Eternal Balance: Chapter 11

By The Al Bhed Slayer

A/N: This will be sad. There is death, murder, and lotsa depression. Wait till you see how Akaia stops Ani! And no, this is not part of the flash forward scene I did in chapter 8. But, speaking of flash forward scenes, there's a very tin one at the beginning. There's only a few chapter's left. And, to quote the New Found Glory song, "It's all downhill from here"…

FLASH FORWARD: (1st person POV)

"…All that's left of me is darkness…How could I be so foolish? This should not have been how things were meant to be. Was I that greatly mistaken? As unfortunate as it is, this is what I have done to myself, to my comrades, and to the galaxy. I am truly sorry for the pain I've caused. Please forgive me, my old friend. Goodbye."

They had been searching the whole day, asking anyone they saw for a clue to whereabouts of the Tusken Raiders. Their search dragged on long into the night before they finally found the camp. The creatures roamed around the area on guard, though some sat idly by the fire. From atop a ledge, Anakin and Akaia watched carefully, waiting for the opportune moment. Excruciatingly long moments passed until Anakin glanced at Akaia and nodded. Seconds later, the padawan jumped from the ledge. Akaia looked down and groaned. The same thought that had passed through her mind since they landed on Tatooine did so once more. This can only end badly. With that, she jumped, landing unsteadily on her feet.

The two quietly ran towards the camp, stopping to hide behind huts ever so often. As they came to a halt at one hut, Akaia looked at Anakin. "Are you sure this is it?"

He stared intently at the hut and took a deep breath, whispering, "I'm sure."

In an instant, Anakin switched on his lightsaber, creating a large hole. Akaia cringed at the sound, worried they'd be caught. After kicking in the dried mud, he stepped inside the hut, the former guardian following after.

For a bit, Anakin was frozen in his place. Akaia followed his gaze to a woman who was tied up and riddled with wounds. After it all sunk in, the future Jedi rushed over to the woman, hastily untying her wrists. The woman Akaia had assumed was his mother slowly opened her eyes.

"Mom…mom…" The younger woman heard Anakin repeat. He cradled his mother in his arms as she looked at her son in almost disbelief.

"…Ani? Is it you?" Shmi asked weakly.

He nodded, voice shaky. "I'm here, mom…You're safe."

"Ani?…Ani?" She still questioned, touching his cheek. She smiled. "You look so handsome…" He kissed her hand, unshed tears blurring his vision. "My son…My grown up son…I'm so proud of you, Ani."

"I missed you," he whispered.

"Now I am complete," she replied softly. "I love y…"

Akaia looked on, utterly helpless, trying to hold back her own tears from spilling. It shouldn't have been like this…

"Stay with me, mom," he pleaded. "Everything's…" his words faded.

"I…I love…" she stopped. Her eyes were still, her head fell back.

He didn't move for seconds at a time, then gently closed his mother's eyes.

Akaia gazed at him sadly, sensing what his emotions. The pain he was in was tearing her up inside…she knew she couldn't stop it either. Then she sensed something else. Anger…Hate…he was going to kill them. He gently laid down the lifeless body he'd been cradling, and stood. Before he moved one step, Akaia stood in front of him. "You can't do this."

He looked at her, anger seething. "They killed her. They don't deserve to live."

He tried to push past her, but she grabbed his arms forcing him to stay, but when she did…some inside her changed. She felt it…his emotions…they were in her. She could feel darkness coursing through her. Her eyes flickered from gray to yellow. He stared at her with uncertainty…the pain he felt had dissipated. Immediately, she let go and before he knew it, she had force pushed him and stolen his lightsaber. She looked on, grief-stricken as his hate flowed through her veins. "They should pay."

She exited the hut, mercilessly slicing the guards on either in half. One ran towards her, spear in hand. Before he got close, she had raised her hand letting the electricity shoot from her fingertips to the Tusken Raider. When it was near death, she stopped, then cutting its head off with ease. More tried to attack, to avail. She searched the camp for any alive. Some hid, but were easily found and murdered. Upon finding the last living Tusken in the camp, she sneered and shoved the blade on the lightsaber through its heart. Bodies lay all over the ground, lifeless and some in pieces.

Akaia switched the weapon off, breathing heavily. She blinked a few times, her eyes returning to their natural color. The anger she felt was almost completely gone. In that moment, she had realized her actions. They were all dead. She had slaughtered them. The lightsaber dropped from her hand as she fell to her knees. Her hands shook wildly. Too caught up in her own misery, she couldn't hear the sound of footsteps behind her, but instead felt a presence and stood weakly. She turned around, her vision blurred. She shook her head slowly. "I didn't want…I didn't mean to…I'm sorry…"

Without a second thought, Anakin pulled her into his embrace. Finally she let the tears fall as she kept repeating, "…I'm so sorry…"

By day break, they had made it back to the small home. Akaia had said nothing after Anakin had let go. She couldn't even look him in the eyes. Now, they walked solemnly back as Cliegg, Owen, Beru, and Padme watched Anakin carry inside the body of his mother wrapped in cloth. They all followed the two inside, question after question popping into their minds.

Akaia stopped for a moment, turning to the residents of the home. "Do you have a room I could rest in for a little while?"

Cliegg nodded. "Right down the hall on your left."

She tried to smile in response. "Thank you."

As soon as she set foot in the room, she collapsed onto the bed. It wasn't so much the physical exhaustion as the emotional. Part of her was convinced that if she went to sleep, when she woke up she would forget about all she'd done; she had thought the same thing after killing that man on Lotora. But she knew it wasn't true. She knew this would haunt her. She hadn't done it out of defense or protection, she had done it out of hate, even though it hadn't been her own hate.

In mere seconds, she was already asleep, only to dream of the horrible incident.

The events played over and over again in Anakin's mind. His mother was gone. He was going to kill the Tusken Raiders. Akaia had stopped him and in turn killed them herself. She had taken his anger and made it her own. He knew she shouldn't have come along, but then again, he would've killed them and knew he may never have come from it. As a Jedi, he shouldn't even have felt that way in the first place. He was better than that.

And now, because of his own hostility, someone he cared for was torn up inside. And he could do nothing about it. And that, in itself, angered him.

Late that afternoon, they had buried Shmi and performed a small funeral ceremony. Akaia still hadn't woken up and no one disturbed her either. As Anakin stared sorrowfully at the grave marker. "I miss you…so much…"

Moments later, as Artoo and Threepio made their way to the group, Akaia as well made her way outside. She walked slowly to the group, overhearing the droids. "It's seems he is carrying a message from an Obi Wan Kenobi. Master Ani, does that name mean anything to you?"

The two droids and Padme rushed to the ship. Anakin was about to as well, but stopped when he saw Akaia had been there too. He walked over, concern in his eyes. "Are you alright?"

She sighed. "As alright as I possibly could be."

They both walked towards the plane, expecting the worst.

Inside the ship, Anakin, Akaia, and Padme watched and listened to the fuzzy hologram of Obi Wan. This can't be good…Akaia thought.

"Anakin, my long-range transmitter has been knocked out. Retransmit this message to Coruscant…"

TBC

A/N: Woo hoo! Onto Geonosis! The last planet they'll visit in this story…dun, dun, DUN! Okay, sorry about that.