Ghost of Nightmares Past/Chapter 16

Share FIGHT IN THE TEMPLE

Bruck stared at his old rival, mouth open, as Obi-Wan walked calmly towards him, his sabre still in his hand. Three other Jedi were following behind him; Anakin, Ahsoka and Mace Windu. Bruck continued to gawp at Obi-Wan, who smiled. "What's the matter Bruck, you look like you've seen a ghost." "It won't matter Kenobi," Bruck hissed at him, keeping a firm grip on his sabre. "I'll kill you again, and this time, you'll stay dead!"

Obi-Wan half-shrugged, as the other Jedi stared at the two of them. "Well, fortunately for me, I have someone waiting for me to send me back. It's not my time, apparently."

Bruck bared his teeth at him. "So, you propose an open challenge?"

"A fight to the death to be exact," Obi-Wan said, his blue eyes flashing at the other four Sith with Bruck. "One on one. Your buddies shouldn't interfere Bruck." "I will let them do what they want!" Bruck spat at him. "But, if you wish for a duel, why don't we make this, a bit more interesting?" He smiled at the other Jedi, and this time, flung Yoda's sabre back to him. "I happen to have a few Sith powers on my belt, Kenobi, and you'll be the first to witness them!" He raised his hands, and, out of no-where, shadows appeared from the floor around him; enough for two on one for each jedi, including the younglings, who stood at the doors to their nursery, holding each other, and Bant. The shadows turned to each Jedi, picking out targets, and Bruck snarled, "Well. Looks like we have a fair fight on our hands, don't we?"

"Fair is not a word in your vocabulary Bruck," Obi-Wan said sadly, his eyes reflecting his emotion. "I will fight you, but only if you promise not to involve anyone else."

"They are all involved!" Bruck shouted at him. "They are all guilty of what happened to me!"

"No Bruck," Obi-Wan said, his voice echoing a bit of anger and annoyance behind it. "No, the only one that is guilty is you yourself!" He turned to Chaz and the others. "Do you know what he did to Aalto? He killed him! He tossed him aside like a tool once he saw that he was no longer fit to do the job!"

"That's not true!" Bruck roared at him, the force gathering around his hands, as he raised them, ready to choke the life out of Kenobi. But Obi-Wan raised his own hands, and gave him a little push, disrupting his concentration. Chaz and the others were looking at each other, and, finally, Wayne said, "Is it true Bruck, did you kill Aalto?"

"He did," Obi-Wan said sadly, turning to Wayne. "He used everyone."

Wayne and the others just stared at Bruck, and slowly, they back off. Bruck gawped at them, before turning to Obi-Wan, "That is the last time you take my friends away from me!"

He signalled his Shades. "Attack, leave no survivors!"

The beasts leapt for each of them in turn.

Ahsoka pulled a spare sabre from her back-pack and handed it to Anakin as four shades came towards them. The shouts of fighting were already being heard through the hall. One Shade aimed for her throat instantly, but she swiped at it, causing it to hiss in pain as her sabre caught its arm. The other shade came for her, letting the other rest, using its claws to attack her sabre, as though they were unaffected by the blade. She paused slightly to look around. Other Jedi were struggling with their opponents, as though it was too much for their own. Ahsoka felt Anakin grab her shoulder, and pull her out the way of one of the shades as it came for her. Instantly, the shade began attacking him more ferociously, as though the shades doubled their efforts...

Or they fought on the same level as their opponents

Anakin gave a cry of rage, as one of his attacks, which would have defeated any other Jedi, was blocked by the shade it was targeted for. "These blasted things!"

Ahsoka pushed her shades back, and they landed on top of each other, before melting away. "Master!" She screamed, "Use the Force!" "Now's not the time Ahsoka!" Anakin roared, as he twisted a shade around to face the other and pushed it away. It was caught by its partner, and together, they lunged for Anakin. Ahsoka force-pushed them away, and they landed on the ground, before disappeared. "Oh,"

"Uh huh," Ahsoka said, looking triumphant. "Next time listen to the Padawan!"

"DUCK!"

Ahsoka turned to see a shade leap for her, and Anakin instantly pulled her down, as it flew over them, a Jedi in its grip, who was stabbing it with their sabre, causing the shade to scream and disappear. The Jedi flipped through the air, and landed softly on the ground, before saluting Anakin and Ahsoka, and rushing off to help two padawans, screaming for help as six shades rounded on them. Anakin turned to her, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Next time, listen to the Master!"

Ahsoka smiled, and darted off, as did Anakin, towards where Bruck was, rushing away to one of the massive doors. He caught sight of Obi-Wan, fighting three at once, an injured padawan behind him. Anakin drove his blade through one of them, and one of the other shades turned on him instantly. Obi-Wan slice his own shade in half, and thrust his own sabre through the one that turned on Anakin. Anakin glared at his master, and said, "I could have so totally nailed that one!"

"Yeah right," Obi-Wan snorted, as two shades came towards them. "Give me your hand." "What?" Anakin said, turning around to see the shades.

"GIVE ME YOUR HAND!"

Anakin grabbed Obi-Wan's hand, and he crossed the other over his arm, and, together, the force humming through them, he twirled Anakin around him, and released him, sending him catapulting into the shades, using his sabre to decapitate them as he went. Anakin skidded across the floor, causing both Jedi and Shades alike to trip, and stopped, dazed, staring around. Obi-Wan chuckled, and turned to the injured padawan. "Get to a Jedi, and stay with them, alright?"

"Yes Master."

Obi-Wan rushed off, his eyes searching for the white hair of Bruck. His eyes found him, creeping away, and he ran towards him, twirling his sabre as shades rushed towards him, cutting their arms off he did. He ignored the shades rushing towards him, and the Jedi that pulled them back towards them.

"BRUCK!"

His shout was enough to make the Sith stop, and he turned, seeing Obi-Wan, and his lips curled into a sneer. "Catch me if you can Obi-Wan!" He called, and he turned and ran, forcing himself through the double doors of the Temple, towards the Council Room. Obi-Wan ran after him, as Bruck disappeared up the stairs. Extinguishing his sabre, Obi-Wan rushed forwards up them missing two at a time, in an effort to catch him. Using the Force, he tried to sense if there was any danger, and found none.

It was just him and Bruck now.

Anakin turned, as the massive doors to the temple flew open. Clones rushed in, shooting into the crowd, striking shades as they leered over Jedi they had managed to disarm.

"HELP ME!"

Anakin turned to see Bant, holding Garen, as four shades slowly advanced towards them. Bant had her sabre in her hand, but she was so pre-occupied with holding Garen in her arms. Bant was worried about leaving Garen to fight, in case he was attacked by one of the shades. He looked in bad shape. Anakin rushed forwards, and grabbed one of the shades and pulled it away, causing the other three to turn to him instantly. Anakin began to panic, as the three came towards him, and the fourth struggled in his grip...

"BACK OFF, YOU WILL!"

There was a flash of green, and the three disappeared instantly, and Anakin forced his blade through the one he held. Yoda landed before him, rage in his eyes, before leaping off, somersaulting through the fights. The shades were getting less and less, but more were starting to appear, as though some unknown force called them back to fight. As Yoda protected him, Anakin rushed to Bant and Garen, who lay with his eyes closed. "Is he alright?" He asked.

"Bruck hit him with Force Lightning," Bant said, her voice starting to shake. "I think he's unconscious more than anything just now." They heard a groan from Garen, and stared at him.

Garen opened his eyes, which were full of pain, as he smiled up at Bant. "Well, piece of cake." He said hoarsely. "First time I've been hit with Force Lightning."

"Hopefully the last," Bant told him, and she turned to Anakin. "Go, Skywalker. Go and find your Master. I don't know if I can heal Garen without him." "Last I saw, he was chasing Bruck." Anakin said, standing, "But I'll find him!"

Obi-Wan rushed towards the Council Chambers, which Bruck entered instantly. Halting, Obi-Wan allowed the force to sense for anyone else in the room. When he found none, he slowly walked in, ignited his sabre.

Bruck was standing by Yoda's seat, his sabre in his hands. His icy-blue eyes turned to Obi-Wan instantly. "Well well, glad you can finally join me." "Bruck," Obi-Wan said, pulling his sabre behind him. "This stops now!"

"Too right," Bruck snarled. "I'm offering you a choice to live Kenobi; get out of my way, and never come after me again, or I'll kill you."

"I'm not letting you leave Bruck," Obi-Wan said, holding his sabre higher. "You could kill innocent people!" "That is your problem, not mine!" Bruck hissed at him, holding his sabre high over his head. "You can try to defeat me Kenobi, but you will not succeed!" His scream echoed as he lunged through the air at Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan parried and pushed Bruck back.

Their duel had begun.