Hello there!

Thank you all soooooo much for checking out my story! If you like it, it's very inspiring to me if you let me know in some way, and thank you in advance for every fav, follow, or nice review; they're my own version of caffeine. :D :D :D :D :D

For those who really wish I would write a one shot of their idea or would just really like to see a certain story bump up to the top of my rotation, check out the pinned post on my Facebook page, TheLoneRebel's Stories, for info. You can also find my updating schedule there and blurbs from some of my chapters. :D

Disclaimer: I don't own any Star Wars characters and any OC's that resemble real people are entirely coincidental.

There is an explanation of how my calendar works and a list of helpful translations for my commonly used Star Wars words in 'Flame of Hope - Everyone' if you're curious.

Warning: This story will include scenes that address non-consent.

A/N: This story started life in my mind as a new prologue for 'Bring Back the Light' and from there turned into an entire story all on it's own that was going to be way too long to call a prologue. So I'm officially turning this into a series of smaller stories that I think will work well. I hope you agree. :D

The End of Light

Book 1 of The Light series

Abandoned:

D83/20 BBY, Coruscant

As Ahsoka started down the Temple stairs, her silhouette framed by the setting sun, Anakin felt the vast majority of what was left of his heart wither and die. The pain in his chest nearly brought him to his knees as he gripped her silka beads so hard in his mechanical hand that he actually crushed some of them.

"Please. Please don't leave me," he'd begged down their bond as his beloved Padawan had taken those first steps away from him.

She'd let him feel her sorrow, regret, and determination for a moment before thinking back, "I'm sorry, Master. I have to." And then she'd closed off her end of the bond, all but killing him from the rejection.

He watched, unable to turn away and trembling from the grief that ripped through him, until the last tip of her montrals disappeared below his line of sight, the only thought in his stunned mind being, Why?

And then she was gone, truly gone. He couldn't see her, couldn't hear her above the never-ending traffic, couldn't feel her through the Force, not even in a generic way, as all of his senses seemed to shut down with her leaving. Tears stung his widely staring eyes that saw nothing but the last image of her silhouette that would be forever imprinted on his mind. His ears roared with the sound of speeders and his own heartbeat that felt like it was stuttering with each of his gasping breaths.

I have no one left in the Order.

No one.

Ahsoka is gone.

And Obi-Wan... Obi-Wan. He doesn't care about me anymore. Maybe he never did. He's always held me back and refused to listen to my important visions. He supported the Council's decision to give Padmè a different bodyguard when she asked, ruining my best chance to win her. Brushed off my pleas to go save my mother. Ran off to see his Duchess at every opportunity, leaving me to do all of his work in the GAR. He didn't even care enough to let me know that he wasn't dead.

And maybe worst of all, he sided with the Council instead of me about Ahsoka's innocence.

That, I can never forgive.

Never.

Somehow. Somehow, he forced his body to turn around and walk back into the Temple. Back to the traitors and hypocrites who'd accused his Padawan of murder, tossed her out of the Order like garbage, and then offered to let her back in with one of the most half-assed apologies of all time.

He didn't blame her for leaving them.

Him, yes.

But not them.

Why do I stay with them? What's the point?

They don't want a Chosen One. Not really. Most of them are afraid of my power. The rest still treat me like a child.

Why? Why should I stay?!

I shouldn't!

I won't!

He looked down at the string of beads dangling from his clenched hand, ideas forming like bubbles of joy. I can join Ahsoka, go wherever she wants. Maybe we can win this war without the Order. I know the two of us together are strong enough to take on Grievous and Dooku.

Yes. That sounds right! That's what I'll do!

First, to tell off those karking idiots.

I've always wanted to do that.

A truly vicious smile settled on his lips as Anakin rode the lift up to the Council chamber. Without really looking at them, he tucked the Padawan beads into a pouch on his belt just before the door opened to the waiting area outside the High Council chambers.

The Temple Guards standing on either side of the doorway only nodded as he swept by them, used to see him coming and going from the chamber on a regular basis thanks to many mission briefings and scoldings.

Anakin strode through the antechamber and into the center of the circle of chairs in the main room that was almost surrounded by windows overlooking the city. He was pleased to see that the rest of the council had been summoned via holo image while he was gone and that everyone was sitting in their chairs. He liked that he'd have the advantage of standing over them.

They'd hushed as he first entered, so he'd only caught the tail end of a sentence by Windu involving the words, 'Barriss' and 'Trial'. That also pleased him, knowing that the real murderer would see justice.

"Goodbye to your Padawan, did you say?" Yoda asked as Anakin came to a stop.

"Yes, I did," No thanks to you bastards. "But only temporarily, I hope."

As a whole, the Council tensed in their chairs.

Obi-Wan looked at him warily. "What do you mean, Anakin?"

He looked back at his former Master coldly, no affection left for the older man left in his heart. "I mean that I'm done with this farce of an Order. You preach one thing, but practice something else entirely. Peace? Where is the peace in a war that you aid? Knowledge? You like to pretend to be all knowing, but you know nothing, all blinded by the Dark side that you've allowed to grow right under your noses."

There were a few indignant gasps at that, but Anakin forged on. "Serenity? That's a laugh. I haven't felt that emotion since before I left Tatooine. Harmony? Where's the harmony in battle after battle where the only cries are those of death? And who are you to dictate that people don't truly die, but dissipate into the Force? You think that's a comfort to Rex, who's lost dozens of brothers that he was close to and thousands upon thousands that he knew?"

Some of the council members, like Shaak Ti's holo image and the recently recovered Master Billaba were starting to tear up, and Obi-Wan looked like he'd been shot in the guts, but Anakin couldn't stop. Not now that he'd started.

"Skywalker, that's enough!" Windu barked, starting to rise from his chair.

Anakin Force pushed him back down, narrowing his eyes at the dark skinned Master.

That earned even more gasps, and more people trying to rise from their chairs, but Anakin wasn't having any of it. He swept out his hands and knocked them all back into their seats. "I wasn't finished!" he bellowed.

They sat in stunned silence.

"And finally - and this is the one that kills me the most - no Attachments? Are you kriffing kidding me? Every Master who has a heart grows to love their Padawans. Not to mention at least half of you have, or at least had, secret lovers before they were killed thanks to this stupid war, which I know about thanks to the observant clones that you all are so shockingly undisturbed by, considering that they are slaves in everything but name. They're more my friends than any of you have ever been."

He stared pointedly at Obi-Wan and added, "Included in that list of Code breaking Jedi is my hypocrite of a Master, who I used to think loved me, but now I know that's not true anymore."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan implored, attempting to stand again.

He pushed him back down again with a flick of his fingers, the Force feeling just as, or more, powerful in him at that moment than it had when he took down the Son and the Daughter at the same time. "Shut it, old man. I've had enough of your excuses. I was just your means of rising to quick power in the Order, wasn't I? You've never cared about me. It was all an act to make me feel like I belonged here."

Anakin sneered at the cringing Jedi Master, Obi-Wan's reaction to his words confirming his accusations in his mind. "I'm done with you," he spat, and then spun in a circle and swept his outraged gaze over all of the Council members, who were mostly staring at him in horror. Except for Master Windu, who actually looked like he'd been eagerly waiting for this day to come. "I'm done with all of you! Find yourselves a new Chosen One to fix the Force for you, because it's not going to be me!"

And with that, Anakin strode out of the room to the sound of Obi-Wan calling his name and Windu saying, "Let him go."

At least someone has some sense.

Anakin passed the Guards again, sensing their unease with whatever they may have overheard through the door, but they didn't stop him. Which was probably a good thing, because the ex Knight was NOT in a good mood right now.

He made his way back down to the outer steps that Ahsoka had taken to exit the Temple, now understanding why she'd chosen that route; he didn't want to be inside the Temple any more than necessary either. The steps eventually led to a hangar, where he hoped he'd find Ahsoka lingering, but there was no sign of her.

Saddened, but resigned, Anakin walked to where he could see the city street below, but saw no sign of a familiar Togrutan girl in the moving crowds, no matter how hard he looked with his eyes and Force senses. His shrivelled heart sank to the pit of his empty stomach that hadn't wanted to eat anything while she was still being held as an accused murderer. He honestly felt like he was going to be sick.

Anakin reached for his commlink to call her but then remembered that she didn't have a comm on her anymore. She didn't have anything. No supplies. No credits. And no lightsabres. She'd only just left prison where they'd barely been convinced to leave her in her own clothes, thanks to Padmè, who considered Ahsoka to be a friend after all the guard duty the girl had done for her.

"I'm so sorry, Ahsoka. Please, let me back in," he thought as loud as he could.

But either she didn't hear him or she didn't want to hear him. The later thought hurt him to the very core. "AHSOKA!" he screamed mentally into the Force.

Nothing.

No brush of warmth. No chiding, 'Anakin, your thoughts are ringing in my montrals again'. No giggle of laughter at the game only she was playing that he would have forgiven her for if she'd just ANSWER.

But... nothing.

I should have stopped her first before going to the Council.

Why didn't I stop her first?

Depressed beyond words, Anakin turned away and trudged back into the Temple to pack his things, including Ahsoka's lightsabres, which he was extremely grateful that he'd been given as they were found. He wasn't staying here any longer than absolutely necessary. And then, since hiding in the GAR base with Rex and the boys until he found Ahsoka again was probably a bad idea, he was going to the one friend he had left who might take him in.

Palpatine.