Chapter XVI

Darth Vader surveyed the damage done to the stormtroopers, and felt the dark side power that was swept over them. He shuddered at the immensity of the anger and sheer power the user held. He entered a Sith meditation state and absorbed the dark energies that were present, he would need all the strength he had to defeat one as powerful as this.

His small group of Jedi Hunters were gathered around him, only three remained of the five that came with him to the planet. One was killed in the attack while another was killed by the dark side user.

Vader remembered his first brush with the dark side, it was on a bloodcarver on the planet Zonama Seekot, he had used the dark side to strangle the alien that threatened the life of him and his new friend the Magistrate's daughter.

A thought crawled into his head, where was Zonama Seekot now? And what of the Invaders they spoke of earlier? Would they pose a threat to his new Empire?

No, was his firm conviction, nothing could stand against the power of the Dark Side, if the Jedi could fall, surely these Invaders could be also.

"I want you to spread out and find the dark side user who desolated my troops," said the Dark Lord, he turned to face his commander, "I want you to send a transmission to the Executor, tell them to send two more Jedi Hunters immediately,"

"It shall be done Lord Vader,"

Darth Vader's eyes fell to the illuminated area a few miles further, he felt a powerful presence in the Force there, as he felt the history of the planet unfold before him. "Ah, now I see, a Jedi burial ground, perfect place to bury these Jedi Knights,"

Vader's mind drifted again…

Anakin was present, and both spoke in the depths of Vader's heart.

"What is wrong Vader?" asked Anakin, true concern upon his face.

The Dark Lord of the Sith sighed, "I am having great difficulty dealing…dealing with these Jedi Knights, and…my losses,"

Anakin smiled sympathetically, "I know what you mean," the Jedi Knight crossed his legs on the dark floor of the cavern in which Vader and Anakin usually conversed, the dark side and the light.

Vader and Anakin had both accepted the fact that Padmé was dead, they both felt the gaps in their hearts, after all, Vader had still loved when Padmé died. Now both shared the burden.

Vader could not forever hold back Anakin, the old Anakin from rising forth in his heart, in his mind, it was like a dual personality, like the Jevekian of Berag II, they were one entity, but had dual minds, they both shared the same scarred body, but they were almost separate people.

The Sith Lord tried as he may to eliminate the Jedi Knight that lived in his heart, but to no avail. Anakin was a part of Vader's core, he could not be fully destroyed.

Anakin rose from his position, "Are you going to fight me now?" it had become a custom, Anakin no longer had any desire to fight or to live he had surrendered himself to the dark side, but it kept Vader on his guard, and kept the Sith Lord at his best.

The Sith Lord nodded and drew his lightsaber, "Come Jedi Knight, let us do battle again,"

Anakin came toward Vader with suppressed anger, obeying the wise words of Master Yoda, "anger leads to the dark side,"

Vader parried the attack and swept his blade out, Anakin blocked the attack and leapt over his black armored assailant.

"Come now Skywalker, you cannot defeat me," echoed Vader through the caverns.

Anakin came flying out from a crevice, his lightsaber flashing, "Nor can you defeat me Vader, we are both part of each other,"

Darth Vader stumbled back and rolled with his momentum, slowly he rose to his feet and send a powerful telekinetic blow to the Jedi Knight.

Anakin stumbled to the floor his lightsaber falling from his grasp.

"Yield, Skywalker," commanded the Sith Lord.

Anakin saw it now, Vader had consumed him fully, Darth Vader was now a Dark eclipse over all his soul, a chasm that Anakin could not crawl out of.