Salvation

Chapter 3

Rey had cried for hours. She felt her eyes were puffy and her face sticky with tear stains, sweat and debris from before she was captured in the forest. 

She had no plan. She had no idea what she was going to do. Majority of her life, all she knew was scavenge and wait. She never had anyone else to worry about. She never had anyone to worry about her. Just tally marks on walls, and fighting off predators like thieves o. Now here she is on a small ship escaping the first order, leaving her friends behind, watching someone who is almost like a father to her die at the hands of his very own son. Which is someone who has an ability to go through a person's mind; painfully at that. And the ability to control others movements, even knock them out at his own will like he did to her. Not only that, it appears she shares this ability as well. 

How long has she been able to do this? Has she always had this power? Did he give it to her unknowingly?

What the hell am I?

The rocking of the ship shook her mind back to reality. She looked up and saw land coming at her very fast. She didn't even notice that she had landed on a planet. Or was very close to landing. She started pressing buttons and pulling for a lever. A chute flew out through the back of a ship and it started to slow down. She held on to her seat to brace herself for a crash landing.

The bottom of the ship slid against rocks and trees, the branches smacking against the front glass violently. She ducked her head and waited for the hard crash against a large tree that stopped the ship from moving any more forward. Her head banged back against the seat. 

"Fuck!" She cried out in pain. 

She rubbed her head and looked up. All she can see was trees. It gave her a weird feeling how it reminded her of the first time she met Kylo Ren. 

She shook her clear of the scary image and headed over to the hatch to open the ship. It was dented in place. She placed her hands on the low ceiling and held herself as she kicked open the door. It flew out at ease. A little too easy she would think. Almost as if her mind may have had anything to do with it? 

Don't be an idiot. 

But then again, she convinced a trooper to set her free. She invaded Kylo Rens mind, she sent Finn away from her... Finn. 

I'm sorry. 

She slowly stepped out of the damaged ship and looked around. She was surrounded by trees. A damaged trail of broken branches and fallen trees was left behind the ship.

Before she could move any further she heard snapping twigs that came from behind her. Quickly she spun around and low kicked a man to the ground. He fell back and dropping his staff. He quickly attempted to kick at her head from the ground but she jumped and rolled to his staff, swiping it at his face, knocking him out. 

She stood over him, looking over at his attire. He was dressed in a tan tank top with black straps that wrapped around his forearms. He had on loose tan pants and tan boots. His face was covered with some kind of war paint. He was a large man. He looked to be a little bit older than she was, maybe in his early twenties. 

Before she can inspect any further, she hears more snapping branches around her. She quickly looks around and holds up the staff in defence. Three men dress like the one she knocked out approach her carefully, their staffs in position to attack. She eyes them taking a careful step backwards only to hear another person approached her from behind. She carefully looks over her shoulder to see another man. He raises his staff and she takes the opportunity to swing hers across his stomach knocking the wind out of him. The three men that were in front of her run over to her yelling out and raising their staffs. She dodges the first attack and rolls to the side avoiding the second attack. She swings the staff again under the legs of the third man but he jumped over it bringing his staff down towards her head. She quickly ducks to the side raising her staff up to block an incoming attack from another man.

She grits her teeth and her eyes dart from one attacker to the next. In seconds it's almost like she sees red. She brings her knees to her chest and kicks up, causing her to flip back into a standing position without using her hands. She starts swinging her staff angrily from one man's head to another's gut. Dodging attacks as quick as she can, almost as if she can hear them coming ahead of time. She hits another on the neck causing him go fall toward in pain. She looks around to see 2 left standing. She charges angrily towards them, crying out in rage; not noticing one of the men raise up hitting her in the chest with his staff. Her legs fly up and she falls over on her back, her head slamming on the hard ground. 

She winced in pain, rolling on her side. She hears the men walk towards her and reaches for the staff. A foot is placed on the staff, stopping her from picking it back up. She looks up to see an older man looking down on her. He's dressed almost the same as the others except for a burgundy robe placed over his clothes. He smiles at her. 

What the hell?

Why isn't he furious? Or was he being condensending? Did he smile because they got her unarmed? What was happening? 

"Well... I know there is plenty in the universe that I have never seen. But a small young woman besting my highly trained men with a single staff is definitely something worth seeing." He chuckled. 

He offered his hand to her and hesitantly she looked at him. 

"Its okay child." He spoke gently to her. 

She accepted his hand and he helped her up. She groaned in pain as she stood up straight, holding on to her chest. She looked around at the bleeding and bruised men who stood still not as defensive as they were moments before. In fact, if it wasn't for visible injuries and their heavy exhausted breathing she would be convinced that the fight never happened. 

"What is your name?" He asked her. 

"Rey." She breathed. She didn't realized how exhausted she was herself. Aside from being forced to sleep by Kylos hand, she can't remember when she slept. When she ate...

"Rey. You've caused quite a rucus."

Here it is. 

She knew at some point the politeness would end and she would be made to pay for what she has done. Whether she intended it or now, she has damaged the forest and injured some men. Judging by their attire she could see they were possibly guards of some sort. Only armed with staffs and no other kind of weapon. She also now noticed they had some kind of paint on their faces. Most of it wiped off from the fight. 

"Look, I didn't mean to cause any harm. I wasn't paying attention when I crashed and I didn't know who these men were-"

"Its okay. They didn't know who or what you were as well. They were simply doing their work. Protecting their village." The older man interrupted. 

"Village?" She asked. She knew that could mean food was near by. 

"Yes. We're a small land but we take good care of those that inhabit it."

"Well, I'm sorry about the mess I caused. To your land and to your men." She looked down avoiding eye contact. It made her feel uneasy looking anyone in the eye. 

"Come back with us, you must be hungry." Without waiting for her to reply he turned and some of his men followed, leaving two men waiting. As soon as she walked passed then they followed slowly behind her. It made her nervous and she had to struggle not to look over her shoulder. How would she know when they would attack? If they would attack? Could they have forgiven her thay easily for hurting them? She didn't understand. But she just pressed on, keeping her head straight occasionally darting her eyes behind her.