Ouroboros

Twenty Four

A/N: I'm referring to Ben as Ben when he's Light and Kylo Ren when he's Dark.

-o0o-

Twenty Four

Lightning tore the sky, the roar of thunder surrounding the four humans and one droid as they clustered around the black basalt altar and the white-clad shape lying supine and unspoilt. Rey was as she had fallen, dressed in the white that she always felt uncomfortable in, her hair in its unique three buns and beautiful, lightly-freckled face in repose. Her lips were still a greyish colour but otherwise, she could just be asleep. Clipped to her hip was Leia's lightsaber and her staff lay alongside her side. Another burst of lightning washed all the colour from her face as Ben bowed his head.

"I'm sorry it took so long," he groaned.

It's okay, she told him. You're here now.

His head snapped up and he danced around, as if expecting to see her, but there was only the raging Dathomir sky. Finn frowned.

"Rey?" he murmured and Ben's head snapped round, his brows dipping.

"You can hear her?" he asked, his tone verging on jealousy. Silently, Finn nodded, his face pale.

"So could I," Rose mumbled and Poe nodded as well. Frowning, the former Supreme Leader rose to his feet and peered at the Holocron, strengthening his mental shields to suppress the vicious whispers that swirled around him.

Traitor.

Weakling.

Failure.

Pathetic boy.

You are nothing.

The act designed to make you stronger, whole, instead has riven you to the bone.

His eyes snapped wide and he spun, hearing Snoke's words, Snoke's voice. The malignant presence was swirling around him, causing him to flinch as memories of so many punishments-some earned and many not-reared up. His hand instinctively dropped to his lightsaber, even though he knew it would be useless against the ghost. Breathing hard, he jammed the Holocron into a depression on the altar and looked at the others.

"You okay, Ren?" Poe asked as he nodded.

"Are you?" he asked. The General looked over at his friends.

"I think we all are," he said. "Whatever it takes to bring Rey back. She slew the Emperor and saved us all on Exegol."

"She's my sister," Finn said firmly.

"And my friend," Rose added. BB8 gave a little volley of beeps that added his determination. Nodding, Ben turned to the silent body and leaned forward, pressing his lips lightly to her forehead. Then he pulled back and murmured a few words that he had memorised from the Sith Holocron. The lightning howled and the other three flinched.

What are you doing?

Ben frowned, seeing a ghostly shape, shimmering on the limits of his vision. She was tall, over two metres with her elongated shape typical of a Nightsister, her robes stained with blood. He gestured.

"I thought it was obvious, Mother Talzin," he said, recognising the ghost. Her eyes narrowed.

We have been betrayed by the Sith before.

"I am not Sith," he asserted, his voice lowering to a growl.

You look like a Sith. You act like a Sith. You even dress like one.