Talon tilted her head, deliberately provocative, her smirk wicked.
"Oh, is that the sound of a loser I hear? Because that's what you are . A loser. Just like your Sith race forgotten, . Failed for a millennium, and still failing now."
Maul snarled, his rage peaking. He launched himself into a defensive frenzy, Form VII Juyo unleashed at its most savage. His double-bladed saber spun, blocking and parrying as the three lightsabers—two red and one purple—hovered around him, striking in merciless rhythm. Sparks filled the chamber with every clash.
Talon, watching him struggle, snorted.
"Old-timers, why are you still standing here? You want front row seats or what?"
Obi-Wan stepped forward, blue saber igniting with a snap-hiss. He slid into a precise Soresu stance, jaw set with determination.
"I will help. My master nearly died today—and if not for you, he would have. I'm not risking losing another comrade here."
Talon gave him a sharp side-eye, then turned her gaze on Qui-Gon, who sat off to the side, still pale and recovering but alive.
"And you, retired guy… why are you still here?"
Qui-Gon drew a steadying breath, pain etched across his features, yet his voice remained calm.
"I'll spectate. I'll step in when the moment demands it. Until then—this battle is yours."
Maul's defense grew tighter, his Juyo whirling at full ferocity, but under the relentless assault of three telekinetically-controlled blades, even he began to falter. One of Talon's sabers slipped through and knocked Maul's weapon from his grip. His eyes widened, shock flashing across his face—his Form VII defense broken.
The saber flew midair, spinning as Maul instinctively reached out with the Force to pull it back into his hand.
But if Jin-Woo had been there, he would have smirked knowingly. Talon's technique mirrored the infamous style of Darth Traya herself. Multiple blades, no wielder, all controlled purely through the Force.
Before Maul's fingers could close around his weapon, three lightsabers—two red, one purple—snapped into lethal alignment, their tips hovering at his throat.
Maul's lips curled into defiance even as sweat streaked down his face.
"Go ahead… finish me. I'll come back stronger. Stronger than before."
Talon tilted her head, eyes narrowing in amusement, her grin venomous.
"Ohhh, you mean that little pseudo-immortality trick you've got going on right now? I don't know all the details—my master Jin-Woo keeps that knowledge locked up—but it's a neat little cheat trick you've stockpiled."
Maul froze for half a beat, thoughts racing. How much does Jin-Woo know? His mind flashed back to whispers of forbidden Sith knowledge,. Could he have seen through me already?
And yet, despite the danger, Maul's lips stretched into a grin.
"Then you know… it's futile to kill—"
Suddenly, the three sabers at his neck deactivated, their blades vanishing with a hiss.
Maul blinked, stunned.
"What—?"
He didn't get to finish. Talon's heel slammed into his chest with crushing force. CRACK! The durasteel wall behind him dented and split as he crashed into it, the shockwave rattling the chamber.
Talon stood tall, her lekku swaying, her grin sharp and wild. "Get up. . I want to kick your ass myself."
Obi-Wan blinked, then thought dryly to himself, Did that crazy Twi'lek just challenge a Sith to a bar fight?
Qui-Gon, slumped against the wall, shook his head with a half-chuckle, his tone carrying a hint of dry sarcasm.
"I don't even know what's happening anymore… This is about to turn into a holo-comedy."
Maul snarled, rage burning through his veins. "Don't underestimate me, you inferior wretch!"
With a sudden burst, Maul kicked his fallen lightsaber aside choosing to ignore it entirely and charged at Talon with bare fists, every ounce of his fury behind his movements.
Talon cracked her knuckles, lowering into a stance drawn from her Rylothian tribal combat style, a fluid mix of speed, acrobatics, and brutal precision.
The Zabrak Sith met her head-on, fists flying in a savage rhythm, his strikes wide carrying bone-crushing strength. Talon answered with speed, ducking under one heavy blow and redirecting his arm in a seamless twist Maul's elbow snapped back unnaturally. The sickening crack echoed through the chamber as she threw him over her shoulder in an Aikido-style counter.
Maul hit the ground, growling through clenched teeth. He didn't even scream—just forced his arm back into place with the Force. Muscles twitched, sinew reknit, and in three seconds the bone had reformed.
Talon's eyes narrowed. She didn't wait. Darting forward, she pivoted low, swept his stance, and with a brutal heel-drop twisted into his knee—CRACK! Maul's leg buckled, folding beneath him. He staggered, body trembling with pain.
Five agonizing seconds later, the Zabrak roared, the broken limb snapping back into alignment as flesh and bone regenerated through sheer Sith resilience.
Talon leapt back, breathing hard, a thin smirk on her lips despite the sweat forming on her brow. This is becoming troublesome, she thought, watching Maul's form regenerate piece by piece.
With a feral roar, Maul lunged forward. His body blurred in a sudden Force dash, catching Talon off guard. His momentum slammed into her, crushing her against the nearby wall. One hand clamped around her throat, squeezing hard, lifting her just enough to choke the air from her lungs.
Obi-Wan's saber hand twitched—instinct screamed at him to rush in. He took a step forward, but Qui-Gon raised his arm, halting him. The old Jedi's gesture was firm, almost commanding. His eyes met Obi-Wan's.
"Trust her," Qui-Gon said, quiet but resolute.
Maul's breath came ragged, his lips curled into a triumphant snarl. He thought victory was already his.
But then—Talon smiled. Before Maul could register it, her fingers shot like lightning, striking precise points across his torso, chest, and neck. She moved so fast it looked like a blur of red skin and lekku. In barely two seconds, every vital organ Maul possessed had been pressed with pinpoint accuracy.
The Zabrak's entire body froze. His grip loosened, his stance broke, his limbs locked in place. He couldn't even fall—he just stood there, rigid, as if petrified.
Talon stepped free of his grip, brushing her lekku back casually. She didn't even look winded. With an almost lazy air, she stretched her arms overhead as if she'd just woken from a nap.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan exchanged a glance. They had expected her to be gasping, weak from the choke. Instead, she walked past Maul like nothing had happened.
"What did you do to my body?" Maul snarled through clenched teeth, though his jaw barely moved.
Talon shot him a wicked grin, voice playful, mocking. "Ohh, you didn't know? Call it… well, Rey calls it something like making people into statues. Doesn't even need handcuffs."
Qui-Gon still sitting with a faint ache across his chest. "Did you just expect Maul to end up like that?"
Talon didn't answer with words. Instead, she flicked her fingers in a quick, silent hand gesture toward Obi-Wan—be ready.
Obi-Wan immediately raised his saber, stance firm, the azure blade humming at his side.
Talon stretched her lekku back, smirking. "You could say I've fought worse opponents than him."
Qui-Gon's eyes narrowed slightly, voice calm but probing. "Worse opponent? You mean Jin-Woo, ? And tell me—did Jin-Woo give you a red lightsaber? Do you know what that color represents? It belongs to the Sith."
Talon shrugged, her tone brash, almost rude, but not without a thread of respect. "I asked, he had it, and—boom—he handed it over. That's it. Don't read too much into it, old man."
"There's so much I want to ask…" Qui-Gon sighed. "The way you turned Maul into a statue. Your… extraordinary Force capabilities. Perhaps that power could be used for good, in the Jedi way."
Talon rolled her eyes and groaned dramatically. "Pleaaaasseee. I'm not shaving my head, lekku, and playing monk with you guys."
Their banter broke for just a moment of strange camaraderie—when suddenly, Maul's body twitched.
In the blink of an eye, he was free. The Zabrak surged forward with a guttural snarl, already behind Talon, his crimson blade arcing down for her head.
But Talon had been waiting for it. She ducked instantly, sticking her tongue out and making a mocking bleeeghhh as if taunting a child.
Maul's eyes widened in raw confusion for a split second. A fatal mistake.
Obi-Wan struck. His Soresu precision cut clean across Maul's midsection, bisecting him at the stomach. He didn't stop there—his blade moved in a blur, severing both legs and one arm in a fluid follow-up. Sparks and blood hissed into the air.
Maul collapsed in pieces, eyes blazing with hatred. "Curse you… red Twi'lek… you keep tricking me…"
Talon spun, her boot slamming into what remained of Maul's torso. The upper half of his body flew across the chamber, tumbling into the bottomless shaft.
She crossed her arms and muttered, "He'll be back."
Obi-Wan, still catching his breath, glanced at her. "I think I just cut him into more pieces than anyone could come back from."
Then, a twitch. One of Maul's severed arms spasmed faintly on the floor.
Talon clicked her tongue, eyes narrowing. "My master is right. He's temporarily immortal. But your strikes, Obi-Wan—they'll buy us enough time to find where my master is."
She patted Obi-Wan on the shoulder with a cocky grin. "Race ya to the Naboo throne room."
Qui-Gon tried to stand straighter, though the strain was clear on his face. The locacaca vial had saved him, but his reserves were drained, his steps heavy. He managed, with calm resolve, "I'm fine. Just go. I'll buy us all more—"
Before he could finish, Talon and Obi-Wan each slipped an arm under his shoulders, forcing him forward.
Talon barked, voice sharp and irreverent. "Old timer, if you wanna help—shut your ass mouth and move faster."
As the trio moved together down the corridor,
Obi-Wan's lips quirked into a dry smile. "Jin-Woo's bad habits seem to infect everyone now… isn't that right, Master?"
Qui-Gon let out a weary chuckle, sarcasm lacing his tone. "I thought he was just a maverick who thought differently. Turns out his Colleague is just a bit screw-loose in the head."
"I can hear you, old timers!" Talon shot back over her shoulder,. "Now come on, let's go!"
The trio pushed forward through the palace corridors until, at last, they rejoined the main group inside the throne room. The heavy gate slid open with a resonant groan, revealing the others already assembled.
Jin-Woo stood at the center, arms folded, eyes sharp with faint amusement.
"Took you long enough. So much for capturing Maul, huh? Isn't that right, monks?"
Obi-Wan blinked, stepping forward, incredulous.
"Wait—you were watching us?"
Before Jin-Woo could answer,
Padmé crossed her arms, her voice edged with reluctant acceptance.
"Everyone was watching you fight. Though… I hate to say it—I have to stand on the same side as Morgan right now."
Morgan gave a dry, sharp laugh, rolling her eyes.
"How the hell did the situation turn this sideways? Jin-Woo already bought you as much time as you needed."
Jin-Woo raised a hand, cutting the chatter short, his tone carrying quiet command.
"All right. Enough bickering. Everyone, save your strength. We wait until the next round commences—and then I'll finish this myself."
Qui-Gon shook his head, still pale from his earlier wounds.
"That's not wise, Jin-Woo. Maul's on his way—he'll come here to finish what he started."
Morgan tilted her head, " Obiwan cleaved him into pieces. Talon even kicked half his body into the shaft. That means Jin-Woo's wait might be… two hours at least."
"Two hours?" Obi-Wan exhaled, almost incredulous. "That long?"
Jin-Woo's smirk widened slightly. "That's why I'm amused. Why panic? Maul can't just grow himself from a severed arm. Not anymore. Right now he has to crawl back, piece by piece. He'll need to retrieve his legs and the arm he lost at the same location. Which, if you think about it… makes him no different than a cripple, crawling to collect his own body parts."