Misread Prophecy

AUTHOR: Abigail

SUMMARY: What if the 'chosen one' wasn't Anakin Skywalker? What if the Jedi Council realized their mistake too late?

CHAPTER 7: Destiny

RATING: T

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything that was created by George Lucas.

NOTE: I'm trying my best to get up one chapter a day. Sorry if the timeline seems weird...just read.

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And you will understand

the shadows in my heart...

The fury of my conviction

will cause your heart to quicken

Then my dear...you will see you want me here

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A Blue and Amethyst Saber met the strike of Darth Siddious' red weapon. The electricity crackled and fizzled...the room was alive with energy. The Two Jedi Masters pressed their weapons forcefully against the Sith Lord. Siddious turned to Padme, was rooted to her spot in the floor.

"Help me..." he groaned. "Help..." His hissing voice was the only sound in the room and Padme could only see the look in Anakin's eyes. The pain...the heartbreak...Suddenly, her saber flew the air, landing a blow on Mace Windu's arm. It fell to the floor, with a sickening thud. He cried out, struggling to keep himself from crumbling to the floor with the burning pain that was traveling up the remnants of his arm. He managed to pick up his saber with his other arm, striking at Padme's saber.

"Don't do this, Padme," Master Windu moaned, easily deflecting every single one of her blows. "Remember the teachings of your master," he gasped. Padme struck his saber more violently, the passion and fury within her rising.

"I don't know that life anymore...the Jedi betrayed the Republic...and me. Darth Siddious is my new Master..." she cried. Their sabers flashed, each blow meeting the other saber, while in the other corner of the room, Anakin was fighting Siddious. Padme could feel her power increasing, her heart so furious with the flame within her. It burned her skin...almost painfully. But she continued, each strike increasing with power. It wasn't long until the experienced Jedi Knight began to falter under her strength. Finally, his strength collapsed, and he fell to the ground. Without a thought, Padme flung her saber through his flesh, killing him instantly.

The force rippled violently, sending electric charges through her body. She collapsed onto the ground next to him. Suddenly, her body was racked with extreme pain. Her hands clutched at her robes, and she realized where the pain was coming from. The baby...Her hands moved down to her swollen stomach where the pain was radiating from. The pain was so intense that she screamed. It caught the attention of Anakin, who continued to block each furious blow from the angry Sith Lord.

Padme struggled to stand up, letting herself rest against the wall. She squinted her eyes shut, gritting her teeth as the pain slowly subsided. She knew that this pain was coming too early...

Padme then opened her eyes and looked across the room. Anakin was staring at her. His beautiful blues eyes reflecting the light of his saber. Everything else about the room disappeared. She saw nothing but his face, and heard nothing but the rapid beating of her own heart. The moment soon disappeared, when Anakin was struck by a bolt of force lightning. But his hands pushed the energy away from his body, reflecting it back to Siddious.

Padme watched in horror as Anakin manipulated the lightning, sending it through the Sith Lord's body, which was slowly withering away in front of her. Siddious was screaming violently, his eyes intently searing through Padme's frightened gaze...Padme yelled at Anakin to stop, but he ignored her.

"He is a traitor Padme, Stop him!" Anakin cried, his hands pulsating the lightning towards the Chancellor's crumbling body.

"Come to your senses, Padme. He's a Jedi. He'll betray you like they betrayed me..." Siddious cried out, his agony deafening. Their screams continued, but Padme felt like she frozen in time...incapable of doing anything to help either one of them. "Don't let him kill me!" her Master cried, his yellow eyes staring at her.

Anakin cried out violently, the force of the Chancellor almost overpowering him. "I am your pathway to power. I have the power to save your child. You must choose! STOP HIM!" Siddious screeched, his body shriveling away.

"Don't listen to him, Padme...he's lying to you!" Anakin shouted, looking at Padme, the lightning reflecting in his eyes. "Help me! Don't let him kill me! I can't hold on any longer..." Siddious shrieked, as he fell against the glass of the window, shattering it into millions of pieces. Anakin's onslaught continued as he moved closer to the Sith, who was sprawled on the ledge of the terrace. "I can't...I give up. I am weak...Don't kill me. I can't hold on..." Siddious gasped, his face contorted into a horrifying mask of the evil he truly was.

"You will die now!" Anakin cried, his power intensifying. Padme suddenly came to her senses, as she stepped forward from the wall.

"You can't kill him, Anakin!" she cried, her mind torn, the conflict evident in her eyes.

"He has to die...look what's he's done to you...to the Jedi!" Anakin yelled, his eyes never leaving the Chancellor's wrinkled body.

"HE MUST LIVE!" she screamed, her voice violently surging through the room. "I NEED HIM!" The lightning quickly left Siddious' fingers...as he collapsed to the terrace. Anakin reached for his saber, which lay on the ground.

"Please...please...don't kill me..." Darth Siddious murmured, his croaking voice gasping heavily.

"NOOOOO!" Padme yelled, as she grabbed her saber, striking Anakin who met her attack with his weapon. A new surge of anger flowed through her veins as she continued to strike at Anakin, who easily blocked every single swipe of her saber. Their duel continued as their footwork led them out into the long corridors of the empty Senate Building.

"Padme..." Anakin said. The words didn't reach Padme's ears. Her eyes were glistening with rage, as the force sparked and cracked around her anger. The two of them reached the stairs, where Anakin was able to catch Padme off guard, striking her with a blow that she was unable to deflect. She jumped from the top step, easily landing at the bottom of the flight of stairs. Anakin followed after her, his saber slashing through the air as he landed, unleashing another blow that was blocked by Padme.

Their sabers crashed into each other continuously, until Padme felt her energy running low. The pains in her stomach returned, and she cried out vociferously. She clutched at her stomach, struggling to thwart Anakin's attacks. All of a sudden, her saber fell from her hand as she plunged to the tile floor of the entryway to the next flight of stairs.

Anakin's body hovered above her, his breathing labored. Padme gasped loudly, continuing to clutch at her stomach. His face changed, from intent focus to extreme worry. "Padme..." he said quietly, as he looked into her raging eyes. She continued to moan, as the pains receded. A moment of utter silence passed, as Padme continued to stare into Anakin's blue eyes. Then, her hands rapidly flew up toward him, as he was knocked off his feet and thrown against an opposite wall by the force.

Padme stood up, grabbing her saber and walking towards his motionless body, her weapon ready to strike again. But it wasn't long until she realized the worst...she ran to his lifeless body, kneeling before him. She pulled his face to her, his eyes closed and his face pale. What have I done...she said in her mind.

"You're fulfilling your destiny..." said a low voice. Padme looked up to see Darth Siddious at the top of the stairs. He slowly walked down them, his weakened and fragile body straining to maneuver the stairs. Padme quickly stood up.

"Don't worry...the boy isn't dead..." the Sith cackled, his new face a reflection of who he truly was. Darth Siddious walked towards Padme, placing a cold and shriveled hand upon her trembling shoulder. "Become my apprentice. Learn to use the dark side of the Force..." he said, his voice so manipulative and frightening to Padme's ears...

"I will do whatever you ask..." she responded slowly, looking away from Anakin's unconscious body.

"Goooood..." Siddious croaked, his hand leaving her shoulder.

"Just promise me you'll help me save my child," she whispered, her hands caressing her expanded stomach. "I won't let it die...I want the power to stop death..." she said.

"To cheat death is a power only one has achieved," he said, turning to Padme. "But if we work together, I know we can discover the secret," Padme turned to him, bowing her head, as she knelt before him.

"I pledge myself to your teachings. To the ways of the Sith..." she whispered, her words barely leaving her mouth.

"Good. The Force is strong with you. A powerful Sith you will become," he said, his voice increasing with volume and malevolence. He placed his hand on her shoulder again. "Henceforth, you will be known as...Darth Vader..." The name rang in Padme's ears, her destiny...her future...her curse...

"Thank you, my Master..." she said harshly.

"Rise...Darth Vader!" he hissed. Padme slowly stood up, pulling her hood over her downcast face.

"Because the Council did not trust you, my young apprentice, I believe you are the only Jedi with no knowledge of this plot. When the Jedi learn what has transpired here, they will kill us, along with all the Senators..." Siddious said, pulling his cloak over his head as well. "That's why we must act quickly before Skywalker awakes..." he added.

"I agree," Padme said, nodding her head. "The Jedi's next move will be against the Senate."

"Every single Jedi, including your friend Obi-Wan Kenobi, is now an enemy of the Republic. Even your husband...You understand that, don't you?" Siddious said, glancing at Anakin's body. Padme inhaled quickly, keeping her gaze from drifting to Anakin. She clenched her teeth as she said, "I understand, Master..."

"We must move quickly. The Jedi are relentless; if they are not all destroyed, it will be civil war without end," he said. Padme nodded, following her Master as he walked towards the entryway to the hangar. "First, I want you to go to the Jedi Temple. We will catch them off balance. Do what must be done, Lord Vader. Do not hesitate. Show no mercy. Only then will you be strong enough with the dark side to save your unborn baby..." Padme stopped at the door, nodding.

"What about the other Jedi spread across the galaxy?" she questioned, her eyes peering into the darkness of her Master's face.

"Their betrayal will be dealt with in due time..." he said. He then activated the door, where Padme walked out onto the tarmac. "After you have killed all the Jedi in the Temple, go to the Mustafar system. Wipe out Viceroy Gunray and the other Separatist leaders. Once more, the Sith will rule the galaxy, and we shall have peace..." The Chancellor finished, shutting the door behind him. Padme was left alone in the hangar, where she quickly walked to an unoccupied speeder, leaving behind the Senate Building, Anakin, and who she used to be...