Ball of Nothing

With the wind beneath Bob's wings, they arrived swiftly in Mystic Meadows. It wasn't difficult to find out where the faes were gathered with Mii's mini-map tracking. Even if they didn't have that, anyone mana sensitive would be able to tell that something huge was going on up ahead where the mana condensed thickly. Fae King Vivian wasn't joking about the warm welcome when they visited, and Zero felt slightly embarrassed.

Although there wasn't much in Mystic Meadows apart from the beautiful landscape that spanned for miles, some amazing rock formations and the dense mana in the air, Fae King Vivian's abode looked like something out of a painting. Compared to the classy elves, the faes were simply breath-stealing.

In Half Moon Village, Zero saw a few fae kinds, with Cleo being their ambassador fae. Here, Zero finally understood just how diverse faes were. The faes gathered in the beautifully decorated Stonehenge, from small flower fairies to rugged and grimy garden gnomes. Bob landed slightly further away from the heat of the party, not wanting to ruin any delicate decorations with his landing, and they walked over, taking their time to enjoy the sights.

There were no defence mechanisms around Mystic Meadows, and Zero wondered where they were hidden. They entered this place a little too easily, and it bothered the doctor a little.

"Greetings, Zero. I trust your adventure went well. How is Leah?" the Fae King asked.

Zero accepted the freshly made juice offered by the fluttering fairies, who blushed when he accepted it with a smile. The fairy went back to her noisy friends, who squealed and asked for details in a flower fairy tongue that Truen didn't understand. Bob simply transformed back into a lizard and watched the fairy fly around lazily.

Let us talk after food, the Fae King decided, and Zero agreed. Cleo's cooking was divine. He wondered if the other faes were also good at cooking too.

From honey roasted lamb racks to mint tea brewed with collected morning dew, Zero had never eaten such a charming meal before. It appears as if all food prepared by faes were imbued with their unique mana and feelings. No wonder he loved Cleo's spice mix so much! He always felt warm on the inside after eating Cleo's food.

Fae King Vivian didn't rush his long-awaited guests. When the little ones here heard that the prophecy was about to be fulfilled, they couldn't keep their wings folded for much longer. Everyone wanted to see who this charming hero was. The Chosen One was a hero and the adventurer who would open the portal they guarded in their eyes. However, only Fae King Vivian and the keyholder guardians knew the truth. The one who would fulfil this prophecy might not be a hero or a saviour. They could be a destroyer, but the choice was ultimately theirs to make. The Faes were simply librarians who lived to observe and record history impartially.

Zero wanted to sample a little of everything the faes prepared for them. He felt that the more he tasted, the more emotional he was becoming. These little creatures devoted their hearts almost literally to making them. For some of the more skilfully made, Zero was able to view fragments of their memories. For others, Zero experienced a multitude of emotions within one simple cup of tea. However, the most interesting ones were the desserts that contained many one-liner thoughts.

"Who made this?" Zero chuckled. "My honey is in the burrows, but the rabbits ate it... Why did you hide your honey there?"

Seeing how Zero was enjoying himself, Truen felt bad about interrupting him. The party wasn't going to end anytime soon, and Bob started to get tipsy on fairy mead. He was already in a fire breathing competition with some elemental sprites with the rambunctious bunch cheering the chaos. Thankfully, Zero didn't join. Instead, he was busy playing charades.

Fae King Vivian and Truen's eyes met during the rowdy games, and they greeted each other with a glass of wine. Zero didn't seem to be willing to answer any questions at the moment, but his friend, who was the leader of Zero's secret Onion Union, might be able to provide some answers.

Fae King Vivian left the scene with a glass of wine in his hand, and Truen took it as a cue to follow. He finished what he had and left swiftly like a shadow before anyone could notice.

The fae king didn't stop even after they left the Stonehenge. Truen wondered how much further they were going to walk until they could speak. Yet, he never voiced it out. 

The landscape of Mystic Meadows was forever changing. While it was bright and cheerful at the Stonehenge, it was dark and misty when they walked further into a swampy field full of fireflies and smaller animals. Truen heard the frogs and crickets singing and walked a little faster to keep up with Fae King Vivian as the mist grew denser. 

"Here," the Fae King pointed to a huge rock cave that Truen didn't notice before. Was this an illusion?

"We can talk a little more in private. This is my humble abode."

When Truen entered the little cave, it could barely fit two grown men. He didn't think the Fae King would mean it literally when he called it his humble abode. The cave had bare necessities like a table, a chair and leaf-stuffed bedding on the floor. Compared to the elven minimalist living, this was simply practicalism. There was nothing more than needed and nothing less than wanted in this tiny space, just enough to breathe in. While it wasn't the most ideal or comfortable establishment, it was functional.

Fae King Vivian removed his crown and placed it on the bed before sitting down with his wine and gesturing for Truen to do the same. Once the crown was removed, the Fae King looked like he aged several centuries. No wonder he brought Truen to such a place. He didn't want to talk to the leader of the Onion Union as a king but as someone who was a supporter of the Chosen One from the shadows.

"It must not have been easy collecting all the keys," Fae Vivian said between sips. Truen looked at the emptying glass and retrieved a bottle of elven mead from his shared inventory with Zero. The Fae King looked like he needed it.

"Could you tell me how Zero passed the trials? Do you think he would be the saviour or a destroyer in the future?"

Truen refilled the tired king's glass and hummed. "The Great Gods want him to be a saviour. Uriel sees him as a destroyer. His teacher wants him to be neither. It's not my place to say nor my choice to make. However, there is one thing I am very certain about Zero. If there is something that piques his curiosity, he will not stop until he finds his answer."

When Vivian heard it, he laughed. "That's what Nel said as well. Do you really think so?"

The wood elf shrugged. As Zero becomes more knowledgeable and experienced, he becomes less easily surprised and fooled. If anything, his trip to the abyss only broadened his horizons and was now less easily fooled into doing things or distracted from the problem at hand than before.

"Perhaps, if he was given a good enough reason."

Fae King Vivian sighed as Truen started telling him about their journey and how Zero convinced the keyholders to relinquish their keys.

"We met Raju first without knowing. It was a complete coincidence, but I think it was meant to happen..." Truen said, and Vivian listened with interest.

The night was still long, and the mead in Truen's inventory was nearly unlimited. It was going to be a very, very long talk that lasted till morning.