Blaze: new chapter
Darth: how many more chapters
Blaze: including this one, three
Darth: really?
Blaze: yup so here is chapter 36 and I hope that you like it, reviews are much appreciated as always
Chapter 36
Duel of the Fates
Anakin Skywalker held his lightsaber in front of him as he gazed at Palpatine. The light flared around him and energized him as it has never done before. The darkness was running screaming, struggling to escape the onslaught of pulsating light at it surged throughout Anakin's body.
Smiling to himself, Anakin faced Palpatine calmly. "You shall never harm my son," he said holding his lightsaber ready.
Palpatine's eyes were thunderstruck with shock. "How is this possible?" he shrieked in anger. "No one can escape the dark side of the Force, no one!"
"And yet I have, your Highness," Anakin said calmly in reply. "I have released the darkness that has held onto my heart and my soul for years and now I have become what I was meant to be, I have become what my son already is, a Jedi Knight through and through."
Luke held his green lightsaber ignited in the air as he walked to his father's side and gazed up at him as if daring to hope that he had accomplished his goal. When Anakin smiled down at his son, a gentle gleam of love glittering in the depths of his blue eyes, Luke's eyes filled with tears.
"I did it," he whispered. "I brought my father back."
Anakin placed a hand on his son's shoulder as he faced Palpatine again. "In truth, Luke, I have always been back but the only way I could truly solidify my position on the light side, I had to believe it myself. Even after everything that I have done that said otherwise, letting Obi-Wan live, letting you and your friends leave Bespin unharmed, I still did not believe it. Now I do, now I know the only way I can protect you is through using the light side of the Force rather than the dark side."
Luke smiled before he faced Palpatine. "You've failed your Highness," he said firmly. "I am a Jedi, like my father before me."
"Fool," Palpatine sneered. "So be it, Jedi." He lashed out with the Force but not at Luke and Anakin, caught off guard was sent flying across the room, slamming into the railing hard enough to bruise his sides and he cried out in pain when he felt something in his side crack.
Luke held his lightsaber out in front of him but Palpatine was ready for him and lashed out with Force lightning twice, the first time hit his wrist and sent Luke's lightsaber flying before the second slammed into the boy, sending the boy to the floor, screaming and writhing in pain.
"Luke!" Anakin cried. Qui-Gon, where the Force are you? I need you! He cried silently through the Force as he struggled to get to his feet though his ribs, which had slammed into the railing as well, protested violently.
I am coming, Anakin, Qui-Gon replied silently and Anakin leapt at Palpatine, ignoring the pain in his ribs and Palpatine was forced to release the lightning to ignite his lightsaber and block the oncoming blow.
"You cannot take me by yourself, Skywalker," Palpatine sneered thrusting his lightsaber toward Anakin's side and he quickly twisted his body to avoid it, which only succeeded in agitating his broken ribs again and a cry of pain escaped his lips.
Palpatine laughed scornfully before he thrust his lightsaber toward Anakin's shoulder, which he quickly blocked but he didn't have time to block the lightning fast thrust that sliced into his leg, sending him falling to one knee with a cry of pain.
The Emperor sneered before swinging his lightsaber, grazing Anakin's hand and sending his lightsaber flying across the land before he pointed the ruby blade at Anakin's throat. "And now you will die, Skywalker. You are all alone and you will never be able to defeat me."
A Force push aimed at Palpatine sent the Emperor skidding backwards a few steps and Anakin struggled to his feet though he stumbled and would have fallen had Qui-Gon not caught him. "Easy there, Anakin, you're injured," Qui-Gon murmured softly.
Anakin called his lightsaber to his hand before he held it at a ready. "It doesn't matter, I will not let you fight this battle alone," he said firmly.
"Nor will I," Luke's voice said suddenly and Anakin glanced up sharply as Luke staggered over to join them, his eyes filled with pain and exhaustion but his green lightsaber gleaming in his hands.
Palpatine snarled in fury though his eyes went wide with shock when he saw Qui-Gon. "You're dead," he screeched angrily. "My apprentice killed you, I know he did. You should be dead!"
Qui-Gon smiled. "I did not die as you had thought, Palpatine," he said in reply. "I, in fact, barely survived." He pointed his lightsaber at Palpatine. "But now it will be you who dies for the Force is our ally in this final battle."
Palpatine screamed in fury and leapt at the three of them but Anakin, Luke and Qui-Gon immediately leapt side by side with each other at the Emperor, their lightsabers flashing rapidly. Palpatine was hard-pressed trying to defend himself against one Jedi Master and two Jedi Knights but he fought onward, using his acrobatic skills and his Force lightning to avoid the three Jedi but the three Jedi continued to fight him.
Palaptine snarled in fury before lashing out with his Force lighting at Qui-Gon who easily blocked it with his lightsaber and Palpatine sent a Force push at Luke, sending the younger boy flying into the wall but he didn't see Anakin until the former Sith Lord slammed his lightsaber into Palpatine's leg, causing him to stagger backwards.
Palpatine sneered at him. "You will not win this battle, Skywalker," he snarled before he lashed out with the Force, not at Anakin, not at Qui-Gon but at Luke and Luke's body was suddenly picked up and tossed to the other end of the room, straight over the railing.
"Luke!" Anakin screamed and the distraction was just enough for Palpatine to leap forward and slamming his lightsaber straight into Anakin's chest.
"No!" Qui-Gon cried as Anakin fell to the ground, clutching at the wound in his chest. Qui-Gon turned his gaze to Palpatine before holding his lightsaber at the ready, his eyes narrowed.
"There is your so called Chosen One," Palpatine snarled lashing out with the Force and sending Anakin's body flying into the wall and Anakin barely managed to keep himself conscious long enough to stop himself from hitting the wall.
And then he lost himself to darkness.
Luke clung to the edge of the walkway while he tried to secure a foothold on the slick wall of the reactor shaft. It was tough and the sudden disturbance in the Force centered around his father was enough to make Luke almost lose his grip on the walkway. Father, he cried silently struggling to pull himself up. He managed to grab a hold of the railing and pulled himself up halfway before he gazed around rapidly as he struggled to pull up the rest of the way. He saw Qui-Gon faring off against Palpatine alone with Anakin lying motionless on the ground nearby.
Luke's first instinct was to go to his father and make sure he was all right but he also knew that Qui-Gon couldn't last long against Palpatine. He had to decide who to help but he didn't know what he was supposed to do.
Go help Qui-Gon, he needs you more than I do, Anakin's voice whispered silently in his mind and Luke glanced sharply toward the motionless form before he swallowed and called his lightsaber to his hand before he ran off to attack Palpatine.
Palpatine snarled in fury. "You two cannot defeat me," he said firmly. "You will never be able to defeat me and you shall die." He then lashed out with his Force lightning and Luke and Qui-Gon immediately blocked the lightning that flew at them, sending it flying back at the Emperor.
The Emperor broke off the lightning to avoid getting hit with his own lightning and then he leapt at them, swinging his ruby blade at Luke and Qui-Gon in such rapid ascension that the two Jedi barely managed to avoid the rapid blows.
Anakin? A gentle voice, a sweet whisper through the Force, a familiar loving caring voice broke through the dense fog that had clouded Anakin's mind. He couldn't open his eyes, he didn't want to, the loving embrace that had just enveloped him was enough to lull him into a sense of love and security, one that he had no wish to leave.
Anakin? A new voice sounded, female and just as loving and caring as the other but this one wasn't like the first, the embrace that enveloped him was like that of a mother giving a hug to her son.
Anakin, both voices whispered. Anakin, you must return. Your child needs you and so does the galaxy. You cannot stay here, you must go.
No, Anakin protested silently wishing to fall back into the lulling sense of love and security. I don't want to leave.
Anakin, you have to. This is the place of the dead and you are not yet dead. I love you, Anakin, I have always loved you but Luke needs you now. You must return, our son needs you, Padmé's voice whispered.
Listen to your wife, Ani. You cannot stay here, you must return. The galaxy and the new order of Jedi Knights needs you. You are going to be their savior but you must return if you are going to save them. Please return, save my grandson, my son, save him and save the galaxy, Shmi's voice whispered.
Anakin conceded that his beloved wife and his beloved mother had a point, he had to return. He may not like leaving the security and the love that his lost wife and his lost mother provided him but his son needed him. Blinking open his eyes shattered the lulling illusion that had clouded his mind and Anakin gazed around, remembering that he was on the Death Star and his son and Qui-Gon were fighting Palpatine.
Weak from the wound in his chest and leg but still willing to do anything and everything possible to help his son, Anakin stretched out with the Force before calling his lightsaber to his hand. Pushing himself to his feet and gazing at the battle and noticed that Luke and Qui-Gon were losing the battle against Palpatine.
Anakin gritted his teeth against the pain in his chest and leg before he leapt forward and slammed his lightsaber into Palpatine's before the Emperor could attack Luke and Qui-Gon. Palpatine's eyes flared with shock and that shock was the Emperor's undoing for it distracted him and allowed Anakin for one last stroke before he lost consciousness again.
Pulling his lightsaber free from the stalemate it met with Palpatine's blade, Anakin thrust his lightsaber into the shocked Emperor's chest and sliced upward. "And that was for Padmé," Anakin said angrily before he pulled his blade free as Palpatine's body. A disturbance surged through the Force and Anakin glanced at Qui-Gon and Luke before Force pushing them away just as Palpatine exploded.
"Move, move!" Han shouted running away from the shield generator after getting into it when Chewbacca took over the At-At and blew a hole in it. He ducked to the ground before turning onto his back to watch as the charges ignited and blew up, immediately consuming the entire shield generator.
"Now, Lando, it's your turn," Han said with a sigh as he sank onto the ground and gazed up at the sky above his head, not noticing when Mara, Leia and Obi-Wan walked over to join him.
"The shield is down, commence attack on the Death Star," Ackbar's voice ordered and Lando sighed in relief.
"He did it, that old rascal did it," he exclaimed happily before he flew rapidly toward the Death Star, blasting away at the fighters that got in his way as he hurriedly flew into the Death Star and immediately headed toward the main reactor core with Wedge Antilles following his lead.
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: that was chapter 36
Darth: how many more chapters?
Blaze: one
Darth: ah that's cool
Blaze: yup so please review and I will post the next chapter as soon as I possibly can