Can Empires fall?

Chapter 4

Tyr felt the soil on her knees. A burning town in front of her. As suddenly from behind a burned hand clutched her face and shut her mouth. Frantically she tried to pull herself away but couldn't. Her whole body was pushed onto the ground by the brute force applied. It was a struggle at first, but her body wasn't strong enough. Face up she looked into the sun as a knife hit her face.

She woke up screaming. A scream that almost immediately died out as she realised where she was. In the field. With her friends. Not there. Here. Chiras, who was on guard duty, snapped around and immediately rushed to Tyr. "Y-you okay?", Chiras asked, visibly overwhelmed and worried.

"No." Tyr's voice was almost non-existent. Even this small word was dying halfway. Her thoughts began to spiral toward that memory, she tried her best to bury. But Chiras pulled her out of it by hugging her. Chiras immediately pushed her back again and kind of blushed.

"Uhm- I hope that was okay- it felt like you needed it-"

"Yes." Tyr threw herself that very moment at Chiras so that her head was resting on her chest. Chiras, for a moment, confused and not knowing what to do, closed her arms around her after the initial shock.

"Want to talk about it?" Chiras asked after a few minutes had passed and Tyr was just pressing herself against the chest. One of the ex-monk's hands was stroking the wizard's hair caringly while the other was around the wizard's back.

"Not-not really." Tyr began to sob silently. Chiras kept the motion going and stared off into the distance.

"That's okay." Silence again. It was somewhat beautiful but also awkward for Chiras. She wasn't particularly good at this whole expressing compassion thing. "W-want to talk about other stuff?"

For another minute or two, there was no response and then Tyr got up, sniffled a little, and said, "I-I am sorry for that outburst of emotions."

Chiras for a second didn't know what to respond and then began to stutter, "Uhm- That's- That's totally fine- I mean- you are-are like allowed to feel, right? Soooo- you can always do that here- ", she paused for a second and then added, "I guess."

Tyr just chuckled. "Thanks. And yes, I would like to talk about other stuff. Sleeping wouldn't feel right."

Chiras searched her mind about... stuff... she could ask: "So-so when we were all punching that fountain why weren't you? I found that so frustrating to see this person being mistreated."

"I have seen worse done to rebels. People's uprising, wanting change. If you have lived as long as I have, you will have seen some serious shit. Still doesn't make this less fucked up ... I guess I am just...", her mind seemed to wander off for a second, as though a memory came to her mind that she couldn't suppress, "kind of desensitized."

"Hmm... do you think those people have like a point? Can empires fall?" They both were staring into the distance. One of the moons, which was the only one up at this hour, was almost at the halfway point. It was so slim, almost as if somebody had eaten the rest of it. It spent almost no light on the group. There was quite a long pause between the question and response.

"I don't know. This empire has existed since what? Like almost 2000 years?", Tyr asked

"Don't look at me- I don't know shit about history"

"What do they teach you at that monastery?"

A pause and then Chiras chuckled. "There is a reason why I almost got kicked out and left." Tyr chuckled as well.

"I think almost 2000 it is. During this time this empire conquered a whole continent. It is so vast that one could spend their lifetime travelling it. Its soldiers are so well-trained and well-paid that it would be hard to defeat it... but on the other hand... nothing can escape time, no? So, if its time comes, it might certainly fall... I could imagine... and not to mention that nobody has ever seen the emperor. Just their lackeys running around spreading their commands and words... so you know- that might be a weak point of the empire... but also- an empire this large might be too strong."

Chiras just stared at her. She didn't even consider one of those facts. "That sounds so smart.", she paused for a second, "You are smart. Man, you ever feel smarter by just talking to someone?" She laughed out loud. Tyr just chuckled, clearly not knowing what to respond.

"Why do you usually not talk that much?", Chiras asked after she had waited long enough for Tyr to respond.

"I don't have much to say, I guess.", Tyr said, while avoiding eye contact and staring at the moon. Chiras wasn't sure whether she should answer what she was thinking. After a few seconds, she gave herself a kick.

"I think you do." Chiras looked with a rather serious face at her, who turned while smiling softly, but she still wasn't looking directly at the monk but rather to her left.

"Maybe, I do."

"Then why don't you?", Chiras asked curiously.

"I don't know. I just can't," her soft smile was back into her normal, stoic mimic, "what I know though is that you should sleep soon."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I will keep guard. We need you well-rested tomorrow.", Tyr explained with her typical calming voice and signalling that she did not want to talk about it by staring at the moon.

"Oh yeah- thanks- are you sure you want to keep guard alone?" Chiras asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I can handle being alone, you do not need to worry.", Tyr smiled softly

So, Chiras laid down. Her vision went blurry soon and her mind faded into the comfortable nothingness of sleep.