The Timeline Branches

"It's over, Anakin!" said the Coruscanti accent, from the hill overlooking the molten river. "I have the high ground!"

The end of a long and vicious battle was reaching its end. The duel of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, were there anyone to witness would have been one for the ages. The long and bitter Clone War had at last reached its end and a new age of darkness descended upon the galaxy. The angry Sith apprentice, with his fierce yellow eyes glared with hatred and sweat from atop the debris floating down the lava. "You underestimate my power!"

The Jedi looked upon Anakin in disbelief. "Don't try it!"

With a battle cry, Anakin leaped, and with one swipe of blue light, Obi-Wan Kenobi cleaved the limbs of the Sith. All but Anakin's prosthetic right arm. Anakin rolled down the lava bank, screaming in pain. Landing at the base, groaning, almost fighting even in his weakened condition to get to Kenobi.

Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber, looking upon his fallen apprentice with sadness and pain as he lie on the bank of the lava river, trying to claw his way up. Eyes betraying nothing but contempt and hatred for his former master.

Obi-Wan fought tears. "You were the chosen one!" he shouted. "It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness!"

In dispair, Obi-Wan began up the bank. With all of his might, Anakin screamed "I HATE YOU!" Trying further to climb up the bank with his single, robotic arm.

"You were my brother, Anakin!" Obi-Wan said, staring wistfully at his old friend, his former apprentice. "I loved you."

That moment, too close to the lava, what remained of Anakin Skywalker's legs caught fire. He cried in pain. Obi-Wan looked away as the flames crept up the fallen Jedi's body, consuming his flesh, forcing tortured cries of anguish, and even still, Anakin persisted to reach for Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan turned, to leave...then stopped. He couldn't leave Anakin like this. After all he'd done, after all the Jedi he'd killed. Younglings! No one deserved this pain, not even a Sith. As Anakin burned, screaming indicipherable curses at Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan crept down the bank and ignited his lightsaber.

"I'm sorry, Anakin!" said Obi-Wan, "I'm so sorry."

With that, he raised his blade and plunged it into the burning, charred evil that was once his brother. Silencing the Sith's screams.

"I'm sorry, Anakin..." he whispered one final time. Hanging his head as he walked back up the bank, toward the ship.

Later, when Obi-Wan Kenobi was long gone, an Imperial shuttle landed. Guarded by Clonetroopers, Emperor Palpatine disembarked. Taking a brief moment to look around.

"Something is wrong..." he said to himself. They hurried. Finding their way to the embankment, overlooking the charred and burned Skywalker.

"Events are not transpiring the way I had forseen them." Palpatine said, descending and kneeling by the body. Checking it.

"This should not have happened. Perhaps, my young apprentice you were not as strong as I had thought." the Emperor mused. His trooper guard approached.

"What shall we do with him, my lord?" asked one of the troopers.

Palpatine stood up. "Skywalker is of no further interest to me. Throw him in."

Obediently, the Troopers picked up the body of Anakin Skywalker and Palpatine watched with much regret and annoyance as they tossed him into the molten river, the fire quickly consuming it.

"The plans have changed....but they are not foiled. We must return to Coruscant immediately." ordered Palpatine. "There is much work to do."