Vergil slowly left the denser part of the forest, following a narrow dirt road that seemed to exist only because someone insisted on using it from time to time. The sun streamed through the tall treetops in irregular blocks of light, while the humid heat of the region remained constant, heavy, and sticky. Behind him came Kaguya, Viper, and Raven, each reacting differently to the environment. Kaguya seemed calm, as if secluded places always pleased her. Viper observed everything with practical distrust. Raven paid close attention to detail, as if expecting an ambush even from a crooked branch.
Vergil took his cell phone out of his pocket once more and opened the local map. The signal was weak, unstable, but enough to show some urban points scattered over large distances. Small towns, isolated villages, riverside communities, and poorly connected roads. He analyzed it silently for a few seconds and then pointed to a specific marker.
