And as they got closer, they saw they had company. Battle droids and of course, Darth Tyranus and Asajj Ventress. They were crowded around the old temple. Tyranus was busy talking to Ventress about something. The two of them had braved the traps and depths of the ancient Sith Lords and had found their prize. They were alive and victorious, so confident in fact that they seemed completely oblivious to the Jedi party.

“Give me the word sir,” Rex said to Obi-Wan, pointing the barrel of his blaster at Tyranus' head.

“Do it,” Anakin said, balling his mechanical hand into a fist and thinking nothing of Jedi honor.

Rex fired. The blast moved quickly through the air, and none of the Separatists showed any reaction. Then in one sudden move, Tyranus drew his lightsaber from his hip and igniting the blade, made a quick and graceful arcing swing even with his back turned as he looked back at his pursuers. He instantly hit the blast, knocking it back at the Republic forces, who were all so stunned that they all had to duck their heads from the suddenness of the blast zapping back at them.

By now Ventress and the battle droids had also turned in their direction.

“I see my enemies are clever enough to have tracked me here,” Tyranus said loudly, his voice deep and dripping with wickedness and reverberating through the stone chamber even so far away that they could all hear it in all directions like he was some sort of cruel deity. “But still far too dull witted to come close to taking my life.”

“Fire!” Rex said. The clone troopers followed that order and shot at the battle droids. The Jedi ignited their blades instantly and charged to the forefront, cutting down as many battle droids as they could and reflecting the blaster fire at their enemies. It wasn't long before they were past them and right at the edges of the temple, looking right at their enemies. Ventress smiled, drawing her own sabers, as Tyranus patiently waited with his weapon by his side.

“Not so fast Jedi,” Ventress said, getting in their way with both of her blades ignited.

“I'll take her, Skyguy!” Ahsoka said, running to the forefront with no weakness in her voice this time.

“Go get her Snips!” Ventress simply gave a defeated smile at having to spare with a mere Padawan while an actual knight and master were escaping her grasp. She longed to avenge her honor against Skywalker.

“Be patient boys,” she said as they ran past her up the stone steps. “Once I'm done babysitting this little girl, I'll join the two of you soon enough.”

“Keep on dreaming,” Ahsoka said, drawing her weapon.

“You've looked better,” Ventress said as she descended the stone steps to the ground. In that strange haze of light and shadow and with all the noisy tumult around them, she could still tell how winded the Togrutan was. “Still, it's not so bad. At least you're pleasing to the eyes, Tano. I wonder how many Jedi you've seduced to get where you are.” She laughed and licked her lips. “If you ever do decide to wise up and join the winning side, just know that I don't hold any grudges. But you'll have to do a little something extra for me when nobody else is looking if you want to get in anywhere.” Then she actually winked.

Ahsoka actually blushed in surprise at having Ventress come onto her like that. She knew she should have been angry from that earlier insult, but it still took her off guard. Yet she ignored it. “I learned something new about you today.” She lunged at Ventress, who easily blocked the blow with one of the lightsabers and pushed her back.

“Did you now?” Ventress said, still. “Well I know plenty about you already. Like how you're a good for nothing hanging out with the wrong crowd.”

Ahsoka struck again. This time the strike was so fierce that Ventress had to use both of her lightsabers to block that hit. Ahsoka wasn't so easily thrown back this time when Ventress pushed back and locked her blade against her opponent's weapons.

“You sure you're not talking about yourself?” Ahsoka said, looking right into Ventress' eyes. “You act all tough like you're some badass warrior only out for herself, but you follow Dooku's every step like you're his little pet, leashed right at his boot. Once he's done with you, he'll toss you away like a piece of trash. The only thing he sees you as is a mangy animal that's good for getting kicked around. I wonder how long it'll be before you feel his foot on your backside?”

That triggered something inside of Ventress. Her face twisted with rage, gritting her teeth as she suddenly knocked back her opponent. She used both of her sabers on Ahsoka in her next strike with such speed and strength that Ahsoka barely parried the blow. “I am a warrior of the Sith and a champion of the dark side! And you are just a Padawan who would have been dead many times over without your precious master's protection!”

Ahsoka was being pushed down from the force of Ventress' hold. Her feet could give way at any moment. Taking a chance, she gripped the hilt of her lightsaber and sacrificed the strength of her holding that guard to make a spinning motion. The speed and suddenness of it forced Ventress back that even with her advantage she had no choice but to move back. That only allowed Ahsoka to make a direct strike which would have directly hit Ventress. But she was still feeling her weakness and the attack was slower than she wanted, allowing Ventress to dodge at the last minute.

There was now a good distance between her and Ventress. The aspirant Sith cracked her neck. She wasn't afraid but she realized how close a call that was. Ahsoka still smiled. “At least Skyguy looks out for me. When was the last time Dooku cared about you?”

Ventress glared at her and pointing her blades at Ahsoka, held them up in a crossing motion as if she intended to cleave her head. “Then let me give cause to make your master weep!”

***

Anakin smiled at seeing Ahsoka deflect Ventress' attack just then. He was worried about her, but relieved to see her so confidently disarming that situation. He knew he had taught her well.

But then he turned back at his current enemy. He knew he should have felt confident with Obi-Wan at his side, and fighting Tyranus as he was with no real great army or reinforcements, instead just a small party of battle droids backing him up who were busy fighting their clone squadron. Yet he felt a great unease.

“Do you sense that master?” Anakin said.

“Yes, it feels like it's coming from Dooku. I've never sensed such a terrible darkness from him before before.”

“Darkness. There's something else there too.” It was the strange feeling he had felt since he landed upon this planet. He could never begin to imagine it would be coming from him. Whatever weird serenity he felt at that signature in the force was marred from the knowledge that it's source was this Sith Lord.

Tyranus only smiled. It struck a primal terror in the hearts of Anakin and Obi-Wan. Even in all their clashes with him, there was something different about him now. His mouth was open in a terrifying grin lined with too many teeth, like a monstrous mask one would wear at some festival made to scare children as opposed to a face anyone would naturally make, and there was a queer vitality in his very being even as his old body much like Palpatine was Yoda were fueled by the force to limits they normally would have been incapable of. But more than that, it felt like what they were looking at was just a thing, some perverse mannequin made of flesh, a necrotic thing imitating the movements of being alive. That there was something else guiding every one of his small movements. Even after witnessing so many strange wildlife out and about in their bizarre mannerisms and alien faces, he was the only one to strike cold terror into their hearts. In those wretched shades of light surrounded by the great darkness in this cave, he looked like the undead ruler of a heathen kingdom they should have never dared trespass upon.

They were about to think twice about fighting him this time. He was standing on a temple story above them. Before either of them could react, he held up his hand and emitted a powerful blast of force lightning from his fingertips. Both Jedi held up their lightsabers to repel the attack. But their footing was already precarious on even steps as large as these, and they felt like they were both ready to fall at any moment.

Anakin and Obi-Wan both knew they were in trouble. They could hear the fierce scuffle of Ahsoka and Ventress close behind them and could very easily fall into the middle of that duel with so many adverse consequences. In this position, they were also in greater danger of suddenly being sniped from behind by one of the battle droids.

They both looked at each other. Even without saying anything, they had an inkling on what to do next. They sprang away from each other down a story and were now upon the ramparts below with each of them behind one of the strange effigies. Now they were no longer on the unsteady footing of the steps. But the Sith Lord was quick, descending to their level and activated another round of dark side energy in both of their directions. That arc of lightning blew the monstrous statues into rubble and smoke and hit both Jedi. Fortunately they caught the attack with their lightsabers.

They were pushed back but still standing. Still holding back the count's barrage of lightning with their weapons, they both momentarily sacrificed their holds to make striking motions with their lightsabers against the torrential blast. Anakin proficient with Djem So made a strong overhand movement with his blade while Obi-Wan favoring Soresu, made a low underhand strike against it. Tyranus was stronger than ever, but that dual motion from the both of them was enough to dispel his vicious onslaught of power.

But they were in no position to get cocky. They knew they had to close the distance if they didn't want to be vulnerable like that again. They both rushed at him in a pincer strike without a moment's hesitation.

He was faster still, sidestepping away from where he was. They could barely see him move, it was like he was in one place and then suddenly in another. That alone was enough to keep them from making the joint attack they needed to. In their haste the two Jedi almost clashed their blue blades together.

He was right behind Anakin. Even with his newfound source of power, it would have taken several seconds longer to strike the Jedi Knight with his lightsaber. Enough for him to respond and have a proper lightsaber duel. This Sith Lord was a genius in the art of dueling well before he turned to the dark side and had fine tuned the form of Makashi to deadly perfection, but this Jedi Knight whose arm he severed years ago had surpassed his expectations and had shown no shortage of martial brilliance in the brutality of Djem So. Obi-Wan was not lacking in talent with Soresu either. The wild power he felt ever since retrieving the treasure from this temple was intoxicating and he felt more alive than ever, but this particular thorn in his side had surprised him more times that he cared to admit. If the boy submitted to his darkness, perhaps then he might fulfill that prophecy of the Chosen One after all. So instead he grabbed his opponent's stomach and electrocuted him with force lightning so harsh that he drove Anakin to scream deeply in pain.

Those cries of agony were enough to drive a pause to Ahsoka and Ventress' duel. “No!” she said, rushing up towards Anakin. But she felt Ventress coming at her from behind. She realized she wasn't fast enough to save her master. With her opponent close behind, she turned around to just barely block what would have been a killing blow.

Obi-Wan lunged into the fray and made such a strike at the Sith Lord himself. But Tyranus simply flicked his lightsaber up to parry the strike as if he was dealing with a distraction. All the while he kept torturing Anakin with his lightning.

Obi-Wan remembered Maul killing his own master well over a decade ago. So very similar to this point in time. Just like then, he wasn't driven to powerlessness but instead to rage. He moved his weapon further to try and push past his guard. It wasn't just his technique, it was his strength, he had no idea that the fight would turn out this way. In a last ditch move, he freed one of his hands from his saber as it was locked with the Sith Lord's and lunged past the blade, decking Tyranus in the face as hard as he could.

He punched hard, intending to kill him. He knew that strike wasn't as strong as Anakin's artificial hand, which he had enhanced so much that sometimes he wondered if his apprentice could break the metal carapace of General Grievous with it. Yet it was enough to knock his head back to the side like his neck had been broken. His whole body went slack and forced to contend with Kenobi, he stopped electrocuting Anakin, who fell down the parapets below. Obi-Wan forgot about the Sith Lord, rushing to his pupil's aid. Too late, his fall escaped his grasp. But then Tyranus simply moved his head back to where it was as if he were simply adjusting a crink in his neck. He looked at Obi-Wan, his irises shining pure gold and glowing like some warlock that preyed on children in the night.

“Well done Kenobi. But you are nothing compared to what I am now!”

Tyranus made a sudden strike with his lightsaber. Obi-Wan was barely in time to catch that blow. With each clash it was like that, the Jedi struggling to match the Sith Lord's strikes. No longer able to rely on the defensive power of Soresu, he pushed forward, making movements that would have been clumsy on their own but fueled by his determination, were accurate enough to give him an equal foothold with his enemy.

***

Anakin would have died if it wasn't for Ahsoka sprinting to catch him during his fall. His breaths were ragged and he was spitting up blood. She had pushed her enemy back and this time sprung forward to rescue Anakin and succeeded, holding him in her arms. He looked bad but he was alive.

But she barely had time to register her master's injuries when Ventress lunged forth with each of her weapons pointing at both of them. Ahsoka let out a battle cry and made a strike that would have killed Ventress at the same time she would have killed the both of them, forcing her to give up that advantageous position. Yet she still stood over the both of them. Ahsoka's weapon was on guard.

“How sweet,” she said. “You two are inseparable and now you get to be together in death. But I'll send one of you to the other side before the other. I wonder how the other one will wail when I take that life.” She grit her teeth and raised her sabers. “I'll just have to find out!”

Anakin suddenly moved his head up and raised his arm at Ventress, holding off that attack with a powerful force push that sent her crashing onto her back upon the stone floor. His eyes were whited over and his breaths were ragged. But he was still alert, holding off Ventress purely with the power of the force.

He had intended only to hold her off. But he was using so much power that she felt like her spine was going to snap in two. She pushed forward against this display of strength with all her power in the force, yet he did not waver.

***

Rex had been keeping an eye on the fight between the Jedi and Sith above him as he exchanged fire with the battle droids. He had sworn to provide backup. But the fighting had become so fast and vicious that he couldn't be sure he might attack one of his commanders if he fired at the wrong time. For that reason alone he could only provide backup to his clone brothers against the battle droids.

***

Just then, Tyranus made a lucky strike. He cut past Obi-Wan's offensive, hitting his sides and knocking Obi-Wan's lightsaber from his hands and sending it down the stairs. Not willing to waste anytime like back on Geonosis, he moved fast, ready to cut Obi-Wan's life short. He would have too if not for Anakin.

He leapt back up in a state of pure instinct. Not yet aware, he caught Obi-Wan's lightsaber with the force and stood in front of Tyranus. His eyes still weren't all there, but even in that sort of half consciousness, his gaze was fixed right at the Sith Lord.

“Master,” Anakin said. It was more of a growl than a word.

“Thank you Anakin,” Obi-Wan said.

Anakin spat. “There is no second Sith Lord. I'm convinced of it now...there is only him!”

Tyranus only smiled. To be addressed as such filled him with pride. When he slew these Jedi and returned to Sidious, he would kill him as all Sith apprentices did to their masters. Then he alone would rule the galaxy.

Obi-Wan didn't know what to believe of such speculation. It didn't matter for what Anakin said to Tyranus next. “One of us is going to die before you take his life,” he hissed.

The sight of Skywalker in such a state under that trinity of alien lights raging in the force would have terrified him in ordinary circumstances. This boy was not the braggart whose hand he had taken, who had clashed with him time and time again only to leave Anakin painful reminders of his inferiority. He felt as if he were looking what a Jedi should be, warrior, sage and mystic.

But now Tyranus simply felt himself rising to the challenge, as if the foe before him was his mortal enemy. “Yes, let us find out which!” Tyranus said. “You should feel honored Skywalker. To face off with the avatar of the dark side!” With both weapons at the ready, Anakin went at him hard and fast. When they fought on Geonosis, Anakin went dual-handed at him just like now, sacrificing the brute strength of going two-handed with Djem So for the versality of a dual wielding fencer in Jar'Kai. But Tyranus was ready, catching each move with speed, having enough power to catch those strikes which would have broken many Sith before him. Still, things were different now and Anakin had become much stronger now. He endured, wielding his blades and parrying and striking with each weapon as if he were holding one two-handed.

***

Ahsoka was momentarily distracted by the frenzy even in the initial moments, it was like watching two forces of nature. Not that she had much time to think on it. Ventress was also there, and she resolved to strike before her foe had any ideas. The Dathomirian was surprised by Ahsoka and in a rare moment had to defend herself.

Still she was no less arrogant. “Your master left you vulnerable,” Ventress said through their hold. Her cocky pale face was lit up by the piss colored shine of both moons and this close to the dual lightsaber shine of red and green, her pale face was also colored in a dark foreboding shade. “Can you still say he really cares for you? And I felt the bloodlust in him. He's one of us now. When he's through with Dooku, he'll come for you next.”

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“Liar!” In any other state of mind, Ahsoka would have never given heed to that taunt. But in the heat of the moment, it was enough to drive her wild. Yet she was young and unused to being so close to the dark side. Instead of making her stronger, it made her weaker against this gladiatrix of evil.

***

Obi-Wan looked up. He could barely comprehend what was happening around him. But while the fighting was fierce between Ahsoka and Ventress, it was nothing compared to the fury between Anakin and Tyranus. A Jedi Master stunned by this atavistic dance and without his weapon he never felt more powerless. Yet he still had the force.

The fighting between Ahsoka and Ventress was close, neither of them having an edge over the other. But it was like him just now. One wrong step and Ahsoka would be finished. He couldn't possibly snatch her weapon in time to defend himself from Ventress. Or she would jump in between the fierce fight before him, resembling nothing like a duel, and even the odds. So he sat down and shut his eyes, taking in the power of the force.

Ahsoka knew she was losing this fight and that only made her angrier. Yet in that battle haze, she swiftly felt something like instinct directing her every movement past the bounds of her sickness and her stamina. She was stilll unsure of herself, knowing she could be killed at any instant. But there wasn't any fear anymore, instead there was a delicate calmness to her mind which she couldn't fathom. She simply followed it and let it direct her every move, even when it seemed foolish to do so.

Ventress sensed it too. She didn't know what changed about Ahsoka. She could feel it coming from behind her, something to do with the fighting behind her higher in the parapets of the temple. In the back of her mind, she thought it was Kenobi, but that seemed absurd to her. But she wouldn't dare turn her face, not when the consequences were that great.

***

Even at this new height of his power, Tyranus also felt on edge. He had never felt so challenged by Skywalker before. There were plenty of opportunities when he knew he should have had the advantage and killed him with speed and technique. But he felt the power from the Jedi Knight both from his being and in his strikes, and his newfound strength contending against two blades at once from this berserker was not enough. Once he even felt like Anakin was about to cleave his head from his neck.

This battle frenzy in Skywalker was not something borne of the dark side. But it was something close to it, perhaps even beyond it. The old legend of the Chosen One hailed by the Jedi and all those rumors that Anakin was that prophecy come to life even whispered in his ear by his own master Sidious, tales of the Sith'ari, they were all racing through his mind then. Tyranus had thought of this Jedi Knight as a nuisance at best ever since he took his arm and survived so many encounters. Now he was turning into a believer.

There were still other uses of the force. His lightning would not do him any good this time, not against the flurry of sapphire blades. Tapping into his new strength, he abruptly made a strong force push on the stone floor Anakin was standing upon, shattering it into pieces under him. The Jedi Knight had become so accustomed to using the lightsabers almost as if they were an extension of his being that this brutal shockwave caught him off guard. If he had not leapt forward to engage closer with the Sith Lord, he would have fallen deep into the depths of the temple never to emerge again.

Anakin landed right in Tyranus' face and renewed the severity of his strikes. On the small stone walkway, the spinning fury of two lightsabers in the hands of this Jedi accustomed to the battlefield as if he himself was some sort of great memorial of an ancient religion of war and sacrifice made animate on the blood of every foe it slew with it's blades instead of hands, he was easily making a poor performer of this Makashi stylist, and indeed the man once primed to be Yoda's successor did not feel the warrior's strength and quintessence of the force that earned him that honor, instead he felt much like an old dancer clinging to repetition where in his youth he could move and fight swiftly and with precision as if he were one with the wind. Tyranus was desperate to regain the advantage and in the ferocity of their fighting they had switched positions.

Anakin felt as if both weapons were an extension of his being. His own weapon was thicker than Kenobi's hilt, it was designed for the brute power of two-handed Djem So, and yet holding it in his mechanical hand engineered with such strength that he could smash stone he brought every strike with such power that he felt the severity ricochet into his own bones. With his master's thinner weapon, he very easily slipped into the defensive postures of Soresu using the flesh hand he still had not only a tribute to his master's preferred method of fighting but also to keep that hand from being lost on this fated night too, his life on the line he was acutely aware of how he could stand to suffer another trauma well before he was dead. But that perfect offense and defense made him an unbreakable juggernaut, swift precision and killing intent that would silence his naysayers in the Jedi and make all those in the Order of the Sith Lords forged in the line of succession through direct killing, proven creatures of power up to Darth Bane himself, tempted to forswear the dark path and all it's promises of power. Well aware that his foe was close to that hole, Anakin intended to push this Dark Lord back into the crypt from whence he came. Yet Tyranus surprised him when he shut off his lightsaber and channeled all his power with the force into manhandling Anakin into the air.

Anakin dropped his weapons on the spot. Like so many in the dark side, Tyranus was no stranger at using the force to unnatural ends. But his telekinesis was agonizing. He intended to break the Jedi once and for all and then send him into the abyss of the necropolis, never to return. Anakin felt like his organs were failing and his bones were about to snap. The deadly General Grievous feared by many Jedi was once upon a time even more vicious and it was only because of Mace Windu using a similar technique on him that Tyranus now used on Anakin that the co-leader of the Separatists now struggled with a consistent hacking and even then he was still a terror on the battlefield. But Anakin would not be so easily defeated.

Even in that state, Anakin was able to send the force back against his enemy so greatly that Tyranus felt his control over the force weakening. As if Skywalker himself were the force and the very source of his power was to be wrested from his control and consume him. Like a child enamored of a best friend with their innocence spun with tales of eternal comradery and loyalty only for their companion to turn on them and scar them with a trauma that would never heal. Abandoning all his thoughts of aggression, he now wished to let go of the Jedi Knight and kill him with his lightsaber. But he felt that if he did so, then Anakin would channel all of his will to seize the force himself and redirect that crushing energy upon him and this time he would not fail. Desperate, he flung Skywalker forward past the pit, throwing him back against one of the beast effigies behind him so hard that it smashed to pieces, and his flight was only caught by another idol behind him, leaving him crumpled up with his master.

Anakin collapsed right up on Obi-Wan. That snapped Kenobi out of his force trance. Ahsoka was suddenly woozy and clumsy, as if her foot had just slipped on something or she had just hit her head. Even someone as brutal as Ventress was surprised from her opponent's sudden clumsiness, and didn't know if the Padawan was trying some cheap trick.

Tyranus would not take the chance of having either of them get the jump on him again. He readied his blade to put an end to them again in one clean strike, and normally his deadly and precise technique with the curved-blade lightsaber would have been enough. But Obi-Wan used the force to call up the rocky remnants of the shattered idol and threw them at Tyranus. Even someone like him long used to quickly cleaving a path past his enemies was forced to stand still and cut aside each piece of stone that came his way.

When there was no more rubble to use, Obi-Wan called his lightsaber and pointed it at Tyranus. A feeble gesture but this Sith Lord was no longer willing to take any chances. He had underestimated these Jedi and another long drawn out battle was out of the question. The stone floor under him had become precarious from the creation of that makeshift pit, and one wrong step in a duel and he might fall into his own trap. On the story below, he knew that Ventress had the upper hand, yet even that stripling Tano had surprised him. Skywalker taught the girl well and he would take no chances. Now was the time to end this charade beyond any doubt.

“It is time to test the prize we have won,” he said. He reached for something on the back of his hip underneath his cape, and held out a strange spiky crystal that fit in the palm of his hand. It's clear glass was dimmed to a yellowish shine under the glow of the moons, unblemished with the aeons in the depths of the temple, yet there was something dark moving around inside of it. Obi-Wan was hit with the thought that this thing must have been the Sith weapon.

Anakin had only just come to. His body was searing with pain, and he could feel his broken bones rattling in his body. He could not call upon that primal rush of power anymore. Even so weary, he could see the crystal, and felt a great intensity stirring inside of it beyond anything he ever felt before inside of the force. On instinct he called his own weapon back to him.

He was distracted by it's structure. Under the golden light of the moons shining down on it, he noticed that on each spike it seemed perfectly pointed yet all over the surface there were strange rivets and angular curves and bumps besides. For all that it's almost hostile shape differed from the standard Sith holocrons, this one was unambiguously of it's kind. There was no shortage of these strange design quirks yet beneath the clear glassy exterior, there was a dark formless thing inside of it violently stirring underneath that seemed to swallow all the surrounding light so as to make it blinding.

He had registered all of that in seconds. He snapped back to reality as the thing slowly expanded and grew within it's the container of the holocron. Yet Anakin would not let it end like this. In one last ditch move, he made a sudden strike at the holocron with his lightsaber at his side, shattering it into pieces.

Then something screeched through the air. All five of them looked in the direction of it's wailing, too stunned to move. They felt it's presence in the presence, slimy and crawling about far more strongly than they had heard it's wail of agony.

They saw it, slithering and creeping around. Dooku was too stunned to respond. He did not know what to expect of this ancient Sith weapon. But he did not expect to see this thing either.

None of them could move. Even with only the tripartite moonlit glow lighting their surroundings, they could see it's black shape as if it were itself a flame that cast darkness, a tall and muscular humanoid shape. For all it's appearance of strength it was clearly an act as it quickly fell to it's knees, weak and rasping, only to stand up again. Yet as it stood it was twisting and coiling about as if it were something fluid and serpentine, not wholly made of matter. And just as it made to walk it instantly collapsed on it's knees once more.

It was not just it's unusual appearance which paralyzed their hearts. It's shape degenerated into something amorphous and lacking real form. In this new mold it moved like water splashing onto the rocky floor only to emerge up like a fountain's spray, and then to fall back and splash back upon the floor, and then it would rise again like a gush of water. Even as it slithered about, rising and falling, they could all see just how it struggled to move, as if it despite it's flowing movements, it was decaying and rotten at the seams. On it's exotic design, one of it's wet tendrils was larger than the others and because of it's features, the thing's head. In spite of the sickly air it gave off, it's face if it could be called that had great white eyes curved downward and a mouth too wide to be real was a leering smile lined with sharp teeth and all those present felt the unholy intelligence, much like the many statues erected here at this temple and all the creatures they had seen on their journey. But this thing was no strange animal or piece of art, it's unusual gait and movements lined with intention made it much like a monster from some bedtime story or legend given flesh that would make anyone who viewed it question their sanity even with the force known and feared in this era and drive their prized rationality to backwards superstitions.

Anakin felt it's white eyes looking right into his. And then he heard a voice in his head he could not account for. I have called you here, Chosen One. You are like none other I have seen. I have seen into your soul. Soon, I will join with your flesh. And then we will roam this galaxy and feast as one.

Those words did not scare Anakin. They seemed welcoming and warm, touching the darkness in his heart he had hidden from his Jedi companions and all who knew him. Something that would accept him for all that he is without reservation. There was a strange tingling in his loins, something deeper than his carnal knowledge of his own wife. His terror of the thing's visage gave way to appreciation and even love.

It flung itself at him. Obi-Wan made to cut at it but it was too fast, easily avoiding the blue flash of the lightsaber. Too fast for any of them to respond, it's face was inches away from Anakin's. He could smell it's strange breath like something from the dream of an ancient sage talking about flowers long forgotten, as it opened it's mouth lined with so many teeth. He felt it's tentacles touching his skin.

Then it screamed in pain, an agonized sound borne of betrayal and pain. Anakin had ignited his lightsaber at the last minute, piercing a burning hole through where it's heart would be. It's humanoid form was abandoned and assuming a more liquid form, fled from him, drooping about miserably on the stone steps. It hissed at Dooku like he was unworthy, and he backed away from it before like a gush of water it sprinkled past him and splashed onto the temple's stone floor only to rise up and sprinkle up once more.

It locked eyes with Ventress. Unlike Anakin, she felt no warmth, only a deep terror. It was not it's visage which frightened her, not after seeing it's weak movements and how easily the Jedi Knight cut through it. No, it was that feeling of ancient fear, the same thing which gripped her heart as soon as she had meditated on the latent energies upon this world.

In a fit of fear she hadn't felt since she was a child, she sliced at it. The strike held none of her telltale anger or fine technique she had honed in every vicious battle of her life. Instead it was like she was using a lightsaber for the first time, feebly flailing about with both of her weapons.

But her blade connected. It did not scream again, this time it only let out an enraged howl from being so cruelly twice rejected, as if it now saw no reason to live. It scurried off away from her into the darkness.

Ventress was still shuddering with fear, when she suddenly locked eyes with Ahsoka again. She was just as shocked she was. But Dooku's apprentice would not abide having a mere Padawan see her in such a state of humiliation. Let alone this one in particular.

She let out an enraged battle cry and went at Ahsoka. This mere Jedi Padawan barely countered the first of the fast and vicious strikes from Dooku's apprentice. But just like her master, she was now empowered with a heightened sense of awareness and strength that was more than adept at countering the ferocity of her opponent. More than a few times, she came close to overpowering Ventress.

Ventress could sense something in Ahsoka had changed. It was greater than Skywalker's instinctive rush to fighting and Kenobi's battle meditation. She had seen the change in her own master after they retrieved the weapon from the temple. She had deferred to him previously as she always did, but never respected him. But from then on she felt the same inexplicable aura of intimidation from him that she did when she first meditated on the dark side nexus on this planet and could only obey him to the letter.

Now that same power emanated from Ahsoka. Everything in her gut was telling her not to take the Padawan lightly, that she was to be feared on the same level as Skywalker and Kenobi. But she refused to back down.

Ahsoka felt the change too. She had barely seen whatever creature that was scurry past before she was forced to contend with Ventress. Yet whatever doubts she had when her opponent came at her were scattered to the winds when those initial strikes didn't knock her back like they usually did. It was not the calm movements of Kenobi's battle meditation aiding her. Instead it felt like she was fighting a child, someone who was barely even trying. At first she felt nervous, knowing it was never a good idea to underestimate Ventress. But as time went on it suddenly occurred to her that she wasn't giving it her all anymore and yet she was still standing.

***

Anakin had struggled to stand. It was his willpower that kept him going on. He had been through worse when Dooku had cut off his hand. But he still felt like his power was brittle and his body would collapse at any moment.

He looked at Dooku. He knew he was in a precarious situation against him, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka. Obi-Wan was still hurt from being hit with the lightsaber and Ahsoka was against Ventress someone who only fools would look down on. But he still found the strength to smile. This Sith Lord now looked like just an old man with a lightsaber, and not the ghoulish creature he fought with before. He almost had to fight the urge to laugh.

Dooku saw that arrogance in Skywalker's eyes too. “Your apprentice might fall if you don't hurry up,” he said, nodding at Ahsoka and Ventress below them. “You wouldn't want to fail her like you did with your arm, would you?”

That broke his calm. The fresh pain he thought he had gotten over screamed in his body, and Anakin lunged at Dooku. He was now only using his lightsaber, holding onto it with both hands as he struggled past Dooku whose battle style of Makashi was more akin to an artful dance. That didn't bother Anakin one bit, and while the dual-handed style of Jar'kai he was using earlier might have been better suited to handle this fallen master's fast accuracy, he was more comfortable with the brute strength of Djem So. Despite it's bluntness he was able to match everyone of Dooku's precise hits with more than enough strength to spare.

But Anakin did not fear. He lost his hand to Dooku and that trauma had scarred him ever since. In this fight he felt nothing of that past ordeal because if he had hesitated, he would lose his life too. Whatever power Dooku held was long gone, and they both knew it. He remembered his master's words of this conflict perhaps being their final battle. He did not fear.

***

As powerful as Ahsoka had become in that short time, Ventress was still strong in the dark side. Here on this planet of the ancient Sith, she tapped into that innate power boosted it with the nexus of energies simmering upon this world and gained equal footing with Ahsoka. The fighting had become brutal, their lightsabers cutting numerous of the strange statues adorning the temple into two. But it was Ventress who won this bout. Ahsoka had become so sure of herself that Ventress was able to suddenly knock her lightsaber out of her hand and kick her hard so that she was down on the stone floor of the temple, staring up at the tip of one of the blades, only inches away from her face.

“Master!” Ahsoka said.

In her moment of victory, Ventress was still cognizant of the situation and raised her other weapon towards the other two Jedi, a challenge if there ever was one. Anakin immediately made to move at her, but Dooku got in his way. Behind him Obi-Wan finally got up. Dooku smiled.

“Wait,” he said to Ventress. “Our mission was a failure. Either we did not find the weapon our master was looking for. Or that pathetic thing was the weapon and we wasted our time. But there is no more use for us to fight, is there?”

“We have them,” Ventress said. “I kill her and we clean up the rest of this trash.”

“You kill her and we have no more leverage. Let her go. These Jedi might be more than we're equipped to handle. There's no point in dying on an ancient world for a failed mission.” He looked squarely at Anakin and Obi-Wan. “Are we agreed, gentlemen? Does that fit your code of honor?” Anakin and Obi-Wan said nothing but their lightsabers were still activated. Irritated, he shot another blast of lightning at Anakin.

Anakin was nowhere near strong enough to push back this attack, and he collapsed to his knees. Obi-Wan moved at him to strike but then Dooku stopped. He shot the Jedi Master a wry smile. Then he slowly moved down the steps, joining Ventress on the stone story below him. He looked at her, and she slowly nodded. She looked down at Ahsoka. “This works for me better anyway,” she said. “I couldn't bear to kill that pretty face. And the look you gave me earlier...” She giggled to herself. “I long to see you fall to the dark side. When that time comes, I'll see so much more of you in my bedroom.” She deactivated the weapon she had at Ahsoka's throat and holstered it before blowing her a kiss.

“Uh, okay...” Ahsoka said, confused. When the two dark siders were far away enough from the temple, they turned their backs to their enemies and rejoined the scuffle. They held their weapons up at the clone troopers, but didn't actually cut any of them down. The clone troopers watched them warily, they all knew the tricks these two could pull with their lightsabers and there was an uneasy peace. The battle droids followed behind them, and the fighting had stopped, as it became clear what was going on.

Eventually they were out of sight. The clone troopers hurried to the temple to rejoin the Jedi. Ahsoka called her lightsaber back and had it at the ready in case a stray shot from a battle droid made it's way. Every instinct of hers was ready for a possible strike and she didn't look away. Obi-Wan went to Anakin.

“Are you alright?” Obi-Wan said with no small amount of alarm. Anakin looked up at him and smiled, his face was lined with sweat, then he coughed roughly, spitting blood onto the stone parapets. Unable to take it anymore, he collapsed completely, falling down.

“Master!” Ahsoka said. Obi-Wan quickly picked him up and held him by the shoulder. Rex saw that too and hurried up.

“Captain Rex, it's urgent!” he said. “Anakin has been badly hurt and he's coughing up blood!”

“I understand,” he said, immediately getting out a spare med pac he still had on him. A clone medic got to work on Anakin, and around them too, the surviving clone troopers were treating their wounded allies. Despite the urgency of the situation they felt relief, they were finally alone and had time to themselves.

But they still had to be quick. Anakin's injuries were bad, and the med pac wasn't enough. “Captain Rex, we need to get back to the shuttle as soon as possible!” said Obi-Wan.

Rex nodded. “You heard the general! Carry up who you can and get back! And we still don't know if those separatists are still lying about in wait! Move!”