78:- Back

Captivated by this fresh knowledge, Bladwin turned to face Jake and said, "So, where exactly is this place?" Glancing at Fumitan's position on his gadget, Jake started to explain. Arcadia and Eldoria are the two livable continents on Titan. The only thing between them is the ocean as they face each other, Arcadia is on east and the Eldoria is on west" he explained.

Bladwin nodded, taking in the information. "Where we are, in Arcadia, is one-third the size of Eldoria," Emma excitedly added before Jake could say anything more. "Yes, and while half of Eldoria is highly controlled by Gjallahorn, Arcadia is less under their control," Jake said, nodding in accord.

After processing all of the information, Bladwin posed the vital query, "How long will it take me to reach there?" With a contemplative stroke of his beard, Jake calculated, "Around three months, at maximum, if you take the commercial routes."

With a twinge of doubt, Bladwin looked down at his prosthetic right arm. Emma noticed her hand. Glancing down at his own arm, he questioned Jake, "Do you have a map of your planet?"

Jake raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Why do you ask? Don't you have that tablet thing?" Bladwin sighed heavily, explaining his predicament.

"The truth is, when I landed, it broke. Now it can't charge, and after some time, it will become useless until it's repaired. And I don't know how to fix it. Only Ichiro did."

Jake nodded and rose from his chair, making his way to a dresser.

With a sense of purpose, he opened a drawer and retrieved an old, folded map. Unfurling it on the table, Jake smoothed out the creases, revealing the weathered surface. "So, is this the right one?" Bladwin inquired, eyeing the aged document.

"Of course it is, just a bit old," Jake reassured, placing his finger on a specific location marked "Suca." Bladwin leaned in, studying the map intently. "So, what exactly is this?" he asked, seeking clarification.

"This is where you want to go," Jake explained, his finger hovering over the designated spot. Bladwin nodded in understanding. "And where are we right now?" he inquired further.

Jake traced his finger across the map, moving it to the other side until it settled a bit above "Chemat." "Here," he announced, indicating their current location.

Bladwin's eyes widened as he took in the vast distance between their present position and their destination. "It's very, very far away," he remarked, a tinge of realization in his voice. 

looking at the map below Bladwin questions Jake. "So what will be my route."

Jake took a deep breath, his finger tracing the rugged lines of the map spread out before them. "So, Bladwin, from Chemaut here," he began, pointing to a dot on the southern edge of Arcadia, "you'll head north to Illion. From there, you'll travel southwest to Yuga."

Bladwin furrowed his brow, examining the map intently. "Why can't I just head west from Chemaut directly to Yuga?" he asked, voicing the question that had been nagging at him since Jake outlined the route.

Emma, sitting beside Bladwin, nodded in agreement with his query. She was always curious about their travel plans, especially since it involved navigating through regions controlled by Gjallahorn.

Jake glanced up from the map, his expression serious. "The reason we can't take a direct route west is because of Gjallahorn's tight security in that area," he explained. "They've been aggressively expanding their control over the Outer System planets like Titan, SS-07, Babylon and the Aeria Satellites."

Bladwin's eyes widened in surprise. "But weren't those areas already under Gjallahorn's control?" he asked incredulously, shaking his head as he tried to reconcile this new information with what he knew.

Jake sighed, his tone grave. "They were, during the Calamity War and shortly after. But over time, their influence waned as they focused more on the inner solar planets. Now, they're making a concerted effort to reassert their dominance in these regions."

Emma chimed in, her voice tinged with skepticism. "Gjallahorn claims they still have control over the entire solar system and provide support to every planet and satellite," she said, casting a doubtful glance at Jake.

Jake chuckled grimly. "That's just propaganda," he replied. "The truth is, after the chaos of the Calamity War settled, Gjallahorn's grip on the Outer System planets loosened. They were more concerned with maintaining order closer to home."

Bladwin leaned back in his chair, processing the information. "So, what you're saying is that our journey through these regions won't be easy," he concluded, looking back at the map thoughtfully.

"Exactly," Jake confirmed, folding the map and placing it back on the table. "You'll need to tread carefully, especially through Yuga. It's not a conventional port city, and its weak infrastructure actually makes it ideal for travelers who prefer to remain under the radar."

Bladwin nodded slowly, his mind racing with the implications of their route. "And once you reach Eldoria," he began, thinking ahead, "how do I proceed from there?"

Jake stroked his beard, considering Bladwin's question. "From Eldoria, we'll find a way to Arco," he explained, pointing to a cluster of cities on the northern edge of Arcadia. "Then, you'll head north to Suka, where Fumitan is, located in the eastern part of the city."

Bladwin absorbed this plan, mentally mapping out their journey. "It sounds like a long and challenging route,"

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