Chapter Fifty-Three

~ Kya Ranor ~
After Drakale vanished, the darkness disappeared from the Force. The shadows blended with the silver mist until they no longer existed. The three images he'd used to taunt us – the one of my lover, the one of my Master, and the one of Shmi – all shimmered faintly before dissipating as well.

And I breathed a sigh of relief.

The prophecy is fulfilled. Anakin has done it.

I looked down at my wrist just in time to see the last two strands emit a single pulse of light before vanishing completely. I smiled.

And my tasks are done.

I heard the faint sound of bubbling, and my head snapped up. In a flash, I was on my feet. In the next second, I had darted in front of Anakin.

Whatever was coming was ancient and powerful – and it was my job to deal with it, not his.

The bubbling shot upwards in the geyser of dark liquid once more, but this time it did not drain away. This time it coalesced into a form of writhing darkness that glowed with a dark light. This time the silver mist retreated entirely from it, forming a perimeter that was barren of mist and only had the tentacles present.

And this time, a mind touched my own as a dark, deep voice emanated from the center of the darkness.

So, you are the Walker. The voice was intelligent, possessing the experience and knowledge gained over more than a thousand generations spent in the shadows. Power lined every syllable – power that was really only a slim fraction of what this creature could truly bring to bear.

I inclined my head. "Yes, Mighty One." The title flowed off my tongue easily, and I knew the Force was guiding me once more.

The last, if Drakale was correct.

"He is."

I see.

"The bargain collapsed, didn't it?" That would explain why Drakale had failed. "He promised you Anakin Skywalker in return?"

The creature hissed. Yes. I asked for blood, blood that he could not secure.

I understand at once. Children of the Force could not forcibly take the blood of other children of the Force. By vowing such a promise, he had, in effect, wagered his soul on the vague possibility that Anakin might turn to the dark side – and then be sacrificed to this creature. So when Anakin had turned against him, had vowed never to join the dark side, the bargain had collapsed – and such vows as the one made by Drakale were not taken lightly.

He was now paying the price for wagering his soul on the fall of Anakin to the dark side.

"Then he was more foolish than I thought. All of us know the Rules governing the children of the Force."

Apparently, he misjudged them. And I misjudged you. . . You are very strong Walker for one so young. You are a credit to the order you have chosen to serve.

I managed a small smile. "The one I was born to serve or the one I was trained to serve?"

Both and neither. You are neither one nor the other. You are not yet a true Walker, but you are more than a true Jedi.

I inclined my head again. "Then your comment is received favorably."

The creature hissed again, but this time in amusement. Drakale was right to fear you.

"He feared me?"

He feared you, yes. You are stronger than you know. Your mate is as well.

Now I frowned. "Excuse me?"

Your mate. The one you call Obi-Wan Kenobi. The creature shifted restlessly, and I felt its attention begin to leave me. My bargain is unpaid, once more, and so I must return to where I came from.

"Mighty One, might I say something?"

Its attention returned to me full force. You may.

I stepped towards him. "We are the only ones left of our kind. I do not wish to destroy you or even confront you. Had not Drakale forced our hands, I would have left you in peace."

As I would have you.

"Yes. Could we not continue, then, to live in peace?"

I felt the creature consider it as it sent a probe to sweep through my mind. I dropped my barriers, letting it search through everything I had – memories, feelings, thoughts.

I do not want another war, I told the creature, showing it the fear and anger and pain war had burdened me with – and the innocence it had caused me to lose. Please. I do not wish to fight.

The creature paused on another memory – the one I treasured the most. It was the one of when Obi-Wan had kissed me again, and we had finally decided to toss away everything to fall in love.

The creature abruptly withdrew. You speak the truth. You do not wish war.

"I would not lie."

So I see. It seems I must reevaluate my opinion about your kind.

"Are you agreed?"

Yes. So long as you keep your word, I shall keep mine.

I bowed then, giving the creature the amount of respect I'd give to an equal in my standing and power.

I felt the creature's approval. I return to you your mate and your Master. Farewell, Kya Ranor, daughter of the Force.

~ Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi ~
The shadows suddenly froze, stopping mid-way through their continuous wriggle that made such an effective bind against me. Moments later, they retreated over my hands and vanished into the wall, leaving me to fall to the ground.

I looked up just in time to see Maul stagger backwards. His yellow eyes went wide and unfocused as his lightsaber fell from his limp hand. Moments later, he screamed suddenly – and went poof, vanishing entirely.

And I stared, utterly confused. Okay, what in blazes just happened?

All I knew was rather unhelpful. I was in some weird place where I was separated from Kya, couldn't reach the Force, and had nearly died at the hands of a Sith Lord – who had now conveniently vanished.

Bending over, I scooped up my own lightsaber and reattached it to my belt before pivoting to look all around.

The room wasn't nearly as forbidding as I had thought. Silver mist gleamed everywhere. Not regular grey, mind you. Actual silver colored mist that seemed unnatural and significant – and it seemed to like me.

It coiled around me, gentle and soft and comforting, before suddenly whirling around me like a tornado – and I was in the eye of it. The mist became so thick that the light vanished, even though the mist glowed with its own strange light. Then it rushed at me, coiling around me so tightly that it felt like a cocoon of fibers.

And then, all of a sudden, the mist vanished.

I fell to the ground, disoriented, halting my total descent to the floor only by reaching out blindly with my hands.

I heard footsteps – rapid ones, too – and then suddenly hands touched my shoulders. Calm and power flowed from where the hands touched me, giving me a sense of relief and strength.

I looked up into the brilliant sapphire eyes of my love.

Her face was shadowed with worry as she gazed at me. Her eyes were swirling with a whirlwind of emotions that flashed through her eyes so quickly I could not identify them.

But right now that didn't concern me.

She was safe. That was all that mattered.

I seized Kya in my arms, pulling her against me so quickly that I heard her gasp softly. But she didn't protest; on the contrary, she buried her face in my chest, her hands tightening as they wound themselves in my tunic. I felt a shudder run through her slender frame and my arms tightened around her.

"Obi-Wan." Her voice was soft, almost fragile, as she breathed my name out. Worry and love were mixed into her voice so much that I couldn't tell where one started and the other began.

I sighed. "I'm right here," I assured her.

She pulled away, but only slightly – only enough so that our eyes could meet.

"I was so worried. Maul – "

" – is gone," I finished for her, stroking her hair. "He disappeared. He didn't hurt me."

She sighed as well, her face relaxing somewhat. I leaned forward, intending to kiss her on the forehead and reassure her that we were both safe, but she shifted slightly, and I ended up kissing her lips instead.

I didn't really mind, though.

And then a slight cough interrupted us.

I looked up as Kya's head snapped around, her hair brushing against my chin. When I saw the man standing there, my arms tightened around Kya unconsciously as she stiffened.

Because the man standing there was her Master – the future version of me – Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.

And he did not look happy.

~ Master Obi-Wan Kenobi ~
When the silver tornado vanished and fell from me, I stepped forward – and then I stopped in complete astonishment.

The first reason was more . . . well, confusing. A young boy stood not far from me, dressed in Jedi clothes and sporting a Padawan haircut and braid. He whirled around as my eyes fell upon him, and my eyes widened.

It was Anakin.

Well, sort of.

Only, he was nine years old. At least, I could have sworn he was nine years old. He looked exactly as I remembered him from Tatooine and Naboo almost thirteen long years ago – inquisitive light blue eyes, dark blond hair, innocent and open expression.

The boy stared at me, curious yet wary. That surprised me. My Jedi robes were exactly that – I wasn't exactly hiding my identity.

I forced myself to turn my eyes away from the boy – and this time, my jaw dropped open.

My apprentice was kneeling on the ground in front of another Padawan – the young male one that I'd seen in the Temple. That time, he had taken her hands and I'd sensed the Force swirl around him. I hadn't thought much of it then.

Now . . . Now, I was kicking myself inwardly for not paying more attention to the warning signs.

Because the other Padawan leaned forward and they kissed.

I was stunned. My apprentice – my shy, powerful, impulsive, devoted apprentice – was kissing a fellow Padawan. And not a friendly peck on the lips either. A real, passionate kiss that spoke volumes to me about her feelings for the boy.

Feelings, apparently, that the boy shared.

I could see it in the way his arms were wrapped so tightly around her, how he offered her security, how he pulled her against him. I could see it in Kya's posture – how she leaned into him trustingly, how her hands rested on his shoulders, how she returned the kiss with just as much passion as him.

I let out a long breath and squared my shoulders. My apprentice was like a daughter to me, but she was still my apprentice first. Kya was still a Jedi first.

In other words, I dreaded – no, hated the fact that now I needed to break her heart. But it would have to be done, for Kya could not be a Jedi and have such a powerful attachment.

I cleared my throat, and the Padawans started. The boy's head came up instantly, and I felt the same familiar shock course through me when his intense blue-green eyes – the same color as mine – locked onto my own. Kya turned in his arms, and she inhaled sharply, stiffening.

I crossed my arms. "What is this?" I asked softly, lacing each word with authority.

The boy stood slowly, his gaze never wavering. Kya straightened as well, and the moment she did, the boy put his arm around her, drawing her close to him.

Then the boy cocked his head and recognition entered his eyes. "Master Kenobi," he said. "You are Kya's Master."

I blinked. "Yes. And you are?"

The boy's chin came up defiantly. "My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am the apprentice of Qui-Gon Jinn."

What? But before I could speak, slowly, memories began to return. I remembered Kya introducing this . . . this one to me, and how surprise had filled me, and how I had made to ask questions before the darkness had overtaken us all.

"Who are you?" Anakin asked warily.

Kya slipped out from the other Padawan's grasp and took Anakin's hand. "This is Anakin Skywalker, Master," she said softly. Her sapphire eyes locked onto mine, filled with an emotion I didn't recognize. "The boy you remember – except he is the Chosen One now."

"You need to choose, Kya," I said sharply, striding forwards. "The Jedi will not tolerate attachments. You know the Code."

Kya stiffened again, but the other Padawan spoke first.

"Do not judge her yet, Master Kenobi," he snapped, his eyes glinting with a fierce light. "And do not force your opinions on her."

"I am not forcing her to do anything; I am merely reminding her of her duty – and her commitment to the Jedi."

He sighed irritably in a way that eerily reminded me of myself. "Kya and I have a life-bond. She had no choice – literally. You have taught her all her life to follow the will of the Force; do you take that back now?"

"Attachment is against the Jedi Code!"

"The Code is supposed to represent the will of the Force!" he shot back, undaunted. "Are life-bonds against the will of the Force?"

The words finally sunk in. I stepped back, as stunned as though my Padawan had hit me. "A life-bond?" I breathed, looking from him to Kya. "A life-bond?"

She nodded. "Yes," she said with a sigh. The other Padawan stepped to her side, taking her hand gently – but the determined expression on his face told me that his gentleness was towards her and her alone.

"Both of you will be expelled from the Jedi Order," I warned.

"What Order?" the other Padawan demanded. "I have seen the Temple; I have faced the clones. What of Order is left but scattered remnants? Why can you not accept this?"

My hands clenched into fists and I felt tears well up in my eyes. So . . . she has chosen. There could be no doubt, no mistake. Kya had chosen love now, love over her duty, over her life as a Jedi. There could be no going back now.

But before I could tell her that, could plead with my last apprentice to rethink her decision, the silver mist suddenly blazed with a brilliant light. I threw my hands up, blinded and disoriented. The Force suddenly returned to me with overwhelming speed – too overwhelming, actually.

I fell, stunned. My last thought before darkness took me was one of sorrow: Now I have seen not one but two apprentices under my wing fall to love. Who will I lose next?

~ ??? ~
I lowered my hand, and the whirlwind of brilliantly glowing specks faded. At a wave of my hand, the silver mist cleared as the brilliant glow died down.

Four people lay on the ground now, all unconscious.

I knelt by the first – the one the mortals called Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. His face was pale when compared to the chestnut color of his hair and beard, and worry and war had caused his face to crinkle up in lines that did not become him.

I placed a single finger on his temple and let the Force wash through me to him. He relaxed with a sigh as he fell into a deeper, healing sleep – one that would heal his physical wounds and calm his mind so that he could deal with the emotional wounds he had just endured.

I rose then, and moved on to the boy. The one they called Anakin Skywalker. I smiled at the boy, my brother, as another child of the Force. He looked young and innocent, but in the Force he shone like a star – and he would only become stronger with age.

I placed my hand on his, coaxing him into a deeper sleep as well. He was not injured, but that didn't matter right now.

With a sigh, I moved on.

I looked down at the last two people. The young man – the one they called Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi – was lying on his side. He was tense, or as tense as one could get in sleep. The reason behind that was in his arms – literally.

My daughter lay there, one hand and her head resting against the young man's chest.

For a moment, I just watched her. She was so young, so beautiful, so passionate; full of fire and spirit and power; motivated by loyalty and honor and love.

But then again, I reflected, so too were we all when we began.

I sighed again as I nudged the young man into a deeper sleep.

Then I snapped my fingers shortly, and the silver mist hissed and started glowing as it coiled around my daughter.