Liam and Tomlin pushed through the heavy wooden doors of the Hunter Guild, stepping into a chaos of noise and color. The great hall was packed with adventurers preparing for quests: a burly man sharpening an axe, two lanky hunters comparing maps, children running with pretend swords. Tables were piled high with forms, banners announcing bounties, and the smell of spiced ale wafted from a corner tavern stand. Sunlight streamed in through stained glass windows, casting patterns on dust motes that danced lazily in the golden light.
Tomlin clapped Liam on the shoulder, eyes shining. "We made it, Li! We're really here." His voice boomed across the room. "First stop: registration. Then we conquer the world!" Liam smiled at his friend's excitement, trying to absorb the scene. Tomlin nearly tripped over a crate as he bounced toward the far end of the hall where a reception desk stood. Liam chuckled and steadied him with an arm. "Here we go," Liam said quietly with a grin.
At the desk, a short woman with tight brown hair surveyed the rookies with a no-nonsense glare. She crossed her arms as Tomlin began to introduce them. "Names and previous experience, quickly," she said briskly. Tomlin puffed out his chest. "Tomlin the name, raised a wild boar, slayed a cave troll single-handedly — you name it, I did it." The receptionist's lips twitched, betraying amusement beneath her stern facade.
Liam stepped forward to speak, matching the clerk's tone. "We're just apprentices, ma'am. First time at a real guild. We have no rank yet." He used his subtle magic – the Eye of the Abyss – just for a heartbeat, focusing on the receptionist's aura. His vision flickered: a dim thread of tired frustration, not anger. With that insight, Liam softened his approach. "Thank you for your patience. We're eager to learn," he said gently.
The receptionist's frown eased slightly at Liam's honest tone. She slid over two forms. "Fill these out. Bronze-rank evaluation happens every morning. Pass that, you earn your tags. Fail it, and you wait a week to try again." She eyed Tomlin skeptically when he tried to charm her with another tall tale about fighting bandits on the road. Liam gave his friend a discreet nod and a small shake of his head, and Tomlin shut up, flushing.
Soon enough, the receptionist stamped their forms with the guild's crest. "Good. Bronze exam is in twenty minutes. If you're late, you start tomorrow." Tomlin stood up a little too straight, proudly holding the rolled parchment of their registration papers. Liam smirked and bumped shoulders with him.
Outside the guild doors, the city's bustle felt distant. Liam took a deep breath of the cool morning air and smiled at Tomlin. "Ready for the evaluation, partner?" Tomlin grinned back, eyes bright with excitement. "After you, Li," he said, nudging Liam playfully toward the training yard behind the hall.
All that mattered was earning their place as hunters at the guild they had dreamed of joining.