Ben watched in horror as Aurelia fell to the ground. He could feel the pain radiate off of her, eating the Light. She heaved like she was being choked, her rib-cage expanding and detracting quickly as she fought for air. Her fists clenched hard before they relaxed, Aurelia finally blacking out.

I don't regret anything. Her soft voice fought into Ben's thoughts and the delicate words caused a shiver to run down his spine.

Rage snapped in Ben like a bone in a limb. Everything was tinged with a crimson halo. Ben felt the hilt of his lightsaber hit the palm of his hand, and its blades ignited, one right after the other. His kept his eyes trained on Snoke, who hadn't moved from the throne in the middle of the room.

Let the rage flow through you, Kylo Ren. Snoke's voice pervaded his thoughts. Ben flourished his lightsaber, the red blade arcing in through his field of vision. Let it amplify your powers. Ben saw his old master rise to his feet. He had a hunch of ancientness in his back that kept his shoulders curled over and his knees bent at an odd angle. This scars in his face twisted with his expression. Let the Dark Side in.

A wave of hunger passed over Ben. Hunger and greed and lust for power. A furnace of anger burned low in his belly. He wanted to overtake Snoke, make him suffer for hurting Aurelia, and kill him.

Ben advanced, his surroundings becoming a blur as struck out at Snoke. With a blast of Force energy, Ben was thrown back. He tumbled, his world turning upside-down before he willed the Force to guide his long body into a backwards summersault and he stood back on his feet.

Yes, let it in.

Gathering the Force, Ben let it guide his senses and let years of repetitive blade practice guide his hands as he struck again. This time he was able to foresee the Snoke's attack and absorb it, letting it overcharge his own powers. I will be stronger than you this time, Snoke. He felt the Force churn inside of him. It pulsed with chaotic energy, getting stronger with every passing second.

The Light Side won't win, Kylo Ren. Snoke's voice bounced in his head. You will become more powerful than you ever imagine if you would stop resisting the Dark Side!

Ben inhaled sharply and felt out with the Force. He could sense Snoke's own energy gathering. The Darkness will be defeated. He projected and lunged again, his red blade swinging wide. Snoke teleported himself across the room, dodging the attack. Frustration rose in Ben's chest.

The Darkness is inside of you. Feel it, Kylo Ren. It calls to you.

No. Aurelia healed me. Ben attacked again and watched the hunch figure vaporize and reappear ten feet away.

The girl fooled you with her own powers. Snoke growled lowly. The Dark Side has always been there. Rage. Hate. It has never left you.

Ben stopped in the tracks of his next attack, his boots skidding to a stop on the floor. A large quake made the citadel rock back and forth and Ben gritted his teeth and fought to keep himself upright. He looked down at the lightsaber in his right hand. The unsteady crossguard blades rippled violently and seared hot against Ben's black gloves. Was it all a trick? Was it all just an illusion? Aurelia trying to distract him? But, why? Why would she do that?

To control you, Kylo Ren. She wanted you to herself.

But, she loves me. Ben argued, his resolve wavering.

No! He shouted. She tricked you. It's an illusion. Love. Healing. It's all an illusion. Finite human fallacy. The Dark Side, the Dark Side is eternal.

The Dark Side is sovereign.

Rey cradled Aurelia's limp body on the rocky floor, trying to Force Heal with her untrained powers. Come on, Aurelia. Let me in. Rey clenched her teeth, the Force flowing through her hands into the head of her new friend. Aurelia's shields, even unconscious, were mighty and impenetrable though.

"Ben!" Finn called from Rey's side. He was still donned in his Stormtrooper armor, but his helmet was off and Rey could see the sweat bead off of his forehead. There was charge in the atmosphere as Ben and Snoke fought, the dynamism flowing back and forth between them as they readied powerful attacks.

Rey looked up from her work on Aurelia and saw Ben streak towards Snoke in a blur of black and red. That's what this fight had been: blurs of black figures and a red blade. They were an infernal storm of power, a vortex of energy. Rey couldn't distinguish where Ben ended and Snoke began, until Ben stopped.

There was a look of confusion on his face as he fell out of a defensive stand, his dark eyes wild as his curly hair. Sweat dripped from his face as his lips parted. A twisted grin split Snoke's worn, ugly face in half. Rey's stomach dropped. He was getting at him. The Dark Side was manipulating him.

"Get them." Snoke growled lowly and Ben's eyes snapped to Rey. Rey jumped up, her lightsaber igniting in her hand. His eyes narrowed and in a blink, a crimson light blinded Rey as Ben advanced on her. It was the Force that guided her hands up, the two blades crashing together in spark and sound.

Ben's expression was dark and there was a crazed look in his eyes that reminded Rey of the battle she had with him on Starkiller Base. She parried automatically, letting her teachings by Master Luke guide her blades as she deflected Ben's quick attacks. She let the Force flow through her, letting its power in as she tried to probe Ben's mind. Foreseeing Ben's move a split second before it happened, Rey was able to counterattack with a crash of her blue blade against his three-pronged red one, he stumbled back. "Don't do this! This isn't who you are anymore!" Rey managed before he regained his footing and charged again, the robes of his armor streaking behind him.

"I was deceived!" He spat back, their blades crashing together as Rey nearly missed a strike that would've cut her leg at the knee. "I can't be healed of the Dark Side!"

"Yes you can!" Rey argued, pushing in closer despite Ben's superior strength. She looked into his wild eyes. They darted back and forth and his teeth gritted against force of Rey's push. "Look at Aurelia! Look at what she's done for you!"

Ben shoved Rey back with his lightsaber, and she almost tumbled against the side of the citadel if she didn't let the Force keep her on her feet. "She manipulated me!"

"No! Snoke is manipulating you. Realize the truth, Ben! Aurelia has done so much to help you because she loves you." Ben stopped attacking, his face twisting with a million emotions. Rey dropped her lightsaber and seized the opportunity to talk some sense into the man. "She wouldn't be on the floor unconscious right now if she didn't love you. Don't be Snoke's puppet!"

"Don't listen to her lies." Snoke called from the other side of the room. "Destroy her."

Ben's eyes flashed to Aurelia on the floor and then to Snoke. "It's too late."

"No it's not."

Hey, cuz. So action is really hard to write, apparently and I'm also super lame for waiting this long to update. It's okay, I hate myself too. I hope you enjoy this and I will try to crank out the next chapters as quick as a chihuahua is to dry-humping a stranger's leg. Thanks.