Restoration of Light (Star Wars/Kylo Fanfic)

Chapter XX: Fading Light

"When they think of their actions as morally justified, it makes them dangerous and unpredictable. There's no level they won't go to to accomplish what they're after. I never thought of the character as an evil person."

~Adam Driver

Rezon put his hands on the table, palms up in defeat. His voice was shaky.

"Look, all I know is that before he left, he was taking a lot of weird jobs, under the radar stuff that he wouldn't even tell me about. He used to be my closest friend. Got up and left without a word. Honestly, I have no clue where he is."

Kylo dropped the veil and probed his mind forcefully causing Rezon to wince and moan in pain. Then he stared directly into his eyes.

"You will go back to work and forget this conversation." Rezon's eyes glazed over and he tripped over himself to get out of the booth.

"I've gotta get back to work and forget this conversation."

Kylo was irked to find that his words were true. When Rezon made his way back to the bar, the other bartenders glared at him and he didn't notice the tall figure of Kylo Ren stalking past, toward the other side of the bar.

*****

Azalea had been searching faces and thoughts for about five minutes and was coming up with nothing so far. She hoped maybe Kylo was doing better on his side of the divided bar. Her mind was beginning to become unfocused, she wasn't used to searching through so many people's heads so quickly, so she pulled her thoughts back in for a moment until she could find the stillness that had led her here in the first place.

Her eyes fluttered as she felt something and she found herself making her way to the back of the bar, as if the force was pulling her there. She gracefully weaved her way around the tables and ducked under a waiter's tray of appetizers before the crowd started thinning. Dim lighting filled the narrow hallway that she walked through as she passed the kitchen to get to the source of whatever the pull was coming from. She could sense his presence, she was getting close to finding the clue they'd been looking for.

She walked on in a half-dreaming, half-awake state, following her senses outside, but something felt different about the energy that pulled her there. The peace that she usually felt when the force flowed freely through her was distant, but she pressed on, sensing that she was nearer to her goal as she exited the bar through a back door.

The sun temporarily blinded her as she removed her hood and looked around the small, empty alley, wondering why she'd been led here. All at once the dream-like haze dispersed and she was alert. She sensed the presence behind her half a second too late. Something pounded the side of her head and she crumpled to the cobblestone ground.

Throbbing hammered on her skull originating from the spot where she'd been hit. She could feel herself slipping. The last thing she thought of was the stone around her neck. She pulled it from under her shirt and clutched it tightly before the world faded and her head seemed to float before resting on the ground.

*****

Kylo halted as he sensed it. Or rather, the lack of it. Azalea's consciousness was constantly flitting at the very edges of his mind like leaves floating on the breeze whenever she was near, but a threat pricked his senses and suddenly it was still. He cursed under his breath and broke into a run, letting the force lead him to her. Protests erupted from the crowd as multiple bar fights started in his wake from pushing people out of the way, occasionally without ever touching them.

He wasn't thinking about discretion anymore, he was only focused on getting to her before he wasn't able to. Bolting through the narrow hallway, He shoved a waiter with a tray of food out of the way. He crashed through the back door and looked up just in time to see what looked like an armored figure carrying another. They flew away using some sort of jet-pack apparatus.

Without hesitation he threw his hand forward and the figures jarred to a stop in mid-air. He fought to bring them closer but as they jolted, a smaller body fell away from the still frozen figure. Her cloak billowed around her as she plummeted toward the ground, which wasn't far, but it was far enough. Kylo released the figure with the jet pack and instead flung his other hand toward Azalea. He just managed to catch her before she disappeared behind the buildings. In his concentration to gently ease her to the ground, the flying person took advantage of his distraction. He circled around and nabbed the woman suspended in air before he shot off, breaking the sound barrier as he flew away.

Rain droplets started falling as Kylo's boots pounded on the cobblestone after them. He rounded a corner and looked up at the shape of the two of them that was quickly becoming harder to follow. The buildings ahead of him thinned, becoming fewer and making space for vibrant green grass in the spaces between. The edge of the cliff that the city rested on was fast approaching. Soon, Kylo neared the edge and spotted the figure, which had flown far down the river that spilled over the cliff and he slowed to a jog. Then a walk. Then he stopped at the edge of the cliff, keeping his eyes trained on the pair until the last possible second.

Shoving his hand into his pocket, Kylo pulled out the small stone that was slowly dimming as the two flew further away, and then the light was gone.