Ball of Nothing

Merlin was stunned by the sight of chaos in his library. He had merely dropped by to remind Zero it was time for lunch but the mess before him killed the words at his tongue. Zero was mediating in a spot at some corner while all ten golems busied away from reading to transcribing, updating records and shifting books. Merlin didn't know if he should leave Zero to focus or call his student out for lunch. Unfortunately for Merlin, Zero had to attend lunch with him today. Steve had developed the magic aptitude testing machine's prototype and required Zero's assistance. Buddha and Steve were already waiting for them at the Hall of Attachments.

\"Ahem!\"

The slight coughing caught Zero's attention from the mindscape and the teenager snapped out of his meditation.

\"Ok, drop five for now. The other five can continue updating and transcribing. I'll leave the rest of it to you and Mii for now,\" Zero talked to nobody in particular but Merlin knew who he was talking to.

Zero hastily changed into his magician's outfit from his tracksuit. Merlin nodded at the teen who apologised for his tardiness. Merlin wasn't known to be the most punctual Sage God for a slight delay wouldn't make a difference. As it was, they were already fifteen minutes behind time.

The master and student arrived at the Hall of Attachments looking slightly unkempt but nobody minded. In fact, Buddha and Steve were very used to seeing a dishevelled Merlin with uncombed hair, tangled beard and bloodshot eyes. The wizard's current appearance was considered one of his better days. Zero must be a good influence on the obstinate wizard and Buddha smiled, happy for both of them

\"Sorry, we're late!\" Zero apologised and Buddha waved the apology aside.

\"Let's start eating first, we can talk later,\" the Enlightened One said.

Zero dug in without reservations but Merlin ate slowly as if there was something still weighing heavily on his mind. Although Zero said that Buddha betrayed Solo to help him, the magician still found it hard to trust the Wise One. Buddha had always been the hardest person to read. The Sage god of Enlightenment hid everything behind a serene mask and smile. Hua Tuo was aware of the cultivation monster's true nature as a very cunning person but Merlin didn't know if Buddha's intentions were good or bad. As he ate, he continued to keep a close eye on the Sage God.

Steve decided to get to know Zero a little better. He received many letters from Merlin regarding his research progress about chaos energy. The more letters Merlin sent, the more confused Steve was. The wizard seemed to contradict his previous letter with every new letter sent. The findings completely differed from Buddha's compiled research notes. It was the reason why Steve wanted to hold a meeting with both involved parties and have Zero confirm the facts.

The food was bland as usual and Zero wondered why Buddha didn't add pygmy boar meat into the lotus root soup. It would have tasted a lot better if there was some animal fat in it. then the teen remembered that Buddha followed an even stricter set of rules about diet when compared to Hua Tuo. The physician only followed a balanced diet for health reasons but Buddha didn't only follow a healthy diet. He was against the killing and eating of animals. All the meals in Nirvana were purely vegetables either steamed or boiled. There was no stir-fry or Zero's favourite deep-fried dishes.

Merlin also craved the crispy fried battered potatoes that Bib learnt how to make. In comparison, the boiled potato dish that Buddha served paled in comparison. The faces Merlin and Zero made didn't escape Buddha's eyes. Still, being a benevolent host, the Enlightened One said nothing.

Steve Jobs ate his meal quickly without tasting it. As usual, the God of technology worked efficiently. Zero and Merlin quickly polished their plates and thanked Buddha for the hospitality before Buddha assigned some servants to clean up the place. They moved to a different room in the temple to discuss official business matters.

\"Thank you for agreeing to meet up with me,\" Steve started. \"I received your letters and your notes,\" he said and turned to Merlin and Buddha respectively. The documents were pulled out and placed on the table.

Zero compared the sizes of the stacks and noticed how merlin's letters were three times more than Buddha's research notes.

\"I have difficulty understanding what is required because both research notes are contradicting. Merlin claims that chaos energy is tameable but Buddha's notes said that chaos energy is wild and uncontrollable. I cannot create a device without knowing the true nature of chaos energy. Can someone clarify this for me?\"

Zero raised a brow. \"But both of their claims are correct. While chaos energy is tameable, it is also wild and uncontrollable.\"

Steve looked slightly irritated. If this was the case, why would he waste his time trying to clarify the contradicting statements? It's the case of the Schrodinger's cat saying that it was both dead and alive at the same time.

Seeing the irritation on Steve's face, Zero quickly clarified. \"I mean it behaves differently depending on who it reacts to. Chaos energy is tameable with me but it attacks Merlin crazily. We've been trying to find out how we can trap chaos energy. It cannot be controlled because of its innate nature to destroy and devour things. Once sated, the chaos energy will disappear along with the supplied qi or mana. It reacts violently to anything that is living and it is why planes are constantly the target of chaos energy in the void. The initial assumption that the clashing of planes created chaos energy is wrong. In fact, the clashing of planes is a side effect of the chaos energy's actions.\"

Buddha looked at Zero unsmiling. \"Do you have any evidence to support your claims? I've been venturing into the void with my soul to understand the void and have been dealing with chaos energy for centuries. Chaos energy attacks anything living regardless of their nature. It is attracted to not mana or qi but the soul.\"

Zero nodded. \"That is partially correct. Souls are much purer than mana or qi. Chaos energy is the opposite of creation. It doesn't seek to destroy life, it seeks to destroy creation. Merlin and I have experimented with it. The chaos energy doesn't attack me or the mana golems even if they are charged with mana. They go straight for Merlin even if he is outside of the tower. In Arabesque the only living creature is Merlin. This is how we discovered the true nature of chaos energy.\"

Steve was puzzled. \"Merlin is the only living creature in Arabesque? Are you forgetting that you are also considered a living creature?\"

Zero froze. He forgot that Steve doesn't know his identity. Zero couldn't be considered a living creature. he was the void and the one responsible for the chaos energy that exists in it.

Buddha came in to save Zero from the awkward position he got himself in and told Steve that Zero was a time traveller who didn't exist in a physical sense.

\"Think of it as a shadow or after image,\" he told the confused God of technology. \"It's complicated but I trust that you will keep this a top-secret. Zero was summoned by the Great Gods.\"

With the mention of Great Gods, Steve stopped prying for details. Zero heaved a sigh of relief and Merlin gave Buddha a grateful nod.

\"If that is the case, how can you be certain that chaos energy is tameable? Wiser and I have tried many methods to preserve the original nature of chaos energy for testing but chaos energy is like a ghost that possesses anything in its reach and corrupts it to borrow its vessel.\"

Zero nodded. Chaos energy couldn't be contained. Wiser and Steve were correct. However, Merlin and Zero discovered that while chaos energy could not be contained and was easily destroyed when fed with enough life energy, there was something unique about it.

\"It is wild and uncontrollable so trapping it is not advised. However, you can lure chaos energy and bait it. We tried many different objects and life forms in the lab. Merlin found out that other than souls, chaos energy was highly attracted to anything that has harmony. The easiest thing to bait chaos energy is with this.\"

The device Zero pulled out from his inventory startled Steve. It was a small stamp with some intricate drawings.

\"What's this?\" he asked.

Merlin grinned proudly. \"It's a portable seal to store chaos energy for a short period of time. It can only last for an hour for now before the chaos energy escapes but we are still working on perfecting the design. We had to borrow all six elements, yin and yang qi as well as a soul fragment to bait chaos energy. It's not much but it's better than nothing. Zero and I tried to measure the amount of chaos energy this seal stamp can contain and if we converted its power into magic, the amount of chaos energy each seal stamp can trap is only enough for a low tier fire spell to light a fireplace.\"

Steve accepted the seal stamp and asked. \"Are there more of these? Wiser and I will need more of it to test out the research theories from both you and Buddha to know what's practical.\"

Merlin pulled out four more stamp seals and passed them to Steve. \"That's all we have. The rest didn't work.\"

Buddha was impressed. Zero really was a good influence on Merlin. In the past, Merlin would have demanded compensation for any of the products he had. The Enlightened One was curious to know why the penny-pinching wizard was suddenly so generous. Those seal stamps were definitely not cheap. From what Merlin mentioned, they must have used a lot of materials to create this weak prototype and spent a lot of time revising the failed designs.

\"How much for all these?\" Steve asked and Merlin waved his hand.

\"Not needed. Just help me develop that device as quickly as you can. Zero's almost ready with his basic preparations. This boy studies way too much! He's recently started to forget meals. I can't believe this is the same black hole of a gourmet that everyone fears in La Boutique.\"

Zero rolled his eyes. \"I still eat, just not as much as I normally do. Meditation doesn't require a lot of energy. Besides, if it wasn't for Bib, would you have remembered about meals? Pot calling kettle black...\"

Buddha chuckled as Merlin fumed. Zero's gotten snarkier since the last time he saw him with Hua Tuo. Right now, watching Merlin and Zero arguing in front of him, the Wise One had trouble telling apart who was the mature one.

Steve was also surprised to see Merlin actually losing in an argument. Usually, nobody would be able to win the wizard's passionate ramblings but this child before him held his own against his teacher and was even winning some arguments. Steve had a new-found admiration for the chipmunk-like teenager.

\"Understood, I will pass this to Wiser for testing. On the side note, what will you do about the conversion device? Have you tested it out?\"

Merlin pinched Zero's cheek to stop the teen from spouting more embarrassing secrets and turned to Steve. \"No, it's been crazily busy lately, I have not gotten the chance to test it. Also, I think you might have to revise it after you conclude your experiments about the chaos energy's properties. the fundamental concept of that device doesn't match my theory.\"

Zero freed himself from his teacher's pinch and cradled that abused cheek. Steve and Merlin discussed more in detail about their collaborated projects and Zero took the chance to talk to Buddha.

\"I met Solo,\" he told the Enlightened One solemnly.

Buddha hid his surprise and waited for Zero to continue. Zero frowned when he received no reaction from Buddha.

\"You're not going to apologise?\"

Buddha sighed. \"Would you forgive me if I did?\"

\"No.\"

Buddha smiled at Zero's simple answer. He expected just as much. Buddha wasn't a good person. He never claimed to be one either. His decision to support Solo and later betray him was the same as how he betrayed Zero's trust and later decided to help him. To both Zero and Solo, Buddha would be branded as a traitor who couldn't be trusted.

\"But I have to thank you.\"

That whisper surprised Buddha. He didn't think that Zero would be so mature and kind-hearted enough to separate personal feelings with professional work. the teenager had really grown.

\"It was my fault,\" Buddha admitted and Zero nodded.

\"I know. Solo wasn't happy either but I guess that's only fair. You helped Solo and betrayed him the same as you did for me. I suppose it's only fair. From now on, I don't want you to interfere with Solo and my business. I will take it personally the next time you do. If there is anything you want to tell me, you better come clean now before I find out.\"

Buddha smiled. \"Other than the secrets of the void Solo entrusted me to guard and Mind's Eye, there is nothing more that you wouldn't know about. Maybe a few old stories but those aren't as important as what you're going to do in the future, is it?\"

Zero smiled. \"That's true. It doesn't matter what kind of plot Solo has designed, I'll just rewrite the story that he created. In the game of chess between two masters, you're just a pawn to be used and disposed of. Now that you've betrayed Solo, there's no way he wouldn't come for you. Won't you ally yourself with me alongside Hell?\"

Buddha smiled. \"What a way to phrase it. I refuse to ally myself with Hell when I am the founder of Nirvana. However, if the business profits are good, I wouldn't mind lending a hand from time to time.\"

Merlin and Steve's conversation was wrapping up so Zero gave Buddha a quick look before returning to Merlin's side.

\"Don't forget your words,\" was all Zero told Buddha before he hopped over to interrupt his master. Buddha watched the sly teenager go and lowered his gaze.

In terms of profit, Zero had long won him over as compared to Solo. In all of Buddha's life, he only desired one thing - the unknown. Solo long sold out when he left Buddha to struggle alone in the void trying to understand its secrets. Right now, working alongside Merlin, Steve and the Demon Lords, Zero was paving that way to understanding the reason for existence. How could Buddha not be enticed into lending Zero a hand?