Chapter 22 – Ghosts of Mortis
Author's Note: In which the journey on Mortis comes to a close...
~ Amina Gila
Anakin can't remember the last time he's felt so unbearably worn out. After watching Theseus walk off, he turns back and stumbles over to the ship, practically collapsing after he climbs the ramp. Obi-Wan comes forwards almost immediately, settling down next to him. "I – what are we going to do?" Anakin asks quietly. He feels lost. There's obviously been a problem for a while, but he was too taken up with the war and Ahsoka to take care of Theseus. The Council specifically asked him to help the boy control his darkness, and he failed.
"Truthfully, I don't know." It's jarring to hear Obi-Wan say that. "We have to take him back to Coruscant."
"What if he doesn't want to come? Then what? We can't fight him." Anakin leans against the wall, exhaustion nagging at him. He should rest, but he doesn't dare. He needs to stay on watch if something were to happen. Besides, he'll never be able to sleep.
"The Council will be able to help him," Obi-Wan reassures.
"Will they?" Anakin asks, looking away. He actually Fell. He didn't brush the Dark Side like Anakin has multiple times now. He fully embraced it. "Theseus may have had the best in mind, but he – he did what's not allowed."
"Anakin." Obi-Wan's sigh is about as exhausted as Anakin feels right now. "The Council may not always be able to help everyone, but we do our best. If Theseus needs help, then we'll give it to him."
"If?" Anakin snaps. "He does! He needed help a long time ago, or he never would've Fallen!"
"The Son twisted his mind."
"Perhaps, but he couldn't have convinced him of a problem where none previously existed."
"Then what do you want, Anakin?"
The question has him taken aback. He can't remember the last time someone asked him that. "I... I don't know." It feels like a weakness to admit it, something he's been having an increasingly difficult time showing to his former master. He wishes for the way things used to be, though when he looks back, there isn't really a point in time where they were as close as Anakin wanted. Shaking those thoughts from mind, he returns to the task at hand. "I'm not sure we're doing the right thing by leaving. The Son is consumed by the Dark Side."
"And if we stay," Obi-Wan objects, "We may be used to the Dark Side's advantage." That may be true, but they can't just leave. What if the Father isn't able to handle the Son anymore, with the Daughter gone? What then? The repercussions for the galaxy will be far worse than if they stay here and try to do something about it.
Ahsoka pokes her head out of the compartment. "Do you want the bad news or the really bad news?" she calls.
"Well, let's try the bad news laced with a little optimism," suggests Obi-Wan.
"We've got two cracked silo pins, a busted power converter, the engines should be fired twice to dump debris, the backup vents need charging," Ahsoka lists off.
"Sound terribly downbeat."
No kidding. Ahsoka picks up a few tools and jumps down again.
"Can it be fixed?" Anakin asks as he pulls out a speeder. If nothing else, he'll go talk to the Father himself and see if they're really making the right choice.
"Uh, I can re-route the primary initiator, weld the dampening vents, and that might give us enough power to leave the atmosphere. After that, I have no guarantees she'll hold together," Ahsoka replies.
"We'll take our chances," decides Obi-Wan, "Better than staying here." The Jedi Master turns, frowning when he sees Anakin climbing onto the speeder. "Where are you going?"
"To see the Father," Anakin responds, "I'm not convinced that the Son will be contained here without our help. Perhaps we should make a stand."
"Anakin –" Obi-Wan begins to argue.
"If I don't get the Father's blessing to leave, it'll haunt me forever," he interjects, firing up the engine and speeding away into the night. The Father is the one person who tried to help him accept who he is, and it's something he intends to repay.
**w**
Theseus really isn't sure what to think right now. He doesn't want to take the risk of losing himself to the Dark Side, but if he knows what he's doing, that shouldn't happen, right? Although does he know what he's doing? At the same time, there's no way he's going to go back to how things were before. That's impossible. The Dark Side has affected him, and it's something he can never let go of.
As he thinks about it, he feels a sudden shifting in the Force. Looking up, he sees a far too familiar figure standing in front of him. Revan. "Just so you know, it's rude to interrupt meditation," Theseus informs him flatly, closing his eyes. Or more correctly, he wants him to leave because if he has one more vision right now, his head is going to explode.
"We need to talk."
"Go away." Wait. That wasn't Revan talking. That was someone else. Not this nonsense again. Can't these crazy people leave him alone?! Theseus opens his eyes anyway, in spite of himself, to see someone else standing next to the masked figure. It's a woman with dark hair who must also be a ghost – unless she's an illusion created by the Son. "You're not real. This is another trick, and I've had enough of your games."
"The Son is far from here," Revan objects. "You needn't be concerned about him right now."
"If you're really real, then who are you?" Theseus asks the strange woman.
"I'm Bastila Shan." He's tempted to ignore her, but he knows it's the truth. It rings in the Force, and it's hard to deny it.
"You're dead. How do you keep appearing to me?" he demands bluntly. Normally, he'd take a more roundabout approach, but right now, he's completely done with this nonsense.
"We are," Revan confirms. Suddenly, his mask disappears. He didn't even move to take it off. It's just gone.
Theseus tenses instantly. The Son can shapeshift and change appearances like that, though he doesn't feel the same living presence right now that he did before. Maybe he's shielding himself really well.
"As your ancestors, we are connected to you. We have a bond I cannot share with anyone else."
"And that means...?" That he's the 'lucky one' to be haunted by ghosts who have been dead for millennia?
"It's what allows us to communicate with you," Bastilla explains, "Although I can only do so on this planet because of how strong with the Force it is."
"Oh." Because what else can he say?
"You need to find balance," Revan tells him.
Theseus groans. "I know, I know, you've said that before, but I don't even know what that means. At least not in practice."
"You've accepted the Dark Side, but you don't need to let it control you. The Force is one. It existed long before it was split into sides by the Jedi and Sith, and it will remain long after they have passed." He has a point. Now that Theseus has felt the Dark Side in himself, he can no longer ignore that it made him feel whole. "And remember, the key to finding balance is acceptance."
"Meaning?"
"You must learn to accept and embrace what you feel instead of denying it," Bastila replies, "Even if it doesn't align with your own beliefs."
Theseus is quiet for a moment, considering. "You know," he admits, "That actually makes sense." To a point. It's something that he'd actually have to try in practice before saying anything more about it.
There's a heartbeat of silence. "So, are you going to... keep haunting me after this?" Theseus asks after a moment.
"I'll keep watching you, if that's what you're asking," Revan replies, "But I can only appear to you in visions off this planet. I'll be there if you need me." And just like that, they disappear, leaving him feeling oddly alone.
**w**
Obi-Wan is near the ramp when Theseus returns, standing a short distance from the Father by the ramp. Ahsoka is atop the ramp, looking down with a frown. "Where's Anakin?" Obi-Wan asks the Father.
"He came to me for guidance, but at the crossroad, only he can choose," the man answers cryptically, "The Force will be his guide now."
"I don't like this. What have you done?" demands Obi-Wan.
"I have done nothing. I am merely letting the will of the Force take shape."
"Where has he gone?"
"To the Well of the Dark Side," the Father replies. The Well of the Dark Side? Theseus has no idea what that is, but he doesn't like the sound of it in the least. He's still figuring things out himself, but something about Anakin going there all alone... No, this can't be good.
Theseus heads over to join the two of them. "Why'd he go there?" he demands.
"He was merely following the Force," the Father responds. As if that helps anything.
"Anakin has gone to confront your son, hasn't he?" Obi-Wan presses, urgency clear in his voice. He can hardly blame him for being so worried, especially after what happened with him. And on that note, he's not quite sure where he stands with his master right now, but that's a mess to be sorted out after they get off the planet. If.
"What is this 'Well of the Dark Side'?" Theseus asks. It doesn't sound good to him.
"Deep within this planet exists a place where all that is dark is channeled," explains the Father.
"And how do I get there?" Obi-Wan asks.
"You cannot interfere," he objects.
"The way I see it, if we were not supposed to interfere, Ahsoka, Theseus, and I wouldn't be here in the first place." He heads to a speeder, climbing on. "Both of you look after the ship. I'm going to find Anakin."
"Wait!" Theseus calls, "I should go with you."
Obi-Wan pauses, even as he fires up the engines, looking back. "I don't know if you should."
"If something happens to him, I have to help."
Obi-Wan probably realizes that too because he finally concedes. "Alright but stay close to me."
Theseus climbs on the speeder behind the Jedi Master, and they speed away. He can't shake the sudden, very bad feeling he has about this as they cross the terrain. Something isn't right, that much he can tell.
The silence between them isn't exactly comfortable. It would have been before, but even if it's only been a matter of hours since everything happened, it feels like forever, and everything has changed. Theseus knows his master will be trying to talk to him any minute, and this is a conversation he's been wanting to avoid at all costs. But now, as uncomfortable as it's going to be, he knows it's better to get it over with. "I'm sure you have a thing or two to say to me, Master," he says finally when Obi-Wan doesn't speak.
"What do you expect me to say?"
That wasn't what he expected. He tries to ignore how unsettling this is and pushes on. "I don't know. Maybe something about how I betrayed the Jedi and am evil now? Which I'm not, even if I did. Something about how I forsook your teachings?" He trails off.
"You did all those things, but I wouldn't call you evil." His words sting, but they're also slightly relieving. There's a brief pause. "You should have known better."
And just like that, all the bitterness and frustration are back. It feels enhanced, probably from being on the planet, and the Son dragged all his insecurities to the surface earlier. They haven't had time to settle down. Even so, he tries to remember Revan's words about it being perfectly natural to feel. "Maybe," he replies icily, "But I thought it was for the best. That's what you've taught me, after all. Not all of us can ignore who and what we are, Master. What the Jedi expect of their students is impossible."
Obi-Wan goes quiet, and Theseus finds himself abruptly wondering if he pushed too far. "I failed you," he says finally, voice laced with regret.
At least that goes somewhere in comforting him. Whatever guilt he had over harboring resentment for Obi-Wan disappears. Now, at least it feels perfectly justifiable. "Maybe a little," he agrees quietly, "But I still made my choice." Something in him desperately wants to explain his reasoning, even if he knows no one will ever accept it. He wants them to know that he didn't betray them, even if that's what it seems like.
"I would ask why, but that's something we should all talk about together."
He grimaces. Right. And he'll have the honor of trying to explain to Ahsoka that she played a huge role in his Fall. Something she definitely does not need to know. She might be mad at him, and he really doesn't want to lose their friendship. They have more history together than anyone else, and in a lot of ways they feel like two halves of a whole. Or worse yet, she could blame herself for it. "Sounds exciding," he replies dryly.
"So glad you agree." Maybe there is something salvageable about their relationship, which is good. Obi-Wan always has been much like a father to him, even despite their disagreements and problems. It's not something he'd ever want to lose.
As they fly in between the rocks, he spots a glowing entrance in the ground up ahead of them. The Dark Side rises to an intensity like he's never felt before as they fly closer and start dropping down into the well. Streams of lava run along the rock walls, and it's everywhere on the ground below. There's really only a small area down there that isn't covered in lava.
He and Obi-Wan get off the speeder, and he glances around. Where is – A sudden noise from behind him catches his attention and he spins around to see Anakin approaching. Something about him feels... off. His bond with Theseus is far more closed off than it's ever been, making it practically impossible to give him any idea what's happening. "Anakin, are you alright?" asks Obi-Wan cautiously.
"There has been a change of plan," Anakin replies, raising a hand throwing their speeder into the lava. What? He finally raises his head, yellow eyes staring back at them.
This – what?! First Ahsoka, then Anakin? Why is this happening to him?
"Sorry," Anakin continues, "You will not understand what I have to do to end the Clone Wars. You will try to stop me." And suddenly Theseus realizes exactly how he was probably making Anakin and Obi-Wan feel only a couple hours ago. What is only a few hours? It feels like so long already. So much has changed today.
What did the Son tell Anakin while he was here? Whatever it was, it must've been far worse than what he told Theseus, because he knows it would take a lot more to push Anakin over the edge, and the pure darkness pouring off him is unlike anything Theseus has ever felt before. Now that he thinks of it, it almost reminds him of what the Son felt like after killing the Daughter, except far more wild. He's containing an overwhelming amount of self-loathing, and it's far beyond anything he thought anyone capable of having.
"Anakin, what happened?" asks Theseus cautiously, stepping forwards. He's distracted enough that he doesn't sense the Son until too late, when a jagged bolt of crimson lightning strikes him. He's been electrocuted before, a few times, but never anything like this. It feels as though every inch of him is being ripped apart. It only lasts a matter of seconds, long enough to throw him to the ground, but it leaves him breathless, and the pain still lingers. When he manages to look up again, Obi-Wan is pushing himself up from nearby.
"Anakin, why?" The horror and raw pain in Obi-Wan's tone makes his heart ache, though there's nothing he can do.
"I'm sorry," Anakin says again, and he means it. It's so obvious that he does, but why is he doing this? Somehow Theseus highly doubts it happened similarly to his own Fall. Anakin's way too smart to have been tricked like that. Whatever it was, it was something worse. "I have seen it is the Jedi who will stand in the way of peace."
"Anakin, wait!" Theseus calls after him, desperately.
For a moment, the Knight pauses, looking back at him. "You can come with me," he offers, "But it will be... safer if you don't."
"Anakin, he's manipulating you," Obi-Wan warns, looking between him and the Son.
His expression immediately goes completely closed off again and he turns away, climbing on the speeder and firing it up. "You don't know what I saw," he replies, and for some inexplicable reason the words send a shiver through Theseus. Before he has a chance to get out another word, Anakin zooms away, climbing up out of the pit and leaving them behind.
With their only method of escape. Theseus pushes himself to his feet rather shakily. The Son smirks. Smugly. "He's mine now," he cackles before shapeshifting into his bird form and taking off.
"Now what?" Theseus asks, turning to his master. It feels a little more like back to the ordinary, but only for a moment until he remembers that it was Anakin who left them here. Anakin, one of the most caring people he's ever known – if not the most, who turned to the Dark Side.
"We can't let the Son leave the planet," Obi-Wan reminds. "Ahsoka has to deactivate the shuttle. See if you can't find us a way out of here."
"Good idea." Theseus heads off, ignoring the nagging urge in the back of his mind that it should really be him trying to comfort Ahsoka right now. They can talk later. Now, maximum efficiency is more important.
They've actually made it a good way up the cliff by the time Ahsoka arrives with the last speeder. Theseus was beginning to doubt she'd arrive. "Nice job!" she calls cheerfully, coming to a stop behind them.
"What took you so long?" Obi-Wan grumbles.
"I was starting to wonder if you planned to arrive, or if you were gonna make us walk all the way back to the ship," Theseus huffs, swinging onto the speeder behind her.
"Given your recent antics, I ought to," she huffs, unhooking a device from her belt and raising it for them to see. "The shuttle won't be going anywhere without this."
Obi-Wan settles on the speeder behind her. "Good. That gives us some time to rescue Anakin."
"We will," Theseus promises. "If you could get me out of murder mode, it won't take much to make him see reason." Or so he hopes. He doesn't really know why this happened. It doesn't make sense. Yes, Anakin is hurting in more ways than he could count and harbors a lot of anger, but he's never actually seen him become like this.
"I very much doubt that," Obi-Wan objects, "But I won't give up on him."
"Well, when all that was going on," Ahsoka asks in a tone that very much implies she will have his head later but doesn't have time to yell at him yet. "What did you want most?"
He takes a moment to think. "Acceptance. Acknowledgement. Family. Something calming and grounding that I don't have any bad memories associated with."
"We need to approach him as friends. Try not to start a fight." Theseus has the feeling the last line of what Obi-Wan said was addressed to Ahsoka, but he huffs anyway.
"I'm not a hypocrite, Master. Why would I charge at someone, lightsaber blazing, for doing the same thing I did hours ago?"
The ride to the Father's monastery continues in silence, and suddenly, his bond with Anakin goes eerily quiet. He lost consciousness for some reason. When they arrive, the Father is seated in the courtyard,s with Anakin slowly sitting up from a few feet away. "Master!" Ahsoka calls as the speeder rounds the building and touches down.
"Anakin," Theseus calls, relieved. He doesn't know what happened, but Anakin is back again. He doesn't feel any traces of the darkness that was there only moments before.
"Are you alright?" demands Obi-Wan, hurrying forwards.
"I think so," Anakin replies, climbing to his feet, "But we must stop the Son once and for all."
"We have little time, and you will only get one chance," the Father speaks up, "You know what you must do."
"How quaint!" a voice suddenly rings out. Theseus spins around to see the Son slowly floating to the ground a short distance away. "My own personal send-off."
"I ask you one last time. Do not leave, my son," the Father implores.
"You have no power to keep me, old man," the Son scoffs, "You must understand by now this planet is not my destiny."
"What you will do will destroy all that is good. I beg you, restrain yourself and stay!"
"I cannot," he insists, not even contemplating it for more than a moment.
"Then it shall be. I love you, my son," the Father says sadly.
"Do you?"
The Father doesn't reply, instead stepping aside. Anakin ignites his lightsaber, lunging forwards. The Son raises a hand, yanking his lightsaber away, and grabbing him by the neck. A burning rage surges through Theseus and in a flash, he ignites his own blade, lunging at him. The Son casually throws Anakin over his shoulder before raising his hand to pull away the three of their lightsabers and send all of them flying backwards. Theseus slams into the ground a distance away, momentarily stunned, but not too much to hear the continued conversation.
The Father pulls away the dagger from the Son with the Force. "What?" sneers the Son, "You're going to kill me now?"
"I held hope that you could resist the Dark Side, but I see now, there is no going back." He points the dagger at himself, suddenly running it through his own chest.
"No!" The Son screams, eyes widening in horror as he runs forwards, catching the Father before he falls to the ground. "What have you done? It did not have to be this way!"
"Yes, my child, it did. You and I are tied together, and your strength runs through me. This way, I take your power."
"Please don't die!" It's ironic, given he was the one so bent on killing the Father. Apparently, he's had a change of heart, only a little too late.
"I always knew there was good in you," the Father says, pulling the Son into his arms. He gives a slight nod to Anakin, who steps forwards, igniting his lightsaber, and stabbing the Son in the back.
"And so, you have betrayed me, Father," he gets out before slowly going limp.
"It is done," the Father murmurs, looking to Anakin, "And now I die, my heart broken, but knowing the role you will play."
"And what is that?"
"You are the Chosen One. You have brought balance to this world. Stay on this path, and you will do it again for the galaxy, but beware your heart."
Theseus watches in stunned silence as the Father falls motionless and his body... vanishes. Disappears into nothingness. He's never seen anything remotely like that before.
There's a sudden faint rumbling sound and Theseus looks up to see the floating rocks slowly falling. A glowing crystal descending towards the top of the tower. The Force is surging strangely, and the crystal suddenly explodes in a blinding flash of purple.
Light fills his vision, and the next thing he knows, he's opening his eyes back on the Twilight. What? How did they get back here? The other three are all waking up as well. Was everything... a vision? No, that doesn't make sense. All of it did happen, and everyone here definitely experienced it.
"General Skywalker, come in!" a voice calls. His eyes turn to the front of the ship to see a hologram of Rex. Well. They definitely will have a lot of explaining to do.
"We read you, Rex. Can you hear me?" asks Anakin.
"Yes, sir. Standing by. We were worried. You were off the scopes there for a moment."
"A moment? We've been gone more than a moment, Rex."
"Sir, I don't understand. You'll need to explain."
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Anakin says, glancing at the others looking faintly amused, "We're coming in now."
Final Notes: If you want to join our Discord to receive updates or just hang out, here's the invite link, and please delete the spaces! :) discord . gg / nqSxuz2
We also have a tumblr account (and delete the spaces): fanfictasia . tumblr . com
And! We have a YT channel for tributes! Please delete the spaces in the link. :D youtube channel / UC_g1M5rSCxJUzQCRS29B6pA
Finally, if you're interested, you can submit a SW gift fic request via the following form (delete the spaces): forms . gle / rmXWtRomMMaULuPa6