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It was over.
After all of these years it had finally come to an end.
Maul was dead. Obi-Wan held his body in his arms.
Despite all of the suffering Maul had caused him, Obi-Wan still comforted him in his final moments. And with his final breath, Maul had assured them both that Luke would avenge the two of them. Not just him - not just Maul. He had said “us”. Maul had said; “He will avenge us.”
After spending a lifetime of harboring hatred in his heart, hunting for revenge - he died promising both of them would have it. Of course, Obi-Wan knew that it wouldn’t be for revenge. But the sentiment meant more than he could put in words.
And now he held his body in his arms. 30 years after he thought he had initially killed him on Naboo. He lay dead on Tatooine, in his own arms.
The Jedi Master was surprised by the tears that suddenly began to fill into his eyes. He didn’t really have a reason to grieve the former Sith. He had taken so much from him. He had succeeded in making him suffer - even if he hadn’t believed it was enough. And by now, Obi-Wan had lost so much more.
Yet that pang. That all too familiar pang of grief, began to spill into his heart. By now grief was an old friend, just as Maul had been an old wound.
An old wound that he could finally let heal, and lay to rest.
Carefully he set down Maul’s body. Laying it on the sand. He knew he couldn’t just leave him here. Despite all that had been done, he knew that he deserved peace too. He had gone all of his life without it. Maybe just for a moment in death, Obi-Wan could offer that to him.
He had only the moonlight. Maul had extinguished his campfire moments before their final confrontation. But the light of the moons was all that he needed.
Obi-Wan carefully picked up the two halves of Maul’s lightsaber. He set them together, still broken but given an illusion of being whole. He placed the lightsaber pieces on Maul’s chest, and gently rearranged his hands to be holding them.
Obi-Wan stood up and overlooked his body. Again he found himself surprised by his tears and the grief.
He reached out into the Force. Closing his eyes as he fell into its gentle embrace.
Something about the lack of Maul’s cold presence even though his body was right before him, only solidified part of the Jedi Master’s grief. And also it gave him some relief. Maul was really gone. And while that surprisingly hurt, a part of Obi-Wan could now rest knowing that he could move on. Both of them could. Even if Maul was gone now, he was simply one with the Force. All living things joined with it eventually, it did not matter the path they set on in life.
He let the sand sink underneath Maul’s body. Carrying him with it. Deeper into the ground. Then he allowed the sand to cover him up. Burying him where everything had started all of those years ago.
Obi-Wan opened his eyes. He looked down at the unmarked grave. He was silent for a moment. He would have to leave soon, and he knew that. But he stayed, because the moment he left, he knew he would never return. Maul was gone. It was really over.
“Goodbye, my old wound,” he finally said softly. “Maybe now we can both heal.”