Dario read through the papers with a keen eye, looking for anything in the fine print that would be detrimental to his well-being. In the end, it turned out to be fairly clear-cut and legitimate.

He found the contract to be surprisingly standard for something that was meant for Superiors. It was actually quite similar to other contracts he’d received when he used to go job hunting. There was the Commencement Date And Term, Employee Compensation, Employee Benefits, Confidentiality Agreement, Termination Terms And Conditions, and so on.

However, the part he found most astonishing was the salary.

“Fifty gold per month without doing anything? Just for being a member?” he asked, amazement clear on his face. “That’s more than what most people make working full-time jobs.”

Miss Aimee smirked. “Mhm. A lot of everyday taxes goes into providing for Superiors. After all, we’re humanity’s defenders aren’t we? It’s only fair that we get compensated.” She gave a nonchalant shrug. “Besides, supes make up less than one percent of the population so it’s not like we’re draining money.” 

“I guess...” Dario muttered. He wouldn’t really complain now that he was a beneficiary, and it made sense since anyone who risked life and limb would want to be paid well for it.

“Have you chosen which job option you want yet?” she asked. “If you want to get stronger as soon as possible then I recommend Vanguard.”

Dario looked down and read through the available choices once more.

Job Titles And Descriptions

The guild member will be employed as a(n): _______________ (Choose Option)

Architect 

Members will be designated a laboratory and provided with the necessary instruments and devices for designing, undertaking, and analysing information from controlled experiments, investigations, and trials. The goal of the Architect is to improve current technologies and discover new concepts and inventions. They may be assigned a team or mentor to help with projects. Architects may apply for patents and receive monetary earnings from the production and/or utilization of their innovation. They may also be assigned to the mass production and repair of weapons or medical supplies during times of crisis or general necessity. 

Salary: 100 - 2,000 gold per month. Dependent on project and amount of interest.

Permitted Power Class(es): Artificer.

Additional Requirements: Must complete a test and brief evaluation in order to assess area of expertise.

Civvy

Members will go back to civilian life and continue a mundane career of their choice. However, they may be called upon during a crisis. Furthermore, the Superiors Guild receives priority assistance when a Civvy with skills in their mundane profession is required. E.g., a Superior blacksmith may be commissioned by the guild to craft metal ingots, or a Superior farmer may be commissioned to provide food produce.

Salary: None apart from the standard given to all guild members and commissions by the guild.

Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all.

Additional Requirements: None.

Enforcer

Members will be responsible for the disciplining, capture, and/or termination of errant Superiors. 

Salary: 100 - 300 gold per month. Dependent on Superior rank and level of experience. Additionally, Enforcers may earn extra rewards by completing bounties on wanted Superiors.

Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all with combat capabilities.

Additional Requirements: Must undergo rigorous training and evaluation from veteran Enforcers.

Freelancer

Members will work on a case by case basis and take on tasks available from all job roles so long as said Freelancer meets the requirements. Available assignments will be posted on a board in the Guild Hall or through an administrator. A Freelancer must complete at least one mission for the guild per month or face a penalty. Exceptions may be granted based upon review of mission difficulty, external interference, or physical and mental injuries.

Salary (Commission based): Dependent on rated difficulty of task. Large variance, see other job salaries for more information.

Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all.

Additional Requirements: Must gain experience by working in a team with other Freelancers for a minimum of six months with at least one veteran in the group.

Healer

Members will be responsible for treating the sick and injured. Healers will examine patients, diagnose illnesses or injuries, administer treatment, and provide counsel for a person’s health and well-being. This medical care is generally for (but not limited to) Superiors.

Salary: 100 - 1,500 gold per month. Dependent on level of medical expertise as deemed by evaluations, and threat level of surrounding area if assigned to a dangerous location.

Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all with healing or diagnosing capabilities. 

Additional Requirements: Must undergo evaluation from veteran Healers and receive further medical training if deemed necessary. Note: Priority will be given to individuals with a medical background or education.

Pathfinder

Members will be responsible for the exploration and mapping of uncharted territories. Pathfinders may also take note of enemy movements and locations, as well as monster habitats. This is not limited to Wildland areas and may include foreign hostile nations.

Salary (Commission Based): 50 - 1,000 gold per completed task. Dependent on rated difficulty of mission.

Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all with the exception of Exploder.

Additional Requirements: Must undergo rigorous training and evaluation.

Peacemaker

Members will be assigned to a specific location and given the task of maintaining peace and order for a provisional amount of time. The location could be a city, a district, a village, a building, or even a small encampment. Peacemaker duty includes (when possible) helping citizens in dire need, rescuing innocents, diverting natural disasters, as well as engaging criminals, rogues, and/or vigilantes. They may also be assigned as a bodyguard to a person or group.

Salary: 1 - 20 gold per day for standard pay, or up to 100 gold for VIP locations and person(s). Dependent on size of location or importance of protected person(s), and threat level of surrounding area.

Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all.

Additional Requirements: Must undergo brief training and evaluation.

Spook

Members are given the role of covert investigator. Spooks will take on a wide variety of roles, from the infiltration and surveyance of enemy structures to the execution of primary targets. They will be given clandestine missions upon which the sanctity of Arogard is paramount.

Salary (Commission Based): 100 - 5,000 gold per completed task. Dependent on rated difficulty of mission.

Permitted Power Class(es): Artificer, Controller, Diviner, Manipulator, Shifter, Spawner, Trickster, and/or Traveler.

Additional Requirements: Must undergo rigorous training specified for cloak-and-dagger operations.

Beast Tamer

Members will be responsible for the analysis and/or domestication of monsters when possible. Tamers may choose to work at a local Beast Menagerie or in controlled territories within the Wildlands.

Salary: 100 - 400 gold per month. Dependent on location and general threat level of monsters.

Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all.

Additional Requirements: Must undergo training and evaluation.

Vanguard

Members will be stationed near or on the edge of human territory, bordering monster domains. The goal of the Vanguard is to protect humanity, to prevent the hordes and incursions of deadly monsters from invading human lands. If deemed possible, it is the Vanguard's duty to tread onto monster soil and expand human dominion. It is a dangerous vocation, but a necessary one.

Salary: 200 - 1,000 gold per month. Dependent on threat level of surrounding area.

Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all with combat capabilities.

Additional Requirements: Must undergo brief training and evaluation.

Notes: 

Salary is additional earnings on top of the standard 50 gold per month given to all guild members. The Power Class - Physique - is not mentioned in the Permitted Power Class(es) section as it is considered redundant. Pay may increase depending on Superior rank: Newbie < Aspirant < Exemplar < Paragon Veterans refer to Superiors at the Exemplar or Paragon rank.

“Which one pays the most?” Dario asked after reading.

Miss Aimee tilted her bald head backwards and laughed. “Hahaha, really? They all pay well newbie. The more skilled you are or the more qualifications you meet, the more pay you get. It’s the same as any other job.”

“What about this one?” He pointed towards the Civvy job description. “This one doesn’t really pay anything apart from the standard fifty gold from membership. Why would anyone choose this option?”

Miss Aimee shrugged. “Some people prefer the normal life. Not every supe wants to be someone important or be part of Superior society. Sometimes people just want a regular, mundane existence. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Dario looked down and considered her words. He couldn’t ever see himself choosing that option since he despised living a normal life. He preferred the action and excitement that came from unusual and extraordinary situations. On the other hand, there were times where an idyllic lifestyle was appealing, but he felt like it didn’t really fit him.

“Why do people even join the guild if they just go back to being civilians?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Miss Aimee put her hands on her hips and tilted her head. “Apart from registration being mandatory for all supes, joining the guild gives you a free fifty gold per month.”

“True,” Dario conceded. “I’ve always wondered about that. What happens to supes who manifest and don’t register?” 

“Well, they’re either forced to register or risk being branded a vigilante or rogue. When that happens, they sic the enforcers on you.”

“Ah.” He had read the description of enforcers in the job contract and wouldn’t ever want to deal with them if it was up to him. “What is a vigilante or rogue anyways? I’ve heard the terms before from Bright Star but she never explained what they meant.”

“How typical of her.” Miss Aimee rolled her smokey amber-colored eyes. “Vigilantes are basically supes who take the law into their own hands without the backing or authority of the Superiors Guild. Rogues are just supes who use their powers for criminal activities. Both are bad, but rogues are seen as worse and receive harsher punishment.”

“Wait, what if someone doesn’t register and just continues living on as a normal civilian? Why would they be considered the same as vigilantes or rogues in that case?” Dario asked.

“Technically, by not registering, a supe can be considered as taking the law into their own hands since it’s required by law to register when you manifest,” she replied with a shrug. “That’s the reasoning at least.”

“Hm, that kind of reasoning sounds a bit flimsy and open for abuse, but what do I know.”

“It’s different in other kingdoms but that’s just how it is in Arogard,” Miss Aimee said indifferently.

Dario stayed silent for a quiet minute as he pondered his options.

Enforcer was out of the question since it didn’t sound very appealing, and how often was it that a Superior was killed anyways? It seemed like he wouldn’t receive much World Energy in that line of work. Vanguard seemed the obvious choice in advancing his class levels since there was an abundance of monsters to kill, but he wasn’t completely sure. It seemed like a big commitment and he felt like it was a choice that would consume a large portion of his life. He had to learn more.

“What about you?” he asked. “You’ve said before that you fought in the Wildlands, but you were also my examiner and I don’t see a job description for that. What did you choose?”

“Oh, I’m a Freelancer,” Miss Aimee replied, dramatically flexing her biceps. “I take whatever jobs I feel like, but I tend to choose the ones where I go out and fight. I was having a rest week and that’s why I happened to be your examiner a few days ago. There’s actually another job contract, but it’s only for administrators and guild staff responsible for running day-to-day operations. Examiner is actually one of those jobs, but it happened to be on the Freelancer board in the Guild Hall, so I decided to take it.”

“Freelancer, huh…” Dario muttered. Having the ability to pick and choose what job you wanted sounded very appealing.

“As a matter of fact, most newbies start off as freelancers,” Miss Aimee informed him. “It gives new supes the opportunity to try out different jobs and see what they like. After about a year or so, most newbies decide what they like and commit to that specific role. Me on the other hand, well, I’m more of a free spirit and chose to stick with freelancer.” She placed a finger on her chin and looked upward in thought. “In fact, a lot of experienced supes still are freelancers now that I think about it.” 

“Is it easy to switch between jobs if you don’t like it?” Dario asked.

“You’re given a year of mandatory service before you can switch, but if you submit a request and give good enough reasons, you can lessen the length of time,” Miss Aimee explained.

“A whole year?” Dario sighed. “Whatever, I’ll take Freelancer. I’d prefer the freedom to choose rather than be forced to one single thing. I can still just take the monster-killing jobs, right?”

“Correct,” she said.

“Good. It’s decided then.” Dario leaned down and wrote his signature on the required lines before he could change his mind. He then extended the papers over to the patiently waiting bald lady by his bed.

Miss Aimee proceeded to take out a similar set of papers from her briefcase and swapped them with the sheets in Dario’s hand.

“Here, take this.” She said as they switched. “Those are your copies of the contract.”

Dario looked down and was surprised to find his signatures on the new pieces of paper. “I never signed these. How come my signatures are on here?”

“It’s Linked Parchment,” Miss Aimee said, smirking. “What’s printed on one piece goes on the other. It was invented by an artificer a while back and is quite hard to make, so only we use it.”

“Ah, of course,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t know why I’m even surprised anymore.”

Miss Aimee packed her briefcase and turned to leave.

“Well, Mr. Sindred, you are now officially a member of the Superiors Guild and a Freelancer. Congratulations.”

“Woo hoo,” Dario said, lazily fist pumping the air. “When do I start? The contract said sometime within the month of signing, but it didn't go into anything specific.”

“That's because the Guild's more lenient on newcomers, so it's really up to you." She looked down in thought and pointed at his stump. "When do you think your foot will recover?”

“Umm.” He placed a hand under his chin. “I don’t know, maybe a week, maybe a month… I’m not too sure.”

“Either way, just start when you’re ready. Since I’m heading out for the Wildlands again, I’ll tell administration about your injury before I go, although they should already know by now.“ As she walked away, she paused and looked back. “By the way, you owe me for getting you your contract this early. Also, you better check in with the guild in the alloted month or you’ll make me look bad.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said dismissively. “I got it, check in with the guild or else you’ll spank me.”

Miss Aimee snorted and turned to leave the room. Before the imposing woman left, however, she swiftly grabbed a dagger from her hip and — without looking at him — flung it backwards. The sharp projectile whizzed through the air and pierced the pillow an inch next to his left ear.

“You better,” were her last words before leaving his line of sight. 

The room was silent as Dario stared at his reflection on the blade’s gleaming surface. “Damn,” he sighed as he pulled out the dagger, placing it on the desk next to him. It was always an experience dealing with women like that, but now that she was gone, he could finally relax. However, his sense of peace was disturbed not five minutes later when a scowling buxom redhead entered the room.

As soon as she saw him, she spoke up in a frosty voice, “Dario, what the hell?” 

“Oh, hi mum… what’s up?” He smiled nervously as she approached.

Today was just one alpha female to the next it seemed…