boarwolf

Image: Imagine a street busier than this…

Anakin, Padme’, and Whikk are leaving the shop. The Tatooine market street is crowded with pedestrians from all walks of life. One figure though in particular stands out from the rest. It’s almost as if the passerby’s keep their distance subconsciously, like waters dividing around an object. It’s Maul, hooded, masked with a tan skull face plate. Maul’s horns poke through his hood and he stands ready.

Anakin feels uneasy stepping out of the shop, but isn’t sure why. “Perhaps you need something to eat, I know I could go for some local fare. I can only take so much of the Defender’s spare rations.” Whikk suggested with a dash of hopefulness in his eyes. And with a playful glance to Padme’, Anakin nods in agreement. They stopped at a kabob stand selling Bantha meat specials. The succulent meat was roasting over an old, and much smaller than normal, pod racer engine. They purchase 3 kabobs, and then a fourth for Whikk who just had to try Nerf wrapped Bantha bites on a stick.

Leaving the shop, Anakin senses an uneasiness, a danger, and he instinctively pulls Padme’ to his side. Whikk whips his head to see what is happening but it is almost too fast to register. Maul leaps forward igniting a red blade from a dark hilt. The sound of ignition sends a shock through the crowd; all of who flee in all directions. Several unfortunate souls are not spared by the blades activation.

Maul’s quick advance and Anakin’s quick reflexes result in a near miss from Maul. He skids to a stop stirring up the sand. Whikk is all but on the ground now, his Bantha bites in the sand.

Maul lunges forward again with his blade seeking Anakin’s chest, but the boy is just too fast. Maul’s anger begins to show and he lifts his hand and squeezes his grip. Anakin seizes up and finds himself immobilized. He is quickly whipped to one side and thrust against a wall. Padme’s is alone now the street has been emptied of bystanders. Whikk leaps off the sand and goes for a small blaster at his side but the weapon is whipped out of his hand and thrown clear over the nearest building. Maul pushes Whikk into the Kabob stand with the force. Maul moves closer to Padme’ when he feels a pull from behind him. He turns and sees Anakin reaching out trying to pull Maul with the force. This surprises all three of them. Maul’s attention shifts to Anakin. “What do we have here? Could this dusty …child… have the spirit to challenge me?” Maul moves his hand in a quick motion and Anakin feels his arm whip behind his back. Anakin feels a sharp pain in his shoulder as Maul begins to dislocate his arm. Maul approaches Anakin with his blade ignited, pointed in the sand. “No, perhaps not… you lack the strength to challenge me. You are but a speck of dust, hardly worth my time.” Maul lifts his saber and begins to swing when suddenly he is pushed so hard and forcefully that the sand around him struggles to follow. Anakin looks at his hands, marveling at them. ‘Did I do that?’ he thinks to himself. But a sound startles him out of the notion. Another blade. He whips around to see a green blade and the figure of a man approaching. Anakin does a double take. “Jinn?!”

Part 4…