In•hale

Two Padawans Don't Equal A Master

QUE MUSIC: Duel of the Fates

Ko-rah, Mah-tah, Ko-rah, Rat-tah-Mah!

I groggily woke to tiny hands shaking my shoulder. It was Anakin. I shook my head to come out of the daze I was in. I felt so weak.

Anakin asked, "Are you okay?"

I nodded slowly before memories of what happened before flooded my head. "Anakin, when did I pass out?" I asked urgently as I wobbly pulled myself up and grabbed my lightsaber off the ground.

"A-a few seconds ago. Why were you screami--?"

"Anakin stay here!" I ordered as I started into a slow but efficient run. If I was only out for a few seconds, I could easily catch up to Obi-Wan and Master Jinn. I almost heard Anakin say something, but I was already through the hangar door and turning down the hallway. I just had to follow their presence--

/So nice of you to wake up so soon./

It was his voice again. That sickly voice echoing in my mind. I was scared. I had no idea how to cast him out. The Force summoning wasn't working.

/Get out of my head you dirty Sith!/

/Why so vicious? I didn't think that was the Jedi way./

/I said out Sith!/

I turned a corner and into a large room that contained a bunch of catwalks in the air. I saw a green lightsaber, a blue one, and then a double bladed red one up on one of the highest catwalks. There they were!

/I have a name. It's Maul. You don't have to call me 'sith' little one./

I growled in disgust as I ran towards them. /Don't you ever call me little one again! Get out of my head!/

I leapt from one catwalk to the next, getting closer and closer to the potentially fatal dance happening above me.

/I don't know,/ His voice rammed against my skull. /I kind of like it here./

I ran faster, closing in on them. On him. I was finally on the same walkway, I just needed to run. Run.

/Why don't we play a game young one? I call it 'Kill one of these pesky Jedi, while I kill the other'. I think I'll choose the older one to make it easier on you./

I ran as fast as I could, ready to take down this 'Maul', but without warning, my muscles suddenly constricted and I stopped. I was stuck standing still as the battle continued in front of me. My muscles felt strained and tight. My breathing became fast and hitched. What was happening to me?

/Like I said before, you're mine now. You will do as I say, so take over the boy like I told you to./

/No./

I began running again, straight towards Obi-Wan.

/Maul, please no./

My legs weren't acting on their own for he was controlling them somehow, and it's one of the scariest things, not having control of your body. Thankfully, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Maul were moving away from me towards a hallway divided by red energy barriers. The barriers turned off as they approached and went through the hallway, but it didn't take them long to turn on again. Qui-Gon became separated from Maul, and Obi-Wan who was lagging behind, got stuck three barriers back.

Thankfully Maul stopped me before I hit the very first barrier.

Tension hung in the air like heavy smoke. My whole body twitched as I tried to regain control. Obi-Wan hopped from foot to foot in anticipation. Maul paced around in agitation, but Qui-Gon seemed to be the only calm one. He rested on his knees, pulling the Force around him for peace, steadiness and strength.