Anakin led the way through the passages. He paused and glanced out a window. Luke stopped beside him, staring in horror. "That's not good." Luke muttered.
"You think?" Anakin said. The world was literally splitting into multiple parts. "C'mon, this way."
They descended several flights of stairs. Along the way the quake began to lessen. By the time they reached the ground floor it was more of a hum vibrating through the floor. Anakin spotted the Father, he was heading outside. "Hey! What's going on?"
The elder looked to the Jedi pair and gestured to the opened double doors. "My children have brought your companions to safety." He said bluntly before leading the way out.
Anakin and Luke shared a look before following. And sure enough, in the courtyard at the bottom of the grand stairway was Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and a red haired human. All had their lightsabers understandably at the ready. Anakin started forward but Luke pushed right past him. Practically falling down the steep steps in fact. Anakin had to struggle to keep up.
"Dad!" The red haired boy cried. He was probably only a little older than Ahsoka, Anakin supposed as he watched the boy happily reach out to embrace Luke. Anakin took note of the lightsaber now hanging on the boy's belt. To his expert eye the lightsaber was old, modified and several parts had been replaced. But the style had been kept faithfully. The crystal's presence within was only further proof that this was his lightsaber.
Anakin swallowed. So was it true then? It had to be. That was his lightsaber, yet the lightsaber on his belt was also here. And those memories Luke showed him... of Old Obi-Wan and the lightsaber he had gifted to Luke. Anakin felt his vision blur. He had a son. Somewhere along the way he was going to be a father, Padmé was going to name their son Luke. His grandchild was going to carry his lightsaber. To top it all off... his son and grandson were kriffing time travelers.
Someone touched his arm. Anakin flinched away and tore his gaze from his... from Luke and Luke's boy. Ahsoka was looking up at him, worry rolled between their Force bond. "Master?"
"Hey, hey Snips." Anakin forced a smile as Obi-Wan approached. "Took you two long enough."
Obi-Wan crossed his arms. "What's going on?"
Anakin raised his hands. "What makes you think I know? I've been grounded in my room since I got here."
The Daughter stepped forward suddenly. "It is Abeloth, she's integrating herself into Mortis."
"What the hell does that mean?" The red haired boy had broken away from Luke and was looking at Daughter with wide blue eyes.
She shook her head. "I cannot imagine her intentions... Father?"
All eyes turned to the Father. His wrinkled forehead was knitted in concentration. "The castle is safe, for now." He informed the group. "Come inside, it is not wise to be out while she roams."
Anakin turned to his friends and tilted his head. "We don't have much of a choice."
"I'll say." Ahsoka muttered, following after their outlandish hosts."
~~~
Rooms were made up for all five Jedi, but Luke and Ben were far more content to stay in one room together. Ben was starring out the window as the quakes continued. The once majestic, fearsome land was now in ruins and dying. Luke preferred not to look. Instead he sat cross legged on his sleeping mat and tried to meditate. Mostly on the damage to his neck. It was still sore and he had gradually begun to lose his voice throughout the day cycle. The Father had made a dinner for his guests but not much was discussed. Or rather Anakin got to be formally introduced to Ben by Ahsoka, then the three took it upon themselves to push questions while Luke and Obi-Wan watched and the Father gave vague roundabout answers or refused to speak at all. Afterwards the five Jedi decided to retire for the evening.
A knock startled Luke out of his meditation, or rather his light dozing. Ben answered the door as Luke stood. It was Anakin.
Ben quickly stepped aside as the much taller man entered. In his hands was a large jug. "Hey Ben, Luke. Daughter said this'll help your throat heal." Anakin said. "She said she wasn't able to bring it to you herself, apparently she needs to 'focus on keeping Abeloth at bay'." Anakin shrugged and set the jug on a table. "Don't break it this time."
Luke rolled his eyes. But he did offer a nod in thanks.
An awkward silence ensued as Luke poured himself a glass. But it would not last long. Ben was about to break it. Three... two... one.
"So you know?" Ben blurted.
Luke smiled to himself as he sat down on his sleeping mat. The kid was good at breaking thick ice.
Anakin shifted nervously on his feet, but nodded. "Yeah. As weird and impossible as it is..." Anakin shrugged.
Ben smiled and grabbed his lightsaber, openly holding it out to Anakin. "What do you think? Bet she still holds all the fiddles to her past self."
A slight grin touched Anakin's face as he took Ben's lightsaber and with his other hand held up his own. "May I?" Anakin asked, gesturing to Ben's mat. Ben nodded and Anakin sat down. Ben joined him.
Anakin laid the lightsabers side by side on the floor. "Who liked rose gold for the emitter?"
"Mom." Ben said immediately. "She had a taste for the elegant things. She actually did most all of the modifications and replacements herself."
Anakin nodded. "She had a good eye."
"You have no idea." Ben said smiled softly and pointed out the d-rings, which were also made of rose gold metal. "Little bit of color was needed, she said."
"Oh yea?" Anakin said tilted his head at the lightsaber and began to talk fun facts and lightsaber trivia with Ben.
Luke watched and listened. He could not be mad at this Anakin. He had done nothing wrong. And he was taking this grandpa role pretty well all things considered. Ben was having a good time, Anakin was starting to relax. Luke settled back and sipped at his drink, content to watch the interaction between his son and his father, an interaction that should have never been possible.
The sun was down and the lights were dim as Ben and Anakin's conversation carried on. Shadows stretched over the little guest room. Luke found himself watching them move. Ben and Anakin were shaded in shadow now. The shadows looked too dark. Luke blinked and rubbed his eyes. Was that...? Was that a face in the shadows? A fair face with green eyes, framed with red hair? Luke squeezed his eyes shut. He was hallucinating. He was just tired, daydreaming. Luke took a deep breath and opened his eyes.
Ben and Anakin were gone. In their place Mara sat across from him. Her formally fair, freckled skin was pale now, edging on grey. Her vibrant red hair was dulled nearly black, her features were hollowed and her eyes were dark. She looked dead.
"What are you doing here, Farmboy?" Her voice sounded as he remembered, but there was something off in the undertones, something unnatural. Her pale lips and the corners of her mouth split as she spoke.
Luke frowned and again closed his eyes, willing himself to wake up.
She laughed at him. "Why do you want to get away? Don't you remember what you're here for?"
Luke shook his head and kept his eyes shut. "You're not her."
Cold, brittle fingers caressed his cheek. Luke tried to pull away from the touch. The fingers grasped his chin tightly, finger nails scrapping his skin. "My darling farmboy, you're trembling." The voice was mocking. He could feel her cold breath on his ear. Luke grimaced and tried to raise his hands to push her away. But his arms would not move. Something slimy and cold was wrapped around his wrists. Luke tried to fight it but there was no use. He tried to kick out at the presence looming over him but his legs were suddenly in the same predicament. Luke inhaled shakily, looking for the calm center of the Force, to call the Light to his will and power. But there was nothing. Only shadows, only darkness.
Cold, dry hands cupped his face. "Look at me, Luke."
"No." Luke refused vehemently. "You can't use her against me."
The wicked creature was straddling him. Luke tried to shake his head out of its grasp but that only resulted in his head getting slammed into the wall. Luke groaned, but still would not open his eyes. The voice laughed at him.
"I've done so already. You just have to remember." The voice said sweetly. "We made a deal, my love." She released his face, her hands ran down his neck and over his chest, leaving painful goosebumps. "You held up your end and for that I am eternally grateful to you. Now it's my turn."
Suddenly the monster pressed it's cracked lips against Luke's own. Luke squirmed in disgust but she did not relent. The back of Luke's head was pressed into the wall, her hands clamped down on either side of his face. Luke panicked, trying desperately to get his arms free, in his panick he failed to keep his mouth shut. Her tongue forced its way in and down his throat. Luke choked and his eyes finally flew open.
The creature subduing him was beyond all horrors he had seen in his long life. The monster's skin was a sickly pinkish white, wispy yellow hair fell over a gaunt, alien face. But the eyes... they were the worst of it. The creature's eyes were black, soulless and hungry. Full of a dark and vile hunger like no other. Luke wanted to look away, he wanted to close his eyes. But she would not let him. She was not going to let him go.