Star Wars: Son of Skywalker | Book II: The Last Jedi

Chapter XIX: The Castle of Shadows

Jacen flies the transport pod into the orange planet, and into the foggy atmosphere. It was dark and steamy until he sees rivers of lava flowing across the planet, Jacen could sense the Dark Side within this planet. Jacen then sees a giant black tower, with a Sith like structure in front of a river of lava flowing under it, and falls down through the back of it. Jacen then sees the landing platform and lands on it, and as the cockpit folds open, the heat of the lava filled the whole planet. It was even hotter than Tatooine. Jacen steps out of the cockpit and throws his robe back into the pod and looks around, realizing that this was the same planet Anakin Skywalker had his fight with Obi-Wan Kenobi decades ago. He sees the entrance and enters the castle, he then enters through a hallway covered in red orange lights that lead to a medical room, with the schematics of mechanical limbs and a familiar cyborg like suit. This was the Castle of Shadows, the Castle was owned by Darth Vader. As another door opens, it leads to another hallway that leads into the main room. Inside was a giant window, showing a view of the lava planet, and a platform with white lights surrounding it. And in the very center of it, a standing base holding a burned and charred black mask. Jacen walks closer to it, seeing that it was the skull of Darth Vader, his grandfather, standing before him. Jacen senses another presence from behind him, and as he turns back, he sees the ghost of Anakin standing before him.

The Falcon sees a black tower standing between a river of lava and lands on the platform next to a small resistance ship. Rey then hops out of her seat and runs out of the cockpit as Chewbacca watches, and into the hallway of the Falcon, as she opens the boarding ramp, and into the lava like area as she then starts seeing visions of two Jedi clashing both of their blades against each other. One of them had light brown hair, blue eyes and a beard, wearing light Jedi robes, and the other was younger, had dark blonde hair, blue eyes, and a scar running down his right eye, wearing darker Jedi robes. Their blue blades flared around them as the images of the fight suddenly fade away.

"What was that?" Rey asked in her head, as she sees the entrance and runs through it, hoping she isn't too late.

"Why am I here?" Jacen asked. "What are you trying to show me?"

"Look at the mask, and you will find the answer." Said Anakin, glancing at his old mask. Jacen slowly walks toward the mask, wondering what Anakin wants him to see. "Look closer." Said Anakin, as Jacen slowly puts his hands on the mask and takes a closer look, and suddenly, he sees his father looking down at a sleeping Ben, sensing the Darkness in him. Luke looked sad, worried, and saw everything he couldn't even imagine. Luke then looks at his nephew and slowly takes out his lightsaber hilt and ignites the green blade, he looks at it, realizing how low he was at. Luke felt ashamed, he couldn't do it, so he lowers the blade, and saw Ben, with his eyes widened and afraid, waking up to his master, ready to kill him. Luke didn't know what to say, except he looked at him, scared and afraid. Ben then Force pulls his lightsaber hilt and ignites a blue blade, clashing against the green one as they lock on to each other.

"Ben, no!" Luke yelled, as Ben force pulls the roof, as it crashes onto them both. Jacen wakes up on his knees, out of breath, and in sadness. His father tried to kill his Cousin, the only person he was the closest too, and his Father tried to kill him.

Rey runs through the hallway and sees Jacen on his knees on the platform, and she sees a blue glowing figure comforting him, he turns his head and sees her. Rey recognized him from her vision. It was the ghost of Anakin Skywalker, the man who became Darth Vader, staring at her as he fades away, as she sees Jacen, on his hands and knees, now knowing what his father did.

"Jacen?" Rey asked, hoping that he was okay.

"Is it true?" Jacen asked, afraid of what he just saw. "Was that my Father?" Jacen asked in fear and sadness.

"Yes." Rey answered upsettingly, as Jacen closes his eyes, now knowing the truth. "We can still save Ben, but we don't have much time, we have to hurry." Said Rey, as she runs through the hallway as Jacen slowly stands up, looking at the window.

"Dad...why didn't you tell me?" He asked.