THE SKYWALKERS: book one

CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Parting

Obi-Wan almost turned back when he saw Anakin kneeling in front of Shmi's grave. He didn't want to disturb him. But he also had to tell him what he had seen in his meditation. Still, he stopped a few yards behind Anakin and stood quietly with his hood up and his hands clasped in front of him.

"I couldn't protect you, but I will protect the rest of my family," Anakin said. "Obi-Wan," he then said calmly. He didn't move.

Obi-Wan didn't move either. "I saw some things, Anakin. While I was meditating."

"About my children?" Obi-Wan couldn't help but pick up the slight edge in Anakin's voice. Anakin still didn't turn around.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms. "Yes. Great power. How could they not be powerful?" He expected Anakin to react, but he didn't, then he noticed Anakin's shoulders were shaking. "Anakin?"

Anakin didn't answer, and his shoulders shook even more. "There is no emotion," his voice was quiet, shaky. "There is only peace. That's what the Jedi taught me."

Obi-Wan didn't know what to say, so he said nothing. He stepped forward and was about to put his hand on Anakin's shoulder when Anakin spoke again.

"The Jedi. Who are they to say what's right and wrong?" His voice got a little louder. "Tell me, Obi-Wan Kenobi." When Obi-Wan didn't answer, he cried, "Tell me!"

"I don't know, Anakin! I don't know."

"When I was a boy—" he ran a quivering hand through his hair. "When I was a fearful child, and you told me you would train me, I thought you would have all the answers. I would become powerful. I would free my mother and all the rest of the slaves. But here she is, buried beneath me. You wouldn't let me go to her."

"And I'm truly sorry for that, Anakin. I cannot hope for your forgiveness but—"

"The Jedi were supposed to be just and peaceful and wise, but all you were were a bunch of power-hungry monsters."

"I was young. Qui-Gon was supposed to train you. I had no idea how to train you. I didn't even want to train you."

"Of course," Anakin's voice hardened once again. "I've always been the unwanted one."

"Anakin! That's not what I meant!"

Anakin rose to his feet, his fists clenched. "No one ever trusted me. Not when it came down to it."

"What about Rex and Ashoka? What about me? We trust you with our lives!"

"I never asked for any of this. I never wanted to be the Chosen One. I just wanted to save my mother. I could have saved my mother...if it weren't for you." Anakin turned to face Obi-Wan at last, and his eyes were a glowing yellow, tears poured out of them.

Obi-Wan took a step back. "Anakin, what are you doing?"

"You took everything from me. You weren't ready to train me, yet you did it anyway. You were supposed to be my brother, but you cared more for the Jedi Code than you did me." He summoned his lightsaber into his hand, and Obi-Wan barely had time to react by drawing his own saber and igniting it to block Anakin's blow.

"Anakin, stop this!" he shouted.

"I've heard that all my life," Anakin grunted, landing a kick to Obi-Wan's gut that sent him reeling back into the sand. "Don't do this, Anakin. Don't do that, Anakin. You'll be expelled from the Jedi Order, Anakin! Not anymore. The Jedi are finished. You're just one of the last relics of that ancient religion."

Every strike of Anakin's was meant to kill, and Obi-Wan couldn't keep up. It was all he could manage to block them. He lunged out of the way of a particularly powerful swing, but Anakin didn't pause in his pursuit. Their sabers clashed over and over again, but Obi-Wan could feel himself growing tired, his limbs heavy.