Chapter 8

Maul lands on the ground, robe billowing around him. He immediately scans the area, knowing that Force Users can catch one off-guard in a moment of vulnerability.

Once certain Plagueis isn't trying to catch him by surprise, Maul clips his hilt to his belt, walking down.

"Plagueis!"

Silence...

"Plagueis! Come out!" Maul snarls, golden eyes searching for the Muun. "Plagueis!"

"Oh oh oh you poor fool," a voice says ominously from the darkness. "We need not be enemies. I will show you mercy if you kneel and acknowledge me as your Master. Not doing so will result in the inevitable."

Maul responds coldly. "I will never join you nor Sidious again. I have no Master. I will go my own road now."

Plagueis chuckles. "Do tell me your plans, young Zabrak? Return to Dathomir and become the leader of your Dathomirian brothers and sisters or just become a normal civilian as if you can do that? The Jedi would never allow you to live a normal life. You would have no freedom."

Maul looks down for a moment, debating over those words. What can he do if he wins this battle? Maybe...

No! Whatever the choice is, he will not join Plagueis!

Maul's 'saber leaps into his hand before activating yet again. "Come out and maybe you'll have the chance to find out, you old fool."

A blur swipe over his horns, and Maul barely dodges, glaring up at the Sith. He swing his lightsaber up, smashing the Sith's blade away and continuing the assault. Plagueis blocks and lashes out with his foot, kicking his stomach and thrusting a hand forward, letting loose a ripple in the Force that sends him back. Feeling slightly humiliated, Maul grabs a tree and throws it at him, and Plagueis sails through like a demon, cutting the tree down.

Plagueis can admit, he has vastly underestimated his skills with a lightsaber. He had been toying with both Jinn and Kenobi mainly in the Naboo's palace. His skills in the Force also outdoes all of them, making him damn near invincible in this battle. Maul finds himself forced to depend on defence. He glances behind himself, taking in the sight of many trees and woods, before glaring at the Muun and running, sensing the Sith following behind him.

"Sidious would see you dead and everyone you care about likewise. Don't pass up the chance I give you, Darth Maul. You can survive. You don't have to have a tragic end, my friend."

Choosing not to respond, Maul leaps behind him, trying to land a strike that will decapitate his head, feeling his words making their intent. The Muun turns around, clenching his hand up into a fist. Maul is tossed away like a ragdoll, but Plagueis shows no mercy, wishing to test his powers.

Plagueis sends a heavy attack, only for Maul to evade. He is forced to leap back as he spins around him. The scientific Sith stabs at his side, is parried, and then sidesteps and launches away from him as he spins around swinging his lightsaber, trying to cut him in half.

He lands and staggers a bit. A scream in the Force is the only warning he got, enough of one to dodge and roll in time as the Muun leaps after him and thrust. His lightsaber slashes into a nearby tree, leaving a blazing orange cut that causes the tree to almost collapse onto Maul. He jumps to him, causing him to take several steps back. Maul swing the other end of his weapon at his midsection, cutting into his armour and burying his lightsaber into his shoulder...

Plagueis growls, smoke emanating from his armour. Maul lashes out with a hand, pushing him through the Force as hard as he can and throwing him half way down. He buys the moment of respite to regain his energy, taking in the necessary breaths.

Plagueis rises to his feet. He doesn't say a word, a dark scowl on his face. Instead he raises a hand at him and...

Immediately, Maul screams. His insides feels like they are on fire!

"A specimen above many levels," Plagueis spits, "your midi-chlorians count is impressive, that much I have deduced throughout the years from the shadow."

"What...," He gasps, "Are you doing?!"

"Midi-chlorians Manipulation," Plagueis replies simply, "The ability to control, alter, and obviously manipulate life itself." The Muun stalks around him.

He raises his hand higher, and the flames in his body decreases...

...only for him to ram into his mind and gain a screech from his victim, brushing aside his defenses like they aren't even there. "Now, let me see what sparked your change, Darth Maul."

"You wouldn't ever find out!" Maul shouts, groaning as he tries to keep the Muun out of his mind.

"Oh but I will," Plagueis responds, starting to pick through his memories, "you need not worry I will make this painful."

Maul whimpers.

As if that is reassuring, you karking bastard!

True to his word, Plagueis makes no pretense of being gentle in his probing. Maul attempts to keep him out of his mind but also tries to ensure that he wouldn't end up broken in the long run. The Muun goes for the older memories first, undoubtedly just wanting to cause him agony that will at last cause him to break.

He can feel distaste at his childhood before falling under Sidious's service, his mother, his siblings, and he discards those memories carelessly. Maul couldn't help but scream in agony. It will take a long time to fix this... if he even is able to do so... so he instead focuses on holding onto what memories that he still holds dear, even if he doesn't remember some of them. Savage, Feral, others he care about... he allows him to rip through everything else. He sees him being chopped apart by Kenobi, and those years of being left deprived on that abandoned junk world, as well as cutting down Jedi throughout the Clone Wars. Finally, he halts at the battle with Sidious... Savage's death, and he observes it, analyzing the memory from every angle, and to his surprise, he re-ignites it.

The memory will forever be trapped in his mind, but, memories decaying with age, loses their impact. In an instant, it is like he has watched his brother died yesterday, and he restores the memory to pristine condition, and then take another look, knowing that it would cause him to break if he keeps tormenting him like this. He hisses, the rise of that old fury and hate of his torment bubbling to the surface with renewed vigor. He searches through deeper as if going for a morning walk, finding many memories for Sidious's torture methods and after the rise of the Empire.

Finally, he finds him being cut down once and for all by Kenobi on Tatooine. Angered about being used like this, he growls, both aloud and in his mind, focusing that hate, grabbing Plagueis, and tearing him out of his mind.

The elder Sith blinks once, his only indication of surprise that he managed successfully to beat him back, but shockingly, he doesn't re-enter, instead he stares at him with wide eyes. "I can see it now! You have seen the future and what awaits you! You want revenge against Sidious for abandoning you!"

Maul breathes in total defeat, closing his eyes as he attempts to keep the pounding out of his forehead. He supposes it is only some galactic karma. He caused so much agony to many people. It's time for him to get a taste of his own medicine.

The Muun simply stares at him before seizing his still visibly disoriented form with the Force. "This is going to be the perfect experiment. Once you willingly bow before me, you will be Sidious's replacement, given that you have more promise than the pathetic little brat. For now your knowledge shall crave the way to my ascendancy."

"You won't harm my brothers," Maul says, voice coming out dry.

"Harm them?" The Sith chuckles, stepping over him before kneeling before him. "My dear boy, I don't wish to harm them. Far from it, I will guarantee that your brothers are broken and you with them! An Army of Zabraks with you at the head of it! Magnificent!"

Maul gasps when he realizes the Sith's true intent. This being is a monster, willing to use a whole family of bloodlines like Sidious eventually did for his win. All of the Zabraks back on Dathomir...

Maul snarls. He would break free! Savage and Feral would not become monsters!

"Stay away from him!" A blue lightsaber comes at Plagueis instantly.

The Muun drops Maul onto the ground, instantly deflecting the attack. The Zabrak looks up through his blurry vision to see that Obi-Wan Kenobi is charging forward along with Qui-Gon Jinn.

"So you need the Jedi to protect you now, Maul?" Plagueis asks mockingly, pushing his lightsaber up against Kenobi, while also fending off Jinn's blade.

Unpredictably, the Muun makes quick work of Jinn due to his age and lacking the mobility that the Jedi Master might have had in his younger days, lifting him in the air with a Force Choke before throwing him down. It is Kenobi who manages to at least use his speed to keep Plagueis at bay, falling into the mixture of inexperienced Soresu and trained Ataru.

Regardless, Plagueis eventually dispatches of Kenobi as well, slamming his fist against his stomach which tosses him away into a tree.

Plagueis turns back to Maul. Maul breathes, sweat going down his forehead.

"Maul, stay strong!" Jinn shouts from his position on the ground right next to his Padawan.

He takes another deep breath, centering himself and trying to get his racing heartbeat back under control as well as his pounding forehead, his thoughts turning to the boy. Hoping that Skywalker didn't get himself killed, Maul turns his senses to the boy of Tatooine...

And is confused to feel he isn't in the palace. What the kriff? Where did he go? Jinn had told him to wait in the cockpit... of a Starfighter.

Ah kriff...

He stretches his senses as far as he can and faintly feels Skywalker's presence out above Naboo. Skywalker is sometimes a little shit indeed...

Plagueis's voice reminds Maul of his current battle. "You fools have no experience in the true Will of the Dark Side."

Those words motivate him to throw himself forward at the Muun. The Sith simply take several casual steps back, his lightsaber rotating around him. The Dathomirian keeps Plagueis at bay, arching his lightsaber and batting each of his swipes aside.

Kenobi gets back on his feet and charges to the Sith, causing the Muun to block his strike before sending a assault to Maul as well. He is trying to separate them, yet their teamwork is surprisingly effective. The battle is only intensified when Jinn joins them, pushing the Muun's lightsaber back even further.

For a moment, it seems like they were going to end him, but now...

"Enough of this!" Plagueis shouts, golden eyes going wide.

Oh not good...

Plagueis kicks Maul in his chest, twirling his lightsaber in his hands to Kenobi and Jinn who struggles to keep up. The Muun is using little Force Attacks and the arts of the 'saber to toy with them, each of his strikes coming painfully close to both of his opponents.

The Sith is outright a unmovable object.

Their years of training is nothing compared to Plagueis. Their strikes are without any sort of impact; branches, wood, and trees come flying at Jinn and Kenobi, the Muun seeming like a dark god amongst the objects. Lightsaber burns, scorch marks from lightning, objects strewn about, everywhere.

Plagueis eyes Jinn with a predatory gleam. "You have passed your prime, my old friend. What if I told you that I can restore your youth? Bring back the one who you cared about?"

Jinn didn't bother wasting precious breath responding, swinging his blade low while at the same time Kenobi swing high to try and sever one of his limbs. The Muun moves in inhuman ways, ducking the high blade and his boot connects squarely with Jinn's chin. He sees stars and stumbles back, his jaw snapping up. He didn't have time to even think before electricity washes over him, bringing him to the ground crying out in agony.

The lightning halts... thankfully. He waits for the room to stop spinning before he manages to look up and sight Maul and Plagueis, their blades locked in a contest of strength - of which the Zabrak is managing to keep up -, trying to maintain distance so he doesn't get run through by the Sith's treacherous blade.

Jinn recovers at seeing Maul being kicked in the spine and dropping on the floor, and run up to the Muun, lightsaber at the ready. Turning to face Jinn, he prepares for a attack. He is not disappointed as the Maverick charges forward, but that amusement quickly diminishes at the fact that Jinn has little to no adrenaline.

Plagueis twirls his lightsaber in a series of successful strikes, causing Jinn to take several feet backwards. Kenobi reinforces him after recovering, twisting his lightsaber in an attempt to keep the Muun's attacks at bay. The younger Jedi spins around to kick Plagueis in the stomach, using a bit of acrobatics to stagger him, while Jinn's 'saber comes downward, aiming to break his guard.

The Muun avoids, leaping back before both Jedi Padawan and Master.

"We are not afraid of you." Kenobi replies, he and his Master getting into their ready positions. This would be a tough fight.

"So be it Jedi!" Plagueis responds before coming at them. Jinn catch the blow with his blade, buying Kenobi the chance to attack, only for the Muun to sidestep. Plagueis twirls in between both of them, seemingly disappearing under the rhythm of the lightsabers. The Sith Lord flips around, punching the older Jedi in the face and perhaps breaking his nose, but Kenobi protects his temporarily winded Master before the Muun could have ran him through.

Plagueis's strikes with his lightsaber is like a turbolaser compared to Kenobi and Jinn. Despite this his style is controlled. Methodical, yet intense beyond all belief. Every time the Jedi's blade come into contact with Plagueis's, he seems to be nothing but a blind blur of death, pushing one away and engaging a duel with the other.

They both begin to succumb under Plagueis's offensive style. Plagueis is way out of their league even now, disarming Jinn of his lightsaber, and seizing him through the Force. Kenobi jumps, chopping at his armoured shoulder, causing him to stagger as it burns with intensity.

"I will remake you. So when I look upon you it shall be like a reflection of myself. Then I shall let you die."

Plagueis raises a hand and channels all the anger he has experienced through the Force. His clawed fingers clutches into a tightly gripped fist. The Will of the Dark Side obeys without hesitation and Kenobi's chest suddenly begins cracking, breaking bones and driving home. Kenobi screams and howls, resounding across the immediate area. Plagueis allows him to fall to the ground and looks down with glee.

"Obi-Wan!" Jinn shouts, watching this happen, protective fury burning up.

Plagueis smirks at Kenobi who clutches his stomach. "Quite a shame, Kenobi, perhaps you could have been my Apprentice at one point."

Kenobi coughs up blood, looking up to see his Master attacking, attempting to break through the Muun's defence.

Plagueis roars and strikes his head forward, head coming into contact with Qui-Gon's face.

"Argh!" Qui-Gon grunts in pain, stumbling backwards from the impact, being forced to break the saber lock, opening the Jedi up and causing Obi-Wan to rush forward instinctively, ignoring his body attempting to close in on itself as his adrenaline surges through him.

Plagueis unleashes one last swing which will result in the death of one of them, swinging the blade horizontally in an attempt to cleave one of the Jedi into two. Jinn takes several steps back, successfully avoiding the strike. Kenobi, however, manages to step back in time to evade the mortal blow, but not enough to avoid the blade altogether...

The lightsaber breaks through his defence, decapitates his hilt, swipes across his hands, left leg, chest, and back.

With a inhuman scream of agony, Kenobi drops onto the ground as Plagueis stares down at him. Jinn is completely stunned...

Maul looks up, surprised by what he is seeing. He should have felt glee that this version of Kenobi is suffering...

But no...

No instead all he feels is emptiness and perhaps a bit of pity, some feeling similar to when Savage had fallen all those years ago on Mandalore.

Kenobi whimpers in agony, body trembling and convulsing from the pain, eyes watering.

"Obi-Wan!" Jinn shouts.

"Failure," Plagueis murmurs, unleashing barrages of electricity to the down Jedi, causing his screams to fill the air. Now without his lightsaber, Kenobi rolls onto his back with an agonized expression, the heat and pain cutting through his body. Kenobi howls in agony as fire consumes his skin, charring and burning until it is blackened and cracked and bleeding.

Plagueis scoffs, turning to stare at Jinn. "Henceforth and forever now, this day would mark the return of the Sith! The Jedi will fall!"

Jinn charges forth, his anger amplified by seeing his Apprentice injured in such a manner. For a few moments, he drives the Sith back, and Jinn's expression is scrunched with a darkness that is admittedly terrifying.

In response the Dark Lord of the Sith redirects Jinn's blows.

Maul didn't know what compelled him to run forward and wrap his arms around the Padawan as Kenobi did to him back on Tatooine but that little urge was too strong. The Padawan is broken beyond words.

Jinn's ire is so painfully obvious as he attempts to bisect the Muun. The Sith smirks as he casually deflects each of the assaults before chopping through Jinn's defences, shunning his arm and tossing him away with the Force.

"You could have been something more." Plagueis says, a ounce of solemness in his voice as he glares at the crouching form of Maul.

Feeling totally beaten, Maul stares down at Kenobi's amputated hands. Now, Kenobi will die with Jinn and Maul following soon afterwards.

'No.' Something whispers to him. 'Use the Force, you can still remedy this.'

Maul wraps his hand around the other man's right cold yet burnt wrist.

The Force washes through Kenobi's prone body, swirling in eddies around his stab wound.

In his mind, he pictures Sidious attacking him. He pictures Sidious's time tormenting him as he is locked away like a wild animal.

He pictures the moment his lightsaber stabbed through Duchess Satine. He pictures the moment he'd blinded Jarrus.

He ignores the way his stomach twists in... disgust at his own actions. He has to save Kenobi as unlikely as that once would have been.

He concentrates, he uses his rage, channels it into the Force and…

A sudden rush of darkness floods over him. His own darkness.

The Force trembles, and complies with his demands.

The Dark Side rushes over him again, and he focuses on Kenobi's badly injured lungs, pouring much of his energy.

For a moment, Kenobi's ruined tissues alters, his scarred lungs and injured alveoli and constricted passages smooth out and becomes whole. That is not all-

Kenobi lay before him, his body shimming in a dark red hue, the worst of his injuries - sans his chest which may require intensive medical treatment - being healed. His other scars are deep and beyond Maul's repair so a bacta tank or a coma will be necessary for possible surgeries that is to come.

That's the best Maul can do...

The Dark Side still needs an anchor to release it on, and Maul will not give up until spent. Plagueis will be that one, and soon so will Sidious.

With a rallying cry, Maul dashes forward, both sides of the blade activating in a instant and crashing against Plagueis's...

"You will pay for your actions!" Maul promises darkly, double-blade lightsaber working furiously as he drives the Muun back to the edge of the mountain.

Plagueis swing his lightsaber around to decapitate his head.

Maul dodges, blocking the blow to his flank.

Pushing the Muun on his back foot, the two clash lightsabers, their contrasting colours reflecting off of their faces.

"I sense great fear in you, Maul. You have hate. You have anger. And you use them impressively, but that anger is not set in the right place. You need concentration!"

Darth Maul will make him regret the damage he has done.

Something is wrong.

For a split second when flying, Anakin had felt an immense pain, as if something that wasn't meant to happen just did, and now the consequences are so painfully obvious. That feeling had caused him to temporarily lose control over the Starfighter and crash into the Droid Control Ship's hanger.

Which was oddly fortunate since it led him to blow it up.

R2 did most of the heavy lifting with figuring out the innate systems. Turns out lot of Nubian Technology shares same basic operation standards and Anakin was told how to rudimentary pilot Queen Amidala's cruiser by the nice Captain, which was much bigger than the N-1.

Anakin feels the urge growing stronger, reminding him to keep his attention to the matter at hand. What the kriff is going on back on Naboo? He feels someone close to him suddenly... being ripped apart, can see the faces of many Gungans including Jar Jar, and...

He didn't know why, it just... It is no secret to the boy that there is something in his head that has always been there, muttering softly, but hastily, for him to obey it's instruction: To go back to Naboo, and find Maul.

Quickly.

"Hurry it up R2!" Anakin shouts.

The Droid whistles at him, and the fighter speeds up. Anakin can feel a bit of pressure on his body, and figures the Droid lowers the shields a bit to put more power into the engines. The moment they land on the outside of the now ruined palace along with the other ships, he catches the smile from Sabé - Padmé's loyal bodyguard - which seems pained but ignores her as well, as he gets out of the cockpit and makes a quick dash to the forest. Anakin stares around, utterly lost. There are so many rocks and also a beautiful lake of water...

Anakin finally finds himself on a boulder and looks down to see that there is a long fall. He looks around, wanting to see if there is any way down, but there is not enough time.

He stares back down.

Can he?

There is a small murmuring in the back of his head, a whisper of yes.

For a moment, he feels entirely unsure. If he tries, and fails to jump like that, he will fall and definitely the result will not be pretty. It would be the equivalent of a pod racer going off or a slave chip exploding.

Yet, that whisper, that feeling, it urges him to do so, to trust in it, in his instincts. He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and put his faith in the feeling that have been his companion for so many years. He crouches, opened his eyes, and launches. It feels for a moment like someone has blasted him into the air before he begins falling slowly. He flies to the bottom, onto a large and long ground, and lands on his feet, not even stumbling.

He stands there, stunned for a moment, before he grins and cries, "That's kriffing wizard!"

Oh man! Wait until he tells Maul about that!

Oh right.

Maul.

The sound of clashing causes Anakin to flip around. He moves over and sees something. He squints his eyes, seeing that Maul is dueling a... - what is it - fiercely. The boy can sense Maul's desperation as he tries to push him off of the edge.

"Maul!"

His dark friend finally tilts his head to him, and his eyes go wide. "Skywalker!"

The monster of his deepest nightmares snaps his eyes to him before to Maul and make a small noise. He pulls Anakin Skywalker to him, swinging his blade back to his direction...

Maul's icy fury burns up. He doesn't know why he felt so protective over the boy. Perhaps because he looks up to him like a hero, and has unbounded faith in him. Alas, he shouldn't have—the Jedi and even some members of the Naboo crew has looks of caution. The boy is meant to be instrumental to his plan and that's all. No emotional contact...

He would need him to overthrow Sidious's allies, that much is for certain. But he is meant to be a tool, his power meant to serve Maul to help him overthrow Sidious and his followers...

...But there is still the fact that the little shit cares about him, even if he shouldn't...

Maybe he did care, to at least some small degree, after all. But nevertheless, whatever the reason, he turns around. With a burst of energy he didn't know he has, he dives his pathway toward the boy, approaching the little boy as the blade swing in.

The Zabrak darts in, arms wrapped around him in a instant. Perhaps it is a little harsh and the landing would not be one of Skywalker's best… but alas, he is not one to care at that moment. He almost died...

"ACKKKkkk!"

Maul grunts out suddenly as the tip of Plagueis's saber did manage to cauterize his shoulder.

Skywalker is safe but not out of danger.

Despite his wound, Maul musters some additional physical strength, pushing forward with his lightsaber and out of the blade lock, causing the Muun to counter.

The two exchange a fast series of strikes against one another, almost bending their lightsabers in the process. Now away from the mountain, they both go all out, knowing that they wouldn't have to worry about receiving a falling death...

"I praised you! Sidious often chastised you and called you sloppy and prideful! And now you want to destroy me!" Plagueis snarls. "Even now I give you a chance to cease this fruitless rebellion and join me and break yourself away from Sidious!"

Pushing his saber against the Muun's, Maul tries to formulate a plan in the back of his mind.

Plagueis is the superior one out of them both, that isn't up for debate. The Muun is older and have learned from a extremely powerful Sith whereas Maul never completed his training, despite the knowledge that he has learned from the Sith Master.

"To pretend that I need you is a bold assumption," Maul states.

Twisting the 'saber back, Maul dodges to the side to avoid a flurry of strikes, swinging his weapon to counter, something that works shockingly. He now presses the attack, hoping to get a blow that will spell the doom of the scientist Sith. Unfortunately, he manages to retaliate like he has done throughout this battle many times.

The Zabrak is forced to retreat, recalling what happened with his battle with Jarrus. Unfortunately, the Muun does not give him any chance to back away as he continues to press forward, eyes flashing with rage. "Very well! I will take the Chosen One as my test subject and break him when I finish conducting my research of what I need of him! You will have no use!"

Both presses close against one another, noses almost touching. Plagueis pulls his head back and slams it forward, sending Maul back somewhat. It stuns him long enough, and the Sith takes the advantage, break the blade-lock, and driving his lightsaber straight through his stomach. Maul glances down at the blade embedded deeply, his saber staff deactivating as it slips out of his hands.

"Maul!" Skywalker shouts, running forward...

No! No!

He is meant to-

"Wasted potential," the Muun snarls before retracting his blade and deactivating it, reaching out to grab him in the last second and whispers. "Not to worry, Maul, your knowledge of the future would serve my plans well. It is quite a shame that you have barely made a impact of this timeline that has been positive. If anything, even if the Naboo win you had died on the side of the Jedi, nothing but a failed Sith, and the boy now in my possession."

Plagueis's grip relinquishes and Maul collapses to his knees, his vision blurring.

He is unable to think.

Pain and emptiness is all that awaits him.

Still, he reaches for the Dark Side in his last moment of desperation, knowing that he have failed and perhaps made the galaxy worse...

At that moment, he feels a shift in the Force as if it has just answered to his call, looking to see Skywalker standing up. The Dark Side suddenly comes to another...

Maul can feel Skywalker's internal conflict, the voice in his head ever so dark and tempting...

Kill him.

Kill him!

KILL HIM!

Anakin submits without question, slowly raising his hands up to the Dark Lord of the Sith. Oh kark! What in the name of Revan is the boy doing?!

Maul feels the Force swirling around him, his lungs suddenly repairing himself...

Plagueis looks amused briefly before his eyes go wide, swinging his lightsaber toward the boy as the Force screams in danger. Maul jumps up, activating his saberstaff and blocking the lightsaber assault. The boy's cold expression never wavers, and strands of red lightning pours from his fingertips, crashing unsuspectingly against the Dark Lord of the Sith.

This catches him completely off-guard and buy a chance for the recovered Qui-Gon Jinn to lunge forward and stab his lightsaber through his thigh. Despite the electricity still tearing against his lightsaber, the Muun tears the blade out with his left hand and throws the hilt several feet away, before kicking him in the spine and sending him flying backwards.

Coming closer to Skywalker despite the electricity keeping him as far away as possible, Plagueis examines him, now appearing to be in a frenzied state. "It is you! That's impossible! That experiment was not only a failure but wiped out all of my others!" The Muun begins murmuring a bunch of squabbles that Maul nor Skywalker understands. "We are undone! You are going to undo us!"

Maul attacks yet again with lightning quickness, resuming the assault with deafening blows. Plagueis barely turns around in time, sending a kick at his stomach which keeps him some distance away while keeping the lightning at bay. Skywalker's cheek throbs as he continues to press his own attack summoned by the Force...

Jinn looks at Maul and Plagueis before aiming his hand at his lightsaber hilt and tossing it at the Muun who turns in the last moment, only for the lightsaber to cauterize his right eye, causing him to bellow and move the hand not wielding the lightsaber to clutch his bloody eye...

Maul takes the opportunity to charge forward again. Plagueis deflects... in the wrong place because of his poor eye and the lightning disorienting him. Skywalker's lightning continues to tear at his defences as Maul continues to batter his own lightsaber against Plagueis, knocking the hilt out of his hands...

Plagueis didn't have time to even react as Skywalker engulfs him with his new power now without his lightsaber shielding him, causing the Muun to scream. Maul aids Skywalker, also pressing his own power against the Muun, and Jinn also do so after a moment. Together, they send him somersaulting off of the surface, plummetting below. A piercing and terrifying scream emerges before absolute nothingness...

Making his way to the foggy edge, Maul glares at where Plagueis falls, hoping to see a body or something at the bottom. At last, the abyss is unforseen. Hopefully, the fall would have killed the Muun or else this timeline would have yet another threat to worry about.

Skywalker's forehead creases with sweat, appearing to lose focus as he drops onto the ground, looking at his hands still seeming to emanate power. "What in Watto's wings was that?!"

The Zabrak's lightsaber retreats into his hilt and he plants his hand on where he have been stabbed through like Jinn did by Maul decades ago. He should have died like the Jedi Master did all those years ago!

But the Dark Side in essence just saved Maul by flooding Skywalker with its wanton presence, perhaps damning him to the path of Vader regardless.

Staring at the boy, Maul looks straight into his yellow tinted eyes, a heavy source of untrained darkness radiating around the boy.

Arthur's note: Warning a little rant ahead. Henceforth, due to a lot of spike for Disney, the only thing Canon in this fic is The Clone Wars, Rebels, and the Bad Batch (when these shows are not insulting the EU). I was thinking about adding more Disney Canon stuff before I decided you know what enough is enough with this toxic organization that use to be good a decade ago and changed my whole script in the last few weeks. The reason for this rant? You may ask. Jodie Turner Smith called Star Wars patriarchal. Padmé Naberrie, Sabé, Siri Tachi, Aayla Secura, Depa Billaba, Luminara Unduli, Barriss Offee, Leia Organa-Skywalker, Winter Celchu, Ahsoka Tano, Hera Syndulla, Sabine Wren, Jaina Solo-Organa-Skywalker, Bastila Shan, Cara Dune, Juhani, Mission Vao, Numa, Mara Jade, Satine Kryze, Bo Katan, Asajj Ventress, Sev'rance Tann, Komari Vosa, Arihnda Pryce, Mon Mothma, Juno Eclipse, Shmi Skywalker. These are ALL strong protagonists or supporting people in some way. This is why this franchise has decayed because you have borderline incompetence in the spotlight or run the franchise who doesn't know a clue about Star Wars. Passing a decade ago, Star Wars was in a much better condition with George Lucas than it EVER was with idiots currently running the fanbase. The people who support Disney and allow comments like that disgusts me. I'm not referencing the Book of Boba Fett, I'm not referencing Mandalorian passed season 2 after this season have been complete shit, I'm not referencing Kenobi, and I'm DEFINITELY am not referencing that horrible trilogy that calls itself the Sequel Trilogy!

I'm sorry but I am fucking done with this kriffing company that has no respect for the fans and have ruined one of the greatest if not THE greatest franchises in all times. If anyone has a problem with that, then I'm sorry but I'm just fucking pissed with the amount of shit that this franchise I still care about greatly is trying its hardest to fail.

Rant over, May the Force be with you all always.