Chapter 8.

The Temple

The ship had to be moved to a different location. Somehow these locals found them and he did not want to attract more attention. Starting up the ship, he activated the cloaking device, and then they took off.

He wanted to stay close to the cave where the Temple was located. After searching the map he found the perfect spot.

Unnoticed, he landed behind a large boulder hiding the ship away from prying eyes. He didn't want to spend more time here, as it need be. He got out of his seat, grabbed his lightsaber and cloak, and walked outside. Taking his speeder, he took off toward the Temple.

On the way, his mind was racing. He needed to be as far away from her as possible right now. He was getting frustrated and angry. His emotions were on high alert, and he knew he had to do something about it. He needed to kill someone tonight! He truly craved it. It was like an itch that he couldn't scratch. It was driving him mad.

It's been two days on this wretched moon and he hasn't killed anyone, he thought gloomily. Not like her, she massacred all those soldiers within a couple of minutes. But Maul did not want to think about her right now. That memory felt raw and painful. She hurt him like no one before, not even Master gave him that much physical pain before. And this pain he had suffered from was fueling his desire to hurt and kill someone tonight.

When Kyra left her room, she felt it right away that Maul was not on the ship nor nearby. She didn't understand how could he leave her there without saying anything. It infuriated her and felt the anger bubbling up inside her. She had no idea where he was, or what he was up to. However, she did not want to be angry with him, because of what she did to him earlier. She felt ashamed and wanted to explain to him what really happened, but he was nowhere to be found. She just hoped that he'd be back soon or be back at all.

After finding a perfect spot to hide his bike, Maul dismounted it and took out his binoculars. Looking through the lenses, he saw a huge cave; similar to the one they were in last night. However, this one was lit up brightly from the inside and people of all sorts were coming in and out of the cave.

He was not able to see inside, but he knew that somewhere in there was the Temple of the Whills. Patiently, Maul waited until the sky grew dark. Then he decided to enter the cave. When he saw no more people coming in or out, he walked up to it and disappeared inside.

The Temple looked like a huge rock jutting out of the ground. There were several stone steps in front of the temple, which led up to a narrow opening, where the door was carved out of the rock. A dim light was emitting through the narrow doorway. Quietly, Maul walked up the steps. When he reached the doorway, he looked inside and saw four men standing in the middle of the temple talking with one another.

When they noticed Maul, the conversation stopped and they all looked at the man in a dark cloak blocking the doorway. Maul removed his cloak and quickly activated one side of his lightsaber, and then he waited, his yellow eyes sized the four men up. Two of the men wore a brown uniform, similar to the ones that attack his ship earlier that day. The other two looked to be Jedi. Suddenly, one of the brown uniformed men launched at Maul with his metal staff. Maul didn't have to wait too long before the man reached him, and with a sudden spin, he cleanly separated the man's head off. His headless body fell down at Maul's feet like a sack of rocks. Then Maul charged inside and with two quick strides, he reached the other brown uniformed man. The man lifted his metal staff and tried to bring it down on Maul's head, but Maul was quicker. Swiftly, he ducked down and cut through the back of the man's thighs with one swift backstroke. The man gave a primal scream when the lightsaber cut into his flesh. Then he was lifted up high into the air by an invisible force and thrown to the far side of the temple, where he hit the wall with such ferocity his neck snapped in two.

When Maul was finished with the worthless soldiers, he focused his attention on the two Jedi. Tauntingly, he paced in front of them, letting them know he was here for their heads.

The two Jedi looked at each other then they ran at Maul at full speed.

Quickly, Maul activated the other end of his lightsaber. He was ready to fight the Jedi. The two pressed on him hard and fast. Their green lightsabers made a loud zapping sound as they made contact with Mauls. Maul twisted and turned his body as they attacked him on both sides. He counterattacked the one on his left and pressed his whole body weight in it. The Jedi lost his balance at the sudden shift and that is when Maul saw the opportunity. He quickly spun around bending at the waist cutting the Jedi in half in the middle of his stomach.

The Jedi eyes grew huge with surprise. His mouth formed a silent o, and then his upper body fell apart from his legs, falling down onto the ground making a loud, wet thud when it reached the floor.

With a terrified expression, the remaining Jedi looked at his friend's body, which was in two pieces lying on the ground at Maul's feet. There was tremendous shock and anger on his young face. Lifting his weapon, he charged at Maul with all his strength and anger. He managed to push Maul back for several feet, which surprised Maul. This Jedi was more powerful than the other one or was just pure fear that fueled his movements, Maul didn't know. But he was good and Maul was ready to play a game.

While they fought, the Jedi jumped up and aimed at Maul's head. As he leaned back to avoid the searing heat of the Jedi's lightsaber, the Jedi reached in and cut one of his horns off causing Maul to roar like a wounded beast. Now the Jedi really pissed him off. Swiftly, he Force grabbed him and held him up high off the ground. The Jedi couldn't move a muscle as Maul pulled his frozen body closer until they were face to face. Then he intensified his grip on the young man. The terrified Jedi couldn't do anything but to stare into Maul's burning eyes, where now they looked bright red from the rage. Then Maul opened his mouth and made a deep growl in his throat.

Then he asked. "Where are the others? Tell me now and your death will be fast and painless, I promise you, Jedi scum!"

The Jedi just looked at him with big, fearful eyes and did not answer.

Then Maul asked again, but this time with more ferocity.

"Tell me, scum, where are the others!" He growled louder into the Jedi's face. However, the Jedi stayed quiet.

Maul lost his patience. He needed this information now!

Sudden deep darkness entered the Jedi's mind. It flowed through his head like a dark stormy river. He felt his head was going to explode at any second as Maul searched his mind. He tried to resist him, but the Sith lord was too strong. At that moment, the Jedi realized he was going to die today. The unbearable pain that was inflicted on him grew stronger. Darkness was taking over him, and he couldn't resist it any longer. As he looked into Maul's eyes, he saw a sudden surprise on his face.

Maul was relentlessly searching through the Jedi's mind. He cut through his barriers with ease. There was so much information, which delighted him even more. The Jedi was an open book to him now. The only thing he had to do was to flip through the pages. Suddenly, he had to stop for a second. There was something here, which surprised him even more. He had to look again to make sure he saw what he saw.

It can't be! Maul's mind went dark. This thing, what he found, infuriated him.

At that moment, Maul lunged his lightsaber through the Jedi's heart with rage. Then discarded his body by throwing him down at his feet.

Deftly, he turned around and walked out of the Temple, leaving death and distraction behind. He had to get back to his ship now. He needed to talk with Kyra at once.