Building Attachment

Chapter 33

POV: Anakin Skywalker

"You're a Sith," I hissed in disgust from across the room as my hand spared across the tiled floor in an attempt to keep my body from collapsing.

Lux deactivated the blood-red blade that had previously been pointed at my neck and smirked. "Please," he chuckled. "There is far more to the galaxy than your simple views of the Jedi and the Sith."

I lifted my head, the effort heavy on my shoulders as I surveyed the halls of the temple I once knew well enough to call home. The little light left in the room from holes in the ceiling above us reflected across one lifeless body to the next, haunting the memories of the people I once knew. I wasn't even sure I wanted to know what had happened here before Lux and the clones found us on Aqualverine and knocked my consciousness into darkness.

I felt Lux's eyes lock onto my motionless form as he took another step towards me. "I must admit Skywalker, from everything my master has told me about you, I expected so much more than this pitiful display."

I clenched my fists in anger as the weight of the dark side that surrounding everything continued to pull against me. "Where is she," I demanded in a weak voice.

"Oh?" he asked as he leaned down to my level and raised an eyebrow. "And why would you care about what happens to her? Is this a weakness I'm sensing within you?"

I should have known better than to give him something to use against me, but nothing seemed to matter more than confirming that she was alive. "Where have you taken her!"

Lux smirked before rising to his full height. "I haven't taken her anywhere," he explained smugly. "Her safety is entirely dependent on your actions so I suggest you cooperate."

Cooperating was the last thing I wanted to do as I watched him slowly pace around me as if he were holding a leash that wound around my neck. I was once again painfully reminded of the force suppressing binds clasped around my wrists as I attempted to through Lux to the ground. "Where is she!!" I screamed.

I could almost feel the raw, restrained power multiplying inside of me as it pulsed through my veins and pulled at the force restraining binds around my wrists until they began to shake.

"I wouldn't do that-"

Before another word could escape his mouth, I cried out in pain, sending one last surge of force energy through my body and watching as the unbreakable metal circled around my wrist broke and shattered onto the ground.

I doubted there was any power left in the galaxy that could stop me as I rose to my feet and pulled the bastard's lightsaber to my hand before he could reach for it. "Let me ask you one last time!" I yelled.

"Wait, stop!" I had never so much fear show in his eyes as he watched me ignite his lightsaber and hold it to his neck.

"I'm listening," I sneered.

Lux opened his mouth to say something, a voice interrupted him from across the room.

"Anakin my boy," the sound of the voice momentarily left me started as I lowered the lightsaber and took a small step back before turning around.

"Chancellor?" I asked as I spanned my vision through the darkness. "We have to get you out of here, it's not safe! We-" My voice cut off into silence as a hooded figure stepped into a small ray of outside light. "W- what are you-" I swallowed when he suddenly looked up, giving me a clear view of his deep amber eyes. Sith eyes.

"It's you," I gasped, raising my blade in preparation of defense as he took a step toward me. "You're the Sith lord!!" 

"Anakin, my dear boy, you need to listen to me," he hissed in a sweet voice as Lux carefully moved away from me to stand before him. 

"How could you do this?!" I cried as my arm began to shake. "The Jedi! What happened to them?!"

"They have been charged with treason against the republic under the penalty of death!" he snapped. "They betrayed us!"

Reality seemed to fracture away into nothing as tears began to well up in my eyes. And then it came to me. "Ahsoka," I whispered, my voice breaking in panic.

"The galaxy wants her dead Anakin," he continued in a much softer voice.

"No," I cried desperately before looking back up at him through tear-filled eyes. "What about me? I'm a Jedi! Why haven't you killed me!"

No sympathy broke through Palpatine's wrinkled face as he took another step towards me. "Now Anakin," he said in an almost amused voice. "We both know that's not true, you were always so far above the Jedi."

My legs seemed to give out beneath me as I collapsed to the ground and pulled my hair through my fingers. "You will not take her from me!" I screamed.

"Oh my dear boy," Palpatine croaked. "I'm afraid she's already dead."

"No!" I continued to scream as powerful darkness overpowered my mind and all of my senses.

"Killed for the crimes of the Jedi which she didn't commit," he continued.

I desperately reached out in the force, looking for any signs of her presence through our bond, only to find it silent and empty. It couldn't be true! She had to be alive! However, as I continued exploring the pathways of the force, the emptiness of her signature became more and more clear.

"Yes, use the darkness. You must avenge her death Anakin," Palpatine advised. "Use my knowledge I beg you! I will teach you the ways of the dark side which will give you the power to defeat the remaining Jedi!"

And as easily as that, every emotion that burdened my soul was replaced with hatred and a thirst for revenge. The force around me went silent and when my eyes finally opened, not a trace of their deep ocean blue remained. "I pledge myself to your teachings," I rasped.

A merciless grin spread across his face as I kneeled before him. "Good, good..." he praised. "From this point forward you shall be known as Darth... Vader," he declared. "Now rise my servant. I have a mission for you."

---

Every scream and cry that succumbed to my blade as I made my way through the rest of the temple in search of any Jedi who had escaped the clones' attack had little effect on my hardened heart. They deserved to die. Every last one of them. No amount of fearful or saddened eyes could pry any sympathy from me.

I carefully accounted for every body that fell to the ground, until I was positive Obi-Wan had escaped and I left to track him down. There could be no survivors and if Obi-Wan refused to stand with me, he'd be against me just like the rest of them.

"I know you're here Obi-Wan!" I yelled across the empty Coruscant roof where I knew he was waiting.

"Anakin," he whispered. "What have you done?"

"I only did what had to be done," I growled.

"No Anakin!" he cried. "Listen to me, Chancellor Palpatine is evil!"

"No Obi-Wan! The Jedi are evil," I screamed. "They took her from me!"

A fearful sadness filled my former master's eyes as he took a cautious step towards me. "That's what this is about?" he whispered, seeming not to believe it himself. "She's gone?" He choked on his own breath, his eyes beginning to water as he tried to further assess the situation. "I'm so sorry Anakin. We should have come for you, but the clones, they-"

"Enough," I spat venomously as I began to pace towards him. "I didn't want to do this Obi-Wan, but it has become clear that you still stand with the Jedi."

"Anakin Please!" he yelled. "Listen to yourself! Don't you see what's happening here!" he explained while taking a few steps backward.

"If you're not with me, then you're against me!"

Obi-Wan paused in his movements, searching my eyes for any sign of the Anakin he knew and loved, only to find that he wasn't there. "Very well," he concluded as he shed his robe and unclipped his lightsaber. "I will do what I must."