Now back to what was being read at the end of chapter 1. If you can't remember, then go back to it and read it you dunce...

Everybody jumped out of the way as the creature landed on the ground where their defensive circle was at. They all looked in horror at the creature, flexing it's four front legs at them attack-wise and snarling.

"That is one big bug," said Rex. The four Jedi got to their feet and charged while the clones fired at the creature. The creature became enraged when it was shot, but the wounds were not even close to minor. It used it's montrals and legs to keep the Jedi at bay. The Jedi saw that each legs had a king of barb to it so that if the creature hit them with it hard enough, it would be like a spear going through their body. They also saw that the hair was sticking out like spikes, but they only caused a stabbing pain, not like a knife wound pain.

Taran aimed a punch that ignited into a ball of fire that went straight for the creature. The creature took the blast to the side. The fire caused a burn to the side of the beast, but it did little but enrage it even further. It leaped onto the ceiling and scuttled around, aiming attacks with it's legs. Everyone stood as far away from it, dodging the barbs on the legs. Ahsoka used the Force to bring down the ceiling. It collapsed on top of the beast and sent it sprawling into the ground. The four Jedi charged at it, but the creature quickly recovered and sent stones spiraling everywhere when it arose. They used the Force to stop the rocks in their tracks, but they were all swatted aside by one swing from two of it's legs.

The clones got into three corners of the room, still firing at the creature.

"Come on, give it everything you got," said Rex. As the four Jedi were recovering the creature roared and went for Ahsoka. Taran dived in front of her and aimed a well placed boulder into it's eye. The boulder hit it square in the right cluster of eyes, dazing the creature and causing it to scream in pain. Anakin cam and stabbed it in it's side. The creature howled again and rolled onto it's side, almost rolling over Anakin had he not let go of his lightsaber and dived away. His lightsaber, still stuck in the creature's side, came out, but the creature knocked away the glowing blade and resumed it's attacks. His lightsaber momentarily lost, Anakin was defenseless before the creature.

As the creature charged at him he used the Force that sent a wave of energy at it. By some keen insight or sheer luck, the creature hooped on the ceiling, dodging the wave, and jumped down, landing on Anakin. It's front legs pinned him and then it seized him with one of the front legs and scuttled away, dragging him off.

"Anakin!" yelled Taran, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka. They hurried after the creature rapidly crawling away from them down a tunnel. But they were too slow and the creature was too fast. It was ahead of them, and disappeared down the tunnel. They stopped running, unable to pursue any longer.

"It got him," whispered Taran. He had never felt so helpless, especially now when his most dearest friend was just taken away. And Ahsoka, he was wondering how she was going to take this?

She knelt on the ground, unable to believe what just happened.

"We have to go after him," she said.

"I agree," said Taran, though seeing the creature a second time was scary enough as the first time, especially when it's saliva got on him.

"Rex, Cody, Boil, come on, we're pursuing," said Obi-Wan. immediately, weapons ready, they ran down the hall, ready to confront the monster a second time. Their fear was replaced by sheer determination as they rushed down the tunnel, desperate to find their lost friend. Obi-Wan had picked up Anakin's lightsaber along the way, vowing that his lifelong friend would get it back.


The creature, having just injected it's poison that made the man with brown hair stiffen so that he couldn't move, turned away from it's prey. Ever since that great noise it heard around the mountain, more and more prey had fallen into it's domain. First those two inedible metal things, then a man in white, then another in white and yellow, and now it's latest addition. It knew more were coming, bent on revenge, but let them come, it thought. It was the only thing that knew it's way across the many passages of the mountain since it was imprisoned here long ago. It saw among the group the one who had given her past grievance. He would be the last one to suffer, but the first to die.

Putting webs around her latest addition she lay it down next to two other similar looking wrapped victims. Hissing gladly it went back on the hunt, ready to make it's meal a full course, but then it had an idea. Seizing the sack in the middle she ripped it opened and dragged the body out, knowing how it could get the next prey.


They continued running through the tunnels, but they ran out of breath and sat down on the ground, hopelessly lost and unable to find their lost friend. Taking a breather in the dank tunnels, Taran comforted Ahsoka, who though not crying, looked like she was on the verge of doing it.

"It'll be fine. We'll find him and the others," said Taran.

"I hope so," she said. She put her head on his shoulder as he held her shoulder. Obi-Wan, Rex, Boil, and Cody were at a loss for words as well. They had just seen one of the most terrible and frightful creatures in the galaxy. This thing beat the scare level for the gundark any day of the week. It had just taken three of their friends, and now they knew that any of them could be next.

"I wonder what it does when it catches them?" said Boil.

"Boil, enough of that talk," said Rex. But he knew that everyone in there was thinking the same thing too. The tunnel was windy now, giving the tunnel a kind of screeching sound, but not loud.

"What do we do now sir?" said Cody. Obbi-Wan was lost. He had two options: leave this place or continue looking for the others. If he chose the first one then they would be able to get out of here safe and sound, but they would abandon their friends. If he chose the second one, then everyone in the group was at risk from being taken and none of them would see the light of day again.

"We'll...keep searching," said Obi-Wan. They all got up and headed down the tunnel, now intent on finding them.

An hour later, still no luck. And they were dreadfully exhausted. It had been seven hours since they had went in, and now they were growing increasingly agitated.

"We'll rest to catch our breath. Boil, can you take first watch?" said Obi-Wan.

"Yes sir," said Boil. He went down further down the tunnel and sat on the ground next to the wall, his blaster held ready in his hands. The rest of the group relaxed and tried to regain the bit of energy they had left. Ahsoka was just about to lay down and take a light nap when she felt something on the ground next to her. She held it up and used the light from Rex to see that it was an old scroll. She opened it up gently so that she didn't tear the page. To her disappointment, it was written in Elementian.

"Taran, can you read this?" she said, handing him the scroll. The other huddled around him to see what he was holding.

"It says it was written by someone named Mao. He was stuck in these tunnels and was writing stuff in here," said Taran.

"What does it say?" said Obi-Wan.

"I, Mao, coming from the village, stuck here for three days with no hope of rescue. I write this last time for any unfortunate soul stuck in these tunnels. The creature chases me with relentless malice and seeks to make it's next meal out of me. I pray that my death comes quick as a fly's wings. It comes for me now, drawn by ravenous hunger, but I know of it's ancient secret, which only the most powerful being on Earth knows. There is a secret entrance out of the mountain at it's sleeping room, but I have not been successful in going out of it. Anyone who reads this must no now how to escape, and to show no..., it stops there," said Taran. He showed everyone where the handwriting scribbled off into nothing.

"The monster must have gotten him, poor fellow," said Cody.

"What does he mean?" said Ahsoka.

"He means that there is a way to escape from here, and we're going to have to fight our way out to get there," said Taran.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the tunnel, Boil was still on watch. Every sound that didn't come from behind him made him ready to fire his blaster. Looking out towards the other tunnels branching ahead, he thought he heard something, like footsteps, coming from a tunnel to his right. Boil readied his blaster in his hands and cautiously walked into the tunnel. His lights caught something glowing up ahead and he thought for sure that it was the creature, but as he looked on, the thing was appearing white. To his astonishment, when he stopped, it was getting closer. He squinted his eyes in his helmet to see what it was that was coming for him.

The thing seemed to be walking towards him and he finally knew who it was.

"Waxer?" said Boil. Sure enough, his friend was walking towards him. Boil came a little closer to see if he was alright. Strangely, Waxer didn't answer, and he seemed to be a little limp.

"Waxer, you okay?" said Boil. His friend still didn't answer. Boil was starting to think something wasn't right. Then he saw to his surprise that Waxer's feet weren't even touching the ground. Too late to react, hairy legs grabbed him pulled him up to the ceiling without a sound.


"Rex, can you go and take first watch?" said Obi-Wan.

"Yes sir," said Rex. He went down the tunnel to go and relieve Boil. He got to the spot where Boil was at last time, but was shocked to see that Boil wasn't there. Looking around he saw a figure in white and yellow armor coming towards him.

"Waxer?" said Rex. But he too saw that Waxer's feet weren't touching the ground either. Too late, a stinger came out of nowhere and jabbed him in the chest, but not before he let out a scream. The others heard and rushed to where Rex's position was at. What they saw made them all sick to the stomach.

Rex's body was between the spider's montrals and was being wrapped around with some kind of white strands like a present. Soon, his entire body was encased. Incensed, Ahsoka charged at it, determined not to let another friend get taken away. The creature dropped Rex and stood up to defend itself from it's new foe.

Ahsoka aimed an attack on it that left a burned gash on one of it's legs. The creature roared and used it's front legs to jab and corner her. Cody and Obi-Wan were helping her attack the thing while Taran rushed over to Rex's body and used his lightsaber to start cutting the web off his body. The creature saw what he was doing and swatted the others away. Getting to Taran it swatted him away as well and took Rex's body and out him on it's back. Ahsoka jumped into the air to hack off the thing's head, but the creature was too quick and she was caught in the thing's mandibles. Held near the very jaws of the monster, her lightsaber discarded on the floor, the creature slowly inched it's jaws towards her to devour her.

At that moment, a well-placed shot from Cody took out a few of it's eyes. The creature howled as some of it's vision was destroyed. It scuttled away from them, taking Ahsoka with it.

"Ahsoka!" yelled Taran.

"Taran!" yelled Ahsoka. Taran rushed after the creature, dived, and Ahsoka caught his hand. The monster had spun a web around her legs to drag her and she was under the things belly, Taran clutching onto her hand to keep her from taken away. The creature dragged them, Taran determined to not let go. He seized the ground with his free hand and stooped the creature in it's tracks, using his Earthbending to keep them still and to try and pull Ahsoka away to safety. The beast turned around, the end of the stand holding Ahsoka still connected to it's montral.

A tug-of-war match took place, Taran seizing Ahsoka's upper body to try and break the strand on one side and the beast hoping to take her away on the other. Taran planted his feet in the ground and the Earth clutched around his feet to keep him steady as the monster pulled. He was using all his strength to make sure that she was not taken from him. Ahsok was thinking the same thing and used her feet to pull too, her hand clutched onto Taran's arms. The creature was snarling as best as it could to break Ahsoka away from Taran's hold, but it saw that it was slowly losing.

Finally, unable to bear this any longer, it used a front leg to kick Taran away. The blow felt like a Fire Nation tank being thrown at him at him at 200 m.p.h. The blow was so heavy it knocked him right out of his hold on the ground and knocked him twenty feet away into a wall. Dazed, Taran could only watch, nearly lacking out, as Ahsoka was dragged away, calling his name.


His eyes slowly opened, looking around at his current position. Cody and Obi-Wan were next to him, Obi-Wan holding his head in his lap. Cody was sitting nearby, his blaster aimed towards the end of the tunnel as if waiting for the creature to get back.

"Ahsoka?" said Taran. Obi-Wan shook his head. Taran closed his eyes, unable to believe she was gone.

"Taran, there was nothing you could do," said Obi-Wan.

"Yes there was, I could have saved her," he said, eyes still closed shut.

"Sir, you want me to take first watch?" said Cody.

"Yes, please do," said Obi-Wan. Cody advanced ten feet from them and stopped, scanning for any signs of movement up ahead.

"Taran, listen to me," said Obi-Wan. Taran slowly opened his eyes.

"Taran, I need you to find the exit and I want you to go and escape," said Obi-Wan.

"What about you?" said Taran.

"Me and Cody will hold the creature back enough for you to get out. Once you're out, get everyone else off the island," said Obi-Wan.

"But....then you'll die," said Taran.

"I would rather to have one of us survive than none of us," said Obi-Wan.

"No, I can't abandon you, not like this," said Taran.

"Taran, you have to. It's the only way," said Obi-Wan.

"Master, don't do this," said Taran, now pleading with his master to see reason. A noise up ahead told them that they didn't have enough time.

"Sir, that thing is coming back," said Cody.

"Taran, please, go," said Obi-Wan. He helped Taran up to his feet and pushed him to go down the other way.

"Master, please," said Taran.

"Go," said Obi-Wan. He sent a wave of Force that sent Taran back towards the other side of the tunnel, but didn't knock him to his feet. Then he used the Force to topple the tunnel shaft between them. Taran stepped back as dust and sand choked his lungs. Coughing it out he banged on the walls of stone that led back to his master. He tried to Earthbend it out, but that would mean he would crush them. He leaned on the wall of stone, barely able to contain his tears.

Everyone he could call a friend on this planet was now gone, and he was the last one. He knew he couldn't leave them, but he knew that Obi-Wan didn't want to go down the way they did. Deep inside, he knew he couldn't abandon them to this fate, but he also didn't want to disobey his master's final request. Getting up to his feet, he walked down the tunnel towards another one, not sure and not even caring about where he was going. He was half hoping that the creature would find him to so that he would share in their fates too, but he knew that Obi-Wan wouldn't want him to do that. Staggering through the tunnel, hurt physically and emotionally, he tried to find the way out.


An hour later, Taran fell onto the floor, exhausted beyond measure. He lay on the floor, unable to go on any further. Wishing that the creature would come and finish him off he curled up, ready for anything to happen.

"Just kill me now," he whispered to himself. He had given up. It was hopeless. He knew the minute that they walked into the mountain that it would be their last. And no here he was, alone, totally alone, and ready for his end to come.

"I can't do this anymore. It's over," he said to himself. He closed his eyes to let sleep take ahold of him.

"Taran," said a voice from in his mind. Taran slowly opened his eyes.

"Taran, my brave young boy, wake up," it said. Taran looked up to see an orb of white light hovering over him. The orb expanded until it was man high, shimmering. Whether this was really happening or it was in his mind, he continued looking. A shape in the orb was taking form, a dark shadow seeming to expand in it. It continued expanding and shaping out until it took on the form of what looked like a woman. She had wavy, black hair and tan skin. Taran continued looking until he was staring into the his eyes, his mother's eyes.

"Taran, don't give up. You can still save them," she said, light traveling in waves around her, her mouth not moving. Taran could hardly believe his eyes. His mother was standing there right in front of him.

"I believe in you my son. Do not give up. Keep going on. Get up," she said, extending her hand. Taran did not know whether to take it or to just lay there on the ground.

"You have the power to do it. I believe in you," she said. Her hand reached down until she was touching his cheek. To his surprise, it was warm. His hand touched the hand, holding it to his cheek. Her other hand drifted to his forehead, touching it. A flash of light lit up Taran's eyes, the light passing into his head and brain.

"I've shown you where to go. I can't stay, but always remember that I love you," she said. Her hands went to her sides, except for one that was still held put in front of her. Taran looked at it, undecided on what to do. With sheer willpower he got his hand to grip it. She pulled him up, at the same time disappearing before his eyes. Taran would never know if that was his imagination or not, but he knew it's significance. With determination, he pressed on ahead through the tunnel, knowing where to go now.


He came to a tunnel that took him to the heart of the mountain. This was where Kong-Ju's lair was at. The main chamber of the entire mountain. His lightsaber turned on to light the way, not knowing what lay ahead. He stepped cautiously into the room and looked around. Not a thing was stirring. The chamber was huge, two huge pillars at the far end sticking up like swords. A stone altar in the middle of the room held eight cocoons in the middle. One of them was moving. Taran, lightsaber in his hand, walked calmly over there, ready to open what was inside. The cocoon was wrapped in the webs of the creature and it was trying to break free.

Taran got close enough to the cocoon and started to slowly cut the webs. A hand popped out and Taran kept at it until he was halfway done. Then, a head and upper body appeared.

"Taran," said Ahsoka. Taran, glad that she was okay, hugged her to him. Her hand wrapped around him tightly too. They shared a small kiss, thankful that they were alive.

"What happened?" said Taran.

"It stung me while I was being dragged away, and I woke up in this," she said.

"Everyone else is here?" said Taran.

"Yes," she said.

"Here, let me get you out of here. I have your lightsaber," said Taran.

"Taran, look out!" yelled Ahsoka. But too late. Taran felt something jab him in the back. He collapsed onto the floor, slowly losing his vision. He looked to see the creature standing over him, it's stinger hovering above him. The last thing he saw was the creature spinning some webs around him.