Star Wars Rebels: Galaxy New Order

Prologue

Ezra clung to Thrawn along the purrgil's massive tentacles, his grip on the Force tightening as he held the bridge door closed, preventing the stormtroopers and death troopers from reaching him. His heart pounded in his chest, but his determination was unyielding. Suddenly, his comm-link crackled to life, and Sabine's voice came through, laced with concern.

"Ezra... Ezra, are you there? Th-The purrgils... is that you?" Sabine's voice was shaky but hopeful.

Ezra couldn't help but smirk, though his tone was laced with awkwardness. "Yeah... pretty cool, huh?"

Sabine rolled her eyes, exasperation evident in her voice. "Well, you could've told the rest of us."

Ezra's smile softened, a hint of playfulness in his voice. "I wanted to give you a surprise."

As the purrgil began to glow with the energy of the impending jump to hyperspace, Hera's voice cut through the tension. "When they glow like that..." Hera's words trailed off, a mix of awe and dread in her tone.

"They're about to jump into hyperspace," Sabine finished, her eyes widening in realization.

Panic surged in Hera's voice as she shouted, "Ezra, abandon ship right now, that's an order!"

But Ezra's resolve only hardened. "Hera, I have to see this through to the end." He tightened his grip on Thrawn, the Force flowing through him like a river of light.

"Ezra, please! Get out of there!" Sabine's voice cracked, fear and desperation evident. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him.

Ezra's voice softened, filled with a quiet resolve. "I can't do that, Sabine." He knew the weight of his decision, the sacrifice he was making, but it was necessary. "It's up to all of you now," he said, his voice heavy with the finality of his choice. He sighed, feeling the Force envelop him like a comforting embrace. "Remember, the Force will be with you, always."

The purrgil made their jump, and everything went dark.

Ezra drifted into unconsciousness, floating in a void of nothingness. He awoke to an eerie silence, the darkness around him disorienting. "Uhh... Hello?" Ezra's voice echoed in the emptiness, confusion gnawing at him. "HELLO?" he called out again, his voice trembling.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed around him, growing louder as they approached. A hand gripped his shoulder, and Ezra's heart raced with fear and surprise. "What the-?" His eyes widened in shock as he turned to see a familiar face.

"Hello, Ezra," a calm, reassuring voice greeted him. Standing before him was Caleb Dume, known to Ezra as Kanan Jarrus.

"M-Master... K-Kanan?" Ezra's voice was filled with disbelief, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and joy. He could hardly believe what he was seeing, yet there was no mistaking the warmth in Kanan's smile. Overwhelmed, Ezra threw his arms around his former master, holding on as if he might disappear at any moment.

Kanan stood there silently, allowing Ezra to embrace him for as long as he needed. The two remained in the silence of the void, their connection transcending time and space.

"H-How can this be?" Ezra's voice wavered, still struggling to accept what was happening, though the sight of Kanan brought a sense of peace he hadn't felt in a long time.

"I was there with all of you when you were at the dome," Kanan replied softly, his words a balm to Ezra's troubled heart.

Ezra sighed, a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. "(Scoff) I know you were." The weight of Lothal's liberation still hung over him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that his work was done. "Does this mean... my work is done? I felt that liberating Lothal was my destiny."

Kanan shook his head gently, his expression wise and understanding. "We never know what our destiny is, Ezra. Maybe you felt it was your duty to liberate Lothal, but that doesn't mean it's your destiny. Instead, it was meant to be you. You were the one who needed to liberate Lothal."

Ezra let out a sigh of relief, the burden of Lothal's freedom finally lifting from his shoulders. Kanan's words sank deep into his heart, filling him with a sense of purpose he hadn't realized was missing.

"But I am so proud of you as my padawan, Ezra." Kanan's voice was filled with pride, his gaze steady. "I may not have been a perfect or great Jedi Master, but I'm proud of the Jedi Knight you've become at your age."

Ezra's eyes widened, surprise etched on his face. Kanan's praise meant more to him than he could express. "But your fight hasn't ended yet. There is more in the galaxy for you to explore."

"Kanan, I..." Ezra's voice faltered, the pain of losing his master still fresh. "I felt lost when you were gone. Even the wolf guided me, but without you, I lost my way as a Jedi."

Kanan placed a reassuring hand on Ezra's shoulder, his voice filled with unwavering certainty. "Ezra, no matter what happens, I will guide you. Through the Force, I will always guide you, my padawan. And the Force itself will continue to be with you."

Ezra looked at Kanan, a small, grateful smile forming on his lips. "Kanan, thank you..." He paused, the words heavy with emotion. "Thank you for everything."

Kanan smiled, his voice echoing softly as he spoke his final words. "May the Force be with you... always."

The void around them brightened, the light growing stronger until it enveloped Ezra completely. The sound of frequencies hummed in the background as everything faded to white.

Ezra awoke with a start, his vision blurred, the cold biting into his skin. He was lying in the wreckage of a destroyed Star Destroyer, snow covering him like a shroud. With a groan, he struggled to sit up, his body aching from the ordeal. He glanced around, his vision slowly clearing. Dead Imperial officers and stormtroopers lay scattered around him, but there was no sign of Grand Admiral Thrawn's body. Ezra's heart sank-Thrawn had likely survived the jump.

He reached for his comm-link, but it was useless, no signal reaching through the frozen wasteland. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to stand, pain radiating from his injured ribs. He needed to find shelter, to regroup and figure out his next move.

The wind howled as Ezra stepped out into the icy desert, the biting cold sapping his strength. The fog and mist obscured his vision, making it difficult to see more than a few metres ahead. His condition was critical; he could barely walk, his body trembling from the cold. He pressed on, each step a battle against exhaustion and the freezing temperatures. Hours passed, and Ezra continued to limp through the snow, clutching his injured side.

As he stumbled through the endless expanse, a storm loomed on the horizon, its fury headed straight for him. Desperation clawed at him as he searched for shelter, but the landscape offered nothing. He couldn't go any further. His strength gave out, and he collapsed into the snow, his body too weak to continue.

Just as darkness threatened to claim him, a shadow fell over his prone form. The figure stood silently for a moment before bending down to lift Ezra. His vision blurred, and he could only make out vague shapes as he was carried away. He tried to open his eyes, but his consciousness slipped away, leaving him with one final, lingering thought: who had saved him?