DYAD

THIRTY SIX

     "Luella?" I snap my eyes open, seeing Ben looking worriedly at me. I groan, sitting up. "We're here. What just happened?"

"I had the strangest dream." I say, rubbing my eyes. "What do you mean, what just happened?" He looks at me suspiciously.

"What was your dream?" I shrug.

"I don't remember much." I lie. "Your grandfather was in it though."

"Anakin?" His eyes narrow. "Or Vader?"

"Anakin." I swing my legs over the side of the bed, preparing to stand, but he grips my arms, keeping me in place. "What are you doing?"

"You need to tell me what's going on, Lu. There was darkness seeping out of you, forming a barrier of some kind. I couldn't even get close enough to wake you up until now." I frown. "Luella." He says gently, trying to get my attention. "I need you to be honest with me." I nod halfheartedly. "Are you being tempted by the Dark Side?" Something comes over me, and I grin.

"The Dark Side? You mean the one you brought me to?" I laugh as something flashes in his eyes. "I never left." Then, everything goes black.

—

I groan, head pounding.

"Lady Manik?" I snap my eyes open, squinting at the blinding light. My vision focuses gradually, and I look around the room, seeing black walls, black sheets on the bed I'm in, black floors, and a woman.

"Where am I? Who are you?" She bows her head as I push myself up into a seated position.

"I am Helia Hask. Your appointed attendant." I narrow my eyes.

"Attendant? I don't need an attendant." She keeps her head bowed.

"I was trained from birth by my father, Gideon Hask. He was tasked by Emperor Palpatine to assist and attend the needs of the next Sith Lord. He was afraid that he wouldn't live long enough to do that, so he trained me to fulfill his mission."

"Palpatine is dead, I was on Exegol the day he died. His orders do not apply any longer."

"True." I snap my head to the person who seems to have just appeared in the room, having not been there during my initial assessment of the location. My eyes widen as I recognize him as the man from my dream. "But mine do."

"H-how?" I stand, legs trembling. The woman, Helia, bows to him. "Didn't you say that you died?"

"Yes, but you are in the atmosphere of Abeloth's Planet, which is my homeworld. I am able to take any form here." I shrug. Things stopped being comprehensible long ago.

"What happened on Ben's ship? How did I get here?" The Son shrugs at my words.

"He would've stopped you from leaving if I hadn't taken over. I only helped you escape the ship, it was Helia who brought you here." I ball my hands into fists, anger rising in me. What gives him the right to invade my consciousness?

"Did you-" My breath catches. "Did you kill him?" The Son waves his hand.

"No of course not, did you even listen to me? He's the vessel for the Light Side." His eyes glint, and I grit my teeth.

"Did you injure him?" The Son shrugs, grinning.

"Not fatally."

"What did you do?" He reaches toward me, laying a hand on my shoulder.

"I could show you." Before I can respond, the room fades away.

—

"The Dark Side? You mean the one you brought me to?" I laugh as something flashes in his eyes. "I never left."

"Luella, you were the one who encouraged me to join the Light. You motivated me to be better. Please, don't go down the path I did." Ben says, gritting his teeth.

"No. I motivated you to be weak. There is nothing stronger than this." The words push themselves out of my mouth, painting horror on Ben's face.

"What about love, Luella?" He holds my face in his hands, searching my eyes. "Wait. You're not-" His face hardens. "Who are you?"

"Does it even matter, pretty boy?" The Son says, using my voice. "You didn't wake up Luella, you woke up me." I stand, pushing him away with a wave of my hand.

"Who are you?" Ben grits, pulling out his lightsaber and holding it inches from my face.

"What, are you looking to give her another scar?" I feel myself grin, taking half a step forward. Ben stumbles back, shutting off his saber. He stretches a hand towards my face, and I recognize the motion as him reaching into my mind. The Son only lets him in far enough to see me. My consciousness curled into a ball, pain and anger rippling around it. He pulls out, face turning feral. "You can't do anything, Solo. Let us leave."

"No." His eyes turn glossy, and he falls to his knees. "This can't happen." I feel myself grin, stepping toward the door.

"Of course it can." The door slides open, and I step beyond it. "After all, what's a love story without a tragic end?"

—

I gasp, tearing away from The Son, vision failing me. Helia grips my arm, supporting me as I stumble back.

"What's a love story without a tragic end?" I growl at him, stepping forward. "My love for him hasn't faded." I snap. The Son only grins.

"Oh? Then why choose to hurt him, to abandon him?" Tears form in my eyes as I step back. "Exactly." His face softens, and after a moment he extends his hand to me. "I will no longer be cruel to you, my apprentice. Come, let me show you what is yours." I nod, but refuse to take his hand. He smirks, walking towards the door. "Come along now."