My dear readers, do you remember the wonderful transformation that has taken place? I'm glad that you do. The wanderers we follow are not lost anymore, for now they have found their true quest. But it isn't just to save Finn, no. Well, I shall let Jacen tell the tale, shall I?
There were cheers when the soldiers saw Jaina return triumphant, but Poe's face fell.
"Where's Finn?" he asked, gripping Jaina by the arms, his eyes begging.
"He-" Jaina took a deep breath, glanced at Jacen, and back at Poe. "He's been cursed. It was the dragon's dying spell. Some sort of sleeping spell. We have no idea how to break it."
"We're going to find Luke Skywalker," Jacen said, jumping in. His voice caused every head to turn and for louder cheers to erupt from the crowd. The prince was found, had been saved from the dragon.
The twins didn't have to exchange looks or words to understand that they could never share who Jacen had become, what he really had done all those years ago when they disappeared. Jaina knew the secret, but he knew all of hers. She would always take the burden of their secrets over being like she was for the past fifteen years. Broken, alone, shattered. She never wanted to be surviving all alone again. And she never would be, thanks to Jacen's return.
"We'll get behind you!" Poe declared.
Then there was a roar of an army. They turned to see rising over the hill the First Order of Naboo's knights, led by Dame Phasma. Instead of being the slightest bit friendly, arrows were fired, making the Twin Suns and Kyp's Dozen retreat into the castle. Jacen, Jaina, Han, Finn, Chewbacca, Anakin, Tahiri, and Rey however ran for the woods. They had their chance to finally begin their true quest. They couldn't afford to be holed up in the castle when they had to find Luke.
Their hearts raced as their feet beat steadily against the withered leaves covering the forest floor, a spray of arrows barely missing them as they dodged trees and wicked branches. Why they would attack the heirs and King of Alderaan, no one could reason, at least, not until they stopped in clearing, far from the First Order.
"We need to start a fire," Han announced. "I need someone to go out and fetch firewood."
"I will go," Rey announced. "I know what makes good kindle."
"Take Jacen with you," Jaina suggested. "We shouldn't go alone."
"I will," Rey said, and she looked over to Jacen. "We should get going."
The two began to walk into the wood. When they were out of the others' earshot, Rey turned to Jacen.
"You never told me you were a prince," Rey said quietly. "You never even told me your true name, Sir Kylo."
"Milady," Jacen replied, looking very solemn. "I could not tell you because I could not remember. I was under a deep spell with another personality altogether. I only remembered at midnight, and if I were to ever not be in the chair, the personality layer of the spell would be broken."
"But not the dragon layer?" Rey asked.
"Yes, I can still transform into a dragon," Jacen said. "That was permanent. I do not know how to reverse it, though. The important thing is, though, that King Snoke didn't want me to remember who I was."
"King Snoke did that to you?" Rey asked.
"He was the one who cast the spell in the first place," Jacen answered.
"How did it happen?" Rey asked, looking into the brandy-colored eyes. "Why did you leave in the first place?"
"It's a long story," Jacen said hesitantly.
"We've got a long while," Rey said.
"Alright then," Jacen agreed. "Fifteen years ago, when I was fifteen myself, Snoke had become king after Thrawn. My mother didn't like Snoke. While most of Naboo claimed that he was better than Thrawn, my Aunt Mara claimed that Snoke was worse. I decided to see for myself. I went riding through this forest when the First Order found me.
"I warned them to let me free, for I was a prince and a warlock at that, and I was not to be trifled with. That only made them bind me and take me to King Snoke. I waited in the dungeons for three days, only to finally meet him. He turned me into the dragon that had false memories of my family. I thought they were awful, that they hated me, that they'd kill me as soon as they found me. I was told that I would be powerless without the dragon transformation.
"Afterwards, in exchange for protection from his own subjects (I needed to hunt somewhere, and I only ate the cattle, although there were guests before you) he had me go on missions for him. The first was an attack on my uncle's new order of Jedi Knights."
Jacen paused in his story as the tears began to flow like rain.
"I'd been so proud then. I didn't comprehend then what I had truly done. I didn't remember them, except for Tenel Ka, Jaina, and Anakin," Jacen continued. "Ever since, I'd been living as that wretched creature, Kylo Ren. And now we are back to the beginning of the circle."
Rey nodded absently as she took in the full story. She picked up some more kindling, and looked back the way they had came.
"So the dragon is gone?" she asked.
"Only his memories remain," he answered.
"I'm sure you must be pleased," she said. "I am sure your family must be delighted to have you back."
"Oh, they are," he said. "But I must thank you."
"Thank me?" she asked. "Why?"
"You helped me start to overpower Kylo's personality. With you, I began to be more like myself," he answered. "And flying with you is what called my sister to me, the only one who could probably figure out the truth."
"But it was Tahiri who did that," Rey reminded him.
"It was, but she brought Tahiri and Anakin," Jacen said. "But all of that was thanks to you and Finn. So thank you for helping me."
"It was my honor," Rey said with a smile as they turned to return to the camp with the firewood. "Hopefully I will be able to help more knowingly in the future."
"You will," Jacen predicted confidently. "You're special, I can tell. You and Finn are. Both of you are brimming with potential. It isn't just your latent magical powers, although those are plenty enough of an indicator. When I saw you in my dragon state, I could feel the power of the Revanchist around you. Bright as the sun, and just as powerful."
"I don't care about power," Rey said. "I just want to find my family. Tell me, can you predict if I'll find them?"
"It's a guarantee, with your determination," Jacen assured her. "I'm just telling you all of the possible future."
Isn't it a tragedy, the story of one lost so soon? Someone who meant well but watched it crumble before him? Take pity, readers, on the monsters under your beds. Often, those monsters were once humans who feared monsters, too.
