Divided Nation

Titian's Landfall

The wind was blowing aimlessly across the narrow peaks. I stood near the peak of one of the many mountains that guarded the entrance to the Regime. I knew these mountains. The Garrisons were built on them, well the first and the second anyways. They made the Garrisons the only way into the Regime.

    Somewhere in my mind, I knew that I was drowning in water, and I tried to force my mind back into my body, but it wouldn't work. Then I heard a couple voices and ducked behind a rock. Even though it was only my mind here, there were certain mages that had the ability to sense people's mind and even kill their mental person.

      I tried once again to force myself back into my physical form, but it wouldn't budge. I knew that if I stayed here for too long, my physical body would die, being drowned or killed right now, who knew. I gathered all my energy and was going to try again, when two voices pierced through the wind of the mountain. Both of them sounded familiar. 

      Louis came into view, talking with someone that seemed really familiar, but I couldn't place where I had seen him. Regardless, they were surrounded by guards, hundreds of them. The other mans face was terribly scarred, with multiple blackened burns across his face and many more across his hands. His eyes were burned shut, but he still walked along the path as good as any man with sight.

     "The construction is almost done, Your Grace," The man said, trudging along the steep path, "The Sixth Garrison will be ready soon."

     The Sixth Garrison? That was impossible. It would take tens of years to build such a big project. The Garrisons were built by the Army Of The Mist during the first invasion after they had taken the majority of Northern Gala. It had taken more than 30 years to build.

     I slowly followed them up the path, sulking behind the guards. Louis was dressed in battle armour, with 2 short swords hanging from his belt. But the sword was strapped across his back. Even in my mental form, I could feel the power radiating from it and into everything around it. 

     "Very good, mage," Louis replied, as he rounded the corner, "My, my. The castle is even grander than I expected. Well done."

     "Thank you, Your Grace," The other man bowed, "It hasn't been easy bringing supplies and food up this wretched mountain."

     "How long did it take?" Louis said, still examining the castle, though I couldn't see it over the guards tall shields.

      "Around 50 years, your grace," The other man replied, "We found the half-finish castle here when we stormed the Garrison during the First Invasion. Henry didn't have the money to continue the construction, but ever since his demise, we've been working tirelessly to finish it."

     "Guard towers, iron cross gates, even a dry moat," Louis mused, "This is all very impressive. It could withstand years of siege. It rivals Titian's Landfall. And that took hundreds of years to construct. Very well done, Ikhad."

     Ikhad. I knew he survived the battle. I wanted to spring out of my hiding place and strangle the man with my bare hands, but I was merely a spirit, incapable of harming anyone. Ikhad on the other hand, was a trained mage. If he detected that I was here, I would die.

      I had to get out here as soon as possible. On the other hand, I wanted to get a look at this 'Sixth Garrison.' After a silent discussion with myself, I finally gave over to curiosity. Silently, I scooted around the guards, coming awfully close to the edge. Peering down, I saw that it went down thousands of metres. The path was small, only enough width for three soldiers to cross at once.

     It would be impossible to storm, I realized. And Louis had mentioned that it could survive years of siege. This would be the strongest Garrison, even surpassing the First. This would be the new strongest castle in Gala. And it would belong to the Regime.