A Star Wars Fairy Tale: Return, Part 11

Luke was leaping all over the throne room, dodging his father's blows. He gave him just as many. Vader was surprised at how strong his son was. The boy was no longer a fledgling. This was a fully-grown man, with his own very potent abilities.

“Good,” King Palapatine chuckled, as Luke landed an especially fierce blow on Vader that made him stumble back against the wall. “Good. Kill your father, and your journey towards the dark side of the Force magic will be complete.”

“No.” Luke stepped away, breathing hard, but more in control of himself. “I won't kill him. I can't. I'm not...” he looked up at the ugly creature before him “...not like you. Not like he is now.” He pulled away as Vader gingerly got to his feet. “There was a time he wouldn't have killed, unless he had to. Father, I feel the good in you. I know the Emperor hasn't driven it from you completely.”

“You're mistaken, son.” Vader only shook his head. “There's no good left.”

“You couldn't kill me before,” Luke insisted, “and I don't think you'll kill me now.” He backed into the shadows, concentrating. The shadows enveloped him, rendering him invisible.

“Give yourself to the dark magic.” Vader walked around the throne room, probing the shadows with his mind. “It's the only way you can save your friends. Yes, your feelings for them are strong, especially for...” He concentrated...and hit on a particularly delicate spot in Luke's tender heart. “Sister. Your twin sister. For Leia.” His mind probed further. “I made a promise to the King years ago, before either of you were born. Those hypocritical Force Knights didn't respect me. They didn't understand me. Refused me a membership on their high council. My master promised me power and respect, in exchange for my undying loyalty...and the daughter my wife was carrying. He promised to show me how to keep people from dying.”

“You...you gave Leia away?” Luke couldn't believe what he was hearing. “Practically sold her?”

“I did what I had to.” Vader probed harder. “If you will not turn to the dark magic, perhaps she will.”

Vader had probed the one place he should have left alone. He let out a loud screech and launched himself out of the shadows...and onto his father. He didn't care what he hit. He slammed and parried at the man before him, the man who threatened the only family he truly lad left. Vader, for his part, had begun to think he'd made a slight error in judgment. His son's dark powers possibly even exceeded his own.

Driven to the wall, Luke just kept slamming his sword at his father. He finally sliced through Vader's metal hand. The iron-covered appendage and the red and black crystal sword went flying against the wall.

The King watched from his throne, cackling with glee. “Wonderful!” he hissed. “You're doing well, my new apprentice. Now, finish him off, and take your father's place at my side.”

That was when Luke saw his hand. His metal hand, the one Arthur made for him. The one Vader had cut off in a rage on the roof of the prison tower in the Kingdom of the Clouds. The one that now held his sword at his father's throat. We're more alike than we believe, he thought. He closed his eyes and pulled back. Well, here's one thing we don't have in common.

Luke drew himself up to his full height before the King's throne. “Never.” He threw the green crystal sword aside. It clanged against the wall with Vader's. “I'll never take up the dark magic. You have failed, Your Majesty. I am a White Knight, like my father before me.”

Palapatine's yellow eyes stared hard at the young knight. “So be it,” he hissed. “White Knight.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Lando saw the clouds gathering, even as the Falcon careened through the courtyard. Arthur, Cecil, and the Ewoks and remaining Rebels were rounding up the Imperial soldiers to be taken to the dungeon until further notice. Wicket jumped up and down in delight as the cart came to a quick stop before them.

Oooh, one of the horsie vehicles! Wicket gave Tauntaun's leg a hug. Can I have a ride?

Lando shrugged and lifted Wicket between him and Niem. “Come on, short stuff. All aboard the Falcon express!”

“May I ask,” Cecil insisted, “where you plan on going? Most of the Army has been arrested, and the drawbridge is open...”

The former baron pointed at the back of his vehicle. “If you want to be in on the action, get in the back. We're going after Han and Leia.”

“Captain Solowolf went to His Supreme Majesty King Palapatine's rooms to rescue her,” Threepio explained. Arthur shook his head, tugging on his friend's tattered gold jacket, his fingers flying. “They're on their way to the throne room? Where did you find that out?” Arthur made gestures like he was holding a lance. “One of the captured King's Guards told you? What have I told you about talking to strangers?”

“That's where we're going.” Lando flicked the reins as Arthur shoved a protesting Cecil into the now-doorless back of the Falcon. “All passengers, fasten your rope belts. It's going to be a bumpy ride.”

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Han, Leia, and Chewie barreled into the throne room just in time to see Palapatine raise his scaly fingers. “If you will not give in, boy, you will die!” Leia screamed as a streak of black lightning hit her brother. Chewie let out a horrified whinny.

Leia immediately ran towards Palapatine. “I won't let you hurt him!”

Han's eyes widened. Palapatine was looking less and less human by the minute. Already, he could see long spines and a snake-like tail through his cape. “Ahh. I knew you'd come back to me, my bride.” His cruel smile wasn't even human anymore. It was broad and lipless and filled with needle-like teeth. “Your power is nearly equal to your brother's. I could mold it, shape it. I could even keep your brother from dying. What can that powerless wretch give you,” he nodded at Han “that I can't?”

She stared into his intense yellow eyes. “Love.”

“Love,” the monster hissed, “is for fools.” His lightning blasted in Leia's direction, enveloping the girl. She screamed, dropping the the floor.

Suddenly, two bodies blocked her at once. Leia looked up...and into a pair of pained hazel eyes. Han's arms were squeezed around her so hard, she could barely breathe. Chewie blocked them both, his angry whinnies echoing in the room. “Han...”

He grinned at her, despite the nasty burns on his back. “I love you.”

She smiled back. “I know.”

The demon snarled. “You...you little...” Luke had been crawling to his knees, but Palapatine turned his energy back on him. “You've paid the price for your lack of vision.” The lightning became darker and even more intense, spreading over the young knight's writhing, burned form.

“Father,” Luke wailed, “please!”

It was then that Vader realized that everything Palapatine had told him was a lie. This old, frail demon knew no more about prolonging life than he knew about real love. He'd killed his wife, given up his children and his human form, destroyed half the Seven Kingdoms, and for what? The evil dreams of a supernatural entity? He'd let his desire for power over-ride his soul, his very humanity.

The dark-clad war lord let out a ferocious growl, lunging at the frail demon. As he did, his armor split, revealing an enormous, spike-laden, horned being, all black and red scales and terrible claws. His eyes were still yellow...but there were flecks of sky-blue in them, a color not unlike Luke's own.

The group in the throne room watched in shock as Vader slashed his claws into Palapatine's back. The smaller demon hissed, turning his lightning and his razor-sharp claws on his former follower. Chewie grabbed Luke by the back of his armor and yanked him with the rest of the group as the two demons slashed, bit, and threw lightning at each other.

They leaped through a stained-glass window and up the castle walls, finally making it to the roof. The sky was thick with dark clouds and jagged, white-edged lightning as the entire heavens seemed to split open, unleashing a storm of the likes that had never been seen. Luke, Han, and Leia wobbled to the window, clutching each other for dear life. Wedge and the Emperor Dragon saw it in the sky, just over the drawbridge. Lando and the group in the Falcon watched wide-eyed from the courtyard.

“You tricked me,” Vader hissed. “You never cared about saving Padme, or making the Knight Council give me a better position. You only wanted my children's Force magic and my title as King of Naboo.”

“Yesss,” snarled the bony lizard-like creature that slithered around him. “I gave you what you wanted. I cursed you with true power. That's what power is, Skywalker. It's burning, blackness. It's taking what you want, when you want.”

“If that's magic,” Vader panted, “you can have it. I'm human. I'm not a monster!”

Luke gasped as the black and red dragon-like demon finally lifted the snake-like demon over it's shoulder, ignoring the black magic lightning spreading around him. He threw the creature over the castle walls and into the very lightning raining down from the heavens. It split the creature asunder as its remains were dashed on the jagged edges of the crystal mountain bellow.

“Whoa,” Lando exclaimed as the black and red dragon on the roof started to wobble, “that boy's comin' down! Everyone clear the area!”

Ewoks, horses, Imperials, and Rebels ran for cover as the winged demon toppled to the ground, landing with a noisy thud in the courtyard below. Luke, Leia, and Han rode out on Chewie as the dragons came in for a landing near the drawbridge.

Luke was the first to reach the dragon. To his surprise, it was looking less and less animal-like by the minute. A blue light surrounded the creature. When it subsided, it looked more like a rather tired, pale-faced, heavily scarred old man in the remains of black armor...but his eyes were a beautiful, clear shade of sky blue. “Luke...” he whispered.

“Father, I won't leave you here.” He nodded at Han and Leia, hand in hand behind him. “We won't leave you here. We have to save you.”

“You already have. Luke,” he rasped, “you were right about me. Tell Leia...you were right.”

“Father!” Luke started. “Father!” It was no use. The pale man in the armor finally sagged in his arms, gone for good. Luke wept hot tears of sorrow over his father's body as it vanished all together, leaving the scorched black armor behind. Han put an arm around Leia, who leaned into him. Wicket threw himself comfortingly around her leg. Chewie nudged her good shoulder. Wedge lead the Emperor Dragon to Luke to try to comfort him.