Star Wars: Shadow of Skywalker

Anakin awoke slowly, his senses returning to him one by one. The first thing he noticed was the weightless sensation of being submerged in the bacta tank. The sterile, cold fluid embraced him, soothing the wounds that covered his small frame. He opened his eyes, the dim lighting of the medical room on Mustafar piercing through the transparent tank.

'So I'm back', he thought. His body felt weak, almost alien to him after a year of constant strain on Korriban. But his mind... his mind was clearer than it had been in months.

The whispers, the maddening voices of the fallen Sith, were gone. The oppressive cacophony that had plagued him relentlessly on Korriban was no more. For the first time, there was silence. He inhaled deeply through the breathing apparatus, savoring the clarity. Yet as he tapped into the Force, a sinister grin crept onto his face.

The dark side was still strong within him. Stronger than ever.

But as his thoughts drifted back to the fight, his grin twisted into a scowl. "Damn it." He cursed inwardly, anger bubbling up. 'If there had been anyone else there during that fight—anyone I could have drained—I would have won.' He clenched his fists, the fluid around him rippling faintly in response to his anger.

A whole torturous year spent on Korriban, clawing his way to survival, embracing the dark side, only to lose to Maul. The indignity of it was insufferable.

In the adjoining chamber, Maul knelt before a flickering hologram of Darth Sidious. The Zabrak kept his head bowed, his tone steady and respectful.

"Master, I have retrieved the boy," Maul began. "He has progressed significantly over the past year. His power has grown exponentially. His combat skills are impressive, and his command of the Force is… remarkable. He learns quickly." Maul paused, considering his next words. "Korriban has had its intended effect. Any doubts he harbored about embracing the dark side are gone. He is fully committed."

Sidious's hologram tilted its head slightly, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Excellent work, my apprentice. But raw power is a crude weapon. Tell me, what of his weaknesses?"

Maul hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "He lacks discipline, Master. He allows his emotions to control him rather than the other way around. He fights with impressive ferocity, but it is… unrefined. Like a wild beast – powerful, but predictable."

"Then teach him control" Sidious said, his voice smooth and low. "Patience. Discipline. A true Sith wields power with precision, not with blind fury. He is a weapon yet to be forged, raw iron waiting to be shaped. Mold him into the instrument I require."

Sidious paused, his eyes gleaming with a malevolent light. "I have a new assignment for you, Lord Maul. You will travel to Tatooine and lend your aid to Jabba the Hutt. The Desilijic clan is facing challenges from the Besadii, and Jabba requires our assistance to maintain his control over the planet. Take the boy with you. I believe a return to Tatooine will evoke... certain memories. Memories that will serve as a potent lesson in the importance of controlling one's emotions."

Maul inclined his head in acknowledgement, but hesitated before speaking again. "Master, when the boy is fully trained, when he becomes a Sith Lord... what then becomes of me?"

Sidious's eyes narrowed, his voice taking on a colder edge. "The boy is merely a tool, Maul – a means to an end. You are my true apprentice, destined to stand at my side and reshape the galaxy. But do not grow complacent. Do not allow your skills to atrophy or your focus to waver. The boy is crucial to our plans, but he is not your replacement. Am I understood?"

"Perfectly, Master," Maul replied, his voice betraying no hint of his inner turmoil. As he ended the transmission and rose to his feet, a seed of doubt that had been planted long ago took root and began to grow. Maul had witnessed Anakin's raw power firsthand. The boy's strength was increasing at an alarming rate, and though Maul was confident in his own abilities, he couldn't entirely ignore the unsettling possibility of being replaced.

Maul entered the medical room, his predatory gaze falling on the bacta tank. Anakin floated within, his wounds nearly healed, his breathing calm and steady. With a nod to the medical droid, Maul signaled for the process to end.

The bacta fluid drained quickly, and the holding mechanisms released. Anakin collapsed to his knees on the cold, metal floor, gasping for air as he adjusted to the sudden return of gravity. For a moment, he stayed there, his weak body trembling. After a year of harsh survival on Korriban, the sterile cleanliness of the medical room felt alien.

"Get dressed and meet me in the training room," Maul said curtly before turning to leave.

Anakin remained on the floor for a moment longer, forcing himself to focus. He reached for the dark side, letting its energy flow through him, amplifying his body and dulling the pain. Slowly, he stood, his gaze falling on the dark robes neatly folded nearby. As he dressed, a sharp realization struck him: his lightsaber was gone.

His hand instinctively went to his belt, only to find it empty. 'My lightsaber...' The absence felt like a gaping wound. After months of survival, fighting beasts and shadows, being without a weapon was intolerable. But then another thought crept into his mind—a memory of Korriban.

'It's good I didn't go insane', he thought, a brief flicker of fear crossing his mind. The whispers, the voices... they had almost broken him. But that fear quickly gave way to rage. 'When I avenge my mother, I will destroy that wretched planet. I'll silence them all for eternity.'

He made his way to the training room, his steps heavy and deliberate. The Zabrak stood waiting, his arms crossed, his ever-present smirk firmly in place.

"Where is my lightsaber?" Anakin demanded, his voice low and venomous.

Maul's smirk deepened. "It's not yours. You don't deserve it."

"I do," Anakin shot back, his fists clenching. "I'm a Sith. I need my weapon."

Maul let out a cruel laugh. "You? A Sith?" He shook his head, his tone dripping with disdain. "You're nothing but a child playing with powers you don't yet fully understand. A lightsaber isn't given—it's earned. A Sith forges their own weapon, taking it from a Jedi and bleeding the crystal. You let that thing choose you, and that is why you are weak."

"It chose me!" Anakin shouted, his voice echoing through the chamber. "Because I'm strong, I survived Korriban! I conquered—"

"Conquered?" Maul interrupted coldly, taking a step closer. He circled Anakin, his yellow eyes burning like predatory flames. "You were broken on Korriban, boy. You barely survived. You cling to that survival as if it's some grand victory, but it's merely a testament to your weakness."

Anakin lunged for Maul, his fury blinding him. "Give me back my lightsaber!" he roared.

Maul effortlessly sidestepped the attack, his lips curling into a sneer. "Yours?" he scoffed. "You think you have any claim to power? You haven't earned the right to wield a blade."

"I'll take it from you, then!" Anakin snarled, his hands crackling with dark side energy.

"Such arrogance," Maul said, his voice like ice. He grabbed Anakin's wrist, twisting it painfully. Anakin cried out, his anger giving way to shock.

"You think you can threaten me?" Maul hissed, his grip tightening. "You dare raise your hand against your superior?"

Anakin gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with hatred. He struggled against Maul's grip, but the Zabrak was too strong.

"A true Sith knows their place," Maul said, his voice a low growl. He shoved Anakin back, releasing his wrist. "You have much to learn, boy." He stepped closer, his eyes boring into Anakin's glowing yellow ones. "Do you know why you lost?"

Anakin didn't answer, but his silence was telling. He was still reeling from Maul's sudden shift from mockery to aggression.

"Because you're weak," Maul sneered. "You're predictable. You think wielding the same styles I taught you—Juyo and Niman—would be enough to defeat me? You're a fool. I mastered those styles. Of course, you lost."

The words cut deep, but Anakin didn't respond. He hated that Maul was right. The Zabrak's mastery of the blade far exceeded his own, and his reliance on those styles had been his undoing.

"You must make them your own," Maul continued. "Evolve them. Adapt. Only then will you stand a chance."

Anakin nodded slowly, his fists trembling at his sides.

"And that's just one reason you lost," Maul added. "The second? You lack control. You let your emotions control you instead of the other way around. You fight like a rabid beast, all instinct and no precision. A true Sith is the master of their emotions, not a slave to them. That is why I will teach you control."

Anakin's jaw tightened. He hated the way Maul spoke down to him, but he couldn't deny the truth in his words.

"And the third reason?" Maul's voice dropped, his tone cold and menacing. "You forgot your place. I am stronger than you, boy. And as long as that remains true, you will obey me. Do you understand?"

Anakin's glowing eyes locked onto Maul's, his hatred burning brighter than ever.

"I asked you, do you understand? Are you deaf?" Maul's voice dripped with sadistic amusement, his yellow eyes gleaming with malice.

Anakin glared at him, his teeth clenched tightly. "I heard you," he said, his voice strained with rage.

"Show me, then. Kneel to me," Maul demanded, a twisted smile spreading across his face.

The very idea ignited a storm within Anakin. 'Kneel?' That was not the way of the Sith. His fists tightened, his jaw locked. His pride screamed against submission, yet his mind raced. He knew the consequences of refusal.

He didn't move, his defiance clear in the way he stared Maul down.

"Oh, you don't want to?" Maul chuckled darkly. "Then let the lesson begin."

Before Anakin could react, Maul exploded toward him with unnatural speed, his movements a blur. Anakin barely managed to amplify himself with the dark side, sidestepping just in time. But Maul had anticipated this. Twisting mid-air, the Zabrak's boot connected with Anakin's chest, sending him crashing into the far wall.

Anakin gasped as the impact forced the air from his lungs. He slid down the wall, landing on his knees. Blood trickled from his nose and mouth, staining his chin. Slowly, he wiped it away, his yellow eyes burning with defiance as he stood.

Maul lunged again. This time, Anakin was ready. Drawing on his hatred and rage, he unleashed a powerful Force push. Maul was thrown back, colliding with a pillar. Seizing the opportunity, Anakin charged, pouring the dark side into his limbs as he closed the distance. His fist, crackling with raw energy, swung toward Maul's head.

But the Zabrak was too fast. He dodged with inhuman agility, and Anakin's fist smashed into the wall, leaving a deep dent. Maul's counterattack came swift and brutal—a sharp punch to Anakin's chest. Ribs cracked under the force, and the boy was sent sprawling to the floor, coughing up blood.

"You're sloppy," Maul sneered. "Predictable. You lash out like a rabid animal."

Anakin forced himself to his feet, his breathing ragged. The pain was excruciating, but he let it fuel him. 'If I let him near me, I'll lose' he thought, realizing that close combat against Maul was suicide.

As the Zabrak closed in again, Anakin focused on the Force, reaching out to the threads of energy around him. The dark side was everywhere, swirling in chaotic abundance. He siphoned its power into himself, amplifying his defenses and reflexes. The world around him slowed, and his senses sharpened.

This time, when Maul attacked, Anakin unleashed another Force push, more powerful than before. Maul slammed into the wall with enough force to crack the durasteel.

Anakin didn't stop. He ripped panels from the walls with the Force, hurling them at Maul in quick succession. Maul, his eyes glowing like twin suns, leapt to his feet. He dodged the debris with ease, twisting and flipping through the air, his movements almost graceful.

"Not bad," Maul mocked, his tone dripping with condescension. "But not enough."

The Zabrak launched himself toward Anakin, his body a blur of motion. Anakin tried to react, summoning another Force push, but Maul let out a guttural scream infused with the dark side. The sound hit Anakin like a physical blow, stunning him.

The next thing he knew, Maul's fist connected with his face. Stars exploded in Anakin's vision as he staggered backward, only to be met with a kick to the stomach that sent him tumbling across the floor.

Anakin lay there, bloodied and gasping, struggling to stand. Maul's mocking laughter echoed in his ears. The sound of a lightsaber igniting froze him in place.

"Kneel, or die," Maul hissed, the red blade humming dangerously close to Anakin's neck.

Anakin hesitated, his mind racing. He couldn't win, not like this. For the first time in a long while, fear crept into his heart. But beneath that fear, there was something else—cold, calculating resolve.

Slowly, he dropped to one knee, his glowing eyes locked on Maul's. "I'll kneel," he said, his voice steady, almost calm.

Maul smirked, clearly satisfied. "Good. I will beat you into submission if I have to. You will learn your place, boy."

As Maul turned his back to him, Anakin's lips curled into a faint smile. 'Got you.'

In one swift motion, he extended his hand, summoning Maul's lightsaber with the Force. The hilt flew into his grasp, the crimson blade igniting with a sharp hiss. Anakin lunged, pouring all his remaining strength into the attack.

Maul spun around just in time, his reflexes saving him from a fatal blow. But the boy's speed and ferocity caught him off guard. The Zabrak barely dodged, his yellow eyes narrowing in anger. He thrust his hand out, grabbing Anakin by the throat with the Force and slamming him into the ground.

"You learn quickly," Maul admitted, his voice devoid of humor. "But you're still too weak."

Anakin struggled to breathe, his vision swimming. He could feel the dark side surging through him, feeding on his hatred and determination. But his body was exhausted, battered beyond its limits.

Maul deactivated his lightsaber and stepped back, watching as the boy struggled to his feet. "In a week, we leave for Tatooine," he said, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "There, I'll teach you true control."