This was death. That place he sent so many others to the day he became Vader. The force cradled him here. Protected him. Hovered over him. The afterlife was as endless as the universe itself, but he could reach out and feel the walls and bend him with his mind. Here, there were no rules. He could love who he wanted, hate whomever he wanted. But he emptied his mind and his heart of everything except revenge.
I trusted you," Anakin mumbled, staring into the raging skies of purgatory.
It was a mixture of heaven and hell. Heaven because there was nothing. Hell because there was no one. Padme waited somewhere in Force Heaven for him. But he held no powers there. He could not pierce its walls, he could not see the other side. He couldn't even find it. Nevertheless, he could feel her. He wanted to feel her. But, must suffer for his sins. His foolishness, for his own demons.
He was a demon. He'd remain a demon until the evil one had been slayed. "That's what you want? Isn't it?" He called out, speaking to The Force.
It didn't answer. It never did.
A wind blew hair about his head. How long had it been since he felt wind? Since he tasted moisture in the air? Since he felt rain falling upon his head?
In Purgatory there was endless night, warm air, dead trees, and ocean skies that rained fire into the meadows where the only grass that grew were the broken bones of the dead, and the flowers that spouted from its soil was of blood and torn flesh. Force Hell, he imagined, was even worse. But how to get there?
He walked toward a bridge on what felt like fingers. Every step he took agonized him, for the voices were pained. This, he felt in the Force were the fingers of those he'd crushed, those who died by his hands. This meant, the millions of souls that suffered when the Death Star was destroyed Alderaan. Those he killed during the Jedi Purge, including the children. He was their evil one. Would they slay him to be free of turmoil? Would he let them? Would Palpatine's destruction end their suffering? He did want it to end – he, he, didn't want to kill them. He was mad, he didn't know what he was doing. He felt tears for all of his dead ones.
I need answers he called out. Can I undo the wrong I have done? Luke would know if he were here. But how many fathers must learn from their sons?
Anakin walked. And soon, the cries came to end to his relief as came to a bridge of light. Beyond it were two paths.
One path led to Force Heaven, where Padme waited.
The other to Force Hell, where he would give Palpatine his due.