The two Anakin's stood locked together beneath the brilliant lights of the simulated starship hangar, their nearly identical faces illuminated by the intersecting glow of blue and indigo lightsabers.
The older Skywalker's expression was one of almost casual amusement. Despite the enormous pressure he was exerting through their locked blades, his shoulders remained relaxed, his breathing controlled, and his stance perfectly balanced. His longer sandy-brown hair moved slightly in the artificial breeze created by the hangar's ventilation systems.
Across from him, his sixteen-year-old counterpart gritted his teeth as he struggled to keep his weapon from being driven downward. Their lightsabers crackled violently, and the kinetic-response suit beneath the younger Anakin's robes tightened around his arms as the training system simulated the force of the collision.
"Come on, me. You can do better than that." The older Anakin's smirk widened. "I'm just wondering how long you're going to last."
The younger Anakin's blue eyes narrowed. He's seriously enjoying this.
Young Anakin shifted his weight onto his rear foot and rotated his lightsaber, attempting to redirect the older one's strength instead of continuing to resist it directly.
The movement was one Master Plo Koon, and Obi-Wan had drilled into him countless times during their training on Tython. A powerful opponent couldn't always be overcome through greater force, especially when that opponent possessed the same physical advantages and Force potential.
Unfortunately, the older Anakin appeared to recognize the maneuver before it was fully executed. He loosened the pressure at precisely the wrong moment for his younger counterpart, allowing the indigo blade to slide past his guard.
Then he stepped forward, his blue lightsaber swept toward the younger Anakin's exposed shoulder.
Younger Anakin twisted aside, narrowly intercepting the strike with a hurried defensive movement before rotating into a powerful Djem So counterattack.
The older one blocked it almost effortlessly, as a sharp crack reverberated throughout the hangar. "That's better," he remarked. But before Anakin could respond, the older Skywalker delivered another crushing strike that forced him backward.
Their lightsabers met repeatedly, each collision sending brilliant flashes of blue and indigo light across the polished hangar floor.
The younger Anakin attempted to regain the initiative through a rapid series of Form V attacks, striking toward his opponent's upper guard before immediately transitioning into a diagonal cut aimed at his left side.
While the older Anakin intercepted the first attack with a compact parry, redirected the second, and stepped around the third. Then he kicked his younger counterpart in the abdomen.
Anakin stumbled backward, barely managing to maintain his balance.
"Your too predictable young me."
Anakin grunted. "You're one to talk!" The younger Jedi rushed forward, his indigo lightsaber sweeping through a powerful overhead strike.
The older Anakin met the attack directly, and their weapons collided with enough force to send a sharp vibration through the surrounding projection fields. For a moment, both remained locked together.
Then the older Skywalker changed the angle of his blade and drove his younger counterpart backward. "You're strong," he acknowledged, his voice becoming slightly more serious. "Much stronger than I remember being at your age."
Anakin blinked. Was that a compliment?
"You've clearly had excellent training. Your balance is better than mine was at sixteen, and your control over the Force is surprisingly refined." He smiled. "But you're still making mistakes I learned to stop making years ago."
The younger Anakin frowned. "Oh yeah? And what mistakes are those?"
"You're thinking about what you want your next attack to accomplish." The older Jedi suddenly withdrew his blade, changed his footing, and delivered a powerful horizontal strike.
Young Anakin intercepted it.
"But you're not thinking about what happens when your opponent refuses to cooperate." The older Skywalker rotated into another attack.
Anakin blocked it, then attempted to counter, but his opponent was already moving. A quick thrust forced the younger Anakin to retreat, and the older Anakin followed with a downward strike that nearly broke through his guard.
Young Anakin disengaged and leaped backward, landing several meters away, as hee exhaled sharply. He's fast, no that would be an understatement.
The older Anakin possessed the same overwhelming strength in the Force, the same instinctive understanding of lightsaber combat, and the same aggressive determination that had always distinguished the younger Skywalker from his peers. But three years of constant warfare had transformed those qualities into something considerably more dangerous.
He didn't waste time preparing attacks that could be interrupted, or allow opportunities to remain open. And whenever young Anakin attempted to establish a familiar rhythm, his older counterpart disrupted it before it could develop. It was like fighting someone who already knew what he intended to do. Which, technically, he does.
The realization was irritating. Especially because the older man was clearly enjoying himself.
"What's wrong?" his opponent called. "Need a moment to catch your breath?"
Anakin straightened. "Not even close."
"Good." The older Skywalker rolled his shoulders. "Then stop trying to hit me and hit me." He attacked again.
This time, the younger Anakin was ready. He accelerated forward to meet the charge, his indigo blade sweeping through a powerful Djem So strike aimed at the older Jedi's right shoulder.
Their weapons collided.
Anakin immediately shifted his grip and followed with a second attack, using the reinforced control of his cybernetic hand to maintain stability while changing the angle of his blade. The older Jedi intercepted the strike. But his expression changed slightly. He glanced toward the black glove covering Anakin's mechanical hand.
Then he looked at his own. For a moment, something almost unsettling passed across his face. "Your hand."
Young Anakin frowned. " Yeah. What about it?"
"It's mechanical right?"
The younger Skywalker adjusted his stance. "Obviously."
The older Anakin examined him more carefully. His amused expression faded, replaced by genuine curiosity. "How did you lose it?"
The question caught Anakin off guard. He hadn't expected the program to ask about something so personal. For a moment, he remembered the fight with Dooku that had cost him his hand, and Cain his left eye.
The burning pain, and the humiliation. The terrible realization that possessing extraordinary power didn't mean he was invincible. And the frustration of knowing that the man responsible had defeated him because he was more experienced and had exploited that perfectly, even when fight two to one.
Anakin tightened his grip. "Against someone I don't plan to lose to again."
The older Skywalker's blue eyes narrowed. For several seconds, he regarded the younger man in silence. Then he shook his head. "You're afraid."
Anakin's expression hardened. "I'm not afraid of him."
"I didn't say you were." The older man moved without warning. He crossed the distance with a rapid Force-assisted step, his blue lightsaber descending toward Anakin's upper guard. The younger Anakin intercepted it, but the older Skywalker immediately disengaged and drove a powerful kick into his chest again.
Anakin staggered backward. Before he could recover, another strike came toward his shoulder. He blocked it. Then another came, and another after that. The older man's aggression increased, although his movements remained extraordinarily controlled.
"You're afraid of losing again," he continued between strikes. "Afraid that no matter how powerful you become, there will always be someone capable of taking something from you."
Young Anakin gritted his teeth. "Shut up!" He answered with a fierce counterattack. But the older Skywalker redirected it almost contemptuously. "See? There it is."
Their blades collided again. " That anger, that fear."
Young Anakin attempted another strike.
"That need to prove you can never be helpless again."
The older Jedi stepped inside his guard and drove a short elbow toward his shoulder, forcing him to retreat. "Believe me, kid. I know exactly how that feels."
Anakin's breathing quickened. No, you don't. He tightened his grip on his weapon. You don't know anything about me. Then he attacked with renewed intensity.
From the observation platform, I watched the two Skywalkers exchange increasingly powerful strikes.
The older Anakin was extraordinary. I'd known that, of course.
I'd watched his battles countless times during my first life, studied his techniques through films, novels, and the old Clone Wars material, and spent weeks helping Josa reconstruct an accurate combat profile.
But watching him in person was an entirely different experience. The man standing inside the simulated hangar wasn't simply Anakin Skywalker from Legends. He was the original version, the chosen, and a veteran Jedi general forged by the Clone Wars, and countless battles against droids and living enemies, encounters with Sith and dark Jedi, and years of fighting beside the soldiers and Jedi under his command.
He had experienced circumstances that forced him to learn lessons my Anakin had only begun encountering, and he was using every bit of that experience.
"He's good," Derren remarked beside me.
I glanced toward him. "That's one way of describing it."
Derren folded his arms. "No, seriously. Look at the way he moves. He's doing everything Anakin normally does, except he seems to know exactly when to change direction."
Seris nodded. "His Djem So is considerably more refined. He's committing his strength at precisely the right moment and conserving movement whenever possible."
Shaak Ti watched the projected duel with unmistakable interest. "The younger Anakin has excellent fundamentals, but his older counterpart is controlling the timing of nearly every exchange."
Plo Koon inclined his head. "Experience can make an extraordinary difference, even between two combatants possessing similar abilities."
Depa studied the older warrior carefully. "His technique is unusually aggressive, but he doesn't appear to be fighting recklessly."
"That's because he isn't," I replied. "He's attacking constantly, but almost every movement serves a specific purpose."
Yoda remained silent for several seconds. Then his ears lowered slightly. "Familiar, his presence is. Yet troubled, the path behind him appears."
Luminara looked toward the simulated older Anakin. "This reconstruction certainly possesses an extraordinary understanding of the Force. But I find its resemblance to Padawan Skywalker rather unsettling."
Anakin's older counterpart suddenly drove his younger self backward with another crushing series of strikes.
I watched the exchange. You have no idea.
Josa leaned over the control console, studying the combat telemetry. "Well, this is fascinating."
"What is?" I asked.
"The younger Anakin is actually exceeding the program's expected performance parameters."
I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"His reaction times, Force-assisted acceleration, and transitional techniques are all above the historical baseline you provided for the older profile's younger years."
She pointed toward several moving graphs.
"But the older program is compensating through tactical prediction and experience. He's not necessarily reacting faster to every attack. He's putting himself in better positions before those attacks happen."
Seris looked toward the data. "So the younger Anakin is stronger than the original was at sixteen?"
"In some measurable areas," Josa replied. "But don't confuse that with being the better overall combatant."
I nodded. "Exactly."
Derren scratched his head. "Then how is Anakin supposed to win?"
I studied the two. "By realizing that he doesn't have to become the man standing in front of him."
Seris turned toward me. She seemed to understand that there was more behind those words than I was prepared to explain, but she didn't press. Instead, she slipped her hand into mine. Through our bond, I felt her quiet concern. I squeezed her fingers reassuringly.
Come on, Anakin. Show him how much your life has changed.
Within the simulation, the younger Anakin was discovering just how difficult that would be. He rushed forward, launching a rapid series of Djem So strikes against his older counterpart.
The first attack was intercepted, while the second was redirected. The third forced the older version to change his footing, but the younger Anakin couldn't exploit the opening before his opponent countered. Their lightsabers collided repeatedly as they moved between rows of cargo crates. Anakin attempted a powerful overhead strike.
The older Aankin met it directly. Then he shifted his blade to one side, caught the younger Jedi's weapon against his own, and drove forward with his shoulder.
Anakin stumbled backward. Then a telekinetic pulse struck him before he could recover. He flew into a stack of cargo containers. The impact scattered several smaller crates across the floor, and the kinetic-response suit tightened painfully around his shoulders and back.
Anakin groaned. That hurt. He pushed himself upright, using the Force to lift a fallen container away from his legs.
The older version approached at a measured pace. "You're strong in the Force, and you're extremely talented with a lightsaber." He raised his blue blade. "But I know you."
Young Anakin glared at him. "No, you don't."
The older man's expression hardened. "Don't I?" He extended his free hand. A powerful Force push erupted across the hangar. Anakin barely managed to establish a defensive barrier before the impact struck. The shield absorbed part of the pressure, but he was still thrown backward through another stack of crates.
Metallic containers crashed against the deck. His training suit registered several painful impacts. Anakin rolled onto one knee, breathing hard, while the older version continued approaching. "You feel restricted. Forced to fit into a mold that never suited you."
Anakin froze briefly. "Stop talking."
"Told to forget your mother. Forget your first Master. Follow the rules even when you know you could be doing more."
The words struck harder than Anakin expected, his hand tightened around his lightsaber.
The older Anakin's voice became more intense. "You're told to let go of everything that makes you human, to stand aside while people suffer because the Council believes patience is more important than action."
Young Anakin rose. "That's enough."
"But you know the truth, don't you?" The older Anakin stopped several paces away. "You know you have the power to change things. To protect people. To prevent tragedies that everyone else insists you must simply accept."
Anakin's breathing slowed, as the older one continued. "And yet they expect you to surrender the very attachments that give you a reason to fight."
For a moment, the simulated hangar seemed strangely quiet. Anakin studied the man standing before him. The older version of himself was powerful, confident, experienced. But beneath that confidence, Anakin sensed something he hadn't recognized during their earlier exchanges. Pain. Not the ordinary pain of someone injured in battle, something deeper. A loneliness that seemed to have settled into the older man's heart so completely that he no longer noticed it.
The younger Anakin slowly lowered the tip of his indigo lightsaber. "You're lonely."
The older Anakin's expression changed. "What?"
Anakin looked at him carefully. "You must be incredibly lonely."
The older Skywalker's blue eyes widened. For the first time since the duel began, he appeared genuinely caught off guard. "What did you say?"
Anakin took a measured breath. "I said you must be lonely."
The older man stared at him, then his expression hardened. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Actually, I think I do." Anakin adjusted his grip. "Everything you've been saying? Those are things I used to think, and feel when I first arrived at the Temple."
The older Skywalker remained silent, and Anakin continued.
"That nobody understood me from being a slave to having to leave my mother behind in slavery, while I was free. That the Masters were trying to turn me into someone I wasn't. That if I could become powerful enough, I'd never have to be afraid of losing anyone again." He glanced down at his cybernetic hand. "I still think about some of those things sometimes." Then he looked up. "But those ideas never became everything I believed."
The older Anakin's expression tightened. "Why?"
Anakin smiled faintly. "Because I wasn't alone." And then he moved. Anakin accelerated with a sudden burst of Force-enhanced speed, launching himself toward his older counterpart before the man could establish another offensive sequence.
But this time, he didn't attack with Djem So, he shifted into Ataru. His body became a blur of movement as he vaulted over a fallen cargo container and descended toward the older Skywalker with a powerful diagonal strike.
The older Jedi intercepted it. Anakin immediately rotated through the air, redirecting the force of the collision into another attack aimed at his opponent's exposed flank. The older Skywalker pivoted, and their lightsabers clashed again.
Then Anakin used a Force-assisted step to move around his opponent rather than retreat from the exchange. His indigo lightsaber flashed toward the older man's shoulder. A compact parry intercepted it. But the younger Anakin was already changing direction.
The next attack came from below, and then from the right. Then through a sudden overhead strike that forced the older version to retreat half a step. It wasn't enough to overwhelm him, but it was different.
The older Anakin narrowed his eyes. Ataru. The boy's movements were considerably more fluid than he'd expected. There was a precision to his footwork that didn't resemble his own adolescent style, and the younger Skywalker was using his acrobatics with greater restraint than he'd possessed at that age.
He wasn't jumping simply because he could. He was moving to create angles, to change the rhythm. To force his opponent into positions where raw strength couldn't solve every problem. Interesting.
The two lightsabers collided again, and young Anakin smiled. "I don't know about you, but I've had the best friends a guy could ask for."
The older Skywalker stepped forward with a powerful Djem So counterstrike. Anakin intercepted it, pivoted around the man's leading foot, and redirected his blade toward an exposed section of the older Jedi's guard.
The attack missed by centimeters. "Friends who challenged me, pushed me, and made sure I didn't become an arrogant idiot." From the observation platform, Derren raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't become?" Seris elbowed him.
Anakin continued without hearing them. "And one of them became a brother to me."
The older Skywalker blocked another attack. "Sounds nice."
"It is."
The younger Anakin shifted into Makashi for a brief exchange, using precise wrist movements and narrow footwork to deflect a series of powerful strikes without attempting to match their full force. He immediately transitioned back into Ataru, launching himself toward a raised maintenance platform.
The older Anakin followed. They met halfway up the platform's access stairs, exchanging rapid strikes that scattered simulated sparks across the railings.
Anakin ducked beneath an overhead cut, rotated around his opponent, and drove forward with a powerful Djem So strike.
The older Anakin intercepted it, but this time, he had to use both hands. While young Anakin grinned. "That friend who became my helped me see my mother again."
The older Skywalker went still for the briefest moment. "What?"
Anakin pressed forward. "She's alive."
Their weapons collided. "Yes, and she's free." Another strike. "And she's happy."
The older Anakin's expression changed. For a fraction of a second, his defensive movement slowed. It was barely noticeable. But the younger Anakin saw it, and he took advantage. He stepped inside the older man's guard, rotated his indigo blade through a powerful counterstrike, and forced him backward along the maintenance platform.
"She's living here on Tython with her husband. They're helping build the settlement near our Temple."
The older Jedi stared at him. "Your mother is here?"
"Yes." The younger Anakin smiled. "And I get to see her whenever I want." The older Anakin intercepted another attack, but his movements had become less certain. "You brought her here?"
"My friend helped arrange it. He didn't tell me until everything was ready." Anakin laughed softly as their lightsabers met again. "I was so angry with him for keeping it a secret that I almost forgot to thank him."
The older man's gaze hardened. "You're lying."
Anakin's smile faded. "No. I'm not."
They exchanged three rapid strikes. The older Skywalker retreated another step. "And I don't understand why you're acting like seeing my mother is impossible."
For several seconds, the older Jedi said nothing. Something in his expression had changed. The confident Jedi who'd dominated their opening exchanges now seemed to be struggling with an unfamiliar thought.
Anakin noticed. He didn't know what it meant, but he could feel the difference. He's listening. And for the first time, the younger Anakin wasn't merely fighting to win. He was beginning to control the duel.
The maintenance platform shuddered beneath their feet as the two Skywalkers resumed their exchange. Anakin advanced with renewed determination, his indigo lightsaber tracing a rapid series of controlled arcs as he combined the overwhelming strength of Djem So with the speed and mobility of Ataru.
His movements were changing. The older ones recognized it almost immediately. The boy was no longer trying to defeat him using the same techniques he preferred. Instead, he was drawing upon several disciplines, blending their principles together in ways that forced the older Jedi to continually adjust his defenses.
A precise Makashi deflection interrupted one of his heavier strikes. Anakin followed with an Ataru sidestep, allowing the next attack to pass before immediately countering through a powerful Djem So overhead cut.
The older Jedi caught the blade, their weapons locking briefly. "Who taught you to fight like this?"
Anakin smiled. "A lot of people." He suddenly disengaged and struck toward his opponent's left side.
The older Skywalker intercepted the attack, but Anakin's next movement forced him to rotate backward. "Master Plo taught me how to listen to the Force instead of trying to make it do whatever I wanted." Their blades collided twice. "Master Fay taught me how to understand myself." Anakin ducked beneath a powerful horizontal strike, planted one hand against the deck, and used the Force to propel himself through a controlled rotation that carried him behind his opponent.
The older Jedi pivoted just in time to block another attack.
"Masters Shaak Ti and Kuro taught me that there are more ways to win a battle than overpowering everyone." Anakin smiled as he increased his pace. "And Seris has been reminding me of that since we were children."
From the observation platform, Seris's expression softened. "Well, somebody had to." I chuckled.
Anakin continued pressing the attack. "And Cain? He taught me that just because everyone expects something from me doesn't mean I have to become what they want."
The older Skywalker countered with a powerful upward strike, forcing Anakin to withdraw. "Cain?"
"He's my best friend." Anakin laughed as he remembered their countless arguments, competitions, and training sessions. "He can be a stubborn idiot sometimes, but he's never stopped believing I could become something better."
The older man tilted his head. "Better than what?"
"Better than someone who only knows how to fight." The two warriors met again. Their blades collided near the edge of the elevated platform, scattering brilliant flashes of light across the surrounding machinery.
Anakin shifted into Makashi, allowing his opponent's heavier strikes to slide past his guard before responding with controlled thrusts. He then transitioned into Djem So, increasing the power of his counterattacks whenever the older man attempted to overwhelm him.
The movement wasn't flawless. Several transitions remained unnecessarily wide, and the older Jedi continued recognizing openings that an ordinary opponent would've missed. But the younger Skywalker's improvements were becoming impossible to ignore. He's better than I was at his age, the older Anakin acknowledged.
The thought irritated him. Yet it also stirred something resembling pride. For all the younger boy's recklessness, there was genuine discipline beneath his aggression. And more importantly, there was something different about his presence.
He wasn't carrying the same suffocating fear. The older Skywalker's gaze narrowed. "You're telling me you don't follow the Jedi Code anymore?"
Anakin caught his next strike and redirected it. "Not exactly." He stepped backward, creating enough distance to recover his footing. "We left the old Order."
The older Anakin stopped. "What?"
Anakin smiled. "You heard me. We left Coruscant and established a new Praxeum here on Tython."
For several seconds, the older Skywalker simply stared. "You left the Jedi Order?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because we believed things needed to change." Anakin raised his lightsaber. "And because I was tired of pretending that caring about people was something I needed to apologize for."
The older Jedi's expression became difficult to read.
Anakin continued. "We still believe in the Jedi's principles, but we're trying to do things differently. We can maintain relationships, help our families, and learn from people outside the traditional Order." He shrugged. "We're not perfect, but I'm happier than I've been in years."
The older Anakin stared at him. Then he asked quietly, "And Obi-Wan?"
Anakin smiled. "He's still my main Master. I just learn from other Master's and knight's as well ."
The older Jedi's expression softened at the familiar name. "He still lecturing you?"
"Constantly."
A faint laugh escaped the older man's lips. "Some things never change."
"Apparently not." Anakin stepped forward. "But he's changing, too."
The older Jedi raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"He's learning to be honest about what he wants. He's reconnecting with someone he loves, and for once he's not letting the Council decide whether he's allowed to be happy."
The older Skywalker studied him. "Obi-Wan? In love?"
Anakin nodded. "Yeah. I know. I was surprised, too."
He lowered his voice slightly. "Although once you meet Duchess Satine, it's pretty obvious."
The older man's expression shifted. "Satine."
The name carried an unmistakable weight. Anakin recognized it immediately. "You know her?"
The older Jedi looked away briefly. "I know of her."
"Well, he's on Mandalore now. I think they're finally figuring things out."
For a moment, the older Skywalker appeared genuinely bewildered. Leaving the Jedi Order, his mother being alive and around him, and Obi-Wan. Everything the younger boy described seemed to challenge assumptions he'd accepted as unavoidable truths. And the younger Anakin wasn't finished.
"We're going to free Tatooine."
The older Jedi looked sharply toward him. "What?"
Anakin's expression became serious. "Not just the people their, but everyone everywhere." He raised his indigo lightsaber. "Cain and I have been preparing for it. We're building a military, gathering allies, and finding people willing to help us fight the slavers throughout the Outer Rim."
The older man's expression hardened. "You intend to fight the Hutts?"
"We attend to fight all of them, not just the Hutts."
"Do you understand how powerful they are?"
"Of course."
"Then you know how many people could die if you start a war against them."
Anakin nodded. "I do. That's why we're preparing instead of rushing in without a plan."
The older Skywalker stared at him. "You're actually being patient?"
Anakin grinned. "Don't sound so surprised."
The older Jedi almost smiled.
Then Anakin's expression grew more determined. "When I was little, I used to dream at night coming back to Tatooine and freeing everyone. I thought becoming a Jedi would give me the strength to make it happen." His fingers tightened around the hilt. "Somewhere along the way, I started believing I wasn't allowed to have that dream anymore."
The older Skywalker remained silent.
Anakin continued. "But I was wrong. I don't have to abandon it. I just have to become someone capable of accomplishing it without making everything worse." He stepped forward. "And I don't have to do it alone."
The older Jedi raised his weapon, and Anakin met him halfway. Their lightsabers collided in an explosion of blue and indigo light. The younger Anakin attacked with everything he'd learned. He flowed through Ataru's swift, acrobatic movements, using the Force to change angles and reposition himself across the maintenance platform.
Whenever the older man attempted to establish a powerful Djem So exchange, Anakin shifted into Makashi, redirecting the attacks through precise, economical parries. And when an opening appeared, he answered with the full strength of Form V.
For several extraordinary seconds, the younger Anakin gained the advantage. He drove his opponent backward along the platform, forcing him to defend against a combination of attacks that seemed to flow from one form into another without interruption.
The older Anakin intercepted a powerful overhead strike. Anakin immediately rotated his weapon into a sweeping horizontal cut. The older Jedi leaned backward. The indigo blade passed within centimeters of his chest. Anakin stepped forward and extended his mechanical hand. A tremendous Force push erupted across the platform.
The older Skywalker braced himself, raising a defensive barrier that absorbed the worst of the attack. Even so, the force sent him sliding backward several meters. His boots carved shallow grooves across the simulated deck.
From the observation platform, Anakin's friends erupted into excited reactions. "He's pushing him back!" Derren exclaimed. Seris leaned forward, watching the exchange with pride. "His transitions have improved enormously."
Plo Koon nodded. "He's using precisely what we spent months attempting to teach him. He's allowing his opponent's movements to guide his decisions rather than attempting to impose his own preferred rhythm."
Shaak Ti smiled. "And he's combining the forms more naturally than before."
I watched the younger Anakin advance. That's it, brother. For a moment, I felt an almost overwhelming sense of pride. The Anakin standing inside that dome wasn't the frightened boy who'd once believed he needed to become powerful enough to control every danger in his life.
He was still reckless, stubborn, and occasionally infuriating. But he'd learned to trust people, and accept help. And perhaps most importantly, he'd begun understanding that loving someone didn't mean keeping them imprisoned within his own fears.
You're doing better than I ever hoped.
Then something changed. The older Skywalker stopped retreating. He stood perfectly still as Anakin launched another powerful overhead strike. His blue lightsaber remained lowered.
Anakin's eyes widened. What is he doing?
The indigo blade descended, and stopped. Less than a handspan from the older Jedi's shoulder, the weapon halted against an invisible resistance.
Anakin pushed harder, but nothing happened. The older Skywalker was holding his blade in place through the Force alone.
A heavy silence settled over the hangar, the man slowly raised his head. His expression had changed. The earlier amusement was gone. The confidence remained, but beneath it was something altogether more frightening.
A controlled intensity that seemed to darken the air around him. And for the briefest moment, his blue eyes flickered an unnatural yellow.
Anakin's breath caught. That can't be.
From the observation platform, I felt a chill run down my spine. Oh, no. I recognized that expression. More importantly, I recognized what it represented. The older Skywalker wasn't simply increasing his aggression.
The desperate determination to impose his will upon a galaxy that repeatedly refused to give him what he wanted. And unlike the uncontrolled fury Exar Kun had displayed during Derren's duel, this anger was frighteningly focused.
The older Anakin regarded his younger counterpart with cold intensity. "So you want to play the hero boy?"
The younger Anakin struggled against the invisible force holding his weapon. "Let go!"
"Fine." The older man's lips curled into a humorless smile. "You have my respect. You're stronger than I expected, and you've accomplished things I never imagined at your age." His voice hardened. "But tell me something." The invisible pressure increased. "How are you going to save anyone when you can't even save yourself?"
Anakin stared at him.
"Or face the darkness within yourself?"
The older Jedi released his hold. The younger Anakin stumbled forward as his lightsaber suddenly resumed its interrupted descent. But before he could regain his balance, the older Skywalker moved. And the real difference between them became terrifyingly clear.
The older Anakin's blue lightsaber struck with such overwhelming force that the younger Jedi barely managed to raise his weapon in time. Their blades collided, the impact sent a painful shock through his arms. Before he could recover, another strike followed, then another.
The older Skywalker's movements had become substantially more aggressive, but unlike Exar Kun's increasingly uncontrolled assault, there was no loss of precision. Every attack was purposeful. Every movement created the opportunity for the next. His Djem So had become a relentless expression of controlled power, reinforced by the Force to a degree the younger Anakin had never experienced.
The older Jedi attacked from above.
Anakin blocked. A second strike forced him backward. The third nearly knocked his weapon from his hands. He attempted to counter through Makashi, but the older Skywalker anticipated the movement and altered his attack before the parry could develop.
Anakin tried to escape through Ataru, but the older man followed. Their blades collided in midair, and the younger Jedi felt his momentum abruptly redirected.
He landed awkwardly upon a maintenance platform. Before he could recover, a Force push struck him in the chest. He flew backward into the railing. The metal bent beneath the impact. Anakin grimaced.
He's completely different now!
The older Skywalker landed several paces away. His eyes had returned to blue, but the cold intensity remained within his expression.
"You're still reacting."
Anakin forced himself upright.
"And you're still talking!" He rushed forward. The older Jedi met him with a devastating sequence of strikes. Their lightsabers became intersecting blurs as both versions moved with Force-enhanced speed, but the younger Skywalker was gradually losing ground with every exchange.
He attempted a powerful Djem So counterstrike. The older Anakin intercepted it and stepped inward, denying him the space necessary to recover.
A short elbow struck his shoulder. Anakin twisted aside. The older man followed with a sweeping strike aimed toward his lower guard. The indigo blade barely intercepted it. Then the older Skywalker changed direction. A crushing overhead attack descended.
Anakin raised his weapon with both hands, but the impact drove him onto one knee. Pain shot through his arms. He gritted his teeth and tried to rise. The older Jedi withdrew his weapon just enough to deliver another powerful strike.
Anakin blocked, while his knees buckled. A third attack followed immediately. The collision forced his lightsaber lower. He could feel the training suit registering escalating pressure across his shoulders, wrists, and spine.
Come on. Anakin reached deeper into the Force. Move!
A burst of raw power surged through him. He forced the older man's weapon upward and attempted to regain his footing. For an instant, it appeared he might succeed. Then the older Skywalker stepped forward. He shifted the angle of his lightsaber, using the younger Jedi's own upward effort to compromise his guard.
Anakin's weapon moved away from his centerline. The older man immediately drove his knee upward. It struck the younger Anakin beneath the chin.
The impact exploded through his jaw. His vision flashed white. His lightsaber slipped from his fingers. The indigo blade vanished as the weapon struck the deck, and Anakin collapsed. His shoulder hit the floor first, followed by his back.
For several seconds, he couldn't move. He could hear the distant hum of the hangar's machinery and the fading echo of their last collision, but everything sounded strangely muffled.
Damn. His jaw throbbed and his head spun.
I really do hit hard.
The older Skywalker stood above him, breathing heavily. For a moment, the man's expression seemed caught between anger and something resembling regret. Then the intensity faded, as his shoulders relaxed. His eyes returned fully to their familiar blue, as he deactivated his lightsaber.
The younger Anakin attempted to push himself upright. His arms refused to cooperate.
The older Jedi looked down at him. "You're talented, kid." His voice was quieter now. "More talented than I was at your age." Anakin managed to lift his head.
The older man continued. "And you've found something worth protecting without allowing it to consume you. Don't throw that away."
For a moment, the younger Anakin thought the program might offer him a hand. Instead, the older Jedi turned away. "But you're nowhere near ready to face him yet."
Anakin frowned through the pain. "Him?"
The older Skywalker stopped, he didn't turn around. "If you can't defeat me as I am, you'll never survive what comes next."
The words seemed to linger in the air. Then the older Jedi began walking toward the starfighter from which he'd emerged.
Anakin tried to call after him, but the simulated hangar was already dissolving into particles of blue light.
The older Anakin disappeared without another word. And above Josa's console, the results appeared.
COMBAT TRIAL COMPLETE
RESULT: DEFEAT
The room fell silent. I stared at the results. Damn it.
I'd known what this program was capable of. The older Anakin was supposed to be the strongest version or normal legends Anakin. He still didn't cut fully lose either, he barely went into phase two.
But I'd still allowed Anakin to push for a more dangerous opponent. I should've started him with someone else.
I turned toward the stairs. "Excuse me." Then I hurried into the dome.
When I reached Anakin, he was sitting on the floor with one hand pressed against his jaw and the other resting on his knee.
He looked thoroughly miserable. I crouched beside him and extended my hand. "Hey, brother. You all right?"
Anakin glanced toward me. For a moment, I expected him to accept the help. Instead, he gently brushed my hand aside. "I've got it, Cain." His voice was quiet. Not angry or even particularly frustrated, just disappointed.
He placed his mechanical hand against the floor and slowly pushed himself upright. I remained beside him, ready to help if he lost his balance. Once he was standing, he flexed his shoulders and winced.
"Okay. That was worse than I expected."
I smiled weakly. "Yeah."
Anakin rubbed his jaw. "Damn. I hit hard."
Despite everything, I laughed.
He looked toward me. Then he smiled faintly. "Seriously. Is that what fighting me feels like?"
"Sometimes."
"Now I understand why Derren complains so much."
"Hey!" Derren called from the approaching group. "I heard that!"
Anakin chuckled before looking down at the inactive lightsaber hanging from his hand. For several seconds, he was silent. Then he sighed. "I'm not ready."
I studied him carefully. "Anakin—"
"No, Cain. It's fine." He looked toward the empty dome. "I wanted to fight someone strong. You warned me that I wasn't ready, and I didn't listen." His fingers tightened around his lightsaber hilt. "I thought I could handle whatever you threw at me because I've gotten so much stronger these past few months."
He shook his head. "But that guy was always ahead of me. Every time I thought I'd figured something out, he'd already planned what he was going to do next."
I placed a hand against his shoulder. "Experience makes a difference."
"I know." Anakin looked toward me. "And now I know just how much."
I nodded slowly. He really has grown. The Anakin Skywalker I remembered from the original timeline might've responded to such a defeat with rage, humiliation, or a desperate need to immediately challenge his opponent again.
This Anakin was disappointed. His pride had been wounded. But he was thinking. And that meant the simulation had accomplished something important.
Still, I couldn't shake my guilt. "I should've chosen someone else for your first demonstration."
Anakin frowned.
"Why?"
"Because I knew how dangerous that program could become."
He shook his head. "Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Blame yourself because I lost." His expression became unusually serious. "You told me I wasn't ready. I insisted anyway. That was my decision." He glanced toward the empty chamber. "Besides, I learned more from that fight than I would've from someone who couldn't push me."
I smiled faintly. "That's a good way to look at it."
Anakin returned the smile. "Although I'm definitely going to beat him eventually."
I laughed. "Of course you are."
"And whoever that final opponent is." My smile faded slightly. We'll see.
The others reached us a moment later. Seris approached Anakin first, studying his face with an expression that combined concern and barely concealed amusement.
"How's your jaw?"
"Sore."
"Your pride?"
"Also sore."
Derren grinned. "Well, at least you're consistent."
Anakin gave him a warning look. "Don't start."
Derren raised both hands innocently. "I didn't say anything."
Seris smiled. "You were about to."
I chuckled. These two are going to spend the rest of their lives arguing. Plo Koon approached with Yoda, Yaddle, Depa, Shaak Ti, and Luminara.
"Anakin," my Master said gently, "that was an extraordinary demonstration of your progress."
Anakin bowed. "Thank you, Master. Although I don't think I performed particularly well."
"On the contrary. Your transitions between Ataru, Makashi, and Djem So were considerably more fluid than during our last session."
Shaak Ti nodded. "And you demonstrated restraint when your opponent attempted to provoke you emotionally."
Anakin looked surprised. "Restraint? I got angry several times."
"Yes," Depa replied. "But anger did not dictate every decision you made. You recognized when your opponent was manipulating your reactions and eventually changed your approach."
Yoda regarded him thoughtfully. "Much learned, you have. Yet much still remains."
Anakin nodded. "I know, Grand Master."
The elderly Jedi's expression softened. "Good. Defeat, a teacher it may become, when willing to listen we are."
Luminara, however, appeared deeply troubled. "Cain."
I turned toward her. "Yes, Master?"
"What exactly was that simulation?"
I hesitated. "A reconstruction of Anakin Skywalker from a possible future."
"Possible?"
"Yes."
She studied me carefully. "The program appeared to understand aspects of Anakin's personality that most people would never recognize. It also demonstrated an extraordinary connection to the Force."
The surrounding conversation quieted. I felt Plo Koon's attention sharpen.
Depa folded her arms. "That concerned me as well."
Yoda looked toward the empty dome. "For a moment, much darkness within him I sensed."
Josa immediately approached. "The simulation's Force abilities are still technological approximations, Masters. It isn't producing an actual living connection to the Force."
"Then why did its presence change so dramatically?" Luminara asked.
Josa glanced toward me.
I sighed. "Because the historical profile includes several psychological and combat characteristics that emerge under specific conditions."
"Characteristics associated with the dark side?" Shaak Ti asked.
I nodded reluctantly. "Yes."
Luminara's expression hardened. "And you created such a program specifically for Anakin?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
I looked toward the Anakin. He was watching me with an unreadable expression. For a moment, I considered giving them a partial explanation. But the truth was too complicated, and some secrets weren't mine alone to reveal. "I'm afraid that's something I can't explain yet."
Luminara's eyes narrowed. "Cain—"
"I understand your concern, Master. I do. But there are reasons I selected that opponent, and I promise the purpose wasn't to humiliate or endanger Anakin."
She looked toward Plo Koon.
"Master Koon, surely you cannot be satisfied with that explanation."
Plo regarded me for several seconds. Then he answered calmly. "I intend to discuss the program with Cain privately, Master Unduli."
I bowed my head. "Of course, Master."
Yoda tapped his cane. "Secrets, many you carry, young Cain."
I met his gaze. "Yes, Grand Master."
"Heavy, they may become."
"I know."
He studied me for another moment. "Share them wisely, you must."
I nodded. "I'll try."
Josa suddenly clapped her hands, apparently deciding that the atmosphere had become far too serious. "All right! Three demonstrations, three completely different combat profiles, and enough data to keep me busy for weeks!"
She looked delighted. "The facility performed beautifully."
Derren raised an eyebrow. "Aside from almost breaking several of us."
"Minor details."
Seris sighed. "Josa."
"What?"
"Please tell me you're reviewing the safety settings."
"Of course I am!"
The Twi'lek turned toward me. "Although there's one problem." I immediately grew suspicious.
"What problem?"
She folded her arms. "I never got to test the system on you."
I blinked. "Me?"
"Yes, you! The person who came up with half these ridiculous profiles!"
I smiled. "Maybe another time."
"Oh, no. You're not escaping that easily."
"Josa—"
"Cain, do you have any idea how many hours I spent recreating the combat techniques you described? I want to see whether you can actually survive against them!"
Anakin's expression brightened. "Oh, now that would be interesting."
Derren grinned. "I vote we make him fight whoever the strongest person on his list is."
Seris folded her arms, her lips curling into an amused smile. "I'd certainly enjoy watching that."
I stared at all three of them. Traitors. Every last one of them. Before I could respond, the reinforced entrance doors opened with a sharp mechanical hiss. A young Mandalorian woman hurried into the chamber.
She wore fitted combat armor marked with the colors of Clan Wren, its plates showing signs of recent travel. A compact jetpack rested against her back, and her helmet was secured beneath one arm.
I recognized her immediately. Ursa Wren. Her expression was unusually tense. "Cain! There you are. We've been looking everywhere for—" She stopped when she noticed the unfamiliar Jedi Masters standing around us.
Her eyes moved from Yoda to Luminara, then toward Depa and Yaddle. For a moment, she seemed uncertain whether to continue. Then she straightened. "Forgive the interruption."
I stepped forward. "Ursa? What's wrong?"
She glanced toward the visiting Masters again. "Can we speak privately? Just you, or one of the senior Masters of this Praxeum. It's an internal Eternal Dawn matter."
Something about her voice made my stomach tighten. Ursa wasn't the sort of person who became nervous without reason. I glanced toward Plo Koon.
He gave me a small nod. "Of course." Before I could suggest moving somewhere private, Sheera stepped forward. "Masters, perhaps Master Fay and I could escort you to your shuttle? I'm sure you have quite a lot to discuss after today's visit."
Master Fay, who had been quietly observing the demonstrations, inclined her head. "An excellent suggestion."
Luminara frowned. "Surely whatever matter requires such secrecy can wait until—"
"Luminara," Yoda interrupted gently. She turned toward him. "Grand Master?"
"Enough we have seen for today." His gaze shifted toward me. "Informative, this visit has been. Much to consider, there is."
Yaddle nodded. "Impressive work, you have accomplished. Questions remain, but answers today, we need not demand."
I bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Masters. I appreciate your willingness to visit."
Depa approached me with a warm smile. "Before we leave, Cain, Master Windu asked me to send his regards."
I smiled. "Thank you."
Depa smiled.
"He also said that if you're neglecting your Vaapad training, he'll personally make certain you regret it."
"That sounds like Master Windu."
Depa chuckled.
I stepped forward and embraced her. For a moment, she seemed surprised, but then she returned the hug warmly. "You're always welcome here, Master," I said quietly. "All of you."
Her expression softened. "I'll remember that, Cain."
When we separated, Yoda regarded me thoughtfully. "Until next time, young one."
I bowed. "May the Force be with you, Grand Master."
"And with you."
Sheera and Master Fay guided the visiting Jedi toward the turbolift, while several Temple attendants prepared to escort them to the shuttle bay.
Luminara looked back once before leaving. I couldn't tell whether her expression reflected concern, frustration, or something else entirely.
Perhaps a little of everything. Once the doors closed, I turned toward Ursa.
"All right. What happened?"
She swallowed. Then she spoke. "Death Watch is here."
For a moment, I thought I'd misheard her. "What?"
"Pre Vizsla and Death Watch are on Tython."
The chamber fell silent.
I stared at her. "That's impossible."
Ursa shook her head. "I wish it were."
"How did he get here? He shouldn't have the hyperspace coordinates."
"We don't know. Their ships weren't detected until they were already inside the system."
My mind began racing.
The hyperspace routes to Tython weren't public knowledge. We'd taken considerable precautions to keep our approaches concealed, and the few individuals who possessed accurate navigation data had been carefully selected.
If Pre Vizsla had reached the planet, then someone had either discovered an alternate route or acquired information they shouldn't possess.
Dooku and Sidious . I wouldn't have been surprised if the Count and him had arranged this. He'd already demonstrated a willingness to manipulate Mandalorian extremists, and Pre Vizsla was exactly the sort of person he could exploit, but speculation could wait.
"Where is he?"
Ursa tightened her grip on her helmet.
"The ysalamiri training grounds. The forest beyond the eastern waterfall."
My expression hardened. "Of course."
Seris stepped forward. "Cain, that's a trap."
"I know."
"No, listen to me. That's the one training area where our connection to the Force is deliberately suppressed. If Death Watch wanted to confront you somewhere that your greatest advantage would be useless, they couldn't have chosen a better location."
Anakin frowned. "They've got no business being anywhere near those grounds."
"Bo-Katan and several of our people are already confronting them," Ursa explained. "Nobody's fired yet, but the situation is getting worse."
"How many?" I asked.
"Several Death Watch warriors. Pre is leading them personally."
I looked toward the sealed entrance.
For years, I'd known that this confrontation would eventually happen.
I'd known it since Bo-Katan first told me what she'd discovered about my mother. Selene Vizsla. A woman who'd believed Mandalore could become something better.
A warrior who'd challenged the brutality consuming her people. And a mother betrayed by men and family she'd once trusted.
Tor Vizsla had wanted her dead, and Pre had allowed it to happen.
Now one of those men was standing on my planet. Waiting for me.
I exhaled slowly. "No. This has been coming for a long time."
Seris touched my arm. "Cain—"
"He's my blood, Seris. And today, I'm finally getting some answers."
I turned toward Plo Koon, Shaak Ti, and Master Kuro.
"Masters, please secure the Temple. Nobody enters or leaves without authorization until we know exactly what's happening."
Plo inclined his head. "Of course."
"Make sure the visiting Masters' shuttle departs safely before the lockdown takes effect."
Shaak Ti nodded. "I'll oversee the Temple's defensive preparations."
Kuro folded her arms. "And I will ensure our students are accounted for."
I nodded gratefully. "Thank you."
Anakin stepped forward. "I'm coming with you."
I turned sharply. "No."
He frowned. "What?"
"You, Derren, and Seris need to check the eastern settlement. Make sure your mother and the other families are safe."
Anakin's expression hardened.
"Cain—"
"I wouldn't put it past Death Watch to take hostages. If Pre knows about the settlement, he might be planning something there."
Derren shook his head. "No. We're not letting you walk into that alone."
"Someone has to protect the settlers."
Anakin stepped closer. "They have shelters, security patrols, and evacuation procedures. We can send a warning immediately."
He looked directly into my eyes. "But you're not going there alone."
Seris folded her arms. "I agree."
I sighed. "Seris..."
"No, Cain." Her voice was calm, but there was no room for argument. "This is your battle. We understand that. But we're standing beside you."
Derren nodded. "We've been doing that since we were kids. Why would today be different?"
I looked between them. Anakin's stubborn expression.
Derren's quiet determination, and Seris's unwavering gaze.
Damn it. This day just keeps getting crazier. Before I could argue further, I felt a familiar hand settle upon my shoulder.
Plo Koon stood beside me. "Go, my Padawan."
I looked toward him. "But master?"
"Shaak Ti and Master Kuro will secure the Temple. I will organize a small team to ensure the settlements are protected and that the civilians have access to their emergency shelters." His voice softened. "I trust you to handle this matter with proper judgment, Cain."
For a moment, I couldn't speak. Then I bowed my head. "Thank you, Master."
Plo inclined his head. "Be careful. The absence of the Force does not make you helpless, but it does require you to remember lessons you might otherwise neglect."
I nodded. "I will."
"And Cain?"
"Yes?"
"Do not allow the pain of your family's history to dictate what you choose to do today."
I held his gaze. "I understand."
I hoped I meant it.
"One more thing," I added. "Please contact Obi-Wan on Mandalore. Tell him what's happening and ask him to coordinate with Duchess Satine's security people."
Plo nodded. "I'll see to it personally."
I turned toward the others.
"All right. We're leaving."
We hurried out of the training wing and entered the turbolift leading toward the Temple's eastern upper levels.
Derren was already reaching for his communicator. "I'll have someone prepare a speeder."
"No time." I said.
He glanced toward me. "What?"
"The shuttle area is on the opposite side of the Temple. We'd waste several minutes getting there."
Anakin looked toward the doors as the turbolift ascended. "Then what do you suggest?"
I smiled faintly. "A shortcut."
Derren sighed. "I hate it when you say that."
Moments later, the lift opened onto an elevated corridor overlooking the eastern valley.
Tall stone arches lined the outer wall, their openings providing an unobstructed view of the distant forests and waterfalls. Beyond them, rolling hills descended toward a broad river before rising again toward the training grounds.
Derren stopped beside one of the arches. "Cain, please tell me you're not thinking what I think you're thinking."
I approached the opening. The ground lay far below. Beyond it, the eastern forest stretched toward a distant waterfall whose white waters spilled over a high rocky escarpment.
I looked toward Ursa. "How much fuel do you have in your jetpack?"
She blinked. "More than enough. Whats the plan?"
I pointed toward the forest. "Go ahead. Keep up with us."
Ursa stared. Then she glanced down at the enormous drop. "You can't be serious."
Anakin stepped beside me. An enormous grin spread across his face. "Oh, I like this."
Seris closed her eyes. "Of course you do."
Derren looked between us. "Can we please do one thing today that isnt crazy?"
I laughed. "No promises."
Then I stepped onto the edge of the stone opening. Through our Force-resonance bond, I felt the others gathering their concentration.
Anakin's Force light blazed like a sapphire silver star. Seris's Force-light shimmered with silver and gold. Derren's newly refined sapphire-white presence moved with remarkable calm. And my own gold force light burned bright as my connection to the Force expanded, linking our minds, movements,and power through the familiar resonance we'd developed. It felt weird without Barriss, and I'm still dont know how this power works completely but right now I will use it.
I glanced toward Ursa. "Ready?"
She secured her helmet and activated her jetpack. The engines whined. "Ready."
"Let's go!"
Ursa launched herself outward in a burst of blue-white exhaust.
I stepped from the arch. Anakin, Seris, and Derren followed. For a brief moment, the four of us were suspended above the valley.
Then the Force caught us.
We accelerated downward, our bodies moving through the air with extraordinary speed as we guided our descent toward the distant slope.
The wind roared around us. I grinned laughed. "Now this is more like it!"
Anakin glanced toward me. "You're starting to sound like me!"
I grinned.
"That's what happens when you spend years with a terrible influence!"
Seris shouted over the wind. "Both of you, concentrate!"
We landed upon the sloping hillside almost simultaneously, using the Force to absorb the impact before immediately accelerating forward.
Our boots struck the earth. Then we were running. The landscape blurred around us as we crossed the open fields at speeds far beyond anything an ordinary person could achieve.
Tall grass flattened beneath the pressure of our passing, while loose soil and fallen leaves rose briefly in our wake.
Our movements were synchronized through the resonance connecting us.
I could sense when Anakin intended to change direction.
I felt Seris adjust her footing before leaping across an uneven section of terrain.
And Derren moved through the obstacles with the same fluid efficiency he'd displayed during his duel against Exar Kun.
Ursa flew above us, her jetpack carrying her across the valley while she struggled to keep us in sight.
"You're all insane!" she shouted through the communicator.
Anakin laughed.
"You're the one flying with a rocket strapped to your back!"
"That's different!"
"How?"
"Because mine has controls!"
Derren chuckled.
"She's got a point."
We entered the forest.
The trees became dark streaks as we moved between them, leaping across fallen trunks and using the Force to avoid obstacles before they entered our immediate path.
Our passage created a moving wake of disturbed leaves and air, but we maintained careful control to avoid damaging the surrounding terrain.
Ahead, the sound of the waterfall grew louder. I glanced toward the distant escarpment.
"Up ahead!"
Anakin accelerated beside me.
"I see it!"
The river emerged between the trees, its broad current flowing toward the waterfall where thousands of liters of water plunged into the valley below.
We didn't slow down. Instead, we gathered the Force beneath our feet and launched ourselves toward the opposite bank.
The four of us crossed the rushing water in a series of enormous leaps, our movements carrying us above the mist rising from the waterfall.
For a moment, the world opened around us.
The distant mountains.
The endless forests.
The white spray of water catching the sunlight. Then we landed upon the elevated ground beyond the river and continued running.
Ursa rose over the escarpment on her jetpack before descending to follow us. But as we approached the ysalamiri training forest, something began to change.
At first, it was subtle.
The familiar currents of the Force seemed to grow quieter.
The immense presence of Tython faded from the edges of my awareness, and the resonance connecting our cohort gradually weakened.
I recognized the sensation immediately. We're entering the suppression field.
The ysalamiri had been carefully positioned throughout this section of the forest to create an extensive Force-neutral environment.
The arrangement was deliberate.
We'd established these training grounds to teach Jedi how to survive when their connection to the Force was disrupted or unavailable.
I'd always believed it was essential preparation. Now it appeared someone intended to use that preparation against us.
"Slow down!" I called. We reduced our speed as the Force became increasingly difficult to access.
The brilliant presences of my companions faded from my awareness until our resonance was little more than a distant impression.
Then even that disappeared. The sudden silence was unsettling.
I could still feel my own body and senses, but the vast, familiar presence that normally surrounded me was gone.
For Anakin, the effect was considerably worse. He stumbled slightly.
Seris immediately reached toward him. "Anakin?"
He raised one hand. "I'm fine." But his face had gone pale.
His connection to the Force was naturally so immense that its sudden absence affected him more strongly than the rest of us. He swallowed, fighting a brief wave of nausea.
I approached. "You going to be okay?"
Anakin took a slow breath. Then he smirked. "Yeah. Just feels like somebody suddenly turned off half the galaxy."
Derren nodded. "That's a pretty good description."
Seris looked toward the trees ahead. "From here on, we treat this like a conventional combat operation. No relying on the Force to warn us."
I nodded.
Ursa landed nearby, her jetpack engines winding down as she removed her helmet. "Bo-Katan's group is just beyond the next clearing."
I glanced at the chronometer on my wrist. Approximately five minutes had passed since we'd left the Temple.
Not bad. Although arriving quickly wouldn't help if we walked straight into an ambush.
I looked toward the others. "Weapons ready, but nobody attacks unless there's an immediate threat."
Anakin nodded. Derren checked his lightsaber. Seris adjusted the position of her hilt and studied the surrounding trees.
Ursa secured her helmet and retrieved her blaster. We continued along the narrow path.
Without the Force, the forest felt different. The rustling leaves seemed louder. The distant birdcalls more distinct.
Even the small sounds of our boots against the soil carried an unfamiliar weight. It reminded me of my earliest Mandalorian training with Bo-Katan.
She'd never allowed me to rely entirely upon the Force.
Whenever I attempted to compensate for poor technique through precognition or telekinesis, she'd punished the mistake immediately.
She'd taught me to watch an opponent's shoulders, read their balance, anticipate their movements, and fight with every ordinary sense available to me.
At the time, I'd complained constantly. Now I was grateful.
Looks like those lessons are about to become useful. As we approached the clearing, faint voices reached us through the trees.
Several people were arguing. One voice belonged unmistakably to Bo-Katan.
Another was deeper.
Male.
Calm.
And painfully familiar.
I slowed.
The others followed.
Then we stepped beyond the final line of trees.
The training ground opened before us.
Several Mandalorian warriors stood near the center of the clearing, their armor bearing the distinctive markings of Death Watch.
Across from them stood Bo-Katan Kryze and the warriors who had pledged their loyalty to me and the Eternal Dawn.
Both groups were armed. Neither had opened fire. Yet the tension between them was unmistakable.
Bo-Katan stood at the front of her formation, one hand resting near her holstered blaster.
Her posture was rigid. Her gaze remained fixed upon the man standing opposite her.
He wore the familiar blue and silver armor of House Vizsla, its plates marked by years of combat.
His helmet concealed his face.
But I knew exactly who he was.
Pre Vizsla.
I stopped walking.
For a moment, the entire clearing seemed to grow quiet.
I'd imagined this encounter countless times. Ever since Bo-Katan revealed what had happened to my mother.
Ever since I'd discovered the message hidden within the ancient ingot and learned the truth about Selene Vizsla's betrayal.
I'd wondered what I would say when I finally confronted the man who had helped destroy her life.
Would I accuse him?
Demand answers?
Challenge him for the Darksaber?
Or simply ask why he'd allowed his own family to be torn apart? Now that he stood before me, the questions seemed painfully inadequate.
I could feel the black Krayt dragon pearl resting against my chest beneath my robes. A remnant of the woman who'd given birth to this body.
A reminder of the life she'd lost. And the legacy she'd left behind.
Selene.
For years, I'd only thought of her as Cain's mother. The mother of the body I'd awakened within. But somewhere along the way, the distinction had begun losing its meaning.
Her blood flowed through my veins. Her enemies had shaped the circumstances of my life. And her final hope had become part of the responsibilities I carried.
I couldn't bring her back. But perhaps I could finally understand what had happened.
Anakin stepped beside me. Seris moved to my other side.
Derren remained close behind, while Ursa hurried toward Bo-Katan's position.
Pre Vizsla slowly turned his helmet toward us.
He looked at Anakin.
Then Seris.
Then Derren.
Finally, his gaze settled upon me.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he reached toward the side of his helmet. A soft hiss accompanied the release of the seals.
He lifted it free, revealing his face and the cold, calculating eyes of a man who had spent years leading Death Watch.
His expression changed slightly when he saw me. I wondered whether he recognized my mother's golden eyes.
Whether my features reminded him of the woman he'd once considered a friend.
Or whether he saw nothing more than another obstacle standing between him and the future he wanted for Mandalore.
Pre studied me for a long moment. Then a faint smile crossed his face. "Well, well." His voice carried clearly across the silent clearing. "The prodigal son finally arrives."