Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi frowned as he looked upon what was to be their staging area. A deep valley more than 10 klicks across and 2 klicks deep, the terrain was all swampland which made it almost impossible for tanks and walkers to move. Fortunately, that made it difficult for the droids of the Separatist armies to move as well. The other generals had predicted high casualties and Obi-Wan unfortunately had to agree with them. With such a low-sunk area, air support was going to be difficult and troop reinforcements would have to land at the top of the ridge before marching down the cliff face.

But more than that, the area was proving to be cumbersome and problematic for the Jedi. The Force in this hemisphere of the planet swirled in darkness. It was heavy, like a wet wool blanket. It bogged down the Jedi and muffled their Force abilities. And a Jedi with little control of the Force had a greater chance of error. Error that could cost their life. And that had happened too much already.

Drawn to the source of this curious divergence, Obi-Wan had taken a gunship and a small squad of clones out to investigate. Barely 2 klicks away from the staging valley, a massive, foreboding, monolithic structure cut out of the marsh like blade through cloth. Obi-Wan stumbled back a step when he caught sight of the edifice.

A Sith Temple. No wonder everything is foggy.

"Are you alright, Sir?" The mechanized voice of a clone sounded in the Jedi's ears, startling him.

Cody. Ever the worrywort.

"Oh, yes Cody. I'm quite alright. The Force here is muddled. It churns in a way completely foreign to me which caught me off guard. Most of the time, a Sith Temple is entirely dark but this, this Temple, is… not. Like it hasn't completely fallen to the Dark. There is light, hiding there just waiting for someone to free it…" Obi-Wan's voice sounded like he was a thousand parsecs away, like his mind was in a different place.

In order to ensure the safety of the gunship, they landed a few hundred feet from the temple. Obi-Wan lead the small group consisting of Cody, Waxer, and Boil towards the structure. Every step closer, Obi-Wan heard a whisper.

… The Light Side calls for you, diplomat…

… The Dark Side can give you power, emperor…

… Light. Light. Light, child. Come to the Light…

… Dark. Dark. Dark, apprentice. You crave the dark…

Cody kept a watchful eye on his general, who walked a few steps ahead of everyone. His face was paling rapidly and he kept tilting his head from side to side as if two people on either side of him were having a conversation.

The closer they got to the Temple, the more the voices spoke. They warned, they coaxed, they begged, they screamed, but nevertheless Obi-Wan kept walking. He had to keep walking.

He felt the Dark burn like walking on smouldering embers and he felt the Light soothe like the rain washing over upon him.

The stone base of the temple was just in front of him. One more step, and he'd cross the threshold. Obi-Wan paused, apprehensive. If I step, what will happen? What will I become? He inhaled a deep, courage-summoning breath, closed his eyes, and placed one foot over the line. Nothing happened. Beryl eyes opened, curiosity and concern flitting through the irises. Another step, nothing. Right foot, nothing. Left foot, nothing. As Obi-Wan was reaching to take one more step, everything changed. It was as if a great beast had hooked a clawed hand around his ankle and was dragging him to be devoured. The Jedi fell, shoulder hitting the stone with a crack. He pawed and scrabbled for a grip with his uninjured shoulder, for anything that would prevent him for being pulled into whatever fate awaited him.

Cody, Waxer, and Boil bolted towards him but before their feet could hit the stone, they were thrown backwards, away from the danger. Disorientated, Cody stood up and looked to see what caused them to be thrown. And there, lying on his stomach, back twisted sickeningly, shoulder sticking out at an unnatural angle, and hand outstretched, was their general. Their own general had thrown them. A flash of anger and betrayal flickered through Cody and for a split second he wanted to strangle the Jedi. But then a pained cry, a plea so despairing it banished that anger like a candle flame in the wind.

"I'm sorry, Cody. If you try to do anything, it will only make it worse. Please, just stay away. I'm sorry."

Cody nodded slowly, unable to get his throat to force any words out. It seemed to be the only confirmation Obi-Wan needed. Shutting his eyes, he let go. He let go of his perilous grip and he let the talon overtake him. He screamed, the pain overwhelming his shields and clawing into his mind. All I feel is darkness. It's coming for me. I see in the corners of my eyes and in the shadows of my mind. It is coming. It is growing. It is a plague. Give in. Let go. The fight is over.

The clones watched helplessly as their general was pulled quickly into the structure. Cody stared, horror-stricken. Could this be the last time we see him? Did we just witness the death of the Great Negotiator Obi-Wan Kenobi? Will we be the ones who must march back to General Skywalker and tell him of his brother's death? Will we be blamed?

There was a noise, a terrible screeching noise. It sounded like metal on metal, a blade scratching the edge of a door frame, a ship scraping along the hull of another. The walls were closing. The entire side of the structure was closing. And there, in the middle of it all, was Obi-Wan Kenobi, hovering a metre above the ground in front of an altar. On the altar, were two crystals. One blue for hope. One red for blood. Cody saw the general reach for the red one before the massive doors slammed shut and the world went silent. Nobody saw the single gleaming tear slide down the clone commander's face but the world felt it.

The fate of Obi-Wan Kenobi is sealed.