The Old Naboo royal spacecraft touched the green grass and Anakin stepped out with Leia. He admired the sun and the clear blue sky before just breathing in the wonderful spring air. They were in a small clearing surrounded by trees in full bloom. Some had pink blossoms while others had the green that reminded Anakin of Yoda's lightsaber. Off to the left lay a wide river and further up ahead were massive statues.
"See those up ahead Leia?" Anakin asked the baby. "Those are the statues that represent the first Jedi." Anakin smiled he hadn't been here in so long. The last time was with Obi-Wan when he was a Padawan. He said in order to be a Jedi he needed to know where they came from. Anakin again smiled and took a deep breath he was happy to be here with his family.
"I've haven't seen you smile this much in a while," Padme said behind him. C3PO followed her.
"It feels right to be here. Look over there." He pointed to the temple that poked out just above the treeline.
"Wow, it looks like it's in good shape."
"it is, the Jedi Education Corps takes care of it."
"The Education Corps?"
"Yeah, it's where all the Archivists and Lorekeepers belong. They are stationed at certain temples and maintain it's upkeep to make sure it's passed on to the future generation of Jedi. But I wanted to stop here so we can get our story straight. So because you're the Nabooan ambassador to Tatooine. Let's say you have a bounty on your head from the Hutts. That's why I'm here to protect you. Padme looked confused. She looked at Anakin then to the twins.
"You're forgetting about the babies."
"Remember when you were rumored to be having a thing with Senator Organa?"
"Yeah?"
"We'll just say they're his or that you don't want to talk about it." Padme nodded. They got back on the sleek silver ship and headed towards the landing pad at the temple. When they landed they were greeted by three scholars.
"Ah hello Knight Anakin, we weren't expecting you." The one in the middle spoke. She had blonde hair that was greying a wrinkled forehead and laugh lines.
"Ah yes, well you see, Ambassador Amidala here has a threat on her life and I've been charged with protecting her. The clearly aging women smiled and nodded.
"Well right this way I'll show you to your rooms." The other two ladies left them alone and they started to move. They walked into the main hall and were amazed. Anakin always admired the centerpiece for the grand hall.
"So Knight Anakin are they yours?" Anakin was astounded.
"Wh-what no wa..."
"Don't worry I have had four children myself." She said with a smile.
"How did you keep them a secret?"
"Well, bigger robes, saying I had the Trandoshan flu. It worked gave birth and immediately gave them up for anonymous adoption. Don't worry I won't tell anyone."
"Well, actually the council already knows. After the duel on Coruscant, I told them."
"Why?"
"I just felt I couldn't keep it a secret anymore. When she gave birth eventually it would've been traced all back to me. Heh, Obi-Wan was furious but Yoda, Yoda was more understanding." The aging lady nodded and showed them their singular room.
"I'm just messing with you Yoda called up before you guys got here. Whatever you need let us know." Anakin chuckled at the ladies joke.
"Well, I would appreciate a map of the surrounding grounds and the most force attuned places."
"Of course I'll get you that." The lady left the room and made her way down the stairs.
"Any idea where you're gonna go?" Padme asked as she sat down Luke.
"I have an idea. It's an old lightsaber forge, I remember Qui-Gon talking about it as a story he told me. Before he died of course. It's where Padawans went to build their first lightsaber."
"Seems a fitting place."
"The only problem I don't know where it is really. I hope the holocrons they have, show the location otherwise, I don't know where else to go."
"You could try a relaxing waterfall." She said with a smile. Anakin smiled too. They embraced and Anakin realized he'd been tense. "Everything will work trust me." There was a knock at the door and in came the lady.
"These two are force attuned places this one is a general map, and I figured the forge would be a good place so here's a Holocron on that."
"Thank you."
"My pleasure." With that, she left. Anakin poured over the hlocrons until he had the geography of the surrounding area memorized. He left around midnight. He kissed Padme on the forehead and walked out the door. The area past the temple had these unorganized creatures that pose a threat. Due to him not having a working lightsaber he did not dare to go through in daylight. He walked down the stairs quietly and slipped out the front door. The two moons were high up, and where white as creme. He moved to the speeder area and got on. He turned it on and it was as silent as the rest of the area. It lifted just a little bit off of the steel ground and he sped off. The ground and area were becoming a blur. Just splotches of green and pink Anakin took a left turn and then a right. The moons were dipping below the horizon line, the sun was beginning to peek out. Finally, he stopped.
What laid before him was an ancient stone structure and a set up of crumbling stair leading up to it. The force ebbed and flowed through this place like gravity. Something felt but not seen. He carefully walked up the stairs respecting the whole place. He got to the top and there was a lightsaber forge. He could feel all of the padawans before him making their first lightsaber. He placed the red crystal on the table and sat crossed legged. He closed his eyes and focused. He felt the crystal screaming begging to be fixed. He focused good thoughts on it. Then he was sent back and tumbling down the stairs. He pushed himself up with his knee. He tried again with the same result, and again. Finally, he had enough and was about to give up when he heard a voice call to him.
"Anakin," It called. it sounded familiar almost like Qui-Gon. "It's one thing to think the thoughts, it's another to believe. In order to achieve it, you must remember." Anakin went back up sat down crossed legged once more and remembered. He remembered the times on Tatooine with his mom. He remembered meeting Padme, becoming a Jedi Knight, times with Ashoka, and Rex. That's when he was transported. It looked like Geonosis, no, it was Geonosis. All around were spires and sand. A sandstorm started to blow fiercely, he began to walk. He tripped and fell and soon realized what it was. Padme's body holding the twins. He shook it off all of this was fake. He must trust in the force. He moved again taking smaller steps making sure not to fall. He tapped another body and realized it was Obi-Wan. More dark side tricks. He continued on, there were more bodies, Ashoka, Yoda, and Rex. Every time he reminded himself that this was fake. Until he came across his mother's body. She looked like the last time he saw her.
"It's fake!" He said aloud slowly feeling anger swelling up. In order to pass, you must not use anger or hatred. Move on and forget. He didn't know where that thought came from. He kneeled down near her body.
"I'm sorry mom. I love you and I understand you left because you had too. Be one with the force." Her body turned over.
"Thank you." She said and in an exasperated whisper. Finally, the storm cleared and a man with dark cloak was in front of him. His hood was on and his head down. Anakin couldn't make out the face but it looked familiar.
"I, I am a monument to your sins and failures." The man's voice was distorted and the sound of a respirator every time he took a breath. He looked up and saw his face. It was Anakin's but burnt to a horrible crisp. The burnt clone drew his lightsaber, it looked like Anakins but bright red. Anakin drew his, they started at each other both in their form V stance. Waiting for one of them to make their first move. Anakin finally surveyed him more closely and saw most of his limbs were robotic if not all. If he used acrobatics he could gain the upper hand. Finally, the dark cloaked him lunged. Anakin deflected the lightsaber and sidestepped. He swung but caught nothing but lightsaber. Anakin backed up a little.
"What's your name?" He asked.
"Darth Vader." The man again attacked with twirls. Anakin deflected them, he jumped and forced Darth Vader to crane around. He swung and Vader just barely blocked the lightsaber. Vader finished turning and again attacked. This time with more power than Anakin had. With each flourish, Anakin felt vulnerable until his lightsaber was knocked from his hand. With one good force push Ani was knocked back.
"What are you?" He called. He inched forward lightsaber trailing making a path of glass.
"I am your dark side." Anikan realized he was fighting the darkness in him.
"I accept you." Vader stopped. Anikan realized that there is no darkness without light almost like day and night. The burnt man faded away to dust. He came too back in the forge. Tears streaming. Not from sadness but from beauty as if all of life's biggest mysteries were revealed to him. He felt lighter, freer as if all his stress and things holding him down had been knocked away. He stood up and looked at the crystal, instead of being red it was right. He took off his hilt used the force to deconstruct it. Then with great speed put it back together with crystal in it. He floated it to his outreached hands and then gripped it. He turned it on and purred like an animal. He felt breathing with every hum. He was complete.