Obi-Wan sat up, alarmed. He was briefly overwhelmed by panic before he took a moment to a moment to center himself and gain control of his emotions and irrational fears. His eyes gained their usual calm, steady blue and he stood and looked around, confused, as he evaluated his surroundings. How had he come to be here? He breathed in the cool, slightly damp (!) air, confused. What had happened to bring him here? He closed his eyes and tried to remember.
He had chased Anakin into the city, but had promptly lost him.
"These are ruins; there shouldn't be too many places to hide."
(Obi-Wan winced. He should have known better.)
He began to walk around the city, the hair standing up on the back of his neck. There was something seriously wrong about this place, something...tainted. The strange thing was that its attention was fully on him, though he was certain he was alone. He felt that it regarded him with malign amusement as if he were a toy, a transient entertainment.
"This place is evil," he whispered, just to fill the oppressive silence.
Yes and no.
He jumped, and even the memory brought a sense of horror and fear.
"Who are you?"
Who are you, Obi-Wan Kenobi, beloved of our Lord?
"What?"
He had turned quickly on his heel to find himself facing...a mirror image of himself. It had smiled at him, kind and evil.
Our Lord loves you. So, it is through you that we will claim him again.
"What are you talking about? Who's your 'Lord'? And what are you?" he asked as he ignited his lightsabre, cautious.
You can't fight yourself, Kenobi. Just as he won't be able to.
The doppelganger approached him swiftly, and Obi-Wan held it at sword point.
"Explain what you are."
We are a future where our Lord consumes the Jedi, where son becomes apprentice, where the Empire survives and the Rebellion is crushed...and you stand by his side until the Empire consumes itself.
"There is no 'Empire'. What are you talking about?"
An awful thought had begun to dawn on him and the Shadow laughed.
We are one possible future of this galaxy. And we will make certain that this future is realized.
"I traveled through time...?"
You know of reverse time. That is where you are. That is why you are slowly beginning to look younger. We are moving backwards towards your present. Now, enough talk.
The doppelganger pushed the lightsabre aside using the Force and lifted Obi-Wan off the floor by his neck.
You will help turn him to the Darkness.
"NO! Never!"
You have no choice.
He screamed in pain, lightning running through him, prying into him, exposing the darkest, most secret corners of himself before he collapsed, falling into he shadows.
"No! No, it can't be!"
Obi-Wan looked out from behind his eyes and willed himself to stop walking. When there wasn't even a hitch in his stride a lash of lightning pushed him back into a small space for him to inhabit, knocking the wind out of him.
"How is this possible? Is there really so much evil in me?"
He stood and willed himself again to stop walking and was again slammed back by power. No matter how many times he tried, he only found himself becoming more bruised, tattered, and broken. A shattering bolt of energy ripped through him and he screamed, the Light in him fading to a faint flicker.
Author: Yay! Thank you to the reviewers! I'll try to keep the updates pretty steady, but since I begin work next week, you'll probably get a slew on weekends only.