Star Wars: Gray Rebellion
Part I
Act III
Chapter VII
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars nor any of its iterations, as such belongs to Walt Disney and Lucasfilm
(A/N): Well, here we are, in the third and final act of this story. Looking back, it's only been about a month since we began this journey, but for those of you who greatly enjoyed this one, fret not, for Part II will be coming shortly. We have three chapters left after this one, and I am both sad, as well as very proud of myself; more importantly, I am thankful to all of you who have stuck with me, whether you reviewed every chapter, or never did, you still favorited and followed, and you have no idea how much that means to me. Thank you guys! Now, ONTO THE STORY!
Ephar pushed himself onto his feet, still staring at the scene before him. "No…" Across the sandy road lie two halves of a single body, severed at the shoulder and hip. White hair was splayed across the desert sand, and Ephar could not see the woman's face. He stepped forward, one foot in front of the other as he slowly made his way to her. He stopped at her side, staring down. "What is this I'm feeling? Why is my chest so tight?" He wondered. Slumping to his knees, Ephar noticed a wet substance pouring from his eyes. "Am I…crying?" Lifting her torso, he rolled her onto her back, noticing how wide her pale eyes were. She seemed to be gazing off into the sky, like she would when she was deep in thought. Her lips were parted, and he could tell she had been surprised. He shook his head. Perhaps, if she'd not been so arrogant, perhaps then she would still be here. "My sister…" Ephar ran his trembling hand across the smooth skin of her face.
Ephar shut his eyes, forcing the hot, burning tears passed his eyelids. "My precious, precious sister…" He pressed his hands into the soft sand beneath him, steadying himself. "Why? Why did they take you?!" He trembled and his tears soaked into the sand. "Why did I let them take you…from me?! WHY?!" He roared, screaming at the sky above. Ephar opened his eyes, looking at Si'rund. "You were my purpose, Si'rund… You were my life!" Looking up, he turned his gaze to the Mandalorian woman. He could see the way she looked at him; the way she pitied him. "How dare you?!" He growled. "You took her from me!" Ephar began pushing himself onto his knees. "She was my purpose! My everything!" He screamed as the woman backed away from him, shaking her head. "YOU KILLED HER!" Standing, Ephar opened his hand, calling his lightsaber to him. Stepping over the lifeless body of his sister, approaching the woman, he ignited his lightsaber. He raised his blade, ready to strike. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Ephar screamed, bringing his blade down.
Sabine stared at the corpse of her now dead opponent. She closed her eyes, breathing out a sigh. "I had no choice," she thought. "There is always a choice," the voice of her father figure echoed through her mind. Deactivating the Darksaber, she replaced it in its pouch on her utility belt. Averting her eyes from the dead Inquisitor, she decided to go back to the Ghost. Turning around, she scowled at what she saw. Ezra stood, his lightsaber drawn, his shoulders were tense, his fists clenched, the very manner in which he stood screamed murder. Yet, it was his eyes that disturbed her; they were surrounded by a yellow glow. "No…" He was using the Dark Side, again.
Sabine was by no means Force-Sensitive, however, she knew the dangers brought about by the Dark Side of the Force. The first time Ezra had called upon it, Maul barged his way into their lives, into their home. Kanan had left just days prior, and so, there was no one skilled enough to protect them. The only reason Maul had spared them was because Ezra had agreed to study under him on the condition that he leave them be. The Ghost crew had been without the two Jedi for nearly a year after that. The next time they'd seen Ezra, Maul had nearly killed him. Every time Ezra used the Dark Side, something bad happened. Sabine furrowed her brow. "Is someone crying?" Turning around, her eyes widened, and her heart broke at the scene.
Sabine shook her head, taking a step back. This couldn't be right, She couldn't have heard the Inquisitor right. Sister? "No. No!" She couldn't believe it. Not this. Raising her hand to her mouth, she stifled a whimper. She had murdered somebody's sister? How cruel. Sabine watched as the Inquisitor knelt over his comrade, the way he touched her face, the way he trembled and sobbed, the way he looked at her. She had been his everything. Sabine shook her head. "I did this," her mind was racing. What if this had gone differently? What if that had been her and Ezra? What if Ezra had been in the woman's place? Her Ezra? She couldn't bear to think about it. The man was looking at her now. He was getting up, he was screaming. He approached her, his lightsaber in his hand. Sabine stepped back, too slow to put any distance between them. Fear took hold over Sabine as the Inquisitor raised his blade. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Sabine raised her arms in vain, seeking protection as the Inquisitor brought his blade down upon her. One last thought crossed her mind. "I deserve this!"
Ezra stepped down the ramp, watching the Inquisitor as he knelt at his comrade's side. Sabine was watching the man, he could tell she was heart broken, feeling guilty. He sighed. He also knew that she didn't approve of him using the Dark Side, as she had never been afraid to tell him such. He hadn't much choice, though; true, the woman who had somehow been cutting him off from the Light Side of the Force was now dead, however, if he disconnected, he would have to re-orient himself before connecting to the Light Side.
The Dark Side was dangerous, and it was hard on both his body and his mind. Where the Light Side was gentle and kind, teaching one its ways at their own pace, the Dark Side was harsh and controlling, forcing one to learn its ways, dragging them along its paths, never stopping for break or meditation. The Light Side gave soft reprimands, kindly rebuking one when one made mistakes. The Dark Side punished its followers thoroughly, terrorizing and crushing them until only darkness remained. The Light Side, while assertive, was never aggressive, allowing for its students to come and go as they pleased. The Dark Side aggressed its followers, corrupting and pervading them every step of the way. The longer one remained in darkness, the harder it would be to see the light. Ezra felt for the Inquisitor, and he wondered who this woman was to him. He shuddered at the idea that this could have been him kneeling over Sabine's bisected body.
Suddenly, everything stopped, Ezra's eyes widened as the Inquisitor stood, starting towards Sabine. No. The man called his lightsaber to him, igniting it. No! Ezra panicked. "Move!" Ezra ordered, remaining still. No! The Inquisitor raised his blade. No! "MOVE!" Ezra broke out into a run, racing towards the man. NO! The Inquisitor closed in, and Ezra could feel his muscles tear as he pushed himself harder than ever before. He had to make it to her in time. He had to! The red blade came down; Ezra could feel his legs constrict and his body slow down as the Force began knitting his muscles back together. "NO!" He lunged, twisting through the air as the seconds ticked by, as the Inquisitor's blade came ever closer, as Sabine shielded herself. His greatest fear was about to be realized. "SABINE!"
Purple clashed with red, red flew through the air as Ezra landed in between Ephar and Sabine, having made it just in time. Pulling back, Ezra thrust his lightsaber through the Inquisitor's abdomen, Force pushing him into the nearest wall. He watched with grim satisfaction as the man slumped to the ground. Deactivating his lightsaber and replacing it, he was unsurprised when Sabine latched onto him, burying her face into his shoulder. He sighed, relieved, wrapping his own arms around her and holding her tight as she trembled. He took note of her helmet in the sand behind her; he would have to remember to grab it for her when they made their way back to the Ghost. For now, though, he would hold her. He would hold her gently yet firm, terrified, that if he let go even for a moment, she would disappear. "Are you okay?" He asked. Sabine nodded into his shoulder. "You?" She asked. "I'm fine," he replied. Sabine sighed. "You're using it again," it wasn't a question. "I had to, Sabine," Ezra said. Sabine shook her head, she didn't want to fight. "Just promise me nothing bad is going to happen," she sighed.
Ezra managed a small smile. "We'll be fine," he said. Sabine slapped his arm. "Don't jinx us!" She scowled at him. "You told me to promise!" Ezra laughed. Sabine smiled into his shoulder, no longer shaking. She was safe with him. Suddenly, his hold tightened and he went rigid around her. "Ezra?" She called. What was wrong? Looking up, she noticed how his eyes dilated. "Hey, what is it?" She asked. He didn't respond to her, instead, he threw his head back, roaring in pain. "Ezra?!" Sabine didn't know what was wrong. Looking around, checking him for injuries, she gasped upon finding it. "Oh kriff…" She uttered as horror sunk in. A vibroknife, still vibrating, was embedded in his thigh. That wasn't the only thing that had her attention. Standing only feet away, the Inquisitor was still alive. He was staring right at her, his arms crossed in a guard. "Everyone dies!" The next thing she knew, Sabine was flying back into the Ghost, tumbling onto the floor, Zeb flying in next to her, still unconscious.
Sabine waited uneasily for Ezra. The seconds ticked away, she watched for him, silently pleading for him to come up the ramp. He didn't. Scrambling to her feet, she stumbled to the ramp, stopping at the top. Ezra was standing outside, staring at her, a sad smile stretched across his face. The yellow tint in his eyes was gone. Behind him stood the Inquisitor, at the center of a nigh invisible energy engulfing the field, buildings crumbling at its touch. "I love you," Ezra said. Sabine could feel her eyes burn as tears escaped them. "No," she shook her head at him. "Ezra, please!" She cried. "Please don't do this to me!" She begged. "I'm sorry…" Ezra apologized, still smiling at her. "No! Please!" Tears ran their course down her cheeks as she reached out to him, begging for him to get off his knees and climb the ramp. "Ezra-" Sabine was cut off suddenly, her eyes going wide as the mass of Dark Side energy crashed into Ezra's back. "EZRAAAAAAAAAA!"
Sabine screamed, unable to look away as Ezra was lifted into the air, his body literally bending backwards as he was slammed into the Ghost, crumpling to the ground. "NO!" Sabine shook her head, tears flying everywhere. She couldn't, she wouldn't believe it! Yet she knew, the moment he'd been hit, as she'd watched the color fade from his eyes. Sabine slumped to the ground, awaiting certain doom as the mass of Dark Side energy proceeded towards the ship. Upon hearing footsteps, Sabine looked up. Brown hair tied back into a ponytail, mask over his eyes, Kanan Jarrus stepped down the ramp towards the swirling mass of power.
Kanan stepped outside, extending his arms. The swirling mass of destruction swirled towards him, threatening the lives of his people. He could feel it. He shook his head, wishing he'd been able to connect to the Force sooner. Perhaps then, he could have stopped this Inquisitor before he'd massacred the people of this city. "Wh-what?!" He heard the Inquisitor stutter as the wave of Dark Side energy stopped at his fingers. "What are you?!" The Inquisitor asked, Kanan could hear the fear dripping in his voice. "Kid," he sighed, tired of this never ending conflict. He hated that so many people had to die. "I'm what you probably fear most," he said. "I'm a Jedi," Kanan pushed back, and Ephar Nol screamed as the full force of his own power collapsed in on him, crushing him instantly. Turning around, Kanan reached out with the Force. He sighed, they were all okay. Hera, Sabine, Zeb, Chopper. He smiled, reaching out once more, heading back to the Ghost. He stopped. His smile faded. "No," He drawled. "Please no!" Though his eyes had long since lost their light, they had never lost their ability to shed tears.
"Why can't I sense him?!" Kanan panicked. He knew the answer. He clutched his mask, ripping it from his face and throwing it at the ground as he fell to his knees. "Ezra…" His Padawan. Zeb's brother. Hera's pal. Sabine's husband-to-be. "Sabine…." His son… Kanan trembled in the cold of the night, the soft sand beneath him served no comfort. They had all lost someone special today, a key member of this small, dysfunctional family; and the world seemed that much darker.
Ezra Bridger was dead.
(A/N): Firstly, I'd like to thank MandoCommander for his patience, I kind of bugged him a lot this week, and I'd also like to thank him for once again proofreading this chapter. Thank you to any and all who reviewed last chapter, I do read them and reply as often as I can.
I would also like to thank those of you who have been following this story from the beginning, truly, it means a lot to me.
So, what did you think? Love it? Hate it? I'd love to hear from you, have a nice day, everyone.