Chapter 3

The platform was a dead end. There was nowhere else left to turn to. He stood there with his lightsaber lowered at the platform and saw the same things that were present at the platform including the Naboo Star Skiff many years ago.

He walked towards one of the landing gears and felt it with his gloveless arm. It felt so real. He closed his eyes and recalled the scene once more. He shook his head in disbelief. Everything had finally come to him.

He finally realized his own flaws as a Jedi. He realized now that he was impatient, angry, and arrogant. He realized that killing was not the Jedi way, yet he killed the leaders of the Separatist forces.

He shook his head again. And in that second, he opened his eyes again and bent his body to the side. Once again, Vader had broken Anakin's moment of realization and slashed off the landing gear Anakin had felt earlier.

The landing gear broke and the Skiff lost support and fell to its side. Anakin turned swiftly to Vader and slashed his lightsaber away again. They came back to their violent fight.

"I sense that you have realized your mistakes in the past," Vader told. "Coming here to fight me is another one. You will die, Anakin Skywalker." He raised his lightsaber high over his head and slashed off Anakin's gloved arm.

Anakin screamed with such agony and pain. He deactivated his lightsaber and dropped it on the platform floor. He looked up at Vader and saw that he made no attempt to finish Anakin off.

"What are you-" Anakin asked angrily. "Why don't you do it and finish me off?"

Vader made no reply.

Anakin paid no more attention to Vader and looked back at the cut area of his arm. The bone had been sliced off clean; blood dripped from his arm. Anakin looked again at Vader, who was still breathing over Anakin's fallen body. Anakin lowered his head and looked around and saw something he never thought he'd see. There, lying a few feet away from the duelist was the body of a woman.

"Padme…" he whispered under his own breath. " I loved you."

And then, a pain began to come from his cut arm. He turned it towards his face and saw a small piece of machinery growing from the bone. He held his own breath in that second of horror and exhaled. But when he exhaled, it came out much different than usual. It sounded a lot like Vader's breath.

"No," Anakin said, horrified. "I can't be turning into you."

"ACCEPT YOUR DESTINY!" Vader shouted and echoed throughout the entire scene.

"No," Anakin repeated. "I won't let it happen again."

"IT IS YOUR FATE!" Vader shouted again.

"NOOOOO!" Anakin yelled out.

He looked back at Padme's body and saw that it was slowly disappearing. With his other hand, Padme reached out for Padme. "No, Padme! Please! I love you!" It was at that last sentence, that Padme's body was wholly visible again.

"What did you say to her?" Vader asked, somewhat horrified.

"I said, 'I love you,'" Anakin repeated to Vader. And as he said that sentence once more, Vader took a step back.

It was there that Anakin realized Vader's true weakness: love. Vader had no love in his heart. He merely had the emotions of a Sith. He lacked a heart of love and that was the greatest power Anakin had possessed. He just didn't realize it yet. And it was also then that Anakin also realized that love was the one thing that distinguished him from the other Jedi. He had love.

"I love Padme," Anakin said and aimed his hand for his lightsaber. "I LOVE HER!" The lightsaber flew back into Anakin's one hand and activated it. He caught Vader by surprise at slashed for him. Vader evaded the sting of Anakin's saber and stepped backwards without raising his own lightsaber.

Anakin continued to push Vader towards the end. He pushed Vader towards the ledge of the platform. And as Vader lost his balance and fell towards the river of lava that flowed below, Anakin whispered, "And I love my children."

Vader's body fell into the lava legs first. His body slowly burned as he sank deeper into the burning lava. His cape had caught fire as well and spread around his torso.

Anakin began to burn slowly as well. His legs melted away and began for his hips. He closed his eyes and accepted what was about to happen.

Vader's body was no more and his head was the only piece of himself left. The mask of Darth Vader sank and the last few breaths barely came out.

Anakin's head began to burn away as well.

The spirit of Darth Vader was destroyed forever.