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Theed lay in smoldering ruin after the droid army’s defeat. The armies of Naboo had fought valiantly, with Queen Amidala leading her forces in reclaiming the palace. But among the chaos, something more unsettling had occurred—something that would soon reach the ears of the Jedi Council.
“One more thing, Master Yoda,” Obi-Wan Kenobi said, standing before the council. His voice was grave. “During the Battle of Naboo, there was… an incident.”
Yoda’s eyes narrowed as he leaned forward, listening intently. Mace Windu folded his arms, a deep furrow forming between his brows. The council chamber felt heavier, as if the Force itself was bracing for something ominous.
“A boy,” Obi-Wan continued, “perhaps ten years old, wielding a lightsaber on the battlefield. He wasn’t just young—he was incredibly dangerous, striking down droids with precision, as though he had been trained. But what was most alarming was the man at his side.”
“Describe him,” Windu said, his voice sharp.
Obi-Wan hesitated, piecing together what he had seen through Padmé Amidala’s description and his own senses. “Tall, cloaked in black. His presence was dark, suffocating. And his power… it was immense. I felt it when I arrived at the battlefield. He wasn’t a mere observer; he was destroying droids by crushing them with the Force and redirecting blaster fire in every direction without effort.”
The council exchanged uneasy glances, and Yoda’s expression became grim. “Sith, you believe, this man may be?”
“I do,” Obi-Wan replied. “He didn’t ignite a lightsaber, but his power with the dark side was unmistakable. And the child… the boy seemed to be under his command. He fought recklessly, as though driven by something more than just self-preservation.”
“An apprentice,” Windu muttered. “The Sith have returned, and they’ve taken a child.”
Obi-Wan’s mind flashed back to the boy—Padmé had described the look on his face, a mixture of exhilaration and determination. There was something off about him, something conflicted. It was more than just the influence of a master.
“The child,” Obi-Wan continued, “is being trained in the dark side, but it’s more than that. I don’t believe he’s fully given over to it. He seemed… distracted, even while fighting. But make no mistake, he’s already dangerous. If this continues, he’ll become even more powerful.”
Yoda’s eyes closed as he meditated on Obi-Wan’s words, sensing the weight of the Force around this situation. “Dangerous, the boy is. Much fear, I sense in him. A captive of the Sith, perhaps. In time, twisted by the dark side, he will be.”
Obi-Wan nodded. “I want to free him, Master Yoda. I don’t believe the boy is beyond saving, but the longer he remains in the hands of this Sith, the more he will fall into darkness.”
Windu leaned forward. “And the man? You’re certain he’s Sith?”
Obi-Wan exhaled slowly. “There’s no doubt. His mastery over the Force was unlike anything I’ve seen. He crushed entire platoons of droids with a flick of his wrist, redirecting volleys of blaster fire back at them with casual ease. And yet… he was patient. He didn’t rush into battle like the boy. He watched. He commanded.”
“The Sith train their apprentices in cruelty and control,” Windu said gravely. “If the boy is being raised in such a way, he’ll be a powerful threat in the future.”
“Agree with this, I do,” Yoda said, nodding. “But your task, Obi-Wan, is not an easy one. Find the boy, you must. Free him, if you can. But the Sith—dangerous, this enemy is. Caution, you must take.”
Obi-Wan bowed. “I will be cautious. But I believe there is still hope for the child.”
As Obi-Wan prepared to leave the Council, his mind returned to Naboo. After the battle had ended, he had searched the nearby forest and found a campsite hastily abandoned. Whoever the man and child were, they had been careful not to leave much of a trail.
The child—no, the boy had been reckless, as Padmé had described. Thrilled by the fight, no doubt, but guided by a master far darker than he could comprehend. The more Obi-Wan thought about it, the more convinced he became that the boy was not yet lost. But the man, this Sith Lord in the shadows, was dangerous beyond anything Obi-Wan had ever faced.
Hours Earlier – On the Battlefield
Young Anakin grinned as he cut through a squad of battle droids, his strikes fast and efficient. With each enemy felled, he could feel the Force flowing through him—powerful and intoxicating. His eyes gleamed with excitement, and despite the chaos around him, he was in his element.
But even as he fought, he kept his mind focused. Vader had drilled it into him: use the dark side for power, but do not let it control you. Use the light side to maintain control, to keep awareness.
Across the battlefield, Darth Vader watched his apprentice’s progress in frustration. The boy was learning quickly, too quickly perhaps. He had disobeyed direct orders to stay away from the battel field, Vader idlily wondered if his old master ever had these thoughts about him when he was younger. Anakin’s raw talent with the Force was both a blessing and a curse. He was powerful, more powerful than Vader had been at his age. But he was also reckless, and that recklessness could prove dangerous if left unchecked.
A droid platoon converged on them, blasters firing in unison. Vader stepped forward, raising his hand. The Force surged through him, and in an instant, the droids were crushed under an invisible hand. Without missing a beat, he extended his other hand, redirecting the incoming blaster fire back at the remaining droids, decimating them.
Anakin paused as he spotted his master. Partially in awe, watching his master’s display of power, Partially in fear as he had been told to stay away from the battlefield.
“Anakin,” Vader’s voice was a deep, mechanical growl, echoing through the battlefield. “You dare disobey me?”
Anakin gulped and ran away, towards an area that was getting overwhelmed by blaster fire.
They were nearly through the last of the droid forces when Vader sensed something—a disturbance in the Force. He turned his head slightly, and that’s when he saw her.
Padmé Amidala, Queen of Naboo, stood watching them from a distance. Her eyes were wide, a mixture of fear and astonishment. Before Vader could react, Anakin finished the last of the droids and wiped his brow, grinning awkwardly up at his master.
“I told you I would be fine!” he exclaimed, still catching his breath.
Vader’s response was immediate. “Enough!” he growled, grabbing Anakin’s arm and pulling him away from the battlefield. “You are still far to young to be fighting real battles, your mother will not be happy.”
“But I—” Anakin started, only to be cut off as Vader tightened his grip, dragging him toward the forest.
Padmé watched in stunned silence as the man in black pulled the boy away, disappearing into the trees as quickly as they had arrived.