Trial of the Times

Chapter 27 - The Beginning of the End

Author's Note: I'm happy to announce that I've officially made a Discord server where all my sisters and I can share teasers, spoilers, bloopers, and other things from our fanfics and other original stories. If you're interested in joining, the link is: discord . gg / nqSxuz2

Please delete all spaces. :P I really hope that some of you enjoy our fanfics enough to join. :D

~ Amina Gila

Anakin feels the danger blare through the Force before anything actually happens. Sidious stabs his lightsaber towards Dooku again, his eyes completely yellow as the Dark Side swirls around him. This time, the Count doesn't block it in time. It catches him in his upper left arm, grazing across it. The wound isn't bad, but it will slow him down – and probably get him killed – if he intends to keep fighting.

Sidious shoots a bolt of lightning towards Dooku, sending him flying across the room. He doesn't scream – surprisingly – but Anakin can see his face pale from the pain. With a mocking grin, the Sith Lord whirls towards Anakin and Obi-Wan. "Who's next?" he taunts as he faces them.

A feeling of rage sweeps through Anakin as he glances at Dooku again. The realization that could be Obi-Wan – he can't even contemplate such a thing. "Skywalker, don't," orders Dooku in a surprisingly strong voice belying his almost helpless appearance, "Don't do it for me."

Anakin knows what he's saying. Don't fall to the Dark Side because of me. He listens, reaching towards Obi-Wan to restore his strength. Sidious opens his mouth to say something else when Anakin springs towards him, swinging a powerful blow which the Sith blocks. He can't let him talk. When he talks, he can confuse anyone. It's best not to listen to him.

Drawing on the Force, Anakin presses forward, Obi-Wan at his side. They force Sidious back, launching a furious attack. Their blue blades weave around the Sith Lord, trying to find a weakness in his defenses to no avail. Raw determination fills Anakin as he wields his lightsaber like an extension of his arm, but something tells him they won't win this duel. They won't lose, but they won't win either. That knowledge heightens his senses as he prepares for the inevitable. If nothing else, maybe he can minimize whatever damage occurs.

That's when it happens. Sidious extends his left hand, throwing a strong Force push at Obi-Wan. The Jedi Master is thrown across the room, crashing into the wall before collapsing on the ground, stunned. Almost mockingly, Sidious sends a bolt of lightning arching at Obi-Wan, striking the fallen man. A growl of fury escapes Anakin when he sees his brother laying there, and something inside him snaps. He throws himself at Palpatine in a rage, suddenly desperate to just hurt him.

"I knew it," hisses Sidious as he blocks Anakin's enraged attack, "You are a Sith! You joined Dooku!" He parries Anakin's next lunge, their sabers locked together, neither able to move. Glancing over at the Count's body, he smirks, "You have done well, my apprentice. Getting Anakin to join you was a wise move on your part, but in the end, you will fail. He was always destined to be at my side."

"No!" yells Vader as the Dark Side surges through him, pulling back before swinging wildly at Sidious once more. His anger is burning at him again, and he suspects his eyes have probably turned yellow. He doesn't care. "I will never be a Sith," he growls.

"You already are," taunts Sidious, "I should have known you were Vader! You will fail, and your friends will go with you."

A wave of hatred surges through Vader. This man is trying to destroy everything. He's trying to kill Obi-Wan, and he cannot succeed. A blast of lightning shoots towards the Sith Lord from his left hand, but Sidious deflects it. It ricochets away, narrowly missing Obi-Wan.