No. 3 – Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones But…
Taunting | insults | "Who did this to you?"
"I don't see anyone." Anakin glanced around the dark cave, lit only by the blue blade of his lightsaber.
"Well, just be careful," Obi-Wan said over the comm. "I have a bad feeling about this."
"I know." Anakin deactivated the comm. The back of his neck prickled. He glanced around. Something—or someone—was stalking him.
His hand automatically flew up, lightsaber blade intercepting a dark missile. The missile burst, spewing bitter gas into his face. He coughed, his head spinning and limbs tingling. His legs collapsed under him, darkness closing in.
Foreign chanting brought Anakin out of his unconsciousness. He dragged his head up. A large cavern brightly lit by a multitude of blurry fires wavered around him. A leathery green alien he couldn't recognize approached wearing an elaborate headdress made of bones and brilliant paint colors. He held a cup in a green clawed hand. Perhaps he was some sort of odd priest.
Anakin pulled at his wrists, tried to wiggle away from the bone-wearing alien. But scratchy ropes bound him in several places to a smooth wooden pole. Bindings tightened around his wrists, his oddly bare shoulders and waist, and around his thankfully clothed knees and booted ankles. His body was sluggish and his head spun.
The bone priest chattered something in a clicking language. He pinched the end of Anakin's nose, two clawed fingers digging into his skin.
Anakin kept his breath in as long as he could, but a burning in his chest drove him to open his mouth. The bone priest poured the liquid in the cup into Anakin's mouth, then dropped the cup and slammed Anakin's chin shut with his free hand.
A viscous, fruity liquid filled Anakin's mouth. He tried to jerk his head out of the alien's grip, but the claws were too strong. His chest burned and his vision spotted. He swallowed the mysterious liquid. Involuntary shivers immediately took over his body. He broke into a cold sweat. "What did you do to me?"
The bone priest stepped back and grabbed a bone staff from another alien. He shook his staff in the air and shouted in his foreign language.
A large green blob likely made up of similar creatures cheered raucously. A group of the creatures approached and circled Anakin, shaking spears and bone clubs in the air.
The cavern began a slow spin around Anakin. The chanting and the thundering of drums muffled and blurred together. Hot, burning pain struck into Anakin's stomach and chest, then into his arms, legs, and head. Shadows darted at him while screams pounded into his head.
One of the aliens darted forward, driving his spear into Anakin's shoulder. More pain drove into him, warm blood streaming down his skin. He cried out, his throat rasping.
At that signal, the others leaped forward, driving their spears into his sides, his legs, his shoulders. The strikes didn't feel too deep, but they were immensely painful.
Bitter smoke wafted in around Anakin. He convulsed, immense pain wracked through his body. He screamed.
A bone club slammed down on his arm. A crack pierced through his cries. Whether it was his arm bone or the bone club, he couldn't tell with the pain in his arm, either from the blow or the drug.
Another bone club smashed against his head. He went limp, barely able to stay awake.
The drums grew frantic. The aliens drew back into their circle. The glow of fire approached, hovering in front of him.
Anakin dragged his head up. Everything had escalated so quickly. What was going on?
Something silver glinted in the corner of his eye. He turned his head and fought to focus on the object.
His lightsaber.
His key to escape.
One of the aliens approached with a pot and upended it over Anakin's head. Oil soaked his hair and poured down his face and torso. He squirmed. What was that for?
The bone priest approached with a torch. He lowered it to Anakin's stomach.
Anakin screamed. He pulled his lightsaber to his hand, cutting his bonds with only a few strokes. He pushed the aliens away with the Force and bolted.
His legs crumpled under him, pain flaring. The cavern churned around him. He forced himself upright. The green aliens rushed him. He lashed out with the lightsaber. Several fell to the floor. He latched onto a dark doorway swimming in the rock wall in front of him. He stumbled forward.
The aliens cried out. Anakin drew on the Force to suppress his pain and ran out, ducking and dodging through different tunnels until his feet flew out from under him. He skidded down a slope, finally crashing into a solid pair of legs.
He shuddered. Pain wracked his body. He groaned.
"Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked. Soft hands turned him on his back.
Anakin shivered. "Hey, Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan drew in a sharp breath and bent down. "Who did this to you?"
Anakin groaned again. "They're coming."
The aliens' roar bounced around in the tunnel.
"Not good." Obi-Wan scooped Anakin up and threw him over his shoulders. He took off running.
The jolting of Obi-Wan's run sent darkness slamming through Anakin.