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.

"There’s a city less than forty kilometers from here," he said calmly. "Small, few registered streets and almost no recent activity."

Viper glanced over his shoulder, narrowing her eyes at the screen.

"This looks less like a city and more like a place forgotten by the rest of the country," she commented.

"Better," Kaguya replied. "Places like this hear things that big cities ignore."

Raven nodded slightly.

"And they hide things better too."

Vergil put the device away again and resumed walking. There was no reason to waste time discussing options when the most logical one was ahead. If Sankaria had a physical entrance in that region, someone nearby knew of rumors, stories, or boundaries that no one crossed. Hidden kingdoms always left indirect marks. The problem was finding someone to talk about.

After some time, the dirt road met an old, cracked, and overgrown paved stretch of road. The first clear sign of human presence appeared with low, often leaning, posts and simple fences delimiting scattered properties. Next came modest houses, some made of wood, others of simple masonry, almost all with spacious yards and free-roaming animals. The place seemed to live at its own pace, far removed from any urban rush.

The small town had no official entrance, tourist sign, or any attempt to appear important. It was just beginning. A corner grocery store, an open workshop, children running near old bicycles, and elderly people observing everything while seated in chairs in the shade.

Viper looked around with a neutral expression. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"So that’s the plan. Look for clues by asking around in a town that seems to shut down after six in the afternoon."

"Yes," Vergil replied.

"Honestly, I thought it would be worse," she said.

Kaguya took a deep breath and smiled slightly.

"The smell of homemade food, wet earth, and suspicious people. This will be fun."

Raven ignored the fun part and analyzed the people. Some residents had already noticed the group. It was impossible not to notice. Vergil stood out for his calm demeanor and clothes that were too clean for the place. The three women beside him didn’t go unnoticed either. The natural result was immediate curiosity.

Vergil walked to the grocery store first. A man with a short beard was organizing boxes near the door and looked up when the group approached. He didn’t seem scared, just cautious.

"Good afternoon," Vergil said directly. "We’re looking for information about old trails in the region."

The man wiped his hands on his pants before answering.

"There are too many trails around here. You have to know where you want to go."

"Areas of denser forest. Places avoided by most."

The man looked at him more closely.

"Are you researchers?"

"No."

"Tourists?"

"Also no."

Viper turned his face away to hide a smile.

The man scratched his chin, clearly less convinced.

"Then you’re trouble."

Kaguya let out a short laugh.

"He’s fast."

Vergil didn’t react to the comment.

"We just need information."

The man was silent for a few seconds, then pointed with his chin to the other side of the street.

"If you want strange stories, talk to Dona Célia. She knows everything she shouldn’t know."

Raven looked in the indicated direction and saw a simple house, a wide porch, and many hanging plants. A lady sat in a rocking chair, fanning herself with absolute calm, as if she already knew she was going to be visited.

"That was too easy," murmured Viper.

"Resistance isn’t always useful," replied Vergil.

They crossed the street. Dona Célia watched the four approach without changing her expression. Her eyes passed over each face and lingered a second longer on Kaguya, then on Vergil.

"You’re not from around here," she said.

"No," he replied.

"They shouldn’t even be looking for what they’re looking for."

"Even so, we are."

The lady smiled slightly.

"I like that answer."

Kaguya moved a little closer.

"We’re looking for access to a hidden place in the forest."

Mrs. Celia stopped fanning herself.

"There are many hidden places around here."

"Sankaria," said Vergil.

The name changed the tone of the conversation. The lady wasn’t startled, but she became serious. She put her fan back in her lap and stared at Vergil for several seconds.

"Who told you that name?"

"Someone who knows."

"Then that person should have told you not to come."

Viper crossed her arms.

"Everyone today is full of advice."

Raven remained silent, observing the old woman’s reaction.

Mrs. Celia ignored Viper and continued looking at Vergil.

"Do you want to go in or do you want to come out alive from the attempt?"

"Both," he replied.

The woman let out a dry laugh.

"Ambitious."

She gestured for them to come closer and lowered her voice, even though the street was quiet.

"Sankaria doesn’t appear to those who search hard enough. The forest closes in. The path disappears. The compass spins. People walk for hours and return to the same tree trunk."

Kaguya nodded slowly.

"I told you."

"But to whom does it appear?" Vergil asked.

The woman pointed to the ground with a thin finger.

"To those who are called. To those who belong. Or to those who enter carrying a problem too big to be ignored."

Viper looked at him.

"Then we’re well served."

Dona Célia gave another short smile.

"Perhaps."

She stood up slowly and went inside the house for a minute. When she returned, she carried a small cord of plant fiber with a pendant carved in dark wood. She handed it to Vergil without ceremony.

"Take this."

He received the object and observed the simple symbols engraved on it.

"What is it?"

"An ancient passage mark. It doesn’t open any doors on its own, but it shows intent."

Raven frowned.

"Does this really exist or is it local superstition?"

The woman looked at her with zero patience.

"My dear, superstition is the name arrogant people give to what they still don’t understand."

Viper laughed loudly this time.

"I like it too."

Vergil put the cord in his inside shirt pocket.

"Where do we start?"

Dona Célia pointed north.

"Leaving the city, take the old road until it ends. Then follow the smaller river, not the big one. When you hear too many animals becoming quiet at the same time, you’ve left the normal world."

Kaguya raised an eyebrow.

"Specific."

"Experience," the woman replied.

Vergil inclined his head slightly in thanks.

"It was useful."

"Don’t thank me yet," she said. "If you find the she-wolf, tell her that her blood still reeks of pride."

The group walked a few steps before Viper commented:

"That part seemed personal."

"Probably is," Raven replied.

When they returned to the main street, some residents pretended not to notice. Others clearly observed. The whole city seemed to function like that: everyone knew more than they said and spoke less than they knew.

Kaguya walked beside Vergil in a better mood.

"So we have direction, mysterious object, and grim warning. Not bad for an afternoon."

"We have a partial path," he corrected.

"You always improve any mood," she replied dryly.

Viper bought a bottle of water at a nearby store without asking anyone’s permission to delay the mission. He returned drinking and handed another to Raven.

"If we’re going into a hidden kingdom in the middle of the Amazon, I prefer to be hydrated."

Raven agreed.

"It’s a miracle you thought of something sensible."

"I think of several sensible things. I just don’t announce them all."

Vergil stopped for a moment at the end of the street and looked at the green line of the forest in the distance. The city receded quickly, as if it were already ready to forget them the moment they left.

"Let’s go now," he said.

"Without rest?" asked Viper.

"Are you tired?"

"No."

"Then no."

Kaguya smiled slightly.

"That’s why I like him."

Raven simply nodded and followed the two.

They left the small town by the northern road. As they advanced, the houses thinned out until they disappeared completely. The asphalt turned to dirt again, then an uneven trail. The human sound faded and was replaced by insects, distant water, and leaves rustling in the wind.

Vergil walked ahead, holding the steering wheel naturally. The wooden pendant remained tucked away, but its discreet energy seemed more active the deeper they went into the woods. It didn’t glow, it didn’t vibrate, nothing dramatic. It just warmed slightly, as if recognizing proximity.

Kaguya noticed first.

"That thing in your pocket is reacting."

"I know," he replied.

"Great. Magical objects that heat up never cause problems."

Viper drank the last sip of water.

"If it goes wrong, it’s the nice lady’s fault."

Raven raised his hand, asking for silence.

Everyone stopped.

The sound of the forest continued... and then it didn’t.

Insects ceased. Birds disappeared. The wind seemed to lessen. A strange emptiness filled the place of the natural noise.

Kaguya looked around slowly.

"She spoke of this."

Vergil took the pendant from his pocket. The wood was warm.

"We’ve left the normal world," he said.

The path ahead of them, which had previously been narrow and winding, now seemed wider. Trees that were once dense had parted enough to form a clear passage that none of them had noticed seconds before.

Viper let out a low whistle.

"I hate when impossible things become practical."

Raven reflexively placed her hand near her weapon.

"Shall we go in?"

Vergil took the first step without hesitation.

"Yes."

Kaguya came right beside him, now serious.

"Sankaria is close."

The forest behind them looked the same. Ahead, it looked like something else trying to pretend to be a forest. And the group continued without looking back.