The Innkeeper

Helen stood silently in the soft, dim light. For the greater part of an hour, she had not moved an inch. She only watched the teenager as he meditated. Initially, she could barely see anything, but as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she found herself mesmerized by the intense, focused look on Alexander’s face. It was not the look of someone searching for peace in meditation, but that of a warrior preparing for combat.

Right now, Helen was in Alexander’s private security bunker. She had been with him for the past few days, and just a while ago Alexander had asked to take care of a few things. When she returned, she found him like this in the small gym inside the bunker.

When she had arrived, he had already been meditating, but she could tell by his heavy breathing and sweat covered body that he had only recently finished working out. She did not want to disturb him, so she waited. But at some point, when she found herself biting her lower lip, and staring as the sweat roll down his slightly swollen arms, she realized that she needed to distance herself from the man. Otherwise, despite her decision to look for someone who loved and valued her the way she wanted, she might just spend the rest of her life just like this: standing in the darkness, watching the contours of his face in silence as he strode forward, farther and farther from her reach.

While Helen was battling her inner demons and gearing up to make a difficult decision, Alexander was going through an ordeal of his own. He was doing his best to harness the raging energy coursing through his body.

It was not as simple as it sounded, not only because he had just recently completed his breakthrough into the Foundation realm in body cultivation as well, thanks to the many zombie cores he used. No, his energy had been raging as if he was just about to fight an entire war on his own. This was because his body was reacting to his will and what he had been planning. But even then, as much as he appreciated and needed the energy, it had to be firmly under his own control._.

One may wonder, considering Alexander’s background, why he was never arrogant towards others. Some may speculate it was a result of proper upbringing, or that his endless training had tempered Alexander’s arrogance. But that was far from the truth.

Son to excellent parents, grandson to the best of the best, heir to the Morrison family, an only child and trained rigorously not only to surpass his peers but many of his seniors as well, Alexander did not need to act arrogant – it was ingrained into his very bones. But despite all that, he did not behave rudely or with an aura of superiority to those around him. This was because, to Alexander, such petty behavior could not encompass his innate arrogance. Alexander’s arrogance could be described and encompassed in only two words: absolute control!

This was a lesson his grandmother, the person he was closest to in his family, had taught him. His excellence, his superiority, his endless dedication could all only be truly displayed when he was in absolute control. This meant his demeanor, his speech, even his gait were all a certain way because that’s how he wanted to display them.

Some may think that such rigid control may be unhealthy and may limit his emotional growth, but it was quite the contrary. He did not stop himself from feeling or thinking about certain things, just how he exhibited or reacted to them. For example, if something made him angry, he would not randomly lash out. He would measure the situation and make a decision accordingly. This was a fancy way of saying he did not do things in a reaction to something, but because he chose to. Oftentimes, based on the situation, the result may end up being the same, but it was the mentality that made all the difference. He never did things because he had to, but because he chose to.

So then, in a world where he was practically destined to be the best, and his greatest challenges came in the form of pushing himself, Alexander’s arrogance remained hidden away from view.

Even when Hammad was attempting to assassinate Alexander, he did not behave arrogantly, not because it was not the appropriate reaction, but because he deemed them unworthy of the response. Hammad was not even significant enough of a threat for Alexander to display a behavior letting him know that Alexander thought of the assassin as beneath him. To the young man, he was merely playing a game of chess with predetermined moves – one that would result in his own victory.

This was similarly why RussianPrincess77 had been able to elicit such a strong reaction from him. She was a piece in the chess game he never anticipated. She had earned the right of his curiosity, but still not enough for his curiosity to rule him and dictate his actions.

But the Midnight Games, they provided him with a stage he never knew he craved. On Earth, the only possible rivals to his family were all actually secretly allies. There was nothing in his life that challenged him from his core. That was not to say that he found everything easy – far from it. Yet, things were only difficult because they were new to him. With the guidance and training of his family, there was nothing he could not overcome.

Yet in the Midnight Games, there was a challenge waiting for him that offered no protection. There was no safety net provided by his family, no secret bodyguards, no backup plans. The only thing he could rely on was his own ability. And, as if such a tantalizing new experience was not enough, he was suddenly brought face to face with forces that far outmatched and outclassed anything the Earth had to offer. For the first time in his life, he did not have the advantage simply by existing – and that excited him in a way he had never experienced before.

It was exactly for this reason he decided the moment he learned that the Midnight Games would have a combat portion that he would participate no matter what, so long as he was eligible. And, as if guided by the hand of destiny itself, he had just stepped into the realm that allowed him to participate.

But, true to his mantra of absolute control, he did not let anyone see his seething excitement. He simply started making plans in the background, unknown even to his own family. This was because of a certain fact even his family forgot. The day he reached the Foundation realm, he no longer needed to listen to anyone, and wielded the full authority of his family.

He finally opened his eyes to the image of the teenage girl standing in the distance, looking at him. His sudden gaze made her tremble softly, as if she was unprepared for the power and hunger in his eyes.

“Have they sent the location?” he asked with a level voice, standing up.

“Yes,” she replied in a whisper for some reason. She did not even realize that she was doing so.

“Get ready. We’ll leave in ten.”

Helen did not reply and just stood by and watched him leave the room. Alexander took a quick shower and dressed casually in black pants and a white button shirt with blue flower patterns on it in a Hawaiian style.

Outside the bunker, it was a bright and sunny day. Putting on a pair of aviators, Alexander got in the driver’s seat of a silver convertible Porsche and immediately sped off. Helen was already sitting in the passenger seat, but for some reason would not even look at him. She just watched the beautiful scenery as the duo drove towards their destination. It was her first time in Brazil so she was just admiring its beauty. That was the excuse she was repeating to herself.

It was unfortunate that, because she was turned away the entire time, Alexander did not notice her slightly blushed cheeks and missed out on some beautiful scenery himself. But with the wind blowing in his hair, the vibration of the purring engine felt through the steering wheel, the song ‘Unstoppable’ blasting on the speakers, Alexander was feeling good. In fact, he was feeling very good.

So while various forces plotted and planned, not only for the upcoming games for the dominance of each of their respective worlds, he, as a yet unknown player, was simply enjoying himself. Even he did not know that by acting according to own wishes for the first time in his life, he was planting the seeds for a legend that would one day rock the very universe.

Softly, without realizing it, he started humming along to the song. He was unstoppable today.

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