Notes: This take place from the event in Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series.
Warning: english is not my first language and this is the first time i am writing, especially a fanfic. So excuse my grammatical errors. Be a little patient with me. Peace
Its been 5 years after the birth of the empire. The same time anakin skywalker had died, and darth vader has been born in his place. 5 years living with nothing but pain, hatred, grief and suffering. 5 years since his wife had died. Taking all his light with her and then nothing else mattered. It doesn't matter how many times sidious inflected him pain, it wouldn't be match with his guilt and hatred from his failure. After everything he had done to save her, he still lose her in the end. He failed. Failed her. Broke his promise.
But that wont happen twice
He wont fail again.
He have 5 years to control his hatred. Learn the way of the darkside, everything he needs to know. Bid his time and let sidious continue his fantasy. he will kneel, bow his head, follow every order throw in his way and he will accept it like a good dog following his master. And it doesn't matter that he no longer have his dignity. He will do everything the sith lord wishes from him, let him enjoy thinking that he have a tight leash on vader. As long as sidious continue to have his uses, he can live in his fantasy as long as vader allows him to.
Vader learn to be more patient and more powerful than every sith or jedi could ever dream of. He had built a castle on mustafar where every nightmare he had, taken place. Let him always be reminded of his failure, of how foolish anakin was. He wont be the same weak person. This time he will succeed of what anakin could had not.
After 5 years, at last vader finally have it. The bright star. It is an artifact said to be the source of living energy of the planet, Mustafar. On how it could grant vader an immortality. But he doesn't give a single care whether he will die or not. Less to be alive longer than everyone could possibly imagine. Immortality dont mean anything to him, death seems to doesn't want anything to do with him. He escaped death many times, even when he wishes for it. He is the bringer of death. Death did not scared him. No, he do not wish immortality, but he wishes one thing, and this artifact can grant him that. And no one can stop him.
When everything is complete and ready, he didn't waste any second. he held its cresent shape crystal in his hand and carefully place the bright star inside the middle of the Aeon Engine, that automatically powered it. He waited for a moment and then, he felt a vibration in the force before a bright energy burst into the top of its egg shaped, reaching the sky, and spreading across the world.
The energy around the planet, are being sucked dry and nurture inside the artifact. the planet are becoming more dead than before. He felt the toxic in the air and the temperature become hotter, the lava is unrest. It is all thanks to his accursed suit and hold to the force that he is still standing.
When everything is dying around him, a life will be born
And he will wait, will offer it anything. If its not enough he could simply look for more, there are thousands in the galaxy. It doesn't matter if a thousands of life pay for what he will do. They dont matter. Nothing else matter. But her.
Padme
He will do everything to accomplish anakin and corvax failed to do. He will bring her back. He will succeed. He will make sure of it. He will do everything. Everything!
Whatever it takes
He will
"Padme, you will be mine again. If the energy of this world are not enough. There are countless others"
It is done. The egg shaped burst with energy, vader cover his eyes with his arm when it exploded with light. He felt the disturbance in the force and he is sure his master felt it as well and it only a matter of time before sidious will request his presence. But that thought was gone quickly when the light dimmed. He lower his arm and there it is. The floating ball of life energy. Eager. He extended his hand and using the force, he floated it towards him, the ball of life energy floated in his hand. Carefully, putting a distance on it. he dont want to accidently use it on himself or tarnish the bright light of the energy with his dark force.
The ball of energy hummed with life, a beacon in a darkness. bright and pure. He stared at it longer than he intended. Every hard work, patience and blood he put into this. Its finally in his hand
after 5 years he felt something that he thought he buried all those years ago, Along with anakin skywalker. Feelings he never thought he would feel again.
Hope
Vader landed in a planet naboo with the artifact on his hand concealing the life energy. Stepping out of his ship, he couldn't help but linger and gaze his surroundings. A glimpse of anakin memories flashes in his mind. He remember perfectly how he had first thought that this planet must be what they call a paradise, he has visited many planets across the galaxy and yet nothing could compare to the beauty of naboo. It is no wonder padme was born here, it is only fitted for someone who looks like an angel. But now gazing in vader own eyes, instead of flashing greeny and colorful surrounding, what he only see is red.
But no matter, he isn't here for sight-seeing. He is only here for one reason, Padme.
5 years, he had never tried or think about visiting her tomb. He refuses to accept everything is over. That she is gone. Though even then, he truly dont feel he is worthy enough to be anywhere near her. He failed her and what matters worst, he is the one who had ended her life when he had promise to save her.
But he will fix it. This time he will succeed. There is no room for failure, vader will not accept it. He become more powerful than he ever was. He is no longer weak and controlled by his hatred. He killed that person he was once before. Anakin Skywalker is gone. It is only him, vader.
He stride to move, heading in a private mausoleum where his wife rested. When he learned that padme's body was not to be cremated as the naboo custom, he felt that he ought to thank whoever idea was it to make an excemption for his wife as they give him another purpose.
The statue comes into view before the entrance. vader halted. It resembles of Padme Amidala the former queen of naboo who fought bravely for her people. She wore the throne room gown, representing of who she was. Her posture is proud and brave. Even with the statue she looks kind and hopeful. She is everything, he never was.
When they would run of fear from the sight of him. She will be the person they will run to.
The galaxy may be needed her. But he needed her most.
He enters the tomb, and waste no time heading to where she rested. His heart thumping loudly on his chest, he didn't dare think of what will happen next, leave no doubt, his only focus is now, what he must do.
He stopped at the end of padme's casket, behind it will be her body. He knows she will look exactly when he last saw her. Knows that they had preserve her body. To still look young and beautiful. The queen everyone remembers.
He later realizes, his hand was shaking, he dont know whether if it is from anxiety or excitement. He had long forgotten how to feel except from suffering.
His hand reach the stone where her body was concealed and brush it with his hand on the side. The front held another statue of padme, sculpted as if she had only rested.
Vader step back and extended his hand, reaching to the force using it to open the casket. And slowly the opening moved from its place and gush of dust blows everywhere and a cold wind was release out of the casket, he paid no mind. Yet the more he continue a sudden flowing of memories come crashing through him, making his knees buckles,
"Are you an angel?"
"What?"
"An angel. I heard the deep space pilot talk about them. They're the most beutiful creatures in the universe"
"You are in my very soul, tormenting me. What can i do? I will do anything you ask..."
"I truly..deeply..love you.. and before we die i want you to know"
"Ani, im pregnant"
"This is the happy moment. The happiest moment of my life"
"You are so..beautiful"
"It's only because im so inlove"
"No, it's because im so inlove with you"
"Hold me, like you did by the lake on naboo. So long ago when there was nothing but our love. No politics, no plotting, no war."
"I wont lose you, padme"
"Anakin, all i want is your love"
"No! Come back! I love you!"
Vader let out a scream of agony that echos throughout the walls. The unexpected memories flooding through his mind, made him break on concentration and the pain in his heart pierce through him by having a glimpse of the memories he had long bury. His pain and grief extended to the force causing the ground to shake from the strong emotion. He knelted to the ground, clutching his chest where his heart should be. Yet the pain wont go away
"Hnnn"
He gasped and shut his eyes tight, shaking his head from those memories of anakin. No! It will be different this time!
His hand clutches the stone coffin to stand up and when he look sideways, his breath stop.
And There lay padme. just as he thought, she looks just the way he had remembered. Yet from his last memories of her, she looks heartbroken, in pain. And it was him who had caused that. Him, who had strangled her and die in his hand. The very woman he swore to protect and save, it was him who become the cause of her undoing. But now- she looks so serene.
She wores a gown and her hair was fanned appropriately, with small flowers sticking on her hair and surrounding her body making her more look angelic. Despite his lenses, making him see everything in red, he can clearly see her beauty. Like the first time he had saw her.
He felt a lump in his throat as he lowers his head. He felt like shedding a tears, but because he lost his tear duct, he could not. Even a simple thing he could not even do this for her. But perhaps it is for the better. He will not mourn her now, he already mourn 5 years of losing her. But today, it will be different. This will not end of losing her forever. No. It will not
He reaches her and slowly traces her face, though he could not feel her skin, he want to make sure she is real. that this is not a dream like he always see. Merely a fantasy on which he finally have a bright star on his hand as she faces her.
But no, it is real. This. Its real. She did not disappear in front of his eyes like she always does, she continue to lay there as if its only a matter of time before she will wake up and rise to face of what's ahead of her. Waiting. Waiting for him.
"I will not fail you again, padme"
He step back and brought the bright star on his chest. He wave his other mechanical hand in front of the artifact, using the force to bring out the life energy within. When it does, he drops the artifact concealing the energy as it floats on his hands. Then he brings it on padme's chest, as he pushed the life energy onto her.
However, her body rejected it. He tried again, with no use. Enraged and desperate vader uses the force and put every hatred and anger to become more powerful on its pull. The life energy and the force become more entangled as it slowly drift down entering padmes body. A flash of bright light comes out her slowly becoming a part of her, energy gush everywhere sucking everything of their surrounding, the tomb shakes, yet vader paid no mind. Until at last the light was gone, the wind stop blowing and the ground stops shaking.
The only sound can be heard is vader respirator. Then he step back, look down on her body, looking for any sign that he had suceeded. Waiting. Yet nothing is happening.
"NO!"
He wish he could brought his hand on her neck to feel a pulse. Feel her alive. But he could not. Desperate, he search the force, looking for any signs of life, her signature. But he find nothing. Again!
He drop on his knee. too numb to feel anything. He clenches his hand into a fist. The force again mocked him. He was so foolish to hope, That this time it will be different.
So foolish
He couldn't face her now. Knowing he had failed her. Again. Not just once but twice. After everything!
"Hnnn"
He was still on his knees, when he notice a twitch of her finger. His head rises as he stared at it, making sure it wasn't a trick of his mind. When her hand twitch again. He quickly use the force for a sign of life and there it was. So unnoticeable, that he needed to dig further. Its been so long since he felt her in the force. Her life force was small but its slowly growing into pure energy. As foolish as it was. He allowed himself to have hope again.
her chest beginning to rise and she open her mouth gasping for an air and then she went still. He might thought that she's not breathing if it wasn't because of the rise and fall of her chest. His body harbour hers, not taking his eyes of her, slowly he brings her hand on her cheek, caressing her face. Oh how he misses her. Her voice. Her smile. He have so much to tell her. He wants to beg for forgiveness. For hurting her. For everything. After 5 years of suffering, in this moment-- he allows himself to be happy and triumph. Even just for a second-- he will have this. He spend 5 years of his life without her. He will not lose her again.
"Padme?" Even when the voice synthesizer mask his emotion, his voice break could still be heard for uttering this hopeful word
Her eyebrows furrowed and her eyeballs moves between her eyelids as if she was having a dream. And then she slowly open her eyes. Brown eyes meeting his, behind the lenses of his mask.
"Anakin" a whisper. His heart skip a beat and she fell to slumber once again. she went limp on his hand, but then her body begun to shake.
"Padme!" This time his voice panicked with worry, he hastily gathered her in his arms and rush towards the exit as fast as he can.
Vader had returned to executor. Unexpectedly and without any warning those who were near. The stormstrooper stop at their tracks and their hands freezes from holding their blaster pointing towards of who they thought a trespasser.
"Lord vader!"
At once, they knew their faith for their failure and ignorance to notice the sith lord was coming and even committing a crime to dare pointing their blaster. But dying was not their first thought of seeing the sith lord it was the woman on his arms, that caught their attention. The way he held her with care and possessively, an act they had never thought he was capable of. Her hair flows softly like a river, she was so pale, her blue gown dance in the air, as he walk. She was so beautiful. like an angel.
An angel on the devil arms.
Perhaps, it wasn't so bad at all to point their blaster at the devil, if it meant saving the angel in his arms that holding her hostage.
No one would believe them if they speak a word of what they saw. But no one would know, when no one else live long enough to tell the tale.
"Admiral piett, prepare the medcenter, immediately--And i want the hall be cleared of anyone"
Vader cut off the comlink and walk away of the room of the dead men.