Both ends of the alley were quickly clogged with clonetroopers. There were so many of them that it became clear to the two men that escaping past them would not work. The clones slowly began to advance toward them with their weapons drawn.
Obi wan and Vader quickly they turned and stood back to back to cover each other and ward off any shots aimed their way.
The commander of the clones at one end of the alley stepped forward and ordered, "Anakin Skywalker, by order of the emperor, you are under arrest. You'll either come with us quietly or we'll carry you out."
Vader curled his lips and clenched his teeth. "I am not going anywhere."
"So be it." The commander turned to his subordinates, "Wound him. Kill the other Jedi."
Immediately the clones took aim and opened fire on the two men. There were so many troopers firing upon them it would only be a matter of time before both of them fell.
Obi wan and Vader blocked, reflected and dodged many of the shots fired. As the standoff continued the number of the troopers seemed to grow. Vader worked his blade with all speed afforded by the force while Obi wan moved his weapon with grace, precision and modest ferocity. They deflected shots back at the group of clones at each end of the alley. For all their efforts, the conflict was deadlocked. Every trooper that fell seemed to have two more ready to take his place.
As they moved around each other defending themselves, praying for a reprieve, they shared glances at each other. In that moment, it became obvious to them both there would be no escape.
Fighting side by side with Obi wan brought a feeling that was familiar and good. He couldn't help feeling whole again. The uncomfortable, irritating and illusive sensation he had earlier had completely disappeared. The piece of himself he felt he was missing was rediscovered as he stood with his once brother.
Vader was able to see clearly for the first time that Obi wan had never meant him any harm in the past. Vader understood that the evil he committed in the past was what compelled Obi wan to do the things he had done and he couldn't harden his heart against his former master any longer.
"Do you remember the last time we fought together?" There was a strange tone in Obi-wan's voice.
Vader nodded slightly, thinking back to the mission on the invisible hand.
"I was knocked unconscious, and though you had the opportunity, you didn't abandon me."
Vader looked at him quickly before blocking three more blasts. He furled his brow confused with the purpose of this line of thought.
Obi wan deflected a shot toward a store cellar window, blasting it open. With an elbow, he nudged Vader in the side and glanced toward the new escape route. "It is the time for us to part ways. You must abandon me now, my brother."
Vader was agape, looking at him incredulously.
"Go! I can hold them off while you escape."
"I can't." Vader's refusal surprised himself. The word flew out before he had a chance to check it.
"It's you and your abilities the emperor wants. It would be better for the rebellion if the emperor killed an exiled Jedi than gain a powerful apprentice."
Vader considered the words and remembered how the emperor betrayed him and plotted the destruction of his family.
"Together we have endured the worst kind of missions imaginable. You saved me more times than I can count. But--You can't save me--not this time. Your destiny lies along another path from mine." Obi wan looked at his former padawan was a strange look. It was a combination of happiness, pride, hope and sadness.
"Obi wan--" Vader slowly shook his head.
"Don't argue with me! Get your family out of here before they are captured!" Obi wan force pushed the first row of clones.
Vader blinked. He didn't know what to make of all this.
"Anakin, please! Go now!"
Darth Vader fought his way to the broken window and quickly slid through. He landed in a poorly lit store cellar filled with empty boxes and miscellaneous store supplies. Vader could still hear the shots firing on Obi wan. The beat of his heart seemed the speed up like an ascending crescendo. Moving some boxes around, he searched the room for a door or a way out. A voice entered his consciousness…
The force will be with you, Anakin…and so will I.
Vader suddenly froze. It was like his feet became stuck to the ground. His breath quickened and his gaze became wide and vacant as if seeing through another set of eyes.
He could hear Obi wan utter a short agonized cry as several blasts slammed into him. Even after his body hit the ground, the hail of shots did not cease.
Obi wan's life signature was extinguished. Vader's felt as if his breath was stolen from him. Before he could process any thought of escape, the agony of losing his long lost brother, struck him like a tidal wave. Tears blurred his sight and his chin began to tremble. Vader leaned his forehead against the wall and wept uncontrollably.
Like echoes of the past reaching out to touch him, he had remembered the painful words that fateful day on Mustafar.
"I hate you!" Vader yelled as he fought his way up the bank from the edge of the lava river.
Obi wan, in as much emotional agony as Vader's physical agony, only replied, "You were my brother, Anakin! I loved you!"
Many times Vader remembered that day, but there was something he never noticed before. He realized for the first time that the look on Obi wan's face was not disgust or the satisfaction of a task completed. It was sincere disappointment and emotional anguish. Padme's heart was not the only one that broke that day. Obi wan's had been broken as well.
He had been wrong about Obi wan from the beginning. He had allowed years of error had passed between them, not knowing that his was mistaken. Palpatine lied about everything and twisted his view and clouded his judgment with the darkside of the force. He couldn't understand how he could've allowed a Sith lord to twist his mind into believing that Obi wan was the enemy. He became angry with himself. A mountain of guilt rose from the depths of his soul and shook him to his core. Admitting to himself that he waisted some much precious time hating and plotting to capture Obi wan, he slammed his robotic hand against the wall, leaving a deep indentation. He covered his face with his other hand and whispered, "I'm sorry Obi wan. I'm so sorry."
But that didn't seem like enough. And it wasn't. Vader felt the need to repay Obi wan for all the evil thoughts and intentions wrongly aimed at him.
What fell from Vader's eyes were the tears of darkness, of pain, of anger and of hope--hope in finding redemption. Vader came to realize that. The advice master Yoda offered him years ago may have not been what he needed to hear but it was what he had to do. As a young knight, he had failed the test between selflessness and passion. He would not see it happen again. He would not let Obi wan's death be in vain. He would not continue the cycle of greed and agony he had created through the Farfalla stone.
The shadow of the darkside will always follow him as long as the emperor survived and he would never be free. Padme and the children would also be prisoners to the will of the emperor running and hiding, praying for the mercy of concealment. In every altered reality they would continually suffer in the end whether it was by his actions or some one else's. He realized had to put an end to it all and truly earn the praises that Obi wan gave him. Running was no longer an option; he had to face his demons.
The sacrifice of Obi wan Kenobi eradicated what remained of the darkside dwelling within the son of suns.
Darth Vader was no more. He was now Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, chosen one --- resurrected--reborn.
Anakin lifted his head and pushed aside his grief. It was time to fulfill his destiny and Obi wan's last request.
With a ferocity as never seen before, Anakin broke down the wooden door and ran into another room filled with more miscellaneous store supplies. As he walked across the room toward a staircase that led to the store, he heard a distinct change in the sound of his footsteps. He stopped and walked back over the space realizing that there was a concealed opening.
On Corellia, many stores had secret hatches that gave access to tunnels leading to various parts of the city, especially to the nearest docking bays. The tunnels were of great use to smugglers and those wanting to hide things or escape from imperial forces.
Anakin questioned whether the empire might have discovered them as yet. He glanced back at the staircase and wondered which route would be better to take. But the sounds of imperial clonetroopers questioning the storeowner and informing her of a search helped him decide quickly.
He broke the lock on the hatch, opened it and jumped down 2 meters into the tunnel. Looking up, he used the force to softly close the hatch. The tunnel was poor lit with walls that were hewn from the foundations of the planet. On the ground were tracks commonly used for transporting all kinds of cargo throughout the tunnels. Anakin followed the tunnel toward what looked like a main passageway. There were signs posted on the walls indicating which way the docking bays were located. Following these signs and his instincts, Anakin hurried toward his ship and his awaiting family.