Author's Note: This is it, everyone. The final chapter.
Ben Solo ran into a big empty, dark hallway with rows of lights across the ceiling. With both his hands grabbing onto his blue lightsaber, he stood with his saber facing forward. Reina and Asula Jeina Ren caught up with Asula pointing each of her vibroblades to her side while Reina's double-sided lightsaber held at the side of her left hip.
Ben Solo waited in stillness, taking slow deep breathes to calm himself as he looked at Reina and Asula, gazing upon him. Without any more hesitation, both Reina and Asula charged at Ben Solo. Reina attacked from the left while Asula attacked from the right. Ben Solo through his quick reflexes dodged every blow as he moved around in big circles around his two opponents. Reina jump attacked Ben Solo with a stabbing motion of her double-sided lightsaber, but missed. Next, Jeina threw her blade at Ben only for him to lean back, allow the vibroblade flew past him. Jeina with only one blade left on her hand continued to slash and slash again just before going for a charge into Ben's stomach. Ben jumped high and did a forward flip over the charging Jeina.
"Stop running around, Kylo Ren! You're behaving like a cowardly animal!" cried Jeina as she walked over to pick up her thrown vibroblade that went into a wall.
"I am animal, a creature of the Force. There is passion, yet peace. There is serenity, yet emotion. There is chaos, yet order," Ben chanted a portion of a new Jedi code found in the manual of Caterous Endo.
Ben repeated again annoying both Asula and Reina Ren. Asula and Reina attacked again only for Ben to keep dodging, parrying, and deflecting every move thrown at him.
"He's never like this before, Reina. You said he taught you everything?" Asula asked.
Reina wasn't so sure of herself either as this something new to her as well. She never seen Ben Solo acted this way before. But, what Asula and Reina realized was that Ben's trying an age-ole tactic that the Mandalorians used to hunt big prey. Tire them out and you ensure the kill. Ben Solo is not interested in killing both Asula Jeina Ren and Reina Ren. Ben only wished to redeem them both for he sees himself in both Asula and Reina and became guilty what he had down to them. Ben and the two female Knights of Ren grew up without parents and lived a life of abandonment.
The only difference was that when Ben was Kylo Ren in forming the Knights of Ren, he was ordered by Snoke to only serve as a surrogate brother to all recruits joining their order. At the time of Jeina's rescue at Coruscant, Ben only saw Jeina as a surrogate sister and removed any sort of sentiment and attachment to Jeina. Hence, explaining why Jeina called Kylo Ren, her brother. Furthermore, since Jeina had a brother who died before her recruitment, it made Ben to easily become the brother Jeina ever had. This allowed Kylo to fully indoctrinated Jeina to the dark side and she has never turned back since. Kylo's training of Jeina made her feel stronger than before and desired more of Kylo's knowledge of the force.
Jeina had no apparent interest in liking Ben as a significant other. She can't really trust anyone to fall in love with her since people who had loved her took it away, esp. Asula's selfish mother who never cared for her children. However, this lack of trust made Asula distant of Kylo as she felt Kylo was hiding the most priceless teachings to his best students. Kylo became aware of this and in so doing, Kylo was absent during much Jeina's training and Kylo appointed Malliek and Smud to her substitute teacher while he went on missions. Kylo did this in order to ensure complete loyalty and reverence to him and to Supreme Leader Snoke.
For Rey, now Reina Ren, on the other hand, that was a different matter. Ben saw Reina as someone of his type, his equal. They were both the only child in their families and at the point where he met Rey…he was already tired of serving the First Order and the Knights of Ren. He was also desperate to find someone to aid him in his quest to destroy Snoke and gather any knowledge from him on balancing the Force.
There was even an unusual attraction between Rey and Ben. Ben felt through the Force that it would be Rey who's already strong and new to the Force to be molded in his image as a perfect agent into to defeat Snoke in case he failed. However, one disaster led to another as Rey fell to the dark side and Ben had enough. He's done. He can't keep with his guilt. With his sense of compassion for both Asula Jeina Ren and Reina Ren…he's going to throw every trick in the book to redeem both of them.
Asula and Reina grew even more tired and even more frustrated on Ben's tricks. Asula shouted, "What are you doing, brother Ren? Are you going to kill us? Throw us into some sort of trap? What is it? Why are you not fighting us? You're always avoiding us."
"I have no desired to hurt both of you. I want both of you to see a different path way to the Force. Not the one you've been indoctrinated on," Ben explained.
"Redemption, isn't it? Ben Solo…" Reina cried foul at Ben's actions, "What makes you think we can be redeemed to the light? You should be the one redeeming to the darkness."
"Look around you, the Foundry is falling apart. Many of First Order are already dead…" Ben replied as tremor in the Force roared like an echo, signaling a demise. A loud scream roared into the minds of Ben, Asula, and Reina.
"No! Supreme Leader Snoke!" Jeina cried as Reina heard it too.
Due to the lack of any close contact with Snoke, Snoke was just an afterthought for Reina. Reina felt no emotion towards Snoke for she herself spent most of her time being closed to her mother, Lady Ren.
Then, Ben offered an ultimatum, "Snoke's dead. It's just us now. If you value your lives, then join me. I will show you the true way to the Force. Snoke showed only one way that's predominantly the dark side allowing light to be used as a tool. The Jedi have shown another way, but neglects the benefits of the darkness. I know a path that one can have the best of both words. A true balance between Dark and Light."
"Traitor! You and your traitorous thoughts! This was always your aim all the long. Lady Ren told me that was your mission. To destroy us, so you and your Jedi scum will have all the power of the dark side for yourselves, allowing all of us to be under the Jedi's influence."
"We will not follow the ways of the Jedi. Such titles may no longer be needed if we need a new identity. A new calling to be inclusive to all," Ben explained.
"What's so inclusive about it? As long there are stars, as long there is life, there will always be conflict. And only the darkness sets us free. The light has limitations. You taught me this after you rescue me from the hell I was living in. You taught this same knowledge to the others and look at you…is this how you treat your fellow Ren Knights by putting us to death for your own devices?!"
"I'm so sorry, Asula. I'm sorry for all the lies, the deceit, and what I have done to you. I have to fall completely to the dark side and done everything I could to do to defeat Snoke. So more lives can be saved including both you. You see…it's not too late to end this. Come with me. We can leave this place in peace."
"Never!" Asula Jeina Ren threw her vibroblade at Ben Solo. Ben Solo deflected with his saber as Jeina struck at him with her other blade. Jeina then threw some powder into Ben's eyes, irritating them. Then, she slit her blade into the opening between Ben's gauntlet and his wrist. Ben yelled as he dropped his blue lightsaber onto the ground. Ben was then shoved to the grown. Blood continued to pour of his wrists as Ben adjust the gauntlet's position in order to apply pressure on his wound.
Ben wiped his eyes to clear his vision and saw Jeina on top of him.
Jeina already kicked Ben's saber away. She dropped her vibroblade and took out her own red lightsaber. She ignited it and said, "You betrayed me brother. Just like how you betrayed our brothers, Niles, Kovu, Kozu, Smud, Malliek and those you've slain. Now…this is where you die."
Then, Reina seeing what Jeina was doing, ran behind Jeina and lodged her lightsaber into Jeina's back and out of Jeina's chest. Jeina screamed, asking Reina, "What have you done, Reina? Have your feelings for Kylo conspire you to betray your fellow sister of Ren?"
Reina answered, "You never listen, Jeina. I told you I wanted him alive as Kylo Ren. By placing your own vendetta before the interests of mine and the entire Knights of Ren… I sentence you to death."
Reina shoved more of her lightsaber into Jeina before dropping her dead on the floor. Reina deactivated her lightsaber offered Ben her hand. Ben was confused and thought, What's going on? Is she redeemed?
Ben grabbed Reina's hand and got up on his feet. Ben, then, wiped off the dust and filth on his clothing and body before feeling a sharp push to the wall behind him. Ben was shocked and felt stupid that he should've seen this coming.
"I got you now, Kylo Ren," Reina said as her double-sided lightsaber went straight at Ben's shoulder, pinning him to the wall.
Reina went up close to Ben and said, "What is it now, Kylo? Will you join the dark side of the force or I will?
Ben Solo, feeling pain, glanced at Reina with an unusual air of confidence and laughed at her.
"What's so funny, Kylo?" asked Reina as she channeled more of her anger and dark energies into her lightsaber as she attempted more of her dark energies to convert Ben Solo to the dark.
"Reina, you have learned so much from me. But, there is one thing you never learned before," Ben said.
"What's that?"
"Something I've read from a book from the Knights of Mandalore. An ability to manipulate and…" Ben then pressed his hands on Reina's shoulders, "…drain the force to my will!"
"Ahhhh," Reina screamed. Her lightsaber dropped on the floor, deactivated, as black smoke and streams of blue lightning, escaped from Reina's body.
Ben's eyes turned all white, then all black, then all red, and then all blue, as more of the dark energies inside Reina left her body. This is something Caterous End taught him earlier.
"But ,since you are able to bend the dark and light to your will, then there is something I must teach you. There is an ability that that involves having our own bodies to be the container to draw out, to drain, and absorb the dark side of the force."
"This is what I tried to do in saving my wife when she fell to the dark side. My first son was with me in getting her back. However, it failed. My son died in trying to restrain her, making me I realized that the dark side was more powerful than I thought. Due to my lack of understanding on the dark side, I extracted too much of my wife's dark side, killing her in the process. You see Ben…the darkness takes. It takes. It takes. It keeps on taking anyone who has submitted to the dark side. The darkness latches itself onto life force in all beings that once its remove, the Force user dies. That's why since part of you already has the dark side in you… you can control this ability to save Rey."
By remembering this, Ben absorbed and drained much of the darkness out of Reina, allowing enough for the light to come through. To finish this, Kylo went into Reina's mind, finding the Rey that's trapped there.
Going through the various corridors of Reina's mind, Ben found the real Rey is sitting down. The floor beneath her and the dark walls of her prison cell began to shake and crumble. Series of holes pierced through the walls, allowing the light to come through. Rey stood up and the doorway to her cell was opened. Rey saw Ben Solo.
"Ben!?" she cried.
"Rey, come with me. I am weakening Reina's grasp for you to escape and retain control over your mind," Ben said, letting out his hand as a gesture to have Rey come with him.
Rey ran towards Ben and hugged him, "Ben!"
Rey kissed Ben and ran out of the cell with him. Once they stepped out of there, they saw an elaborate labyrinth world of madness. There's stairways upside down and downside up with clocks and mirrors floating around. Rey and Ben both thought these could just be symbols of the chaos and order being thrown to and thro of Reina's control of Rey's mind.
Ben and Rey climbed up these stairs trying to get to the light above. Then, Reina who's also nearby saw them and fired lightning at them. Ben and Rey saw it coming and dodged Reina's attack.
"You're not going to allow her to take control!" Reina yelled.
"Who said it's we?!" Ben Solo cried back as throw a kinetic force blast and knocked Reina off
Ben and Rey were getting closed to the light above, but were stopped by Reina's sudden appearance.
"You're not going anywhere, Kylo Ren. Why do you choose her over me? We could have everything!" Reina cried.
"I don't want everything! I only want Rey. She brought me hope when I needed and that's what I do for her."
"So, be it…Ren!" Reina yelled and force pushed Ben off the stairway. Ben tried to deflect it, but it was too strong as he tumbled to the depths below.
Rey ran over the edge and looked down and screamed "Ben!"
In the real world, Ben began to feel weak as Reina slowly usurped her control over Rey's body. Ben ached, "Argh! I won't be defeated!"
"That's what you think, Kylo Ren," said Reina as she used the Force to drain away his life force.
Then, back inside Rey/Reina's mind, Rey standing on the stairway, turned around and stared at Reina. "I won't have you dictate my actions. Now, I understand why you can't even kill me. I am the light, you are my darkness. We are two sides of the same coin. One can't live one without the other. That's why you locked me away because if I die, you die and if you die, I die as well."
"That is true, dear Rey and what are you going to do about it?"
"This."
Reina shot lighting at her, but Rey knocked her off the stairway and fell with her into the deep abyss below. Rey began to feel more control of her environment as the world began to change around. The darkness that kept Reina strong was leaving, allowing the light side to come through.
Rey thought of one place where she can fight Reina. It was the very place where she and Ben had dreamed of. It was the island in a big sea. Soon, Rey and Reina landed on the sandy beach. Ben Solo was nearby as well as he opened his eyes to witness what's happening.
Reina regained control and stood up. She couldn't believe what she's seeing, "A beautiful island this is. The same…"
"Island where Ben and I reconciled and it will be here where we do ours," Rey said as she ran towards Reina and grappled her.
"That's it Rey. That's it. You and Reina must become one."
Rey locked Reina's arms around Reina's shoulder as her eyes changed color. The powers of the light in Rey and the darkness in Reina began to merge.
"What are you doing? No…you can't do this! Ahhhhh!" Reina screamed in agony.
"We…are… one!"
A bright light like that of a supernova exploded, creating a shockwave, pushing everything away. Ben was right by and stood as he braced for impact.
Then, stood not two, but one…one that is now a new incarnation of both Rey and Reina. The auras of both dark and light emanated around her. Rey is now in balance, both sides of herself, the dark and light are now one. Ben was mesmerized by this his phenomenon that not only he brought Rey back to the Light, she brought Rey back as a new form of herself.
Then in the real waking world, a bright explosion of the force came out Ben and Rey. Once Ben and Rey regained their focus back to reality, Ben and Rey kneeled down to each other for a hug. The dark and the light in their hearts became one.
Rey, never felt this before, she felt a new sense of peace coming into her. She felt as she's at balance.
Rey, took several deep breathes, as this flow of energies flow throughout her body. A new power that's not yet strong, but will remain with her.
Ben looked at Rey and said calmly, "Rey."
"Ben," Rey replied with nothing much else to say and hugged him.
Ben looked around and heard noises of the battles in and around the Foundry. He then looked straight ahead and grew alarmed at the presence of the very person that took his Rey away, Lady Ren. Lady Ren stood, battered, bruised, and pieces of her battle dress torn from her fight with Caterous Endo.
"What have you done, valiant knight?" Lady Ren shouted, "What have you done to my daughter?"
"She's no more. Reina no longer exists. Your little Reina, Anna, Kira is gone. She's dead. No, redeemed. Reina and Rey are now one. There's always light and darkness in each of us, but it's up to our choosing to control the Force and not let the Force control us. The same can happened to you if we just end this now," Ben Solo explained.
"No, never! This can't be! This is not what I wanted! This is an outrage! How dare you Kylo Ren! Redeemed, nonsense! My daughter… you killed her…the same way your grandfather did to my mother!"
Lady Ren, let a strong force push of dark energy, knocking Rey and Ben back. Ben and Rey were nearly paralyzing by be blast as they struggled to move. Lady Ren ignited her red lightsaber in one hand and ran towards to kill Ben Solo.
Ben still couldn't move as he tried to use Force Healing to regain control of his body. Ben soon watched the beginnings of his demise as Lady Ren came close to ending him. But, then…another lightsaber ignited and went into Lady Ren's heart. It was Rey.
Rey picked up Ben's blue lightsaber, the same one that Anakin, Luke, her grandfather Obi-Wan Kenobi used in combat. Just like how Kylo Ren's crossguard saber went through his father's chest, the same went for Rey as she stood there, seeing the blue energy of death inside her mother.
"I'm sorry, mother," Rey said, as tears dropped from her eyes.
Lady Ren understood her daughter's pain and placed her right hand her daughter's cheek. Lady Ren's thumb brushed away her daughter's tear, touching a side of the face the same way the dying Han Solo did to his son at Starkiller base.
Then, Lady Ren said, "It's okay, sweetheart. I understand. It's what I taught you…life must be taken if one wants true power."
Lady Ren slowly placed her right hand onto Rey's chest. Ben looked at Lady Ren's hand and knew what she was doing. He remembered that the Knights of Mandalore's greatest weapon is cunning and deceit. Ben tried to yell Rey to get away, but it was too late. A metallic killing instrument was released and entered Rey's heart.
Rey's eyes grew big in astonishment of her mother's actions as she saw her mother's wrist blade penetrating inside her. Then, Rey remembered what she said when she first met her mother at the castle on Malcord V, If you were my mother, why are you doing this? We mothers do what we think is best for our children. And that included a mother's punishment to their child for betraying the dark side. Death through the heart.
Lady Ren pushed Rey away as both of their blades left each other's body. Rey fell off a ledge while Lady Ren collapsed to her death.
"No!" Ben Solo screamed. He mustered enough strength to get up and ran over to the ledge. He prepared to do a jump, but was stopped when he heard Rey's body crashing on floor below. Rey laid there with her arms stretched out and legs together, creating the appearance of a cross on the ground.
"Rey!" Ben cried. He made his force jump and landed on the bottom floor. Ben ran towards Rey's body. His left arm raised up Rey's shoulders while his right hand grabbed a piece of Ben's jacket to wipe off of the blood on Rey's face.
Ben placed his right hand on Rey's wound and channeled the light side to heal her. Rey slowly made her way to consciousness as her eyes slowly opened to see Ben.
"Ben…" Rey said weakly.
"Rey, it's okay. I'm here. Don't worry. I'll get you out. Just stay with me," Ben said frantically as he tried harder and harder to seal the wound inside Rey's bleeding heart.
"Ben…it's too late. Just save yourself. Leave…me," Rey as she coughed a bit of blood from her mouth.
"No, Rey! Don't you say that! I'm not leaving you."
"I know. Ben. But, there's nothing you can do now. That blade my mother used is no ordinary blade."
Ben was shocked at this revelation. Bearing the news, Ben kept focusing on his energies to keep Rey alive in the hopes that the life-threatening wound could be healed.
"It's a poisonous blade meant to stop a heart cold. Not even your force powers could heal me. It only delays the inevitable. That's why…you must leave me, Ben. This is where I belong. This is where I am from. I am the child of the darkness while you were of the light. This is where family is and this is where I die."
"No! I need you, Rey! I need you! It does not matter who you are or where you are from. You're my world now. You're my family now, with Finn, Poe, Jessika, and the resistance. We all need you. I need you. We're supposed to have a life together after war. I want to live the rest of my life with you. Please…just stay with me, Rey. Just stay with me!"
Rey looked up at Ben's crying eyes as she lifted up her right hand on Ben's face. Ben's right hand grasped hers as he looked down at her, pleading her to not give up.
"Ben, I know how much you want me to live. But, you have to let me go. It's like the murals that we saw at the caves on Malcord V. Like the one about the Legend of the Two. The two who kept meeting each other again and again with no memories of the past only to die at each other's arms. I guess that legend is about us, Ben. The legend is true. When I was in the meditation sphere, I saw worlds across different point in history and I saw us in those moments living and dying each time we meet. If there is a next life after this, we will see each other again."
"No, what we saw was only a legend, a myth, a fairy tale. The dark side you were harnessing in the sphere can make you see things you wish to see."
"But, there is a bit of truth in legends, Ben. It's like the whole time…the Force wanted us to be together in order to balance this never-ending conflict between dark and light. Now that balance would be complete as the darkness falls and the light of hope reigns anew in the galaxy."
"No, Rey! Please don't say that. Balance in the force lies in each of us. No one has to die to restore balance. Please Rey. Please…stay with me…stay with me."
Rey, at the last ounce of her life, used much of her strength to give one final gesture to the man she loves. She gave her last to kiss to Ben, a longest kiss that they would ever have. Rey used her left arm to wrap around Ben's neck to hold up to kiss Ben. Rey let go of their last kiss as she closed her eyes and made her last breath. Her hands finally fell to the ground.
Ben's tears rained as he hugged close to Rey, crying in disbelief. "No, no, no, no! Rey! Rey! REY!"
Ben continued to sob as he blamed himself for not being as strong as he should be. Everything is my fault. Everything is my fault. It's like in the dreams, the visions, this is how Rey would die, not by own hands, but by the dark side itself. Why can't I be strong as my grandfather? Strong enough to prevent death.
Then, a small voice whispered in the background: Ben…Ben…Ben.
"Who's there?" Ben cried, still holding Rey in his arms.
"You can still save her, Ben."
"Who's there? Who are you? Who's talking to me? Answer me!"
"You don't recognize me, grandson."
A blue ghost appeared before Ben Solo. Ben did not recognize his face at first, but felt through the Force it was him. It was his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker. It was not same Anakin Skywalker as before in the holodvids that Ben had seen as a child.
It was slightly older, a man in his 50s, with a beard and mustache on his face. Surprisingly enough, Anakin Skywalker sort of resembled Ben Kenobi, Rey's grandfather.
"Grandfather…it's you. But why haven't you responded to me this whole time?" Ben asked.
"He always has, Ben Solo. But, not in the way you think he should," another Force ghost appeared. It was Obi-Wan Kenobi, or Ben Kenobi, Ben's namesake.
"Obi-Wan…" Ben said, startled as he looked back and forth between two older men, wearing their traditional Jedi robes and similar appearances like they've been brothers the whole time.
"Hello Ben," Obi-Wan said as he kneeled to touch the face of his granddaughter. Obi-Wan stood up and sighed, wearing in the shame what he has done to both his own daughter, Ianna Kenobi now known as Lady Ren, and now his grandchild, 'Anna' Kenobi, Rey's real name.
"Your grandfather has always been on your side. In fact, we were. Every time you felt a pull to the light. That was us, telling you where your place should be, leading up to you to act upon them and grow from that experience to become a good man," Obi-Wan said as he continued to explain.
"But, I'm so sorry. I'm so ashamed for what happened to Rey. I never knew that my own descendants would be this way. Falling to the dark side, they have," Obi-Wan said placing his left hand to cover the left side of his face.
"It's okay, Obi-Wan. I feel your pain, but at least there is a chance to make amends."
"What do you mean, Grandfather?" Ben asked.
"It's something you have already down, grandson. There's something that's been connecting you both since the first day you met."
Then, Ben remembered, "The Force Bond."
"That's right, Ben Solo. There's a trace of it left inside her to be solidified once more."
"But, I don't know how. I mean…I felt like as if it was her that that bonded with me. Not the other way around."
"That is true, my grandson. But, no matter the case, the connection is still there and it can be used to bring her back. You just got to believe, grandson. You already entered her mind before, the same way she did with you."
That was the key on how the bond was created in the first place. Ben knew what to do. He quickly placed Rey's lifeless body down. He then put his left hand on Rey's head and his right hand over the wounded heart. Ben closed his eyes and adjusted his Force draining technique to transfer a piece of his life force into Rey. Ben guessed that by doing this way would reduce his life expectancy. But, it doesn't matter to him. Ben would rather live any portion of his of life with Rey instead of living a long life without her.
Ben felt a pull in the force, locking himself to Rey. Ben felt his mind was being transported to what is left of Rey's bleeding conscious. Ben reached inside Rey's psyche and saw himself materialized inside a dark room. Not the dark room that Rey was imprisoned in, but a room holding an altar of shining light beaming out into the void. As if it was a funeral procession, Ben walked over to the altar and bend down on his knees. He pressed his two hands together like a prayer and focused his chants of will to resurrect a fallen love one. Then, darkness in the room was replaced with light, but changing the room from of that dark to that of grey.
Then, Ben stood up and saw the beautiful Rey, wearing a white gown, waking up and seeing his face. Rey sat up and looked into Ben's eyes. Ben and Rey in that very moment hugged each other as Ben lifted her up off the altar and carried her through a bright rectangular door. Upon exiting that door, Ben finally awoke from that trance like state and saw Rey, opening her eyes for the first time. The blood stains were gone and the wound in Rey's heart was healed. Rey finally sat up in shock and in exasperation that she's alive.
"What happened?" Rey asked and then turned her attention to two tall, ghostly men.
"Hello Rey," Obi-wan and Anakin said the same time.
Rey stood up and walked over, cautiously towards her grandfather.
"Grandfather?" Rey asked.
"Yes, my granddaughter. It's I. Obi-Wan Kenobi, your grandfather," Obi-Wan replied.
Then, Rey ran towards her grandfather and hugged him, shedding tears of regret in her eyes. "I'm sorry, grandfather that I couldn't save your daughter. She was always in pain, always in sadness, always thinking about her own mother…"
"Sabe, I know. Her mother. My wife," Obi-Wan replied.
Anakin walked over and said, "And for that I'm sorry as well. For it was I, when I was Darth Vader, who took her mother away. I may never forgive myself for what I have done not knowing it would result into this conflict between our families."
Ben Solo stood up and walked over to his grandfather and said, "But, grandfather. The conflict is over as I see people coming."
Anakin and Obi-Wan turned around and saw Luke, Leia, Finn, Poe, and a battalion of Resistance fighters, Republic troops, and Mandalorian Knights running towards them.
"Ben, are you all right? I felt a disturbance in the Force…Father!? Uncle Ben!?" Luke said, as he saw for the two men in their bluish ghost-like appearance looking t him.
"Rey!? Ben!?" Finn and Poe shouted as they ran towards them, hugging them that they're all right.
Luke, Leia, and the Commander and Master of the Knights of Mandalore, Caterous Endo walked towards Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.
"Master Kenobi…it's you. I can't believe my eyes," Caterous said as he held to shake the hands of the legendary Jedi Warrior he looked up to.
"And you are?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Caterous Endo, close friend of your daughter and the Kryze family," Caterous replied.
"Kryze family, you mean?"
"There are members of Satine's family that could still be out there alive, waiting to be found."
Caterous turned his attention to Rey, the granddaughter of a Kenobi and a Kryze. Caterous walked over to her presumed for the worse as he asked, "Anna…I mean Rey…She's…gone?"
Rey turned around and nodded back in sadness, confirming what Caterous has presumed.
"As it so," Caterous responded.
The rest of the Mandalorian Knights, Resistance soldiers, Republic troopers inspected the facility to scan for any survivors or the wounded as the Foundry became secured. First Order soldiers were held for interrogation and sentencing in the court of law.
With much knowledge obtained from the Foundry's archives, it is presumed that Captain Phasma along with other First Order Commanders and Generals escaped to a distant part of the galaxy. With the death of Snoke and the capturing of the Foundry, a major victory over the First Order is secured, but there's much work to be done in order to ensure complete peace in the galaxy.
"Father," Leia said.
"Hello, my daughter. It's been a long time. I am sorry what happened to your husband, Han. I know there's much to make up to you esp. the bad blood between us. But, I think for now a celebration is in order for them, for Ben, Rey, and their friends."
Leia nodded in agreement as she saw Luke walking forward to his father, "Father, at last we meet in person."
"I know, son as one old man to another," Anakin said, scuffing a part of his beard.
"You don't look too shabby yourself, father. You look like Uncle Ben."
"Well, a lot of things I got came from Ben Kenobi even after death. For that, I'm very proud you and you too my daughter. I know much had happened before I came. But, every time I look at them, my grandson and Obi-Wan's granddaughter, I felt that finally our families are reunited and no more should there be any bloodshed between us."
Caterous walked up with his line of troops to carry back down body of Obi-Wan's daughter, Inanna Sabe Ishtari Satine Kenobi Kryze, code name Ianna 1515, also known as Lady Ren. They placed her on a Mandalorian stretcher and placed a blanket to cover her body. The Knights of Mandalore carried her body away to a nearby shuttle.
Caterous walked up to Obi-Wan and told him, "Master Kenobi, within the Knights of Mandalore, in order to ensure safe passage of the fallen to the light side of the force, we will hold a special funeral pyre for your daughter, so she may find peace with those who already with the force."
"Thank you, Caterous, you have done very much since the last time I came to Mandalore," said Obi-Wan.
Caterous nodded and walked away with the rest of his troops.
In the aftermath of the Battle of the Foundry, special Republic engineers came over to dismantle the Foundry and repurposed pieces of it to strengthen the Republic military. No more shall the Republic stand idle as the forces of the dark side or anyone else waited for their time to strike. As long there are stars and life, there is always be war in the galaxy.
Several hours later…
At the funeral pyre, Caterous Endo spoken both in Basic and in Mando'an in front of a crowd of those who have known and met Obi-Wan's daughter. Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker in their ghost form were in attendance as the great fires burned away Ianna Kenobi's lifeless body while Caterous made his rounds and rounds of incantations to open the way for Ianna to rejoin the light side of the Force. Once the funeral ended, Ianna's ashes were placed inside an urn and transported to a special planet that has a strong presence of the light side of the force. It was there that Ianna's ashes were to be poured onto a vast ocean that's been used many times to pour the ashes of other fallen members of the Knights of Mandalore.
On Planet Poseidese…
On top of a towering platform, stood Rey who's carrying the urn of her mother's ashes. Also, standing next to her was Ben Solo who accompanied her. Rey walked over to the edge and opened the top cover of the urn. Rey cried a little as she slowly placed the cover on top of a nearby table.
"I love you, mother," Rey sobbed, "I hope you'll find with peace with those with the Force. I hope you'll see my grandmother there, waiting for you."
Rey hesitated for a moment feeling the overwhelming feeling of letting to the only person who was alive in her family. Ben walked over, telling her it's okay as Rey finally poured the ashes to the waters of the deep blue sea. Rey then returned to the table to put the cover back on and walked over a shuttle for their return trip home.
Few days later…
Rey and Ben were given permission to have a ten-day R&R for themselves. They took the falcon and landed on an island planet, the same planet that Ben dreamt before. After settling down, Ben opened up his datapad and received a holo-message from his mother:
Dear Ben,
I know much has happened between us throughout these years. Sending you away, knowing you were haunted by Snoke, and now you're back with the woman of your life. I just want to say how much I am proud of you and what you have done not only for your family, but for the entire galaxy. I hope you take good care of Rey. She's been through a lot as much as you are. You two are more alike than I realized. I find it funny after talking with your grandfather that you two are like near mirror image of your grandparents. In the beginning never getting along and now here you are…a Kenobi and Skywalker together at last. If you wish to marry her, then please do so for she is much as a family to us as we are to her. Take good care, son.
From,
Mom
Ben closed his holopad as he heard Rey coming towards him.
"I never knew this was a real place, Ben," Rey said.
"It always been. It's one of my favorite spots when my father and I first came here as a place to rest," Ben said.
Ben and Rey sat at the island beach with a bonfire behind them. There's a nearby hut that they stayed from time to time to mediate, to relax, to discuss, and to rest together. Ben stood by the ocean waves, washing his feat. He took out a capsule of his medications and looked at it. Ben felt better, his psychological situation has improved since Rey's back in his life. The tensions in his chest, wondering thoughts, and anxiety lessoned. But, the trauma of the entire war still haunts him from time to time.
"What's that Ben?" Rey asked.
"Meds. I had these when you were gone to the dark side. I was in…a lot of pain, thinking about you all the time and how much I missed you," Ben replied.
"I'm so sorry, Ben. I wished things have been different. But, you're the only one with issues."
Ben looked at her to see what she meant. "I too have nightmares from time to time from what happened during the war. The face of my mother at the moment she died will always be in my mind. I know what you are going through, Ben. I see them in our dreams."
"You still share dreams with me, Rey?"
"I do Ben. It's just a way to cope and I always want to be with you to make sure…you'll be fine. I did miss you when Reina took over me."
"I know."
Then, they sat down by the bonfire to warm themselves. They put some blankets on themselves to deal with the cool winds as it was getting dark with the stars lighting up the night sky.
"What are you going to do now, Ben since the war is over?" Rey asked.
"Probably help Uncle Luke in building a new school. With the knowledge and experience I have gained when I was with Knights of Ren, I should probably write a book about it and use it as a teaching tool for the next generation of Force Users. Other than that, how about you? Are you still training with Uncle Luke?"
"I don't know, Ben. After everything that happened with me and everything I've done, I felt like I don't really belong with Luke's Academy."
"Why is that?"
"Realizing that I was born from the dark side and now I'm in between dark and light, I felt I should be alone for awhile. Just to sort things out on my own. I'll probably just help with the Resistance or the Republic military to hunt down remaining First Order forces since there still out vying for what's left of it."
"I see. Just curious. During your time with your mother, were you able to access to her journals, holovids, or possibly her holocron."
"I do, Ben. But, my mother did not put much about herself in them and with her gone I felt that I am the only one from my family who's alive."
"Are you sure, Rey? You are part Mandalorian though…from your father's side. Caterous told me. It is likely distant relatives of the Satine family are still out there, hiding, not knowing that their long lost relative is looking for them. I understand your issue and you can still be at the academy whenever you like just so whatever you have learned is passed on. "
"I know, Ben. But, everything is still new with me. Now, with this new power I have…this balance in me…I feel there's still much to learn."
"I know. Same with me. There are many things I have to learn as well. We're students after all when new things rise. It'll take time. I'll have your back," Ben said as he did a small smirked when he said about having Rey's back. Then he had an idea, "You know what…let me come with you."
"What?" Rey asked.
"Let me come with you. If you are going to hunt down remaining members of the First Order, you need someone who knows much about them as you have. Besides I can't always stay coop up at the halls of a library all day. How about it? I'll help you along with the others like Poe, Finn, and of course Jessika Pava since she misses your mechanical work a lot. You do a much better job than I do."
Rey giggled a little at the sound of that, "You tried fixing Jessika's X-wing."
Ben replied, "Well, yeah. We had a shortage of mechanics one time and while you were gone, I needed something to do. I went through several data tapes on how to be a technician…well, radar technician that is…but still cover the same basics on mechanical stuff."
"Radar technician, Ben?" Rey asked, looking at him like she's the true mechanic not him.
"What?" Ben replied.
"I don't see you as a Radar technician. Let me guess, you went through those data tapes, so you can modify the antennae on the Falcon, right?"
"Uh…yeah."
Then, Rey slapped the backside of Ben's head.
"Ah… why did you do that for?"
"You need a teacher, Ben. Next time, you try to fix something, talk to me first and I will give you a pointer or two."
"Sure, Rey, sure," Ben said and continued, "and besides…everyone in the Resistance needs R&R. So, during that time, we can get together and explore the galaxy if need be. Hopefully, then we'll find what's left of your family."
"You will?"
"Yeah."
Rey looked down at herself before looking up to Ben.
"I love you, Ben," Rey said as her eyes lined up with Ben's eyes.
"I know. I love you too, Rey," Ben replied as they went for a kiss. Then, they got up and walked together to their hut together for rest.
Author's Note:Thank you for reading my first Reylo short fic. Originally, it was meant to be a one shot, but after getting followers, favorites, reviews on Fanfiction dot net and kudos, comments on AO3, my co-writers (the crazy theory people) and I decided to expand it and string together all the various theories, speculations we have in going over what may happen in Episode VIII and IX. We did not hit every new detailed theory and speculation currently out there across the interwebs since we can only cover so much in this fan fic. In case you were wondering, here are the various theories/speculations we went over in this fic: (1) Rey turning the dark side (Dark!Rey). (2) Rey's dark side mother. (3) The appearance of Mandalorians coming into the fight and help the Resistance to win against the First Order. (4) Rey's possible heritage where she is a Kenobi, a Mandalorian, and a Ren. (5) After destroying the Starkiller Base, the Resistance/Republic and allies attacked a large factory turning out capital ships and fighter crafts in large quantities. In this Fic, it is the Foundry, a name that derived from Star Wars: The Old Republic game. Also, the idea of the Foundry was inspired by the Star Forge in the Knights of the Old Republic game. (6) The existence of the Sith Meditation Sphere sort of like the one in Knights of the Old Republic that Bastila Shan (Proto-Rey) used to fight against the Republic. (7) Various names of the Seven Knights of Ren. (8) Tension among the Knights of Ren including Snoke, Dark!Rey's mother, and the Seven. (9) Ben's redemption, (10) Dark!Rey's redemption based on Revan's rescuing of Bastila Shan in Knights of the Old Republic. (11) Ben acting as a secret agent of some sorts. (12) Finn is Force sensitive and is using a lightsaber. (13) Hux dies. (14) Phasma lives and may get away. (15) Various new weaponry used by the Knights of Ren and the Knights of Mandalore (if they do exist). (16) Hints of reincarnation of Ben and Rey even though Ben states it's not true. (17) Luke fighting against Snoke in one and one combat probably with some help along the way. (18) Luke using his powerful force abilities to defeat his enemies.
[UPDATE: 08/15/2016] It was brought to our attention on where were Chewie and Yoda the whole time? Let me explain. This is an Alternate Universe and a speculative fan fiction piece to present in depth of what a Light!Kylo and Dark!Rey may be like if Light!Kylo happened much earlier in addition to getting across many theorized/speculative outcomes across way before Episode VIII and IX are released. Also, this was written at around the time when Ben Solo Secret Agent Theory was pretty popular even though by now that's not likely to be true. The same is true for the existence of a secret underground Jedi-Mandalore Alliance that most likely not to appear in the sequel trilogy films. But, we speculate that Mandalore to appear and fight for the Resistance in the films.
This is not a hundred percent perfect Fanfiction to include everything and every character as possible nor do we intend this fic to be considered as the "Stephen King" or the "Holy Grail" type of fan fiction across the Star Wars fan community. Speculative Fan Fiction is an attempt to guess outcomes while balancing some form of narrative cohesion from the first page to the last even though it may not be that perfect to include everything as one desired. But, since some of you want answers on where was Chewie? Where was Yoda? Here are the answers.
In this alternative universe fan fiction, Chewie either died early before this fic started OR he was sent somewhere on other missions because the First Order is much powerful than the Empire. You could see that esp. in this story since had the secret Jedi Mandalorians not show up, the Resistance would have a much harder time in winning and might as well lose. Bear in mind at the end of this fic, the First Order is still out there, so there are more battles to come. Therefore, Chewie is out there handling crucial side missions in the background in getting the First Order to be completely eradicated. We would love to include Chewie in this fanfic, but we were pressed for time to finish fic right away before our personal lives took over. For Yoda not showing up…you could ask…what about the Force Ghost of other Jedi like Qui Gon Jinn or Mace Windu or Kanan Jarrus or Ezra Bridger (assuming they died before Episode VII) since this is fan fiction and we coulddo whatever we want? The answer is…does Yoda need to be there if he already knew the outcome? Yoda is a wise man and a powerful Force User even though he made a few mistakes. For instance, his "misinterpretation" of the Chosen One prophecy on how it supposed to play out. In addition, another reason for Yoda not showing up is because there is a Star Wars theory that only strongest and most pure Light Side Force User who just became a Force Ghost can foresee the future. Other Star Wars Fanfiction out there also presented the idea that Jedi in Force Ghost form can come one with the Force permanently and not return to the land of living. This happens when the Force Ghosts no longer have any obligations to the land of the living. It's kind of like real life ghosts. They're still running around in the mortal realm and have not completely crossed over to the other side because there was something nagging on them. So, for Yoda's case, he already crossed over with the knowledge everything would be okay. Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker on the other hand, they have some unfinished business since Obi-Wan's daughter became a dark side user due to Anakin 's actions as Darth Vader. Darth Vader killed Sabé, the mother of Obi-Wan's daughter, which lead to the events of this fic. Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker in Ghost Form felt the need to remain with the living to see that Ben and Rey are finally reunited with their families before they could "crossover" in becoming one with the Force. I know…the expanded universe such as the Star Wars Legacy comics show Luke, Anakin, Mara Jade in Ghost Form return to tell Cade Skywalker (a much later descendant) to come back as a Jedi. But, this Fanfic was written to not have that particular part in mind. Also, again, we were pressed for time to get this fic completed before our personal lives took over. So, we did not have much time to be as inclusive as we would've liked in this fanfic. Later on, we can update this story to have a piece where Yoda Force Ghost do appear in some way with Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi. But, as of this time the other main writers are busy with their lives, so, I don't know when we'll get together to go over this.