A Light in the Darkness (Star Wars Rebels)

Adorable Doom

Ezra was in a metal hallway. He had to get somewhere and do . . . what? He racked his brain, struggling to remember. It was something important. There was someone he had to stop. And that someone was behind the door at the end of the hall.

Ezra ran towards the door. His heart was pounding with adrenaline and anxiety. Only fifteen more steps. Then ten. Then five. Four. Three. Two. One. Ezra's hand touched the control panel beside the metal door. The door slid open with a hiss as Ezra turned to look inside. Before he could see what lay beyond the door, Ezra's eyes flew open.

He was back on the cave floor. Switch was sleeping nearby. Evelyn was smiling slightly as she moved back. Ezra searched his brain, trying to remember if he saw anything beyond the door. Nothing came to him.

"It's time to get moving again," Evelyn told him.

"It's your turn to sleep," Ezra reminded her as he sat up. She shook her head.

"I already fell asleep. And I've just about had my fill of this place," she said.

"You've been having weird dreams too?" Ezra asked. Evelyn looked out into the darkness around them.

"More like nightmares," she said.

"I think that the cave is playing tricks on our minds," Ezra told her. "I keep having these dreams. Dreams about a ship."

"Can the spirits of dead Jedi influence the world of the living?" Evelyn asked suddenly. Ezra momentarily wondered why she was asking.

"They can," he replied. "I was able to see Master Yoda in a dream, and I'm pretty sure he died during the great Jedi purge."

"We need to get moving," Evelyn decided. She picked up Switch, who was still sleeping. Ezra stood and picked up the lantern.

"Why were you asking?" he asked.

"I saw someone in a dream," Evelyn replied. "I think I know how to get out of here."

"By all means, lead the way," Ezra told her.

Together they continued on the long trek through the dark caves. Ezra attempted to start up conversations as they walked. Evelyn would smile and answer, but he could tell that something was bothering her. He had a nagging suspicion that it had something to do with her question about dead Jedi influencing the world. He wondered what she had dreamed about.

"Is it just me, or is it getting warmer?" Ezra asked. Evelyn paused.

"You're right," she said. "We're probably getting closer to the surface."

A savage roar from behind them sent rocks tumbling down from the ceiling. Ezra stared into the darkness, but he couldn't see anything. The roar woke up Switch, who clung to Evelyn quietly. When Ezra turned back to look at Evelyn, she had gone pale with fear. Ezra hurried to comfort her.

"I'm sure it's nowhere near us," he said.

"We need to hurry," Evelyn agreed. "You're probably right and whatever it is is still a good ways back. But better safe than sorry."

They picked up the pace. Behind them another roar shook the cavern. It sounded even closer than the first.

"Up there! A light!" Evelyn realized. She was right. Up ahead a soft glow was coming from the cave entrance. They halted before they reached the safety of the outside world. In front of them stretched a black chasm.

"There's got to be some way across!" Ezra said, eyes scanning their surroundings. He heard a threatening growl behind them.

"We've got company," Evelyn said softly. Ezra turned around. A pair of eyes gleamed out of the darkness as a large form stepped into the lamplight.

"Aw, it's adorable!" Evelyn said happily. Ezra rolled his eyes.

The creature in question was the size of the Phantom. It was covered in soft white fur, with two long droopy ears on its head. It had a little pink nose and fluffy whiskers, with four paws and a white ruffed tail. Its eyes blinked rapidly as its nose twitched.

"I can't imagine that this is the thing that roared," Evelyn said, putting Switch down. She slowly walked closer to the creature, holding out a tentative hand. It blinked as its nose twitched even quicker.

"I think you're making it mad," Ezra warned. Evelyn lowered her hand and took a step back.

Instantly the beast reared up on its two hind legs and let out a ear-shattering roar. It's front paws pinned Evelyn to the ground before she could back away. The creature opened its jaws, revealing sharp fangs. A drop of saliva landed on Evelyn's arm and she jerked away.

"Ezra, do something!" she shouted.

"This is your own fault!" Ezra shouted back, fumbling for his lightsaber anyway.

"If anyone asks how I died, say it was a herd of giant mutant scaly things!" Evelyn said.

"I'm a bit busy right now!" Ezra pointed out, raising his lightsaber and taking careful aim.

"Well hurry up!"

The creature roared in triumph as Ezra fingered the trigger. A red bolt of energy shot out of the darkness before exploding at Ezra's feet. He was launched sideways, where he lay on the ground unmoving. Switch was nowhere to be seen. Jared and four mandalorian soldiers stepped out of the darkness, blasters held ready.

"Somehow I thought my death would be more epic," Evelyn muttered hopelessly as another drop of drool splattered in her hair.