Empire Fall

Chapter Nineteen

UNEDITED

The sky was more blue, the seas bigger and more infinite than he had ever cared to observe. In it, he was less than an insignificant bug, really. Powerless against its tumultuous rage, or its calm. He couldn't decide which and settled on both. An expanse of trees made up a border behind him that marked the beginning of Water country. The trees were greener than her eyes, he thought. In fact, every color was brighter and sharper than before. It hurt his eyes these days.

A quiet wind sailed over the surface of the sea and brushed past him, picking up his hair and letting it down gently. He knew someone who once touched him so. She was now a bittersweet ache in his lonely heart. He could almost imagine her whenever he closed his eyes. Sometimes, even that much was not necessary.

His eyes followed the movement of a small wave that erased impressions on the sand as it retreated back into the sea. His even breath faltered as he had come to expect. Her shadow stood on the water surface, looking over to the endless vastness of the sea and the sky just as he was. With her hands locked behind her back, he could distinctly make out the shine of the precious metal of his ring on her finger.

"The sea is big, is it not?"

His eyes moved up to the back of her head where her soft pink hair was swaying, fully open, just shy of touching the water.

Yes. I think, sometimes, its too big for me.

"Is it?" she chuckled.

She vanished within the blue sea and decisively settled once more in his chest. It felt heavier, but no more so than since she left. Or maybe yes, but he couldn't tell the difference anymore. She was a phantom, he knew, but the afterimage was as jarring as ever.

It was something he had come to expect, however heart-jolting the experience may be. She appeared to him at times in his nightmares, covered in a blanket of red velvet, and at times she was a pure, untouched mirage. A phantasm of his injured psyche, as Brother called it. Sasuke honestly wondered sometimes if he wasn't becoming a madman.

Naruto's voice came as if he was speaking from a distance, though he could feel the weight of his palm upon his shoulder. He stood for it was time to go and cast a last glance over the waves, shutting close the door on his thoughts. They had no place in his world anymore.

*

Fire was prospering, to say the least. More so than it ever had. A glorious kingdom that stood out like the golden sun. The ability of the leader was greatly lauded when it was once in question when the feet filling the shoes were new. Now, Sasuke thought with an aweary undertone, they seemed to fit perfectly. The burden of a king on a young man's shoulder.

The boundary of his kingdom was spreading wider than Father had ever envisioned. He would disapprove, perhaps, that Sasuke had made his kingdom into an empire; Brother certainly warned him against it, but what did they know? They were content in their lives where he wasn't.

In the past two years, Fire had fought thirty six wars, losing not a single one. Small and big kingdoms alike were now part of their territory, with the exception of Byaku and Kingdom of Two Fangs. He would honor their aid in winning back his home. That much he would do. The map laid out before him clearly indicated that half the kingdoms on the continent were part of Fire now. From where they were located in the center, all the way to the south, the area was all marked by the symbol of the kingdom of Fire.

The satisfaction was yet out of his reach though.

Sasuke's eyes drifted up north where sat untouched, the Earth country. His eyes narrowed. Bringing the tip of his dagger upon the name, he silently promised himself retribution.