❈✱❉✤❈✱❉
Anakin was gazing out at the blackened, scorching planet from the balcony of the Separatist base when he felt a sudden disturbance in the Force. A familiar presence was nearby. Anakin's heart began to race as his mind jumped immediately to Astrid, but then he quickly realized it wasn't her.
It was Obi-Wan.
Anakin's felt a flare of annoyance. He was still alive? The clones hadn't killed him? What was Obi-Wan doing here still alive?
Anakin's gaze turned skyward to the smoke-filled sky, and sure enough he spotted a Republic star fighter flying down from the turbulent grey clouds. Instantly, he knew it was Obi-Wan's ship.
How had Obi-Wan found him? Had he simply followed his Force presence, which had led him here to Mustafar? Did Obi-Wan know what Anakin had done? Had Obi-Wan witnessed Anakin selling his soul to the Dark Side to learn the power to save Astrid from death?
Anakin decided he didn't care if Obi-Wan had seen what he'd one. Obi-Wan's opinions were now irrelevant to Anakin. Obi-Wan was no longer his master.
As the star fighter vanished behind the other side of the volcano, Anakin turned and, stepping past the bodies scattered around the control room, hurried towards the landing pad where he was certain Obi-Wan had landed his ship.
Anakin stepped out onto the walkway that linked the landing pad to the base. His dark cloak billowed behind him in the hot, steaming air as he strode forward with quick, measured steps. On either side of the walkway below, the searing hot lava steamed and bubbled. Flakes of ash rose into the air from the lava.
Roughly thirty yards away in front of Anakin, Obi-Wan leapt down from his star fighter. Judging by the anguish evident in Obi-Wan's caramel-colored eyes as his eyes found Anakin, he knew Obi-Wan had uncovered his treachery.
Obi-Wan knew Anakin was working with Darth Sidious.
The two Jedi regarded each other warily as Anakin came to a stop fifteen feet away. Obi-Wan was the first to speak.
"Anakin, how could you do this?" he asked, his voice breaking with heartbreak and disbelief. "You have allowed this Dark Lord to twist your mind until now-- until now you have become the very thing you swore to destroy."
Anakin curled his lip with distain as he retorted sharply, "Don't lecture me, Obi-Wan. I see through the lies of the Jedi. I do not fear the Dark Side as you do." His hand moved to his lightsaber. "I have brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to my new Empire."
Anakin took a few steps forward, and the two began circling each other, their bodies lined with tension and hands within easy grasp of their lightsabers.
"Your new Empire?" Obi-Wan repeated in disbelief. "This Empire has risen from violence and destruction, and it has replaced freedom with oppression! This is not peace, justice, or security! Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil!"
"Well, from my point of view, the Jedi are evil!" Anakin snarled, and his mechanical hand within his black glove clenched into an angry fist. "Don't make me kill you," Anakin warned Obi-Wan as they continued to circle each other. "Leave now, Obi-Wan, and I'll spare your life. I won't even try to find you."
"Anakin." Obi-Wan's voice broke on his name before he continued desperately, as if urging his former Padawan to see reason, "My allegiance is to the Republic... to democracy!"
Of course Obi-Wan couldn't seen his point of view; he never had been able to when he and Anakin had still been friends-- brothers, even. Obi-Wan had always been so dutiful and perfect. He embodied everything Anakin hated about the Jedi Order and their ridiculous philosophies.
Anakin regarded his former master with a surge of renewed anger and hatred, and he welcomed these dark emotions, allowing them to fill him and grant him access to the power of the Dark Side as Darth Sidious had shown him earlier.
Anakin stopped walking as he seethed, "If you're not with me, then you're my enemy."
A look of anguish crossed Obi-Wan's face before his mouth thinned with determination. When he spoke, he sounded disappointed, yet resolute. "Only a Sith Lord deals in absolutes, Anakin. I will do what I must."
Anakin's lip curled as he ignited his lightsaber and seethed, "You will try."
In an instant, he lunged towards Obi-Wan, and his former master quickly brought his lightsaber upwards to block Anakin's attack. Their blue lightsabers clashed and locked against each others, sparks flying, and Anakin pressed down harder against Obi-Wan's lightsaber, using his anger to fuel his strength.
Obi-Wan strength began to give way underneath Anakin's lightsaber, and Obi-Wan quickly disengaged and leapt backwards with a Jedi's agility towards the walkway leading into the Separatist base. Anakin's face twisted with fury as he prowled after Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan began walking backwards as Anakin advanced on him. With each powerful, merciless swing of Anakin's lightsaber, Obi-Wan brought his lightsaber up to block. Their lightsabers sizzled and sparked with each clash. Obi-Wan was on the pure defensive, while Anakin was on the offensive.
They entered the Separatist base and into the narrow hallway, and Anakin and Obi-Wan's lightsaber's left glowing hot scorch marks on the wall as their lightsabers hissed against the metal walls with each block and advancing strike.
As they entered into the control room, Anakin brought his foot up and kicked Obi-Wan square in the chest, causing Obi-Wan to lose his balance as he stumbled backwards. Taking advantage of Obi-Wan's momentarily precarious balance, Anakin lunged forward with his lightsaber.
Obi-Wan had just enough time to bring his lightsaber up to block Anakin attack before Anakin's lightsaber could cleave him in half. So unexpected was the force of Obi-Wan's strike, that Anakin's lightsaber flew from his grip and skidded across the floor.
Obi-Wan was on top of Anakin in an instant.
Anakin caught Obi-Wan's wrist as Obi-Wan swung his lightsaber down on Anakin, and Anakin fought against his former master as he inched his lightsaber closer and closer to Anakin's neck.
Anakin saw the hesitation in his former master's eyes, and he hissed, "You hesitate, Obi-Wan. The flaw of compassion."
Obi-Wan merely pursed his lips and replied in a voice filled with sadness, "No, it is respect for the man you once were. The flaw of power is arrogance."
His words only filled Anakin with rage.
With a growl of fury, Anakin managed to kick Obi-Wan away from him, and the Jedi Master hit the opposite wall with a loud thud. Anakin strode forward, his face twisted with anger. Still recovering from his earlier hit, Obi-Wan lifted his lightsaber into the air, but Anakin grabbed both of Obi-Wan's wrists to stop him.
Gripped Obi-Wan's lightsaber arm, Anakin began forcing the weapon down upon Obi-Wan, turning his own weapon against him. At the same time, Anakin clutched his former master's throat with his other hand.
Obi-Wan choked and gasped for air as he began to fall to the ground to avoid his own lightsaber that was inching closer and closer to his neck. Obi-Wan flung out a hand, and Anakin's lightsaber flew into his grip from where it had been laying on the floor.
Anakin startled as Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber and thrust it towards him.
Anakin leapt backwards before his own lightsaber could stab him, and his face twisted with anger at the fact that Obi-Wan was using his own lightsaber against him now. Anakin marched forward and raised a hand at the same time Obi-Wan did the same, and they both Force-shoved the other backwards.
Anakin hit the wall opposite of Obi-Wan with a painful thud, and small grunt escaping him, and he managed to get his feet underneath him before he could collapse to the ground. As Obi-Wan struggled to his feet on the other side of the room, Anakin spotted his own lightsaber on the ground.
Seizing the Force, Anakin raised a hand towards it, and his lightsaber flew into his grip. He said as he began striding towards Obi-Wan determinedly, "Don't make me destroy you, Master. You're no match for the Dark Side."
Obi-Wan began retreating backwards as he answered breathlessly, "I've heard that before, Anakin, but I never thought I'd hear it from you."
Anakin growled with anger and quickened his step as Obi-Wan retreated further and further down the control room. Anakin wanted to end this fight for once and for all. He didn't want to see Obi-Wan again. He wanted him dead.
It was time for the Padawan to beat the Master.
Anakin used the Force to rip off pieces of the control panels, and he hurtled the pieces at Obi-Wan with lightning fast speed. Obi-Wan barely dodged the metal pieces, and a few times he slashed them down with a swing of his lightsaber. An alarm began to blare throughout the base, but Anakin paid no heed to it as Obi-Wan began retreating onto the balcony and the connecting corridor lining the edges of the base.
Anakin stalked after him.
One side of the corridor was lined by only a thin, metal railing that blocked people from tipping off the corridor and into the bubbling lava below. Exposed to Mustafar's climate in the corridor, Anakin could feel the heat of the lava on his face.
The floor beneath their feet gave a large groan as if the metal scaffolding propping up the part of the base jutting out above the lava was beginning to melt at the lava's searing heat. As the flooring gave another great shudder, Anakin and Obi-Wan both paused to regain their footing, both of their faces a mirror image of bewilderment.
Suddenly, the entire corridor tilted as if the scaffolding truly had melted and given way to the searing lava. It was only then that Anakin realized that when he'd torn off pieces of the controls to throw at Obi-Wan, he must've broken the protective ray shield that surrounded the base to protect it from the lava.
Anakin's feet slipped on the metal flooring as it tilted at nearly a thirty degree angle, and he slammed into the metal railing before he could tip over into the bubbling lava below. From beside him ten feet away, Obi-Wan leapt over the railing and onto a piece of scaffolding-- a pipe of sorts-- emerging from the lava from where it was connected to the submerged part of the base.
Anakin's mouth curled with wrath as he pushed himself off the railing and leapt down after Obi-Wan. He would not allow his former master to get away from him. Anakin landed behind Obi-Wan on top of the metal pipe, and without breaking his stride, he swung at Obi-Wan with his lightsaber, forcing his former master to walk backwards across the narrow pipe.
They battled each other, their glowing, blue lightsabers standing out amidst the angry orange of the lava and black, lifeless planet. The pipe beneath them began to sink towards the lava, and Obi-Wan fled backwards onto another part of the partially submerged base on higher ground.
Anakin leapt after him, lightsaber blazing, and the two of them began climbing the partially submerged structure as they fought the other. So enraptured in his fury, Anakin did not notice the lava-fall rapidly approaching downstream of the lava river.
The structure the two were fighting on began to sink down towards the lava as the metal gradually melted at the lava's heat.
Suddenly, the two of them both noticed the river of lava disappearing ahead, and they both stop fighting for a split second as they regarded the approaching lava fall. Suddenly, the structure they were standing on began to groan and snap as it collapsed into the lava, and before Anakin could react, Obi-Wan quickly leapt onto a stray piece of square metal floating down the lava river.
Realizing he was doomed if he stayed upon the structure, Anakin looked around wildly for another structure of metal scrap to stand on in its place. He spotted a construction droid zooming down the lava river, completely unperturbed by the lava's heat. Heart racing, Anakin made a running leap and landed upon the head of the bewildered droid.
He wobbled for a moment on the droid's unstable head before his Jedi reflexes steadied him. Using the Force, Anakin steered the droid towards Obi-Wan, who was now trying to reach the river's black sandy bank. Anakin reached Obi-Wan quicker than he could escape to the safety of the river bank, and Anakin arced his lightsaber down towards Obi-Wan as he balanced upon the droid.
Obi-Wan raised his lightsaber up to block Anakin's, and their lightsabers clashed and locked together. Anakin gritted his teeth as he shoved down on Obi-Wan's lightsaber. Obi-Wan took a step backwards as he quickly disengaged.
Taking his opportunity, Anakin jumped and flipped over Obi-Wan before landing behind him on his larger platform, and Obi-Wan whirled around just in time to block Anakin's attack. Again, their lightsabers clashed and locked together.
"I have failed you, Anakin!" Obi-Wan shouted. "I was never able to teach you to think!"
Anakin's anger roared at Obi-Wan's sharp jab, and he snarled, "I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over!"
"From the Sith!" Obi-Wan protested. "Anakin, can't you see Chancellor Palpatine is evil? He's a Sith Lord!"
"Only from the Jedi's point of view! From my point of view, the Jedi are evil! They've lost!" Anakin seethed, his face twisting with anger as his blue eyes began to glow a faint yellow. Obi-Wan could no longer recognize his former Padawan, his friend, his brother.
"Well, then you are lost!" Obi-Wan shouted, straining against Anakin's lightsaber.
"This is the end for you, my Master," Anakin spat before snarling, "I wish it were otherwise."
Obi-Wan stopped straining against Anakin's lightsaber and ducked down as Anakin's blade swooshed through the air above his head. Obi-Wan sprang back to his feet, and before Anakin could attack him again, he leapt into the air and landed on the black, sandy edge of the sloped river bank.
"It's over, Anakin! I have the high ground!" Obi-Wan shouted as he stared down at Anakin, who remained on the scrap piece of metal on the lava river.
"You underestimate my power!" Anakin yelled, his eyes a vibrant shade of yellow that matched the lava's fiery glow.
Obi-Wan read the intent in Anakin's eyes, and he knew that Anakin was going to try and leap over him and land behind him-- the exact trick Obi-Wan had used on Darth Maul when the Sith had killed his own master, Qui Gonn Jin. It had worked then for Obi-Wan, but Obi-Wan knew it would not work for Anakin.
"Don't try it," Obi-Wan breathed, but it was too late.
Anakin sprang into the air, and as he flipped over Obi-Wan, the Jedi Master brought his lightsaber up to block. Automatically, Obi-Wan's lightsaber cut off Anakin's right arm-- which so happened to be his mechanical arm-- and then his left leg below his knee in the blink of an eye as he was bringing his lightsaber down to stand guard. Anakin fell to the ground with a cry of both outrage and pain, and he tumbled down the embankment and rolled to a stop near the edge of the lava.
Anakin released a groan as he tried to haul himself up the bank away from the river's edge, but the shifting black sand kept him from keeping his grip, causing him to fall back down to the sand with each attempt he made to rise.
Obi-Wan watched Anakin struggle with heart wrenching pain, and he shouted, "You were the Chosen One! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them! It was you who would bring balance to the Force, not leave it in Darkness!"
He leaned down and picked up Anakin's lightsaber from where it rested in the black sand, and he turned to walk away, unable to bring himself to finish the job Master Yoda had sent him here to do-- to kill Anakin while Yoda, himself, went after Darth Sidious. The sound of Anakin's cries of anguish caused Obi-Wan to stop and look back at his former Padawan.
Anakin lifted his head as he gazed at Obi Wan with smoldering, yellow eyes, and he screamed with sheer wraith and hatred, "I hate you!"
Obi-Wan's heart broke twice over as he spoke, "You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you!"
Suddenly, Anakin's clothing blew into the lava river and ignited into flame. Within moments, Anakin was consumed in flame, and he began screaming with pain as Obi-Wan watched with growing horror.
"Save me!" Anakin cried in a half roar, half whimper. Then, he whispered so quietly that not even Obi-Wan could hear, "Astrid, save me. Help me."
For he was afraid. He did not want to die.
Unable to watch Anakin suffer, yet unable to find the strength to end his suffering, Obi-Wan turned and fled up the sloped embankment back to his ship above. The friend he knew was gone; there was no saving him. As Obi-Wan reached his star fighter, he spotted Artoo waiting by Anakin's green star fighter. Artoo gave a low, whir as the astromech spotted Obi-Wan, too, and the droid eagerly rushed towards the Jedi Master.
Obi-Wan sensed a sudden disturbance in the Force, and he glanced upwards to see a black, ominous ship emerging from the grey, turbulent cloud cover. It had to be Darth Sidious, which meant Master Yoda hadn't been able to defeat him. Obi-Wan's stomach dropped at the realization of this and what this could mean; that Darth Sidious had defeated and killed Master Yoda.
"Artoo, come with me," Obi-Wan urged, turning back to the astromech. "I need your help."
He feared Sidious would use Artoo against them somehow. Doubtlessly, Artoo held all sorts of valuable intel. Obi-Wan didn't quite know what intel the astromech held, but he didn't want to risk it coming into Sidious's hands.
Artoo gave a low beep, his refusal plain. The astromech was loyal, Obi-Wan had to give him that. "Artoo, Anakin is in trouble," Obi-Wan told him. "Come with me to help him. If you think staying here will help him, you're wrong."
Artoo didn't move or say anything for a moment, and Obi-Wan added, "Artoo, please. If you remain here, you can't help him."
Artoo let out a low whir, his sadness plain in his voice, before he flew into the air and landed in the notch specifically built into Obi-Wan's star fighter for astromechs.
Obi-Wan smiled with relief.
His smile faded, though, when he looked up and beheld the black ship lowering towards the base, most definitely to retrieve Anakin, if he was even still alive. Obi-Wan couldn't see how Anakin could still be alive since he had been engulfed by flames literally. His heart panged with regret of the events that had been forced to transpire here.
Obi-Wan hurriedly jumped into the pilot's seat of his starfighter, and within moments he was shooting off into the grey, stormy sky.
Meanwhile, on the riverbank of the lava river, Anakin lay in the black sand, his clothes smoldering and skin half burnt. He'd suffered a few burns to his skin, but his clothes had protected him a bit before he'd thought to roll in the sand to stamp out the flames.
He groaned in pain as the black sand rubbed against the bloodied, sensitive skin of his burnt left arm. Anakin heard footsteps approaching, and he looked up to see Sidious standing there with two clone troopers. The clones moved to Anakin's side and hauled him to his feet, or rather one foot, now, since Obi-Wan had cut off his left leg from his knee down.
Anakin hissed in a breath.
"Good," Sidious spoke unfeelingly and without sympathy. "You aren't too damaged. Your injuries can be easily repaired." He paused. "Feel your pain, Lord Vader, and let it fuel your anger and build your strength."
Anakin's face twisted with pain, and he managed to ask, "Where is Astrid? Is she alright?"
Sidious paused before replying regretfully, "It appears she was--" A pause "--killed during the execution of Order Sixty-Six. I suppose you did not think to ensure she was not surrounded by clones when the order was sent out. She is dead."
Anguish and despair torn through Anakin with vicious ferocity. He felt as if the shifting ground had opened up beneath his feet, and he was falling into the pit of despair that had yawned open inside the cavity of his chest. Astrid was gone, and it was because of him. He didn't deserve her, he didn't deserve to live.
Suddenly, his pain transformed into burning hot anger like the lava surrounding him. Eyes glowing a vibrant yellow, Anakin lifted a hand, and the two clones beside him lifted into the air as they clawed at their throats, gasping for air.
Anakin's face twisted with wrath as he clenched his fist tighter, and the clones' necks snapped with a definite crunch. With a growl of fury, Anakin released them, and their bodies fell to the black sand before rolling into the river of lava.
They were engulfed in flame.
But Anakin was not done.
Sidious had lied to him. He had played Anakin like a fool, like a pawn in his little game. Anakin hadn't saved Astrid.
It was all for nothing.
He turned on Sidious and, seizing the Force within his grip, Force-shoved him backwards. Sidious flew into the air before hitting the sand fifteen feet away in a whirl of black fabric. Anakin made to stride after Darth Sidious to cut him down, but when he reached for his lightsaber with his left hand, he realized it was gone.
And then he lost his balance.
Anakin collapsed onto the black sand with a cry of pain, and when he lifted his head, Darth Sides was already rising to his feet, his face a mask of pure fury. The Sith Lord raised his hands, and blue lightning erupted from his fingers and engulfed Anakin. With a cry of pain, Anakin writhed on the ground as electricity coursed over his body.
His thoughts were hazy and his vision blurry as pain exploded all over his body, and he cried out in anguish, clawing at the sand, seeking an outlet to end this unendurable pain. But the electricity vanished as quickly as it had come, and Anakin lay panting on the ground, with his clothes smoking. He was suddenly weak and overcome with exhaustion.
Sidious seethed from where he stood over Anakin, "Strike me with the Force again, and it will be the last action you ever do. I will not hesitate to kill you, Lord Vader."
And as Anakin lifted his gaze to Sidious's ghoulish, hateful face, he beheld his future; a miserable, bleak, hopeless future full of pain and utter hate. It was in that moment that Anakin realized that in his quest to save his family and friends, to keep them at his side for fear of loss, he'd gone down a path-- a terrible path-- in which he'd lost them anyways.
And he was alone, utterly, irrevocably alone... forever.
❈✱❉✤❈✱❉
Hello! We've only got one more chapter and then it's Act 4!! AHHH!
Anyways, I hope you don't mind that I didn't make Anakin's injuries as severe as they were in the movies. HAHA I still want him to be cute and to have some original (would you say original?) limbs left. Maybe flesh limbs is the right way to phrase it? ANYWAYS, I hope you all had a nice weekend! <3
-- Paradise_Palms