Obi-Wan shot up, gasping for breath as he broke out of his dream. It had been so real…it had been so real…

It was the same dream that kept coming back to him, night after night. And night after night, it got worse. Tonight had been pure torture and he was not anxious to relive it again.

He wiped some of the sweat out of his eyes and tried to calm his racing heart. He forced his rapid breathing to stop so that Sora wouldn't wake up. But he could not quench the feeling of terror that was still in his mind.

He caught another flash of the dark presence and tried to shake it out of his eyes. Another flash, and another.

Something wasn't right…

He threw the covers off, dashing towards one of their small windows and peaking out into the howling sand of a Tattoine sandstorm at night. He squinted his eyes, barily making out the dark froms of a few sandcrawlers and a bantha heard on the far, far horizon.

The presence flashed again and he his head jerked around to the other side of the window.

There, silhouetted in the faint moonlight was a dark and sinister form of a man walking towards their hut.

"Obi-Wan?" Sora had awoken as she could obviously feel the dark presence as well. "What is that?"

Not wasting any time, he hurried over to the dresser and threw a robe over to Sora, throwing his on as well. "Put this on and grab Mara, there's no time to explain…"

She did so without question and he hurried towards the front of the house, trying to ignore the dooming feeling that was back in his mind.

"What is it Obi-Wan?" Sora gasped as she race into the room, two month old Mara in her arms.

"It's him," Obi-Wan said in a rush, gathering a few supplies and stuffing them into a bag. "I don't know how he found me but it's him alright…"

He noticed her silence and stopped his frantic work to look up at her. He saw the worried look in her eyes and he saw how tightly she was clutching Mara. She was thinking exactly what he was.

He was here for Mara.

Obi-Wan reached down and hoisted the small pack onto his shoulders, grabbing his lightsaber and hooking it to his belt. He looked up towards Sora again, noticing she had her lightsaber hooked to her belt as well.

"Let's go…"



Obi-Wan used the force as he navigated his family through the sandstorm. He held onto Sora's hand tightly, she holding onto little Mara. He could feel the dark presence growing stronger, but kept his mouth shut, fearful of speaking. Sound carried very far during a sandstorm, very far to places where you did not want it to go.

He wasn't quite sure where he was leading his family. It didn't feel like anywhere would ever be safe for them again. The small hut beyond the dune sea had been Obi-Wan's last attempt to be safe somewhere. Now that it was discovered…he didn't know where his family would end up.

His danger sense flared and automatically he let go of Sora's hand, bringing up his lightsaber to deflect and oncoming blow. A blood-red lightsaber crashed down onto his and he felt his knees stagger from the forceful blow. Sora screamed out his name and although he could not see her, he knew she could tell what was happening.

"Ahhh!!!" Obi-wan screamed with all his migth and shoved his attacker down, finally getting a glance at him.

He stared into the lifeless eyes of his former student, shrouded in black armor, a billowing black clock around him.

Darth Vader…

Obi-Wan heard his mechanical breath over the noise of the sandstorm and looked down in guilt at what he had created.

"What do you want Darth?" Obi-Wan felt it painful to say Anakin's name and forwent the plesntries. He felt Sora's hand grasp his shoulder and he waved her away. This was not her fight.

Instead of answering, Vader threw his head back and laughed, an awful sound that chilled Obi-Wan to the bone, despite the heat around him.

"You still believe you are the Master here Kenobi?" he spat out. At the same time he brought up his lightsaber, shoving Obi-Wan's aside and leaping up to his feat. They were both in combat mode now, both daring each other to make the first move.

"You should know that I have a new master now Kenobi. More of a Jedi than you will ever be…and he has sent me here for a reason that I will accomplish…"

"And what is that?" Obi-Wan lunged at him taking him by surprise and they started dueling again. He had to admit that Anakin had become stronger…no, no it was not Anakin he was fighting. Anakin Skywalker was dead.

Darth began to laugh mechanically again and Obi-Wan heard Sora scream behind him.

"No! No please not Mara!"

"Sora! No!" He spared a glance behind him and saw her fighting with an unseen force which was dragging her down to the ground. He lightsaber lay useless, too far from her grip.

"Leave her alone!" Obi-Wan screamed at Vader and lunged again, more anger and hatred creeping into his voice than he would have thought possible.

"Do I sense anger Kenobi? No, no that will not do…"

A last jolt of energy helped Obi-Wan finish off with a high round kick that toppled Vader over for a moment. Not waiting to see what had happened, he rushed towards Sora, pulling her away from Vader's mind control. There were tears falling down her face and Obi-Wan saw that she was still clutching Mara tightly.

"Take Mara and run! Go!"

"I'm not going without you!!!" Sora replied.

"You have to get her to safety! Go now!"

He helped her stand up and then shoved her towards the nearest settlement.

He turned around just in time to deflect another blow from Vader's lightsaber and he flet his energy slowly being pulled away.

"Noooo!!!!!!! Obi-Wan No!!!" Sora's screams echoed in his ears.

He fought with all his might, but Vader got through him and headed straight towards Sora and Mara.

"SORAA!!! NOO!!!" …

A backhand from Vader hit his lip, causing him to tumble to the ground. He felt the blood gushing from an open wound and the sand stinging it. But none of it mattered now…nothing mattered except…

He saw Sora's white lightsaber flare to life in the sandstorm and was able to see her trying to duel with the dark Lord, Mara still clutched in one arm.

"Sora!"

The sweat was beading on her forehead and Obi-Wan struggled to get closer to her, but he felt his vision growing black.

"Obi-Wan!"

He heard her scream one last time before Vader's red blade cut down swiftly and her presence flickered from his mind.

"NO!!!!!!!!!"

He cried her name and lunged forward, not caring that he did not have the strength, not caring that he could not see anything…not caring that he knew she was already gone.

"Sora please!!" He lunged forward, catching Vader off guard and slicing through his black cloak. He faintly heard Mara crying and glanced around to see Sora lying in the sand as it gently piled up around her and the dark lords twisted laugh echoing through his ears.

"NO!!! SORA!!!"