He pulled the map closer and traced the route with his finger. "Here's the path we'll take. Main road for the first day through relatively safe territory. Then we branch off onto less-traveled paths as we approach the forest. The Illusion Forest's boundary is here—" he tapped the edge of the massive green area "—and once you pass through it, Merc Assault's fortress is approximately half a day's walk on the other side."
Satou studied the map carefully, committing the route and landmarks to memory. Then something occurred to him, something he should have noticed earlier. "Loki, where's Cassius? He's usually at your side during important meetings like this."
Loki's expression shifted slightly, becoming more calculating. "I sent Cassius on a critical reconnaissance mission three days ago. He's currently monitoring Chronus's territory and movements."
