Part Nine: Fighting The Past

A long silence fell over me and my apprentice. I held back the tears this time as I saw the image of a lightsaber fly past my eyes. I turned my attention to the battle from earlier, all those years ago. The young Jedi, calling on the Force, flipped over the evil Sith with a new lightsaber in hand and struck the Sith with a deadly blow ensuring death. The Sith staggered back, and plummeted into the pit, sliced in two. Deactivating the lightsaber, the young Jedi rushed to the aid of his Master, but disappeared.

My hands shook frantically. The rage of that battle was growing inside me, screaming to come out. I fought it back, pleading to never feel such rage again.

"Master?" Anakin questioned, holding out his hand.

I lowered my head, eyes narrow, full of fire and rage. I looked up only to see the faces of an evil red-and-black menace around me. The face that slaughtered my Master for the pleasure of destruction and revenge. It sent a chill down my spine. The very voice and image that called out to me, Anakin, was now a blur. The evil face surrounded me, I was trapped. I saw the image of a fiery pit. Darkness consumed my vision.

Without even thinking, I pulled out my lightsaber and ignited it. The blue blade became a blur of light, trying to come in contact with everything I saw. Everyone was in panic, but the Jedi Knights in the area sensed the danger, tending to it quickly. It was like another type of Force was controlling my every move. But I was in pain. I could feel the pain in my heart. For the battle with the Sith Lord. For the pain in losing my true love.

"Master, no. Stop. Don't give into your anger," Anakin cried out. "Not that anger, Master."

"It was my fault." I heard myself say.

"No. It wasn't. Stop."

I ignored him and continued to swing at things that weren't even there. But the faces, those evil faces were there. They have to be there. There is no other explanation. Why else would they be haunting me? It can't be a dream. It's not a dream. I could feel the darkness.

Control you must have, Obi-Wan. Yoda's voice demanded in my head.

Ben, don't do it! Let it go. It wasn't your fault. Sab's voice called out.

Ben, no. It wasn't your fault. You must stop or it will only make things worse. Qui-Gon argued.

"No, I won't listen to you! You just don't understand. Things have gotten worse." I cried out.

I just couldn't control my rage. I just had to destroy this evil. This evil before my eyes in every corner. In every shadow. I wanted it all to stop. To die. But it wasn't going away. It only backed away, attacking when it seemed to have the chance, but I didn't let it through.

I could feel arms around me, holding me and pinning my lightsaber down, but I slipped away from the grasps to see a blurred image of my apprentice. Or was it? He could sense my pain. It almost felt like he was feeding off of it, but wasn't necessarily doing it himself. It was something else inside him. Something else inside me.

: Fall. Come to the Dark Side and the Jedi will all fall because of it. :

"No. I won't fall." I shook my head. "I can't. I won't give into my anger."

: The Jedi will soon feel my wrath. But if you turn now, it will be so much quicker. :

I pushed away the voice.

Control you must have control, Anakin. Yoda's guiding words came into Anakin's head.

"Stop it." Anakin called out in fury.

Anakin forced away the voice and fought the images of a fiery pit. The lava flowing freely like a river, leading to some end. He saw an ancient building grow in flames, many voices screamed inside full of terror.

Control. You must learn control, Obi-Wan. Yoda's guiding words came back into my head.

"Stop it, please. I can't. I won't."

: Obi-Wan. I can taste your fear. Your faith in young Anakin is far too strong. But he will fall too. Fall quicker than he can learn from you. :

Again I forced the voices into the confides of my soul and managed to grab hold of a person, pinning him down. He fought to break free, but froze as the lightsaber wavered over his neck.

: Yes. Give into that anger. :

I caught my breath, feeling the lightsaber raise high over my head for the deadly blow. I pulled it down, but a blue lightsaber stopped the deadly assault. My eyes followed the blade up to the opponent that was so brave enough to challenge me.

"Don't do it, Master." Anakin said low.

The fire in my eyes diminished and my shields dropped. The evil subsided as I heard its evil voice cry out in anger.

: No. You will fall like the many before you. Master Qui-Gon was apart of that chain. He was almost destroyed by the Dark Side because of you. But you had to save him. Not this time. This time you're going to lose and no one will be able to save you. :

I could see the concern in my apprentice's eye, but signs of hate. Of a black-masked madman. I blinked, slowly. The image disappeared.

"Don't do it, Master." Anakin repeated.

I pulled away and peered over my shoulder at the shaken figure. It was that of a nine-year-old padawan. My entire body shook cold as I dropped the lightsaber. I fought back my tears and stormed out of the plaza. Anakin deactivated his lightsaber and grabbed mine.

He turned to my lone, shaken self walking off in the distance. "Don't give into your hate, Master. It may be too late for me. But not you," Anakin said, quietly. "Never for you, Obi-Wan. You are a true Jedi."

I disappeared beyond the walkway. Anakin followed. A heavy breathing followed his footsteps, until he was out of the plaza.

THE END

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