A/N: Aw...no reviews? That's a stark contrast from the original. But I'll keep writing anyway, for the person who put an alert on this story.

Chapter One.

Anakin took a deep breath as he and his Master, Obi Wan Kenobi, quickly walked through Coruscant's Jedi Temple. Early sunlight shone brightly through the tall windows, shining elegantly off nearly every surface it touched. It was particularly unpleasant for the padawan, as he struggled to keep his eyes open as it was. He kept his gaze intently ahead to the end of the long corridor, wincing every time they passed a window. Obi Wan glanced at his apprentice out of the corner of his eye, noticing the increasingly dark circles under the boy's eyes. The Jedi Knight sighed and kept moving, focusing on the far off door as well. He cleared his throat loudly. "Tired again, Anakin?"

The padawan darted his eyes over to the older man, pausing for a moment. "I didn't get that much sleep."

Obi Wan turned his head slightly to the boy, a worried expression flooding his features. "Another nightmare?"

"It's nothing to worry about, Master," Anakin said, his confident tone faltering ever so faintly. "What is this meeting for?"

Obi Wan frowned slightly, his attention turning back to the nearing end of the hallway. "I'm not sure, but Master Windu had said it was of the utmost importance."

Anakin nodded in understanding, as they stopped and the doors at the end of the hall slid open slowly. They walked cautiously into the center of the circular room. The entire area was flooded with light, causing the padawan to wince once again. He attempted to look around, but each object and individual in the room merely came out blurred. He straightened and kept his eyes open, desperately trying to pretend that there was nothing wrong.

Obi Wan bowed to those surrounding them, Anakin following in suit. "Good morning, Masters."

Each gave a nod of acknowledgement and, in the center of the semi-circle of chairs, sat Yoda, his three-fingered hands folded in front of him as he spoke. "Ah, good to see you, it is."

"Thank you both for meeting with us," Master Windu continued. "Your assistance in this matter will be greatly appreciated."

Obi Wan furrowed his eyebrows. "The matter of what, Master?"

"An old friend, I have found. In great danger, she is," Yoda replied calmly. "Find her, you must."

"Akaia, the former guardian of the Jedi," Master Windu continued he paused for a moment with a sigh. "We had assumed she died two hundred years ago."

"Not dead. In hiding, she was," Yoda said, shaking his head slowly.

Obi Wan's brow furrowed, crossing his arm. "The Guardian of the Jedi? I had assumed that was only myth."

Anakin glanced from Yoda to his master, confusion evident in eyes. "What is this...Guardian of the Jedi?"

"The legend, passed down through centuries, it has been," Yoda glanced at Anakin solemnly, recalling so very long ago hearing the tale himself. "Thousands of years ago, create this being, the souls of a great Jedi Master and Sith Lord did. A being of great power. A balance of the darkness and light, it was." He paused. "Upon discovery of this being, took form, she did. Upon first glance, very young, she seemed. But most wise of all." He closed his eyes. "For the Force itself, she is."

Confusion washed over the young padawan's face as he stayed silent.

"Though we are all part of the Force, this girl was made to keep the balance between good and evil when we ourselves find it too far out of our hands," Mace continued, his expression placid. "But, after her death, or rather…disappearance, the council lost hope...At least until the prophecy of the chosen one."

Yoda glanced urgently at Obi Wan, who saw the Master's expression and nodded. He turned to his apprentice. "Anakin, the Masters and I must discuss something in private."

Without another word, the young man nodded and swiftly left the room, too deep in thought to do otherwise.

"A planet in ruins…known for civil wars, massacres, and even genocide. None ever venture to the planet unless it is an emergency. Outsiders usually end up having to defend themselves, which they were often imprisoned, and eventually persecuted, for."

Though most of the planet was dirt and deep canyons, some of the planet hid its barbaric nature with beautiful landscapes and even still-intact buildings that made even Naboo seem like a wasteland. Fortunately for Obi Wan and Anakin, they had landed on the more picturesque side of the archaic world. Master Yoda had told them this is where they'd find this being he had called 'Akaia'.

Anakin looked out window of the starship in awe, eyes glazed over. "What is this planet?"

"Lotor, another planet outside of our Republic," Obi Wan began, glancing at the landscape cautiously. "They have a monarch here; a Queen, actually."

Anakin let out a barely audible grunt. "I'm surprised the galaxy even has monarchs these days."

"It's...unfortunate," the Jedi Knight said, as the hatch to their ship opened. "But, in times of peace, they can be most cooperative."

Anakin looked over at the older man. "And in times of war?"

Obi Wan chuckled lowly, standing up and beginning to leave the ship, his apprentice in toe.

As they stepped on the surface of the planet and the hatch closed behind them, they began to walk straight ahead toward a series of large buildings and monuments. Anakin remained quiet for some time, listening to the foreign sounds off in the distance. He glanced over at his Master for a moment. "A Sith and a Jedi? How is that possible?"

Obi Wan looked over at his apprentice while they walked to the large building set in the middle of all the others. "Technically, she is neither. She only possesses their souls and power. The council would not permit her to become a Jedi, though her skill was said to be that of a Master. They found her too volatile due to her ability to use Sith powers at a moment's notice."

The future Jedi's eyebrows knitted together as they climbed the steps of the elegantly designed building. "But Master Yoda said himself that she has balanced the darkness-"

"We believe that is only true because of her limited interaction with others outside the temples," the older man cut off. "The only people she had contact with were Jedi. Even now, she's cut off. According to Master Windu, they treat her as a prisoner to keep from confronting her directly."

"The way you talk of this girl, it's as if no one has ever upset her," Anakin commented lightly.

Obi Wan gave the boy a stern look. "Someone did…once. On this planet, actually."

"What happened to them?" the padawan asked, caution etched in his tone.

"He's dead. Killed by Sith lightning."

Anakin was silent for a moment before he began again. "...Did she mean to?"

Obi Wan sighed in frustration. "We aren't sure."

The young man paused again. "If we can't trust her, why are we breaking her out of here?"

"Anakin, we are not breaking her out. We are peacefully negotiating her release," The Jedi snapped slightly at his padawan.

The Jedi Apprentice seemed unfazed by the older man's annoyance nonetheless. "And if that fails?"

Obi Wan paused and glared at the boy before starting through the entrance of the structure. "…We break her out."

With a questioning look, Anakin asked, "This girl is that important?"

The older man stopped and turned back, causing his apprentice to stop as well. "Prophecies foretell that she is the key to balance throughout the galaxy. If she dies, all of our destinies will be altered, including yours and your own prophecy. If we don't find the same balance that this woman has maintained for millennia, it may take decades, even centuries, to restore the republic to what it once was."

Blinking rapidly, Anakin asked, "Wasn't my destiny to return balance to the Force?"

Obi Wan nodded. "It still is." He continued walking, as his ward followed, quite perplexed. "You still have much to learn, my young padawan."

Upon entering the elaborate structure, had they not been Jedi, the two would've been attacked immediately or at least that what various guards had muttered under their breath. When hearing the men were here on behalf of the Jedi council one servant quickly ran off through the long, dark corridors. Only moments later the girl came back, head down. "Milady will see you now."

The two entered a large, remarkably decorated room with precious gems and metals protruding from every wall. A relatively young red-headed woman dressed in intricately designed garments stepped forward, giving the Jedi and his apprentice a questioning stare. "Two Jedi? To what do we owe this honor?"

Obi Wan cleared his throat and spoke up. "The Council requests the release of your most recent prisoner…a Sith."

The queen tilted her head to the side, poorly hiding a smile on her red-painted lips. "May I inquire as to why?"

"They were a bit vague in their reasoning, but she is very important to them," The Jedi answered uncertainly.

She let out an overly exaggerated sigh. "Then I'm afraid cannot concede to this request, above all after such a vile act." She had a wicked gleam in her hazel eyes as she began to turn. "Now if you'll excuse me-"

"I'm sorry, but we have orders not to leave without her." Obi Wan said firmly, standing his ground as his padawan remained silence beside him.

The woman stopped turning and shrugged. "You'll have to send my sincerest regrets to the council, then." She continued walking to the far end of the room towards a giant silver throne, servant in toe.

The Jedi turned to his padawan, who gave a lopsided grin.

Well, it failed, Anakin told his master, withholding a laugh.

Fine then, he replied with an irate sigh. "Well, could we at least see the girl so we have something to report back on?"

"My word should suffice for your Council," the red-head replied harshly. "Now if you would please leave, Sunda will show you out." The woman glared over at her servant and motioned for her to go in the direction of the Jedi.

The girl nodded vehemently, quickly walking to the men. Head still down, she spoke quickly. "Please follow me."

The two men glanced at each other, then followed the girl, followed by four guards.

The two exited the structure they had assumed was a palace, the light illuminating the steps going down. Obi Wan turned to the younger man and nodded to him. While his padawan took a few steps back, the Jedi stood beside the servant girl. "I'm sorry."

Before she could comprehend, much less answer, she felt sharp pain to the back of her head and fell to the ground, unconscious.

Alert to what has just transpired, the four identical guards unsheathed their primitive swords from their hilts, charging full force at the two men. The closest to Obi Wan shouted in horror as he was stopped in his tracks and lifted from the ground. Obi Wan had his hand raised at the man, force-pushing him into a pillar. The man's head went limp as he lost consciousness.

Two other guards went after the Jedi Knight, swords raised high before a flash of blue went by them and the blades of their weapons fell to the ground with a 'clang'. They lowered their swords to their vision, seeing nothing but the handles. The both glanced up simultaneously, seeing Anakin standing before them, lightsaber raised. Obi Wan kicked the sword of the last guard out of his hand, switching on his lightsaber in a instant and pointing it in the face of the man. The Jedi Knight looked over at the first two conscious guards. "You two will dispose of your weapons and report to the Queen that we have begun to leave."

"And if we don't?!" one of the guards replied with a sneer.

Obi Wan narrowed his gaze on the man. "You may be out of the jurisdiction of the Republic, but you will eventually be at the mercy of one of the most powerful Sith Lords if she decides to leave, which could be at anytime." The guards' glares faltered as they glanced at each other. "Let us take her off your planet and take you out of harm's way."

All three paused for a moment before nodding to him. They all began to walk away when a blue lightsaber got in the way of the last. The guard looked over at Obi Wan who spoke again. "You'll take us to her."

The guard nodded with a glare.

In the depths of the palace, Obi Wan and Anakin waited as the guard searched for the key to the cell. Quickly, he unlocked the heavy door, heaving it open with the little strength he had left.

The two entered the dark, windowless room, the light from the hall illuminating the room just enough to see a figure in the corner, curled in a fetal position. Obi Wan turned to the younger man and nodded for him to get her. Before they knew it, the guard had bolted down the hallway, shouting at the top of his lungs. "INTRUDERS!"

Anakin slowly walked over to the woman, cautiously reaching out to touch her arm. As soon as his hand made contact with her pale skin, the girl's head snapped up. He kept his hand there, his blue eyes meeting her dark gray ones. He looked in them for fear, maybe even anger, but there was nothing. Her stare was blank as it drilled through his own. Shaking off the odd feeling that gave him, he began to speak. "Are you alright?"

She ignored his question, but spoke. "Who are you?"

"We'll explain later, but you'll have to come with us," he answered as soothingly as he could.

"If you want to go on living, we have to leave quickly," Obi Wan said urgently, peering in from the hall.

Without a second thought, the woman stood weakly, hanging onto Anakin's arm and following the two.

They sprinted out of the building, several guards following closely behind. Before she knew it, Akaia was on the ship the two has gotten there in, sitting in a cold steel chair. What is going on? She thought, hugging her knees to her chest and lowering her head. Who are these people? Should I trust them? Snapping out of her reverie, she saw the younger of the two men in front of her and then sitting beside her. "Could you tell me who you are now?"

"Anakin Skywalker," he stated simply. "And the other person you saw is Obi Wan Kenobi."

She nodded, eyes fixed on the floor. "Thank you…for getting me out of that place."

"It was more Master Yoda than us," he began with a poor attempt at a smile. "He's the one who knew you were there."

"Yoda?" she asked, bewilderment in her tone.

"Didn't you know him?" He glanced at her, but her expression was blank.

She blinked and gave Anakin a strange look. "So, because of…Yoda, you know who I am?"

He nodded slowly.

"Okay," she started, inhaling deeply and closing her eyes for a moment before staring at the padawan again. "Then can you tell me?"

TBC