The Broken Ones | REYLO [Complete]

21. Bruises

Remember what you must do
When they undervalue you,
When they think
Your softness is your weakness,
When they treat your kindness
Like it is their advantage.

You awaken
Every dragon,
Every wolf,
Every monster that sleeps inside you
And you remind them
What Hell looks like
When it wears the skin
Of a gentle human.

-unknown

--REN--

Rey's deafening scream turns into white noise. Blood thunders in my ears. Everything moves in slow motion. The air pulses and every nerve in my body burns with awareness, like a warning. A warning from the Force. She reaches out and summons my lightsaber from my hand with such power I'm helpless to stop it.

I don't have time to brace myself before she unleashes a blast unlike anything I've experienced before. It's a cry of rage, of grief, of unspeakable pain and it explodes from her in a wave of power that splits the floor below my feet and brings me to my knees. The pilot and the traitor are unconscious on the floor, blood dripping from their ears. She steps over them without a second glance.

Heavy metallic groans sound all around me and I realize just how much damage Rey has done. The throne room looks like a war zone, with no surface left intact. Cracks cover every inch of the floor and the sections of the walls have fallen away to reveal the wiring below. Another tremor rocks the ship and knocks me off balance.

My skull is going to split open. Every bone in my body is on fire. I'm on my back now and she stands over me, my lightsaber gripped in her right hand, eyes blazing redder and hotter than any fire. The floor shudders again and she shifts her focus from me to the Supreme Leader. I follow her stare and find Snoke stooped over in front of his ruined throne, clutching a gaping wound in his side.

He barks out a hoarse laugh that leads to a fit of heaving coughs. "I have to say, I did not see this coming," he rasps, grinning at Rey. "You are more powerful than I had hoped. Tell me, young one, what other secrets are you hiding?"

Rey doesn't respond. She stares at him, face contorted as she bares her teeth and stalks toward him. The Force churns around her like a tumultuous sea, angry and filled with purpose. Snoke's Guards step forward, weapons lowered and pointed toward Rey, but the Supreme Leader waves them off. "She is no threat to me," he tells them. "She doesn't know what she's capable of. Her powers are beyond her reach...for now."

But Rey doesn't stop. She continues her march, limping slightly, and it hits me. She's going to kill him. I feel it like a burning fire, reaching across the bridge between our minds. "Rey, please, you have no idea what you're doing!" I shout, stumbling to my feet. She spins toward me and shoves me back with a flick of her hand. Her eyes, still gleaming red, look manic and wild. This isn't Rey, this is someone else. Something else.

She turns away and stands face-to-face with Snoke, staring up at him with daring defiance. Emotions war within me. I'm torn between trying to save her and defending my Master. She made her choice, and it wasn't me. I should be furious, I was furious, but now...

"Oh, what is this? Is the little scavenger feeling brave now?" Snoke laughs, teeth bared in a cruel smile, and blood trickles from the corner of his mouth. "I should kill you where you stand."

"Try it. I dare you." Rey's voice is menacing and fearless. Her grip on my saber tightens and her left hand squeezes into a fist at her side. The smile falls from the Supreme Leader's face, replaced by the fearsome sneer of a predator.

Snoke lifts his hand toward Rey and she gasps, free hand flying to her throat, desperately trying to free the invisible choke hold. She flails, feet dangling above the ground, and drops my lightsaber. The hilt deactivates and clatters to the ruined floor. I flinch, knowing her death is near. But my place is not with her. I'm destined to rule the galaxy, like my grandfather. So I do nothing.