Ions

Ions (イオンズ) is an optional playable character who can join the protagonist in Zill O'll ~infinite~. He is the only new original character in infinite who can be recruited.

He is 45 years old when the story begins.

Role in Game
Ions was born in a remote village somewhere in northwestern Vyashion. When he was young, he left his home to make a name for himself as a wandering mercenary. Thinking himself to be an invincible beast in battle, he took any job he could and boastfully slaughtered any who faced him.

Seventeen years before the game's main setting, Ions joined Arnotun's mercenary forces for profit. The commander at the helm was Angeerdan and their opponent was an army of the undead led by the just resurrected Ahab. Ions fought as he always did, yet he was disarmed in battle and laid helpless underneath his demonic opponent. As Ions sat with frightful anticipation for the fatal blow, Angeerdan came to his rescue and effortlessly destroyed his undead foe. Ions was awestruck by his commander's humane character and questioned his life's worth. Inspired to help his fellow man, Ions abandoned his mercenary ways to study priesthood in Arnotun.

His practiced religion or preferred deity are not specified, but he excelled in performing mystical seals on monstrous entities. In due time, he became the most renowned priest and protector living in Arnotun. His skills are so proficient that he is constantly in high demand to keep the city safe.

One such request was to exterminate one of Tiera's Daughters, a wild beast created by one of Vyashion's goddesses, who appeared in the city's crystal caverns. Ions risked life and limb to subdue it and, after a perilous battle, he was able to place a seal on it. With the beast shrunken and wounded, the priest hesitated to deliver the fatal blow. He contemplated his life's merciful teachings and thought it was possible for monsters and humans to coexist. Therefore, he spared the beast and sought to befriend it. After weeks of trial and error to communicate with it, the monster answered with his name: Izkyal. Since then, the pair became trusted companions. The innocuous Izkyal was quickly accepted by Arnotun's residents and was even permitted to play games with the local children.

The protagonist may choose to associate himself/herself with Ions and Izkyal throughout the game's early chapters by repeatedly speaking with them in Arnotun. If he/she does not gain Ions's trust, he will perish offscreen during the second half of the story. Izkyal unceremoniously attacks the main party in Ancient at the end of the game and has to be defeated in order to proceed.

Should they befriend Ions, he/she may later find him and Izkyal in the crystal caverns. Izkyal's sanity is crumbling away due to the evil corruption emitting from the demon infested Ancient. Treasuring the friends he has made, Izkyal uses his last moments of sentience to beg Ions to kill him before he succumbs to madness. Ions is too torn to comply even when Izkyal goes berserk (Shali explains that it is the reason for his death in other scenarios). The protagonist defeats Izkyal for him and Ions reluctantly deals the final strike. Izkyal's spirit thanks his friend for the happy life he lived before peacefully joining his brethren in the afterlife. The protagonist may then offer to have Ions join them. After his recruitment, Ions practices an old belief from his home by stargazing. His people believed the souls of the departed become stars in the sky and he hopes to comfort himself with proof of Izkyal's last words.

In his ending, Ions adopts the protagonist as his apprentice. To honor his friend's memory, the priest has faith they will someday create a world of harmony between all beings. He wants to additionally teach them to enjoy life and its bounties in their travels. During the shared ending with the entire playable cast, Ions is a part of the final group to bid farewell to the protagonist. After some friendly banter with his comrades, he tells the group of his plans to return to Arnotun. He invites the protagonist to join him, but he/she flees from the premise when the other members chime in with their similar requests.

Personality
Ions is a casual and jovial fellow who likes to tell jokes. Rarely acting or dressing as a priest, Ions dons himself with the same armor of his mercenary days to remind himself of his new life convictions. He remembers his violent past with fond nostalgia, thankful that it helped him discover a purpose for his strength. Believing that every living being has a chance for redemption like him, Ions pursues his dream of harmony with hopeful idealism. When his beliefs are faced with criticism, he agrees that his naiveté might be caused by his age. He feels he is less courageous than he was in his youth, something he admits with mixed enthusiasm.

Angeerdan may not remember the encounter he had with Ions, but his comrade remembers the mercenary with impeccable detail. Ions confesses he didn't always respect his elder, at first thinking Angeerdan to be a guileless fool. His praise for the elder is like an insurmountable flood; once he starts, Ions will barely stops with his ardor. He is happy to be old enough to share a drink with the veteran if the protagonist reunites them.

Fighting Style
Ions is an axe wielder armed with healing magic. His stats and equipment choices are average, and he might be behind the party's levels by the time he joins. He doesn't excel in fighting or healing initially, but his base stats gives the player the choice to make him one or the other if they should so desire. If the player wants to use a fighter-healer, Ions is a standard choice.