A Lost Tale of Broken Stars : A Reylo Sequel

13 | PURPOSE

"I'm a Jedi, I know I'm better than this."
-ANAKIN SKYWALKER

Meanwhile back on Krait, in the middle of a briefing the General felt a disturbance in the Force. It came as a rush of intense energy, and suddenly crushing her heart. She held her chest as she saw a vision materialize before her. Both Rey and her son were in grave danger, as she saw the Dark Side consume Rey. Leia gasped, and nearly fell but Poe was close enough to catch her. "What is it?" He asked, concerned.

Leia was petrified she couldn't speak.

Finn ran to the General, and the moment he grabbed her hand he saw it too. Rey and Ben fighting. Fear gripped Finn's chest as he felt Leia's anguish. She gasped, "Go to them." Before she fainted.

Poe laid Leia to rest on a near cot as the medic tended to her. "What's happening to her?" Poe asked, confused.

"I have to go," said Finn. "Connix! Where's Ben's location?!"

The Lieutenant was quick to access the database, getting a reading on the cruiser and shouted, "Kef Bir!"

"Finn?!" Poe shouted, as Finn made for the Falcon.

"You should stay here," said Finn. "With Leia unconscious the Resistance will need you."

"The Resistance needs you too."

"It also needs Rey and Ben. I have to go."

"I'll look after him," said Draven, patting Poe's shoulder. "And he's right. The Resistance will need your help. If the Final Order is as massive as Ben said, then you're going to need more allies."

"But what if I can't-"

Draven kissed him, silencing his words of doubt. "You got this." Then he ran into the Falcon.

With doubt Poe watched as the Falcon lifted into the sky.

"Where are they going?" Wexely asked.

Poe knew he couldn't let his own doubt distract him from the urgency of the situation. "They'll be back," Poe nodded. "Lieutenant, send out the transmission to all systems. Allies or sympathizers, now's the time to answer the call."

"Right away," said Connix.

* * * *

Ben at this point was on the defensive, deflecting Rey's attacks, carefully calculating each movement so that his lightsaber didn't harm her physically. He just needed to tire her connection to Darth Malgus. But this proved to be more difficult than Ben thought. Darth Malgus was a Sith Lord, who cut down a great number of Jedi and Sith. And with Rey as his beguiled host, the battle was ongoing.

"Stop this, Rey." Ben gritted through his teeth, as their sabers crossed. But he saw it in her eyes, that Rey was stuck in a deep void of her own mind and only Malgus remained. She was a prisoner to the ancient Sith.

Ben didn't want to hurt her. He couldn't. Then he sensed another disturbance. His mother. He saw her in immense pain, and in his fear he hesitated. It was enough hesitation for Malgus to gain momentum. Rey forced Ben to retreat back, jumping onto the ruins in the raging ocean. Water splashed all around, as Ben tried to gain control of the fight, but Malgus forced Rey forward with killing intent.

Rey. He called out through the Force, trying to break the connection between her and Malgus. "This isn't you."

Rey was fighting another battle within herself, as she sensed that Darth Malgus was now controlling her body. She was lost, her spirit tied to the world between worlds that shown her memories of the past...there was fear, pain and finally her parents, whom abandoned her on Jakku for her own safety. Everything came like a tidal wave of emotion, swallowing Rey's spirit as she battled the darkness that plagued her for so long. Some part of her knew who she was, but dreadfully hoped it was nothing but a constant nightmare, rather than a memory of the truth.

"Don't be afraid of who you are..." the words echoed in the dark, as Rey raced blindly, searching for the light.

"No!" A distant voice called out. It was Ben.

Rey had found the light, and scowled in confusion as she saw Cade in front of her. She looked down and saw that her lightsaber impaled him. She deactivated the lightsaber and stepped away in shock.

Ben was slumped against the ruins as Cade stood between them. He saved Ben, from her. She had lost control before but this time it was different. She wanted to lose control. She wanted to unleash all her anger and rage, knowing that it might awaken Malgus' spirit.

Kill him, Malgus whispered in her thoughts. You want to. He killed your parents. He's the reason you were alone all those years.

"No," Rey whispered, as she knelt down before Cade. Tears dripped down her cheeks as she reached out and placed a hand on Cade's wound.  She closed her eyes as she focused, transferring some of her life force to heal Cade. And in that moment she saw Cade's past.

Kill us if you have to, said her mother.

I can't, said Cade.

It's the only way to protect her and the galaxy, said her father.

Rey felt his pain as he did what he was told. Rey in that moment decided, to fulfill the promise Cade had made to her parents. And Cade sensed it too. But he protested, "Rey. Don't..." He took her wrist after she had finished healing him.

"I have to," Rey said as she stood. She looked at Ben and finished. "I'm sorry. I can't do this..." She dropped the lightsaber and ran.

Ben struggled to stand, and was about to go after Rey until she jumped across the ruin and onto the other side where Ben ship was. He watched helplessly as Rey left, the ship ascending beyond the clouds. He turned his attention to Cade and held out his hand toward him, helping him to his feet.

"We have to go after her," said Cade. "She's in great danger."

"I know," said Ben. "But if we really want to help her. We need to kill Sidious." He picked up the lightsaber and stared at it for a moment. He felt like he failed to protect Rey, and silently blamed himself for what transpired. He threw his tri-saber in the raging waves, and gripped the other lightsaber with a sense of purpose. He was going to protect Rey with any means necessary, but not as Kylo Ren.