex said, placating the lion. "Even if you don't believe that I'm taking this situation seriously, believe that I would never joke with the reputation of the Inn. You think I am not taking this seriously only because you have not seen the capabilities of the Inn. Once you heal a little, I encourage you to tour the castle walls. You'll get a better idea of what we're capable of."

Those words seemed to appease the lion somewhat, for he really believed that Lex would not take lightly the reputation of the Inn.

"You said you can move the tavern. Does that mean we can just stay within and use the tavern to traverse these lands? If the castle's defenses really are as incredible as you say, it would become our best chance at surviving."

"The tavern can be deployed anywhere, that is correct. But the tavern is not actually mobile," even as he imagined himself running a wandering tavern. "Deploying in a fixed position is actually a requirement for many of its protective formations which rely on its surrounding terrain."

"In that case, we will need to discuss in detail how exactly you plan on following us. I need to know everything, in as great detail as you can share. There isn't always strength in numbers. If you mess up and don't act appropriately, you may even put us at risk."

"We're going in circles," Lex said. "You keep asking us for information, and I keep asking you to tell me about what dangers Abaddon has. Without knowing at least some of what to expect, how can I decide on our formations? We need to start at the beginning. Let me get you some food and some medicine, and why don't you start telling me about Abaddon, right from the start."

The lion sighed upon hearing Lex's words, and finally allowed himself to relax a little. The truth was, he himself was still too tense, unable to completely adapt to the situation.

"I suppose I really could use some rest," he lamented.

"Wait, I have an idea. Follow me, I'll have someone bring the food directly to us," said Lex as he led Kaemon to a Hot tub room. Except, this Hot tub room was not ordinary.

Instead of hot water, the tub was filled to the brim with red hot lava. The lava was not of any special flame, such as Dragonfire or Hellfire, but that did not mean it wasn't absolutely blistering. Moreover, since it was in the Hot tub, it had all the relaxing and naturally healing qualities that a normal Hot tub from the system would have.

"Come on, this should help you loosen up," said Lex as he jumped in the flames. He was no longer afraid of lava. Instead, he used it to relax.