The Innkeeper

Finally, after countless weeks, Velma’s icy expression finally broke, and a warm smile could not help but appear on her face. There really was no place like home.

She took a deep breath, and immediately began to reveal the contents of her plan.

"The rescue operation consists of four phases - and yes, it’s important to remember that this is a rescue operation, not a revenge operation! The first phase is preparation. We cannot just get up and go because we know the destination. We need to properly equip ourselves, not to mention we need to mobilise our allies for a coordinated attack."

Velma created a projection in front of the members of a large realm, including its terrain, key features, population, defensive positions and so on.

"This is the layout of the realm controlled by the person who kidnapped Z, known as the Grand Conqueror, based on reconnaissance carried out by certain members of the alliance. While they have not been able to firmly locate the realm, I have already discovered a method for us to enter it."

She pulled out an entire list of Devils who had made deals with not just the Grand Conqueror, but other members of the realm as well. It seemed like the concept of quickly gaining strength through external means was a common theme within this realm.

"Devils are notorious for not betraying their deals, but that also doesn’t prevent them from making new deals. Making a deal with them is not hard at all. For a long time, Devils were the largest demographic inside the Inn, and I know most of them.

"I already have over a hundred Devils who have infiltrated the realm on my behalf, making deals with the residents while also ready to smuggle in the Snowglobe tavern at my command. I have also, using information as payment, requisitioned a battalion of 300 million demons who will attack across the realm at the same time as us to serve as a distraction."

A stunned silence filled the room as everyone listened, and tried to comprehend the words Velma had spoken. 300 million demons? To attack alongside them? Was Velma herself aware that this was a rescue and not a plot for revenge?

"Do not be swayed by that paltry number," said Velma, picking up on the fact that everyone was stunned by her preparations. "We are attacking an entire realm - one that is constantly preparing for war. Their armies, while consisting mostly of mortals and low level immortals, stand in the billions. These demons really are nothing more than a distraction. A battle between realms is nothing like normal battles."

The simple and direct words from Velma stunned most, for although they conceptually knew how vast realms were, they had never considered what it meant to raid a realm to rescue Z.

"I have also made a tentative list of powers and forces we can galvanize to help us during this attack," Velma continued as she pulled up a large list. A mere glance was all it took for Gerard to recognize that most of these forces were from the Origin realm, and had a strong and positive relationship with the Midnight Inn. The Jotun Empire and the Iron Heart pirates were examples of just a few, though Gerard did not feel like the pirates were strong enough to take part in this endeavor. Maybe there was something Velma knew that he didn’t.

"I’ve also devised a number of ways in which we can quickly strengthen a number of our workers using some of the practices the alliance employs. Oh, and I have a small gift for you Gerard," she said, before raising her right hand.

Nothing immediately appeared within her hand, but the strained expression on her face revealed that she was putting quite a bit of effort into summoning whatever it is she was talking about. A few seconds later, however, beads of deep red blood began leaking from her nails and gathering into a ball floating above her hand, terrifying a lot of people.

"What are you doing?" demanded Nurse Jubilation as she rushed up to Velma.

Velma, in turn, did not respond until the ball of blood was as big as a snooker ball.

"The Regalia Bloom bloodline," she said in a somewhat exhausted tone. "It is no longer useful for me at all, and is just a waste for me to have. So I thought I’d give mine to you. You always were the best at utilizing the bloodline."

She spoke, she encased the ball of blood in a glass orb and tossed it to Gerard. What she had summoned was not actual blood, but the very core of the bloodline that was bound to her body. She had not lied when she said it was not useful for her, because she intended on forming her own bloodline based on her tenet.

She had even thought of the name for the new bloodline she was going to form. It was going to be called Nyxheart. For some odd reason, ever since she entered the Celestial realm, she got a strong feeling that she needed to continue to enhance her tenet, as well as clearly define its power and limitations.

"Anyway, preparation and infiltration are the first two phases," Velma continued to speak, turning her attention back to the matter at hand. "The third, and actually difficult phase, is the rescue itself. Getting current and reliable information from within the realm is actually quite difficult so..."

Velma continued to elaborate her plan to the rest of them as she broke down everything they were going to do. The Midnight Inn... was going to war. The last time they did something like this was when Lex needed help rescuing his sister in the Origin realm. Now... their capabilities were far more terrifying.

Somewhere far away, on the other side of the universe, Lex finally finished teleporting out of the Gilded Hollow. Yet he did not return to the palace he had entered the realm from. Instead, he appeared in a room, sitting in a chesterfield that looked far too familiar. Also, why was he wearing a velvet coat and a wooden pipe? Hey wait a minute, the smoke from the pipe actually smelled quite nice.

Wait a minute, wasn’t this the place from that vision he saw of himself? The one where he...

"Ah child, I must thank you. After witnessing the death of a universe, I feared I would never feel normal emotions ever again. Who could have predicted that I would run into you, and rediscover the feeling of anxiety?"

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