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The amount of heat and humidity in the air was almost unbearable. If it were not for the occasional wind coming from the blackened mountains, it would be impossible to stay outside. Lava rivers dominated most of the natural landscape, overshadowed only by man-made structures that hovered above them, protected by shields to keep the architecture intact. There was no sunlight to be found. Night seemed eternal. Everything about the planet carried a deep sense of dread, and deep-rooted agony.
In the distance, the sound of lightsabers clashing echoed. While it was clear to any who could see that they were both fighting, those who were attuned to the Force and its surroundings knew that this was beyond any normal battle.
A Jedi and a Sith - light versus dark, good versus evil. This was a duel.
A duel to decide the fate of the galaxy.
Osha woke up in a cold sweat, her heart racing faster than a starship engine at full power. She sat up, hugging the bed sheets close to her body. Her mind was scrambled from what she had just foreseen. Was it a warning? A prophecy? Or just nothing more than a simple nightmare?
"What's wrong?"
The former Jedi turned to look at Qimir, who appeared to have been observing her for some time. "I...I saw something."
"Describe it." He sat up, and looked at her expectantly.
She nodded, and tried to get her bearings. Whatever she had just experienced had felt so real that it was as if she had been transported directly into someone else's shoes. Osha gently touched the side of her face, still feeling the hot air from the planet, which she was starting to realize had been Mustafar.
"Take your time," he said, in a voice that was reassuring yet somewhat impatient.
"Well..." Osha hesitated. Why couldn't she tell him? What was holding her back?
"Osha." Qimir gently took her hands in his own. "You know you can trust me."
"I know," she replied quickly. "I - I just...This felt different than anything I'd ever seen."
He nodded. "Keep going."
The apprentice took a deep breath, and then began to relay the experience to him, the words suddenly spilling out of her mouth at a rate she hadn't been able to speak at since she had last been alone with her sister.
The Sith processed this, closing his eyes and humming thoughtfully. "It sounds like you had a strong glimpse into the future."
"A strong glimpse? What the hell does that mean --"
" -- It means that we're on the right track," Qimir interjected, sounding a bit too excited. "This has a lot to do with the Prophecy."
"The what?" she asked, feeling a bit frustrated. Even though they had grown closer, there were some things he still had held back. "Look, Qimir, did I or did I not see the future?"
"You did." He gently squeezed her hands before looking directly into her eyes. "And we need to make sure it happens."
"I kept this from you so you could have the life you'd always dreamed of."
The other Force user approached them, holding onto a lightsaber tightly.
"I did everything because I love -"
Master Sol couldn't speak anymore. He looked at the person across from him in utter shock. He started to gasp for air. He reached for his throat and tried to use the Force to bring his breath back, but it was no use.
The sensation got tighter. He could see their hand tightening, and as it shrank he could feel his life escaping from his body.
"Stop talking," the figure hissed angrily.
A tear ran down his face as he desperately tried to speak.
The kyber crystal inside of the lightsaber that they were holding began to turn from blue to red, bleeding quickly.
He finally managed to choke out their name. The words came out like a final plea. The amount of agony and heartbreak was incredibly palpable.
Even so, it didn't matter to them anymore. Sol had lied to them about their entire life. That kind of betrayal was unforgivable.
Their anger was now white hot, burning through their heart and soul, untethered and unstoppable.
Their hand quickly clenched into a fist.
Master Sol collapsed onto the ground, his now lifeless body hitting the ground with a loud thud.
The Dark Side had gained a powerful new ally.
Anakin jolted awake, his heartbeat hammering in his ears. He tried to slow his breathing, and felt his robotic hand twitch out of discomfort. While he hadn't been able to see most of the faces in the vision he had experienced, there was one he had recognized -- Master Sol.
He didn't have much knowledge on the Jedi Master, just what little he had read about in the Archives along with bits and pieces that both Obi-Wan and (surprisingly) Yoda had disclosed, but he knew that there had to be more to who had killed him. The look he had seen in the old Jedi's eyes had given that away. It had been a look of betrayal and agony.
A brief and horrifying thought crossed his mind.
What if I did that to Obi-Wan?
Skywalker frantically shook his head, trying to physically knock the intrusive concept out of his brain. No. There was absolutely zero percent chance of that happening. He and Obi-Wan were like brothers. That was never going to change.
"Ani?"
The Jedi Knight turned, and felt his body relax slightly when he saw his partner Lyrei next to him. "Yes?"
"Are you alright? I sensed that you were upset."
Anakin nodded, and moved closer to her. "I had another nightmare."
"Again?" She frowned, her face full of concern. "Maybe you should talk to Master Yoda about them -"
" - No," he interrupted, his tone slightly angry, "I will not talk to him. He's always so dismissive of what I feel." He paused for a moment, and then looked into her eyes. "The only person I trust with any of this is you." Looking at her immediately melted away any negative feelings that had started to bubble up.
She nodded, and gently rubbed his back. "Then tell me about it. I want to help."
"Do you remember what they taught us about the Jedi from a hundred years ago?" Anakin asked softly, turning his gaze out the window of Lyrei's room. The night skyline of Coruscant put him even more at ease. "They found a girl who had been raised by the Witches of Brendok and was able to use the Force."
"It rings a bell," Lyrei nodded, slowly leaning her head against his shoulder. "They wouldn't ever elaborate on what happened to her afterwards." Remembering that detail unsettled her a little bit.
"I think she turned to the Dark Side." He tilted his head slightly to watch some of the traffic go by. "That's why they wouldn't tell us anything more."
The other Jedi Knight frowned, and looked up at her other half. "What makes you say that?"
"I think she's who I saw in my vision of Master Sol being killed." Anakin turned to look down at her as she gently touched his robotic arm. "The Force is trying to tell me about something."
"Whatever it's trying to say, I'm sure we can stop it from happening."
"I hope you're right."
"You cannot change fate, Anakin, but I admire your determination."
He frowned. That was not the answer he had been looking for. "With all due respect, Chancellor, I would prefer if I could stop what I saw."
"And what did you see?" Palpatine inquired, hoping that his curiosity wouldn't give himself away.
Anakin took a deep breath. "I - saw a horrible truth, but...it was from the past. I believe it to be a warning about the future."
At the notion of this, Sheev turned his full and undivided attention to the Jedi Knight. "Is that so?"
"Yes." He fidgeted with his hands for a moment. "I think it has to do with the Prophecy."
"The Prophecy." The Chancellor let this thought simmer. "That has always put a great deal of pressure on you, Anakin."
"It has, but if I am to be the one to bring balance to the Force, then I need to have it at the forefront of my mind at all times."
Palpatine tutted. "That is no way to live your life. You should be able to enjoy things, revel in them!" He got up and looked out the window at the Jedi Temple across the way from his office, crossing his arms behind his back. "Those of us with a greater responsibility would do well to remember that we are still functional beings with wants and needs."
Anakin smiled a little. He always appreciated that the Chancellor was able to understand him better than most of the Jedi. "I...guess you're right."
"Of course I'm right!" He turned on his heel to face the younger man. "But if this truly is troubling you, Anakin, then you know I am always willing to listen."
"Well, I - I wouldn't want to keep you from your duties, sir --"
" -- Son, I believe that your problems are far more important than the Senators who like to come into my office and whinge and moan about petty things such as taxes." Sheev chuckled softly. "You are not keeping me from anything." He gestured to the chair across from his desk. "Please, sit."
Skywalker took a seat, and fidgeted for a moment, trying to get a comfortable position. The vision had been bothering him for some time, and he didn't want to bother Lyrei any more than he already had with it. She had enough to worry about as it was.
"Anakin -"
" - I believe that someone will try to kill me and disrupt the balance of the Force."
Palpatine's eyes grew wide. "Well, that certainly isn't out of the question, but...what did you see, exactly?"
As Anakin began to explain everything, from the truth about Master Sol to the discomfort he had been feeling in the Order, the Sith Lord began to formulate a plan in his mind. If Dooku failed him, he could sway young Skywalker to his side. Everything would be in his benefit.
"Chancellor?"
"My apologies, Anakin, I was simply mulling over what you told me."
He nodded, and sat up straighter in his seat. "What should I do?"
The Chancellor leaned forward, looking the Jedi Knight directly in the eyes. "I believe you need to take matters into your own hands."
Anakin looked at him in surprise. "But...there is no way the Council would let me do that. They don't want us to give in to fear."
"Fear is a natural part of life," Sheev replied matter-of-factly. "Choosing to ignore it is foolish."
"Are you saying the Jedi are foolish?"
"Anakin..." He put a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "you are of no use to anyone - especially yourself - if you decide to bottle up your feelings."
The Jedi looked down at his feet and swallowed nervously. He had a point. He just wasn't sure what to do with himself. He knew that if he felt too much, he could easily fall down the path of the Dark Side.
"They need you, son. Without you, they are in grave danger."