Archive of Our Own

Friendship, family, love, all words that had no meaning to him growing up. He knew what the words stood for when it came to other sentient beings in the galaxy, but to Maul that was all they were, words. To him the most important and meaningful words were loyalty and respect, both words that were closely tied to his master. 

As a child, Maul learned early on that the outside world was not only a harsh learning place, it was also filled with challenges. Challenges to his very way of life and the man who was responsible for raising him.

 He would look outside the one small window in his room and watch the inhabitants of his home planet go by their daily business, dreaming of what their lives would be like out there. When he was put outside with nothing but his own survival instinct, he quickly learned not to be too invested in what the lives of other life forms were like, they were all transient and of no consequence. He survived by killing to live, he learned that he loved the violence that enabled him to survive.

He would look at the droid that was responsible for training him and caring for his wounds, but that would also punish him when he did not fulfill his goals in training and his master was disappointed in his progress. The droid became a well known feature in his early life and though at some point he thought he could befriend it, in the end it also had to be destroyed, it ended up as discarded junk on the dining room floor.

Maul was just a child that grew up too soon, Maul had no choice, Maul was twisted and turned into a killing machine by his own master and  the only father figure he had ever had.

What Maul longed for most during his childhood, even when he did not realize it, was someone to take care of him just once, to stand up for him and shield him from the pain of punishment, from the loneliness, from being made into the Maul he ended up as.

In his late teens, Maul was sent to a private school. Not just any school, but one where every day was made into hell and where Maul was reminded of what he was meant to be in the future, an assassin, a killing machine, a disciple that would make his master proud. His graduation present was not the acceptance of his accomplishments, it was the order to destroy everything there and anyone there. Maul killed all the teachers and students that were there. He enjoyed the thrill of the moment, the taste of fear and blood that surrounded him as he went through the premises and laid waste to all and everything. He thrived on the sensation of their moments of death that was so present in the Force. The last two for him to kill were the two who had been the most present during his education. The headmaster who tried to stall for time by offering bribes died rather fast. The last person to die by his hands and who looked him in the eyes as she died was Kilindi, the Nautolan who befriended him, partnered up with him and who had been protective over him as much as he had been over her. Maul, completely twisted at that time, felt nothing as he watched her die.

But, as it so often happens to those who do not expect it, something happened that turned his entire world upside down. For his master, in the name of his master, Maul had killed many and he never felt any regrets. Maul felt pride, for it was for the greater honor of the Sith and it was necessary to further the plans his master had for the galaxy. He had even killed Jedi, a challenge he was proud to take on and even more proud to fulfill. It was also a Jedi that started the final twisting of his being.

The battle on Naboo was the beginning of the end for Maul. He battled not one but two Jedi and managed to kill who he considered to be the most dangerous of the two, Qui Gon Jinn had been an amazing adversary and died with some form of honor, at least that is what Maul thought of the man's death. The padawan however, underestimated this young man. It ended with him cut in half by a lightsaber and his fall into a deep, deep darkness.

Maul never wanted to think back as much, not about those times where he suffered and was submitted to many surgeries to restore him to a shape he once had known as being himself. Returning his lower body to him had been a long and arduous time where voices, faces, sounds and smells all became a blurry mess. He lost his strong contact with the Force and for the longest time he also lost contact with his true self. Until that one day.

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Maul had been traveling to several planets searching for his revenge. The latest bit of information he had gathered from several seedy places spoke of a man that had been trying to save some farmers in trouble. A male that used his mind tricks to let the pirates believe they were not in the right place with the right people and they should go for other urgent business. Just the information that Maul was looking for!

Traveling to the planet where what could only be a Jedi was supposed to be, was good for his attempts at meditation. For too long had he been in chaos, to fight a Jedi at full strength he needed to reconnect to the Force once more. The flight took several standard hours, time well spent in deep meditation where Maul managed to reach a new level of immersion in the Force. Now he felt more ready to vanquish the foe he had been searching for.

It was a simple, backwater little planet and the village he was told to go in order to find the Jedi was nothing more than a gathering of crummy shops, a dingy and very dirty bar. But, those were the places where all the best information could usually be found as well. It was the type of place where the more shady business would be handled by those who could not afford to be seen by officials. Bribery, assassinations and every other sort of criminal acts were business as usual. 

The first place he stepped into was a small shop, owned by a Trandoshan and not more than a small room with what seemed to be the hand me downs from the townsfolk, but would probably still sell well enough to the poor fools that traveled through. Thumbing the fabric of a simple tunic, Maul glances at the Trandoshan and moves towards the weary shop owner.

“Can I help you?” Carefully eyeing the new customer the owner speaks first. “I have new cloaks to try if you need one?”

Maul smirks at that and slowly removes his hood while maintaining eye contact. “I was told that a miracle worker has made his way to these regions and managed to save some farmers from ending up facing their maker. I would be…..” He waits a second before finishing his sentence as if he has to think for a moment, “highly appreciative if one could introduce me to such a person.”

The owner ponders what is said for a moment before giving any kind of response. “Such a person has been said to travel around in these regions. New arrivals usually do not last long here. This person made an impression helping out some folks around here and there. Perhaps some coin could help me remember the location?” A toothy grin and gleaming eyes, the owner rubs fingers together, showing the basic sign for payment.

Maul sighs and reaches in his pocket, throws some credits on the counter and narrows his eyes. “The information better be worth it.”

Not long after, Maul leaves the small store, draws his hood back over his head and moves towards the only bar, or what is supposed to go for a bar in this place. According to the Trandoshan that is where the farmers usually come. Those who were helped by the one he seeks. Stepping in, the first thing he notices is the heavy smell of spice and sweat.

Not many folks are inside at this time of day. The majority of people are working and the ones currently there are either too intoxicated, too high or not paying attention to the newcomer because they are conducting business of their own.

Stepping up to the bar he glances around and taps a credit to garner the attention from the bartender.

“What's your poison stranger?” The droid whirs towards him grabbing for an empty glass. 

“Spotchka and some information.”Maul drops some credits on the counter and looks up at the droid tending to him.

Handing him the spotchka, the droid seems to take it`s new customer in before answering. “Depending on the information you seek, I might or might not be able to provide.”

“I`m looking for that miracle worker, the one who helped out some farmers. I`m in need of some…… Help” The smile he shows does not reach his eyes and seems to even let the droid pause its movements, if only for a nano second.

“That individual has indeed been sighted here. However it is said he has left the planet after a few days since his `help` seemed to have garnered too much attention. According to the latest rumors, even the pleading of the local farmer association did not sway his mind.”

“I see, and where does one get the information needed to see if this individual did indeed leave the planet?” Maul grits his teeth as he asks for the information. If the droid was correct, he would have to find out where to go next from the travel plans and the chase would last even longer than intended. Maul was losing his patience with this chase and needed to conclude his quest for vengeance in order to move on.

Maul could easily draw out the one he is looking for, force out the one he is looking for. All he has to do is send out an invitation by means of brute force and the cries that would echo out through the force and lure his adversary in. But, that is not the confrontation that Maul wants, it is not the confrontation that Maul needs.

“For the right price, you will find that the individual sitting at the corner booth would be willing to help you get the required information. I suggest you greet him with a shot of spotchka and a well filled pocket.” The droid immediately places two glasses of spotchka in front of Maul and directs him to the person in question.

It did not take long for Maul to come to an agreement with the slicer. A couple of drinks, some explanations on what kind of intel he wanted and a credit filled pouch and a time and place to meet up was set. For now, Maul would have to sit and wait for three days. Slicing into Imperial networks was not as easy, not even on a backwater planet as the one he was currently residing on.

On the second day, Maul strolled through the dusty streets when he heard faint voices coming from behind an abandoned building. Curious, he silently moved towards the sounds and as they became more clear and he turned the corner he noticed a small group gathering around two figures.

“Please! They are just a kid. They didn't know what they were doing was wrong. They were just defending themselves.” A female voice, pleading with the people gathering around caught his attention.

“They kicked my son!”

“They bit me on my arm!”

Grumbling voices spat the accusations as the people drew closer to the two figures cowering. A young child, from the looks of it half Zabrak and half human hides behind the woman whose voice he had heard pleading.

“You scared them. They were defending themselves when you crowded them and tried to hit them. Leave them alone!” Quickly pushing the child behind her, the woman stands up straight and faces the small group. “If you want to punish someone, then punish me.”

“They stole fruit from our stall. They have been stealing for as long as they have been around. That monster should just die!” The man spitting the accusation reaches down at the ground and grabs for a small rock lying nearby.

Noticing the movement, the woman turns around and shields the child as the man throws the first rock. It hits her on the back, making her flinch as she bends her body to completely shield the child.

For a moment Maul can only watch in shock, until an old memory, an old feeling comes crashing into his mind. A young Maul, running into the wild of Dathomir, wishing to be found by someone that would protect him from being taken away by the man that felt as pure darkness. As the next stone is hurled towards the woman and child, he reaches out with his hand and stops it in midair.

Surprised by the piece of rock suddenly hanging still in the air in front of them, the people all whisper and gasp as they glance around. Only then do they notice the hooded stranger, hand stretched as if to stop them, casually strolling towards them.

“Only cowards and fools would attack a child and a woman in a group.” The softness of his voice does nothing to soothe the people as they see the building anger in his glowing eyes. When he flicks his hand, the suspended rock flings back towards the one who threw it and hits him on the nose. Blood spurts out of the nose as it breaks and the man falls back, clutching his face, muttering swearwords, or what would have been words had several of his teeth not been broken out of his mouth as well by the force with which the rock had hit him.

Quickly recognising the danger they found themselves in all of the sudden, the group dissipates, dragging the injured man with them, leaving behind a shocked child and woman kneeling on the ground.

Still holding the child in her arms as to protect it from anyone coming close, she looks up at Maul, eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“Why what?” Maul furrows his brows as he looks down at the two. He moves his hood and reveals his face, sparking some sort of recognition in the child. Another Zabrak!

“Why help us? You don't know us.” The child moves in front of her, a big toothy grin on their face as they look up at Maul.

Maul glances down at the child. “Go home and stop getting into trouble.” Having gently probed the child's mind, he found they were living together with their parents on the edge of the village, outcasts even among outcasts, but safe nonetheless with their little family together.

With a quick hug for the woman who had protected them, the child runs off home.

“Kid and you seemed as though you could use some help and I had some time to kill.“ Nodding at the retreating child, Maul smirks.

Dusting herself off, she looks at him. “And your name, great savior?”

Taken aback by her brazen attitude, Maul takes a second to gather himself before he grins. “Maul.”And yours fiery one?”

For a moment she seems to think before answering him. “Don`t have a name anymore, lost it somewhere along the line. People just call me by whatever name they seem to think fits me at the time.” She shrugs.

Maul regards the woman standing in front of him. For the small amount of time he has seen her, she has stood up for a child not of her species, taken a rock thrown at her back and not cried or complained, stood up against a small mob of people and now regards him without hesitation or showing any fear for his presence. Either she was a fool, had a death wish or she was as brave as she made herself seem to be. “Well then, I`ll just call you Tracyn.”

Stunned at the simple way he just gives her a name, she opens and closes her mouth. “Tracyn? What kind of name is that?”

“It means fire, you seem to carry it inside of you. The way you protected that child…” He trails off, not really understanding himself why he even bothered to name her, why he was even still standing there, talking to her while he could also be either meditating on board his ship or drinking at the bar. With a huff he turns around, ready to walk away while he still has some sanity left.

“Tracyn…. Tracyn….”She says the name out loud, tasting it in her mouth, letting the letters roll around and taking in the sound of it. “I like it, what language is it?” Quickly moving to walk beside him she looks sideways at him with a soft smile.

For a while he just ignores her as she falls in step with him. But, as she seems adamant to at the very least get an answer, he glances sideways before he answers. “Mando`a.”

She grins at the answer, still walking beside him she grabs hold of his arm and stops him from moving forward. “At Least allow me to thank you for your help. I have some food and drink to share, it truly is the least I can do for a kind stranger.”

Raising an eyebrow at the last part of her statement, Maul nods in agreement. Food and drink are always welcome to any traveler, he is no different in that.

Leading him to a small home, she waves at the table close to the sink where he can sit down. “It's not much, but I am certain it will do.” It is not long before Maul is eating a decent meal and has something to drink while even having a normal conversation with his host.

Tracyn, like so many others in the galaxy, had been displaced by the war that raged on for years. Once the war was over and the emperor had taken his place upon the throne, she still was displaced. With no credits to her name and the only possessions the ones she wore and carried with her, she traveled to this place and settled in an abandoned, small home near the edge of the village. At times she would try and take on odd jobs to make ends meet. No matter how much Maul fought it, the moment they met was the moment he already seemed to have gotten attached to her. The moment he gave her her name, that attachment had grown to a point where he slowly began to realize he now had a traveling companion.

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He never told her the full extent of his past nor of  his past deeds, she never asked him to tell her either. Neither did he ask her to tell him all about herself, he figured she would come with what little or as much as she wished to share with him when she was ready. He could sense some of what had happened to her in the past through the force, especially as she slept and dreamed. Over time, the bond between them grew into something more than just companionship, more than just the trust between friends. Whatever it was that was growing between them even transcended the more common relationships that blossomed between two people in the universe.

Maul taught her to fight with a vibro blade and once the opportunity arose, he bought her a small blade that could easily be hidden among her robes. At other times he would instruct her on some basic self defense, the places they would go to would not always be safe for her, not even with her intimidating companion beside her. She enjoyed the lessons, though the ones where she would end up with several bruises from practice were not among her favorite times. Maul, still dark and intimidating, seemed to be able to relax when around her and only when in private. For all of the violence and all the bloodshed that was part of his past, Maul had found a small pocket of peace when he stepped foot on that planet some time ago.

Day by day they gathered more information on the person that Maul was in search of. He had told Tracyn that there was a man from his past he needed to find, needed to confront to finally be able to let go of a big part of his past. Though she knew there was far more to the story than he let on, she did not ask further. To Tracyn, the man that once just snuck into her life and rescued her had become a friend, a companion and slowly, over time he became so much more. She knew that sometimes he would use the force to sneak into her mind. Not to find out whatever it was that she would be hiding from him, they both kept parts of their past secret still, but to comfort her, to know that she was alright. And she was fine with that.

On Nar Shaddaa the first big change came as a surprise to Maul.

Chasing yet another lead, they had landed on the outskirts of Hutta Town moving to one of the many seedy bars present. Every type of criminal and outlaw would be somewhere on the planet and Hutta Town was where most would gather. It was the best place to begin. Unfortunately, Maul left the town with a less than stellar reputation the last time he had visited. Several thugs, under the influence of a mixture of spice and alcohol had decided, perhaps now that the man once renowned for being a big shot in the empire and after with Crimson Dawn, though none knew exactly what his role was among the crime syndicate, was no longer a person with great influence they could impart some of their own justice and revenge for past deeds against them and their families.

The bar became the decor of a rather one sided fight, ending with several bodies sprawled across the floor, flung over the bar and somehow, one sprawled over a massive beam which held up the roof. Unfortunately for one man, Tracyn had been on the receiving end of a fist. Chasing the man out of the bar, Maul made quick work of him, returned to ensure the safety of Tracyn and led her away from any other possible pursuers towards an abandoned building. Before moving back towards their ship, they would lay low for a while, making sure there was no one else following them and checking on any possible injuries. That is where Maul noticed the swelling of Tracyns jaw.

She shrugs as she explains how she had her jaw partially dislocated before and knows how to pop it back in. Placing her hand on the side of her face she suddenly yawns wide and moves her jaw from left to right. When she flinches, he knows that the jaw has popped back into it`s socket. The furrow of her brow also tells him it still hurts more than she wants to show.

Bunching up her coat to use as a pillow, she lowers herself to the ground and curls up. Hand still somewhat resting on the side of her face where she feels the pain the most, she closes her eyes.

As she drifts off into a restless sleep, Maul watches her from his place on the floor. He can sense the restlessness in the force surrounding her and sees her shiver from the cold. With a sigh he stands up and moves to sit beside her. Lowering himself he snakes an arm around her and careful as not to wake her, lifts her into his lap. He knows his lower half is cold to the touch because of the durasteel and materials that give no bodily warmth, so he places her coat on his lap before he fully lowers her onto it. Her head is tucked against his shoulder and without realizing it, she nuzzles against his neck. One of her arms snakes around his back and the other leans against his chest, her hand holding onto his shirt and crumpling it as she sighs. Using his cloak as a blanket he tucks her in and places a hand gently on  the side of her head that hurts.

For the first time in what seems like ages he seems to notice a different kind of feeling in the force. He carefully reaches out into it and uses it to comfort her, to take away as much of her pain as he can without waking her and without her noticing. This feeling is new and different. Instead of the eternal dark feeling of the force, it feels light. For the first time he feels light.

Slowly his eyes begin to close and he drifts off into a dreamless sleep. The next moment when he wakes he is dazed and somewhat confused until he feels the weight of her. During the night they had fallen asleep in eachothers arms. He lays on his back with her leg sprawled over him, her arm draped over him and her head on his chest, still deep asleep. It is warm and comfortable and he refuses to move so as to not wake her from her much needed sleep. Looking at her, he vows to never let her lose this peace, ever again.

The night that Maul had woken in a frenzy after a nightmare was the day they first kissed. 

They had taken refuge in a small establishment on Seylott where yet another lead to the one Maul was searching for had sent them. After a long day of chasing rumors and stories they had decided to call it a night. Sharing the same room did not mean they shared the bed. Usually Maul would insist she take the bed as he sat in meditation, this time however Tracyn insisted on taking the small couch in the room and Maul to finally get a good night's rest.

The nightmare began as it always had, Maul running into the woods as a young child, running away from a dark shape that would take him away from his family and friends. Hiding underneath a bush he closed his eyes, calmed his breathing and began to pray for someone to save him. The next moment he is in a room with a droid trying to kill him while his brother watches. Each time the droid catches Maul, another droid harms his brother. The nightmare reaches a climax as Maul begins to notice bodies stacking up in a corner of the room, his brother the last body added with eyes wide open. That is when a voice calls out to him and he feels hands shaking him. When he wakes, a blurry vision has him grab the wrists of the person shaking and calling out to him. A soft cry of pain wakes him further and his eyes focus, seeing Tracyn wincing in his grasp.He quickly lets go of her wrists, panting and searching for the right words to apologize. Tracyn only nods and softly brushes her fingers over his cheek as she softly hums. “A bad one?”

He nods and softly reaches for her wrist, rubbing a thumb over the already forming bruise. “I`m….. I`m sorry for….”

 Tracyn shushes him and gives him a quick peck on the lips to calm him. Eyes wide in surprise over that action, they both stare at each other for a moment before they simultaneously reach for each other and crash their lips together in a deep kiss. In a warm embrace the kiss lasts for moments when they part again. Knowing he will try and say something, Tracyn just puts a finger on his lips and smiles. “Just…. Go to sleep Maul.”

As he lays down on his side, still somewhat dazed by what happened but delighted all the same he closes his eyes and feels the mattress move as Tracyn lies down behind him and nuzzles against his back.

Yet again, his life has taken a new turn and it confounds him, but Maul feels another flow in the force, one that is not as dark and heavy as the one he usually felt surrounding him. 

Time has an odd way of getting away from you when life seems different, lighter even better.

Weeks have passed since they kissed and without actually speaking about it, they have fallen into a routine of working together, training and traveling together and when time allows, they spend time working on whatever it is that is growing deeper and more intimate between them. More accustomed to the workings of the force and how Maul uses it, Tracyn is also used to feeling his ever present mind, gently touching hers. When they are in an intimate embrace and Maul softly kisses her, she can feel him carefully touching the edges of her mind. He senses her consent and slowly moves deeper into her mind, familiarizing himself with her feelings as they embrace, how the sensation changes as he kisses her, when she kisses him. Before he even realizes it the thin line that separates his feelings and hers, that separates their emotions and sensations as they undergo them is blurred. Neither knows where the feelings and sensations of one begins and the other ends. They truly are one in the force in all but the physical body.

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Before either of them truly realized it, they had begun to prioritize each other more and more while on their way to the next lead and both had undergone changes in their personality. Where Tracyn had always been the calm and passive person, the one to only defend when someone she cared for or who she deemed innocent, like children, were in danger, she now was someone who would actively step into the fray. With all the training she had received from Maul and all she had learned on their journey, she became more secure in what she could truly do. Maul, always the more aggressive one and the one to fall into a rage he unleashed whenever violence was in order, now showed more restraint as he also took into consideration Tracyn who was always by his side.

Without even realizing it right away, Maul slowly allowed thoughts to creep into his consciousness about settling somewhere. He would consider finding a place where they could find a home, a base of operations from where they could chase leads and return to rest and recover if needed. He even allowed himself a day dream of Tracyn finally being able to have a small garden where she could grow some crops. Maul had begun to become the dreamer he thought long lost in the past.

Unfortunately the galaxy was an imperfect place. Though currently filled with some warmth and peace he had longed for for so long, it seemed determined not to allow Maul to ever forget the mission he embarked on in the first place. It would not allow Maul to forget that he had been forged in the darkest depths of the Force, filled with pain, suffering and bloodshed, and Maul learned that in the harshest way.

Without ever really speaking about it, Maul and Tracyn had come to decide together that they would try and settle somewhere away from the empire, or at least from prying eyes. When yet another piece of information led them to the planet Shimia, they found it a place just right for them. A terrestrial planet with area`s sparsely populated, it was the right time and place to go and find a home. Before settling into a place they would first visit a more populated area on the planet to gather the information they could get for Mauls personal quest and move on from there. It really was the beginning of the end for Maul.

The city was not as large as some they had known or visited before, but big enough for them not to stand out, even in a crowd. Knowing that beside the information that Maul was looking for they also needed supplies it was decided that they would split up. Maul would go to the bars and other more questionable places, while Tracyn would visit the stores where she could get the food and drink supplies as well as some other items more related to actually setting up a small home and base of operations. 

When Maul stepped out of the fifth place he was surprised by the sudden feeling of anxiety that came from the only person in the galaxy he had been attuned to this much. Tracyn was in trouble! Running toward where he could feel the Force pull him, he quickly met up with a pale looking and very concerned Tracyn.

“What happened? Are you injured?” Maul looks her over as he gently turns her around.

“We have to move!” Grabbing his hand and pulling him along with her, Tracyn mutters the words while her eyes dart across the place they are currently standing.

Moving along with her, Maul looks back to see if anyone is following them. When he notices no others near them and does not sense anyone around with ill intent he stops in his tracks and tugs her hand. “What is happening? Why are you so…. Worried?”

Tracyn glances around and notices an abandoned alleyway. Dragging Maul into the dark of the alley she suddenly stops and takes a deep breath.

“You never told me who exactly you are looking for and why, but I know you Maul. I am not a fool and I have been around in this galaxy for a while now with my own bit of baggage.” She smiles as she gently caresses his cheek.

“Just after I bought this last bunch of supplies, I stepped out of the store and noticed some people around the bar on the other side of the street. Maul….. Those are pirates of the worse kind! They capture people and sell them as slaves for the highest price, they gather information about everything and everyone and will sell it to the highest bidder. They know that you are wanted by the Empire. The moment they see you…..” She trails off, not wanting to even mention the possibilities of what could happen next.

With a wide grin, Maul looks at her. “Tracyn, my light…. You know I can handle some low life pirates. They are  no match for me. If they even look at you wrong or even think about ratting my position out to anyone, I will dispose of them.”

Though he can feel her easing up a little, he also knows she is still far too worried. “Is there more to your worries than just my position in this galaxy?”

“Before we met, before I even settled on that planet….. I ran from one of those men. They had raided a transport I was on and took many of us prisoner with the intent to sell us to the highest bidder. One of them offered me my freedom if I married him. I accepted, but asked for it to be done officially by a holy man or woman. He agreed and once we landed on a planet and entered the shrine… I ran with the help of some locals, I never looked back.”

Maul takes a second to let the story sink in. So, this is why she was so anxious! “Let`s go.”

They take off towards an abandoned building, far enough from the city for her to hide while he ensures their safety. Settling her in one of the rooms he has her sit down while he kneels in front of her. “I will keep my cloak on and my face hidden, my light, so do not worry, but I will have to go into town one more time. We will need some food and drinks and I will make sure we are not followed. I will be back soon.” 

He kisses her one more time before he stands up and makes his way back into town. 

What neither knew at that moment, was that rumor had spread about the Zabrak asking questions. About the woman that seemed to travel around with him and the fact that there was a security holo of the actual man in a bar conversing with the bartender. The pirates knew all too well who this Zabrak was and when they also realized who the woman he was traveling with was, they made sure to find out exactly where they were heading.

They say fortune favors the bold. In this case it did and did not. As he made his way back into town, the pirates made their way out of it. Their paths did not cross at that point, but would not long after. Maul would rage and none of the pirates would live much longer.

It was the end of the new Maul and the restart of the old Maul, with only one difference, there was a far deeper and darker rage boiling within him and he needed an outlet for it. Maul resumed his quest alone and had time to venture deeper into the galaxy and further his plans for exacting revenge in the harshest way he could think of.

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As time passed and Maul had turned even more to the dark side of both the Force and life itself, he found himself on Malachor, where destiny, or the Force would have him meet with the boy that would help him finish his quest in the end.

Finally, after so many years of searching and hating, Maul had found the location he had been looking for. He had found the location of the one person in the galaxy that had dared to be the beginning of his end as a master in the galaxy. As he made his way through the deserts of Tatooine, using the boy he once deemed worthy to become his apprentice, he sensed it, he felt it, and he saw him!

Readying himself for this final confrontation that would decide his own fate in the galaxy, he could only yell out with all of his hate, frustration and even his deepest sadness.

“KENOBI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

His mind goes blank for a moment only to then return to her one last time. That one last regret.

He had returned to her after he had gathered some more food and drinks for them to share before they would leave in search of a more permanent place to stay at. She was supposed to mend her ripped cloak and rest at the abandoned building where he left her but what he saw when he entered threw him into a fit of pure rage. There she was, leaning against a wall with her hand covering her forehead while several men were crowding her. One raising his hand in order to strike her, one holding an arm and squeezing it while the rest seemed to check their belongings and look at their comrades handling the woman they held. They had dared to enter the building Maul and her had been taking refuge in and they had dared to lay a hand on her!

Pure rage had taken over as he fought through the group that had dared to challenge him. They had dared to touch his woman, his light and now would pay the price for such insolence. Reaching deep within the Force, summoning it`s power, he jumped, dodged, deflected and slashed through them with the greatest ease. A glimpse of the cut on her forehead had caused him to be blind to everything else around him.

Raising his hands, he gathered the debris of crumbled walls and left behind waste and flung it at his enemies. His exploding rage causes walls to crumble down further and other materials inside the building to fly up and  fall to the floor. With all enemies dead, he finally began to calm down and turn around to take care of her.

“No.”

One word that contained so much emotion, so much of himself and all his hidden desires. One word, uttered with so much despair it resonated throughout the Force.

In the blink of an eye he was at her side, carefully lifting her limp body to his chest. “Nonononono!”

Even before he noticed the stab wound at her side, the Force had already alerted him to her fading presence as he calmed down from his initial rage. Now, he stared at the blood dripping to the ground and the smear on his hand before he looked back at her beautiful face.

A watery smile formed at her lips as he kissed her. “Don`t leave me.” He buried his face in the crook of her neck and for the first time in what felt like forever, tears fell down his cheeks.

“Love you — Not your fault—.” Her broken whispers of reassuring love in his ear were the last words he heard before she passed on.

Back in the present it is his limp body that is resting in the arms of his arch nemesis. The duel was quickly decided and Kenobi had struck as he had struck Kenobi's master once.  A few words are spoken as he is ready to pass beyond this life.

Ben Kenobi notices the difference in Maul. A feeling of peace takes over from the chaos, the rage and the deep grief he felt just before this moment. Suddenly, a strange feeling of warmth changes the flow of the Force once more.

Maul's dying eyes are suddenly blinded when he hears his name uttered gently in a familiar voice. A hand reaches out to caress his cheek when her face appears in front of him. A force ghost? But, she was no Jedi, nor Sith.

“Love transcends all Maul. It's time. We can be together again, my love.”

Maul smiles and closes his eyes one last time. “Yes, my light.”

Ben Kenobi chuckles as he says his final farewell to an old foe and leaves the burial sight behind him. “I suppose love can conquer even beyond death.”