Chapter Thirty-Seven
Luke's Trials
Anakin explained to Obi-Wan "I had to make you believe I was evil, I very well could have been." It hurt Anakin, as if he could feel Darth Vader inside him. He was not Darth Vader but without Obi-Wan he would have been. Padme had lived! And she loved him! The war had not changed that. He still loved her with a need that took him by surprise, every time he saw her. "I wanted you to think I had attacked the Separatists. I knew I couldn't destroy him. He is me, the me that used his fear as a weapon; he doesn't rein it in as I have. He makes no effort to control the fear; he uses that fear as a weapon. He's not very mindful," Anakin said with a lopsided grin.
"You should have told me, Anakin. I felt as if I had failed you. To see you, it turned my heart to pieces. I love you, Anakin."
"I know, Obi-Wan. You are family. But it couldn't be helped. It's time for Luke's trials. He's strong Obi-Wan,"
"Like his father. He's got your spirit and lucky for him, his mother's discipline. Take great pride in him. He's come a long way."
"I know, Master. And I am. I love them, they're my family, and I don't want anything to happen to them, or you."
"Let's go get Luke," Obi-Wan said as he and Anakin headed off to find Anakin's only son, meditating. He looked so much as Anakin once had that sometimes it startled Obi-Wan.
"It's time son, time for your trials," Anakin said with a hint of a smile in his voice. He fingered Luke's padawan braid. "Before you go, remember," he said in an Obi-Wan voice, "this lightsaber is your life."
Luke smirked, and Obi-Wan hid his chuckle was a cough. "I do NOT sound like that," he intones in what Anakin called his master voice. "How's Padme?"
"As beautiful as ever. Do you want to fly or should I?"
"Luke will fly. Although letting you fly is a trial in itself."
"Thank you, Master Obi-Wan," Luke said as he was expected too. He was nineteen and smart if not a smart-ass. Luke got behind the controls with his eyes closed feeling the force. He watched the pride in Anakin's face and the fear in Obi-Wan's as he took off. After what seemed like an eternity to Obi-Wan they landed at the new Jedi Temple. Obi-Wan knew he would forever judge all padawans by Anakin's standards. Standards that Obi-Wan hadn't lived up too. Obi-Wan went to the Hall of a Thousand Fountains and meditated as Anakin sent his son to face the mirrors, all the while a voice whispered 'Bring balance to the Force.' He also heard the Emperor's voice. 'Age is no measure of wisdom.'
Luke entered the mirrors and his vision clouded and cleared. He saw himself holding an emerald lightsaber he had so recently constructed. He saw a scarlet lightsaber, the color of the sith. The man before him was wearing black from head to toe. He was breathing threw a machine. 'I am your father,' the voice said and the vision faded and was replaced by Mara Jade and a small boy. He saw a Jedi Academy and himself running it. He saw his parents and his sister with small children of her own and he saw old Obi-Wan married with a child as well. He knew everything would turn out just right. The Sith would be destroyed, Darth Vader and he would destroy it and Darth Vader would never haunt his father again.