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Chapter 26

Anakin opened his eyes, feeling light-headed. The surroundings were dimmed and purple. He looked around. He was in the tomb but, somehow, it felt different. He felt someone's presence behind him and turned around.

'Welcome to my world, Chosen One,' the Sith said as Anakin lifted himself up.

'What did you do to me?' he asked calmly, yet annoyed.

'Nothing yet,' she smirked. 'If you wish to learn, you need to learn from this place. Usually, a poison should be prepared to enter this realm. In this case I used my own power.'

Anakin looked at her with suspicion but, finally, slowly nodded.

'We may now begin,' she stated. 'The Ritual has two paths. The first is pacification, meaning, that the angry ghost cannot be tethered,' she explained. 'The second is the binding. A willing ghost is easier to bind. However, by leaving the ghost's its will, you draw less of its power.'

'What can be done to Force someone to be bound?' Anakin asked, still trying to grasp the new knowledge.

'You have two choices. One, a pact may be formed to bind a ghost willingly, and it needs to be sealed with blood,' she said. 'Two, the ritual of binding can be performed, the ritual that will test your will and strength,' she finished with a smile that chilled Anakin's blood.

'You will be my test,' Skywalker stated.

'Yes, you will have to bind me,' she smirked. 'And no, I will not go willingly.'

'What happens if I fail?' he asked, although he knew the answer.

'This tomb was supposed to be yours. Ironic isn't it?' the Sith smiled with a sick pleasure, her eyes turning even darker. Anakin knew what he had to do.

Anakin felt the Force gathering around him instantly. He could sense both Light and Dark, both ready to aid him. He reached out with his hands to the Sith and threads of energy resembling smoke started to flow from them. They were purple, flying slowly to the Sith like snakes, one with white and one with black glow inside. Darth Nox was visibly fighting Anakin's power, struggling to keep it away from her. It lasted just a few seconds, but to Anakin it was eternity. Little by little, he felt that he couldn't bear this any longer, that he would fail. Finally, after the battle of minds between the two powerful Force users, the ancient Sith lost. Anakin could not help but stare as her form disintegrated into the Force energy. He was looking at the energy with fascination when suddenly it flew right to him, going through every fiber of his being, filling him with new strength and with a chilling feeling. As the energy hit him, he felt his knees going weak and he could see the ground coming closer and closer. Finally, the energy reached his eyes, covering them with a purple looking smoke. When Anakin's head was inches from the ground, it was all over.

And then he felt it. He felt her in his head.

'I am bound to your life and you to my death.'

'Why?' he asked when he was finally able to catch his breath.

'I'm just along for the ride,' he heard her laugh in his head. 'I was dying to do something for ages, literally.'

'Will you help me?' he asked.

'Maybe,' she answered vaguely. Anakin could have sworn she was having the time of her life.

'Do you know if there is a way for spirits to bind themselves to a person?' he asked.

'Yes.'

'Let's go then,' he said.

Anakin landed in the Temple's hangar. He was about to turn around to say something but Obi-wan was quicker.

'I hope you know what you're doing,' the older Jedi said and left without a second glance.

Skywalker didn't say anything, sighed and closed the ramp, preparing the ship for takeoff.

These were the only words that Obi-wan said to him since he rejoined him outside the tomb. He didn't even look at him, but went straight to the ship. Anakin tried to probe his friend's mind but Obi-wan violently pushed him away. Skywalker knew that the older Jedi wasn't angry, just disappointed.

And afraid.

Anakin pursed his lips. Was it going to be the same as in his visions? Was Obi-wan going to betray him? Anakin shook his head. He wasn't betrayed in his visions, not really. But he didn't receive real help or support either. And now, again, Obi-wan left him alone. Once again, his friend couldn't trust him. And, little by little, Anakin found himself unable to fully trust back.

That's why he didn't say a word about what he had learned from the Sith. Or that the said Sith was now inside his head. And he would not breath a word as he knew that the Jedi would never understand. And he knew exactly what he was doing. The short time with the ancient Sith gave him more insight to the nature of the Dark Side than the full training Palpatine gave him in his visions.

Of course, Anakin knew that the old corpse, was holding back a lot of knowledge, that much was obvious, but it seemed that Sidious did not really have much to share. The ancient Sith was too proud to hide her abilities and so she was showing off the whole time, presenting the extent of her powers. Palpatine was different, rather concealed and cunning, waiting in the shadows. Still, he was never holding himself from showing his Force powers on Vader, in many different ways. This made Anakin come to a conclusion that the knowledge Palpatine had was, indeed, very limited, especially in comparison with Darth Nox. By simply listening to her, watching her and now feeling her, Anakin has learned a lot. His point of view on the Force has changed once again. He understood, that it had neither limitations nor boundaries. With this realization came excitement. Anakin wanted to try pushing himself to his limits, he was itching to see what he was capable of, how much power he could bare.

And as soon as such a thought was formed in his mind, he slapped himself internally. This was dark side and he couldn't lose control. He remembered feeling very much like that in his visions, full of power and possibilities. Right now, he was eager, excited while he should be feeling uncomfortable. The Dark Side was singing in his mind, gathering him in her arms like a lover and he wanted to let himself go and drown in the sweet song of the darkness, in the excitement.

His rumination was interrupted by Padmé who have entered the ship and sat down next to him.

'Is everything ok?' she asked with a small frown on her forehead.

'Yeah, why?' he answered, wondering if he had all his feeling written all over his face.

'Well, you landed quite a while ago and you still did not get off the ship, so I figured that you must be brooding.'

Anakin sighed. He didn't realize that he was, indeed, still in the ship after landing. He didn't even realize he had landed! Dark Side was occupying his thoughts and his senses. When he still wasn't answering, he felt Padmé shifting uncomfortably in the co-pilot seat, worry emanating from her.

'It's nothing,' Anakin reassured her with a small smile.

Padmé knew he was lying, but she decided to let it go for now. 'So, how was the trip?' she asked instead.

'It was ok,' Skywalker answered simply. Padmé lifted her eyebrow in suspicion.

'Obi-wan called,' she stated. Anakin visibly stiffened. 'He said that he's worried about you.'

Skywalker slowly turned his head to look at Padmé. Disbelief was all over his face – disbelief, and fear, and anger.

'Are you really doing this? After what I've told you yesterday?!' he suddenly stood up, he eyes darkening.

'That's not what I…'

'Are you really going to put me through this again? Whispering behind my back with OBI-WAN?!'

Padmé's eyes widened at this display of rage, but she quickly re-collected herself. She had to play it cool, she had to show him that she was strong and on his side.

'It was him who called me, not the other way round,' she said calmly and coldly. 'And I told him to trust you. I don't like what is happening with you either. No, wrong, I don't understand it, but it seems that you do, so I trust you,' she turned her eyes away as if feeling uncomfortable before she continued. 'The Dark Side is a part of you. It has always has been,' she said remembering the events from Tatooine, all those years ago.

'Who's told you that?' Anakin asked slowly, sensing something suspicious, deceptive.

'What?' Padmé asked, trying not to look him in the eyes, although she knew she was busted.

'These are not your words,' he continued, anger coming back to his voice and eyes. 'Who put them in your mouth?!'

'It's all your fault anyway!' she suddenly burst out. 'You've left that thing in the house! And I just took a quick look at it, and then touched it, and then she appeared out of nowhere!'

'Touched? Who appeared? What?' Anakin asked trying to understand his wife's blabbering.

'The helmet! And the Sith!'

'The Sith?'

'Yes! And I am quite sure that she was dead!'

'Dead?' Anakin frowned. 'How did she look like?'

'She was a miraluka, a blonde one,' Padmé provided. 'What does It matter, anyway?'

'A miraluka…' Anakin wondered. So not his personal Sith. He couldn't remember for the life of him a Sith miraluka, at least not anyone especially popular in the history, but there was something very familiar about all this.

'Did she tell you her name?' he turned to Padmé.

'No,' she shook her head. 'Just a title,' she finished and looked at him. He was still watching her intently.

'Well?' he finally asked impatiently.

'Why does it matter?' she asked. 'Why would you want to know?'

'For the love of… just tell me,' he rolled his eyes.

'No, Anakin. Why?' she pushed.

'I have my reasons,' he said. 'And weren't we just talking about trust?'

'The Emperor's Wrath.'

'Of course…' Anakin said. 'But strange… or not really actually.

'What are you talking about?'

'I had a visit from a Sith from these times as well,' Anakin admitted simply. 'What did she say to you?'

'She gave me some friendly advice,' Padmé said and was about to finished the topic when she saw that Anakin was still waiting for continuation. 'She told me to accept the Dark Side in you.'

'Can you do that?' Anakin asked, his voice a little weaker that he would like to admit.

Padmé sighed. 'I don't know,' she admitted. 'But I'll try.'

Anakin didn't answer but he kept staring at her, his look strong and unyielding. Padmé held his gaze, amazed by the storm behind his eyes, drawn to the desire that was coming off him in waves. He opened his eyes as if he intended to say something, but the next moment he was all over her mouth, closing the gap between them with a deep kiss.

'There is literally a few meters to our bedroom,' she gasped in between heated kisses.

'No time,' Anakin said in a dark and husky voice, waving his hand at the ship's controls and locking it down completely.

'Mom! We're home,' Luke said as he and Leia entered the apartment. They had quite a busy day at the Temple with quite a few new classes. Luke went straight to his room and turned on the Holonet. Leia looked around feeling that something was amiss. She went to the kitchen and she saw that Padmé must have started making dinner but, for some reason, didn't finish. The vegetables were half cut and left lying about, the water that was supposed to boil was now cold, probably turned off by Threepio. Leia frowned and moved on to other rooms, but she couldn't find her mother anywhere. Suddenly, she heard Luke.

'Dad's home!' he yelled and ran straight to the landing pad. Leia sighed, having a funny feeling about the situation. When she found herself on the landing pad, she saw her brother trying to open the ramp.

'It's locked,' Luke informed her.

'Geez, wouldn't have noticed, Captain Obvious,' Leia rolled her eyes and lifted her hands, trying to open the ramp with the Force. Luke joined her immediately. After a few minutes, the ramp was almost half open when the twins felt another force, much stronger. Suddenly, the presence pushed them back to the ground and slammed the ramp forcefully.

'It seems that dad doesn't want us there,' Leia stated when she managed to pull herself up.

'Mom's in there too,' Luke commented with a sly smile.

Leia lifted her eyebrow and looked at her brother with disgust. 'You're such a pig, little brother,' she said and went the nearby bench. Luke giggled and joined her.

'Soo…' he started. 'I understand that dad's going to train you.'

'Apparently,' she answered shortly, avoiding his eyes.

'How is it?' Luke pushed.

'Interesting.'

'Did anything fun?'

'Sure.'

Luke groaned internally. There had to be something about Leia's training that made her so quiet about it and he was determined to find out what it was.

'Something out of the usual?' he persisted.

'Alright, alright!' she finally gave up. 'He says he wants to introduce me to the concept of the Dark Side.'

Luke frowned and turned around.

'I don't understand,' he said quietly.

'Me neither,' Leia answered, although she was perfectly aware of the reason.

'What makes you different than me?' Luke continued, his voice colored with grudge.

'I don't know! What don't you ask him?' Leia finally burst, losing her patience.

'You're right, sorry.'

The sat for a while silently, neither of them knowing what to say. After a few minutes, Leia stood up, muttering something under her breath. She decisively approached the ship's ramp and started banging on it loudly.

'Hurry up in there, I'm hungry!' she yelled.

At first, no one answered but after a few minutes, Padmé's voice came from the ship.

'Order a pizza!'

Leia groaned, throwing her hands up in the air and marched back to the apartment, Luke, once again giggling, close behind her.

Sometime later, after pizza was order and delivered, Luke and Leia were sitting in the kitchen and eating in silence. They heard the ship's ramp hissing open, followed by footsteps. Padmé and Anakin went to the apartment's living room and sat on the couch. Out of habit, Padmé turned on the HoloNet which was quickly forgotten when Anakin gathered her in his arms, nuzzling her hair. The whole world was forgotten; what mattered was that particular moment. His scent, the feel of his strong arms around her, his warm breath. At that moment, the world was perfect.

'Get a room!' Leia's voice came from the kitchen.

Anakin lifted his said and chuckled.

'Gladly,' he said quietly, but just loud enough for his daughter to hear.

'Gross!'

He then chuckled again and kissed Padmé on the crown of her head.

'I love you,' he whispered.

Padmé smiled, burying her face in his chest. She was wrong. Now, everything was perfect.

TBC

R&R