"Brother?" came the grumbling whisper.

The cavern was filled to the brim with rusting machinery, piles of garbage. A savage light threw menacing shadows that seemed to fight against one another as the bonfire swayed violently.

A massive figure skulked carefully around the corners of stacked debris, listening attentively for the gentle sounds of clicks, the unnerving whispers that echoed all around him. His voice caught in his throat as he attempted to call out again, it felt as if any sound would ignite the world.

Nevertheless, Savage Opress was not one to be cowed. Born of darker things with even bleaker intentions, there was a part of him, a growing one at that, which welcomed the aura of irate suffering. In some ways, he felt right at home here in the void of the universe.

The maze of filth went on forever, but he noticed an opening ahead. The skeletal rubbish parted to give way to a pocket of open space. This is where the light was coming from, as well as the maddening voice. The closer he got, the more anticipation ate at the corners of his mind.

Fondling the amulet Mother Talzin had given him (which was now bright green), he took a hulking breath and shoved past the final wall of garbage and entered the space. What greeted him was partially expected but nonetheless disturbing.

Half-Dathomirian, half-spider, all insane. This creature tore away at his own black and red flesh, his eyes blazed with an unbridled rage, but it could never focus on anything in particular. Pockets of lunacy appeared every few seconds but were overwhelmed immediately by ghosts in the mind. It never noticed Savage's presence.

"No, no, no, no, no…" it would whimper, its horned head would cock and swerve, seeing nothing but never ceasing.

The metal spider-belly, swollen and decrepit, attached precariously up into the chest of Darth Maul, allowing him to walk, yet it limped and snapped under his movements. Savage noticed a hodgepodge of materials used to create this monstrosity, as if someone had tried to keep it together with anything he or she could find—rusted steel and iron rods served as a poor skeleton with junk as the muscle. Pieces of paper routinely fell out, trampled under the crippled legs.

Maul flinched his way around the area, continually going in and out of frightening rage, then descending into incoherent sobs.

Savage could hardly believe his eyes. His brother, flesh and blood, reduced to this. Anger exploded in his body.

Whoever did this shall pay with his life.He vowed, clenching his fist.

As hate rushed over Savage, Maul suddenly went still and quiet. He whisked around with surprising calmness and looked his brother straight in the eye.

"H-h-help-p-p…m-me-e…"he choked out, fighting his bleeding mouth as it spasmed.

Then, he gave a throaty shriek and collapsed. The amulet's light faded.

Jump forward to Darth Maul's takeover of Mandalore

"He will betray us, brother," Savage growled, his eyes in slits.

The mangy tent ruffled with a cool breeze as the two brothers stood with arms crossed. Savage continually looked over his shoulder, as if expecting a Death Watch assassin at any moment. His grip on his lightsaber never loosened.

Maul lifted a hand to his chin, and furrowed his brow.

"Yes, he'd be a fool not to," he replied, his mouth curled in a sharp-toothed sneer. "We've given him everything he needs to take Mandalore, he will think us disposable after he usurps the Duchess."

This further provoked Savage, who almost roared with indignation.

"Then we should strike while we have the chance!" his massive fingers twitched, his broad shoulders shook.

Maul gave his brother a cool look, and Savage immediately settled, huffing, but not easing.

"Patience, apprentice, patience," Maul practically cooed. "Vizsla will not succeed, I will make sure of it, but for the moment we must play along. Then, when he thinks he's won, we end him."

Savage chortled, his deep laugh shaking the ground.

Maul responded with a tight grimace, his sharp eyes shifting, always watching.

The two now only had to wait, something which Maul had perfected while he rotted in the hole Obi-wan sent him to. Endless black nights, searing pain, inescapable, trapped beneath the universe, it had nearly killed him. And he had begged for death countless times.

But now it was going to finally be worth it.