The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 32

Someone to Live For

Risen, everywhere. In one fell swoop. In a single minute or pure, bad luck, every plan and strategy Robin had put in place for their rescue mission was crushed. He had plotted for nearly every possibility. The Plegian army actually being there? Sneak in with an even smaller strike force and extract Emmeryn under their noses. The Grimleal acting as the city defense? Counter by engaging in a short, up close and personal battle that did not give the mages any room to breathe. But Risen? They had not come to mind for Robin.

He wished he had not been so forgetful. He had been so caught up in helping Chrom rescue Emmeryn and helping Ylisse defeat Plegia that he had forgotten about the strange, monstrous enemy from the Southern Forest. In any normal circumstance, the others probably would have told him that it was not his fault. How could he have predicted the Risen being summoned by a Plegian sorceress onto a battlefield? The Risen had been quiet for months now. Hardly any reports of them being spotted. Then all of a sudden, wham! They show up just as the Ylisseans needed to rescue Exalt Emmeryn.

Robin shook his head before casting another thunder spell at a Risen footsoldier. He uttered a frustrated curse as the damn thing picked itself back up from the ground and charged again. Thankfully, Ricken managed to cast a devastating wind spell that slashed the monster to ribbons. As the beast faded to dust, Robin gave the young mage a thankful nod.

The battle was growing more desperate all around him. Chrom was in the thick of it. Falchion cut devastating arcs through the air. Not a single Risen seemed capable of standing up to the Prince of Ylisse. He was hellbent on rescuing his sister. Damn anyone who stood in his way.

Flavia was also fighting in the worst section of the battle. And she was reveling in it. In between barking orders and cutting down Risen, Robin could see a wide smile on her face. The confidence she exuded bolstered everyone around her.

Frederick, Sully, and Stahl were having a more difficult time than the others. The palace courtyard limited their mobility, making their horses nothing more than an extra shield for them to use. Something none of them wanted to have happen. Frederick's lance drove through any Risen that got near him. Sully and Stahl rode side by side. The pair circled the edges of the battle. Cutting down any Risen that tried to enter the fray from the outside.

Vaike fought alongside Miriel. The large brawler bashed any Risen that dared to get close to the mousy mage while Miriel blasted away any that Vaike missed.

Virion found a perch on the palace walls. He and a group of several Feroxi archers started to pick off Risen one by one. The group was doing their best to keep a path of escape open for the strike force. More Risen were arriving from further in the city. As their numbers swelled, Robin knew the likelihood of all of them surviving and escaping this dustbin of a city dropped.

Kellam and Lon'qu fought viciously as they protected both Maribelle and Lissa. The two girls were doing everything in their power to get close to any wounded comrades. Their healing staves were always glowing a bright green. And as a consequence, the Risen were drawn towards them. Thankfully, Kellam and Lon'qu were more than capable of fending off the oncoming tide of monsters. Lon'qu was a lightning fast swordsman. While Kellam was like a charging bull. The two combined their power and speed to form a ring of destruction around Lissa and Maribelle. Giving both girls room to work.

Robin glanced up once again. Sumia was racing as fast as she could towards the Exalt. But archers had appeared among the Risen ranks. Slowing her flight and forcing the pegasus rider to dive and duck through arrows. Chrom noticed this as well. And when he did, the Prince attacked the archers without any mercy.

Robin heard a groan to his right. He ducked out of the way of an ax. He blasted the Risen with a fire spell before drawing his sword and hacking at it's exposed neck. The monster collapsed to the dirt and faded to dust.

"These things are damn difficult to take down." Robin grumbled.

"You're telling me!" Flavia shouted as she backed up into Robin.

The Khan's sword was covered in a fine layer of black ash. Her shield was dented in several places. Robin could see some cuts forming on her finger tips from the force with which she was swinging her blade.

"My men can't hold off against monsters, Robin." Flavia growled before spinning and taking a Risen's head off.

"I'm aware. But we need to wait for Sumia to make it to Emmeryn." Robin replied.

Flavia grunted a curse, "She'd better hurry. Because we don't have any reinforcements to help us."

Before Robin could reply, a dark blast of magic slammed into a Risen near him. Robin felt both alarm and confusion. He recognized the spell as dark magic. A flux spell of some sort. And a potent one at that. Whoever cast that spell was very skilled in dark magic. Did Miriel have some tricks he was not aware of? Was Ricken doing something he was not supposed to do out of desperation?

"The cavalry has arrived!"

A red haired man whooped as he zipped past Robin and impaled his shortsword on an ax wielding Risen. Sprinting alongside him was a dark haired, Plegian women with a black spell book. Robin nearly raised his hand to launch a spell at her when he saw motion out of the corner of his eye.

"Your reckless behavior will get you killed, Gaius!" A gigantic mass of fur barked before it's claws raked through a group of Risen.

"My inhibitions are inebriated! Don't blame me! Blame the sugar and alcohol." Gaius defended.

"Who was the one who decided to get drunk?" Panne replied as she kicked another Risen out of the way.

"Not me." Gaius chirped.

"You drive me insane."

"And it is my pleasure to do so." Gaius said before finally noticing the stunned tactician and grinning Khan, "Hey! Bubbles! How are you doing?"

Robin felt an eyebrow start to twitch, "Bu-bubbles?"

"Ha! I get it!" Flavia laughed before raising her shield to block an enemy ax.

"I don't!"

"Watch out, man-spawn!" Panne called before tackling Robin to the ground. Just in time to avoid a slash from a black sword, "Perhaps you are called Bubbles because you lack the ability to pay attention to your surroundings?"

Robin's jaw fell open, "G-gaius is calling me an airhead!?"

"He is drunk. Don't take it personal." Panne remarked as she helped Robin back to his feet.

"That's no excuse!"

"Hey! Less chatting. More slashing!" Flavia shouted.

"The large female is right." Panne nodded, "We must focus on defeating these monsters and rescuing the Exalt."

"That's what I'm-" Robin sighed, "Oh why do I even bother explaining myself at this point? You and Gaius won't listen to me anyways. Where is Cordelia and Marth?"

"We don't know where Red is." Gaius replied as he parried an enemy slash before taking down another Risen, "But Blue is making her way up to the Exalt."

Robin raised his brow. Marth was moving towards Emmeryn? But how? They had not found a way up to the cliff yet. The only way up there was by flying on the back of a pegasus.

"How?" Robin asked before firing another thunder spell.

"The old fashioned way." Gaius replied before pointing at the cliffs.

Robin followed his gaze. And his jaw fell open. Marth was halfway up the sheer cliff face. Scrambling up the rocks as fast as she could go. Several times she nearly plummeted to her death. But by sheer force of will and more than a little luck, Marth kept herself from falling.

"Pretty amazing huh?" Gaius grinned, "You can thank Sunshine for helping her recover that fast."

"Sunshine? Recover?" Robin glanced over his shoulder and saw that same dark haired Plegian casting vicious dark magic spells at the Risen. It then dawned on him that this Plegian was not an enemy. This woman was somehow a friend?

"What have I missed?"

"A lot, Bubbles." Gaius tapped his shoulder, "And now you see why I call you that."

"I am not an airhead!" Robin roared before spinning and launching a wind spell across the battlefield. Nearly blasting Frederick off his horse in the process.

"I rest my case." Gaius shrugged before grinning, "Now, I'd love to stay and chat some more, but Whiskers is starting to wander. And well… I feel like it is my responsibility to take care of her."

"I'd say it's more like the opposite." The Plegian mage snickered as Gaius spirited away.

"I got that impression." Robin chuckled as he fought back to back with the mage, "So, new friend huh? What's your name?"

"Tharja." The woman replied, "And you are named Bubbles?"

"I'm- no! Ugh! Damn you Gaius." Robin grumbled, "Robin. The name is Robin. And please don't call me Bubbles."

"Why not? I kind of like that name." Tharja smirked back at him.

"For one, you barely know me." Robin said with a slight growl as he launched another spell into the fray of Risen around them, "And two, how would you feel if I called you Sunshine?"

"I'd hex you up to your eyeballs." Tharja threatened in a matter of fact tone that unsettled the tactician.

Robin swallowed, "Duly noted."

Robin gritted his teeth as more Risen rose from the Earth and closed in on his position. The tide of monsters was seemingly endless. Whatever Aversa had done to summon these creatures must have taken an enormous amount of mana. That or she had used an artifact that should never be used under any circumstances to bolster her own power. There was no way any normal human being had enough magical ability to summon this many Risen on their own.

He glanced up to Sumia again. The Pegasus Rider was nearly there. He had to marvel at how well Sumia flew through the air. She had to be one of the best riders in Ylisse. She would never admit to such a thing. And she would have been the first to say that there were others far better at riding a pegasus that her. But in that moment, through volleys of arrows and lances, Sumia was the greatest pegasus rider to ever exist. Her shifted her knees and her trusted steed soared higher. Directly at Exalt Emmeryn.

Robin smiled. She was going to make it. The guards were too busy trying to hold back Ben. They were not guarding the Exalt.

Robin's smile ran away from his face. He saw the monster in black robes grab Emmeryn and spin her around to face Ben. Maul had her in his grasp.

"No." Robin breathed before pushing his way through the Risen, "No. No. No."

"Robin!" Tharja bellowed as she cast spell after spell. Doing everything in her power to protect the suddenly entranced tactician.

Robin heard a piercing scream in his mind. He winced in pain and dropped to a knee. Tharja caught up and stood over him. Her own magic flared around him. He could somehow sense it. Sense the dark power in her. But it was overwhelmed by a pain filled cry that shook him to his core. Robin's mouth felt dry. He felt fear in his gut. Anxiety in his heart.

He looked up at the cliffs. His heart lodged itself in his throat.

Emmeryn was falling.

The next few moments were a blur. Robin felt himself sprinting towards where the Exalt was falling. Casting spell after spell as he did everything in his power to clear the way from Chrom.

The Prince had also seen his sister fall. He was sprinting like a mad man to catch her. One hand outstretched towards her. As if he was trying to slow her fall by sheer force of will.

Robin heard Lissa utter an ear piercing wail.

There was a dull thud.

He skidded to a halt at the same time as Chrom.

The Prince took a few shaky steps forward. Around him, Feroxi soldiers and Shepherds battled back the Risen. Chrom's knees buckled. He fell onto his hands and knees and crawled to Emmeryn's fallen form.

Robin took a few hesitant steps towards him. Chrom had her head cradled in his hands. He could see tears streaming down his friend's face. Could see his mouth screaming in agony.

But he could not hear anything. It was surreal. Robin could sense the din of battle around him. The lives being snuffed out. The dark fury of a power unknown to him reveling in every life lost. The pain filled wail in his mind. As if the universe itself mourned the loss of Emmeryn.

It took a hard smack in the face from Khan Flavia to snap him out of his stupor.

"ROBIN! WAKE UP!" Flavia roared, "We can't hold this position."

Robin blinked himself back to reality. He rubbed his temple and shook his head. A splitting headache had formed in his skull. It felt like hammers were hitting him over and over again. A dull throbbing sensation washed over his face. He felt very tired all of a sudden. And very weak. He swayed to the side. Tharja caught him.

"Stay awake, Robin." Flavia cursed under her breath, "Damn it all! Frederick! Where the hell are you!?"

The knight galloped over to them. His face was very pale. And he only looked even sicker when he caught sight of Chrom cradling the Exalt's body.

"Get the Prince and get moving!" Flavia ordered the knight, "We need to escape while we have the chance to do so."

"We aren't leaving." Chrom whimpered, "I'm not leaving Emm. I can't leave her. I-I-"

Flavia grabbed Chrom by the back of his shirt and flung him up onto Frederick's horse.

"RIDE HARD!" Flavia ordered.

"Frederick don't you dare-"

"I'm sorry, milord." Frederick said quietly, "But this time, I must disobey you."

The knight snapped the reigns. Chrom uttered a loud cry as the knight sped away from the battle.

"You there. Plegian girl." Flavia pointed at Tharja, "You and me are going to go get Ben." She turned to Virion at his perch, "Flower boy! Gather the soldiers and start retreating! Sully grab Lissa and get moving! Stahl, take Robin. He's magically exhausted himself."

"What about the Exalt's body?" Virion asked grimly.

"We can't take her with us. There is no time." Flavia replied, "Now move it! I don't want to have anymore funerals today!"

Virion nodded and ran off to relay the Khan's orders to her men. Flavia in the meantime turned to face the cliffs. She snarled as she saw Maul staring down at them all with utter contempt. Her scowl only deepened when she saw the look of complete despair on Ben's face.

"If Ben doesn't kill that cretin, I will." Flavia growled.

"We have to get up there first." Tharja noted.

"So find some stairs and-"

"I can help."

Tharja glanced behind Flavia. She raised her brow as she saw a little girl standing behind the Khan. The girl had unnaturally bright eyes. But they held a sorrow to them. A sorrow and understanding beyond the years of her body. She knew what had just happened.

"How can you help?" Tharja asked.

"Yes! Help us out Nowi!" Flavia agreed.

Nowi gave them both a firm nod. She turned to whisper to a large, older man in rust colored armor. The man gave her a hesitant nod before leaving her and rejoining the battle.

"I can carry two of you. But it'll be a little heavy. And you will really have to hold on."

Before Tharja could ask how again, the girl was enveloped in a bright light. A small, pink, cocoon like structure surrounded her body. Then the cocoon burst. In a flash of brilliant light, a large, green dragon emerged. Tharja's eyes widened in stunned shock.

"A Manakete." Tharja breathed.

"Hop on!" Nowi said.

Tharja did not question the ancient being. She clambered up the dragon's flank. She perched herself on her scaly back. Flavia sat behind the Plegian mage. The Manakete beat her massive wings against the air. Small clouds of sand burst up from the ground as Nowi launched herself in the air.

Arrows flew around them. Tharja had to duck more than once as an arrow narrowly miss her. Flavia used her shield to guard against any attacks that would have otherwise hit their mark. Nowi uttered one long, loud roar before soaring up to the top of the cliff. Sumia circled nearby. The Pegasus rider landed and charged her steed at full gallop towards Maul, Ben, and Gangrel.

Nowi landed just behind her. Flavia uttered a curse as she hopped off.

"Stupid girl is going to get herself killed." Flavia muttered, "Maul will annihilate her."

Tharja swallowed hard but did not say anything. She just followed the Khan. As they charged towards Maul and Ben. A second, black robed figure stepped in front of the three warrior.

A blade made out of red light burst to life in his hand. His robe fell from his head. Revealing his blonde hair and boyish face.

Flavia felt rage unlike any she had ever felt before in her life.

"BASTARD!" Flavia roared as she raised her blade.

Tharja shoved Flavia out of the way just before Kage could impale her on his weapon. The Plegian mage had seen a weapon like that one time before. Flavia did nto stand a chance against it. Sumia had also ground to a halt. The Pegasus Rider choosing to wait and see instead of blindly charging at Kage.

The young Sith rolled his shoulders. But he did not attack again.

"Do not interfere." He warned.

Tharja narrowed her eyes at the boy. She recognized his attire from battlefield records. So this was the Black Wyvern Rider she had heard about. If she had not read up on those battlefield accounts, she would not have believed this scrawny boy to be a fierce warrior. But he was. His association with Maul was proof enough of that.

Flavia picked herself up from the dirt. Her grip on her blade tightened. She jumped to her feet to charge again but Tharja's outstretched hand stopped her.

"You won't help anyone if you are killed." The Plegian mage warned.

"If you think this little whelp can kill me-"

"He can and he will if you give him the opportunity." Tharja cut her off, "He is Maul's apprentice. A title that should not be taken lightly."

She certainly didn't. Every mage in the Grimleal knew about Maul. Lord Validar had introduced him before his untimely demise. The late leader of the Grimleal had described Maul as a being of great power to be feared and not trifled with. Those who valued their lives in the Grimleal would follow his orders and would not anger the demonic looking man. To prove the point, Maul killed four master mages who decided to test him right there and then. Using the exact same type of weapon Kage had in his hands.

They could not defeat Kage in a typical battle. But perhaps, in a different battlefield, he could be bested. Or he could at least be distracted long enough for Flavia, Sumia, and Nowi to grab Ben. Tharja flipped open her spell book. She mutterd an incantation. A particularly complex hex erupted from her hand.

Kage jumped back in surprise. But he could not avoid the surprise hex.

It hit him. Black runes ran up his neck to his forehead. Another set of runes mirrored the pattern on Tharja's skin. Her eyes closed.

They had left this battlefield. And entered a far more dangerous one.

….

Kage opened his eyes. He was… he was not sure where he was. It was a dark place. Quiet, unfeeling.

"Let's see what we have in your mind, shall we?" A dark voice snickered at him.

Kage frowned. Who was that speaking? Was it a god of some sort? The Force? Where was he? Why was it dark?

No… it wasn't dark anymore. There was a small light. He couldn't really understand it. But he heard a new voice.

"Luke." A women said weakly, "Leia."

There was a tug on his heart. A sense of knowing that made him feel lost for breath.

"Oh…" The voice cooed, "Mommy died before you ever knew her. Such a shame. You are like many who exist in this universe then. Never knowing a mother's love."

The light faded. Kage winced as there was a sudden blast of heat. Then he saw a memory that he rarely remembered.

He was a street urchin in a Plegian town. He was… five years old? Maybe? The war between Ylisse and Plegia had ended several years prior. He had his eyes set on the fat pocketbook of a red haired man. The red haired man stood alongside a man with brown hair and a large coat, a women with dark hair and a black spell book, a rabbit, and-

Kage blinked. He looked way different in the memory. Older. A lot more facial hair. But the poise was unmistakable. It was Obi Wan Kenobi.

He watched his younger self snatch the pocket book only to get grabbed by the red haired thief.

"Ah, what do we got here?" The man asked, amused. He plucked the pocket book from Kage's hands, "You can't steal from the best stealer in the world, kid."

"Is stealer even a word Gaius?" Panne asked.

"In his own little world, it is." Robin snickered.

"Shut it you two." Gaius retorted as the others laugh, "What's your name kid?"

"That's… interesting." The voice said. A voice Kage was beginning to recognize, "What happens if I go further?"

Another treasured memory burst forth. He was older. Maybe twelve? He was in the yard practicing his swordsmanship with a blue haired girl who was about a year younger than he was. He was always beating her. And that always frustrated her. But whenever he beat her at swordplay, she would best him at magic. Her affinity for that strange power she possessed always surpassed his own. But that was thanks to her teacher. And teacher that did not want to teach him.

That gate to the Ylisstol palace opened. A new figure entered the memory. One that sent a chill up Kage's spine. It was the first time he had ever met Maul.

"So that is how you two crossed paths? How interesting. Let me guess. You wanted power. And he offered you a way to power. Understandable really. One potential teacher rejected you, so you chose another. Who would have thought that other teacher would be the other's lifelong rival?" The voice chuckled, "So delicious."

Kage blinked. The next memory was one he did not want to see. He was sixteen. She was fifteen. They were close. And Maul did not approve of it. He had ordered Kage to end it. Or he would end it himself. Fear filled his gut to this day over what Maul would have done to her if Kage had not shattered her heart.

That was the day he walked away. The next day, Maul enacted his plans to return to the past. That was the last day he saw her. Before she too arrived in the past.

The voice uttered a mocking laugh.

"Ah… young love."

Kage had had enough.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Head." The dark side of the Force roared. The voice's breath hitched, "Witch!"

He lashed out with every mental attack he could conjure. The woman's voice wailed painfully. The darkness faded away.

….

Ben stared down to the ground. His gaze never wavered from the pale body that lay in a heap on the cracked ground far below. Somehow, she had fallen so gracefully. Landed so serenely. If Emmeryn did not have the hole in her chest, Ben could have easily assumed that she had simply fallen asleep in the Plegian courtyard.

But she had not just fallen asleep. Maul had killed her. Flung her from the cliff in order to make sure she actually died. And there was not a thing he could do about it.

Ben's shoulders slumped. He was powerless. Maul had bested him. And once again, Maul had taken everything from him.

The first time Maul took his Master. At that time, Ben had summoned forth the courage and will to take down the monster. He had thought he had slain the Sith then. But then the second tragedy occurred. The death of Satine Kryze, Duchess of Mandalore. Ben had felt just as powerless then as he did now. But back then, he had the Jedi order to fall back to. His comrades to catch him when he felt like he was falling.

He had Ahsoka, Cody, Rex… Anakin.

But now… now he had no one. Emmeryn was the only one who knew. She was the only one who accepted who he was without any questions.

And Maul killed her.

Ben closed his eyes. He wanted to cry. But he found there were no more tears for him to cry. All he could do was kneel silently at the cliff's edge.

He heard the faint whine of gears in his ears. Maul hobbled up beside him. At first the Zabrak was chuckling. Enjoying every second of Ben's despair. But as he got closer, Maul's glee began to fade.

"Look at you." Maul grumbled causing Ben to open his eyes, "Look at what you have become."

There was disdain in Maul's voice. Ben glanced over at the monster. Was he somehow disappointed? Was he expecting a different reaction when he took everything away from Ben once again?

"You were my greatest foe, Kenobi." Maul continued, "The one force that drove all of my actions. Destroying you has been my life's goal ever since that fateful day on Naboo all those years ago." The Zabrak leaned heavily on his cane, "And now… now that I have finally succeeded in destroying you, now that you finally know pain, I feel… I feel… unsatisfied?"

Maul pursed his lips.

"I feel empty almost. Now that I have finally won, what is there to do anymore? I have taken everything from you. I have made it so you have nothing and no one to live for anymore. The ultimate defeat for a Jedi. And yet I expected more. Some sort of reaction at the least." Maul exhaled, "But no. Nothing. You just stay silent. Head bowed. Like a shamed animal." His lightsaber thrummed to life in his hand once again, "You Jedi were always such a stoic, unfeeling, bunch. That was one of the few things I could never understand about you. But you were a rare one Kenobi. You felt. You tried to hide it. Bury it. But you could not. And in the end, those feelings proved to be your downfall."

Ben nodded his head, "You're right." He whispered, "I have no one now."

He had failed everyone. He had failed Qui Gon. He had failed Anakin. He had failed Yoda. And he had even failed Luke when he lost the boy upon arriving on this world. A failure like him did not deserve another chance.

Maul let out a long sigh, "You are a broken man now." Ben felt the heat of Maul's lightsaber hover over his bent neck, "I think… in the end, I shall grant you a merciful death."

Maul raised his lightsaber. And Ben waited. He wanted the blade to cut through him and end it quickly. He had enough of suffering for one lifetime. Everything and everyone he knew was gone now. There was no one he could fight for anymore. No one he felt he could care about anymore. The Jedi were gone. Satine and Emmeryn were gone. Qui Gon and Anakin were gone. It was past time he joined them.

How poetic that it would be Maul to send him to them.

"Farewell, Obi Wan Kenobi." Maul snarled, "You were once a worthy opponent."

Obi Wan closed his eyes. He heard the lightsaber hum down towards him.

"MASTER!"

The lightsaber never connected. Instead, it hissed. Sparks hit Ben's neck instead of the blade. His eyes shot open. He carefully turned his head and saw Marth standing over him. Struggling with all of her might to hold off Maul.

That word reverberated through his mind. An echo that sounded over and over again.

Master.

He recalled his first conversation with Marth. He had asked her who her master was. At the time, he had suspected she was a Force Sensitive. That she had someone who trained her. But he had never considered… but it was not possible… how could he be the one who trained her?

Marth shoved Maul back and began a furious assault. Ben watched as his mind reeled. She had Maul backpedaling through the sand. It was an assault that would have made even Anakin proud. Her attacks were filled with power. Falchion cut through the air with devastating precision and speed. Maul's face had twisted into a frustrated snarl as he struggled to hold her off.

Marth raised Falchion over her head in order to cut down at Maul. An attempt to cleave the seemingly feeble creature in two.

A move that Ben had seen before.

NO!

Maul grinned. He drove the hilt of his blade into Marth's exposed face. Marth reeled. Maul's blade cut through the air.

Ben's eyes widened as he watched Marth's right arm fall to the ground. Severed at the elbow. Falchion lay in the dirt. The divine blade now cleaved in two. Marth started to stumble backwards but stopped moving when Maul drove his lightsaber into her stomach.

She swayed for a moment. Then Marth crumbled. Her knees touched the earth first. Then she fell face first to the dirt.

Ben moved. He willed his injured body over to her. As Maul stalked around him, Ben turned her over.

Her eyes were turning glossy. She gave Ben a sad smile.

"Until…" She swallowed hard. Her chest ceased to rise and fall, "Until we meet again… Master."

….

Kage roared in fury. Daylight filled his sight as he burst free from the mental assault Tharja had executed. The Plegian mage fell backwards. She stared at the Sith Apprentice with fear and shock.

"You have the same power as Kenobi." She breathed.

"Who is Kenobi?" Flavia asked, confused as to what just happened in the past minute.

Kage's face twisted into a rage filled snarl, "You know, I was going to leave you well enough alone. But now, I'm going to enjoy killing all of you."

He took one step forward. Then he froze. There was a tether in his mind. Long ago forgotten. A bond long abandoned out of necessity. And it had just been violently cut.

His stomach flipped. His heart nearly stopped beating. Kage dreaded what he would see if he turned around to look at Ben and his Master. But he still turned.

His hands started to shake. His heart began to pound so hard he could feel it in his head.

She laid on the ground. Her head was cradled in Ben's arms. Kage could not sense any life coming from her.

Only one person could have done that. Only one person could have killed her. Only one weapon could have bested Falchion, which lay in two pieces on the ground.

Kage did not know what happened next. But when he took one step forward, he felt the bond sever entirely.

His vision went red.

….

Maul paced around Ben and Marth like a caged animal. The Sith was struggling to contain his growing frustration and fury. He spat at the ground as he watched Kenobi cradle the dead girl.

"Foolish girl." He spat, "She should have been wiser and listened to my warnings. Maybe if she had done that, she would be still be alive."

Kenobi raised his gaze to meet Maul's. And for first time that day, Maul saw something in Kenobi that gave the Sith pause. There was a cold fury in Kenobi's gaze. A look that told the predator that as soon as Kenobi could fight again, as soon as he had a lightsaber again, the predator would become the prey.

Maul uttered furious snarl. He would not let that happen. He had won! He would not let this victory slip from his fingers because of a dumb girl's foolishness. He would kill Kenobi. And when that was done, he would execute his plans to take over this sand covered land. Gangrel was a weak king. The mad fool had already fled the battle with his pet witch. It would be too easy to dispose of both of them.

But first things first.

"It is time for you to die, Kenobi!" Maul declared.

He raised his lightsaber to deliver the final, killing stroke. But he froze. The dark side of the force felt… weak in him. Like it had abandoned him in favor of someone else. Maul scowled and turned to see Kage calmly walking towards him.

Maul let out a loud exhale.

"Apprentice," He snarled, "Get back to your place and-"

"My place is here." Kage replied, his voice unnervingly calm.

"You insolent whelp." Maul growled, struggling to contain his rage, "When I am finished here I will-"

"I will give you one opportunity to fling yourself from the cliff and die on your own terms." Kage said monotonously, "As a thank you for teaching me everything you knew."

Maul narrowed his eyes at the boy. There was something different about him now. A coldness to him that he had never felt before. He glance back at Marth's body. The connection hit his mind.

"Oh…" Maul snarled, "You are angry over her death?" Maul chuckled, "Foolish boy. I did you a favor. Now you will not have any more distractions."

Maul's mirth faded when he saw Kage point his own red lightsaber at him.

"Last. Chance." Kage said. His voice was no longer even. It was trembling.

Maul face twisted in fury, "You dare raise your blade against me!?"

Kage lowered his gaze at his former master. Maul uttered a manic chuckle.

"Very well. It appears I have to give you another lesson. And when it is over, you will be thanking me for gutting the little girl like a fish."

Kage surged forward. He leaped through the air. And an unholy, monstrous howl erupted from his throat. A hoarse, shrill sound that rang through the air and made Maul step back.

Their blades collided in a shower of light and sparks. They did not stay bound for long. Kage ripped his lightsaber free from Maul's. The screech of their blades pierced the air. Ben stayed frozen in place as he watched the duel in awe.

Kage was a blur of motion. Unyielding fury guided his weapon. Pure hatred motivated his attacks. Maul was on the defensive. The Sith backpedaled closer and closer to the edge of the cliff.

Maul uttered a furious roar. He caught Kage's blade and slid his own down the length untill his lightsaber touch the hilt.

Kage jumped back as his red blade exploded in a shower of sparks. Burning his hand and lacerating his arm. Maul uttered a chuckle.

"Learned your lesson yet, brat?" Maul growled as he stalked towards Kage.

Kage's eyes burned with hatred. A chill fell over the air. Ben could see his breath starting to mist in front of his face.

Maul raised his lightsaber. Ready to strike at Kage again.

Kage leveled a hand at his Master. Ben's eyes widened as blue lightning erupted from the boy's fingertips.

The sudden onslaught surprised Maul too. The Zabrak's eyes widened with fear as he raised his blade and caught the lighting. Light flashed over and over. Nearly blinding Ben. Kage roared as he poured more power into the attack.

Maul started to slide backwards in the sand. Ben could see fear starting to take over Maul. There was no rage or frustration anymore on the Zabrak's face. He was not facing a terrified boy anymore. He was facing his successor.

He was facing a Dark Lord of the Sith.

The lightsaber's hilt began to smoke. Then it powered down. The intensity of the lightning had proven too much for Maul's ancient blade.

But before Kage's attack could hit Maul, the boy reeled the lightning back in. Maul trembled where he stood. Kage's unblinking stare never wavered as the boy stepped towards him.

Maul gave him one last snarl.

"You should have killed me." Maul snarled as he activated the other half of his lightsaber.

Kage's hands flew to his robes. Ben watched as he grabbed a second hilt hidden among the black cloth. A slender, utilitarian hilt that made Ben's blood go cold in his veins.

A blue blade burst to life in Kage's hands. He slashed through Maul's hilt. The tip of the blue blade cut up through Maul's chest.

Maul stumbled back in shock. His own blade, now useless, fell from his hands. He uttered a short, pained gasp. His yellow eyes stared stunned at Kage. He gazed one more time at Kenobi. Realizing that he had come so close, yet never truly won. With that last thought on his mind, Maul fell into the growing army of Risen below.

Kage watched his former master's body disappear into a sea of black masked monsters. There was no emotion on the boy's face. He was indifferent to it.

But when he stepped away and looked at Kenobi, Ben saw a multitude of emotions cross the boy's face.

There was relief at first. Then sorrow as he saw Marth's body. Just as it looked like he was going to break down in tears, fury rushed over his face.

He pointed that familiar blue blade at Ben.

"You!" He growled, "You are a Jedi Master. You had the power to prevent all of this. You had the power to stop Maul. But in your fear and selfishness, you did nothing. Now your failure has cost both of us everything." Kage took a shaky breath, "Out of respect for her, I will not kill you this time. But the next time we meet… and we will meet again, I will not hesitate to kill you."

Without another word, Kage moved by Ben and started walking towards the desert. As he walked away, Tharja, Flavia, Sumia, and Nowi rushed to Ben.

Ben was not sure what happened next. He felt exhausted. The pain from his injuries hit him all at once. That and the grief. In his arms was a student he never knew. And below the cliff was a love he would never experience again.

He looked down at Marth. Not only had he failed Emmeryn today, now he had failed-

He froze. He felt it ever so slightly. The subtle rise and fall of Marth's chest. But how? Maul killed her. How was she breathing once again?

His mind felt completely overwhelmed. He did not even hear Flavia or Sumia as they grabbed him and hauled him towards Sumia's pegasus. Tharja grabbed Marth and dragged her towards Nowi, who was once again in her dragon form. As they moved him, his vision began to go dark.

I feel so tired.

And chapter! Thus concludes the second and last part of that battle. There will be a bit more in the next chapter. We do need to see what happened to Cordelia and her new friend Libra after all. These past two chapters were difficult to write to say the least. There were so many different directions I could have gone. But I chose this way. To me, it made the most sense narratively speaking. Especially with what is going to happen later on in the story. I won't spoil anything, but I'm excited to keep this thing going! I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can get it up. We'll see how much time I have with work and everything else going on in life.

Secondly, never in my wildest dreams did I think a story I wrote would be received like this. I've written other stories on this sight, none of them have received the love and support of this one. You guys are all amazing. Without all of you reading and reviewing, this would not be possible. So I just want to say thank you. You guys make this all worth while.

Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!