Redemption: A Reylo Story

Once Joined

BEN

Stalking toward me, her face contorts in an evil mask. With no recognition in her eyes for me, she is simply a predator now—a weapon for the dark side, just like I have been.

No one is ever really gone. An echo of my mother's voice whispers through my mind.

I have one chance to reach her, and it may kill me to do it. This world can go on without me, but not her. I do no back away or attempt to evade her attack. In fact, I adopt a challenging body posture, lightsaber at the ready, beckoning her to come nearer. I need her in close for this to have a chance to work.

Side-stepping the first swing of her saber, she immediately swings backward, barely grazing my right upper thigh. Hearing me grunt in pain from my new wound, her eyes widen and glow brighter with an evil glee.

I step into her as she brings up her saber for the next strike. It buries into the front of my right lower rib cage and comes out my back. The pain is excruciating, but instead of allowing it to control me, I harness it.

Dropping my saber, I pull her in close. The wooden box containing the sphere is open in my left hand. Her face is inches from mine and as she bares her teeth at me, I bring the box up. She freezes, the recognition in her eyes evident the moment she sees the sphere. Emptying the orb into my bare hand, I grab hers. Our palms touch with nothing but the sphere between them. The warmth it emanates is comforting and can only be described as...home.

With every last bit of Force my soul contains, I push against the bond of our dyad and blow it wide open.

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EMPRESS PALPATINE/REY

As a spectator, I see myself stalking toward Ben with the intent of murder. I scream out, "No!" but the words never make it to my lips. I am helpless to stop the slaughter to come. Maybe he will kill me and I can be free again.

My first swing misses, but my second does not. I feel her sickening joy at his pain.

Ben, forgive me, I love you.
My words go nowhere.

He doesn't even defend himself from my next advance and actually steps into it. My lightsaber lodges deep into his flesh and I scream soundlessly. Suddenly, it is there. He is holding up the sphere from the maze game and I can see the silver gray shining with an unnatural luminosity. He's had it the entire time.

Grabbing my hand, I feel a warmth pulse through me. Like a wave of light, the bond opens wide and we are both laid bare. Memories flood my mind. Seeing my dream of Maz Canata prophesying to me again, I see Ben with his face scarless and perfect—like it is now. I view us playing a game in the hut and hear the echo of words. Once they are joined, nothing can separate them again. I see the dark and the light join to make gray. Only this time, I am the dark and he is the light.

Drowning, I fight to drag myself to the surface. Below me is a dark, oily blackness, but above is not just light, but a vision.

Breaking the surface of the water, I see a young woman standing on a stone outcropping looking out at a panorama of scenery from many different worlds. Her long raven hair blows in the wind as she surveys her domain. Wearing a gray cloak over her darker gray clothes, a lightsaber is attached to her belt.

Taking the saber out and turning fully toward me, she ignites it. Her eyes are hazel with green flecks. The color of her lightsaber brings out the green in her eyes. Above her right eye is a scar, but it does nothing to mar her beauty. Around her neck is a chain and on the chain hangs a sphere—mine and Ben's sphere.

She gives me a dazzling smile and I realize why she looks so familiar—Ben's smile.

Gasping and suddenly awake, Ben is before me. He is saying something I can't quite hear at first.

"Rey, I love you. Please come back to me."
His eyes are wide and I can just make out a reflection in them of something green before it fades. He has seen the vision too.