"And he's not just a boy, is he? He isn't just another student added to the ranks." Obi-Wan wiped haphazardly at his face, tears soaring, flickering out into the black, leaving the gritty clouds damp, as they began to swell again. "H-He's the Chosen One…The Jedi's salvation…or their damnation."

Anakin blinked with desperate rapidity as darkness formed more heavily before him, the air clotted and pregnant with it. He could barely see the outline of his Master's hunched figure.

But…he could hear. Anakin could hear the words as they were torn from Obi-Wan's soul, and it was as if the words were his lifeblood, for as he continued, he grew weaker, gasping, choking, flinching at some unseen pain, the grim vitality of his veins drying out, seeping out his body.

The Padawan clamped his teeth down on his lip, glad that the man's face was turned away, so that he didn't have to glimpse the anemic mask that was surely there.

It was enough that he could make out the harsh fall of blows, fisted hands rushing down to collide with…

Who? Who's he talking to? I haven't…I haven't heard anyone answer him…

And then there was a voice in his head, overcome with heartache, on the verge of trembling. //Anakin.//

Anakin inhaled sharply in surprise. //Qui-Gon? Master Qui-Gon?// A beat of a second, threads loosely entwining within his slightly dazed mind. //You're here? You're…//

//Yes. I'm--here.//

The young apprentice detected a breathless, hoarse exhaustion in that reply. //He's hurting you.//

A brief burst of pain, mixed with ruefulness. //He can't hurt me the way he's trying, Ani. I-I don't even believe he wants to…//

//Then why do you sound…//

//It's taking considerable energy for me to be here…to help him…and now…//

Anakin swallowed, and it was a hollow sound. //You're fading.//

//Yes.// Ragged, relieved by the other's comprehension. //I can't last long enough…and now that he's…He's pulling himself further…//

//H-HE'S fading?//

//He's falling. He's falling away from all of this. And the darkness will be there, to smother any escape he might have. I tried to…bring him light, but he won't…//

Anakin thrust his arm out, to break apart a tendril of the black, but it clustered together immediately afterward. He stared into the murkiness. //He needs light.//

//He believes we lied to him. He wants the truth, and what he's saying…It's his truth, what he believes to be true…It's dark, but it's not evil. It's dark, because…it pains him.// Qui-Gon explained.

Anakin drew his face into his hands. What he believes to be true…

'Damnation'.

//Ani…// The slain Master was gentle, aware of the harsh things purged from Obi-Wan. //Don't let yourself be pulled down too…You must be strong, Padawan. For…you know not all thoughts can be sweet…you know your own thoughts of him aren't always…But you know the truth. The truth that…that isn't dark. The beautiful truth…that exists between you.//

His mentor's achingly candid revelations repeated in his mind, crowding him. 'Damnation.' 'Never be able to get past my resentment of him.'

'Resentment'. 'Damnation'.

And Anakin listened, hunting miserably for that beautiful truth, when he could only find spindly black thorns.