Chapter Fifty-Four
Anakin

We all stopped for a moment to catch our breath, the sounds of battle temporarily fading into the background. I turned to share a quick word with Mira, only to realize that she was no longer by my side. A cold knot formed in my stomach as I called out, "Mira!" Panic laced my voice, echoing through the crumbling streets of Geonosis.

The others looked at me, concern etched on their faces. Ahsoka's eyes widened as she glanced around, searching for my wife. "Where did she go?" Rex asked, scanning the area with his helmet's sensors, but I could feel my heart racing, a growing dread consuming me.

"Mira!" I shouted again, my voice rising above the din of distant blaster fire. Each syllable felt heavier than the last, and with every passing second, the reality that she was missing hit me harder. The dark presence I'd felt earlier resurfaced in my mind, an unsettling reminder of the foreboding atmosphere surrounding us.

I took a step forward, instinctively reaching out through the Force, desperate to feel her presence, to find any trace of her energy. It was as if the universe itself held its breath. I could sense Ahsoka and Rex moving closer, their unease palpable.

"She must be close," I reassured them, though my own voice felt hollow. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. "She wouldn't go far without us."

"Maybe she's just scouting ahead," Ahsoka suggested, but her tone was uncertain, and I could see the worry flickering in her eyes.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "This isn't like her." My gut twisted with an instinct that told me something wasn't right. I turned, gazing back toward the collapsed building where I sensed that dark pull, the one that had drawn her away from us.

Without waiting for a response, I started toward the structure, my heart pounding in my chest. "We need to find her," I said, my determination hardening. I couldn't let fear paralyze me; I had to act. "Come on!"

As I approached the entrance of the building, shadows danced in the corners of my vision, and I felt that familiar sense of foreboding return. But there was no time to hesitate. I had to find Mira. She was my everything, and the thought of losing her sent a rush of adrenaline coursing through me.

"Mira!" I called out again, stepping into the darkness that awaited inside. "Where are you?"

Just as I stepped into the dimly lit interior of the crumbling building, a chilling sound slithered through the air. From the shadows, a massive cobra emerged, its scales glistening in the faint light. The creature's plates spread wide, displaying a mesmerizing pattern of colors, yet its beauty was overshadowed by the menace it exuded.

"You'll never find her," it hissed, its voice smooth yet dripping with malice. "She's ours now. She belongs to the Queen."

The words sent a jolt of anger through me, igniting a fire in my chest. I clenched my fists, the Force surging around me as I felt the urgency of the situation. "Where is she?" I demanded, my voice low and dangerous. The air around us crackled with tension, and I could feel Ahsoka and Rex standing just behind me, their eyes wide with shock.

The cobra's head bobbed, its eyes gleaming with a predatory glint. "You are too late, Jedi. The darkness has claimed her. She has been chosen." The creature coiled tighter, its massive body undulating with a hypnotic rhythm, as if relishing in my desperation.

"Chosen?" I growled, stepping forward, my lightsaber igniting with a snap-hiss. The bright blue blade illuminated the room, casting eerie shadows on the walls. "You think I'll let you take her?"

The cobra laughed, a chilling sound that echoed off the walls. "You think you can save her? The Queen's will is stronger than your feeble Jedi tricks. She will join us, willingly or not."

My heart raced as I fought to keep my composure. I couldn't let fear overwhelm me; I had to be strong for Mira. "I don't care what the Queen wants," I said, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at me. "I will find her, and I will bring her back."

With a flick of its tail, the cobra lunged forward, striking with blinding speed. I barely managed to leap to the side, the massive creature's fangs snapping just inches from where I had stood. I felt Ahsoka move beside me, her own lightsaber ignited as she prepared to defend against the beast.

"Anakin, we need to fight this thing!" she shouted, urgency in her tone.

"Get ready!" I called back, my focus shifting entirely to the creature before us. The stakes had never been higher. With a fierce determination, I lunged forward, ready to confront this monstrous guardian of the shadows.

Before I could react, the cobra struck with deadly precision, its massive head whipping around to ensnare one of my men. The clone fell to the ground, writhing in agony as the serpent's fangs sank deep into his shoulder. A sickening hiss filled the air, and I felt a surge of anger wash over me.

"The Queen of the Geonosians will have a new mind puppet now," the cobra taunted, its voice dripping with satisfaction. "She will have the strongest Jedi in the world."

"No!" I shouted, adrenaline pumping through my veins as I charged forward. I couldn't allow this creature to take anyone else. I raised my lightsaber, feeling the Force flowing through me, amplifying my resolve.

"Anakin, watch out!" Ahsoka yelled, her own blade illuminating the dark space as she moved to intercept the cobra's next strike. The serpent twisted and coiled, hissing menacingly as it focused its attention on us.

With a powerful swing of my saber, I aimed for the cobra's neck, but it was quick, darting back and slipping away from my reach. The creature let out a mocking hiss. "You think you can save them? The Queen's power is beyond your understanding!"

The clone on the ground writhed, the venom coursing through him, and I could feel the life force slipping from him as he struggled. I knew I had to act fast. "Rex! Get him out of here!" I barked, my eyes never leaving the cobra. "We need to protect our own!"

Rex nodded, pulling the wounded clone away from the beast's reach as Ahsoka and I kept the creature occupied. "I'm on it!" he shouted, dragging the fallen soldier back toward the exit.

"Come on, Ahsoka!" I urged, tightening my grip on my lightsaber. The cobra lunged again, its fangs aimed for Ahsoka, but she parried with a swift, graceful movement, her blade glowing defiantly in the dim light.

"We need to find Mira!" Ahsoka yelled as we backed up against the wall, trying to anticipate the creature's next move.

"Agreed! But first, we have to deal with this thing!" I shouted, steeling myself for the fight ahead. The cobra reared back, preparing for another strike, its scales shimmering ominously in the faint light. I could feel the tension in the air, the battle between light and dark hanging precariously in the balance.

As the cobra lunged forward once more, I leaped to the side, igniting the Force within me. "You will not take anyone else!" I cried out, my determination fueling my next move. I aimed my lightsaber, ready to cut through the darkness that threatened to swallow us whole.

Just as the cobra prepared to lunge at me again, it suddenly stopped, its head tilting as if caught in an invisible grip. A deep, guttural hiss escaped its lips, and for a moment, I thought we had gained the upper hand. But then, a horrible realization struck me as the cobra began to writhe violently, slapping its tail against the ground in desperation.

Before I could react, a powerful force swept through the air, and I felt the ground tremble beneath me. My eyes widened as I saw what was approaching: a massive figure emerging from the shadows. My heart raced as the creature revealed itself—a dragon.

Mira stepped out in her dragon form, her scales glistening in the dim light, a mesmerizing mix of colors that danced across her body. But as I watched, my heart sank. Black, thorny vines snaked around her, twisting and writhing like a dark curse binding her. With a swift motion, she gulped down the cobra, its black blood spilling onto the ground in a gruesome spectacle.

"Mira!" I shouted, my voice filled with a mix of relief and horror as she turned her face toward us. But the moment my gaze met her eyes, my stomach dropped. Her once warm and familiar gaze had been replaced by black voids, empty and soulless.

"Anakin..." her voice echoed, but it was layered with an unnatural distortion, a chilling resonance that sent shivers down my spine. The transformation hadn't just altered her form; it had corrupted her essence.

I stepped back, my heart racing. "Mira, fight it! You have to fight whatever has a hold on you!" I pleaded, desperation lacing my words.

The vines tightened around her, and she let out a low growl, a sound filled with anguish and fury. "I am... bound..." she hissed, the darkness within her voice battling against the remnants of the Mira I knew.

"Stay strong! We're here!" Ahsoka called, stepping forward cautiously, her lightsaber ready but her expression filled with concern.

The black vines writhed as if responding to our presence, and I could feel the air thickening with a dark energy. "We need to break this spell!" I said, my mind racing for a solution. "Mira, you have to remember who you are! You're stronger than this!"

For a fleeting moment, her expression softened, and I saw a flicker of recognition in her void-like eyes. "Anakin..." she murmured, her voice breaking through the dark haze for just a moment.

But the moment was fleeting. The vines pulsed with energy, and a low growl escaped her lips as the darkness threatened to consume her completely. "You should not have come here," she hissed, her voice growing deeper and more distorted. "You cannot save me..."

"No! I won't give up on you!" I shouted, my heart racing with determination. "We will find a way to bring you back!"

With a roar that shook the very foundations of the ruined building, Mira charged toward us, her dragon form an embodiment of both beauty and horror. I prepared for the inevitable clash, ready to confront the darkness threatening to take my wife away from me forever.