Soul of the Warrior

It was a strange thing. The climate shifted abruptly as Reivyn and the Imperial Army crossed over from Drallo to Wispan. He had never been to one of the borders of a region before, but he had suspected that it would be a more gradual shift. The ambient Mana in the environment was definitely higher in the Tier 3 Region at the border to the Tier 4 Region, but the weather and flora were like a line drawn in the sand.

It was clearly visible from a couple of miles away. The landscape was orange-brown all around, and in the distance was a green line. The landscape itself, the hills and elevation, didn't change abruptly, but the shift stood out in stark contrast.

The road leading to Wispan was well-paved all the way to the border, but there was another clear distinction once the road actually entered the higher Tier Region. It was clear that the highway was maintained by two different powers for the two different portions of it, and it was also clear that the base materials used were of completely different quality. The stones paving the highway on the Wispan side practically glowed when compared to what Reivyn had been traveling on up to this point.

I hadn't had a good example to clearly compare it to before, Reivyn idly thought, but now that I think about it, the quality of the highway in Drallo is exponentially higher than the ones in Garoq. A lot of the "highways" in Garoq had been dirt paths, and only the ones leading from major city to major city had been paved at all.

There was a guard post at the border on the highway, and soldiers dressed in similar, but not quite as high-quality armor as the soldiers in Kayzor's army, inspected the people traveling along the highway. The traveling pedestrians got out of the way of the Marching army, and the large gate that was closed to regular traffic was opened without question. Not only was the Imperial Army immediately recognized, but they had been expected, too.

There had always been something that bothered Reivyn about the immigration between Regions, and now that he was about to experience it personally for the first time, he finally decided to ask the question. He leaned over a bit and addressed Kefira with his inquiry.

"So, I understand that the immigration and emigration of the Regions are regulated, but why don't more people just go around the checkpoints? It's not like there's a wall or anything keeping people out, and it would make a lot of sense for people who live too far away from any checkpoints but close to the border to just hop over."

"Ahh, a lot of people who haven't actually made the journey have the same questions," Kefira said. "There's actually nothing that prevents people from doing so, and a lot of people actually do; however, there's a benefit for crossing over 'officially.'

"People who go through the checkpoint receive a Mana imprint, and that imprint can allow easier access to many things in the higher Tier Region. You came from a Tier 1 Region, and there are literally no lower Tiers than that, so they don't ever have to worry about such a thing. The Mana imprint can get you faster acceptance to a job, reduced rates of rent relative to those who don't have the imprint, and a fast track to gaining citizenship to the higher Tier Region.

"It's not strictly necessary to get the imprint, as all of those things can be gained through one's own hard work, regardless, but it makes it a lot easier. People moving up typically have a harder time competing for jobs and resources against the local residents, and getting faster admittance to a job and lower rates go a long way in easing that burden.

"Technically, you wouldn't have to go through the checkpoint to get your Mana imprint, because you've been accepted to the Magic Academy. All you would have to do is visit the Magic Academy in the capital, and upon proving you are who you say you are, you would get the imprint with the student ID. At that point, the imprint is superfluous, though, because the student ID of the Magic Academy provides a similar function, but to a higher degree.

"And last, but not least, your token as my Imperial Liaison is a couple of steps above even that, so it doesn't really matter if you go to the Magic Academy or go through the checkpoint officially. If you really want to go to the Magic Academy to further your studies, that can be arranged, but I have the power to send a missive about your appointment as my liaison and you'll automatically be considered a graduate of the Wispan Magic Academy with full honors."

"Wow, really? What do 'full honors' get me?" Reivyn asked. "And what about the people who are born here?"

"Having full honors means nothing much, at this point," Kefira shrugged, and Reivyn frowned. Kefira glanced at his face and chuckled. "It's actually the prerequisite step to seeking employment with the Imperial Family for those that do so the normal way, thus the automatic designation for your case.

"As for the local-born populace, they receive the Mana imprint from the environment while being nurtured by the local Mana in the womb. For those mothers that have traveled outside of their native Region, their own Mana imprint will do the same thing, but it will draw upon their Mana instead of doing so naturally. It's not any different from the one that you'll receive artificially, so people can't distinguish whether you're a local or not from the imprint alone."

"Ahh, I see. That's interesting."

"So you probably have the Tier 4 Mana imprint from your parents' empire," Kefira gave him a sideways glance.

"Will that be a problem?" Reivyn asked.

"No. The Mana imprint for Wispan will just add itself to yours. For anyone in Wispan, it will appear as if you have our Mana imprint, and if you ever return to your parents' empire, it will appear as if you have theirs. Mana imprints aren't mutually exclusive."

"Oh, that would explain why I never got any weird looks or had any trouble while in Drallo," Reivyn had an epiphany. "My inherent Mana imprint appeared as if I was from a higher Tier Region. How do people check that, though? Not everyone is Tier 4 or born with access to Mana."

"There are magic devices used at the more prominent establishments. Not all of them have them, but high-end realtors and businesses definitely do."

Reivyn had been feeling the uptick in the ambient Mana as they had drawn closer to the border, but as soon as they crossed over the demarcation into Wispan, the increase in density hit him in the face. It was magnitudes higher than even what it was a couple of steps behind him in the Tier 3 Region. He couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like to step into a Tier 5 or 6 Region.

It's not that the Mana gradually increases in density as we get closer to the Tier 4 Region, Reivyn realized. It's that the Mana is so much higher in the Tier 4 Region that the little bit that leaks out has a noticeable effect. I guess it makes sense that the guards manning the checkpoint are all on the Tier 4 side of the border.

He hadn't really paid attention to the fact until he experienced the difference, but now that it was so obvious, it was clear that there were zero people guarding the border on the actual Tier 3 side. The emigration from the Tier 4 Region wasn't nearly as regulated as the immigration to it, so there weren't even any guards watching those that were leaving.

I'm not sure about their stance on guarding against fleeing criminals, but either the crime rate is low enough that it's not an issue, or they have other systems in place to account for it.

"Should I go ahead and take a minute to hop over to the guard post to get the Mana imprint?" Reivyn asked. "I know you said it's not necessary, but there might be some questions if people see my insignia but I don't have the Mana imprint, especially at my age. I'm not old enough to look like I've lived long enough to gain citizenship to qualify for the things you've described through my own hard work."

"It couldn't hurt," Kefira nodded her head. "Seeing you come from within the ranks of the Imperial Army would also expedite the process, so it shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. Your insignia, aside from being proof of qualifications in and of itself, also contains your merit points and technical achievement of acting as an Imperial officer in the Imperial Army for the expedition."

"Alright, I'll be back in a minute, then," Reivyn said, steering his horse to the side to angle towards a horse post outside the guard house.

Several of the soldiers manning the checkpoint watched him approach, not knowing what he could want from them. He had been part of the column of the Imperial Army, and his physical position among the ranks had been close to the command staff, but he wasn't dressed in the armor or uniform of one of its soldiers. He was just in clothes that he had acquired while in Oreck. They were high quality, but they weren't indicative of a military officer or Wispan nobleman.

"What can we help you with, sir?" One of the soldiers approached as Reivyn tied the reins to the post. He seemed apprehensive about how he should address Reivyn, and he had just defaulted to calling him 'sir.'

Reivyn turned so that the Imperial Liaison insignia was prominent on his chest, and he smiled at the inquiring soldier. The man's eyes nearly popped out of his head when they landed on the insignia.

"I need help getting the Mana Imprint," Reivyn explained. "I would like to avoid any unnecessary confusion in the future when people think there's a discrepancy between having this insignia but not having the Mana imprint."

"Of course, my lord," the soldier bowed. "If you'll follow me into the guardhouse, I'll notify the Captain, and he can handle the procedure personally."

Reivyn wasn't entirely clear on all the protocols and etiquette for the Imperial Army and the nobles of Wispan, but it would appear that the soldier had judged that he wasn't an officer in the army and thus didn't warrant a salute. He also wasn't some random person, though, and he had a direct affiliation with a member of the Imperial Family. Even if he wasn't born of Wispan noble blood, he was definitely higher on the totem pole than any of the soldiers on the border.

He didn't have to wait long until a man with the captain's insignia on his uniform came rushing into the building. He wasn't dressed in armor like the rest of the soldiers on duty, but Reivyn could tell that he hadn't hastily put his uniform on, either. He had been dressed appropriately the whole time.

Not sure if he's a stickler for propriety, or if he wasn't taking any chances with Kayzor's army unit passing through his checkpoint, Reivyn thought.

The man ran up in front of Reivyn and sketched a hasty, though proper, bow.

"I've been informed about your request, my lord, and I'll be more than happy to get right on it for you," the Captain said.

Reivyn unpinned his insignia and handed it to the startled man. The Captain held it in two hands like it was a precious gem that would shatter if he dropped it.

"Let's make sure all of the proper procedures are followed," Reivyn said. "You can access the relevant information for my qualifications with the insignia."

The insignia was obviously more than just a rank emblem. It acted much like his Adventurer's Guild and Academy tokens had. One could use a magic device intended to do so to link up with it and extract the information magically contained within. All of that information had already been uploaded to the insignia before Major Dobrik had ever handed it over to him.

"Right away, my lord," the Captain rushed around the counter as some of the other soldiers watched on with wide eyes.

It hadn't been publicized to the others present who Reivyn was, but some of the more observant soldiers had gotten a look at the insignia that Reivyn had passed over and their postures had immediately straightened until Reivyn was sure he could throw them like a javelin.

The Captain didn't have to wait for anyone else to get done with the inspection of qualifications, and he immediately got to work on properly recording everything. It only took a couple of minutes to make sure everything was in order, and he gestured for Reivyn to step on an obvious Magic Rune to the side of the counter in the spacious room.

"If you'll stand there, my lord, the imprint will only take a moment of your time."

Reivyn nodded his head and stood where he was instructed to. He casually inspected the Rune on the ground, and at a glance, he could tell that it was leagues less complicated than the giant one Aeriella had constructed around the desolate sands.

The Runes lit up with blue Mana, and after shining for a bit, seeming to do nothing, they coalesced around Reivyn and seemed to settle into his skin. He didn't feel any different when the lights finally went out, but the captain began to check over the magic device connected to the Runes in a panic. Reivyn looked over and could see the sweat beading his brow from where he stood.

"Is there a problem, Captain?" Reivyn called over.

"Uh, not so much a problem, my lord," he replied. "It just shouldn't have been so quick. I'm double-checking that everything worked properly."

"Oh, it probably has something to do with the fact that my Mana imprint is from another Tier 4 Region."

Looks of understanding washed over all of the soldiers present, including the captain.

"Aha, yes, that would do it," the captain visibly relaxed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Instead of having to have the entire amount of Mana infused into your aura, it's like adding an additional stamp to it. That makes perfect sense, my lord."

The captain came back around the counter and gingerly handed the insignia back to Reivyn. Reivyn immediately returned it to the position of being pinned to his chest.

"Is there anything else I can assist you with, my lord?" The captain asked.

"Nope, that's everything," Reivyn shook his head. "You've been a great help, and you run a tight crew, Captain."

"Thank you, my lord." The captain bowed once more as Reivyn gave a little wave before departing.

He retrieved his horse, and it didn't take long before he returned to Kefira's side in the column of soldiers. Even though they were high Level and could move at a very quick pace, they were still a huge military column that would take time to get anywhere.

"Everything done already?" Kefira asked.

"Yep, no problems," Reivyn answered. "It seems I did have a Tier 4 Mana imprint already, and the Runic Spell didn't need nearly as much time infusing the Mana into my aura as it would normally take because of it."

"Ahh, I should have thought of that. I've never had to deal with such things before, so I didn't know that was a thing."

The two lapsed back into a companionable silence, and the day drew on as they continued their advance into the interior of the Region. The Mana density didn't noticeably increase the further in they headed, but Reivyn suspected the capital city would be somewhere close to a Tier 5 border if they had one touching the Region.

Not all of the Regions in the Realm directly connected to a higher or lower Tier Region on their borders, though it was incredibly unusual for one to skip a Tier at their border. It did happen occasionally, but the vast majority of those instances were at a corner border where three or more different Tiers met at a point. Reivyn had only briefly learned about such occurrences while in the Academy, but they were apparently home to many unusual natural treasures that you couldn't find in even higher Tier Regions.

I wonder if there are places where all of the different Tier Regions connect at a point, Reivyn thought as he recalled the information. If such a place exists, it's likely somewhere deep in the ocean. There's much more area - or would it be volume? - for such a thing to occur in a three-dimensional environment. Considering the size of the Realm, there has to be, and I would bet those are the single most dangerous places in the Realm.

That was an issue for another day, as Reivyn didn't have any inclination or reason to search out such an environment any time soon. He wasn't even ready to delve into a Tier 5 Region on an expedition for natural treasures and resources, much less a more dangerous locale.

Reivyn took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, marveling at the sheer amount of Mana floating about in the air. With his Sense Mana and Mana Sight Skills, he could see that it permeated the ground to a high degree, as well, and his Divine Sense Skill let him know that it penetrated at least as far as his Senses could perceive down, too.

"Ahh, the air is so fresh," Reivyn exclaimed. "My mother told me that there's double the amount of natural treasure in each ascending Tier Region, and I can believe it with this amount of Mana density. I'm surprised that it's not actually more, to be honest."

"It is more," Kefira said. Reivyn looked over with a questioning expression. "The amount of natural resources matching the Tier of the Region is double for each ascending Tier, but each Region also contains the natural treasures that can be found in the lower Tier Regions as well.

"If you'll look off into the distance, over there," Kefira pointed to a forest in the distance, "you'll find that the most mundane tree you can find in that forest would be considered a natural treasure in a Tier 1 Region. Even the grass beneath our feet is so high in Mana density as to be considered a natural treasure in a Tier 1 Region.

"That isn't to say they have the inherent properties of a natural treasure, though. They just have the Mana for it. Supermundane things like those would never be exported as natural treasures, though, unless they were on a corner border. There's no reason to send such things down to one Tier below, as they have plenty enough for their own needs that they can find in their own Region."

"I can see that," Reivyn said. "Why waste time on sending regular resources down with a higher Mana density when you could focus on trading real treasures? It's all about opportunity cost and subjective value."

"Are you educated in economics?" Kefira seemed genuinely surprised. It didn't seem to fit his circumstances.

"I'm a layman, but I know more than someone who knows nothing," Reivyn shrugged. "My parents were going to teach me more about those kinds of topics over the years, but that kind of got sidelined."

"Well, if you're ever interested in self-study of a topic that interests you, with your Imperial Liaison insignia, you have access to both the Magic Academy Library and the Imperial Library. Most young men in the capital spend their time on different forms of entertainment, though."

"Oh, like what?" Reivyn asked.

"There's the Striker's Guild," Kefira answered after some thought, tapping her lip. "It's unarmed combat, and it's much less brutal than the Arena. There's much less blood and death involved, and one's team is just as important as the strength of the individual combatant.

"There's a lot more strategy involved, and a young man courting a young woman would usually be much more inclined to take her there instead of the Arena. There's an entire industry built around analyzing and strategizing matchups."

"That definitely sounds like something I'd like to check out sometime," Reivyn said. "And I'm a young man courting a young woman..."

"Sure, I'll take you some time. Would that be considered you courting me, or me courting you, though?" Kefira gave Reivyn a wink.

"Doesn't matter much to me," Reivyn shrugged.