Darkness At Dawn • Kylo Ren [1]

XL

"In the end, we only regret the chances we didn't take."

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She had two options.

Escape now and run far away with her children or stay put and hope that Kylo will feel the call to the light side. She knew he felt it. It was in the way he spoke to her and his bipolar emotions. He couldn't run away from his true self forever.

When Kylo returned, he threw his helmet to the ground and viciously swore. He was enraged and seemed very violet, this was not good, not good at all.

"Kylo?" Elara sat up from her position on his bed. "What's wrong?"

"The prisoner is force sensitive!" He seethed through his teeth, grabbing the nearest thing and smashing it. "She made me look weak!"

"Stop!" Elara jumped up and ran to him, stopping his hand with hers before he created any more damage.

"After all this time," He snarled. "The girl had potential to become a Jedi!"

Elara's eyes widened and her heart began to thump rapidly. How could she have been so blind? Rey was a youngling, before Kylo killed all of the remaining Jedi. Before he had a chance to sweep the temple one more time, Elara had saved Rey and another youngling, a twi'lek named Kali. Kylo could not know this or both Rey and Elara could be killed.

She remembered it clearly now, though it was something she wished she could forget. Elara was crying over Vega and Dez's deceased body when the younglings approached her, it was morbid and crude.

"Master Jane?" A tiny voice cried out. "Help us!"

Elara's eyes met the adolescent pairs that belonged to two female younglings, a human and a twi'lek.

"Younglings!" She remembered gasping. "Are there any more of you?"

The human girl shook her head, traumatized. "He killed them all."

"Who did?" Elara almost yelled, seeking vengeance immediately.

"The man is the mask." The little girls whispered together.

"Tell me your names young ones." Elara offered her hands for them to take.

"Kali." The twi'lek girl whispered, tears running down her flushed cheeks.

"I'm Rey."

It all seemed to vivid and far away but now she understood. The force had a way of bringing back unlikely heroes.

"Calm down." Elara whispered, brushing her lips against Kylo's ear and hugging him from behind. "I'm here."

A heavy breath escaped his lips and his tensed shoulders fell. He waited a second, letting her touch course through his veins like a drug. "You're here."

"I am." She promised, realizing how broken he was. "I won't leave."

"Please." He sighed, turning to face her. "I can't live without you."

"Neither can I." She agreed, tilting her head to the right. "But don't let that blind you."

"It already has."

"What does that mean?" She questioned, hoping it was him feeling the light.

Which it was. He was drawn to her purity and her love. He felt it, deep inside and he felt the connection to the light side, a long and forgiving path.

It seemed almost as if his brown eyes twinkled. "It means-"

"Lord Ren? General Jane? Sobek-Re Paladin has returned." A stormtrooper interrupted him. Before Elara and Kylo could celebrate their children's safe return, the trooper continued. "He has returned empty handed."

A spark ignited in Kylo, the same spark that drew him to the dark side long ago. Though this one was more like that dark and deadly fire burning inside Anakin Skywalker when he had visions about his wife, Padmé Amidala, dying during childbirth. It was a deep passion that only a Sith could feel.

"Bring him to me immediately." Kylo moved away from Elara, picking up his chipped helmet.

The stormtrooper nodded and exited, leaving Elara stunned. "What are you going to do Kylo?"

"This doesn't concern you."

"Yes it does!" Elara snapped, sensing the darkness that suddenly washed over him. "You sent a bounty hunter after the general's grandchildren! You couldn't have possibly expected he would succeed?"

Kylo grunted. "I am not having any of this right now!"

"When will you Kylo?" Elara shouted. "I know you felt it! The power to the light side and the forgiveness you'll have if you return!"

Kylo fell silent and gripped his lightsaber, he looked down at the chamber, knowing what colour ailed inside. In his mind, he called out to his grandfather, hoping that the power of the dark side would remind him of his task at hand but he felt nothing.

Three stormtroopers returned with Sobek-Re in handcuffs. The bounty hunter sported his silver, armoured jumpsuit with stains of blood. He had no idea what he was in for. The stormtroopers pushed him to the ground and he swore painfully. Kylo waved his hand and soon enough, Elara was being held against her will by the third stormtrooper.

"I assume you know why you are here." Kylo spoke, eyeing Elara's facial expression.

"Kylo don't do this!" She begged. "He has a son, just like us!"

"With all due respect ma'am." Sobek-Re sighed. "He knows how to handle himself. He knows what it means if I don't come home."

"I beg of you!" Elara pleaded, tears welling in her eyes. "Let him go!"

Kylo ignited his lightsaber and struck down Sobek-Re without a second thought. Sobek-Re Paladin was beheaded, knowing that that would be his end.

He turned to look at her. "You still believe I can be converted to the light side?"

"You've orphaned a child." Elara screamed, throwing a fit.

"Lock her away."

Elara gasped. "You will do no such thing!"

"Sir?" One stormtrooper questioned. "You told us to take orders from General Jane as if they are coming from you."

"If you won't arrest her, then what are you still doing?" Kylo questioned, sarcasm dripping like venom.

The stormtroopers bolted out faster than light speed and left the two alone. Kylo placed his hands on top of his helmet and began murmuring things to himself. His nerves felt sharp and it was as if he was walking barefoot on glass. "This entire time, you just wanted me to join the light side?"

"This entire time, I wanted to create a family with you!" Elara defended, which was partially true.

Kylo shook his head. "I have to return to the prisoner."

Elara grabbed his wrist, pulling him to her. "I am not letting you leave me this easily!"

"If I promise to come back, will you let go?" Kylo breathed.

Elara stepped back, dropping his wrist. "Don't just come back to me, come back to your family."

Without another word, Kylo nodded and left Elara in a twisted state.