Test of Time Book 1: A Father's Son

Chapter 29: Saying Goodbye

Luke struggled to register what had happened in the past few seconds. His father had been thrown back into the wall, and Luke had cried out for him. However, Sidious had seized him in a powerful Force Grip, strangling Luke to silence him. Then he'd been pulled forward...

Luke stared into Sidious' sickly yellow eyes, hardly registering his father's agonized cry as he fell unmoving to the floor.

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Anakin gave a scream of fury and torment as he turned to see Luke held suspended in the air in a Force Grip while Sidious simultaneously strangled him. As he watched—before he could react—Anakin's worst nightmare unfolded.

In what seemed like slow motion, Anakin saw Sidious raise his glowing blood red blade, yank Luke forward, and impale his son. Luke's eyes were wide with shock as he stared at Sidious, apparently not registering the lightsaber that was shoved upwards through his chest. Sidious shoved the lightsaber in deeper and Luke made a strange noise, gaze never wavering. Then, Sidious pulled out the lightsaber, and Luke gave a small gasp for air before Sidious let him fall motionless to the floor.

Anakin lunged at Sidious in a blind rage, hardly realizing that Sidious had blocked his violent advance as he pushed forward with blow after blow, mercilessly attacking the Sith. Sidious merely cackled at Anakin's advances.

"Good, Anakin, Good! Use your aggressive feelings!"

Anakin glared at Sidious. "You are going to pay for that, Sidious," Anakin snarled in his furious tone, his voice trembling from how much rage he was in.

"If only you could see, Anakin: You will only be able to defeat me through your hate, and your anger. I can feel them in you now...but you are still not strong enough to defeat me. Only after you embrace the dark side will you be close to stopping me."

Sidious' voice was smooth—oily. Anakin's glare intensified as he simply growled at Sidious in reply.

Sidious cackled. "It seems you are almost there. Release your anger, Anakin! Use the dark side! It is your destiny to join with it, Anakin. You know it's true."

"I will never join you," Anakin spat.

Sidious cackled again. "It seems you've already embraced your dark side, Anakin. Surely you realize your son will not make it. Perhaps if you join me, I'll use my powers to save him," Sidious tempted.

Anakin felt his resolve waver at the offer, but quickly steeled himself once more. "I don't want your help! You wouldn't help anyway! You would let him die!"

"I grow tired of this, Anakin," Sidious sneered, pushing Anakin back with a Force Blast. Instead of stopping, though, Sidious kept the blast going, and Anakin was stuck pinned to the wall. Anakin groaned as Sidious came closer, and once Sidious was in range he dropped Anakin, holding his lightsaber at the Jedi's neck. "You're already kneeling; now pledge!"

Anakin panted, then took a risk and attempted to swipe Sidious' feet out from under him. The Sith jumped, and Anakin rolled onto his back, bringing up his lightsaber to stop Sidious' blade from cutting him in half. Slowly, with the blades locked, Anakin rose to his feet, his gaze hardened on Sidious as he steadily pushed the Sith back. His arm screamed at him to stop, but Anakin was too pent up on rage and adrenaline to truly register the pain. Immersing himself in the Force, Anakin shoved Sidious forward, sending the Sith flying. Sidious regained his balance on the window ledge, cackling like a mad man.

"You're going to have to try much harder than that to kill me, Anak—"

Sidious' words were cut off as he turned to face Anakin, shock filling his eyes. Anakin remained indifferent to the expression as Sidious slowly looked down at the lightsaber Anakin had pushed through his gut.