What would you do for the person you loved? Would you denounce everything you stood for? Would you stand against the most powerful darkness in the galaxy? This is the story of Ben and Rey, sworn enemies brought together by the Force, but united b...
Three nights have passed since Rey attempted to contact me. Greeted with me in the company of a female attendant, she quickly severed the connection.
I tell myself it is what I wanted, to be left alone and forget her. So, why am I sitting here worrying about her and seeing her face in my mind? The look on her face before she closed the bond, I have glimpsed before many times in a mirror. I am responsible for that look of pain and torture she wears now.
In a moment of spontaneity, I open the bond and try to contact her. Sitting at a table in front of a fireplace, head down, reading, I am taken aback by her surroundings. Is she back on Gernel? My heart leaps for a moment before I realize this is a different place.
She stiffens at my presence, but doesn't acknowledge me, and never stops reading.
"Hey," I say softly. Continuing to ignore me, I slowly walk over and sit down in the chair opposite her. Turning my chair toward the fireplace, I sit and watch the flames dance while she continues to read. We sit like this for ten minutes or so. I feel the bond vision beginning to wane, but hold on as long as I can. She disappears and I am back in my own quarters alone. Realizing after the vision ends how much of her surroundings I could see, I am intrigued. The completed Dyad enables me to interact with more of her environment.
She didn't shut me out, I think to myself. But what am I doing? I have all but extinguished the light inside of me and now it is calling to me once again. The power she has over me is frightening. I know she didn't really betray me.
The night seven weeks ago when our bond completed, I felt all of her emotions: optimism about the future, desire for me, the feeling of belonging I gave to her, and her love for me.
My feelings for her are a confusing, chaotic mess. My enemy, my lover, my downfall, desire, hater of the First Order, seductress, my equal, usurper of power, my student, and yes, underneath it all, love.
My holocron beeps, pulling me out of my reverie telling me I have a call. Answering, I am informed by Ushar that we will be arriving on the planet Mustafar in twenty minutes.
Ushar is one of six dark warriors known as the Knights of Ren, of whom I am their master. They are Force sensitives that have devoted themselves to the dark side, and serve my bidding. They create violence and chaos wherever they go.
I initially met them years ago when I watched Luke face off against their leader Ren. Ren was their original founder and made quite an impression on me as a teenage Jedi apprentice.
It was them that Snoke sent to retrieve me the night I fled Luke's Jedi Temple. It was also them that killed the other students and burned the temple. All of the blame was placed on me, yet I never uttered a word of denial.
When Ren was killed, Snoke made me the Knights' new leader. I took on the name of Kylo Ren and donned the mask of a knight. It was my proudest achievement.
I am going to Mustafar to locate Fortress Vader. Rumor has it a Sith wayfinder is still present in the ruins of the fortress. Using the wayfinder, I can go to Exegol. Legend tells that Exegol is the hidden world of the Sith, and the current home of Emperor Palpatine. It can only be found using a wayfinder. Only two are known to still exist. One belonged to my grandfather, Darth Vader, and one to Darth Sidious.
I will go to Exegol, confront the resurrected Sith Master, and fortify my title as ruler of the galaxy.
*****************************************
REY
When he made contact last night, I let him. Speaking my name so softly, he forces me to stifle a whimper. Memories flooded in of the two of us together in the hut on Gernel. Although it took all of my strength and discipline to not acknowledge his presence, I did not give in and speak.
He surprised me by not leaving when I ignored him. Instead, he quietly sat with me at the table and stared at the fire. I expected him to attempt to dig into my brain, but he doesn't. He seemed content to just sit with me. After about ten minutes, the bond wavered and he disappeared. The severed connection left me feeling rather empty. I hate to admit that his presence was a comfort to my grief torn heart.
Poe came to visit me this morning. His arm in a sling to aid the healing of his shoulder, he had difficulty meeting my eyes at first.
When he finally worked up enough nerve to speak, he starts with, "Rey, I'm not sure what to say. I know you would never do anything to hurt any of your friends on purpose, but the Rey I saw the other night, is not the Rey I know."
Pausing for breath, he continued, "Please tell me that was a one time deal. I know how much you have been through lately..."
No, Poe, you don't.
"...but I can only hope that you can get control of it. I care about you, Rey. We all do. And if it's the last thing I do, I promise I will kill Kylo Ren for you."
I made my face look pained like I know he expected. I wanted so badly to tell him that Kylo didn't rape me, but that would only start a big argument, and possibly bring me before the council. Instead, I hugged him tight to shut him up, feeling him wince in pain.
"Sorry Poe, I forgot."
"It's OK," he responded, giving me a beaming smile. I thought about Force healing his shoulder. It would only take a little bit, but being Force connected to one person was enough for now.
I trained extra hard today. Pushing my body and my Force abilities to the maximum, I thought of Ben often as I trained. I even practiced the lightsaber forms he taught me. I would again spend my evening reading Luke's journals.
That was something else I continued when I got back from Gernel. Learning how to read and write. Over the past seven weeks, I had become proficient enough to read Luke's books. I was still slow, but also determined.
All of my reading was in research of a planet named Exegol. Leia had learned from spies that Darth Sidious and his armada was located there.
I knew that I was different. Since the rage fueled shock-wave the other night, I had felt lighter, more free. My anger at Ben's actions was quelled considerably by my Force-tantrum. I worried a little about the guilt I felt over Poe's injuries and the deaths I caused. The worry being, I don't feel as much guilt about it as I should, as the Rey of a few weeks ago would. I had changed so much in the last few months, I almost did not recognize myself.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
