《Poison in Paradise - A Star Wars Fanfiction》
Chapter 1: Prologue
Ahch-To. The paradise of a broken heart. The grave of once the greatest Jedi master. A haunted place by The Force. But most importantly, the only place that made her feel like home. Rey, a nobody, an orphan, a mistake, has found no place this close to her heart other than here. She had high expectations of her journey when she came on this planet for the first time. Luke Skywalker was a legend, she expected memorable moments along him, hoped that he will teach her all she has to know about who she truly is and this power that she recently discovered, but it was all in vain. Expectations, they break your heart in pieces then at the first glimpse of hope, it assembles them back together. But with what price? That of failure, of shame, of rage, that of the road paved with tears towards the Dark Side of the Force.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
She realised she had no place among the few people remaining of the Resistance. Their hope was destined for failure, or maybe time will prove her otherwise. Now, that she was in the same position as Master Skywalker, she understood him like nobody else, why he left everything behind and retreated here. It was his own Paradise that he left as inheritance to his last apprentice, Rey. He left her the fresh smell of the grass in the mornings, the rays of sun that blessed her heart with joy, the sound of waves crashing down the shore, the peace she longed for her whole life, the dark caves that were cold and wet and hid secrets known by nobody else before, the clouds and thunders, the cold, the night, the sorrow of failure and disappointment. He left her everything. The Light and the Dark path, and her mission now was to find balance within them for where is one, the other is destined to follow. She had to complete her training.
Alone.
Chapter 2: Master and Apprentice
Breathe. Just breathe. Her former master¡¯s words wandered her mind like a shadow. She needed to start all over. Rey was aware now of her power and how strong it was, but she was weak at the same time because she knew not how to control it. She tried to meditate in the same place she had her first lesson with Luke. Days have passed but she did not regain her peace of mind that she needed in order to properly start her training. Why was she weaker now that she has nobody to look up to?
Those horrid images of the war she was part of kept coming back at her every time she closed her eyes. Breathe. But she couldn¡¯t keep them shut for more than mere seconds. Sleep was a curse, as was the loneliness she knew she had to battle against, but felt she had nowhere else to go. She looked at both of the Suns that were soon to be replaced by the cold, dark night. The dusk was a privilege for her as it was the only event of the day that gave her hope for a new beginning. One day she will become a true Jedi.
Am I destined to rise? Am I destined to fall? Please, Master Skywalker, give me a sign. He was the only one that would have been able to be there for her. Help her. He was her master after all. But every time she called for him, she hit a dead silence, a wall of nothingness. She began to doubt him, herself, everything. Somewhere, far away from this place, her friends were hiding from the reign of the First Order and their new Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren. The mere thought of his name brought her disgust, anger, hatred, clouded her mind and made her feel betrayed.
I was betrayed by my own foolishness. For a short time I had hope that there is good in him, that he can be saved. I was so wrong, I¡¯m ashamed to even think of it. But here I am, talking to myself on a deserted island, with no human contact.
She climbed off from the rock and sighted. Another day that passed, another thorn in her heart as hope began to fade away. Tomorrow she told herself. She went inside the cave that once was her master¡¯s chamber and fired up the wood. Tomorrow.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
¡°There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
There is no death, there is the Force.¡±
¡°Beautiful words¡± she told herself. "Is this like a philosophy or some sort of?"
¡°Your very first lesson is to learn how to speak properly, apprentice. War, chaos, are no excuse for you as a Jedi. The very first rule is to show respect towards The Light and The Dark. You represent a new beginning, Rey. The old ways of the Jedi were wrong, for we accused that only a Sith would deal in absolutes but we did the same. It¡¯s called hypocrisy and we were masters of it.¡±
¡°I understand.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t. You are just a child with tremendous power. You and Ben are the same. I failed him, but I intend not to fail you as well.¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t, Master. Stop blaming yourself for his own mistakes and his own weakness.¡±
¡°Your ability to disturb my inner peace with every word you say is fascinating.¡±
¡°What do you mean?¡± Rey was confused, did she say something wrong? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mea¡¡±
¡°Stop! Listen to yourself, the way you express your thoughts. Do you like it? You rush along your feelings. Breathe. Just breathe. You are wise but you need to show it as well when you open up to talk. Choose your words, think before you speak.¡±
Rey wanted to say something but changed her mind. She didn¡¯t rush anymore to answer him, seeing what he truly meant. Patience and wisdom were the key. She was determined to follow his lead. ¡°If I am to become a Jedi Master myself, I need to learn to speak like one.¡± This was her thought only but Luke heard it.
¡°I am impressed. You are already making progress, child. Good bye for now.¡±
Rey woke up in the morning almost as tired as when she went to bed. She tried to remember if she dreamt something but she was almost sure it was a dreamless sleep. Master Skywalker, please guide me through the Force today. It was like her own prayer but she always hit that silence of uncertainty. Maybe he would answer her one day.
Chapter 3: There is no Emotion, there is Peace
I seriously doubt my sanity out here. These were Rey¡¯s first words when she arrived on Ahch-To after Master Luke died. And she kept repeating them every time she met an obstacle in her path of gaining greater knowledge. Why was she doing this to herself? She knew where to find the Resistance, but was afraid of doing so. What if Kylo Ren would reach for her again? She needed to learn how to block him, but for that she had to start somewhere, even if her enthusiasm was slowly fading away. Rey was falling to pieces by every moment she spent there and she knew the consequences, but something kept her from leaving.
She closed her eyes again, on the same rock, on the same cliff as her former Master. She believed for it to be sacred. She knew that every time she was to start meditation, the turmoil would follow and she would get distracted. But this time she was wrong. For the first time she found her lost inner-self and slowly began regaining her truest power of them all, hope. She felt alive. The Force was flowing through her fingers at first, but soon her whole soul was to be injected with this sweetest poison of them all.
Time passed by and she felt it not. She became addicted to this state of calmness that she never felt before and thanked the Universe and The Force for allowing her to exist there, in that moment.
She opened her eyes. It was sunset already, she must of really got carried away, but she was happy. She took in a deep breath and got up but something was off. She felt lighter and there was no interaction between her and the surroundings. She turned around and there she saw him, meditating just as she did before. He was so peaceful, it was the first time she saw him that way. There was no trail of Darkness on his expression, there were no scars, just serenity. He was younger, his hair slightly shorter and was dressed up in clothes similar to hers. Was this a vision from the past, from when there was no Kylo Ren, just Ben Solo? Why would she see him there? She forgot about her moments of inner peace because she felt fascinated by him. Her soul became heavy and felt an urge to touch his face with her fingers but hesitated.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
He slowly opened his eyes, looked through her and remained silent. Rey¡¯s heart began racing, but she was aware he couldn¡¯t see her. None of this was real. Ben looked behind him and then she saw Master Skywalker, saying something to his apprentice. She couldn¡¯t understand him, the words were scrambled and barely audible. Ben got up and turned around to face his Master, bowed before him and then left.
A shiver brought Rey back to reality. What was this? She felt she had this vision for a reason, but she just couldn¡¯t put her finger on it. Why did she see Luke and Ben on the same island that she was and why didn¡¯t she understand what Master Luke told him? It was still day-time there, in the own reality that she was living. She knew she had to find her answers so she closed her eyes again. Ben¡¯s face appeared to her almost instantly. They were back to the same place, but this time she didn¡¯t see herself as part of his world. And as fast as his image appeared, so it disappeared. What? No! She wanted to see him again but it didn¡¯t work anymore. Her mind was no longer focused.
Why? Why out of all people I had to see you? She sworn revenge on him for killing Luke Skywalker. She despised him, felt hatred for him but in those moments, all those emotions were forgotten and replaced by something else, something that scarred her deeply. She let out a long sight. Rey knew what she had to do next and she wasn¡¯t going to resist the temptation.
There she was, once again, in the same cave that Luke told her to never visit. If before she searched for her parents¡¯ identity there, now she wanted to find out more about her vision. This time it was pitch black. Rey tried to adjust her eyes to the absence of light, but failed. She was afraid, how would she go back if she cannot even see where the exit was. Will live and tell she told herself. She hoped that by a miracle she would see Ben here and guide her way. Him to be the one to bring light to her when she needed it most. Her mind began searching for his, hoping on achieving a Force Bond, but she had no power.
Hello? Anybody there? There was no echo. Just her voice heard in the nothingness she was surrounded by. It began to feel like an eternity. Down there, Rey didn¡¯t exist anymore for she was just another trapped soul.
Please, Ben, if you can hear me, help me, I am lost.
Chapter 4: There is no Ignorance, there is Knowledge
¡°Ben, this is aggravating. You are going down a path that will bring your end one day. As tempting as the ways of Sith are, the Jedi will be there to fight against. Do not sign your own death sentence. Your parents trusted me with your life and it is my duty to protect you until the end. I will not let you fall in the hands of the Dark.¡± These were the words of Luke Skywalker that Rey heard while the darkness that surrounded her faded away like smoke. It was the same scene as in her vision, only they were now at what she assumed to be the Jedi Temple. She didn¡¯t recognize the place, but somehow, she understood beyond what was in front of her eyes. Ben Solo looked at his master but didn¡¯t say a word. Instead he bowed with respect and went inside what would now be the main entrance to the Temple. Luke let out a sight and chose to go down the stairs. He needed a moment alone with his thoughts.
Rey followed her Master, knowing that he would not be aware of her presence. He took firm steps and his heart was as heavy. The ignorance on the boy¡¯s face when he confronted him was not going to be forgiven. It was enough. Luke blocked out the thought that he is the son of his sister, that his blood runs through Ben¡¯s blood as well. He will not show mercy and in the name of a greater good, will put an end to all of this. Rey didn¡¯t see him talking to himself, but she felt his intentions, heard his malicious thoughts. It was a shock for her, especially that Master Skywalker, when confronted with answers to her question, told her it was just an impulse of the moment, not a premeditated action. She knew what would follow, but she had to see it with her own eyes, she had to know the truth. Rey looked one last time at Luke then ran back at the Temple, at Ben.
She followed her heart and found him in a dim lit room which she thought would be his own. He was standing at the edge of the bed, looking down at the floor but his mind wandered somewhere else. She felt his emotions like they were her own. Oh, bless anybody not to feel the sadness he had in his heart. It shattered him in millions of pieces that his own uncle didn¡¯t understand him, that he was too drawn in the old Jedi ways to see the necessity of a change. Ben Solo wanted to be that change. Rey, out of all people, understood him the most. She felt powerless, she wanted for him to see her so she can assure him that everything will be alright, that he is not wrong, that it was not him at fault but the lack of acceptance of the new ways for Luke. She couldn¡¯t. He just stood there and at one point, he closed his eyes and fought back his tears but they escaped unwillingly. Rey kneeled down in front of him and at one point, she reached out for his face and touched him for mere seconds with her fingers, whipping a tear away. And he felt it. He suddenly opened his eyes and became alert. He looked around but saw nobody and felt nobody¡¯s presence in the room. She felt him confused but he dismissed it quickly as an act of his own imagination.
He got up and went to what she thought would be a drawer. He opened it and there were two pieces of parchment which seemed to be as old as time. He carefully got them out and went back to sit at the edge the bed, opening up both of them and reading them out loud. The first one said:
-The Code of the Jedi-
¡°There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
There is no death, there is the Force.¡±
And then he read the other parchment:
-The Code of the Sith-
¡°Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me."
He stole both of the parchments from the temple while his Master left him to wander alone. He did it with no ill intentions but if he wanted to be the creator of a new philosophy, he had to be the one to have knowledge of both of ways. Ben was a dreamer by heart and once he would become himself the Master of the Light and Dark, he knew that Master Luke would finally understand him and would help him build a new Galaxy, a spiritually balanced one.
Luke Skywalker was a man with an unchangeable will. He knew that being a Legend meant sacrifices and this time he had to do the greatest sacrifice of them all, take his nephew¡¯s life in order to prevent Evil from spreading. The boy had much potential, but his raw power, left on as legacy from his grandfather, Darth Vader, sacrificed his humanity and drove him on the Path towards the Dark Side of the Force. It was the middle of the night and the time to put an end to all of this. Dying this way, before his journey would be complete, would save Ben¡¯s soul and this is what he cared the most about. He sworn to Leia that he will protect her son and this is what he was going to do this time. She would understand. She had to.
There is no emotion, there is peace¡
He was ready.
Ben was asleep in his room and Rey was his guardian. As she expected, with swift movements, Luke entered the room and for a few moments, all he did was stand by the bed of his nephew. She felt how he was slowly losing his control as his will of carrying on his task. He did not want to do it anymore. He would have no excuse for such gruesome act, he didn¡¯t want him dead, he wanted him saved. There are other ways that I can help him with. Rey heard his thought and felt relieved but immediately heard another man¡¯s voice as well, communicating with Luke through telepathy: There is no emotion, there is peace. You are the Grand Jedi Master, a Legend. Kill him and the Glory will be all yours, fail to do so and you will suffer the consequences of your own weakness ¨C the end of the Jedi reign. Luke was fighting it. His hand trembled on his lightsabre and tried to block out the other voice in his head. No, this is not right! He is my blood! Luke was being tortured mentally by an unknown force and he tried fighting back, but the power was far too great. There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no emotion, there is peace. The stranger¡¯s voice was repeating these words over and over again. Rey felt Luke slowly losing his touch with his own feelings and reached out for his sabre. He was going to do it and there was nobody to stop him anymore. The Jedi code was above all, it was the rule of the Universe and it had to be followed. One last look at Ben Solo, a mistake of the Force, brought out to light his passion for the one true Law of the nature that he gave his soul to in exchange for power. Ben was not aware of any of it. He was sleeping so peacefully and Rey knew that she didn¡¯t have any right to interfere, but the moment Luke prepared to strike down his nephew, she yelled at Ben ¡°WAKE UP!¡±. And he did, managing to block out his uncle¡¯s attack. He didn¡¯t believe his eyes at first, too much in shock to comprehend the betrayal of his own Master.
The Grand Master, Luke Skywalker, might have failed that night to kill his own apprentice in the name of the Jedi code, but he managed to destroy the most precious gift that Ben had. Hope. That night, Ben Solo, the apprentice with power of will to change the future and bring an end to the philosophy of war, died at the hands of his own uncle and Master. Instead, a vicious killer with no remorse and under the vow to have no peace until the very last Jedi fell at his feet, struck down by his own lightsabre, Kylo Ren, was born.
Chapter 5: There is no Passion, there is Serenity
¡°Oh, who is this handsome young man? Another of your apprentices?¡±
¡°You could say that. He is my nephew actually. The son of Leia Organa and Han Solo.¡±
¡°The famous smuggler? That¡¯s a background story.¡± The man laughed, but Ben did not and neither did Luke. It was a sensitive matter, for others to talk like that about his father.
¡°Apologies, did not want to say anything wrong. I¡¯m Revan, boy. And you?¡± The man continued.
¡°Ben. But is your name really Revan? Like, the Revan?¡± Luke told him before the legend of the former Jedi Master, Revan and his fall to the Dark side, only in the end to be redeemed and be honoured by the Republic as a war hero that stopped the Sith under Malak¡¯s control.
¡°Clever, you know history. I didn¡¯t expect any less from my comrade and best friend, Luke. Supposedly my parents really liked the story that they thought of honouring him this way. But I assure you, I do not intend to follow his footsteps.¡± The man laughed again and this time, Luke joined him, patting him on the back, but Ben only gave a polite smile.
When he agreed on being the apprentice of his uncle, he knew that others would ask him of his origins and once he was to mention the name of his father, everyone would go ¡°the famous smuggler¡±. He hated him for it, he never was a good father, he was all the time gone in his ¡°galactic adventures¡± as Han called them and left him and his mother at home, alone. Leia¡¯s tears didn¡¯t matter much to her husband and their son felt helpless because of it. Becoming a Jedi meant he would have no family, he would be free to follow his own path without depending on anybody else and Ben loved the thought of it.
¡°Revan, Ben, let¡¯s go inside. We will give you a tour of the temple and then let you rest. Tomorrow you start your training.¡±
In the middle of the night, by the time everyone was asleep, Ben was in the main study room. From the moment he first laid his eyes on them, he felt they had to become his. They were so beautiful, emanated so much power and soon became the source of his strength. He began visiting them every night, but unlike the previous times, tonight would be a special one, he would make them his property. He knew it was wrong, he knew he was breaking the rules, but he had to do it. He was going to steal both of the codes, that of the Jedi and the Sith, from the Grand Library and replace them with exact copies, carefully made by Revan.
He read the boy¡¯s mind since he first began thinking about them and approached him in an elegant manner, away from the other students that could hear their conversation so he doesn¡¯t get scared away:
¡°Good evening, apprentice. May we have a talk? I feel something is bothering you.¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Ben rushed to answer, he did not want any lecture from this man. ¡°Especially that everything we would talk would arrive at my uncle¡¯s ears¡± he thought but of course the man heard him.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
¡°I assure you that nothing you would ever tell me would be your uncle¡¯s matter. I know how controlling he can be sometimes, he¡¯s been my friend for so many years, but my job here is to temper him.¡±
¡°I will pass the offer, unfortunately. But thank you.¡±
¡°You¡¯re thinking about them, don¡¯t you? About the Codes.¡± There was the elegant approach that Revan hoped for but lost his patience trying to play along so he went straight for the subject. Ben froze and his heart began racing, unable to say anything else. He knew and he didn¡¯t trust him. There was no point in trying to lie to the old man, but he wasn¡¯t going to admit anything either. So he remained silent.
¡°Wise boy. I admit, I underestimated you but now I am glad I did. They call for you for a reason and you want to find out why but let me spare you the waiting time. It is because of your grandfather, the mighty Darth Vader, ruler of the Darkness and the Empire¡¯s strongest leader that he left this raw power that you have as a legacy. Luke has it too, but he chose to ignore it and to close this door, not knowing that he actually opened a new one. For you.¡±
¡°You are talking nonsense. I don¡¯t understand anything.¡± It was all too new and too much for Ben to process. He felt like in a dream.
¡°Join me in my room and I will show you what I mean.¡± Revan¡¯s piercing eyes had a controlling effect on Ben every time he looked at him. He didn¡¯t hesitate so he followed the old man. They chose to go by a hidden corridor so they don¡¯t draw too much attention to the other pupils.
Revan¡¯s room was unlikely Luke¡¯s. Ben didn¡¯t find the call for Light like he did when he visited his uncle¡¯s. Here he felt different, he felt powerful, he felt passionate, he felt alive. Revan watched carefully the young man¡¯s face expression and smirked. It was going to be as easy as he predicted it.
¡°You have fire in your eyes, Ben. That is the real you, you have a dream, you want to become the Master of the Light and Dark, don¡¯t you? Rule the Galaxy, surpass Luke Skywalker¡¯s fame. You want to prove him that you¡¯re better, more powerful, worthier than he is. Or am I wrong?¡± Revan¡¯s words were carefully calculated and hit every weak spot that he had. Ben took in a deep breath and then spoke.
¡°Who are you? And why are you torturing me this way?¡± His voice trembled and he tried to hide it but failed.
¡°Patience, my child. Patience.¡±
Ben was brought back to reality by a distant noise that made him jump backwards, afraid not to get caught. He checked with the help of the Force if there was anybody around, but no. The room was empty. He then carefully replaced both of the ancient parchments with the fake ones made by Revan and left, walking down the same hidden corridor that he knew now by heart. He felt like betraying his own uncle and Master in a way, hiding from him and lying but he was just following his heart. All he had to prove to him is that he can be trusted and he can bring an end to the idea that the Sith and the Jedi were enemies. No, The Force was one, used by both sides and like the day that was always followed by the night, so was the Light that could not exist without the Dark.
¡°You seem disturbed, Ben. I am worried.¡± Luke¡¯s words were betrayed by his voice tone as well.
¡°I am fine, uncle, don¡¯t worry.¡± He tried to hide it, but his mind was elsewhere, he felt so guilty for going behind Master Luke¡¯s back, betraying his trust like that.
¡°Remember, there is no passion, there is serenity. The key in order to achieve your goals is to not let yourself influenced by your emotions. Feelings can be our worst enemy or our greatest help. We need to look beyond what lies ahead in front of ourselves.¡±
Ben looked at his uncle and took him almost his whole power to fight back the urge to confess everything he did. He was now torn between two Masters, and he did not know whom to choose to follow.
Chapter 6: There is no Chaos, there is Harmony
The fire was burning out alive the last of the survivors. Screams of terror were the proof of an unmerciful end of an era. Invalid people, with cut off limbs, were begging for their suffering to stop by being allowed to die, but that monster was not going to allow it. Keeping them alive and in agony, making them feel even the smallest area of their body how it was being destroyed to the bone, meant one''s satisfaction and another¡¯s disgust.
Kylo woke up covered in sweat and sick to his stomach. The night terrors never stopped, they were there to remind him of his and Snoke¡¯s doings in the infamous night at the Temple. The guilt was unbearable for him and Supreme Leader knew it and took advantage of it. There was no better way than for his apprentice to constantly have those nightmares which would slowly strip him off of empathy for his own victims and turn him into a merciless puppet. There was too much of Skywalker in him but without a properly father figure in his life, Snoke would be the one to replace that hole in the boy''s heart. Worse was the fact that Kylo had no idea about it, he was too naive to see through his new Master''s deception and lies but he never offered him his complete trust either.
¡°You were like a brother for me, Ben. Why? Just Why?¡± It was Daenov, his only friend during training at the Jedi Temple and the only one who actually tried to understand his hopes and dreams, even if he didn¡¯t fully succeed. ¡°This is not how you will achieve your goals! This is how you will kill them and with them, my best friend as well! Please, stop this while you can...¡± Daenov had his eyes filled with tears and a broken heart caused by betrayal.
¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you? If I don¡¯t do this, he will go after my family! Better to know them that they hate me but are alive!¡± Ben was desperate. ¡°I know you will never join me, but please, run away, save yourself. If I don¡¯t kill you, he will and he will torture you prior to that like he did with the others.¡± Daenov looked at his friend and saw the Light in his eyes as well as the emotional torture he was made to endure.
¡°No.¡± He said after a long silence. ¡°My loyalty stays with your uncle.¡± He then fell on his knees in front of Ben. ¡°I want you to be the one to take my life away. You were right, I can never join you because it stands against the code I follow. For me there is no chaos, there is harmony, and I made peace with my death. But you are not lost yet. Follow your heart and be the one to put an end to the era of war that there is to come. Your enemies are neither Light or Dark, but those that abuse the Force for personal gains.¡±
Ben couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. They always had each other''s back, he was the only one he confessed to his wrong doings and he wasn¡¯t judged for it. His emotions were overwhelming him. Daenov felt it, grabbed him by his wrist and began meditating, transmitting the flow of the Force through Ben. It had a calming effect on him, the Light was there to protect and guide his way without asking anything back, unlike the Dark that was shredding his soul apart if he didn¡¯t give in to the urge of killing. And then he understood that both had each other¡¯s back for one last time. Daenov and Ben looked at each other, pained and with tearful eyes as a form of farewell while the swift movements of Ben¡¯s other hand took away his dear friend''s life by the strike of the lightsaber through his chest. Daenov¡¯s lifeless hand loosened his grip and fell on the ground along his body as the magic of the Force ended, taking away the state of serenity that Ben had. Instead, a violent realisation of the gravity of his doings and all the previous feelings of torment and guilt crashed down over his mind, making him scream and cry like never before. His grief was so unbearable that even the nature around him reacted to his emotions, becoming as lifeless as the body laying at his feet. Ben fell on his knees and embraced the dead body of his friend that was mercilessly killed by a monster. His heart was breaking apart and was losing his breath over the tears that were shed straight from his soul. Daenov¡¯s body faded away in the end, meaning that his training was complete and he was a true Jedi at the moment of his death. Ben did not want to carry on with his life anymore, he wanted to join his friend, but the truth was that they would never meet anymore. He was lost far too much in the Dark side to deserve redemption from the Force or so he thought. Ben¡¯s mood was slowly changing, his sorrow slowly replaced with a feeling he never experienced before, that of thirst for revenge. His friend did not die in vain and he would avenge his death even if it meant to kill anyone, including his former Master. Daenov sacrificed himself for Ben with his loyalties to Luke without knowing that the same man tried to kill his own nephew, that it was the blindness and arrogance of his own uncle at fault for unleashing the dawn of the Jedi. And he was not going to forgive it.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Ben got up and ran back to the Temple that was already burning to its core. Snoke was inside, torturing the poor souls of the remaining victims that were still alive. Their limbs were cut off and they were begging for their suffering to stop by being allowed to die, but that monster was not going to allow it. Keeping them alive and in agony, making them feel even the smallest area of their body how it was being destroyed to the bone, meant one''s satisfaction and another¡¯s disgust. Ben no more had any compassion for the victims, they were all followers of his uncle, they were all dying for him and he wasn¡¯t even there to watch them suffer. He was hiding like a fool that he is, a coward, an abomination of the Jedi Order and his nephew was there to make sure that his reign would come to an end.
¡°Please... kill me...¡± A disfigured girl begged him for mercy and he offered it by decapitating her. ¡°With pleasure.¡±
¡°No!!! What are you doing???¡± Another apprentice yelled while he was crawling on the floor in a far corner to avoid the flames. He wasn¡¯t spared either by the fury of his former colleague.
¡°Run!! Everybody run!!¡± This was one hell of a coward and he was never worthy of the Force. From the distance, Ben used for the first time his newly learned ability, the Force choke, taught by the deceased Revan. The flow of the power of the Dark gave him a feeling of electricity running through his veins. It was like a drug, he wanted to feel it more, it was so satisfying and addictive and he didn¡¯t even care that he was suffocating the poor boy. No, it was impossible to stop, this power was irresistible and he didn¡¯t fight it back. Once his victim gave out his last breath, that sensation disappeared and left instead a void in him, one that would be filled again with another killing.
¡°AAAAHHH NOOOO PLEASE, NOT ANYMORE!!!¡± This was one of Snoke''s victims. Ben did not recognize her, she was already burned beyond death point but his Master kept her alive. He didn¡¯t want to see it anymore, he was disgusted so he chose to snap her neck instead. She deserved a quick death after a prolonged torture.
¡°We beg you, spare us and we will join you.¡± It was a group of five apprentices of age close to his, unharmed yet by Snoke. They kept their heads down, not daring to look up in Ben''s fiery eyes. ¡°Look at these cowards, betraying the teachings they stood for and joining the winning side just so they can live. They don¡¯t deserve their life another minute more!¡± he thought, but Snoke stopped him right before he was ready to send them to the path of an eternal sleep.
¡°Don¡¯t. We need people like them. Their loyalty may be questionable, but right now, they can be powerful allies for you. For us.¡±
It was the same memory that came back in his dreams over and over again. Every time it hurt him greater than the last time because instead of giving up on his humanity, he was even more aware of it. He was forced to be the leader of five traitors that chose to save themselves instead of suffering an honourable death and in search for a man who is as good as dead for the Jedi concept. Pathetic.
Chapter 7: There is no Death, there is the Force
¡°Look, we can deal with this. We will take it on debt.¡±
¡°Again? I don¡¯t think so. This is your 54th time, to be more specific, when you buy on debt from me. It is not going to happen again. Also, the money you owe me, either you give it to me now or I will eat for dinner fried human meat. It¡¯s tasty, especially if it comes from low lives people like you.¡±
Both, the man and the woman froze at the sound of Unkar Plutt¡¯s words. They did not want to end up on that crolute¡¯s plate. They had to think of a way to get the money fast. In those mere seconds of silence, their thoughts were either from where to steal the money they owed or how to run far away from that place as soon as possible.
¡°Well? What do you choose?¡± Unkar disturbed their heroic train of scrambled thoughts. The woman suddenly had a revelation. She dared to take the word and said:
¡°How about a trade?¡± Her lips were trembling, heart racing and mouth drier than the desert outside.
¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh. You have nothing valuable that could bring me any benefit.¡± He was already losing his patience.
¡°Our daughter. Rey. She will be in your service in the exchange for the forgiveness of debt. Please. We have no other way of paying you, we got no income and we don¡¯t know anyone rich enough to steal from around this place. We are all poor. Maybe you will give her a better life than we did.¡± The woman had tears in eyes but it was all she could of think of. She needed that alcohol, and so did the man, it was all that made them happy those days. Their lives were indeed too miserable to care for anything else anymore.
Rey was standing in the same room, watching her parents give her away like an unwanted piece of cloth and she knew she could not stop it. It was the past. At first, she hoped it wouldn¡¯t affect her, but she did not understand why she was seeing this. When Kylo first told her that she was sold for drinking money, she did not believe him. She just did not want to believe him. But he was right and if it hurt her greatly before, now it was tearing her apart because he told the truth. Rey was crying uncontrollably because she always hoped that it was all a mistake, that somehow her parents will arrive one day back on Jakku and get her back. Reunite with them. She even kept the same hairstyle for so many years¡ just so they can recognize her.
I don¡¯t want to see this anymore! Her wish was granted and the scene faded to black. She was wondering what she will see next, if it will be again about Kylo and his past or find out answers to questions she never asked before.
¡°Look, we can deal with this. We will take it on debt.¡±
¡°Again? I don¡¯t think so. This is your 54th time, to be more specific, when you buy on debt from me. It is not going to happen again. Also, the money you owe me, either you give it to me now or I will eat for dinner fried human meat. It¡¯s tasty, especially if it comes from low lives people like you.¡±
What? This is the same! I don¡¯t want see this! It hurt her, she wanted to be out of that miserable memory, she didn¡¯t want to think about it anymore. Again, her wish being granted, the scene faded once more to black, only to start all over again.
¡°Look, we can deal with this. We will take it on debt.¡±
NO!
¡°Again? I don¡¯t think so. This is your 54th time, to be more specific, when you buy on debt from me. It is not going to happen again. Also, the money you owe me, either you give it to me now or I will eat for dinner fried human meat. It¡¯s tasty, especially if it comes from low lives people like you.¡±
Why do I have to keep seeing this, I hate it! I saw enough! Please¡ No more¡
¡°Well? What do you choose?¡±
¡°How about a trade?¡±
WHY DID YOU SELL ME? WHY??? WHY DID YOU GIVE ME AWAY SO EASILY?? I WAS YOUR DAUGHTER!! Rey was screaming at her mother, but nobody heard her pain.
¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh. You have nothing valuable that could bring me any benefit.¡± He was already losing his patience.
¡°Our daughter. Rey. She will be in your service in the exchange for the forgiveness of debt. Please. We have no other way of paying you, we got no income and we don¡¯t know anyone rich enough to steal from around this place. We are all poor. Maybe you will give her a better life than we did.¡±
MONSTERS! You loved alcohol more than you loved me¡ And sold me¡ Like I was nothing. Like I was a nobody¡ I am a nobody¡ Her voice was slowly fading, replaced by sobs. It was pure torture.
¡°Look, we can deal with this. We will take it on debt.¡±
¡°Again? I don¡¯t think so. This is your 54th time, to be more specific, when you buy on debt from me. It is not going to happen again. Also, the money you owe me, either you give it to me now or I will eat for dinner fried human meat. It¡¯s tasty, especially if it comes from low lives people like you.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Is this broken? I don¡¯t want to see it anymore I said!
¡°Look, we can deal with this. We will take it on debt.¡±
FUCK THIS! I want out! I saw what I had to see, now let me out!
¡°Look, we can deal with this. We will take it on debt.¡±
Is this a joke of the Force? This is already getting on my nerves! Why do I have to keep seeing this? Just so I can hurt? Congratulations, dear Force of the Universe, I already do! What more do you want?
¡°Again? I don¡¯t think so. This is your 54th time, to be more specific, when you buy on debt from me. It is not going to happen again. Also, the money you owe me, either you give it to me now or I will eat for dinner fried human meat. It¡¯s tasty, especially if it comes from low lives people like you.¡±
And I hope you somehow cooked them good in the end because that¡¯s all they deserved! She was feeling hatred for who she once called her parents. For all the time she spent thinking they will come back to her. For all the food portions she saved for them because she always imagined that when they will meet again, she will gift them those, showing that she cared and missed them all this time. She never felt this way before; her emotions were the ones guiding her and to a darker path but she did not ask anymore for it to end. This time she wanted to see the nightmare until the end, no matter how miserable it made her feel.
¡°Well? What do you choose?¡±
¡°How about a trade?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh. You have nothing valuable that could bring me any benefit.¡± He was already losing his patience.
¡°Our daughter. Rey. She will be in your service in the exchange for the forgiveness of debt. Please. We have no other way of paying you, we got no income and we don¡¯t know anyone rich enough to steal from around this place. We are all poor. Maybe you will give her a better life than we did.¡±
¡°Deal. One more scavenger, more profit to me as well. Now get me the girl and I do not wish to ever see any of you again afterwards.¡±
Both parents bowed before Unkar with the utmost humiliation. Hate was boiling through Rey¡¯s veins and she instinctively reached out for her lightsaber. For a moment she thought it to be just an irrational act because she was aware her lightsaber was destroyed. But it was there this time. She was relieved to have it because what she was about to do defied any logic she thought she had, any feeling she ever felt before. When the woman turned around, Rey got out her lightsaber, pointed it in her mother¡¯s chest direction and then turned it on. It was all in the impulse of the moment, she just had to get it out of her system, knowing it will not affect anything, that she cannot even interact with the surroundings. But to her surprise, her mother, with wide opened eyes, looked straight in Rey¡¯s, cupping her daughter¡¯s cheek with her hand. It was that one last look that made Rey look down at her hand, but it wasn¡¯t right. She was wearing a black leather glove and it wasn¡¯t her lightsaber, it was Kylo¡¯s. And when she looked back up, it wasn¡¯t her mother anymore, it was Han Solo and she was his murderer. It¡¯s just a vision, it¡¯s just a vision, none of this is real. Rey was scared and she didn¡¯t understand much of what was going on. She was back at the Starkiller Base but it was supposed to be Kylo the one that killed Han, no her. Something wasn¡¯t right. While she was watching the man fall in the abyss of death, suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her right arm. It was burning her so much, it almost made her lose her breath. She tried to take off her glove to see what was happening, but her hands were trembling too much and palms were too slippery from sweating.
The scene changed again, now she was in a bedroom she had never seen before but she assumed to be on a ship, belonging probably to the First Order by the design of it. There was a tall mirror on the wall and she walked towards. Her heart stood still when she looked at herself. Dressed up in clothes similar of Kylo¡¯s, all black and with a gracious robe, the same black gloves and on her face, the same scar that Kylo himself had. She was trembling from fear, what did this all mean? She slowly took off her right glove and rolled up the sleeve. ¡°MONSTER¡± was burned on the skin; it felt as a label, as a definition of her existence and it made her remember how she once called Kylo the same.
Rey¡¯s self-pity was interrupted by a man¡¯s voice whom she recognized immediately and made her turn around, only to see him stand in front of her quite close, but in an intimidating manner.
¡°Words hurt, don¡¯t they?¡±
¡°I¡ I am sorry¡ I¡¡±
¡°Save your excuses for people who care. I don¡¯t.¡±
¡°Ben¡¡±
¡°That name is as dead as my father. Or even better, as dead as your parents.¡±
¡°Kylo, I¡¯m really sorry for everything. I don¡¯t know what else to say. I am at loss of words. I shouldn¡¯t even be, you¡¯re not even real, I¡¯m probably talking with myself, nothing in here is real, just memories and I don¡¯t even know what this is. I¡¯m stuck in here and I want to get out, this journey was a nightmare for me.¡± Rey was talking fast, but indeed with herself, because she wasn¡¯t looking at Kylo. As if he wasn¡¯t even there, let it be real or not. But the man took off his glove and gently grabbed her chin with his hand, forcing her to look up at him, in his eyes.
¡°You wanted the truth and now you have it. They brainwashed your head with me being the bad one, the irredeemable, the curse, the atrocity of this Galaxy and you blindly followed empty words like a fool. Could it be stupidity inherited by genetics or just lack of experience? Soon you will find out the truth about the Resistance and what your role in there really is. But you will not have an alternative, you will not have an escape anymore. You don¡¯t know them like I do! My mother is on her death bed and I will never be able to go to her funeral. And once she is dead, you will see their true faces because she was the only one with a different point of view. This is why she was silently hated and nobody answered her help call when Luke Force-projected himself in my last battle with him.¡±
Rey¡¯s eyes were filled with tears, those words hurt and confused her. And his hand, the way he was holding her chin, made him look so closely, yet so far away from her soul. The man was hurting and so was she.
¡°I offered you a chance to join me.¡± He continued. ¡°Instead, you chose them. Enjoy now the times that are to come because I promise you, you will beg for my forgiveness and I will not be there to offer it to you.¡±
And once more, everything disappeared in the unknown.
Waves. Breeze. Heart-ache. Despair. Emptiness.
Rey opened her eyes. She was back on the island, back on Ahch-To, back to reality. But how? It was night time and she was laying on the ground by the entrance of the cave. She crawled back, afraid not to enter it again even by mistake. How did I get out? She instinctively turned around her head and her heart stood still again when she saw a black cloak fading away in the darkness of the night. She reached out after him with her hand and wanted to call after him, but she couldn¡¯t.
Something stopped her, a force beyond her power to fight, and so she remained as silent as the cold, dead night.
Chapter 8: Ink
I began this journey thinking that somehow I fit in this whole story and maybe I do but... I don¡¯t know how. When I arrived the second time on Ahch-To I thought I had a stable start, that I knew the difference between good and evil and did the right thing by turning my back on Kylo. But is it so? My mind tells me not to listen to what I have witnessed in the cave but my heart tells me otherwise. I am conflicted. My dear reader, whether I shall be walking the right or the wrong path, remember that I decided to document my journey from now on for two reasons:
1. I must remain sane in an insane world
2. I do not know if I will survive this war or for how long, but I want you to find out the untamed truth about a journey not of a hero but of a broken soldier, a small pawn that hopes one day will make a difference on the outcome.
When this war will be over, lies will be fed off to people, no matter who wins. Other legends will be born, other villains, other failures... as it happened already and it is a cycle that will never end because it is in our existence to ask for a balance instead of eradicating one of the sides. Kylo Ren, the almighty villain in this whole story, told me a truth I just now learned that I should of listened to: not to join any side. How this young man can be a villain in everybody¡¯s eyes if his heart is as conflicted as mine? I have felt it. My feelings of hatred are long forgotten and are now replaced with compassion, sadness and guilt. Maybe it is just the effect of the visions but for the first time in my life, when he stood in front of me, I felt myself complete... like it was the exact place I had to be and nowhere else.
This is where I get totally lunatic for a second and admit that I miss his presence. I know it sounds bad, wake up, Rey, he¡¯s the bad guy. And I¡¯m smiling now as I write these words, but it is a bitter one because I do not believe so. My feelings went places since I was brought back from that cave... and deep down in my soul, I pray that the shadow figure I saw was him. My mind screamed after him but my lips were sealed. And I regret every second of it whenever I come to think about that moment. I wanted to apologise for everything that happened in his past, for everything that he had to go through, for my own foolishness to not think of both sides, but just mine. I was SELFISH!!! And I regret every moment of it. He''s not here to know it and it slowly and painfully kills me.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
I feel stuck. I cannot move on from this place. I am not a Jedi at heart, but I know I am a warrior. I am not going to take sides anymore, I will retreat probably here and abandon all of my hope but that feels so wrong... why doesn¡¯t the Resistance feel like home anymore? Kylo mentioned that I do not know them like he does...
Rey took a break from writing to think for a moment and a thought suddenly crossed her mind like a revelation.
What if the Resistance is just using me and my powers? All of the friendships I formed? Fake. Maybe there is a special bond between me and Kylo and they want to exploit it by me destroying him. How would that be? Fucked up if you ask my opinion. It¡¯s just a thought that crossed my mind and I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s not the case but nevertheless, I chose to write it down.
My dear reader, one of the hardest lessons I learned is to never trust grand stories about anyone. Seriously. They are just lies. Luke Skywalker, the legend of the Jedi, the most powerful of them all was actually the biggest coward I have met in my life. He attempted murder on his own nephew based on a voice in his head and he barely tried to fight it. When he failed, he chose to abandon everything and come live on Ahch-To, create a mysteriously puzzled map that made no sense if he didn¡¯t want to be found and chose to live his life in a completely peaceful environment. Oh, and I don¡¯t want to forget this, but he enjoyed drinking blue milk in a manner I am ashamed to write down to you because you will think I am making it all up. Now, I would not do him any justice to say that his lessons weren¡¯t helpful in my journey because I would be lying. But same as his nephew, I sensed conflict in him and most importantly, shame. Maybe I will find more one day and I will make sure to write down all the details, maybe you will see more to the story than I did.
Hopefully, when you read this, there will be peace because I was born in war and in war I might die, but for a better future I fight. This should suffice for today otherwise I might drag you down along with me in a depressive state of mind I can¡¯t seem to get out of. Because, for the moment, I feel... useless.
Chapter 9: The Sacrifice
¡°The Empire, your parents, the Resistance, the Sith, the Jedi... let the past die. Kill it, if you have to. That''s the only way to become what you are meant to be.¡±
His words lingered her clouded mind as she was cursed to hear them on repeat. Almost like an obsession and there was no cure to stop them. He was right, she should of listened to him. What am I even meant to be?
¡°But not to me.¡± These four words followed her train of thought as if he were there in her mind, listening to her worries and comforting her. But the bond was never to return again, it was never real. No, it was just a memory and somehow standing in the exact same spot that she did before, when they first touched each other¡¯s hands on Ahch-To, made her feel emptier than after her parents abandoned her on Jakku.
Rey tried to meditate for what felt like weeks in the exact same spot that she had her first vision of him, but to no result, no answer to her prayers. I am alone. Again.
That day was like any other day before. Her feelings were running wild and the Force felt non existent, far away from her reach. She opened her journal and started writing, without any idea what her thought would take form of on paper. It was everything she had left that helped to keep somehow her sanity.
¡®¡¯Jakku: my home since I have memories of myself.
My parents: traitors.
Me: a nobody.¡¯¡¯
She felt tears filling up her eyes and had to wipe them up fast enough so they don¡¯t fall on the notebook. The words hit harder than ever before as an insidious thought crept up slowly at her mind, covering it in darkness and despair: to end it all. To give up on everything and stop fighting a battle that doesn¡¯t belong to her, that brings her no benefit.
¡®¡¯A thought just crossed my mind¡¡¯¡¯ she began writing while telling out loud what she was going to write next: ¡®¡¯I am done battling.¡¯¡¯ But instead, she wrote ¡®¡¯I am done battling the wrong side of the story¡¯¡¯ without realizing it. As if her thoughts and actions were completely dissociated and her unconscious had different ideas from her own consciousness. She suddenly stopped. Something felt wrong, as if she weren¡¯t in the control when she wrote those words. She read them again. I am done battling the wrong side of the story¡ What does that even mean? Her heart started feeling lighter and her emotions were slowly fading away, leaving only serenity behind, maybe even happiness. As if she made contact with The Force all over again. What is happening with me? Why do I feel this way out of a sudden? But her train of thoughts had to stop because her mind was slowly emptying, leaving only peace behind. She closed her eyes. The warm rays of the sunset were bathing her body as well as her soul so she laid down, on the cold stone that once was Ben¡¯s meditating spot. She felt an intimate connection with him since she had those visions of the past, she had tried reaching him before, but there was no response, not even the slightest feeling of it.
But now¡ now she felt him again, maybe his presence, maybe a memory, maybe just her own imagination, but he was there, dressed in his black robes, looking at her. She knew he wasn¡¯t real, but in her vision, they were standing by the entrance of the Dark Cave.
¡®¡¯Ben¡ Kylo¡¡¯¡¯ she started, waiting for a response from him. Everything was so vivid, she could feel the cold breeze of the ocean, the humid atmosphere, the waves that were crashing against the shore¡
¡®¡¯You shouldn¡¯t have entered this cave. Not only you saw through my soul, but you corrupted yours as well. You bind yourself willingly to me when you chose to see the truth. To have knowledge more than you were allowed to.¡¯¡¯ His face was serious, but somehow calm. And instead of being scared, Rey took a few steps towards him until she faced him a few inches distance. She could feel already his breath on her face as she looked up to him. He felt so real.
¡®¡¯I¡¡¯¡¯ but her words refused to come. She opened her mouth again trying to say something, but failed. She was mesmerized by him, by his presence, by his eyes. She never felt that way before for any man.
He just stood silent there, as if he had the whole patience in the world to wait for her to finish her excuse.
¡®¡¯You¡¯re not really here¡ maybe I¡¯m just imagining everything.¡¯¡¯ She suddenly said those words out loud and her stomach dropped at the realization that everything is a lie and he¡¯s not really there. She stopped looking in his eyes, it felt too intimate to be real. But suddenly she felt a warm finger caressing her cheek with touches that were barely there as if not to scare her away. Rey didn¡¯t resist. Instead, a warm tear greeted his finger as a response back to his touch.
¡®¡¯Look at me, Rey.¡¯¡¯ Kylo¡¯s voice was warm, familiar, never in a way that spoke with her before. She complied to his request.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
¡®¡¯Why did you want to find out the truth? Why about me? You could of gotten your information about your parents only.¡¯¡¯ His voice was low, close to a whisper, he didn¡¯t want to scare her away.
¡®¡¯Because¡ I was curious¡ I felt like something is being kept away from me, I felt I needed to know the truth. I took a risk at breaking my own heart but I prefer it than to be kept in darkness, in the unknown.¡¯¡¯ The final words escaped her with a broken voice. It was too much for her to feel all over again everything she experienced in that cave.
¡®¡¯When you go as far as reliving the past through someone else¡¯s eyes and feelings, it doesn¡¯t leave without a mark. You are bound to me now, you¡¯ve attached your heart to mine and there is no turning back. Nothing, no evil or good force in this entire Universe can ever break it again. It¡¯s a rule that you broke, knowingly or unknowingly. But what is done is done and now your soul is slowly fading away from sadness, from grief, from the longing feeling that you¡¯ve been feeling for your entire life. To know that you belong to someone, that there is someone out there looking up for you without them being conditioned by a mission that needs to be taken care of... Yes, I have seen your past as well, your emotions, everything. We both know each other now without any walls left to hide even the slightest secret. What are you going to do about it?¡¯¡¯
Rey was in shock. As much as she felt so short of breath, she was thinking that she was close to fainting. It all was feeling way too real to be just a figment of her imagination.
¡®¡¯But if you say we are one now¡¡¯¡¯ she almost whispered ¡®¡¯¡why didn¡¯t you answer my calls when I searched for you? Why did you say in my vision in the cave that you will never want to have anything to do with me anymore?¡¯¡¯ She was close to crying but tried fighting back the tears.
¡®¡¯Rey, those visions were not me. I am real. I am here. It is true, they were a representation of my thoughts that I kept having because I was mad at you when I felt you in mind, in my memories. I wanted to make you forget about me, to push you away because I was ashamed at how vulnerable you¡¯ve seen me. But I failed. I am here. Because I cannot stay away. Not anymore.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯When¡how did you come on Ahch-To without me sensing your presence before?¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Because I am not here physically. I am in my chambers, on the main spaceship. I cannot yet visit you without endangering your safe whereabouts. Snoke may be dead, but his acolytes are ready to tear you apart and me as well if they catch you in my presence yet. I am one, they are many, I may have the Sith Knowledge, but I am outnumbered and my training was never complete, as you have seen for yourself. And neither yours was. I may have more knowledge than you at this point and I can be your teacher, but if you accept my offer, you must do exactly as I say, no objections, no questions, no nothing. I need to protect you and the perfect way to do that is by teaching you how to protect yourself the right way. Not the nonsense Luke tried on you before. He hid many things from you and he didn¡¯t want to give you access to the true knowledge of both of the factions because he feared you will follow my path. He didn¡¯t manage to strike me down that night, but he did it willingly to you when he chose to leave out the essentials of a fight against the real danger of this galaxy.¡¯¡¯
He stopped, waiting for a reaction from her. She was pale and most likely in shock, but he waited for her to process everything he said until she finally spoke:
¡®¡¯How can you train me when you¡¯re not here? And who am I to fight against? The resistance? The only ones I called my family in my life? Against your mother?¡¯¡¯ Emotions of sudden anger made her burst out at him without any intention.
¡®¡¯No.¡¯¡¯ he simply answered with a long pause, but the he followed: ¡®¡¯The enemy may be common even, but never trust people that have no discipline and lack loyalty. One of you regularly informed us of the Resistance¡¯s whereabouts, the army that is being built, the weapons used, everything. Information that not even you, who were among them this whole time, could of known. Yet, information leaks continuously. Always.¡¯¡¯ His eyes were burning from hatred as he spoke. They were the only ones that betrayed his calm fa?ade.
Rey noticed it and knew he was saying the truth. She didn¡¯t think twice and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him. He felt so real, like his body was truly there. He was warm and his heart was beating fast, with emotions flowing through his veins. She felt his arms wrapping up around her in an embrace so tight that showed how much he felt for her and how much he needed her with him. But Kylo knew better that her safety was above everything for him. So he chose to wear himself out of spiritual energy by projecting himself where she was, no matter how much he would suffer afterwards. He knew the risks and the immediate implications, yet he chose to sacrifice himself. For her. For Rey. She was his. Finally.
¡®¡¯Rey, I cannot stay anymore with you for now. But I will come back, I promise.¡¯¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to scare her by telling her how much he was in pain. He was wearing himself faster than anticipated because he was still a novice at it. I will get better at it, I promise he said to himself.
She looked up at him and felt tears running down her cheeks at the realization that he will be gone again from her for who knows how long this time. She wanted to stay there forever, embraced with him, to feel him.
¡®¡¯Please don¡¯t go. Stay.. a few more minutes.. I beg you.¡¯¡¯ Rey¡¯s crying voice was taking over her.
¡®¡¯I cannot, believe me, I would stay here more than just a few minutes, but I am soon to be left without any energy and I don¡¯t want to go without a good bye from you and a promise to give you that I will come back soon. Just wait me.¡¯¡¯ He knew it was time to leave so in a last desperate gesture, he grabbed her face with his hands and lowered his head to hers, pressing his lips against her in a desperate, longing kiss before vanishing back in the unknown.
And with him gone, Rey was dragged back out of her vision. The warm rays of the sunset were bathing her body as well as her soul once again while laying on the cold ground. But something was different and when she woke up, she saw that he was right all along. She wasn¡¯t anymore on the cliff, at his meditation spot. She was on the cold sand, by the entrance of the cave, with the waves crashing at the shore and the humid familiar feeling. Only two sharp words crossed her mind in those moments while she was trying to regain her breathing:
Teach me.
Chapter 10: On the run
Coldness. Silence. Darkness.
An emptied mind.
Nothing.
It was Rey¡¯s first day of training under Kylo¡¯s guidance. She woke up with him standing by her bed that morning and her first impulse, when she saw him, was to take off the covers and reach out to hug him. But he stopped her with his hand.
¡®¡¯No.¡¯¡¯
Rey was confused, but he didn¡¯t wait anymore for her to figure things out, therefore he continued:
¡®¡¯From now on I am your teacher before anything else and I take the lessons very serious. You will do as I say, no questions. What I am about to teach you today involves your own emotions and how to control them in order to use them as a weapon as well as a defense mechanism. You will not like it, but your training will require you to return to the Cave. Not only I will be able to stay with you for as long as needed without consuming my spiritual energy at this high rate that I am now, but it will offer you the perfect environment and situations that I¡¯ve prepared for you.¡¯¡¯
Coldness. Silence. Darkness.
An emptied mind.
Nothing.
Since the moment Rey stepped in the Cave that day, this was her first trial: to find an understanding of the abyss. He warned her of the dangers of having emotions brought up once she steps in: they would work against her. So she tried her best to empty up her mind and it worked, but only for a short amount of time. Rey thought she will be ready because she found her peace before by using the Force before, but she did not consider that it can work against her as well.
Water. Waves.
Small waves in the beginning from what she was able to figure out, although she couldn¡¯t feel them, even if she could hear like she is standing in the middle of it all. Her heart rate slightly increased, she could hear the beatings of her own heart. And with them, the water was suddenly covering her feet, until her ankles.
Sand. Cold water. Bare feet.
I can feel the sand¡ but when I came in, I had shoes¡
The water slowly increased it¡¯s level until it reached her knees. And then she remembered that she wasn¡¯t allowed to think or have any emotion. She panicked, and with that, the water raised it¡¯s level more, until her waist.
I¡¯m not thinking anything, I have an empty mind, I¡¯m not thinking, I¡¯m with an empty mind, I am¡
But now the water was up until her collar bone and it was very cold. She was freezing. And panicking more. She was afraid.
And because of that, she heard one last wave building up towards her direction before the water took over her, the sandy ground disappeared and now she was sinking more and more, despite her futile attempts at swimming back up to the surface. She was out of oxygen in her lungs and everything around her was pitch black, nothing, no light, just the water dragging her to an endless bottom.
Defend yourself.
Those words were not hers. It was Kylo¡¯s voice and she understood what he meant. The only way to defend herself was not through an empty mind anymore. She had to transform her thoughts and feelings into her advantage now that she was in danger. All that came in her mind was the memory of hugging him that evening. And the kiss.
She started feeling warmer and warmer and then she hit what she thought was ground, sand, and the water lowered it¡¯s level slowly until she felt it no more.
Waves in the distance. Peace. Warmth.
Light.
She didn¡¯t notice until that moment that in fact her eyes were closed the whole time and now when she opened them, she saw the warm rays of a Sunset, standing on the beach with bare feet and a long, white dress. The ocean was peaceful and of an incomparable beauty. The place didn¡¯t look familiar to her, but somehow it felt like home. A feeling she never had before.
Two strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind and pulled her closer. She didn¡¯t have to turn around to know it was Kylo. He brought his lips closer to her ear and spoke with a low voice:If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
¡®¡¯We are each other¡¯s home. And this place does exist. I found it by destiny, and it looks like yours was to come here as well. But look towards the ocean, don¡¯t turn around. Behind us right now, there is a wall-like portal that shows the place where you came from: darkness of which evil forces fuel its existence. Nothing will happen for the moment as long as I am here, but it¡¯s time for the second part of your lesson: how to fight back.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Kylo...¡¯¡¯ Rey finally spoke after taking in a deep breath. ¡®¡¯I am ready.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯So be it, my dear.¡¯¡¯ His words were her last reassurance of peace before she turned around and saw what he meant earlier by the word evil.
He was there no more with her to protect her from what she was about to face. The wall he spoke about looked like it had no end and no beginning. Her world of peace was stopping at one point and from there on, another one started and there was no way of going back. The only way was forward. She remembered his words that it was time to fight back and she was ready for it.
Rey stepped in the new world, but instead of darkness, what awaited her was a burning village in the middle of nowhere. It was night time, an Imperial space shuttle was behind her when she looked. The portal disappeared. She was in a new world that looked just as realistic as the other one, but with no ¡®¡¯don¡¯t look behind¡¯¡¯ warnings anymore. There were dozens of stormtroopers scattered around and one of them approached her:
¡®¡¯Your Highness, the Resistance fled after the attack. We are looking for survivors, but there is no result so far.¡¯¡¯
Rey looked past him, at the flames that were turning what once was called life, into nothing more than dust. They were all dead and she somehow knew it. She swore to protect them, she hid them there where the Resistance would not find them, but she was too late, she arrived too late. She failed.
Grief. Chaos. Vengeance.
She did not wait a second more and took off running as fast as she could through the burning village. She made a gesture with her hand and felt the Force move aside from her path the fire, leaving an open road towards a single goal: find the ones responsible for this and kill them all until the very last one. She kept running and running, feeling closer and closer the presence of a malicious entity, one that had something to do with it. One of the Resistance traitors stayed behind the others, trying to have a look at the prize: to see Rey¡¯s reaction.
She was running after him and although she wasn¡¯t able to spot him physically through the forest yet, she could hear branches cracking and desperate footsteps.
Desperate.
Her victim was desperate and she was going to use that in her advantage. She would not kill him without torturing him first. She needed information of their whereabouts. Rey used the Force once more, this time to infiltrate in her victim¡¯s mind and control his thoughts. She wanted him anxious, insecure and to think he was betrayed by his own kind. She was going to deceive him.
Sudden darkness.
Everything disappeared. Rey felt a strong force pull her out of there and throw her out of the Cave, making her fall on her back on the cold ground. It was evening already as she laid there, trying to process everything that happened. She was confused, why everything stopped out of a sudden? And who were the people she swore to protect? And why someone from resistance that betrayed her when she was with them, not against. And why highness?
¡®¡¯Everything will be revealed in time. But your emotions were too heightened and you couldn¡¯t handle them all of a sudden without intensive training.¡¯¡¯ Kylo was once more standing by, lending her a helping hand.
¡®¡¯Who were the villagers?¡¯¡¯ asked Rey while she got up with his help. He kissed her on the forehead but remained silent. She felt him tense up. Something was wrong. ¡®¡¯Who were the villagers, I asked.¡¯¡¯ She was growing inpatient so she took a step back, fixing him with her eyes. She didn¡¯t want secrets anymore. Not with him.
¡®¡¯I cannot tell you. Everything will be revealed in time, as I said. It was a vision what you had. It was also the reason why you were thrown out, you were going to take drastic actions in what was meant to simply show you a possible future outcome.¡¯¡¯ Kylo was trying his best to remain calm and explain her what he believed she should have had knowledge of already. But he was patient with her as he saw great potential, even if she was only in her raw form for that moment.
Kylo took a step towards her and added:
¡®¡¯Until next time.¡¯¡¯ But instead of moving, he just stood still, waiting for her reaction. He didn¡¯t want to force himself on her.
Rey looked up at him. He saw in her eyes confusion, sadness, fear, yet a strong determination to become better. She was going to miss him. And so would he. Therefore he took off his glove from his right hand and touched her hair with his fingers, feeling her soft hair underneath his touch. He didn¡¯t want to leave like that, but he knew Rey was going through many emotional ups and downs in those moments so he felt the better thing to do is to just kiss her head on top, brushing his lips against her hair. She closed her eyes for a moment then wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him down towards her to kiss him. Her kiss was shy because she was self conscious. She never had anything to do with a man before him, and their first kiss happened too fast for her to even understand what was going on.
He kissed her back, but he didn¡¯t want to stop so he took the lead instead. She felt his tongue on her lips so she instinctively opened up her mouth slightly, letting him guide her. Rey¡¯s heart was beating fast as she felt warm waves flowing through her entire body. It made her happy, ecstatic even, but also desiring of him to explore her body with his hands. She wanted to feel more of him as Kylo read her thoughts, complying to her silent request. He pushed her towards him, digging his fingers in her skin as he ran his hands on her back while the kisses got more and more heightened up. He couldn¡¯t resist the urge anymore and lowered his hands from her lower back, grabbed her ass and pushed her pelvis towards his, making her feel the results of her body so close to his. Kylo¡¯s passionate kisses trailed off from her lips down to her chin and then her neck, licking it, kissing it, biting it softly, and making Rey escape a moan because of the new warm feelings that she was experiencing at her core. She didn¡¯t know what they were, but they made her long for Kylo to touch her more, explore her entire body.
But in that moment he suddenly stopped and took a slight distance from her, breathing heavily. His eyes were dark with desire and so were hers. Rey¡¯s cheeks were bright red and she was confused. She didn¡¯t want him to stop.
¡®¡¯Believe me, as much as I desire, we cannot go further now. I want to worship you and your body the right way, while both of us are physically present, not just through a Force projection. You are the most precious to me and I know how much you deserve. Let me give you the world, not just a figment of it.¡¯¡¯ Kylo¡¯s voice was coarse, it was hard for him to refrain from going any further, but they both deserved more. And his energy was running low as well. He had to leave. So he kissed her again, this time in a softer, more careful manner.
Rey didn¡¯t want to see him go, but she knew he had to. So she took his hand in hers and placed his palm on her chest, at her heart. ¡®¡¯Come back to me soon¡ I will wait you¡¡¯¡¯ were her final words before he vanished into the unknown once more.
Chapter 11: A ruin
¡®¡¯Where are we?¡¯¡¯ asked Rey, taking Kylo¡¯s hand in hers. She needed to feel him close. They were standing by the entrance of an old temple. Everything around them was in ruins but the temple was still standing tall, unaffected by what caused the environment to be torn to pieces.
¡®¡¯This is an old, sacred place that keeps the original manuscripts and teachings of both, the Sith and the Jedi. In reality, the planet itself was destroyed together with the temple and accessing them is only possible through this cave. I knew my uncle will come look out for it when I, together with the other Knights of the Ren order, left him. Remember Revan? He is the one that possessed Luke that night and ordered him to kill me. I was a weapon that he and then later Snoke, needed. They needed me to turn against Luke because they knew he will fail.¡¯¡¯ Kylo¡¯s mind was slowly drifting away back at painful memories that he tried for so long to forget about them. Rey gave him a reassuring hand squeeze and added:
¡®¡¯You are not alone anymore¡ You have me...¡¯¡¯
Kylo wasn¡¯t looking at her but at the temple. He was lost in his thoughts and felt the need to confess so he continued:
¡®¡¯You know, I was naive enough to believe that someone as power hungry and as deceiving as Revan could be honest as well. I could of avoided so much if I didn¡¯t turn against my own blood, my uncle. He only wanted to teach me the ways of the Jedi and they should have been good enough for me to stop. But my own madness in trying to find balance between the Jedi and the Sith, I fell for the wrong side. I cannot be redeemed, there is no turning back for me, Rey. I killed my own father. I killed him! Do you understand?!¡¯¡¯ He was furious at himself and his lack of control over his emotions. He didn¡¯t let go of her hand, but he had no courage to look at her to know that she¡¯s hurting. Han Solo was the only paternal figure that she ever had even if he wasn¡¯t her own flesh. She had nobody before. He continued:
¡®¡¯My father wasn¡¯t perfect. He left mum and I long before me to turn against Luke. He was never there when I needed his presence the most. My birthdays? Mum took care of everything, it was always just the two of us. He preferred his bounty hunting adventures and the shadiest deals with the most notorious criminal bands of the Galaxy. And all for money¡ But despite everything, despite his absence rather than presence in our lives¡ I loved him. And killing him killed me as well...¡¯¡¯
Rey was already crying, remembering herself the way Han treated her like his own child, that he was the most protective with her, but at the same time, she knew that not killing him, Kylo would risk the life of the only one who was always there for him: Leia. He turned his attention to Rey and saw her tears running down her cheeks. He didn¡¯t want to hurt her but he had to confess to her. He didn¡¯t want for her to even have a slight doubt of honesty with him. And to be fair, he needed to be listened too because sometimes the feelings were getting too much to handle them all by himself. His only friend, Daenov, died by his own hand as well. He never got a chance to fulfill the plans they made once they would be graduating. He would never forget the way their whole friendship began. It was one cold, rainy night at the Jedi temple. Approximately 2 hours past the bedtime, there was a knock on the door¡
¡®¡¯Yes!¡¯¡¯ Ben shouted from his bed. He was reading a book and clearly annoyed that his uncle would be lecturing him again on why he is staying up so late.
But it wasn¡¯t his uncle who came in. It was one of the apprentices that was standing in the door¡¯s way. He was a blonde young man, not as tall as Ben, but he had his own charm and known for his kind heart and cheerful smile.
¡®¡¯What do you want, Daenov? Are you lost?¡¯¡¯ said Ben and put his book aside. His guest looked nervous, uncomfortable even to be there. He took in a deep breath and spoke in a low voice:
¡®¡¯Hello, Ben. My apologies for this late hour that I am disturbing. I didn¡¯t know if you were asleep or not, but I had a feeling you wouldn¡¯t be. We all know your uncle is clearly being harder on you than with us and he¡¯s lecturing you for staying up past bed time. The only thing that he doesn¡¯t know is that you¡¯re not the only one. I was thinking, maybe you could join me and the boys tonight, we are going to have a small gathering in the woods.¡¯¡¯This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Ben looked at his colleague like at a completely deranged person. He was never invited anywhere, no one was even talking to him more than a few words to find out about Luke¡¯s plans and that¡¯s about it. Neither of them were friendly with him.
¡®¡¯Is this a joke? Some kind of game? Do you really think I believe that someone from your group of stuck ups would ever invite me anywhere? We¡¯ve been here for years! No need for pleasantries anymore. I only exist to give out information about Luke so tell me, what do you want to know about him?¡¯¡¯ Ben wasn¡¯t going to fall for someone¡¯s sick joke. He had violent tendencies and needed to keep them hidden. Too passionate to feel serenity.
¡®¡¯I only wanted to invite you. You¡¯re the only one missing. It isn¡¯t far from here and it doesn¡¯t feel right. But if you wish for me to leave, I will¡ I know you¡¯ve had a hard time with the others, but I never caused you any trouble. I only wanted to be nice to you, I don¡¯t agree with what they are doing and I have a feeling you¡¯re pretty cool to hang out with.¡¯¡¯ Daenov was a known player, he would always get out of any situation just by talking, it was his way of keeping the peace with the others and also knew how to keep his emotions repressed.
¡®¡¯Heartfelt. Inspiring. I think I just dropped a tear. Internally.¡¯¡¯ Ben¡¯s sarcasm wasn¡¯t liked by his uncle because it betrayed emotions as well being hurtful towards the others as well. But he didn¡¯t care.
¡®¡¯I understand. If you wish to join us still¡ we are leaving in 15 minutes. The meeting is by the main entrance of the library.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯The library? You said you were going in the woods.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Yes, but we clearly can¡¯t get out through the main entrance without being seen by the guards. And trust me, as much as I love a good talk, I really don¡¯t want to get in trouble with them. So what do you say? Are you ready for a midnight adventure?¡¯¡¯ Daenov was showing off his perfect teeth in a smile that was guaranteed to melt everyone. Including Ben, that simply said:
¡®¡¯See you in 15.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Kylo, are you alright?¡¯¡¯ Rey¡¯s voice brought him back to reality or at least, what he could make out of it, considering he was force projecting himself standing in front of an ancient temple that disappeared a long, long time ago.
¡®¡¯Yes, I am, I was just thinking. Sorry I got distracted. Let¡¯s enter, shall we?¡¯¡¯ He didn¡¯t have the time nor mood to talk to her about it. It was painful already to think his friend was dead, but to remember also that it was himself who killed Daenov, that one was another story.
¡®¡¯As you wish¡¡¯¡¯ Rey removed her hand from his. She saw he¡¯s hiding something and that made her slightly hurt. What could he be thinking about that he didn¡¯t want to share with her?
¡®¡¯Don¡¯t be a child. I promise I will tell you, I just am not ready yet. But in case you¡¯re wondering who I was thinking about, it was my friend. You saw him.¡¯¡¯ Kylo took back her hand in his and she didn¡¯t oppose him. She was tensed at first but then relaxed under his touch. ¡®¡¯Once we start, there will be three trials. The first will be of what we desire most, the second supposedly we get to confront our enemies and the third confuses me. There was nothing written underneath it in the manuscripts I learned all of these from, so that one we should fear the most.¡¯¡¯
He brought her close to himself and kissed her softly, his lips lingering on her for a bit. She was so fragile and he wanted to protect her, to keep her close to him for real and never let go of. But first, her training had to be complete. The whole fate of the Galaxy was in their hands and only together they could prevent the destruction of it.
They climbed the stairs of the temple together. He was afraid of what would follow because death was a possibility for both of them, but he didn''t want to scare her, he needed her to stay focused in order to succeed. He cleared his throat and said out loud, looking at the door while squeezing Rey¡¯s hand, the following:
¡®¡¯As Sun is followed by the Moon
So Darkness shall embrace the Light
And on the hour of the Doom
Their strength combined will win the fight.¡¯¡¯
He looked then at Rey and said:
¡®¡¯Just stay alive and come back to me.¡¯¡¯ He reached out to bring her back in an embrace but before he could, in an instant he was¡
Gone.
¡®¡¯Kylo! Kylo, where are you?!¡¯¡¯ Rey panicked and felt short of breath, fear and confusion enveloping her heart while trying to understand what happened. She started running around, calling for him but to no help¡ there was no one around her. Just ruins.
¡And without him, she was a ruin herself¡
Chapter 12: The First Trial
¡®¡¯Kylo! Kylo!¡¯¡¯ was a desperate call of Rey, but not even an echo could be heard back. Only dead silence.
The atmosphere was dark, it wasn¡¯t night time yet, but it just seemed to not be enough light either. There was only a road that led away from the temple, the only direction she could go towards, and it had pillars standing on each side of the road, every two of them forming an arch high above the ground. They were majestic in their own way, but every time Rey looked up at them, she felt her stomach drop. Something in their artistic design made her feel uncomfortable. She noticed that some of them still had a red flag hanging down. Some were torn to pieces almost completely, but others could still be seen almost intact. She wanted to see what symbol was on them, but they were way out of her reach so she closed her eyes and called upon help from the Light side of the Force. But it was a dead end.
She opened her eyes and looked up at the red cloth again. Kylo mentioned that the temple used to hold both of the teachings, the Sith and the Jedi.
What if I need to use the Dark Side instead? But how?
Rey closed her eyes again and tried to think this time of the vision she had in the forest, when she wanted to avenge the deaths of the villagers and torture the one responsible for it. She felt out of a sudden a hidden power awakening inside her. An electrical shock wave left her heart and reached out for the entire body, giving her a warm feeling that gradually increased it¡¯s temperature. Her blood felt like it was boiling, but the sensation itself and the experienced emotions were addictive. The Dark side gave her passion, hunger for power, it made her feel alive.
When Rey opened her eyes and looked up at the flag, it was burning in flames and waiving at the same time, although there was no wind. The symbol was one that she recognized from Kylo¡¯s parchments back at the Jedi academy: The Sith Empire.
A sudden realization hit her out of the trance, the newly discovered feelings fading away and leaving behind a void in her heart. Kylo said that the first trial will be about something that she desired most, but why would the Sith Empire symbol appear? She was a rebel at heart, a chaos even if Kylo was her weakness. She wasn¡¯t ready to change the sides only because of him.
A distant scream interrupted her thoughts.
Someone else was there and needed help. The only way was ahead so she started running as fast as she could. The screams were getting closer and closer and her heart was sinking more and more because at one point, she recognized the person who was screaming in agony: It was Kylo, asking for her name.
Kylo looked at Rey and said:
¡®¡¯Just stay alive and come back to me.¡¯¡¯ He reached out to bring her back in an embrace but before he could, in an instant she was¡
Gone.
¡®¡¯Rey! Rey, where are you?¡¯¡¯ He panicked as she vanished right in front of his eyes. ¡®¡¯Damned be this training! This world! Everything!¡¯¡¯ He knew the first trial started and needed to make sure she is alright, but when he tried, he couldn¡¯t reach her mind. As if she were in another dimension.
Behind him, in front of the temple, there was a strange road. The planet itself was a ruin with no life left to it, but the path before him had green grass and small flowers on the sides. There were also pillars on each side of the road, each pair forming an arcade above his head, with waiving flags representing the Jedi Republic. The sun was shining bright and seeing so much color, so much nature, in a place where death was the ruler for thousands of years, it felt strange. He started walking forward, aware that he was already watched and judged by his actions. Cautious and with a hand on his blade, he continued his journey through the greetings of the flowers and the tree branches that bowed before him whenever he passed them.
Peace¡ indeed what I desire¡ I am tired of fighting malevolent forces that want to destroy this Galaxy instead of helping it. What did Snoke know and the others before him, to do with their power?! Turn people into slaves! Destroy worlds! Become ruthless rulers that had no shame to kill even when not needed! But I will never join the Jedi¡ hey are too proud because they think they know the secrets of the Galaxy and are invincible. And that makes them weak!
A distant laughter interrupted his inner monologue.
It was one of a woman¡¯s that, as he approached, he recognized: his mother. And she wasn¡¯t alone, but he couldn¡¯t spot them yet. He started running faster and faster until he reached the end of the road which led to a beautiful landscape, filled with people, flowers and blooming trees. There were familiar faces among the crowd¡ his father, his uncle and finally, his mother too. They were all laughing, having a wonderful time at the gathering.
¡®¡¯Ben!¡¯¡¯ Han ran towards him and hugged him. ¡®¡¯My son! My son, oh, how I missed you!¡¯¡¯ Kylo hugged back his father and everything felt so real that he started crying. They were both crying together while embracing each other so tight that they were almost out of breath. Kylo needed to feel his father in his arms, to not let him go anymore. He regretted his every second of life since the moment he killed Han and he needed him to know. He needed him to know how much he missed him. Because despite his absence in his and mother¡¯s life¡ he still loved him.
¡®¡¯I¡¯ve waited you every year on my birthday to come home¡ But you were away and afterwards I left for the academy¡ and then¡.¡¯¡¯ Kylo¡¯s words were barely intelligible because of the sobs.
¡®¡¯I know, I know, and I regret that I wasn¡¯t there for you when you needed me most.¡¯¡¯ Han was shaking from the overwhelm of emotions. He missed him so greatly and needed to tell Ben how much he was suffering from there, from the spiritual world, that he couldn¡¯t do more for him while he was alive.
Kylo noticed his mother approaching them and in an instant, his heart dropped.
¡®¡¯M-m-mum¡ mum you¡¡¯¡¯ but he wasn¡¯t able to finish his sentence more. Leia smiled at him and said:
¡®¡¯No, my boy, don¡¯t worry, I am still alive. I came here because the Force itself asked for my presence, but at first I was reluctant. Then I found out it was about you, so I came here as fast as I could. No matter what happened, I love you so much, no, we love you so much that I am ready to do anything for you, just so I know that you are safe.¡¯¡¯ Leia came to Kylo and Han and embraced them both.
Now they were a family all over again. It was everything that Kylo ever desired. A family.
¡®¡¯I¡¯m so sorry, so sorry to both of you. I¡¯m trying to make things right but it¡¯s too late already¡ at least for you, dad. I¡¯m so sorry, I regret it every single moment th¡¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Son.¡¯¡¯ Han parted from the embrace and took Kylo¡¯s head in his hands, then spoke again. ¡®¡¯I know you are sorry. I can feel it. And you should know that I am sorry too, both of us were at fault in here. And I know you did it to protect Leia. All that matters now is that I love you and I¡¯m not mad at you for anything. You are our son and our love for you is infinite.
They were all over again embracing together all three of them. Kylo felt at peace for the first time in many years. He loved his parents so much and wanted to make them proud of him. He had his fall but he was ready to redeem himself in front of them. He was ready to make things right once and for all.
¡®¡¯I believe there is someone else you should talk to. He¡¯s been waiting for you.¡¯¡¯ Whispered Leia to his ear. And he looked in front of him, further behind a tree, his uncle, Luke, was watching him. He could sense his feelings from apart. Shame.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
¡®¡¯Uncle!¡¯¡¯ called out Kylo as he ran towards him and stopped by the tree. ¡®¡¯Uncle¡ there is something that we need to talk.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯I know, Ben. And that is why I would like to take a walk with you.¡¯¡¯ Said Luke and turned to leave but then added: ¡®¡¯If you wish, of course.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Luke¡¡¯¡¯ He didn¡¯t know where to begin with as he walked in silence by his uncle. He felt like everything he would say, it would have no justification.
¡®¡¯Ben, I have failed you. And I have failed myself as well. I didn¡¯t have enough faith in you and I listened to the voice of doubt instead.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯You weren¡¯t listening to any doubts you had. It was Revan the whole time! He was a Dark Lord and you got deceived by him! He told you to kill your nephew and the first thing to do was listen to him!¡¯¡¯ Instead of asking for forgiveness from his uncle, he was mad at him still and now he was yelling. He added: ¡®¡¯You don¡¯t understand how betrayed I felt when I saw you ready to strike me that night. I may have been torn between two Masters back in that time because I wanted more than to see things in black and white. I wanted to master both disciplines, to see the strengths and weaknesses in them and use them to create peace across the Galaxy, not war. But know this, I would of never betrayed you! You are my blood and above everything, for me loyalty is what matters most! You were my true master. The other one was just a teacher. He only helped me understand things that I didn¡¯t have access to with you.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Things that led you on the path that you are now! A puppet of Snoke! And now, a puppet of the First Order!¡¯¡¯ Luke was furious as well, but only because he knew his nephew was right. His words hurt him.
¡®¡¯I had a dream! That one day we would lead the Galaxy to peace and a new philosophy. I was so sure that you would accept in the end my ways that it never crossed my mind that I would be the result of an attempted murder!¡¯¡¯
Luke opened his mouth to speak, but Kylo wasn¡¯t finished: ¡®¡¯And you know what? Despite your betrayal, I was given this chance to say I¡¯m sorry! Yes, I am sorry for turning my back on you! I am sorry that I fought against you and chased you across the whole damn galaxy only to take my revenge for what you tried to do to me! Because it was my fault for idolizing you instead of understanding that you are not perfect, that you are human yourself and that you¡¯ve got your weaknesses yourself. It took me way too long to understand that I was your weakness this whole time, that because of me, you fell victim to deception.
Luke¡¯s eyes were wide. He did not expect those words from his nephew, he did not expect forgiveness from him. He thought the boy was lost¡ Oh, how wrong was he! The only lost one was himself, Luke, the Legend! The irony!
¡®¡¯Ben¡¡¯¡¯ said his uncle and then hugged him tight. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m so sorry myself for everything. For everything¡¡¯¡¯
Kylo¡¯s heart was finally at peace after a long, long time filled with turmoil, pain and regret. He achieved what he wished to do the most since the time things took the wrong turn in his life. But now, part of them were right again. He still needed to fight against a corrupt system and subdue it, but he wasn¡¯t alone. He had Rey now. Speaking of which¡
¡®¡¯Luke, tell me of Rey. What do you know about her? I know you refused to train her the first time she came to you. Why? Why did she have to insist for days until you finally accepted?¡¯¡¯
His uncle eyed him cautiously. He took in a deep breath then spoke:
¡®¡¯Because of an ancient prophecy. You will not find it here in this world, you need to go search for it in real life. There you will find her origins as well as yours and her destiny combined. I am not allowed to speak of it, the Force itself forbids it because it wants you both there. And the only one who could of given you this information was me.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Where do we have to go?¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Korriban.¡¯¡¯ Said Luke after a long pause.
¡®¡¯Rey! Rey!¡¯¡¯ The screams were getting more and more agonizing as she approached the source. She was so afraid. I¡¯m coming! Please, hold on! I¡¯m on my way!
But his screams weren¡¯t stopping as if he couldn¡¯t even hear her. She got closer and closer until she reached the end of the road that led to a dark valley and then¡ Kylo¡¯s scream suddenly stopped. Or was it even Kylo? She couldn¡¯t see or sense him anywhere.
A cold breeze made her shiver. She was afraid to walk further because of what she saw in front of her: cloaked shadows that were in fact people, all dressed in black, roaming around and whispering¡ whispers that were transformed in an unintelligible chaos of words. She should of ran back but those people seemed to suddenly be aware of her presence.
¡®¡¯The Daughter of Darkness herself has arrived!¡¯¡¯ a deep man¡¯s voice spoke.
The mysterious man took off his hood to reveal himself and so the others followed. They were all Sith Lords, some were scarred beyond recognition, some needed breathing masks, others had minimal damage on their faces, but all of them had signs of Force corruption. Their eyes were glowing, some had them yellow, others blood red, and they were all frightening. Rey took a few cautious steps forward.
¡®¡¯What is this about? Who are you all?¡¯¡¯ she asked as she slowly withdrew her lightsaber out. She was on guard, they could not be trusted even if it was just a test from the Force.
A single laughter could be heard from the whole crowd: the man who greeted her. He stopped and spoke again:
¡®¡¯Look at her, fellow Dark Lods, she is magnificent. She withdrew her lightsaber even now, when she is clearly outnumbered. No second thoughts, ready to fight, her heart is racing, blood boiling and her own eyes have a spark now when she¡¯s calculating her strategy.¡¯¡¯ He faked a short laughter then continued: ¡®¡¯In honor of us, the fallen Soldiers of the Night, I present you the future Empress of the Galaxy that shall bring a bright future to our name!¡¯¡¯
They did not cheer. Instead they all knelt in front of her, one by one, moving aside and forming a path towards a distant shadow, a tall man who was the only one left standing. He did not move. Rey looked up at the sky and almost had a shock when she saw how many bright stars were able to be seen. It was breathtaking. Behind her was the path she came from with ruins left behind and in front of her, a new beginning.
Forward.
Her decision was final. She was going to leave behind the past and move towards a better future. As she walked forward towards the man from the shadows who¡¯s hood was hiding his face, her mind couldn¡¯t stop asking questions. I? And Empress? But I do not belong here. I should strike them all down, they are evil. But why don¡¯t I feel so? Why do I feel safe around them?
¡®¡¯We are not evil, Rey.¡¯¡¯ A woman¡¯s voice could be heard from the crowd. She was still kneeling, but looked up in Rey¡¯s eyes as she continued: ¡®¡¯We are same as you. We dedicated our lives towards wars that had the premise for a better future for the Galaxy. All of them were supposed to be the last one. We failed, but you are our last hope. The Galaxy does not need democracy! The Empire can bring wealth and order to it¡¯s people without them fearing of a corrupt system that lets on the loose criminals and bounty hunters for their own personal gains and conflicts! Now go ahead, child, and fulfill the Prophecy for we shall always be here to aid you in your Journey.¡¯¡¯
Rey continued walking ahead after the woman finished. She sensed the passion in every word that she spoke and there was no trail of deception. Maybe there were Sith who chose a different path, a midway indeed, maybe they were not all ruthless killers as she previously thought. As she got close to him, Rey finally saw who it was when he took off his hood.
¡®¡¯Kylo!¡¯¡¯ and ran towards him. But when she reached to hug him, she saw that he wasn¡¯t real. He wasn¡¯t really there. He wasn¡¯t tangible, he could not be touched and he did not look at her. He looked straight ahead, unaware of her being there right in front of him.
¡®¡¯He cannot see or sense you because that is only a Force representation of him. He is currently having his own trials right now but every decision taken in the first two will affect the third one. It will be a survival test. Be you fail it, you will be stuck in here forever between the world of the Living and the Dead, roaming for an eternity with no chance of escape.¡¯¡¯ The man who spoke was wearing a respirator and his face was filled with scars. He was old and terrifying and Rey was scared of his words.
¡®¡¯I have a question¡¡¯¡¯ she began, clearing her throat as she fought back tears. ¡®¡¯While I was on the path, before to reach this valley¡ I heard Kylo¡¯s voice screaming for my name. He seemed in pain, as if he were tortured. But I haven¡¯t sensed his presence and I know he isn¡¯t here. The screams suddenly stopped when I left that road and I came here, to you all. The moment I stepped on the grass of this land, they stopped. Why? What was the meaning behind all that?¡¯¡¯
The same man answered her. He seemed the oldest of them all, meaning he had a long life and a better knowledge of the Dark Side of the Force comparing to all of the other younger ones.
¡®¡¯The ruins were a representation of your past. Your suffering brought you fear. And Kylo¡¯s safety is what you fear the most. That¡¯s why you heard him screaming in agony. It wasn¡¯t even him, it was your own mind playing tricks on you. Although your loyalty and dedication to him and his cause can make you stronger, your feelings for him can make you weak if you do not keep them under control. Use the love you have for him as an ally and your trust in him as a guarantee for your success. You must give up on your idea of him ever redeeming and turning to the Light Side. Neither the Sith nor the Jedi are the answer for the future, but together they shall stand stronger in front of the real enemy of this Galaxy. He will soon reveal himself and you must be ready until then. You must promise that you will give up on the old ways and accept and follow the new. You must promise that you will obey Kylo Ren¡¯s every command and be he tells you to leave him behind, you do so. He is strong alone, but in order to ascend to the Throne, he needs you to complete him. You need each other¡¯s power.¡¯¡¯
Rey let out a tear drop on her right cheek as she looked up at what she first believed to be Kylo. She finally had a purpose with her life and she was going to pursue it.
¡®¡¯I promise.¡¯¡¯
The Second Trial - Part One
¡®¡¯In front of you lie the secrets of the Sith and the Jedi, your enemies and allies. Choose carefully your allegiance, for you will have to think in black and white, not gray. Tell me, traveler, are you ready to face your destiny?¡¯¡¯ The young Voss woman told Kylo while looking away from him. Both stood in front of an old temple in the middle of the desert. It didn¡¯t seem like a good idea for Kylo to continue. What did he even expect out of this madness? Could there be an escape even? He was afraid.
¡®¡¯I sense your fear, young man, but to go back it is no option.¡¯¡¯ The lady spoke calmly.
¡®¡¯What if I refuse to go in? What happens then? I need more answers, I can¡¯t continue in blind!¡¯¡¯ Kylo was mad. Mad at himself. And worried. Worried for Rey.
¡®¡¯If you refuse to go in, you will be stuck between the two worlds. There will be times when travelers like you will want to come inside and pass this trial. Some will succeed, some will not. Tell me, what do you know of the third test?¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Nothing. I know nothing¡¡¯¡¯ Kylo didn¡¯t think his strategies before, he just went in, in a rush to complete his training and find out what he really is destined for. Only now he saw his true colors. He was weak. Scared. Lonely.
¡®¡¯What makes you so afraid to continue off alone? Do you feel like something is stopping you? Like the Force is telling you not to go in yet?¡¯¡¯ The lady was genuinely worried for him. She had the ability to read his thoughts, but she preferred to have a normal conversation, make him feel at ease, or at least, to understand him. She¡¯s been a gate opener for many, but she never saw anyone to back down like the young man in front of her did.
¡®¡¯I¡¯m not a coward.¡¯¡¯ He spoke calmly after he took a seat on the stairs at the entrance of the temple. ¡®¡¯I came here by will to search up answers. But instead of doing it alone, I¡¯ve dragged the woman I have feelings for after me as well. And she is not here and it feels empty. I saw my parents earlier and I felt at peace. My uncle, Luke, told me there is an old prophecy that the Force forbids him to give off any details. He told me I will find my destiny on Korriban.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯But Korriban is a ruin. It¡¯s the ancient Sith world. You would not be able to handle even five minutes on that planet. The dark energies in there are so strong that you would go insane. Literally.¡¯¡¯ She spoke as she took a seat near him.
¡®¡¯What do you mean insane?¡¯¡¯ He looked at her suddenly.
¡®¡¯Us, Voss, call it the planet of hatred. Many ancient Sith Lords and Emperors are all buried there and their energies are as alive as they once were. All of the manuscripts lie there, in the temples, but not even the Jedi dared to go there after the unsuccessful delegations of the finest politicians and Jedi knights never came back. Some say they went insane and joined the dark side. Some say they became suicidal and took their own lives¡ Nobody knows the truth, but nobody dares to go find out either.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯How do you even know these things? How long have you been here as a gatekeeper for?¡¯¡¯ Asked Kylo after a long pause.
¡®¡¯Long enough, but by will. I was once alive as well, but I found out one day about this place like you did. I was so curious about it, fascinated by the unknown, that I came here too. I passed all 3 of the stages, but in the third one, I was given a choice. One of the options was to remain here as a gatekeeper. It was a gift of the Force that I have received. The other choice was to go back, but what awaited me would have been far too painful. So, I chose this. I am happy here. We may be in the middle of the desert, but I always meet new people that come here and some of them stay to talk to me as well. Sometimes it gets lonely, but I¡¯ve made a friend who has the ability to contact me from where she is. She is lonely too. She¡¯s got a tragic destiny as well, but she went back, thinking she can change it and whatever she saw behind this door, was just rubbish. Turns out it was not¡¡¯¡¯ The Voss lady was sad. She hadn¡¯t told this to anyone before. It felt good to be with someone, but she was afraid to get too attached to the idea of having company, because afterwards she would suffer again after he would leave.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
¡®¡¯Who is she?¡¯¡¯ Kylo¡¯s interest was rising out of nowhere.
¡®¡¯A victim of a prophecy. What prophecy you ask? I do not know and neither does she. Her parents kept her hidden from the other Sith Lords at that time, but the Emperor found out about her whereabouts. He wanted her dead because she was deemed as a threat to him and the Empire as we once knew it. Curious because she was not a Jedi, but a Sith herself and he could have recruited her instead. She trained in secret, her parents did everything they could for her to keep her away of prying eyes and deadly Secret Intelligence. One day, they taught her how to reach this realm as they hoped she would learn how to get out of the situation she was in. There was nothing else they could have done for her. She came here and that¡¯s how I met her. She was very kind and polite, but also sad. Both of us were lonely and both started sharing our life stories before she finally made up her courage to go in. Funny, because now when I think of it, she somehow reminds me of you. Very analytical mind, she wanted to know what awaited her and what her options were, but unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t give her the answers she was hoping for, simply because I did not have access to them. I wanted to help her, but I couldn¡¯t do more than be a moral support. She went in and after a long time that passed, she managed to get back out. She was livid and fell in my arms, crying, saying she saw horrible things happening in there and that she was scared, that she did not want them to happen. She had a choice, to stay here with me or go back, but her love for the family was stronger than her fear. She asked me to lead her to the next step and I did. Needless to say, she was not able to change her destiny as she wanted, and when she came back here to try again, no matter how many times we tried, we couldn¡¯t get to open this door. Not anymore.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯What is her name?¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯You seem awfully interested in knowing more details about her than your own mission you have to do. Why?¡¯¡¯ The lady was eyeing him cautiously this time.
In that moment, Kylo asked himself the same question. Why? Maybe because he was curious what that woman saw behind that door. Maybe he would have same choices as her. Maybe, maybe, maybe. These questions can be easily answered by the gatekeeper, yet, I am more interested in finding out who that woman is. Why was she a threat to the Empire? What the prophecy was? Would I find it on Korriban? Would she be an ally or an enemy? Would I need to destroy her or save her? How the hell do I even go on Korriban if I cannot handle the atmosphere? Luke, where are you sending me?!
¡®¡¯Your answers will not be here, but behind the closed door. Go in and find out. Maybe your destinies are intertwined. If they are not, DO NOT ask for her. A change of fate comes at great costs that are most of the time not worth it.¡¯¡¯ Her voice was not calm anymore
He remained silent. It was not how he imagined things would go like. If before he felt discouraged, now he felt different, complete, like the Force wanted him to find out this piece of information before going in. He got up and thanked her for the kindness and understanding she showed towards him then headed towards the door and put his hand on it. He was ready to go in.
¡®¡¯Her name is Sekvath.¡¯¡¯ The Voss told Kylo while the door was slowly opening to allow him access inside the temple. ¡®¡¯Be careful!¡¯¡¯ She added when she saw him turn around.
¡®¡¯I will be back.¡¯¡¯ He answered then disappeared in the darkness behind him.
¡®¡¯In front of you lie the secrets of the Sith and the Jedi, your enemies and allies. Choose carefully your allegiance, for you will have to think in black and white, not gray. Tell me, traveler, are you ready to face your destiny?¡¯¡¯ The young Voss woman told Rey, while analyzing her.
¡®¡¯Yes.¡¯¡¯ Answered Rey without any sign of hesitance.
¡®¡¯So shall it be. Put your hand on the door and it will open. Good luck.¡¯¡¯
Rey went in without looking back or answering. She was ready to face whatever the Force would throw at her. I can do it.
Outside the temple, the Voss lady watched the door slowly close back.
¡®¡¯It is done, my Lord.¡¯¡¯ She said then turned around and waited patiently.
The Second Trial - Part Two
The complete darkness around reminded her of the time she was in the cave, having multiple visions, and to that day, she was still not able to understand them all. Now it was just another test, another stone in her way that had to be moved aside. It was¡ tiring.
Rey stood still, waiting for something, anything to happen, yet there were no signs and no answers. Just the time that kept passing in what seemed to be an endless silence...
The air was humid and had a foul, heavy smell that made Kylo cover his nose with his left arm, while in the right one he had his lightsaber ready to struck anything that he would encounter. He was in a dark, luminescent cave, the stone walls were black, but the strange, blue substance scattered all over them was lighting his path ahead. He had a bad feeling about it so he gripped even more his weapon, making sure to be vigilant enough and not let fear overcome his mind. As he continued further, out of a sudden, he heard a whisper:
¡®¡¯Ben¡ my friend¡ come closer¡¡¯¡¯
His heart stood still as he heard that voice. No, it¡¯s not real, it cannot be.
Out of a sudden, the environment changed and he was brought in the middle of the field at night, surrounded by flames and destruction, back to his memory from years ago when he and the other Knights of Ren betrayed Luke and killed everyone else that chose not to follow the Dark Forces. In front of him stood Daenov, his old friend, kneeling and begging another version of himself, the real Ben, from his own memory. Begging to be killed by his own friend. Begging for it all to end with honor. Kylo tried for years and years to tone down the feelings of despair this memory gave him and now...
¡®¡¯Ben!¡¯¡¯ This time it was not a whisper anymore. ¡®¡¯Ben, snap out of it, we have no time!¡¯¡¯
The memory disappeared and Kylo was back in the cave, in front of him standing his own friend, Daenov, dressed in his old padawan clothes.
¡®¡¯I know when we bid farewell, it was not the most pleasant way, but understand it belongs to the past. Keeping yourself trapped in those memories will do no good to either of us. I can sense, from where I am, your grievance, and it pains me that the Force did not allow me until now to reveal myself to you, no matter how many times I asked. But now, I was given this one chance and I took it without hesitation. I came here to assist you in this test of fate and faith. I now know more about you than you do. Before we begin, I must tell you that you¡¯ve been blessed or cursed by the Universe to have to decide between two destinies. Your fear and hopelessness from before entering this trial and the conversation you¡¯ve had with the Voss were no coincidence. The prophecy she spoke about, the one involving the woman she told you about, involves you as well. You are given a chance to find your true-life path and live as you were supposed to. But keep in mind it comes at a great cost that you will find out later on. You can also choose to continue your life as it is now, aimless and always looking for something greater. This is the safe choice and it does not involve any risk; it will be a simple, normal life and you will not achieve the ultimate power you hope for. You will never seize the throne, instead, you will be able to lead a calm, peaceful life, along Rey as the Galaxy will move on from the old cult ideas of Jedi and Sith. Meanwhile, behind closed doors, far away from where we are now, a great menace is rising to power once more, but the time it will be revealed depends on your choice.¡¯¡¯
Kylo was in shock. Not only it was the first time his friend revealed to him since he died, but now he found out he can choose what life to live by. The turmoil he felt his entire existence, the events he had to assist and cause along the years, tired him to the core and many times he wished to just end it all. Too many deaths happened before his eyes and this whole throne-chasing position showed him just how not ready he was for such a great responsibility. Rey somehow seemed to accept him, but he was still unsure about how far she would go with her understanding. He liked her and needed someone to be by his side. He had hopes for accomplishing something together with her, but now he was told that no, she was only there to offer him the easy path. The one with no crucial responsibilities. Kylo planned many things to show her, teach her all he knew, explore and learn all what was to be known about the Force. He wanted to build a family.
¡®¡¯Ben.¡¯¡¯ Daenov grabbed him by his shoulder and squeezed him. ¡®¡¯Sekvath is your real soulmate. Not Rey. And I¡¯m really breaking the rules now because I¡¯m trying to influence you and I know I am not allowed, but I have to. I know you. I¡¯ve known you since the academy, we¡¯ve been best friends and I¡¯ve always had faith in you that you would be the one to end this madness. To end the evil. You were never meant for just a normal life. You cannot choose the first path and be with Rey because of her origins of which you will find out later on. Luke didn¡¯t want to train her from the beginning for a reason. She is not aware yet, and she will not be if you will choose to continue along her. But if not, you will see her true-self and why Luke tried to show her the grey path unlike any other padawan he had. Also, you will find out why Luke tried to kill you that night. Only after his own death he also found out the reason, but he is not allowed to speak anything of it. I was given a bit more freedom, but the information spill I¡¯ve gave you now will cause me trouble. Punishment. Still, Luke gave you one clue: Korriban.¡¯¡¯Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
¡®¡¯Korriban? I can¡¯t go there apparently. The Voss said so.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯He knew that already. Not with Rey. But with Sekvath, you can...¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Wait.¡¯¡¯ Kylo stopped him. ¡®¡¯He specifically said on Korriban that I will find my destiny and hers combined. And I¡¯m pretty sure he mentioned something of the Force wanting us there.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Ben, listen. And trust me if you want, if you don¡¯t, it¡¯s fine, your destiny at stake, not mine. But as a friend, I¡¯ll tell you one more time: He was not allowed to tell you what I am telling you now. He gave you hints along the lines. Your destinies combined doesn¡¯t mean you and her together as a couple. Are they related? Yes, but not in the way you¡¯re thinking. Be happy your uncle at least told you the truth, Rey got lied to straight in the face.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯What? What happened? Who lied to her?¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯The first trial was about what you desire the most. She went in as blind as you and what she desired the most was you. The ¡®¡¯fun¡¯¡¯ thing is, while you were surrounded by Jedi, your family and others as well, she was by the Sith. Jedi¡¯s don¡¯t usually conceal the truth to a great extent, they can lie, but can also drop hints here and there like your uncle. But Sith? They have a cult around deceit and they prey off of your feelings. Sith as a religion, is not bad, only the people that practice it are. Majority of them are just power-hungry maniacs who think of themselves as gods.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Thank you for the philosophy lessons, not tell me what the hell was Rey lied about?¡¯¡¯ Kylo started to lose his patience. He wanted to find out the answer because he had to take a decision.
¡®¡¯They told her she will ascend to the Throne together with you. A lie. They work for this Galaxy¡¯s greatest enemy and the only way of stopping Sekvath from appearing in the picture and destroy their plans is if Rey remains unaware of all of these and you choose to continue your life with her. If you wouldn¡¯t have listened to your instinct and wait before entering this trial, you wouldn¡¯t have a choice now.¡¯¡¯
Kylo remained silent. It was a tough choice to make, torn between peace and war. Luke and Daenov were the only ones he would ever fully trust. But deep down, no matter how much he earned for a quiet life, he never saw himself in one. Always envisioning myself in what I could have been, what I could have become¡ now that¡¯s pain. I trust the Force this time. Sekvath¡ Her name is Sekvath¡¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Who is this?¡¯¡¯ a woman¡¯s voice reverberated through the dark, cold room. This startled both, Daenov and Kylo, but Daenov spoke first:
¡®¡¯Did you call her name in your mind?¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Yes, a few moments ago¡ What¡¯s happening?¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯This is fascinating.¡¯¡¯ Daenov couldn¡¯t contain his surprise. ¡®¡¯Your minds linked just by calling her name. This means you can call her down here if you choose the path with her. But be careful, she doesn¡¯t know who or what your purpose is and she¡¯s not as friendly from what I¡¯ve heard. Approach her with caution. Don¡¯t go at her with Hi, I¡¯m your future husband, nice to meet you or she will pierce your heart with her lightsaber before you get to take in your next breath.¡¯¡¯
Kylo chuckled at his words, it was a ridiculous idea that he¡¯d never act upon on anyway. ¡®¡¯Am I really that bad with women?¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Weren¡¯t you the one that told Rey she¡¯s nothing? Before you told her to join you?¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯Best I could, given the circumstances.¡¯¡¯ Kylo brushed him off quickly, he tried to forget how stupid he was at several points in his life and that was one of them. ¡®¡¯When do we start? We¡¯ve only been talking. I don¡¯t want to spend an eternity here.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯When you¡¯re ready. Just choose your path.¡¯¡¯
I was never meant for small, insignificant life choices.
¡®¡¯My path, the one with Sekvath in it.¡¯¡¯ Kylo spoke in the end and a portal appeared in front of them.
The darkness around Rey dissipated slowly after what seemed to be an eternity, leaving her in the middle of a forest, on a winter night and snowing. She¡¯s been there before. It was the same forest she had her first battle with Kylo, the first time she wounded him. It was peaceful. It seemed as if there was no one hiding in the woods. But she was wrong. Behind her, a sudden sound of a lightsaber turning on, made her turn around and jump backwards. It was Kylo. The Kylo she fought years ago. She reached for her own weapon, but she soon realized she had none. She was defenseless.
¡®¡¯Kylo. It¡¯s me. Rey. I don¡¯t want to hurt you. And I don¡¯t want to fight you.¡¯¡¯ Rey spoke as she retreated backwards.
¡®¡¯I know who you are.¡¯¡¯ His words were cold, like the frozen wind that surrounded them. The further she went from him, the closer he was approaching her. His moves were refined and his face betrayed no emotion. ¡®¡¯Are you sure you don¡¯t want to fight me? Even after what I am about to tell you?¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯What do you have to tell me? You¡¯re not the real one.¡¯¡¯ Rey stopped against a tree. It was pointless to keep going backwards. She had to stand her ground.
¡®¡¯True, I am a Force representation of him. But he had to make a choice. He had to choose between you and another woman.¡¯¡¯ Kylo revealed a sly smile as he saw her face turn red from fury.
¡®¡¯There is no other woman!¡¯¡¯ she yelled at him.
¡®¡¯Oh, but there is. And he did not choose you. Even funnier is, he didn¡¯t even know her prior to this trial. Yet, you were less significant for him than a stranger. Don¡¯t believe me? See for yourself.¡¯¡¯ Kylo made a hand gesture and a portal mirror opened. In there, she saw Daenov, she recognized him from the visions she had before, talking to the real Kylo. At first, the words were unintelligible, but after paying close attention she heard:
¡®¡¯Best I could, given the circumstances.¡¯¡¯ Kylo brushed him off quickly. ¡®¡¯When do we start? We¡¯ve only been talking. I don¡¯t want to spend an eternity here.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯When you¡¯re ready. Just choose your path.¡¯¡¯
¡®¡¯My path, the one with Sekvath in it.¡¯¡¯ Kylo spoke in the end.