Scions of the Dark Side

Disclaimer: I don’t own Star Wars.

A/N: An extra long chapter. Huge thanks for the reviews. Enjoy.

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Obi-Wan dragged the comforter off the bed and curled in the chair next to the window, the heavy blanket tucked around him. There was six feet of snow outside, a gale force wind whipping the snow across the plains. Winter on Ylesia was harsh and during most of the season the planet was nearly impossible to land on. Xanatos had left the planet three days ago, before the storm had hit, leaving Obi-Wan in charge at the compound.

He was bored out of his mind, since everyone knew what they were supposed to be doing and the workers were all to afraid of Xanatos to even talk to him. He’d spent the last three days reading stories on data pads, many of them myths from Telos. Sighing softly he picked the data pad up off the table next to the chair and scrolled to the next story.

Halfway through the story he lost his focus. Setting aside the datapad he got to his feet, dragging the comforter with him. He wrapped the heavy blanket around his shoulders before leaning against the window, head against the cold plastiglass. He attempted to reach out to the Force, knowing it was out there, just beyond his reach but he was met again with the wall that had seemed to be taunting him.

It had been nearly a year and a half since the accident on Haruun Kal and he still hadn’t regained the ability to manipulate the Force, let alone do something as simple as reach out and touch it. To someone who’d been able to feel the Force for as long as he had it was painful, like a deep flesh wound that ripped open at the smallest pull.

Even before the Seekers had located him and taken him to the Temple he’d been able to touch the Force and even manipulate it, though his control had been sporadic at best. He’d used his abilities to help his father calm the family animals, help his mother located lost items and soothed his younger siblings with a soft touch of the Force.

He’d grown used to having the Force at his beck and call, ready for when ever he needed it, only to have it stripped away. And then he had to watch as his bondmate used his power every day, without thought for what it was doing to his mental health. He slammed his hand against the window, wishing it had broken so he could cut himself on the glass, so he could have something to focus on, even if it was pain.

Biting back a growl he crossed to the bed and lifted the mattress, hand unerringly seeking out the lightsaber he’d hidden there. He’d built it as a way to occupy his time while Xanatos was off planet. The older man had decided it wasn’t a good idea to have him leave the planet, in case they actually ran into someone who knew Obi-Wan. Getting the parts hadn’t been hard. Xanatos kept spare lightsaber parts in one of the workshops in the bowels of his fortress. He even had a collection of crystals, each kept in their own special velvet lined box.

Vanishing for the hours he needed to work on it hadn’t been any more difficult. When Xanatos was off planet he had more free time than he’d ever had before and he’d quickly become bored. He could disappear into the room for hours at a time and no would question him, since he had become as much a master of the house as his mate was.

He withdrew the lightsaber from its hiding space and sat on the edge of the bed, fingers running over the cylinder. It was almost identical to his previous saber, though the handle was a little longer and he’d used three crystals instead of the two he’d had in the old one. He thumbed the switch and the blade sprang to life, flickering briefly before stabilizing.

The crystals weren’t focused like they should have been, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it until he regained the Force and he certainly wasn’t going to ask Xanatos to do it for him. First the older man would question him about the lightsaber and then he’d be forced to listen to Xanatos talk about how he just had to remain patient and surely the Force would come back to him.

He was tired of being patient, of waiting for something to happen. If he had to listen to the older man lecture one more time on patience and about finding some way to occupy his time so he didn’t dwell on the Force he was going to snap. He’d lost track of how many times those words had come out of Xanatos’ mouth, how many variations of it he’d heard. Always the same.

A chime echoed through the house, signaling Xanatos’ return. He deactivated his lightsaber and got to his feet, moving to hide the saber when he changed his mind. Instead he dumped the blanket back on the bed and crossed to the closet pulling a dark sapphire robe out. He shrugged the robe on and slipped the lightsaber in his pocket.

From the small computer panel next to the closet he closed the blinds on the ceiling to wall windows and killed the lights, plunging the room into darkness. He’d force Xanatos to act.

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Xanatos entered his room, icy eyes scanning the darkness. He hadn’t wanted to leave Obi-Wan alone but he really hadn’t had a choice. A Jedi had gotten to close to one of Offworld’s offices and he’d been forced to deal with the Jedi. Needless to say the Council wouldn’t be finding the Ithorian anytime soon. “Obi-Wan?”

He barely had time to move before the decanter of Corellian brandy smashed into the door behind him, the dark brown liquid sliding down the wood and soaking into the carpet. Seconds later a datapad flew out of no where and hit him in the forehead, breaking his skin. Anger welled in him as he felt the blood trickle down his face and he slammed the lights on with a Force lance, eyes going to his mate who was standing near a table, lithe body tense with anger. “Obi-Wan, you better have a damn good reason for attacking me like that.”

“Don’t fucking patronize me Xanatos! You know I can’t touch the Force anymore, yet you continue to use it in front of me, rubbing it in my face. I hate you!” Obi-Wan lifted a vase full of red and black flowers surrounding a single white one and threw it at the fallen Jedi.

Frowning Xanatos stopped the vase’s flight in mid air, eyes never leaving his mate. Any other time the vase floating in mid air would have been funny but right now Xanatos had other things to deal with. “Kobi, calm down. I haven’t been trying to rub it all in. I do it because I’ve lived twenty-nine years with it. I understand how much it hurts to not touch the Force.”

Obi-Wan folded his arms across his chest, multi-hued eyes angry. “Bullshit! You have no idea how much it hurts.” Smiling softly he unhooked a lightsaber from his belt and activated it, the blade glowing a blackish-purple with a white core. “And for that reason I can’t continue this way. I do love you Xan, I just don’t want to continue like this.”

Without thinking Xanatos lashed out with the Force, knocking his mate unconscious. The lightsaber fell to the ground and extinguished seconds before Obi-Wan landed next to it. Xanatos stared at his fallen mate for several seconds before rushing to his side. He brushed light fingers over Obi-Wan’s cheek. Sighing softly he picked his mate up and put him in the bed.

“I shouldn’t have waited this long to do something Obi-Wan. I’m sorry.” Xanatos rested a hand on Obi-Wan’s forehead as he slid down their bond, placing a sleep compulsion on his mate so strong that he would not wake until Xanatos woke him.

Standing the fallen Jedi crossed to the fresher to examine the cut on his forehead. The gash was about an inch long and had stopped bleeding. He washed the blood from his forehead, opting to let the cut heal by itself. It wasn’t like one more scar was going to kill him. After taking a quick shower he braided his hair, tying the end of with a piece of red leather.

Opening his wardrobe he slipped on a tight red shimmersilk shirt and a pair of fine linen pants. He pressed lightly against the side of his wardrobe and a panel slid open, revealing his Sith regalia. His boots were supple black leather, silver Sith runes decorating the side. His sleeveless black leather tunic was embroidered with red and silver shimmersilk runes along the hem. The belt buckle was the Sith rune for anger, shimmering against the black of his outfit. He quickly finished dressing before clipping his lightsaber onto his belt, along with a second one.

The fallen Jedi pulled the heavy black cloak from the secret compartment and slipped it on, the dark fabric shimmering slightly in light. Normally he wouldn’t wear his full ceremonial clothing for such a simple trip to the Sith Archive, but it was impossible to tell which Sith Lords were currently visiting the Archive, and some of the older Lords were sticklers about tradition. Xanatos wanted to avoid any confrontations. He drew his hood up before striding out of his room.

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Xanatos settled the shuttle easily on the landing pad and left the ship, making sure to set the security code behind him. While there was an unwritten code among the Sith to not make off with another Sith’s ship, Xanatos didn’t trust anyone but Obi-Wan.

He climbed the steep stone stairs that lead up to the Archive, ignoring the two guards at the top of the stairs. The guards and most of the librarians at the Archive were Force sensitive, though none of them were very strong or had any kind of formal training and were ignored by the visiting Sith Lords. Only the Head Archivist, Darth Agrona had been trained and she was a formidable force to be reckoned with when in a bad mood.

Darth Agrona was standing just inside the Archive doors, a sharp smile curling her lips. She was human, with long white hair she kept tightly braided and coiled on her head. She was wearing the traditional black Sith robes and it made her look even paler and ethereal. Her eyes were a pale grey, almost white and she had scared numerous Sith Apprentices and many of the people that worked at the Archive. She inclined her head slightly in greeting. “Darth Cimmerian. I must say I was rather surprised to get your landing code. You so rarely visit me.”

“I wouldn’t have been here if my problem hadn’t cascaded all at once. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to help me?”

Darth Agrona shrugged. “I’ll do what I can to help, but only on one condition. Remove your hood. It’s not as if I don’t know who you are, and after having to deal with so many of our brethren who look like their face got ran over by a speeder I do enjoy seeing those of you that look good.”

Laughing softly he lowered his hood, blue eyes bright. “I have to agree with you Agrona. Many of our brethren should simply wear their ceremonial masks at all times. Now, could we please work on my problem?”

The woman nodded as she linked arms with Xanatos and they started down the hallway to the main archive. “It must be a rather serious problem if you’ve come to get help from me. You usually try to work your problems out by yourself.”

Xanatos shrugged. “I have been trying to work it out, for a little over a year.” He touched the wound on his forehead. “My bondmate is unable to touch the Force anymore and he’s been taking his anger out on me.”

Darth Agrona looked up at her companion, pale eyes narrow. “Anymore? He was able to touch it before?”

The man nodded. “Yes. My bondmate is Obi-Wan Kenobi, former apprentice to Qui-Gon Jinn and no longer a Jedi.” At Agrona’s nod he continued his tale. “Obi-Wan was killed and I stored his essence in a Force sensitive crystal. Three days later through a Force Possession I placed him in a new body. The following day I knew he couldn’t feel the Force because he told me, but I thought it was just a side effect of the transition from bodies. However, his sensitivity never came back. It’s been over a year. It was only after today’s outburst that I realized I needed to do something to help him. I figured you’d be able to help.”

“Well, the great Sith Lord Darth Cimmerian is bonded to Qui-Gon Jinn’s apprentice. I must say that is the perfect revenge. I know you are aware of the fact that man is a thorn in the side of all of us. The fact you are bonded with his apprentice must drive him insane.” She pushed open the door to the archive and led him to a small table in the corner. “Sit. Let me go collect some of the books and data crystals. I’ll be right back.”

Xanatos stripped his cloak off and draped it over the back of his chair before sitting down. He rubbed tiredly at his eyes, the stress of the fight with Obi-Wan finally catching up with him. Warm fingers rested on his temple and a pulse of energy swept through him, easing his tension.

“Really Xan, you shouldn’t let yourself get so worked up. We need you, if we are to succeed with our plans.” Agrona set down a stack of books and several data crystals before taking her seat next to Xanatos. “These are the best resources we have on bonding and being cut off from the Force. We’ll just have to shift through these and see what we can come up with.”

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Three hours later Xanatos leaned back in his chair, throwing his braid over his shoulder. “How is any of this supposed to help?”

Agrona smiled at the man, pale eyes bright. “You’re just failing to see the big picture. I will forgive you for it this time, since you’re worried about your bondmate. Many of these accounts talk about blasting open Force channels. Since your bondmate’s newest body was not Force sensitive he doesn’t have active midi-chlorians, which is why he can’t touch the Force. However, since all living things are part of the Force, everything has the potential to be able to touch and harness the Force. By blasting his channels open you force his new body to become aware of the Force, which will hopefully stimulate the body into awakening the latent midi-chlorians in his body. You could also isolate some of your own midi-chlorians and inject them into your mate, to help his body wake his own.”

Xanatos was about to speak when she cut him off. “Hold, I have some warnings for you. Blasting his channels open will be very painful, and there is the chance the pain might drive him insane. Talk with him before you attempt anything. In the end he might just decide to live his life without being able to touch the Force.”

Xanatos laughed. “No. He tried to kill himself today. He said I kept flaunting my ability to touch the Force in front of him, that I was doing it on purpose. He told me he would rather die than live without touching the Force again.”

The woman shook her head. “I am sorry your mate is suffering so much, and that you are suffering with him. I have a lab here. Let us go isolate some of your midi-chlorians so they are ready in case you and Obi-Wan decide to blast his channels open. If it does work, I would like you to help me write a brief account. It would do much to fill some of the gaps in our Archive.”

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Xanatos shed his cloak on the chair and set the vial of midi-chlorians on the table before perching on the edge of the bed. He reached into Obi-Wan’s mind and lifted the sleep compulsion, drawing back when he felt his lover shift slightly. “Obi-Wan, how do you feel?”

His mate slowly opened his eyes, slightly hazed with sleep and confusion. “Confused. What the hell happened Xan? I remember yelling at you and then nothing.”

The black haired man leaned down and pressed a kiss to the corner of his mate’s mouth, one hand brushing over his cheek. “You did yell at me.” He smiled wryly as he pressed a second kiss to his cheek. “And threw some stuff at me. You have wicked aim.”

Obi-Wan sat straight up, forcing Xanatos to move before his nose was broken. His eyes went to the wound on the older man’s forehead. “What did I hit you with?”

“A datapad. I didn’t want to have to put you under a sleep compulsion but after you threatened to kill yourself I couldn’t risk you doing anything rash while I was away.” He rested one hand on finger against his mate’s lips. “Quiet. I want to tell you what I found out, and I don’t want to hear anything from you until I finish. Understood?”

Obi-Wan nodded eyes half hooded. He shifted slightly, getting comfortable in bed as he pulled the blanket up higher.

“Good. While you were asleep I went to the Sith Archive on Kothlis. I spoke with the Master Archivist, Darth Agrona. She found several different accounts of people who had lost their ability to touch the Force and managed to get their ability back by having another Force user blast their channels open. I want to warn you though, it will be extremely painful and there is a chance you might go insane.” He moved his finger from Obi-Wan’s lips.

“I want to do it.” He sat up, eyes narrowing when he saw the slightly worried look in Xanatos’ eyes. “No. You will not deny me this. I would rather risk the pain and going insane then not ever touch the Force again. And please, if something does go wrong, do me a favor and kill me. I don’t want to burden you anymore then I need to.”

The older man bowed his head slightly in agreement. “As you wish Kobi. Get dressed and we’ll go to the meditation chamber.”

Obi-Wan jumped out of the bed and pulled a pair of sleep pants on before slipping on a loose shirt. He watched as Xanatos stood and toed his boots off before crossing the room to the meditation chamber. They descended the stairs in silence, both of them lost in their thoughts.

Xanatos turned to face his mate, blue eyes narrowed slightly. “We might as well get started.” He settled in the middle of the room and Obi-Wan mirrored his position as they both easily fell into meditation. Sighing softly he entered his bondmate’s mind, glad to see that Obi-Wan was staying relaxed and not fidgeting. Running careful Force tendrils over his mate’s mind he found the area in the brain that allowed Force sensitive people to channel the Force.

Gathering the Force around him he formed into a lance and drove it into the blocked channels, gritting his teeth when a wave of pain from Obi-Wan rushed through their bond, pouring over his nerve endings. He’d thought about closing off their bond before starting, but he didn’t think Obi-Wan would survive the pain alone and he didn’t want his mate to think he’d been abandoned.

A piercing scream reverberated through his head, although he wasn’t sure if he was actually hearing it or if it was psychic. He drew more of Obi-Wan’s pain through their bond, ignoring the pain as it danced across his nerve endings. Pushing harder he felt his power come up against a block before something shattered, knocking him unconscious.

When he came too Obi-Wan was kneeling over him, multi-hued eyes worried. “Xan, are you okay?”

The older man nodded slightly as he sat up, wincing as he felt almost every joint in his body pop. He was starting to think it hadn’t been such a good idea to take so much of his mate’s pain, but it was too late to do anything about it. “Other then the fact I’m going to be sore for the next couple of days I think I’ll live. Did it work?”

Obi-Wan’s eyes drifted shut and a soft smile twisted his lips. “Yes. I can feel it again.” His body relaxed and the older man could feel the Force swirl around his mate, as though it was welcoming it back.

Xanatos leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Obi-Wan’s mouth. “I’m glad. I should have gone to the Archive earlier.” Before he could react he was slammed against the wall, wincing when he felt one of his ribs snap. He slid to the ground, doing his best to ignore the pain. “Fuck.”

Bluish-green lightning crackled around Obi-Wan and his eyes were glowing slightly, something Xanatos had never seen before. “You’re damn straight you should have gone to the Archive earlier. Last year would have been good.” The miniature electrical storm around him intensified, causing his hair to stand up slightly. “I’m starting to think that you wanted to keep me from being able to feel the Force, that you wanted to have all the power.”

A thin tendril of lightning shot towards Xanatos and the fallen Jedi caught it and drew it into himself, a smirk curling his lips. “You’ll have to learn to do better if you’re going to survive among our brethren.” He slowly got to his feet, ignoring the pain that lanced through his chest. His smirk widened as he raised his hand, an orb of bluish-black lightning forming above his hand.

He knew Obi-Wan would be mad at him when he returned to normal, but he knew if he didn’t push his mate now, then he would lose him. “Our kind aren’t forgiving, and they won’t expect you to be, even against me.” Lightning arched from the orb in his hand, dancing inches from Obi-Wan’s skin, causing his muscles to spasm.

Obi-Wan’s eyes narrowed and Xanatos was certain his lover’s eyes had looked almost cat like for a split second. He didn’t have too long to think about it because a bolt of Force lightning was shooting towards him, headed for his heart. Breathing deeply he erected a barrier, watching with a grin as it reflected of the invisible shield and back towards his lover, moving faster with the small bit of power he had added in.

Obi-Wan sidestepped the bolt at the last moment, eyes never leaving his mate. “You are a bastard Xanatos deCrion.” His eyes slid shut and he sighed as the Force swirled around him, pulling him into its embrace. He pulled a small vibroblade from where he had hidden it in the waistband of his pants and leapt at Xanatos, using the Force to augment his jump.

The fallen Jedi simply shook his head and stopped his bondmate’s flight in midair, a cruel smile twisting his lips. “You’ll have to do better Obi-Wan.” He ripped the blade from the younger man’s hand and crushed it, the pieces clattering as they landed on the floor.

A surge of the Force hit him in the chest, fracturing another rib and causing the other broken rib to grind together. His control of the Force wavered for a moment and Obi-Wan plunged to the ground, twisting in mid air to land lightly on his feet.

The smaller man smirked, eyes burning with anger. “Your ego has always been your weakness Xan. You refuse to believe that anyone could be better then you, that someone might actually surpass you.” He gathered the Force around him like a cloak and thrust it towards Xanatos, using it as a giant battering ram.

Closing his eyes Xanatos thrust himself into the Force until he could see its currents, its ebb and flow. He jumped using the Force to propel him and he flipped over his mate’s head, ignoring the twinge from his broken ribs. The moment his boots touched the ground he grabbed Obi-Wan’s arm and yanked it behind his back and kicked his knee, driving the smaller man to the floor. He pulled his lightsaber from his belt and activated it, driving the blade into the ground just as he pressed Obi-Wan against the floor.

Xanatos pressed his knee harder to Obi-Wan’s back, his short lightsaber burning a hole in the stone of the meditation chamber, mere inches from his mate’s neck. The younger man’s sweat was glinting in the silver light, his breath rasping harshly in the still air. “You are ready to be taken before the Collocation, to be given your title.”

“Title? What the hell are you talking about?” Obi-Wan twisted his neck slightly, trying to look at his mate without burning himself on the lightsaber that was still perilously close to his neck. “Xanatos, I’m sorry. Just let me up.” For a moment he didn’t think his mate was going to answer.

The silver blade died and the pressure in his lower back disappeared. Groaning slightly he got to his knees and then his feet, swaying slightly. He turned around, eyes sweeping over his bondmate. Xanatos was watching him with hard eyes, though a slight smile was tugging his lips. “That was the most exercise I’ve gotten in a long time. Go get cleaned up and then change into the black robes in the wardrobe. We’ll be leaving for Garqi as soon as you’re ready.”

Obi-Wan shook his head, reddish-brown hair falling out of its braid. “Not until you tell me what the hell is going on.” His eyes swept over what the older man was wearing, eyes lingering on the Sith runes. “Those are Sith runes. Only Sith are all-” His voice trailed off, a smirk twisting his lips. “I see.”

Xanatos smirked. “You have always been smart. Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t figure it out sooner.” He bowed slightly, icy eyes bright. “Darth Cimmerian, though you should really be on your knees, as is proper when meeting a Sith Lord.”

The younger man’s smirk widened as he moved to stand in front of Xanatos. He smoothly sank to his knees and leaned forward, gazing up at his mate from lowered eyelashes, his hands resting on the taller man’s hips. “Like this?”

“Much better.” The older man stroked gentle fingers along Obi-Wan’s cheek before he twisted his hand into the long reddish-gold hair, tilting his bondmate’s head back with vicious force. “However, I expect you to behave when we go to Garqi. Once we are at the Asylum you will remain silent unless you are spoken to and you will listen to everything I say. Understood?”

Obi-Wan stared up at Xanatos, eyes flaring with anger. “Last time I checked you weren’t my Master. What makes you think I’m going to listen to anything you say?”

Xanatos carefully wrapped his free hand against his partner’s neck, pressing just enough to slightly shut off air flow. “I never said I was your Master and I in no way want that position. I will be nothing more than a teacher in your new path. The Collocation will expect you to be respectful towards all of us. Especially in front of Apprentices. They will already hate you because you have not been raised in the Asylum but also because you will not be forced to go through the Trials. Do not provoke them.”

He thrust his leg against Obi-Wan, pushing the younger man back. “Go change. My patience is growing short and I won’t hesitate to use my powers against you.” His smile widened when Obi-Wan’s anger flowed over him, crashing against his shields. Once his mate was out of hearing range Xanatos leaned against the wall, his fatigue catching up against him. “Soon, the Jedi will fall.”