Another week passed.
Before Tyler's compound, a group of guards in bright red armor stood in formation, their polished breastplates catching the light filtering through the forest canopy.
"Who are you?" Kei asked, stepping forward with cautious curiosity. Kei, Fred, Volks and Wei are now working under Tyler as Guards.
"We are Royal Guards of the Human Kingdom," the man at the front replied. He appeared to be their captain, his posture straight, his hand resting near the hilt of his sword. "We are here by order of the Princess."
Before Kei could respond, Tyler's voice echoed calmly from inside the compound.
"Let them in."
The gates were opened.
Fred, Volks, Kei, and Wei stood outside, their expressions filled with a mix of awe and quiet pride. They were the first ones who had encountered Tyler deep in the forest, the first to strike a deal with him when he was still an unknown presence. From that single choice, everything had changed.
Now they worked for him.
