Kanan ran toward his unconscious apprentice in a hurry, lifting the debris off the boy with the force.

He sighed in relief when he realized his apprentice was otherwise unharmed.

A jolt of lightning connecting with the ground before him broke him out of his trance, alerting him to the danger around them.

~jedi knight. Come to seize my power?~

The presence cackled.

"No. I'm getting my apprentice out of here. We don't need no sith secret."

Kanan dismissed, lifting Ezra up and making a run for the elevator.

~There is another way to claim my power. Do you not wish to destroy the sith, Kanan Jarrus?~

The Jedi knight froze.

~I can teach you. And your apprentice. Only two. No more no less.~

"By becoming a sith?! Never!"

The Jedi hollered, proceeding back on his path.

~These are dark times. You need to embrace a larger view of the force. Even the nature of the dark side. Would you would risk your enemies gaining my knowledge?~

"Mhm kanan...?"

Ezra stirred.

"Ezra! Great! You're awake!"

"Wha-what happened? The inquisitor he-"

"He's gone. But we have to go now. Maul and Asohka can only delay Vader for so long." Kanan reassured.

"Wait- we can kill Vader with this weapon! We can't leave yet!" Ezra shouted.

"Weapon?"

~the power to destroy life... is at your command!~ the presence repeated proudly.

"We can destroy the empire!" The boy pleaded.

"Yes. But at what cost? By turning to the dark side?" Kanan scolded.

An ominous breathing caused the conversation between master and padawan to cease.

~so many disciples today...!!!~ the presence laughed.

Vader was battered and broken. The control panel on his chest plate dangling pathetically and defenselessly out from the protection of his armor, connected only by a few loose wires. Not only that, was the top part of his helmet completely removed, leaving only his triangular mouthpiece and exposing his burnt, bald and scarred head.

"If only you knew the true potential of the force. You have made the mistake of heeding the poison of your Jedi master. As I had once before." Vader brandished his vermillion blade and sent out ripples within the force.

Instantly, both knight and padawan felt weak. The cold raw power of the dark side empowered by the planet dampening their own connection to the light side.

Ezra however, got up first. His eyes glowing ember once again.

He gritted his teeth and delivered a force push at the Sith Lord, who shrugged off the telekinetic attack.

"Yes." Vader echoed.

"Strong with the dark side."

Kanan stared in horror as Ezra ignited his lightsaber and prepared to attack.

"And so I offer an ultimatum. Join me in the dark side. And together we will dominate the galaxy. You would make a fine inquisitor to our ranks." The enforcer stated.

Ezra gritted his teeth and ran toward Vader in blind fury, slashing at his enemy.

The Sith Lord then reaches out with his powers and cleched his fist violently at the padawan.

A sickening pop resounded from Ezra's knees and Bridger cried out in agony.

The young boy fell to his knees before the sith, a sitting duck for Vader's execution.

"So unwise." Vader mulled.

"And for your foolishness and lack for vision. You must pay the price." He raises his saber, preparing for the killing blow.

A blinding flash of white appeared before Vader, and his strike was deflected with Asohka's sabers.

The torgruta herself was bloodied and bruised, but managed her injuries well in facing her former master.

Ezra took the chance to scramble out of Vader's mercy, but his legs weren't responding. In fact, the only response was an excruciating pain.

Ezra groaned, using his hands to drag himself across the floor and away from the battle.

That was until two pairs of strong arms lifted him from the ground and onto his shoulders. They were maul's.

"Now that Vader is here competing with our the interests for the weapon, it cannot decide who it should listen to. Why didn't you use it before he arrived!?" The dathomian questioned with agitation.

"I-uh. The inquisitor, he-" Ezra sputtered in fear.

Maul moaned angrily and then he sighed.

"Now, the only thing we can do is claim the holocron. We may not be able to access the weapon but we may at least discover the secrets within."

Bridger nodded. And reached out with the force to pull out the artifact. However, he was stopped by the zabrak.

"Only two. No more no less. A master AND and apprentice. It will only respond to the dark side." Maul corrected.

Ezra looked at Kanan who said something like "no" to him. But he was too far away to make out the words.

"This is no time for hesitation apprentice! Asohka is counting on you!" Maul pressed, albeit desperately.

The woman barely dodged a swipe from Vader's weapon before having to avoid another slash. She couldn't keep this up forever.

Ezra knew Kanan wouldn't approve. But this was his only chance.

He hummed in agreement. And reached out with his emotions.

"Yes. Yes! Go on! Use your feelings. Guide it toward the holocron. Control your hatred." Maul encouraged, he himself using the force to extract the miniature pyramid from its resting place.

Immediately, the entire temple started to fall apart. Tremors began all over the tower and boulders fell from the ceiling.

"No." Vader seethed, smashing away Asohka's sabers with his own and reached his hand at the duo, ready to crush them with the force.

Then, nothing happened.

It was then he realized that his left arm was severed clean off by his apprentice's weapon.

"I won't let you touch them!" Asohka growled, jumping on top of the armored sith and kicking him backwards.

Then, she threw her pristine swords straight at Vader's abdomen, earning an exerted cry from the Sith Lord, as they pierced his suit. He then collapsed, eshausted.

Maul took this opportunity to focus his powers on the holocron, finally removing it from the obelisk, releasing a blast of energy in the process.

The wave of power swept across the platform, pushing everyone backward.

Vader, who was unable to hang on for dear life, was shoved off the edge mercilessly.

"Noooo!!!" Asohka screamed, diving for her former master.

It was too late.

He was gone.

Lost to the endless abyss. The bottomless pit of the temple.

The torgruta dropped to her knees and sobbed in defeat.

A crackle of energy erupted from the temple once again, shaking the planet to its core.

"Ezra! We must leave now!" Maul warned.

Kanan rose from the ground, gritting his teeth. "Chopper! We need an emergency evac now!"

A warm hum instantly answered the call. Bright lights shone upon the four force wielders, contrasting with the dangerous glow of the temple's impending destruction.

The mini space pod descended, and it's rear door slammed open in an invitation.

Ezra grabbed onto Asohka's broken body and hollered," asohka! There's no time!"

The grey Jedi wipes her tears and nodded.

Gathering her weapons, she joined maul and the two Jedi, in the back of the phantom, speeding out of the hole in the ceiling.

As the menacing light finally escaped her view, asohka teared up once again. Her cries drowned out the explosion that followed from the pyramid.

No one said anything.

Even with the rude crash of lightning and colour from the planet's surface, there was only silence.

Asohka failed.

Her master.

Anakin, was truly dead.

———————————————————

"Lord Vader! Are you alright?" The eighth brother questioned, offering a hand to the damaged Sith Lord.

"Leave me be." Vader dismissed, warning against the slightest touch of the inquisitor, who slunk back obediently.

The cyborg paused, before looming over the Jedi hunter, as if ready to strike.

"Lord... Vader?" The jango jumper asked uneasily. He was backed into a corner by his master. Completely at his mercy.

Even in such a battered state, the Sith Lord, with his shattered mask and severed hand could intimidate his subordinates. There lies the true power and meaning of the dark side. It stems from fear.

"You disobeyed my commands and engaged the Jedi, causing the loss of the holocron and the escape of asohka tano-." The Sith Lord boomed.

"Master- I-" the inquisitor pleaded, ready to grovel for his life once again.

"And yet you survived. That itself is a victory, as your comrades so tragically learned."

"Please... reconsider my termination...!" The inquisitor whimpered weakly. Eighth brother knew his last ditch attempt would be for nought, and could only cover his face in fear, bracing himself for death.

Death that never came.

"-You would make a fine grand inquisitor." Vader finished, before leaving for his tie fighter.

Eighth brother looked up, surprised, the cold wind howling in his ears, and the dark shadow of the Sith Lord walking away, inviting him to follow.