The walk to town has me mentally exhausted. To get me to practice and drill into me the proper shape of the earth arrow spell Sif created targets the size of an average human’s torso for me to fire on the entire trip. At first there was just one, and it was stationary in the distance while we moved towards it. Then she started placing them by the side, still stationary but its position to us changed rapidly. That was still ok, but then she started moving them and it felt like my effort on hitting stationary targets was all for nothing. Luckily for me, I have my sword which only required me to hit the target a few times to learn the correct way to aim. But it wasn’t over yet, oh no. Because Claire had to emphasize how it's best to have multiple arrows ready (which I have to admit makes sense) we repeated the single target steps, but had me firing at multiple targets at a time, adding an additional target each time I manage to consistently hit the current ones.

When we finally see a town in the distance I cheer, shooting off the last of my earth arrows. Since we don’t want to draw attention, no more practice while walking, so I finally get to relax. While we walk towards a gate following Claire’s lead, she explains to us, “So when we get inside, just say that we are sisters, Robin. It will make it easier on everyone. When they ask why we are here and where we are from, all of you can just say that you decided to leave the Spirit Mountain and register as adventurers. Since we are pretty isolated up there, you’ll be able to get in just fine.” 

Lyn chimes in, surprising the rest of us, “Well, I actually already am registered as an adventurer. Since I wandered so much, it only made sense to have one of those IDs.” She laughs as she remembers something, “At first during the chaos of the Empire falling there were no identification checks at all, but eventually it became hard to travel and continue the search for someone who can help Master. I got chased around quite a lot when IDs started being required by the newly formed kingdoms. Then I had to go register for new ones after a bit too, because the first time they saw how old I was they were all ‘Oh my GOD YOU’RE ANCIENT! HERESY!’ That never needed to happen again.”

Claire, curious, asks, “Just wondering, but does your card say now?”

Grinning smugly, Lyn brags, “Behold, I am the highest rank, Mythril! No worries about being denied anything while I am around!”

Claire raises an eyebrow, “And what happened to not drawing attention? How do you fake your mana signature to make new ‘people’ to be, because you might need to make a new one now?”

Lyn indignantly replies, “But why would I need to do that now! The only thing that comes with rank is letting us be able to take higher requests, along with a little bit of privileges.”

“Maybe when you are alone, but we’re all together right now and any new people who register with a Mythril ranker will be heavily observed, and maybe even taken advantage of to manipulate the high ranker,” Claire refutes.

Sighing, Lyn submits, “Fiiine, I guess it’s time for the mysterious Lady of Lightning to disappear again.” 

“Woah, you mean to say the consecutive Ladies of Lightning were all you!?” Claire shouts in excitement.

Her ego restored, Lyn raises her head and continues to brag, “Of course! It made it so much easier to appear as a slightly different person, claiming I was trained as the new Lady of Lightning. After demonstrating the same power with each successive incarnation, the guild just lets me be!”

Seeing my blank look, Claire explains to me, “There are very few Mythril rankers, the strongest differing from time to time, but the most mysterious and well known is the Lady of Lightning. Since the beginning of the Adventurer’s Guild there has always been a mythril ranker whose name was never known, only being given the title the Lady of Lightning. No one ever sees her face, only seeing her awesome lightning infused martial arts and famous purple robes. Normally the guild has examiners accompany people for rank up missions and combat tests, but she is the only special case, as the next generation always appears with the proof of subjugation of several mythril class targets. After the first few hundred years, the legend states that no examiner, or team for that matter, wanted to volunteer to be sacrificed for her rank exam. Nobody tries to impersonate her as well, because she requested her card to have two mana identifiers, one for her personal wavelength and one for the lightning arts she practices.” 

Gazing at Lyn, who has her nose high in the sky with pride, Claire adds with a tinge of worship, “Well, not that no one has tried, but every fool who has tried has been publicly electrocuted to death by the real one. She is an inspiration to all us female adventurers, proof that we can stand with the best and be powerful on our own.”

“My greatness aside, you are right, I shouldn’t use that old card anyways. Now that I am properly named, I will register without having to hide anything!” Turning to me, she continues, “I am proud to be your Lyn, Master, so it’s time for the mysterious lady to disappear for now. I can always dress up if needed later!”

Finally able to get in a word, I ask, “So will any of you explain what ranks are, and why they are important? You know, for more than just Lyn’s ego.”

Claire and Lyn both laugh, before responding in unison, “They’ll explain at the guild.”

Laughing again, Lyn states, “Since we’re so close, we might as well let the guild describe it, they give the lecture to all new adventurer’s so no point saying all the stuff here. And that way you can just ask the receptionist if you have any questions and get a real answer.” 

Finally we make it to the shut gate, though fortunately the portcullis is not down. In the fortified wooden gate is a smaller, human sized door which we let Claire take the lead to approach and knock. 

We hear the clatter of something dropping, before a small slit slides open, revealing just the eyes of a young soldier. “Who are you? Why are you approaching from the rear gate?”

Claire replies calmly, “I am Claire, an adventurer returning from the Spirit Mountain Festival. I am traveling with my sister and friends who wish to register as adventurers.”

Sounding flustered, the young man rapidly spits out, “But this is the rear gate, you could have just gone around to the front. What are you trying to do by approaching this gate? What are you hiding?!”

Still calm, Claire answers, “I wasn’t aware of such a rule when I left, and I left by this gate. I have my adventurer card I can submit for verification.”

The young man hesitates, looking frustrated he starts to speak but is interrupted by an older, stern voice, “Hugh, what’s got you shouting?” The young man shuts the window, and I can make out some muffled arguing before the window opens, this time revealing the eyes of an older guard.

Upon seeing Claire, recognition dawns in his eyes, “Oh, if it isn’t the lady mage, welcome back. Present your card and wait for verification please.”

She hands him a card she had readied from her pack, before the window is shut again. Turning to us she explains, “Standard procedure to enter big cities, especially border cities like this. They will take the card and have a device read its mana signature to make sure it's authentic, which may take a few moments depending on how well they take care of the device.” 

Soon after she finishes explaining, we hear the clang of locks and the grating of wood as the door is unlocked and unbarred. Opening the door, the older soldier, probably in his 60s welcomes us, “Welcome to our city, Mountain Gate. Sorry about Hugh, he is new and lazy. He was assigned here because he kept slacking off at the front gate. Seeing by how I found his sword and spear lying on the floor, you probably woke him up from a nap. Now I know the lady mage already knows, but you will need to get some form of registration to travel in the Theocracy. Normally there would be a small fee for entering, but considering that idiot Hugh disrespected a mage, we will waive it today.”

Thanking him, we start to follow Claire when the guard warns us, “Do be careful, Hugh is the third son of a wealthy merchant, and is a stupid yet spiteful thing. We never have evidence, but bad things tend to happen to people who upset him. No deaths or there would have been an investigation, but he may pay someone to steal from you or beat you up. I only ask that you report to the guard if something does happen.” 

That certainly is concerning. All for waking him up from a nap when he is supposed to be working? 

Claire responds coldly, “No need to worry for us sir. If he does try anything he will find us more than a match for whatever thug he can send our way. Come along girls, let's get you registered today.”

A petty son of a merchant huh. Stupidly enough, don’t care about what trouble he might do, I am with some pretty capable people. No, I just care about getting to the guild!