Chapter Seven Disclaimers: Valkorion and the Sith Temple comes from Bioware's "Star Wars: The Old Republic." Queen Grimhilde | Evil Queen comes from Disney's, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader comes from George Lucas and Disney's "Star Wars." My self-insert is me.

Chapter Seven Songs: "Anakin's Theme" – Ahsoka TV show. Taylor Swift's song, "Look What You Made Me Do."

Chapter Seven Inspired TV Show, Episode: Star Wars' "Ahsoka", Season 1 Episode 5 "Shadow Warrior."

Chapter Seven Summary: Aria meets Anakin Skywalker's Force Ghost within the Sith Temple. Anakin begins retraining Aria how to fight using a lightsaber. A new journey opens up for Anakin and Aria, cluing Aria in on the damage she did when she reset everything, as well as new information on who started the Alternate Timelines.

Another tricky chapter to write, but it makes sense given the interaction between my self-insert and Anakin. :) I took the conversations and actions between my self-insert and Anakin in chunks, as that's what this chapter wanted to do between my self-insert and Anakin. :)

Hopefully, this chapter works. :) As I said in the previous chapter, this chapter was written and rewritten at the same time as the last chapter. :) So, here's hoping they flow well. :)

That said, enjoy. :)

Chapter Seven:

The Trials

Confusion set upon Aria. The next three or four days were nothing but confusing. Her dreams, her morning dreams, were all trying to give her pep talks. Just what was going on here? She didn't understand. She thought her world was ending. What was going on?

"Are you awake yet?" Queen Grimhilde said, transforming from her elderly peddler woman form to a middle-aged woman wearing a gossamer purple and jet-black gown. She looked at herself in a small hand mirror, enjoying her appearance. She smirked, facing Aria. "You'll never understand. Not like this. Don't you know what ego deaths are for?"

Aria shrugged, confusion on her face. "No. The Self takes care of that, right?"

Queen Grimhilde shrugged, cackling. "You still have a lot to learn, girl. Surely, the Self isn't the only cause behind it." She asked, curiously, "Tell me, how did you suffer like that for so long? It couldn't be natural. Find the trauma, and then you will see."

"Trauma… what?" Aria asked, realization striking her. Oh! Her being forced to love Samwise Gamgee. That's what triggered her ego death? Here, she thought it was something else! Her ego being at peace, instead of trauma. How?

Peace overwhelmed Aria, but there was still confusion. She wasn't sure she could trust Queen Grimhilde. And yet, why would trauma be behind ego deaths?

"Here! This may change your mind," Queen Grimhilde said, passing to Aria a datapad. She smirked, walking out of Aria's room, "Good luck."

Aria read through what was written on the datapad. Then it made sense. Peace came to Aria, the confusion leaving her. So, it was trauma that started it. Sam, and then Frodo, triggered her ego death and her inner child death. Her inner child was still numb from the experience. How could she face Frodo and Sam now? Could she even face Queen Grimhilde, after hearing all of this?

Peace once more reigned in Aria's heart. Yes, she understood. She understood everything. And yet, her heart was still numb. Her inner child numb. Did she literally go through a transformation? No wonder she had an ego death! Her old self was leaving her, now her new self taking over.

Aria sighed, feeling more at peace, much better than she had been. Yes, she was ready to leave the Sith Temple. She was ready to go home, to find Frodo, and somehow, things would turn out all right. At least, that was the furthest on her mind.

Was this really the end of her journey? She did all of that in a span of over five years, all within the Sith Temple. She wanted to go home, home seemed right to her. Why should she stay here? She was human, wasn't she?

Aria wasted no time going to the refresher, doing her business, and washing her hands, as well as drying her hands with a fresh, clean white and blue towel. Though it didn't take that long to comprehend what had happened to her, her heart was still uneasy. She couldn't explain why or how she felt this way. Only that…

…It was in this moment that something clicked in her. Her mind was recalibrating, reacting to her surroundings with a firm grip on reality. Fantasy was there, but it was clicking inside of her. She felt one with herself, and it was so uneasy. She couldn't explain it, nor put it into words how she felt. Just that it was there, guiding her now on what fantasy and reality, fiction and the real world, meant to her.

She was confused, but it was a good confusion, one that meant she was understanding and better grasping at reality, even if she couldn't see it before. So, how did fantasy and fiction fall into place? That part remained to be seen.

She just couldn't… what was that sound? It sounded like a lightsaber hum… more than one lightsaber hum, coming from out in the grand hall inside the Sith Temple.

Aria went to investigate, and came across a familiar Jedi Master wearing jet-black Jedi robes, with a black leather tabard, and tall dark brown boots. Aria recognized the rugged appearance this Jedi Master had, as well as his dark brown mullet hair, and fair facial features.

It was Anakin Skywalker. Of course it was. He looked so young, so… the same as she had last saw him in the Star Wars Prequel movies.

Just what was he doing here, now, inside this Sith Temple? He couldn't be a Force Ghost now, could he?

"Anakin," Aria exclaimed, calmly but confused. Something wasn't right. "You're here? How are you here? Didn't you die?"

Anakin smirked. He knew exactly what to say, "Well, look at you. Didn't you grow up? And in a short time. What happened to you is not my concern. What I am concerned about is how you are faring without your fighting spirit. Did you give up the fight?" He said, his hands behind his back, one of his hands covered by a long black glove, reaching out against the lower part of his arm.

Aria didn't understand. What had she missed?

"What?" Aria asked, confused. "I'm sorry, but after my awakening, my spiritual awakening, I've given up the sword. I won't fight. I won't fight anyone. That's just how it has to be. Doesn't it have to be the warrior who puts down his or her weapon and lives a peaceful life?"

Anakin shook his head as he approached her. He stopped beside her, whispering in her ear, "You have changed. You've become a pacifist. How did you get that far in life?" He walked on behind her, leaving her confused as she turned around and faced him.

"I've given up the fight. I don't fight. I can't fight you now, nor anyone! That's how it has to be!" Aria repeated, knowing she would have to do something, before it was too late.

Anakin didn't stop there. He moved his hand towards his lightsaber hilt, its silver casing enthralling him to take action. Anakin moved his hand out next to him, igniting the blue beam emitting from the hilt. He turned and faced Aria, unconvinced by her actions, "Wrong answer. You clearly don't know what you're up against. I'm here to teach you, to complete your training. Now, fight me or die."

Aria shook her head. This wasn't what she wanted. "Why are you asking this of me? What have I to offer you?" She took a few steps back, afraid of what might happen next if she fought Anakin in hand-to-hand melee combat.

Still, Anakin persisted, getting Aria to see she had a lightsaber hilt, too, that when ignited a silver beam blade emitted from the hilt. "Look. It's your favorite color, for a lightsaber." He lunged forward, blade touching blade.

Snap!

Aria took a step back. She didn't remember who she was or what she had been doing before. It was a revelation, but of what? She didn't understand.

As she looked up, Anakin rushed towards her, kicking her square on the chest and throwing her back inside a deep dark tunnel, underneath Valkorion's statue.

By the time Aria lay on the ground, stunned, she was already in another place.

.

Aria stood up, surprised she was in her twenties. It was… odd. How was she this young? She looked up and around, spotting various planets surround her. It was then she saw herself in a rippled image, resetting everything in Father Time's machine, the very same one that started this mess.

Unless it was truly Father Time's doing then. Aria didn't understand. Nor did she get it. Aria tilted her head, as a dark grey mist poured upon her from behind. She stretched forth her hand to touch the image, only to be grabbed by the wrist by Anakin, who stopped her.

"Don't touch the image!" Anakin stated, fiercely. He shrugged. "Unless you wish to be pulled back into that time, stay here in the present."

Aria huffed. "All I've been doing is staying in the present." She snarled, her hazel blue-green eyes contemplating all that she was seeing. She took a step back, staring up at all the planets recalibrating themselves. "What is this? I thought I reset everything, back at Father Time's place? I didn't expect…" she gulped, lowering her head, realizing the damage she inflicted upon everyone and everything, "…the worlds… they didn't want to be reset."

Anakin shrugged. "This wasn't you." He looked down, smirking, "You didn't start this. The Rakatan tribes did thousands of years ago, when they were terraforming the planets. They got a little out of hand, deciding to mess up the timelines as well. That's why we had the Alternate Timeline, the one you were born into, before you reverted back to your old self, now dead. You're a new you now. Surely, you knew that."

"The Rakatans started this? How?" Aria asked, but then remembered what Anakin explained. "Oh, I see. Why would they do this?"

Anakin looked at her, shrugging, "Well, the Rakata Empire was huge, the Infinite Empire as they called it. In order to find them, we must journey back to the Alternate Timelines, even if it takes us different versions to find the answer. That's where you come in. You and Frodo, and Parker Dooley, if we can find them."

Aria shook her head. "You clearly wanted me to do more than fight, didn't you?"

Anakin smirked. "One day, you will need to fight. You need to get that fighting spirit back. And to do that, we need to start with the basics. What you learned all those years ago is still in you. You can fight, I know it. You have to fight or you will die."

Aria paused.

This was the last thing she wanted. Did she have to fight him?

He was a Jedi Master, or should be. A Force Ghost, Anakin proved to be.

And Aria… she was none of those things. She was a lowly writer, a fanfic writer. She didn't know any combat, let alone combat training. Did she have that in her in a former life? Back in the Alternate Timelines? What had she missed?

Why was she here, amongst Jedi Masters, such as Anakin Skywalker? This was her dreams come true, but the reality of it was a nightmare. Why had she come here? She wasn't a fighter. She was just…

"…I don't know how… to fight… anymore," Aria spoke softly, gazing at the ripples in time. She shook her head, glancing up at Anakin with a long, lowly sigh. "I… can't do it. I can't fight. Not anymore. It's too chaotic. I can't…"

Anakin gazed at her, contemplating what was going, "…you know you have to fight me, let alone face Frodo Baggins. If you don't fight, you will lose. Then you'll succumb and be someone you are not."

Aria turned away from him, anger boiling. She shook her head. "I can't do it… not anymore."

Anakin sighed. He had much to teach her. His journey through the Force with Aria was far from over. "I guess we have to start from the beginning." He pulled out his lightsaber, much to Aria's fear and astonishment. His lightsaber glowed red.

Aria gulped. Oh no! She knew who was coming out.

It was Vader. Of course.

Aria could see Vader's red eyes from Anakin's eyes. Only… this is exactly what Aria expected Vader to be at his full potential.

Oh dear! What was she facing?

"I won't fight you! I can't…" Aria's voice faded. Something clicked inside her. Was it her fighting spirit? She knew she had to fight Anakin… she had to fight him… Anakin.

Her fighting spirit… was back? How?

Vader looked at her with curiosity in his eyes. Wicked curiosity, something to be expected. "You're back, aren't you, Aria? Good. Then you can fight me!" He struck at her, Aria turning on her lightsaber by instinct, the silver beam clashing Vader's red beam, emitting from his lightsaber.

Aria stared, frightened. How did she know how to do that?

Oh wait. All those video games she played. That was one reason, wasn't it? What else could it be?

Aria defended herself, but all she could do was hold back against Anakin's blows. He was Vader, but she saw Anakin, too. Still, she couldn't keep holding him back. She had to fight back!

All at once, Vader smacked her silver beamed lightsaber, turning it off and tossing it out of her hand with his own lightsaber. Aria wanted to move, but Vader pounced on her, the red beam from his lightsaber right close to her throat.

Aria glanced at her lightsaber. She nearly thought about reaching out with the Force to grab it, just to see if she could snag her lightsaber. She tried. She could feel the Force in her, but it was dormant.

Her powers were… dormant. Did she even have any magic? Or was it all numb?

Aria sighed, dropping her hand, even as Vader came up close to her face. Aria looked away, not knowing what she was thinking. She was in over her head. Vader was too powerful. She may have had her fighting spirit back, but there were just some foes, some enemies, let alone the heroes she loved, who were far too experienced than she was.

And she was just a beginner.

Aria glanced away as he turned off his lightsaber. She looked up at Vader as he closed his eyes, his blue eyes returning. Anakin was back and he was smiling at her.

"Why are you so happy? I lost. I lose any fight because I'm a beginner," Aria said, not enjoying herself.

Anakin nodded. "I expected as much. You are a beginner. There'll be plenty more lessons to teach you once you get out of here."

Aria looked at him, stunned. "I thought my training was over. I lost, Anakin. I lost, remember?"

"I know," Anakin said with a sigh, "I know you lost, or so it seems."

Aria shook her head, not knowing what else to do. "What does that mean?"

Anakin smirking, chuckling a little, "It means you need a guide, a teacher, and since we're back at the beginning of your lessons, due to your mind being muddled, it's time I reteach you lightsaber combat, the Force, all of it. That's why we need to go, to get out of here, before the Villains decide they want to play with you some more."

Aria looked at him with confusion in her eyes, "I don't understand. You're my teacher now? You're a Force Ghost."

"And you're still young," Anakin said, knowing what to do. "Come on. We'd better hurry."

Aria didn't get it. Was Anakin her guide? One of her spirit guides? How did this happen?

"Come on! Let's go!" Anakin said, showing her the way out.

Aria followed him down the hallway, back in the grand hall. Valkorion's statue was right behind her. She looked at herself, realizing she was in her thirties. She looked on at Anakin as he stood on the stone platform. Just as Aria joined him on the stone platform, Aria spotted two figures approach them.

Frodo Baggins and Parker Dooley. What were they doing here?

And so, the two storylines meet at the end of this chapter and the previous chapter. :)

Next chapter, we'll see if Frodo, Parker, Aria, and Anakin escape the Sith Temple.

Thanks for reading. :) More to come. :)

~Aria Breuer