Chapter 13 - clash of the titans (cont'd.)

Patruus's tunics were gone. The only remnants of them were the partially singed and partially torn pieces hanging from his belt. He was completely bare from the waist up. His muscular chest and arms glistened with sweat and spots of ash. The beads of sweats were running down along the contours of his back and his pecs. His soaked hair dangled over his neck.

Anakin's mouth twitched as he and Obi wan stood up ready to do battle with the new Sith master. Padme turned her head and finally spoke, "Ani?"

Anakin looked at her, "I am here Padme. Everything's going to be alright. Just hold on."

Padme moaned again. Anakin stepped around Padme to stand side by side with Obi wan. The Jedi brothers took their stance against the enemy and ignited their lightsabers.

Patruus, wild with hatred, only laughed at this display. "It is too late for you, Anakin. You cannot win even with the legendary Obi wan Kenobi at your side. I am holding all the cards."

Patruus stepped closer, "Even now you are powerless to stop the chain of events that will ultimately result in the deaths of both you and your wife. I will make your nightmare a harsh reality."

Anakin blinked.

"Yes. I know your fears. I know of your visions of her death and how they haunt you."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Anakin said through his clenched teeth.

"I know that you are willing to risk everything to save her--- even your own soul. I know what lurks in your heart. There is a darkside residing within you. I know you have tapped into the darkside when you killed Sidious. It felt good didn't it?"

Anakin remained silent.

"Didn't it?" Patruus demanded an answer. Anakin would not answer. "No matter," he said. "I know all that I need to know."

Padme moans grew louder. Her voice filled the hot air as she clutched her belly. Anakin and Obi wan looked over their shoulders to her.

"It seems my servant is about to arrive." Patruus sneered. "Too bad he or she will never meet the proud parents." He jumped into the air and swung his blade down. Anakin blocked the attack and engaged his twin.

Through their link in the force, Anakin said, "Obi wan, get Padme out of here!"

"Can't leave you to fight him alone."

"I can handle him. I fought the emperor didn't I? Besides, Padme needs help."

"Good point." Obi wan scooped up Padme in his arms, "I'll take her to Polis Massa."

"I'll meet you there."

"Anakin, don't underestimate him. What he lacks in sensitivity in the force is made up for in his cunning."

Obi wan turned quickly and moved to get Padme. Patruus offered another lightening bolt to stop him but was intercepted by Anakin's lightsaber. Obi wan collected Padme and hurried onto the ship with R2 trailing behind pulling the pieces of 3po with him.

Patruus was enraged as the ship rose into the air and he chuckled nastily, "You are such a fool, Anakin. Do you really think you can keep her from me? No matter where you take her, I will find her." The two circled each other like two scorpions poised to strike.

"You are gravely missing the point, Patruus. I do not intend to let you leave Mustafar…alive."

"Humph! Is that so?"

"It is."

"How blind you are! The further away she is from me, the more certain her death will be." Patruus smiled.

Anakin didn't understand what Patruus was referring to. His eyes narrowed and

Patruus smiled with pride. "I poisoned her."

Anakin's lip parted and furled his brow, "What!"

"Hothian Drax. Very rare, very lethal." Patruus chuckled again, "and seeing that I have the antidote, pray that its gets to her in time." He finished with a sneer. "Or else both mother and child will be as dead as our beloved mother."

Patruus attacked Anakin mercilessly. Patruus advanced on the retreating Anakin and employed every technique, he watched him perform earlier. Anakin was in the fight of his life for the lives of his family. Anakin turned left and right and he twisted and whorled the blade around. He tried to keep his cool and concentrate on the moment and not on Padme's condition. The duel made its way along one of the extension bridges and into the control room. Anakin swung his blade from side to side in huge arches as he blocked each and every one of Patruus's attacks. He was backed against a table and back flipped onto it. Patruus and Anakin's blades clashed as sparks and flashed issued from them. As they both leaned into the confrontation, Patruus punched Anakin in the jaw. Anakin returned the favor, putting Patruus of his back. Anakin brought down his blade and was blocked. Patruus kicked Anakin sending him across the room on to the mining control console. This battle proved to be the hardest of all. Patruus used some of Anakin's techniques against him, enabling him to match and quickly counter every move Anakin made. Patruus stood up and force lifted Anakin into the air. He then pushed him out of the window and prayed that he would meet his end here.

But it would not be so.

Anakin grabbed hold of a cable that dangled beneath on the extension bridges. Using his lightsaber he cut one end of it and swung down to the embankment of the river of lava. When he landed he looked up and saw Patruus swinging down to join him. A nearby volcano erupted, sending chunks of rock and lava upon them. Anakin ran towards the river of lava and flipped onto one of several huge rocks that were stationed in the middle of it. He looked over his shoulder and sure enough, Patruus was right behind him. Patruus stood on a neighboring bolder and said, "It is over, Anakin. Your child is now mine. Do not worry. You and your wife will be together, in the afterlife."

"Don't bet on it." Anakin said as he engaged Patruus once again. It was treacherous location to battle, as one wrong move and into the lava they would fall. More fire chunks rained down upon them Anakin and Patruus back flipped on to the other side of the riverbank. They fought brutally with everything they had in them. Anakin performed a sweeping kick and knocked Patruus's feet from underneath him. Patruus landed on his back and dropped his lightsaber. Anakin jumped on him and they wrestled, which Anakin attempted to get the antidote from Patruus's belt. Patruus force pushed Anakin off. He quickly got up and was met with a sound right hook from Anakin.

Patruus spat out blood and said, "It would seem you have the unfair advantage." He raising an eyebrow and jutted his chin toward Anakin's robotic arm.

"Since when does the Sith concern themselves with the unfair advantage?" Anakin panted.

Both of Shmi Skywalker's sons were almost drained of their strength and the fight went the distance. Patruus recalled his lightsaber back to him and ignited it.

Panting, Patruus grinned and raised his blade over his head, "Are you ready?"

Anakin nodded upward, "Are you?"

"I am going to enjoy killing you."

"You can try." Anakin swung.

Patruus spun around and blocked Anakin's blade. Anakin leaned to the side and spun on his heels. He twisted the blade around his back and blocked another Patruus assaults. Realizing that this duel was deadlocked, Patruus accepted that his plan to take Anakin and Padme's child might fail. His rage and frustration welled up within him. He knew that Padme would panic when she woke and that her labor would probably be triggered. By the time he caught up with her, she'd probably be dead. But hope still remained. Kenobi may see that the child survives. In any event, Skywalker had to die. Anakin was too focused on the moment to be defeated. But Patruus had a plan to break Anakin's concentration. He back flipped and removed the vile of antidote from his belt. He held it up for Anakin to see and sent a shadow strike, knocking Anakin to the ground.

"The fate of Padme and the child are sealed." He said hotly, "I am certain this will hurt you more than it will hurt me." And lightly tossed the vile in the river of lava.

"No!" Anakin yelled with widened eyes. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He had failed them. Anakin trembled in anguish as Patruus stood by enjoying the moment.

"I am certain it hurts you more than it hurts me." Patruus scoffed, "Why are you in such agony? Aren't you supposed to rejoice for those who become one with the force? Aren't you forbidden from having attachments? Isn't that one of your stupid Jedi codes?"

Patruus laughed heartily almost doubling over.

Anakin stood up and glared at Patruus. Unable to process any thought outside of vengeance, he lunged at the Sith Master, delivering an onslaught of attacks with such power and speed that Patruus could barely keep up. Patruus gritted his teeth as he retreated and blocked or dodged every blow. Anakin repeatedly slammed down on Patruus's blade as he released his anger. Patruus was taken by surprise at the sudden turn of events. Was Anakin holding back all this time? Patruus didn't see what made Anakin so vicious. For all the cunning he possessed, Anakin had the one thing Patruus never had…love. Anakin twirled the blade in his back and turned 180 degrees. With precision he sliced Patruus's light saber in half, rendering it useless. He turned again and severed Patruus's legs. Patruus fell helplessly against the ground as the remainder of his legs rolled down the bank and into the river of lava. Anakin stepped closer to his brother and relieved him of his left arm, which still held the hilt of the destroyed lightsaber. Patruus screamed, "NOOO!" as he slowly began to slide downward to the river of lava.

Anakin stood over Patruus and stared emotionlessly at the pathetic form struggling against gravity. Patruus failed to understand that when he destroyed the antidote, he lit a fire within Anakin that may never be extinguished. He was no longer battling a Jedi knight who wanted to save his family. He was battling a grieving husband and father.

Anakin raised his lightsaber again to put an end to Patruus. He stopped himself in the middle of his stroke as he realized he was using the darkside again. He turned off the blade and glared at his brother. There were no words that Anakin needed to say. He had extinguished his evil twin, the representative of the darkside of the force. While he, Anakin, represented the light. Although now, deep in the recesses of his mind, he questioned it. He turned his back and headed toward the landing platforms.

Patruus lay writhing in agony as his body burst into flames. He screamed over and over, declaring his hatred for Anakin, swearing vengeance and cursing his future. Patruus was slowly eaten away by the licks of the fire. Finally with the last bit of strength he had, he used the force and stifled the flames about him. He turned over and sighed, praying for death to come.