Part 2: Outer and Inner Battles

Before he could say anything to stop him, Anakin's other self was flipping back through the air towards the Jedi Master. Obi-wan blocked Vader's swing, and stepped back as the dark lord delivered blow after blow, blocking them all skillfully. They twisted and turned in a dance of lights and slashes, moving closer and closer to the edge of the platform with each step. Obi-wan found himself a foot away from falling down into the river of lava, but he held back another strike and twirled around Anakin to move farther from the edge. Vader kicked his adversary square in the chest, and Obi-wan back flipped away. Once he landed, Vader lashed at him again and they parried, slowly making their way into the Control Center building.

Vader could hear Anakin's cries and screams, unendingly begging him to stop. He shoved him back every time, but the Jedi in him kept coming back, pressing himself to the edge of their mind, trying to set himself free from his grip. The dark lord ignored Anakin's incessant pleading. He wouldn't stop. Not now that he at last had the opportunity to kill the man that had never wanted to train him, that held him back and kept the power to save his mother from him, that had always been one step ahead of him, and now had turned Padme against him. He would never stop. Not until Obi-wan Kenobi was dead, sprawling on the ground before him.

As their lightsabers slashed through the air, parts of the hallway they passed were cut off the walls as sparks flew around them. The duelists made their way into the Conference Room, parrying around the bodies Vader had killed minutes before. Obi-wan jumped up on the table in the center of the room.

"Don't make me destroy you, Master" said Vader. "You're no match for the dark side."

"I've heard that before, Anakin," answered Obi-wan, "but I never thought I'd hear it from you."

"It's not me, Obi-wan!!" cried Anakin from him prison, though he knew his friend would never hear him.

In a swift move, Vader jumped onto the table, and grabbed hold of Obi-wan's throat attempting to choke him, but Obi-wan kicked him from behind, throwing him forward. They both got to their feet and resumed parrying.

Vader forced Obi-wan down a narrow balcony outside the Conference Room. He ripped objects off the wall and threw them at his enemy with the Force as he pushes him further and further along the walkway. Soon the balcony ended, and Obi-wan found himself trapped between Anakin and the wall. He looked over the balcony and into a river of lava.

Vader cut pieces of the balcony railing off, along with a control panel while trying to hit his former master. Alarms sounded off around them, and a protective ray shield around the superstructure disappeared. It tumbled into the molten abyss, disappearing in a puff of smoke. A small pipe connected the Control Center building to the Main Collection Plant. Obi-wan had no choice but to tightrope-walk over it across the lava river. Vader jumped after him and followed him down the flexible pipe, fighting all the way until they reached the Collection Plant. Then they jumped down to a catwalk bellow leading down to a collection cluster

The volcano around them seemed to flow with the rage of the duel. The lava shot up around them in eventual sprays; and one of these splashed over the catwalk they were fighting over. The two looked back to see the connection between the catwalk and the building melting away with the fire. They bolted to the other side to avoid being consumed by a second explosion. Both ran for cover under the collection cluster. They continued to fight in the lava rain, darting from cover to attack, then quickly retreating to cover again. The support for the entire structure began to fall away, and the collection cluster fell into the lava river. The Jedi and Sith continued their fight, climbing to the highest point on the tower as the rest began to melt away as it rode the swift current down the river. But none of this ceased the duel.

Vader's lightsaber lashed up for Obi-wan. The Jedi parried down, while the tower they were hanging on to flowed with the lava's current and towards a fall. They climbed up, both searching for a way to escape. Obi-wan grabbed a cable and swung off the tower. Vader found another and did the same. Their weapons met when they swung past each other. Obi-wan looked around and saw a small floating platform making its way toward the falling tower. It was his only hope. He did a hack-flip and landed, squarely on the floating platform. Immediately, he leaned to one side and moved away from the tower.

Vader was still hanging from the cable attached to the falling tower.

"Look where you've taken us!" Anakin yelled at Vader.

"Shut up so I can save us!" ordered the dark lord, pushing his load aside.

Looking desperately for a way off, Vader saw some construction droids down over the river. They were a pretty far. He wasn't certain he could make the jump. But finding it his only choice, he swung back to the tower, climbed up to the top and made a running leap, miraculously landing on a worker droid. A moment later the giant collector went over the lava flow and disappears in the mist of sparks below.

"This will only get us all killed. Stop now while we still can!" Anakin begged Vader for the thousandth time in the last five minutes.

Vader shoved and pinned him against the back of his mind with fury. "I won't stop...until he's in pieces!"

"He doesn't want to fight you!"

"See if it matters to me."

Vader's droid floated forward to catch up with the platform Obi-wan stood on. The dark lord stroke over the older man. Obi-wan deflected the blow and they parried again, keeping balance over the fire. Vader's droid moved around Obi-wan's platform as they fought. They were getting tired, they could both see it in the other's face. It was now a battle to exhaust the other first.

Obi-wan's platform moved away from the droid, forcing Vader to separate. Obi-wan breathed deep and held his weapon up, looking into Anakin's eyes. The usual crystalline cerulean was now replaced by an intense sulfur yellow. The yellow Obi-wan had seen before only on Sith's eyes. The Jedi Master let out a sigh, which would have been a sob had he not been standing in front of his Padawan. He felt his heart pump with anguish as he gazed upon the beast his best friend, his brother had become. Tiny tears were flowing down his cheeks, which he hoped Anakin would confuse for sweat.

How could he had not seen any of this happening? Anakin couldn't have changed so drastically from one day to another. He should have sensed something amiss from the beginning. But he had probably been so consumed by the unending war that he'd had no mind left for his partner's inner crisis. Hadn't that been his duty as Anakin's master? To protect, teach and guide him through anything?

"I have failed you, Anakin. I have failed you" said Obi-wan, with the dread of two lifetimes flowing through his heart.

Anakin listened, wanting nothing more than to reach out and wrap his arms around his Master. He was feeling everything passing in Obi-wan's heart. He could still touch his true Master's mind it through the bond they had shared ever since he was a boy, but he knew Obi-wan couldn't. All Obi-wan could feel was the empty void of hatred and darkness that was Vader. His Master thought he had failed him, but it was entirely the other way around. Anakin had failed him. He had let a monster to form out of his fear, and allowed it to take possession of him. By letting this happen, he had failed everyone, and everything.

"I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over" replied Vader.

He still believed the Jedi had betrayed the Republic. "Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil!" yelled Obi-wan.

"From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!"

There was no convincing him. There was no reaching him in any way. As much as it would hurt, Obi-wan saw no other choice than accepting the raw fact. The friend he had known as Anakin Skywalker was truly dead.

"Well, then you are lost!"

He was giving up on him. Anakin slammed himself against Vader's grip franticly. There had to be a way to reach Obi-wan. There just had to be some way! "OBI-WAN!! I'm here!!! I'm still here!!!"

Vader pushed him back again. "He has given up on you" the dark lord said, "You should give up on him. He betrayed us. He cares nothing for us! He never did. Just help me kill him!"

"NEVER!!"

Vader paid no further mind to Anakin. He only had focus for the other Jedi before him. Obi-wan's death would be a fresh relief from his other self's incessant yelling and resistance to his control. He would have to ask Sidious how to silence the Jedi within him permanently, or he would go insane.

Their platforms continued to move parallel up the lava river. Vader and Obi-wan's eyes were lock in each others'.

"This is the end for you, My Master" Vader jawed, his teeth clenched together.

The new Sith stared into his old master's ashy face. His eyes looked beyond defeated already. He couldn't hold him from reaching had he wanted any longer. And what he wanted was to hear Kenobi beg and plea for his pity life.

The next moment, Vader propelled himself with the Force and flew over the lava, onto Obi-wan's platform. The Jedi held his attack back and their spare resumed with no less intensity. Vader was now delivering ending blow after another. This couldn't go on any longer. He needed to finish Obi-wan once and for all now and quick, before he lost balance and fell into the burning river beneath them.

Obi-wan deflected every attack Vader could come up with, but he was loosing energy faster than sweat. This had to end soon. Then he saw a way out of it all, and took it. He jumped off the platform and to the safety of the black sandy edge of the lava river, and turned around to face Vader.

"It's over, Anakin. I have the high ground" he claimed, hoping the younger man would see this as well and yield. There still had to be some way to save him. Perhaps he could find a way to bring him back form the darkness.

But instead, Vader was enraged by Obi-wan's words. How dare he!?

"You underestimate my power!" he rasped.

Obi-wan's widen. Anakin was completely blinded by his hatred. He couldn't even see the full advantage he had gained on the hill. If he jumped he would have to strike.

"Don't try it" begged the Jedi Master.

Anakin saw his chance now, a way to stop Vader. All he cared about now. His oppressor was fogged by anger. He couldn't see Obi-wan would have a perfect shot at them if he jumped.

"I've changed my mind" he said to Vader. "You were right. He has never cared for us. I'll help you kill him."

Vader wasn't prompt, but was shocked. He pinned Anakin back again. "What are you playing at, Skywalker?" he asked.

"Nothing," answered Anakin, not struggling against Vader's hold. "I see his lies now. Just let me help you. Together we can beat him. Trust me."

"Trust you? Give me one reason why I should trust you."

"You know me better than anyone," answered Anakin. "And if you die; I would die as well."

Vader considered. Did he really need help for this? Resorting to a Jedi's assistance was beyond shameful. But they would be stronger together, and right then, he wanted nothing more than to feel Kenobi's life slipping out of his body. He would do anything to be the widely famous Negotiator's killer. Perhaps even accept Skywalker's help. And Anakin had just as many reasons to hate their former Master as he did.

"Very well," said the dark lord, granting half of their body's control over to his other self.

Anakin took grip of his half, and felt his lips twist in a small smile. "Thank you." Then, before Vader knew, Anakin jumped from the platform, following Obi-wan.

Without thinking, Obi-wan raised his lightsaber and in the blink of an eye cut his best friend at the knees and his left arm, without meeting any resistance from Anakin.

Vader's breath escaped his gut. He slammed Anakin to the wake of their mind with rage. "You..." he roared, pinning him back. "Do you realize what you've done!!?"

Anakin didn't answer his captor. He simply surrendered to his hold and gave up what control he had left over his body. His plan had worked, that was all that mattered to him. The searing pain didn't matter, dying didn't matter, just that Vader couldn't hurt anyone anymore. He had helped Obi-wan stop him, but his friend would never learn it.

Vader tumbled down the embankment and rolled to a stop near the edge of the lava. His fissured nerves burned up his spine. He struggled to pull himself up the embankment with his mechanical hand, and keep away from the fire below him. His sight went dark; the waves of pain like hell had no power upon coursed through the body. His thin leather glove was being burned off, and he kept sliding down in the black sand.

Obi-wan looked down at the broken man. A world seemed to pass between them. Blinds were lift out of Obi-wan's eyes. All that was between both of them seemed dissipate in an eye's glance, yet to him it was an eternity of thought. All that time spent together to end in such a way made his heart sink and waver in despair. This was his Padawan, his best friend. What he had just done to him, felt like he had just done it to himself. How could Anakin have brought this upon them?

"You were the Chosen One!" cried the Jedi Master, a string of tears threatening to overwhelm him. "It was said that you would, destroy the Sith, not join them. Bring balance to the Force, not leave it in Darkness."

Keeping his eyes from shedding any of his pain, Obi-wan took one more glance at the little towhead boy he had raised to become a great man. Then, turned from the sight and picked up Anakin's lightsaber from the dark sand. He decided to start walking away, but he found he just couldn't. He couldn't go, and let everything they had achieved together, all the moments he and his Padawan had shared die away with him. Despite the horror to look at Anakin, Obi-wan stopped and turned around.

Vader desperately struggled to keep himself away from the fire. Anakin didn't struggle against his imprisonment any longer. He knew his fate, and wouldn't fight it. As long as Vader came with him, he was relieved to die like this. As long as Obi-wan, Padme and his unborn baby were safe he didn't care what happened to him anymore. The only thing that weighed on him now was the memory of himself he would leave his child. The memory of a ruthless and merciless killer. The memory of the man who destroyed the Jedi Order and brought a tyrant to power of the galaxy, the memory of a Sith Lord. That is what his child would know him for.

Vader had to release him from his pin to keep from slipping, but still Anakin didn't move from the wake of their mind. He could feel all the pain Vader felt, the wildfire spreading through his nerves, but just laid it out. He just hoped to die quickly, but not Vader.

"YOU FOOL!!" he cried, carrying the pain in his voice. "You will die!!"

"As long as you do as well. It's better than laying within myself for the rest of my life!" answered Anakin, keeping his voice steady. "I won't let you hurt anyone else, Darth!"

Vader left his other self be. He tried to climb up the bank again and met Obi-wan's gaze. That gaze of resentment... How could he? "I HATE YOU!"

That lanced through Obi-wan's already breaking heart. "You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you," he said, crying freely now. What was the point in holding his tears back? If he had shed them before, perhaps Anakin would have known. But it was too late to shed them now.

Anakin heard those words. Words he had dreamed of hearing for so long. He let out a sob, both of relief and despair. "I...love-you too, Ma-Master," he rasped, wishing nothing else that Obi-wan could hear. "A-Always...have."

"H-How...d-dare-you!!?" yelled Vader, without the strength to push Anakin back. "L...Look-at...what he-he's...done-to us!!"

"Y-You...You've-done this...yourself."

Vader couldn't hold on any longer. They slipped down to the edge and their clothing fell into the lava river and ignited. Then suddenly they burst into flames. Both of them screamed as the fire ripped up their body. Vader tried to get up, but their mechanical hand's circuitry was dying by the fire. The dark lord still fought for his life. Anakin tried to hold him back. He wouldn't allow Vader to live on, he would deliver him to the pits of hell himself if he had to.

Obi-wan looked in horror as his brother was consumed in the fire and desperately struggled to climb up the bank. He had done it. He had destroyed Darth Vader. At what price? He had also destroyed a husband, a father-to-be, a great Jedi Knight, and a good friend. Why had the Force bestowed this over them? Why had it had to be Anakin?

Finally Vader fell, unable to climb anymore.

"Y-You...w-will-pay...for th-this..." he rasped, to both the Jedi.

Anakin snorted. "I'll...m-meet-you...in hell."

Then there was nothing. He could only hope Obi-wan would protect his family. That his beloved Padme would escape his nightmares. That his child would grow to become a greater Jedi that he ever was. And that the galaxy would find its way out of the darkness he had brought upon it.

Obi-wan couldn't watch any longer. He had done his duty here. So he climbed up the hill and started for Padme's ship.