Chapter 49
A/N: Just another short chapter for you guys, and one with a twist, as well as a warning that Chapter 50 is going to be quite long and arguably the best chapter yet! Hang in there and enjoy this newest chapter!
If not for Maul, they would've made it. Unfortunately, Obi-Wan had failed to notice that Maul wasn't just here for another chance at revenge; He was getting desperate. Maul knew that he wasn't likely to live much longer in this galaxy, and if he could kill Obi-Wan Kenobi before his time was up, he would happily go down into his grave. When Maul woke up, he saw his rival running away. Escaping again. He would not allow it. He roared out, "NOOOO!" and ran towards the elevator shaft. A TIE Fighter flew to hover in front of Maul and an electronically amplified voice came from the pilot, "Stand down, creature." Maul didn't even slow down, simply reaching out his hand and squeezing it into a fist. The entire TIE Fighter squeezed in on itself, becoming nothing more than a large pile of scrap metal in a matter of seconds, and still Maul didn't stop.
He barely even noticed what he had just done, or how incredible it was. He had never been so powerful as to effortlessly crush a starship and toss it aside as if it meant nothing, but he'd never felt this powerful. Many emotions swirled confusedly inside him, from anger to fear, but whatever it was, it empowered him with a sense of purpose, and he could not fail again. More Imperial ships were landing on the ground behind him as Maul began to jump up the elevator shaft. One ISB agent immediately aimed and fired at Maul after getting off his transport, but even as the bolt hit and burned on Maul's side, he could barely feel it. He felt unstoppable, and he would use this power to finally destroy Kenobi.
Obi-Wan and Leia made it all the way to the shuttle hangar where their ship was before Obi-Wan felt an incoming threat. He immediately pushed Leia one way while he jumped in the other direction, causing Maul to go flying right between them with his dual blades spinning in a deadly circle. However, even though he had failed to hit them immediately, Maul didn't miss a beat before he had already spun around and was attacking Obi-Wan with all he had. In an instant, Obi-Wan's lightsaber flashed to life in his hand, and he began to trade blows with his old enemy. Both of them had gotten older, but they also both refused to allow their age to slow them down, calling on their respective sides of the Force to give them strength, allowing their bodies to perform as if they were still just two young adults on Naboo.
Maul swung high and Obi-Wan blocked, before quickly moving his lightsaber behind his back as Maul tried to kill him from behind with the other blade. However, Obi-Wan didn't see quickly enough that the attack was a feint. Maul pretended to swing for Obi-Wan's back, but just as Kenobi moved his lightsaber behind him, Maul reversed his attack and instead went for Kenobi's front with the other blade, and he wasn't fast enough to move it away. Unfortunately for Maul, someone else was. Maul's blade came within an inch of slicing Kenobi's chest when he was suddenly thrust back by a strong Force push. Obi-Wan took a deep breath and turned to nod gratefully at Leia, but she seemed surprised, looking behind them at another figure standing by their ship. When Obi-Wan saw who it was, he smiled brightly. They were certainly older, and he hadn't even been sure that they had survived the Great Purge, but there was no mistaking that face. "Just in time, as usual, young one," Obi-Wan said in greeting, while Leia stared at the new arrival in confusion. The Togruta smiled back as she started to walk towards them. "Not so young anymore, but it's good to see you again, Master Kenobi," Ahsoka Tano said to her old friend.