I am very sad to hear that the Rebels series will officially be ending this Monday. :( It was a great show, and I hate that it has to end so soon. But the good news is, that doesn't mean the adventures of the Ghost crew are done. Not in this story, at least. lol. I hope you guys continue to enjoy it and I hope you like this chapter. :)
Chapter 33: The Mirror
While most of the company found it easy to sleep, Ezra surprisingly found himself unable to once again. Even under the peaceful trees of Lothlorien, he still felt restless. He squirmed around on his mat, trying to find a comfortable spot to sleep. But it never came.
Ezra would've thought that he'd be over this. He had done well with resting ever since they left Rivendell. Why was he struggling now? Was it grief? Was it the excitement that they could possibly get the Ghost fixed? No, the young apprentice didn't think it was either of those things. For some strange reason, he felt like something was going to happen tonight. He didn't know what, but every part of him was expecting something unexpected to happen.
He didn't know if it was good or bad. And even though he tried to brush it off, he still found himself on high alert. Was this the Force's doing? Kanan had told him that it could send messages in the most unexpected of ways. However, would it be this secretive? All Ezra knew was that he was being driven mad by not falling asleep.
With an aggravated sigh, he sat up and leaned against the tree he was next to. There had to be some way to make him tired. No doubt Aragorn would want to be shoving off sometime tomorrow or the following day. And Ezra honestly wanted to get as much sleep as possible. One of the downfalls about this journey was the lack of rest, and stopping for only a couple hours was nowhere near good enough.
Perhaps a meditation would do some good. Kanan and Ahsoka had taught Ezra that a while back, before they ever got the idea of going to Malachor. Apparently, meditation was what relieved Jedi of all their pain and stress. So, figuring he wouldn't disturb anyone, Ezra sat crisscross on the grass, put his hands on his lap, lowered his head, and closed his eyes.
He listened to all of his surroundings, taking in every slight movement. He realized that the Elves had stopped singing a while ago. The forest had fallen silent, with the exception of crickets making their usual noises during the night. He listened to the sound of running water in the distance and breathed in the fresh air through his nostrils. His body slowly became relaxed, and he welcomed it. Meditation was indeed a great thing.
The only thing that Ezra tried to block from his hearing was the loud snoring of both Zeb and Gimli. Unfortunately, meditation couldn't keep out all annoying sounds. But that didn't aggravate him as much, for he had lived with it every day of his life since he had been on the Ghost.
However, Ezra suddenly sensed something in the Force. He felt movement. It was not coming from the camp, but it was heading this way. He didn't hear any footsteps, yet he could sense that it was a person. Said person was just about to turn around the corner and head towards the campsite. Ezra's eyes popped open to see who it was. Curiously, he found that it was Lady Galadriel. The Elf did not seem to notice the young Jedi. For her eyes were looking ahead, towards a stone corridor. Ezra noticed that she wore no shoes for some odd reason. He frowned at himself. He didn't know what the big deal was about that because hobbits wore no shoes either.
Galadriel went into the corridor and out of sight. Ezra was about to follow her, but then he noticed something else. He wasn't the only one who had seen her. Frodo was awake too, and he had already rose to his feet and began to slowly follow her into the corridor. The Jedi rose a brow, now confused. Had Galadriel meant for just the hobbit to see her? Or was it both of them? Ezra wanted to call out to Frodo, but found himself unable to say anything. He just let him walk inside and vanish.
Part of the young Jedi just wanted to leave it be. He didn't want to interfere with whatever was going on. Yet, there was still another part of him that couldn't hold back the curiosity. Maybe Galadriel wouldn't mind if he followed too? Or should he just stay put and meditate. Kanan would probably recommend the second option, if he had been awake. But since when had Ezra ever listened to Kanan?
So, without a second thought, the young Jedi rose to his feet and began to slowly walk towards the corridor. He was surprised at how quiet he was. Even though his feet moved on the grass, he didn't make a sound. He glanced back at his companions and saw that they were all still sleeping. He knew that he wouldn't wake them up. However, before Ezra turned around to continue walking, he suddenly noticed that one of his friends were missing. There was another empty mat laying on the ground, and a Mandalorian helmet sitting right beside it.
Where was Sabine?
"What do you think you're doing?" a female voice suddenly asked from behind.
Ezra closed his eyes in defeat. That answered that question. He slowly turned back around and saw Sabine standing in front of him, her arms crossed and brow raised. He wanted to make up some excuse, but he knew there was no chance of the Mandalorian believing him.
But instead of answering, Ezra asked, "Why are you up?"
Sabine smirked and shook her head, "That's not an answer to my question, Ezra. Why are you up and where are you going?"
Ezra looked at her, then at the corridor, and then back at her. She glanced back at the doorway too but looked right back at him after a few seconds.
The apprentice sighed, "Okay, I'm following Galadriel! I just want to see where she's off to."
She nodded and looked at the corridor with a frown, "Yeah, I saw her pass through here too." She then shrugged, "At first, I hadn't thought much of it, but if it's got the attention of both you and Frodo, now it's making me curious."
Ezra had to smirk at that. At least she wasn't going to stop him. Well, he was hoping that's what it meant. But the longer he stood there, the farther Galadriel and Frodo got.
Sabine then waved him forward with her hand, "Come on. Let's go check this out."
Ezra looked at her, surprised, "You're coming with me?"
She smirked back at him, "You don't seriously think I'm gonna let you have all the fun, do you?"
Ezra didn't bother to answer and just smiled at her. He knew better than to talk her out of this. Plus, the Mandalorian would listen to him as much as he listened to Kanan. So he just gave her a nod and they both slowly crept up to the corridor. They carefully peeked around to see if anybody else was there. Fortunately, Frodo had just turned another corner, so the coast was clear.
Sabine and Ezra glanced at each other before slowly following close behind. Neither of them knew why they were being so secretive, but part of them just wanted to remain out of sight and just watch whatever was going on. Plus, they wanted to keep a close eye on Frodo just to make sure he was alright. He was the Ring Bearer, after all. So, in a way, they were just doing their duty as members of the Fellowship.
There were many twists and turns in the path, surprisingly. Ezra and Sabine had gone around who knows how many corners. But at least the path was pleasant to walk through, and not dark and mysterious as the other places they had seen. The closer they got, however, the more Ezra got a strange feeling within him. Galadriel was definitely not on some random walk through the woods. She was heading somewhere. Somewhere that was very strong with some kind of magic. He could feel it. The Force once again sent mixed feelings through the young apprentice. Where was she going?
Finally, Ezra and Sabine could catch sight of an open area right around the next corner. But before they could go around, the Mandalorian held up her hand to stop. Ezra would've wanted to continue, but he realized that, if they didn't want to be seen, this was as far as they could go. They peeked around and saw that Galadriel had went down a small column of stone stairs and into a small hollow in which a quiet stream ran to a small pool. In the middle of the area, the Jedi and Mandalorian noticed a basin upon a curved pedestal. Behind said pedestal, stood an ewer. Ezra rose a curious brow. Why had she come here?
They also saw that Frodo had quietly descended down the stone stairs to the hollow. His eyes remained focused on Galadriel. The Elf's back was to him, and she had picked up the ewer. She then slowly walked over to the small pool and filled it with water. Ezra and Sabine both wondered what she was going to use that for. Frodo, meanwhile, had already walked onto the grass and stood in front of Galadriel. Finally, the Lady of Lorien turned around and faced him. That made Ezra and Sabine slightly hide around the corner. But the good news was that they could still see the whole scene before them.
Galadriel then spoke to the hobbit, "Will you look into the mirror?"
Ezra frowned confusedly. Mirror? What mirror? Was she talking about the basin?
Frodo eyed her cautiously, "What will I see?"
A small smile came upon Galadriel's lips. She walked back up to the pedestal, "Even the wisest cannot tell. For the mirror shows many things." She then began to pour the water from the ewer into the basin. "Things that were, things that are, and some things...that have not yet come to pass."
This Elf lady was full of surprises. Now Ezra and Sabine were starting to think that she was a fortune teller as well as a mind reader. What else could she do?! But that look she had upon her face sent a chill up both their spines. She was kind, there was no question about that, but there was something else about her. Something that seemed hidden.
Frodo looked at the basin, and slowly began to walk up to it. Galadriel had finally poured the last drops of water from the ewer and then took a couple steps back from the pedestal. The hobbit looked down at the mirror. Ezra and Sabine tried to look as into it as well and see whatever he was seeing. However, they suddenly heard a voice speak to them in their heads. A very familiar voice.
"I know you are there, Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren," said Galadriel.
The Jedi and Mandalorian both pressed their heads against the stone wall. They had not made a sound and yet they had still been caught. How did she do it?! They didn't know if it was a good idea to make themselves known or not.
Ezra spoke back to her in his head, "We do not mean to hide from you, my lady."
Galadriel chuckled and replied, "So I thought. You are both very brave to come here. However, you are not permitted to see what the Ring Bearer is seeing."
Ezra nodded, "We understand, my lady. We apologize for the intrusion. We will go ahead and take our leave."
"Nay," Galadriel answered kindly, "do not leave. You may not see what Frodo sees, but your time will come to look, if you so wish."
Everything then went silent after that. Ezra and Sabine looked away from the hollow and leaned back against the wall. They dared not to look at the mirror while Frodo was looking. Who knows what consequences would happen if they did. Ezra wondered if coming here was a good idea. He felt a bit uneasy about possibly getting to look into this mirror. Galadriel had said herself that it showed things that had happened in the past, present, and future. Did he really want to know what would happen in the future? He was afraid that he would see something he didn't like.
Sabine felt the same way. Her jaw tightened as she thought about what Galadriel had said. Yet, neither of them made a move to get up and walk away. They felt like they should look. They needed to know what would become of them throughout this Quest. There was a possibility that they would find parts to fix the Ghost and finally go home, but the real question was: Would they all go home?
They had to. Ezra wanted them to make it out of this. They had been through so much in the past couple months, they couldn't let anybody die. For the sake of their friends, Ezra and Sabine knew they had to look. Even if they wouldn't like what they find.
Suddenly, Ezra felt a disturbance in the Force. He sensed conflict within Frodo. He felt the hobbit shaking in fear. What was he seeing? Whatever it was, it apparently had him spooked. Ezra felt so helpless right now. He wanted to pull Frodo away from the mirror, but Galadriel had said not to look. He had no choice but to sit and wait.
Then, to the Jedi's relief, he sensed Frodo pull away from the mirror and collapse onto the ground. Ezra nodded to Sabine, indicating that it was alright for them to look now. They once again turned their heads around the corner. Frodo was indeed laying on the ground, but only temporary. He slowly rose back to his feet. Galadriel gave him a hard look.
"I know what it is you saw," she said aloud, "For it is also in my mind."
The Elf and hobbit then stared at each other for a long time. Ezra suspected she was speaking to him in his mind. He couldn't see the expression on Frodo's face, but he did see the hobbit look down at his right hand. He was holding something, and Ezra suspected he knew what it was. But why did he have the ring out? Part of the young Jedi didn't want Frodo to open up his hand, but alas that's exactly what he did. The ring was laying perfectly on his palm.
Ezra found his gaze completely fixed on it, and that's exactly what he had been afraid of. He wanted to look away, but couldn't bring himself to do it. That thing had him in a trance. It always had him in a trance whenever Frodo took it out. Since the first time he had seen it in Bree, Ezra had become obsessed with it, and he couldn't stop himself. And it felt like his desire for the ring was becoming stronger.
Galadriel looked down at the ring, her eyes widened and her hand slowly reaching out. Sabine's eyes narrowed and she began to reach for one of her blasters.
"You offer it to me freely," she exclaimed, her hand slightly shaking, "I cannot deny that my heart has greatly desired this."
Ezra felt uneasy as he watched this. A great darkness had come over the hollow. Not just literally, but he also felt it through the Force. And it was coming from the Elf. Then suddenly, to both Ezra and Sabine's horror, Galadriel changed. Her skin and cloak turned dark and her eyes had an terrifying white glow to them. Her cloak began to blow around violently, as if wind was blowing at it. But what was even more alarming was her voice. It wasn't soft and kind, but deep and menacing.
"In place of a dark lord, you would have a queen!" she boomed, "Not dark, but beautiful and terrible as the dawn; treacherous as the sea; stronger than the foundations of the earth! All shall love me and despair!"
Sabine immediately grabbed her blaster and pointed it at Galadriel. But Ezra surprisingly found himself stopping her.
"Wait, Sabine, don't!" he whispered.
The Mandalorian looked at him as if he was mad, "Ezra, she's going to kill Frodo!"
Ezra nodded, looking over at the Elf. He was honestly scared half to death. "I know it looks that way, but if she was intending to kill him, I don't think she'd do that with us watching!"
She eyed him, and then eyed Galadriel. As much as she hated to admit it, he had a point. There had to be some other reason for this...alarming thing happening. Sighing, she put her blaster back in it's holster and watched with Ezra.
Galadriel looked once more at the ring, and Frodo backed away slightly. But then, after a few more seconds, light all of a sudden returned to the hollow and the Lady of Lorien looked normal again. She stumbled back, and had an unsettled look on her face. She breathed heavily and looked away, closing her eyes. She then said something so softly that Ezra and Sabine couldn't hear. The two were very confused about what had just happened, but their fears of Galadriel slowly began to disappear. Whatever that had been didn't matter now. Both felt reassured that she wasn't a threat. And fortunately, Ezra had saved Sabine from being accused of murder.
Had that happened, he figured it wouldn't have gone well with the rest of the Elves.
Frodo looked more scared than they had ever seen him look and said aloud, "I cannot do this alone."
Galadriel turned to face him again, looking completely relaxed. "You are a Ring Bearer, Frodo," she said to him sternly, "To have a ring of power is to be alone."
She then raised her hand, and Ezra noticed, to his surprise, that there was a ring on her finger. He looked at it closely. But then, a thought came to him. His eyes slightly widened. No. Could that be...?
"This is Nenya," Galadriel said, "the Ring of Adamant. And I am its Keeper."
She possessed another magic ring?! Ezra and Sabine were a bit stunned. Although, Kanan had mentioned to them of the story Gandalf had told him back in Rivendell. Yes, the One Ring was the greatest ring of power ever made, but there had been other rings forged before it came along. They had never expected to come across one of them, though.
Galadriel's expression softened again and she said to Frodo, "This task was appointed to you. And if you do not find a way, no one will."
Ezra frowned at her. What did she mean by that? Surly she was aware that there was a Fellowship for a reason. They were supposed to help Frodo in his quest, but it almost sounded like she was wanting him to go...alone.
The hobbit looked down at the ground and visibly swallowed, "I know what I must do. It's just...I'm afraid to do it."
Ezra didn't know what he meant. But he wasn't sure if he'd like it if he ever found out. He pitied the hobbit. Even after they had started this Quest, Ezra had known that there was a lot more at stake than he realized. And poor Frodo was responsible for fixing it. He had become so ever since he announced that he'd take the ring to Mordor. Despite all the hardships the Fellowship might face, he was the one with the biggest responsibility. Ezra couldn't blame Frodo for being afraid. He was too, as well as his friends.
Galadriel gave him a comforting smile and leaned down, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future."
That seemed to comfort Frodo, for the hobbit's expression looked more at ease. He clutched the ring in his hand and then put it back in his pocket. It was a mystery to Ezra and Sabine of what was said after that. They could no longer hear the two, for they spoke ever so softly. But finally, after a couple seconds passed, Frodo turned away and exited the hollow. Galadriel watched him as he walked off, a warm smile on her face.
However, when the hobbit was gone, her eyes looked up to where the Jedi and Mandalorian were hiding.
"You may come out now," she called up to them.
Ezra and Sabine were hesitant, at first, but at last stood up and walked down into the hollow. They found they weren't so tense as they approached the Elf. Although, their eyes kept on going from her to the pedestal.
Ezra tried to act a bit cheerful and said, "That was an interesting...thing that happened earlier." He put his arms in the air for a second, "You know, how you looked all scary and stuff."
Sabine elbowed him, "Ezra!"
Galadriel's face was expressionless, but the look in her eye was very serious, "That is what I would become if I ever possessed the ring." She then smiled again, "However, I can promise you that will not happen, young Ezra Bridger."
The young Jedi forced a small laugh, trying to reassure himself, "Of course."
Galadriel looked amused by his expression, but when she looked at both of them, she gave a sad smile.
"You two did not have to stay and look, but deep down, I know you wanted to," she said, "For I know what it is you wish to see."
Ezra and Sabine glanced at each other, having a feeling that she knew exactly what they wanted. They wondered, though, if they should just say it anyways.
Sabine decided to say it, "We want to know what will happen to our friends once this is all over."
Galadriel nodded, "So I had figured." She glanced at the pedestal, "The mirror can indeed show you such things." She then looked back at them, "However, all that is shown may not be as it seems. The future is always in motion."
Ezra eyed her curiously.
"That sounds almost like something Kanan and Master Yoda would say," he remarked.
Galadriel smiled, "And they are correct. However, what nobody will ever know is what future will happen based on the decisions we make. Many possible futures lye in wait, and it is our actions that determine which one will occur."
Both Ezra and Sabine nodded, understanding. They knew as much.
Galadriel then pointed to the pedestal, "Will you look into the mirror?"
They both nodded, although they were now starting to get that feeling of dread in their hearts. They knew the future was not set in stone, but that didn't mean that whatever they would see couldn't happen.
"Which one of us goes first?" Ezra asked the Elf.
Galadriel shrugged, "That is for you to decide."
Before Ezra could say something else, Sabine stepped forward, "I'll do it."
Ezra looked at her, concerned, "Are you sure?"
The Mandalorian nodded, "Yes. Plus, one of us has to go first, so I might as well give it a shot."
Without another word, she walked up to the pedestal. She took a deep breath and glanced at Galadriel. The Elf nodded, and slowly, Sabine looked down into the mirror. Ezra took that as his cue to look away. He had not been able to see what Frodo had seen, so he assumed that the same rules applied this time. Although, he was very curious to see what the Mandalorian was looking at in the mirror.
Sabine was a woman of many secrets, there was no denying that. Ezra still couldn't believe how much of her past she was able to hide from him and the crew. But at least the galaxy had pity on him and revealed small parts of it. He remembered discovering on Garel that Sabine had once been a bounty hunter with Ketsu. And when the rebellion captured the Mandalorian leader of the Protectors, Fenn Rau, he had revealed that she was Clan Wren, a part of House Vizla, which was famous for being associated with the disbanded Mandalorian group, the Death Watch. However, Sabine had explained that only her mother had been a part of that organization.
Ezra wondered if he'd ever find out anything else about her in the future. No doubt. But maybe, for a change, she might tell him things about her past. He had thought that she hadn't changed during the time they had been in Middle Earth. However, after everything, he was beginning to think that he was wrong. She seemed happier, in a way. Especially when she was around him. Ezra had no clue what that meant, though.
He suddenly felt another disturbance in the Force. Like Frodo, Sabine was starting to shake in horror at what she was seeing. Oh, he wished he could look. He could feel her heart pounding and her fear growing stronger. Finally, she pulled away from the mirror and Ezra looked over at her. Tears were beginning to roll down the sides of her face and she had a look of terror in her eyes.
He had the urge to go over and comfort her, but Galadriel beat him to it. The Lady of Lorien walked over to the Mandalorian and gently made her look at her. He realized that she was, yet again, speaking to her in her mind. Sabine tried to act tough, and wiped her tears away, but her expression softened the more she listened to Galadriel. What were they saying, Ezra wondered? He wished he knew what she saw. Eventually, she seemed to calm down and lowered her head.
Galadriel then turned to the apprentice, "You may now look, Ezra."
Ezra looked at the mirror and visibly swallowed. His eyes remained fixed on it as he cautiously walked up to it. Sabine's tears had dried away and she watched him from behind. Ezra finally stood before the pedestal and clenched his fists. It was his turn now, and he felt his heart pounding already. Galadriel nodded for him to look, like she had done with the Mandalorian. Ezra closed his eyes for a second, begging the Force to be with him, and then opened them again and looked into the mirror.
At first, he saw nothing. He was just looking at the water. He saw no images nor anything out of the ordinary. Maybe it wasn't working? Ezra was about to let Galadriel know, but suddenly, something finally happened. The water darkened and he could now see shapes moving around. He leaned forward to get a closer look.
He saw the plains of Lothal, and him running across it. The sun was bright and a couple loth-cats could be seen hiding in the tall grass, hissing. Ezra heard a high-pitched sound in the sky, and saw a couple Imperial TIE fighters fly by. Like always, Lothal was under the control of the Empire. He had always hated to see those Star Destroyers hovering over the city, like a bird wanting to devour its prey.
The image then changed and Ezra saw the inside of the Ghost. He was standing there along with everybody else. Everything seemed to be happy there. He and Zeb were laughing over something, and then they both got electrocuted by Chopper. That resulted in the two chasing the astromech through the ship. Hera and Kanan, of course, just rolled their eyes. Sabine was doing her usual painting.
But then, several images started to appear in front of Ezra. Past moments that had been both light and dark. More specifically, he saw recognizable faces and heard their voices like a distant echo.
Kanan and him standing in his old home. "You can keep the lightsaber you stole, let it become another dusty souvenir, or you could give it back and come with us. Come with me. And be trained in the ways of the Force."
Hera trying to convince him to help her crew. "If all you do is fight for your own life, then your life is worth nothing!"
Yoda. "Growing your abilities are. And with them...danger."
Darth Vader. "Your master has deceived you into believing that you can become a Jedi."
The Grand Inquisitor. "Your devotion to your master is admirable, but it will not save you. Nothing can."
Frodo. "I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."
Gandalf. "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
Everything changed again, and this time Ezra saw a place that he didn't expect to see again so soon. He could see the Fellowship in Moria and Gandalf standing on the bridge, facing the balrog.
"You shall not pass!"
Ezra tried to hold back tears when as he watched the whole incident again. He didn't want to look away without risking the mirror going dark. So he regretfully watched as Gandalf was dragged off the bridge by the balrog and into the deep dark abyss. However, to his curiosity, he found the image following the wizard down the chasm while the Fellowship was fleeing the mines. Ezra saw Gandalf grab his sword as he was falling. He was getting closer to the blarog, and when he finally landed on top of him, a fight began. Gandalf kept on bringing his sword down upon the creature. It responded by grabbing him with one of its hands and swinging him around. The fight continued until they crashed down into some underground stream, and immediately everything went dark.
Ezra just stood there, waiting for something else to happen. After a few seconds, he assumed that he had seen everything. But before he could turn away, he did see something else appear. It wasn't a location nor a person this time. Instead, Ezra found himself looking at an image of the one thing he desired.
The ring.
He shook his head, wanting it to go away. He knew that Galadriel was seeing this too, and he didn't know what she'd think of him if she discovered he wanted the ring. In his mind, he kept on telling the image to go away, but it did not do so. Ezra heard a dark voice speaking to him in some sort of strange language. It sounded almost like the black speech Gandalf had used to scare Boromir back in Rivendell. But that was definitely not the wizard's voice.
Just then, another voice started speaking to him out of nowhere. It spoke in basic, but the voice also seemed to be disguised.
"Take it," it urged the apprentice, "Use it! Do you not realize what it can do for you?!"
Ezra shook his head, trying not to listen, but he could not block out the voice.
"You can use it to destroy the Empire!" it said, "You can drive them away from Lothal. You can go home, Ezra! Don't you miss your home?!"
The more Ezra listened to this voice, the more he got a strange feeling that it was from the future. He then saw a hand slowly begin to reach for the ring. A human hand.
His hand.
Ezra saw it grab hold of the ring and then the mirror showed an image of his face. His eyes were closed, but he saw them slightly opening. However, when they finally opened, he noticed something...different about them. They weren't their usual color. They were yellow. Ezra looked at the image in shock. His eyes almost looked like a-.
The image then changed to his other hand, and the activated lightsaber he held in it! Ezra heard tones of screams, both from his friends and others, begging him to stop. He heard his lightsaber cutting down people. He couldn't take anymore of this. He didn't want to see anything else. He instantly pulled himself away from the mirror, screaming in terror, and collapsed onto the ground.
Sabine rushed over and knelt by his side, "Ezra?! Are you okay?!"
The Jedi didn't answer and instead jumped to his feet and looked at Galadriel, "What was that?! What did I just see?!"
The Elf replied calmly, "You saw things that were, things that are, and things that have not yet come to pass."
Yeah, Ezra had already gotten that part of the whole thing. But what he was asking was why in the world did it show him turning into a dark side wielder?! He looked just like a Sith in that image! That surly couldn't be true.
He dropped back down on his knees and looked down at the ground. Had that really been him? Wasn't it a trick or something? However, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he knew exactly what he saw. Galadriel knelt down in front of him and waited for him to look up at her. Ezra felt ashamed to look her in the eye after what had happened, but he forced himself to do it anyways.
"Will I really become like that?" he asked her in his head.
Galadriel gave him a hard stare and replied, "It is what will happen if the Quest fails." She then made him look her straight in the eye, "However, it does not mean that your fate will necessarily be this, Ezra. But I will say that there will no doubt be fragments of what you saw happening in the future. I know that you desire the ring, like so many others in Middle Earth."
Ezra looked back down at the ground and shook his head, "But I shouldn't want it. I'm a Jedi. I'm supposed to overcome such temptations."
Galadriel shook her head and smiled, "I am sure, my young friend, that is not true. I do not know your Jedi traditions, but I do know that even the greatest masters must've gone through such temptations. You are not alone, Ezra. All are put to the test eventually. Even I cannot deny my desire for the ring."
The apprentice looked back up at her, "How do you do it? How do you resist its power?"
Galadriel's gaze went over to the pedestal, a dark expression on her face, "I have walked this earth for many hundreds of years. I have seen the evil of Sauron the Deceiver. I have seen what he is capable of, and part of it is all because of the ring he made." Her expression then turned to sadness and regret, "It should have been destroyed during the Second Age, but alas it was not. And we are forced to deal with the Dark Lord's return today. I resist the ring because of such things, Ezra. It is not just by my wisdom, but also by my pity for all who are living. All who do not deserve to die an unnecessary death. But despite this, the desire is still there. It is up to us on whether or not we are willing to let it go."
Ezra stared at her for a long while. She was right, despite him still seeing how difficult it was to resist the ring. They always had a choice. No magic could fully control them. Ezra knew that only he could change himself. So many times he had been tempted by the Dark Side of the Force. Once when he fought the Grand Inquisitor on the old clone base. And another when he lost Ahsoka on Malachor. Ezra needed to remind himself that, although it wasn't exactly the same thing, the ring was strong with the Dark Side. And if he resisted such temptations before, then there was a chance he could do it again.
But it wouldn't be easy. He doubted it ever would.
He then slowly nodded, "I understand."
Galadriel smiled at him and then stood back up. The young Jedi followed suite and stood beside Sabine.
"As you both already know, the answers you desired were not exactly given," the Elf said softly, "Fate is always a mystery as is the future. But do not let such worries consume you. For should you do something based off fear, it might not turn out as you had hoped." She then became honest with them and said, "The Quest is far from over, as you will soon come to realize. The Ring Bearer will face the most difficult of paths in order to ensure the ring's destruction."
That reminded Ezra of what he had heard Frodo say earlier. He had to do something but was afraid to do it. Ezra wondered if that was what the Lady of Lorien was referring to.
"And we will be there with him," he said to her confidently, "Every step of the way."
Galadriel frowned, "Your intentions are admirable, but that is not your responsibility, Ezra. Neither is it the responsibility of your companions."
Ezra and Sabine glanced at each other confusedly. What did she mean?
Sabine then spoke out a bit boldly, "Um, with all due respect, my lady, but isn't that why this Fellowship was formed? We swore an oath to protect Frodo and go as far as we were able to."
Galadriel nodded, "Indeed, Sabine Wren. And you have almost fulfilled that oath."
"What?!" Ezra asked, a bit shocked. "No! We can go further! Yes, we lost a dear friend, but that has not slowed us down!"
Sabine nodded in agreement, looking just as shocked. Was this lady being serious right now?! And didn't she just say that the Quest was far from complete?! How could the oath be almost fulfilled if the Quest was not over?
Galadriel sighed, "I do not doubt either of you. However, even though Frodo's path is Mordor, another path awaits you and the rest of the Fellowship. I cannot reveal what will happen, but I will say that both of you will know the right path to take. Even if it means turning away from your main objective."
Ezra was having a difficult time believing what she was saying. He could never picture himself turning away from Frodo. He had been their friend ever since they came to this planet. Why would they turn away from their main objective when the whole world was at stake? They couldn't. He, like the rest of the company, knew that they had to see this through to the end. They had to take the ring to Mordor and cast it into the fires of Mount Doom.
The Elf seemed to have read their minds, "You might not realize it now, but you will." She placed her hands on both their shoulders, "Hard times are coming, Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren. The death of Gandalf was only the beginning of the hardships you and your friends will face. And very soon, you will be forced to make the most difficult decision, but the right one nonetheless."
Ezra wanted to argue. He wanted to tell her that she was wrong and that they could still help Frodo. But he couldn't bring himself to say anything else. Deep down, he knew that she made a lot of fair points. There would be hard times ahead, and who knows what path they would take. He knew that the Lady of Lorien meant well, and he knew he could trust her. She was wise, and he shouldn't doubt her wisdom.
Galadriel lightly smiled, "Yet, you do not have to deal with these things alone." When they looked at her in confusion, she continued, "Both of you have had a strong bond, especially now since you've been in Middle Earth. When these hard times come, they will test your courage and commitment. But, when this happens, there is one simple thing that can guide you to staying strong."
Sabine rose a brow, "And what is that?"
The Elf simply responded, "Each other."
Ezra had an uncomfortable feeling at the pit of his stomach, as did Sabine. He thought he could see the Mandalorian's cheeks turning a bit red. But when she looked at him, he quickly turned his head back to Galadriel. Things got awkward really fast.
"Go rest," Galadriel kindly said them, "You will be leaving tomorrow, and you will need as much sleep as possible."
Ezra and Sabine didn't know what to say to her, so all they did was bow and slowly walk out of the hollow. They knew she was watching them as they left, but they finally were out of her sight when they turned around the corner, taking the same path back to the camp.
Both the Jedi and Mandalorian were quiet for a few minutes. After hearing what Galadriel had said, things still felt a bit awkward between them. Ezra knew that Sabine was thinking about something though. He could tell by the expression on her face. He wanted to say something to break the silence, but couldn't think of what to say. He all of a sudden found himself stopping in his tracks and looking at her. That resulted in Sabine stopping to, and giving him a questionable look.
Ezra went a bit pale in the face and stuttered. Karabast, why had he stopped?! He had to think of something fast, so he said the first thing that popped into his head.
"So..." he began, trying to act normal, "what did you see in the mirror?"
Sabine shrugged, "Most of it was who I used to be." She then stared at the ground and sighed, "I've thought about that a lot, and I've come to realize, especially now, that I'm glad I have changed. Who I was then is not who I am anymore. I've evolved into a better person."
Ezra nodded and smiled, "I can tell you have. And I'm glad."
Sabine tried not to look flattered, but her expression was giving her away.
She quickly cleared her throat, "How about you?"
Ezra wasn't sure if he should tell her everything he saw. He didn't know what she'd think of him if he told her what he would supposedly become. But he knew Sabine. She'd never judged him, just like the rest of his friends never did. Well, except for Chopper, of course.
"Same as you," he replied, but then he had a serious look on his face, "But there was one thing I saw that I swear I will never be."
The Mandalorian nodded, and for some reason bit her lip. Ezra still felt the awkwardness between them. He probably needed to say something about it. One of them had to.
"Look Sabine.." he said with a sigh, "about what Galadriel said. I-"
He never got to finish the sentence. All of a sudden, Sabine grabbed his shoulders, pulled him towards her, and kissed him. Ezra's eyes went wide with shock as her lips were against his. Was this really happening? But as the seconds ticked by, his eyes closed and he embraced the moment. The world around both of them seemed to freeze, and their focus was just on this moment.
When Sabine broke away, the Jedi had so many mixed feelings rushing through him. He felt strange. Not an awful strange. No, it was more like a great strange. He forced a small laugh and stepped back, a bit dazed. Sabine seemed the same way. However, she then jabbed a finger at him and gave him a warning look.
"If you mention this to anyone, I'll kill you," she said sternly.
Ezra laughed nervously and shook his head, "Oh no, of course not. Kanan would probably kill me anyways. Because you know, that's kind of breaking the Jedi code. But I never understood it..."
The apprentice looked away and began to babble nonsense. Sabine just stared at him for a few more moments, her hands on her hips. When he continued to babble, she just rolled her eyes and walked off.
"...so yeah, the secret's safe with me..." Ezra said as he turned his head and realized, "...oh she's gone."
Even though she had turned the corner, Sabine had heard Ezra's last words.
And she couldn't help but smile to herself.
Fear. Fear was the greatest ally of the Dark Side. It gave it energy. It gave it unlimited power. And it had been the perfect tool to wipe out the entire Jedi Order.
For so long, the Grand Inquisitor had studied the flaws of the Jedi Council. He had never imagined how blind they could be. But of course, when he had been a Temple Guard, he had never doubted the wisdom of the masters. It was when he embraced the Dark Side, that he saw what fools they were. They claimed to be keepers of the peace, and yet they were distracted by the violence and rage of war.
The Clone Wars was what made the Jedi become vulnerable. They were easily distracted, and they had failed to see that the Dark Lord of the Sith had been right under their noses. And disguised as a politician of all people.
The Inquisitor wished he had been there that day. When Master Windu, the second wisest Jedi other than Master Yoda, had fought with Darth Sidious. He wanted to see him scream in agony as he was tossed out and fell down the tall skyscrapers of Coruscant. The galaxy was full of disappointments.
He had never thought he'd hate the Jedi Order so much. Yet now, he so badly desired its annihilation. Especially sense memories of that one day still haunted him.
The Pau'an was sitting in his dark chamber in the tower of Orthanc. His head was lowered and his eyes were closed. He was not meditating. He was building his rage as memories flooded his mind. He could still see himself on the Star Destroyer, Sovereign. He saw himself in the Reactor Core, his blood-red lightsaber in hand. Across from him was that...Jedi. Kanan, wasn't he called? He held two lightsabers in his hand. One was his own, and the other was his apprentice's that the Inquisitor supposedly killed.
He still felt the rage as he clashed blades with the man. But he also remembered the feeling of a newfound confidence within the Jedi. The Pau'an had thought he had gotten the upper hand, but Kanan had proved him wrong.
And it had cost him everything.
"You're right. I was a coward. But now I have discovered something stronger than fear. Far stronger: The Force. Let me show you how strong it is."
The Inquisitor opened his eyes. The yellow glow of his pupils was the only light in the room. He didn't need light. He could still see. And he looked down at his restored lightsaber. The Jedi had broken it that day on the Sovereign. But when he had come here, the Pau'an had made sure that it was repaired to its original look. Yet, the mark of where it had been cut in half was still visible. Like a scar that would never go away.
The Inquisitor clenched his fists in rage and reattached the weapon to his back. He stood up and just stayed there, in deep thought. He remembered the last words he had ever said to that Jedi.
"You have no idea of what you have unleashed here today. There are some things far more frightening than death."
And he had meant it. Every single word. He had wanted to choose death, for it was the easiest way out. Failure was never acceptable in the Empire, and especially not with the likes of Darth Vader and the Emperor. The Inquisitor had known the price of such terms. He was lucky that he would most likely never see them again. He still considered himself a part of the Empire, as did the rest of the army that was with him here.
But he had found a new master now. Not Vader. Not Palpatine. Someone far stronger. Well, the Inquisitor at least considered Sauron to be powerful, although he had never seen his physical form. However, if someone as powerful as him was able to cheat death, then that had to count for something. The Inquisitor saw great opportunity here in Middle Earth. The population was weak. Pathetic. They were easy to be controlled. Although, this mysterious Fellowship was proving quite elusive. And part of that was thanks to the discovery of the Lothal rebels helping them.
When the Inquisitor had seen the Jedi on the hologram, he was happy to see them. Not in a good way. What he was looking foreword to was getting the chance to separate their heads from their bodies! At last, he now had the chance to complete his mission. It was the job of an Inquisitor to eliminate all Jedi. He would at least have the satisfaction of ridding the galaxy of these two.
Just then, the door to his chamber opened. An Orc walked in. And when the creature set its eyes upon the Pau'an, it looked down in fear. The Inquisitor grinned at that. These disgusting creatures knew their place, and weren't too fond of the idea of being cut by his blade.
"My lord," the Orc hissed fearfully, "Saruman summons you to his throne room."
The Inquisitor nodded, and the creature quickly left. He then sighed and exited his chamber as well. He hated being summoned by the old man, for he always seemed to see only his flaws. If it were up to the Pau'an, he'd strangle the life out of him. But he was loyal to Sauron, as was the White wizard.
As he walked down the hallway, he heard Saruman's voice echo up ahead.
"Do you know how the Orcs first came into being?" he asked.
The Inquisitor rose a brow, unsure if he was talking to him or someone else.
"They were Elves once," Saruman continued, "taken by the dark powers. Tortured and mutilated. A ruined and terrible form of life."
The Pau'an finally entered the chamber and stopped. The wizard was walking around one of the new Uruk-hai. His skin looked a sickly blue in the dark light. It just stood there, motionless, but growling. The Inquisitor had been told that these creatures would be more powerful than the common Orcs. And right now, those rumors were proven correct. These were the perfect soldiers for the coming war.
"And now...perfected: my fighting Uruk-hai," Saruman sneered. He then bent his head closer to the creature and demanded, "Whom do you serve?"
"Saruman!" the Uruk growled.
The Inquisitor smiled, very much impressed.
The White wizard nodded, "Then ready your forces. For I have a task for you."
The Uruk nodded and turned around. His eyes gazed upon the Inquisitor for a second, and he showed his sharp teeth. The Pau'an looked unbothered and just stared at him, his arms crossed. Finally, the Uruk walked out of the throne room.
"They are ready," he exclaimed.
Saruman shrugged, "Most of them, yes. The Great Eye is pleased with our accomplishments."
The Inquisitor crossed his arms and stroked his chin in thought, "They are effective, I agree. But are you sure they will be a match for these travelers?"
He already knew the wizard's intentions. There would only be one reason he was assembling a small batch of the creatures so soon. The ring was close. He could feel it and no doubt Sauron could too.
Saruman frowned, "What do you mean?"
The Inquisitor began to pace around the room, "Your Uruk-hai might be able to handle the locals, but there is still the problem of the Lothal rebels and their Jedi leadership being among them. I fear they will be helpless against the Jedi."
The wizard rose a brow, "Then perhaps, Inquisitor, you should handle this problem personally." He then smirked at him mockingly, "Or will you be a match for them? Didn't you say that you lost to the master?"
"That was years ago!" the Inquisitor snapped in fury, "I can assure you that I have grown more powerful in my exile! The Jedi will fall!" He jabbed his finger at the old man, "I will go, and I shall not fail."
Saruman smiled and tilted his head, "We'll see."
Before the Pau'an could say another word, his comlink suddenly beeped. He reached for it and activated it. Instantly, a hologram of an Imperial officer appeared.
"Report," the Inquisitor ordered.
The officer sighed, "Trail's gone cold, Inquisitor. We followed him as far as possible, but we lost him in the Woods of Lothlorien. Shall we pursue?"
Another problem on their hands. The Inquisitor gritted his teeth. He knew his men wouldn't stand a chance in those woods. They were far outnumbered.
"No," he replied with a shake of his head, "You have done all you can. Return at once."
The officer bowed and the hologram fizzled out. Saruman looked over at the Pau'an with a raised brow, wondering what that was all about.
"That's the squad I assigned to capture that mysterious tenth ringwraith," the Inquisitor explained, a concerned look upon his face. "He's disappeared."