Chapter 16.

Secrets of the past

Part 2.

Master's haunting voice was still lingering in her mind. She had a hard time comprehending what he just said a moment ago. It sounded strange and unthinkable. But looking into his eyes she knew he was telling the truth. In an instant, Kyra experienced a mixture of anger, awe, confusion, and hate. Hearing those words made her whole life a lie. But why? She kept asking herself over and over. Now, she really wanted to know! Now, was the time to confront this man, who called himself her grandfather.

This mission was no coincidence. Master deliberately sent her to that moon. He used her to get his revenge. Kyra indeed revenged her father's death, but not her mother's. Her mother's death was all on him. This vile man! Who killed her beautiful mother for loving the man who did not share his father's vision? This despicable man, with his evil plan, destroyed the life of a happy family! How dare he to call himself my grandfather! With every passing second, Kyra's hatred grew toward her Master.

Master enjoyed her rage and hatred. He wanted her to feel this way. His perfect plan was unfolding in front of his eyes. Just needed her to do one more very important task to complete the training.

Standing next to Kyra, Maul felt everything. His Force connection through Kyra enabled him to tap into her mind. What he saw in there filled him with anguish and absolute rage. Now he understood why Master sent Kyra on the mission. Maul knew he had to do something before Kyra lose her inner balance and the unstoppable monster would surface.

"Yes, my dear." Master said with eagerness. "Use your anger and hate. Defeat the Light within you! Feed the power of the Dark side, until it consumes you completely!" His voice rising with every breath. "Give in to it and your destiny will be ours!"

Kyra felt herself slipping deeper and deeper into complete and utter darkness. It was around her, within her, pulsing with great ferocity. It beckoned her and promised an absolutely infinite power. The Light in her was slowly diminishing. It was slipping through her fingers until the complete darkness took over and that's when she heard Master's voice.

"My dear granddaughter." He said, his voice dark with malice. "There is only one more task I'll ask of you." He paused and then said.

"Kill Darth Maul!" Master's venomous voice floated through the blackness. "Kill him! Then your training will be complete and you and I would rule the galaxy as family, bonded by blood, our destiny will be fulfilled and with time, you will become the greatest and strongest Empress of the whole Galactic Empire!"

"Kill him now!" His raged voice rising. "And let our greatest, and darkest journey begin."

"Yes, my Master." Kyra said with a sinister voice. Within her jet black eyes, a reflection of a single bright purple line begun to flicker with high intensity.

Maul felt the dark monster surfacing with an extraordinary depth. Pure, ice-cold darkness enveloped him. These powerful thoughts were coming in high waves from Kyra's mind. It was astonishing and alarming at the same time. For a moment, he felt being pulled toward a great dark abyss. It was taunting him. Calling him. Whispering in hundreds of voices promising boundless power and total distraction.

Then Maul saw Kyra ignited her lightsaber, and then he knew he had no choice but to fight her.

Igniting his lightsaber, Maul was ready for her.

In a split second, Kyra was on top of him. With ferocity, she brought down her lightsaber on his making a high pitched buzzing sound around the room. They collided in an instant, the air around them shimmered with great force. She was strong and amazingly fast. Backing away from her, Maul skillfully avoided her attacks. He didn't want to hurt her, but she was impossible to reason with right now.

Maul was a great fighter, he has been training hard and diligent since childhood, but even for him, she was a force to reckon with. Suddenly, she made spun around in the air and slashed at him. Maul had barely enough time to pull himself back; then he felt the scorching heat of her lightsaber at his abdomen, slashing through his leather belt burning his skin. Maul looked at his charred stomach, then the pain came. With all his strength, he embraced it. Breathing heavily, he pushed the pain down deeper and then tapped into his anger, anguish, and rage. With a sudden move, he ducked down and kicked Kyra's legs from under her. Then in a split second, he was on top of her, pushing his whole bodyweight down on her.

Kyra held her lightsaber across her chest while Maul pushed down hoping to disarm her. On impact, they made a vibrating letter x. Their faces inches away from each other flickered in reddish and purplish shades. Maul tried to reach out to Kyra through the Force, through their connection, but to no avail. She was lost in darkness.

Then Kyra's leg came up and kicked him in the groin. Maul's face was in agony as the excruciating pain traveled up his abdomen.

Oh, Maker, he thought, this hurts like hell!

Taking advantage of the situation, Kyra pushed him off. Maul flew through the air and landed at the door. His lightsaber fell out of his hands and landed a couple of yards from him. Desperately, he watched as his weapon flew into Kyra's hand. Maul knew that losing his lightsaber was not a smart thing to do, and now he had to rely on his Force powers only. Standing in the middle of the room Kyra activated one side of his lightsaber then did the same with hers.

Then she sprinted toward Maul with an enraged look on her face. Maul firmly stood his ground. He waited until she got closer, then with all his strength; arms forward, he expelled a powerful Force push. Kyra fell back and slid a great length on the polished floor. Her face looked surprised then it changed into extreme anger and hate.

Swiftly, she did a kick-up jump off the floor, and with a powerful Force field, she grabbed hold of Maul and lifted his body off the ground. While holding him in place, Kyra slowly crossed the room. Her dark eyes never left his.

Maul tried to move but the Force field was immensely strong. Kyra deactivated her lightsaber but left his on. Walking toward Maul, she extended her right arm holding his lightsaber. On her pale face, an evil smile appeared as she slowly pulled Maul closer. When Maul realized what she was about to do an instant fear enveloped him. It was pure terror, something he had never experienced before.

Master's face showed excitement and proudness as he watched them fight. She was more powerful than he expected. She was an unstoppable force! His own flesh and blood. Once he gets his army, Master thought smilingly, he would unleash her to destroy everyone who dares to oppose his visions. There was no one to stop him now!

In his final effort, Maul reached out to Kyra again. With immense strength, he pushed his mind into hers searching for the Light within the darkness. In her chaotic dark mind, he almost lost himself. Then just before the complete darkness took over him, he saw something. He saw his own face. It was shimmering within the darkness. He focused his attention on that and suddenly he had an idea.

Kyra was lost. She knew she couldn't control the darkness within her. It horrified her to the core. In her mind, she felt herself falling into an abyss when suddenly a hand reached out of the great darkness and grabbed her arm. Kyra looked up and saw Maul's face. In an instant, she saw vivid images floating in front of her eyes. She saw herself fighting with the recruits in the training room, then saw herself in the cave killing the beast, then an image of her looking into Maul's eyes just before he kissed her for the first time. Kyra realized that she was seeing these pictures from his mind. She reached out and held onto Maul with all her might.

Suddenly the darkness disappeared and Kyra opened her eyes. Maul was floating in the air in front of her almost impaled by his own lightsaber. Gazing into his eyes, she saw fear, agony, and compassion. Quickly, she deactivated the lightsaber and then placed Maul on the floor. Then she passionately hugged him.