Obi-wan sat on the park bench looking out onto the deserted park. He took his mask off to feel the fresh air. He hadn't really noticed this before but the air of this planet was just so crisp, so fresh. He took a few breaths in, he knew that the area was heavily radiated but he didn't care; he wanted some time to breathe.
Contacting the Jedi Council turned out to be a bust. Obi-wan attempted to contact them and he did get through. However, the connection was so weak all he had time to discuss ways that the planet was incredibly dangerous and that they would hopefully be leaving soon. Then the connection cut off before he could tell them of the Seppartist or the Cavalry or of anything that had happened.
Obi-wan gazed out at the park, small raindrops began to fall. He imagined what this place looked like before the bomb was dropped. The parents talked to each other while their children ran about. He imagined how the sunlight must have shined, how happy people were. He couldn't believe the amount of destruction just one bomb could create. In a way, he felt horrible and all of a sudden the war that he and the Jedi were fighting seemed to be a lot less real than what Sagataria had endorsed. Yes, it was true that there were villages in the middle and outer rim that were affected by Dooku's droid army, but in all reality, the republic wasn't really that affected. These people from Sagittaria, they have had to suffer because of the war. They have had real sacrifices.
Obi-wan looked around, he didn't understand. Everything just felt so upside down right now and what hurt worst of all is that he clearly hurt Anakin. Obi-wan would tell himself it was for Anakin's own good, that he shouldn't take it personally, that Anakin's disregard for the code has caught up with him. But then a quiet voice in the back of Obi-wan's mind questions this wedge that Obi-wan has placed all these years between him and Anakin. Is it really that good of an idea? It's just hurting him more than helping him. Obi-wan had grown deeply attached to Anakin and the Council would constantly remind him of that. The council didn't approve it because it was against the code and that his attachment would lead to misfortune. But then Obi-wan would scowl, What is the Code? Really. The Calvary lives by the Jedi Code and looks at all the harm they have created.
All of a sudden a tingle went down Obi-wan's spine as he heard rustling from behind a nearby alleyway. Obi-wan glanced over to see a shadow move back behind the wall, out of sight.
"I know you're there," Obi-wan said out loud. "I don't plan on dying anytime soon, so you might as well go away."
The long shadow slowly peaked out from the alleyway. First, his leg stepped out followed by his hand, and then his beaked mask came around the corner. The eyes locked eyes with Obi-wan and before Obi-wan could blink the Ero appeared right in front of him. He seemed to be taller than the last time Obi-wan had met him. He looked directly down at him.
"Maybe it would be better if you take me," Obi-wan stated. "I don't know what is right and wrong anymore."
The Plague doctor turned his head to one side. "And why is that?"
Obi-wan nearly jumped. His voice was so dark and low. It had this eerie echo to it.
"Oh, so you can speak Basic," Obi-wan stated.
"We have the ability to speak all languages." The Euro started. "But why are you sad Jedi?"
Obi-wan sighed and he looked up at the Euro. "Because I feel like I don't know what right and wrong is anymore. My entire life I have only thought of the Jedi code. The Code was my life, but more recently I am realizing that the Jedi Order is not all that good. I never thought that in my wildest dreams someone could take the code and twist it so horrible that it has hurt thousands of innocent people. And the worst part is….is that I think the Seppartist might be right. That the Jedi are corrupt. We only think that we are doing what's best but all we do is bring pain to others. I want to think so badly that the Jedi are better than the Calvary, but the more I stay on this planet the more I realize that the Jedi and the Calvary are the same and that terrifies me ..."
"That isn't the only thing that bothers you." The Plague Doctor states. Something else is hurting you."
"Well, my apprentice," Obi-wan stated. "I said something really bad to him and I regret it. I… I ….I have never lost my patients that way."
"Radiation, it will do that to you." The Euro started. "If you truly are a Jedi, it shouldn't bother you or him, people make mistakes including Jedi. He would understand that and not take it personally as well as you. You would not take your mistake to your heart as you are doing. Why is that?"
"I...I….I don't know." Obi-wan sighed.
"No you do know, you just choose not to believe it."
Obi-wan got mad again. "Well, what do you know you just eat dead bodies!"
The Euro looked over at a pile of rusted metal. He held out his hand and the pile immediately lifted up, he then threw it over the building and out of sight.
Obi-wan with shocked eyes stood up on the bench. "You...you can use the force?"
"My people are very strong in it because of our life spans."
"But this planet… the radiation."
"Hinders my connection but when you live on this planet eventually you adapt to it."
"I… I don't understand." Obi-wan stated. "There is so much we don't know."
"This is true." The Euro started. "Do you know what the force is?"
"It's an energy that…
"No no no!" The Euro states. "Yes it is an energy, but have you actually seen it, have you heard what it sounds like, have you actually felt it. You have used it, yes, but do you actually know what it is?"
Obi-wan looked to the ground. "No." "I know it's out of balance though."
"No, the force is never out of balance." The Euro started. "All it is is an energy that keeps the fabric of the universe together, it could never be unbalanced, we would all be dead if that happened." "What's unbalanced are the people who use it."
"Anakin, my apprentice is foretold to bring balance to it."
"Hahaha. You speak of the myth of the chosen one." The Euro chuckled.
"You have heard of it," Obi-wan asked.
"Why of course I have heard the story many times. And from many different people." The Euro started.
"How? It is a Jedi prophecy."
"Yes, the legend of the chosen one is, but many religions have the same kind of prophecy. Many people of the Sagittaria however believe it to be the second coming. Others believe that it was linked to armageddon, others saw it as the one who would save them from this world. Other planets have other stories. It's the same story ..."
"Just with a different storyteller," Obi-wan stated.
The Euro nodded.
"We came across a planet, a planet that only had three incredibly powerful force wielders on it, they said that Anakin was the chosen one."
"What was this place called?" The Euro asked.
"Mortis."
"Death."
"Hmm."
"Mortis means death in the old language of the Sagittaria." The Euro began. "You must speak of the spirits of the father, the Son, and the daughter."
"Yes! You know that place."
"Of course." The Euro started. "The Father, the Son, and the daughter were of my people. They left long ago because they like you believed, were forced to have a light, a dark, and a middle. As well as a Chosen One. However, they were wrong and that was the death of them."
"So if it is really a myth, why would so many people make it up?" Obi-wan asked.
"The myth was created to make up for their mistakes." "I have lived through many generations Kenobi, I have seen many different orders all claiming to lean to the better side of the force, but all failing because they fail to see the errors in their ways." "They all talked of a savior who would come fix their problems, but when the savior never came, their order failed."
"I… but Anakin is so strong in the force, stronger than any other Jedi!"
"Do you know why that is?"
"Because of his…
"NO!" The Euro yelled. "It's the same reason why the Sith will always be stronger than the Jedi because his emotions have made him that way!"
"Are you saying Anakin is destined for the Dark side?"
"From your perspective yes. His guilt, his pain, has made him that way."
"I….I….don't understand." Obi-wan almost cried. "I have tried so hard to.."
"What you have done is taught him not to have any emotions." The Euro started. "That works when you are a child and have had no loss, but once you have had loss you can't go back."
"Once you go to the dark side you can't go back."
"Hahaha...foolish Jedi. That right there is the main problem with the order. All of you believe that emotions are what destroy you. Yes, pain and suffering can eat you alive but do you know what happens once you've worked through your emotions?" The Euro asked.
Obi-wan looked up.
"You become stronger than anyone could have ever imagined. When you defeat pain and overcome loss you become strong. You have to suffer to gain strength." "His emotions are what make him special, they are what make you special, and his apprentice special. They are what make everyone special. Instead, fearing loss and pain you must learn to overcome it to embrace it because only then will you become strong."
"I.. What do I do."
"I will ask you again, why does it bother you that you said such hurtful things to him?"
"It's because Anakin is my best friend. He gets on my nerves yes. But I care deeply for him. After my Master was killed I had to take on this scared kid. He, he and I have been through so much together. I care so deeply for him. I have watched him grow and practically raised him. I am so proud of him. And I couldn't imagine my life without him. He's my family. I….I… Love him."
The Euro smiled. "And that is what he needs. That is what will set you and him free. That will be how he works through his pain." "Make sure he knows."
"But the Jedi Order. We have been so wrong!" "What am I going to do!"
"What will set you and the Calvary apart is if the order can admit their mistakes and change. It will only be then that the Jedi will either rise up! Or fail never to be seen."
Obi-wan nodded. "Thank you!" "I must get to Anakin!" "Thank you so much, but I must get going. I have to help my friends." Obi-wan then began running to the hill.
"See you soon." The Euro whispered as he watched Obi-wan disappear through the remains of the city.