Echoing throughout the force, there was...a sound. The sound was not a roaring fire. It was not thunder or lighting. It was not roaring tides or rushing wind.
No, this sound could only be described as crackling; the groaning of ice cracking beneath the feet…the growling of cracks in a mountain before an avalanche…the shaking of glass before it gave way. So light yet so sharp and so ominous. It was the sound foreshadowing doom and death in a dark place.
Across the galaxy, the force sensitives fell into a strange quiet, looking up or into the distance. What they were looking and waiting for, even some of the learned didn't know.
But even if they did sense the galactic audience they currently had, the two Dark Siders paid them no mind.
Maul clutched his dual lightsaber with an iron grip, his entire body tense as he watched the Titan of Darkness staring down at him. The assassin looked for any movement, any tell, any sense of where the attack would come from.
But there was none. His foe did not move a muscle, his own lightsaber still on his belt.
*Kuuuuuuh Kerrr*
And all the while, that breathing grated at his nerves…mocking him, taunting him, showing him that this durasteel statue was indeed alive and just didn't deign to speak to him now.
*Kuuuuuuh Kerrr*
And even in this desert, each breath felt like it took a bit more of the heat with it.
*Kuuuuuuh Kerrr*
Maul grit his teeth just short of snarling as Vader finally stepped forward. The black fist lowered, but remained clenched as he began to stride at a deceivingly leisurely pace.
Igniting his lightsaber on one end and forcing himself to focus, Maul realized that while keeping up this opening in the storm was impressive, it had to require a great deal of focus. Meaning that a measure of his enemy's abilities was held back by the need to keep this storm at bay. And if he released it, it would turn into a game of being able to find and out maneuver each other in this sandstorm. Maul wasn't sure if that was a much better prospect but this Dark Sider didn't seem built for speed, relative to Sith and Jedi at least.
For now, he just had to keep his senses about him and wait for the blow to com-
*WOOSH!*
Maul hit the ground, rolling to his feet with a frantic, wild look in his eye. He had no idea what just happened. He had been blindsided on his left by a sudden force pelting his skin with biting grains of sand and carrying enough power to knock him off his feet.
*Kuuuuuuh Kerrr*
And still Vader marched over the sand to him, the gap more than half closed now.
Maul realized he had clearly underestimated this being, to assume that he would be able to sense the force attacks coming with any degree of ease.
With that in mind, he dashed forward, his weapon twirling expertly in his hand. He had to stay moving, stay on the offensive and not let himself be-
*WOOSH!*
-attacked so easily.
He growled as he summoned the force to spin himself in midair and land on his feet. He had been just out of striking range! And what technique was that? There wasn't even any additional force-exertion Maul could detect coming from his opponent to form those attacks!
"Sand has an unfortunate habit of getting everywhere, as you're discovering," Darth Vader commented casually as he came to a stop several sword-lengths away from his foe…his saber still on his belt.
Maul felt the rage flow through his body, emboldening him and his power over the force. This unknown Dark Sider didn't even consider him a threat enough to hold his lightsaber at the ready. Not even Sidious did that in their spars, not anymore.
Shooting his hand out, the Dathomirian sent his own wave of sand into the face of the cyborg before leaping to his right, hoping to evade Vader's attack and senses.
*WOOSH!*
It worked, barely. Vader had blocked the attack with ease, but the red male was able to dodge past the wall of wind and sand that nearly hit him.
And as he went through the air, his eyes were wide as he finally saw the truth of the trick. The wall of sand had emerged from the edge of the force-barrier holding back the storm, the wind and sand rushing through a gap in the invisible obstruction.
His enemy was not using the force to strike him with the sand at all. Rather, he was manipulating the shield holding out the storm, allowing it entry into their arena and directing the wind as a weapon.
Maul almost smirked as he realized why his opponent wasn't using his lightsaber. The entire area, the very storm itself was being used as a weapon against him.
That was a bit less insulting to his warrior spirit, but more troubling to his warrior mind. Especially with how the barrier of gushing winds and blinding sand still separated them. Reaching out his senses, he felt the Dark Side holding the storm and where the gap had been formed. If he could stay mindful of where they form, he should have a good idea of when and where to-
*WOOSH!*
-dodge! To the left!
*WOOSH!*
*WOOSH!*
Forwa- No, back!
Maul grit his teeth as two walls of storm collided in front of him, just barely dodging this attack before the next came.
But dodge and leap and dash he did. He hated it, loathed not being able to strike at his enemy. Unfortunately, very few gaps stayed up, shortening the room Maul had available to move around in bit by bit.
'He's cornering me, corralling me. But for what?' Maul questioned himself, now trapped in a diamond shape less than a dozen meters from one side to another.
Deciding not to let his enemy spring whatever trap he was being led to, Maul conjured a great deal of the force and his concentration to his legs and leapt high, going over the crisscrossing sand walls. For the brief moment as his ascent slowed and before gravity caught up with him, he spied his adversary. Unsurprisingly, he was on the far side of the area from where Maul had been briefly cornered.
As he landed, he burst into a dead sprint for Vader, who had watched his descent with interest. Maul was prepared for a new round as Vader turned to face him.
"Enough," Vader commanded firmly as he unclenched his fist-
*WOOOOOOOSH!*
- and let the storm engulf them both.
Maul wrapped the Dark Side around him, using his rage and fury to push through the overwhelming winds, if only enough to strike his foe. And yet as he swung forward and slashed in all direction, he hit nothing but sand, sending flakes of glass into the howling winds.
'So you can think beyond simply attacking. Impressive, for a hound,' the mental voice called, praise and mockery in even measure in that synthesized voice.
'Why do you hide, Imposter!? Do you fear my power, that of a true Sith!?' Maul mentally railed, trying to get a fix on where he was. But the storm clouded his physical senses and the mere presence of this one was too overwhelming to pinpoint with the force at this range.
*Kuuuuuuh Kerrr*
Maul slashed behind himself, only slicing through a small stack of boulders.
'You still cling to that notion? You are blinded by your own strength. Your master has never and will never grant you chance to grasp true power,' Vader taunted.
'Your lies will not work on me like some weak minded fool! I have been taught by the most powerful being in the galaxy!' Maul boasted.
'Second.'
The claim had been so simple, so offhanded that it actually gave Maul pause.
'...What do you mean, Second? You believe yourself to be greater than the Dark Lord of the Sith?!' Maul demanded suspiciously.
*Kuuuuuuh Kerrr*
He wildly sent a wave of force energy out at a dark mass, finding it to be just a mass of sand and a trick of the wind.
'Even if your belief held true, you would still only student to second best,' Vader answered mockingly. 'You do not serve the Master, assassin. Darth Sidious is merely the true apprentice himself, to Darth Plagueis.'
Maul went wide eyed at that. He was ready to scoff at these claims until he heard THAT name. Sidious had spoken of the "previous" master of the Dark Side, of his great mind and achievement before ultimately dying at Sidious's hands as was the custom.
'You lie. Plagueis has been dead for nearly a decade! Bested in combat by my Master!' Maul countered.
*Kuuuuuuh Kerrr*
*WISP!*
If he were not a trained user of the force, Maul might have lost his footing when the wind suddenly stopped pelting him…and only him. Whereas before he had been in a great open cylinder in the storm, now it was merely a hallway…a long pathway that the treacherous weather refused to enter. And on the opposite end of it, with the wind parting behind him and billowing his cape, stood Darth Vader himself.
"Do you truly believe that?" Vader called, his voice carried by the howling wind. "Then come, Son of Dathomir and let me demonstrate what Sidious has lacked to teach," he challenged as he held his arms open in welcome.
For a moment, Maul hesitated. For a moment, he began to doubt and wonder. Could he be right? Could everything he know be a lie?
Then he steeled himself. It didn't really matter. True or false, this was his enemy. And neither reality would change that.
With that, he flew. His feet barely touched the ground as he sped towards Vader with all the power and speed his rage and power could bring to bear.
At the last instance, Vader's lightsaber shot into his left hand.
Maul spun his lightsaber around his back and activated the other half of his dual weapon.
He swung to take the cyborg by surprise on the right.
And Vader caught it.
*PWOOoooo*
The winds were pushed back once more by the sheer strength of the Force, into an unstable sphere as the sands trembled before the struggling duo.
And Maul could only stare in wrathful incomprehension as his red saber refused to move closer than four inches from Vader's open right palm, locked in place purely by the force.
Lock was the accurate word there, as Maul could not move his saber and began to feel a great pressure upon his limbs. He grit his teeth as he stood his ground, his feet sinking into the sand when he refused to fall to his knees.
"Think back, Hound of the Apprentice!" Vader called over the wind as he pushed him down. "Did Sidious ever tell you how he killed his Master?"
Maul growled as he attempted to use the force to push back, to escape this hold, this...cage. Vader's hand twitched back for an instance, but held him firmly still.
"Did he gloat? Did he relish in the remembrance? Do you think for a moment that Sidious wouldn't treasure that memory, of claiming his long awaited mantle from his master's corpse?!" Vader demanded as he brought his other hand up, still holding the unlit light saber.
Maul's snarl was now pain filled as his knees shook while the sand started to engulf his legs.
Vader's breathing quieted.
As did the winds.
For a moment, the two were as if statues, save the billowing of Vader's cloak.
"And do you truly believe that he, your master, would ever leave his fate up to a duel?" Vader asked simply as he stared right into Maul's eyes. "And if I'm wrong, why did he never show you his face on Coruscant?
Maul blinked.
His knees finally gave out, his lightsaber disabled. He stared up, his rage still evident, but a spark of suspicion leaked onto his visage.
"He never even reveal his true name, did he? Or Plagueis's?" Vader asked knowingly as he gazed down at the assassin.
Maul's grip on his weapon tightened.
"When you flee to your Master to report your failure, when he demands you tell him every detail of your battle with me? Tell him I gave you this name," Vader all but ordered before giving the name, causing Maul to go wide eyed. "Give that name to him and witness your master rage at what I know."
Maul didn't move for an instance, looking unsure if he should continue to fight or flee.
Then they both twitched as the sandstorm abruptly ended. With the airborne sand no longer attempting to assault them, the two Dark Siders looked to the side; Vader to his right and Maul to his left.
The Force worked in interesting ways. It revealed a great many things to its practitioners, but it seemed to pick the oddest and most inopportune blind spots.
Most saw this as a force user overestimating their abilities.
Vader, on the other hand, just thought the Force had a twisted sense of humor…hence why he was now starring down a large, multi-legged mouth of teeth. Otherwise known as a krayt dragon
*ROOOOOAR!*
'I loathe this planet,' Vader thought in resignation as he, finally, ignited his lightsaber.
Meanwhile
Obi-Wan knew that he wouldn't be getting much sleep that night even when the dual suns set on the horizon. It would be impossible for him with the echoes of the Sith-on-Sith battle still ringing through the force, and the added knowledge that neither Vader nor this other Dark Sider was dead. Yet, he had neither seen nor felt hide nor hair of either of them approaching since their battle. He'd pass that up as either his inexperience or their prowess in force-stealth, but with the lack of word or warning from his master, he was fairly sure neither was making an attempt there either.
"Padawan Obi-Wan," Panaka addressed, leaning in from a door way.
The Jedi apprentice looked up from his thoughts, "Yes, Captain?" he asked in interest, hiding his grogginess.
In all his life among the Jedi, this was the first night he recalled feeling a physical NEED for coffee or at least something of that nature.
"He's returned," The Nabooian answered with professional grimness.
Obi-Wan resisted the urge to sigh. "How bad of a mood is he in?" He asked in acceptance of the situation.
"...It's best if you come and see," Panaka suggested after a moment of uncertainity.
As he was becoming fond of saying, Obi-Wan had a bad feeling about this.
Without another word, he headed towards the ramp of the ship. As he descended into the sandy terrain, he raised an eyebrow as he failed to see the dark figure of the strangely helpful Sith in the shade of night. "Captain Panaka?" he asked inquiringly, glancing at him over the shoulders.
Panaka handed the Jedi a pair of electrobinoculars while pointing out to their outer right. Obi-Wan took the offered device, scanning the area with night-vision until...
"What is he riding?" Obi-Wan asked in confusion.
"Unless I'm mistaken, I believe that's a bantha," Panaka answered offhandedly.
"In this sand pit?" Obi-Wan asked in bewilderment.
"Banthas can adapt to most planets from what I hear. Though, I agree with the sentiment," Panaka explained, wondering how such large herbivores survived here.
"The universe truly never ceases to amaze. Such as Vader riding in on one," Obi-Wan snarked in amusement as a distinctly annoyed durasteel cyborg dismounted the beast, which turned around to make itself scarce.
The pair watched as their dark ally stalked up to them with his usual posture that radiated authority. The blood covering his right glove and the speckle on his helm add to the imagery of a returning warrior. "...It has been a long day," Vader commented simply.
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. That was the most normal thing Vader had said in the Padawan's few days of knowing him. "I hope that blood is from someone that deserved it," Obi-Wan commented idly.
"A Krayt dragon," Vader answered simply.
"...Didn't you say something about hiding under one?" Obi-Wan asked wryly.
Panaka took a step back as the air grew colder around them while Vader fixed his gaze on the young Jedi.
"One? Yes, but two can makes things problematic," The Sith Lord elaborated, his synthetic voice somehow conveying irritation.
"Oh..." Obi-Wan said awkwardly, not sure what to say now without worsening the mood. People skills wasn't his greatest quality.
"And the bantha?" Panaka inquired for the sake of moving things along.
"I was considering returning upon one of the dragons, but decided to spare you all the alarm. So I set the surviving Krayt upon a group of Tusken Raiders while I acquired a bantha in their confusion," Vader answered, a bit amused by their paling expressions.
Killing Tusken Raiders never ceased to be therapeutic.
"And your...opponent?" Obi-Wan asked slowly.
Panaka glanced between the two suspiciously, drawing the Sith's attention.
"The Jedi is referring to a force-wielding assassin sent after your Queen, Captain," Vader answered bluntly. Obi-Wan looked at him in shock at the casual reveal while Panaka was stunned, glaring at the Jedi for a moment before refocusing on Darth Vader. "I bested him in combat, but the Krayt dragons made themselves known at that time, allowing him to steal my speeder," Vader finished, clearly annoyed by that.
"Do you believe he is still a threat?" Panaka asked grimly.
"For my own reasons, I made it a point to avoid deadly force at that stage. Physically, he is more than capable of continuing his mission. However, he clearly did not plan for or enjoy facing a foe such as myself. He may still make the attempt, but he is as likely to return to the one who sent him to voice his displeasure," Vader responded, noting Obi-Wan was eyeing him oddly for his wording.
"...Is Master Qui-Gon in any danger then?" Panaka asked carefully, trying to hide his worry.
Vader would give the captain credit; it would have worked if he didn't already know the truth aboutthe Queen. "Unlikely. This assassin radiates a lack of subtlety. Though, if he did so, it would be solely to challenge the Jedi."
Panaka stiffened for a moment before nodding. "I'd like more information, but I'm guessing you'd like time to rest...and clean up," Panaka acknowledged with a grimace at the smell.
Vader fully agreed with that line of thought. "Do not feel ashamed, Captain. Even among those that inhabit this planet of filth, Krayt blood has a uniquely strong foulness to it."