The Gods Of Mortis

Chapter 3. Ghosts of the Damned

"You're killing him!" Daughter shouted, advancing upon the horrific scene. She reached up and grabbed his arm, shaking him.

The grey man snarled and tried to push her off but she refused. "Let him go, he's going to die! Let him go before our guest sees."

"Too late for that." Anakin Skywalker entered the throne room, lightsaber ablaze as he watched the scene unfold. He had not been able to sleep in the dull room the Daughter had provided for him. And with the Force so out of whack here Anakin had decided his time would be better spent exploring his host's home. He had entered just in time to see a Jedi stranger get wrapped up in a chokehold by a grey man he had not yet seen in this odd place. "Put him down. Now." Anakin poised his lightsaber.

The grey man snorted and laughed uproariously. But before he could act suddenly his arm holding the Jedi was wrench at an odd angle, forcing him to drop the Jedi. The tall one, the Father, abruptly cast the grey man aside and into the far wall.

Anakin narrowed his eyes at the show of power before slowly approaching the prone Jedi. "You three like getting off on messing with lost Jedi?" He mocked, his lightsaber still raised as he knelt by the darkly clothed human. He laid a hand over the Jedi's neck. Thankfully the Jedi was still alive.

The Father looked thoroughly upset and did not speak. It was Daughter who came forward, stopping only when in range of Anakin's weapon. "Allow me. I can heal him." She said. And the infinite sorrow in her voice convinced Anakin just enough to lower his weapon.

"Try anything and I-" Anakin was cut off by her fierce gaze.

"Get him up." She snapped. "Injuries inflicted by my brother are not to be taken lightly."

Anakin frowned, but nodded and put his lightsaber away. Carefully he pulled the Jedi up and over his back before following the Daughter. He glanced back briefly to see the Father approach the grey man. But he did not wait to watch what would happen next.

Daughter led Anakin back to his guest room and instructed him to lay the strange Jedi down.

"What did he do to deserve all that?" Anakin asked as he sat down and looked the Jedi over. He was small, ragged faced and had shaggy dark blonde hair. The Jedi looked a little older than Anakin with thin lines around his mouth and eyes.

The Daughter looked grim as she knelt on the other side of the Jedi, her glowing hands touching the fast forming black bruises around the Jedi's neck. "Something that my father risked his life to lock away has come back." She said grimly. "We believe this Jedi is responsible for unleashing it. They are afraid... but that is no excuse." She shook her head.

"Abeloth?" Anakin ventured, having heard the name.

Daughter nodded hesitantly. "A corruption of the Force... she's here and we don't know how nor what she will do to us for locking her away."

Anakin nodded slowly. "That's why your brother tortured him? Abeloth is a big bad monster to you?"

"That is an understatement." Daughter said with mild irritation. She removed her hands from the Jedi's neck. "The bruises will heal by morning. He breathes normally. I will fetch him water, and his lightsaber." Daughter stood and offered Anakin a bow before she took her leave.

Anakin shook his head, glancing down at the stranger left in his charge. "This place just gets weirder and weirder."

~~~

"Dad!" Ben sprang from the ground, his head swiveling as he searched the dimly lit cave.

Obi-Wan startled awake at the boy's shout. Ahsoka had reacted similarly and both were quite confused as Ben gathered up Luke's empty cloak. "Where'd he go?" Ben turned to Obi-Wan and then towards the cave opening, on the brink of panicking. "I can't find him, I can't sense him, I can't- I can't-"