Relax, Obi-Wan. Remember to breathe, defend yourself more than attack, and keep Qui-Gon in your sight at all times. I couldn't think anymore. I just moved as the Force told me to. Block, block, block, block, swing, dodge, block. Repeat.
This was the hardest battle I'd ever been in. Block, block, OUCH! The Zabrak kicked me in the chin and sent me reeling backwards. Qui-Gon Force-pushed me out of the way of the Zabrak's lightsaber. I recovered, and the battle began to move farther into the palace. We moved through a multilevel room, where we paused. Block, block, block, swing, jump backward, block, swing. The Sith (I'd decided that he was most definitely a Sith) kicked me n the stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I fell back, missing a platform below the battle, and landing heavily on the one two below it. Unfortunately, I then continued to roll sideways off the platform. Hurriedly, I grabbed the edge of the platform and turned my lightsaber off. I swung up and landed on the platform, pausing to regain my breath. Then I jumped back onto the platform where Qui-Gon and the Sith were. They were too far ahead, and I ran to catch up. But before I could catch up, laser walls closed in front of me and them, five between me and the Zabrak, four between me and Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon sat and began to meditate. No, no no! Don't meditate, the walls are going to open! They did, and faster than I would've thought possible, he jumped up, reignited his lightsaber, and hit the Sith with blows that were extremely fast. I ran to try to catch up, but the walls shut before I could make it.
I felt detached as I watched the battle. Qui-Gon seemed to be doing my sequence that I'd been doing earlier, but I didn't feel right. It should be me out there! Not him! Come on, walls, open already! I watched as the Sith knocked Qui-Gon in the chin with his lightsaber handle, and while my Master was dazed, he reversed the lightsaber and drove it into Qui-Gon.
"NO! NO! No, no, no, NO! QUI-GON!" I could hear the voice screaming, but didn't realize that it was me. Tears ran down my face as I watched Qui-Gon crumple. The laser walls slid open, and I hit with fury at the Sith. He was surprised, but then began to revel, it seemed, in my grief. I managed to slice his lightsaber in half, so he only had one, but then he kicked me over the edge of the melting pit. I grabbed a nozzle that stuck out from the wall, and held on for my life. The Sith knocked my lightsaber over the edge, and I watched it fall. For one of the first times, I was scared. Suddenly, I heard Sabe's voice in the back of my mind. You can do it, Obi-Wan! The Sith swiped his lightsaber along the edge, sending bits of burning metal down at me. I tucked my head into my arm, and when he finished, I used the Force to send Qui-Gon's lightsaber towards me, and I Force-jumped out of the pit. The lightsaber landed into my palm. I switched it on, and fought with ever increasing grief. Swing, swing, swing, swing, SLICE! The Sith tumbled down into the melting pit, his legs seperating from his torso. I shut my eyes, and then rushed to Qui-Gon. I lifted his head into my lap.
"Master?" I asked. My voice cracked and broke.
"Obi-Wan?"His voice was very faint. "Obi-Wan?"
"Yes, Master, I'm here," I told him. I was crying.
"Obi-Wan...promise me...promise me..." he had to pause to catch his breath. "Promise me...you'll train...the boy..." he stopped again. His face had gained a gray pallor.
"I promise," I said.
"He will...bring balance...train him!" He brought his fingers up to touch me. He was cold already.
"I will!" I swore. I knew I would. Then, a tremor ran through the Force. Qui-Gon was dead. "Master!" I bent over him, racking sobs shaking me. Memories flowed through my mind.
Qui-Gon calling me Padawan for the first time...Qui-Gon showing me how to use the Force to bring an object to a different place. Qui-Gon dying. That was the scene I saw most. The lightsaber went into him again and again. I lifted my Master as best as I could to carry him out. I struggled through the laser walls, and when I got outside, I collapsed.
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I woke sometime later on a sleep-couch. Dazed, I asked whoever was sitting next to me what happened.
"Collapsed, you did. Carried Qui-Gon a long way, you did. Droids are defeated, they are." Yoda's voice came from above me. Above? I opened my eyes all the way, and Yoda was standing next to me, his head an inch higher than mine. I fell back onto the couch, and went back to sleep.
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The funeral was the next night. I stood behind Anakin, with Sabe as the handmaiden next to me. I watched with tears in my eyes as my Master burned. Anakin turned around to look up at me.
"What will happen to me now?" he asked. He was almost as upset as I was.
"I'm going to train you as a Jedi." I told him. His eyes had a fire in them I recognized as determination. Sabe rested her head on my shoulder, and I put my hands on Anakin's shoulders. We watched the fire that was spreading over Qui-Gon.
The next day was the peace ceremony between the Gungan's and Naboo. Anakin was touching his Padawan braid and new short haircut a lot. He smiled up at me, and I smiled back. For the first time since before Qui-Gon's death, I was happy.
