Chapter 11 – The Final Stage

Anakin only slept for a short while that second time. Now, he was bounding down the halls of the Jedi Temple with a renewed freshness that was nothing short of miraculous. No matter how much he learned about being a Jedi, he never ceased to marvel at the power of the Force. Outside the Temple windows, Anakin could see that it was only midday on Coruscant. It was amazing to think about all that he had done in so short a time. The light shined through the windows more brightly in this part of the Temple than any other, signaling that Anakin was getting closer to the Room of a Thousand Fountains. That room had been Qui-Gon's favorite in the whole Temple, and now Anakin knew that it was also Obi-Wan's favorite. Thinking back on the times that he'd visited the room, he could understand why his Master loved it so. The light funneled down in such a way that no matter where you stood in the room it seemed that the light was only shining on you. Beautiful blue water flowed among the many different fountains; fountains of different sizes, colors, and architectural design that blended into one perfect whole in a way that should have been impossible. The room had been built toward the center of the Temple, so very little of Coruscant invaded the confines of the room outside of the wonderful rays of light. Anakin had even been to the Room of a Thousand Fountains once during the night, and yet the room still seemed to glow, darkness unable to gain a foothold in this magnificent place. Clearly, the Force was at work here, and Anakin was awed just knowing there was something that powerful. Also, knowing there was something that powerful made Anakin want desperately to be able to fully touch that power.

"Glad you could join us Padawan Skywalker." The deep voice of Mace Windu broke Anakin out of his deep thoughts.

"But elsewhere your mind is," Yoda's voice intoned next to Mace Windu.

Anakin looked intensely at both Jedi Masters, but where he had expected to see serious faces, he saw slightly amused looks.

"My Padawan's mind is often elsewhere but I have no doubt that he is now ready to focus on the task at hand."

Obi-Wan sounded stern, but when Anakin glanced at him he saw the same amused expression that Master Yoda and Master Windu had.

"Yes, Master," Anakin said, trying to keep a serious look on his face.

Despite the Jedi Masters' amusement, he didn't think this was the time for him to be anything but serious and focused.

"Today, done well have you. Now, face the final stage you will."

Master Yoda stood very still in the center of the room, a steady stream of water flowed overhead between two huge fountains.

"Like most Padawan I am sure that you have the false belief that this will be your easiest stage," Mace Windu said, walking up near Yoda. "I caution you against this fallacy. You will be asked to find peace in the Force. You will be asked to trust the Force and allow it to take you on whatever journey it sees fit. This is perhaps the most difficult task a Jedi can have, and perhaps the most important. May the Force Be With You."

Mace Windu glanced briefly at Yoda before exiting the room. Yoda looked behind Anakin, which caused Anakin to turn and follow the old Jedi Master's gaze.

"In this place," Obi-Wan was saying as he walked up next to Anakin, "you will come face to face with your destiny. All things will not be clear to you now, and all things are not set in stone. Always in motion is the future." Obi-Wan briefly smiled at Master Yoda before continuing. "It will require courage of you to trust in where the Force takes you, and wisdom to know what it is that you have seen. This journey is for you and you alone, and is not to be shared with anyone else. Though you may not know it, the lessons you have learned today will shape the course of your future. Though you may not know it, the lessons you have needed to learn today will also shape the course of your future. May the Force Be With You."

Anakin was stirred by his Master's words, rarely having heard Obi-Wan speak with such passion before. Without realizing it, he was moving toward one of the smaller fountains in the room, the light following him as he moved. He sat down cross-legged, the rays of light shining brightly in his eyes, and yet all he saw was Master Yoda's slow walk toward him.

"Interesting it is that you should come here. Responsible for this fountain's presence you are. You and Master Obi-Wan."

"What do you mean?" Anakin asked, as he came out of his mini trance to notice the fountain for the first time. It was made of an almost pure ivory white, with waterfalls carved into the sides, and the galactic peace sign ringing the entire edge of the fountain.

"This fountain is the youngest in the Temple. It was a gift from the Naboo," Obi-Wan said, the slightest hint of sadness creeping into his voice.

It was sadness only Anakin thought he recognized. Talking about Naboo brought back memories of Qui-Gon for Obi-Wan. The sadness had become more fleeting over the years, but Anakin could still recognize it from time to time.

"It is a well crafted fountain. It did not take the Temple engineers long to incorporate this fountain into the rest of the room."

"How come I never knew about this?" Anakin asked.

"I kept telling you to visit the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Clearly, you didn't care for my suggestion."

Normally, Anakin would have thrown a scowl in Obi-Wan's direction for a comment like that, but this time he merely accepted what was said. Obi-Wan had been encouraging him to come here for 3 years, yet something always kept him away.

"I might have come if you'd told me about THIS. How old is it?" Anakin asked, running his fingers along the edge of the fountain.

"Actually, it was only given to the Temple about 3 and a half years ago," Obi-Wan replied. It took Naboo officials some time to get the agreement necessary to give such a gift. Apparently, this fountain is somewhat of a cultural treasure to them, considering it was built by Queen Amidala's father."

"Padme," Anakin exclaimed, talking mostly to himself.

"Yes. Apparently, her father was somewhat of a child prodigy when it came to sculpting, as she was a child prodigy when it came to politics. Rightfully, her actions during the Federation blockade have made her a hero among her people. Anything connected to her has been snatched up by certain…admirers, and put into museums or sold at private auctions."

Anakin nodded briefly, smiling slightly at the thought of Padme being worshipped by her people. The Padme he remembered would hate that kind of attention.

"Time it is. May the Force Be With You young one."

With that Yoda turned to leave, followed closely by Obi-Wan. Anakin turned to watch them go, his eyes taking in the brief exchange between the two as they stepped out and the entrance to the Room of a Thousand Fountains closed in on itself. His eyes focused forward again, Anakin took in the light that was shining even more brightly on him. He closed his eyes, the rush of water from the fountain next to him the only sound that he could hear. He could feel himself beginning to float, and in that moment he reached for the Force. He felt the Force in small waves at first, like the waters of the Thousand Fountains, and eventually those small waves became one giant torrent, a rush of energy so great that Anakin thought his body would barely be able to contain it. In that moment he was connected to the Force, connected to all that was, connected to all that had been. He found the calm center of himself, as Obi-Wan had taught him, and let the Force take him away.

"Mom. Mom, I'm home."

How many times had he said that? He found himself back on Tatooine, in the small house he shared with his mother. His mother's loving gaze was directed at him. She was saying something but he couldn't tell what.

I miss you.

The image suddenly shifted, sand kicking up everywhere. He saw the cylindrical outline of what he knew to be moisture vaporators. He heard a woman's voice, humming softly, the "Spacer's Song" dancing from her mouth. It had been his favorite song growing up, one his mom would sing to him at night before he went to bed. He couldn't see the woman humming the tune, the sand was far too thick, but he knew it was his mother.

The only moisture vaporators are out with the moisture farmers. What is Mom doing out there?

A loud crash startled Anakin, and the woman's humming was replaced by a violent scream.

Mom!

The sand began to swirl and clear, allowing a tiny opening for Anakin to peer through. All he could see is the rear of an enormous Bantha, the animal most closely associated with the Tusken Raiders. It looks like the Bantha is carrying someone, no, more than just one. Anakin feels himself about to call out, clearly foolish given the dangerous reputation of the Sand People, but the need is overwhelming. Somehow, this Tusken Raider knows where his mother is. Just as he is about to yell out, the sand swirls again, and now Anakin is standing on a balcony overlooking a crystal blue lake.

"We used to come here on school retreats."

Anakin turns to see the beautiful face of Padme Amidala staring out at the great lake. He can feel his heart pounding, one thing and one thing only dominating his thoughts.

Kiss her.

It feels like a thought that comes from somewhere outside of himself, but it really is all him, all his desire. He hears himself saying something, something about sand and smoothness.

What the hell am I saying?

Then, he is leaning in, moving ever closer to Padme, her lips ready and quivering ever so slightly.

"You're not all powerful Ani."

Now he's in a garage, a strange place he's never seen before. He can feel tears in his eyes, and a great darkness grips his heart, stronger than anything he has ever felt before.

"Well I should be. Someday I will be. I will be the most powerful Jedi ever!"

The sound is his voice and yet there's something wrong about it, something strangled, as though part of him is dead and the scraps that were left acquired the ability to speak.

"I will even learn to stop people from dying."

Is that me?

"Master Yoda you can't die."

That sounds a little like me.

"Strong am I with the Force, but not that strong. Twilight is upon me, and soon, night must fall. That is the way of the things. The way of the Force."

Master Yoda, dying. He sounds so old, so worn. Who is he speaking to?

He can't see anything, but he hears the voices clear as if they were right next to him.

"I…I killed them. I killed them all."

My voice again, but who did I kill? Why? Oh, why does my voice sound like THAT?

Suddenly, Anakin is standing in the middle of an arena, a hail of laser fire raging behind him. He sees bodies strewn across the ground, bodies in brown robes. He hears metal being sliced, and as he looks up toward a cliff face built to look like a balcony, he sees a menacing smile.

"Brave of you boy, I would have thought you had learned your lesson."

He couldn't see the rest of the person speaking, but Anakin knew with great certainty that he wanted to kill this man. Wanted to raise his lightsaber and strike this man down with all his might.

"Oh, but you still might."

Another voice, both inviting and chilling all at the same time. Anakin felt himself drawn and repulsed all in the same instance. Whoever it was let loose a wicked cackle, the arrogance and power behind it unmistakable.

He will destroy you.

His voice, or so it seemed, sounding desperate.

No! He cannot hurt you. There is only one person who can hurt you.

His voice again, but this one stronger, more in control. Anakin doubted that he could ever sound so confident.

"It's good to see you again Anakin."

Now, he was standing outside a bunker of some kind, the area around him clearly ravaged by some terribly destructive force. He gazed into the eyes of Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was speaking to him now. Obi-Wan's blue eyes no longer held the spark Anakin had come to associate with his Master. Instead, Obi-Wan's eyes held great sorrow and pain, and something else that Anakin dreaded to see even more.

Defeat. Obi-Wan looks defeated.

He didn't wear the robes of a Jedi, but instead had on a flight suit, that was battered and torn. His beard looked unkempt and his eyes seemed to dart back and forth, as though danger was the constant in his life and safe comfort the aberration. Suddenly, the vision morphed, and Anakin was gazing at a much older Obi-Wan, holding his lightsaber high and in front of him.

Not a good stance to defend from.

For one brief moment, he gazed into his Master's eyes once more, only to see more sorrow and pain, deeper and more piercing than before. But also there he sees something that he didn't see before.

Hope.

Anakin hears the chilling sound of mechanical breathing, a sound that could only come from something that should be dead but isn't. Obi-Wan closes his eyes and in that moment the breathing becomes deafening, making a sound that Anakin interprets as the sick sound of excitement. A flash of light streaks across Anakin's vision, and then…he sees Obi-Wan again, this time in his usual Jedi bodysuit, blue lightsaber raised to defend against an on coming blow. Blue lightsaber meets blue lightsaber, and Obi-Wan is pushed back in a way that makes Anakin cringe.

Blue against Blue.

Anakin wants to call out, but flames dance into his vision, distracting him from what he was about to say.

This place is so hot.

Obi-Wan is moving with lightning speed, wielding his lightsaber with a skill that Anakin has never seen him display before. Instead of looking triumphant though, Obi-Wan just looks reserved and determined. Anakin can feel the sadness radiating off his Master in waves, but his calm exterior betrays none of this internal turmoil.

This is what he meant. That fighting is not to be enjoyed. He does not want to be having this fight.

Obi-Wan flashed across Anakin's vision, saber held to strike, and then Anakin can see only flame, feel only heat. He has never felt such pain, as though he is boiling from the inside out. But just as it seems the pain is going to overwhelm him, Anakin can feel the cool embrace of the Force, shielding him from the terrible heat. As the Force shields him, he can also feel it carrying him away, away from the heat, away from the danger, away from…death? Anakin can't be sure, and he has little time to dwell on his thoughts as he is whisked across the cosmos. Twin suns illuminate a plain brown planet in the distance.

Tatooine.

Then the scene shifts, and Anakin only sees shades of blue and green, a paradise floating in the middle of the cold darkness of space.

Naboo.

Water crashes against some barrier, and Anakin can see that the light getting to his eyes is being bent in a way that suggests artificiality.

Mon Calamari. I have seen pictures of these underwater cities before.

The scene shifts rapidly again, and Anakin is standing on a space port of some kind, overlooking a large platform, where a giant ship is being constructed.

Only one planet makes ships like that. Corellia.

The ship begins to move toward Anakin, rapidly, and as it flies across his vision he can't help but blink. Only a split second, but as he refocuses he can see hundreds of ships streaking across the sky.

Coruscant. I can feel the power here, the life.

Anakin gazes out over the balcony, and sees the Jedi Temple in the distance, shining like a beacon of light among so much darkness.

"Not for long."

With unnatural speed Anakin spins toward the voice behind him, reaching for his lightsaber as he does. But before he can raise his lightsaber to strike out at the voice he is knocked off his feet, hitting the ground hard. A frightening cold grips his entire body, right through to his heart, and in that moment Anakin feels more fear than he has ever felt before.

"You will not fight me. You cannot fight me. But you can join me. I will show you power as you have not dreamed of. I will show you the true nature of the Force."

A black hand reaches down for Anakin, one he wants to swat away and yet reach for all at the same time. The unseen person lets loose another terrible cackle, worse than any Anakin has heard before, only to have the cackle change into cold, metallic breath. The sound sends chills up Anakin's spine, and all he can think to do is back away. Sliding on his back across the balcony, trying to escape that terrible breathing, Anakin still sees the black hand getting ever closer. The more he moves away the closer the hand seems to get.

"Who are you?" Anakin hears himself ask, a question which must have startled whoever is reaching for him because the hand suddenly stops moving toward him. Instead the hand goes up to tug at a black hood, which gently rolls back to reveal the person beneath. In that moment, the last thing Anakin hears is the sound of his own terrible scream.