"My head is full of magic, baby."-So Alive by Love And Rockets
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"You're saying that you are going to take her, 'pay' me later, and just fly off into space."Hondo asked, the darned bottle in hand.
"Yes, yes I am."said Maul, trying to strike a deal, and leave.
"Sold!"said Hondo, lazily shaking Maul's hand. When Hondo was drunk, he agreed with everything.
Maul walked out, treating Eris as if she was his new slave. But it was all an act, Eris knew. Well, hopefully it was.
"You're not really going to pay him, are you?"She hastily whispered.
"Not at all."Maul whispered back."You think like a criminal already."
"Haven't been raised any better!" She responded with a small shrug.
They broke through the crowd and to Maul's ship.
"There's one place we need to go before we can go to our final destination." He said, sitting right in the pilot's seat.
"Where's that?"asked Eris. She was excited to leave the Arena, and see other planets.
"You will see." Maul responded.
They flew for a while in silence. Eris was trying to get used to not being chained, metaphorically or physically. Was this what freedom feels like?
They reached their first stop. It was a dark red planet, with clouds in the sky.
"Welcome to Dathnomir."said Maul.
They landed among plants in a jungle. The red sun cut through the humidity, making everything crimson.
There was a giant temple in front of them.
"Are we going in there?"asked Eris, awestruck.
"Yes. That is why we are here,"said Maul, stepping forward, his robotic legs clanking with every step. It looked like he felt respect and hatred for this place.
Noticing that Maul was already at the mouth of the temple.
Inside there were old candles, and an altar in the middle. Two glowing beakers were on the altar. Everything seemed to glow a ghostly green.
Maul walked up to the altar and grabbed the beakers.
"You're not going to drink that, are you?" Eris asked.
"No. We're going to drink this,"Maul said. "This potion will enable us to see each other's memories. A master needs to know what his apprentice has been through in order to teach well."
"I could just tell you!"Eris pointed out. But Maul paid no heed, just handing her the beaker.
They both drank it up. Suddenly, a strange feeling came through her, it was so strange that Eris had to clench her eyes shut. When she opened them, she saw that Maul's eyes were glowing green, fog was surrounding the pair.
The feeling hurt, it hurt! It hurt so much that Eris was soon on the ground, on her hands and knees, gasping for breath.
Maul crouched down next to her; he had clearly done this before."Don't resist, just give in."
Eris gave in, her body fell into a trance, conscious but not, somewhere in between..
She saw fragments of Maul's memories first. She saw him dueling two people. A name cut though: "Kenobi." The one called Kenobi cut Maul in half.
It jumped. It went to another memory. A memory of him insane, found by another Zabrak, spider-legs the only thing letting him walk.
Another memory, him killing some Mando in black and blue using a sword of black and white.
Yet another memory. He was dueling some Togruta, glass and structure supports falling down all around them. Another name cut through. 'Lady Tano.'
Now it was time for Eris to show him hers.
She showed him the first she used the Force. She showed him her father practically selling her to the Count. She showed her getting beaten after winning her first battle. She showed him her getting treated like no child should.
Eris woke up laying on the ground, Maul sitting up. She sat up, and let out a sob.
Glowing mist started to emanate from the altar. Maul got up and swore."Kriff. Get up and run. Don't look back until you're out of the temple and in the light."
They ran out of the temple. Eris would never do that again.