What started as an organized retreat quickly devolved into an ever dwindling group of survivors running for their lives. Obi-wan tried to hold the remnants of their squad together as well as he could, tried to fend off the infected from feeding on wounded clones that straggled behind. Ultimately he was forced to face reality- there was only one of him and hundreds, thousands of monsters chasing after them. To make things more interesting, missiles and torpedoes rained down all around them, razing what was left of the dying city to the ground.

Hyena bombers and Jedi starfighters chased each other across the skies, ensuring mutual destruction along with the death of anyone who might have sought refuge in the city below. Just collateral damage, Obi-wan thought. That's all it was, all they were about to be if they couldn't find a way off the surface.

The air felt thick in his lungs as more rubble came hurtling at him- at the entire squadron- a boulder large enough to crush them all in one blow. Obi-wan reached out, shoving it from its vector and onto a staggered group of infected chasing after them. The pull of force nearly took everything out of him.

Usually he wouldn't have been so easily exhausted but there was something about this place that drained him- just like Kraysiss had. That place offered up darkness when he reached for the light. Right now all he felt was fear and confusion in its place.

His reserves were near to nothing when a torpedo landed just meters from the front of the squad where Cody was attempting to lead them to safety. The blast knocked all of them off their feet, along with any monsters chasing after them in close pursuit. The shockwave slammed right through him, making his ears ring. The warm metallic taste of blood bloomed on his tongue as he struggled to pick himself up as fast as he could, pulling the clones around him to their feet right after.

The men looked dazed, even Cody was battle struck. Coms were still blocked and their ship had yet to send an evac transport to their rescue. Things were beginning to look more and more hopeless by the second.

The world felt heavy, Obi-wan could feel the physical weight of it on his shoulders, on his chest, pressing in on him in every possible way. Another swath of fighters flew low overhead, laser cannons peppering the landscape with bright flashes of blue light and orange plumes of fire hazed over with dense smoke. Even the shoreline seemed to merge with the heavy metallic cloud of ozone and char into one seamless fog that would swallow you up if you let it.

Monster...

A voice accused him, Obi-wan looked every which way, seeing nothing but clones rallying up to continue their retreat, a small grouping of infected in the distance. They would be on their heels soon if they didn't move quickly, and even more took pursuit just out of sight. He couldn't cut down all of them.

"Come on!" Cody shouted, his voice barely competing against the sound of violence that roared all around them. The clones followed after and Obi-wan did as well, trying to let go of the darkness that clawed at him- as thick as the haze that enveloped them all. The soup only worsened as buildings burned and missiles sang, cutting through the air with that delicate slicing sound before its brutal crushing power was unleashed, destroying everything in its path.

Monster, the voice whispered, louder than the war that ravaged all around them and somehow nearly silent at the same time. Obi-wan's world drew in tight against his skin, making everything else seem so far away. There was a stillness, like being in the eye of a storm. He could hear his own breath, his heart drumming in his ears, hammering against his ribs as if it thought it could break free.

"You understand now, don't you?"

Obi-wan spun on his heel, seeing a mirror image of himself standing less than a meter away from him. It was him- but it wasn't. His eyes were wrong, he wasn't wearing his atmo-suit. His robes were unscathed from the scene that unfolded around them, not even the slightest singe or smear of dirt. He knew it was a hallucination, yet somehow he felt a presence behind those tainted eyes- a consciousness not of his own, not conjured but very, very real. Real and dangerous.

No, there was very little he understood about anything, especially not this cursed mirage. It wasn't the first time it had haunted him.

"You understand now- who you really are. Who you were always meant to be," the imposter smiled, his grin stretching across his face, genuine and true. Obi-wan could feel it, feel the force smiling around him in kind, but it was dark, and bourne of anything but good intentions.

There was no other way to explain it- a wave of darkness fell over him. It wasn't malice, anger or hate, not shame or guilt- not those things alone, but a cacophony of every single one of them mingled with other things- darker things. Pieces of himself he'd been glad to forget, other parts he wasn't even sure belonged to him at all. It climbed onto his skin, clutching at his ankles, inching its way up to consume him completely. His heart ached for it. It felt like surrender. But this wasn't him, wasn't his will. He knew that and held out against it, no matter how much the pain felt like home.

"It's pointless to fight. You belong to us, you always have," the man cooed, something akin to fondness in his acrid, yellow eyes.

"This is what you are."

"No," Obi-wan growled, "You don't get to tell me what I am."

"You do that yourself," he smiled again, this time his eyes tinged with sadness. "Monster."

Obi-wan snarled, angling his saber against the apparition. He felt like he was losing touch, sanity slipping through his fingers.

"You know what we are, what you could be if you would just allow yourself. Why do you hold yourself back, Jedi?" The man smiled. "Or are you a Jedi at all?"

Obi-wan slashed forward, trying to cut the man down, but he was too fast- anticipating the attack before he even moved a muscle. The beast breathed in deep, savoring the smell of soot and ash that flavored the air.

"You could stand at his side- the vessel and his Master- just like the prophecy foretold. If you don't take your place, another will." The man says, his face placid his words monotone.

Obi-wan's heart dropped and his skin took a chill. "You're not real," he rationalized. This couldn't be real, he was hallucinating just like he had before. Obi-wan looked down at his arms seeing his suit punctured and sliced through, no doubt from the blast that knocked them off their feet. The air he was breathing was tainted, so he was delusional. Only a moment of relief came from the thought before panic set in again.

He was delusional, going mad from the toxic atmosphere that was poisoning his mind… Terminal after exposure. He had time, if they sent a ship down for evac he could still get help. He wasn't hopeless yet, though in time he wasn't sure he would care.

"You deny yourself your place and the only thing you bring yourself is pain and a bloody death for both you and your beloved," the apparition warned.

The man's face slowly melted, yellow eyes bleeding away into black pits, hands turning to knotted claws. A hungry face gaped back at him before the creature lunged. A simple swing of his blade took the head of the monster clean from its shoulders.

The low roar of war droned on constantly, violence and death set to its symphony. Obi-wan pivoted in a low stance, seeing himself surrounded by a horde of infected itching for their next meal. The clones- the clones were nowhere to be seen. Slaughtered? Advanced without him? It was impossible to know. He couldn't see through the thick haze well enough to know, and the force was just as muddied as the air that he breathed. He hoped they still lived.

Anakin, Ahsoka- he still couldn't feel them. The only two things in the galaxy that mattered to him at all and he didn't know if they still drew breath. A dark pit opened inside himself and his heart twisted with anguish. If they died there was no point in living. He wanted to take everyone else with them- an angry, vengeful reflex.

Surrounded by monsters, he would kill each and every one of them. Obi-wan couldn't decide if they were capable of being killed since they were very much dead already. The technicalities of it didn't matter so much as the savagery that ensued. His body danced, his saber an extension of himself as he cut down everything that stood in his path.

There was something primal about it- mindless in its simplicity, familiar and soothing. It felt good to act, to let out even a fraction of the violence he felt. Everything was too much. It wasn't new, it had been building and breaking inside of himself all this time. He tried to ignore it, tried to be the Jedi that everyone expected him to be. He'd been here before, hadn't he? On darker ground under questionably darker pretenses.

Obi-wan still remembered what the darkness felt like when it heeded to his beck and call. It felt stronger, even though he told himself it wasn't. A Jedi was supposed to know that light was always stronger than darkness, that it conquered all. If that was true, why didn't it feel true? Why did the dark coil around him so effortlessly, merging with his will to kill and maim and destroy? He was one with it, and it was one with him, as he slew tens after tens of monsters that lunged maw first straight at him.

There was power in darkness- a Jedi would have said otherwise but in light Obi-wan knew everything was exposed, judged, weighed and measured to dole out supposed justice. There was no real justice. Not in this war, not in the hypocritical theater of the senate or court- even less among the Jedi Council.

"Stop it!" a voice cried, jolting him from his bloody trance.

Obi-wan's heart dropped to his stomach as the air became unnaturally still. Anakin stood shaking in front of him, smeared with crimson, clothes tattered. His eyes told of betrayal and pain, just as they so often did. Even as a child those eyes were mirrors of the atrocities they had witnessed. The thought that Obi-wan had added to that burden himself was the reason for too many sleepless nights.

A padawan braid hung over his shoulder as his frame hung in on itself, stripped of any confidence he might have once had. How many had to pay for his own sins before he would feel clean again? Obi-wan didn't even know if that's what he wanted- he certainly knew it wasn't possible to feel clean, unburdened by the dark that had been with him for so many years now.

This wasn't the Anakin that led soldiers into battle, not the General who held so many victories to his name. This was his wounded Padawan, the one he left behind. The one that was damaged beyond his ability to repair. The one he broke with his own hands.

Obi-wan stepped forwards and Anakin pulled back, a blaster aimed straight for his chest. "Don't come any closer-" he warned, wrought with terror. The air smelled metallic- heavy with blood, blaster fire and rotting flesh. It smelled like fear.

"Anakin-"

"What have you done-" Anakin cried, his ocean blue eyes spilling over onto his cheeks.

"Master!"

Obi-wan turned, seeing Ahsoka- battle weathered but intact- keeping a safe distance. Her eyes were wide, full of horror.

Obi-wan stepped towards her. She didn't retreat but a stiff voice barked from behind him- not Anakin's.

"I said don't move!" Cody shouted.

Obi-wan's head was swimming, feeling heavier and heavier. He couldn't tell what was real, what was fake, what was Sith illusion or what was simply his own toxin induced madness. It was all starting to feel like a bad dream, a plush layer of dissociation between him and reality. He would open his eyes any minute now, see Anakin sleeping soundly at his side- safe.

"Put down the weapon Sir!"

"His suit is damaged, he's sick- we need a medic-"

"He just put down my entire squad! I'm not letting him out of my sight-"

Obi-wan blinked several times, disengaging his saber and letting it fall to the ground. His eyes scanned the expanse of dead bodies that lay littered all around him. Some were infected but most were clones- slashed through and dismembered, obviously by a lightsaber.

He had done this.

His lips froze around the first syllable, he couldn't find the strength to breathe life into the words. It's not real it can't be real- he thought frantically to himself.

"It's just what you are," a smooth voice chided as the monster materialized again, a blaster in his palms, still aimed straight for his center mass.

"But this denial- it's your most damning trait."

"What?" He whispered, his head spinning. All he could see was that smug face staring back at him, smiling with empty eyes.

"You liked hurting him," the beast accused- the one that wore his face, his eyes and lips, used his voice though it sounded nothing like him.

"No-"

Obi-wan felt sanity slipping out from under his feet, felt himself falling. Guilt tasted sour on his tongue, felt heavy in his gut. He didn't mean to hurt him. He'd slain in his name and he would again- cut down anyone who dared to even touch him.

"That was the only time you could ever really possess him the way you always wanted to. No room for back talk when he's crying and begging, is there?"

"Stop it-"

"All the years he made you feel so incompetent as a Master, reminding you of all the ways you'd failed. He deserved to be put in his place."

"No, no no no-" Obi-wan chanted, shaking his head. His mind was blank and his chest felt empty. He felt sick, stomach churning, his body violently rejecting every word the beast spoke.

"Lying to oneself is such a pointless practice."

"Stop-"

"You climbed on top of your precious, darling Padawan and raped him. You couldn't stop yourself."

"Shut up!"

"Who could blame you? He was ripe for the taking, untouched. He was asking for it."

"SHUT UP!" Obi-wan screamed, pulling his saber back in hand, the blue blade jutting to life from its hilt. There was no coherent answer to the lies coming from those wicked lips. He wanted to shove his fist down the beast's throat and pull out his tongue to silence him indefinitely.

"He needed to be fucked like the little whore he was, and you needed to make him yours, to possess him, just like you still do."

Obi-wan felt the rabid snarl on his lips, felt the dark pooling all around him, waiting to lash out. Guilt dirtied everything with its ambiguous muddy shadow, defiling memories and sullying emotions. Doubt twisted even the purest parts of himself until he was left to question everything. The only pure, whole thing inside himself was the need for violence, for blood and death to erase all the terrible thoughts and twisted memories the beast brought to surface.

The very instant he coiled his saber back he felt the hot-cold sensation of blaster fire searing into his chest. The force of it took his breath away, sending his saber tumbling from his grip.

"Master!" Ahsoka screamed. It all sounded so distant, so far away.

Her face was suddenly over him, searching in his deadened eyes. Her lips were moving- he couldn't make out exactly what it was she was trying to say. The world seemed... quiet. Obi-wan could tell she was scared, could feel the fright in her aura, in their bond. His eyes gazed past her, to the one standing over them both, smoking blaster in his hand.

Anakin's eyes looked back at him, glassy and traumatized. He was still trembling, clutching his braid in his hand as many young Padawans did as a nervous tic.

"I'm sorry- I'm so sorry-" Obi-wan whispered, choking through tears. Ahsoka quickly wiped them away. Her voice came into focus just barely, muted over the deafening sound of silence. It was misplaced in the smoke, the bits of rubble that still rained down over them.

"Help will be here soon, Master, don't worry," she assured him in empty, well meaning words. His world went dark not a moment after.

….

Anakin sensed him long before he saw him, longer still before he heard his ragged, grating voice. A part of him was glad this had been a trap. Not only did it shine a better light on the evolving relationship between the Confederacy and Czerka corporation- a certainty more valuable than any intel he could have gathered- it gave him the opportunity to spar with an old friend.

He had to acknowledge the fact that he was glad for Dooku to see him like this, to replace the image of the angry vengeful child he'd mutilated. He wanted to be seen for who he was now, even if only moments before he slaughtered the man, which was exactly what he intended on doing, regardless of what the Code would have stipulated.

"You hoped to find something else in this place," the old man smiled, his wrinkles hanging insidiously on his weathered face, their crevices amplified by the shadows he stood shrouded by. "Tell me young Skywalker, I must know- does a metal prosthetic measure up to the real thing? I've been rather curious."

"Did Czerka know you would destroy their homeworld when they agreed to do business with you?" Anakin asked, brushing off the Count's petty attempt to goad him. In similar fashion his own remark was dismissed.

"And what's this little thing, clinging to your coattails?"

"Who are you calling little old man?" Ahsoka bit back, brandishing her sabers and her sharp, togrutan teeth. Anakin shot her a quick look. The last thing he needed was her losing her temper the way he had last time. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if she was hurt under his care, not to mention what Obi-wan would think if that were to happen.

"So tenacious," he chided with a graceful sweep of his arm. "You take after your Master."

"I take after Master Kenobi in a number of ways. You should hope I haven't taken on his habit of killing Sith Lords as well."

"Master Kenobi, how is he faring these days? Not so well I've heard," the Sith said, false sorrow dripping off each syllable. "After the tragedy that you and your Master endured, it's a wonder you've managed the way you have."

"You didn't come all this way just to catch up," Anakin ground out impatiently.

"Indeed, I did not. I came for you, Skywalker." The Sith's golden eyes brightened with his words, darkness bated within them.

"I'm flattered," Anakin answered flatly.

"You're the perfect example of the Jedi Council's absolute damning hubris. Letting you go so far from home, knowing well exactly what you are."

"What I am is a weapon," Anakin said darkly, feeling gooseflesh prickle down his spine as his battlemind focused. "I was young and naive the last time we met, this time you won't be so lucky."

The Count smiled, laughing to himself. "You are a weapon, young Jedi. One to be procured at all costs."

Anakin snarled, pulling his saber into his hand and pressing back on his heels. He felt the force contracting around them as he stretched his awareness beyond his skin. He sensed the fighters and bombers flying overhead, death and suffering, jagged teeth, blood and torn flesh. He felt the echo of a warning, drowned out by darkness that felt cold against his skin.

Dooku fell into his typical dueling pose, his shoulders broad, saber lit at his side glowing red against the darkness. He stood there, waiting for Anakin to strike first. Ahsoka impatiently waited, seething beside him, practically bursting at the seams with murderous intent.

"Follow my lead and don't do anything stupid," Anakin murmured to Ahsoka, not taking his eyes off of the Sith that stood waiting.

Ahsoka answered him with a low snarl and thin patience.

"I must admit, I've been looking forward to this." Dooku said, his baritone voice rich with glee. "You are so, very predictable. I knew you would come straight to me. I knew you would be too prideful to allow Kenobi to come with you. If you had, you might have actually had a chance."

"It's a little soon to be talking about misplaced pride, don't you think Dooku?" Anakin answered with a dark grin, reaching out and pulling a hulking boulder straight towards the Sith.

Taking advantage of the distraction Anakin lunged at him, dodging the boulder when it was shoved towards him in turn. Ahsoka dashed, circling around behind the Count to trap him.

An assault of crimson slashes and parries blurred before his eyes and Anakin met every single one of them with his own blade. A latent fear pulled inside of him that he easily silenced. The last time he'd fought this man he'd lost a limb. This time he wasn't losing anything. Not now and not ever again. That Anakin was dead and gone- the one that felt loss, fear and cowered under the power of another.

"I feel your fear," Dooku snarled. "You can surrender now, keep your dignity."

"And I extend the same offer-" Anakin grunted, pushing on the offensive a series of strikes aimed to put the Sith in a corner. "Surrender now and I won't kill you," Anakin said, knowing it was a lie.

Ahsoka lunged at him from behind and Dooku laughed, sending bolts of lightning through her tiny frame as he threw her across the room. Anakin felt a fresh surge of rage flood his veins.

Anakin intensified his advance, calling on every ounce of strength and force to aid his attack. Catching an opening he took the butt of his saber and slammed into the man's jaw, effectively breaking the bone beneath. The blow staggered him, sending him tumbling backward, almost losing his footing entirely.

Before Anakin had the chance to gloat the Sith caught him off guard, sending a surge of lightning through his body, bringing him to his knees. He should have been expecting it but his focus was skewing from its center. Dooku was on his feet again, standing over him, unrelenting in his attack.

"I offered you an easy way out, Skywalker, you should have taken it."

Suddenly Ahsoka leapt overhead, sabers angled for Dooku's neck. The pain relented and Anakin had a moment to catch his breath while the Sith contended against her. She knew well enough to know that she couldn't take him alone- Anakin was grateful for that. Instead, she drew the Sith away just enough to give Anakin a chance to get back up.

Forcing himself to stand Anakin shoved a wall of force straight at the Sith, knocking him off of his feet. He quickly dashed to stand over him, saber inches away from his neck.

"Last chance, Dooku, though I suppose you won't be taking it." Anakin smirked.

The force darkened around them as the Sith smiled. Ahsoka shrieked from the other end of the room. Anakin's gaze flew to her and the red twin sabers at her throat.

"Ventress," Anakin growled, seeing the dark woman smile back.

"Kill me and the Padawan dies. Come with me and I'll see to it that she lives." Dooku said, his eyes glittering in their wickedness.

Anakin's gut twisted and his chest lit with rage. There was only one option- he wasn't going to let Ahsoka get hurt, no matter what the cost.

"Fine. Let her go." Anakin said, his voice low but not defeated as he disengaged his saber. Dooku rose to his feet, his hand held out expectantly.

"Saber," he demanded.

"Let her go first."

"Master Skywalker, don't-" Ahsoka cried.

"And what, let you get killed? Do you honestly think that's an option?"

"Let her go, Ventress. Go Padawan, go and tell your Master what's happened." Dooku chided. Anakin relented his saber, handing it over without another word.

Ahsoka gave him a guilt laden look before leaving, running as fast as she could in the opposite direction.

"Just to make sure you behave," Dooku mused, clasping a collar around his neck and cuffs around his wrists, effectively severing his connection with the force.

"The Master will be so pleased," Ventress hummed.

"Indeed. We have done what others could not."

"I wouldn't be celebrating just yet." Anakin shot back. "There's still time for me to kill both of you."

Dooku answered with a solid slap across his face with the butt of Anakin's own saber. His mouth filled with the taste of rich iron as pain bloomed in his jaw.

"Silence would be wise. It would be unfortunate if you were to lose another limb for your petty insolence."

The trill of a com rang out and Dooku answered. "We have him, send a ship immediately."