FORCE OF NATURE ( A. SKYWALKER ) [2]

XVI.

The brunette girl could hear the blood pumping in her ears and the loud pounding of her heart against her chest truly made her feel alive as she prepared herself for yet another fierce battle alongside her Jedi companions. A loud battle cry emerged from her lips as her lover steered the reek they were riding towards the swarm of droids that the Separatists have unleashed, and she prepared her lightsaber to cut down as many of these battle droids as possible.

Once the foursome were near enough, the three Jedi quickly jumped off the beast in order to join their fellow lightsaber wielders on the ground. Layna immediately swung the glowing green lightsaber left then right, cutting down a handful of droids in the process. She sensed movement to her right, and she quickly ducked to dodge the blaster fire that was aimed right for her head, stretching her hand out at the droid that blasted at her to send it flying away from the brunette.

As she felt each and every movement of every droid near her, she swung her lightsaber to incapacitate the attacking droids and avoid each attempt to hurt the brunette. She narrowly avoided one laser blast aimed towards her thigh, and quickly stabbed her glowing blue weapon through the droid's chest. The brunette quickly turned around upon sensing her lover race right past her, her dark eyes following the blonde as he hopped on the chariot that held the two of them just before they were wheeled into the arena.

Her attention was soon torn away from her two friends as she sensed danger close by, and the eighteen year old hurriedly brought her lightsaber up to deflect a few lasers shot in her direction. She kicked down a few droids in her way as she sprinted towards the center of the arena, where most of the droids and the Jedi were gathered. The female Jedi used her lightsaber to cut down her enemies and deflect the laser blasts thrown her way as she made her way to the center of the arena, soon finding herself in the company of her old friend, Obi-Wan and all of her Jedi companions.

She watched in horror as the Jedi are forced into the center of the arena, surrounded by thousands of battle droids who kept shooting at them the entire time. She felt the blood drain from her face as the numerous Jedis fell one by one, the life seeping out of them as they exhaled their final breaths. The number of the Jedi decreased until there were only just a few of them left standing, fighting for their lives as they continued to deflect the blaster fire from every direction. And then, they suddenly stopped.

Layna couldn't understand why the droids suddenly just ceased attacking, but when Master Windu's voice echoed throughout the entire arena, her dark eyes wandered until they found the traitor that made her blood boil. Dooku.

"Master Windu, you have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the archives of the Jedi Order."

Layna's breath hitched when her elbow grazed someone else's, and she turned her head to see her lover standing right behind her with a grave expression on his face as he stared at Count Dooku. She exhaled sharply, discreetly taking Anakin's free one with her own and the warmth of her lover's hand soon calmed the teenage girl down. Anakin squeezed the smaller girl's hand reassuringly, and Layna knew that this was his way of saying that it will all be alright. "Now it is finished. Surrender, and your lives will be spared."

"We will not be hostages to be bartered, Dooku!" Master Windu replied to the man who once was a great Jedi in the Order way before Layna had entered, herself.

"Then, I'm sorry, old friend."

With his words, the droids aimed their blasters at the surrounded Jedi Order and prepared to pull the trigger which will end all of their lives in the next moment. Layna felt her racing heart hammering wildly against her chest, a lump forming in her throat as she steeled herself for yet another battle.