A/N: I wrote this while trying to get over some writers block.

He hit the ground running, sprinting past trees with ease, and over logs with a practised movements. This brought his memory back to his first years at the temple, when the masters would have him, along with other students, run through long courses designed to test their limits. Secretly, along with the rest of the padawans, Anakin Skywalker had enjoyed those runs, because they gave him a sense of competition, which he loved. He loved the idea of proving that he was the best, no matter what it was at. Be it obstacle courses, lightsaber training, hand-to-hand combat, application of his force powers. Anything was fair game, because he felt that he would have to rise against it and above it.

And time and time again in his life, that drive had served him well. He had been told he would never win a podrace, and wound up winning his own freedom. He had been told to never dream of a life beyond that of a slave, and wound up becoming a Jedi Knight of the republic. He had been forced back into slavery, only to bring one of the worst criminals in the galaxy to his knees. He had been crippled at the hand of a former Jedi, and was now one of the great Jedi war heroes.

If anyone could survive this, it was Anakin Skywalker.

Something alerted him to a malevolent presence on his left, causing Anakin to leap high into the air, out of the way of a flying red lightsaber. The blade cut through a tree with ease, bringing it crashing down, and Anakin landed on top as he unclasped his own lightsaber and ignited it's soothing blue blade. He brought it around with precision, assuming a Soresu stance, which Obi-wan had taught him many years ago. It was one of his favourites to use, as he waited for a trap to be sprung. His pursuer was cunning, Anakin had to acknowledge that fact, at the least.

"Jedi," a deep, sickly voice spat with defiance as the being who it belonged to landed on the opposite end of the fallen tree. Anakin sized up is opponent, getting his first good look. The figure was covered from head to foot in black armour. Some of it reminded him of the ancient Jedi armour, which had been worn in the first Sith/Jedi war. But it also bore signs of modern technology, such as the panel on the chest.

An inexperienced warrior would think that that panel was a vulnerable spot. However, Anakin knew that his opponent was to smart to leave it completely unprotected. So it was either made of a rare, lightsaber-repelling material, or his enemy had a sound defence that could not be broken. Or both. Not that Anakin had time to think about that, as he raised his blade in an appropriate defence against his enemy, who swung his red blade in a powerful arc of deadly light. The blow jarred him to his bones, as he realized that there was a high likelihood that this Sith Lord was using the Dark Side to amplify his already powerful physique. That was a technique which Anakin was more than familiar with, and was able to compensate, after the initial shock wore off. He darted his lightsaber blade to the left, and parried the follow-up attack before swinging his blade around, forcing the Sith Lord back several steps.

Using the respite, Anakin pulled the Force to his side, willing it to fill up his body with it's energizing light. The light which would combat the darkness that surrounded the Sith Lord, who was raising his blade, in preparation for an attack. An attack which was swiftly blocked by the young Jedi's keen blade. Three more followed, surprising Anakin, as he ducked and weaved his way through the onslaught of attacks. Finally, he was able to bring his knee into the Sith Lord's abdomen, which, while protected from lightsabers and blasters, was relatively weak against blunt force attacks.

A Whirlwind of action followed, as Anakin was launched into a flurry of defensive strikes, each of which was getting closer and closer to filing under the unrelenting assault he was being given. Each strike was like a hammer-blow against his arms, but he would not give. Anakin was able to match strength with strength, and eventually managed to break through the assault with a powerful counter-attack. His blade glanced off of the Sith Lord's black helmet and a follow-up strike landed his first good blow, digging into the warrior's left arm.

In retaliation, the dark-sider stretched out his hand, and began to slowly choke Anakin, who dropped his lightsaber as he tried to free himself from the deathly grip. He welled the force up inside his body, before unleashing it in the Sith's direction, blasting him back, and allowing Anakin to regain his composure and his weapon, which flew into his hand at will. He charged the Sith head-on, swinging his blade left and right in seemingly random patterns. Soon, he was pushing the dark-sider back, and hard.

With each Step, Anakin's confidence grew, as he managed to hack away at the armoured Sith, who's left arm had become useless due to the blow it had received. Soon, the Sith was breathing hard, barely managing to keep a hold of his lightsaber. Another strike followed, and Anakin effectively disarmed the warrior, and brought his blue blade against it's neck.

"Who are you?" Anakin accused in a harsh tone. "Speak!" The warrior did not speak. Instead, he thrust his hand out, blasting Anakin back by a hundred feet, through several trees. It was only because he used the force that Anakin escaped any injuries, and was back on his feet in seconds. The warrior did not follow, instead, he used the force to pick up a large portion of a tree, and hurl it in Anakin's direction. Using the force, Anakin shoved the flying tree aside as he tried to make his way back to lightsaber range. However, the dark warrior would have none of that, and proceeded to throw three more trees his way. After they where finished, the Sith resorted to using stones, which where sliced in two by the blue lightsaber. But still, they kept coming. Faster and faster, and from all directions. Soon, Anakin was overwhelmed, and something struck him from behind.

He opened his eyes in a cold sweat, prepared to meet his doom, only to find that he was in his personal quarters aboard a republic cruiser. There was no black-armour wearing Sith, and he was in perfect health. It had all been a dream.

Or a premonition.