My mother, the epitome of a perfect woman, and for me, of a perfect mother. In the remote village of our hometown, there was a place she would often mention called 'theater'. She explained to me that it's a place where understanding the meaning behind someone's demeanour was of vital importance. According to her, one could fully understand the true nature of a person based on their sole expressions and body language; their actions would speak far louder than their words. Empathy goes a long way, too, but I've always considered my mother the true master of the matter. She was frequently called for this 'theater', and I could tell she really loved it; I would often catch her humming in the kitchen, preparing meals, while improvising some twists. I even vividly remember a knight addressing her as 'Dancing Blade'.

One day, an old lady visited our little humble house, bringing with her a basket full of chocolate cookies. She and my mother exchanged some words on the doorstep, before my mother finally closed the door, placing the basket on the table.

"What do you think?" she asked; she was clearly referring to me, but I couldn't really understand what she meant. "Quite the actress, hm?" she remarked, bringing a finger to her cheek.

Not grasping her words, I decided to reach for the tasty-looking chocolate cookies on the table, but as soon as I approached them with my hand, my mom quickly intercepted it. "Don't eat them, sweetie," she told me with a gentle smile. "They're poisoned."

How did she know? I can't really tell... but I can tell my mother saw something in that old lady that I couldn't see.

From a first glance, my mother could understand someone's true nature. Probably, she would've been able to grasp Elizabeth and Laura's true nature as well; whether or not Elizabeth was truly the strongest mage, and if the tea was poisoned or not. A skill, a talent still raw in me...

...

"Now, enough talking about me," Elizabeth said. "Let's hear about you two. What are your divine weapons?" she asked; at least I could tell she was extremely curious on the matter.

"Well, about that..." I started.

In this vast world, there are several designated locations where seven mighty statues stand. No one knows their origin, who placed them and for how long they've been there; rumors say that the Deities themselves placed them there, each statue resembling a different Deity. Surrounded by these seven statues: a large stone ambo, resting on a floor adorned by a giant magic circle. Anyone can approach the ambo and, if the Deities favored you, a magic would occur.

My mother brought me to one of these sites when I was just a little girl of six years old. She gently pushed my back, encouraging me to go to the stone ambo; hesitating, and constantly glancing at her, I went.

If the Deities favored you, the magic circle would illuminate, and on top of the stone ambo, two items would appear.

The first item is universally considered a codex, but goes by various names: grimoire, tome, spellbook or, simply, book. Each codex features a colored cover and in its inside: spells. My codex is dark purple, while Joey's is gray.

Alongside the book, another item is generated: a magic weapon; universally regarded as a 'personal' or 'divine' weapon, being the weapon attributed by the Deities, fated to be wielded for the rest of your life, since the two items were linked.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Those who were bestowed the codex were commonly referred to as 'libromancers' by the commoners, a title that gained universal acceptance, being able to cast magic thanks to the magic book, although many preferred to distinguish themselves based on the type of divine weapon they were given. Those who wielded swords often identified as warriors, while those with knives would call themselves assassins. Many others would choose based on the kind of spells written within their books, such as supporters in the event their spells consisted on shields, enhancements or healing magic.

"Joey has a wand," I continued.

"Oh, really? So you're a mage like me! Mine is this staff," Elizabeth exclaimed, indicating the staff she was holding. "And what about you?" she asked me afterward.

"I don't have any," I replied.

"Huh?" she looked at me with a confused expression, her eyes slightly widening as if I completely dampened her enthusiasm. Not that I could blame her...

I'm an unique case, an anomaly... When I received my codex, many others witnessed the scene; just people who were paying respect to the statues, or curious bystanders in the area. However, the news of someone without a personal, divine weapon propagated rapidly.

Normally, to cast a spell the user has to pronounce the words written within the codex; the effects would then be brought forth through the weapon... But what about an anomaly like me?

If the codex serves as the source of magical power, then the user acts as the medium through which magic flows, with the weapon functioning as the catalyst manifesting such magic. Without the weapon, a libromancer is utterly useless, powerless, incapable to defend themselves; that's how you disarm them.

Yet, for some reason, even without a weapon, I could still wield magic... Well, I possessed only a single self-enchantment spell, but it was better than nothing.

Who knows, perhaps the Deities felt a little silly that day, wanting to play a joke on someone.

"Oh... I see," Elizabeth murmured in response to my explanation; I could sense both surprise and disappointment in her reaction.

"It must've been hard for you," Laura sympathized with me.

"Not really... In a way, I kinda like it," I confessed.

"Hmm?"

"There's nothing quite as satisfying as demolishing someone who thinks highly of themselves just because they have a weapon and a few more spells than me," I explained, showing off a grin on my face. I had to demonstrate my confidence; after all, it's easier to back up words with actions when you start strong.

"Oh, a real hot shot, huh?" Laura commented with a smug smile; I could tell she was amused by my answer.

"But there is something I don't understand," Elizabeth rejoined the conversation. "Joey, unlike her, you don't seem particularly interested in the guild. Why did you come all the way here?" she questioned.

Joey was particularly caught off guard with this question. "Huh, well... You see... I only discovered the city where we were directed halfway through... I guess I just tagged along," he replied, scratching his head.

Yeah, that was my bad...

Mere seconds later, from the staircase, it was possible to hear the sound of someone stepping down and a tall man with glasses appeared; he wore his jacket on his shoulders without putting his arms in it. Another member who gave me a strong impression since the very beginning; thankfully this time it was not because of a big hat, although it looked just as bizarre.

"Excuse me for being so late, and thanks for waiting," he apologized, his voice strong and firm. "I'm Leonard, the Guild Leader. The Guild Master could not be here, so I'm taking his place at the moment," he explained, before approaching me. "And you must be..."

"How rude of me for not introducing myself earlier," I exclaimed, quickly standing up from the settee.

My mother once told me that the first impression is often the most important. And so, it was time for me to introduce myself in the best way possible, putting into practice her teaching.

Let your actions speak. Bewitch them, let them admire you...

A serene smile graced my lips, letting out a soft voice, followed by a gentle curtsy. "It's my pleasure to meet you..."

Show them your deference, make it clear you'll heed their orders...

My hand rested over my heart, my head gently tilted, my hair gracefully falling down. "You can call me..."

And look deep into their eyes, to make sure they'll remember your name...

"Argenta."