Valeria spent the next two hours reading about the different guilds. She sat in the Sovereign's quarters, sitting at a desk and casually flipping through the chapters. The first started with a symbol of a green faced raccoon. The Thieves guild is the oldest of the five, and represented by nature's cleverest thief – the raccoon. She spent most of the time studying this chapter, which focused on skills suitable for a thief. Lock picking, Pickpocketing, Burglary, Disguise, elaborate non-violent heists.
The next chapter depicted an orange spider. The Bounty Hunter guild is the youngest, and represented by the spider – nature's best trapper. Their chapter was also interesting; Bounty Hunters focused on non-violent means to capture villainous criminals. Traps, Nets, Tranquilizers, elaborate cons and schemes to ensnare victims.
The third chapter had a symbol in the shape of a purple dragon. The Ninjas Guild is the third oldest guild, and represented by the most regal creature in Eastern mythology. Their guild piqued her interest; they used stealth to focus on espionage. Misdirection, Acrobatics, Hacking, Explosives, Disguise.
The fourth chapter depicted a blue Orca whale. The Pirates Guild is the fourth oldest, and represented by the Orca, one of the ocean's fiercest predators. She didn't bother with the Pirate guild; their description failed to garner much interest. Naval training, marksmanship, Explosives, Hacking, and bartending.
The last chapter's symbol displayed a red scorpion tail. The Assassin guild is the second oldest, and represented by nature's most violent predator, the scorpion. Their guild didn't have many surprises. Unarmed combat, Armed combat, Marksmanship, Explosives, Disguise.
Valeria closed the book and groaned. She had no idea which guild to pick; she had rarely been given any options in life, let alone five. She ran her hands through her hair and massaged her temples. Frustrated, she stood and paced around the room, studying her surroundings.
A bookshelf at the far wall caught her attention, and she studied the names inscribed on their spines. Some memorable titles included: The Five Factions, The Dark War: The Story Untold, and Merlin: The Man the Myth, the Legend. She ran her fingertips along the book edges until she touched an untitled black book near the end. This book differed from the others; it was worn, frayed, and mold was detectable on its surface, but that didn't stop her from touching it.
The effect was immediate: she felt dizzy, her hand felt numb. Everything slowed around her, all noise ceased to exist. Everything except a whisper.
"In...Anna...In...Anna..."
Valeria felt like she might throw up. She heard someone calling out to her, and when she removed her hand from the book, everything returned to normal.
"They're ready for you, Protégé."
The guard had returned. Upon closer inspection, most of his outfit was made of black leather with an orange trim. Her head was ringing, her mouth felt dry. She had no idea what just happened, but Valeria knew she needed to play it cool. She didn't want to get in trouble for snooping around the leader's chambers. "You're a Bounty Hunter, aren't you?"
The guard smiled. "Yes, all Faction enforcers are from that guild. We settle disputes without taking lives."
"That makes sense. And they treat you well?"
"Of course," the guard replied with a laugh. He leaned closer and said, "I'm not supposed to say this – but I hope you choose us. The rumors about you are spreading like wildfire."
Valeria raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Like what?"
"They're saying your score in the Hall of Shadows is the second highest ever by a new protégé."
YOU ARE READING
Valeria Torres and the Midas Vault
Fantasy🌟2020 Watty's Winner🌟 A sixteen-year-old orphan, hoping to find a new family, joins a faction of Rogues and becomes vital in their conflict with a rival faction. *** For as long as she can reme...
