As The World Caves In: An Avengers / Star Wars Story

buried memories

**Don't skip ahead to read translations or risk spoilers**

"I'm terribly sorry, it must be a very painful memory," He finished, slamming his hand onto my forehead and I was no longer in the hallway holding onto Loki. No...

I was surrounded by the smell of fire and crumbling debris. I was rushing into a room. I needed to get into that room. The desperation heavy in my chest. It was dark and quiet, but not quite enough. A decorative table fell as a small shape moved behind a chair when a boy's face appeared. His jet black hair disappearing into the inky background. He was always so full of himself and the first to complete any task, but now his face shows nothing but pure confusion. There would be no time to explain now.

"Padawan Lythl?"

I opened my arms for the younglings to follow, "Come now. Quickly. We must leave."

An explosion sounded as a woman screamed. It sounded too familiar. Too much like Madame Jocasta Nu. But there wasn't time to dwell on who might have been killed. No, I needed to get the children out. One by one, the younglings emerged from their various hiding places, nearly trampling over each other to get out. Once outside the room, the world was engulfed in flame and smoke. The smoke mixed with the fire tongues as I gagged on the air. I focused on the younglings. I was good at that. It was a strength as much as it was a weakness. The children huddled against me as they sought protection from whatever threat could cause such pain. That was the question wasn't it. I led the younglings to the front of the temple. The grand staircase was only meters away, the way out from the lounge. Growing closer. We were so close.

So so close when a dark, hooded figure emerged from the smoke. Coldness over too me, sending a shiver deep down my spine as it approached. The figure made its way to a figure resting on a chair in deep meditation. A Holocron floating above their head as they recorded a message. The figure stalked closer to the peaceful silhouette, I tried to call out but the smoke caused me to choke. The youngling called Byph tugged on my right sleeve and gestured towards the door. Each of their faces showed terror. Who would ever betray them?

I nodded and started to usher them out the door as a scream erupted behind me. I knew I shouldn't have, but I did. I turned and watched as the meditating figure fell to the floor, her montrals illuminated by the blue sabre's glow.

"NO! MASTER!" I screamed, despite the smoke giving us our covering, the Force exploded from me and blew it all away. The hooded figure turned towards me. His face was glowing with the hue of his sabre.

Anakin.

One of the only Jedi that trusted me as he sympathized with my origins. Who started only a few years after me. The Jedi that grew to be my closest friend, my only friend, my brother. There he was. Standing over Master Shaak Ti, ready to kill me and the next generation. I would not let it happen. I turned to the younglings.

"Run! Go. Do not look back," I shouted as I faced my fallen friend and ignited my own yellow blade. The figure charged, but I would not let him pass. I needed to stall. I gave the proper salute of my most skilled form and rushed forward, locking blades. Anakin pushed hard, forcing me to bend backward.

"Anakin, please. Do you not remember me?" I pleaded, looking into his eyes as they took the color of a sickly yellow. No longer the peaceful sky blue. I shoved off and spun around. Dodging his stab of the Djem So. I crashed my sword with his own. My grip was slipping, but I just needed to last just long enough for the younglings to escape. But oh how I wished I could take it back. From over his shoulder, I watched as the clone troopers I had trained, I had helped grow and trusted, raised their arms towards the trapped younglings.