Anakin felt the presence in the room shift. His body was too weak to respond, and he wanted to do nothing more than cry out that he was here, and he could hear them, feel their presence in the force.
"What did you do him?" Obi-Wan whispered, his voice full of malice. Maul laughed, and tilted his head to the side.
"Kenobi." Maul began, a cheerless smile crawling across his features. "While the Jedi renounce revenge, I embrace it!" He spat out "You took everything from me." He added on in a hushed voice "So isn't it fair that I get to do the same?" Maul asked while kicking Anakin's lifeless body.
"Don't!" Obi-Wan said while reaching out for his former padawan. The lack of light from the room caused the shadows on Anakin's face to stand out more prominently- like as if he was knocking in death's door.
"A shame." Maul said while looking down at the body. "You don't have much time left."
Obi-Wan lunged for Maul, his saber in hand as he felt years of rage fill his body, and begin to dictate his moves. Their blades were locked in an intense fight- good versus evil. Light versus dark. His breathing became unhinged, the mist from the temple clearing its way with each step he took and with each swing he swung.
Maul stood his ground around Anakin's body, his eyes narrowed as he analyzed and countered Kenobi's attacks. His eyes widened as a green blade appeared suddenly on his left side, and quickly leapt away.
"I see you brought Skywalker's brat here with you too." Maul growled. He looked past Obi-Wan's shoulder "And the senator as well."
"I'm no brat." Ahsoka snapped. She charged ahead, getting ready to swing at Maul with her sabers.
"Ahsoka, no!" Obi-Wan called out. She gasped in pain as Maul kicked her in the ribs, propelling her into the pedestal that held the holocron. The impact from the force shook the holocron out of its holder. It fell down and landed by Ahsoka's feet. Maul approached her, his blade held high in the air, ready to deliver a final blow when the holocron suddenly opened, its light blocking his view of her.
Ahsoka shielded her eyes form the blinding light of the holocron. When she brought her arms back down, everyone was gone.
"Master Kenobi?" "Padme?" Ahsoka called out, worry beginning to fill her voice. In the distance, should could hear the sound of someone breathing through a respirator. It sounded similar to the breathing that she had heard earlier while wandering through the temple, but this time it was louder. And approaching her.
It emerged out of the shadows. A creature, no a machine. The force grew cold in the room. Before when she was with Master Kenobi and Skywalker, the force had been loud, and full of life. Now it felt like each breath filled her lungs with eyes and her heart with hopelessness. It slowly approached her, its rhythmic breathing filling the room. The mist swirled around its legs. A red blade was ignited in the creature's hand and Ahsoka got ready to ignite her own and defend herself when a flash of white light stopped her.
The creature recoiled back and howled, clutching its mask. A Jedi landed on the ground, not too far away. A torgruta woman quickly got to her feet, holding two white lightsabers in the same reverse grip that Ahsoka used. Ahsoka saw her lips moving, but the sound was muffled, like as if she was hearing it underwater. She strained to hear better, when she heard Anakin's name being called by the woman. Ahsoka looked back at the masked creature and her eyes met those of a sith lord. The eye that looked back at her was a sickly yellow, a window to the soul that had been corrupted by the darkside.
"I won't leave you." The Jedi said. "Not this time."
There was a pause. The damaged respirator sounded like as if it was struggling to work.
"Then you will die." Master Skywalker said.
"Ahsoka!" Master Kenobi shouted from behind her. She turned and saw a red blade descending towards her. Ahsoka ignited her blades, the green light clashing with the red. Then she heard that signature snarl.
Maul pressed against her blade, the dark side of the force clearing his mind and allowing him to focus on his target. Ahsoka grinded her teeth as she put all of her effort into holding him back. A blue blade quickly swung at Maul, causing him to leap back from them. When Maul landed on his feet, the temple groaned and shuttered, the walls and ceiling shifting around them. Pieces of the temple began crashing down around them. Ahsoka rolled out of the way and quickly stood up next to Master Kenobi. Behind her, Padme was crouched down over Anakin's body, checking for a pulse.
"We have to leave, now." Padme shouted; her voice frantic. "Anakin doesn't have much time left unless we get help."
Maul's humorous laugh echoed around the collapsing walls. "You probably don't have time for that, my lady." Obi-Wan swung his blade, again and again at Maul, forcing him on the defensive. Ahsoka's eyes widened as she watched him attempt to strike Maul again and again. Pieces of the temple continued to rain down on them as Obi-Wan and Maul dueled. Obi-Wan landed a kick on Maul's chest, sending him flying backward into the shadows of the temple. Before Obi-Wan could advance however, a large part of the ceiling fell down, blocking his path.
"Master!" Ahsoka called. "We need to leave!" She exclaimed while trying to help Padme pick Anakin up. He turned around, his blue blade casting a dark shadow across his face and ran over to help them.
Anakin's head lolled lifelessly in their arms, his feet dragged on the floor, his breathing was ragged and his body shuddered with the strain of whatever Maul had done. They quickly made their way out of the atrium that they were in, the light from the holocron fading with each step they took.