"We are here… Stay vigilant and be alert all the time!"
John led the group as they crossed the fog into the south-western territory. They had cut the travel time down significantly by maintaining a high-speed pace, covering a distance that would have normally taken ten hours in less than four.
During the trek, the team had kept up a steady stream of conversation to bleed off the tension. They spoke of their experiences within the pocket trial, spinning theories about what the world would look like once they secured the entire trial, and debating how the academy would react to their return.
John interacted with them occasionally, offering a nod, a short opinion, or a brief correction, but for the most part, his eyes remained glued to the map floating just before his vision.
