Chapter 33 - Mortis

DISCLAIMER: We (unfortunately) do not own Star Wars. :P

Author's Note: I did say that things would start diverging, and I'm pretty much trashing the order of the CW events now. Lol. Expect lots of changes. ^-^

Thank you, loldelegate! :)

~ Amina Gila

Sending Ahsoka out here to investigate a simple distress signal was unnecessary, but Obi-Wan knows why Windu and Mundi pushed for it. She's continuing to use the same tactics as before, regardless of what the Council says – not that they're surprised about it anymore, but still. And of course, there is something suspicious about this distress signal, because it's from Wild Space, using a frequency that hasn't been used in a millennia.

He certainly doesn't mind the mission, though. He knows Anakin could use a break from the constant fighting on the battlefield, and the same is probably true for Ahsoka. And it's not often they're sent on missions together with only each other.

He's more than a little confused, though, when they and Rex reach the same location, but neither of them can see each other. The Force is flowing strangely around them, though, unlike anything Obi-Wan has ever felt before. An unseen force suddenly starts dragging the ship forwards towards a sudden bright, white light.

"What's that?" Obi-Wan asks rhetorically, frowning. This makes no sense.

"I don't know," Ahsoka replies, "But I've never seen anything like it." That much, he already figured out.

"I can't pull the ship out of it," Anakin adds with a frown, flipping some of the controls. Nothing happens.

They move steadily closer, and to a steadily growing source of light. It seems to envelop the ship before it whites out his vision. When Obi-Wan opens his eyes again – when did he fall asleep slumped back in his seat?! – to the sound of his padawan's exclamations. What hits his attention first is that he suddenly feels hyperaware of... everything because of the Force. He's never felt it this strongly anywhere before.

Bright sunlight streams in the front viewport, and they're surrounded by grass and trees on all sides... and some rock structures floating mid-air from what he can see. "Where are we?" Obi-Wan demands, standing.

Ahsoka shrugs.

"You're the ones who landed the shuttle!"

"We didn't," Anakin objects, "We just... woke up here?"

That doesn't make any sense. "Then how did we get here?" he asks, rhetorically.

"It's an organic mass with a breathable atmosphere," Anakin replies, checking the controls, "But I can't figure out where we are."

"Why don't we take a look around?" Ahsoka advises, standing. She heads for the ramp, and the other two follow.

Obi-Wan pulls out a pair of macrobinoculars, scanning their surroundings. "Did you hear that?" Anakin frowns, suddenly.

"Hear what?" Obi-Wan asks, confused.

"I heard... someone talking?"

"I didn't hear anything either," Ahsoka supplies, "Are you sure you aren't imagining –" She cuts off, turning around the same moment Anakin does, to see a woman approaching them. She's practically radiating light – however that works – and dressed in white and gold, light green hair reaching down to her waist.

"Are you the One?" she asks, voice echoing strangely. Obi-Wan can't tell which of them she's talking too.

"The one what?" Ahsoka demands.

"Who are you?" Anakin asks.

"I am Daughter," she responds, "I will take you to him," She turns and starts walking away. After a moment of debate, Obi-Wan hurries to catch up, the other two close behind.

The Daughter basically ignores any further questions they have, only making cryptic statements about how only 'the Father' – whoever that is – can help them, and how they are the 'beginning, the middle, and the end'.

They've got to have been walking for hours by now, but she still isn't stopping. They make their way along the edge of a cliff, and Obi-Wan watches with no small measure of confusion as the plants slowly change color with the time of day, gradually shifting from deep green to fall colors.

They're walking down a narrow ledge on the cliff when Anakin suddenly jerks to a stop. "Watch out!" he yells in warning, diving out of the way. Obi-Wan reacts instinctively, dodging aside as an enormous rock comes crashing down straight towards them. The ground beneath them starts sliding, and he rolls to the edge, frantically catching ahold of some smaller rocks at the edge of the cliff to avoid falling.

"Master!" Anakin cries, hastily pushing himself to his feet and darting to the edge, giving him a hand to pull him up. Obi-Wan stands, looking around. That was close – not that he hasn't had many closer calls in the past months since the war began.

"Ahsoka's on the other side," he observes, finally taking a moment to look around, and make sure she didn't fall right off the edge.

Anakin nods, pushing a button on his comm. "Ahsoka? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replies, sounding a little breathless. "But I need to catch up with the Daughter. She's taking off somewhere, saying this is her brother's work." There's another one of these people here?!

"Wait until we find a way around," Obi-Wan orders, looking up at the bolder separating them. It's too risky to try climbing over it, but maybe if they pushed it over the edge with the Force, they could keep going forwards, as long as they didn't cause a rockslide in the process.

"No time," Ahsoka replies, "I'll lose track of her if I wait."

"What if she's leading you into a trap?" he argues.

"Then maybe you should send out a distress signal in case we need backup." She ends the call without another word.

He scowls. "Always so reckless and impatient." She's going to get herself killed at this rate, but she's taken no pains to hide that now that she's a Knight, she doesn't have to listen to him anymore. He knows he made mistakes when he was raising her, but sometimes her attitude is extremely frustrating.

Anakin shifts, almost uncomfortably. "What do we do now, Master?"

"We go back to the ship, like she said," he decides. He doesn't know if they can get off the planet, but sending out a distress signal is probably the best idea.

"What about Ahsoka? What if she –"

"It's the most we can do," he cuts him off, "Perhaps we can take the ship to look for her after we send out a signal." They continue the rest of their walk back in silence, keeping a close eye on their surroundings just in case, but he doesn't see anything out of the ordinary. The sky is steadily darkening, almost black clouds covering it. The Force ripples with danger, as they come to a stop at the landing sight, only to see... nothing.

What?

"The ship's gone!" Anakin exclaims.

"So I can see," Obi-Wan observes, frowning. The place is a million kinds of strange, and the sooner they get out of here, the better. But if they don't have their ship anymore, they won't be going anywhere.

"Did you lose something?" a deep, mocking, sinister voice rings out.

Obi-Wan spins around, reaching for his lightsaber, seeing the towering figure standing behind them. He is clothed almost entirely in black and has dark gray skin with the exception of the bright red stripes running across his face and down onto his clothes. Unlike the 'Daughter', he seems to draw all the light into him, both seen and unseen, other than his glowing red eyes. "You didn't do as you were asked." His voice echoes, the same as hers did.

"And what was that?" Obi-Wan asks.

"My sister said to wait," comes the casual yet warning response. His sister? The person the Daughter said was responsible for attacking them earlier? That's not good. He narrows his eyes, bracing himself for any form of attack.

"Did she?" he shoots back, "Well we were separated and came back in search of our ship."

"Unfortunate," the Son drawls, stepping closer, "Do you really believe she is the Chosen One?"

What?!

Obi-Wan ignites his lightsaber in a flash, and Anakin immediately follows suit. "What do you know of such things?"

The Son only laughs, but for some reason, his gaze is focused on Anakin in a way that Obi-Wan does not like. "More than you."

"You're a Sith," he accuses. Obi-Wan can feel the Dark Side radiating off him, more strongly than on anyone he's ever felt before, even on Dooku.

"Sith?" The stranger laughs again, the sound dark and dangerous, "Yes and no. The storms here are quite lethal. If you want to live, I suggest you find shelter." The Force surges, as he suddenly transforms into a bird-like creature, flying into the air and disappearing into the suddenly pouring rain.

A brilliant flash of lighting lights up the area, branching out and striking the ground only yards away. An ear-splitting crash of thunder follows, and it only starts raining harder. They definitely need to find shelter. He glances around urgently, finally spotting the entrance to a cave, and they make a run for it.

"Predictably it starts to rain as soon as we're stranded," Obi-Wan huffs, pausing near the entrance of the cave to look out at their surroundings.

"At least we have shelter," Anakin offers brightly.

"And we've also cornered ourselves," he grumbles. If that being came back, there's only one entrance in and out.

"The storm should keep him away," Anakin points out, "...maybe."

"Yes. Maybe," Obi-Wan agrees, "And until the storm lets up, we're stranded in this... wet cave."

"You wouldn't be as wet if you weren't standing right in the opening," Anakin says cheekily.

"Good to see you're so enthusiastic about it, Padawan."

"If we're staying here overnight, should I light a fire?" Anakin asks cheerfully.

"If we can," Obi-Wan concedes, moving deeper into the cave, and they get to work.

A small flame soon burns in front of them, but it won't last long. They sit down, side-by-side, and Obi-Wan takes out some of the ration bars they have, passing some to Anakin.

"I hope Ahsoka's alright," Anakin murmurs, after a pause of silence.

"I'm sure she is," Obi-Wan replies, "She would know to find shelter." Assuming she was able to find any shelter, but this can't be the only cave on the planet. She's capable of handling herself, and there isn't anything they can do anyway. "We'll have to stay here for tonight," Obi-Wan concludes, looking back at the entrance to the cave again. The storm isn't letting up.

"Should one of us keep watch?" Anakin asks.

He considers that a moment. This isn't the kind of planet he wants to go to sleep on at all, but they should be safe in here. Hopefully. "I don't think anyone will be out in that storm," Obi-Wan decides, finally.

"That's what I was saying before," Anakin protests.

Was he? "There are no animals here," he defends, "And we would sense it if... whatever he is came back."

"So, now, you agree," Anakin replies. "I told you he probably wouldn't return."

"I didn't deny it," he grumbles.

Once they're done eating, Obi-Wan stretches out on the ground, a short distance away from the fire. Anakin curls up next to him, like how they often sleep on the battlefield. His breathing evens out quickly, indicating that he's fast asleep. Obi-Wan watches the boy for a moment, momentarily remembering Geonosis and... the time they almost died together. He knows he shouldn't feel this attached to him, but he can't imagine a world where he never got to know him, or what it would be like not to have this boy at his side. Anakin means everything to him, and he's not really sure what that means or how to deal with it.

It doesn't take Obi-Wan long to fall asleep, but the next thing he knows he's waking up again, looking around the cave. Anakin is nowhere to be seen, but he sees... Wait.

"Obi-Wan," says the much-too-familiar voice.

He ignites his lightsaber on instinct, staring down the figure. It's – it's jarring to see Qui-Gon again after so many years and he's instantly hit with a rush of emotions he hasn't felt towards him in years. But – this doesn't make any sense. Qui-Gon is dead. How is he standing right here?

"Master Qui-Gon? How are you here?" he asks, warily.

"I am here because you are here," he replies, as cryptic as ever. And it's just so Qui-Gon that after a moment Obi-Wan extinguishes his blade, against his better judgment.

"I don't understand. What is this place?"

"Unlike any other," he responds, "A conduit through which the Force of the universe flows."

"Are we in danger?" he inquires. Obi-Wan doesn't know how this is happening, but nothing about this planet makes sense.

"This planet is both an amplifier and a magnet. There are those here who seek the true Chosen One."

Obi-Wan frowns. "What do you mean 'the true Chosen One'?" The Son's words ring through his head again. Something very strange is going on.

"I believed the girl to be the Chosen One," Qui-Gon replies, "But this may not be so."

What? "What do you mean?" he asks again, even more confused. True, the Council has had questions about that, but... they've always accepted it. This is why he trained her in the first place, after all.

"They will discover here which of them is truly the Chosen One," Qui-Gon replies.

Wait, what does he mean by 'them'? There's no way he's talking about one of the Ones, which means... does he mean Ahsoka and Anakin?

"With their power, this is a very dangerous place for them to be," Qui-Gon adds before he disappears, and Obi-Wan jolts awake again, back to the cave to see Anakin at his side.

Qui-Gon's words are... unsettling. He'd wondered about Anakin before, even if not consciously. He's never seen a Padawan so skilled, who advances so quickly, even if he has his share of... teenage issues. He's far easier to handle than Ahsoka, but whatever they do, they need to get off this planet as soon as possible. He doesn't know what Qui-Gon – whether it was really him or not – means this place is dangerous, but he won't stick around to question it. It's obvious enough already, with a being who seems to be practically an embodiment of the Dark Side lurking in the shadows.

**w**

Ahsoka sprints through the darkness, ducking out of the way as lightning strikes a tree right next to her, splitting it in two. A deafening crash of thunder rings out, and it would make her montrals ache if she wasn't so used to explosions by this point. She's already drenched in rain, and she's long since lost track of where the Daughter went.

She's only trying to follow the Force now – or actually, she's trying to make it to the towering structure in the distance, whatever it is. It's probably where the Daughter went, but if nothing else, at least it's a good place to take shelter.

She finally reaches the base of the tower and starts climbing up its side. Seriously. These people should have better methods of getting inside. Ignoring that she's tracking water everywhere, Ahsoka sprints inside, stopping abruptly at the sight of the tall man with a long white beard, clothed in aqua, sitting in a throne-like chair at the front of the main room. His eyes are closed, and she can feel the Force swirling around him, a strange mixture of both dark and light that flows in a way she's never felt before.

She's tempted to interrupt his meditation, but that... will probably not get a good response, so she crosses her arms, and stands there, waiting. Finally, his eyes open. She ignores how it's slightly unnerving now that he's staring down at her. "Welcome, my friend."

"Who are you?" she demands, "What do you want?"

"I am the Father," he replies, "You are here so I may learn the truth about who the Chosen One truly is."

What? She frowns. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Word reached me that the Chosen One has been found, but I needed to see if it was really true."

"That's... who I am," she says, slowly. Or so she's always been told. She's supposed to bring balance to the Force, and while she doesn't know what that means, she knows undeniably there is something... special about her.

"Are you?" he asks, "I'd very much like to know. Pass one test and I shall know the truth. Then, you and your friends may leave."

"What test?" she asks, suspiciously.

"We will speak of this in the morning. You are my guest for the night."

...okay. "But who are you?" she presses, as he escorts to her a bedroom at the end of a hall.

"We can take many forms. The shapes we embody are merely a reflection of the life force around us. My children and I can manipulate the Force like no other. Therefore, it was necessary to withdraw from the temporal world and live here as a sanctuary."

"...as a sanctuary?"

"And a prison. You cannot imagine what pain it is to have such love for your children and realize they could tear apart the fabric of the universe."

This is a million kinds of weird, and she's never seen anything so strange before. She's never felt the Force so strongly in her life, either. "How could they do that?" she asks, warily.

"Because of their extreme power," he explains, "It is only here that I can control them. A family in balance. The light and the dark. Day with night. Destruction replaced by creation." He stops in the doorway to the room, and she enters, looking around. "You can stay here for tonight," he tells her before leaving.

She moves to the bed, sitting down on the edge. Somehow, the thought of going to sleep here puts her even more on edge than it does on the battlefield. Out there, she knows what to expect. Here, she doesn't. This place doesn't make sense. But... she got all the answers she's going to be getting for the night. She'll have to wait for the test in the morning to see if she's the Chosen One – whatever such a test might involve. She can't shake the lingering anxiety as she finally falls asleep.

Something dark and cold fills the air, and Ahsoka jolts awake with a start, instinctively reaching for her lightsaber as she sits up. In the far corner of the room. A dark robed figure stands in the corner of the room, a mask over the being's face so she can't tell who it is. It's too dark to make out any features beyond that at all, except that the figure is a little taller than her.

"Who are you?" Ahsoka demands, standing. This place really is a million kinds of weird, and apparently the people have no common decency when it comes to sneaking into other people's rooms in the middle of the night!

The figure only laughs, the sound dark and sinister. It sounds like the person might be female, but it's muffled and warped by the mask enough that she can't really tell. "You will fail," she hisses – yes, it's definitely a female. The voice seems familiar, but it's too warped to identify.

"What are you talking about?" she demands, taking a step closer, hand closing over the hilt of her lightsaber.

"You are too afraid to embrace the power you need," she mocks.

"What power?" Ahsoka snaps, but now that she thinks of it, the figure feels strongly of the Dark Side.

"Until you embrace it, you will never break your chains," she retorts, "You will always kneel to those who are not too afraid to use it." Something about the way she says it sends a jolt of fear running through Ahsoka, and she hates it. She shouldn't be afraid of anything.

"I'm not in chains," she retaliates, "I always do what I have to."

"Do you?" the figure sneers, "Or are you too afraid to become like me? Embrace the true nature of the Force." The words shouldn't affect her so much. She doesn't even know who this person is.

"You're a Sith!" Ahsoka accuses, igniting her blade. And just like that, the figure vanishes into nothing.

She jerks awake, heart pounding. What was that? She has no idea, but the words won't stop ringing in her head. They need to get out of this place. It's messing with her mind, and she doesn't like it. The storm is still raging outside so she can't go anywhere. Fiiine. When morning comes, it won't be too soon.

**w**

A nearly unbearable sense of dread hangs in the air, and all Anakin knows is that he needs to run. They need to get out of here. Steadily growing panic grips him, throwing him to motion as he takes off down the Temple halls. He doesn't recognize this particular area, but it doesn't matter. All he knows is that he needs to get out.

He rounds another corner, slamming to abrupt stop at the bodies lying all over the floor. There's dead Jedi everywhere, and clones scattered between them. No, no, no – They can't all be dead! He can't be the last one – Most of them have been hit with multiple blaster shots, though he thinks some, especially the clones, have been stabbed with a lightsaber.

Anakin awakens, heart racing. He can still hear the echoes of screams in the Force, and smell the smoke from the occasional badly damaged, burning wall... Or maybe it's just the smoke from the going out campfire that he smells.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan asks, hovering over him with a frown. "Are you alright?"

He draws in a shaky breath, trying to let go of the fear smothering him though he doesn't even know why he's so scared. It felt like – like he was the last one left, and that makes no sense. Did the Separatists and Sith win? It's the only thing that could explain all the dead Jedi and clones. But why weren't there any destroyed droids there? It was a vision, though, and they don't always make full sense.

"Yeah," he mutters, breathing in and out a few more times as he pushes himself up, "I just – The storm is over!"

Golden sunlight illuminates the entrance of the cave, a clear indication that it's morning. He tries to shake the disturbing image from mind, but he can't. He doesn't think he'll ever be able to unsee it, and maybe he should tell Obi-Wan about it, but when he opens his mouth, the words won't even come out. He doesn't know how. Maybe when he's not still so scared – though he doesn't why he's so scared – it will be easier to talk about.

"Yes, it is," Obi-Wan agrees, heading for the entrance. They step outside into the fresh morning. As the sun slowly rises in the sky, the formerly dead plants are all regenerating, like it's spring now.

It reminds him again – not that he's been able to focus on anything else for even a moment – how bright the Force is here. It almost feels like he's going to disappear into it if he loses focus for even a moment. But surprisingly he still feels more refreshed waking up than he has in a while. "Maybe we can try calling Ahsoka –"

A shadow suddenly falls over them, and his gaze snaps up to the sky, right as the enormous dark bird the Son had turned into the night before comes swooping down straight for them. They instantly reach for their lightsabers, but he moves faster, kicking Obi-Wan aside, and grabbing Anakin in his claws, then streaks into the air again.

He yelps in surprise, struggling in vain to pull free. It's holding his arms too tightly, so he can't reach his weapon either. "Where are you taking me?" he demands sharply, though he knows who's in control of the situation here.

The bird ignores him – if it can even talk in that form at all – and continues flying towards a strange structure in the distance. And the closer he gets, the stronger he can feel the Dark Side.

This is very, very bad.

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