We come to it at last. The final chapter of The Fall of the Sith.
Chapter 19: The Fall of the Sith
Obi-Wan threw himself at Lumiya, lightsaber humming like a saw, ready to hack the Sith woman to pieces. Siri lay groaning in pain on the floor, her short blond hair fanned out over her face. As Obi-Wan ran to face his opponent, Anakin turned to the Emperor.
"It's odd, isn't it?" Sidious said as Anakin and he began to circle one another while Obi-Wan and Lumiya burst into a furious duel of hacking, slashing, cutting, and parrying.
"What's that?" Anakin asked coolly.
"It was my original intention, since the day I met you Anakin, to turn you to the dark side. But… after you refused to kill Count Dooku that was impossible."
"So instead you turned to corrupt my master! I'll kill you for that." Anakin stated with a conviction that was completely and utterly set in stone. Today Sidious would die, or he would.
"You're welcome to try."
It was now Anakin's turn to propel himself in fury at the other Sith Lord.
Obi-Wan and Anakin dueled the Sith simultaneously. Obi-Wan struck at Lumiya's face, while Anakin slashed at Sidious's feet, both Sith blocked and went in to exchange their own strikes. This was it, now came the time of the Sith's ultimate, and utter annihilation, or their continuing rise to power. As the former Jedi Master, and his former apprentice's dueled, the master's daughter lay in the left crew pit, unconscious from her head contacting with a now blood stained control console, and the apprentice's son lay in the right one, passed out from the intense agony of losing a hand. Anakin and Obi-Wan dueled on because of their anger at the Sith, for inflicting the torment on their children.
Obi-Wan struck hard to Lumiya's right, she hit his blade out of the way and came around with a round house kick towards his head. Obi-Wan ducked as her foot swept through thin air, the momentum causing her to spin around. Taking this valuable opportunity the former Sith Lord slashed at the cyborg's back, however Lumiya's saber flew to parry. There they locked for a brief moment.
"I'll give you one thing," Obi-Wan said. "You're a better duelist than I originally thought."
"Thank you Kenobi." Lumiya spat as she cut the lock, spun fast and struck hard. Her saber was met by Obi-Wan's, they formed a crimson X in the air and locked once more. "Now prepare to die."
"Oh I don't think so." Obi-Wan hissed as he pulled his palm back and then thrust it forward, the Force energy he had gathered expanded and flew out, pushing Lumiya away, right into the wall of the bridge which she hit and slid down. Seconds later she pulled her head up to see Obi-Wan charging at her, lightsaber pulled back and ready to incinerate her heart… if she had one.
However the Sith Lady did not allow that to happen, the moment Obi-Wan was in range she gathered the Force around her and used it to propel herself, feet first, straight at Obi-Wan. This was clearly not what the ex Sith Lord had expected, both of her legs hit him full power and sent him backwards, he flipped in the air once and landed on his back, his hand lost his crimson weapon which deactivated and rolled away from his grasp.
Lumiya was right above him. She raised one hand up high, holding her crimson blade steady for the killing blow.
"Pity," she said to herself. "You were much better as Vader."
The Sith Lady brought her arm and weapon down, however two hands shot up and stopped her from completing her killing blow. Obi-Wan's hands grasped tightly around her forearm, he twisted it hard and Lumiya flipped to the side, losing her weapon on the way down. The victor of that little brawl smiled to himself and leapt up, calling his dead lightsaber hilt back to his hand and activating the crimson blade, he towered over his fallen enemy, flipped his saber once, and angled it down to stab the woman. However, before he could proceed a terrible crack filled the air as Sidious had sliced Anakin's lightsaber hilt in half and kicked him hard in the jaw so quickly Obi-Wan did not notice. He clearly saw his old padawan's jawbone fall out of place though. The Emperor raised his saber for the deadly slash and brought it down swiftly. However his scarlet weapon was stopped by another of the same color.
The Emperor's yellow eye glanced towards his traitorous, former apprentice. Obi-Wan smiled again and used the Force to throw Sidious to the other side of the bridge.
"You okay?" he asked Anakin who simply nodded.
"Jaw's broken," he managed to say, or at least that somewhat what it sounded like. Obi-Wan smiled slightly, but his mouth then formed an angry grimace as he sensed Lumiya approaching him from behind. When she was a mere few feet behind his back he turned at the speed of light and ran his crimson blade right through her heart, or at least where it would be if she did indeed have one. The cyborg's eyes widened, her weapon fell to the floor, useless. Obi-Wan gritted his teeth even harder as he pulled it out and stood, just as Lumiya dropped to her knees.
"Die." Obi-Wan said quietly. Lumiya's eyes stared into his for one cold moment.
"You… bas—"
Before she could spit out the profane word upon her death, however, Obi-Wan's scarlet blade sliced clean through her neck.
"That was for Siri." Obi-Wan stated coldly. He looked to his wife who was lying silently on the floor, she might have been dead, although her chest was rising and falling to the rhythm of her breathing. Obi-Wan sensed she was alright. He turned to face the spot where Sidious was now standing, crimson saber in hand. His insane fury had completely taken a hold of him, the Sith Lord's eyes were utterly black, and no light reflected upon them at all, he looked almost nonhuman. Eyes were said to be a window into the soul, well, Darth Sidious's had been revealed at last.
"You," Sidious growled to his former Sith apprentice. "Will die for what you have done here today."
Before Obi-Wan could retort though, the Chimaera jolted violently. There was no longer any crew to operate her, systems were now unoccupied and were malfunctioning because of the damage they had sustained. Of course no one was firing on this ship anymore since everyone's leaders were on board. However the star destroyer was now its own enemy as it transferred power automatically to attempt to repair systems, shortly after the jolt all the light faded from the bridge, it was not replaced by emergency lights however, as there was no one to turn them on. The entire bridge of the Chimaera was bathed in bloody light from the two combatant's active lightsabers
For a while they just stood there, staring into one another's eyes. Anakin watched them intently, holding his broken jaw, they were both oblivious to him, and also failed to notice as Mara's head rolled slightly, and her eye lids fluttered open. Finally a cold, raspy voice pierced the thick silence. It emanated from the Emperor, but sounded like the voice of all evil.
"Traitor," Sidious hissed. "You will die, and then I'll kill your family, one by one. You can take comfort in the fact that they shall suffer greatly, and when they plead to me, when they… beg for death, I, being a merciful Lord will grant their request."
"You have to get through me first you ugly bastard." Obi-Wan retaliated, his voice as cold as midnight on Hoth.
"So be it." The Emperor barked, he pulled his lightsaber back by his hooded, hideous head, and angled it forward as though he were about to thrust it into the very heart of the person who would defeat him. Obi-Wan raised his weapon in his classic Soresu stance that he had abandoned when he left the Jedi Order, and thereafter had adopted a new, more aggressive form of Soresu with Makashi, Djem So, and the smallest bit of Ataru thrown in. However that was far complicated and too ponderous to work against the Emperor's style of Juyo. Sidious flew into the air like a torpedo, his lightsaber extending in front of him as though he planned to drill right through Obi-Wan. The former Sith waited until Sidious was a mere two feet in front of him before side stepping and cutting down at the Emperor's back.
Sidious's lightning fast speed showed itself again as he dodged, landed on his booted feet and spun to face Obi-Wan, then after following with a strike to the head, waist and feet, all of which were parried, Obi-Wan's speed did not match the Emperor's, but it was efficient enough to protect him from becoming incapacitated, but for how long?
Their fight went on for a length of ten minutes, Obi-Wan, because he let go of the dark side almost fully, was tiring, used to wielding awesome power fueled by his rage, which was now fueled only by his desire to kill Sidious, that will was strong enough in itself, but he was not sure how long he could hold. The Emperor was constantly on the offensive and clearly gaining the upper hand as he struck with slashed with lightning fast speed, Obi-Wan's sluggish responses were barely adequate enough to stop Sidious's blood red weapon from killing him. The battle would end in three simple moves… now.
As Sidious pulled his weapon away from Obi-Wan he came around with a lightning fast strike to the head which was so powerful Obi-Wan's legs nearly buckled, his exhaustion was growing. Sidious had not even come close to breaking a sweat. The Emperor cackled wickedly, spun and came around with a strike to Obi-Wan's right side, which was stopped, but just barely. Obi-Wan felt his strength sapped away and was powerless to stop the Emperor's next slash from cutting straight through his lightsaber hilt, rendering the blade useless.
The next event seemed to happen in slow motion, like action sequences in old holovids, or a speeder crash on the HoloNet movies. Except this was happening to Obi-Wan, and for one sick moment… as the Emperor deactivated his weapon… and extended his clawed hands… Obi-Wan knew… he was going to die.
Then it all seemed to play at a normal speed and blue-white lightning exploded from the Sith Lord's finger tips. It contacted with Obi-Wan's body and sent him falling fast to the floor. For several long, agonizing moments the Emperor stood in his spot and continued to discharge the Sith Lightning into Obi-Wan's body. The former Sith Lord withered and cried out in pain on the floor as Anakin watched helplessly, he could not move, Sidious wouldn't let him.
Then as Obi-Wan just as Obi-Wan felt death gripping at him the Emperor halted his relentless attack, his eyes turning back to their normal red tinged yellow.
"You have paid the price for your stupidity." Sidious snarled. He then let out another short dose of lightning; it felt as though a million lightsabers were stabbing into each and every part of Obi-Wan's skin, once the Emperor let up Obi-Wan jolted uncontrollably as the electricity still ran across him. "And now… my apprentice, you… will… die."
"No!" Anakin cried. Sidious's eyes morphed from a sickly yellow to a disturbing black. He let off a quick dose of lightning Anakin's way which hit the Jedi full force. He then turned back to Obi-Wan.
"Prepare to die." The Emperor cackled. Obi-Wan felt his own heart beating as the Emperor angled his hands down; he tried to move but could not. His muscles would not respond, he was far too exhausted. Sidious let out one last cackle before… he turned his head to the right as Mara Jade leapt out of the crew pit and called her lightsaber to her open palm. Sidious was caught off guard, his hold on Anakin was unintentionally released, Anakin took the chance and leapt up, calling Mace Windu's lightsaber to his hand and activating the violet blade, he then charged at the evil Sith Lord.
Mara landed behind The Emperor before Anakin reached him, blood ran down her face from the injury she had sustained when hitting the control console. But clearly it no longer affected her. Before the Dark Lord could turn to face his new foe Mara thrust her foot into the back of his leg, behind his knee. Sidious yelped in pain and fell to the ground, kneeling before Obi-Wan. It was then that Anakin reached Mara's side, with one move so fast that it rivaled Sidious's incredible speed the Jedi stabbed Mace Windu's amethyst blade through the Emperor's back, incinerating his icy, black heart. Sidious gasped in pain and astonishment, he had been defeated. Mara spat right on his hood before she sliced his head off with her own crimson blade. Anakin and she exchanged glances and smiled.
The Sith were no more.
Obi-Wan gave out a strangled, croaking chuckle.
"You did well Anakin, Mara. I always knew you were the Chosen One, my old padawan."
"I never could have done it without your training." Anakin replied.
"And I could never have found the strength to kill him without you being my father." Mara added. Siri then stood up and limped over to her husband, holding her wounded shoulder tightly.
"You did good Obi-Wan." She said.
XxX
With the Emperor dead, and the entire fleet having witnessed it the Imperials surrendered and the Rebel Alliance came out victorious. Following Sidious's murder Obi-Wan technically became the new Emperor, as Sidious had failed to announce his traitorous apprentice would no longer be his successor after the betrayal. However Obi-Wan did not wish to rule the Empire, it was cruel, harsh, and terrible. He handed his position over to both Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, within a month the Empire was reorganized into the New Republic under the promises of a fairer, safer, more secure, and free society. Shortly after that the Senate began to reform, where Padmé joined as senator of Naboo.
Meanwhile Anakin, Luke, Leia, and Siri were able to reform the Jedi Order which would soon flourish. It was only later that Obi-Wan and Mara were convinced to join and become part of the four member council, increasing its number to six. That was all, the storm troopers and the Imperial army were disbanded at Obi-Wan's order before he handed Mon Mothma the position, the remaining Rebel Alliance soldiers formed the basis of the New Republic's army. However they were not needed as the galaxy sank into a time of peace. The Empire had been defeated, the fall of the Sith had concluded, now the galaxy would be protected and safe, because of the rise of the new Order of Jedi.
Told you the last word would either be Jedi or Sith! Well, this series has come to an end. I am now moving on to plot my next SW fic which involves a series of events to lead Luke Skywalker down the path to the Dark Side. It will start off with Padmé and Anakin, both Jedi who eventually fall in love and prevent the Trade Federation from conquering Naboo, eventually they get married and have children, the Jedi Order is forced to except them because of a reason not yet worked out. Eventually Palpatine sets his sights on an emotionally unstable Luke eventually corrupts him, sending him to his fall to the Dark Side. Well, look forward to that in the future now that The Fall of the Sith has concluded. Thanks for reading.