Divided Nation

IronGate

     "Galian Time is measured in BFI or AFI, or before first invasion. Although this is highly inaccurate, as the first invasion took nearly 30 years from start to finish, this is the most popular way to measure time. However, in recent years, BFI had taken another meaning, and a more accurate one as well. Before Fall of IronGate and After Fall of IronGate. The fall of IronGate happened around half a year after the army of the Mist landed at Gala. And now, this is the most used way for time measurement"- Galian History Book.

The fog had started to settle in. 2 weeks had passed since we arrived at the mainland. Our walk through central Gala wasn't exactly going as planned. Our compass had been the first to break down, after a deadly encounter with bandits. Then our guides had been separated after a Regime outlaw attack. Now we were trudging through the tall grass, only knowing east and west.

      "We're fine," Alexia told us for the sixteenth time, "My tracking spells are working just fine. I'm sure we'll reach the Beige or Purple kingdom in no time."

     "That's exactly what you said two days ago," Kyxio muttered, "Before we ran into those lizards."

     I shuddered at the encounter. We had been trudging waist deep through a swamp when these giant lizards attacked us. It seemed like a fantasy, seeing mystical creatures for the first time, but there was nothing fake about those beasts. They had swallowed on of our soldiers whole, and wounded several more. We were forced to leave them behind.

     "We should be somewhere off the end of the south pincer," Alexia announced, "The swamps we passed a while back should have been the marches where the pincer emptied its water."

     "We must have bypassed GoldRidge as well," I recalled, "I don't remember seeing the ridge anywhere. By my guesses, we must be past the East Turret as well."

     "That's good news, we should be in friendly territory soon then."

     "We were suppose to pick up supplies at the East Turret. Our provisions won't lat another day if we keep it up."

     "It's fine. We'll pick up provisions at the Heart. Once we cross into Beige Kingdom territory, these marshes and fog should go away."

     "The Heart? The Heart was destroyed 20 years ago."

      "It's been rebuilding. I'm sure its fine now."

      "Fine?! Have you seen the Serpent? And that wasn't even half of Louis's army."

      I shuddered again as I remembered the ruins of the once great castle. The snow had fallen on most of it, covering it up, but the damage was clearly seen. The whole castle had been leveled, probably by explosives. I remembered Harmen said that he just retreated away, so there had hardly been a fight for the castle.

      But the Regime had destroyed all the castles in the Sands regardless, to prevent them from falling back into the States hands. The dock's at the edge of the cliff was the only thing still remaining, probably because Ikhad had seen no reason to destroy it.

     "Wait hold on guys," I shouted, glancing at the fog in the distance, "I think I see some light ahead!"

      2 steady torch flares emerged through the fog. Our whole company, now only consisting of around 10 men, feel onto the side of the road, shielding ourselves from the coming people. 

    "Alexia can you see them?" I whispered to her, "Friendly or foe?"

    "Hold on, hold on," She whispered back as she smeared some stuff across her eyes. Potions, I guessed, "Their riding on horses. With banners...  a white hammer. That's the White Kingdom, right?  Friendly!"