=== Sebastian ===
Grievous lunged first.
His two blades hacked down. Sebastian braced, his shield ringing again and again as sparks and energy splintered into the air. Each blow rattled his armor, the sheer force driving him back a step at a time.
The Black Templar roared, driving his shoulder forward, slamming the edge of his shield into Grievous' torso with the force of a battering ram. The cyborg staggered a step, taloned feet gouging deep grooves into the floor before rebounding with a sudden kick that launched Sebastian through a support pillar. Stone exploded outward in a shower of dust.
Above, two Mandalorians swooped low, blaster fire hammering into Grievous' side. The cyborg spun like a tornado, one blade slicing upward. A jetpack shrieked, then erupted in flame as a warrior spiraled into the ceiling and crashed lifeless to the floor.
The other Mandalorian landed behind Grievous, bringing his vibroblade down at the droid's exposed spine. Grievous' second arm lashed out without even looking, an emerald blade piercing the warrior through the chest. He lifted the twitching body high before tossing it aside like trash.
Sebastian emerged from the rubble, power sword sparking angrily as he charged. He fired his heavy bolt pistol mid-stride. The thunderous detonations of mass-reactive rounds hammered Grievous' armor, blasting chunks of durasteel and sending him skidding across the chamber.
But Grievous only laughed, a horrible, hollow rasp. He leapt forward with terrifying speed, his blades sweeping overhead.
Sebastian met them head-on. His shield caught one blow, his blade going for the other, but the blade shifted impossibly before it tore across his pauldron, carving a deep gash through ceramite and into the sacred heraldry beneath. Pain blossomed, but the Templar fought harder, answering with a crushing shield-bash that split open part of Grievous' chest plating.
The Mandalorians dove again, desperate to aid their Lord. Blaster bolts hammered at the general's back, driving him to twist in fury. He lashed out, scuttling sideways with inhuman agility, and a clawed foot hooked one warrior's throat. A violent twist, and another of Sebastian's brothers-in-arms crumpled to the ground, neck broken.
"Fight me, coward!" Sebastian bellowed, striking again with a blow that would have split a tank in half.
Grievous whirled back, catching the stroke on one of his blades, his mechanical arm grinding against the energy field of the Templar's blade. Sparks lit the chamber as they pushed, servo against muscle, machine against faith.
For a heartbeat, they were locked, and Sebastian's helm lenses glared directly into Grievous' green eyes.
Then the Cyborg shifted, one of his arms transforming as a third and forth blade appeared and shot downwards. Sebastian twisted at the last instant, the strike tearing across his thigh but missing the artery. With a brutal counter, the Black Templar drove his storm shield into Grievous' jaw, tearing one side of the cyborg's face free in a burst of sparking wires and shattered plating.
Grievous reeled back, but his laughter only grew more deranged. "At last! A foe worth killing!"
Another Mandalorian tried to close in from the flank, a flamethrower igniting in a torrent of fire that engulfed the warlord's cloak. The flames roared, but Grievous shot forward, faster than the eye could track. His blades carved the warrior into pieces, the fire sputtering out as the corpse collapsed smoking.
Sebastian swung again, hammering down his blade in a two-handed arc. Grievous intercepted with three blades, but the power sword's energy field screamed as it cut through one arm, shattering the necrodermis.
The cyborg shrieked, answering with a spinning kick that caught Sebastian in the chest and hurled him across the dais steps, his armor screeching as he skidded into the shattered throne.
Only five Mandalorians remained. They landed at Sebastian's side, blasters roaring in defiance, jetpacks ready.
"Go," Sebastian growled through his vox, forcing himself to his feet. "Your deaths serve no purpose here!"
But his soldiers only saluted before leaping forward.
One dove high, firing missiles from his vambrace. Explosions tore through the throne room walls, smoke engulfing Grievous. The other charged low, blade drawn, striking at the droid's legs.
From the smoke, two blades shot out like lightning. One Mandalorian was cleaved in half mid-flight, his jetpack sputtering fire as his bisected corpse crashed to the stone. The other had just a moment to cry out before Grievous impaled him through the chest with a jagged phase blade, lifting him like a skewered animal and tossing the body into the rubble. The mechanical warlord straightened, his cloak smoldering, his remaining three arms unfurling like the mandibles of some great predator.
Jarek and the last two surviving Crusader froze, their helmets snapping towards their fallen comrades.
Before Grievous could respond, the massive doors at the far end burst open. Anakin and Ahsoka stormed in, a wave of clones behind them, DC-15s roaring. Plasma fire streaked the air, cutting through the smoke, but Grievous whirled his blades into a shimmering vortex, phase-light carving glowing afterimages with every deflection.
"By the Throne!" Sebastian roared, setting his shield and charging forward, bolt pistol barking fire.
The bolts detonated against Grievous' back, scoring deep burns but failing to halt him. The droid-warrior turned and lunged again, Sebastian meeting him head-on.
Jarek's Darksaber hissed as it struck down at Grievous' shoulder, while the other Mandalorians rained fire from their blasters. Clones added their fire to the storm, while Anakin and Ahsoka circled wide, seeking an opening.
For a moment, the tide turned. Sebastian's fury was a hammer, his skill and raw hate driving Grievous back step by grinding step. His shield slammed into the warlord's chest, denting plating, and his sword cut low, forcing Grievous to twist aside or lose a leg. The clones closed in, pressing their advantage.
Then the battle shifted.
The Necron phase blades hummed with alien energy as they intercepted Sebastian's power sword. Sparks screamed, and with a sickening crack, Grievous brought one of his own blades down hard, shattering the power sword. Shards of steel and Adamantium scattered across the floor.
Sebastian staggered back, staring at the ruined hilt in his hand.
Grievous seized the moment, his clawed foot lashing out, sending the Templar crashing to the floor. He loomed above him, blades poised to strike.
"Die!" Grievous roared.
A clone then shouted, firing a rocket launcher. The warhead shrieked overhead, but Grievous twisted aside with inhuman reflex. The missile detonated against the ceiling, blasting stone loose. A boulder the size of a transport speeder groaned free, and plummeted down.
Sebastian tried to raise his shield, but it was too late. The slab slammed into his left arm, pinning the storm shield to the floor, the weight crushing the stone beneath it. Pain shot through his body, and he bellowed, straining against the impossible weight.
Grievous stepped forward, towering over him, blades lowering.
Then-
A black blade of fire lanced in from the side. Jarek struck with the Darksaber, his attack forcing Grievous to leap aside. Sparks cascaded as the ancient Mandalorian weapon clashed with alien Necron alloy.
"Back away from my Lord you monster!" Jarek snarled, his voice raw with fury.
The last surviving Mandalorian dove in as well, unleashing his flamethrower. The gout of fire engulfed Grievous, his cloak and armor glowing red as he spun away. With a blur of motion, Grievous severed the Crusader in two, the Mandalorian's death scream cut short as his body clattered to the floor.
Now only Jarek remained.
Sebastian roared, still straining under the stone, his free hand clawing for anything, anything to rise. The Jedi darted in now, Ahsoka's twin sabers flashing against Grievous' blades, Anakin hammering down with brutal overhead strikes. But the droid warlord laughed, meeting them blow for blow, his mechanical speed overwhelming even Jedi reflexes.
All the while, Sebastian fought to rise, the weight crushing his arm, fury boiling in his chest.
And above it all, Jarek's voice rang out, the Darksaber screaming against alien metal. "For the Emperor!"
The black blade howled as it struck one of Grievous' phase blades, sparks cascading in showers of emerald and obsidian light.
Grievous pressed forward immediately, his towering frame a whirlwind of inhuman speed, phase blades carving the air in arcs too fast for most eyes to follow. Jarek ducked, rolled, and ignited his jetpack, flames roaring as he launched upward, streaking over the cyborg's head. His blade cut down hard, leaving a shallow glowing scar across Grievous' armored back plating. The Necron-warped warlord snarled, a static-laced growl vibrating from deep in his chest, and whirled, one blade slicing so close to Jarek's leg it singed the beskar.
"You gnats are… nothing to me!" Grievous roared, lashing with all three arms at once.
Jarek corkscrewed in midair, weaving between blades, his jetpack sputtering as he strafed left, then right, his Darksaber smashing against a downward chop. The impact nearly tore the weapon from his hands, but he grit his teeth and pushed back, roaring with defiance as sparks of black and green light hissed outward.
Anakin struck, his blue lightsaber flashing as he intercepted a blade meant for Jarek's chest. Ahsoka followed, sliding low under another swipe, her green sabers cutting across Grievous' shin before springing up, flipping overhead to land at Jarek's flank.
For a heartbeat, the battle tilted in their favor once more.
The three of them, Mandalorian, Jedi Knight, and Padawan, moved like a storm. Jarek's jetpack gave him bursts of aerial pressure, darting behind Grievous to carve small, burning scars across the armor. Ahsoka ducked and wove, each dodge a hair's breadth from death, her acrobatics a blur of green and motion. Anakin struck with raw aggression, saber crashing into Grievous' own.
But Grievous adapted.
A phase blade spun wide, smashing into Anakin's saber with explosive force. The Jedi's guard faltered, and in the blink of an eye Grievous' clawed foot lashed out, slamming into Anakin's chest. The young Knight was hurled through a crumbling wall, the sound of breaking stone following him into darkness. He didn't rise.
"Anakin!" Ahsoka's voice cracked with fear, but she couldn't break focus. Not now.
Grievous pressed his advantage, two blades scissoring toward her. She flipped backward, narrowly evading as one clipped her lekku, shearing it off just below her jaw. Jarek dove in, jetpack roaring, Darksaber parrying aside another blow before he drove the black blade deep into Grievous' forearm. Sparks shrieked, alien ichor hissing from the wound, but it was shallow, too shallow.
Grievous barely flinched.
Instead, he pivoted, and in one sickeningly fast strike, his blade sheared through Ahsoka's right arm at the elbow.
She screamed, falling back, clutching the cauterized stump as one of her sabers clattered to the ground.
Jarek slammed forward, blocking strike after strike, every blow from Grievous sending bone-cracking shockwaves down his arms. He pushed the Padawan back with his shoulder, keeping himself between her and death. But the General was relentless.
A phase blade caught Jarek's jetpack.
The detonation was instant. A fireball roared across the throne room, hurling Jarek and Ahsoka apart. Rubble showered down from the ceiling as smoke and fire ate the air. Ahsoka rolled into cover, barely conscious, gasping in pain, blood searing down her tunic as the clones quickly dragged her from the fight.
Jarek slammed into the ground, skidding across broken stone. His beskar plates were blackened, chunks of armor dented and burned. The Darksaber still hummed in his hand, but his grip was trembling.
Slowly, he forced himself up. His gauntlets tore at the scorched helmet clasp, ripping it free. The battered Mandalorian face that stared back at Grievous was scarred and bloodied, one eye half-shut from swelling.
But his gaze was fire.
He planted his boots, lifting the Darksaber into a ready guard. His chest heaved with every breath, but his voice came out strong, a low growl of defiance.
"Come on, monster!" Jarek spat blood. "If I fall, I will fall with my blade in your throat."
Grievous' eyes glowed a sickly green as he stalked forward, blades raised, his laughter metallic and cruel.
The stone still pinned Sebastian's arm like a vice, every attempt to wrench it free only seemed to tighten the rock. His teeth gnashed beneath his helm, fury and helplessness burning in his chest. He could only watch, watch Jarek dance with death itself. The Darksaber hissed against alien alloys, each strike bringing his Second-in-command closer to death, as though the Mandalorian was a candle fighting a hurricane.
Sebastian snarled, tugged again at the stone, but it didn't move. His gauntlet cracked under the strain. His breath came in ragged growls as his one good arm pounded the rubble beside him in frustration. His second-in-command was there, holding the line against a foe that even he, a Black Templar of the Emperor, had struggled with.
And then, movement in the shadows of shattered walls. Anakin staggered back through the hole he had been hurled through, blood running from a cut above his brow, tunic shredded, saber still in hand. He froze at the sight. Jarek fighting, Ahsoka bleeding, the four-armed monster pressing them all like a god of war.
Anakin's face hardened. He knew instantly. This was not a fight they could win. His gaze swept to Ahsoka, clutching her severed arm, pain twisting her face as she tried to remain conscious, one lekku missing. His stomach turned, he had to save her. He had to get her out. The Imperium warriors… they were not his. They were beyond his reach.
Sebastian saw him, and his rage deepened. The Jedi would leave them. Cowards. His gaze fell to his broken sword. And then he knew what had to be done.
With a savage grunt, Sebastian grabbed the ruined weapon, and dragged its remaining length across his trapped arm, just below the elbow. The Adamantium bit through armor, then flesh. Fire raced through his nerves, and his roar split the battlefield like thunder. Once. Twice. Three times. Blood sprayed the stone as he hacked at his own arm, his growl growing to an earth-shattering howl of defiance and agony.
And then—
Grievous' blade punched through Jarek's chest. The Mandalorian's scream tore through the air as the warlord lifted him like a trophy.
Sebastian's world collapsed into a haze of crimson. He saw Jarek twist, saw him grit his teeth and, with one last roar of loyalty, cleave through the limb that impaled him. Sparks and oil sprayed as the severed arm fell, but Jarek crumpled, choking, lifeblood pouring from his armor.
With one last titanic scream, he ripped his arm free, a jagged bone jutting outward like a serrated blade from his elbow. He lurched to his feet, a beast unchained, and slammed his jump pack to life. The roar of engines fused with his own bellow as he launched himself like a meteor.
The impact was catastrophic. Sebastian slammed into Grievous, driving him back into a wall of fractured durasteel. His left arm, now nothing but a weapon of exposed bone, plunged into the general's chest plating again and again and again. Each stab sent up sparks, each thrust driven by raw hate.
Grievous screeched, his body jerking violently as his systems reeled. His blades lashed, tearing chunks from Sebastian's armor, sending streams of oil and blood spraying across the floor. Still Sebastian stabbed, his vision red, his faith and fury making him more beast than man.
Finally, a massive kick from Grievous' piston-powered leg sent Sebastian flying, armor cracking as he skidded across rubble, landing beside Jarek's broken body.
Jarek's blood was leaking from his mouth. In his trembling hand was the Darksaber. With what little strength remained, Jarek shoved it into Sebastian's gauntlet. "The Emperor…guide you, Lord."
Sebastian snatched it, rolling as a blade carved through where his skull had been a heartbeat before. The black blade screamed as it came alive, clashing against Grievous' descending fury. Sparks filled the chamber as Sebastian forced the saber upward, then drove it straight into the warlord's chest.
The weapon burned through armor and inner plating, sizzling circuits, cutting deep into Grievous' core. The Cyborg howled, a mix of metallic shriek and inhuman rage. He staggered back, clutching at the hole smoking in his chest, his claws scraping the blade free as he turned to run.
"Coward!" Sebastian bellowed, blood streaming down his missing arm, voice breaking with hatred as he staggered. "Get back here, I will END you!"
Grievous' eyes burned with mechanical malice. Smoke poured from his chest, his movements jerky and faltering. With a furious screech, he bounded backwards through the collapsing wreckage, disappearing into the storm of fire and rubble.
The battlefield fell quiet, save for the labored rasp of Sebastian's breath. He dropped to one knee, picking the Darksaber up from where it had fallen, blood soaking the ground. Beside him, Jarek's chest rose only once more before stilling, his eyes dimming as his duty was fulfilled.
Sebastian threw his head back and roared, a sound of pure wrath, grief, and vengeance. "COWARDS!"
===
If you enjoyed this chapter, maybe consider leaving me with a couple of your power stones? I promise I'll take good care of them:)