My eyes slowly flutter open and I find that I had seemingly blacked out prior to our landing. I groan in pain as I try to lift my already sore head. I glance over to Anakin to see he is also just regaining consciousness. If we were both unconscious, how did we land so well?
"(Y/N)?" Anakin asks as he sits back up. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Anakin." I reply. "Did you land the shuttle?"
"No, I thought you did." He says.
I turn my head around to look for Obi Wan, Cal, and Ahsoka. They are all in the same state as us. That tells me there's no way any of them could have landed.
"Where are we?" Cal asks groggily.
In the midst of our panic, we neglected to notice where we are. I observe the land surrounding us. It's all green and lively. The feeling of this place is unusual to say the least, even from within the shuttle.
"It's some kind of organic mass." Ahsoka announces after checking the scanners.
"Well all of our readings indicate that it's larger than an asteroid." Cal adds. "The air is breathable though, so that's a good sign."
"This is getting more unusual by the minute. I can't even lock down where in the galaxy we are or if we are even in our own galaxy." Obi Wan contributes.
I press a few buttons to check the ship's systems. Somehow, they are all fine but refusing to operate.
"The ship's systems are all operational, but something's blocking them from working." I say.
Ahsoka and Cal walk to the back of the ship, where they activate the ramp. We all forward out of the ship behind them. Obi Wan takes out his macrobinoculars and scans our surroundings.
"Hey!" Ahsoka calls. "I saw something. A reflection up on the hill."
Obi Wan steps forward with his macrobinoculars and checks where she is pointing.
"I don't see anything." He says.
Before us is a mountainous landscape with floating boulders. It is stranger than anything else I have ever seen, yet it is a beautiful sight.
"Are you the One?" A woman's voice says.
I turn my head in the direction of the sound only to realise there is no one there.
"Wh-what?" Anakin stutters. "Did any of you hear that?"
"I didn't hear anything." Obi Wan replies.
"I did." I say through our connection.
Anakin looks at me with a worried expression. How is it that only we can hear this? There must be something more at play.
"Are you the One?" The voice says again, only louder this time.
We turn around to see a woman standing before us who wasn't there previously. She is glowing...literally glowing. Her hair is long, wavy and green, the same colour as her eyes. She has incredibly pale, almost white skin, beneath her cream and gold dress. She is as graceful as they come.
Cal, Ahsoka, and Obi Wan rush to our sides upon noticing the woman.
"Hello." Obi Wan greets her.
"Who are you?" Anakin asks, placing his hands on his hips.
"I am Daughter." She introduces herself. "Are you the One?"
This so-called Daughter is clearly referring to Anakin when she says this. Her eyes do not leave his to acknowledge the rest of us. Something about her mannerisms makes me feel uneasy.
"Uh, the One what?" Anakin asks with confusion.
"I will take you to him." She says, blatantly ignoring his question.
"Him who?" Ahsoka asks.
"Did you bring us here? Cal questions shortly after.
Only Cal and Ahsoka would be brave enough to question an ethereal woman on an unknown terrain. The bravery of the two of them is something I have grown to admire.
"Only he can help you. There is little time. Follow me." She looks up to the sky. "We must have shelter by nightfall."
The Daughter proceeds to walk away, hoping we will follow. I don't know who she is referring to or what dangers this planet holds, but I feel like we can trust her.
"And we thought the planet was strange. How about this one?" Anakin says, more so to me than the others.
"We'll be fine as long as we stay together." Obi Wan reassures us.
Anakin and I walk in front, Cal and Ahsoka in the middle, and Obi Wan trails behind. We follow 'Daughter' until we are walking on a path alongside a cliff. The longer we walk, the more the environment changes. Not due to a change in terrain, but rather a shift in seasons. The weird changes I am witnessing must have something to do with the strong presence of the force here.
"Have you noticed the seasons change with the time?" I ask Anakin.
"Yeah. I haven't seen any animals either." He replies.
"And you sense it?" I ask.
"Mhm, since we first arrived. The Force is incredibly strong." He states.
Knowing that Anakin has noticed everything suspicious puts my mind at ease a little. At least I know I'm not crazy.
"It's unlike anything I've ever felt before, and that's saying something." I remark, referring to the way I can literally connect with Anakin through the force.
I can hear Ahsoka, Cal, and Obi Wan behind us talking about the strange situation we are in. They too have noticed how strong the force is here. We need answers about this place.
"Excuse me. Who are you taking us to?" Anakin asks the Daughter abruptly.
"The Father, of course." She replies.
Of course, because we are meant to know exactly who that is and what this all means. My trust for her is beginning to fade.
"And what exactly are you?" Obi Wan asks.
"We are the ones who guard the power." She explains. "We are the middle, the beginning, and the end."
"Glad she cleared that up for us." I mutter to Anakin.
As we walk further, the lush greenery surrounding us begins to turn an awful shade of brown. This isn't a shift of seasons. It is all dying, and it's dying faster than I thought possible.
Rumbling from above us gains my attention. Rocks are about to fall onto us.
"Look out!" I shout.
Anakin grabs my hand and pulls me forward while using his mechanical one to push the Daughter out of the way. A pile of rocks now separates us from our Padawan's and Obi Wan.
So much for Obi Wan's previous words of reassurance regarding staying together.
"That was my brother's work." She panics. "You are in great danger. Wait for me. Do not leave this place. Either of you."
The glowing figure of the Daughter begins to walk away from us without even giving us a chance to ask more about what's happening.
"Hey! Wait!" Anakin calls.
Nothing.
"Anakin? (Y/N)? Are you there?" Obi Wan asks through our comlinks.
A wave of relief washes over me upon hearing Obi Wan's voice. They are all okay on the other side of the rubble.
"We're here." I answer.
"Are you alright?" He asks.
"Yeah." Anakin sighs. "But our friend here has run off!"
He says the last few words loud enough for the Daughter to hear. She clearly doesn't care, as she continues on her way. It was worth a shot.
"Go back to the ship and try sending another distress call. We'll follow her and find out how to get off this rock." I say.
"And if this is a trap?" Obi Wan asks.
"Then I'm not gonna wait around to find out." Anakin remarks.
Obi Wan tries to reason with us both but we choose to disconnect our lines. Waiting here for more trouble is a bad idea.
"So now what?" I ask.
"Now, we find the Daughter." He replies as if it is that simple.
We walk for an unknown amount of time through the strange place we are on. Anakin and I pass the time by talking about whatever comes to our minds. This planet, if I can even call it that, is strange but there doesn't seem to be any present dangers.
In the middle of our conversation regarding how much nicer this place is than Dathomir, the blue sky turns an intimidating shade of dark grey. The trees go from their original state to beacons of electricity. Everything, even their roots concealed by the ground, is lit up in a blinding shade of white. As if matters weren't already bad enough, ferocious lightning is added to the mix.
"We have to find shelter!" I yell.
Anakin grabs my hand and we run together up the hill before us. Ahead I notice a wide hole in the ground– a cave. Refusing to let go of each other, we dodge massive bolts of lightning and find shelter in the cave.
We stand side by side and look out over the terrain before us. In the distance is a monastery atop of a hill with a light standing at its highest point.
"Whoever we're looking for is in that monastery." Anakin states.
"I agree. We'll make progress toward it once the storm passes." I say.
Anakin continues to observe the strange place while I gather a few sticks spread across the floor of the cave. I put these in a pile and rub two of them together to create a flame capable of starting a small fire. I sit before it in a desperate attempt to warm up.
Anakin sits beside me on the ground and puts his arm around me. The feeling of his touch immediately sends warmth throughout my body. I rest my head on his shoulder.
"I don't know where we are or what's going to happen, but I promise we'll get out of here." He assures me.
"I know. We can do anything, as long as we're together." I say, slightly mimicking Obi Wan's words from earlier.
He places a kiss on my forehead and rubs my back soothingly.
We stay in the cave like this for what must be close to an hour until the lightning has passed. The storm is still raging, but it won't be as much of a threat now. We start on our way to the Monastery. From afar, it looked like it would take hours to reach it. Somehow we manage to get there relatively quickly.
The monastery is even larger up close than it is from a distance. It would be at least one hundred times my height. I will admit, I feel incredibly intimidated.
"We go in together, okay?" I say to Anakin.
"Together." He agrees.
We run side by side up the staircase to the entrance of the grand building. At the very back of the place is what looks like a man seated between two statues of strange, winged creatures. One has bright, white eyes, the other deep, red eyes.
The pathway from us to the man is extended over a pit filled with illuminated fog. I stand incredibly close to Anakin, not trusting this place in the slightest.
Upon reaching the figure, we see that it is an older man. He has a long white beard and gray skin in contrast to his dull blue clothing. He seems to be mediating. He must be the Father.
Anakin and I sit on the ground before him, waiting for him to acknowledge us.
"Welcome, my friends." He says, opening his light blue eyes to look at us.
"What is it that you want from me?" Anakin asks without any hesitation.
"To learn the truth about who you really are," The Father says as he walks toward Anakin. "one that maybe you have known all along, one you must believe in order to fill your destiny."
Anakin and I stand from our original positions. I take a step in front of him defensively. If he wants to harm Anakin, he'll have to go through me first.
"Enough with the riddles. Tell us what's going on." I say rather angrily.
The Father's intense gaze shifts to me. As his eyes meet mine, it feels as though he is searching deep into my soul.
"I have not heard anything of you. Would you mind introducing yourself?" He asks.
"I'm his friend. There's nothing more you need to know." I state.
The Father's eyes lock with mine for a moment before he returns his gaze to Anakin.
"As you can see, there is nowhere else to go." He says, gesturing to the raging storm outside. "It is late. You will be my guests tonight."
Anakin doesn't argue with the man, so I choose not to either. The Father leads us into a corridor with two doorways, each a separate room. Anakin and I go into our given rooms without any contemplation of joining one another.
We talk for a little via our connection before we both drift off to sleep.
I'm standing in a room of utter darkness. I cannot see anything. No walls. No doors. No way out. Instinctively, I unclip my lightsaber from my belt and ignite it. The blue blade generates enough light for me to make out the basics of my surroundings.
I begin walking forward, further into the overwhelming darkness. Feelings of fear, anger, and despair fill this place. The dark side has clouded it. Each step I take is with more care than the last. I don't know where I'm going or what is waiting at the other end. All I know is I have to keep on.
The eerie silence of the dismal place is interrupted by a bloodcurdling scream. Is that Anakin? No. No it can't be. My body begins to tremble with what I can only describe as fear. I hear the scream again and know it to be true.
I deactivate my lightsaber and sprint further into the darkness, no longer caring for my own safety. I have to get to him. I run until my legs physically cannot move forward. My weakness forces me to the ground as the screams continue. He is in pain. So much pain. Using all the strength I can gather, I force myself to my feet. I will not allow my weakness to be his doom.
A haunting sound fills the space I'm standing in. It sounds like breathing. Deep, mechanical breathing. I continue to move forward as the sound inches closer and closer. Before I know it, the breathing is right behind me. The sound sends a shiver down my spine.
A red glow lights up the dark. It's a Sith lightsaber. Behind it is a shadow that I cannot make out the features of.
"It's time to face your destiny." A nightmarish, mechanical voice says.
The Sith grips me in a force choke and lifts me off the ground. I feel all life slowly leaving my body...
"NO!" I scream as I awake from the dream.
I shoot up from my lying position and summon my lightsaber to my hand, igniting it in the process. There's nothing there. My body is covered in sweat and I am struggling to regain my breath. It's like I was actually choked in reality.
I deactivate my lightsaber and throw it on the bed angrily. This planet is messing with my head. Whatever creature I saw in my dream doesn't exist. This is merely a sick joke.
I rush out of my room and am surprised to see Anakin coming out of his. He looks deeply distressed.
"Anakin?" I ask. "What happened?"
"My mother." He croaks. "I saw my mother. She was there. I was talking to her and she turned into some monster!"
I want to speak but cannot form the words. I don't know what I can say in this situation.
"Why are you up?" He asks.
Informing Anakin of my unpleasant dream will worry him far more than it needs to. He was just tricked into seeing his mother. I can feel the pain this ordeal has caused him. He does not need to be worrying about.
"I could feel your pain." I lie.
Much to my relief, he does not check my mind to see if I am being truthful.
We storm out of the corridor together and back to the place where the father is mediating. When we reach him, we activate our lightsabers and point them at his head.
"Cannot sleep?" He asks. "To strike an unarmed man is hardly the Jedi way."
"You're a Sith Lord!" Anakin accuses.
I don't know what he is, but a Sith Lord seems like a fairly accurate description. Only a Sith would be cruel enough to plant such a dark dream in my mind.
"You have a very simple view of the universe. I am neither Sith nor Jedi. I am much more, and so are you." He says.
Something about how he says this makes me feel as though he is referring to me as well as Anakin. I push the thought aside almost as quickly as it entered my mind. He's obviously still talking to Anakin.
"We see through your spells and visions." I say.
"Tell us what is going on here." Anakin adds, moving himself closer to him.
In a completely unexpected turn of events, the Father grips the end of Anakin's blade. I have never heard of anyone possessing such power.
"Some call us Force wielders." He explains.
He continues to push on the blade until it completely deactivates. Knowing that keeping my lightsaber out is utterly useless, I deactivate it and clip it back on my belt.
"The Jedi have never spoken of this." Anakin declares, remaining far calmer than I thought he would.
"Few still know of our existence."
Anakin's face softens and his shoulders slump. I already know what he is about to bring up.
"In that room, my mother came to me. But it was not her. It was something else." He explains.
"Ah, my son, I suspect." The Father replies.
The Father turns his attention to me. Although his face is expressionless for the most part, I can't help but notice his curiousity. His focus is on Anakin, but for some reason he does seem moderately interested in me.
"Did my Son get to you as well?" He asks me.
I don't know how I would even begin to explain a dream like that. It was dark and painful to the point where it felt real. No one can know about it, especially not Anakin or the Father.
"No, no he didn't." I lie with such confidence that it feels truthful.
The Father assesses my facial expressions momentarily before averting his gaze back to Anakin. I guess my deception worked.
"To answer your previous questions, we can take many forms. The shapes we embody are merely a reflection of the life force around us. My children and I can manipulate the Force like no other. Therefore, it was necessary to withdraw from the temporal world and live here as anchorites." The Father says.
"As a sanctuary?" I ask.
"And a prison." He adds. "You cannot imagine what pain it is to have such love for your children and realise that they could tear the very fabric of our universe."
His choice of words chills me slightly. Prison. Is that truly what this place is? If so, do we ever get to leave?
"I don't understand." Anakin sighs.
"It is only here that I can control them. A family in balance, the light and the dark, day with night, destruction replaced by creation."
Balance. The Daughter seemed to be a beacon the light side. Based on the darkness Anakin and I just experienced, the Son must be the dark. Perhaps there is more to this than we thought.
"Then why reveal yourselves to us?" I ask.
"There are some who would like to exploit our power. The Sith are but one. Too much dark or light would be the undoing of life as you understand it. When news reached me that the Chosen One had been found, I needed to see for myself." The Father says almost cheerily.
Upon hearing the Father say "chosen one", I mentally prepare myself for a battle. There is no way I could defeat him, but I would die trying if it meant I was protecting Anakin.
"The Chosen One is a myth." Anakin states.
"Is it? I should very much like to know." The Father says. "Why don't we find out together?"
"How about no?" I defend my husband.
I try to take a few steps toward the Father but am stopped by Anakin's tight grip on my forearm.
"It's okay, (Y/N)." Anakin calms me. "What will I have to do?"
"Pass one test, and I shall know the truth." The Father says. "Then you and your friends may leave."
I give Anakin a look, urging him not to trust him, but he turns his gaze from me.
"I'll do it." Anakin agrees.
Knowing I will lose any protest I start, I accept what is to come. I follow the Father and Anakin through the Monastery until we reach an outdoor area on the far end of the place. It is an arena of sorts. At the centre is the yin and yang symbol– a concept demonstrating how opposing forces create balance.
"It is time to face your guilt and know the truth." The Father declares.
Two creatures fly into the arena. One white and the other a dark grey. The white one swoops down and picks me up whilst already holding Obi Wan. I hear Anakin calling for me but it's no use. The creature appears to be a griffin. I observe the darker creature across from me to see it is holding both Cal and Ahsoka. It is far more terrifying. It is a gargoyle.
The white creature stands in the white spot of the black half of the symbol and the dark one does the opposite.
"Let them go!" Anakin demands from the circle in the centre. "I will not play your games."
"Oh, but I think you will. I have ordered my children to kill your friends." The Father threatens. "The question is...who will you choose to save? Your master and your friend? Or the Padawan's?"