Test of Time Book 1: A Father's Son

Chapter 20: Awakening

Unfortunately, Luke remained in the same comatose state for several days, and the darkness did not let up once. Anakin stayed by Luke's side since the healers noted that when Anakin left Luke's health dropped drastically. So, he remained in contact with Palpatine from the medical wing, and once or twice the chancellor came in person, paying Luke a visit and discussing with Anakin whatever he needed to at the moment. Anakin couldn't help but notice that whenever Palpatine came, Luke seemed to worsen. Eventually, Anakin had to suggest the two keep in contact only through transmissions as politely as possible. Even then Palpatine hadn't seemed too pleased, though if it helped Luke, then so be it.

Obi-Wan's departure for Utapau was fast approaching, and Anakin was beginning to think he wasn't going to be able to see the elder Jedi off. At least not if Luke didn't pull through any time soon. Now, just as the past few days, Anakin sat in the room with Luke, digging around on his datapad for any information he could find on the assassin. So far, he had been able to find several similar murders that linked back to the assassin known only as The Hunter. He still had yet to find a way to locate The Hunter, and he was starting to get irritated.

Even now, with a frustrated growl for not finding anything once again, Anakin gruffly set the datapad aside, turning his attention back to Luke once again.

There was a lull in the attack from the dark side at the moment, though Anakin knew that it would come for the youth again soon; it always did. Anakin himself had become worn and weary helping Luke last through the dark onslaught; he couldn't help but feel sorrow for the young man and what he was going through.

The dark side stirred—Anakin could feel the shift—but in his current mood, he did not feel like seeing Luke in that pained state once again. Angrily, Anakin grit his teeth, gathering his strength and will. Luke's resolve had slowly slipped away, and Anakin felt that the Jedi couldn't take another assault, even with Anakin's help. It was these thoughts mixed with Anakin reaching out towards the Force that caused him to finally have some success.

Determined to shield Luke from the wave that was preparing to descend, Anakin used his own Force Presence to cover Luke, taking the most vicious wave yet himself.

To experience the pain Luke had been enduring was far different from sensing it. Anakin gave a startled cry, buckling as the darkness fell over him and everything went dark...

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Pain...so much agonizing pain. It was everywhere; screams and tortured cries, brokenhearted sobs, suffering all around him, and the feeling that his head was going to split open while his chest burned. There was no way to hide from it, no matter where Anakin turned the darkness covered him, coated his senses, robbed him of any breath, and caused him to feel as if the galaxy was crushing him. It was so overwhelming...

The darkness shifted, and Anakin suddenly gave a strangled cry as he felt as if he had caught ablaze. He could feel himself burning away with an intense heat, feel his skin bubble and blacken; it was horrendous.

Sounds floated to him through his agony. Children screaming before their cries were cut short, men and women pleading for their lives, final cries of pain as people died, and then came a familiar voice.

"You were my brother—"

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"Skywalker!"

Suddenly the darkness retreated far away from Anakin, and he sensed it did not advance on Luke again for some odd reason. He gasped as the agony disappeared, the oppressive weight lifting from him. He blinked rapidly as the room came back into focus, the bright light above blinding him after such complete darkness. He realized he was on his knees, one hand clutching his head while the other gripped at his chest. The shadow of what he had just experienced loomed over him, even though it was gone. His shallow breathing was the only thing he heard for a few moments before his complete focus came back to him, at which point he realized the healer woman had her hand on Anakin's shoulder, bending down and trying to see if he was all right.