The Balance Between Us - A Reylo

Chapter 33

Kerra

"Finn, what are you doing here?"

He furrowed his brow and did that thing with his head, shaking it slightly in confusion as he puckered his lips. "Where's Rey?"

"She's at the house with" I trailed off knowing that it was a lot harder for Finn to accept Kylo Ren was no more. Even with the very little and inconsistent training that I had with the Force, I could still feel the change in it whenever Ben or Rey looked at each other or held each other. It would vibrate, become loud with unspoken energies and glow a deep metallic grey around them. I could feel it's harmony and resolve, and in those moments, I learnt that Dark and Light coexist together. 'After the darkness, shines through the light.' It was something Rey had taught me and I believed it profoundly.

Finn snapped his fingers in front of my head breaking my trance. "We don't have much time, there are two Knights of Ren coming for them." He informed me hurriedly.

I looked at him solemnly, "They're already here."

"What?" Finn yelled.

"I said--"

"I know what you said." Finn interjected. "Why in Mortis aren't you helping them, Kerra?"

He was right, I should have been helping them. But how could I when I was specifically asked to watch over Venus? She chose her moment to present herself on cue. "Mama and Papa told her to look after me." Venus pouted from beside me.

Finn looked down at her and scanned her like a droid. "Then, why aren't you helping them?" Finn humoured her.

"Be-ca-use," She dragged out, "They told me to stay hidden and safe."

"Right, then I guess I will have to go alone." Finn pointed out. "Which way to Vary... whatever it's called?"

Venus laughed easily humoured. I turned to look at her. "You see Finn's ship over there?" I asked. Venus nodded. "I want you to go and hide in it. I will go and help Finn and bring home Rey and Ben."

"Do you promise?"

I took her little finger in mine and shook it. "I promise."

Ben

"You were never weak, the strongest out of all of us. The Chosen One." Zira mocked as she bated me into a lock.

I ground my teeth and growled. "Snoke chose me."

"Only because of your Skywalker blood, the blood of Darth Vader."

"Do you know what it is like to have a dark voice terrorising you everyday of your life? One that simply won't go away, that will isolate and manipulate you?" I seethed.

Zira gave a cold laugh. "You truly believe you were the only one," she paused. "Look again. Snoke had more than one apprentice, you fool."

I furrowed my brow in confusion. My guard came down momentarily as I was stumped by this admission, but it was enough to give Zira the upper hand. "There was only me!"

She laughed cruelly, "In case of your failure, he took on another, another of such potent power that would not shy from the darkside."

I swung low at her legs, but Zira vaulted over the assault. "Darkness cannot bring you bring power, only death and destruction." I told her.

"I was born to the darkness. I am the darkness." Zira countered.

"Your the other apprentice?" I stated dimwittedly. 

"The Palpatine line didn't end on the second Death Star. The Emperor's blood runs through my veins, I am the true heir to this Galactic Empire. And I will run it into darkness and rule it with bone-crushing fear."

My blood ran cold. As I stared at Zira, absorbing her words, I could see the brevity in her speech. We parried some more until I finally felt I had the right words to cut her down with. "You can't rule with fear, Zira. I see it now."

"See what?" She asked, halfway between a laugh and being startled.

I tried not to feel pity for the girl I grew up with at the Jedi Academy. "You have always felt left behind, forgotten, always walking in my shadow. Or the shadow of someone else." I paused taking a breath, watching her reactions the way a Nexu would observe its prey. "You may have been Snoke's other apprentice, but you were never acknowledged by anyone. You were kept a secret, hidden as if he were ashamed of you."

Zira bared her teeth at me and growled. The Nexu had been cornered by a much larger predator, and feeling trapped, I could sense it raring to lash out. "LIAR!" She roared and lunged at me with a new fire to her attack.

I could feel the dark energies swirling off of her, it made me feel sick to the core. I watched as her irises ringed into a yellow colour, the mark of a Sith. It relieved me to think that I never got to that point, but if I didn't have Rey, I certainly wouldn't have found it within myself to balance out the Force lurking in my very existence.

"STOP!"

I turned my head. "

Rey!"

Rey was stood in the doorway with a vibroknife to her throat and Vitani Ren stood behind her.

Vitani held her hand aloft as I stepped forward towards them. "Come any closer and the Last Jedi dies!"

I stopped paralysed in my tracks. It was enough time though.

"Ben!" Rey screamed as a knife was plunged deep into my thigh. I yelled in agony and whirled around spitting sweat from my mouth like a rabid dog. My crossguard was already activated as I swung it around and cut into Zira. A surface wound, not enough to kill, but certainly enough to delay.

Zira stood up and breathed heavily, "The Jedi Killer is in love with the Last Jedi!" she mocked.

"Oh, but look closer Zira. Don't you see it? Can't you sense it?" Vitani mused.

Zira closed her eyes and concentrated. "Ah, yes. Such power lurking inside of her, all because of a child. Well, Jedi," Zira said, "It looks like you could be useful."