The Young Republic | A Star Wars Story

Chapter 36

Awake

"A true heart should never be doubted."

It is light here, and Rex knows instantly where to look. It's always over his right shoulder, and he always has to wipe at his eyes to see the patch of sand. He always wears his armour – heavy, clunky, stained, and covered in red and blue – and he always feels the limp in his leg, the burn on his temple, and the heat of the fire burning around him.

Rex expects to see her there, on the ground, asleep as always, and Rex would sit by her side and talk about his day. It's a ritual by now, and Rex has no idea how he feels rested in the morning when he's been awake all night in this strange, dreamlike state.

This dream goes on much like the others, and Rex can quickly take his first step toward Xena. There have always been barriers to hold him back and an invisible wall that had to be given away before he could move. He'd been practising every night, and by now, it was almost second nature to immediately brace himself and gather the spirit to push through.

But tonight, there is no resistance, and he almost falls to his knees. Rex startles, blinking harshly, and watches the sand beneath his feet shift. The air also feels warmer here, with the wind crying loudly. There is sand in the wind – it was never like this before.

Xena moves in the wind.

Her hand glides over the sand, and Rex has to catch his breath because this is the first time this has happened.

"Xena!"

Xena's hand approaches her face, and she yawns before her eyes blink open. Impossibly blue eyes stare up into the sky, lost and dreamlike, unseeing and unaware of whatever is around them. She does not look in Rex's direction.

"Xena!" Rex calls – begs for her to look this way. He moves forward and reaches out, but he cannot grasp her. Xena was startled when he got close, as if she could feel his desperation, and looked at him.

Silently, Xena watches Rex above her, not touching or moving. It is then that Rex notices her chest isn't moving – she isn't breathing.

"Breathe, Xena," Rex says, struggling with the act himself. "Breathe, come on."

It doesn't look like she hears him, but after a moment, her body jolts, and she shoots her arms up. There is an awakening, and she is moving quickly. Gone is the haze and lost look. Her hand—pale, shivering, beautiful—glances off Rex's cheek.

"Rex!"

And the sand swallows Xena up. She is falling, and Rex can hardly see her hand disappear into the golden sand before a strong wind blows his body away into nothingness.

It feels like death when he wakes up. Or birth. Aches are running up and down his body, and still, the echo of Xena's voice comes chasing the rest away. It sounded so real, almost tangible. It feels real, too, Rex realises. It is as if he is waiting for his door to slide open, and the silhouette of a girl is waiting on the other side, shifting from foot to foot with anxious energy and talking to get out. For a moment longer, Rex thinks he can feel that warm sand beneath him, and a hot wind blows over his face. Where is that place, Rex wonders. It feels like he knows but cannot name it. It never felt like a real place before, but now Rex imagines planes and planes of yellow sand and a cloudless sky holding up twin suns. It's still far away but reachable now, and it sets Rex alight. There is a prickling in Rex's hands, and there is a ringing in the air.