The northern skyline of Lothal was something that amazed Ezra each time, and he found it breathtaking even now. Mist hung low over the ground, creating a dreamlike landscape as he walked over to Hera in the distance.

The Twi'lek was standing alone in the middle of nowhere, a short walk from the Imperial vehicle they'd stolen. They'd just escaped from the Empire after he'd exited the strange world inside the Jedi temple and sealed the portal, preventing the Emperor or anyone else from accessing it. Ezra shuddered to think what could happen if the Emperor were to have his hands on the power within.

Ezra joined Hera by her side. She looked weary and hurt, one arm on her left shoulder, expression still full of silent grief. It pained Ezra to see her like this.

'Where are we?' Ezra wondered aloud.

'The temple…' Hera replied quietly.

Ezra was bewildered. The temple? Everywhere he looked, there was nothing recognizable. He saw only mist and clouds, and miles upon miles of desolation. Then he looked down, and saw on the ground a few steps away from him the markings of the temple's entrance. It dawned on him this is the spot where Kanan and he had stood – where Master and Padawan lift the stones to reveal the doorway. Except a few stones where the temple once stood, everything else had just seemingly disappeared.

'What? Where…I mean…how?'

'You tell me…'

Ezra looked to the distance. He could sense echoes of Kanan's presence in this place. He had taken Ezra here for his first test, when he'd gotten his first kyber crystal. The next time, Kanan had been knighted, and Ezra had spoken with Master Yoda, which had led them to Malachor. But despite these lingering traces of his master, Ezra had felt him depart a while ago. After he'd lost consciousness after closing the portal to the temple, he'd heard Kanan's unmistakable voice in his mind. 'The Force will be with you. Always,' he had said. As if content that Ezra had understood that final lesson he'd been trying to show him through his selfless act, he'd completed his mission and became one with the Force completely.

'Kanan and I stood here,' Ezra found himself saying. 'When we first entered the temple…'

Hera closed her eyes for a moment. 'He's gone now, isn't he? I mean, really gone…' she said shakily.

'Yes,' Ezra replied. It was no surprise that Hera had also felt Kanan's absence. The two had always been close – Ezra had seen how the two had acted, even though they have not always admitted the nature of their relationship. His heart ached for Hera that she would never have another chance to tell him what she felt.

For a while, the two stood side by side, watching the scenery in silence.

'I know what we have to do now,' Ezra said suddenly. 'In a way Kanan showed me. One last lesson.'

Hera smiled warmly at him. Then she patted him on the shoulder and started back towards the vehicle. Ezra watched her for a moment, and then also began to leave.

Suddenly, he heard a faint howl in the distance. Ezra turned to see the white loth-wolf in the distance, standing still amidst the fog.

Memories washed over him. He remembered the first time he met Kanan. He saw him standing alone in the marketplace in Capital City, exchanging furtive gestures with Sabine and Zeb in preparation to steal weapons from the Empire. He remembered seeing Kanan in action for the first time in Kessel, surprising everyone from Agent Kallus to the Wookiees. It ignited something inside him – Ezra had wanted to be just like that.

He remembered their early days and initial difficulties during Jedi training. Images flashed in his mind: There was him and Kanan on top of the Ghost, as Chopper bombarded him with bottles and Zeb laughing heartily to the side; there was him deflecting blaster bolts from Sabine and Zeb, where he had his first vision in the Force; there was him trying to connect with a loth-cat and getting scratch marks all over his arms. He remembered the time when he pretended to be Kanan's son to rescue him from stormtroopers as he made a big show of being a patriotic Imperial supporter.

He remembered the constant giving and unconditional support he'd shown: Kanan carrying him back to the Phantom after he'd unknowingly tapped into the dark side on Anaxes; Kanan comforting him after he'd learned about the fate of his parents; Kanan returning for him even after he'd announced he doesn't need him anymore in a moment of sudden anger, never blaming him for his injury on Malachor… Ezra owed so much of who he is now to him. Even as Kanan had admitted he doesn't have anything left to teach him, Ezra knew there was so much more to learn from him.

He remembered the more recent moments with his master: meditating together on Yavin 4, discussing about the future in the wolves' cave, him asking Ezra to lead the mission to rescue Hera, his cryptic message about listening to the Force. Now he realized it had all been preparing him to step up in his absence. His most important advice and bits of wisdom over the years came to him.

'There's a future for us, one where we're all free. But it's up to us to make it happen.'

'When the time comes, you have to be ready to sacrifice for something bigger.'

'Trust yourself, trust the Force.'

Ezra breathed in the brisk, clean air. He let all these memories wash over him, as well as feelings of warmth, nostalgia, and grief. Then, breathing out, he let them all out in the Force.

The wolf turned and retreated, disappearing into the mist.

'Goodbye, Kanan,' Ezra said to the horizon. Then, he started down the path back to his friends.