Heart of Vader

Anakin leaped from bed and raced toward her voice. He followed her cries until he found her. She was in the kitchen, pinned against the counter by a man he didn't recognize, who stood behind her. She fought back, throwing her elbows as he held her arms behind her, ensuring she couldn't escape.

"No! No!" she screamed, but she couldn't land a blow.

Anakin rushed to her defense. He charged at the man, crashing into his leg and delivering blow after blow to his thigh. His small palms throbbed against the coarse fabric, but he persevered.

"Let her go!" he screamed until the man's attention abruptly shifted to him.

He was suddenly thrown back as a fist struck his cheek, sending him painfully into a nearby chair. The scene appeared abruptly upside down from where he lay on the floor.

"You little fuck!" the man shouted, reaching to grab him as his mother clung to his arm. "No! No! Don't hurt him!"

"Shut up!"

The man slapped her, knocking her back, but that didn't faze him. He grasped his mother's skirt and hiked it up over her hips. He pressed her against the counter and struggled with his belt.

Anakin watched everything from his spot on the floor, tears brimming in his small eyes. He longed to rise and fight, but his head throbbed painfully. He closed his eyes.

"No! No!" his mother cried. "No!"

Anakin heard the man groan.

Then there was silence, and they were together. It was a different day, a better day.

He was in her arms, held tightly as she softly rocked him back and forth. "I love you so much, Ani," she whispered into his hair, planting a kiss on his forehead. "You will have a life better than this. I promise you."

Vader nearly cried out in agony. His head felt as though it was about to burst, and his chest seemed on the verge of collapsing. His body felt shattered and broken; yet he would not disclose any further pain to his master. If he did, the torment would never end.

Instead, Vader stood tall and silent, waiting for further demands.

"A part of Skywalker still exists," Sidious sneered. "That will not do, Vader."

Vader's throat felt hot as he frowned, locking eyes with his master. Both men knew the statement was false: Skywalker had died years ago. The Emperor frequently referenced Skywalker to provoke Vader's anger, and it always succeeded. "No, he does not exist, master," Vader replied, acknowledging the truth. "They are merely memories of a man long gone."

"The man is gone," Sidious grinned, revealing his yellow teeth in the darkness, "but the pain still lingers… How fascinating." His voice was venomous, even making Vader feel uneasy. "I look forward to the day when all traces of that man are erased. Burned away."

Sidious reached out once more, and Vader plunged into another memory—a vision—equally painful, though it pertained to the future rather than the past.

The scene began to twist, becoming both darker and brighter. It was a burning planet. The heat was nearly unbearable, as if he had been thrown into the heart of a searing flame. The planet's fumes stung his lungs, scorching his throat with each breath. A volcano erupted into the sky. The platform beneath his feet trembled as he charged his opponent, fire raining down around them while their blades clashed together. He couldn't see the man's face, but he felt a strange sense of familiarity with him. The two were locked in a deadly duel, Vader's red lightsaber clashing against another's blue. Both were masters of their weapons- skilled and lethal.

Another eruption sent lava spewing like rain falling from the sky, creating a burning downpour. Both men took cover on opposite sides of the platform's wall. Vader took a few deep breaths, allowing the ash to sear his lungs before he charged into the flames. The burning rain scorched his tunic, leaving small burns on his skin, yet the Sith did not even flinch.

Vader ran toward the man while his opponent fled in the opposite direction. Suddenly, they found themselves in a completely different location, battling over a river of molten lava. Their weapons clashed fiercely until the man leaped to safety on the riverbank.

Vader couldn't see what happened next. One moment, he stood in the middle of the burning river, and the next, he was submerged in it, screaming and burning. Everything hurt. It was agony.

He reached out towards the rocks, desperate to pull himself away from the fire, but he found his limbs gone. He couldn't escape. He slid further down until the flames consumed him, and his screams of agony drowned out everything else.

He screamed until he felt his screams become a reality.

Vader collapsed onto the floor, his body convulsing before his master, overwhelmed by the agony of the vision. He groaned, followed by a dozen screams, until everything fell silent. A monster emerged from the darkness- a mechanical beast, powerful, lethal, and unstoppable.

It was him. In his true form.

Darth Vader. Lord of the Sith.

A deep breath rattled from his chest.

Vader opened his eyes from the vision, gazing up at his master from where he had collapsed onto the floor. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead, trailing down his heated skin, and his breath was deep yet far too rapid as he struggled to breathe, as if he had just physically endured the same ordeal.

His master was far too pleased with himself and undoubtedly noted how weak his apprentice appeared due to the pain. "I look forward to the day this becomes a reality, my apprentice," he said, closing his eyes and reveling in the vision– basking in it. Vader's breath caught, but he quickly regained control, burying the memory that triggered this change in his breathing deep within. He forced himself to stabilize and pushed back into a kneeling position before the man across from him.

"As do I, my master," he agreed, his eyes never meeting his master's gaze. Vader understood what the future held for him, having been reminded of it every day of his life. It was his destiny, and it was only a matter of time before that future became a reality. It grew closer with each passing day. It would be soon.

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