As they got closer to the Sith temple, Ezra Bridger could only begin to wonder what was happening. As if by magic, the temple had come to life, sounds and light basking over the barren wasteland of Malachor. Kanan hadn't done anything to activate the temple. Ezra had not either.
And neither had their captive Inquisitor, who despite his cryptic answers in the interrogation, seemed to be cooperating with the two Jedi as they sprinted towards the base of the pyramid structure.
So that just left Ahsoka. Despite not knowing her that long, or that well for that matter, Ezra was willing to bet that the sudden activation of the Sith temple was something to do with the former Jedi. She had made it quite clear in the Lothal Jedi temple that she no longer considered herself a Jedi, and thus not bound by their doctrines. But the thought of her manipulating and activating Sith technology made Ezra uneasy. Her presence in the force was usually so bright and comforting, unlike the darksiders he had come across. In comparison, Kanan, who despite being routed in the light himself, often had a more reserved signature.
Ezra hoped he would never have to feel either of those presences disappear, who worse be corrupted by the darkness around him.
Up ahead, Kanan and the Inquisitor had come to a halt at the base of the temple. Before them was a large stone door, and from Ezra's perspective, there was no way to open it.
"Now what?" Ezra directed the question at Kanan, who was equally stumped at the situation.
The Inquisitor began cackling out loud. A sharp harsh sound to Ezra's ears.
"What's so funny?" Kanan snapped at the Inquisitor. Clearly his presence was having a negative impact on his master's demeanour.
Rather than respond, the Inquisitor's cackled only increased in volume and intensity.
In that second, Kanan's comm burst to life, Chopper making various selection of panicked sounds from the other end.
"What do you mean company?" Kanan asked the droid. He didn't have to wait for a response however.
Even from a distance Ezra could hear the unmistakable sounds of the Inquisitors blades spinning. No doubt it was the two who had practically been stalking them for months now, since the incident with the abandoned republic medical facility. Ezra turned to look at the direction of the sounds.
His jaw dropped open with shock.
The two new arrivals, clearly Inquisitors from the blade colour were flying with their lightsabers. Using them much like their captive had early, the blades rotating in mid-air, allowing the Inquisitors to slowly descend towards one another. Ezra stared dumbfounded at the action.
"Ezra! Focus!" Kanan called to him.
"How the kriff can they do that? We can't do that!" Ezra shouted, snapping out of his shocked trance.
"Language!" Kanan responded, grabbing his lightsaber and igniting the blade. Ezra copied the motion, readying himself for a fight. They had taken them before, they could do it again.
Suddenly a heavy mass smashed into Kanan, knocking him to the floor. Their captive had found a way free of his restraints, and rushed Kanan. Ezra watched as the Inquisitor summoned his own lightsaber from Kanan's collapsed form, before dashing round the two Jedi to join his companions. The two Inquisitors had become three.
Kanan stood back up, recovering from his fall.
The two Jedi stood back to back as the Inquisitors circled them.
"An excellent catch Eighth Brother." The Mirialan Inquisitor said, before she charged at the Jedi, blade at the ready.
Despite the commotion that had occurred in retrieving the holocron, Ahsoka and Maul walked in silence down the hallways of the temple. The two had discovered a newfound respect for one another, despite their differences. They would never be friends, but they had both been willing to show a level of trust in one another unforeseen between the light and the dark before. Perhaps this was the start of a more permanent alliance between the two.
Ahsoka's train of thought turned to the holocron that now lay in her possession. She assumed that it opened the same way a Jedi holocron did. But when she had tried it had not opened. Maul had been quick to inform her why.
"To open such a device one must be a Sith or think like one."
That was all he had offered, before stating that he would lead them to an exit. Ahsoka had no intention of becoming a Sith anytime soon, despite her predicament. She may have used the darkside in order to acquire the holocron, but she did not like it. It was a necessary evil. Like most things in her life nowadays.
Soon the duo came to a large stone door, and Ahsoka prepared herself for another lifting exercise.
Maul stopped her before she began.
"No need my dear. Now we have the holocron, navigation around the temple will be significantly easier."
"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked.
"Sith holocrons are keys that can open any door." Maul responded, gesturing with his hand towards the holocron. "Give it to me. I will show you."
Had Maul asked her to give him anything at the start of their partnership she would have outright refused. But now was different. She had to trust him.
She found she wanted to trust him. So she handed him the holocron.
Rather than commit some heinous deed and betray her, Maul merely took the holocron and placed it into a small slot on the wall next to the door. Seconds later, the door lit up red, much like the rest of the temple and began to slowly open. Maul removed the holocron and held it out to her. Surprised, she took it, half expecting Maul to retain it for himself. Maul simply smiled at her.
As the door slowly lifted, a sound reached her montrals. Maul heard it seconds later, looking over at Ahsoka in concern.
"It would appear your friends are in trouble." Maul stated the obvious. The sound of lightsabers clashing together. The grunts of Kanan and Ezra as they fought whoever was outside only filled Ahsoka with dread.
'Please don't be Vader.' She thought.
As the door lifted, she got her first glimpse of the situation before her. Three Inquisitors had backed Kanan and Ezra into a corner. Clearly the two were tired and worn out from the fight. Luckily their help had arrived. The corner they had so happened to be backed into was the door from which Ahsoka and Maul were now emerging.
Wasting no time, Ahsoka ignited her white blades and ran to join the action, clashing with the Mirialan Inquisitor and pushing the other two back with a harsh force push.
She wasn't messing around today. This was serious.
"Ahsoka Tano. So nice of you to join us. Lord Vader will be pleased." The Inquisitor smirked, malice clear on her face.
Just the name of the man her master had become filled her with despair and anger. He would be coming. She was sure of it.
The Inquisitor backed off to join her companions, who had recovered from the push Ahsoka had sent towards them. Kanan and Ezra pulled up at her side ready.
"Three on Three. An even fight." The large Inquisitor snarled, clearly looking forward to the fight. Ahsoka felt like laughing. If only they knew.
Seconds later they did.
"Four on Three actually."
From behind her a figure flew over the top of the Jedi, landing before the Inquisitors. Maul was clearly not hindered by age. In seconds his doubled bladed red saber was out, and Maul let out a flurry of strikes at the three Inquisitors, forcing them to back peddle even further.
"The shadow?!"
"Who is that?!"
"Darth Maul lives?!"
Panic seemed to overtake the Inquisitor's as Maul attacked them, giving them no quarter. The Zabrak slashed at the Mirialan, who only just brought her saber up in time, whilst simultaneously using his walking stick to hit the larger Inquisitor over his head, stunning him briefly.
If Kanan and Ezra were surprised by the sudden appearance of Maul, let alone the fact that he was seemingly helping them, they didn't show it.
Ahsoka dashed to assist Maul, clashing with the newest Inquisitor and getting into a blade lock.
Maul too was locked in combat with the Mirialan, whilst Kanan and Ezra duelled the larger Inquisitor.
Ahsoka had been in some crazy duels before, but this was intense.
"Fall back!" The Mirialan called, before she and her brothers disengaged from combat and disappeared into the dark ruins of Malachor.
Ahsoka made no move to pursue. Neither did Maul.
They had earned a brief respite. One that would allow them to plan for what lay ahead. Right now she had to be sure Kanan and Ezra were ok.
"Kanan, Ezra. You two good?" She asked, clearly concerned. The two didn't respond, both preoccupied with looking at Maul with distaste.
'Oh. Right' Ahsoka thought.
Maul too was looking at the two Jedi, silently judging them. Ahsoka only hoped he would uphold the alliance just a little longer.
"Greetings friends of Lady Tano. I am Maul." The Zabrak seemed to have a sense of humour about him, which as far as Ahsoka knew, was unlike him. But it would work to her advantage.
"Hi." Ezra chirped, clearly believing that they had encounter some long lost friends of Ahsoka's. Kanan however was sceptical.
"Ahsoka?" He cautiously took a step back from the Zabrak. Ahsoka knew what he needed.
"We're on the same side Kanan, despite our philosophical differences." Ahsoka hoped it would be enough to placate Kanan for now. She didn't have time to detail her journey through the Sith temple with Maul.
It seemed to work however. Kanan relaxed slightly, trusting Ahsoka.
"If you say so." He responded. "But he is a Sith Lord."
A look of shock overtook Ezra's face.
"What?!" The boy whispered to his master.
Maul sighed in response, clearly agitated.
He approached Kanan and looked him square in the eyes.
"Formerly Darth. Now just Maul."
Author's Thoughts
So this marks the halfway point of this fic. Time to up the tension.
Glad people are liking this, much more to come, and more things will change.
Feel free to comment about anything, whether it be what you like or do not like. Or even to ask a question.
Speaking of which...
FossilQueen1984: Glad you are enjoying the direction of this story. It's about to change even more from canon. The song was my way of indicating that the Sith Holocron was calling out to Ahsoka and Maul through the force. I figure it's got to have a force signiture of some kind... right?
nadsteam1: Nice to know that this simple fic has improved your day. No need to worry though, this fic is already completely written, its just a case of editing and uploading each chapter.