Light in the Darkness

Before the Storm

-Rey's POV-

It had been 8 months since I arrived on the island. Everyday I wake up before dawn, and master Luke and I hike to the top of the island to meditate as the sun rises. He says that the force surrounds us, that it exists in all living things, and that meditating helps us tune into its energy.
Since I've started my training with master Luke I've learned how to breathe and balance. Nothing super "Jedi Knight-like" yet. I haven't even touched a light saber since my fight with Kylo Ren.
I shudder, his name ignites such vengeance in me. All I can see if Han Solo's face as that red saber stabs him in the chest. I feel tears weld up in my eyes.

"Rey..." Luke mumbles, "I sense darkness in you...please, tell me what's troubling you."

I rub my eyes, "it's nothing master I'm sorry." I try to focus on my breathing again but I can feel Luke's gaze on me.

"You cannot deny those parts about yourself, Rey." He paused taking a deep breath, "the only way to become a true Jedi is by accepting the dark parts of yourself, and then letting them go. Tell me what is troubling you."

I couldn't tell Luke that his best friend died while he was in isolation. I feared he would feel guilty, when it's actually all my fault...
I was right there I could've stopped him.

"Rey!" I snap back to reality at the sound of Luke's voice, "I sense guilt," he paused taking a deep breath, "and anger" he opened his eyes to look at me. His fiery blue orbs seeing right through me.

"I'm sorry please excuse me master" I stood up quickly making my descent down the mountain. I wasn't going to be able to keep this from him much longer, he would find out the truth eventually. I just prayed for more time...
That night I decided to pack a bag and take some time to myself on another part of the island. I located a small cove in the rocks down by the water and started a fire. The mist from the sea sent shivers down my spine so I pulled my knees to my chest and wrapped my blanket around myself.
I was leaning against the cove wall staring at the stars and all I could think about were the memories that haunted me: Han Solo's death, being left on Jakku, Kylo Ren almost killing Finn. It felt like ever since I had started my training all of my dark thoughts were flooding my mind. Maybe I'm not cut out to be a Jedi after all.

Before I knew it I had fallen asleep only to be woken up by the humming of a large ship closing in. My eyes burst open, and my worst fear had become true. It was the first order. I quickly grabbed my things and ran back to master Luke.
When I got to the top of the hill, the ship had just landed and Luke was standing out in front of them. I froze in my tracks as an all too familiar black cloaked ominous figure marched out of the ship...

Kylo Ren.

I felt my stomach drop as Luke glanced my way flashing me a "don't move" look.

"Where is the girl?" His robotic masked voice gave me chills.
Luke remained silent, observing his former pupil. I could see the sadness in his eyes.

After a few moments of silence Kylo stepped closer in attempt to be more menacing, "where. Is. She." He enunciated every word slowly, was he here to finish what he started? To kill me and Luke?

"Ben..." Luke started solemnly, "how you've strayed so far from the light, before I could at least sense a little, but now it's completely gone."

"You are so right." Kylo said arrogantly, his light saber coming to life and menacingly humming by his side.
Luke closed his eyes, and I felt panic arise in my stomach. I desperately wanted to reveal myself. I didn't want to watch Luke die before my eyes too.
Then suddenly before I could move my feet Luke's eyes shot open and his green saber illuminated brightly clashing against Kylo's.
I could sense sorrowful energy coming from Luke, and pure darkness coming from Kylo.

"Don't make me do this Ben." Luke pleaded.

Kylo ignored him and they began swinging violently at each other. Sparks of green and red flying when their sabers collided. I was amazed that Kylo actually managed to get Luke on the defensive.
My eyes averted down. I could practically feel my saber burning a hole at my side; like it was calling to me.
When I looked back up Luke was on the ground his saber knock out of his hands,

"The power of the darkness, I can feel it has grown stronger. What have you done?!" For the first time I witnessed Luke emotionally shaken.

"I destroyed the call to the light." Kylo said too easily, it made my fists clench, "I can sense the girl, where is she?"

"Ben... What have you done?" He said, his eyes watering as if he already knew that Han Solo was dead.

Then without further conversation Kylo raised up his saber...

"NO!" I screamed revealing myself, and using the force to stop Kylo from killing Luke.
For a moment it felt like everyone froze, both Luke and Kylo stared at me, I couldn't believe I stopped him mid-swing. I have never used the force like that before.

I swear I heard Kylo mumble something before easily breaking out of my force grip. He stalked over to me slowly and got close enough to realize how much he towered over me, but I wasn't intimidated. I stated up at him with narrow eyes and my saber in hand.
"It is time you get the proper teaching you deserve." He said flatly.

"Don't give in Rey!" Luke beckoned and it was then that I noticed his leg was badly injured, and bleeding profusely. He couldn't get up to fight. I was on my own. I averted my gaze back to Kylo and my blue saber lit up in my hand.
Kylo took a step back but remained calm, not unsheathing his saber, "I'm not here to fight with you."

I felt my hands trembling as I brought the saber close to my face and firmly grasped it.
"You brought this upon yourself." I said before charging at him with everything I got. He was quick to unsheathe and block me but he remained on the defensive. Simply countering all of my attacks. I was still quite clumsy with a saber, Luke and I hadn't started training with them yet.

"Do you feel that anger welding up inside you?" He taunted.

"How could you do that!" I thought of Han and in that moment I wanted nothing more than revenge, I felt tears weld up on my eyes. I'm sorry Luke, "how could you kill your own father!?" I swung my saber hard down on him, but my emotions were starting to get in the way. He blocked me spinning around to elbow me in the back. I stumbled forward but quickly turned around to stop his blow. No he was fighting offensively.

"Ben... You killed your own father? How could you..." I could hear Luke's voice shaking.

Then Kylo's saber came down hard on me and I had to bend my knees sinking down to support his strength.
"You just don't listen to me do you?" He said before forcing my saber out of my hands and then hitting me over the head with the handle of his.

Everything went black.