Killing hope
Syllius Brand sat at the edge of the Forest of Epiphany, watching the shooting stars go by. It was that time of year for cosmic storms, and he knew that they would go on like this every day for at least a month. Then the darkness would recede, and the suns be seen again, and the cycle of seasons begin anew. He smiled, thinking of years gone by, when the first sight of the meteors would get the whole clan in a frenzy, and younglings like himself would clamour for a front row seat.
There was a time when the very mention of the Forest would strike terror into his heart, not to mention every other Padowan in training. There, the Masters had placed a whole gauntlet of traps and obstacles that, without exception, would give even the most skilled and experienced of Jedi a hard time. He well remembered the look of fear that would spark in the eyes of the trainees, when they fumbled a maneuver, or got caught out in a test. There would often be a long, meaningful silence, before the Master uttered the dreaded words: "Go to the Forest". Funnily enough, he reflected ruefully, he found himself saying those words to students more often than they were ever said to him.
He sat there, knowing he would not have long to wait.
A heavy, mechanical breathing broke the stillness of the night. He knew who it was without having to turn around. He had sensed him watching him for a while now, and he knew that he knew too. The ripple in the Force had been pervading through the Forest even before he stepped into it, and his very proximity had turned it into a tidal wave. Even a novice could have sensed that the entire gauntlet had been dismantled. He gripped the handle of the light sabre by his side. It felt as if he were at the very foot of the wave, waiting for it to crash down.
"Greetings, cousin."
He stood up and turned around, and saw the enemy face to face for the first time. He stared in disbelief, though he himself had sensed the events that had taken place in the last 48 hours. Stories of Jedi who had been corrupted, turned to the dark side, came back to him as Obi Wan's voice echoed in his head. One day, he had said, you shall come face to face with the dark side. And it will be the battle of your life.
"Oh, Anakin." He breathed softly. "Look what they've done to you."
Darth Vader stood there motionless, his helmet gleaming in the dim light. All one could hear was the rhythmic breathing of the machine before him, and it chilled him to the very bone.
"Is it true, what they say?"
"The Jedi are no more, Syllius."
"And you are responsible?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I serve a new master. Now, the Dark side reigns."
"And Padmé?" He thought he saw Vader almost quiver. But no answer was forthcoming.
"Anakin? What happened to Padmé?"
"Do not speak to me of her, Syllius."
"Do you not even care about your wife?"
"Be silent!"
"You can say what you want, Anakin. But we are still cousins. And there is nothing more important than family."
"I am a Sith Lord. My name is Darth Vader."
"Won't you even take off your mask to talk to me, Anakin?"
"You will address me by my title!" Abruptly, he found himself hurled several feet into the air. He only just managed to break his fall in time, and somersaulted to his feet.
Let's spar again, Anakin. Just one more time.
Again? Is it going to last more than 30 seconds this time?
Very funny, cousin. Just wait till you are at the end of my light sabre, then we'll see who's laughing.
Will that be before or after Obi Wan gets a sense of humour?
Stop talking and defend yourself!
He had to fight the fear that was bubbling within him. Anakin's prowess had never been new to him, but it seemed to have taken on a whole new dimension. It was…different now.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"Every Jedi is now an enemy of the Republic."
"Listen to yourself. What are you saying?"
"This is the reality, Syllius. And no one can run from it."
"I didn't dare to believe what I was sensing. You really have changed."
"It is for the better, cousin. I am stronger, more powerful than ever before."
"More powerful than ever. I do believe that. I really do." The breathing took over in lieu of words. It felt as if it were filling the space between the both of them, conjuring up memories and thoughts of times and places past.
Syllius? Do you think all this training will ever be put to use?
Well, the Republic has many enemies. I'm sure we'll be deployed somewhere in time.
I'd like to try my hand against a real foe for once, instead of playing pretend all the time.
As Obi Wan might say: patience, my young apprentice.
I can't wait to be a Jedi Master, cousin.
You will be if you can stop dreaming.
You'll see, Syllius. I'm going to be the greatest Jedi that ever lived.
I'm sure.
"Did you ever believe in the prophecy, Anakin? The one to come who would bring balance to the force?"
"Such things are irrelevant now."
"I was in awe of you, cousin. I really was. Some of the other Jedi would mock the prophecy, call you names. For me, all I ever had to was look at you, and my faith in it would be renewed. Because I could see what was in you: goodness and light, and hope. But now..."
"There is another way, Syllius. A better way."
"There is no other way."
"Come with me. The Emperor will train you, and show you power beyond all imagining."
"And all it would cost is my very soul."
"Join me."
"Never."
"What would you do? Rebuild the temple?"
"Brick by brick, yes."
"A fool's errand."
"At least I would not be trampling on the bodies of my friends to do so."
"They were enemies."
"How could you, Anakin? How could you do what you did?"
"It was necessary."
"You betrayed us. All of us. You seek to destroy all that is good and decent in the Republic, and now you ask me to be by your side as you do so?"
"Cousin –"
"Join you and dishonour every single thing I have spent my entire life defending? Tear down the very foundation of what we believe?"
"Syllius –"
"You're insane. You've gone completely insane."
"Syllius, please!" His sudden outburst shocked him. Just for that moment, it seemed as if he were Anakin again. Not the black clad monstrosity before him, nor a Sith Lord, nor someone more machine than man. Nothing more than the cousin he had grown up with.
"I – I cannot be alone. Not like this."
Syllius looked at him. He remembered the young boy who even the Jedi masters had revered. The one in whom the Force was so strong, that the whispers of the chosen one had began anew, whispers that had not been heard for years. He recalled his very first duel with a Jedi Master, and how he had defeated him with such skill and guile, that everyone was left speechless, and all Obi-Wan could do was beam and say, over and over again: "That's my apprentice."
"I'm sorry, Anakin. But you are. From this day forth, you will be completely alone."
The breathing took over once more. It seemed slow and hesitant. Then suddenly, it rose again, steady and constant and hardened.
"You cannot win, Syllius."
"I know." A crackle of energy, a pure beam of green light arising, as he raised his light sabre and gripped it in both hands. "But Jedi do not fear death."
"Indeed." A pink beam materialized, and illuminated the whole of his body as Vader slowly raised his own weapon.
He took on the attacking posture, as he had done so many times before, and prepared himself for the final battle. "Defend yourself. Lord Vader." He took the final step forward and into the fight.
After a while, all that could be heard in the dark was a steady, mechanical breathing. And for just the slightest, briefest moment, a stifled, desperate sob.