Note: The second part of the Chosen Trilogy picks immediately where Chosen: Restoration left off.
Chapter 1: Revelation
Lvet of the Dinami looked at the trio uneasily, cognizant that the Heralds—and himself—may have made a very grave mistake.
Ever since he was a boy, he had heard the tales of the Sith'ari, the man who would come and save the Sith, the savior would would fulfill the prophecies. He had dreamed of being among the many blessed to see him, to see the Sith'ari ascend the throne and still the chaos ravaging their plane.
So, when the Heralds of the Dinami—the trained acolytes who interpreted the dreams and visions sent by the Force to the seers— had announced to the elders that the time of the prophecies were nigh, that the Sith'ari was near, Lvet had rejoiced.
All of them had.
They had expected him to come in a blaze of glory; mighty and powerful, fulfilling the prophecies with dignity and grace.
They had expected a hero.
But Lvet should have known better than to expect such for only rarely did any savior come in such a manner; it was proven by the testimony that was the history of the universe. Yet he had hoped; hoped and waited. And now that the so-called Sith'ari lay in front of him, he could admit that he was disappointed… and doubtful.
For this man, this Anakin Skywalker, was a mere boy. He was so young, his body weak from his sickness, that it was hard to believe that he was anything other than what he looked; a young Jedi recovering from a life threatening condition.
So, how could this be him?
How could this man fulfill the prophecies?
Lvet exhaled softly and closed his eyes.
No… he couldn't lose faith. He wouldn't. The Heralds had never been wrong before, why should they be wrong now? Not only that, he was a Sensor. He should know by now to look beyond appearances to what was underneath. Just because these people seemed to be a ragtag group didn't mean it was true.
Taking another breath, Lvet inhaled and exhaled slowly. Then, he opened his eyes and reached for that place inside of him…
An infinitesimally slight smile curved his lips as a familiar rush went through him; sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch combining into the ultimate perspicacity; the Sense.
Sacred and feared, the ability to Sense, was a gift that only a handful of Dinami had, him being one of them. To Sense was to merge all of the five elements of perception into one entity, allowing the Sensor to see beneath the surface into the soul. It was the ability to read any and every being in the three planes of existence like a book.
Blinking once and then twice, the dark-skinned being gazed upon the three humans, his eyebrows rising slightly as he looked upon the first one.
The woman, Padmé, was beautiful with smooth skin, long dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. She looked so fragile as she sat in the chair staring at her husband with barely concealed weariness, rubbing her bulging belly soothingly. She was a mixture of emotions; relief, shock, awe and trepidation. But underneath it all, Lvet Sensed strength and an underlying edge of raw, enduring might.
It was more than a little surprising. The female Skywalker was like a chuck of coal: Just a little pressure would make her shine as bright as the sun; a diamond among rocks and mortar. Straightening, Lvet felt some of his tension melt away; it was rare for him to Sense such incredible puissance and the fact that he was feeling this from her boded well.
Padmé Skywalker was a warrior just waiting to be born and had all the makings to be the mate of the Sith'ari. And it was good, for she would need that strength in that future if Anakin Skywalker was indeed the leader of prophecy. For her being his present wife was no protection at all and would not stop the Sith families from plotting to join the Caeli Ambulavi with their own clans, even if it meant ridding themselves of Padmé Skywalker altogether. It would truly take all of her tenacity and wit to hold onto her husband and their future family in the days to come, for only her enduring will would decide whether she would indeed be transformed into something great under the pressure, or reduced to dust.
Turning to the Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Lvet blinked hugely and then squinted slightly in an effort to protect his eyes. Even from where he stood, he could Sense the Jedi's purity of soul; it came off the man in waves of blinding, bright light. Obi-Wan Kenobi was like a mountain, unmovable and unwavering in his beliefs, in his dedication to right. But even stronger than that was the love he felt for his two companions. It was a devotion that pleased Lvet, for both the Sith'ari and the S'ihar, the Lady of the Sith, would need such counsel in the future to remain true to themselves. It would take time to see if Obi-Wan's strength was enough, to see if there was any strength left for himself, because in the days ahead, Obi-Wan Kenobi would struggle to remain faithful to the Jedi that he was.
Finally, Lvet turned to the Sith'ari, Anakin Skywalker. And as he did, his brows furrowed in confusion. He Sensed nothing from the man.
Absolutely nothing.
But that was impossible. Lvet was a Sensor; he should be able to see inside of him, to read him as he had done so many others. Taking a calming breath, Lvet blinked and then Looked deeper…
Only to be washed away.
Lvet's eyes widened in alarm as he was suddenly bombarded with waves upon waves of emotion and pure essence; it overwhelmed him, swallowing him whole with the fore of a tsunami, blinding his Sense to all else. Anakin Skywalker was a hurricane. Literally. Never in his life had the Dinami felt such raw power, such a pure concentration of the Force. The Force's presence was so heavy that it surrounded Skywalker much like how a cloud was encompassed by the sky.
This man just didn't channel the Force, it was like Skywalker was part of the Force!
Incredible… Lvet thought in awe, his mouth dropping open, absolutely incredible.
He tilted his head as he Looked deeper into the Sith'ari. It was almost painful, like digging a deep hole into hard earth with the stick.
Yet he pushed.
Because for all Skywalker's power, there was something about the Jedi that seemed a little… off.
The Dinami's frown deepened as he studied the young man.
It was strange. Skywalker was a veritable beacon for the Light Side of the Force; he was drowning in it. That, in and of itself was unusual, but what was even more unusual was the fact that Lvet could not Sense the Dark Side in him at all.
He could feel it, but he could not See it.
And there was a difference. To feel an aura was to use one's normal sense to perceive what was present, but to See the underlying essence of an aura, a Sensor had to Look deeper down, into a being's life threads; the thin lines that were the soul's ties to the Light and Dark sides of the Force. The threads told how deeply into Boga a being was and how connected they were to the Ashla. So, it was simple: if he could feel it, he should be able to See it.
But he didn't.
That's not right, Lvet thought absently. Threads of the Dark Side, however slight, existed in everyone; it was greed, rage, anger and hate. Yet although he could feel the strain of underlying rage within the Jedi, he could not See the dark threads of Boga in Skywalker.
But how can that be…? The Dinami thought in confusion. How I not See…?
The answer hit Lvet like a bl'ick to the face.
It is not there because he is part of the Light Side of the Force, part of Ashla and Ashla cannot live with Boga, Lvet realized, his wonder growing by the second, Yet he is also human, the son of a Sith. So, it's there but it's not; it's the reason he can use Boga without being overwhelmed and consumed. In order for Boga to even make an appearance, Skywalker would have to actively reach for it, yet even then it would not remain with him. In order for it to do so, he'd have to be in a constant and perpetual state of stress. It's present when he is agitated and goes just as soon as he is calm and that, without any of the lasting and negative effects that the Dark Side leaves on its practitioners.
Lvet paused a minute, silently releasing a huge breath.
But that means that Anakin Skywalker is immune to the mind altering effects of the Dark Side of the Force; he literally cannot be consumed unless he wills it so.
Lvet stood there for a moment, his mind totally and completely blown.
This was huge; the greatest discovery of the Dinami since reestablishing contact with the Sith; Lvet could barely contemplate the gravity of his discovery.
There was actually a being in the galaxy that was immune to the Dark Side of the Force, that was predisposed to Ashla, that bascially could not be turned unless he actively made it so.
The Dinami shook his head as the implications sunk in.
Anakin Skywalker was the Sith'ari.
He was.
Lvet felt heat begin to rise within him as the familiar feeling of veneration begin to flood him.
Here before him was the one.
He was the one. And no matter how he looked now, this man would save the Sith and thus, save them all.
Anakin Skywalker could save them all.
Allowing the Sense to fade, Lvet looked at Skywalker through normal eyes, no longer seeing a bedridden young man, but the mighty warrior that he would be. And it's then that he knew; the Dinami might not have gotten the savior that they wanted; but they'd got the one they needed. And even more than that; Lvet would have the supreme privilege of seeing this man's transformation, of seeing him mature and grow into the leader that they all needed.
It sent a thrill through him. He would be at ground zero while events that shaped the rest of existence finally occured; it could only be the will of the Force that he was here at this time, in this place and he was determined that he would honor its wishes and do all he could to aid Skywalker.
But all was not yet well. While he now knew that truth; others didn't: Anakin Skywalker did not look like a hero and acted like he'd like nothing better than to forget the truth of his origins.
And if seeing Skywalker had disappointed him, it would surely disenchant others as well.
Not only that; the council wanted to see him and if they rejected him…
Lvet folded his arms, his eyes narrowing as the gravity of the situation continued to wash over him.
The council's reaction to the Sith'ari would not be good. Though aligned with the Light Side of the Force, not even the Dinami were above deception and manipulation. When they saw that the Sith'ari had not come as expected, they would try to mold him into their image in an effort to save themselves and their people.
But that could not be. The Sith'ari was supposed to lead, not be led. Anakin Skywalker had to be allowed to do things his way, with, at the most, a gentle guiding hand; it was the only way they would be saved. How could he fulfill his destiny if it was destroyed before he could even begin?
No.
No.
That could not be allowed to happen. Too much depended on this man.
Everything depended on him.
These three humans, these visitors from another plane would need protection until they understood the ways of the Dinami, the ways of the Sith. They needed shelter, guidance and understanding.
And Lvet would make sure they received it.
#*#*#*#*#
Anakin Skywalker closed his eyes as he breathed.
In.
Out.
Breathe, he told himself, just keep breathing.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
He did not move, didn't even twitch, just laid there on his hospital bed and breathed, cognizant of his wife on his right and his best friend on his left, highly aware of their worry, their concern.
But he didn't know what to say to them, didn't know what to do; didn't know how to comfort them.
His body was weak and tired, his wife was vulnerable in her prurient state and his best friend looked haggard and uncomfortable.
And he himself was still reeling from the words of the Dinami, Lvet, the words that named him, Anakin Skywalker, the Sith'ari.
Anakin took another breath.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
The way he was feeling now was… interesting.
Everything felt surreal… like a dream. He felt fatigue, shock, exhaustion…
But most of all, he felt peace.
And that's what disturbed him most of all, because Lvet's words made perfect sense.
The Dinami's words explained everything; all the times he had used the Dark Side and walked away unscathed, all the times he had felt the warmth of the Force, how he seemed to feel its presence more keenly than any Jedi, even Yoda.
It all made sense now, and it scared the holy hell out of him.
He could feel the truth of Lvet's words through the Force, how right it had felt ever since the Dinami had said it. And while there were many things that Anakin could turn a deaf ear to, the Force was not one of them. But now that he had received a confirmation he simply did not know what to do, how to proceed.
So he didn't, he simply breathed.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
From her seat next to him, Padmé shifted, while Obi-Wan remained as still and as silent as a statue. They were all in the same places they had been fifteen minutes ago when Lvet blew their minds with his revelation, none of them able or willing to do more than sit down.
Anakin couldn't blame them. He hadn't thought their situation could get worse, what with him and Obi-Wan leaving their planes as wanted fugitives and Padmé being labeled across the galaxy as abducted. But it seemed as though the Force had wanted a laugh because apparently, now, Anakin was the Jedi Boogeyman from Prophecy.
He shook his head, releasing a huge sigh.
This was all still just too much. For all the understanding that Lvet's revelation had brought, he still was not handling this very well.
So, he breathed.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Anakin exhaled softly once and then twice, before turning his gaze on their guide, Lvet of the Dinami.
He had been aware of the man's perusal when Lvet had first started studying them, feeling a strange tingle go through him as the Dinami's rainbow gaze had landed on him. He was being judged, Anakin knew, but did not know what the verdict had been.
But it hardly mattered; not right now.
He turned his gaze to the ceiling.
Padmé, Obi-Wan, his children: He had to protect them. He could not lie on this bed and attempt to ignore the outside world simply because his existence had just become infinitely more complicated.
If these people thought he was the Sith'ari, he would use that to his advantage.
"Your council," the blonde Jedi spoke up suddenly, his eyes still on the ceiling, "what do they want from me?"
"They want to assess your ability to lead, to see if you are indeed the SIth'ari," Lvet responded immediately.
"And how will they do that?"
"You will be put through a series of tests similar to those you will take in the Prolieum provided you are confirmed to be the Sith'ari," he replied matter-of-factly.
Padmé's head whipped around to Lvet, "You mean to tell me that they expect my husband to compete in this Sith death match?"
"Yes," Lvet confirmed, folding his arm, "it's the only way he can assume the Sith throne."
"Do they know that Anakin is sick," Obi-Wan asked with a frown, "that he is not yet capable of fighting in a tournament?"
"They do know," Lvet said, his expression closed, "yet they insist."
"If I am the Sith'ari, then why do they demand my presence," Anakin asked suddenly, seriously, turning his intense blue gaze on Lvet.
The Dinami smiled faintly, white teeth glowing, "You have not yet been established as such, so they outrank you."
The young Jedi studied the being before him… and made a leap of faith. They were strangers in a strange land; they needed a guide. And something told him to trust Lvet.
They needed to trust someone.
"Are there no options to delay this meeting?" Anakin asked, looking at him closely.
Lvet smiled widely, his eyes shining with the reflection of a hundred colors, "You are choosing to trust me. That is good. And do not worry, Lord Ambulavi, your faith in me is not in vain. I know that you are the Sith'ari, I can See the truth of it and I will do whatever necessary to protect you and your family."
Lvet paused for a moment, looking at each in turn before continuing, "In order to delay this meeting, you must command me to declare Xenia. Doing so will afford you seven of your planet's days to recover and learn the ways of the Dinami, ways that I will teach you," Lvet finished, eyes glowing.
Anakin looked at him, head titled and nodded.
"Lvet,," Anakin said quietly, as Padmé gently rubbed his arm, her and Obi-Wan both radiating relief, "you will tell your Council that we declare Xenia according to the laws and customs of the Dinami. We will meet with them in seven day's time at the hour of their choosing."
Lvet bowed low, a private, satisfied smile on his face, "Yes, milord."
And then he was gone.
Anakin sat back, his whole body tingling with the force of Lvet's respect and approval.
Lvet had called him Lord Ambulavi, milord… It made him feel warm and powerful in a way that was disturbing… and exhilarating.
Anakin mentally shook his head, chasing away such thoughts; not only was now simply not the time, but he knew that such titles held responsibilities and obligations that he was not yet suited to handle.
But all was not lost.
At the very least, they had found a guide and a protector. They would need it while in this place, this strange world. And, however brief, at least they had a reprieve; it wasn't much, but it would be enough time to get back on his feet, to gain the strength to protect his family and stand before the council.
And when he did, he'd be ready.
End of chapter 1: Please review.
Chapter 2: Coming Soon
A/N: Finally, Finally, FINALLY Chosen: Prolieum is here. It took a while, but it's here! Lol. If you're a little fuzzy on what's going on, please give Chosen: Restoration a read. And please, please, please review guys. I know it's been hard to remain interested because it took me so long to post, so let me know you're there and still interested. It'll help me to decide whether to post it here at all or just keep it at the Word Chisel.
That's all for now!
Thank you and happy reading,
WrittinInStone
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