Ezra replied sarcastically. "Glad you figured that out."
Despite his Jedi training, Ezra could only feel fear. He had concealed all of it successfully until now. And Maul knew it. Maul was powerful, he was smart and cunning, surely he would have figured out his plan by now. Heck, it didn't take any more than a few moments for Maul to look past his disguise and figure out he wasn't Kenobi. Ezra sat there, trapped between his own consciousness and Maul's bloodthirsty eyes.
Maul can't see my fear, Ezra said to himself. Trust in the Force.
"You're a clever one my apprentice, but not clever enough. You need a true master."
Ezra looked down at the Holocron, as if pondering the thought, but in reality, surprised that Maul still wanted him as an apprentice.
Is Maul really that desperate? Does he still think that I will be his apprentice? Then again, look at the lengths he went to find Kenobi.
Ezra toyed with the piece of the Holocron, deciding if there could really be another way out of this other than possibly combating the former Sith. He pondered at the thought, when suddenly, something deep inside him started to stir. It took him a few moments to realize what it was, and he struggled not to show it. His heart-rate started to increase dramatically.
What's happening?!
He tilted his head up and looked at Maul, who had a beaming smile on his face. Ezra felt a pain in his chest and didn't know why. Was it because of Maul's presence, or some sick form of Sith trickery the man was using? Maul took a few steps forward and approached the young Jedi. He spoke in a rigid and cold tone, not one with anger, but with, infliction.
"I do believe you recall our visit to Malacor, do you not?"
Oh no. This is what Ezra was so desperate to avoid. The burning pain in his chest grew, and he knew the Dark side was clawing at him, trying to drag him back down to the depths he was at before. He wouldn't let it happen again; not this time, not ever. He could not let the Dark side cloud his thought, and needed to act fast. Maul continued his tempting scheme, approaching ever closer.
"Oh, you do, don't you. I would be surprised had you forgotten our lessons already."
Ezra got up and slowly removed the wrappings from his face.
"How could I forget", Ezra said, in as steady of a voice as he could speak. His mind, however, was racing and in a panic. There was so much at stake if he failed.
Focus Ezra!
Maul approached closer, only a few yards in front of him now. He gave the boy a menacing glare, his smile bearing his jagged yellow teeth.
"With our combined strength, we can end the Empire's reign, destroy the Sith, and rule the galaxy together; as master and, apprentice."
The way Maul said that last word sent a shiver down Ezra's spine. He started pacing towards his left, slowly attempting to circle around Maul. He began unwrapping the cloths around his neck.
"And what about the Rebellion? What about my friends you tried to destroy?"
Karabast. Ezra bit his lip, fearing he lost what little trust he had with the former Sith.
"Your friends were foolish, to think that the Dark Side could be of no benefit to you. Look at how much power you have gained by embracing it."
Focus, Ezra thought, you're almost there. Just keep moving. He already circled halfway around Maul.
Maul started approaching him once more, Ezra nearly stumbling backwards onto the cave wall. Maul looked at Ezra in a way that nearly caused him to faint where he stood. His menacing glare filled Ezra with fear. Maul tilted his head in a questioning like manner, his smile still ever present.
He knew.
"Ready to leave so soon, Ezra?"
His heart was racing, and Ezra knew there was only one shot at this. He loosened the dirty robe he wore, making it more moveable. Ezra looked at Maul, straight through his eyes. He took a deep and steady breath, gathered his strength and calmed his mind. May the Force be with me. A boulder the size of his head started to levitate behind Maul.
He replied, "Just as soon as you are."
Ezra ducked to his left, swinging the rock with the Force directly towards Maul's head. Maul responded immediately, sensing the rock, he ignited his lightsaber and cut the rock in two. Ezra then used the Force to push him onto the cave wall, Maul's body slamming hard against the rocky, dirt covered surface. He hoped that Maul would release his lightsaber in shock from impact. To his dismay, he didn't.
Regardless, Ezra threw off the old robe and sprinted for the cave entrance. He ignited his own lightsaber and started to cut at the walls of the narrow cave, loosening debris and rock; but not slowing down, even for a second. It took no more than a few moments before he heard a loud hum cutting at the air, and metal legs clattering against the ground. Keep moving.
He continued to cut at the walls, hoping to slow Maul down or even trap him. The hum was getting louder. He was more than half way through the cave by now. He could hear the heavy, anger filled breathing behind him. The heavy breathing adding to the dark and close conditions of the cave. Don't look back.
He stopped cutting and used all of his energy and will to run. The dirt and dust that flew through the air did not affect him; his life was on the line, no, his friends lives were on the line. His heart was beating so fast, the Jedi thought it would explode. He was so close. Almost there.
He ran and he ran, fearing his heart might give out on him. His feet touched moonlight… Now!
Ezra swung himself around and cut straight through a two yard wide pillar of rock that sat to the right of the cave's entrance. The giant two-story rock groaned as it started descending towards the cave's entrance, falling from its own weight. Ezra landed in a low ground balanced stance, facing the cave's entrance. He looked up only to see Maul charging and mere feet from his face.
Ezra was in shock and hesitated. He was going to Force push Maul back into the cave. It was too late. He only had enough time to stand himself up before Maul jumped out and kicked Ezra square in his torso, sending him flying off the small walkway onto the canyon floor. Ezra, while in midair, tried to use the Force to cushion his fall. It worked, barely.
He landed at an angle onto the canyon floor, and the ground slipped from underneath his feet. He fell hard onto the right side of his body and was sent tumbling onto his side. After tumbling several times, he was able to stop himself and laid there, groaning in pain. Ezra opened his eyes to look around, but his vision was blurred and was unable to make out anything, even any injuries. Any wounds that he received were felt, instantly.
He could tell there was bruising all along his body, and one giant bruise immediately forming along his torso. He nearly got a concussion from the fall, and his head ached badly. He felt a cut on the edge of his right eyebrow, but all of the sweat accumulated on his face made it hard to tell if it was bleeding. Something in his chest didn't feel right either, assuming that he may have cracked a rib from the fall or Maul's cybernetic legs.
He looked up at the cave entrance to see the outcome of his plan. Ezra couldn't tell, for his vision was still blurred. He only saw the moon reflected rock-face of the canyon and the blackened night sky, all appearing as giant fuzzy color splotches. Ezra breathed quickly, and heavily, trying to get air and clear his vision.
I really hope Maul's still up there; trapped, or dead.
Then, he heard a muffled noise, and watched the rock face to see the giant pillar still falling upon the cave. The image was still a bit fuzzy, but it was starting to clear up. Something was wrong; it wasn't falling fast enough.
Why is it taking so long? It should've crashed into the cave by now...
Then he saw the figure, the shadow. Maul was standing underneath the rock, lifting his hands up towards it, and using the Force to levitate it above himself. He seemed to struggle with the weight at first, until he saw Ezra. Despite their distance, and Ezra's blurred vision, he could feel Maul's eyes squarely upon his own. He laid frozen in terror.
Maul cried, "Why do you betray me boy!?"
He screamed aloud in rage and, with a sweeping push, flung the giant rock towards the other side of the canyon valley, flying in Ezra's direction.
Ezra watched in horror, his body completely stiff and motionless. His mind wanted to move, but his body wouldn't respond to the command. He watched helplessly as it flew ever closer, his heart pounding his chest heavily. But the rock was not aiming for him, it was aiming for something behind him.
Out of instinct, Ezra ducked his head as the pillar smashed into the adjacent canyon wall, sending giant rocks and boulders to fall off it. The rocks piled up into substantial heaps, creating a small barrier to try and block out the rest of the canyon. The pillar slammed to the ground with a booming thud, landing only a few feet behind where Ezra lay.
Maul jumped off the ledge and landed on his feet, perfectly balanced onto the ground. He slowly started to pace towards Ezra.
Ezra was still breathing heavily and he was in pain. Everything was hurting, everything was sore, but he needed to do something. If he stayed down, he knew he was as good as dead. He yelled to himself through his teeth, grinding them hard as he spoke. "Get up!"
He crawled backwards to the pillar and used its wall to pry himself off the ground. His mind was racing, he couldn't focus on what he needed to do or why. There was only one option at the moment.
Don't get yourself killed.
His vision had finally cleared now, and Ezra could now focus upon the eyes of Maul. Maul returned the gaze with his fiery and bloodthirsty eyes, like a predator going in for the kill. His chest started to hurt again, something was burning inside…
Stop it, Ezra! You're not like this, it's what he wants…
Maul approached closer, growling like a hungry fyrnock. Ezra's pain grew stronger, his fear, his anger…
He hurt Kanan, he hurt my friends. He deserves to die...
Ezra tried to snap the thought out of his head.
I can't. It's not what Kanan would want, it's not what Kenobi would want… But who cares what they want if they're dead. If you don't kill Maul… Then I don't… What other option is there…
Maul was now sprinting towards the boy, his crimson blades illuminating the canyon barrier. Ezra's insides burned up like an inferno.
I won't give in, the Dark Side only ever brought me pain… and power… It made me do terrible things… but for good reasons… It brought me…
He couldn't finish his thought. Maul swung his blade around to strike down Ezra, but the young padawan ignited his own and blocked Maul's blow, stumbling from impact and surprised at Maul's power. The thrust in Maul's attack sent Ezra flying from Maul's direction, scraping his face against the pillar wall and falling to his right, blood from his cut staining the rock face. The cut on his eyebrow was definitely bleeding out now, if it wasn't already doing so. He used the Force to help propel himself into the air, performing a high backflip off the ground and away from Maul, just as the former Sith came swinging at him for another blow.
Ezra landed only a few yards away from Maul, with only enough distance to recover before Maul clashed again. Maul swung a blade from his right, Ezra blocked the blow as the second blade came up from underneath Maul's left. After blocking the second blade, Ezra attempted to force push Maul into the rock pillar, but Maul got the upper hand.
Maul swung his body around and kicked Ezra's arm to the side, nearly dislocating it in the process. Ezra used the momentum of his body given to him from Maul's kick to pivot around and land a foot in Maul's torso, causing Maul to stumble no more than a yard back from the boy. Ezra came at Maul, his blade aiming for Maul's legs. Maul used his right-most blade to prevent the lightsaber from penetrating his legs, creating momentum to swing Ezra's lightsaber into the open air, and using that same momentum to sweep his leftmost blade towards Ezra's legs. Ezra jumped into the air to avoid the scorching blade, and found the opportunity he needed. He landed, stretching out his hand to Force push Maul into the fallen pillar, but his opportunity diminished as soon as it had come.
Maul clamped onto Ezra's balled up fist, catching it in midair and firmly grasping onto it. Ezra struggled under the pressure of Maul's hand, desperately trying to loosen his hold, but it wouldn't budge. His eyes grew wild and his breathing increased beyond control, his fear getting the best of him. Maul stared down the boy, his eyes beaming with ferocity but also, joy. This caught Ezra off guard, and he grew even more fearful than he was before.
"Your attempt to defeat me failed, young one. Why try to kill your own master?"
Ezra's hand started hurting, the pain brutal and gut-wrenching. He could feel the cracking in his hand, hearing small crunching noises coming from inside his body. He grunted in pain, holding back a scream. His chest hurt, a broken rib threatening to puncture his vital organs. But something else was hurting, and it was deep…
He stared Maul down as he spoke with his coarse voice. "...Y...You're...not...my...master!"
Maul looked at him in a confused matter, sarcastically remarking the child. "Are you so sure of that?"
Maul let go of Ezra's hand, but not before kicking one of the teen's legs from underneath him, sending him down to a kneeling position. Ezra looked up, a lightsaber placed in front of his neck.
"You have embraced the darkness before. Using it, you became more powerful than you could ever become as a Jedi."
Ezra could not control himself, or the Dark side, and Maul knew it. The burning pain inside was growing worse. He felt lightheaded, and his mind felt fuzzy. He never remembered what happened when he first used the Dark side. He remembered yelling, screaming, then everything went black. Then after what felt like an eternity, he woke up, dizzy and deathly cold. He felt that same dizzy feeling, his fingertips growing cold from the nighttime breeze. Was it just a breeze?
He took a shaky breath, cold sweat building up fast along his face. "I'll never give in!"
Maul released a cold chuckle, revealing that he certainly kept no good intentions for what he had in mind. He sighed, and his tone became oddly calm, looking at Ezra as if in disappointment.
"Then your friends will surely die."