Chapter 3: Character Creation

Ghelion pressed the knife into the palm of his right hand and quickly sliced his skin. Blood like liquid rubies poured from the wound and he hissed at the pain.

“Here,” said Ghelion through gritted teeth.

Spade grimly took the knife and with an experienced flick he cut through his own palm. He didn’t flinch or cry aloud.

“Let’s do it,” said Spade.

Human and advisor faced one another. Ghelion reached out his hand and Spade grasped it as their grips hovered over the contract and their blood dribbled over the words.

Gelion made sure to lock eyes with Spade as he intoned the Words of Binding.

“Player whose word is bond. Do you swear to abide by this contract?”

“Yes.”

“AION has given you this chance to be the strongest version of yourself. Do you swear by the master creator of this world to be true to yourself and your word?”

Spades eyes glinted. “Yes.”

Blood covered the contract now and the pressure in their grip was doing little to stem the flow. Ghelion continued.

“This contract is a chain you shall wear every day of your life. If this chain is broken then you forfeit your life. Do you swear you shall attempt to contact your advisor before breaking your contract?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Then it is so,” intoned Ghelion. The advisor finished his speech and held his breath. For a moment he thought the contract would not work and the pair of them would be stuck with bleeding hands but then Spade gasped.

Light as bright as the sun burst from the contract and covered them in warmth. It flooded every inch of the room and bathed them with angelic rays. Though it was bright it did not sting Ghelion’s eyes and he felt a healing energy infuse his palm. Ghelion could hear the familiar sound of fluttering wings and whirring engines and in his stomach he felt as though the floor had suddenly lurched a mile into the air.

And then it stopped. Just as quickly as it had appeared the light was gone. It was the same old office he had worked in since the beginning. Between them on the desk was the contract without a drop of blood as though the paper had thirstily absorbed every bit they had offered.

“AION accepts.” Gelion sat back in his chair and leaned his head back. He felt more exhausted than he should have been. “Incredible.”

“Fantastic,” said Spade. “What, you were really unsure whether it would go through?”

“I told you I’ve never done that before.” Ghelion picked the document up and admired his work. It now had a slight shine to it as though moonlight was shinning off a pool of water. As an official Contract of AION it was now indestructible. “But it sounded logical enough. I’ve been doing this long enough and signed enough odd contracts that I thought it worth the risk.”

“What is the strangest you ever made?” asked Spade.

“Well, without going into too many details, a former player of mine who passed away, oh, 50 years ago perhaps? Decided that he wanted to give up his very lucrative contract as a Monster Hunter and pursue carving little wooden bird statues.”

Spade’s eyes widened. “Was the Monster Hunter class too much for him? I’ve heard it’s one of the toughest out there but the money is good.”

“He made quite a bit of gold, yes.” Ghelion placed the contract in his desk carefully. He would move it to his private records later that night. “He was close to hunting a rank four monster and then out of the blue sent me a letter demanding a meeting to discuss his contract. When I found him I expected to find he had lost his nerve and didn’t want to risk life and limb anymore but, no, he had discovered a passion for carving little wooden birds.”

“ ‘Do you swear that you shall contact your advisor before breaking your contract?’” Spade repeated from the Words of Binding. “At least he was smart about it, then. Was he any good?”

“Actually,” Ghelion opened a door in his desk and pulled out a small object. “Here, you tell me.”

Ghelion placed a small wooden finch in the palm of Spades hand. It was a short winged bird with brown wings and head yet with a cotton colored plumage on its chest.

“Not bad,” grunted Spade. He placed the bird on Ghelion desk after examining it.

“He said it was a House Finch. When I arrived at his camp his tent was full of them. Must have been carving them for weeks before he contacted me.”

“Well at least he was happy,” said Spade. “That’s all AION wants, correct?”

Ghelion was silent and only smiled.

Spade rolled his eyes. “Fine. Have it your way. Now then,” he rubbed his hands together and sat up straighter. “What comes next?”

Ghelion looked down at his watch. It was just nearing lunch now. He imagined Thaddeus would be preparing the noon day meal. Absentmindedly he wondered whether the two players he had met, Brent and Claire, were still training where he had left them.

“We have a couple things to do. If all goes well I think you will be spawning tonight. First, you need a new face. Do you see that mirror?”

Spade followed Ghelion’s finger to a mirror against the far wall.

“Yeah.”

“I’m going to command it to allow you to change your features. It was be mind based and, with hope, won’t hurt. Just imagine in your mind what you want to change and it will be so.”

“So convenient,” Spade sounded relieved. “I half worried that you would place a pain clause in my contract in order to change my face.”

Ghelion hmm’ed and said, “Maybe I should I have thought about that.”

“Funny,” said Spade, deadpan. “Where are you off to?”

“It’s time for lunch. I’m going to make a stop by the kitchen and grab some food for us.”

“Great idea, I’m starving.”

“But before that I need to stop by the Spawn Point and see what needs to be done. I think the Guide there can help me but I want to be sure.”

“Excellent.” Spade rose and walked over to the mirror. “By the time you come back I’ll be new a man.”

Ghelion placed a hand on the door and looked for the last time at Spade’s face. For the past 25 years he had seen Spade on and off to sign contracts or merely for a visit. For the first time that morning he felt a strange sadness. Everyone thought that Spade the Thief had died at sea but really he was going to die in Ghelion’s office. No longer would anyone see his dark hair or his piercing gaze. His face was known to most of the world as the Thief of the Old Guard. That legend would end today.

“By the way,” said Ghelion, stopping himself from opening the door. “You weren’t by any chance seen this morning on the docks, were you?”

“Who, me?” Spade frowned. “I know how to keep myself hidden, Ghel. No I didn’t see anyone and no one saw me, why?”

Stolen story; please report.

“A child was caught this morning on the docks snooping around. I’m not sure what time but if there’s any chance he recognized you…”

Spade waved his hand. “Don’t worry. I wasn’t seen by anyone. It would take someone more competent than a child to have seen me this morning.”

“Very well. I’ll be gone a couple hours so you should have plenty of time to change your features. Obviously you shouldn’t open the door if someone knocks.”

Spade was already gazing into the mirror. His dark hair changed shades until it was a light brown and then became a bright red.

“Amazing,” said Spade. “This would have made disguises during my Spy contract so simple. Yes, Ghel, I won’t open the door,” he added.

Ghelion left the office and, making sure no one was around, locked the door behind him.

———

“And what about the others?” Asked Tarry. “Have you spoken much with Melamy or Redstar?”

Please leave me alone, thought Ghelion. He was just about to enter his office where Spade was waiting when Advisor Tarry had seen him. Ghelion had a basket of food which he was trying to make seem light so as not to reveal how much he had filched from the kitchen.

“Only some,” said Ghelion through a strained smile. “They share the same advisor I believe on another training island named Advisor Michael. You could always write to him and have your questions answered.”

Tarry made a face. “No, no, Ghelion. You know that would be so embarrassing. I’d rather you just tell me. How about we have some tea? Have any in your office?”

“Actually, Terry,” said Ghelion stopping his fellow advisor from opening the door. “I am rather busy at the moment. How about we talk tomorrow, perhaps?”

“Tomorrow?” Tarry looked perturbed. He eyed Ghelion’s basket. “Say that’s a rather big basket you have there. Having lunch?”

“Just a snack, actually.”

“I’m fond of cheese and bread as a snack.” He seemed to remember something and snapped his fingers. “I heard that Red Star only eats spicy food, can you confirm this?”

“I really don’t know,” said Ghelion. He now had the door cracked open and was trying to block Tarry’s views whilst he slipped inside. “Anyways, I have work today. My apologies and I will see you tomorrow, Tarry.”

“One more thing, Gel, did you ever—Gel? Gel?”

Ghelion had shut the door behind him and locked the door. Tarry was left standing outside.

“Sorry, Terry. Think I am in need of a nap right about now,” Ghelion said through the door. “See you later.”

The other advisor made a disappointed groaning sound but the sound of his shuffling feet soon disappeared down the hallway. Ghelion waited until they were gone to turn around.

“Thought he would never leave,” said Spade. “Another minute and I was about to come outside and break his neck.”

Ghelion placed the basket on the desk and with his back turned to Spade riffled through its contents.

“You would have had a very serious problem on your hands at that point, Spade. One which would make the Old Guard seem like puppy dogs in comparison. Killing advisors is not recommended.”

“I’m only joking, Gel. How do I look?”

Ghelion turned around. Gone was the man he had known. Where once his hair had been long and dark it was now less than an inch long and brown. His nose which was well known for being slightly hooked on the end now resembled your garden variety sniffer. Beyond that he had even changed his bone structure so that his cheeks were slightly higher. Overall it was a more angular face than the one he had before, and, most importantly, looked nothing like his old self.

“Well done,” said Ghelion approvingly. “You are unrecognizable. Wait a moment, what about your—-“

“Eyes?” Spade shrugged. “Decided to keep ‘em. Wanted to keep one part of my old face.”

Spade had dark blue eyes that were almost black. They had always been his most striking feature.

“You are not worried someone might recognize you?”

“Just from my eyes? Not at all. I think it will be harder to hide my personality more than anything.”

“True, I suppose. You will have to be very careful. Anyways,” Ghelion motioned at the basket. “I told Thaddeus I needed enough food to feed half a dozen players after a hard morning of exercise. Let’s tuck in, shall we?”

For the next several minutes the only sounds in the office was Ghelion quietly munching on some apples while Spade ravenously gorged himself on an entire chicken. Ghelion tried not to judge his friend too harshly as he watched him licking his fingers and then tearing off a handful of bread to stuff into his mouth.

“I herf you wa’ talin’ ‘bout edsta’,” said Spade through a mouthful of bread.

“Pardon me?” said Ghelion trying to be polite. He had a high threshold for grotesqueness and had seen his fair share of carnage over the years but for some reason poor eating manners always destroyed his appetite. Perhaps it was also Spade’s new face which made Ghelion feel as though he was hosting a stranger in his office.

Spade swallowed and took a breath before repeating himself.

“I said, I heard you talking about Redstar outside.”

“Oh. Yes. Advisor Tarry was asking me about the Duo of Devastation.”

“Please,” Spade rolled his eyes. “The only things those two are good at devastating is a good time.”

“You said they were the ones who destroyed your ship.”

Spade bit into a chicken leg and chewed in silence for a moment.

“I received a message a week ago that someone within the Old Guard was planning to off me,” he said at last, staring off into space. “No idea who sent it to me, but when I came home one night it said in the morning the might of the Old Guard was gonna crush me into powder.”

“Why?”

“Who knows. They are a temperamental bunch, after all. Maybe Karkren finally had enough of me, or Mack decided I was a drag on the guild and they no longer needed a thief. Maybe even I upset Samantha or Dredman but whoever it was wouldn’t act without Solomon’s permission.”

“You really think Karkren would have a hand in it?”

Spade looked thoughtful, as though he was considering Ghelion’s words carefully. “Karkren? No, me and him were close. But then again I don’t think he would try and stop the others. Not much choice. We are more of a gang than a guild, anyways.”

Ghelion tried to keep the frustration out of his voice. He knew that Spade was keeping something from him. What are you hiding, old friend? he thought. Why don’t you trust me like you used to?

“Has Solomon ever ordered a member killed before?” Asked Ghelion when Spade seemed to be lost in thought.

“Huh?” Spade blinked. “Oh. Not that I know of. He is a hands off leader, but his obsession with power did create such tension among us that perhaps another member decided to trim the fat, so to speak. He never has cared about infighting before. Pretty sure Dredman poisoned Samantha once but she could never prove anything. She survived anyways but Solomon didn’t seem to care.”

“I see. So what did you do when you got the message?”

“I ran. Obviously. I had a good head start and paid a Skyrider to bring me to Moontown. There I got a ship and hired some men to help me sail it to the island. Most were NPCs but a few were players who were happy to aid an Old Guard member.”

“Too bad the Skyrider didn’t take you all the way here,” said Ghelion.

“If it had Redstar would have blasted me from the sky, turns out Melamy had flown them both all the way here and was laying in wait.”

Spade’s eyes seemed to lose focus and once again Ghelion noticed that one of his hands began to shake slightly. He waited in silence for his friend to continue.

“We were only a couple miles from the island when I saw them. Just a red speck of light hovering in the distance. I always wondered what it was like being one of their enemies. Those two have taken their jobs further than just about any player other than Solomon. They specialized to such a degree I am sure even the big boss of the Old Guard would be hard pressed to break them. As you know, Melamy is the perfect magical defense player. She can create a shield so impenetrable AION himself couldn’t crack it all the while levitating them both. Meanwhile Redstar mans the cannons so to speak and launches boulder sized fireballs and those magma blasts when he has a mind.”

“I can’t imagine,” said Ghelion. The Duo of Devastation was aptly named and the advisor did not envy any who stood in their way. “How did you survive?”

“I jumped over board,” said Spade glumly. “And not a moment too soon. As soon as my head popped out of the water the ship exploded. Fire was everywhere. I don’t think the NPCs even had a moment to react. Guess when they respawn they won’t have any memory of the event. Those poor players though…”

Ghelion sighed. “That is unfortunate about the players. I guess their advisors will never know what happened to them.”

“Can’t even remember their names now,” said Spade. “I was so desperate to cast off and get here.”

They didn’t talk much after that. Spade finished the food and soon the sun began to set. Ghelion found a cloak in his wardrobe and gave it to Spade.

“You’ll need to wear this,” he said. “It won’t do to have a players walking around before they spawn.”

“Right,” said Spade, wrapping the cloak around himself. He tugged the hood over his face until it was shrouded in shadow.

Together they made their way to the Spawn point. It took 45 minutes to get there as it was deep within the forest on the island. Finally they arrived at a small clearing where three small buildings shaped like large, smooth shells appeared.

“Here we are, Spade,” Ghelion took his friends’ hand. “Go inside the middle one and lay down on the bed. When you awaken you will spawn as a new man.”

Spade grasped his hand with both of his. “Really, Gel. Thank you for everything. I can’t tell you what this means to me.”

“I just hope when it is time to pick an advisor you will come knocking on my door.”

“Of course I will,” the thief grinned. “There are no other advisors in my life. We’ve been through too much for me to change my horse midstream. I’ve got my whole life ahead of me. This is just a small road block.”

“Alright, Spade. Any idea what name you are going to choose?”

Spade shrugged. “Who knows? It’s only half my decision anyways. You already know what I look like so it shouldn’t be hard to know me, right? By the way, know how many others are spawning tomorrow morning?”

“One person,” said Ghelion. “No, actually, two others.”

“You don’t sound too sure.”

The advisor smiled at the thief. “Trust me I am sure. Don’t give yourself away, alright? And don’t tell them too many things. It’s AIONs pleasure to give these new players a pristine experience. Can’t have you ruining it.”

“Don’t worry, old friend. I’ll be as low key as I can.”

Advisor and player exchanged a couple more sentiments before departing. Ghelion watched as Spade entered the middle building and closed the door behind him. He walked in silence back to his office. He whistled a tune to himself and in the back of his mind realized that Spade would miss his favorite beef stew that night. In the dark of the night the stars winked at him in a clear sky. Their brilliant light seemingly reaching to him from the bowels of eternity as they held dominion over the sky until the sun returned to take its kingdom.

AION, he prayed. Watch over my friend.

Tomorrow the morning sun would shine on a new man.