Clouded by the Dark Side

Chapter 36 - Alter of Mortis

Ahsoka Tano

"You cannot keep me here!" I yell. He's got to be here somewhere, though I don't see him. I can sense the darkness permeating the building and the area. "You hear me?"

"Save your energy," comes a strange voice as I struggle against the restraints again. I'm chained to the wall, and I don't think there's a way to get myself free. There's a small, dark creature moving out of the shadows.

"You have been left to die," it informs me.

That, I'm honestly not surprised to hear. The Son wouldn't want anything in particular from me other than to stop Anakin from leaving. "Then I will escape!" I retort. I'm a Jedi. They can't lock me up just anywhere in some stupid prison.

"Impossible," the creature retorts, scurrying closer. "I have been here for more years than I care to remember."

"I am a Jedi," I argue, "We don't give up easily."

"Jedi?" he replies, climbing up the wall next to me. "Hmm. But so young. Where is your master?"

"He will come for me!" I snap, leaning away from the creature as it prowls way too close for my liking. Hasn't anyone told it a thing or two about personal space?

"And if he does not?" it counters.

"He will!" I know it.

It climbs over my head, towards where my hands are restrained. "What makes you so sure?" Because he always does, of course. He'd never leave me. Never.

The chains suddenly snap off my wrists and I stubble forwards. "Thank you," I say gratefully. Now it's a matter of finding an exit and hoping the Son doesn't stop me before I get anywhere.

"The chains. The chains are the easy part," he retorts, then points at his head, "It's what goes on in here that's hard." Is it? I know for a fact Anakin will come, and he will find me. Eventually. And if not, I'll get out, anyway. I don't need him to come rescue me.

"Don't you see, child?" it demands, "You are alone now. If you are to survive, you must forget your master."

I rest my head on my hand for a moment, sighing. I need to get out of here and find the others before the Son returns. I don't have the time or energy to deal with this creature's strangeness. I need to find some excuse to get out of here and make it leave me alone. Or maybe get it to help me, that's an option to. "I don't think I –" I begin, but am cut off as the creature grabs my right arm and jerks it downwards.

Fang-like teeth bite into my arm, pain shooting through it. "Ow!" I yelp, jerking away. Amidst the pain, darkness courses through me like poison. Was that what it was? What is that?! "What have you done?!" I hiss as my strength starts rapidly draining. Whatever it is that's coursing through me is dark, so dark. It's crushing against my mental shields, draining out every last ounce of my energy, both mental and physical.

I fall to my knees, struggling to hold it off, but I'm not strong enough. I fall to the floor, twitching. Darkness is starting to blur my vision.

"You are mine now," it gloats before the world turns dark.

Alema Syndulla

I'm fully on edge, and I can't shake the very bad feeling that something is happening to Ahsoka right now, but I have to help Obi-Wan find the Father. Somehow. "We probably need to head back to his home... which is a long way from here," I point out uncertainly.

"Yes," he agrees, "So let's get going."

We head out across the endless stretch of rocks and grass, heading for the Father's tower. Using the Force to increase our speed, it doesn't take us long to reach it.