Author Note: Hey guys! I finally got my copy of Episode 3! Being in Britain, it means that we get it one day before everyone else! Woooo! Anyways, before you think I've gone completely mad, I just thought i'de let you know that the first half of this chapter is from Anakin's point of view. He's wearing a special Jedi helmet that is supposed to withstand most lightsaber attacks (I just made it up, coz it kinda sounded cool!) Keep those great reviews coming in. I'm, also currently working on a very funny short story called Galactic Wine. Anakin and Padme decide to clean their pappartment, but Anakin finds a bottle of wine...need I say any more?
Anyways, I gotta go scare some trick or treaters now! Aren't I mean! hahahahahahahahahahah (cough, cough) Ok, I'm random too!
It's difficult to see from inside your helmet. Your vision is severely restricted, and the nose guard bisects your vision. Your breathing sounds amplified, impossibly loud and half- panicked. But there's no turning back. Grievous stands in the center of the vast battlefield, patient and menacing, carving the air with lazy strokes of his blade. I look back and see Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan nods, trying to encourage me, but he looks worried. Behind Obi-Wan is the Nubian army, twenty-five thousand silent men. Behind the army is the city of Theed. Atop those walls, beneath that blue canopy, my father is watching, and the woman I love. I turn back to Grievous. He's smiling at me. Is this really the end? I hope not.
Grievous charged at Anakin and swung mightily, trying to knock the prince's head from his shoulders. Anakin managed to duck beneath the flashing red blade. Grievous was one of those who fights with little art and great savagery, exploiting his superior strength. Anakin however, was quicker, and more agile. Several times he nearly surprised the bigger man with a fast thrust of his glowing blue blade, but Grievous easily dominated the fight, hammering at Anakin's head with a furious barrage of blows. Anakin managed to duck or sidestep each blow, adding his own attack here or there, and then he stepped away and tried another thrust. Only this time Grievous sidestepped and smashed Anakin in the jaw with the hilt of his blade, knocking the prince's helmet off. Then he backhanded the prince with his metal hand, and Anakin fell, blood leaking from his nose and mouth. Grievous' metal knuckles had also raked large gashes across his face, one cut narrowly missing his eye. Obi-Wan, frustrated and powerless to help, tried to will his brother to victory.
"Get up. Get up," he muttered under his breath.
Dooku and Maul, who were standing together, watched the bloodied prince. Dooku looked disgusted, Maul amused.
"This is the prince of Naboo? On Tattoine, the women fight better."
"But they're not as pretty," Maul joked.
Padme, unable to sit, now stood at the wall, watching her lover battle her husband. Yoda stood up and joined her.
From their position up high, Boba and the other Kaminoans watched the battle.
"Grievous still knows how to fight," Nute observed.
Grievous swung at the fallen prince but Anakin was able to block the blow with his saber and scramble to his feet. Grievous pointed to the sky where three crows circled above.
"You see the crows? They've never tasted a prince before."
The Endorian's mind games were working -- Anakin wore the face of a man who didn't want to fight. He swung clumsily and Grievous managed to catch his wrist. The Endorian grinned and raises hissaber for the kill, but Anakin lashed out with his free hand, punching him hard in the jaw. Grievous grunted and shoved him away, spitting out out a bit of loose wiring and a few scraps of metal. He was no longer smiling now.
Maul and Dooku exchanged quick glances: not bad.
But Grievous, refusing to give up, bored in again, blow after blow. Finally his red blade bit into Anakin's thigh. Anakin staggered backward, blood flowing down his leg. He swung desperately but Grievous parried, severing Anakin's arm just above the elbow.
Anakin stared at his dismembered arm, still clutching the blade, lying five feet away. Anakin dropped to his knees, cradling the severed stump and Grievous smiled, raising his saber for the kill again. But just as he was bringing it down, Anakin rolled to one side, dragged himself to his feet and ran. Grievous snarled and chased after him.
oOo
Up on the walls, the citizens seemed shocked that their prince and hero would flee before an assailant. They looked at each other and whispered, glancing at Yoda, curious to see his reaction.
"Fight him, son. Fight him," he muttered under his breath. Padme looked from him, back to the battlefield, her face unreadable.
oOo
Anakin ran to Obi-Wan, gasping for breath, the blood pouring down his face,arm and leg. He fell to his knees before his older brother and Obi-Wan stared at him. Then at Grievous, who has stopped seven feet from the princes.
"Fight me, you coward! Fight me!" Grievous bellowed.
Anakin, unable to look at either man or speak, trembled by his brother's side. Obi-Wan, completely at a loss, laid a hand on Anakin's head.
"We have a pact. Fight!"
Sidious signaled for the driver of the AT-TE he had now changed into. The huge quadraped vehicle, packed with clones, advanced with Sidious standing out of the hatch.
"The Nubians have violated the agreement. Prepare for battle!"
The driver noddedand they rode toward the army to deliver the orders.
Obi-Wan looked from his brother to the enraged Grievous.
"This is not honor. This is not worthy of royalty," Grievous growled. Obi-Wan looked at his brother but Anakin was not looking at anybody. He was gasping for breath, the blood streaming from his wounds and staining the lush grass. Obi-Wan glanced at the Imperial army, then back to Anakin.
"If he doesn't fight, Naboo is doomed," Grievous threatened.
"Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked his brother, but Anakin shook his head, blood dripping from his nose.
"No. No."
"The fight is over. He cannot fight anymore," Obi-Wan informed Grievous, but Grievous wouldn't accept this answer.
"The fight is not over. Stand back, Prince Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan stared at the cyborg, judging his intentions.
"I'll kill him at your feet. I don't care."
"He's my brother," came the reply.
Grievous charged, blade raised overhead. In one motion Obi-Wan drew his own saber and plunged it through Grievous's breastplate. Grievous's momentum carried him forward, until his breastplate touched the hilt of Obi-Wan's weapon.
Grievous, eyes wide open, stared down at the blood which now began rushing down his armor from the few remaining human organs he had left. He looked up at Obi-Wan who pulled his blade out, thenfell to the ground and exploded into a shower of sparks, bits of flesh and wires.