The caravan moved steadily forward, the rhythmic creaking of the wagons blending with the clip-clop of hooves against the dust-covered road. I could feel the dust settle in the air, the slow march of the caravan giving me plenty of time to think—or maybe overthink.

  Maya, Olivia, Caleb, and I had settled into our roles as guards, but the monotony of the road left us with nothing but the occasional patrol and evenings by the fire to break the silence. That’s when the real conversations happened.

  One evening, I finally broke the quiet. “So, what’s the plan when we reach the capital?” I asked, my voice cutting through the night.

  Caleb, always practical, looked up from his fire and shrugged. “First thing, we’ll need to secure some income. The pay from this job won’t last long, and the city won’t be cheap.”

  Olivia nodded, thoughtfully poking the fire with a stick. “True. But finding work might not be so straightforward. We don’t exactly have credentials—or any clear idea of what skills matter here. Maybe we stick with what we know? More guard work? Maybe even join another caravan?”

  Maya leaned forward, her face serious. “Sure, but what about the bigger question? Why are we here? What’s the point of all this?”

  The group fell quiet. My mind, like everyone else’s, started to drift toward thoughts I didn’t want to have.

  The silence stretched until the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the road. That’s when we crested a hill, and the capital came into view. For a moment, all conversation stopped. We all stared in awe.

  The city sprawled out before us, encircled by towering stone walls. The buildings inside varied, some grand with spires and colorful banners fluttering in the breeze, while others were more modest and utilitarian.

  As we descended toward the gates, the city came alive with noise—the shouts of merchants, the hum of crowds, and the sharp clang of a blacksmith’s hammer in the distance.

  When we reached the gates, the guards waved Doran through with barely a second glance, exchanging a few quiet words. It was obvious that Doran was a regular here. We exchanged glances as we passed into the city, feeling a mix of awe and nervous anticipation.

  Inside the city, the streets buzzed with energy, a chaotic mix of color and movement. Market stalls crowded the roads, bursting with an array of goods—food, clothes, trinkets, and countless other things I couldn’t even identify. Armored warriors moved past robed scholars, their garments adorned with arcane symbols. The sheer diversity of people and the sounds of the city were overwhelming and exciting at the same time.

  Doran led us into the warehouse district, and we came to a stop in front of a sturdy stone building. Workers hurried about, unloading crates and barrels with practiced efficiency. The noise around us—laughter, shouting, the clink of metal—seemed to pulse with the rhythm of the city.

  As we dismounted, Doran waved us over. His sharp eyes scanned the wagons before landing on us. “You’ve done good work,” he said gruffly, reaching into his coin pouch. He handed each of us a small stack of silver coins—five for each day of the journey, and a bit more as a bonus for making sure the caravan arrived safely.

  “Keep the gear and bedrolls I gave you,” Doran added, his tone softening a bit. “You’ll need them, especially if you’re planning to stick around the capital. Gear like that doesn’t come cheap.”

  I accepted the payment, nodding at Doran’s words. “Thanks, Doran. For everything,” I said, glancing at the others. They nodded in agreement.

  “Now, if you’ve got any sense, head to the adventurer’s guild,” Doran suggested, pointing toward the heart of the city. “Plenty of work there for folks like you—people who can handle themselves.”

  We nodded back at him, and he turned his attention back to directing the workers unloading the wagons. For a moment, we all stood there, taking in the scene around us. The warehouse district was alive with noise and movement. Merchants shouted over the din, trying to strike deals, while workers hauled crates and carts rumbled over cobblestone streets. The contrast to the quiet wilderness we’d grown used to was jarring, but there was something electric about the energy of the city.

  Olivia finally broke the silence, her eyes scanning the area. “Well, we’ve officially arrived.”

  Caleb adjusted the bow slung over his shoulder. “Now we figure out what comes next.”

  We decided to find a place to stay first. The bustling streets were lined with shops, inns, and taverns, but after asking directions we eventually found a small, affordable inn tucked away on a quieter street. The sign above the door read The Lantern’s Glow, its painted letters faded but still welcoming. Inside, the warm glow of lanterns illuminated the wooden beams overhead, and the hearty smell of stew wafted through the air.

  As they approached the innkeeper, Caleb spoke up. “We should share a room. It’ll save us money.”

  Maya smirked as she shot a teasing glance at everyone. “Just don’t snore too loudly.”

  I chuckled. “No promises.”

  Pooling our coins together, we paid for a small room.

  We climbed the narrow stairs to our rented room, the wooden steps creaking under our weight. The room was modest—two bunk beds against opposite walls, with a single window letting in the fading afternoon light. It wasn’t much, but it would do for the night.

  As we set down our gear, I suddenly felt a faint tingling sensation. Without warning, a glowing notification appeared in my vision:

  “Do you wish to bind your respawn point to this location?”

  I blinked, surprised by the prompt. I looked over at the others, and judging by their confused expressions, they had seen it too.

  “What is this?” Maya asked, furrowing her brow. “Binding point?”

  Olivia tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. “Maybe it means if something happens to us, we’ll... reappear here?”

  Caleb seemed to think it over for a moment. “It makes sense. An anchor point. A safe spot. Considering we’re new to the city, having this place as a fallback could be smart.”

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  I hesitated, rubbing my chin. “We’ve only rented the room for one night. What happens if we bind here and someone else rents it next? Do we just... show up in their room?”

  Maya raised an eyebrow. “That could get awkward fast. Imagine popping in while someone’s sleeping—or worse.”

  Olivia chuckled but quickly sobered. “It’s a valid point. If we can only bind to places we’ve secured, then we’d better think long-term. This might work for now, but we’ll need to find something more permanent—or at least a place we can afford for a while.”

  Ethan nodded thoughtfully. After a moment’s pause, he added, “I think we should bind here for now. If something happens, it’s still better than being stranded somewhere dangerous.”

  One by one, they each selected "Yes" mentally. A faint shimmer of light flickered around them as the action was confirmed. The room felt a little more secure now, but the conversation still left a lingering unease in the air.

  With their binding points set, they finished unloading their gear and discussed their next steps. After grabbing a quick meal of stew and bread downstairs, they prepared to head back out to the guild, eager to find work.

  “Let’s figure out where this adventurer’s guild is,” Ethan suggested. Remembering Doran’s mention of the guild, they asked the bartender for directions.

  The grizzled man behind the counter, busy polishing a glass, raised an eyebrow at their question. “New in town, are you?”

  “You could say that,” Ethan replied.

  The bartender chuckled, setting the glass down. “Guild hall’s easy to find. Head out the door and take the main road to the central square. You’ll see a big fountain with a bronze griffin in the middle—can’t miss it. Turn left there and follow the street until you see a stone building with statues out front. That’s your place.”

  “Thanks,” Olivia said, leaning on the counter. “Anything else we should know?”

  “Guild’s busy this time of day,” the bartender replied with a shrug. “If you’re looking for work, check the quest board. But don’t expect the easy jobs to stick around long.”

  Caleb gave a polite nod. “Appreciate the help.”

  Back on the streets, they followed the bartender’s directions. The bustling city revealed more of its character as they walked—market stalls with shouting merchants, blacksmiths hammering at their forges, and a mix of townsfolk and adventurers moving with purpose.

  When they reached the fountain, its bronze griffin gleaming in the sunlight, Maya pointed down the left street. “This way.”

  The adventurer’s guild hall loomed at the end of the road, a grand structure with massive wooden doors flanked by imposing stone statues of warriors and mages.

  Ethan stepped forward and pushed open one of the heavy doors. Inside, the hall was a hive of activity. Adventurers filled the space, some exchanging stories around tables, others studying the quest board. Clerks at the front desk worked with practiced efficiency, processing paperwork and payments.

  The group approached the desk, where a sharp-eyed clerk greeted them. “Looking to register?” she asked briskly.

  "Yes," Olivia said. "As a group."

  The clerk nodded and handed us forms to fill out. She went on to explain the guild's rules—there would be a small fee taken from the rewards of any quests we completed, but in exchange, we'd have access to the guild's resources: a shop, training grounds, and library.

  Once we were registered, we turned our attention to the quest board. It was covered in parchment, each sheet offering a different quest with its own risks, rewards, and time estimates. I scanned the list, trying to make sense of the options.

  Gathering Herbs: Collect medicinal plants from the nearby forest.

  Payment: Variable, depending on the quantity, quality, and type of herbs. High-value herbs could fetch up to 40 silver coins.

  Duration: 1-2 days.

  Risk: Low.

  Missing Merchant: Investigate the disappearance of a local trader who was last seen traveling north.

  Payment: 75 silver coins, with a bonus if the merchant is found alive.

  Duration: 3-4 days.

  Risk: Moderate.

  Goblin Den: Eliminate a group of goblins causing trouble in the hills.

  Payment: 60 silver coins base, plus 8 silver coins per goblin killed.

  Duration: 2-3 days.

  Risk: High.

  Delivery Task: Escort goods safely to a neighboring town.

  Payment: 50 silver coins, with a bonus for timely delivery.

  Duration: 2-3 days.

  Risk: Moderate.

  Maya immediately pointed at the goblin quest. "This one's the most rewarding. A base payment plus per-goblin bonuses. It’s combat experience and good money."

  I hesitated, furrowing my brows in concern. "It’s high-risk, Maya. We haven’t really tested our teamwork yet. The herb quest is low-risk and would let us figure out how to work together first."

  Maya crossed her arms, her tone firm. "We need to take risks if we want to grow. Goblins aren’t the most dangerous creatures, and it’s a chance to sharpen our skills. Besides, we don't even know which herbs are valuable or how to harvest them."

  Olivia studied the missing merchant quest, tilting her head thoughtfully. "Finding the merchant could be useful in more ways than one. If he’s alive, he might know something about this world. It could give us valuable information."

  Caleb, ever cautious, pointed to the delivery task. "It’s steady work with manageable risk. Plus, it’s a straightforward job—escort the goods and get paid. No surprises."

  The debate went back and forth, each of us presenting our reasoning. Maya pushed for the goblin quest, while Caleb and I leaned toward safer options. Olivia wavered, weighing the potential of both combat experience and gaining useful knowledge.

  Eventually, we agreed on the goblin quest. The chance to develop our skills, earn money, and gain respect within the guild outweighed the risks.

  We gathered in a quiet corner of the guild hall to discuss our next steps. Our pile of coins wasn’t much after paying for the room and meals, but it would have to be enough.

  “We need to think carefully about what we buy,” I said, glancing around the group. “Before we spend a single coin, let’s figure out our roles.”

  Maya crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. "I’m best up close. My speed and agility let me dodge attacks and strike fast. If we're talking roles, I'd say I’m the frontline fighter."

  Caleb nodded, tapping his quiver. "I prefer to stay at a distance, but I can scout ahead to warn us about dangers before they get too close."

  "I’ll take on support," Olivia said, her voice calm. "Healing, strategy, keeping us organized—that’s what I’m good at. But I’ll need supplies to make that work."

  “And I’ll be on the front line too,” I added, hold up my spear. “I can hold my own. However, I’m not that interested in being a fighter as a class. I’d rather focus on crafting.”

  The group nodded, and there was a brief pause as each of us considered our roles in the team. With our roles clear, we gathered our coins and made our way to the guild’s shop.

  The small room was cramped but well-stocked. Shelves lined the walls, each one filled with weapons, armor, tools, and other supplies. Everything was carefully labeled with its price, and the sound of shuffling feet and soft murmurs filled the space as other adventurers debated over their own purchases.

  We quickly realized how quickly our silver would disappear. Each purchase was carefully debated, making sure every coin was spent wisely:

  I upgraded my spear to one with better balance and durability, my fingers tracing the smooth shaft as I tested the weight.

  Maya picked up a pair of lightweight leather bracers and a matching chest guard. It wasn’t full coverage, but it was better than what she had from Doran. The added protection wouldn’t hinder her agility, and that made it worth the silver.

  Olivia grabbed a basic healing kit, filled with bandages, salves, and a few medicinal herbs. It was an investment in our survival, ensuring that we could heal up quickly if anything went wrong.

  Caleb restocked his arrows, adding a quiver’s worth to his gear. He considered purchasing a map of the region, but when we compared it to the map that Mayor Thomas had given me and Maya we decided that the added detail wasn’t worth the coin.

  With the remaining funds, we bought a cooking pot and ladle, some spices, and a stash of dried fruit. Fortunately, the healing kit, cooking gear, and food all fit into the satchel Mayor Thomas had given us.

  “Let’s hope our first quest pays well,” I said, slinging the satchel over my shoulder. “We’re going to need it.”

  Maya smirked. “First goblins, then who knows? Maybe we’ll save the world.”

  Olivia grinned. “Let’s focus on surviving first.”