Chapter 11 - The Mansion Arc - Finale
-"I've scanned this little moon." Explained Hera, standing beside the Ghost's computer. "The only habitable place is this green space that covers a fraction of the surface and I found an habitation with life signs in it. There's only three heat signatures and we can assume one is Ezra's."
-"I thought they would have placed him under tight surveillance..." Commented Zeb, pondering.
-"Why should they?" Continued Hera. "Without the help of your mysterious informant, we may never have found him. Plus, the scan showed there are no ship at all on this moon. No one can escape it unless someone comes to pick them up..."
-"I don't know who thought about it, but this place is the most efficient prison I've ever heard of. The kid could never have left this place alone..." stated Kanan sadly. He then suddenly stood up, looking worried.
-"What's happening?" Questionned Hera, anxiously.
-"I sensed our mysterious man, so you bet he must have sensed me..." He frowned, turning his sight to the moon. "No time to lose, now. Let's land and take Ezra back!"
Hera nodded and took her seat again to make the Ghost fly toward the mansion.
...
In the mansion, the old man suddenly turned to look at the sky through a nearby window.
He smiled with an inch of displeasure. -"Ah, so you really found us, former Master Kanan. I didn't expect you to achieved it in time..."
The smile changed into a wince as he narrowed his eyes, now showing clear disgust and irritation. He had no time to deal with those Rebels correctly, not when Lord Vader was on his way... or, could it be...
Yes, those fools might have just given him another good argument to convince his Lord into letting him keep the boy a little longer.
He smirked, sending his mind toward the little Twi'lek. -"Amara, there's your chance to redeem yourself before your sanction. We'll have visitors coming for Ezra. Go greet them. I want you to divide their team..." His tone firmed. "Do not disappoint me."
...
Inside her bed, Amara woke up, startled, and listened to the old man's command.
-"Yes Master." She simply answered before grabbing her cloth and a backpack.
She ran as fast as she could, but not toward the mansion's front court. She ran and opened Ezra's door.
-"Quick, Ezra. Wake up!"
He rose on his bed so quickly that he actually fell on the floor.
-"Ouch ouch ouch. Amara, what's happening?" He asked, rubbing his head. He was happy to realize it was not foggy anymore. The poison seemed to have cleared itself during the night.
-"Your friends are coming for you." She answered, helping him to get back on his feet.
Suddenly totally awake, he turned to look at her with shining eyes. -"They really came!"
He dropped his head. After all this time, he had difficulties to believe it. Or, has it been that long? In fact, it was only a few days ago that they were separeted. Although, it just seemed to be a life time ago... But, just when he was about to give up on them, they were finally coming for him. Could he really believe that? Was it okay to hope again? His thoughts were just divided into so many emotions, he didn't know what to think again, or how to react to that news.
He rose his sight again, his blue eyes filled with anxiety, but also with hope. -"Are you sure it's them?!"
Amara smiled, compationate, and answered with assurance. -"Yes, the Master told me it was them."
He frowned, suddenly realizing something. -"Then, I must hurry. Thank you for telling me, Amara."
He dashed outside of his room, leaving the little Twi'lek alone...
...
The Ghost landed just in front of the mansion. When the docking ramp was lowered, Hera stayed on it with her blaster in hand.
-"The engine is still turning. As soon as you get Ezra, I'll fly us out of here." She said.
Kanan and Zeb nodded and ran toward the entrance. Just like they were reaching for the doorknob, it opened by itself revealing a little pink Twi'lek.
Taken by surprise, they aimed at her, but she quickly raised her hands to show she was not armed. -"I know you're here for Ezra. I want to help you."
The two males looked at each other, unsure.
-"Why should we..." Started Kanan, but she interrupted him.
-"You must have realized it's a prison. I want to get free too." She stated firmly.
Kanan looked directly in her ruby eyes for a second... and nodded.
-"What, you're really believing her!" Bursted Zeb, but Kanan motioned to him to calm down.
-"Thank you." She continued, still staring at the Jedi while lowering her hands. "Ezra's belonging are in a room on the second floor. You'll surely wish to take them too. We need to save time, I'll show one of you where they are and the other can enter the grand hall and take the door to the left. Ezra will be there."
-"Why are you in such a hurry." Asked Kanan. "Is the owner of this place this frightful?"
-"More than you can ever imagine." She replied, tears appearing in her eyes. "And if you don't find Ezra before him, it will be much harder to take him back."
Kanan frowned for a moment, then posed a hand on his friend's shoulder. -"Zeb, you go with her. I'll handle the Sith."
-"If you say so." Agreed the Lasat reluctantly, grunting. "Still, be careful out there."
The Jedi sternly tightened his finger on his friend's shoulder. -"You too."
The big guy looked at Kanan running toward the door she had mentioned before and entered the other room.
-"Quick, it's this way." The little Twi'lek urged him, starting to run too in the opposite direction.
Sighing, Zeb followed her inside the grand hall and to an interior court.
She pointed at a window. -"It's this one. It will be faster if you climb the wall. Just go in and grab the backpack inside of the nightstand."
-"I still don't like you." Growled the Lasat, leaning really near her face. "You better not be lying to us."
She just stood still, answering firmly. -"If I want to get out of here, I have nothing to gain by lying to you. You won't take me in your ship if Ezra is not safe with us."
-"Good point... If you want to get out of here." He pointed.
-"If you knew what was going on here, you too would want to leave as soon as possible." She retorted, confident.
Remembering Kallus's words, Zeb was tempted to believe her... he sighed.
-"Still, if you do anything suspicious, I'll end you." And he started climbing on the wall.
The moment he entered the room, she dashed again to the inside of the mansion.
…
Ezra had run to find where the old man was. He had sensed him and, entering the room beside the grand hall, he walked carefully to calm his breathing and move silently. He had something he needed to do and he had to do it unnoticed...
Halfway in the room, he focused on his thoughts and hid his intention inside the sturdy box, like Amara had taught him. Only 30 feet separated each side of the room, but it seemed like an eternity for Ezra to go across it.
Just as he was reaching to open the door separating him and where the old man was, the door on the other side of the room opened! He turned and jolted at the sight of Kanan!
-"Ezra? Good, you're really there! I nearly didn't recognize you with that outfit." Exclaimed Kanan, walking towards the boy.
-"Kanan! You..." Ezra dropped his head. "You really came for me."
-"I'll always come to your rescue." Replied the Jedi. "No time to lose, let's get out of here."
The boy raised his head, shaking it. -"No!" He stopped and looked at the man with pleading eyes. "I mean, not now."
Kanan slowed his pace, cautious. -"What are you saying? You can't stay here, we need to get you out before it's too late."
-"There's something I need to do before that." Insisted Ezra, still staring at Kanan.
The Jedi realized the changes on the boy's face and stopped completely, frowning. -"Ezra, what's with your eyelids..."
The boy reached a hand to his eyes opening wide. They turned sad. -"No, it's not..."
Kanan made a step back, wincing. -"Don't tell me you used the dark side of the Force!"
The disbelief in the man's voice hurt Ezra more than anything. He felt his heart painfully tighten.
-"It's not that easy," Pleaded Ezra. "I... I had to and..."
-"What is this uproar inside my residence?!"
The old man entered the room behind Ezra, startling him. The boy turned around, trying to block his way.
-"It's nothing, Master. Don't worry, I..."
-"Master!?" Snapped Kanan.
Ezra had used the word by habit without thinking. Realizing his mistake, he felt like he had lose all his strength and didn't resist when the old man gently pushed him aside to enter the room.
-"First you won't come and now this!" Continued Kanan, exacerbated. "I think I'm starting to get the picture..."
-"Ah! I see. This must be your former Master." Exclaimed the old man with a wide smile.
-"Former?" Growled Kanan.
-"It's not what you thi..." Ezra was interrupted by the old man's hand on his shoulder. Shivering, he lowered his head again and retained his objection.
-"Well," The Master continued with a smooth voice. "Surely you would be proud to know that he is quite a talented student... with the dark art."
Kanan's glare passed from the old man to Ezra. He closed his eyes for a second, clenched a hand on his lightsaber's hilt and ignited it.
-"No," Pleaded Ezra, shrugging his shoulder free. "You got it wrong."
-"I deeply hoped I wouldn't be too late." Sighed the Jedi, taking a fighting stance.
-"You don't understand..." Replied the boy, more firmly, before getting interrupted by Kanan's angry tone.
-"You think I can't figure out what I've got right in front of me?!"
Ezra clenched his hands, also retorting with anger. -"Would you shut up just a moment and listen to me?!"
The man's answer was brief and painful. -"Don't need to, don't want to."
The boy's fists started to shake. -"You were the one telling me I should do what was needed to survive!"
-"I never told you to lower yourself as a Sith!" Shouted the Jedi.
-"You said I needed to stay alive until you could find me!" Still defended Ezra, unshed tears burning his eyes.
-"Maybe you would have been better dead than becoming my enemy!" Kanan retorted, grabbing his blade with two hands now.
-"What!" Erupted Ezra. "You mean what I endured doesn't matter to you?!"
The Jedi took a deep breath, finding peace. -"I mean that the road you take is not important if you still stumble at the end."
Ezra lowered his head, his tremor stopping. -"Then, maybe I was better off alone..."
The anger was so present in the air that it could nearly be touched. When the boy raised his head, the black line around his blue iris had become red! He took his lightsaber in hands and, igniting it, he rushed at Kanan!
-"Blue?!" Taken aback for a second, the Jedi seemed surprised by the color of the blade... but even more by the twinge that made his heart skip a beat.
From the other side of the room, a powerful laugh bursted. -"Ah! You stubborn Jedi and your stupid code, thank you! You just trampled over his last resilience! Now, nothing can hold him back from becoming my true Apprentice!
Blocking the boy's attacks, Kanan just realized the enormous mistake he had made. -"Ezra, we don't have to fight. Haven't you felt it? I thought it was gone, but I still sense our bond. It's faint but it's still there!"
But Ezra kept striking, hit after hit, aiming at the Jedi.
-"The boy was really fond of you." Commented the old man. "Thankfully, you were such a flawed teacher that it turned out quite easy to turn him against you."
-"Ezra," Continued Kanan, ignoring the comment. "listen to me! I doubted for a moment, but now I know that, somewhere inside you, you're still the boy I found on Lothal. My Padawan!"
-"He's blinded by his rage. It is clouding his mind." Continued the old man, full of himself. "Nothing you could say will reach him. I made sure of it."
Kanan couldn't deny that fact. It was clear that something was stopping Ezra from listening to reason... Then, so be it. Even if he had to knock him out and bring him back unconscious, he would free his Padawan from this place! He could always speak him to reason after, when they'll be far from here... and far from this man's poisonous words...
The two blue blades kept clashing furiously, making sparks each time.
-"Oh, I nearly forgot." Resumed the old man. "You don't need to hide yourself anymore, my boy. Stop concealing."
Ezra breathed with relief, finally letting go of his own strength after so long. The room suddenly felt like it was submerged by a freezing wave, colder than the ocean in winter! Kanan endured the change in the air, staying calm.
-"So, you're listening to him, but not to me?" He said, sad.
-"Why should I bother answering you. You won't listen." Stated Ezra before attacking again, stronger than before!
Now that he had his attention, Kanan tried to keep him talking. -"Look, I was taken aback. I mean, you called him Master!"
-"Are you that stupid, he forced me to!" Bursted Ezra, missing Kanan's chest by an inch.
The Jedi used the moment his opponent was destabilized to disarm him! The boy's lightsaber was thrown to the other side of the room, leaving him defenseless. But, trying to prove his good will, Kanan didn't take the opportunity to aim at Ezra.
Rather than that, he lowered his own blade, speaking calmly. -"Careful there. You may be strong, but I've got more experiences."
-"Ezra!" The old man swiftly grabbed his own lightsaber, hidden in his sleeve, and threw it to the boy!
Ezra jumped back, catching and igniting the red blade! -"Sure, and if you'd had be kind enough to share some of it, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation!"
He rushed back again! Blocking a hit above his head, he kicked the man's chest, adding some Force in the movement to push him back! Kanan was shoved far in the air and landed hard on his head, knocking himself out!
-"Well done, my dear Apprentice!" Exclaimed the Master, proudly. "Now, time to finish this!"
Still blinded by his rage, Ezra advanced toward the unconscious man until he was just above him.
-"Kill him!" Commanded the old man.
-"Yes, Master." Answered the boy, emotionless.
He raised the red lightsaber. Yellow, spreading from the red line around his iris, slowly started to invade the blue in his eyes! He aimed for the throat.
-"Ezra, no!"
Hera dashed from the opened door to cover Kanan with her body! The boy hesitated for a second and she took this chance to raise her head and stare directly in his eyes, now half blue and half yellow. Hers were filled with... with concern for him! She wasn't angry or afraid or even disappointed, like Kanan was. She just... looked at him with a motherly concerned love.
-"Please, don't do it, Ezra." She pleaded. "We came to help you. Kanan came even if he saw you were going to kill him in a vision! He overcame the fear of his own death because he wanted to believe in you!"
He lowered the blade, taking one step back as he covered his eyes with a hand.
-"Why would he risk his own life if he saw I was a desperate cause?" Questioned Ezra, wavering.
-"Because he cares for you. We all care for you. You're like family to us!" She affirmed.
Tears started to roll on the boy's cheek.
Kanan was waking up. His eyelids, at first difficult to lift, suddenly opened wide! Glaring at Ezra, he then turned his stare to Hera. She was holding the Jedi in her arms.
-"My vision..."
At the other side of the room, the old man was fulminating! He raised his hand -"You will not trouble my Apprentice any further!" And pulled back Ezra who landed hard beside him.
-"Ez..." Kanan tried to stand up, but Hera grabbed one of his shoulder.
She scowled. -"What do you mean, my vision?"
-"Me lying on the floor with you holding me and the way he was standing, holding a red lightsaber, crying. It was just like my vision."
-"You said you saw him killing you!"
-"I thought he had..."
-"You told me you were certain!"
-"Almost certain."
-"Kanan." She scolded him, menacingly, her voice trembling.
-"What!? How would you have interpreted that?!" He pleaded, helpless before her anger.
Meanwhile, the old man dropped a knee beside Ezra.
-"Don't move." Ordered the Master. The boy stayed still while the old man roughly ran a hand in his blue-black hair. "Are you hiding your thoughts from me?" He growled angrily, irritated. "Stop blocking me!"
-"Please, Master, don't..." Pleaded the boy with his eyes returning blue anew. "... Arrrg!"
The Master shattered the mental box! Ezra suffered, feeling like his mind was pierced by thousands of needles!
-"I see, it's not just him. You're deeply attached to all of them..." Grunted the old man in a mutter. "We'll have to change that." He took back his lightsaber and rose on his feet. "Stay Here! It's a direct order."
Stunned by the pain in his head, Ezra didn't make any move, earning an approval nod from the Master.
Hera sighed, deciding to postpone Kanan's scolding and helped him get back on his feet. He was still a little dizzy by his head contact with the floor.
The old man, walking towards the couple, pointed at the little pink Twi'lek who was standing in the doorway. -"Amara, brings me the table sets."
-"Yes, Master." She rushed at a dresser and opened a drawer.
-"What is she doing?" Asked Hera. "She's the one who told me you needed help. I thought she was on our side!"
-"So did I." Replied Kanan, shielding Hera with his body, igniting again his lightsaber.
The little Twi'lek took a box in her hands and threw the contents as far as she could in the air. The old man stopped walking, pushing the multitude of forks and cutters toward the couple! Kanan pushed them away, but there was too many of them. Shoving him at the last second, Hera was the only one to receive the metallic shower! She got stabbed on the wall, alive but paralyzed by the pain!
-"Hera, no!" Simultaneously shouted Kanan and Ezra!
-"Ezra, you heard me the first time." Growled the old man, pointing at the boy who had started to rise. "Stay there!" He smirked when the young man dropped again on his knees.
-"Stop ordering my Padawan!" Shouted Kanan, attacking the old man. "You'll pay for everything you did!"
The two blades clashed furiously for a moment, but the Master seemed to have the upper hand. He had watched the first fight between Ezra and Kendrick and learned the weaknesses in the Jedi's technique...
-"My, my. So much hatred directed towards me." Sneered the old man. "Maybe I could take you as an Apprentice, too."
-"Never in this life!" Winced Kanan.
-"Don't brush off my offer so quickly." Still mocked the old man. "Maybe, if you stay here, you'll see that I'm not that awful." He then turned his head to the little Twi'lek. "Amara, don't let the woman bleed to death. We will keep her alive."
-"Yes, Master." She rushed toward Hera and started removing carefully the kitchenware.
-"Don't touch her!" Yelled Kanan, but he turned to Ezra the second after, surprised by the Kid's voice.
-"Please, Amara, don't let her die!"
He was begging her with pleading eyes. Was he trusting her? After clearly showing she was with the Sith? Kanan didn't had time to ponder more on it.
-"Let's return to the matter at hand, would you." Interrupted the old man, fencing toward the Jedi who blocked the hit with a swift movement of the hand. "I was wondering for a moment, but now I see..." He let a silence linger.
-"What?" Inquired Kanan, losing patience.
The Master aswered, condescending. -"No wonder the boy got so fond of you. He was a thief and a force wielder. You are a smuggler and a Jedi. You were the living embodiment of everything he could become... but, you are always on the run, stealing to eat, running from the empire... this is not a life for a child."
-"I see you should mind your own business." Retorted Kanan, still repulsing the attacks.
-"You can't offer him security." Continued the old man, unfazed, continuing to make his strokes rain. "I, on the other hand, can. I can teach him, nurture his abilities, so he would become..."
-"A dog of the Empire." Interrupted the Jedi.
-"A protégé of the Empire." Corrected the old man. "He would serve them and stop having to live in fear of the only powerful organization in the galaxy!"
-"He'd be a disposable peon!" Spat Kanan. "They would use him to their leisure and then discard him at the first sight of weakness!"
-"But, " Argued the old man. "right now, as he is a rebel and an insurgent, they would dispose of him at the first sight. Period. My option gives him a better chance of survival."
-"Living a free short life is better than living forever as a slave under the yoke of a tyrant!" Growled Kanan, beginning to struggle under the precise strikes that already had cut many places on his body.
-"Is that why you proposed to kill him earlier?" Replied the old man, haughty. "Look what good it gave you."
Destabilized by the comment, Kanan got his leg pierced by a stabbing hit. He yelled with pain, making Ezra jolt and shiver.
Soon after, the boy heard the young Twi'lek, communicating with him in his mind. -'When did you become that submissive?' She asked sadly while removing the last cutter and helping Hera to sit on the floor.
-'Amara? But...' He answered mentally to her, full of sorrow. 'What can I do against him...'
-'You mean you can't do anything, even when your friends need you?' She questioned sternly, staring intensely at him. 'Will you let them suffer like you have?'
Ezra was hesitating when Kanan received another stab, in his arm this time. The boy raised his head, breathing heavily, while painfully reforming the sturdy box that contained his thoughts.
-"... No, I will not." He muttered, more for himself than for Amara.
He turned his head toward a corner of the room and made his lightsaber fly to the Jedi. -"Kanan!"
The man grabbed the hilt and ignited the blade at the last second to protect himself! Hurt, but now handling two blades, he regained a fighting stance and faced the Sith.
-"I see." Simply said the old man, rage boiling in his being more intensely than a volcano. "Time to stop playing, then."
He raised his hand and broke the tibia and the humerus in the undamaged limbs of Kanan!
-"No!" Shouted Ezra, standing up.
-"I gave you an order!" Growled the old man, turning towards the boy. "And you disobeyed me... Now, suffer the consequences!"
He force pushed the young man so strongly that he was shoved into the room behind him, destroying the door when he passed through!
Following the path his undisciplined Apprentice had taken, the Master commanded one more time the little Twi'lek. -"Amara, make sure we are not disturbed while I remind this ungrateful brat who his Master is now."
-"Don't..." Weakly said Kanan before sensing tiny fingers on his temple.
Amara, just behind him, whispered in his ear. -"When destiny calls you, you must be strong."
-"What are you..." Started Kanan before getting put unconscious by the manipulation of the little Twi'lek.
-"Ezra is fulfilling his destiny right now. Let's not get in his way..." She continued, looking at the destroyed door...
...
Ezra was standing back painfully, looking with defiance at the old man walking toward him.
-"I see you still have some fighting spirit in you." Calmly stated the Master. "Somewhat, it is good." His stare harden, but his smile grew. "It just means we will have more memories to create together."
-"You think you can make me bend again, but, now that my friends are here, you won't be able to break me like you did!" Replied the boy, sure of himself.
-"You think it will be easier now that they are here?" The old man laughed. "You fool, it will be easier for me! I will keep them alive, keep them captive here, and I will make them suffer, more than ever in their lives, until and after they cannot endure it anymore. I will make you watch, each day, each hour, each second, and I will continue to shape you against them, until, by hate or by pity, you kill them!"
Ezra's eye widened. -"No..."
-"Oh, yes, my dear boy. This was just the beginning!" The Master raised his hand clenching his fingers.
Just in time, Ezra blocked his mind! He protected it from the intrusion, making the old man grunt. Twisting his hand, he aimed to break a bone, but the boy Forces pushed his hand just before, like Kendrick did against him in the grand hall!
-"I see you are learning." Demently smiled, the Master. "Make it entertaining!"
It became a challenge of strength and velocity! Untiringly attacking and pushing, shifting between breaking limbs and Force pushing the adversary to unbalance him! Ezra didn't take the chance to let him in his mind, diminishing his strength to keep a shield active on his thoughts, but it was fine with him. He had practice using two tricks at the same time!
Soon, it seemed that they were evenly matched, until the Master decided to use his trump card!
-"If a direct hit can't reach you now, let's see with a spread attack!" He said while he placed his hands like a fan, launching blue and purple lightning!
Ezra tried to deflect it, but he got caught in the zone, half paralyzed by the electricity running in his being! He fell on the ground, convulsing uncontrollingly!
-"It seems I still get to be the Master here." Exalted the old man. "You've got a long way to go to surpass me!"
The boy yelled, his body painfully writhing without any control for the sadistic pleasure of the Master, until he lightly grazed his head with a finger! Then he stopped shouting, his muscles still spasming, but much more lightly. He raised hardly under the lightning attack and the unbelieving, horrified look of the old man!
-"Never forget." Stated the boy, gloomy. "Your mind is the center of your being." He started to walk again under the storm, his flesh beginning to melt under the heat. "What happens to your body is irrelevant, if your mind can't sense it..."
He had cut his own sensitive nerves!
Dropping his hands in defeat, the old man tried to back off in retreat, but stumbled and fell on his back. As Ezra closed in, the pathetic man rose on an a elbow and closed his eyes, panting, trying to cover his head with his other arm.
The boy dropped on one knee in front of his former torturer and posed his fingers on the wrinkled forehead. The old man stopped trembling and opened his eyes to stare directly in Ezra's with a dement smile.
-"I did it. You are Perfect!"
His smile dropped and his look became empty, blank. Ezra sighed, passing a hand in the salt and pepper short hairs.
-"You did nothing. I just gave you a brain death. Then, I won't be killing you, but you won't be able to deliver more suffering to anyone. Continue to live reaping what you sow, unconsciously knowing that you failed to turn me into a Sith."
Feeling like the weight of the world was lifted from his shoulders, the boy took back his breath. Soon, his knees let go and he heard footsteps approaching.
Amara ran to catch him falling, helping him to lay on the floor. She kneeled, keeping half of him in her arm, and using her other hand to heal his flesh, starting with the face.
-"Amara..." He said weakly.
-"It's alright, Ezra. You did it. You put an end to the Master's tyranny. Now, it's my turn to play my part. I'll heal you once more back in shape."
-"What about the others?" He asked, concerned.
-"They're fine." She soothed him. "They are waiting for you in the other room, unconscious."
-"You seem so calm." He realized. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
-"There are so many things I didn't tell you." She answered with a bit of sadness. "But, each time I talked, I tried to only tell you the truth. Only once, I lied, but, for the first time in years, I could finally act with someone as much as I could like my old self."
-"Years... you said you were here for 3 months!" He said surprised.
-"Would you have believed I was on your side if I had told you I was the Master's puppet since I was 7?" she pointed out.
-"Probably not... but, then, why would you risk helping me?" He still asked, giving her the benefice of the doubt.
-"I saw what happened here in a vision." She revealed with a gentle smile.
He winced. -"Why didn't you tell me?"
-"When I told you I liked you since the first time I saw you, I wasn't saying since I met you in the grand hall. I was saying since I had a vision of you. And you, coming in the mansion, proved what I saw. You were brave, strong willed... but stubborn, and I knew you would never believe me if I had told you that you were gonna help me end the Master's life."
-"I didn't kill him... but, I did with the lives of others..." He replied sadly. "How can I face my friends now? No, I can't return with them, not now that I am a cold murderer..."
-"No, you're not." She corrected him with a hint of sadness.
-"What are you saying?!" He snapped. "You saw what I've done! You were there!"
-"Exactly. I was there, each time. I did it." She answered, sternly.
-"What! How?" He retorted, unbelieving.
She took a deep breath and started explaining. -"I saw that you would take care of the Master, but I saw too that you had the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen in my life. Therefore, I knew you would not have fallen to the dark side and I confirmed my suspicions over the days I spent with you. You were so pure, so kind... I mean, I'm even sure you wouldn't be able to smash a spider. I imagine you more trying to befriend it before even trying to kill it..."
He smiled faintly, thinking about the arachnes from the rebel's secret base...
She continued. -"I needed you to harden your heart to be ready for this moment. In the cell, I pushed you to kill but I slightly deflected the knife so you would miss his heart, and I moved it to finish him. And, with Kendrick, I needed to wait long enough for you to tap into the dark side, to make it convincing for the Master, but not long enough for you to be possessed by it. So, as soon as I saw the changes on your eyelids from behind my tree, I broke his neck.
-"Then, how come your eyes aren't yellow?" He pointed out, still not convinced.
-"The Master needed me to look innocent so I could deceive his students. He taught me how to deprive someone of his life without being influenced by my emotions..." She had a faint smile. "So, you see, you're still pure. And you can return to your friends..."
-"Amara, you need to get out of here, too! Come with us!" He exclaimed.
She laughed. -"A minute ago, you were sure they would not accept you because of what you did. Why would they accept a stranger who did it?"
Serious, he stared directly in her eyes. -"I'll talk to them. It'll be okay."
-"I don't think so..." She changed from sad to kindly mischievous. "But, don't worry. Even if I stay here, and no matter what they say, you'll be in my heart. Always."
He looked taken aback. -"Oh... you know... I appreciate you a lot too. But, there's this girl I already like and..."
She put a finger on his lips, smiling. -"Silly, I don't see you as a love interest." She took the braid beside his neck with her fingers to play with it. "Won't you become my apprentice?"
He seemed surprised at first so she continued quickly. -"I may be a few months younger than you, but I am way more experienced and you saw how good I was to teach you..."
This time, it was him who put a finger on her lips, smiling. -"I appreciate the offer, but I'm going to decline for now."
She sighed with a smile. -"I suspected you would say something like that , but I understand. There's no expiration date on my offer. Take your time to think about it..."
-"What will you do, now?" He inquired, relieved not to have to argue more with her.
-"When you've been a free soul in the streets for 7 years, I was living here, inside this mansion, using every corner to hide when needed. No one will find me if I decide to stay here." She said, assured.
He smiled sadly back. Life hasn't been easy for him on the streets, but having to scavenge for food must have been way easier than being fed by a possessive, sadistic, psychopath...
He leaned a hand on her shoulder, understanding. -"I know we're different but, deep inside us, we're not that different at all."
She just finished to heal him. She kissed his forehead, reconnecting his sensitive nerves and making him lose consciousness.
-"I know." She answered, more to herself.
-"YOU!" The angry voice of Zeb broke the tender moment!
When he was inside Ezra's room, he had opened the drawer, like she told him, but a gas was ejected from it, making him lose consciousness! When he woke up, he swore to pound the little girl until he was satisfied! He had grabbed the backpack that was effectively inside the nightstand and ran back to this room!
-"Oh-oh, time to go!" She rose back on her feet, drawing a knife from her sleeve and pierced the heart of the old man before running like her life depended on it... and it most probably was depending on it!
Zeb stopped beside Ezra, still swearing, but grabbed the boy and put him on his shoulder. Kanan and Hera were wakening up in the other room as he returned to them.
-"Zeb." Said Hera hardly. "What happened?"
-"I just found him like that." He answered, pointing at the Kid.
-"And the Sith?" Asked Kanan, his palm against his throbbing forehead.
-"Dead." Replied the Lasat. "And, before you ask, the Twi'lek ran away."
-"What a strange girl." Muttered Kanan, realizing his bones were back in one piece but he still had his lightsaber's wounds. Hera helped him to stand up again and he asked her. "You okay?"
She nodded. -"Before I fainted, she said in a whisper that I was healed enough... and that it shouldn't be too hard to Ezra to finish it..."
-"That's strange..." Pondered Kanan.
-"We should ask him when we'll be back on the Ghost." Hurried Zeb. "And far from here."
-"Good point." Agreed Kanan. "Let's go."
He and Hera helped each other to ran the fastest they could together. Zeb followed, just to be sure. But, when they had passed the door leading to the outside, a strange beeping started to be heard. The couple turned to look at Zeb who was looking around, searching for the noise's source, and Ezra woke up just in time! He Force pushed the Lasat, landed hard on the ground and started to crawl on his back to the mansion door!
-"Ezra, what is going on?" Inquired Kanan, frowning.
The boy reached a hand to the earring who had stopped beeping. -"I can't go out before removing this thing." He rose on his feet. "It's a bomb and only the old man knew how to remove it. That's why I was looking for him before you found me. I wanted to learn how to get it off."
-"That's stupid, there's nowhere to go on this moon beside this mansion." Snapped Hera.
Ezra frowned, clenching his fists. -"That's how the Master is. He said once he didn't have time to let me run around... I need to find him, maybe I can still..."
-"No need." Interrupted Zeb. "The little traitor killed him."
-"Don't speak of her like that." Growled the boy.
-"What? There's nothing wrong in calling an apple an apple!" Retorted the Lasat, crossing his arms.
-"You don't know her!" Shouted Ezra, angry.
-"Calm down." Intervened Kanan. "He's just stating what we all witnessed."
Ezra continued, calmer but still angry. "You can't even begin to understand what it was here. If he asked me, I would surely have done the same thing..."
-"Don't tell me you really trusted her." Replied the Jedi, unsure on how to handle the situation...
Ezra lowered his head, but said with assurance. -"Yes... and no. She clearly told me the first time we had the chance to really speak alone together. As long as we would be in this mansion, with the Master, it was impossible to trust each other. So we lived together, tried to help each other, but we were still alone..."
An awkward silence fell upon them for a moment, finally broken by the gentle voice of Hera. -"So, what can we do about that explosive device?"
At the same time, they heard the Phantom. It landed just beside the Ghost and the girls got out, running to rejoin them, while chopper made it fly again to attach it to the Ghost.
Ahsoka talked first. -"I see everything went well. What are we waiting for?"
-"The kid's got a bomb attached to his ear." Replied Kanan.
-"What kind? Let me see." Sabine approached to take a look and Ezra jolted, struck by an idea.
-"That's it, can you determine what kind of explosive can be used in such a small thing?" Asked the boy.
-"Well, it's so tiny I can only think about one possibility." She answered, pensively.
-"Perfect! Think hard about it. I won't hurt you." He leaned a hand on her temple and closed his eyes, startling her but she stayed still.
-"What are you..." Started Kanan, but Ahsoka stopped him, looking intensely at the boy.
Ezra intruded Sabine's mind as gently as he could, trying to mimic the time when Amara had done it to him. He looked for how to disable the bomb mechanism without triggering it. Soon, they heard something breaking inside the earring.
-"There. Thank you, Sabine." Smiled Ezra. "Without your knowledge, I couldn't have done it."
-"Um, you're welcome. I guess." She answered, a little confused by what happened. "You sure it worked?"
Another spaceship's sound made them jolt. It was Lord Vader's ship approaching!
-"Only one way to know. GO!" He urged them. "Run first, I'll follow as soon as I think you're far enough, just in case."
It didn't please them, but they started to run toward their ships. Soon after, Ezra took a deep breath, hoping he didn't mess up, and dashed... Nothing happened! Relieved, he fastened his pace. Amid the way, the docking ramp of the enemy's ship opened, letting the Sith Lord appear! He was walking toward the boy who stopped for a moment. Ezra knew they wouldn't make it out of here with him behind them, he had to do something.
The Lord seemed to look carefully at him, the helmet hiding his pleased expression at the sight of the changed boy. Ezra took this moment to shove Vader inside his own ship with the strongest Force push he had ever done! Raising both hands, he frowned and grunted under the tremendous effort as he crushed the shuttle with his mind around the Sith Lord!
Kanan and Ahsoka looked at each other, surprised and concerned, but the Jedi turned to the boy.
-"Ezra, quick!"
The kid ran again as the destroyed ship started to shake and open like a flower with the shredding metal making a rasping sound. He jumped on the floating Ghost, getting caught by his friends, and they flew off before the emerging Sith Lord could stop them...
...
Epilogue
The Ghost was escaping at lightspeed.
Ezra stood back on his feet, not sure if he could look again at his friends. He kept his head low, feeling their heavy stares on him.
Trying to break the ice, Zeb talked first. -"I think this is yours." And threw the backpack to the boy.
Opening it, Ezra looked inside and found Amara's anatomy books and his old clothes.
He got is orange shirt out with a faint smile. -"She said she wasn't sure she could have them back before they'd be trashed. I can't believe I can finally get out of those awful cloths." He looked awkwardly at the Lasat. -"Hum, Thanks... everyone. For finding me and getting me out of there."
-"If we could, we would have done it sooner..." Started Kanan, before getting stopped by the hand of Ahsoka on his shoulder. It wasn't the time to remind the Kid how much he had changed...
-"We had to get you back." Replied Zeb serious while crossing his arms. "You still own me an apology."
Ezra seemed puzzled. -" An apo..." Suddenly, he seemed to understand. " Wait, you don't mean about that snoring thing I said to you before we landed at the secret facility! You can't seriously still hold a grudge about that!"
-"Yep, and it seems I'm still waiting." Grinned the big guy.
Ezra laughed. He laughed so hard for the first time in days. A true, honest, laugh from the bottom of his heart. It eased the atmosphere, making everyone finally relax.
-"You know," Ezra said after regaining his breath. "I was trying to apologize to some stubborn Lasat before we got interrupted by an invasion of Inquisitors and Bucketheads!"
-"So, I suppose we have to continue where we left. What about around a cup of hot chocolate?" Zeb grabbed the boy's shoulder and dragged him toward the dining room.
Kanan sighed with relief.
-"It seems he is not totally changed." Noticed Ahsoka.
-"Yeah, I suppose it's a good thing." Agreed the Jedi, sour. "But they still tainted him..."
She leaned a hand on his back. "Don't lose hope. I learned, once, that there's a way to remove the marks left by the Dark side. Either on the skin or inside the soul."
-"Are you sure." He asked back, looking at her with his hope renewed.
-"It needs a lot a meditation and self-control, but I'm sure you can help him to go through it." She smiled softly. "The original documents must have been destroyed on Coruscant, but I'll look in the hidden temples, still untouched, if I can find some remains of the method."
He took her hand in his, grateful. -"Without you, we could never have come back for him in time."
-"It's the least I could do." She replied, sorely. "We still can't lose him to the Empire. He represents the hopes of so many people. What would happen if they were to turn him on their side? So many people would stop supporting us... And now, you have the hardest part to do. You have the responsibility to fully return him to the light... to undo the pain and suffering he endured..."
He frowned, but nodded. It seems like the end of a journey was just the beginning of another...
...
Post Epilogue
Vader was standing in his spaceship command center, looking at the stars. The Inquisitors entered the room. They walked on the ramp until they were right behind their Lord.
After a short while, his disembodied voice broke the heavy silence.
-"We cannot lose what we gained on Pyleiad. Get this boy back before they can cleanse him." He turned to them. "Use any method you wish, but fetch me my future Grand Inquisitor..."
...
Ta da dada da-daaaaa, The End :3
Well, not exactly. You know there's something else after since there's more chapters XD But it was supposed to finish like that at first.
Although, all your reviews and comments motivated and inspired me! I could never find the right words to say how I love reading you after each chapter. It fills me with joy every time :3
So, I'm happy to say that this adventure is far from finished and I hope you'll enjoy reading the following arcs as much as this one! :D
Thus, here ends 'The Mansion Arc'! See you in the next chapters to follow what will happen next! :D