Chapter 16 - Fireborn

Author's Note: Right now, everyone really just needs hugs. Lol.

~ Amina Gila

Aniya Skywalker

Anguish is still tearing me apart, the knowledge of every single thing that just happened. The Jedi betrayed the Republic, and we had to destroy them, and – and now, we're Sith. Everything we were made and accepted as Jedi to destroy. I don't know what that means for our future.

And... and the clones were being mind-controlled during the march on the Temple, and we had to go along with it. We have no idea if we'll be able to free them. There's nothing I want more than that, because our brothers don't deserve this, but there's nothing we can do about it now. Not unless Sidious allows it, which I highly doubt he will. I'm not going to risk asking right now.

I can only give Appo a soft "we'll free you, I promise" before Anakin and I leave in our fighters. Not as if that promise matters anything, considering we promised to free our mother, too.

The trip to Mustafar is some hours, and it's... torture. Mustafar brings back very, very bad memories. I never want to think about it, but I don't want to think about anything right now. Everything at the Temple is replaying on repeat in my mind, and I can't stop asking myself, what does Sidious want with those initiates that we arrested? I don't know what he wants, and I can't shake the feeling that it'd have been better if we killed them, anyway, because now we're submitting them to the whims of a deranged Sith Lord, and whatever happens to them will be on us.

I can't believe we did it. I can't believe... any of this. I thought the Jedi were good. They were supposed to be. I should've known better. I can't believe Anakin and I never saw it, though when I look back, there were so many clues. They were everywhere. The Jedi don't... I just can't believe all that was for nothing. So much of our lives was a lie. It's not easy to accept.

We're literally our own worst enemies, though. I don't know what that means, and I... don't know how our families will react. I know Padme will be upset, and Jaufre will be horrified, I imagine, and... Master Qui-Gon was angry, and I can't stop thinking about him. What if it's true, and he is going to die? What if it wasn't Krell who will kill him? What if it was someone else? I don't know.

I don't know what to do or think or anything. Normally, I would spend this time meditating, but I can't do that anymore. I'm not a Jedi, so I don't know how that works.

Eventually, I manage to fall into a restless sleep and occasionally talk with Arthree, deciding Anakin probably needs the peace of his own mind, too – I don't even know what I'd say to him, anyway. I don't feel like I deserve to, not anymore. He's so good, but we were still willing to fall to this level, to do it together, and I... I hate myself for it.

I wish there was something else we could do, but I don't know what that would be. Instead, my anger can only turn towards Sidious – he's the one who caused this. He orchestrated it, and I – I want to end this. I want to finish it. I wanted to earlier, and for a desperate, wild moment, I wish we had, even if I know it wouldn't have worked.

I just don't want to be in this situation anymore. I can't believe I let Anakin get into it, and I... I'm not angry at him, not at all, but I wish he hadn't let us get into this place, either. The only thing keeping me sane is the knowledge that this, at least, is something we have wanted to do for years, and that with this, the war will finally be over.

Soon, the Separatist leaders will be gone. The galaxy will be free, and we'll finally have peace in sight. The trickiest part will be surviving through the initial years.

The sheer, icy darkness of the planet overwhelms me the moment we jolt out of hyperspace and start our descent towards the surface. My heart is pounding as I see the planet. I remember it so clearly, even if it's... also somewhat hazy. But most of all, it reminds me of – of my vision. When I see the lava and the way the landscape is tinged orange and gold and red, all I can think of is... is seeing Anakin being hurt.

I want nothing more than to get him out of here and as far away as possible and make sure he never comes back or to any such world again as if to stop it from happening, because even if it's not a warning from the Force right now, I can still see it replaying nonstop in front of my eyes, no matter how much I scream at it to stop. I can still hear Anakin's screams in my mind.

And the most I can manage is a what are you doing, that's our brother, but it's not like it ever stops, and it's not like – like screaming when no one but Arthree can hear me will change it, anyway, so all I can do is gather the Dark Side around me, letting it whisper comforts and strength. It's not me, not a part of me, but with the Jedi gone, the Force has gone dark, and what's left of it is crying and burning, and that's the half of me that's left – that's all I feel.

And now, I have to ask myself if that's not truly all I ever was – a killer. That's all I've ever been respected for, after all.

But I want to know, if this sickening icy darkness was always me, because when I look back, I can see so much. That's what I was becoming when Anakin finally talked to me, because he missed... my light. But this darkness, this anger, to finally stop trying to pretend I don't hold it, that I'm more than just my rage, it feels good.

Because I have so, so, so much of it.

Sometimes, I think that's all I can feel.

The pain, the fear, the hate? That's all me. It's all I am.

And as we land on the platform, my anxiety spikes farther. It looks exactly like my vision, and I have no doubt this is where it was – will – happen. Force, no. Don't tell me that our coming here is what will lead to it happening. With a sudden, panicked start, I find myself wondering. I Fell to stop it from happening, to get the power to protect my family, especially Anakin, whatever that entails. Now... What if it was that very thing which will lead to it? What if it really wasn't Obi-Wan who Fell, but rather, he survived and will come here?

But then, what happened to me? And... I squeeze my eyes shut, breathing shakily. Arthree whistles at me worriedly, reminding me that we need to get going before the Separatists figure out what's happening.

"Are you alright?" Anakin asks when I finally open my fighter, shaking, even if I can almost feel the heat of the planet already.

I fight the urge to laugh hysterically, because really, it's not as if he doesn't know how incredibly messed up we both are. Had anyone else asked me that question, I'd probably slap them. "Right," I answer, my voice sounding strange to my own ears. "Sure."

He knows better than to ask if I can fight, because we're both quite accustomed to the knowledge that we have to, even if most people couldn't, so this is nothing worse than what we frequently endure. Sure. Not at all. Because it's a normal, everyday occurrence to – whatever.

I steel myself against it, climbing out of the fighter and pulling my hood up so they don't recognize us on sight; it's better to find a strategic position before they know what's happening.

Truthfully? I don't really remember anything after that. All I know is that the battle rages for a long time. This is the Separatist headquarters, and they're both good at hiding and have a lot of droids.

All I do know is that so much like the Raiders, we're left standing amidst the dead bodies of... and the worst part of it is that I'm glad they're gone. It's not like the Jedi. I don't regret it, because these were monsters. I'm not horrified I did it, and that's...

I don't even know what to do now, and I feel bad that I don't feel bad, and there's nothing I hate more than myself. I finally spin around, walking away, just away, needing to breathe amidst the smell of sulfur and smoke and blaster fire and burned bodies. I can't...

I'm standing at the railing on the balcony when Anakin finally joins me, and I see him for the first time. My heart skips a beat when I finally lay eyes on him. His eyes are gold. Mine... probably are too.

We really are Vader and Viola now. We're not...

I don't want to be.

But I can feel the power rushing through me, heightening my senses. It's almost like a drug.

I almost can't believe we've been missing this our entire lives, but at the same time, I don't want it. I want to rip it out, but – but if I can protect Anakin...

I don't want to be this. I wish... I don't know. Something. Anything. Just that we weren't trapped where we are now, because there's no way out, unless we kill Sidious, which is the only thing I actually want to do right now.

The Jedi are gone, and we are the ones who did that. I can't even say how much I wish it was different.

**w**

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Truthfully? It's not hard to figure out where to look. There's always two people who should know, even when no one else does. I don't want to do this. I don't want to have to consider them enemies, but there's no choice.

They chose this, not me, and the knowledge that they would be willing to turn on the Jedi makes me something far beyond angry.

It doesn't seem real, and it shouldn't be. It should be impossible for them to be capable of this. I can't even begin to fathom such a thing. Anakin and Aniya were always so good and pure and light, and I can't understand how it's possible that the Dark Side had such an effect on them.

Maybe once it fully sinks in, I'll break down entirely, but right now, I know what my mission is, and it's easy enough for me to focus on. Though it feels wrong to be coming here for this reason, there's no other choice.

"Obi-Wan," Jaufre greets me the moment I land, "We were worried about you. We heard what happened. Anakin and Aniya came here last night. They were worried about you, too."

Were they? I have to force away the instinctive emotions that flood me when he says it – I know better than to trust that. They're Sith now. The twins as I knew them are gone, and I don't know what that means. I don't think I'll ever understand either, because even if I spent years without them, so much of my life has centered on them, and I can't imagine it any other way.

"Do you know where they are now?" I demand immediately.

Jaufre looks like he's about to answer, but Padme shoots him a look that instantly shuts him up. She, unlike him, obviously suspects the real reason I'm here. I'm not asking about their wellbeing, I'm hunting them. Padme is a Senator. Of course, she knows.

"I need your help," I request, because if I have to tell them everything to get what I need, then I will. They have to understand how serious the situation is. Regardless of their feelings on the matter, the Sith are dangerous and need to be destroyed. I would have dealt with Dooku at the Temple, and now, I almost wish Aniya had killed him when she could've, because I do not want him to be waking free, though I can see the point that we have a mutual enemy. That doesn't mean I trust it. "They are in grave danger."

"From the Sith?" Padme demands, looking at me sharply.

In a sense. I can't say how much I wish I could say yes to that – it would be far simpler deal with, than having to confront... this. "From themselves. Anakin and Aniya have turned to the Dark Side."

"Your wrong. How could you even say that?!" Padme protests sharply, horrified.

"What?" Jaufre yelps, "That's impossible! They wouldn't!" I know they don't understand much about the Force, but they should know enough to know that the Dark is dangerous, deadly, seeing as they were married to Jedi.

Which I truly regret keeping a secret now. I should never have. I let myself be blinded by my attachment to them, and look where that lead us all? Perhaps if the Council had known it, they could have seen it sooner and stopped it.

"I have seen the security hologram," I reply, turning away, "They pledged themselves to Darth Sidious."

"They wouldn't," Jaufre argues fiercely. "You can't – that's impossible. They would never join the Sith. They were trying to find and destroy them."

"They were deceived by a lie. We all were. It appears the Chancellor is behind everything, including the war. Palpatine is the Sith Lord we've been looking for. After the capture of Count Dooku, it appears Anakin and Aniya have become his replacement apprentices."

"I thought there can only be two," Jaufre argues, "Are you sure Dooku even was a true Sith? Because this doesn't make any sense."

"I don't believe you," Padme says, shaking her head, "I can't."

"I must find them," I repeat.

"It may have been fake, you know," Jaufre argues, but I can tell he's desperately trying to believe his own words, "Maybe the Sith are just trying to fool you into thinking... or maybe... I don't know. They said they dealt with the traitors, but I cannot believe they would join the Sith. They're not evil. I can't believe you would even think that."

I wish I could say I don't, but I could see and feel it in the Force. They were no longer the brilliant Force-signatures they once were. They're going dark, even if they hadn't yet entirely, but it's close enough. And I saw them killing the Jedi, our family.

"I do not want to," I reply, "And I would not, had I not seen it, but I cannot deny what I saw. They have become a very grave threat. I much find them."

"You're going to kill them, aren't you?" Padme asks, voice hitching. She looks like is on the verge of tears. I can only remember the fact that she and Anakin are about to have a child. I don't understand the significance of being married, truthfully, but I can understand how important it is for them to have a child. I understand how important it is for them to want to raise their child. That is something I can somewhat understand from raising the twins.

I can't say yes to that question, because – because it hurts too much to say that yes, I will. I don't want to, but I don't have a choice – the Sith must be dealt with. Though I would much prefer to go after Sidious than let my own master do it. I still haven't forgotten Aniya's vision about Qui-Gon.

"You're crazy," Jaufre says flatly. "Clearly. Do you really think you can do that? Do you think you're strong enough? Do you think you could? And how could you even want to? They're your – you raised them!"

"As a Jedi," I reply, undeterred, "I must be willing to put aside my own emotions and do what must be done. You know this."

"Yes, I do," he agrees grudgingly, "But this? It's too far. You can't."

I think a part of me knows that, but I can't refuse this mission – it's simply far too important. Too many lives are counting on it. "I will do what I must. You must tell me."

"Not if you're planning to hurt them," he replies, glaring.

I'm not deterred by it. I can't be, even if I can't help asking myself. Can I? Can I truly put an end to the lives of two people I love so much? Perhaps the only two people I have ever truly loved? No, I can't, but I must.

"You have to help them," Padme argues, "I can't believe they would do this. Not willingly."

"Nothing should be enough to make them join the Sith," I reply firmly. They know better than that. They wouldn't – we raised them better than that.

"I'm not going to let you hurt them," Jaufre answers firmly, "No matter what it takes."

I know better than to risk mind-tricking them, too. They're not going to tell me if they know what I need to do, but perhaps if I can play along, if I can get it out of them that way... "Then it will depend on them," I reply shortly, "I do not want to fight them, but we must stop the Sith before they cause even more harm. As one of the only surviving Jedi, that task falls on me."

"If you hurt them, I'll kill you," Jaufre promises fiercely, and I have no doubt he'll try, even if I know better than to believe he's capable.

"How can we tell you this, knowing what your intentions are?" Padme asks.

"Because it's for the greater good," I answer simply, "And you saw what the Sith have already done. They must be stopped."

"Why don't you just speak with them?" Jaufre inquires, something vaguely pleading in his voice, "I don't understand."

"The Sith cannot be reasoned with."

"You must try," Padme orders, "I refuse to believe they are truly lost. I can't."

I know far more about the Dark Side than they do, but if it's my only chance at getting an answer, I won't risk ruining it. "Very well," I concede, "I will try merely speaking with them. I cannot guarantee how successful it will be."

"We need the guarantee you will try," Padme states.

It's not as if this would be the first time I lied for the Jedi, though I do wish only talking would actually work. I know better, though. "You have it," I say, "You must tell me."

"They're in the Mustafar system," Jaufre says finally, sighing, "And I'm trusting you not to do anything rash. I know you can't be having an easy time with this, considering the Jedi were just... but the twins are struggling with this, too."

I bite back any sharp retorts of how they shouldn't have done it in the first place, then. "Very well," I reply.

**w**

Qui-Gon Jinn

Sneaking into the Senate with everything on such high alert isn't easy, but we finally make it to the Chancellor's office. Yoda steps in first, throwing the guards against the wall hard enough to knock them unconscious.

The Sith turns to face us, yellow eyes burning with glee. He's radiating darkness, and my anger flares instantly, just seeing him here. It's because of him that Anakin and Aniya are in the place they are now. Because of him the Jedi are gone. And he will not escape with that.

"New apprentices, I hear you have Emperor," Yoda greets, "Or should I call you, Darth Sidious?"

"You survived," Sidious replies lightly.

"Surprised?"

"Your arrogance blinds you," he retorts, lifting his hands, "Now you will experience the full power of the Dark Side."

I ignite my lightsaber in a flash – I know that move, that shift in the Force from when Dooku and I were training together – blocking the lightning before it can hit us.

"I have waited a long time for this," Sidious cackles, as he lets up the attack, "At last the Jedi are no more."

"They aren't all gone yet," I retaliate.

"The few survivors will be dealt with, starting with you," he retorts.

"Not if anything I have to stay about it," Yoda says, lifting a hand and throwing the Sith back. He flies across the room, tipping over his chair as he hits the floor. "At an end, your rule is, and not short enough it was, I must say."

Sidious stands, flipping across the room, landing right near the door. Yoda beats him there barely in time, drawing his own blade.

"You won't escape," I warn, swinging for him without warning. Sidious' lightsaber hisses to life, and our blades clash. Yoda leaps at him next, going for his head. Sidious whips around, lightsaber cutting in a furious blur as he fights us off.

He's fast and lethal, I realize very quickly. He's going for the kill, and his fighting style is very hard to counter. It's also not likely that he'll be able to hold out fighting like this long – it's only a question of if we can last long enough.

The fight carries across the room, back to Sidious' Senate pod. It seems almost intentional on his part, as the pod starts to rise into the main Senate chamber. There's hardly room to move here, and it's a lot more difficult to counter him.

My anger is fueling me, a desire for vengeance. He took the twins, and he destroyed the Jedi and the galaxy, and – I don't bother to hold it back anymore, letting the Dark Side flood me as I fight. It helps, at least giving Yoda and I a momentary advantage against him.

I remember fleetingly, what the twins were saying about seeing me die, and... I need to be careful. If my life is the cost of destroying Sidious, I'm willing to accept it, but I don't know what that would do to the twins. Already seeing how stressed they were about their visions... That didn't have anything to do with why they Fell, did it? I may never know, unless we can stop Sidious.

He Force-kicks me off the side of the pod, spinning and unleashing a blast of lightning on Yoda. The Jedi Master immediately blocks it with his hands, and the Force shield backlashes, sending Yoda flying. I'm about to jump back onto the pod he's on when the Force suddenly flares in warning.

I look up sharply to see a Senate pod flying straight for me. I try to throw it aside, but not fast enough, and it slams into the pod I'm on, dislodging it. I scramble to catch myself on a lower one, looking up to see Sidious and Yoda throwing pods back and forth at each other.

He always opts for using the Force if he has a chance, doesn't he? But now... now, I don't know how we'd be able to defeat him. There's too much space here, and the only way to win was when we started to corner him. We have to do it with a lightsaber – there's no way we'll be able to with the Force.

I dislodge one of the pods myself, throwing it at Sidious, knocking him off the platform he was on, but he's already recovered by the time Yoda and I get anywhere even close to him. We're pretty much at a standstill, and the fighting at the Temple for so long has already taken its toll on me.

I don't know how much longer I'll be able to hold out, and I think the same can be said for Yoda. He seems off-balance, if I'm being honest. It's not surprising, but it's still jarring to see him actually showing emotions.

Sidious hurls another Senate pod at us, throwing me and Yoda off again, and we fall down hundreds of feet through the buildings. "Go, we must," Yoda urges, when we finally land. He's giving me a look though, and there's no way it's not because he can sense the Dark Side around me.

I nod, despite myself. Dooku was right, in the end. This won't get us anywhere. Sidious is too powerful. We should leave now while we have the chance. Even if we could keep trying. I don't think I should risk Aniya's vision. I don't believe it'll happen now, but I know it's not impossible, and then, I won't be able to help them at all.

We take off for the nearest secret entrance we can find, winding our way through the vents until we find an opening to the outside. Bail comes by to pick us up, and we escape barely in time to avoid any of the clones spotting us. They're already looking for us everywhere.

"Failed, we have," Yoda says grimly, "Go into exile, we must."

"Exile?" I repeat, "We have to stop him."

"Now, not the time for it, this is," he objects.

I don't bother to continue discussing the point in front of Bail. It's Dooku I need to talk to.

He's waiting for us when we arrive. "So, you failed."

I give him a slight nod. "You were right."

Yoda approaches, looking decidedly unhappy as his stick thunks on the floor, and then whacks Dooku, who lets out a most ungraceful, startled yelp.

"Speaking to Qui-Gon, you have been," he accuses.

"...What?" I ask, confused.

"Fallen, you are," he states, looking up at me.

"Yes," I concede, because there's hardly a point in denying it. There's nothing to hide anymore.

"Dangerous, this is. Even if not Sith you are, still a risk it is," Yoda cautions. If that's some vague threat on how he really ought to kill us under any other circumstances, I don't let it concern me. I don't feel like I have the capability of being bothered by anything right now, except what just happened.

"I know what I'm doing," I reply firmly.

Yoda taps his stick on the floor, scowl growing. "A dangerous path, it is. No control, there is."

"The Jedi know little of the Dark Side," Dooku replies flatly, and he almost sounds amused, "It can be controlled. It is only a question of if the user desires it."

"What now, do you intend to do?" he asks.

"We will return to Serreno. I have prepared for this," Dooku replies, and we leave it at that. But first, I need to know what's happening to Obi-Wan and the twins.

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