The last few chapters haven't been really good, so were going to try to remedy that situation. The plot will really start to thicken and then we meet him. Wow, I've just had an epiphany and it startles even me. Excitement!

"We know what we are, but know not what we may be." -Hamlet

Chapter 10

The darkness, the pain, the fear, the doubt, the loss of control, the sheer, utter, suffocating darkness. All of this swirled around Obi-Wan, crushing his spirit, wasting away his control, his hope, his mind. It was the perfect way to torture someone, leave them alone, all alone in the dark, with just their despair and their doubts as a companion. It was worse than any physical pain that Helena could inflict and she knew it, Obi-Wan knew it, adding misery to his suffering. He just wanted someone to save him, someone to care for him, something to look forward to if he ever escaped. But he had nothing, and as the darkness closed in on him, it burrowed into his mind, into his body, encroaching on his withered, battered soul.

With his hands chained to the wall and his feet tied together, Obi-Wan was helpless to change his situation. All he could do was stare into the nothingness that tore at his heart. He couldn't see his feet, he couldn't see his hands, he couldn't see anything at all. So he retreated into the depths of his mind, where no one could hurt him, where no one could sully his bright white light.

Obi-Wan knew he was special, knew what he was capable of, and knew he had to banish the darkness, but it was hard, so hard, when reality kept crushing him down to the point where he just didn't want to feel anymore, where he just wanted to be an empty shell, even if it meant turning to the dark side, turning away from everything that he's ever believed in and turning his back on everyone that believed in him.But he could not, he would not. He once made a promise to a very special friend and he would not back down on it. Not now, not ever.He always kept his promises. So, Obi-Wan steeled himself for another torturous, foodless day in the suffocating darkness that was slowly killing him. "I will not give in!"

"Tell me Arthenia," Qui-Gon said as soon as the three Jedi had walked off of the ship and into the hostel that Qui-Gon was temporarily staying in.

"Qui-Gon…"

"I have a right to know, Arthenia! Tell me, now!"

"Obi-Wan is a Cruciatus Animus."

"A what?"

"A Cruciatus Animus. He's a special typed of Jedi. Obi-Wan has enough power to destroy the universe with a flick of his wrist, but to obtain that power, there would be dire consequences. The power can only be used by drawing onto the power of the darkside. Yoda and I are both this type of Jedi, and after living for hundreds of years, we have only been able to tap into small amounts of this power, but look where that small amount has gotten us. Sometimes the power can be drawn on in times of desperation through the light, but that is all. Obi-Wan has constantly been hunted throughout his entire life because of this power. But these people have underestimated the situation. If Obi-Wan turned to the darkness, they will try to control him by using fear and physical force to quell his rebellion, but what they do not understand, is that one day Obi-Wan will realize that he is stronger than them. One day, Obi-Wan will realize that he can fight his Master and win. They do not realize that they can only control the boy's power for so long till it destroys them as well."

"And then there will be nothing to stop the child, nothing to stop the destruction that he can create because he will no longer know how to love anyone, he will no longer have sympathy. The universe would be doomed, forced to wait till Obi-Wan grew old and died and his reign of terror ended." Tahl added and Arthenia nodded.

"We must not allow this to happen."

"It won't. He promised and I know that he will stick to that promise."

"Care to elaborate, Padawan Erin."

"It was when he was ten years old. One day, he just disappeared from the Temple, it was like the time that he was five, but this time he was gone nearly a month. When he came back, he just wasn't the same."

"How so, Bant?" Qui-Gon asked.

"He would flinch at sudden movements and loud voices. He hardly talked, his grades slipped and he never smiled anymore. When Bruck taunted him, he would just hang his head to hide the tears and he wouldn't stand up for himself anymore. Garen told me that Obi-Wna would have nightmares every night. Garen would wake him up and would tell him to go back to bed, but Obi-Wan would just lie there and stare at the wall till morning. He was exhausted, he wasn't eating, he was near collapse, but that wasn't the worst of it." Bant stopped her monologue, tears were pooling in her eyes. She didn't want to continue the story, but…

"What happened next, Bant?" Arthenia softly asked.

"One day, Obi-Wan didn't get up in the morning. He just lied on his bed, starring at the wall. He didn't respond to anyone or anything, he just lied there." Tears were streaming down Bant's face. Her next words were barely audible. "I thought that he was dead. But in a way, he was dead." Bant swiped away her tears and barged on. "Master Yoda and Master Windu came down to his room, Mace tried to pick Obi-Wan up, but he just started screaming 'Don't touch me.' Master Windu put him back on the bed and that's when Master Yoda sent all of us out of the room. Master Windu made us go to class. When we came back, Obi-Wan was gone. We didn't see him more nearly two months after that. I thought that he was never coming back, but he did return. When he came back, he was as normal as Obi-Wan could be. He never told any of us what had happened while he was away, but he did trust me with the knowledge of why it happened. I made him promise me that he would always stick to the light no matter what happened. He promised me," Bant said with determined conviction, "and I know that he will follow it till the end. But that's not the point of this story, is it?" Bant asked more softly.

"Obi-Wan had sunk deeper and deeper into depression. He felt that he had no one to talk to and therefore he slipped into a catatonic state." Arthenia replied.

"And you want me to be there for him, to save him." Qui-Gon answered.

"He's going to need you more than ever, Qui-Gon. You must put aside your previous experiences to help the one that means the most now. I know it will be hard for you to put your past behind you, Qui-Gon, but you have to try. Obi-Wan's future depends on you."

"Do or do not, Arthenia, there is no try. I saved him once, I can do it again."

"What happened then?" Tahl asked.

"Obi-Wan had snuck out to the Temple Gardens during a thunderstorm. He said that he was drawn by the beauty of the lightning." Arthenia chuckled.

"I just happened to be walking by the gardens," Qui-Gon added,"when I heard a young child cry for out for help. I thought I was hearing things because I only heard it once, but the Force told me to investigate. As I cautiously made my way into the Temple Gardens, I heard a soft whimper come from behind some of the trees. What I came upon was a very wet and disgruntled bounty hunter trying to capture a small Jedi Initiate.The bounty hunter was a strange creature. Blue scales covered her body and she had a long red tail and long red hair with blue pointy ears and pointy, almost animalistic teeth. There was a hooded figure with her. They had tied Obi-Wan up, but he was fighting them. They were trying to instill their darkness within him, but he was fighting them with all the light that he possessed. I couldn't just let them take the child who was fighting so valiantly to keep his purity, so I intervened. I managed to capture Helena, but her accomplice escaped. He would later help Helena escape after her conviction. I never found out why they had been trying to take the child that is till today."

"It was the same when he was a baby. Mace and I were told to go after him when Helena pretended to be a Jedi and stole him from his parents. But even as just a baby, Obi-Wan was fighting the darkness with his light. He is a strong, bright child, and I have faith in him. But, through all of this, the Council still does not know who is paying Helena to capture Obi-Wan. Whoever is responsible must be able to use the Force and be powerful enough to sense Obi-Wan. It is very disturbing." Arthenia told them.

"We will find an answer Arthenia; I can feel it in the Force." Qui-Gon replied.

"I know. I have faith in your abilities. That is why I'm leaving you now."

"But…"

"When the time is right, you will know what to do, Qui-Gon." Arthenia said as she floated towards the door. Arthenia opened the door, leaving it open in her wake. Qui-Gon followed her to the door, but no further. When she was a good distance from the hostel, Arthenia turned around and winked at the depressed Qui-Gon.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to save a soul, one more desperate than yours." Arthenia gave one last smile to trio watching her curiously from the door, before a great blizzard began. When it all settled down, Arthenia had vanished, following the Force to her newest lost soul.