Hello again friends! Welcome to another chapter of Reduced to Vermeil Ashes!
I'm deeply sorry for not updating sooner but I was busy with college, and still I am :(
Before I start, again I want to sincerely thank you all for your reviews, followings, favorites and warm feedback.
I really appreciate it and it motivates me to write :D And also during my moments of depression... But better not talk about it! You wanna read the chapter right? Soooooooo...
I hope you'll enjoy your reading time !
Disclaimer/warnings: I don't own Star Wars Rebels, I apologize for grammar mistakes and typos. And... HEARTBREAKING WARNING! THIS CHAPTER CONTAIN DEATH, MENTION OF SLAUGHTER, MUTILATION OF BODIES.
REDUCED TO VERMEIL ASHES
Chapter one
Dim red light
Italics= Flashback/ thoughts
His lips curved into an evil smirk, still glancing the three shocked and speechless Rebels.
Ezra extracted his lightsaber from the lifeless body of Sabine and waited for someone to speak, to "volunteer" on being his next adversary. But as Ezra thought, nobody moved nor spoke, so predictable.
Zeb couldn't believe his eyes, neither Hera and Chopper. They were fighting an internal war: what to do, fight for capturing him or... for killing him?
"Ezra..." whispered Hera, not knowing if the boy in front of her was still Ezra or another person.
None of them had witnessed to a betrayal from a so close family member, none of them was prepared.
Zeb was fidgeting, undecided on reaching his Bo-rifle and shooting against Ezra, the boy who once was like a little brother for him...
Hera had more thoughts than the Lasat, she was the one who let the boy join her crew... She had grew attached to him so much to consider him like a son, but now that very son has just began to destroy the family she had build... What to do? Drew the blasters or not? Kill or give mercy?
" No response, eh? Maybe this will motivate you!"
Ezra crouched above Sabine's corpse, then he took off the helmet and grabbed her by the tinted hair and lifted her up, letting it hanging just beside himself with his activated lightsaber pointed against the slender neck
"She's dead but I still can do..."
For the second time, the crimson blade jabbed inside the corpse, slowly cutting off the head. The heat of the lightsaber melting everything it met.
In front of the lurid scene, Zeb immediately reached for his Bo-rifle and drew it while Hera couldn't withstand the scene and she fall on her knees, throwing up. Chopper whistled and wheeled toward the Twi'lek.
"Kid, stop this macabre show! I'll be next!" shouted Zeb, his indecision completely gone and ready for dueling this... monster.
The boy evilly grinned and spat
" I knew you'd say that, Lasat!"
Zeb grimaced on how the boy was calling him, not using his name...
"You know my name, Ezra! What the hell happened to you!?"
The boy didn't reply, instead he finished to divide Sabine's head from the main body and let the corpse soundly fall onto the ground. Another wave of disgust, pain and fear passed the Lasat's eyes but this wasn't finished, in fact it became even more gruesome, because... The boy flung the Mandalorian's head toward Zeb .
Sabine's head blinded for a short while Zeb's eyes and Ezra took advantage of the distraction and twitched forward with the glowing red lightsaber raised. When the boy was near enough, he blew a strike and neatly cut off the Lasat's hands.
Pain radiated from the new cuts, the Lasat fall in his knees glancing both his gone hands and the girl's head that had rolled just beside him. The Lasat's green eyes met the lifeless brown eyes, sorrow and sadness could be felt... and Ezra was savouring every last bit of those emotions that were feeding him.
" Answering your question, "Zeb", Ezra Bridger died long ago, he was weak and I killed him... Now I'm Darth Pyrious "
Hissed the boy, pointing the tip of his weapon against the Lasat's throat who now was heavily panting like crazy and was staring at the teen's golden red-rimmed eyes
"Kid..."
Began the Lasat, hoping to move the kid to reason... without success, instead the boy rose the lightsaber up on the Zeb's head and said
"Not a kid anymore. Now, join your ancestor in death, Lasat, I'll take good care on killing the last ones of your species"
Ezra then lowered smoothly the blade, cutting Zeb's head right in the middle and slipping it in two parts, along with all the rest of the body. Only when the lightsaber had touched the ground, the boy once known as Ezra stood up from crouched position and approached, resolute, the curled Twi'lek and astromech.
Chopper beeped, trying to convince Hera on doing something, act... But she was way too shocked and broken after seeing the gruesome deaths of her two family members.
The Dark Apprentice raised his arm and grabbed the astromech with the Force, Chopper rose his metallic arms up and beeped, frightened. Without hesitation, Darth Pyrious closed his hand, imagining to have the droid in his hand and... wrecking him. And that happened, an invisible Force pressed strongly around the droid that smashed him easily, the bolts and engines flew around the Twi'lek and the boy, the demolished parts went in disparate ways.
"The best part always comes at last, Hera Syndulla"
The captain glanced again the teen, her emerald eyes opened wide with desperation and her lips trembling
"Ezra..."
She managed to say, but the boy just pointed against her chest the lightsaber and spat
"Not anymore, now, where's the Jedi, Kanan Jarrus?"
"Right behind you!"
Shouted the too familiar voice of his previous Master. Darth Pyrious turned toward the source of the voice, his eyes met the form of Kanan. A wide and evil grin was engraved on the boy's face
" Nice to meet you again, former Master"
Taunted Darth Pyrious and neared dangerously the sanguineous lightsaber against the sweaty green skin of the Twi'lek.
Kanan was speechless, he could feel the fear radiating from Hera and the smell of burned flesh surrounding him. The two factors made the Jedi understand, with regrets, how much the Dark Side had consumed Ezra. He had fallen on training the boy, he had fallen as a Master, and now he had to remedy to his own mistakes... But perhaps there was still a little hope!
"Ezra, lower your weapon..."
" Don't call me with that name! I'm Darth Pyrious now!"
Shouted the boy, his golden red-rimmed eyes flaming with anger and the weapon trembling in his hands.
" For me you'll always be Ezra Bridger, former urchin that we welcomed in our family-"
" The same family who sent me away!"
Kanan bit his tongue, another mistake. Just like that time... He failed right after Malachor...
(Author's note: If you wish to add also some music, I suggest you to listen "Adagio for Honor" by Max Legend :D )
The power was slowly poisoning him. The desire of becoming stronger was hunting him down and he couldn't resist its seductive call.
Power to protect his family.
Power, sweet power... For never let anyone hurt his friends again.
The Holocron had taken control of him, he was no anymore Ezra Bridger, just a shadow of his old self.
After Malachore, Kanan had cut himself out from everyone, even the Force, neglecting Ezra's training. And what could do the Padawan? He blamed himself for what happed to Ashoka and his Master... He shouldn't have trusted Maul, but he had done it. Now he was here, in his cabin with the glowing crimson Sith Holocron in his hands. Its sweet call hypnotizing him, pulling him... The alluring and hidden power was standing right in his hands, wishing only to be discovered and used.
Ezra reached the Force, focusing on his anger to open the artifact that was fluctuating just above his palms.
" What do you seek ?"
Alluringly asked the feminine voice, at the question, the boy replied
" Power"
...
Days became weeks and weeks in months. Ezra continued to use the artifact, winning battle after battle but at the same time becoming more aggressive and heartless. Just for the sake of his friends, family, everything to not let someone else hurt them again.
But one thing he didn't expect, the most unexpected and sorrowful consequence...
Involuntary hurt his beloved ones.
The very first time it happened, was after a prank Zeb and Chopper made for him.
The Lasat wanted to ease Ezra by pulling a little prank on him just like the previous times. Both Zeb and Chopper thought it was a good idea, and after succeeding in covering Ezra with sticky oil... well, the Padawan didn't take it lightly and he responded by Force pushing the two outside the protected area of the base, dangerously near those spiders.
Ezra had immediately rescued them and apologized for his behavior, but after that little incident... everything escalated. Everyone became afraid to stay near him for too long or uneasy, even his crew began to treat him with kids gloves. And what was doing Kanan? Nothing.
Too occupied on venting his sorrow alone. Hearing about Ezra's behavior only from Hera, but without taking action.
His family's behavior plus Kanan's neglect, withdrawn Ezra from the others, cooping himself up in his cabin for most all the time, with the Holocron.
Then, the last straw that broke the camel's back.
When it happened?
It happened during a mission, they had to steal weapons from an unguarded Imperial freighter. Smooth and an easy catch, but with and hidden trap inside... Stormtroopers ready to catch them.
The only problem was that the crew found it out too late and they had to fight for reaching again the Ghost... their home. But Ezra wasn't willing to abandon the freighter without those weapons, his arrogance and recklessness had won over him.
His green lightsaber and his DL-44 were claiming the Troopers' lives under Ezra's amused stare.
He had grew addicted on taking others people lives, he enjoyed to pierce his lightsaber into the useless armor of the Stormtroopers or shot them all. He enjoyed sensing their pain through the Force.
The same pain he felt inside himself.
" Ezra! Enough!"
Sabine hollered, while running toward him and protecting herself from the crossed fire.
" We have to go! Now!"
Insisted the Mandalorian, approaching the boy who was ignoring her, his own bloodlust blinding him.
"Ezra!"
Sabine lunged and grabbed the boy, both of them fall on the metallic floor, covered by a pile of crates. Ezra immediately got back on his feet, ready for another kill, but Sabine re-grabbed him and turned his face
"Let's return to the Ghost, now!"
" We can't go without that weapons! We can do it! Follow me!"
And he returned again to charge but Sabine re-gripped him again and...
She hardly slapped him.
"Ezra, you don't see that we're outnumbered? We have to go before they kill us!"
Ezra massaged the redden cheek, careful and retorted
" I'll protect you all AND kill all of them! The must suffer! After everything they had done, I'll be the one to punish them!"
Under her helmet, little tears were forming in Sabine's eyes who now had made a few steps back from Ezra, saying
" Ezra... What have you done to yourself?"
"What do you mean?"
His eyes were wide open, staring at her under the blasters' noise
"You've become cruel, brutal... everyone fears you! Where is the real Ezra? We all miss him!"
Sabine's phrase reechoed inside Ezra's head, hammering and tormenting his soul.
He had trained by himself until his every muscle of his body was aching.
He had to endure the freezing tendrils of the Dark Side that were trying to swallow him.
He had to live with the guilt... The guilt of being the cause of both Ashoka's death and Kanan's blindness.
And now he knew he could protect his friends, he had sweat blood for what he had achieved of what he had become: a strong, precise, strict and assertive person.
He had also put his life in the front line for protecting them, for making amend.
Just for his family's sake... and now one of them was criticizing him for his sweeping change.
But not only Sabine, also his others dearest ones were blaming him...
That was the last straw.
He lowered his gaze, only to lift it up again with a resentful expression curving his facial lines.
"You miss the 'old Ezra'? That untrained and impatient kid? Really?!"
A moment of silence followed Ezra's frustration, then the boy raised his hand and pointed it against Sabine
"You don't understand what I've scarified in order to achieve what I'm right now! "
The boy's flaming blue eyes glanced the ones of the girl. Range boiling in his veins, as he shouted
"I've become like this only for you!"
Using the Force, he gripped the girl's throat not hearing her struggled chokes. Not hearing her calling his name.
Not feeling her slowly dying in his hands.
The scene around him had just froze in that same moment, with him feeling the dark power filling his all being. Flowing in his veins and hammering at the same speed of his heartbeat.
But just before he could claim Sabine's life, three familiar voices exhaled right behind him
"Ezra..."
The boy turned his head and met the phantom forms of... his parents and Ashoka. All of them were scowling at him.
"Stop now, son"
Spat his father, approaching his son and putting his phantom hand right above Ezra's left shoulder.
"Dear, don't do it"
Soothed his mother, her expression changing into a pleading one and mimicked her husband.
" Ezra..."
Ashoka, she also approached the boy and placed her hand upon the raised one of him, the one that was strangling Sabine. Her eyes now sad and concerned.
The six phantasmagoric eyes' intense stare made him rethink his actions... Ezra glared Sabine, her mouth trying to gain as much air as she could, and her hands clung around the invisible hands that were gripping her throat. She was desperately trying to free herself from the Force-grip, vainly.
He was divided between the dark temptation and the bright weight of letting go the grasp.
"Let go, let go!"
Insisted the three voices, even the grasps were heavier on his shoulders and hand.
What was he doing?!
The boy regained himself, the desired and alluring power he felt before was now a sorrowful and oppressing boulder in his heart. With disgust he saw his gripped hand almost taking one of his dearest friends life, then he glanced again the girl's agonized face and he let go of the grip. Letting go of Sabine's throat who landed onto the floor with a thud, unconscious.
" We'll be forever with you, remember this..."
" You did good today... Don't follow the same path my Master took"
Soothed the voice of Ashoka right behind him, and dissolving immediately after, along with Mira and Ephraim that were looking him with milder expressions, full of approval. Ashoka's last phrase startled him a bit, not understanding what she meant. But it wasn't time to think over it, he had to attend his friend.
Before Ezra could ran toward her, he felt a sudden shot arriving to his side!
The boy swiftly evaded the attack and turned his gaze toward its source, remaining dumbfounded at who he saw... Rex, with his blaster aimed against him.
"Rex..."
He began, moving toward him, but instead Rex shot again on the ground.
"Stay away, Ezra!"
Immediately spat the Clone, her enraged eyes ordering to not make any move. Ezra froze in his position, not making any more steps and saying with pleading eyes
" Rex... It was an incident"
"An incident?! Really? You call that an incident? You almost killed her! What you'll do after? Try to kill me? Hera ? Zeb? Kanan?"
The names of his crew and imagining himself killing them, gave him the chills
" No, I would never do it!"
"But you just did it..."
The two of them locked their eyes together, deeply staring at each other. Ezra staring at the veteran with pleading eyes, while Rex was showing anger but also deep sadness. Sadness of what he had just witnessed and what he was going to do.
"Ezra, you're too dangerous and..."
The boy glared him without understanding where he was going
"I can't let you stay any longer within the Rebellion"
Ezra widened his eyes, shocked. His words stabbing him more deeply than the others wounds the boy had taken.
"Rex... you don't mean it"
Mumbled the boy, trembling, seeing if what he heard wasn't real, but the Clone's menacing expression said everything.
" I really mean it, Ezra and..."
The Clone swiftly pulled the trigger and shot a stun shot against him. Ezra hadn't time to evade this one and fall on his back. As he was falling, he could see Rex's lips opening and closing, saying
"Sorry, kid"
After that, the boy met only darkness...
Aaaaaaaaaaannnnd... I'll end it there.
Zeb and Chopper are out! Who do you think is next? Who will survive (if there'll be a survivor... )?
Tell me in the reviews! :D
I want to ask you to choose, in next chapter on what I should focus more?
a) A whole chapter focused only on Ezra's past (what happened to him after this point);
b) Continue the flashback of this chapter to a certain point, then return to the present and proceed with Ezra's and Kanan's "reunion";
c) Focus only on the present and proceed with the plot (I have in mind also others moments to insert the flashbacks).
Again, tell me in the reviews what you prefer :D
Now, special thanks section!
Guest- Thank you for your review! I hope you liked also this chapter :)
Guest- Writs? Writs, hmm... Is that a game? I love games :D Then I reply with... Stir! (Writs- Stir without /w/) lol
Guest- Thank you for reviewing! Hope you enjoyed to read this chapter and... I'm sorry but in my manuals say Catsā„Dogs LOL (BTW! I know who you are :P )
ja54591- Thank you for reviewing and follonwing both this story and "False Lie". Full thanks for "False Lie" will be given by both me and Sins007 when chapter 2 will be published :D Hope to see you here again!
Sins007- Hi again Sis and thank you for reviewing! :D And everything will be explained through this story. Right now there was "the last straw", but then there's all the process. For the reactions, I hope you enjoyed them! :D
Silverfox22- Wow! I'm really flattered and I'm the one to thank you for reviewing, following and the favorite :) It really motivates me to continue this story, I hope you liked this chapter :D
Hi- Of course, Han always shoots first!
Thank you Benny1715 and danielhaugh627 for following and favouriting; Thank you HarmonyGirl567, kotorfan and Zaconator and Zackis for favouriting. Thank you Ichichi05, ja54591, jpeck2000, nuyen236 and Silverfox22 for following! :D
Thank you luamore11 for favourating and following me! :D
Thank you lamtuyetminh179, mitchsharwig15, nuyen236 and WolfNinja303 for following me!
Last but not less important, I and Sins007 thank all of you for supporting also our first collaboration "False Lie"! As I said before, we'll reply and thank you together when chapter 2 will be ready!
Until next time!
May the Force be with you!
HiddenJade Bluerose