Part 2
No tears left. The hot air dries the tears. A face an emotional mask. Yet a war rages behind the face. No tears left. Every step is like a dream. He's not there, not there.
How can the fallen be saved, those who have done evil? How can those lost in the darkness be saved? Who would save those who have done evil and are no longer innocent?
Cold hands grasp at his soul. Silky smooth words whisper in his mind. Demons wrap their arms around his neck, threatening to choke him. Demons surround him, try to drag him down with their words.
Each step is painful. With each step he remembers. The horrified faces of the children. The disbelief on Mace Windu's face. The dream of Padme dying. His mother's death. Jabiim. The whole war. His anger. Darra's death. The slaughter of the Tuskens. Destruction on worlds. Suffering. Being held back from his potential. Fear. Dooku's execution.
How can the fallen be saved, those who have done evil? How can those lost in the darkness be saved? Who would save those who have done evil and are no longer innocent?
He stops walking. He feels cold. Tired. His eyes watch as Padme walks down the ramp. Yoda's words ring through his mind. "Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will." No hope. No hope. No hope. So what if it's the way that one uses the Force that makes it good or bad. That does not change anything. No one would forgive him. No hope. No hope. No hope.
"Padme, I saw your ship . . ." Anakin said as he embraced Padme, his heart lifting a little. Yet everything still feels unreal, except for the demons.
"Oh, Anakin!" Padme exclaims, holding him close, tears coming to her eyes.
"It's all right, you're safe now. What are you doing out here?" No, nothing was all right. It was all wrong. Numb, he felt numb. He can feel the demons all around him. Can feel their hot, sickly breath on his skin. They whisper and sneer at him. Telling him that he is worthless. That Padme will betray him. That there is no hope for him. No hope.
"I was so worried about you. Obi-Wan told me terrible things." Padme continued, looking into Anakin's eyes and freezing at what she saw there.
"What things?" He saw into her eyes and suddenly he wanted to be far away, far away from her.
"He said you have turned to the dark side . . . that you killed younglings." Her voice was slow as the fear that she had pushed aside earlier returned.
"Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me." Anakin responded without thinking. Guilt worming through his gut. He wanted her to still see him as he was, not what he became. If she did she would despise him. She would leave. He couldn't lose her.
"He cares about us." Padme replied. Determined to do all she could to save him.
"Us??!" No, no, no. He feels like his throat is being squeezed.
"He knows . . . He wants to help you."
"Is Obi-Wan going to protect you? He can't ... he can't help you. He's not strong enough." He can't help me. There is no hope. No hope.
"Anakin, all I want is your love."
"Love won't save you, Padme. Only my new powers can do that." No, not even that. All I did was for nothing. I lie. She can't know that I've failed miserably.
"At what cost? You are a good person. Don't do this."
"I won't lose you the way I lost my mother! I've become more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of and I've done it for you. To protect you." No, I have damned myself.
"Come away with me. Help me raise our child. Leave everything else behind while we still can."
"Don't you see, we don't have to run away anymore. I have brought peace to the Republic. I am more powerful than the Chancellor. I can overthrow him, and together you and I can rule the galaxy. Make things the way we want them to be." More lies. How can I leave behind what I did? How can I help raise our child when I have killed younglings? No.
"I don't believe what I'm hearing . . . Obi-Wan was right. You've changed."
"I don't want to hear any more about Obi-Wan. The Jedi turned against me. Don't you turn against me." Don't hate me. Obi-Wan already hates me.
"I don't know you anymore. Anakin, you're breaking my heart. I'll never stop loving you, but you are going down a path I can't follow."
"Because of Obi-Wan? You're right you don't know me. The person you loved died in the Temple with the other Jedi."
"Because of what you've done . . . what you plan to do. Stop, stop now. Come back! I love you."
Out of the corner of his eye, Anakin sees Obi-Wan in the doorway of the Naboo Cruiser. "Liar!" The words are out without a thought. Panic fills him and despair. How can she still love him. Did he want her to still love him. No, she knows what happened at the Temple, she doesn't love me.
"No!"
"You're with him. You've betrayed me! You brought him here to kill me!" Tell me the truth. You hate me. You don't love me anymore. There's no hope for me. No hope.
"NO! Anakin. I swear ... I ..."
Why doesn't she just go ahead and say it? Demons leap on my shoulder and pulls my arm up, cackling with glee. This would make her say the truth. Reaching into the Force, he begins to choke Padme.
"Let her go, Anakin."
Anakin released her, briefly looked at Obi-Wan, and then he ran away from the ship, choking on sobs as he ran.
How can the fallen be saved, those who have done evil? How can those lost in the darkness be saved? Who would save those who have done evil and are no longer innocent?
The hot air sears his face as he runs. His eyes burn from lack of tears. He stumbles on top of a small hill and falls. He rolls down the hill and lands in the black sand. He sensed Obi-Wan approach, still some distance away. He tries to move, but his arms and legs feel like rubber. So tired. So tired. Out of the corner of his eye he sees a lava flow and slowly he manages to move towards it.
He sits up and stares into the lava flow. Hot, slow moving, a painful way to die. Taking his lightsaber from his belt, he stares at it. Contemplating. So many had suffered because of him. He failed so many. He had fallen.
What did death hold? Peace? Torment? Nothingness? Laying his lightsaber on the ground, Anakin moves closer to the lava. No hope. No hope.