As the night stretched on and the food dwindled, the debate over their guild name continued.

  “The Phantom Strikers?” Kaja suggested.

  “No,” Rei and Eryan said at the same time.

  “The Shadow Fangs,” Rika tried.

  “Too edgy,” Kaja replied.

  Regulus crossed his arms. “Hmph. I still think The Golden Kings had a certain royal fir.”

  Rika rolled her eyes. “We’re not calling ourselves The Golden Anything.”

  Rei sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Maybe we’re overthinking it. A guild name should feel natural, not forced.”

  Kaja snapped his fingers. “That’s it! Something natural!”

  The others turned to him.

  He grinned. “We all come from different pces, but we ended up here, forming a guild together. Like… like threads weaving into a single rope.”

  Eryan blinked. “You’re saying we should be called… The Rope?”

  Kaja flushed. “No! I meant—uh—something like… The Bound Fate?”

  Rei frowned. “That sounds like a tragic novel.”

  Regulus gasped. “Bound Fate… A name that suggests destiny itself has united us! A tale of heroes, written in the stars!” He smmed a fist on the table. “I approve!”

  Rika tapped her fingers against the wooden table, considering it. “…It does sound kinda cool.”

  Eryan gave a small nod. “It’s acceptable.”

  Rei sighed. “I guess we’re going with Bound Fate, then.”

  Kaja beamed. “Then it’s settled!” He held out a hand. “From this day forward, we are officially a guild.”

  The others hesitated for only a second before stacking their hands on top of his. Even Rei, despite himself, joined in.

  As their hands rested together, there was a quiet moment of realization. This wasn’t just a random gathering of knights-in-training anymore.

  They were a team.

  A guild.

  Bound Fate.

  Rika grinned. “Well then, Bound Fate, when are we checking out that dungeon?”

  Rei groaned. He really should have seen that coming.

  The others just ughed as the night carried on.

  After their hands broke apart, the group sat in silence for a moment, letting the weight of it sink in. They were officially a guild now.

  “Well,” Rika finally said, stretching her arms behind her head, “this has been fun, but I’m heading out. Gotta find a pce to crash.”

  Regulus pced a hand on his chest. “Ah, yes! A good night’s rest is crucial for a warrior of my stature.”

  Eryan simply nodded and stood up, adjusting her cloak. “Tomorrow, then.”

  One by one, they went their separate ways, disappearing into the lively streets of the vilge. That left Rei and Kaja, both still sitting at the table, staring at the st remnants of their food.

  Kaja stretched with a yawn. “Guess we should go tell the academy we formed a guild, huh?”

  Rei sighed. “Yeah… no use putting it off.”

  The two of them stood up and made their way through the bustling streets, the ntern-lit roads guiding them back toward the academy. The stone building loomed in the distance, its towers and training halls glowing faintly under the night sky.

  As they entered, the halls were quieter than usual, most students having retired for the night. Only a few knights-in-training lingered, sharpening weapons or reading through old scrolls.

  They stopped in front of a wooden door beled Guild Registry Office. Kaja grinned and knocked before pushing it open.

  Inside, an older knight sat at a desk cluttered with papers, a single candle lighting his face. He looked up, raising an eyebrow. “You two need something?”

  Kaja nodded. “Yeah! We just formed a guild.”

  The knight set his quill down. “Name?”

  Kaja puffed out his chest. “Bound Fate.”

  The knight blinked. “Dramatic.” He grabbed a form and started writing. “Alright. Members?”

  Kaja listed them off one by one, while Rei stood quietly beside him, shifting uncomfortably. Something about making this official felt… strange.

  The knight finished writing and stamped the form. “Alright, you’re registered. You’ll get missions through the guild board now. Try not to die.”

  Rei frowned. “That’s it?”

  The knight shrugged. “What, you expecting a ceremony? Streamers? A fancy speech?”

  Kaja ughed. “I would have liked streamers.”

  The knight rolled his eyes and waved them off. “Go on, get out of here.”

  Kaja grinned and cpped Rei on the back. “See? That wasn’t so bad.”

  Rei sighed, but he had to admit—things were finally moving forward.

  Tomorrow, their guild’s real journey would begin.