Chapter 22.
POV: Anakin Skywalker

Ahsoka mumbled words into my chest about Maul being okay as we ascended the lifts to the apex of the temple. The pull of the dark side growing stronger and stronger the further we ascended up the sides of the temple. Each lift had a switch that needed to be activated by two different force presences, underpinning the essential Sith Rule of Two. The force was pulling us to the spire mounted on top of the temple, it was difficult to resist its pull. It was like a reoccurring nightmare that wouldn't stop replaying over and over again in our heads except this nightmare was real. I counted nearly a thousand frozen bodies at the foot of the temple, hundreds of lightsabres with designs I have never seen.

Maul had the knowledge to heal Ahsoka, he must be okay. It is a signal that pulsates deep within the force, yet I feel his force signature fading by the second. Ahsoka feels it too.

"R7, tell us what's going on out there?" I shouted down my commlink, static and white noise coming through from the receiving end.

I pulled Ahsoka closer to me, clutching the hilt of my lightsabre in my robotic right hand. The top of the temple was within our sights as the lift jolted to an end, stairs leading the rest of the way up to the final plateau, the spire in the middle of it. Ahsoka's fighters flew behind us, R7 bleeping happily as he flew up to the spire. All too soon, Ahsoka sprung away from me sensing eight force signatures emanating from the spire, a significant crimson hue ominously lighting the temple. Four figures stood around the edges of the plateau, mere silhouettes to us, as the other four converged on Ahsoka fighters, Maul's body inside.

We ignited our lightsabres using the force to propel ourselves faster up the stairs with each step. Leaping our way up to the spire was a challenge and a half as the force sang quietly in the back of my mind. It sensed no danger, however, the instinct of years of training took over, my impulsive, reckless nature succeeding my own foresight. Ahsoka was fearless, her head in a focussed aggressive mindset as she followed my lead, the tendrils of the limited light side force energy healing the damage to Ahsoka's sanity as she continued to climb.

It was an almost perfect line of sight for a force sensitive grey Jedi. The dark side coaxing and begging to be noticed, swimming aimlessly all over the planet where touches of the light side surrounded Ahsoka and me, floating wistfully away into the force, the raw power, and knowledge held within the temple lighting the spark within the planet to protects the key to balance in the universe.

We reached the top, taking a defensive stance. Maul was surrounded by four figures who were tending to him nearby, his body laying lifelessly on the ground, his force signature barely alive.

"Do not be afraid. We are the Guardians of the temple, mere androids programmed to protect this temple by Darth Traya," a voice resounded from all eight figures.

They were cloaked androids, old technology that was more than a millennium old. They had no face, but seemingly more advanced capabilities than modern day droids. So bizarre. It was as if the embodiment of the temple was alive and flowed through the droids themselves.

I warily lowered my lightsabre, stepping closer towards Ahsoka as she extinguished her blades, her body moving rapidly to Maul's body. I felt a blip of annoyance fly over my head as I watched her kneel by Maul's side, jealousy bubbling aimlessly behind my eyes. I gritted my teeth.

"We are healing him, he will be okay. The force here is strong enough to heal him without our aid if he is proficient in the ways of the sith," the mechanical, yet soothing drone explained without a question being asked.

Clipping my lightsabre back to my belt, I walked cautiously towards the spire. I studied its design, the same pattern that was carved into the entrance to the temple was mimicked all over the ancient structure. A triangular hole for the holocron to be placed in was in the middle and an activation pad was on either side of the spire, an outline of a human hand shadowed into it.

"Ahsoka," I called as she stood up from Maul's side before approaching me.

I turned to one of the androids that were watching my every move, seemingly the command droid as the others returned to their positions around the edges of the plateau.

"What is this?" I asked pointing at the spire.

"It is the activation key to the temple, you need the holocron and two force signatures".

"And what is the temple?"

"It is a Mass Shadow Generator, the consciousness of Darth Traya is programmed into its core. It has the capability to destroy all nearby life within this solar system and the knowledge of the sith dating back to the first Sith Lord".

A sudden weight of the galaxy grew upon my shoulders. The knowledge to help heal Ahsoka was inside the temple.

I placed the holocron in the spire as Ahsoka walked towards the other activation pad.

We placed our hands simultaneously on the spire, a glow sparkling from the holocron, a voice beckoning our ears.

"maer shonddair…maer shonddair…khanska nuu…khanska nuu…Traya…Traya…Power…I sense… Power… darkness and light have come together…grey" it hissed.

"I seek the power to heal; can you help me?!" I nearly yelled.

"you seek knowledge… knowledge of the Sith. Yes, you will bring balance to the force".

The spire continued to glow, a presence, an aura building inside the holocron. The Dark Side flowing through my being, strongly, pulsating within me, yet not attaching to my force presence. I watched the strange aura wash over Ahsoka's figure as the temple guardians happily worked over Maul's still unmoving body.

The holocron fell out of the spire, a beam of red light shooting off into the sky, seemingly activating a laser field around Malacore. The spire fell down into the temple, replaced by flat ground. Walls rose up around the edges of the plateau, a control panel initiating itself in the middle of the plateau. The droid from the perimeter closed in on the control panel, taking a defensive stance around it, a deep hum from within the temple rumbling from the pure energy the temple was outputting.

Ahsoka rushed back to Maul's side as I studied the control panel.

Ancient text danced across the primitive screen. It appeared to have a power level meter on the right-hand side and an activation key underneath it. On the left-hand side, several keys were labeled with different words. Carvings of Sith script embedded into the metallic rim of the panel. It must be the weapons system of the temple. The same panel that activated and killed thousands of Jedi and Sith simultaneously millennia ago.

I crossed my legs, fumbling the Sith holocron in my hand. I could sense the same presence of the temple radiating from it. If I were still a Jedi, I wouldn't be able to unlock it. The teachings of the Grey Jedi about the Sith taught me the intricate tests the holocron would conjure whilst I, the individual, attempts to open it. What was once clouded will become clear, the lies of the past will be seen true, what was once fear will become hatred.

I took one last glance at Ahsoka before sinking myself into the force. I could sense each rhythmic click of the puzzle resonate throughout the force.

A voice, feminine… she must live for the Sith to be destroyed. Protect her. PROTECT HER!

I see my mother… she is holding hands with a tall human male… she looks happy, her laughter filling my ears… 'Oh Ani...'… Father?

Qui Gon and a young male with blonde hair and a Padawan braid… Obi wan? Yoda and Windu in a meditation room…
"Go finish your study" Qui Gon said to the Padawan.
"Yes Master". It was Obi wan.

Qui Gon moved to talk to Yoda and Mace, "Thank you for seeing me Masters, about the boy… I believe he is the Chosen One…"

Both Masters looked at each other in disbelief.

"I want to leave the Jedi and take Anakin with me to the Grey Jedi…"

I slowly opened my eyes, dampness tickling my cheeks. An unlocked pulsating Sith holocron floating in front of my eyes.