When Light Meets Dark - A Reylo Romance

Look at Me

So I know that the comic is kind of unrelated, and probably spoils the whole mood of this chapter, but I really like it so yeah, there it is. Hope you guys enjoy :)

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"When you walk to the edge of all the light you have and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown, you must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for you to stand upon or you will be taught to fly."

~Patrick Overton, The leaning tree: [poems]

Kylo

A heavy cloud of black smog hung in the sky, as if threatening to release some dark evil upon the planet. And on the horizon one could see the sun looming, bathing the monoliths in it's blood red glow. Warm air surrounded me, making me feel hazy, and I felt that I must be caught up in a dream. Surely, this figure before me, standing against the stained background, was not my grandfather.

"Kylo."

He spoke. His voice was low and emotionless and I squinted, trying to see through his visor into his eyes. Then I shook my head and decided that I must've been hallucinating from the lack of food and water. But although my common sense had assured me of this, I felt my lips moving and I replied.

"Grandfather."

"Why are you here?" his question startled me. Between the two of us, he was far more out of place than I was. As he waited for an answer I listened to his breathing. Although he was few feet away I could still hear it, it was laboured, mechanical.

"I did not know where else to go." I answered. Suddenly I felt uncomfortable sitting on the ground while he stood and struggled to my feet.

"I have been watching you for a long time Kylo. It seems to me like you are running from something." I stood, unsure of what stance to take. It all felt so surreal, this vision I was having. For so long I had looked up to Darth, idolised him even. I longed for his guidance, even if only in spirit. But over time that admiration had faded, and left in it's place a gaping hole.

"After Leia's death--"

"Leia's death was unavoidable." he said, as if it was the loss of a poorly protected military base and not his own child. Then again, she never really was his child. A smoky wind blew, lifting the hem of his cape slightly while the rest of him stood stone still, facing me.

"I know you blame yourself, You feel that it was within your power to prevent Kylo but the truth is that it was not." I stared at him blankly as he spoke, waiting for some great revelation. But he was silent.

"I killed Hux, I provoked Snoke." I said. For a while he didn't respond, and I couldn't even tell if he was looking at me or staring off into the distance. Then he startled me with another question.

"Why do you call yourself Kylo Ren?"

I hesitated before I answered. "Because that is who I have become." I said.

Darth let out a long drawn out breath before he replied. "You have given up your old name, and with it your former self. But there is still much light in you, more than there was in me."

For some reason I couldn't help but chuckle and I could feel my throat aching as I did so.

"Light?" I asked. "There is no light left in me. If you have really been watching you'll know that I killed my father, that I murdered Hux and countless others, and that I am responsible for the death of my own mother." I could feel my voice growing louder, riding on the persistent winds. "You talk of light, and yet across the galaxy I have left a trail of darkness and misery. Even now I have abandoned the only person that means anything to me. I've left her alone to worry and to hurt. I've caused her so much pain, because that is what I do. So tell me, what light is left in me?"

When I finished I found that I was breathing heavily, and I could feel my legs shaking from the exertion. The whole time I'd kept my eyes fixed on Darth whose expression was unreadable as always. He seemed to stare back at me, maybe he was thinking of what to say, or deciding whether to say anything at all. Then I noticed movement from beneath his cloak. His hand emerged and rose slowly to his face. I held my breath, and prepared myself for what he might do. Then he reached to the back of his head and removed his helmet. The rest of the mask still covered his face but from where I was standing I could see that his head and neck were pale and a deep gash ran across the top of his head. He let the helmet out of his grasp and it fell to the ground without a sound. Then he brought his hand up to his face and removed the mask.

I had pictured Darth's face, his real face, many times before. I'd heard of his battle with Master Obi Wan Kenobi, how he'd been badly injured but had survived, and how he'd been remade into what my gaze now fell upon. But I'd never tried to picture the extent of his injuries, and I'd probably never have done justice to them in my mind. What stood out to me most of all were his eyes. They were a piercing shade of yellow, fringed by red veins, and looking into them made me feel suddenly naked and exposed. He was breathing into a device that hung from his neck and although the air was still warm I found myself shivering.

"Look at me." he said, even though I already was. "Do you like what you see?"

I did not reply, as my lips simply refused to move. Darth continued, "What you are looking at is a man who chased the darkness and never returned." He paused, his gaze steely. "Do not try and finish what I started, it has passed away like I have." He still gripped his mask in his hand and glanced at it, remembering the one I'd held so long ago. It looked different.

"You must balance the light and darkness inside you. It is only then that you can defeat Snoke."

I sighed. He made it sound so simple and effortless. My mind wandered to Rey, it was the first time that I'd really allowed myself to think of her since I'd gotten there. But I didn't let myself dwell on her for long, it hurt too much.

"It seems impossible." I said.

Darth closed his eyes briefly and then reopened them to look at me. His voice was low and yet commanding as he said, "And that is why it must be done."

In the distance the vermilion orb was sinking quickly, and the cloud of smog had begun to dissolve into the darkening sky. I felt a warm breeze whip my hair off of my face as I stared thoughtlessly at the setting sun.

"Kylo." I turned to Darth. "Let the one you love be your guiding light. Trust her." he said. I nodded, and I could feel that these were his parting words. As I looked on his figure began to waver and fade, and I watched as the breeze seemed to sweep him away, like fine powder, until nothing remained.

Deep underground I felt a low rumble and then, from a faraway crater, erupted a brilliant cloud of fire.