A/N: I OWN NOTHING OF DREAMFALL/DREAMFALL CHAPTERS OR STAR WARS REBELS! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THEIR CREATORS!
Chapter 3: The Rebels
Ezra walked through the halls, his hands bound with rope and his lightsaber in the hands of his escort. "What is this place? Where are you taking me?" he asked the man. The man stayed silent. "Say something for once. If you're the rebels, I would've gone with you easily." Still nothing. "Not talking, then? Fine. Just let me speak with your leader."
"Shepherd's busy. She'll talk with you later," the man finally stated.
"So now you're talking. Thanks, good to know," Ezra retorted, the last sentence sarcastic. He turned to see a familiar man there. "I… I know him. That man over there."
"Stop talking. Keep walking," the man ordered.
"You know I can get out of this easily," Ezra told him.
"I would love to see you try," the man taunted.
"Don't tempt me," Ezra retorted. "I've gotten out of places far more secure than this."
"Keep moving," the man ordered again. Ezra was put into a cell. His binds were taken off and he just sat annoyed. The man began to play around with his saber, trying to figure it out. "What is this?"
"Uh, a tool," Ezra half-lied. "And it's mine. So if you'll give it back…"
"Why would I give something that I don't know what it could do to you who we don't know?" the man retorted.
"Because I could take it on my own and get out of here with it," Ezra replied. "And you don't want to know what it does in the wrong hands. Fortunately, I'm the right hands for it to be with since I use it for good and to help people."
"This thing can't do a thing," the man retorted. Ezra put his hand out and the lightsaber was quickly brought into his hand thanks to his abilities. "You're a magical!"
"Uh, a Force-user more specifically," Ezra answered. "And I need to talk to your leader here. I've gotten out places that many would seem as impossible. I can get out of here if I want."
The man scoffed. "Sure," he replied sarcastically. "A little kid like you. What can you do with that little thing?" Ezra held it up before his energy blade came out with full power and the man backed up. "But… it couldn't do anything before!"
"It can when a Force-user wields it," Ezra retorted. "And only a Force-user can use a lightsaber."
"Lightsaber?" the man responded as the boy retracted the blade. "What's a Force-user?"
"Where I come from, there are a lot of people who can be Force-sensitive," Ezra explained. "People who are closely connected to the Force."
"The Force?" the man repeated. "Do you mean the balance?"
"No," Ezra answered. "The Force is everything. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It holds the galaxy together."
"Sounds like a bunch of mystics to me," the man retorted.
"How about I talk to your leader and see if they'll believe me once I show them how strong the Force is?" Ezra asked. "And besides, you do know lightsabers can cut through just about anything, right?"
"Sure, I'll believe that when I see it," the man responded.
The questioning continued for a while and Ezra refused to give any more explanations about who he was, where he was from, and everything in between to the man and not to the leader of this place. Eventually, though, it turned to night and the man left Ezra to sleep in the extremely uncomfortable bed in his cell.
. . .
The next morning, Ezra was brought before a strange looking creature-person he told was called a Samare named Shepherd. She greeted him, "I trust you got some sleep last night."
"More or less," Ezra answered.
"You are fortunate to be alive, boy," she retorted. "Who are you? Why do you ask questions about the resistance?"
"My name is Ezra Bridger. I need your help," he answered.
"Our help? With what?" she responded.
"I wasn't sure who else to ask. I need to get to the Purple Mountains, Abnaxus of the Venar, and the Oular," Ezra explained. "I wasn't planning on asking the Azadi. They remind me too much of the Empire."
"I don't know where those places and people are," Shepherd responded. "But what is this Empire that you speak of?"
"Well, it's a long story," Ezra explained. He looked to where the man had grabbed his lightsaber again. He held out his hand and it was brought over to him.
"Are you a magical?" Shepherd asked.
"No, I'm a Force-user," he answered. "Where I come from, we have the ability to travel the galaxy and go to planets far a part from each other. Back before I was even born, there were two factions that warred against each other. The Jedi Order and Republic and the Separatists and Sith. The Jedi and Sith had strong connections to the Force and can use it, being called Force-users. At the end of the war, when the Empire rose to power, the Jedi were slaughtered and destroyed by Order 66. Only a couple Jedi that I know survived those final days. Ahsoka Tano and Kanan Jarrus. Kanan found me as Force-sensitive and took me in a his Padawan, his apprentice, for training to become a Jedi."
"I don't believe I've heard of such a thing as the Force," Shepherd responded.
"According to what Kanan told me, the Force is everything. It is what surrounds us, penetrates us, and holds the galaxy together," Ezra explained. "Being a Force-user allows me to do quite a lot. Mainly use it to levitate objects, feel emotions, tame animals and take control of them, and a lot of other things. Oh, and I can use a lightsaber."
"Lightsaber?" Shepherd repeated confused.
"That's what this is," Ezra replied and activated it. They were shocked and everyone in the area went on alert as the blade appeared, humming with energy. "A lightsaber is made by a Force-user using the Force in connection with a kyber crystal and using their focus and energy to make this place. Of course, I added a feature to my saber." He turned the blade off and flipped it around. He shot a blast at the wall where electricity pulsed for a moment before leaving a scorch mark on the concrete. "It has a stun blast capability as well."
"I see," Shepherd responded. "You said that the Azadi reminded you of this Empire. Why?"
"The Empire want to destroy anything that is against what they believe and oppress citizens of all its planets," Ezra explained. "Those who side with them are ones who have been practically brainwashed into thinking what the Empire is doing is okay. People like Kanan, my friends, and I are part of a rebel alliance trying to take down the Empire."
"Sounds like the Azadi and us to me," said a younger rebel walking up.
"Indeed. But why should we help you find this person that you came here for?" Shepherd asked. "I am still a bit wary that you may be an agent of the Azadi."
"No! I'm-" Ezra was cut off by Crow.
"Ezra! He's Ezra!" the bird stated landing on a tall pile of books on a table.
"Balance…" Shepherd muttered.
"Don't you dare touch his head. He's on an important mission!" Crow told the Samare.
"I see. And who are you?" Shepherd asked.
"Crow. Honorary rebel, long-term avian buddy and sidekick of April Ryan, rebel leader, adventurer, hero, savior of the Balance," he listed off. "That's right. Here's Crow! This is him, I'm me. So… Where's April?" They stared at him for a moment. "She can vouch for Ezra. They're best friends, tight as two chicks in a nest. I don't see April. Is she out on a mission, or sleeping in, or…?" They both just watched him with sad faces. "Why are you both looking at me like that?"
"I… thought you knew, Crow," Ezra responded.
"Knew what? What's going on? What?!" the bird pressed urgently.
"April Ryan is dead, bird. She was assassinated during an Azadi raid on Myria the winter before last," Shepherd told him. "She died a hero's death and was given a hero's burial. We remember her fondly."
"What…?" Crow muttered.
"Sorry, Crow," Ezra stated but the bird took off in distress. "Crow!" He sighed.
"I've heard of this bird, Crow. So you knew April Ryan?" Shepherd asked.
"We met a couple times. I was there… when she died," Ezra answered. "I had tried to save her, but… I couldn't. Of course, I wasn't aware of my powers at that time, either. But yeah, I knew April."
"You're the boy she told us about. The one who dreams. They spoke of you, Bachim, Brynn, Chawan. They said you were one of us," Shepherd realized. "This certainly changes things. But how did you-?"
"By the way, Shepherd," the young rebel interrupted, "Likho's wondering, now that Kian's gone, if we should maybe-" She stopped. "Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to cut in. I just got a bit impatient." She looked at Ezra. "Hey, by the way! You have great hair!"
"Uh, thanks," the Padawan responded awkwardly.
"Don't worry, Enu. I will speak with Likho. With Kian gone, we need to change our plans," Shepherd told the young rebel, now known to Ezra as Enu.
"Kian? The Azadi guy? People called him the Apostle," Ezra questioned.
"You know him?" Shepherd replied.
"We… met once, briefly. He was kind to me," Ezra explained. "But isn't he an enemy of you guys? Being Azadi."
"Was. He's with us now. Defected. Yep," Enu told him. "Well, except that he abandoned us to go on a crazy suicide mission to-"
"He left last night," Shepherd cut in stopping the girl.
"Of course. After everything, we miss each other like that," Ezra responded.
"Oh, Enu, this is… Ezra, am I saying that correctly?" Shepherd introduced.
"Yeah," Ezra replied. He looked at Enu. "Hey, nice to meet you. Enu, right?"
"Yep. Hey, want to be friends? Ugh, sorry," Enu responded.
"Ezra needs our help, Enu. He has questions. Maybe you can-" Shepherd began but Enu agreed instantly.
"Of course! No problem. Leave this to me, Shepherd," the girl responded.
"I'm sorry for questioning you, Ezra. And I'm sorry I could not be of any assistance. But it is nice to know that you also feel the same as we do about the Azadi and… other oppressors. Please, stay, speak with Enu and the others," Shepherd told him. "Perhaps someone here has the answers you're looking for."
"Thank you, Shepherd," Ezra responded and she walked off.
Enu came up. "Where are you from? You're clothes are amazing. Where did you get them?" she asked.
"They… came with the jump. I'm from Lothal. That's another-" Ezra was cut off.
"Planet! Across the Divide! On the flip side of the Balance! The world of science! Are you serious? That's incredible!" Enu interrupted.
"Well, all the planets I've been too mostly rely on science. This isn't the first non-Lothal planet I've been to," Ezra told her.
"That's amazing! I have so many questions. I don't even know where to start! I-I'm…" Enu stopped and calmed down. "I am seriously worried that my head my explode. I think I need to sit down."
"Uh, yeah, don't explode. I'm not too special. Just being a Force-user is the only thing out of the ordinary about from where I come," Ezra assured her. "I mean, you're orange and the ears. You're the first I've seen like you."
"Oh, I'm just a boring old Zhid. It's totally normal. Holy crap, another planet! I can't believe it! How did you get here? Are you a Shifter?" Enu asked.
"A Dreamer, I think. I dream myself here from what I can tell," Ezra replied.
"Just dream yourself here. That's it. No biggie," Enu stated sarcastically. She then added seriously, "You are the best thing I have ever seen! Seriously!"
"Really? Thanks," Ezra responded a bit awkwardly. He hadn't expected that, at all.
"So, what do you need help with? Shepherd said-" Ezra cut her off with the answer.
"I'm trying to find Purple Mountains, a tribe of magical creatures called the Oular, and someone called Abnaxus of the Venar. He had told me to-" he was cut off by Enu this time.
"Slow down! Okay. Purple Mountains, Oular, Venar, Abnaxus. Right?" she listed. "Nope. None of that sounds remotely familiar. I have never heard any of those words before. Of course, there are a lot of things I don't know. I'm a- I mean, I was a farm girl. A silly Zhidling. There's so much I don't know. But, I do know where to look for answers."
"Yeah?" Ezra prodded. "Where?"
"The library! The library holds all the answers! Do you have libraries on other planets? Nevermind, silly question, of course you don't," Enu replied. "I'll go to our library right now and start looking. Purple Mountains, Oular, Abnaxus of the Venar. Come find me where you're ready. I can't wait to spend more time with you! Ugh, sorry!" She then ran off with Ezra giving a light laugh at her wiry personality.