Chapter 13 – Through the Portal

Author's Note: I am so sorry for what is about to happen. ;-;

~ Amina Gila

All six of them stand gathered on a hilltop, overlooking the nearby storm. Wind whips around them, and the dark clouds in the sky look almost foreboding. Whatever happens now, there's no turning back.

Starkiller slips a TemPad out of his robes, holding it out to Anakin. "I don't know if we're going to survive this," he says by way of explanation.

"I'm not going to leave my brother in his final moments, alright?" Anakin glances over at Revan in question. "But... it might be a good idea to have someone back at the TVA while we do our work, just in case."

"I'll go," he agrees, taking the TemPad instead, "I'll give your regards to the judge."

"Oh yes, please do," Starkiller practically groans, rolling his eyes.

"And you?" Anakin asks, looking at the others. They made it clear they don't want to help kill Alioth, but that doesn't mean they want to stay in the Void.

Obi looks down at Ani in question, who glances up at her, then Vader. "We'll stay," he answers finally. "We've lived here long enough. If you need our help, we'll be here."

"If you succeed," Obi continues, "You can always come back here. We'd rather wait here for now and see how this turns out first. I want to help you, but I can't take my son into something this risky." Understandable. It is practically a suicide mission. It still hurts in a way to see a version of Obi-Wan so protective over him. What would Anakin not have given to get even a fraction of that care?

"I'll come back for you," he promises. "Take care of... your Anakin. I'll find you."

"Starkiller," Vader suddenly speaks up. He's very quiet, aside from his respirator, of course, which is strange. Anakin doesn't know all that much about how he became when he was older, only what he did.

The boy gives him an odd look. "What?"

"Do not allow yourself to become too focused on revenge." Anakin blinks. Well. That was unexpected, coming from who it did.

Starkiller scowls. "This isn't only about revenge. It's justice."

"I once told myself the same." Vader turns away, looking to Obi and Ani. "We should go."

"Be careful," Obi says, shooting Anakin, Starkiller, and Revan an almost pleading look.

"We will be," Anakin promises. With a final glance backwards, she turns and walks away, Ani practically glued to her side, though his reluctance is practically screaming into the Force. For some reason, Anakin senses a strange amount of conflict in Vader, but after a moment of hesitation, he follows the others, cape blowing in the sudden breeze. It hurts in a way to see them going, but he can only be glad they will survive. At least if worst comes to worst, he knows they'll look after Starkiller for him.

Revan pushes a button on the TemPad, and a golden door opens near them. "What are you going to do, when you go back?" Anakin asks.

"To start with, determine the situation. Tell the people the truth."

"Well, that should be easier than fighting a reality-eating monster at least," Anakin quips.

"Than dealing with mind-wiped, reality-destroying people? Possibly."

"Good luck. You'll need it," Anakin says.

"See you later, Anakin," Revan replies.

Anakin is suddenly hit by the realization that this just as well might be the last time they see one another as not. For all he knows, this may be the last time they speak. Anything could happen, even if they successfully defeat Alioth. He doesn't think he'll ever be able to think of the right words to thank him for everything, for his constant presence when Anakin needed someone. It was... Revan who stuck with him, nearly getting himself killed for his undying loyalty. At the end of the day, he helped him far more than everyone else, maybe even Obi-Wan.

He wants to say something, but words fail him and after a moment of pause, he steps forwards and pulls the older man into an embrace. "Thank you," he offers finally, instantly struck by the realization of how utterly inadequate it sounds. He wants to say more, but he doesn't know where to start, and if he starts talking, he'd probably never stop. It's ironic, how Darth Revan himself has become much of a mentor to him. Seriously, what's up with him befriending Sith Lords like this?

"My pleasure," he replies, pausing for a moment before returning the embrace. He seems to feel slightly awkward – not that it's a surprise. He probably hasn't hugged anyone in millennia. He pulls away far too soon in Anakin's opinion, but he doesn't object. They need to move, even if he wants to stay here, to cling to this moment forever.

He can't. This isn't about him, and it's best if he and Starkiller handle it alone.

There is a heartbeat of silence, then Revan steps through the door, and it disappears behind him. Anakin watches as he goes, suddenly well-aware of how everyone's gone. They left him – yes, he told them to, and he's glad because he knows they're safe, but the only one remaining is Starkiller, another part of his heart and soul, and for the very first time, he thinks he's beginning to understand what it means to not always be alone. If – and only if, but he can't think about that – they come through this together alive, he'll never have to worry about being alone again.

Finally, he turns his eyes to the monster in the sky. Lightning is flashing violently, and a head is slowly starting to form and move towards them. "When a branch appears, Alioth will focus on it. We can follow that down to the center of its consciousness."

"What if we don't have time to wait for a branch?" objects Starkiller.

"We'll have to cause a distraction." It's simple strategy, something he's very used to thanks to the Clone Wars, and he's going to be the bait. As usual. The one who takes that role could easily get himself killed, and Starkiller has to be the one to kill Alioth. "I'll go," Anakin decides. Starkiller nods, before taking a few determined steps closer to the monster.

Anakin turns and takes off running across the clearing, stopping a distance away from Starkiller and pulling out his lightsaber. "Come get me!" he yells, waving the ignited blade in a way he can only hope will get Alioth's attention. He intentionally lowers his shields a little, enough so the being will feel his bright presence and be drawn to it. No doubt, since Alioth is a creature of the Dark Side, it'll be more drawn to destroying light than dark.

And then after a moment, the cloud begins to shift. It turns its sort-of head, huge glowing red eyes staring down at Anakin. He continues to brandish his lightsaber, turning to throw a glance over at Starkiller. He's managed to get ahold of a branch of the cloud, which honestly looks ridiculous. Seriously. Holding onto a cloud. How does that even work? He doesn't take the time to ponder it.

But then it turns again, heading straight back for Starkiller. Its gaping mouth opens, the threatening red glow pretty much the only light, since Alioth is practically covering the entire sky around them now. No. This wasn't supposed to happen.

"No!" Anakin yells, and takes off running again, trying to catch the monster's attention. It's not paying any attention to him. It continues moving towards Starkiller, who now has lost hold of his branch. There's nothing he can even do against it anymore, and there's no way he'd be able to run away fast enough either.

Anakin has to do something, anything, but... He's never going to be able to reach Starkiller in time anyway, and even if he did, then what? He's seconds from trying to throw him out of the way with the Force, but he doesn't think it would work, and –

**w**

Revan may not remember everything, but he remembers enough. He was once a Jedi, then a Sith, then something more. And he left his family only right after hearing that he was going to be a father, to go after the hidden Sith Empire. He and Meetra had barely managed to kill Vitiate when the TVA showed up and took him and destroyed his entire timeline. Everyone he ever knew is dead. Even his child... who was never even born.

Yes, he knew when he left Bastilla that he was probably never going to come back, but that doesn't mean he didn't hope. But he doesn't have time to get lost in emotions right now. It's time to burn the TVA to the ground. And he knows that whatever he has to do go about that, he won't regret a second of it.

Now, time to deal with a certain friend of his. First, he lets Hunter B-15 – seriously, getting Grievous's help is the last thing he'd expect to find himself doing – out of his cell, and tells him to expose everything to the other agents. And then he heads for Yan's quarters.

"I wasn't to be disturbed," Yan says, irritation clear in his voice, as Revan pushes the door open. He's facing his back to the doorway.

"You may have failed to inform me."

Yan's head snaps up almost comically fast, and he spins around at the sound of his voice. "Elijah?" he asks almost disbelievingly. He seems surprised, but not upset, exactly.

"Not expecting to see me back here already?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to finish what I started."

"Which is what, exactly?" demands Yan, narrowing his eyes.

"The Time Keepers are fake. We're variants. I will not keep the truth from the people. They must know," Revan replies.

"No," he objects. "This wasn't for nothing. Maybe this is a necessary lie."

"I have been to the Void myself," Revan answers shortly. "I cannot believe that."

"All of this was created for a reason! By what you're doing, you are risking things greater than what we understand."

"With at least two Chosen Ones on our side, it's a risk I am willing to take."

"We could tear the fabric of reality itself. I can't let you do this." Yan stands up, glaring determinedly at him.

"It would be a little late for that," he informs lightly. While he may understand why Yan is acting the way he is, and why he's done everything he has, it still feels like betrayal. They'd worked together for years. It's hard to say how long. Time flows very differently here, and he threw it all away for nothing. There was very little trust between them, he understands that now.

"What did you do?"

"It will only be a matter of time before Anakin and Starkiller make their way to the end of time."

"If they survive," Yan reminds darkly.

"They will. The Force will protect them. It always has."

"It doesn't change you are risking the destruction of reality."

"There is nothing we can do until we hear back from Anakin, regardless of what we believe," Revan declares finally. He knows Yan isn't going to change his mind unless he has a reason to believe otherwise, and it's too late anyway. Anakin and Starkiller have already gone to confront Alioth, and the outcome of that will pretty much determine their next course of action. If they do get to the Time Keepers, at least they'll probably get some answers. And if they don't, well, he'll figure it out then by himself if he has to.

"Well that we can agree on," Yan retorts stiffly, "So until then, we wait."

**w**

Alioth continues to move closer, only for its head to suddenly slam to an abrupt stop. A furious roar escapes it as it tries to move forwards again, but nothing happens. What?! Anakin can feel the strength of the sudden Force shield that just appeared in front of the monster, and he knows it's definitely not Starkiller blocking it. He doesn't even know how such a thing is possible. Small things, yes, but this is a Force creature and Anakin doesn't know how...

Turning around, he spots Vader standing towards the top of the hill behind them, with his arms outstretched. He came back. He could have left, could have saved himself from certain doom, but he came back to help them out in a more-than-likely suicide mission.

Purple lightning flashes violently again, bolts striking the ground around Alioth. The clouds in the rest of the sky only seem to darken as the wind whips about even more violently than before. Then slowly, it begins to pull back away from the Force shield, and change direction, this time, its angry red eyes focused on the cyborg instead.

Starkiller runs back to Anakin's side, fear pouring off him in waves, the Dark Side swirling violently around him. Anakin doesn't take the time to contemplate it, to think about the icy darkness wrapped around his counterpart. He can deal with it later.

They stand fixedly for a moment, watching Vader. Lightning flashes again nearby him, natural lightning, not from Alioth. Storm clouds that aren't from the monster are gathering right overhead. Thunder crashes as it begins to rain. Anakin is suddenly struck by the distinct feeling that Vader himself is causing this part of the storm. Anakin always knew he was powerful, and that he could do a lot of things he never thought about, but this is something else entirely. To actually be able to control the weather like this, while hardly even draining himself at all?

With a snarl of fury, Alioth goes for Vader again, only to hit another Force shield. It backs up, trying to circle around it, only to run into another.

"How is he doing that?" Starkiller exclaims in something almost like awe.

"We're much stronger than we realized," Anakin calls back over the roaring wind and crashes of thunder, "And there's more to the Force than either of us know."

"Go!" Vader calls to them, the Force storm he's generating increasing in intensity. He has the monster's full attention now, and it's chasing him all over the hill. Anakin has the strong suspicion that this isn't even his strongest, either. How much is he capable of?

Anakin senses Starkiller reaching out with the Force again. "Help me," Starkiller requests sharply. "I can't do this alone."

"I don't even know what we're doing!"

"I don't either! We're learning on the fly."

There is no avoiding it, then. He'll have to use the Dark Side, or all of them are going to die. "Fine." He doesn't know if this'll work, but they have to try. He reaches over, taking Starkiller's hand and letting his shields to their bond drop too virtually nonexistent. They'll have to merge their minds and power, so they can work as one.

Anakin can feel Starkiller doing the same, and all at once, he feels the full force of the other's presence crashing down on him. Starkiller's pain, his longing to finally belong to someone, his fierce desire for vengeance... it all feels like his own. It's strange and unnerving to be able to feel all of another person's feelings in such an intimate manner, but it doesn't feel wrong. They're even closer now, and it's not a sensation Anakin would ever protest. But most of all, he feels every bit of the power coursing through his body more acutely than he ever has before. It's incredible and slightly terrifying at once.

Together, they walk towards Alioth. A branch swings close enough, and Anakin reaches out to touch it. It feels... not exactly physical, although at the same time it is. Not that he has the time to focus on the weirdness of literally touching a cloud. It feels like mist but more at the same time. And he can feel the darkness in it, just as it is in him.

It irks him, because the Force doesn't flow through his right arm. Not really. It makes it harder to focus, to do what he needs to, but he struggles past it as he always has been forced to since Geonosis.

He reaches out with the Force, touching the being's presence. They work their way down it together, reaching deep inside it, searching for the center of its essence. It isn't like a sentient being, but it's not different in nature, either.

They're getting closer, closer – and he suddenly he suddenly senses danger beside them, and glances to the side. Alioth is slowly turning around, away from Vader, roaring furiously as it heads straight for them instead.

He can almost feel it when the intensity of the Force that was swirling around Vader suddenly dies down, the Force storm beginning to dissipate. Wait, what is he doing?! If it comes back to him, it'll kill him, and... He needs to focus. Vader wouldn't get himself killed anyway... right?

Alioth turns around again, instantly sensing it's opportunity. What is it – No, Anakin needs to focus on getting to the creature's center, but he can tell Starkiller is also more than a little distracted by what's happening behind them. The monster opens its gaping mouth and moves forwards, the cloud totally enveloping the area where Vader was standing only a second before.

And then most of all, he feels the ripple in the Force, and the Force screams. Anakin's body jolts from the sudden pain rushing through him. It's nearly enough to make him lose his hold, but he digs in, refusing to let himself slip. Vader is... dead. He's gone. He sacrificed himself for them, so they could defeat Alioth. That doesn't – it doesn't make sense. Why would he do something like that? He was a Sith. Why would he ever sacrifice himself?

Alioth roars again as it pulls back away from the spot where Vader was. There's nothing there anymore. He's... gone. Then the monster turns, heading straight for them. It feels different. Stronger, now. It's a creature of the pure Dark Side, and it feeds off the Force's pain.

But now they're almost ready for it. Anakin and Starkiller push forwards as one. The presence he's searching for is right in front of them now, and Anakin reaches downwards with his mind, wrapping his own presence around it. Starkiller does the same, and they wrench it apart.

Alioth releases a howl, but Anakin hardly even registers it, too focused on ripping the presence part, piece by piece until it dissipates altogether. It's the sudden quiet and peace in the Force that jars him back to reality, and he's hit by the sudden sensation that he's floating,and it's like a struggle to get back into his own body. But he does, clinging to his brother's presence for support, relieved when he feels Starkiller doing the same.

When Anakin looks up, Alioth is gone, and its final remnants of smoke and mist are dissipating, leaving a gaping portal in its place.

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