Chapter Text
Anakin breathes in, and lets the Darkness fill and swirl through his body like the air in his lungs. There’s a certain comforting familiarity to it by now. It is, after all, his favorite relic from childhood.
“I will show you this secret, Anakin. Just as Qui-Gon showed me. And when you’ve learned it, when you’ve made it truly your own, you’ll never again have any Masters but the ones of your choosing.”
He breathes out, and lets the Darkness slide comfortably under the shields of Light, just as he’s always been taught. Layers upon layers interweaving and concealing, nothing showing but what he wills.
“The line of Bane are fools, just like the Jedi. They think you can only touch one aspect of the Force, as though the Force contains any such artificial separations. The true Sith, though, we’ve always known better that to accept any limits but those the Force itself gives to us. It’s why we’re strong, Anakin. It’s why we’ve survived.”
And now, even here, in the very heart of the Jedi Temple, no one suspects what lies beneath the surface. After all, Master Kenobi and Knight Skywalker are true servants of the Light, are they not? Anyone with an ounce of Force sensitivity can see that.
“And they never think to look any further. We can make a home for ourselves in the very sanctuary of our enemies, and they will welcome us with open arms. Their resources can be our resources, their strongholds our strongholds. And of course, we can make their children ours as well.”
Anakin smiles at that. His Master had always been a firm believer in efficiency. After all, why go to the effort of training up an Apprentice from scratch when there are so many strong and willing Initiates who, with only a little guidance, would readily choose to follow their path? And it makes it so much easier to keep their line hidden across the centuries.
“Though of course, it was far more than worth it to make an exception for you. Even then, you shone in the Force like nothing I’ve ever seen. Qui-Gon wanted you for his own, of course, and I was never one to deny him anything. I only wish we had not let ourselves become so distracted in the process. We should have been able to see Bane’s rabble coming, before they had a chance to get anywhere near us.”
Privately, Anakin is not so sure. Qui-Gon may have been the one who showed Anakin’s Master their true path, but from what Anakin has been told, that fool Dooku had taken up far too much of Qui-Gon’s time in his younger days for the lessons from his true Master to take proper root. Qui-Gon may have known the path of the Sith, but he had never truly lived it the way Obi-Wan had. It might well be that, even without the Anakin’s presence, Qui-Gon wouldn’t seen Sidious’ mockery of an Apprentice coming until it was too late.
“But we’ll have our vengeance for that soon enough. Already that bastard Sidious stalks around you like a predator stalks its prey. He thinks he’s going to twist you and make you another of his mindless little ‘students’. But we’ll show him differently, won’t we Anakin?”
Anakin licks his lips at the memory. His Master is never more beautiful than when he lets the rage show through to the surface. It’s such a rare, precious sight.
“He won’t be able to resist you. And when he makes his move, the Jedi will indeed fall, and then I’ll be waiting for him. I will see to it that the line of Bane ends once and for all. And you, of course, will be ready to pick up the pieces and carry on our line in my place.”
Now that, of course, is the one part of his Master’s plan that is completely unacceptable, though Anakin knows better than to try and argue with him on it. Oh, he’s fully in support of tearing down this filthy Republic, and the Jedi Order with it. Already, he and his Master have laid the groundwork for what will come after. His brilliant, precious Padmé will make a wonderful Empress, and at her side Anakin will reshape the galaxy to their will. But he has no intention of letting Obi-Wan die to see the plan realized. And so, Anakin has made his own preparations. They will have their victory, but on Anakin’s terms, not on Obi-Wan’s.
“It won’t be long now, Anakin. Soon, the revenge of the Sith will be complete.”
Yes, it will indeed. And when it is over, Anakin will have everything he desires; his beloved wife on the throne, his beautiful Master in their bed and at their side, and all the galaxy laid out at their feet.
“I’m so proud of you, Anakin. I know you won’t fail me.”
No Master. We shall have our vengeance, and all else that we desire besides.
You’ll see.