Unable to recover as the floor bucked wherever he placed his feet, Luke fell to one knee, saber held beside him as he sent out a single massive Force-pulse in every direction, the heavy rubble about him wrenching outward in a jolt of kinetic energy, Palpatine shying back from the surge, twisting away, arm before his face as finer debris was launched back.
Luke lurched up and forward, covering the distance in seconds, Palpatine igniting his blade as the boy came forward, staggering back at the fury of the first few blows.
They locked blades, each man pushing in, leaning into the live blades, faces lit by the sparking, incandescent glow of the scarlet sabres-
Abruptly Luke stepped forward and to the side, taking the risk of dropping his blade as he did so, the sudden release of counter-pressure on his blade sending Palpatine staggering forward a step as Luke twisted about, blade in his right hand to affect a swift backhand swipe as he came around, Palpatine half-jumping clear to avoid the unexpected blow.
He staggered back as the boy turned fully about, sabre still low. Palpatine twisted his blade in an infinity loop to hold him at bay- and the boy simply paused coolly beyond its range, neither provoked nor hesitant, allowing Palpatine the move, knowing he couldn't sustain it.
And he was right; the Emperor brought his blade down and to the side and Skywalker set immediately forward. He was controlling the fight Palpatine knew, as he once had with Vader; always pressing in, closing distance and reaction time with short, fast blows, making Palpatine fight at close range where speed was everything; forcing the fight on his terms.
Too close; to agile, too fast to fight a fair fight.
Palpatine glanced about the vast chamber seeking other means, though the empty room held little to use against his rival.
No words now, no goading or validation. The fight had fallen to focused silence, all energy and attention given over to the duel, both combatants aware on some level that the end was near, one way or the other.
The boy came in with blade high, a massive blow with all the power of his arms and shoulders behind it, Palpatine drawing on the Force to absorb the impact, Skywalker using the counter-strength of the block to spin about and bring his blade in low, forcing Palpatine back. He caught Skywalker's low blade, dragging it around in a big arc, forcing both men to spin about to break the hold, each coming back to face the other a half-step back; the boy set forward immediately, always closing that gap- but it was all the space Palpatine needed.
He reached out with the Force to the tall pillar behind himself, wise enough now to know better than to launch such an object from a direction the boy could use against him. A man-sized hunk of twisted, cable-reinforced stone pillar grated free at the top of the fluted column and launched past the Sith toward Luke.
All his momentum moving forward, Luke had no time to counter the substantial bulk of the incoming missile so planted his forward foot down, letting his rear knee buckle, one hand to the ground behind him before kicking off into a tight backflip as the immense chunk of masonry whistled by overhead, his knees lifting behind its rear edge as it skimmed past, Luke tucking neatly in to land a second after it passed, coming back up so quickly that his hair brushed the pillar's trailing edge as he pulled upright, jerking his lightsaber up against the fast roundhouse blow which came in at stomach height, making Palpatine spring backward to gain enough momentum to counter the strike.
Both men staggered as the heavy pillar impacted behind them, dragging gouges into the marble floor, throwing up fine debris and dust as it ground to a halt with a reverberating resound which trembled through the building, neither noticing in the heat of the duel.
Already Palpatine was coming forward to push his advantage, but the boy was moving too, not a moment's hesitation or protest. Unlike his duel with his father three years earlier, he let out no yells of outrage or frustration at his opponent's reluctance to fight fairly, conveying only a grim determination, a fire in his eyes that Palpatine had never seen before-
.
Bringing his blade up and back in a one-handed defence Luke powered forward to meet Palpatine's incoming blade, whipping his own about it and pushing it aside as he launched a heavy Force-blow to his Master's side, the impact twisting Palpatine about in a staggering misstep, Luke's bright ruby blade droning past Palpatine's shoulder with unerring aim as he twitched away, the fabric of his gown momentarily lighting in a curl of smoke.
Palpatine broke off and to the side as Luke snapped his blade round for one more sniping blow at head-height, his Master heaving deep breaths in as Luke stalked slowly to the side, sabre still in one hand, sidestepping, searching for that opening...
Luke saw the momentary shadow which crossed his Master's face and knew why, but if Palpatine chose not to fight honourably then Luke certainly felt no guilt at matching his Master - not any more, his mood twisting in frustration, both at Palpatine's actions and at his own part in initiating them.
Because his Master was right about one thing; Luke had caused this fight- his own weaknesses, his compassion, the human frailties which Palpatine had tried so hard to cull from him and Luke had fought so long to hold on to as if they were some kind of asset, when in truth it was these self-indulgent flaws which had brought him here today.
Luke's fault in allowing Mara even a fraction of the truth; in wanting her to do the right thing, in giving her the opportunity, the choice- in believing she would do it. His weakness. His craving for some kind of closeness, despite Palpatine's warning.
His wish for a deeper kinship with his father, a commonality, despite all the risks. It was he who had allowed his father in, seeking some bond, he who had allowed Mara close because despite everything he wanted to trust her... yet another excuse; a way to abdicate responsibility. And he wouldn't allow himself them anymore.
It was his weakness and not Mara's which had caused his father's death.
His weakness that had set all of this in motion. Had cost him so much and brought him to this.
His Master was right; compassion was a debilitating flaw yet he'd held to it like a prized possession when the truth was that it was a curse, nothing less. A weakness to be mastered.
Just like Palpatine- he too was a flaw Luke had allowed to fester; a drain on his energy and intentions. Another impediment he'd allowed himself to tolerate rather than remove. Well, no more;
No more weaknesses.
He reached out into the Force for the power he knew dwelled there, howling for recognition, baying to be used, eager to be summoned...
And took it.
.
Palpatine hesitated at the change that came over his Wolf as he stalked forward, scarred face etched now with grim intent, lightsaber low and to his side, eyes afire, glowing golden at their brink...
His left hand rose, outstretched, the action strangely familiar to Palpatine...
Bright actinic lightening flared for a moment about Skywalker's hand then launched forward in a razor-barbed burst, lancing towards Palpatine, dazzling energy slicing into him in a fury of unrestrained power, seizing muscles, freezing lungs.
For a moment Palpatine caught the bolts, countered them- but they only intensified, breaking through barriers, overrunning defences as he wilted beneath the onslaught.
A massive, potent burst, then Skywalker's hand jerked open, twisted as his amber-edged eyes turned down, the Force ripping Palpatine's feet from under him, throwing him hard to the ground, stabbing strikes of brilliant, Force-powered energy into muscles with white-hot pain-