Ball of Nothing

Indeed, the ruin master was toying with them when he said a library. This was far from a library even if there were many books, Truen's guess had been on point.

"Don't touch anything," Zero warned his party members. Although these books looked harmless, Zero knew that they were far from it. The different instrumental sets and equipment reminded Zero about Merlin's messy lab. His mind thought about how Lovina was going to cope with his messy teacher.

Most of the paperbound books were decayed and would crumble to dust if anyone touched them so Zero ignored the tomes. It was a shame but the most important thing in this library wasn't the inked records.

"This is it," he said and looked at the wall full of carvings. This was a language that Zero recognised and understood. As the student of the most famous alchemist and magician, Zero could read it fluently.

"Congratulations for clearing the second trial! Welcome to the secret Book Heaven of Gnaway. During its peak, this was the pride and joy of gnomes who built the golem army you defeated. Your third and final trial would be to use the information found here to locate the tomb of the gnome king who laid down his life to guard and protect his people against the sand ravagers."

Sand ravagers were also known as cannibal locusts. These insects didn't eat crops in the desert, they ate anything that was living, including livestock and people. Zero shuddered at the name and Truen looked confused. The ruin master said no more and waited for them.

"Let's look for anything that has text," Zero told them and they split up to search. Jermine's job was once more to hold onto the dinner supply bag while the elves searched for anything that might contain a clue.

Zero didn't just look for texts about Gnaway's history. He took some pictures of texts created by gnome engineers. The blueprints for the golems they defeated were found and while it wasn't complete, Zero knew that there might be one person who could restore this technology to their former glory.

Raj was part djinn and part gnome so he must know a thing or two about his ancestor's projects. It should be in his blood.

Zero took pictures of all the blueprints he could salvage and Truen walked around to examine the writing on the wall. These were strange symbols that he saw Merlin using once or twice. Was this alchemy?

"Zero, is this alchemy? What does it say?"

Distracted by Truen, Zero went over to get a better look at the wall and Truen held the light up. Indeed, they were alchemy symbols but it wasn't a message. It was a complicated theory and formula for something that Zero couldn't understand. These gnomes had included the solar calendar and star charts into their calculations, something Zero never learned about. Astrology wasn't something that interested him in the study of alchemy. Zero was more interested in the changing of forms from one object to another because it helped him to maximise energy conversion rates in the void.

"I don't actually know this but I should take a picture and send it to Teacher. Lovina might know it too but not me."

Once the picture was sent, Zero resumed his investigations in the massive library. Truen didn't find anything else of importance and looked at Zero who was too immersed in learning everything. The library was a far worse trap for Zero than the golems were. With an undefeatable enemy in front of him, all Zero had to do was keep them in his massive void pocket and the problem was resolved. However, when Zero was tempted with new interesting stories or knowledge, he was like a leech that couldn't be gotten rid of.

Turning to Jermine, he told the girl to find somewhere to nap for a while. "Zero's going to do this for hours and there's nothing I can do when he becomes like this. The trial is side-tracked for a while. I'll inform Bob to go hunt for something for dinner, we are not clearing this within a day."

True enough, Jermine heard Zero talking to himself and praising his find. It was slightly surprising to think that Zero could be so deeply engrossed in something that he would disregard what was truly important. Then again, maybe for a doctor, nothing was more important than new knowledge and saving lives. The world can fall to the void and Zero would only be concerned about the wounded people and not the end of the world.

The djinn was bored. Why were they still not here? He gave them such a huge hint. Zero should have found out about the history of Gnaway and where the tomb was located. In fact, they passed it earlier twice. Why weren't they making their way over?

Curious and slightly frustrated at being kept waiting, the djinn decided to spy on them. What he saw made him speechless. Zero was completely side-tracked from the trial and was indulging himself in the records of the gnome researchers. Could he even understand the complex alchemy theories? Deconstructing alchemy arrays were not the same as inventing new alchemy devices.

"Oh my! Truen! The gnomes are geniuses! They actually managed to make a flying machine powered by the wind and the sun. Raj has always been talking about making a device that can make non-magicians fly in the air. The gnomes actually did this, do you think I can take this back? He has to see this! It's possible to create great things without magic."

Truen yawned. "Sure. I don't think anybody else would have a use for them. In fact, why don't you take everything with you? We only need to find the story about Gnaway and the Sand Ravagers to clear the trial. You've been side-tracked for two hours now. Jermine is hungry. It's one-hour past dinner."

Zero blushed and apologised before digging into his inventory for two meal sets. He didn't feel hungry yet so the doctor decided to take Truen's advice to store away everything that might be useful and take pictures of the ones he couldn't take with him.

Raj... that name sounded very familiar to the djinn and he paused. It couldn't be, right? Half gnome and half djinn... Suddenly, the ruin master had a very huge urge to quickly meet Zero in person. He had so many things to ask the elf. Who was he and why did he know so much about alchemy? Who was Raj and where was Raj?

Truen and Jermine ate the roasted chicken stuffed with herbs in silence. In fact, Truen helped himself to some baked potatoes and shared it with Jermine who accepted it gratefully. Zero still wasn't done with his stashing until another hour later when he found what they were looking for in the first place.

"Oh! What do you know? It was here all along. How did I miss such a big painting?" Zero laughed. "Silly me!"

Truen nodded and took this as his cue to read it out for Zero while the starving doctor dug into his hearty meal.

"Gnaway was founded as a city of gnomes after the gnomes decided not to be part of the war between races. They chose to travel the harsh Derby Desert and create a settlement here with the help of their superior crafting skills and technology with the help of local desert guardians - the djinns. The first King of Gnaway was a brave weapon designer. The Gatling Gun was his proudest invention and it warded many powerful and dreadful desert monsters. Not even mages were a match for the powerful bronze and steel warriors the gnomes produced and they protected the city time and again with their inventions.

The gnomes were friends with the country of dwarves who supplied them with raw ores that they required and magic gemstones to charge their devices. As a gesture of goodwill, the gnomes designed superior tools and armour for the dwarves to win the war against the elves attacking them. King Gregory formed a friendship with the genius dwarf chancellor Motley and became sworn brothers with the great dwarven hero Dorgon in his reign.

Sixty years after the gnomes established Gnaway, a disaster struck them that forced them to flee and scatter. Only King Gregory and the Desert Guardian Djinn Raju remained behind to fight the Sand Ravagers. The proud city of Gnaway and home to gnomes held its ground as a fortress to the sand ravagers while the gnomes evacuated through underground passages and artificial portals for a week before the power finally died out.

Left stranded and locked in his own city, Djinn Raju watched as King Gregory starved to death while guarding against the Sand Ravagers outside. He remained a true king and finally succumbed to starvation after ninety-two days.

Now buried in his castle ruins, King Gregory is a guardian of the most precious artefact of Gnaway - the Phoenix's Pearl and a product of the gnomes' alchemy. Although incomplete, the Phoenix's Pearl is able to harness the power of the void and open the gateway to travel to different worlds. Unfortunately, none of the gnome explorers who went to different worlds ever made it back.

To whoever is reading this, please retrieve the Phoenix's Pearl and offer it to the Goddess of Time - Isis for the safety of this world."

The long text was read and Zero burped. Truen looked at Zero and Jermine who was starting to nod off.

"What now? To proceed and clear the trial or sleep till tomorrow?"

Zero took a look at Jermine who was trying very hard to stay away. As the party leader, he did not want to leave the weak or slow behind.

"We will rest before we continue," Zero said with finality, giving Jermine no reason to protest.

Truen smiled. Zero will make a good leader in the future when he gives Zero full control over the Onin Union.