Confronting Fear

Sith

I can see the patterns on your face
I can see the miracles I trace
Symmetry in shadows I can't hide
I just want to be right by your side

Say You'll Haunt Me - Stone Sour

Rey's feet were blistering from sloshing around inside her wet boots by the time they found solid ground at the bottom of the chute. She leaned against the dark wall, catching her breath. The climb had been easy but long, something under normal circumstances wouldn't have bothered her but after the exhausting events of the past two days, it was harder than it should have been. She hadn't felt like this since she'd ran from Ben after making her lightsaber, the same lightsaber she now held out in front of her like a torch.

A dark tunnel stretched out in front of them leading into a blackness so complete it seemed to distort the air within it. She felt a strong hand on her shoulder offering her comfort and more importantly hope. Her aura hummed as it mingled with Ben's at the edges. The effect was soothing in a way only it could be, as though, as long as they stood side-by-side, everything would be okay.

"Let's go." Ben said in a tone that wasn't a whisper, but the darkness around them seemed to absorb it, muffling it to her ears.

Together, side-by-side, they strode in unison into the darkness, the light of Rey's saber leading the way.

They'd been marching in total silence for the better part of an hour when the air and the walls around them changed. Tiny pinpricks of light danced at her vision and her thoughts began to race. What if the tunnel went on forever? What if they never found their way out? What if they died down here, her loved ones never knowing? Palpatine would win and....

She took several more steps before she realized Ben had stopped walking. She turned to see what had caused him to stall. He stood stock still, staring at the tunnel wall. She let out a gasp that echoed into the depths beyond. She'd noticed the shade of the walls had changed a few feet back but she'd been so consumed by her own thoughts she hadn't noticed what they'd changed in to. As far as she could see in front of her, the tunnel was lined with foggy mirrors reflecting the darkness of their surroundings. But not just any mirrors, they were just like the one on Ach-To in the Dark cave, and there was dozens of them stretched out before her. Ben seemed to be transfixed by one, seeing something she could not. She tugged at his arm helplessly, trying to make his big body move.

In that moment, Ben was reliving the worst moments of his life. He tried to look away but couldn't as tragedy after tragedy played out before him.

The many times that as a young boy he tried to get one or both parents' attention, only to be shushed away.

The first night he had been left at Luke's temple after his parents dumped him there.

The night he had woken to find his beloved uncle looking down at him, his features twisted with hate as he brought his emerald green lightsaber down on Ben.

The first time Snoke had tortured him under the guise of "training" his body reeling from the electric shocks.

The night Rey left him bleeding in the snow on Starkiller. He still didn't know what part of that memory was worse; the injury she caused to his body or the one to his heart as she ran away.

Ben felt stinging heat rising on his left cheek, then a sharp pull of his hair dragging his head down, breaking his view of the mirror.

Rey had managed to remove his helmet, slap him, and almost rip his hair out before he was finally able to look away from the iced over glass.

"Rey, what..."

"Its like the cave on Ach-To Ben, the one I told you about. Remember?" she answered quietly.