Well, here it is, the final Chapter of Returned. Enjoy!
Chapter Eight
Fulfilling His Destiny
As they landed on Coruscant, they began the walk to the Chancellors office. Obi-Wan had elected to stay hidden, all the while using his bond with Anakin to keep the poison from taking control so Anakin could focus on what it was he had to do. They had practiced this on the way to Coruscant, and again on landing. Neither seemed too very affected by the outcome, except for the fact that Anakin was able to retain his focus and calm while Obi-Wan used his mental link to keep the poison at bay, something that both of them hadn't really expected to work. Ahsoka, on the other hand, went with her Master to confront Sidious. She was also tasked with letting Obi-Wan know through their own, but limited, mental link, when and if Anakin started to falter. When they arrived at the Chancellor's, or Emperor's office as it was now called, they confronted the Dark Lord of the Sith. Before the Jedi could say anything, Sidious was the first to speak.
"Lord Vader, good. You have brought a Jedi. Now kill her!" Sidious instructed.
"You are under arrest, Sidious." Anakin replied, keeping his calm as best he could, but it wasn't easy. There were points where the poison would get through for a split second and he would have to divert concentration to it to stop it from advancing.
"You would defy me, Lord Vader? Remember your place!" Sidious sneered.
"I remember it quite well. I am a Jedi, you are a Sith. Your treachery stops here." Anakin replied, igniting his lightsaber with Ahsoka following almost at once.
"I see I have failed in my attempt to control you, Skywalker. It is of no consequence. I have a new apprentice. If I die, he will continue my work!" Sidious replied, beginning to teem with anger.
"Not for long, slimo. We know who he is, and we will destroy him!" Ahsoka replied. Anakin smiled inwardly. She knew how to insult a Sith when she had to, and he was glad she did, for the poison had momentarily taken hold and Anakin was working with Obi-Wan to push it back and put up a new defense.
"So bold you are, yet you will not survive. It is time now for you to die, Jedi!" Sidious bellowed, jumping at them with lightsaber ignited, using all his fury. Anakin parried, having recovered enough to fight the Sith Lord. Ahsoka kept her strikes up from behind Sidious, but he was too quick and easily deflected all of them while at the same time deflecting attacks from in front of him. This went on for several minutes until Sidious made his first mistake by lightening his stance, giving Ahsoka all the time she needed to accurately slice off his hand. The Sith lord jumped back as he cried out in pain.
"Good, now we just to get his other hand." Anakin told her while the Sith Lord built his strength.
"Before or after he comes at us again, Master?"
"Preferably before. You take the right I'll take the left."
"You cannot defeat me! You do not know the power of the dark side!" Sidious bellowed, then renewed his attack. In his anger, however, he was too overconfident and again let his guard down. This time, Anakin was the one to strike, cutting Sidious' lightsaber in half. With no lightsaber, Sidious was nearly defenseless.
"You have no weapon to fight us with, Emperor. Surrender." Anakin demanded.
"No. No, YOU will surrender!" Sidious screamed, using his remaining hand to shoot a blast of Force Lightning at him. Ahsoka readily jumped in and blocked the assault. As Sidious weakened, the poison began to fade away. The lighting attack ceased, as Sidious became too weak to continue it. Then, just when he was about to send another quick jolt at them, Anakin sliced Sidious' arm off, and then stabbed him in the chest, ending the Emperor's life. As he did, he too dropped to the floor in an outburst of near crippling pain.
"Master!" Ahsoka cried out, kneeling at his side as he fell unconscious.
When he opened his eyes hours later, he was aboard the Twilight with both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka hovering over him.
"Hey, Master, Snips. What'd I miss?" Anakin asked.
"Sidious is gone, Anakin. You killed him. The poison as well has mysteriously vanished. It appears as though it was connected to Sidious in some way." Obi-Wan responded.
"I know. I discovered that before we confronted him." Anakin told him.
"Well, at least there is now some balance to the force, but...I sense we've forgotten something."
"Maul. We still have to find him dispose of him." Anakin responded. He went to sit up, but Obi-Wan placed a hand on his shoulder.
"No, my friend. You should rest. I know you're not tired, but at least take my advice and at least try to lie down for a while. I will make the report to the Council. They'll obviously want to talk to you once they arrive at the Temple." Obi-Wan informed him. Anakin nodded and proceeded to lie back into his bunk. Obi-Wan looked to Ahsoka. It was clear what he was about to ask her, so she responded before he had the chance.
"You go ahead, Master Kenobi. I'll make sure Anakin stays here and rests." she told him. Obi-Wan nodded and left the room.
"See? I told you I wouldn't leave you alone." Anakin told her, sensing her mood.
"I know. I just can't believe he made it that easy for us."
"Excuse me? Who was the one who had the Sith poison trying to take over their body the whole time?"
"Sorry, I meant in that he didn't seem to be using all his strength to defeat us."
"I felt that too. Don't get overworked about it. Besides, he didn't know how powerful we both were as a team, so he would have had to be careful like he was."
"True. I guess if we wanted to know why he wasn't using all his powers, we'd have to ask him ourselves." Ahsoka said.
"It's one of those mysteries that will never be solved, Ahsoka. Dead people don't come back to life." Anakin replied. Ahsoka only smiled.
And that's the end to Star Wars: Altered Universe - Returned. But do not worry, as I have said, a sequel, The Last of the Sith, is well on its way. It is set to take place five years after the events of Returned. Stay tuned for the exciting sequel to Returned!
