Chapter 29: Bared
Rey was expecting an immediate attack as the Zabrak advanced on her, but no blow came. He kept his staff at the ready, as did she, but he only studied her with a malicious grin on his face, baring his pointed teeth.
"So," he did not hiss as the others did, but his voice was just as sibilant, "The Dark Ones have called to you as well, little girl?"
She did not answer him.
Incredible, Kylo was not amused, he's either going to try and turn you, or play with you.
Hush and let me work.
He sighed at her rebuke, restlessly falling silent.
"Silence becomes our kind well. You would fit in here."
Again, Rey remained silent, her lightsaber poised in a typical Niman stance.
The Zabrak's eyes clouded over, a look of ecstasy flashing over his face.
The whispers she had shoved to the back of her mind surged in force again
He would end you. Kill him! Claim his place! You are stronger than he could ever be!
Rey flinched away from the sound, and the Zabrak focussed on her once more as she moved. His eyes were knowing.
"They're talking to you now! They tell me you have another voice in your mind-" Again, pleasure rippled across his face. Was he taking enjoyment out of being overwhelmed by those voices? "-They tell me that voice dissuades you, that voice is weak. They say you, you think you can destroy me! They tell me you are lost-"
Realisation dawned in Rey's mind as the Zabrak's gaze became predatory.
Kylo I've changed my mind! Don't hush, talk!
She couldn't afford to let the voices cloud her mind, especially since they seemed to be turning everyone against each other. They wanted chaos, they thrived on it of course.
Indeed they do, Kylo spoke with relief at being able to do so again, And I'll happily play the distraction so long as you don't get yourself killed.
"The Ancient Sith-" the Zabrak was stalking her down, but she stood her ground, "-Tell me you have decided to listen to that weak voice. For that insolence, you will pay."
Delightful.
Rey treated herself to a nervous laugh at Kylo's attempt at humour, even though it fell flat with his very-real worry.
The whispers rose on the edges of her hearing once more, and Rey refuted them, keeping her mind centred around the man there, actively sending her support.
It was in the lull caused by the voices' retreat that the Zabrak attacked, frenzy in his eyes.
Rey deflected his blows rather easily, silently thanking Kylo for his lessons in Juyo, for that was the style this acolyte was using.
It was on his second attack that Rey found herself on her knees, arms shaking as she held the blade lock above her head.
Purple Lightning crackled from the Zabrak's hands, over his staff, and arced down over Rey.
Pain split her mind, and the pressure of it made her teeth rattle as she desperately tried to keep his charged staff away from her face.
It was difficult; the Zabrak was far stronger than she was, and he had the high ground. It did not help that his Lightning was currently rending Rey apart by the fibre.
Fight back! Push, Rey! Kylo was panicked.
She would, honestly she would, if only she could. It was already taking all of her energy to keep him at bay.
Then break the lock! Run if you must, there is no shame in baiting and running when it's one of you against all of them!
Rey felt a tugging at her mind. An unfamiliar one.
The Zabrak was trying to get in, or else trying to supress her with a mind trick.
Mind trick!
Rey…
On a whim, Rey cast all the feeling- all the pain- of what she was experiencing, and threw it at that strange tug on her mind, tracing it right back to the Force-Sensitive's mind.
He staggered back, keeping his staff raised, but screaming in agony.
Rey managed to get to her feet.
Go, Rey!
She did not run.
She struck.
The Zabrak was fast, but not fast enough. Rey clipped him across the chest, but he managed to force her saber into the wall. When he swung at her over her saber, Rey spun, digging the deflected end through the wall and sending the offhand blade flying towards the Zabrak's head.
He only just flipped out of the way, and their sides were switched.
It was then that Rey could see the mass of Elite that had been behind her, and she knew there to be an equal crowd behind her now.
The Zabrak was furious.
Two more strikes she managed to deflect, and another she managed to land on his shoulder.
He got his revenge when a well-timed Force-push sent her sprawling, and he leapt towards her.
She only just managed to roll out of the way and down another corridor.
Then, she spotted a descending staircase and ran.
Not DOWN! His pitch rose progressively with urgency. Get OUT! Out is up!
Just as she entered what seemed to be a training room, she felt her pursuer behind her, and whirled to meet him blow for blow.
I still need the holocrons!
No, what you need is a mental check-up! Did you see all those Elite?
You worry about the Sith spirits, let me worry about the Elite!
The Zabrak scored a blow over her knee, causing her to hiss in pain.
Correction, let me kill him first, then worry about the Elite.
Rey!
I'm glad we understand each other.
Choosing to block out his indignant scolding, Rey faced the Zabrak with a renewed determination. Steadily, she managed to hack her way to equal footing again, but when she could feel him preparing for another Lightning attack, Rey knew she had to end this fast.
Well, that, and the Elite waiting patiently at the doors.
Rey was effectively boxed in.
Frack! Kylo had caught that.
Shh.
Sweat that had beaded on Rey's brow now ran down her face as she traded strikes with the Zabrak. Both of them were now fighting with Juyo. She needed the upper hand, and only one thing was coming to mind with what little energy she had left from the constant fight.\
A mind trick.
It was a long shot, but it was a shot nonetheless.
Rey had no pain to throw at him at the moment, but maybe…
She forced herself to call her Force terrors to her mind, and remember the panic, confusion, and hell that was often left in their wake.
Flashes…A courtyard. A forest. A white beach.
"Rey get up!"
Was that really him, or was that just her dream?
More assault, blood, screaming. Jakku.
"Stay here, I'll come back for you."
"Run!"
"I'll come back sweetheart, I promise!"
Rey amassed it all.
Then, she turned it on him.
What she did not expect was to feel a resonance within his mind. Following it, she discovered fear, brutal and cold. And suppressed.
Rey did not intentionally smile, but a cruel one graced her lips nonetheless as she reached out with the Force, found the end of the tightly-wound thread that was the Zabrak's dread, and just pulled it apart.
In that instant, his yellow eyes lost their malice and determination. They were almost innocent and imploring as he fell to the floor, staff clattering on the stone, and hands clenched over his head, gripping at his horns. His mouth was wide in a silent scream.
Rey thrust her amber blade straight through his ribcage, and then let him slump back with that same terrified expression still frozen on his face.
She was not oblivious of Kylo's mute horror, albeit mixed with reverence.
The Elite only hesitated a second before surging on Rey.
Rey, on the other hand, felt completely restored the moment the light died in the Zabrak's eyes. She did not like it. At the edges of her mind, the voiced were jubilant. She shut them out, vague disgust rising in her throat.
While I applaud your ability, I'm glad you are responding thus.
Rey threw several Elite into Stasis, and cut them down as she forced the others back with a powerful Cyclone. Steadily, she was thinning their numbers. Then more would come.
If you truly need the holocrons, then I'd suggest you clean out the temple first. They probably all know you're here now, anyway.
And are all headed here, right? She panted, keeping an erratic rhythm of strike, strike, Push, strike, Stasis, strike, Push, Push, and more.
Even though their bodies were littering the floor, their fellow Elite showed no fear or any more hesitancy as the spilled through the doors.
It was a killbox indeed.
Rey slipped up many times, gaining numerous new wounds.
And Force they stung!
Is this what you go through every time you train?
Very much so, Rey. His tone was factual, but ever so faintly tortured.
And why didn't you train me like this?
She cried out as an Elite snagged an already-stinging injury, deepening it. Rey's vision was fuzzing and blackening around the edges.
It was a long time before Kylo answered, but she kept herself focused on him to keep herself lucid, despite the pain weighing on her body and mind.
…Because I didn't want you to have to experience any of this. He spoke softly, almost to himself. He was angry.
Rey did not respond, chilled slightly by his edged tone.
Finally, the flow of Elite into the room ebbed, but Rey was close on having tunnel-vision. Now, it was not only the physical exertion, but use of the Force that was also taking its pound of flesh from her.
She had to end this now, or she was in danger. The whisperings were lurking, waiting for the perfect moment of weakness to pounce. Rey would not give them that satisfaction. She spun her saber around her, either killing the Elite close enough to be caught by the blade, or making them jump back.
This gave her the pause necessary to spread her control of the Force out as far as she could reach.
Kylo was speechless in her mind, his presence there one filled with veneration.
Then, she gripped the spots of life in the Force tight, and squeezed.
There was a single moment of peace, and deadly silence, before a symphony of bones cracking and crushing erupted around Rey. The horrific song was punctuated by the grinding and shifting of the masonry around her.
It took a little longer than it should have for Rey to realise the old floor was crumbling with the pure potency of her act.
Rey get OUT of there!
She could not catch herself in time. The bricks under her feet gave way, and she fell to the floor below. A large mess hall.
There were still a few Elite, now running away.
I have never seen them show any form of self-preservation! If they are scared you should be too! Run!
She had heard this broken, terrified whisper before, but she had no time to meditate on it as her feet obeyed him.
Rey clipped her lightsaber to her belt, and bolted for the nearest exit. To her delayed horror, the tiles under her feet were giving way as well.
Kylo! How many floors are even in one of these? Rey screamed over the bond, only just jumping over the threshold of the door before the room was no more.
Before long, she sat perched on a support column with no floor to really speak of.
Too fracking many, now please for the love of the Force, get out of there! Stuff your mission-
Kylo- Rey's strength was failing her, but he was rambling in a panic.
-Enough has happened here to explain away whatever change you may think happened on Cato Neimoidia! I need you safe! His voice splintered.
She had heard that strangled baritone, that raw beseeching, before.
Kylo, I- Rey yelped as the column gave way, sending her tumbling into what appeared to be a room filled with mounted Sith holocrons.
The irony was not lost on Rey, even as she spat blood from her mouth at having bashed it against a rock during her fall.
Rey!
Kylo, is there anywhere I can wait this out…I can't get myself out after that fight I-
The vault. This is an archive room, there should be a vault.
She saw a much heavier-set door than any of the others. It was slightly open under the pressure of the floors above, but it looked like it would hold. She hoped.
It will. Just get in there fast, Rey!
Fast was not something she could really do at this stage, but at his constant pressure she finally managed to haul her body through the crack in the door, and slump against the wall.
Rey's head was pounding, and her thoughts were fuzzing together. Blurred, indistinct.
She could vaguely hear Kylo through it all.
His voice was soft, but firm, and underneath it all was a tangible desperation.
She had heard it before.
I'll call you, Rey. You stay still, and I'll get you into an illusion.
"Stay here, I'll come back for you."
Just breathe, and let your body rest, Rey. I'll help you, I promise!
"I'll come back for you, sweetheart, I promise!"
It only took a starved cognizance and the right climate for her mind to make sense of it, if sense was what it could be called at all.
Rey had known she knew that voice, even masked by such raw strain as it had been.
Rey's mind was abruptly very clear.
No. It didn't make sense, it…
No…
It was you?! She may have screamed it out loud. It wouldn't have mattered.
Rey, rest-
It was you! Her voice may have broken in disbelieving pain, but it must have been anger.
Please, Rey-
H-how could you- How did- YOU!
Her pants became raw, dry sobs as the few dots she had connected in her mind, forming a very broken, disjointed picture. Rey didn't know whether she wanted him to fill in the blanks.
Rey! There was fear in his voice, and terrible sadness.
Stop saying my name you-
Rey slumped back as the heaviness of the illusion took her.
She felt the coldness of the floor before she actually knew she had curled against it.
Y-you liar! Rey choked as the darkness reigned her in.
She didn't want to have to face him with this new knowledge, not after Cato Neimoidia, but a part of her really wanted to spit in his face.
The rest just wanted to forget she had ever made the connection at all.
