The Empire's Demise

As he walked through the crowded noisy streets of the old Capital, Eckart heard once more, like every day before the constant complaints of angry citizens around different military outposts. This had been going on for the past 4 months after the late Ignis the 5th passed. The succession wasn't going as planned as the heads of all the other clans complained about the ascension of his grandson, who was the still immature age of 18.

"Same old, same old?" Eckart asked to his partner Bertholdt, as he entered the barracks to get ready for the day,

"Ye, you know how it is, every single farmer, peasant or goddamn moron is now suddenly very interested in the ascension" Bertholdt answered as he finished putting on his metal helmet "We are on patrol at the Kings Avenue and Plaza"

"Really, fuck me, this is going to be a long day ain't it?" Eckart breathed as he sheathed his sword in place and adjusted the clasps of his body armor, he began to walk outside next to Bertholdt when a superior officer showed up in front of them

"Reporting for patrol sir!!" Both men said in their most manly voice possible as the officer just stood in front of them, their hands in their backs, in military stance.

"At ease soldiers, where are you headed?" The officer spoke as he checked a stack of papers in his hands,

"Kings Avenue sir," Berhtoldt answered, "We are joining some other patrols to make sure the riots don't get out of control"

"Right, make sure they don't" The officer responded as he looked at the papers, he lifted his head and looked at both men straight in the eyes "Don't be scared to use force to ensure so"

"Yes sir," Eckart answered and dropped his arm, Bertholdt did the same and they walked to their assigned posts.

The streets were filthy, people were all marching to the Imperial Palace, where the Emperor and his family the Imperial Clan Richerz resided, as they turned to King's Avenue Eckart's eyes went wide, soldiers were fighting the protestants who were far more and outnumbered them, both Eckart and Bertholdt ran towards the people and started separating the fighters,

"Hey!!" Eckart said as he grabbed a tall bald man from the back "Get off!!", the man pushed him back, making him fall. Now on the floor the people started walking over him, trampling him. Fear ran through his entire body, as pain started to shoot up all over Eckart thought this might be his end, a boot crushed his face and he started seeing black.

The next time his eyes opened he could see the sky in its entirety, the sun shining, the clouds being carried by the wind, the birds and a shield, and behind the shield his friend Bertholdt.

"Back!!Stay back or I'll start swinging my sword" Bertholdt screamed at the top of his lungs in the most brutally gurgural and intimidating voice a man could muster, "Get up" he said now more worried as he extended an arm for Eckart to grab, he did.

Now on his feet he could see that his hand was in a wrong angle; it was broken, the bone almost protruding outside the skin but barely being held back, pain was soaring across his abdomen, chest, face, hell everywhere.

"Fuck, Fuck, Goddammit" Eckart said as he grabbed his wrist in pain, they quickly ran back to the soldiers who now formed a defensive position.

The civilians, now dozens of them, started clashing with the military, who were now being more aggressive, using batons and their shields to push and punish those who were brave enough to fight them. Both Bertholdt and Eckart stood on the back barely spectating, as they both were realizing, this wouldn't stop, there were more and more people, and the military kept sending more soldiers, soon enough this would turn into a battlefield.

The Plaza where the Imperial Palace resided was a roundabout with twelve streets leading up to it in perfect symmetry, this in itself represented a sun, both the Imperial clan power and the symbol of the Empire. This had the flaw that despite allowing for easy access and movement for allies to reach the Palace the same applied to enemies. This was countered by utilizing military outposts leading to the Palace.

Slowly but surely, the screams and clashes of wood, metal and boots against the ground were being replaced by a monotonous march, one of heavy metal, almost of death.

On the street in front of them Eckart and Bertholdt both saw, the banner of death, the symbol of fear and the Empire's murderers, dread started dripping like droplets of water over an overfilled cup, Eckart's broken hurt stopped hurting, replaced by the drum like beat of his heart.

There they walked, red coating their clothes, their swords out, their faces contorted in a mix of indifference and disturbing pleasure. The Anshass walked ever so slowly towards them, the people who were so invested in screaming and fighting fled, disappeared and vanished at the smallest sight of those hellish monsters.

The captain who had been organizing the defense stepped forward, "What is the meaning of this?!" He asked with a mixture of fear, as his hand clenched his sword so tightly it started shaking,

"We'd like to speak with the Emperor" One of them answered,

"You shall do no such thing" A man on the left suddenly shouted, and on one of the other streets of the roundabout appeared a gold and brown banner carrying the symbol of the Unzwerden, another of the twelve great clans,

"That's right you filthy rats" Another man shouted from the right, from another clan.

"Bertholdt, what the fuck is going on?" Eckart asked as he started to tremble, "Why are all the clans suddenly surrounding the Imperial Palace?"

"I don't know, but we need to get the hell out now!" Bertholdt whispered as he started looking for ways out of the roundabout, but everywhere he looked there were soldiers, clan members, banners.

The twelve streets leading to the roundabout were now all occupied by one clan. All of them despising each other, all of them out for power and blood, the tension could be cut with a knife, one wrong move and this would be the fall of the Empire.

The gates of the Palace opened, the big metal and wood doors started sliding to the sides as a young man, dressed in white and gold silk started approaching them, the small golden crown filled with twelve jewels and pale white skin distinguished him from the dirty and the warriors, the king was walking towards them. On his face a small frown could be seen, his eyes however, those blue ocean eyes were indescifrable.

"I've watched you all from the balcony, I must say I'm concerned" The Emperor started speaking, "I see you all, I know your intentions, they are palpable in the air", he walked even further almost into the military formation, as soldiers started to form around him. His personal guard nowhere to be seen.

"However, If you do what you seek to do, you'll fracture what took us centuries to build, you will only get a fraction, and for what?" He began again "For the slight satisfaction of ruling for a while? You think your lives will be more enjoyable if you do?"

"I'm sorry your majesty, you just don't have what it takes to rule" The leader of the Anshass said

"Maybe, but don't for a second think you do" The emperor said "You don't have the first clue of how to run an Empire"

"Your majesty, we just think you should reconsider your ascension, just for now" One of the Unzwender said,

Suddenly more and more complains started arising as every clan started approaching the palace gates, all next to each other, all waiting for the king to make a mistake that would justify what they wanted to do,

"Please you all need to understand that I'm trying to do what I can" The young emperor said as he started to scream himself

"Trying isn't enough!!" was heard from various places

"Please listen!!" The emperor said as he told his guard to stand back,

between the screams and pushing. Both Eckart and Bertholdt were getting more scared as time passed. More and more shouting, complaints, and even threats were being said.

"You don't know how to rule an Empire!! You bunch of incompetent fools!!" The young boy suddenly screamed, his rage getting the better of him, silence fell upon the Plaza.

The emperor saw it but there was nothing he could do, a single tear fell from his cheek.

An arrow hit him straight in the chest, the young boy, turned emperor, who tried to calm their worries now laid in the floor, bleeding out as all clans started to unsheathe their weapons, this was it. All good things come to an end, and so a single scream was heard across the entire Capital

"You traitors!!"