Pawn of Darkness

Chapter 14

Arianna woke again. The moonlight still flowed from the window above the bed and the balcony doors. She stood from the bed and walked mechanically to the closet door. Opening it stealthily, she withdrew her black satchel. Grabbing a pair of black pants and a shirt, she shut the door as quietly as it had opened.
Throwing on the clothes hastily, she reached into the bag and retrieved the two pieces of her rifle.
With the same perfunctory look she turned the gun towards the bed and aimed it carefully. Only then did she falter. Only then did the darkness waver. She reached out through the force and softly skirted the edges of his unconsciousness. His warmth hit her like a brick wall. The darkness pulled at her again, not content to sit and wait any longer. She dragged her force sense away from him reluctantly and raised her gun.
Then he moved, reaching out for her and fluttering his eyes open when he didn't find her.
He sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his vision.
" Anna, " he called quietly.
" Don't move, Obi-Wan. " she said, from the corner where she stood. Her voice tight and curt.
" Anna, what's wrong ? " he asked, searching for her in the darkness.
" This is the only way. " she answered. " I have to follow the path the force has laid out for me. "
" What are you talking about ? What path ? Where are you ? " he asked, beginning to stand.
She cocked the rifle and it clicked with a resonance that rebounded off the wall.
Obi-Wan froze where he was, kneeling on the bed, facing her.
" Anna, what are you doing ? " he demanded.
" I am ending this so that I can get back to my life the way it was before you came back here. I have to follow the force. I have to stay on the path. " she answered, through gritted teeth.
Obi-Wan held his hands out in front of him to show her he didn't mean to harm her. Then he started forward towards the edge of the bed. " I'm just going to grab my pants and then we will talk about this, okay ? " he said, sending out a thin thread of the force towards her.
It rebounded off her shields like she was made of rubber.
She watched him warily as he moved from the bed and snatched the pants from the floor. Then he quickly slid them on and turned back to her.
" Now, Please Anna, tell me what is going on here. " he said.
" I have already explained all this to you. I have to follow the force. "
" What do you mean you have to follow the force ? What path are you talking about ? " he asked.
" The force has set this path before me. I found a way to fight the dark side and you are standing in my way. " she told him, her voice still holding no emotion.
" What way ? How do you fight the dark side ? "
" I am eliminating the problem one evil at a time. " she smiled, proudly.
" I do und understand. " he admitted.
" Then, by all means, let me show you. " she said, snidely.
He jolted and doubled over as he felt her open to him with a force that nearly knocked him down. She was opened completely now. He could feel every part of her through the force. Shields were down that he had never even realized were there to begin with. Then the darkness flooded over him. His chest hurt and his head throbbed at the vileness of the evil that covered him. He saw her standing on the rooftops just like she had so many times. He saw the rifle and watched as she pulled the trigger over and over. He saw it all. Every time she had killed, every time she had let the darkness surround her.
" Anna, no. " he whispered. " This isn't true. "
Arianna hesitated at seeing the look that covered his face.
" It's true. It's all true. I knew you would never understand this part of me. I knew you could never see why I do what I do. " she said, tears falling down her cheeks in rivers.
He straighten and took a step closer to her. " 's 's not true. I do understand why you felt you had to do what you did. " The gun lowered a bit as he continued to talk. " I can see how you could convince yourself that this is right. But that was your father's way, not yours. That way is what drove you here away from the people that love you, away from the path the force has truly set for you. " he reached his hand out to her shoulder. His touch was light, gentle, yet urging. " Stop this now. Don't let his memory corrupt you any more. Don't let him win. Let me show you the path the force really has set before you. "
He took another step and reached out with the force to wrap it around the rifle.
" NO ! " A gnarled twisted voice called as it lunged out of the shadows behind them.
Obi-Wan spun immediately, lightsaber already in his hand.
The shadows shimmered and moved like lightning. Obi-Wan was faster, grabbing Anna and jerking her behind him, just as the the darkness began to take shape.
" Baylan Onalith, I presume. " Obi-Wan sneered, igniting the lightsaber with a hiss. A gasp came from him. " This is your path maker, Anna. Not the force. "
" I truly under estimated you, Master Kenobi. " Baylan said. He stood in front of them, clothed in black robes. His face a twisted ruminant of the man he once was. His gnarled hands hung loosely at his side and a silver cylindrical of metal dangled at his waist.
" Father, " Arianna breathed, her voice heavy with emotion.
" Yes, my Dear. It been a long time since you last saw me. I'm glad you still recognize me." he answered, his voice edged with anger. " I didn't want things to be this way, but unfortunately Master Kenobi has left me no choice. "
" It was you all these years. " her voice shook and she took a step from behind Obi-Wan.
" Anna, stay behind me. " Obi-Wan told her calmly, yet commandingly.
Arianna ignored him and continued to move closer to Baylan. " All this time, I thought I had finally found a usefulness. I thought I was finally living my life the way I was always meant too, fighting the dark side. "
" Anna ! " Obi-Wan hissed, splitting his concentration from Baylan to her and using the force to pull her back behind him.
" I will not hide from him the way he hid from me. I will not run from him any longer. He has destroyed my life. " her voice low and dangerous.
" Arianna, come now. I made you see what your future could hold. I gave your life a purpose. " Baylan said softly. " Don't you see what the two of us could accomplish together. "
Obi-Wan turned towards her a bit, angling his body so that he could see them both at the same time. The gun dropped from her hand and fell to the floor with a thump. Tears streamed down her face. Her hair was disheveled and a look of immense sorrow covered her face. " I have taken so many lives. I have killed so many times. I hate you. " she whispered dispiritedly.
" Then I must dispose of you as well. " Baylan sighed morosely. " We could have been so good together. "
Obi-Wan turned his attention back to Baylan. " Leave her alone. " he snapped.
" Insignificant little worm, I will talk to my daughter any time I wish too. You have stood in my way too long. " Baylan spat, as he raised his hands.
Obi-Wan threw his force shielding around Arianna seconds before flying back against the bed as a forked jolt of lightning poured into his chest. The fork meant for Arianna rushed against his shield and dissipated.
" No ! " Arianna's voice shrieked as she reached out her hand and pulled the saber from Obi-Wan's grasp. " Leave him alone. " she ground out furiously.
The lightning stopped reluctantly. Obi-Wan still lay exactly where he had been thrown across the bed.
" Arianna, please dear. You must see reason. He has ruined our plans. He has driven a wedge between us. We must dispose of him. " Baylan said, pleadingly.
Arianna hesitated for a moment as he began to feed the darkness that he had already implanted in her. She turned to stare at Obi-Wan sprawled across the bed helplessly.
The lightning came again. She watched unemotionally as Obi-Wan twisted himself into a ball to try and avoid as many of the forks as possible.
Obi-Wan lifted his face from the mattress and peered at her with sorrowful eyes as the lightning continued to assault his battered body.
Arianna froze where she stood, and tried to shake the fog from her mind. She was letting him manipulate her again. She was allowing this to happen.
" Use the weapon, Arianna. Use sabesaber and cut him down. End this now. " Baylan commanded from a step behind her.