Chapter 19.
POV: Third Person
Anakin and Ahsoka dove in and behind shelves as they passed through the smoke, using the force to dampen their movements. Anakin shadowed behind a clone trooper as did Ahsoka as they approached closer to the archive door. The pair looked at each other and sighted commander fox on the opposite side of the room. Using the force, they levitated him, knocking over the few clones around him to the floor. All remaining clones, except one, rushed to the scene allowing them to slip inside behind the unfortunate trooper on the door to the vault.
Obi wan, Quinlan, Aayla, and Tholme stood on edge inside the chamber, as the trooper ran to inform them of the disturbance in the archives. The Tedryn Holocron sung a sweet melody, filling the ears of the two awakened Jedi, now shadows of the force, as the four Jedi joined their minds and force energies, heightening and combining their senses to a new understanding of the world around them. The four Jedi guarded their minds as they became aware of the lingering presence of Anakin and Ahsoka in the room.
"They're here," Obi wan, breathed out, intently scanning the room for any anomalies.
"That can't be they just attacked Commander Fox," the trooper blurted out as Quinlan ignited his lightsaber.
Aayla remained silent as she extended her force presence deeper into the force.
"No," Tholme said, "you let them in".
Anakin and Ahsoka circled around the group of Jedi, using the force to hide their presence, their breathing, their steps, everything that once made them a being of the physical realm, disappeared into the force.
"I don't understand, how can they submerge themselves in the force like this for so long?" Aayla asked, questioning her old master.
"To have found peace within themselves and the galaxy is one way, or simply because it is the will and the way of the force and this being has mastered it".
Obi wan silently questioned all his knowledge of the force and nothing was adding up. All he knew was that this encounter with these beings would be something to be remembered and learned from.
'Ahsoka,' Anakin whispered to Ahsoka through the force, 'we'll reveal ourselves and use the force to block them to the roof. We will use that small amount of time to regain lost strength for our escape'.
It was unknown to Anakin that Obi wan would be here. A once brother will never be again after Obi wan realizes the betrayal of two old friends. Anakin cannot forgive him for not doing anything when Ahsoka was on trial. For this, it gives Anakin the strength to find a cure for Ahsoka and soon enough bring order to the galaxy.
Anakin gave Ahsoka the signal as they both re-entered the physical realm. She swiftly knocked the clone trooper into unconsciousness as he simultaneously used the force to pin the Jedi to the roof. With one hand, Anakin let the force flow freely, fuelling his adrenaline, easily harnessing a powerful connection to the force to act as a barrier between the four Jedi and them.
"Anakin!" Obi wan shouted, pointlessly thrashing his arms against the invisible barrier, "what are you doing?"
Anakin simply looked up at him and swallowed hard, "I'm doing what I must to save Ahsoka".
Ahsoka, kept her head down and unlocked the vault to the Tedryn Holocron, its presence alive with force energy, emanating ominous, green, tendrils as she slipped it into her belt pouch. Aayla, Tholme, Quinlan and Obi wan watched in astonishment as two former Jedi, friends, stole one of the most precious artifacts, sacred to the Jedi.
"Anakin, I don't understand!" Obi wan shouted, panic flooding his system as he pointlessly held his lightsaber.
Tholme and Aayla said nothing, accepting the fact that it was a losing battle against, two beings that no Jedi has ever encountered, pure, raw, force energy radiating like the heat of the lava falls on Mustafar.
Ahsoka's soft voice rose above the unsettling encounter, "Obi wan, Aayla, Quinlan, Tholme".
Her voice almost sang with the melodies of the force as she unclipped her lightsaber, holding it out in front of herself for all to see, "the key to understanding the force, is through the construction of a lightsaber. Alike the frustrations encountered during the process, the grey shadows of the force listen and collect the lost emotions Jedi ignore and project into the Force. It is the ignorance of strength, found in emotions that are ignited in a weapon of war, over peace".
Anakin smiled, as he watched Ahsoka pace beneath the Jedi, the hum of the Holocron and her lightsabre matching frequencies. It was a hypnotic song, as silence fell upon the vault. Quinlan restlessly tore at his mind for a sense of reasoning as to why this was happening but there was only one answer.
Anakin spoke, looking his old master in the eye, "you once said that I was destined to bring balance to the force, this is how we will achieve it," he concluded gesturing to Ahsoka.
Despair fell upon Obi wan, as he threw question after question at the pair of grey Jedi. They had changed. They were no longer part of the light side, nor dark side, but shadows of the force. He could hardly recognize them as he helplessly accepted the fate the universe had played him.
"It is the will of the Force," Quinlan spoke, "you are the Grey Jedi".
Anakin and Ahsoka broke into huge smiles at the words, his intelligence and force presence welcoming the pair. Quinlan was no stranger to the dark side but also a vigilante of the light side, he had never been one to follow the rules. Ahsoka and Anakin knew this but were not fooled by his attempt to be allowed to be set free and join them in their quest. Acknowledging his words, Quinlan went on to ask for the assistance of the Grey Jedi to further his knowledge of the force. Much to the horror of the other three Jedi, Aayla did agree despite her allegiance to the light.
Aayla and Quinlan argued with their former master, Tholme, over his ignorance to the situation, denying the dark side when he knew too well himself that he had also crossed paths with the dark side. Obi wan said nothing, pondering over the loss of two once dear friends.
POV: Anakin Skywalker
Being back in the Temple after becoming a Grey Jedi felt almost wrong, as I ran through its halls. To now be in the vault, a place I had only ever seen once, maybe twice in my life's entirety felt somewhat therapeutic for the force as the Holocron was placed in Ahsoka's belt pouch. It sent high energy vibrations through me, unlike anything I had experienced before. For once, the force felt right.
I thumbed at my chrono, signaling R2 that we had begun our escape.
"Ahsoka, we need to go," I called.
The force felt almost hysterical at the four Jedi suspended in the air. Alas, I would have to let them down in order to re-immerse myself into the shadows.
"Anakin, please!" Obi wan yelled.
I paused, Obi wan had raised me after Qui Gon had joined the force.
"I'm sorry," I swallowed, looking up at him as Ahsoka palmed the door open, "you will try to stop us".
We immersed ourselves back into the force just as the Clones began firing in our direction and the Jedi were lowered to their feet. Ahsoka's laughter filled my ears as we glided across the floor, absolutely untouchable, a sense of euphoria flooding my veins. Lightsabres were thrown in our direction as we ran down the corridors. They were tracking the Holocron's force signature but what you can't see you can't hit. It was almost funny as the clones and sentinels joined the chase along the way, Obi wan, Aayla, Quinlan and Tholme at the lead. If anyone oblivious to the situation were watching, it'd look like the Temple had gone mad.
Aayla jumped, with the help of Quinlan, landing in front of us. We only had a fraction of a second to split up, running around her and re-joining behind her. The hangars would be well-under lockdown however our fighters are too valuable to be left behind. We were making our way to the main hangar where my fighter was.
Ahsoka signaled R7 as we descended the center tower of the temple, down the stairs as much as we could, using the force to push back any Jedi or clone that got too close. R7 flew by the window circling the tower.
We ran for the end of the corridor, the chase would be over in a matter of seconds as we ignited our lightsabres, revealing our position. Shots were fired amidst the shower of glass as we broke out in mid-air, falling, landing on top of Ahsoka's fighter. I glanced up at the defeated as we flew out of range, Obi wan lifting his comm to his mouth. My fighter laid behind closed doors and unlike Ahsoka, no Astromech was in control.
"As soon as I get inside I'll shadow walk to my fighter, I need you to blast the doors open," I shouted to Ahsoka, as we made a second pass over the hangar.
"Okay!" she yelled back as I jumped, landing atop of the hangar.
R7 made another pass as I saw Ahsoka ignite her lightsabers, a pure grey and an azure blade piercing the shell of the hangar. I watched as she disappeared down the side of the hangar, her blades breaching the entire east side of the hangar.
I made an incision into the hangar and dropped down with the use of the force. Clones and Sentinels had flooded the room, my fighter just within my sights as I made a dash for it across the ground floor. It didn't take long for the Jedi to realize I was inside as the familiar shudder of torpedos collided with the hangar doors. A swarm of smoke clouded the vicinity of my fighter as I made one last attempt to remain undetected, using the force to project me into the air. Daylight scorched the room as well as the inevitable crash of debris, Ahsoka's fighter just visible, shooting off into the sky.
I ignited my lightsaber deflecting bolts of lasers, piercing through the mist in my direction, but it was too late as I jumped inside my fighter and boosted power to the shields, firing up the engine, joining Ahsoka and Artoo in safety of our ship.
Hey everyone, sorry for the slow updates. Please let me know in a review what you think of this story and how it has developed! Are you enjoying this story and the direction it is going or not? Do you like the addition of Darth Maul and Chirrut? Does there need to be more interaction between the major and minor characters? Please let me know! Feedback is valued so, so much so please leave it in a review.
I feel that the end is nearing for this story but if you'd like a sequel or perhaps have some suggestions for a new arc, perhaps Ahsoka and Lux? Let me know in a review!
Thank you! Skywalker out!