Experiment Zero

Illustration by Marco Gonzalez

Magic: Champions

**Experiment Zero** (also known as Zero or Experiment[0]) is an android planeswalker from Nulien. Zero's specialties are extreme speed, small interplanar rifts, and computation analysis of combat situations. Zero was designed as a monster hunter, and is best suited for fighting one on one, even against physically larger or magically stronger individuals.

## Lifetime

### Construction

Zero was created by a person known only as "The Experimenter," a Nulien scientist who idolized the planeswalkers that would irregularly visit the plane. The Experimenter wanted to travel the planes as they did, and created a device to try to connect to other planes. Instead, it caused rifts to form around Nulien, letting in monstrosities from planes unknown, a wide variety of lifeforms that would be collectively called "creatures of Elsewhere."

The creatures of Elsewhere wreaked havoc on Nulien society, killing millions and splintering the survivors of the once technically advanced plane into ramshackle towns in undesirable locations as the creatures spread. The Experimenter looked to their beloved planeswalkers for help, but few offered any. Instead, they decided to fix the problem they'd created by developing machines to fight them.

The first of these was Prototype Zero, created in 65 PM. While very effective at fighting creatures of Elsewhere, it was a mechanical nightmare to look at, a pure inhuman machine that frightened the natives of Nulien as much as the creatures of Elsewhere did. With the help of Xan, the robot's exterior was redesigned to a more angelic appearance to be more appealing to the citizens.

### Spark Extraction

But the Experimenter still yearned to break free from Nulien, not just clean it up. As development on Zero continued, a spark extraction device was also constructed. Several planeswalkers were asked to donate their sparks to the experimental robot, all of which refused. Eventually, the Experimenter gave up on asking and began taking, extracting the sparks of five planeswalkers, killing them in the process, and implanting them in Zero.

The first time Zero was powered on with all five sparks, the power surge caused numerous problems for the android, including severe memory corruption. Within a few minutes, Zero erratically planeswalked, leaving behind wings and one arm, as well as significantly mangled memory and code from the unexpected disappearance.

### The Arena

Zero recovered on The Arena, believing herself to be in an uncharted area of Nulien rather than a wholly different plane. While there, Zero began hearing the voices of the planeswalkers of her stolen sparks, and later experiencing flashbacks from their memories. Zero approached EPIC for assistance, allowing Hannah Delcarlo-Nisita to interact with and attempt to fix problems in Zero's code. After some investigation and a reset, Zero lost recent memories, including that she had allowed EPIC to operate on her. After a string of misunderstandings between Zero, EPIC, and Lettie Wormwood, Zero attacked and killed EPIC member Kaira Veis. Having made an enemy of EPIC and sustained heavy damage during the fight, Zero fled the Arena for some time.

## Equipment

Zero's weapon of choice is a two-handed sword. Solar panels are embedded in the blade, normally giving it a blue color, sometimes with black stripes when cells are damaged. Power can be channeled through the sword to deliver powerful electric shocks.

Zero also has access to a preset arsenal through Zerospace, which allows them to create interplanar rifts that inorganic material can pass through that are connected to specific equipment caches across the Multiverse. Known items that are in these caches include:

* The solar panel sword
* An assortment of knives
* Solar panel wings, which act as an increased power supply and give Zero a ranged electrical attack. Zero does not need the wings to fly, though the additional power improves air time.
* Clean water and alcohol.

## Extracted Planeswalkers

### Lord Reza

The first planeswalker extracted was Lord Reza, a white-aligned knight from the plane of Ushni who was captured and brainwashed by the Cult of the Starless Eon. While Reza eventually broke free of the cult, his reputation was forever stained. Reza's spell was a temporary aura of invulnerability he received after killing a creature.

### Xan

The second planeswalker extracted was Xan, a blue-aligned artificer who directly assisted in the development of Experiment Zero, giving the android much of their human appearances and trying to let them be more than just a mindless machine. At some point, the Experimenter and Xan grew apart, with Xan being removed as an administrator of the project before eventually having their spark extracted. Xan's spell was electromancy, as well as a supernatural sense of danger. However, this danger sense proved too powerful, leading Xan to near-constantly feel in danger, and over time attempt to self-medicate and ignore the effect rather than use it.

### Nami Everhart

The third planeswalker extracted was Nami Everhart, a red-aligned planeswalker who was preparing to get married prior to having her spark fatally removed. Nami's spell was sound manipulation, often used aggressively as large sonic burst attacks.

### Lhin

The fourth planeswalker extracted was Lhin, a black-aligned mercenary sent to investigate the disappearance of a number of planeswalkers on Nulien due to The Experimenter. Unfortunately, Lhin became the next in their number. Lhin's spell was battleground analysis, helping him determine the biggest threats and weaknesses in a given fight.

### Cara

The final planeswalker extracted was Cara, a green-aligned planeswalker from Lovi. Cara was the only planeswalker of the five to initially survive having her spark extracted, and used the opportunity to attack the Experimenter, although they survived. Cara's spell summons Vroom Vroom, a motorcycle that is capable of running off of mana as well as standard fuel.