Chapter Two: Hidden Passage

The bright light of the Jedi's sabre flashed through the air as the Knight cut his way steadily through all manner of defence that the fortress threw at him. It was mainly droids. Broken mechanical bodies lay scattered at his feet, spluttering out feedback and sparking with their malfunctions.

'Having fun, are we?' someone asked, leaping in with his own lightsabre, slashing through the midriff of a spindly droid and watching it collapse to the floor.

'You took your time, Master.' Anakin said, voice absent of any disrespect, but his disapproval obvious. He stabbed his weapon out, managing to catch two droids through the chest at once. He withdrew the sabre and scanned the area.

'For your information, Anakin, computers and I-' Obi Wan began.

'-Don't get along.' Anakin finished for him, with a wry glint in his eyes as he used the Force to render several droids useless at once. 'I remember, Master.' Anakin, now a Jedi Knight himself, no longer addressed Obi Wan Kenobi as "Master" as he did when he was a Padowan, now it was out of recognition and respect, for Obi Wan's recent elevation to the status of Council Member.

'I just don't see the point in relying on machinery to do a man's job.' Obi Wan continued, cutting down a few more adversaries.

'They have their uses.' Anakin said, indicating his robotic arm before he leapt forwards and landed in a circle of stunned droids, swinging his lightsabre round in a graceful arc and cutting them all in half.

'Well, you're biased.' Obi Wan muttered to himself, looking through the heavy rainfall to the slow moving mass that approached them. Captain Cody was leading the armed troops towards the gates, obviously on Anakin's orders.

'Master!' Anakin's warning rung through the air, but before he could finish the single word, Obi Wan was dropping down to the ground as the younger Knight leapt over him, lightsabre slashing down the stray droid. Mud splattered everywhere as Anakin skidded to a halt from his momentum.

'Droids.' Obi Wan mumbled, scathingly, glaring at the mechanical mess on the mucky ground.

'Are we moving in now, Master?' Anakin asked, tilting his head towards the gate in indication. Captain Cody hailed them from afar, before he and his troops disappeared into the fray of battle.

'Yes, but Anakin,' Obi Wan said, as the slightly over-eager Knight went to move, 'remember why we're here.'

'Of course, Master.' Anakin said, nodding as though the mere thought of him forgetting was incredulous.

'Desren is the main target.' Obi Wan reminded him, nevertheless. Anakin's face was impassive as the two of them moved.

The two Knights weaved their way through the heavy resistance. Cody's troops were good fighters, and armed with blaster guns and thick armour, they were holding up well against the mass army of droids that Count Desren seemed to have been hiding in his fortress.

Obi Wan, maintaining his role as coordinator of the assault on Desren's stronghold, took the lead as he ran for the stone steps at one of the walls, leading up to a small, obscured room.

Anakin blinked away the rain that splashed in his face. His Master was simply a blurred disarray of brown and beige. He whispered angry oaths and cursed the rain under his breath as he kept up the fast sprint across the grimy grounds.

PWING. PWING. PWING.

Anakin threw himself back from the line of blasts directed his way. He almost lost his balance as he span from another set, but was far too well schooled to slip up and let himself be shot by a few simple droids. He defended himself against their continuing blasts by deflecting each shot skilfully, by flashing his lightsabre left, right, up, down, every way necessary for him to prevent harm coming to himself.

With a precisely aimed forward flip, Anakin gained the space separating him from his enemies, and landed with swift, menacing elegance amongst them.

'+Fire+' one droid said, his synthesised voice far from human as it spoke the Universal tongue.

Anakin whipped his lightsabre around him in a full circle, destroying all five of them with unrelenting smoothness. He allowed the small surge of adrenaline at his victory wash over him, before he crushed it down. He didn't dare let his emotions play him up now, not in the middle of so hectic and dangerous a situation.

'Anakin!' Obi Wan yelled down from where he stood. He was half way up the stone staircase, lightsabre held tightly at his side. He was watching his former Padowan, not foolish enough to call out and disturb him whilst the young man placed himself in the centre of five droids, but now that the immediate threat had passed he was back on track with his mission.

The Knight rejoined his Master on the stairs, and the two of them dashed up the flight of steps and into the small room. Obi Wan closed the heavy metal door behind them, applying most of his weight to the task. He bolted it, sealing them inside.

'Master,' Anakin said, in a wary voice. Obi Wan snapped his head up, eyeing the younger man, who seemed to be looking a little unsure. Obi Wan raised his eyebrows, indicating that Anakin should continue. 'There doesn't appear to be another way out.' Anakin said, shutting off his lightsabre. His piercing blue eyes watched his Master very closely.

'What have you been taught, Anakin?' Obi Wan asked, patiently. Anakin's face took on a contemplative expression as he tried to recall something.

'Trust my…instincts?' Anakin tried.

'That too.' Obi Wan admitted. 'But, in this case, you should remember: appearances are deceiving.' On that note, Obi Wan placed his hand over a stone, and pushed it in. Anakin shuffled back as a section of the wall that he had thought was solid stone shifted sideways to reveal a hidden passage.

'How did you know it was there, Master?' Anakin asked, as the two began their way down the dark corridor. Anakin was keen to learn any and every trick there was to the Jedi way, and the Force. His fervour for knowledge showed clear in his voice.

'Well, then you refer to what you said.' Obi Wan said. 'Your instincts are your most valuable allies, for they will never deceive you.' He recited.

'Yes, Master, of course.' Anakin agreed, the hum of his lightsabre joining that of his Master's as he turned it back on. The thin beam of light added to the other, helping to illuminate their way through the dark.

Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it!