Ball of Nothing

When the black queen fell, the look on Zero's face cleared up. On the contrary, Poseidon's expression looked like it was going through a very rough storm. His hand shook as he clutched that piece tightly, holding it to his chest. There was an inaudible cracking sound as the poor black queen was pulverised to dust. Zero did his best to ignore the pained expression and made his next move that ended the game.

\"Check.\"

Poseidon didn't bother playing the second and third set, forfeiting both games to Zero. The young doctor won easily and Poseidon excused himself without sparing a second glance to Zero. The teen didn't blame him for the rude behaviour either. If anything, he was happy that Poseidon had finally opened his eyes to reality and accepted the fact that Athena was no more. A period of grieving was required before the wounds of the heart can start to properly heal.

Thankful that things went smoothly for him, Zero was slightly glad that he didn't have to resort to more underhand means of securing the victory this time. He felt as if something pure in him was still preserved by not having to resort to emotional blackmailing and manipulations even if he didn't know what that feeling was.

Back in his room, Poseidon finally let the tears fall even if they got washed away by the sea the moment they left his eyes. When Athena's death reached him, Poseidon never cried for her. When Medusa became cursed, he didn't even visit her because of his guilt towards the queen who had to suffer such a fate due to his incapability to choose between them. Self-loathing and guilt prevented Poseidon from seeing either of the women he loved. The self-inflicted punishment and isolation were only ways for Poseidon to numb the pain he refused to feel until Zero reopened the wounds and forced him to face reality in the harshest ways possible.

Everyone on Hyacinth knew about the results of the match even if nobody really tried to verify the authenticity of the revealed results. As inhabitants of Hyacinth, they understood when Poseidon was grieving and joined him in mourning. The sea lost its vigour and everything was very solemn. Nobody commented about the surging underwater currents that came and went like the fluctuating emotions their master was feeling at the moment. Zero also chose to bid his time wisely, giving his strategy teacher the privacy he required while he communicated with the other Great Gods, informing them about his intentions to reinstate Poseidon back as a Great God while gaining permission from Freya to visit Valhalla again.

Nobody questioned Zero when he brought up the suggestions. In fact, Hades and Zeus couldn't be more grateful that Zero wanted to reinstate Poseidon's position. Sedna was touched and the relief in her tone only expressed how heavy the responsibilities must have been for her over the past few centuries without Poseidon's help.

When Poseidon came out of mourning after two weeks, Zero was ready. The blind titan wielded his golden trident and wore a crown of coral on his head while he was dressed in the finest garb of blue scales carefully sewn together with woven seagrass. The regal appearance was something that made many citizens overwhelmed. Carlsen, in particular, could not hold back his tears and sob in happiness at seeing his master in such a refined garment. This was how Poseidon looked like when he was in his prime and despite his greying hair, the god didn't seem to have aged too much despite spending so many centuries in isolation.

Zero was dressed in his formal attire, ready to escort Poseidon to Heaven. While Zero was allowed free access to Heaven whenever he wanted because of the special title he possessed, Poseidon could not do the same. First, they were going to Nirvana where Buddha would meet them.

The temporary waypoint that Zero created had been converted into a solid portal array that can be activated using enough mana. This way, Poseidon could return to Hyacinth easily and travel to the House of Great Gods when required after his reinstatement. Poseidon didn't comment when he saw the portal that Zero created in the temple's front yard. He lost the battle after all and had absolutely no rights to speak out. His fate was in Zero's hands.

Zero adjusted the coordinates of the portal and dropped a text to Buddha who replied that he was already waiting for their arrival. Once Zero was certain that all the necessary preparations were in place, he bade goodbye to Carlsen and a few of Poseidon's loyal servants, apologising once more for being unable to bring them along.

The arrival at Nirvana was nostalgic for Zero who felt like he spent way too long in the dreary underwater world and in space jumping through wormholes. The comfortable qi that filled the air made Zero relax a little. Zero took a look at Poseidon who seemed to be a little uncomfortable out of the water but he wasn't struggling to breathe so Zero took it as a good sign. He had already prepared spells to help Poseidon adapt to breathing air if he required but the young doctor's concerns were unfounded.

Buddha greeted his guests politely and escorted them to Lotus Pier where Zero took over the mission of rowing the boat to Heaven. As the journey would take approximately a day, the young doctor decided to yammer away about some of the more trivial things about heaven to entertain the blind titan who hadn't been there for a while.

Poseidon had a faint smile on his lips. It was obvious as day what Zero was trying to do and while he didn't find the stories particularly interesting or amusing, he appreciated the effort that Zero was putting in to make him forget about his grief. Initially, he hated Zero for cornering him but after visiting Nirvana, he understood that this had to be done. In fact, Poseidon might come to regret everything entirely if Zero didn't force him out of his shell. He might not know how to face Medusa or his brothers but with the sunny brunet by his side, he felt slightly better knowing that his student wouldn't let him face his nightmares alone.

Poseidon napped lightly while Zero watched over his teacher, and currently, patient. Poseidon was looking better and his mana flow was starting to feel more stable ever since they got closer to Heaven. Michael was waiting by the pier to help with the registration so that Zero and Poseidon could quickly head over to the House of Great Gods without delay. The plan was that after Poseidon got reinstated, Sedna would hand over a part of her responsibilities back to Poseidon while Freya granted both teacher and student access to visit Valhalla.

Zero was slightly nervous about having to meet Medusa and her sisters again especially with the terms that they parted with the last time. He didn't really have time to apologise for what happened but it was actually an honest accident. He hoped that with Poseidon, he could help to make Medusa feel more generous to allow Zero to find a way to break their curse. Unlike Freya, Zero wasn't too worried about the possibility of the gorgon sisters petrifying Poseidon. The God of Oceans was blind after all and refused treatment for his sight for personal reasons that Zero respected. Still, if Medusa still cared for Poseidon, Zero hoped that after the curse is lifted the ex-monarch can convince him to seek treatment before Zero left for Half Moon Village to meet up with Truen.

The boat docked at the pier and Michael was standing there in all his glory with an icy stare as usual. Zero felt a little unnerved looking at the stern archangel but still managed a casual greeting.

\"You're early,\" the archangel commented with a frown and Zero gulped.

\"It was a smooth journey?\" Zero squeaked and laughed nervously when Michael gave him another levelled stare.

\"Poseidon, since you've previously been exiled from Heaven, you will need to sign this contract for your special permit for a reentrance. All the other relevant documents have been processed but we still need the signature magic to seal the contract. Should you step out of line, know that there will be consequences according to the rules of Heaven. You must not leave your escort, Zero, for more than five minutes and must always be within a fifty-metre radius of your escort. If everything is clear, kindly use your mana to seal the contract.\"

Michael's curt tone made Zero feel nervous. He didn't know if the already sensitive and highly-strung Poseidon would make things difficult for the rude archangel. Thankfully, Poseidon was already accustomed to the archangel's snobbish behaviour and brushed it away easily. He signed the magic contract and was immediately welcomed with a bow.

\"Enjoy your stay with us, sir,\" Michael bowed and excused himself to attend to other matters.

Zero watched the stuck-up archangel leave with a slight pout. It wouldn't hurt to exchange a few pleasantries to catch up on old times, would it? Michael was still as unfriendly as ever even if Zero knew that he was a good person underneath that icy attitude.

Zero decided to take a detour to the market district seeing that he still had a good amount of time before having to meet the Great Gods at the House of Great Gods. He walked around with Poseidon who shrank down in size so as not to attract too much attention. It didn't matter much because everyone noticed the weird outfit the God of Oceans was dressed in. The golden trident he wielded was also a dead giveaway to his identity. Yet, instead of hostility, many residents welcomed the exiled god back warmly and gave Zero huge discounts for the snacks he purchased.

Zero was a little surprised to know that Poseidon had quite a good reputation among the residents of Heaven. The discounts he received on the snacks he bought for his teacher to try was a huge bonus. In truth, Zero just wanted to show Poseidon how much Heaven had changed since he was last here. It was no longer that ugly warzone for gods and their petty squabbles. Of course, Zero didn't miss out on the opportunity to buy as many messenger doves as he could while they toured the streets. He never forgot to write a letter to Truen regularly even when he was in Hyacinth and Gummer.

By the time Zero and Poseidon reached the House of Great Gods, the others were already waiting for them.

\"Sedna! Gaia! Isis, Freya, Zeus and Hades! You're early,\" Zero grinned and pulled Poseidon along by grabbing his webbed hand.

The teen leapt into Sedna's waiting arms in a hug and exchanged kisses with Isis and Freya while he snuggled up against Gaia before cuddling with Hades a little and trying to escape Zeus' slobbering kisses.

\"It's been a while,\" Poseidon greeted in a neutral voice but the Great Gods knew better. Behind that mask of indifference was one of their kind, hurting badly.

\"It's good to see you again,\" Isis replied, her heart heavy. Once more, Zero had accomplished what his other selves never managed to accomplish. In other worlds, Athena's curse would be forcefully broken. Poseidon was already dead by the time Zero got to know about the gorgon's grief. The other versions of Zero who tried to resolve Athena's regret and lift the curse often found themselves unable to fully put Athena's soul to rest even if they managed to get the goddess to forgive Medusa. After all, the curse wasn't meant to act as a shackle for Medusa but none of the other versions of Zero found out the truth.

Hades and Zeus were the most affected during the reunion. They haven't seen each other in so many years and had so many things to talk about. Yet, not a single word left their lips. Poseidon didn't know what to say to them after he turned his back on the two people who were dearest to him who tried to be there for him after Athena's death. Likewise, Hades and Zeus didn't know where they should start talking. On one hand, they were happy that Poseidon was back but being back meant that the God of Oceans had to relive the painful memories of Athena. It was a very conflicting emotion.

The reinstatement ceremony was very simple. Zero didn't think that they would be done so soon. In fact, because of how fast it was, the teen wondered if Poseidon was mentally prepared enough for what they were about to do next. He didn't tell his teacher that they were going to visit Medusa because he didn't want the strategist to get cold feet and back out of it.

Freya noticed Zero's dilemma and quickly suggested that they take the scenic route and tour a little around the reconstructed Heaven. Zero's look of relief and gratefulness made Freya wink at him. She could buy some time for Zero and Poseidon if they required. After all, entering Valhalla could be done at any time.

\"Are you sure you don't want to stay a little longer?\" Gaia asked carefully, not wanting to scare Poseidon away by their pushy hospitality. It had been so long since the three brothers met but they were going to part so quickly. Her heart ached for the awkward siblings.

Isis chose not to speak and observe from the side. Poseidon didn't answer immediately and that gave Sedna some hope. She exchanged a quick glance with her sister and grabbed the two other titans by their wrists.

\"It's been a while for us too, why don't we take a tour of the reconstructed Heaven together? I heard that Zero redecorated it quite a bit since the last time we were here?\"

Given a choice, everyone was dragged along for the tour. The ladies tried to put the brothers together so that they would find an opportunity to talk but because they were so incredibly stiff and awkward, Zero had to interfere.

\"Teacher said that you cheated when the three of you had to draw lots for a domain,\" the young doctor directed the accusation to Zeus who was quick to jump to his defence. His little trick worked because soon, the three brothers were talking and laughing over the memories of their past together.

The tour went well and slowly each God took their cue to excuse themselves until only Poseidon, Freya and Zero were left. Freya didn't say much where their last stop of the tour was and Poseidon didn't question it, basking in the warmth of his brothers' affection after a very long time. Family ties were still stronger than one could imagine and even if time had changed so many things, he was still glad that Hades and Zeus never blamed him for anything.

As they walked through the very silent streets, Poseidon couldn't help but feel that something was amiss. There were horrible screams but neither Freya nor Zero commented about it. Could they be walking through the district that was part of the abyss? Poseidon didn't know much but he knew that a portion of Heaven had broken off and became known as Hell, ruled by Lucifer and other Demon Lords. Was this where the plane had broken off?

\"We're here,\" Freya said plainly after they came to a halt in front of the three gorgon sisters who were emitting very scary murderous auras.

\"Another visit so soon? What a surprise,\" a sweet voice mocked in a poisonous tone that sounded very familiar to Poseidon. He knew this voice very well in the past but without his sight, it was hard to remember the face this voice belonged to.

\"Behave yourself,\" Freya warned. \"Zero brought a guest today, one who probably wanted to see you a few thousand years ago but didn't have the courage to face you after what they did.\"

Medusa narrowed her eyes, unaccustomed to the bright torch that Freya brought with her. However, when she recognised who the guest was, the gorgon fell silent, too choked with emotions threatening to tear her apart.

After much difficulty, she managed to croak. \"Sayden?\"

Poseidon froze. There was only one person in this world who would call him like that.

\"Medusa?\"