Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Malachor was already a planet seeped deeply in the dark side. Every corner, every crevice of the foul place oozed with the dark side of the Force, choking out all remaining tendrils of light. In his experience, Sith temples had a habit of being homes to only the purest and strongest forms of the dark side. It would be impossible to imagine it any darker than it currently was. At least, that’s what he had thought. The approach of something cold, so very, very cold had changed his mind on that. The presence was like the frigid void of space, making the sharp chill of Malachor seem warm and temperate in comparison. Carefully controlled fury and hate seemed to burn within it like an icy sun, and he felt himself look up instinctively to try and locate the source of the feeling. He could feel it moving, slowly as to mask its presence, but he could not see anything beyond the light speckled black of the stone above. It felt familiar, somehow. As if he had encountered it before. A long, long time ago.

“What is it?” He could hear the slight concern in Ezra’s voice. The boy was powerful in the Force. He had proved that when he opened the doors to the temple. There was so much untapped potential in him, but he doubted he had sensed the concealed presence as he had. He would need far more training for that, something he could never achieve under the tutelage of the Jedi. 

“Nothing.” He looked away. He would have to investigate whatever it was he was feeling later if he had the time. For now, he pushed it from his mind, looking back at Ezra. The boy was watching him curiously. “We must not delay. I will handle this. You take the Holocron. Place it in the obelisk, activate the temple, gain the knowledge you seek. I'll meet you at the top.”

He could feel Ezra's hesitation through the way he stared at him before glancing back at the distant forms of his companions. He could feel the urge to disobey, to leave him behind and help his friends. The clarity of the boy's inner conflict was so obvious he winced slightly.

Had the damn Jedi not even taught him how to properly shield his thoughts?

He grimaced angrily at the thought. Apparently, that would also have to be dealt with. Ezra took one last longing look at the others before turning back to him. 

“Meet you at the top.” The turmoil lingered heavily in his voice, but he had listened to him.

Good, he thought in satisfaction. He already trusts me.

He watched Ezra run upstairs to the top of the temple before shifting his attention to the battle below. Smirking softly, he slowly let go of the breath he was holding, letting his rage and hate fuel him before igniting his lightsaber.

It was time to finish this.

His lungs were burning by the time he reached the top of the stairs. He hadn’t stopped once in his climb, he wouldn’t let himself even with the sharp pain that had grown in his legs from running so fast. All that mattered right now was getting to the obelisk and opening the Holocron as quickly as possible. Kanan and Ahsoka needed his help. 

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he had made the wrong choice listening to Maul. He did trust Maul, after all, the Zabrak had saved his life after getting the Holocron instead of letting him fall to a likely gruesome death and taking it for himself, which had to count for something. Maul was also much better with a lightsaber than him, so there really wasn't any doubt Ahsoka and Kanan would be fine with his help, right? Yet he still couldn't shake the feeling that he was doing the wrong thing. He felt the Force all around him, anxiously tugging at him like it was trying to drag him back from the obelisk. He sent a heated glare at the invisible presence around him. It was really starting to annoy him.

Stop it! They’re fine. Maul is with them. He took on all the inquisitors before by himself, remember? They’ll be fine, alright?

The Force clearly didn't believe the silent reassurance he tried to send it, for barely a second later it felt like someone had pinched the back of his neck in disagreement. Letting out a pained hiss, he swatted at his neck.

Ow! Will you cut it out? I’ll go back as soon as I can, I promise. I just need to unlock the Holocron first. 

The Force seemed to believe him the second time. It sent nothing in reply, instead falling oddly silent and still. Sighing, he thanked it for finally being quiet before starting forward. The obelisk, or what he assumed was the obelisk, based on it being the only object on top of the temple besides the crimson red and black walls, hovered in the middle of the platform. It looked like a gigantic version of an arrowhead; it was jet black and triangular, stretching upwards to what he guessed was a height of at least twenty feet. He gazed at it for a moment, fascinated by it. It felt like it was trying to drag him forward, begging him to come closer and touch every inch of it. 

Oh! He realized with a jolt. The obelisk wasn’t trying to get to him. It was trying to get to the Holocron!  

Reaching into the pouch on his belt where the pull had felt the strongest, he removed the glowing Holocron. He immediately felt the pull strengthen even more as he held it out to the obelisk, as if they were two magnets being kept from each other. 

Danger!

The sudden return of the Force’s worried presence made him jump, nearly making him drop the Holocron. Cursing silently, he felt a blaze of anger rush through him before he froze. Something was wrong. He could feel it all around him in the Force, and he cursed again for not listening to it earlier. The air had grown freezing cold in a matter of seconds, and he felt an evil and sickly presence filling the air around him, suffocating the light of the force. He started to shiver before he stiffened again. 

No. It couldn't be.

He had felt this before on Lothal. He recognized the feeling. Maul said he would come, but he hadn't believed him. It had seemed like an over-exaggeration. 

It couldn't be...

He turned around slowly, unable to breathe. His eyes widened at the sight in front of him. 

Vader was here. 

The Jedi was weak.

It was pitifully obvious in the way he fought. His stance was uneven, his forms were sloppy, and his swings were far too wide instead of being closely contained to his body, giving the enemy an easy opening to land a hit. He had the clumsiness and confidence of a youngling still practicing the basic techniques, which suggested he hadn't been a padawan for long. He suspected half a year at most. 

It made his blood boil.

The Jedi was barely a learner himself, yet here he was with an apprentice of his own. It infuriated him. It was no surprise as to why Ezra couldn't detect presences or shield his thoughts with ease. His master lacked the basic skills to properly teach him. It was a miracle either of them had lasted this long. 

Nevertheless, he told himself, watching the Jedi make another idiotic mistake. It does not matter. The Jedi would be dead soon enough, and Ezra would be his. He would protect and train the boy properly, as his former master was clearly incapable of doing so. He smiled, savoring the idea. The pleasant thought of finally disposing of the useless Jedi, and perhaps Lady Tano as well, spurred him into action. Leaping down the temple steps, he landed lightly in front of the smaller Inquisitor, catching him by surprise with a swift but firm parry. He could barely hold back a snort at how easily the Sith's lightsaber was knocked aside.

So these are the best that Vader can offer? How pathetic. 

The second Inquisitor put up little more of a fight, if he could even call it that. The Sith managed to block his first few hits before falling for his upper strike, which was an obvious feint. He used the opening it bought him to smash his foot against the Inquisitor's chest, sending him stumbling back. Intelligence clearly wasn't one of the brute's strengths, if he had any to begin with. He lunged forward again, bringing his saber around for another hit. However, a flurry of movement behind him made him pause. In a second, Lady Tano rushed past him, making quick work of the Inquisitor's lightsaber with a single stroke. The dumbstruck expression on the Sith's face at what had just happened made him sneer.

So weak.

Before the Sith could run, he swung his lightsaber forward in a flash, plunging it deep into the Inquisitor's chest. An agonized howl was ripped from his throat as he fell to the ground.

Your weakness was your downfall, he taunted silently. Pay closer attention next time. Maybe you'll survive.

He grinned at the last swell of hate and fury in the Inquisitor before it faded away, his life force extinguishing. He closed his eyes, stopping for a moment. Taking a deep breath, he relished in the triumphant feeling of the death, letting the hatred of the Inquisitor fill him. When he opened them, he made brief eye contact with Lady Tano. He could see the disapproval and shock in her eyes at what he had done. He rolled his own at her. Even after being disgraced from the Jedi she still believed in their feeble views. It was hilariously pitiful. She would undoubtedly end up like the rest of the Jedi if she continued to let her sympathy control her.

The Jedi.

The thought brought him back to his goal.

It was almost time.

He turned to watch the Jedi push the smaller Inquisitor to the edge of the platform. In a flash of blue, the Jedi drove his lightsaber forward, cutting into the metal of the Inquisitor's hilt. He could feel the spike of panic in the Sith as looked down at his lightsaber. The crimson blade flickered weakly, clearly damaged. The Inquisitor hesitated. The confidence in his aura quickly vanished as he realized his odds.

He'd be a fool to try it.

The Inquisitor seemed to agree. Darting away from the Jedi's swing, he sprung from the temple ledge in a spinning blur of red.

You idiot.  

He nearly laughed at the sight. The Inquisitor's lightsaber flickered again before shuddering, the hilt imploding with a bang. With a horrified scream, the Inquisitor plummeted to the depths of the planet below.

What imbecile thought of using lightsabers to fly? How ridiculous.

He scoffed before turning back to the temple. The obelisk had not been activated yet, but he guessed it would be any second now.

"Where's Ezra?" The Jedi demanded sharply behind him. He tore his gaze away from the temple, a rush of adrenaline filling his body. He gripped his lightsaber in excitement.

It was finally time.

An odd feeling spreading around him made him stop before he attacked. The air around them had begun to drop drastically in temperature until it was bitter cold. The dark side of the force was slowly growing thicker all around them, suffocating the delicate auras of light around the Jedi and Lady Tano. Realization dawned on him as he recognized the presence from earlier. It was back.

"Ahsoka!"

A gasp behind him made him turn. Lady Tano stumbled to the ground, the Jedi rushing forward to help her. The Jedi glanced at her in concern before turning to glare at him, his hand moving to hover over the lightsaber on his belt.

"Ahsoka, what is it? Are you alright?"

The Togruta grasped at the sides of her montrals, her eyes scrunching up painfully. Suddenly, they flew open. Her pupils darted around wildly for a second before locking onto his.

"He's here." She panted breathlessly.

A growl escaped his lips. He understood.

Oh, he had been so stupid. So, so stupid. He had not been quick enough.

The Jedi stared at her in confusion before glancing back at him suspiciously.

"Who? Who's here?"

"Vader." He answered coldly. He should have recognized the presence immediately. His darkened aura should have given him away, but instead, he had been an ignorant fool. Only his former master's presence could have been fouler. He should have known.

A spike of fear in the Force made them all look up. The top of the temple was undoubtedly where Vader was, it had become a sea of darkness in a matter of seconds. However, in the middle of it was a pinprick of light, projecting waves of terror throughout the force.

His apprentice.

He looked back at the two, meeting the wide eyes of the Jedi. A mutual horrified realization passed between them.

"Ezra!"

Chapter Text

Karabast!

His feet felt glued to the floor. He didn't know if it was the dark presence encircling him keeping him in place, or just his own treacherous nerves.

This is bad. This is very bad.

The TIE Advanced hovered only a few meters in front of him, the scorching hot wind from its exhaust blasting across his face. Yet, he could still feel cold sweat dripping down his back at the sight before him. Darth Vader stared down at him from the top of the ship, the eyes of his mask a black abyss. His heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest as he stared into the blank voids, the memories of Lothal and how they barely escaped Vader alive came flooding back to him.

This is definitely not good.

The Sith leaped from the roof of the TIE, landing before him in a graceful crouch. His lightsaber hummed dangerously close, and he stumbled back at the sight, the crimson blade somehow terrifying him more than he already was. Vader cocked his head at him.

“You have obtained the Holocron from within the temple.” The Sith rumbled, standing back up to his towering height. “How did a child such as you achieve this?”

A spark of rage burned in his chest at the insult, drowning out some of his fear.

“I’m not a child!” he snapped, taking a step backward. He ignited his lightsaber, positioning it in front of him defensively. “I’m a Jedi!”

Vader made a noise that sounded either like a laugh or a cough. 

Does Darth Vader even laugh? 

He swallowed. He really didn't want to know.

“Do not take me for a fool. A Jedi could not have opened this temple, and certainly not by himself.” The Sith looked around, searching for something. “Where is your master?”

His eyes widened.

Kanan!

His master was still down fighting the Inquisitors with Ahsoka and Maul! Did they know Vader was here? Were the inquisitors beating them? He gritted his teeth.

No.

He couldn't let Vader get to them. He wouldn't let him overwhelm them and hurt them. He had no idea what Vader meant by Jedi being unable to open the temple, or what he thought Kanan had to do with it. But he wouldn't let him hurt his friends.

“Like I’d tell you!” He scoffed, trying to appear tougher than he actually felt.

The Sith made another one of those laughing or coughing noises. They were really starting to creep him out.

“No matter. He will suffer the same fate as you, soon enough.”

 His blood turned to ice at the obvious meaning. 

“I’m not afraid of you.” His voice came out barely louder than a whisper. It was clearly a lie, but he didn’t care. He’d never admit to being afraid of a Sith. 

“Then your emotions have betrayed you. They tell otherwise.” Vader stalked forward, his lightsaber swinging menacingly at his side. He clutched his own lightsaber tighter in front of him, staggering backward.

Come on, Ezra, think! Stall him, stall him!

His eyes darted down to the Holocron in his other hand. An idea and realization sprung into his head at the same time.

Of course! He wants the Holocron!

Dodging a swipe from the Sith’s lightsaber, he ran a few feet from Vader before whipping around, bringing his lightsaber up to the Holocron. 

“I’ll destroy it if you come any closer!”

Vader faltered. He felt a ghost of a grin spread across his face. 

So, I was right. Vader wanted the Holocron.

Vader watched him for several seconds, clearly assessing the situation. He tried to ignore the trembling in his hands as he waited for the Sith to do something.

“If you give me the Holocron, The Emperor may show you and your master mercy.”

A lie.

The Force murmured all around him, chanting it over and over again. He clenched the Holocron painfully tighter.

“Yeah right.” He held the pulsing blue blade closer to the device, trying to think of another way to distract the Sith, of anything at all. Frustration was pounding in his head, and he was starting to hate Vader more and more every second. 

“I’d rather die than give anything to you!” He blurted. 

He immediately regretted it.

Oh no. 

Vader tilted his head at him.

I should not have said that.

“Very well.” The Sith thundered, his deep voice laced with amusement. Vader strode forward, brandishing his lightsaber once again.

Kriff!

He hastily stuffed the Holocron back in his pocket. He was more terrified than he had ever been in his life as he brought up his blade, barely blocking Vader’s ferocious strike. The Sith was incredibly strong, and it nearly caught him off guard. The red blade pressed down on him relentlessly, and he shoved back with all the strength he could muster, his arms shaking from the effort. Then, Vader drew back his lightsaber. His blade was a blur as it snaked to the side, shooting forward to catch his own just above the hilt. The force of the blow ripped it from his hands, the lightsaber deactivating as it soared through the air. It clattered to the floor several feet from him. 

I am so kriffed.

He gulped. He and Vader stared at each other for a moment, the only sound the frantic racing of his own heart and the hiss of the Sith’s respirator. Slowly, Vader raised his lightsaber.

Then he was sprinting away.

I have to get away. I can’t fight him, it's pointless.

The pounding of his feet against the stone below rang in his ears. He was too afraid to look back, too afraid to see what Vader was doing. Was he chasing after him? He didn’t want to know. He threw his hand out, begging the Force to retrieve his lightsaber. The familiar metal hilt landed in his fingers a second later. He clipped it back to his belt, nearly dropping it from the sweat all over his hand. 

Oh, kriff, what do I do? I can’t go to Kanan and Ahsoka. They’re dealing with the Inquisitors. Do I hide? Oh kriff, where do I hide from a Sith Lord?

His feet stopped moving. His body lurched forward, still mid-run, but it soon froze as well, suspended in the air. 

Huh?

He tried to move his feet but to no avail. His body felt strangely numb, like he had been encased in carbonite.

Why can’t I move?

The Force grabbed and pulled at his legs. The familiar cold of Vader’s presence yanked at his back, and suddenly he had turned around, facing the Sith once more. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he realized what was happening. He felt like throwing up.

No.

His feet began to move again, but this time against his will. The darkness all around him was controlling him like a puppet, making him jog back to Vader.

Nononononononono-

He internally screamed at the Force, pleading with it, begging it to stop. But it refused to listen. The darkness surrounding Vader had snuffed out the usual light all around him. It couldn't help him at all. He tried to speak, but the only thing he could get out was a choked sort of gurgle. 

Please, please don’t kill me. Please, I'll give you the Holocron-

He tried projecting his pleas into the Force, but it did nothing. Vader simply ignored him, holding out his hand. The Holocron shuddered from within his pocket before flying out, landing neatly in the Sith’s palm. The only thing keeping him alive was gone.

He came to a stop before Vader, the Force shoving him to his knees. His head hung limply next to the Sith’s boot, the Force holding it down as if to make his execution easier. He faintly noticed a few tears splattering to the ground below. 

Am I crying?

Vader raised his lightsaber once more.

This is where I die. 

“Farewell, Jedi.”

He barely registered the taunt. He couldn’t care less. 

I’m sorry Kanan.

He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping his master heard him from across their bond. He heard the blade swing downward, crackling through the air. 

“Ezra!” 

He froze as his name was yelled across the platform. Above him, Vader hesitated, the scarlet blade of his lightsaber coming to a stop just above his neck. For a second, all he could do was look up at Vader, the blank eyes of his mask staring back. Then, suddenly, he was being dragged backward at an incredible speed.

What the-

His breath left his body. His lungs failed to get in any air, his mind racing to try and understand what in the galaxy was happening. The wind whipped around him as he was propelled further and further away from Vader, the Sith watching him in what he could only guess was equal astonishment. Then, the man moved. He squinted against the wind buffeting his face. It looked like Vader was holding out his arm, his hand outstretched towards him. He could feel the familiar claws of Vader's dark presence wrapping all around him and-

Oh no.

He came to an immediate stop. He was hovering a foot above the floor, his body jerking back and forth every few seconds. The Force felt like it was at war all around him, the dark side roiling in anger as it hissed and screamed at itself.

What- what just happened?

Tilting his head back as much as he could, his jaw dropped in disbelief.

“Maul?"

The Zabrak was standing on the other side of the platform, his own hand extended towards him. His brows were furrowed in deep concentration.

Maul saved me! He realized with a jolt. Maul had used the Force to pull him away from Vader, and now he was caught in a tug-of-war match between the two of them. He tried to lower his feet from where he hung in the air. If he could get just on the ground, he could put distance between him and Vader. But the idea died quickly. No amount of struggling got him anywhere. He couldn't move anything below his neck. He swallowed, trying to ignore the sick feeling returning in his stomach. He was completely helpless. Completely at the mercy of Vader if Maul couldn't save him.

I’m going to die, and I can’t do a single thing about it.

“Ezra!”

His head whipped around again at the familiar voice. Kanan had just run up the side of the temple, skidding to a halt next to Maul.

“Kanan!” His voice trembled slightly. The sight of his master awakened a previously dormant emotion in him. Suddenly, he just wanted to get to Kanan, to get away from Vader and this cursed planet, and to get back to his family on Atollon.

“Ezra, It’s okay! It’s okay, alright?" The sound of Kanan's voice ripped him from the thought. Kanan was glancing between him and Vader, his eyes wide.

Vader.

Reminded of the cyborg, he felt a rush of terror throughout his body. He looked back at the Sith. The cold dead eyes of his mask stared back, and Ezra wished more than anything he could see whatever was under them instead of the skeletal-like helmet. The hiss of his artificial breath was like a predator preparing to pounce, and Ezra was his prey, getting slowly dragged back toward the Sith and to his certain death.

"Ezra, look at me!”

He tore his gaze away from Vader. Looking back at Kanan, he felt a wave of calm washing over him as he met his eyes. A small wisp of light had managed to sneak its way into the dark storm surrounding him, wrapping around him soothingly. He let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Kanan gave him a weak smile.

"You'll be fine. We got you.”

“I’ve got him." Maul snarled from next to him, his face screwed up in focus. The Zabrak had begun to slip forward, his feet digging into the stone below in an effort to stop. He threw out another hand when Vader yanked him back a few inches. "But you could make yourself useful and help.”

Kanan frowned at the comment but didn’t argue. His master gave him another quick, worried glance before closing his eyes, mirroring Maul in reaching out with hands. The faint light of the Force around him instantly brightened, growing stronger as it helped Maul fend off Vader's dark grip on him. He felt himself getting dragged back towards Maul and Kanan, the tug-of-war now in their favor. He let out a shaky breath.

I’m going to be fine. Kanan was right. It's gonna be okay.

"Vader!"

The Sith's hold on him suddenly loosened. Craning his head back toward Vader, he saw what had caught the cyborg's attention. Ahsoka stood a few meters behind the Sith, her lightsabers ignited on either side of her. The shimmering white blades illuminated a look he had never seen on her face before. 

It was a look of pure rage.

Vader lowered his hand. The iron grip around him began to slack, the darkness slowly releasing him and withdrawing back to the Sith. The cyborg turned to face her, his interest in Ezra completely forgotten.

"Ahsoka Tano. We meet at last."

It was difficult to tell emotion from Vader's voice, but he couldn't help but feel an odd sense of glee from his words. It was almost like the Sith  wanted  to meet Ahsoka. But he didn't think about it any further. Something had brushed up against his foot, startling him.

His feet had touched the ground.

My feet touched the ground.

He had been too focused on Ahsoka to notice he had been slowly descending back to the ground for a while. In a second, his feet had made full contact with it. For a moment, all he could do was stand there, stunned at the fact that he was free from Vader and not about to die. Then he moved his fingers. Then his hands, then his arms, and finally his legs.

I can move!

Vader's hold on him was gone. He looked back at Ahsoka. The Togruta glanced at him from over the Sith’s shoulder, giving him a stiff nod before turning back to whatever tense staredown she and Vader were having.

Then he was running.

He crossed the top of the temple in a matter of seconds, barreling straight into Kanan's chest. The larger man stumbled from his weight, catching him before they both toppled over. The familiar smell of faint smoke and metal filled his nose as he pressed his face into his shirt.

“Kanan,” He whispered. His eyes felt embarrassingly wet.

He felt warm arms wrapping around him. Then, a hand rubbed comfortingly at his back.

“It’s okay, I got you. I'm here." Kanan pulled away, gazing down at him softly. "You’re safe. I promise.”

“No. Not yet."

Maul's rough voice startled them both. The Zabrak ignored the glare Kanan sent him, his eyes fixed attentively on Ahsoka and Vader. But the comment had hit its mark. He could feel the sick feeling from earlier returning in his stomach at the truth of it. Despite Kanan's consolations, he knew Maul was right. He wasn't safe. None of them were while Vader was around.

"Did Vader hurt you?”

He blinked.

“What?"

Maul had turned to peer at him, his yellow eyes closely inspecting his body for what he guessed was any sign of visible wounds. They lingered on his face for a moment, and he stiffened at the sudden realization of how childish he must look. His eyes were still blurry with tears, and the skin around them felt swollen and hot.

"Oh." He cringed in embarrassment.

Kriff, I almost cried in front of Kanan and Maul!

"No, he didn’t get the chance.” He mumbled. His face felt like it was on fire.

"Good." Maul hastily held out his hand, glancing back at Ahsoka and Vader. “Now, give me the Holocron.”

He flinched, memories flooding back at the mention of the artifact. Only a few minutes ago Vader had pried it from his pocket and nearly ran his neck through with a lightsaber.

“Uh...” He scratched at the back of his head, steadily growing more embarrassed every second. “I-I don’t have it. Vader took it from me.”

Rage flashed across Maul’s eyes. “What?”

He shrunk back at the ferocity in his voice. “I’m sorry! I tried to stop him but I couldn't do anything! I-” 

“-Excuse me for the interruption.” Kanan had stepped in between them, glaring at Maul coldly. “But what exactly are you two talking about?” Kanan frowned down at him. “And what is this about a Holocron?”

Maul's nostrils flared in irritation. “The knowledge you seek of to destroy the Sith, Master Jedi, is contained within a Holocron. Ezra and I retrieved it from inside the temple while you were…” He drawled off, mockingly. “-preoccupied with the Inquisitors.” 

Kanan looked at the Zabrak sharply. “I’m assuming that's why Ezra was up here, then?” His voice had risen slightly in volume.

Oh boy. Here we go again.

He didn’t understand why Kanan and Maul hated each other so much. Sure, Maul was a bit strange, but so far he had only helped them. He had saved his life more than once just in the few hours they had been here. 

Maul raised his brow. “Indeed. The obelisk serves as a source to unlock the Holocron.” 

Kanan’s mouth twitched. He took a step toward Maul, his fingers brushing against his lightsaber hilt. Maul narrowed his eyes. 

Oh, for the love of-

“Guys,” he tried.

He was completely ignored. 

“So you sent him to open it alone?” Kanan hissed, his voice furious. “With this place crawling with Vader and his Inquisitors?”

“Vader had yet to arrive at the time. I saw no issue with sending him alone.” Maul growled, his teeth clenched together. His gloved hand tightened around his own lightsaber.

And I thought Kanan could be annoying. These two together are insufferable.

“Guys!”

The pair turned to look at him as if they had just noticed he was standing there. He rolled his eyes in response, jerking his thumb over his shoulder.

“Don’t you think we should, I don’t know, help Ahsoka?”

Kanan opened his mouth to reply, but Maul had already pushed past him. Kanan glared daggers at his back.

"Yes, he is right. Vader won't be distracted for long. We must use this to our advantage."

He followed Maul’s gaze. In the distance, Ahsoka and Vader seemed on the verge of fighting, the Force around them practically screaming in hostility. He couldn’t really make out what they were saying to each other, but whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t friendly. 

He looked back at Kanan. The man was still watching Maul suspiciously.

Honestly, it's going to be night by the time we get to Ahsoka. 

“Kanan,” he groaned. The man looked at him before glancing warily at Maul again. After a few seconds of looking torn between protesting and giving in, he exhaled heavily. 

“Fine,” he grumbled. “But don't think we’re finished talking about this.” He added, pointing a finger in his direction. 

“What? What did I do?” He demanded offendedly, crossing his arms in anger. It wasn't his fault Kanan was being a stubborn nerf-herder, nor was it his fault for losing the Holocron. He nearly died trying to keep it from Vader, for crying out loud!

“You know what you did!” Kanan snapped back. “Running around with some stranger inside a dangerous Sith temple looking for Holocrons? Do you have a death wish, Ezra?”

He bristled in response, but Kanan had already moved on before he could open his mouth, jabbing his finger at Maul.

“And I still don’t trust you either, got it?”

Maul leveled him with a cool stare. “That much was already obvious.”

Kanan looked like he was about to throw the Zabrak off the temple. Unhooking his lightsaber from his belt, he shoved past Maul, marching toward Ahsoka and Vader. “Let’s just get this over with, gramps." He muttered crossly. 

Maul bared his teeth at Kanan. “Do not call me that,” he snarled, unhooking his own lightsaber as he stormed after him. 

He sighed in exasperation, watching them go.

We’re never going to beat Vader if we keep fighting each other. 

He reached down, unhooking his own lightsaber. He hated how much his hands shook. Squeezing his eyes shut, he blocked out the image of Vader standing over him, his lightsaber raised, ready to kill. He couldn’t afford to be afraid right now. Ahsoka and Kanan needed him. He needed to be strong, for them. He took a deep breath, moving to follow Kanan and Maul.

I got this.

A firm hand caught his shoulder, pushing him back a foot. He blinked up in surprise. Maul stared back at him with narrowed eyes.

“You are staying here.”

His jaw dropped in outrage.

“What? No! I can help!” He glared at the Zabrak in disbelief. Maul couldn't be serious. He couldn't just sit back and watch this unfold! He had to help!

“No.” The Sith forced him back again when he tried to take another step, his expression stony. "You do not stand a chance against Vader, Ezra. You will stay here."

Kanan let out a sigh, coming up beside him. "As much as I hate to admit it, I agree with grandpa for once." 

Not you too!

He turned his glare on Kanan, (as did Maul), hoping the stinging betrayal he felt showed in his eyes. “Are you kidding me? You too?” 

Kanan crossed his arms, the way he always did when he was about to lecture him for something. "Ezra, Vader is incredibly dangerous. He almost killed you. I can’t let that happen again. So, please, stay here, okay?"

He opened his mouth to argue, there was no way he was just going to sit here and watch his friends fight a Sith Lord, but Kanan cut him off before he could speak.

"Ezra," He warned, his voice dangerously stern.

He forced his mouth shut on a sarcastic remark. "Fine,” he muttered bitterly.

Kanan gave him a small smile, leaning forward to ruffle his hair. "Try and stay out of sight, alright?"

He ducked away from the hand, scowling. "Yeah. Whatever."

The two turned back toward Ahsoka and Vader, igniting their lightsabers as they set off again.

They really just expect me to sit here and watch them fight Darth-kriffing-Vader. I can't believe this.

He tried to squash his frustration as he moved to get behind one of the towering walls surrounding the temple. However, an odd feeling made him stop. A sense of dread flitted all around him in the Force, whispering uneasily. It felt just like it did before Vader had almost killed him. Before he could even process it, he had spun around.

"Kanan!"

The man paused, looking back at him curiously. He hesitated. Fidgeting with his lightsaber hilt, he was suddenly unsure of what to say.

Please be careful.

"Don't die," he decided simply, smiling weakly.

Kanan studied him for a moment before cracking a grin. "Hey, don't worry about me. I've survived this far, haven't I? That's gotta count for something."

"I know, I know. I just-"

The words died on his tongue. He didn't want to think about what might happen. Admitting the words out loud would only remind the both of them of what Vader could do. Of what the Sith would do if they couldn't beat him. Vader had treated him like some pesky insect during their fight, like he wasn't even a real opponent. What would he do to Kanan? Just how powerful was he?

I can't lose you too.

Kanan seemed to understand. "I know." He nodded, a rush of sympathy flooding across their bond. He gave him one last smile before turning back around, hurrying to catch up with Maul. 

He felt the forced smile vanish from his own face.

His fingers tightened into an almost painful grip around his lightsaber as he crept behind one of the temple walls, into a shadowy spot mostly hidden from view. He sighed as he slid down against the wall.

He had a bad feeling about this.