Before Taran could bring his lightsaber crashing down onto Bane, the sly bounty hunter dove out the way and fired both his blasters at him. Taran deflected them and began to swing at Bane in earnest. The battle started as the Separatist droids engaged the Republic and Earth Kingdom forces. Some of the droid army had climbed to the top of the canyon walls and rained down fire from above. AT-TE's became easy targets for AAT's and soon many of them were smoking, burning hulks of twisted metal. The clones and the Earth Kingdom soldiers tried their best to dislodge the droids from their positions, but many of them were felled by the return fire. The Earthbenders, however, were enjoying much success. Because the droids were on top of the canyon wall all they had to do was run up to it, and bend it down to send the droids tumbling down to their doom. They also sent rockslides, boulders, and earth attacks towards the droid forces on either side. Meanwhile, Bane and Taran were engaged in an epic duel.

Taran found Bane a very skilled and deadly opponent indeed.

"You are quick," said Bane as he dodged another one of Taran's attacks. "But, you need to be faster than that to get me."

"Stay still ad you'll see I'm full of surprises," growled Taran. He slashed at Bane left and right, but every time the bounty hunter evaded his attacks and put him on the defensive by shooting at him with his twin blasters.

"Ooooh, so close Avatar. No matter, your parents did worse," taunted Bane. Bane's taunting was part of his strategy to mess with Taran's head and finish him off.

"Shut up!" yelled Taran. He bended a chunk of earth from out of the groung and hurled it at Bane, then while Bane was busy preoccupied by the attack he sent a small boulder at him. ane dodged the chunk, but the boulder smashed into him and he was thrown to the other side of the canyon wall. Taran jumoed into the air, lightsaber raised to deliver the final blow. Too late, Bane sprung out of the way and let off two rounds. Taran easily deflected them both. Bane knew he was going to ave to really mess with his head.

"Be thankful I rid you of them, they would have slowed you down," he said. Taran yelled and sent two boulders at Bane. Bane jumped between the two. Taran ran to him and began attacking him yet again. However, one of his attacks lashed out too far and Bane was able to kick his lightsaber out of his hand. Taran was defenseless. Sensing victory Bane shot both of his blasters. Taran erected a wall of stone to deflect the bolts, and then sent the wall back to Bane. Bane dodged it, but his hat was blown off fron the force, revealing his bald head.

"Almost, Jedi," he said and began firing off his blasters in rapid-fire. Taran had to erect another wall of earth and ducked behind it. Seeing his lightsaber wasn't far off he began to summon it to him. The lightsaber jumped into his hand and Taran jumped from behind the wall and began angling Bane's blaster bolts back at him. Bane was forced to stop firing or risk getting hit by his own blasts. The two faced each other from a few feet off.

"You know, I saved your mother for last. I enjoyed seeing her lifeless body fall in front of you," he taunted. Taran closed his eyes in anger, a tear coming, and when he opened his eyes Bane watched with fear as both his eyes seemed to kindle with an inner green flame. Taran erected a huge ball of fire and shot it at Bane with all his might. Bane, seeing an opening in part of the canyon wall, barely made it in as the wall of flame shot past him, scorching the entrance and charbroiling the droids blocking the exit to the canyon. Taran saw that his quarry was missing and went to the hole where Bane had disappeared. Before he could run in there after him, he felt a small hand on his shoulder trying to keep him back.

"Taran, he'll kill you," said Ahsoka as she urgently tried to keeo her friend back. Taran looked at her and saw that Taran's eyes were boiling with anger.

"Let go," he said coldly. He got his shoulder out of Ahsoka's grasp and tore after Bane, Ahsoka following closely behind. When they got in there, it was pitch-black. Taran bended a bit of flame in his hand and used it to search their way throught the maze. As he searched and searched he could feel Bane's presence, but where he didn't know. Ahsoka felt like her friend was slowly sinking into the dark side, as she could feel the negative energy he was giving off by his hate and anger.

"Taran, you shouldn't pursue him like this," said Ahsoka.

"Iappreciate the concern, but I'm finishing the job once and for all," replied Taran.

"But he could be anywhere: up ahead, around a corner, in front of us," said Ahsoka.

"Behind you will do for mow," said Bane. Before Taran could turn around and activate his lightsaber Bane shot his blasters at him, pushed Ahsoka into him, causing them to fall back, and left off a thermal detonator that blew up the ceiling and the wall, closing the two into a small chamber.

"So long Jedi," said Bane as he took off, leaving the two Padawan learners trapped.

Ahsoka got off and tried to use the Force to push the rocks away, but to no avail. As she gave up she heard a pained sigh come from Taran. She turned around and saw why Taran was in pain. Bane's shot had hit himin the left part of his chest near his heart. Even though it had cartorized the wound, it was starting to bleed, and Taran couldn't get up unless he wanted it to start spurting out. His hand was clutched ober the wound, trying to apply pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding. But as she watched the wound seemed unable to coagu;ate and soon blood was beginning to flow out from Taran's wound. Ahsoka rushed over to him, put his head in her lap, and put her hand on his hand to put pressure on the wound. It seemed to work, but Ahsoka knew if they stopped pressing it would flow out again. Taran's eyes looked like they were losing a bit of life. A bit of the blood had already flowed on his tunic and there was a little puddle under him.

"Taran, just stay still, it'll be fine," assured Ahsoka. But she knew deep down that unless help came, Taran could die.