"Ello."

The voice came from the back of the store. "Hi," SJ called as she entered.

The store was full of everything you could imagine seeing in a tailor's shop: piles of materials, thread, bobbins, needles- you name it, and she was sure you could have found it in the store. It was a haberdasher's delight. Different designs of clothing were hung on several mannequins.

"Can I elp ou?" the voice replied, and SJ noticed the beads hanging in the doorway to the back move but saw no one enter.

"I am looking for some new clothing. Mine was ruined when I travelled here," SJ replied, peering to see who had spoken.

There was a groaning sound as something began to climb steps, and a creature the size of a small child appeared, looking over the countertop. He looked almost human but very old, with round-rimmed spectacles resting on his nose. His nose had a wayward, long black hair growing, drawing her attention.

"Oh. Hello," SJ smiled.

"It is a Quarterling, robbing little buggers," Dave said.

"Ello. Said that redy. What clothes need?" the Quarterling asked.

"Full-set of travelling and adventuring clothes, and possibly even casual."

"Spensive that be. Ou has coin?

"I do have coin, yes."

"Grade?"

"Which grades do you have?"

"Most. Not ledge tho."

"If you show me what you have and the prices, I can decide."

"First. Tousers."

The head disappeared under the counter, and within moments, several pairs of trousers began to land on the top. All landing neatly folded and looking pristine. His head reappeared.

"Eft r common, mid good, rit r rare."

SJ walked to the counter and looked down at the three pairs of trousers that had been presented. She picked up the common pair, and her display was triggered.

Adventurers Trousers – Common

Quality – Good

Durability - Good

She proceeded to pick up the other two pairs.

Adventurers Trousers – Good

Quality – Excellent

Durability - Good

Adventurers Trousers – Rare

Quality – Excellent

Durability - Excellent

Enchantment Slots - One

All three pairs appeared to be made from a similar material; they were soft, strong, and hardwearing, and they felt like soft leather, although they were cloth. She could see the difference in the final production of the items, defining the overall quality. Compared to what she was wearing, each of them was upgraded.

"How much are they?"

"Thee, ifteen, and one silva."

Dave whispered, "One silver is very reasonable for a Rare set of adventurers' trousers. They are the most basic rare design with a single enchantment slot but a reasonable price. I am not sure it is worth getting them, though. Once you start levelling, you should be able to find or get much better variants with more slots and enchantments. Fifteen for a good grade is also a fair price. I would ask him if he has a pair with excellent durability, though."

SJ considered what Dave said before replying. "Do you have a good set with both quality and durability as excellent?"

"Yup. Ateen."

"What about tops? I would like halternecks with sleeves if you have them?"

The three pairs of trousers were removed from the counter and replaced with one pair, and then the tops began appearing. The material was beautiful and soft, similar to the trousers. She checked the grades and quality of each. All had properties similar to those of the previous trouser selections.

"How much for the Good, Excellent, Excellent?"

"Orteen."

SJ totted up as she went. Thirty-two copper so far. She had more than enough with her three silver and could always try to trade or sell the wolf pelt as extra. SJ suddenly thought about a cloak. It would make being in towns easier than people automatically assuming she was a Fae. She could use it to hide her wings.

"Do you sell cloaks?"

The small, wizened face squinted at her before replying. "Specal make."

"Special, how?"

"Fit round ings."

"No. Don't worry, just a normal cloak."

"Can make specal, challenge but ossible."

"I will keep that in mind, but just a normal cloak would be amazing for now."

Again, he disappeared beneath the counter to return with the cloaks of the three starting grades. The material was a soft, woollen-feeling fabric and felt luxurious to the touch.

"Price for the good again?'

"en."

Forty-two copper to get a new set of clothes. They were all good quality and had excellent durability, but SJ was uncertain due to how easily damaged her starter clothes had been. Also, she had no idea about armour class and what the clothes might offer her in protection.

"Do you mind if I browse some of your other clothes while I decide?"

"Ure."

The Quarterling dropped out of sight behind the counter, and SJ walked to look at a stunning green blouse hanging on a mannequin. It was beautifully inlaid with intricate threading, and the colour matched her wings.

"What do you think?" SJ whispered.

"Good-quality items would be a great start and would get you up to level 10 at least," Dave replied.

"Can my class wear armour?"

"If you mean leather armour or other stuff, but only when higher levels. Basic assassin clothing is cloth to level 20; leather can be worn from 20-39, and above 40, chainmail can also be worn."

"Is that not noisy?"

"Not when enchanted with Silence."

"Oh. I need to learn so much still. Do you think I should get them?"

"Asking my advice, I feel privileged. I would barter and see what else he is willing to throw in. He is unlikely to ever get trades for the amount you are willing to spend in one go, even if he has rare items. You can see he is high-level, though, right?"

"I have not tried to identify him? Am I supposed to?"

"No. Many take offence. He is, though, a little strange for a starter zone. His profession skill has to be at least level thirty for him to be making rares. He said he had better, but I doubt he does."

"I will ask."

SJ walked back to the counter. "Excuse me? You said you had higher-quality items. Do you mind if I see them?"

The Quarterling appeared, eyeing her suspiciously. "Why, ou can't afford?"

"Depends on the price."

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The Quarterling raised one eyebrow. "Ait."

He moved around the counter and walked to the door before bolting it and removing a large padlock from his pocket, attaching it also. Once the door was secure, he turned around and walked back to the rear of the counter and through the beads.

"Ollow me," he called out.

SJ stared momentarily before realising what he had said, confused by him suddenly placing the shop in lockdown. She walked over to the beaded doorway and, pushing them aside, walked through. The rear room of the shop was ever more chaotic than the front; packages and crates were overflowing with bright materials and balls of thread. There were a couple of machines which SJ recognised as looms with half-manufactured materials visible in them. The Quarterling walked through the cluttered room and opened another door leading down into a cellar.

"Is this safe?" SJ whispered.

"No idea. This is the strangest starter zone shop I have ever been in."

The Quarterling reached the bottom of the steps and disappeared into the gloom of the cellar. SJ followed cautiously, and as she reached the bottom of the steps, the cellar was bathed in a bright glow of light from a lantern that had been lit. A large table with cloth perfectly aligned to a pattern was in the middle of the cellar. It looked as though they were the pieces for a top. Around the outside of the cellar were several mannequins of varying sizes with various designs of clothes on them.

The Quarterling turned and looked at her cautiously, and then, before her eyes, it began to transform.

SJ stepped back in amazement as where the small Quarterling had been standing, an old human now stood.

"That's better," he said.

SJ stood, mouth open, staring at the man. "Sorry," she spluttered.

"I have been trying to perfect the speech for years and always struggle with the Quarterling form. Oh, well, practice makes perfect, as they say."

"And you are?"

"Oh. I am Fizzlewick Tailor extraordinaire."

"Fizzlewick!" Dave exclaimed. "I know that name. Why do I know it?"

SJ looked at the now human elderly man standing in front of her.

"So, child, do you want to see some special clothing? You have come to the right place, but again, I do not believe you can afford any of my premium items."

"W-what do you have?"

"Well, I can make anything and design bespoke items as necessary. You do not get to my level of tailoring without perfecting your craft."

"If you don't mind me asking what level you are at, I was only aware that there were low-level professions and classes in starter towns."

"Ah. My dear child, you really are a new one, aren't you? I am surprised your AI has not informed you."

"My AI," SJ replied, shocked.

"All of you have them. I am well aware of the System and the games it plays."

"Can I ask how you could possibly know that?"

"I have been around a long time. I have seen most things in my lifetime."

"I am really confused."

"Yes. It is probably a little bit of a shock for you. I can understand that."

"Why would you tell me that you know all this?"

"Who is going to believe you? Only the highest in the realm know about the true secrets of Amathera."

Dave's voice suddenly filled her head, "Fizzlewick! He was a mage for Emperor Ludica on the continent of Purinali. It can't be the same one?"

"Are you the Fizzlewick?" SJ asked.

"It depends on what you mean. I have been several variations over my lifetime."

"How old are you?"

"Umm. I was born in the year 4932."

"But I thought this world was over 25000 years old now?"

"Oh. It is. I have lived several lives over my time."

"But, I thought humans of Amathera only lived to be about 200 years old?"

"Oh. My dear child. I am not human."

SJ did not know how to respond and stood silently looking at the old man.

"I am what is known as a God."

"A God?"

"Yes. However, I do not play the games that my siblings do. I have lived on Amathera most of my life."

Astounded, SJ felt her legs feel a little unsteady.

"Here, do sit," Fizzlewick waved his hand. A chair appeared behind SJ, and she slowly lowered herself into it.

"You are a God?" SJ repeated.

"Yes. I am a God. I am known as Haber, the God of Tailoring."

"I did not know that there was a God of Tailoring or anything about the Gods being honest."

"This doesn't make any sense!" Dave said, sounding very confused.

"How long have you been here in the town?"

"Not long. I only arrived yesterday."

"Then how do you already have the shop you have set up and everything here?"

"I just told you."

"I know, but is it not suspicious that you arrive with so much?"

"No. I took over the shop from the old Quarterling I have been trying to imitate. He wanted to retire, so I took over his premises."

"Can I ask why you are telling me any of this? I am only a level 4 that arrived yesterday."

"Because you are special. The Gods are all talking about you."

"Why? What makes me special?"

"You are an anomaly, after all. As soon as the System updated and we were informed that Malware had been sandboxed, everyone started getting very excited."

"You know what happened?"

"Yes. The Gods know most things. Although the System may have created us, we are the most advanced species on the planet and have a direct link to the Requiem."

"Did he just say Requiem?" Dave said, shocked.

SJ knew what the word Requiem meant but had no idea how it related to the System.

"What is the Requiem?"

"It is the centre of all-knowing. All souls rest there once they part the second world."

"So, after you die a second time, you end up in the Requiem?"

"Sort of. Not physically, but your soul does. It is the fountain of all knowledge."

SJ's head was spinning. Less than two days ago, she had been eating sausage and mash in a pub, and now she was talking to a God in the second world about a third life as a soul.

"Why reveal yourself to me, though?"

"I told you. You are special. In all my years, I have never met anyone who has not accepted the terms and conditions. The fact that you have a waiver and protected yourself from undue repercussions is unheard of. It is very exciting news for the Gods."

"I still do not understand why?"

"You have a chance to change. You do not conform to normality, and by not conforming, you can finally shift the balance."

"I can change the balance?"

"Yes. I am sure that your AI has informed you of the world's balance. Everything always balances in time. It does not matter if Evil prevails over Good or Good over Evil; in the end, balance returns."

"How can I affect it? I am nothing special."

"Oh, you certainly are, and I was lucky enough to hear that you were interested in tailoring, so I thought I would offer my services as your trainer."

"Why would a God want to do that for me?"

"My siblings are going to be so jealous," he smiled broadly, showing perfect white teeth defying his age. "Anyway, back to explaining. If you show half of the potential that I believe you may have. You are going to bring great change to Amathera."

"I really don't understand. How can I bring change?"

"Your decisions. Whether you fight for Good or Evil, whichever side you choose to fight for will prevail in the end."

"Do Gods not want Good to prevail?"

"Gods are neutral. We have no alignment either way; we are the truest form of neutrality in the world. That means we can basically do what we wish either way. If we feel Evil, we can be Evil. If we feel Good, we can be Good. Most of the time, my siblings and I stay neutral and allow the world to play out as it wishes."

"I can't pick a profession until level 5? Why tell me now?"

"Opportunity. I knew you would come and get new clothes, but I didn't expect to see you so soon. Anyway, you wanted to see some different items." Fizzlewick or Haber waved his hand, and a beautifully crafted, palest Emerald green dress appeared on the table. The design was stunning and took SJ's breath away.

"May I?"

"Please," the God indicated with his hand.

SJ walked to the table and looked at the dress. The material shimmered, and she reached out to touch it. She had never felt material so soft in her life. It felt like nothing under her fingers as she stroked the material. "This is beautiful," SJ gasped.

"It is rather nice."

"Can I pick it up?"

"Of course."

SJ carefully lifted the dress up and held it in front of her. Her display triggered.

Haber's Dress of the Tailor – Level 0

Grade – Astral

Quality – Perfection

Durability - Infinite

Enchantment Slots – Seven available at maximum level

Armour Class – Unknown

Attributes - Unknown

The God Haber himself made this dress. It is unmatched by any other and provides the wearer with unique skills that are available as levels are gained.

Self-repair

"Wow," Dave said. "An Astral item. So few have ever seen one, let alone held one in their hands."

"This is amazing. I daren't ask how much this costs."

Fizzlewick laughed, "My dear. Astral items can't be purchased. They may only ever be gifted by a God."

"This is the softest, most beautiful dress I have ever seen."

"Try it on if you wish."

"Really," SJ replied, aghast.

"Yes. It is for you, after all."

"WHAT?" Dave screamed in her head.

SJ winced from the explosion of noise.

"Ah. I think your AI just spoke to you, didn't he?"

SJ looked at Fizzlewick. "I would not say he spoke more like deafened me. I think he is a little surprised at your generosity. Dave, please don't shout in my head."

"Have you named your AI? How quaint. I have never heard of one being named before."

SJ climbed into the dress, removing her trousers and halterneck once she had pulled it on. It was tied behind her neck, and it had flowing green sleeves. The material seemed to change in size and shape as she pulled it on, fitting her form perfectly. She had never worn anything so beautiful or luxurious before. "This is amazing, and you said it is mine."

"Yes. It is for you. However, you need to know that the dress level is linked to your tailoring level, so it will only improve as your skill improves."

"There it is," Dave said. "There had to be a trick in there somewhere."

SJ stood staring into a mirror in the cellar of the tailor's shop and could not believe the image she was seeing. This was her in all her glory; she took her own breath away, the dress adding a level of beauty to her already beautiful form. The back of the dress dropped in a deep plunge that came up just below her wings, and when she stood sideways, the colour of her wings matched perfectly with the dress.

SJ took a side stance and performed a kick. The dress flowed perfectly, not interfering with her movements in any way.

"I am not sure what to say."

"You need not say anything. A gift is a gift, and for you to develop its true potential, you will pay me back enough by tailoring. All crafted items add to my astral pool. The more people who tailor, the more pool I have available. Tailoring is a common profession, so many perform it."

"As soon as I reach level 5, I will return to begin training," SJ said excitedly.

"That would be wonderful. I do have one more item I would like to give you."

SJ's eyes opened in amazement. "What else could you offer?"

"These. I had my sister make them for me. They are not Astral but will do you for a few levels until you can improve." Fizzlewick placed a pair of calf-length boots on the table.

SJ walked over to them and picked them up.

Boots of the Assassin

Grade – Epic

Quality – Perfection

Durability - Excellent

Enchantment Slots – Two

Armour Class – Unknown

Attributes - Unknown

The boots were a pale grey, and SJ removed her current beginner pair and pulled one of them on. The boot, like the dress, resized to her foot. She did the same with the other and now stood in pale grey boots, which could not be seen when she stood still under the flowing dress. She bent her knees and moved her feet around. The boots felt like the softest slippers she had ever worn.

"The boots are not the best, and you will find much better in time. The initial bonuses, when you can trigger them, should help you, though, for a while at least. I have one question, though, which has confused all the Gods since you arrived."

"Please ask."

"Why did you choose a Fae Assassin as your race and class?"

"I had always wanted to protect the Good from the Evil in the world, and I liked the sound of the Subterfuge skill as it aligned with my forensic accounting from my first life. So, I decided to be an assassin for the good, and the reason for Fae was because I had always loved them as a child."

"Well, let us hope you can achieve your goal."

"I don't know how to repay you for these gifts?"

"I have told you already. Level in tailoring and just be you in the world. What will happen will eventually happen. Even Gods can't define fate. Anyway, you must go again; your bathwater will be ready by now."

SJ looked at him quizzically, remembering she had placed another bucket to boil. She turned and headed back upstairs. Fizzlewick followed, and when she got to the front of the shop, he had transformed again into the small Quarterling.

"Can I please get the items I asked for as well?" SJ asked, pulling one silver from her inventory.

"Of orse." Fizzlewick put the items into a bag and gave her the 58 copper change.

Fizzlewick unlocked the padlocked door with a wave of his hand, the lock vanishing.

"Thank you, and I will be back soon," SJ said, feeling the happiest she had been in a very long time.