The Rise of the Final Order - A Star Wars Story

Chapter 28

Ben Solo

Ben watched in horror as the Sith spirits claimed Kaia as their new host. They absorbed into her body, the horrifying and eerie red light of their presences disappearing into her skin, leaving her soaked in the dark side, her once powerful light side aura now tainted with darkness so strong it left her soaked in it, completely and utterly consumed, not an ounce of her own light left.

She dropped to her knees, then slumped over, the sudden absorption of so much dark side power leaving her body momentarily overwhelmed.

Ben took a slow, cautious step towards her, keeping his lightsaber ready, clutching the hilt so hard his knuckles turned white. He was afraid of what had to happen next, of what he had promised Kaia he would do if this happened. He knew he shouldn't have let her make that deal, and the regret was tugging at his insides, making him feel sick.

"Kaia?" he muttered as he came closer, stopping a few inches away, watching her still form closely. For a moment, she didn't move, remaining completely motionless except for the faint rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, and her face was hidden by her long, dark hair that had fallen in front of her face.

Ben stayed where he was, knowing he had to be ready for whatever happened next. And then she stirred.

She sat up slowly, still facing away from him, and got to her feet. She reached out her hands, summoning her fallen lightsabers, which she had dropped when the Sith spirits had started to swarm her, and they flew into her hands. She ignited them, and somehow, it seemed more menacing this time, the blades appeared to slide out of the hilts more slowly than they normally would, with a low, sinister hissing sound that sent a chill down Ben's spine.

And then she turned to face him, and Ben finally saw her eyes, now burning blood-rimmed gold, and he took a step back, alarmed. She advanced without warning, hurling her lightsaber at him, so that it spun in deadly circles as it flew towards him, and lunging forward with her shoto at the same time.

Ben raised his lightsaber to deflect the first blade, slashing it aside so that it was sent spiraling away. Kaia continued charging forward, extending a hand so that the saber returned to her, and swung at Ben, aiming for his side.

He angled his own blades to block, their lightsabers connecting with a crash of energy and light. He couldn't bring himself to fight back, not yet, and so he spun away, their blades disconnecting as he did so.

Kaia continued to press her attack, unrelenting as she slashed and stabbed at him, fueled by the dark side spirits controlling her.

Ben realized that she had been holding back whenever they had fought before, even as enemies, something inside of her keeping her from hurting him, but that was gone now. The Sith spirits had taken it away from her, replacing it with the violent desire to kill him.

He dodged another attack, narrowly avoiding being stabbed in the face, and brought his blade up to block a strike aimed at his chest. He wasn't used to fighting with a double-bladed lightsaber, and it was a disadvantage, especially in a fight this dangerous.

He managed to hold Kaia off for a little while longer, but eventually, she got the better of him, and her blade sliced across his arm, leaving a burning, blackened gash, the wound cauterizing instantly but still searing with pain.

He stumbled back, clutching his injured arm with a wince. "Oh yes, this is much better," Kaia remarked, although her voice was barely her own, drowned out by those of the Sith spirits controlling her. She took a step towards Ben, her unnatural yellow eyes glinting with darkness, raising her blades to attack again.