Simma and Goody circled back towards Sarah and Lucy.

When they reached them, Goody tucked his wings neatly and swooped down, landing with the elegance of a dancer on the forest floor. His claws touched the ground so lightly that not a single dry leaf cracked beneath him.

The horse, startled at first, stamped once but quickly calmed down under Lucy's steady hand. She still held its lasso rope tightly, as though afraid that at any moment it might bolt away from the dragon's unnerving presence.

Lucy broke the silence. "Did you guys see it?"

Simma nodded, brushing a stray lock of hair away from his damp forehead.

"But the place is very far from here," he replied, though his voice carried more weight than his words. As he spoke, his eyes kept darting to Sarah, a quick, stolen glances that he thought were subtle.

Sarah, of course, noticed none of it. Or maybe she noticed but decided to let him stew. She simply chuckled at his answer, a soft sound that seemed to mock him without words. Her smile carried the air of someone who knew far more than she let on.

"Someone wouldn't have reached their destination even in ten days without us... mm-hmm," she teased, her voice dripping with playful mockery.

Lucy, who understood exactly what Sarah was hinting at, snorted and shook her head, laughter bubbling out despite herself. "I bet," she said, her eyes twinkling.

Simma, however, felt the heat rise in his cheeks. He wasn't a fool, and he could sense the sting in their words. His lips curled into a forced smirk, but his heart twisted sharply inside his chest. He bent his head slightly, hoping they wouldn't notice his embarrassment.

"Fine, fine," he muttered, trying to sound casual.

Lucy studied him from her seat on the horse. They were both moving slowly, the horse plodding forward while Goody weaved with serpentine grace, his movements far smoother and more coiled than the horse's rigid trot.

She tilted her head, curiosity glimmering in her eyes.

"So… how do we make this journey faster?"

Simma exhaled heavily, as though he had been waiting for the question.

"I have got an idea," he said at last.

Sarah's eyebrows arched, and she leaned back smugly, her voice rolling out with exaggerated arrogance.

"Okay then, we're listening." Her tone made it sound less like an invitation and more like a challenge. Her face bloomed with exaggerated ignorance, a mask he recognized all too well.

Simma frowned inwardly. 'Is she trying to pass me off? Because if she is, she's doing a great job of it.'

Shaking his head, he began carefully, "Well, first we reach the trails left by the Singriths, and then we can know where they're headed. I think it's westward tho..."

"Yeah, he 'thinks'," Sarah interrupted sharply, stabbing her words like thorns into his flesh. "We're going to get lost then... If he is only thinking"

Simma's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing in a glare that could have burned holes through her. He cursed silently, his thoughts dark.

Lucy noticed the tension but pretended to stay oblivious, fiddling with the horse's reins instead.

Goody, meanwhile, was enjoying the scene far too much, his reptilian lips curled in what looked suspiciously like a smirk.

Simma couldn't hold back anymore.

"I don't 'think', Okay? I know...I know that was their movement..."

"Yeah," Sarah cut in again, her voice sweet and annoying at the same time. She was clearly enjoying herself.

"Then why are we headed south?" she added suddenly, her question sharp enough to slice through his patience.

Simma slapped a hand across his face. He couldn't understand her, She was like a maze designed to frustrate him at every turn. She was making this harder than it had to be.

"We just have to be sure… okay?" he said, his voice strained.

Sarah snorted and laughed. "I see," she replied, every syllable dripping with mockery.

Lucy sighed, rolling her eyes as though she were the only sane one among them. Then she muttered just loudly enough for both of them to hear, "Damn lovers' fight."

Her words struck them both into silence, though Simma cleared his throat and pressed on, leading the way. Their footsteps crunched against the carpet of dry leaves as they delved deeper into the woods.

The forest grew denser with every step. The trees loomed taller, their roots twisting across the ground like giant serpents frozen mid-slither. Some roots arched high, forming eerie shapes like crooked seats.

Vines dangled low, swaying faintly in the breeze, and the deeper shadows between the trunks whispered of hidden dangers.

Simma's heart beat faster at the memory of the last Soulnexer attack. The image of its gaping maw flashed before his eyes. He prayed silently that they wouldn't encounter another, especially since his last fight had nearly drained the very soul from his body.

He suspected that the one which attacked him had somehow escaped from the VOR, where Omegas had once been dispatched to battle them. He had heard tales of how Zolomon arrived with those Omegas, turning the tide against the Soulnexer. The memory gave him a shiver.

"Guys," Lucy's voice broke into his thoughts, calm yet firm.

"Be watchful. Should any animal attack"

Simma was surprised, 'had they been thinking same thing?' he pondered.

"Don't worry, Lucy. I don't think there will be any out here," Simma cut in confidently.

Lucy turned to him in shock, her mouth falling open.

"You seem awfully sure," she said slowly.

Simma nodded once, without hesitation.

"That's because I am sure."

"And how exactly do you know that?" Lucy pressed, suspicious now.

Instead of answering her directly, Simma pointed towards the ground ahead.

"There."

Both Lucy and Sarah snapped their eyes forward, brows raised.

Simma sighed, realizing they misunderstood.

"I mean, there are the trails. We can track the Haydes through them."

Lucy tugged gently on the reins, halting the horse. Her eyes scanned the faint marks etched into the forest floor, slanting westward.

"Mm," she murmured, forgetting entirely about her earlier question. Instead, she asked something new.

"Now what?"

Sarah groaned, slapping a palm to her forehead.

"Now you," she retorted flatly.

Lucy blinked, tilting her head.

"Me?" Her voice sounded like an innocent child caught in a lie.

Simma nodded, mumbling, "Mm-hmm."

Lucy's eyes widened. She lifted her hands dramatically, as though someone had accused her of treason.

"What do I have to do with this?"

Sarah rolled her eyes so hard it looked like they might pop out.

"Everything," Simma replied bluntly.

"Everything?"

Lucy repeated after him, her voice filled with exaggerated disbelief.

"Yes," Simma confirmed firmly.

Lucy folded her arms tightly across her chest.

"Okay then… talk."

Relaxing a little on Goody's back, Simma explained, "Now that we know for sure the trails head west. You're going to be making portals at intervals to make the journey faster."

For a long moment, Lucy just stared at him. Her eyes locked onto his with unnerving intensity. The silence stretched until it felt like the trees themselves were leaning in to listen.

Simma fidgeted. At first, he tried to hold her gaze, but the eerie stillness became unbearable.

"What?" he snapped finally.

Lucy chuckled and shook her head.

"I thought you said the Haydes was far from here."

"Yeah," Simma replied cautiously, unsure where she was going with this.

"So you want me to make a portal from here to the Haydes? What am I, a Sentinel?" she demanded.

Sarah burst out laughing, almost choking on her breath. "Unbelievable," she muttered.

"That's not it, dumbass," she added, smirking at Lucy.

"All you need to do is make smaller portals just a few miles each. If we're still on the trail, then you make another, and another, until we get there."

Lucy blinked, processing the explanation, then nodded slowly. "Oh."

"Yeah," Sarah sneered, smirking triumphantly.

"Apparently I can explain better than some people."

Simma shook his head, suppressing the urge to argue. Her words stung, and he hated how often she pushed him into silence.

"Come on," he ordered finally. "Let's go."

They turned westward, following the trail.

Simma gave Lucy a nod.

Lucy halted the horse and breathed deeply, pulling in the reins.

Her eyes glowed faintly purple, and the air around her shifted with an energy that prickled against Sarah's skin.

Sitting behind her, Sarah felt the hairs rise on her arms as the aura thickened.

Lucy raised her fist, her expression sharp with focus. With a swift punch at the empty air, a pulse of violet light erupted, scattering leaves and sending a ripple through the atmosphere. The air tore open, forming a circle of swirling purple energy that spun wider and wider until it became a glowing portal.

The portal shimmered like liquid glass, its edges sparking with energy. The forest floor shook faintly, and the air smelled faintly of ozone.

Lucy grinned proudly, wiping imaginary dust from her shoulder. "There."

Sarah smirked. "Don't flatter yourself," she teased as the horse galloped forward. Simma urged Goody to follow behind them, and together they dove into the swirling light.

...

The air rippled violently as though reality itself were being bent. Sparks burst outward, tiny shards of purple lightning crackling in all directions. The portal flared, expanding from a dot into a brilliant whirling circle that swallowed them whole.

When they stepped out, the air behind them folded in on itself, snapping shut with a sound like thunder muffled underwater.

Sarah and Lucy emerged astride the horse, their small travel packs strapped tightly. Simma followed seconds later, astride Goody, his shoulders slumping slightly.

Lucy's glow faded, her eyes returning to normal.

Simma, however, was sweating heavily, beads dripping down his forehead and into his collar. Sarah spotted it instantly, and she nearly doubled over with laughter.

"What?" Simma asked, frowning. Lucy too tilted her head curiously.

Sarah clutched her stomach, stuttering between giggles.

"I- I'm sorry. Oh gods, I'm sorry."

Simma raised an eyebrow. Lucy began to chuckle too, even before she understood the joke.

"What?" she asked through the infectious laughter.

Sarah gasped, trying to calm herself, then pointed.

"Look at Simma, he's sweating like crazy!" And with that, she collapsed into hysterics again. Lucy, infected by the laughter, joined in despite her confusion.

Simma rolled his eyes and slid down weakly from Goody's back. Lucy and Sarah dismounted as well.

"It's not because of the portal," he said firmly, his voice low. He knew exactly that, that was why Sarah was laughing at him, she thought he was scared of the portal.

"Oh really?" Sarah mocked. "Then why are you sweating?"

Lucy's expression turned suddenly serious. "Oh no," she said sharply, her smile vanishing.

Sarah blinked at her, surprised at the change in tone.

"What?"

Lucy's eyes narrowed. "He's telling the truth. It's not the portal. It's his beast. He's had it summoned for too long, and his rank is too low for that kind of strain."

Sarah froze, guilt flickering in her eyes. She hadn't thought of that.

But Simma wasn't paying attention anymore. He dismissed Goody in a swirl of fading light, but his focus was elsewhere.

Something in the distance had caught his attention, something that made his heart quicken once again.

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