Chapter 1 (Patreon)

Coruscant Jedi Temple

Galactic City

The elusive currents of the Force swirled gently inside the vast,dimly lit cavern. I felt its ebb and flow permeate me as I sat cross-legged with my eyes closed, letting it wash over me. When I reached out, it immediately wrapped around me, welcoming me in its warm embrace and pouring strength into every quiet corner of my being. The feeling of simply existing in this state was incredible; I felt I could just let go and be.

Never in a million years did I think I would be meditating, sitting on a raised dais in the middle of a near-forgotten cavern underneath the Jedi Temple in a galaxy far, far away.

But here I was.

Stretching my limbs without feeling any of the strain a human would experience after sitting in one position for so long, I considered how being Force-sensitive changes a being on a fundamental level. Each to a different degree, we were all distinct from the baseline of our species, possessing enhanced reflexes, observation, reasoning, and adaptive learning, as well as the potential to manipulate fate.

Depending on one's connection to the Force and dedicated training, we were capable of more...

I rose to my feet and turned toward the seven massive boulders, each ten feet in height, waiting in a loose semicircle before me. These were ancient things, older than most living memory, called the Muuntur Stones. They were made of a material that literally absorbed the Force, making them denser, more resistant to its influence, and heavier with time.

In the peaceful era the Jedi had settled into, places like this were rarely used, and most had been lost to memory. In the old days, during the Sith Wars, these stones were a tool meant to test knights on their path to mastery. A knight who could lift one even a single foot off the ground was considered to have completed the first trial before being deemed a Master.

The Council had quietly phased out the old trials centuries ago. I had gone through considerable difficulties to obtain more information on them; even Master Jocasta hadn't known most of it, despite me pestering her on the subject.

I raised my hand, opening my palm toward the boulders.

The four nearest stones trembled, then rose slowly, hovering a couple of feet above the cavern floor. I turned them on their axes, the air around them rippling with faint distortion as I willed the Force to hold them steady. This shouldn't have been possible. Even most Jedi Masters of this era would strain to manage one, maybe two if they pushed hard. But here I was, nineteen years old, still a Padawan, lifting four of them.

Because I was Anakin Skywalker.The Chosen One.

Starting to feel the strain of holding them, I let them drift back down gently. It had been five years since I woke up in this body. First came confusion, then sheer fear upon figuring out where I was, followed by the overwhelming insanity of what had transpired. Yet, it was the will of the Force. Anakin had been on Ilum, a place so steeped in the Force that my entry into the galaxy was largely missed.

Five years...

It's been five years since I opened my eyes in this body.

I still clearly remember the day: the confusion, the raw existential fear that had washed through me once I realized and understood where and who I was. The sheer, screaming insanity of it all. But the Force... the Force had other ideas. It had pulled me here on purpose, I was sure of it now.

No one noticed my arrival. No one ever would; of that I was sure. It was something the Force had essentially revealed to me.

For that, I was thankful, at least. It would have been a disaster if certain beings had deduced what had happened. And the Force... the first time I felt it...I could remember that day like it was yesterday.

I was dead. Nothing special, just someone alive one moment and gone the next. Then I felt a pull on my soul, a vast, near-omnipotent presence gathering around me like a storm of warm light. I had been dragged through the multiverse, tumbling through nothing and everything at once. It should have torn me apart. But the Force wrapped itself around what was left of me, protecting and refusing to let me shatter. It was the only reason I remained sane through the process.

When I finally opened my eyes, I was lying on the cold cavern floor of Ilum, frost coating my skin and the simple tunic of a fifteen-year-old Padawan. My breath came out in panicked huffs. I sat up fast, feeling my heart pound in my throat. My eyes darted across the vast, glowing blue-white cave. Stalactites and stalagmites glittered with intrinsic light.

Terror clawed at my throat. This wasn't a dream; I just knew it wasn't. I was Anakin Skywalker. The Chosen One. A boy who was supposed to bring balance to the galaxy... or burn it down. Every fear I'd never had rushed in at once. In my panic, I reached out as Anakin had been taught by Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and the other Jedi Masters who taught younglings in the Temple.

And then the Force simply... held me gently. For a single moment, I beheld its immense presence as it filled the cavern and filled me, until the panic began to dissolve into nothing.

I pushed myself up and looked around, taking in the ethereal cave, feeling the hum of the Force. I realized where I was: Ilum. From a nearby stalagmite, something stirred. A single stone splinter broke free and floated toward me slowly. I reached out with trembling fingers and closed my hand around it.

Warmth flooded through me the instant I touched the crystal. I felt something: Acceptance. Belonging. A covenant. The Force spoke to me. I knew then with certainty that this was where I was meant to be. Unbeknownst to me, a single tear slipped down my cheek,feeling it against the frost still clinging to my face.

I smiled, knowing that whatever came next—the war, the prophecy—I would never be alone.

Coming back from my memories, I smiled. Reaching to my waist, I unclipped my lightsaber. The hilt felt perfect in my palm. It was longer than a standard lightsaber, crafted for two-handed work and powerful, sweeping strikes that could cleave through sentients and battle droids alike. Its matte-black alloy was etched with faint silver grooves i was lucky enough that the Quater master was not against me acquiring some cortosis to coat my saber with; the man had only given me a look and approved the request when I had applied for it. The metal coating also had the advantage of giving me a good grip for quick maneuvers; the reinforced emitter flared. My design had garnered me quite a few scrutinizing looks from everyone.

Holding it up, I pressed the ignition button, placed inside the casing, and watched as a ghoslty -blue blade ignited with a lightsaber's signature whine, illuminating my face. My eyes caught my chrono on my vambrace, one I had made with some scraped-together parts.

"I have more than an hour... so might as well..." I murmured. Just like the original Anakin, I was ridiculously talented in anything related to combat. There was no Initiate or Padawan who could face me in combat and win. I reckoned I could even take Knights who weren't focused on combat, something that was quite common.

I stepped down from the dais, spread my feet into a proper form, holding up my saber in a standard Shii-Cho position. Lightsaber combat was one of the Jedi's staple forms of combat, with different Jedi having differing philosophies and preferences. Unlike the original Anakin, who would prefer and go on to master Djem So's aggressive combat form, I preferred the Diplomat's form, Niman, taking advantage of my ridiculous connection to the Force. It was somewhat considered to be inferior, a jack of all trades but master of none... but I begged to differ. Some of the most dangerous lightsaber masters in galactic history were users of Niman, utilizing the form's adaptability and integrating Force-based attacks during saber combat.

And to do so, I was firmly of the mind that one must master all the other forms. I cleared my mind and slowly started moving through the velocities. I began with Form I, Shii-Cho's wide, sweeping arcs; then Makashi's precise saber strikes; to Soresu's tight, unbreakable defense—I focused a bit more on this style, knowing it would come in handy in the wars to come. Then I moved onto Ataru's explosive leaps and flips that sent my robes flaring. Finally, I transitioned to the original Anakin's favored form, Djem So's aggressive style, with powerful counters that allowed my saber to carve through the air, creating its distinctive sound.

Tying all this together was Niman, at least in my perspective. The only style I had skipped, due to being unable to find any training records or a willing teacher, was Juyo, something I would have to rectify in the future.

The Ghostly - blue blade hummed and sang through the air, each strike transition smoother than the last. The longer hilt gave me leverage for powerful strikes that could carve through durasteel like butter. Dust from the cavern swirled at my feet. The Force moved with me as I incorporated it into my movements, enhancing my strikes and allowing myself to fall into its flow.

I wove the forms together until they blurred, then gently let them settle into Niman. The blade traced lazy, intricate patterns around my body, almost languid in its precision, while I remained perfectly centered. And then I took it further. Still deep in Niman's flowing rhythm, I opened my off-hand and pushed with the Force. A wide telekinetic shove rippled outward in invisible waves.

I followed it with a low spinning kick, extending my leg, and another Force push exploded from the sole of my boot, slamming into nothing and sending a faint shockwave bouncing off the cavern walls. I continued my practice until everything blurred into one another, the lightsaber, the Force, and my own body had become one. Strike, parry, push, kick, every motion fed the next.

Time passed before I felt the strain of continuous exertion as I finally brought the blade to a rest, holding it high in a ready position before deactivating it. The cavern fell quiet again. I glanced at the chrono on my wrist; it was more than an hour since I had started working on my saber

forms, a little longer than I'd meant to stay.

"Well," I murmured, my voice low and a little rough, "it's about time. Let's get going then."

I crossed the cavern floor toward the shadowed alcove where a simple work desk and terminal sat against the wall. I shrugged into the heavy outer robe hanging from a hook. Coruscant's climate varied greatly depending on the level, creating microclimates due to the spire-like architecture.

I attached a utility belt, securing a few ration packs, a small med-kit, and a comlink to its loops a couple of power cells along with my communicator. I pulled the hood up over my head, letting the shadow cover my face, then made my way out of the cavern, heading deeper where a hidden exit waited at the far end of the chamber. I approached the massive slab of the same ancient stone as the training boulders, its surface etched with faint, almost invisible seams.

Bracing myself, I urged the Force to move the slab. It groaned in protest but slowly slid aside with a deep, grinding rumble. I slipped through the narrow gap, then turned and guided it back into place. The rock shuddered once as it settled, sealing the training cavern behind me. Plunged into darkness, I fished a glow rod from my pouch and started walking down the narrow, gently sloping tunnel that would lead me out of the temple. The air grew colder with each step.

It took nearly thirty Galactic Standard minutes to reach an old, circular access point. I unlatched and pushed it open, feeling a gust of recycled air rustle my hair and robes as I exited. The air tasted oddly metallic. I stepped out onto a narrow service ledge high on the eastern flank of the Jedi Temple's colossal base.

Unlike the upper levels, where luxury and opulence were abundant, the base of the temple was the true beginning of Coruscant, a city that plunged miles down, its buildings having swallowed the original ground centuries ago. To my right, the sheer wall of the Temple dropped away into shadow. Above, the skyline stretched out forever: endless towers, glowing billboards, and layered traffic lanes with hovercrafts blitzing through the sky.

The contrast was striking and a bit disheartening.

I gripped the broken durasteel railing and vaulted over the edge. It would have been dangerous for any other being, but I was Force-sensitive and had done this nearly a hundred times. I found purchase on ledges, footfalls, and railings as I made my way down, sometimes sliding along corroded girders and letting the Force cushion some of my deadlier, longer falls. Finally, I reached a level bustling with people. I blended into the crowd and made my way to a public turbolift.

I received a few looks for my robe, which covered my entire body, and my hood, which concealed my face, but I was left alone. Conspicuous or shady beings were a dime a dozen here. The level on the display ticked down.

The turbolift was packed shoulder to shoulder, a swaying cage of tired bodies and flickering overhead lights. Humans, Twi'leks, a pair of Rodians muttering in their own tongue, and one old Sullustan kept nodding off against the wall. Every few levels, the doors hissed open, and someone squeezed out or forced their way in, the floor counter ticking steadily upward in blood-red digits: 512... 784... 1023...

The time allowed my mind to wander to the ongoing situation of the galaxy at large. It was a right mess. The Core Worlds were still opulent and lacked for nothing but greed, while the Mid and Outer Rim Planets were slowly being drained of their wealth and resources. All their cries for help were met with apathy, or worse, with malicious groups like the Trade Federation and the megacompanies preying upon planets at their lowest with contracts and deals that bordered on slavery. And the Jedi, the vaunted peacekeepers, were doing nothing but sitting on their asses in the temple.

And you wonder why Dooku's address to the Galaxy at Raxus was as popular as it was...

They were all disillusioned. Most had stopped believing the Republic would ever come for them. Some had already started looking to the Separatists for salvation or worked to be as independent as possible, giving only lip service to the Republic.

And the Senate itself... bloated didn't even begin to cover it. Thousands of senators, each with their own staff and agendas. Every session was theater that served no one but themselves.

I shook my head in disgust as I watched the lift lower further. The Military Creation Act debate was the latest act—some pushing for it because they genuinely feared Separatist military action, and others because they stood to make fortunes arming the Republic. No one seemed to notice they were marching straight toward open war.

Or perhaps they did see that, but simply didn't care...I thought in contemplation. The senators and the people in power were not stupid. Then again, I didn't really have a solution for the situation either. The Republic was dead; it was too big and bloated to effectively enforce any of its laws, or at the very least, not anymore.

The Clone Wars were inevitable. The Sith sitting in the Supreme Chancellor's office would see to it. My thoughts turned darker still. Palpatine. The kindly old Supreme Chancellor who always had the right words and compromises for the cameras, the man everyone believed to be trying his damndest to help the Republic, the man maneuvering the galaxy on his strings to its doom, and no one knew.

I sighed. I had tried to inform Obi-Wan of this information, but all I got was a sense of impending doom from the Force. Heeding the warning, I kept any and all information to myself and focused on training and preparing for the inevitable war.

In a corner of my mind, I was actually looking forward to the war, not for the death and destruction it would cause, but for the opportunity it would give me to take a certain amount of control and influence. It might have been hypocritical to think that way while I condemned others for doing the same, but I didn't have a choice. The first few days I had woken up in this body, I had realized I did not have any actual power to change this galaxy and was certain that if I wanted to do so, it would only be by enforcing it.

Something I was wary of, especially because of how the original Anakin had turned out. Sensing my spiraling thoughts, the Force covered me like a warm blanket. I let go of my tumultuous thoughts and fear and just embraced its presence as a small smile formed on my face. No matter how much I had been bothered by being brought into this life, the communion with the Force was not one of them.

I stepped out into the crush of bodies, hood pulled low, and let the current of the crowd carry me forward. The corridor here was wider than the ones above but certainly rougher. The lower one descended, the more the atmosphere changed. Flickering holosigns advertised stims and cheap implants, and the air hung thick with the smell of street food. As I moved through the crowd, I felt a ripple in the Force.

A scrawny Rodian with shifty eyes reached toward my side, his movement suggesting experience in pickpocketing. A tiny nudge of the Force against his leg was just enough to make him fumble. He stumbled, shot me a quick, startled glance, and made himself scarce. I shook my head and continued on my way.

I turned down a narrower service walkway. The ceiling dropped, and pipes and conduits ran overhead, steam escaping them at random intervals. This was a route I had taken every time I came down here, and I knew this was where people came when they had no more hope.

Just as I had expected, they were waiting for me. A small cluster of figures huddled in the lee of a shuttered storefront. A human woman clutched a limp child to her chest. Beside her stood a blue-skinned Twi'lek male, one hand resting on another clearly sick Twi'lek woman, their lekku twitching with nervous tension. An older human man hovered just behind them, coughing intermittently.

They were waiting. For me.

It was something I was proud of, shining a little light amidst the darkness.

The woman saw me first. She surged to her feet so fast she nearly dropped the child.

"Master Jedi... they said you would come. They were right."

The Twi'lek stepped forward, his voice rough with desperation. "I thought it was only a rumor. Please help my wife... We have no money left. The clinics wouldn't even look at her."

I raised a hand to calm them.

"Please calm down. I will help you." As I fell into the Force once again, I invoked one of the most coveted and rare techniques the Jedi could use. The Force flowed through me, reaching the beings around, and sung a song of healing. My surroundings glowed golden, and anyone inside it was healed.

Force Healing.

I had to stop a smile from forming as I remembered the faces of everyone—Obi-Wan, the Council, and the other Jedi—when I had unveiled my ability to invoke Force Healing. It was a very rare power, especially in the modern day; only one other Jedi Master was capable of using it. It had, in part, cemented my status as the Chosen One. It was good for me in a way; I wasn't as controversial as the original Anakin. Sure, I had my stubbornness and views that went against the tenets of modern Jedi philosophies and had my naysayers in the Temple, but none could deny my presence in the Force.

I ignored their awe and disbelief as their ailments were healed and walked away.

"You are healed. May the Force be with you and yours."

It took me another twenty minutes of winding through service corridors and half-lit industrial passages before the sounds of the main concourse faded completely and I reached the place I was looking for.

The warehouse sat tucked between two larger, half-abandoned hangars, its massive doors cracked open just enough to let the constant roar of machinery spill out into the corridor.Inside, the air was thick with the smell of lubricant, scorched metal, and chemicals. Dozens of small ships in various states of repair filled the cavernous space; they were all ships made with mismatched parts. "Franken-ships," the locals called them. Workers moved between the hulls with plasma torches and hydrospanners, working with clear experience.

I slipped inside and headed for the metal stairs at the back without drawing attention.

A small green Twi'lek girl perched on a catwalk above one of the open bays spotted me instantly. Her face split into a grin so wide it nearly split her face in two.

"Anakin!"

I glanced up, smiling at the girl.

"Hello, Kay'ela."

She waved down at me furiously then ran off to presumably come down.

I climbed the stairs towards an office and entered it. Kay'ela's father, Siv'vola—who ran the place—looked up from a datapad, his serious face breaking into a grin the moment he saw me. Beside him, his wife Maya turned from whatever she was doing, stood up, and came over, pulling me into a hug.

"Anakin, how have you been? It has been some time." I returned the hug and responded.

"Jedi business, Maya." She pulled back just far enough to roll her eyes at me, the way she always did when I gave her that answer. "Jedi business," she repeated, like the words tasted sour. "One of these days you're going to tell us the truth, you know."

Siv'vola and Maya ran this pseudo-garage for low-end starships. I had helped them out a couple of years back against the Black Suns.

I had continued to keep in touch with the family afterward. They had helped me gather some sorely lacking funds by leveraging my near-savant-like abilities with technologies. I was quickly able to contribute by helping them add tech like military-grade shield generators that run off a secondary power core and retractable laser cannons.

Getting to know them gave me the opportunity to expand my network, and most importantly, it helped me pay a bunch of mercenaries who were trustworthy enough to rescue my mother from Tatooine and relocate her to Alderaan, where she was currently safe and happy. There was no way in hell I would leave her to rot as a slave. That was one of the first things I had done in my first year as Anakin. It was something I had hidden from even Obi-Wan, but I suspected he knew and kept it quiet for my sake.

I really do owe that man...

Before I could say anything else, the door hissed open again and a small green blur launched itself across the room.

"Anakin!"

Kay'ela hit me at full speed, wrapping her arms around my waist and grinning up at me with all the unrestrained joy only a twelve-year-old Twi'lek could manage. I patted her shoulder gently, careful to avoid her lekku the way Maya had taught me.

"Hey, kid."

She tilted her head back, still clinging. "How come you haven't visited? It's been forever."

Maya sighed and reached over, gently prying her daughter off me. "Anakin's busy, Kay'ela. And you still have schooling videos to finish before dinner."

The girl's face fell into an impressive pout. "But—"

"No buts. Go sit. Now."

Kay'ela dragged her feet theatrically toward the small couch in the corner, but not before shooting me one last dramatic look over her shoulder. Siv'vola chuckled under his breath. I couldn't help smiling too at the scene. Siv'vola caught my eye and jerked his head toward the back of the office. "Come on. Your order came in yesterday, you got the communication?"

"Yes, I did..." I followed him through a narrow door into a small storage area. He crouched beside a large, reinforced crate, popped the latches, and lifted the lid.

Inside, nestled in protective foam, was the armor.

It was made of Trimantium plates with reinforced joints and a flexible undersuit sealed to the elements outside. Its off-white design was similar to the armor from the Old Republic era when Jedi wore armor into battle.

I traced the sturdy metal as I nodded.

"This will do just fine," I said quietly.

Siv'vola was quiet for a moment, watching me.

"So... it's really going to come down to war, isn't it?"

I didn't lie to him.

"With the state of things?" I kept my voice low. "It might."

I saw the worry flicker across his face, and he was right to worry; he had a family to protect. I did my best to ease it.

"Coruscant should be safe for the most part," I told him. "The Senate's here. The Jedi are here. They won't let it fall easily."

Even as I said it, I felt like a liar. I knew how fast things could unravel, how Coruscant could fall.

Before Siv'vola could answer, my comm unit gave a soft, urgent chime against my waist.

I glanced down; it was Obi-Wan.

I frowned. He was supposed to be away on a mission and wasn't to be back until later in the month. Still, I answered quickly.

"Anakin." His voice was calm but I could feel an undercurrent of tension. "Where are you? Something's come up. The Council has summoned us."

"I'm outside..." I answered, knowing as a Padawan I wasn't supposed to leave the Temple without permission. "I can be there in another thirty minutes."

I could hear his exasperation as I hid a smile.

"Huh... Just get back to the Temple as soon as you can, Anakin." he said.

Sighing, I let the budding smile fall from my face. I'd wanted to use the secure HoloNet transceiver here in the warehouse to check in on Mom—something I only risked doing from this place. But it seemed it would have to wait.

"I'm on my way," I said. "I'll be there soon."

I ended the call and looked at Siv'vola. He didn't ask. He just nodded once, understanding in his eyes.

"Be careful out there, Anakin."

I clasped his forearm briefly. "You too. Take care of yourselves."

Maya hugged me again at the door. Kay'ela waved from the couch. I pulled my hood back up, lifted the heavy case with the armor inside, and stepped out into the noise of the workshop. I moved faster than I had arrived, owing to Obi-Wan's call. Just as I reached the main concourse on Level 1013, the big public holoscreen above the walkway was blaring a breaking news feed. A polished reporter stood in front of a smoking landing platform near the Senate district, voice urgent.

"...an apparent assassination attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo. The explosion occurred only moments after her ship touched down. Casualties are still being confirmed..."

I stopped walking as everything else faded into the background. One thought formed in my head as everything focused.

So it begins...

A/N - Please don't burn me at the stake for starting a new story! This one is just a fun side project with a slower release schedule of about once every 2 or 3 weeks. It will not change the update schedule for my other fics at all. Since updates for this story are slower, the chapters will be much longer! For now, this story is a Patreon exclusive. Enjoy, and the next chapter of TBC will be out soon ENJOY :)