Chapter 2

      Anakin stirred, unwanted dreams echoing in his mind, ones that hadn't stopped in five years. A familiar face haunted them all, the same every time. Sometimes it came as a nightmare, sometimes in a soothing, calming way. As if he needed to be pacified, to reduce his fears.
     This time, the face who had been a friend seemed to taunt him, to torment him. Her eyes glowed with happiness, yet sorrow, and desperation. That she needed his help. And at the same time, she gazed at him with joy, more than he had ever seen her. Other than in his dreams, of course.
     Gasping, Anakin sat up, his eyes wide open, images of Padme still filtering through his mind. He had to remind himself multiple times that it had only been a dream, that she was alright. She was in the running to be the next senator, and he was certain that she would win.
     "You alright?" Seth sat on the floor, leaning against the side of his bed. A beam of sunlight lit up half his face, which glowed dully with memory of the family he hadn't seen in so long. Most of his thoughts dwelled upon his brother. Had it only been now. I would have been able to save him, he had wailed over and over in his head earlier.
     "Oh, uh, yeah," Anakin stammered, unnerved that Seth had seen him at particularly one of his weaker moments. "Uh, tell me, how long have you been up?"
     "Me? Not very long," Seth replied casually, but clearly lying.
     Anakin looked relieved. "So you didn't see anything right?"
     A faint smile curled Seth's lips. "If by anything, you mean the gasping, twisting and turning, the saying 'no', the constant reminder of the name of the next senator, then no, I did not." He watched for Anakin's reaction.
    The glare that had settled on his face since the moment Seth had met him, reappeared on Anakin, who was waking up. He didn't say anything, just stared at Seth furiously. Finally, before getting out of his bed, he muttered, "Get ready. We need to go."
     Anakin leaned against the wall and stared at Seth, who was still getting his cloak on. "You look much better," he commented.
     Looking up at Anakin, Seth slide his left arm into the sleeve. "What?"
     "I mean, the burn marks on you. I can hardly see them anymore."
     Seth looked surprised. "Oh, well I feel much better, too."
     Forgetting his hatred for the boy, Anakin smiled. "I can tell that. How did you learn to fight so well? You would have finished me if it was real, for sure."
      Seth turned his head away, remembering his days training with Paedon. "Six years of training with Paedon, I guess. He taught me everything I know."
     "Paedon was a great fighter," Anakin agreed. "Obi-Wan has tested me many times against him." He looked around, silently, as none of them spoke. Suddenly, he jerked up and said, "We'd better get going. Obi-Wan isn't happy if we're late. Don't be surprised if I get lectured."

Seth winced as Anakin hit the ground, gasping for air. "Battle training," Obi-Wan had said when they got out of the room and asked him what their assignment would be.
     "It's not only the lightsaber you need to worry about, Anakin. How many times have I told you that?" Obi-Wan asked, clearly exasperated.
     Anakin stood up shakily. "S-sorry Master." Slowly, he walked over to Seth, his arm covering his chest. "You turn," he rasped, half mockingly. Then he sat down and closed his eyes, waiting for the ebb of the pain to dissolve. Instead, he felt another strong force of pressure thrust him backwards. When he sat up again, he glared at Obi-Wan, who had his hand out towards him.
     "Focus, Anakin," his mentor warned.
     At that, Seth couldn't resist a smile. He ignored the shooting glares coming from Anakin as he doubled over in pain.
     Obi-Wan casually strode towards Anakin and helped him up. "Sorry Anakin," he said, amused. "Though I'm surprised you weren't expecting that." His eyes glinted with mischief.
     Anakin looked up at Obi-Wan, and although he stared at him furiously, a hint of laughter crept into his voice. "Oh, no, Master, you're just too unpredictable for me."

     A glint of blue light ignited the eerie night sky. No greenery stood out in the moonlight, only large, looming shapes. Rocks and caves were all to be seen.
     "Well, Anakin, which cave do you say we should enter?" Obi-Wan asked. When he heard no answer, he turned to look at his apprentice.
      They both stopped, And Anakin's gaze seemed to be fixed on a not too large hole in the ground. "That one," he murmured, felling the gravitational pull of the Force. It seemed almost as if it were calling him.
      "Yes...I feel it too," Obi-Wan replied softly. Then, before plunging himself in, he muttered, "I have a bad feeling about this."
     Anakin landed right on top of Obi-Wan. "Oh, sorry," he apologized quickly and got off before Obi-Wan could shove him. Then he scanned his surroundings. It was black. Everywhere. "So which way, Master?" he asked, smiling.
     But Obi-Wan was not in a mood for jokes. "You must be careful, Anakin. This one is much more dangerous than any of the Sith we have encountered before. He possesses something that I don't know if we can withstand."
     "What is it, Master?"
     Obi-Wan shook his head. "I don't know," he muttered. "But you must feel it too?"
     A shiver ran down Anakin's spine. He couldn't see at all in the cave, and he was using only the power of the Force to guide him. And he was following Obi-Wan.
     But unlike his usual self, he felt uncertain, and nervous. He only barely heard Obi-Wan  murmur, "Stay close to me, Anakin. This is a dangerous place."
     Obi-Wan could feel Anakin's fear and discomfort. His apprentice's strong sense of the Force seemed to be slowly fading away. It wouldn't do any good if Anakin lost the ability completely while they were there. He had always been very connected with the Force.
      He heard a stumble behind him.
     "M-master!" Anakin gasped. "I can't tell-I can't feel-"
     "Quiet, Anakin. We'll be found." Obi-Wan waited until Anakin calmed down before continuing on, all the while feeling the dread of the actual opponent rise. When all was utterly silent, he finally asked, "You've lost all awareness, then?" When he heard no response, he realized that Anakin was trying to strengthen his mind.
     Finally, Anakin calmly replied, but obviously panicking. "Master, I cannot feel the Force. I cannot tell anything right now. I feel...almost vulnerable."
     "I feel it too," Obi-Wan mused. "But you must try to connect yourself again. Or it will be futile to continue any further."
     "I know, Master."
     "Come, we should hurry."
     The two walked on slowly, deeper into the cave. Suddenly a luminous light brightened the area, and many creatures, armed, stood around Obi-Wan and Anakin.
     At the sight of the danger, Anakin could slowly feel his strength returning back to him. But it wasn't enough. He still couldn't tell what was behind him or hidden from him. He took a step closer to Obi-Wan.
     "Afraid, Jedi?" a sinister voice cackled from the hidden corner of the cave.
     "Never," Anakin snarled back.
     "Then come and face me," the Sith hissed.
     Anakin's eyes flew to Obi-Wan, who shook his head discreetly. Anakin just shrugged and announced confidently, "Fine. First you must show yourself to me."
     He heard a defeated sigh from Obi-Wan as he waited. Suddenly, more awareness returned to him and he felt  movement behind him. Before he could turn around, a heat far worse than anything he had felt began to build up on his back. He sank to his knees in pain, then collapsed.
     Obi-Wan's gaze flickered back and forth from  the unconscious Anakin and the Sith Lord. The Sith, all covered up in a suit and a mask, was holding something sharp.
     "You're no match for me," the Sith said. "As you can see, this here is very powerful." He held up the sharp object, which was now dripping with blood, and looked at it. When he looked up again, he stated, "It's poisoned. He will die soon enough." The Sith looked at Anakin with an expression of disdain.
     "I doubt that," Obi-Wan replied smugly, but he was uncertain for what to expect and worry flashed through his mind once before pulling his lightsaber out.

      Obi-Wan dodged out of the way as the Sith lunged at him, now two red lightsabers out. He spun around fast and parried the next blow which was aimed for his midsection, then twirled his sword to confuse the Sith. Obi-Wan stepped forward and aimed right by the Sith's head, who ducked and jumped to a ledge in the cave.

      “Coward,” Obi-Wan accused, hoping to get the Sith back down so he wouldn't have to go up. And they needed to finish this fast if he was going to help Anakin.

      Obi-Wan barely moved out of the way in time; a lightsaber crashed down right where he was just standing. He jumped over the Sith and tried to push him backwards using the Force. The Sith just swung his lightsaber at Obi-Wan , who, again, had to move out of the way.

      Anakin groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He couldn't feel his back, but when he put his hand there, it was wet. His eyes locked on Obi-Wan, who was pressed against the wall by the Force of the Sith. The Sith was advancing towards him, Obi-Wan's lightsaber in his left hand, and using the Force with the right. It was obvious Obi-Wan wasn't getting out of it.

     “No!” he shouted and jumped over the Sith. By the time he turned around, the Sith had put the lightsaber away and had his left arm out toward Anakin. Then he felt his throat tightening and couldn't breathe anymore. Anakin's lightsaber clattered to the ground. Seeing his chance, he kicked it close to Obi-Wan.

      Obi-wan used the Force to get it, and feeling the pressure less strong on him now that the Sith was distracted, he rushed forward and attacked him. The Sith immediately let go of Anakin, who crumpled to the ground, gasping for air.

      The Sith turned around and ran to his ship, which was just outside the cave. Obi-Wan chased after him, but before he could do anything, the ship was lifting off into the air. Then he hurried back to Anakin, picking him up and holding him over his shoulder.
      Seth rushed out of the ship once he saw Obi-Wan carrying Anakin. "What happened?"
     "We need to get him to a medical center. Immediately," was all Obi-Wan said.
     "Yes, Master Obi-Wan." Seth went to the controls of the ship and waited for Obi-Wan.


"Good, good," a voice hissed from the dark corridor sealing all opportunities of escape. "You have fought well, my apprentice."
     "Thank you, my Lord," the shadows seemed to whisper back. "I believe I have also killed the boy. There is no way he could have been saved."
     The markings of a face began to twist in anger. "You did what?" it screeched."Lord Swatar, this boy is vital in our quest for sovereignty!"
     Darth Swatar stepped into a shaft of moonlight, revealing his suit and mask covered face. His voice changed suddenly, becoming robotic and anonymous. "I am sorry, Lord Sidious. I will not fail you again."
     "Never mind," Darth Sidious snapped back. "I will see to it myself that Anakin Skywalker shall not die."
     "Yes, my Lord," the apprentice nodded once he had stepped back into the shadows, his voice once more like a girl's whisper.

"Good, Seth, good," Obi-Wan commented on Seth's perseverance in improving the ability to use the Force. He had noticed right away when he first saw Seth his problem. Seth wouldn't ever attune to the Force except when he was fighting, which was why he was so fast. He needed to balance his talent.
     Obi-Wan didn't think Anakin should know about this, just yet. As much as he disliked to admit it, his apprentice was too unpredictable, and too confused about himself. The boy was untrustworthy. And since he disliked Seth, it was too risky to find out if he would use Seth's weakness against him.
     Fortunately, Anakin was doing okay. He'd wanted to join the training today, but on Obi-Wan's word he hadn't. Anakin looked too weak and Obi-Wan didn't want him to hurt himself.
     "Alright Seth. You may leave now," Obi-Wan told his new apprentice.
     Seth stood up shakily. "Yes, Master Obi-Wan," he replied. Uncertainly, he added, "Should I get Anakin?"
     Thoughtful for a moment, Obi-Wan hesitated. Finally he answered, "Yes. Yes, get him. I don't think he would be easy to manage if he doesn't get what he wants," Obi-Wan added with a hint of a smile.
     "Yes, Master Obi-Wan." Seth dipped his head and left the room.

     Anakin was meditating. Pain still surged through his veins, even though he had recovered, and he was focusing on disintegrating all physical feelings and only having the Force. He didn't notice when the dorr creaked open.
     "Anakin."
      He snapped his eyes open and turned to Seth.
     "Uh, Obi-Wan wants you," Seth told him, almost unnerved by the speed in which Anakin looked at him. Surprisingly, Anakin didn't reply, only nodded in acknowledgment. Then he got up and walked out.
     Anakin quickly walked to the room in which Obi-Wan awaited him, all the pain he had forgotten slowly returning to him. He felt his steps slow.
     When Anakin walked in, Obi-Wan noticed his state. He walked straight, tall, and confident, but Obi-Wan knew his apprentice well enough to realize that Anakin was masking his pain, judging from the look on his face.
     "Hello, Anakin," he greeted. "Are you alright?" he asked, when Anakin just stiffly nodded. 
     "Yes."
     Anakin's eyes met his. They looked challenging, almost as if he were daring Obi-Wan to consider him weak.
     Obi-Wan sighed. "Anakin, you-"
     The Padawan cut him off. "Don't give me another lecture, Master. Not another one about how if I would just listen to you, I wouldn't get hurt."
     His mentor grinned. "Oh, you know me too well," he joked.
     Anakin couldn't resist a smile. He walked over to Obi-Wan. "Have there been any news of Darth Swatar?"
     Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, not yet. But depending on the circumstances, we may have to track down Viceroy Gunray's whereabouts. There have been rumors that he is up to something."
     The apprentice looked thoughtful, the expression on his face morphing into confusion for just a moment. Then he nodded.  "Master, may I ask you something?" After a nod from Obi-Wan, Anakin continued. "I can sense something is wrong. That something is being hidden from me." He was about to continue, but from the look on his mentor's face, he kept quiet.
     For a few moments, Obi-Wan was silent. Finally, he looked Anakin squarely in his eyes. "This has nothing to do with you," he responded curtly.