A Several-Part fanfic.

I do not own Star Wars.

Reviews = Chapter Update

I don't know the actual age of Anakin here - Jedi Quest hinted he was about 18, but Last of the Jedi said he was 16. The plot works better if he were 16, so I'm going with Last of the Jedi.

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Exerpt from Jedi Quest book 10, when the Jedi are finally taking down Granta Omega in the tombs of the Sith.

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Tru swung his lightsaber in an arc. It flickered. Anakin watched in horror as it buzzed, the shaft flickering again and again. It was losing power!

Tru was in the middle of the fray. Obi-Wan hadn't seen it. He had charged forward, the way to Omega now clear.

Everything in Anakin screamed to follow Obi-Wan, to be in on the capture of Omega. Except one thing.

Friendship.

But he had hesitated too long. As he watched, Ferus and Tru exchanged a glance. Simultaneously, Ferus and Tru flipped their lightsabers through the air. Tru caught Ferus's, and Ferus caught Tru's.

Re-energized, Tru went after the undead, hacking off limbs and disabling the living corpses. Ferus dropped to a backup position with the half-powered lightsaber.

..(irrelevant paragraph)...

He saw it again, the flicker on the end of his vision, a cape furling as a serpent's strike. The Sith stood at the entrance to the tomb. Waiting. His face was hidden in the shadow of his hood.

Zan Arbor hurried toward him.

Anakin wrenched his attention back to Tru. Because Ferus was watching Tru's back, he was the only one in Omega's path. The Jedi Masters had all been at the fore of the fight. Ferus's lightsaber flickered in the dark.

Seeing that he was in trouble, Darra Force-leaped toward Ferus, her lightsaber held high, determined to save him.

Anakin saw the smile on Omega's face when he fired.

The bolts hit Darra straight in the chest. She fell, still keeping her body between Omega and Ferus.

Sora cried out. Anakin felt the moment spin out into impossible time, time that froze everything, even his heart.

He saw Tru's mouth open in a howl. He saw Ferus drop to his knees and crawl toward Darra, saw him take a blaster bolt in the shoulder and keept on going. He saw Siri leap forward to defend all of them, saw Soara fly through the air in a great Force-leap to be near her padawan. Saw Darra's head turn toward him, her cheek against the dirt. Saw the cloudy film in Darra's eyes, the shock of catching the blow. He saw, as if it were a physical struggle, her gathering her courage to accept the blow.

He saw all this, and still he didn't move.

And then Omega moved, reversing course once again, quickly retreating away from the tomb.

Anguish on his face, Obi-Wan turned away from the Jedi and followed him.

Real time came rushing back, and there was not enough of it.

Anakin ran to Darra.

Suddenly nothing else mattered. Jedi spoke of the dangers of tunnel-vision, when a single goal blocks out all other circumstances, clouding one's mind. Anakin's mind felt clear as a bell. He knew exactly what he had to do. He had to save Darra.

Ry-Gual's warning echoed behind Anakin as he charged through the zombies and droids, dodging and twisting without bothering to utilize his lightsaber. It was as though time had slowed down for him. Blaster bolts were lazy streaks lighting up the air. Zombies were puppets moving through sludge, unable to land a finger on him.

The Jedi would later say that Anakin shone that battle. How it happened none could explain, but an ethereal golden light surrounded the padawan as he kneeled next to Darra.

"Don't you dare die now," Anakin hissed as he grabbed her hand.

He had no idea what he was doing, or how he got there in the first place. He only knew his heart was racing like he had never felt before, an inexplicable passion coursing through his veins, releasing the Force in a wave of unleashed power. Looking into Darra's rust colored eyes, Anakin pushed every ounce of his will into her lifeforce, ordering her to live.

Darra's eyes widened as something close to a bolt of electricity jolted her. She could feel energy pouring into her, sealing the ragged wound and causing a rapid regeneration of blood cells in her system.

"How," she whispered as the pain fell away, leaving her weak but alive.

Anakin said nothing as the glow around him faded. He didn't know how he had done it himself. It had just happened. Anakin didn't wait longer though for further questions. Grabbing his lightsaber and fighting a sudden bout of lightheadedness, he ran to help his master.

They'll be okay when I'm gone, he reassured himself as he raced down the corridor. Will they?

He was not expecting the hand that reached out and caught ahold of his neck, slamming him against the wall.

Choking and pulling against the gloved hand, Anakin stared into the shadowed yellow eyes of the Sith.

Dark power rolled over him, making him feel naseous. Anakin struggled to pull air into his lungs, fighting the fear and anger that bombarded him from all sides.

They don't want you.

They look to Ferus instead.

You're more powerful than they are. They should respect you.

Obi-Wan never wanted to train you.

The Jedi are holding back on you. They think you are too powerful, and they do not like it when others are more capable than they.

You could become great.

They are holding back on you.

They trust Ferus. Where is your master's trust in his own padawan?

We can make you powerful.

The Jedi are holding back on you.

They are holding back -

Anakin felt like he was drowning in the accusations that echoed his own thoughts. Just as he thought he would collapse under the pressure, an image of Darra lying on the tomb floor filled his thoughts. Latching onto it like a drowning man grabbing onto a plank of wood, Anakin tore his mind from the Sith's visions and returned his cold gaze.

"No."

The Sith's eyes narrowed at Anakin's reply.

"Don't be so cocky, Jedi," he said in a loud hiss as his grip tightened on the padawan's throat.

"Anakin!"

The Sith's gaze snapped around as Obi-Wan appeared, racing to his padawan's aid. With a hiss the Sith dropped the boy, drawing his own lightsaber and running in the oposite direction.

Obi-Wan didn't follow him, but ran to Anakin's side.

"Are you all right?" he asked in concern as he examined his padawan's bruised neck.

Anakin managed a nod and struggled to his feet. "Darra," he croaked.

Obi-Wan gave a curt nod and helped Anakin back through the tunnel.

Anakin blinked rapidly as spots swam in his vision. Why was he feeling so dizzy? He hadn't gotten hit... he thought. He stopped suddenly as they entered the tomb where the others were.

The droids and zombies were decimated, Ry-Gual, Siri, and their padawans watching for a further attack. Soara held an unconscious Darra, a worried look on her face.

The last thing Anakin saw was Tru's furious glance in his direction. Then he passed out.

...