*Steps out slowly, looking for blaster fire* Okay, okay I am so sorry for not posting for so long, but explanations at the bottom. For now, read the next chapter in the epic story!
Barius's triumphant cackles echoed through the empty hangar, reverberating off of the chrome walls. Luke was on the floor, head bowed, while Rey balanced on one knee, hand on her chest.
"At last! The Galaxy shall be mine!" yelled Barius.
Luke looked up slightly.
"You killed them," he said softly, "You killed them all."
His eyes burned with the fury of a thousand suns, a hint of yellow in his otherwise startling blue eyes. Rey noticed, but did not care. She was in far too much pain, far too much anger at what she had just witnessed. Barius looked at Luke and saw the barely contained beast inside him.
"Yes, yes I did," he said, goading the Jedi Master, "Just like I killed your little droid. I wonder what your sister and your nephew are feeling right now. I'm sure their pain at the death of Captain Solo is delightful."
Luke stood up. The rage emanating from him would make a normal person cower in fear and beg for their lives, but Barius seemed to enjoy it.
"Don't say anything else if you want to keep your head," said Luke.
Barius grinned.
"That's what I'll say to Leia before I decapitate her."
That was the last straw. Luke snapped and charged the Sith, activating his lightsaber. Rey did the same and rushed towards the apprentice. Barius activated hidden crossguards in his lightsaber and raised his blade to deflect Luke's. Their sabers clashed, lighting up the hangar bay with a brilliant spark of yellow. Luke attacked ferociously, his green blade whirring like a cyclone. Somehow, Barius deflected all of his beastly strokes, catching a rather close one on his crossguard. Barius twisted his lightsaber onto Luke's and pushed him back with brute strength.
"Your anger gives you-"
He was cut off by a renewed round of offensive parries from Luke. Meanwhile, Rey had her hands full with the yet unnamed Sith. He was more skilled and agile than Voltrus, with plenty of finesse to boot. However, he wasn't the only one with tricks up his sleeve. Rey subtly allowed herself to be backed into a corner and went on the defensive. The Sith raised his lightsaber for the killing stroke, but was hit in the head by a crate that Rey threw at him with the Force. The Sith stumbled and Rey Force-kicked him in the chest, causing him to fly across the hanger and crumple against the wall. His lightsaber clattered on the floor next to where Luke and Barius were fighting.
Barius used the Force to pick up the fallen saber and went on the offensive against Luke, who quickly readjusted his fighting style. Rey knew that Barius would easily overpower her master if he used two blades, and so decided to help him out instead of finishing off the apprentice. Barius pushed Luke back and was about to strike him down when Rey's blue blade parried the would-be finishing slash.
"Brave of you, girl, but foolish," said Barius.
"You'll find that I'm very stubborn," said Rey.
Rey fended off the Sith Lord while Luke jumped to his feet and rejoined the fight. The two slowly
pushed Barius back and gained the advantage.
"Impressive, but you'll soon end up dead like your friends," taunted the Sith.
"Not a chance," said Rey.
"Actually, there is one,"
Barius threw one of his lightsabers up in the air, over the two Jedi. It was caught by his apprentice, who had recovered. Rey cursed and broke away. Soon, the duel was continuing in the same way it had begun.
"I will enjoy killing everyone on Coruscant," said Barius, "This time, I'll get to see their expressions as they die. I wonder how Leia and Jacen will look in their final moments?"
Luke attacked more ferociously but did not give the Sith the pleasure of seeing his reaction.
"Or maybe I'll leave both of them alive. I'll throw Leia into a prison cell and train young Solo in the Dark Arts before making him kill her. It'll be delightful!"
Luke couldn't take anymore. No one threatened his family. He summoned the power his anger to destroy the Sith once and for all. His eyes started to gleam yellow and the world around him exploded in darkness.
()()()()()
Obi-Wan had to literally pull Anakin off of Padmé to tell him that Master Yoda and Bail Organa had arrived. Anakin reluctantly let go, but his hand never left his wife's. They met on the the platform, and then went inside. Bail looked questioningly at Padmé and Anakin's intertwined hands, but did not press further.
"Sensed a new dark presence, I did," said Yoda.
"That was me, Master," Anakin said, his eyes not meeting Yoda's.
"But came back to the light, you did. First of the Jedi you are, to do so."
"My actions can not be excused. I was going to do some terrible things."
"Prevented that, Obi-Wan did. Safe, is the Jedi Order."
"Where are the Jedi now?" asked Bail.
"On Dagobah," replied Obi-Wan, "I told them to stay there and await further instructions."
"How many died?" asked Anakin softly.
Yoda's ears drooped.
"Felt several Jedi transform into the Force, did I. But your fault it was not, young Skywalker."
Anakin's face fell.
"It's all my fault," he whispered.
"For the last time, Anakin," said Obi-Wan, "You are not to blame. Palpatine preyed on your biggest insecurities and tried to use them against you. If it is anyone's fault, it is the Jedi Council's. We have been blind to the chancellor's plan, and our blindness has cost us."
Yoda nodded in agreement.
"Speaks the truth, Obi-Wan does," said the Jedi Grand Master.
Bail's comlink suddenly went off.
"Excuse me," he said, and went out onto the landing pad.
"Do you have news?" asked Windu when the senator from Alderaan returned.
Bail looked at Padmé.
"We've been called for an emergency session of the Senate," he said gravely.
"I don't get it. Why would he do such a thing?" asked Anakin.
"To claim emergency powers," said Padmé, "He plans to condemn the Jedi and form an Empire."
Silence filled the room.
"He must be stopped," said Obi-Wan.
"Go, I will," said Yoda.
"He is too powerful for you to go alone," said Windu, "Do not underestimate him. I will go with you as well."
"As will I," said Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan turned to Anakin.
"No one is forcing you to join us. I understand if you want to stay."
Anakin sighed.
"I don't know what to do," he said.
"The Chosen One, you are," said Yoda, "Believe Qui-Gon at first, I did not. But now, no doubt in my mind, there is."
"But can I really do it? What if the prophecy was wrong?"
Padmé put a hand on his shoulder.
"What does your heart tell you?" she asked.
Anakin went back to the time his mother had told him the exact same words. Memories flooded his mind, images of a warm smile and a soothing voice. Then he looked at his wife, carrying his unborn child and strength flooded through him, power which he felt when he was Darth Vader, and he was scared for a second that he was a monster, but he realized that this feeling inside of him wasn't due to anger and fear, but because of love. He finally understood his purpose. He was a husband, a father, and a son. He was Anakin Skywalker. He was the Chosen One.
"I'm in," he said.
"You forgot one thing," said Bail, "You must stop him during or before his speech, or the Republic dies."
"Oppose him you must," said Yoda, "Influential, you and Senator Amidala are. Oppose Palpatine in front of the Senate, and join your cause, other systems will."
"He'll kill them!" said Anakin.
"Not if we get to him first," said Obi-Wan, "While Bail and Padmé are causing chaos in the Senate, we can sneak up on Palpatine and reveal the truth to the galaxy."
"Not a good idea. Keeping Palpatine hostage puts them at risk. Besides, he is a powerful Sith. He'll see us coming a parsec away!"
Windu nodded.
"I agree with Skywalker," he said, "Instead, why don't you two senators announce the truth. This way, we can keep an eye on things."
There was a murmur of agreement from the entire room.
"It's settled, then," said Anakin, "Now let's go save the galaxy."
()()()()()
The darkness swirled around Luke Skywalker like a miniature hurricane as he slashed at the Dark Lord of the Sith with his emerald blade. Barius was no match for the sudden burst of anger, and soon found himself on the floor, disarmed and staring into cold, yellow eyes. For once, Barius was speechless. Luke's rage was like the fury of a thousand suns, powerful and unwavering. He raised his lightsaber to finish off his enemy.
NO LUKE! yelled the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn.
Luke ignored him and proceeded to swing his saber downwards.
DON'T BECOME YOUR FATHER!
At the last second, Luke moved his hand, singeing a part of Barius's cloak.
Obi-Wan is close, said a much calmer Qui-Gon, It will not be long now.
Luke's anger dissipated and was replaced by disgust as he realized how close he was to turning into something monstrous. He lowered his lightsaber and looked across the hangar, where Barius's apprentice had surrendered to Rey.
"Nice to see your eyes blue again," said Rey.
Luke turned to Barius.
"It's over. Call off your fleet," he told the Sith.
Barius sneered.
"I don't think so, Jedi!"
He summoned a hidden lightsaber from his cloak and tried to stab Luke with it. Luke tried to move out of the way, but the blade caught him in the side of his abdomen. He cried out in pain and collapsed. Barius stood up.
"You should have killed me when you had the chance, Skywalker. You're a weak fool."
"Step away from him!" yelled Rey, "Or your apprentice dies!"
She had her lightsaber activated and on the unnamed Sith's throat.
"Kill him. He's failed me, anyway," said Barius.
"I'm not bluffing," said Rey.
"Neither am I."
Barius stepped on Luke's hand, which was trying to summon his lightsaber. Luke stifled a cry, but screamed in agony when Barius shoved his red blade into his thigh.
"Touch him again and I kill you!" said Rey
"I'd like to see you try."
Barius raised his lightsaber again, and Rey made a choice. She slit her hostage's throat and Force-pushed away Barius.
"You've made a bad mistake, girl," snarled Barius.
Rey attacked. The lightsabers clashed through the empty hangar once again, but this time it was ended abruptly. Barius pushed away Rey's sapphire blade with his own and fired Sith lightning onto her. Rey dropped her lightsaber, and Barius sliced off her hand in one fluid motion. The Sith threw her into the wall like a rag doll and she was out cold instantly. Barius deactivated his saber and walked over to Luke, who was clutching his side and leg. The Jedi managed to turn, but was kicked in his side by the Sith.
"I do not fear death as you do," said Luke, struggling to get the words out over his pain.
"No, but I know what you do fear," said Barius, "I'm going to make you suffer, take away everything and everyone you hold dear. You will know the meaning of true pain, Luke Skywalker. Only once you feel this agony will you have my permission to die."
"No," said Luke weakly, "Leave them alone."
"You're the one whose going to be alone, Skywalker."
Barius smashed Luke's head against the floor, and the blond hair became wet with blood as the Skywalker was thrown into unconsciousness.
This took a while to write, as I've been reaaaalllyy busy. I haven't got much writing time, and I'll admit I had a little of the dreaded W.B. I only got one review for the last chapter (Thanks for that Nataly SkyPot, kudos to you!) so I was kind of hesitant to jump in and write this one. Anyway, enough excuses, thanks for reading as always, and remember to drop a review. I'll see you soon (I hope).
-AnotherStoryFan
