The Final Showdown Read online

  attack."

  "That's not true," Anakin countered. "I think you should save your

  fears for yourself."

  A spasm of pain crossed Ferus's face. Anakin could not imagine how

  awful it must feel, to give up the Jedi Order. It would be like giving up

  everything he lived for.

  "If the Jedi ever need me, I will be there," Ferus said quietly. "That

  includes you, Anakin."

  Ferus walked away quickly. Anakin looked after him angrily. Ferus got

  the last word. Not only that, but it had been a kind one. The noble Padawan

  to the last.

  Not a Padawan, though. Not any longer.

  Satisfaction soon curdled into frustration. Anakin felt as though he'd

  been beaten, but he didn't know why. He remembered the helplessness he'd

  felt in the energy trap. He never wanted to feel that way again. Yet he was

  trapped in his envy, in his anger, just as surely. Even if Ferus left the

  Temple forever, he would still remember this feeling.

  No. The feeling would fade. He would make it fade. He would push it

  down, down with his memories of Shmi. Now that Ferus was gone, Anakin could

  fulfill his promise. He would bring balance to the Force.

  Tru was angry at him, but he had never truly understood the burden

  that Anakin carried. Maybe Tru had never understood him at all. Maybe no

  one did, except for his Master. Tru would come around.

  Anakin walked out. At the far end of the hallway, he saw Ferus join

  Tru.

  He felt as though he was watching them through the wrong end of

  electrobinoculars. They seemed so small, so far away.

  Feeling his presence, Tru looked back over his shoulder at Anakin. And

  then it hit him like a punch that knocked the air from his lungs. Tru would

  never come around. He'd lost his friend forever.

  Standing still, he watched Ferus and Tru walk away. He heard footsteps

  beside him, and Obi-Wan was next to him.

  "Anakin, I've been looking for you."

  He turned automatically. "Do you need me?" "No, I... Anakin? Is

  something wrong?"

  "Ferus has resigned from the Jedi Order."

  Obi-Wan let out a breath. "I was afraid he would do something... like

  that. He feels Darra's death so strongly." There was a lost look in Obi-

  Wan's eyes as he gazed down the empty hallway. "The legacy of this mission

  is pain."

  Anakin wanted to take away the remote look on his Master's face. He

  didn't want Obi-Wan to care so much about what happened to Ferus. "The

  legacy of this mission is that a great enemy has been defeated. I saw you

  strike him down."

  "That is not an act that should bring you satisfaction, my young

  Padawan," Obi-Wan said sternly. "I took a life.

  "It was done as a last resort. And it rid the galaxy of a great evil.

  Therefore it was necessary and right."

  "Necessary - yes. But right?" Obi-Wan shook his head. "That is not a

  word to throw around lightly. We cannot say what is right. We can only do

  our best." Obi-Wan's gaze warmed. "As you do, Padawan. You never give less

  than your best. I'm proud of the Jedi you have become."

  Anakin was moved. His Master so rarely spoke this way. "Thank you,

  Master."

  Obi-Wan gave him a long look. "And... I wanted to tell you. The Jedi

  Council has decided that they won't speed up the trials for Padawans. Your

  Knighthood will have to wait a bit longer."

  Anakin absorbed this news. So there was no chance, then. He would have

  to wait. It didn't matter what he did, how well he performed.

  "When the time is right, you'll take the trials, and I have no doubt

  that you will astonish us all. Until then, we will work together. There is

  so much left to do, and I'm grateful to have you by my side for a little

  longer." Obi-Wan paused. "Anakin? Are you all right?"

  He was all right, Anakin suddenly realized. The weakness in his knees

  he'd felt when he saw Tru walk away was gone. In a strange way, the mission

  had strengthened him. He had a stronger conviction now, a harder edge to

  fight with. Everything had fallen away from him - his childhood, his

  friends, his wish to impress the Jedi Council.

  He would never be helpless again.

  He would only grow stronger.

  He had fought with a Sith and seen true power. One day he would be

  able to match it. He would be able to fight it. Not yet. But someday. Soon.

  As a boy, he hadn't wanted things to change. He wanted to keep those

  he loved close to him forever. Yet everything did change. He was far from

  his mother. He had lost Darra. Tru. And Qui-Gon. He couldn't fight against

  those kinds of losses. So be it. He would have to push them down until they

  didn't matter anymore.

  One day, he would face his worst loss, the loss of his Master. By

  surpassing him, he would lose him. He pictured Obi-Wan turning to him in

  slow surprise, grasping for the first time the true extent of his power.

  Seeing that the student had outstripped the teacher.

  On that day, Anakin's heart would break for the last time. He would

  feel the weight of impossible sorrow.

  He would not be able to bear that sorrow. Unless he no longer had a

  heart.