The Warrior's Path

Chapter 11 - Culmination

Author's Note: There's only an epilogue left now. ^-^

~ Amina Gila

Vader has no idea how long they sit there, how long they wait, but he doesn't waste a moment, mind racing as he scans everything he can see, looking for a possible escape route. Somehow, he doubts that anything will happen until Sidious has been... dealt with. Unfortunate, because he would be much happier if he never had to see the Sith ever, ever again, especially not after what happened... last time.

Anakin leans closer, nudging him lightly until Vader looks at him. The elder's eyes are steady and calm, betraying a faith that Vader doesn't know how he can feel. They know better than to try communicating with the Force given that Sidious is literally right here, but that doesn't stop them from offering wordless reassurances with only glances. In some ways, it's probably a good thing that the five of them have lived in such close proximity for so long. It means that they're extremely in tune with each other, and they intuitively know how the others will react or feel without having to speak.

Ahsoka is the last to awaken, of course, and she stirs with a weak groan, eyes opening as she scans their surroundings, something akin to despair flashing through her gaze when she realizes their predicament.

Everything will be okay, Vader wants to say, just like Anakin said to him only minutes ago. He can't though. He won't say something like that, only to have Sidious do something cruel to destroy whatever faith they have left just to watch them break.

All of them stop moving, looking towards the throne as it slowly rotates towards them. Vader has seen Sidious before, of course, not that long ago – was it only a day or two? It feels like so much longer – when he was a prisoner, but this seems... different somehow. He can feel the Force, can feel every bit of the darkness radiating from Sidious, and the Sith Master is taking no pains to hide it.

Like this, sitting on his throne, face shrouded by a black hood, he looks positively sinister. Sidious' face is somewhat damaged, probably from his fight with the Jedi so many years ago, and it only adds to the creepiness of it. Or maybe, it's the predominance of Palpatine's features that makes it so terrifying.

They're helpless here, and Vader hates it. He clenches his fists and wills himself to remain calm. Getting upset or scared is exactly what Sidious wants. Above all else, Sidious is a manipulator; he will use whatever ammunition he can find against them. He doesn't normally fight physically. The seven Jedi Masters who went to confront him? Most of them were killed by the clones. They were caught between Sidious and the Coruscanti Guard. They never stood a chance.

But here, it's just them and Sidious. The Red Guards are here too, of course, but not so many that they can't fend them off. They just need the chance.

"I hope you did not think you would actually succeed," Sidious says lightly, his voice sending shivers down Vader's spine primarily because of how... inviting he sounds. He sounds as much like Palpatine as he does the Sith Master he is. "I knew you would come, and I was waiting."

By unspoken agreement, no one says anything. The last thing they need is to give Sidious anything to work with. All they can do it trust in the Force.

He pauses for a moment, yellow eyes sweeping over them and setting on... Custos. "You are Kenobi but not," he muses, leaning forwards with interest. "What do you call yourself?"

"Your doom." Vader is... well, he's impressed by his dad's courage, especially after everything which has happened. There is no rescue coming for them, and they could easily all die here.

"I see where Lord Vader got his spirit from," Sidious says mockingly. "I know you come from another reality. How did you get here?"

"By accident," Custos snarks, "Because the Force wanted you dead so badly that it brought us to stop you. Truly, it must be such a special thing to be so hated by the very thing that gives you your power."