No sound.
The sky is blue, bright and pleasant at the same time. No clouds on the horizon. The wind rises in lights gusts. Some golden lock of hair strokes his forehead. The chilled grass brushes his cheek, drops a few dewdrops on it. The air smells like burnt. The stillness is soothing, soporific. His breathing is slow, superficial. His body is motionless. His back is damp against the ground.
The silence.
Anakin blinks once.
Embers flies in front of him, orange contrasts with the blue of sky, before dying and flying away like black snowflakes.
Twice.
He doesn't feel anything. His mind is clung to the calming blue, and suddenly has a hunch that he will fall in the sky.
Trice.
His rib cage swells suddenly. The air dives into his throat, dries up the way. The falling sensation disappears and gives way to a heavy body, crushed on the floor. The heat is intense, the air is full of humidity. He burns under the sun. The sweat runs on his skin, soaks his clothes. The dust hits his face relentlessly. The crakling of fire wakes up in his ears. The wind blows and hits the trees. The branches rub. His heart beats in his temples and behind his eyes.
He moves one finger, two, confines gravel in his fist for a moment and sits up with elbows. The pain slices his ribs and right leg. A whine escapes his mouth. He lowers his eyes to his leg. A piece of metal pass through his thigh. He lays a trembling hand at the base of the injury and fall on his left side. The wind blows against his back, his hair cover the upper part of his face. Anakin curls up a bit, grimaces in pain, and looks around him. The shock and panic slowly make their way through his veins.
Debris are scattered on the black ground. Metal, glass, cables, all kind of mechanic pieces... His lightsaber. Only a few meters away.
Recollection rush through his thoughts. The attack, the crash.
He's abruptly took back to the present when the wind blows another gust. His saber rolls a bit more away from him. Anakin make a face and extend his left hand to the object. The weapon barely jump. Frustration hits Anakin. He sighs and crawls towards his saber. The effort is huge, the ground has no grips. His muscles are aching, but every progress wakes his shocked body up. His right eye burns, his eyesight becomes red. He stops for a moment and brings the back of his hand to his eye, covering his ripped glove with blood. He grits his teeth and keep on crawling.
The tall fragment who's going through his leg scrapes the ground at times, getting grunts of pain out of him. The wind lifts dust up again, he stops and closes his eyes to protect them. He pushes a cable away, the saber is near. The debris get stuck behind a little stone. He releases a shout muffled by the wind. He stops again and extends his left hand toward his lightsaber. He stretches toward it, waking up the pain in his ribs even more. He brushes past the saber with the tips of his fingers. He frowns, clenches his jaw, a growl of rage escapes him and his lightsaber flies to his hand. He sighs, his features relax and he turns on his back, but keeps his leg as immobile as possible. His eyes close for a moment, he catches his breath.
Anakin presses the saber's button and opens his eyelids simultaneously. He grasps the debris carefully but firmly. His vision is a bit blurred, his limbs shudder slightly. He catches his breath and cuts off the metal by leaving a dozen of centimeters out of the leg. He repeats the action behind his thigh but cuts as near to the leg as possible. He throws the cut pieces away and turns off his lightsaber. He sits up, covers his ribs with right hand, and manages to haul himself on his left knee. His left hand supports his weight on the ground. He manages to fasten his lightsaber to his belt and, helping himself with both hands, stands up with caution. His legs shakes a bit, but he knows where he goes.
The ship. Or what's left of it.
The white and yellow steaming carcass has dug a trench behind it when it crashes on the black soil. Anakin tries a step, then another. His hurt leg throbs painfuly, the metal rolls in his muscle when he contracts them.
A dull noise. An explosion. His blood freezes again. Anakin wipes his bloody eyebrow and raises his eyes to the sky. A ship just flew through the athmosphere. Thick, black smoke hides the shape of it. Debris fly and consume behind it. The ship falls nearby Anakin, his speed only seems to grow. Red patterns adorn the sheet metal of the spacecraft.
His breath is caught in his throat, his eyes open wide.
Master!
The ship passes a few meters over Anakin, hits the ground thirty meters away from him but only stop at meters.
Anakin's blood blocks before a wave of adrenaline rushes suddenly into his body.
Master!
He hurries towards the steaming carcass, limping. He doesn't see a thing with all the smoke. His heart beats extremely fast in his chest. His breath is loud and he's a bit lightheaded.
Master!
He doesn't feel anything in the Force. His presence. He doesn't feel it. Fear ravages his mind.
A blast. Anakin protects himself with his forearms, but doesn't look away. Debris fly in every direction. Flames and steam stir together in a violent humming smoke plume.
Anakin hurries to the wreck even faster, if that's possible. The wind pushes joltingly againts his back. He pratically doesn't feel the pain anymore. His eyes scan the area.
And when he finally reaches it, the ship is empty. And the Force is silent.
His breath becomes harsher and harsher, fear eats him up. He wipes his eyebrow again, pushes away the wet hair blocking the view.
He looks around, seeks him.
He shakes his head a bit and closes his eyes. His clung hands unwind a bit. He catches his breath. He manages to release a bit of his anxiety into the Force and-
A scintillation.
It's everything he needed. His eyes snaps open. He turns a bit on himself.
There, down the hill where he stands, lies a giant metallic piece. A wing of the ship. Probably more than the half is stuck down the little river's water, digging its way between two ebony reliefs.
Anakin gets down the slope as fast as he can, nearly slipping on the gravel multiple times.
Master!
The Force quivers for a short moment for an answer. His heart tightens in his chest.
He reaches the debris. He nearly drops himself next to it to watch on the little space that allow him to look under it.
"Obi-Wan!"
The man is barely visible from where Anakin is, immersed in the dim light under the wing. But a weak answer reaches him.
"An... akin..."
Anakin manages to pass his hand under the wreck, and softly grabs Obi-Wan's shoulder.
"It'll be okay. I'll get you out of here."
Anakin catches a light nod. He gently presses his fingers on Obi-Wan's shoulder before breaking off the physical contact.
He gets up fast, moved by the strength of relief. He takes a step back, and raises his hands in front of him. His eyebrows knits together when he closes his eyes. His hands tense in the effort. The wing is so heavy. Anakin tenses more and more. The piece rises a bit but soon looses it progression. Anakin grinds his teeth. His master will not stay captive of this rubble.
A resurgence in the Force, and he manages to move the piece enough to allow Obi-Wan to be exposed. The wing falls heavily on the bank of water, and slides a little bit more into the grayish liquid.
Obi-Wan has a leg drowned in the stream, a thin trickle of blood rippling in the little waves before diluting. His other boot grazes the surface. His lightsaber is still fixed to his belt. A deep red stain soaks his tunic from under his left ribs to his collarbone. Half of his face is covered in blood on the left side. His blue eyes, now pale, are clung to the sky that's slowly becoming orange.
Anakin lets himself fall next to Obi-Wan once again. He places his hand on that same shoulder he's been holding a few moments ago.
"Master..."
His voice is soft but the fear is perceptible. Obi-Wan's eyes abruptly leave the sky to stuck with Anakin's.
"Help me... to sit u-" he enunciates while trying to pick himself up on an elbow.
Anakin forces him to lie down gently. But he doesn't need to push a lot for Obi-Wan to lie back.
"Oh no, no. You are not going to move. Not until I've examined you."
Obi-Wan sighs but his breath is cut by a painfull wine.
"Anakin..."
Anakin gets up, puts his hands under Obi-Wan's armpits, straightens him back up a bit before pulling him away from the water. Obi-Wan muffles a cry by pressing his lips together.
Now that he's outside the water, Anakin can check on the wounds. He wipes his eyebrow once more before unfastening Obi-Wan's belt a bit. He spreads every fabric panels covering his master. The wound on his torso doesn't really bleed anymore, it's superficial.
Anakin puts the tunics back in place and moves to Obi-Wan's legs. He tries to see where the blood still flowing on the ground comes from but he doesn't find anything serious.
"Anakin... My back."
Anakin nods and gets up. He grasps Obi-Wan's left arm and carefully pulls him to the right to make him roll to his right side. Obi-Wan clenches his teeth. They share a glance. Obi-Wan hardly nods. Anakin steps over his shaking body and notices Obi-Wan's back is crossed by a huge smear that's such a dark red it seems to be black in the twilight. The fabric is damp, saturated. Anakin moves the ripped fabric away a bit. A curse slips from his mouth.
"Obi-Wan."
His voice has that same sweetness as before, but is also sharper.
Obi-Wan turns his head to look at him in the eyes. Anakin leans a bit more toward his face to allow him not to twist his neck.
"It's almost nightfall. We must find shelter."
Obi-Wan nods slowly.
"The wound on your back is serious." His eyes leaves his mater's ones to stare at his hair. "And your head..."
Anakin leans a bit, passes a hand in his master's hair delicately, only to move some sticky bloody locks of hair aside. Two carvings are drawn. They begin at the scalp line to get lost away in the strands of hair. Shallow.
"That seems superficial."
Obi-Wan swallows, his breath is short. He moves as less as possible, shaking under Anakin's hands.
"Let's go... Now."
Anakin nods. Leaning over him, he passes Obi-Wan's arm, whom he's still holding, behind his neck. Obi-Wan hangs onto Anakin's fabric while the latter grabs the fabric on the master's shoulder blade.
"One... Two... Three!"
Obi-Wan bears the chock of the change of position, from laying to standing. His vision darkens and stars sparkle for a moment. His back is throbbing horribly, his legs weaken under the pain. Fortunately, he's still support by Anakin.
He takes time to get used to it and balances himself. They move a bit further and Obi-Wan finally takes the time to look at his ex-apprentice's state. His wound on the right eye will certainly leave a scar. He continues to check on his brother in arms, and apart from scratches and ripped fabric, nothing to report. Until he catches the shining metal in his thigh.
"Anakin..."
Anakin, lost in the relief of finding back his master, straightens up a bit when he hear his name.
"It's nothing Master, I'll take care of it when we'll be in a safe place."
"It doesn't looks like... nothing."
Anakin doesn't even answer and grabs Obi-Wan's arm still resting on his shoulders. Obi-Wan finds himself pressed against Anakin's side, the latter's right arm catches hold of his hip while avoiding his gaping cut.
Anakin looks around them a moment before deciding to go back up the slight slope. The exercise would be ridiculously easy in other circumstances. Anakin takes as much weight on him as he can to relief Obi-Wan. But his thigh pulses under the effort. Adrenaline lowers, pain wakes up more and more. He grits his teeth, eyes focused one the top of the hillock.
Arrived at the top, they stop to catch their breath back. The ship's carcass is a dozen meters away from them on their left. The steam is less thick than when Anakin has arrived here.
"Can you stand for a few moments?"
Obi-Wan seems to gauge his capacity for a second before nodding softly. Anakin releases his grip on his master's hip, grabs Obi-Wan's tightened hand on his tunic and cautiously raises the arm above his head. He doesn't let go of his master until he's certain that he can stand. They exchange a look, and Anakin lets go.
Obi-Wan watches Anakin limp towards the machine. He gulps. He focuses for an instant and unleashes his fear in the Force. Anakin is here. They will make it. His back is on fire, and he can barely endure the pain. He vaguely distincts Anakin slipping the strap of a bag over his head to let it hang on his left. Anakin swipes his forehead and once again bends over in the cockpit. He blows on the screens to clear the dust and tries to turn on the computers. It crackles, a picture shows up on the radars before instantly dissappearing. Anakin sighs. He straightens up leaning on the edge of the ship and comes back to Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan is staggering, a hand on his forehead. Anakin hurries up and barely catches Obi-Wan. The younger one sighs, unsatisfied.
« Let's go. »
He once again sets Obi-Wan's arm over his shoulders and starts walking. The older one is heavy against him. Anakin tightens his grip on his master's tunic.
« Don't worry, » Obi-Wan's voice weakens « It's gonna be alright. »
Anakin keeps his eyes fixed on the surrounding, and leads them towards what seems to be mountains. The environment is nearly barren. Everywhere, the sand and gravel are black. Some dead trees are scattered here and there. The sky is on fire now that the sun is setting. The wind, on the other hand, doesn't wane.
After what seems to be forever, they finally reach what should be their shelter for the night. Anakin is briefly reminded of those nights passed in humid caves during dangerous missions.
The rock seems to have grown from the ground to stand perfectly straight, the slices of stone seem sharp. Between two rock facades was stuck a thick plate, creating this a small alcove.
Anakin comes close, slightly pushing the stone with his hand, but it doesn't move a bit.
As soon as they take shelter in this small hole, the wind doesn't reach them anymore. Everything suddenly feels so quiet. Only their breath and the grating of their boots on the gravel echoes in the tiny cave.
Anakin carefully pulls apart from Obi-Wan and lays him down on the ground, on his right side. He then takes off the bag and puts it near Obi-Wan. He manages to sit next to him, with difficulty. They're both exhausted, their bodies are sore from pain and effort.
Anakin opens the bag and checks its content. He takes the water bottle and opens it. He leans toward Obi-Wan and slips his hand under his neck to raise his head up. Their eyes meet. Anakin delicately brings the bottleneck to Obi-Wan's lips, watering him by small swallows.
Obi-Wan doesn't take his eyes off Anakin during the exchange. He feels the Force diminish. And he knows. But cannot bring himself to tell Anakin.
Anakin puts the bottle down and accompanies Obi-Wan's head back to the ground, his hand still set under his wet neck. He drinks in turn, only a few swallows, before putting away the bottle.
Anakin grabs his half-torn sleeve on the shoulder seam. He sharply pulls three times and finds himself with the damaged sleeve in his hands. He takes a look around before using the Force to bring a small, sharp stone to him. He manages to cut strips of fabric and use them to mop up the blood off his face as well as Obi-Wan's, who dozes on the ground.
He then wraps a longer strip around his right thigh and strongly tightens it. His pulls a face, the pain peaking in rythm with the pulse. He then takes his saber off his belt.
Obi-Wan stares at his every move, well aware now.
Anakin takes hold of the piece of metal lodged in his leg. His breathing stops, then curtly restarts, his body tense with apprehension.
« I'm doing it. »
Anakin turns his head towards Obi-Wan who straightens up a bit.
« Give me... Your lightsaber. »
Anakin hesitates, but eventually puts it in his master's hands. He helps him sit up and sets himself in front of him, so he can easily reach his leg.
They look at each other for an instant, the silence is heavy. The wind whistles in the distance.
The saber lightens up the surrounding darkness with a vivid blue tint.
Anakin once again grabs the piece of metal, his breathing resuming his halting. But as he looks at Obi-Wan, he is somehow caught by serenity. His hand ceases its trembling on the metal. His breathing calms down. One last look, one last breath, and he removes the piece from his thigh.
The sound is sickening, the pain excruciating. Anakin doesn't try to hold his screams in. What is there to hide ? His eyes are closed. A tear rolls on his cheek while he fights to stay still. His flesh suddenly burns, twice, and typical smell of burnt invades the small enclosed space.
He's going to lose conciousness.
« Anakin ! »
Obi-Wan.
« Stay with me. »
Anakin slouched on his left side without noticing. Obi-Wan's hand lightly rests on his knee. He sits up a little, recovering his mind. The pain has shifted, his wound is boiling. The lightsaber doesn't illuminate the room anymore. Anakin gets back the weapon Obi-Wan gives him and attaches it to his belt.
« Turn around. »
Obi-Wan accomodates, his gestures once again trembling but confident. He unfastens his belt which Anakin retrieves to put it next to him. He then helps Obi-Wan take off the tunics he's wearing. The material slides on the broad shoulders, Anakin tries to delicately part them from the open wound that crosses out Obi-Wan's back.
Anakin sees the muscles tense despite his precautions. Once removed, he also puts the tunics next to him. Obi-Wan slightly fails, but manages to stay sit.
The cut is big. Deep. It starts at the top of the back, digging a trail between the right shoulderblade and the spine, and reaches Obi-Wan's left hip. Anakin feels his heart painfully touched.
Anakin grabs a bigger piece of sleeve and the water bottle. He slightly soaks the fabric and tries to clean up the outline of the wound. From time to time, Obi-Wan lets out a whistling of pain.
Once cleaned up, Anakin grabs the only other thing present in the small bag : bacta patches. He applies them as gently as possible but without lingering. Obi-Wan tightens his fists on his trousers.
Once finished, Anakin counts the amount of patches remaining. Nine out of twelve.
He then unfastens his own belt, the leater straps crossing his shoulders, his now one-sleeved tunic, and the last one. It's barely torn. He then puts it on Obi-Wan's shoulder before putting back on his torn tunic. When he gets up to walk around Obi-Wan and crouch before him, the look he catches his questioning.
« Sleep, Master. I'll do the first spell of duty. »
Anakin is assaulted by doubt, but doesn't let it show. His feelings are sealed off.
A longer exchange of stare. Anakin percieves a thank, and relief. Resignation. Anakin blinks, surprised. But the contact is broken off.
Obi-Wan lies down on his right side, quickly helped by Anakin who leads him in the most comfortable position possible. A few seconds later, as fatigue knocks him down, he feels Anakin softly raising up his head. And when he puts it back down, his cheek lies against a soft material, and the familiar smell of leather takes him to a heavy sleep.
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