The Pull of the Dark Side

The Power Within

Ezra Bridger sat alone in his quarters of the Ghost. The Sith Holocron, the ancient artefact he retrieved from Malachor, was in his grasp, motionless.

"Maul said I needed the dark side to open this," he muttered. "How do I use the dark side?" He focused on the holocron laying atop the palm of his left hand. The ancient artefact levitated in front of him as his eyes lit up with a brilliant red-orange glow. The corners of the holocron separated from the rest of the piece, and several seconds later the whole holocron was emitting a blue glow.

"Yes?" it hissed.

"It's me, Ezra Bridger. From earlier. Who are you?"

"I am...the Presence," the female voice replied.

"The...presence?" Ezra inquired.

"Yes. It has been so long since anyone spoke to me. So long I have forgotten my very name," she replied.

"What is your purpose?" the young boy continued.

"I, used in the correct way, unleash a devastating evil upon the galaxy," she replied. At that moment, Sabine Wren, an artistic Mandalorian, called to him.

"Dinner's ready, Ezra!"

"I'm not hungry," he replied, trying to buy some time to use this holocron.

"Go," the female voice hissed. "I will still be here later."

"Fine, I'll come," he said to Sabine, opening his door and putting his holocron under his bed. The pair walked along a metal corridor to the main hub of the ship.

"Are you okay?" asked Hera, the Twi'lek pilot who owned the Ghost.

"Yeah, fine," he muttered. Hera Syndulla kicked Ezra's mentor, Kanan Jarrus under the table.

"Ow, what was that for?" the recently blinded Jedi exclaimed. Hera nodded her head in Ezra's direction. Kanan gave a puzzled look to the Captain.

"I'm not blind," Ezra said, scoffing down his meal. Zeb nudged the padawan, trying to start a play fight to get him in a better mood, but the young Jedi just ignored it. Chopper did the same, which received a whack over the head from Ezra.

"I'm not in the mood," he said pushing his plate into the centre of the table and walking back to his room.

"What's up with him?" asked Hera to the crew of the ship.

"I don't know. Apart from he's alerted two Sith to an ancient artefact that could unleash mass destruction and he's lost Ahsoka," replied Zeb, sarcastically.

"He is...it isn't that. It's the Dark Side of the force. Maul has corrupted the boy. He has begun Ezra down the path of the Sith. Maul is looking for a new apprentice and Ezra was the perfect choice. But we cannot let that happen. I will talk to him now," Kanan said, and begun the short walk to Ezra's room.

"Ezra?" Kanan asked at his door. Ezra was crying. "Ezra?" he asked again, to no response. Kanan opened the door and sensed that the boy was lying face down on his bed. "Ezra, what's the matter?", he asked, sitting at the end of his bed.

"I...I didn't want it to...to be like this," he replied. "All of this...it's my fault."

"What's your fault, Ezra?"

"Well first, there's Maul, then there's Vader, and third, there's Ahsoka," he stammered. "I shouldn't have listened to Yoda, Kanan. I'm falling to the dark side."

" You couldn't possibly know that, Ezra."

"I do! It's that Maul. I can feel the urge for power surging through me! He has started me down the path. That holocron holds a devastating weapon, I feel the need to unleash. You know Maul said that only Dark Side users could open it, I opened it before dinner. The...just...take it...don't let me ever see it again!" he shouted.

"Where there is dark, there is also light. You can always be redeemed, Ezra. You must understand this," and with that, Kanan left, with the Sith Holocron in his hands.

Ezra thought about Kanan's words. Where there is dark, there is also light. What does he mean?