As Rey settles into her new life on Tatooine, she can't help but ignore the growing emptiness over her heart. The bond, closed since Ben Solo disappeared before her eyes, left her with little closure, and a sadness so deep, no one would understand...
Author's Note: Just wanted to take a moment to thank dedicated readers who found my first story and are now here! If you notice thus far that this story runs so much deeper emotionally than my first, it's definitely me channeling all the feelings I had walking out of TROS in the theatre. That being said, before we get on to this very exciting chapter, I just wanted to say that this story is being written strictly after the movie, and not the novelization. The novelization struck another chord with me in how it seemed to obviously throw in cheap explanations to bridge gaps, but it all still left me as an empty and frustrated reader. However, that's only my opinion as a writer.
Last thought: Am I really doing this story right now???? *sheer panic*
Note: @hal.issa_art on Instagram captured this heartbreaking moment beautifully!!! I am in deep appreciation of how she has been inspired by some chapters.
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"As once I fell, so falls the last Skywalker."
The darkness was a hopeless and bleak abyss, filled with disorientating mist and the rumbling of thunderous noise. Flashes of energy bolts bounced everywhere, making direction utterly impossible to discern.
An eternal fall transpired, through air and smoke, but not a sound was made in protest; there was no resisting the inevitable flight.
Ben Solo watched helplessly as he was separated from Rey, whose limp form still lay on the ground. Airborne and weightless, he was thrown backwards, arcing above a pit before passing the edge of the rocky ground, down into a darker place.
There were moments during the fall where he'd thought selflessly of Rey and what might happen to her without him there. He'd failed her despite rejecting Kylo Ren, even tossing the cross-guard lightsaber into the sea on Kef Bir.
All for naught, was Ben's last thought before colliding with an outcropping of rock, desperately clawing for a handhold but instead felt it crumble away to nothing.
Tumbling backwards as he continued the fateful descent, stomach jumping up into his throat, Ben accepted the end of his journey. This is where he would fall.
No sooner had the thought left his mind, a wicked chill tickled his skin as a viscous liquid encapsulated his body. Passing through to the other side of the substance, Ben was confused at what was transpiring. The abyss became far away, ashen smoke seen through what only appeared to be a mirror.
Tumbling straight into a hard floor, the velocity at which he fell continued, causing him to roll over and over until finally it ceased.
Coughing from the blow to his solar plexus, Ben rolled over as he clutched his side and groaned in pain. Impact had certainly not been gentle.
Opening his eyes as he continued to catch his breath, Ben was startled by what he saw above him.
Stars. Hundreds of thousands of them, twinkling against the backdrop of an entire galaxy.
