Announcement: I know I told you it would only be 3 chapters but my partner in crime Charm 1355 which I write - Lightening the Path - with got involved. Suddenly I had a few more ideas. I therefore hope you would like to stick with me through the coming chapters. This chapter will instead be about how Kanan survived, I have also slightly edited the chapter to make it flow better.
Ezra woke up … where was he exactly? The last thing he remembered was going through the portal and now he was here? Ezra had never seen a place like this. It looked like a place full of … doors? …. portals? Ezra was not sure what had happened after he had fallen through the portal. This placed almost seemed like it was somewhere not of this world. Yet how could that be? There was a walkway to the many … portals? Ezra decided to call them portals to make it easy. But besides the walkways and portals this placed looked like space. Ezra stood up and carefully took a step on the bridge and to his surprise it held but gave small wave like it was water he walked on. This place was the strangest place he had ever been.
As Ezra started walking he heard a multitude of voices. Some of them was familiar, Ezra was even sure that he heard master Yoda and Obi-Wan among them, but how was that possible? None of them was on Lothal so how? If they were here did it mean he was somewhere else than Lothal. A few time it even sounded like Kanan but that was impossible, his heart arched remembering his dead master. The bond had been severed when he had died and the physical pain had nearly killed him.
"Hallo. Master Yoda? Obi-Wan?" Ezra called out but he got no answer.
"Where are you?" Ezra called as he walked further.
The voice sounded like whispers or rather like echo of things that might had happened.
"Those voice" Ezra mumbled as he heard a voice say 'the time to fight is now' before he continued his musing "where are they coming from?"
As Ezra continued to walk he saw that it looked like he walked in the empty space as the echoes kept calling. The roads was strange and twisted going up, down and some of them even looked like you would have to walk upside down. This strengthened the feeling that this place definitely was not Lothal so were could be. Kanan never mentioned anything like this. Maybe his dead master did not know of this place himself … oh Kanan how he missed him.
Ezra had no idea which of these portales he needed to get to he had no ideas. At one point he thought he head the voice of princess Leia asking for help from Obi-Wan Kenobi. It was strange and it got stranger all the time but he continued to walking as he heard a soft howl that sounded like an owl, but where were all these voices coming from?
Suddenly he came to a portal where a bird was sitting on top of it was a bird he had seen before. The bird …. owl? was always seemed strangely familiar and what was it doing here? Suddenly he regoniced the owl.
"Hay I have seen you yearh whenever Ahsoka was around, you were always close by … how did you get here?" Ezra asked the owl.
Honestly Ezra was not sure if the owl really could answer but he had learned from Kanan not to underestimate the force. The owl might not be all that it seemed, if it could make it's way into this place. Ezra's heart ached once again when he thought of Kanan. The owl gave him a small howl and walked around on the portal seemingly upset.
"Can you help me? I was send here but I am not sure why" Ezra said.
"The owl answered more calmly this time and looked down and in that moment the portalt started to change and glow red making Ezra take a step back.
"What is this? What are you showing me?"
As Ezra recieved no reply he instead just stared into the portal. Suddenly the image of Darth Vader activating his red lightsaber and Ahsoka preparing herself. It was in the Sith temple on Malachor the day were everything had went so wrong. Ezra's eyes widen as he realised this, how could it be?
"No .. it can't be" Ezra said as he heard himself calling for Ahsoka as she pushed him out of the temple while Vader advanced on her.
Ezra former self cried out for Ahsoka as the pyramid closed while the duel began. It was a duel of three blades with two strong combatants. As the dual progressed the owl seemed to be more and more upset.
"What … what can I do?" Ezra asked.
The duel became even more intense but it looks like Ahsoka was losing while the temple started showing signs of wanting to do something but he was unsure what he could do. Suddenly Ahsoka slammed her two lightsaber into the ground trying to destroy the floor below Vader. Vader approached her ready to give a fatal blow.
"Ahsoka" Ezra called and reached in through the portal and dragged her out of it just before Vader swung.
Ahsoka flew out of the portal and landed behind him knocking him backside and made him blackout.
SWR
Ezra heard the owl howl to him and he started to move a little and turned over and saw Ahsoka had done the same.
"Ahsoka?" Ezra said making her turning around.
"Ezra … you look … wait what happened … where am I?" Ahsoka asked while shifting from disbelief to happiness to confusion.
"You were fighting Vader" Ezra said.
When she looked confused so he continued.
"I saw you in there … he was going to … so I ..I grabbed you and I pulled you out of there.
Ahsoka looked confused before she said 'Anakin'. As they both stood and reflected on this they heard a soft howl.
"Morai you are here" Ahsoka said.
The bird flew down and Ahsoka stretched out her arm and allowed the owl to land.
"Morai?" Ezra asked.
"She is an old friend. I owe her my life and now I owe you that as well" Ahsoka said as she patted the owl.
"How did you get here and where is Kanan?" Ahsoka asked.
Ezra hung his head and felt the sting as soon as she mentioned it.
"You missed a lot" Ezra said in a sad voice.
Ahsoka looked at him.
"I am sorry Ezra" Ahsoka said.
"Thank you Ahsoka" Ezra said but the pain in his voice was clear to her.
Ahsoka started walking.
"This place is ancient like a world between worlds" Ahsoka said.
"Yearh feels like that dream where I meet Dume" Ezra said.
"The creature named Dume it appeared after Kanan died right? That has to be more than a quinsident" Ahsoka asked.
"I know .. Caleb Dume a wolf named Dume. What does it mean?" Ezra asked.
"Perhaps Kanan's will is still at work through the wolf" Ahsoka replied.
"How can that be?" Ezra asked.
"Well Kanan is part of the cosmic force know. There are ways those who has passed on may still guide or influence the living" Ahsoka said and pointed to a wolf figure in the space before continuing. "It is not impossible"
"But if it was Kanan who sent me here then …" Ezra said before he was deep in thought.
"What is it?" Ahsoka asked.
"I thought I was send here to stop the empire but then I found you. Don't you see?" Ezra asked.
"You think that Kanan sent you here to help me" Ahsoka said.
"Not just you" Ezra said.
Before more could be said Kanan's voice echoed through the space.
"I can do it. I can save Kanan just like I saved you" Ezra said.
"Ezra … Ezra wait" Ahsoka said.
Ezra had no intention of listening as he ran through the space hearing things Kanan had once said. It hurt so much, he longed so much to hear Kanan speaking again. Ezra wouched that if he got Kanan back he would start listening more to him.
"This way" Ezra said as he ran through the space while listening for Kanan.
"One of these portals must lead to Kanan" Ezra said.
"Ezra think about what you are doing" Ahsoka said.
"I know what I am doing" Ezra protested.
"Here in this place I can change things. I can stop Kanan from dying" Ezra continued.
The thought of saving Kanan was filled him with hope, he could not bare just stand back and do nothing.
"You don't know that" Ahsoka protested.
"Yes I do. If I can change your fate I can change his" Ezra said as he neared a new portal.
The portal started to glow, almost like it new what he wanted, and Ezra walked over to it.
There was the fire and there Kanan jumping in to stop it from reaching him.
"I can reach him" Ezra said.
"Ezra. Kanan gave his life so you could live. If he is taken out of this moment you all die" Ahsoka said.
That made Ezra stop as he stared into the images of the past. No … no it could not be tue, he had to save his master. Ezra looked at the fire coming closer with Kanan pushing it back while Hera tried to get to him. In only a few moments it would be to late, this could not be it. Suddenly an idea hit him and he turned around to face Ahsoka.
"Ahsoka there is another way. We don't have to take him out but when he pushes the flight out of the way we can hold back the flames and then we can levitte him away from the flames. Please Ahsoka help me do this" Ezra begged.
"Ezra you have to let go" Ahsoka said full of sadness.
"No if you won't help me then I will do so alone" Ezra snapped.
"Ezra I understand your wish. I too wished I could have saved my master but I can't" Ahsoka said.
"Please Ahsoka. If I am wrong it won't change the outcome" Ezra begged.
Ezra turned around and saw it was almost time. Kanan pushed the flight away and Ezra pushed his hand through the portale and held the flames back. It took a lot of energy but he held back the flames so that the tank did not explode. Kanan turned around and stared in surprise at the flames before he continued to push them back while the flames spread to other tanks. The flames came closer and closer and Ezra started to shake over his loss of energy and the flames came closer. Suddenly Kanan screamed as the flames came to close and the heat started burning him.
"No Kanan" Ezra screamed pushing the flames back but the heat made the ground starting to burn under him and some of the other tanks exploded.
Ezra panicked, if Kanan stayed on the tank the flames would consume him, he had to get Kanan away. Just as he realised that Kanan collapsed and made the flames and explosion come even closer as Kanan had run out of energy which did he was left alone with the task of saving Kanan.
Ezra reached within for any ounce of energy and started levitating Kanan towards the ground. Ezra's hands started shaking along with his body and Kanan started tilting towards the ground. Suddenly Ezra felt a hand on his shoulder and could feel Ahsoka join him through the force. Slowly they started navigating Kanan towards the ground but the flames made it difficult.
When Kanan finally hit the ground the last of the tanks, which Kanan had been standing on, exploded. Ezra tried to press the flames back but there was no energy left. Darkness reached out to him and the last thing Ezra saw was Ahsoka standing trying to push the flames back.
SWR
Ezra did not know how long he had been laying on the ground when he finally started to come through. Ezra looked to the left and found Ahsoka laying next to him passed out as well.
"He is alive" a foreign voice said.
Who was talking? What was going on? Ezra felt pain coming through him, what was going on? Suddenly he remembered and sat up and looked around and saw something that made his heart stop in the portal.
Kanan was laying on the ground wounded but his moving chest told him he was alive. Ezra felt how the bond had reopened and that was what caused him pain, the bond being repaired. Kanan moaned as lay unconscious and was surrounded by 4 stormtroopers.
"Take him to the Grand Admiral Thrawn, he wants to see the jedi" the lead trooper said.
"No" he shouted and got up to prevent it.
However before he reached the portal the trooper hoisted Kanan onto a gurney before they walked away and the portal turned black.
"Ezra what?" Ahsoka said as she started to get up.
"We did it but Thrawn has Kanan now" Ezra said.
Ahsoka got up and looked at him. Ezra felt so empty, he had saved his master but now he was in the hand of Thrawn. Ahsoka gave him a sympathetic look.
"Well if I know one person who can get him back it will be you" Ahsoka said.
"Thanks Ahsoka" Ezra said and smiled.
Ahsoka was right he would not let Thrawn keep Kanan he would find his master and save him.
"We should get back" Ahsoka said.
Ezra nodded. Slowly the walked back while Ezra tried to give Ahsoka an understanding of everything that had happened since they saw each other the last time.
Ahsoka smiled and nodded her thanks when suddenly it sounded like the foundation started to give away.
"We can't stay here you opened the door to this world do you know how to close it?" Ahsoka said and he nodded.
"Sabine will know we can do it together" Ezra replied with confidence.
Sabine would know, he felt so light hearted now that he knew Kanan had survived.
"I can't go with you" Ahsoka said.
"Then I will try to have someone come and pick up" Ezra said.
There was quite a short moment before someone else spoke.
"Perhaps I can" a cold voice said making him turn around.
A figure showed in the portale and Ahsoka pushed him away as he recognized the emperor himself standing near a blue fire in the same portal as he had seen before.
"Ezra Bridger and Ahsoka Tano mine at last" the emperor said and grinned coldly while the owl was very unhappy.
The emperor said something he did not understand but suddenly the fire came through the portal and Ahsoka had to shield them both. While Ahsoka did her best it was clear she could not hold him and that the rescue of Kanan had costed a lot.
"I can't hold him" Ahsoka said and Ezra tried to help her. The fire finally stopped but it send Ahsoka to the ground in exhaustion.
The emperor chanted again.
"Run" Ahsoka said and they both did.
Suddenly Ezra felt something around his foot and he was dragged backward towards the portal. Ezra tried to get free but the fire kept dragging him back.
"Aargh he is dragging me in" Ezra called.
"Yes Bridger show me the way" the emperor said.
Then Ahsoka cut the line and he could hear the emperor crie out as they turned around and ran. Soon the fire was after them again.
"Keep going you can make it" Ahsoka called.
"When you are back come and find me" Ezra said.
"I will I promise" Ahsoka said.
They parted and Ezra ran all the way to his portal and jumped through in the last moment. After that all became hacy and he did not remember much afterwards.
SWR
Ezra woke and found Zeb and Kanan standing around him.
"Wow if this is what you and Kanan do on the missions then you can keep it" Zeb said.
'Kanan' he thought and bounced up.
"Where is Hera?" Ezra asked.
"Outside she is waiting for you" Sabine said.
Ezra got up, he had to tell this to Hera.
"Come one follow me" he shouted as he ran outside only to stop dead in his tracks.
The jedi temple was gone there was just sand around him and nothing else besides Hera.
"Ezra what is going on?" Hera asked.
"I am not sure but Hera listen when I was inside the temple something amazing happened. I found a portal showing Ahsoka duelling Vader. I managed to get her out through the portal and together we changed the outcome of the explosion. Hera Kanan is alive" Ezra said.
The 3 other crew members gasped.
"Ezra how?" Hera asked.
It took some time but Ezra did his best to explain everything that had happen in an understandable way.
"I can't believe it Kanan is alive" Hera said smiling with tears in her eyes.
"Yes" Ezra said before his face turned dark "but Thrawn has him and I have no idea where" he continued.
"We will get him back" Hera said with a fierce conviction.
They all nodded and hugged each other as they stared at the sun raising over Lothal and the buried temple.
A/N I hope you like it. I had to watch a bunch of videos to create it close to the episode but still put my version on it. I hope you feel it worked out. The next chapter Thrawn will show his interest in the rebels. I promise the meeting between the crew and Kanan is to come.