Chapter 9: The Hellion of Training Island

Name Thomas Class — Marks 0 Guild

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SD 984

“PUT IT DOWN, THOMAS, OR I SWEAR I WILL FEED YOU TO A—AH!”

Thomas hurled the bowl of pudding he had been holding at Chef Thaddeus’ head. The large chef ducked right in time and it was all the opportunity Thomas needed to make his escape, bag of spoils safe in hand. The boy bolted for the door which Thaddeus had been blocking and ran as fast as he could and ran across the Square, the distant shouts growing smaller the more he beat his feet into the earth.

I doubt he is going to follow me, thought Thomas. A turn of his head proved him wrong. Not fifty feet behind him Thaddeus was running as fast as he could, arms pumping and cheeks blowing from exertion.

Thomas was shocked but instead of allowing surprise to overcome him he made a beeline in a new direction. The Square was full of small buildings in some semblance of a town where players would come after long hours of practice and relax. Benches and manicured trees dotted the surrounding area and right in between a pair of benches and down a back alley was a short cut to the Joining Gate. Thaddeus wouldn’t be able to slip through the alley and would have to take the long way around.

The alley was just ahead and Thomas knew that Thaddeus was gaining on him. He had only a few seconds before the big man had him in arms reach. Thomas leaped over the bench blocking the small alley and had to quickly turn himself sideways. Even for a slender kid like him it was a tight fit, and for a moment he thought his bag of food was going to have to be left behind. He managed to push the bag in front of him and take his first couple shuffling steps when he felt the wind come off the tips of the chef’s fingers, hand uselessly trying to grab his shirt.

“Boy! It’s not funny anymore,” Thaddeus yelled. Thomas thought this was the most upset he had ever made the chef. “I’m going to Advisor Ghelion right after I catch you and he is going to explain what happens to thieves on this island.”

“What happens?” Thomas turned his head around and beheld the snarling face of the islands chef.

“First of all…” Thaddeus dropped his gaze and scrunched up his face. “I wasn’t designed to punish people, ok? I don’t know. But you are really pushing me to my limits, boy.”

“C’mon, Thad. Is what I am doing all that bad?”

“It’s not just this time, Thomas. It’s the apples last week, and the pies the month before. Not to mention you seemed to have stepped on the toes of every being on this island whether player or NPC. It’s not a way to live, Thomas.”

“Maybe just let it go this time, eh?” Thomas scooted further down the alley well out of Thaddeus’ reach.

The chef’s arm dropped, defeated.

“You’re not getting away with it this time, boy.” He turned his head around and waved his arm. Another NPC joined him. Thomas recognized the curling mustache and dark hair tucked under a green boulder hat.

“Hello, Mr. Cob,” said Thomas cheerfully.

“What seems to be the problem here, gentlemen?” Mr Cobb’ s eye brows rose considerably and he looked at Thomas and Thaddeus in turn. “Is young Thomas stuck in the alley—?”

“No time for that, Cob.” said Thaddeus. He pointed at Thomas who was now about halfway through the alley, clothes getting dirtier and torn with every step he took. “I need you to wait here in case he comes out. Just grab him if he does, okay?”

“And what are you going to do?”

Thaddeus jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. “I’m going around the square to head him off. This little thief is going to be washing dishes until he clears the island even if it causes me to reset. Got it?”

Mr Cobb thought a moment and then patted the chef on the shoulder. “Very well, Thad. Go on then, I’ll nab ‘em if he doubles back.”

The chef took off, feet slapping hard against the ground.

Thomas twisted around to look at the cobbler.

“Any chance I can tempt you with some tarts into letting me go?” Thomas tried to sound as hopeful as he could. “This is all a big misunderstanding, you see. Thaddeus told me to bring some food to the newly spawned players who are coming today. I think he has a problem though because he totally forgot.”

“Is that so?” Mr Cobb took a pipe out of his jacket and began to stuff it. “AION help you Thomas, don’t you know that NPCs don’t forget unless they have respawned?”

“Yeah,” said Thomas. “That must be it, he respawned and forget what he told me.”

“Lad, lad,” said Mr Cobb shaking his head. He lit the pipe and sucked on the stem. When he spoke smoke filled the little alley behind Thomas. “It takes a month for us sort of NPCs to respawn, didn’t anyone tell you? I think I would have noticed if our chef was gone for that long, don’t you?”

“Maybe someone else has been doing the cooking?” Said Thomas lamely.

“You remind me of another player who spawned on this island many years ago,” said Mr Cobb, dismissing Thomas’ statement. “He was about the same age, always getting into mischief. Turned into a world class Thief.”

Only a couple more feet, thought Thomas. Soon he could toss his sack stuffed with food onto the cobblestones.

“What happened to him?” Called back Thomas. He was at the end of the alley. He tossed the bag in the opening and it landed on the ground. Thomas then worked a hand around the brick of the building in front of him and pulled himself the rest of the way through. Suddenly he popped through the other side.

“He came to no good, lad. Flew too high they say,” said Mr Cobb but his voice trailed off as Thomas picked up his bag and sprinted away.

Wish I had time to put this sack in my inventory, thought Thomas. He was in a side street and people were looking out their windows at him. The majority of the NPC population seemed to live behind the square in this little street. Faces of all kinds peered at him out their glass windows, they pressed their noses against the window panes and stared at him curiously.

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Thaddeus! The chef was faster than Thomas had realized. Without looking behind him Thomas ran for the Joining Gate. It was only a couple hundred yards at the edge of the forest and he had the advantage of distance over the island’s cook. Buildings flew by him one after another then suddenly he was out of the street. The port where players left from to go to the mainland was on his left. Thomas’ lungs were burning and all he wanted to do was collapse onto the grass.

“I SEE YOU BOY!” Shouted Thaddeus.

Thomas spun around and saw the cook comically running down the street where he had just left. Even at that distance Thomas could see his nostrils flaring and sweat pouring down his feet. In the back of his mind Thomas wondered whether NPCs actually got tired or it was just an act AION had designed for them to perform.

“Time to really book it,” Thomas muttered to himself. The Joining Gate was just ahead and the forest beyond that, its cluttered foliage and deep shadows beckoning him to hide.

The road slopped gently up from the port. Thomas remembered walking down from the joining gate a couple days after he spawned almost a month ago. The old man had patted him on the back and told him to listen more than he talked or something like that. He had had advice for each of his spawnmates though at the moment Thomas could only remember his own.

Ancient and huge the Gate rose out of the distance as Thomas finally approached it. The Gate was made of stone and had strange designs carved into every inch of its broad sides. It arched 20 feet into the air and towered over Thomas. Despite himself Thomas craned his neck up to look at the designs as he ran through the gate. He could make out some animals and what looked like a man with a sword.

“What are—-HEY!” A man yelled just as Thomas ran full kilt into him. It was like running into a brick wall.

Thomas landed on the ground flat on his back. His face felt like it had been smashed into a mass of dough. He opened his eyes and squinted at the man he had run into. A pudgy face stared down at him in annoyance.

“Ouch,” said Thomas, rubbing his head. The sack had flown out of his hand and landed by his feet. “Where did you come from?”

“We,” said a voice from behind the large man, “came from the spawning area, Thomas.”

“How do you know my name?” Thomas stood up and dusted himself off. Suddenly a bearded figure came around the big man.

“It’s only been a month and you’ve already forgotten about me, hm?”

“Old man!” Thomas smiled. “Long time no see.”

“Guide,” responded the other with a sigh. “How many times do I have to tell you that.”

“Sorry,” said Thomas. Now that he was standing he saw the Old man was accompanied by three others. The big man who he had run into wasn’t really a man but looked like a teenager. His look of annoyance was still plastered on his face. Beside him was a women about the big mans age who had short dark hair and a curious expression on her face, as though she had never seen a kid before. But it was the third companion standing behind her shoulder who gave Thomas the most pause. He stood in the shadows and though his face seemed ordinary his piercing eyes stood out of the dark and bored themselves into Thomas’ mind.

Odd bunch of folks here, he thought.

“There are children on the island?” Said the big man. “Doesn’t AION care about their safety?”

“The children are well taken care of, Alexander” said the Guide. “In fact they happen to—”

“Children?” Said Thomas incredulously. “I’m not a child. And you’re barely older than me, anyways.”

The big man, Alexander, folded his arms. “I’m old enough and big enough to take care of myself.”

Thomas was considering making a joke about him being not just big but too big but then remembered why he had been running in the first place. He spun around and saw the chef coming up the path. He would be there soon. An idea came to Thomas.

“Hey look,” said Thomas. “It’s nice meeting all of you like this but can you help me out? That man over there is trying to steal my food he thinks is his. It’s actually a big misunderstanding but I know for a fact that he is going to attack me.” Thomas sighed and tried to look crestfallen. “What—um, Alexander, right?— said is true about kids here—people try to hurt us all the time and this guy is no different. But if you guys tell him that I was bringing the food you asked for I am sure he will go back the way he came with his tail between his legs!”

Thomas ended his speech by sheepishly looking each one of them in the eyes before dropping his gaze to his feet. He tried to look as pathetic as possible. The woman was the first to speak.

“You poor thing,” she said. There was emotion in her voice. “Of course we will help you. What kind of man attacks a child?”

“Oh please, Amelie.” Alexander rolled his eyes. “He is clearly lying. I bet he stole the food from the man.”

“Who, me?” Thomas tried to sound shocked yet disappointed at the same time. It wasn’t easy.

“Alex,” said Amelie. “Children don’t just lie about these things.”

“I’m pretty sure they do, Amelie. Have you never met a kid? I can’t remember any but I know for a fact kids lie every chance they get.”

The woman huffed. “Fine. Mr Guide. What do you think?”

The old man is going to grass on me for sure, thought Thomas. But when he look at him he seemed to find the situation amusing.

“Oh, I wouldn’t know. You two seem split, though.” The guide was tapping his chin with one long finger. “What do you think, Chase?”

Thomas was considering just taking the bag and running past them. He looked at the man with the piercing eyes and tried to look an genuine as possible but the look he received in return told him his charade would not fool him one bit.

“I think,” began the man. But he was cut short by the desperate bellow of Thaddeus the chef.

“STOP THAT BOY! DON’T LET HIM LEAVE!”

The chef was finally upon them and Thomas knew he was out of luck. He tried to resign himself to his fate as he glumly turned around to face Thaddeus.

“Alright, you caught me I hope you are—”

Suddenly Thomas felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He looked up to see that the man the Guide had called Chase stood beside him. Thomas’ eyes widened. Somehow the man had managed to slip the sack of food from his fingers and was holding it up as the chef came to a stop before them.

“You must be the chef on this island,” said the man. “It’s awfully kind of you to come yourself when you could have just allowed your helper here to bring us our food.”

Thaddeus was bent over, hands on his knees, huffing and puffing. “Don’t…let that…boy…say what?”

“The food that we requested be sent to us.” Chase shook the sack and smiled. “Thank you so much for accompanying young Thomas here. He was saying that your food is the best not only on the island but in all of Esem. We had a very trying three challenges after we spawned and the Guide said he would send for some food to meet us at the Joining Gate. I didn’t realize we would get the opportunity to meet the maker of this fine fare. It’s wonderful to meet you.”

Chase stuck his free hand out and Thaddeus, somewhat recovered but now thoroughly confused, limply shook it in return.

“Wait…Guide? Is this true?” Thaddeus asked.

Thomas felt his stomach drop. Here it comes, he thought.

“The three challenges were certainly challenging.” The guide left it at that and simply smiled as he pulled his pipe out of his shirt and pointed it at Thomas when he saw him begin to open his mouth.

“Thomas,” said the Guide, cutting him off. “Do you remember the advice I gave you at this gate a month ago?”

Listen more than you talk. Thomas just nodded his head.

“Guide,” said Thaddeus, doubt creeping into his voice. “If you requested the food then why didn’t I know about it?” He scowled at Thomas, but it was mixed with confusion. “And why wouldn’t you just tell me that in the first place, Thomas?”

“Perhaps,” said Chase. “Our communications became a bit crossed. When we sent the request it was just after a fierce encounter with a giant spider. In all the excitement perhaps we didn’t make ourselves clear.”

Behind Chase, Thomas could see Alexander exchange looks with Amelie. He hoped they weren’t about to give him away. Thaddeus seemed about won over. Flustered, yet nearly mollified.

“I…see,” said the chef, who clearly did not see at all, but seemed to have lost the incredible drive he had had while chasing Thomas to the gate. “Very well, maybe next time just send the message straight to the kitchen. To me, specifically. You know I am always ready to feed our players, especially the newly spawned ones.”

“Will do,” said the Guide. “Anyways, you can head back, Thad. I need to say a couple things to these three before I let them loose. Thomas you stay here,” he added.

The four of them watched the defeated Chef slink back down the hill. If he was being honest Thomas felt a bit bad about fooling Thaddeus. Seeing the NPC’s slouched shoulders Thomas thought perhaps he had gone a bit too far. His stomach growled.

“Well done, Chase!” Said Thomas. “Now about about a tart? That was a brilliant idea about requesting food. I am pretty sure I snagged at least five so there’s one for each of us. But be careful with the bit of cake I wanna save that for later.”

“Thomas!” Amelie looked furious. “You said that man was coming to attack you!”

“I told you he was lying.” Alexander smirked. “Kids lie all the time and this one is no different.”

“Oh, well,” Thomas thought quickly. “He will probably try to beat me up later. He was just scared of you lot so much he didn’t want to start something.”

“Oh please,” said Alexander. “You stole the food and nearly got caught, just admit it.”

“Honest, Alexander,” responded Thomas. “I mean, look at you, anyone would be intimated seeing you. I bet you could scare a bear just so much as look at it. And you,” Thomas turned to face Amelie as Alexander seemed taken off guard by the sudden compliment. “You are really pretty but anyone can tell that under your soft exterior there’s a vicious lioness who would stop at nothing to protect the innocent.”

As Amelie, seeming unsure whether to be pleased by the flattery or how to respond to Thomas decided confusion to be the better response, both the Guide and Chase burst out laughing.

“You are really something else, Thomas,” said the guide. He was laughing almost as hard as Chase who was wiping tears from his eyes. “From the day you spawned I always knew you were one to keep an eye on.”

“Wow,” said Chase. “Such a start to this adventure. You are a wild one, Tommy.”

Tommy? Unsure how to respond to either of them Thomas chose silence for the second time that day, and to listen.

“Anyways,” said the Guide as his laughter began to subside. “I need to return to the camp soon. But first, I need to talk to each of you. It’s not required that you stay and listen to me but I’ve been doing it as guide, well, since the beginning. I’ve got something to tell each of you.”

“And what would that be?” Said Alexander.

“Two things,” said the Guide. “Firstly some advice.”

“And secondly?”

The Guides face darkened and all traces of mirth disappeared.

“A warning. A warning of the gravest kind.”