Eclipse

Chapter 15- The Other Side of Evil

  The grin on his face was actually terrifying. 

"Sidious told Vader of this place one night." He started, the sharp tooth grin of an animal slowly dissipating into something more serious and contemplative, much to Obi-Wan's relief. 

"It was one of the first memories I was given from Vader after the..." He trailed off slightly, turning his focus back to the cauldrons alluring swirl and avoiding both his master's eye and the unignited lightsaber hilt gripped tightly in his fist. But he wouldn't lose hope, he failed with Padmé, he passed with Ahsoka and Obi-Wan would break the stalemate. 

He cleared his throat, "After the liquidations." He felt Obi-Wan tense, but it was fine. He shared the sentiment tenfold. "He inserted the bleeding crystal into this impossible merge and it allowed him to invade my dreams. It gave him the power to destroy me..." Absently, his robotic hand clenched, balling tightly into a fist of barely contained fury that spooked Obi-Wan so much, his own finger ghosted closer to the little orange button.

"He almost won..." Anakin growled, unbeknownst to his master's uncertainty behind him. His eyes blazed a brilliant blue but buried deep within was a fearsome crimson, broiling just beneath the surface. The darkside flourished around Anakin like a ring of fire. 

And it scared his former master like nothing before, that coupled with that predatory smile that he knew all too well was plastered on the younger mans features. Obi-Wan flinched as his imagery created Anakin's expression from his turned back; a hopeful stare of a crazed man. 

"Don't you see master?! This is your proof!" He exclaimed, too excited for Obi-Wan's liking, gripping onto the tall edges of the pot and leaning slightly over the raging brew of paradoxes. "This is the answer! The case, the holocrone and the crystal- they're my ticket to freedom! No one will die- I can kill Vader so he can't hurt you, I'll save everyone!" It was almost inaudible. 

The Jedi master stared at the younger man with an undefinable emotion, it was too much of a whirlwind to put a label on. Everything about the blond's mannerisms startled him, his posture leaning forward, his stance sturdy, muscles taut as if waiting for an attack... and suddenly, the lightsaber in his palm felt heavy as he took a cautious step back. 

Were the Jedi right? Was Anakin lost? Had he gone insane, did he put himself at risk? 

Should he arrest him now?

The last question made him involuntarily shiver as if a gust of icy wind blew in the closed desert doors. The temperature was confused from the start of the door-frame, but now he felt wind. He pushed that question from his mind almost instantly, afraid of it. 

'Anakin is okay', he kept reminding himself. 'He's your former Padawan, this is just another mission where he needs guidance'. Somehow this motivational mantra was quickly becoming a repetitive try at false hope, but false hope or not he would try. 

"Anakin, Vader is a senator, not a killer." He paused to give Anakin a weary glare, his eyebrows knitting together. "Everything points at you for that." 

The way Anakin's posture suddenly snapped up startled him, but words that usually were controlled kept tumbling from his mouth in a panicked fashion. "I don't understand your hatred of the man, I don't understand your motive to ruin his reputation. But hopefully I will understand the judge at your trial." 

At his last words, Anakin froze in tracks he didn't take. If it was possible, his spine went ramrod straight as his former master's words rang in his head as if trying to make sense of an already coherent sentence. He felt his lips part, his hands bind the edges around the pot until they were white. The lava inside began to rumble softly.