The Pivotal Moment

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A/N-thank you for reviewing this story!

Chapter Fourteen-Battle of the Throne Room

The throne room was a massive chamber situated on the Supremacy. The chamber was veiled by an enormous curtain. Supreme leader Snoke, whose physical injuries led him to prioritise comfort, governed the First Order from his throne room. He was always surrounded by eight sentries-the Elite Praetorian Guard, who were trained to defend the Supreme Leader against any threat.

It was like deja-vu for Rey as she walked slowly into the vast chamber with Ben by her side. She couldn't stop the shudder rippling through her body when she watched him pause as he knelt down in front of Snoke. She had expected it, but it still didn't stop the bad memories of the last time they were here from playing out in the back of her mind. The heavy shackles were making her wrists ache abominably and she was desperate to be rid of them.

"So, you have returned at last, my young apprentice." Snoke sneered derisively as he leaned forward on his throne.

"Yes, Supreme leader." Ben murmured in response.

"And you brought the girl." Snoke's watery blue eyes narrowed calculatingly. With one flick of his fingers, he used the force to pull Rey toward him against her will. She felt her body gliding in his direction, her feet suspended inches above the floor of the throne room. "Interesting." He muttered when he saw Luke's saber hanging from her belt. With another quick motion of his fingers, the saber flew into his opened hand. He placed it next to him on the arm of the throne.

Rey knew what was coming next. The shackles around her wrists parted and fell to the floor with a dull clang. She braced herself, waiting for Snoke to use his formidable powers to continue to restrain her, before tortuously probing her mind to discover Luke Skywalker's whereabouts. The remembered pain of this particular episode made her feel nauseous, but she was willing to endure it again as long as the outcome was Snoke's imminent death. Rey prayed that Ben could keep it together while he watched her being interrogated.

She waited, and waited, and waited…. but nothing!

What was Snoke waiting for?

Rey, still restrained by the Supreme leader's will, glanced nervously in Ben's direction. He was still in a kneeling position, his head slightly bowed. She saw the flicker of confusion in his eyes for a second, before he hid it behind an indifferent mask.

Suddenly Snoke let out a contemptuous laugh. It echoed eerily around the vast chamber, sending chills down Rey's spine. He rose from his high throne, his glittering robes falling in soft folds around his long body as he strode toward her. This wasn't supposed to happen. A flutter of panic took flight in her stomach, sending another wave of nausea through her. She looked in Ben's direction, she noticed his jaw pulse in agitation. He was clearly as unnerved as she was by Snoke's odd behaviour.

"Pathetic child." Snoke said scornfully as he made a swift cutting motion with his hand.

Rey gasped as her body was flipped upside down. She remained suspended in mid-air, the blood rushing to her head, making her feel groggy. Another mocking laugh from the Supreme leader rang in her ears as she was suddenly swung around again, this time the right way up. He used the force to draw her closer to him, making her rise higher in the air until she was suspended in front of him, so close that she could feel his rancid breath on her skin.

"Do you think you can fool me?" Snoke roared fiercely, his temper suddenly flaring. Rey recoiled from the ferocity of his verbal attack, but she couldn't escape him. He drew her closer, so close that their noses were almost touching. His top lip curled back as he regarded her derisively. "I see his mind. I see his every intent!" Snoke whispered fiercely in her ear. "And now, foolish child, you will pay the price!"

Reeling with motion sickness and full of desperation, Rey found herself plummeting to the floor below. Still under the influence of Snoke's greater power, she had no way of defending herself. She hit the floor hard, the breath stolen from her body. Tears of pain stung her eyes as she tried to right herself, but Snoke wasn't going to let her go so easily. She felt her body being wrenched upright until she was facing away from him on her knees.

Ben gave up all pretence of being cowed. He sprang to his feet, throwing his cape off his shoulders as he rushed to Rey's defence. But he didn't get far before he was suddenly surrounded by the Elite Praetorian Guards. Their weapons were drawn, hemming him in until he had nowhere to go.

"I cannot be betrayed. I cannot be beaten!" Snoke's eyes glowed with fury as he threatened Ben. "And now you will have to live with the consequences of your disloyalty, young Solo!"

To Ben's horror, his old lightsaber-that he wrongly assumed had been lost during the destruction of Starkiller base- appeared in Snoke's hand. The red plasma blade shot out of the hilt, hissing and sparking like a coiled snake. The supreme leader raised it above his head, his maniacal laughter echoing around the chamber. With one slicing motion he aimed the blade for Rey's exposed neck in an attempt to assassinate her.

A tormented scream erupted from Ben's mouth as his mother's saber flew into his hands. The sudden appearance of the weapon took the Elite Praetorian guards by surprise. Ben ignited it, the blue blade shining bright and true as he slashed at the guard nearest to him, sending him spiralling to the ground. He charged the others, breaking through them like a mad bull, slashing left and right, not caring if he hit his targets or not. He sole intent was reaching Rey.

When Ben had snaked past the last of the guards, he extended his hand, his fingers like claws as he used the full power of the force to stop Snoke's death strike from reaching Rey. The Supreme leader snarled in fury as the sparking red blade remained suspended above Rey's neck. He gritted his teeth as he engaged in a battle of wills with his former apprentice. He was struggling, trying to maintain his hold over Rey, while warring with Ben, trying to exert his greater power over them both simultaneously.

Something had to give…

Rey slumped to the floor, her body trembling with exhaustion as Snoke failed to maintain his hold on her. She could feel the strength of the force humming around her like a swarm of angry bees. It made the very air vibrate as master and apprentice battled with one another. Even the Praetorian guards were hanging back, seeming awed by the fight taking place.

Now was her time to strike. Rey took in a deep breath…one…then two. Climbing wearily to her feet, she extended her hand, willing Luke's saber to come to her.

Snoke seemed to sense what she was doing. "KILL HER!" He ordered his guards.

Luke's saber flew through the air right into her opened hand. Rey immediately ignited it, taking a defensive stance as she watched the seven remaining guards begin to circle her. She turned, following their graceful movements with a skilful eye, assessing their weaknesses and strengths all in a matter of seconds. Then with a loud warrior's cry she launched her attack.


Ben could feel exhaustion creeping up on him. He couldn't hold off Snoke any longer. The element of surprise was long gone. He growled in frustration, twirling his mother's saber in his hand as he ran to strike at his former master. Snoke parried him and the two began to fight, their saber's sparking furiously each time they connected. Snoke had the advantage of height, being seven-foot-tall, but Ben at six foot three, was younger and fitter. It had been a long time since Snoke had fought with a blade and it showed. He slashed at Ben wildly. Ben took advantage and ducked underneath the humming red blade and got a direct hit right across Snoke's stomach.

The Supreme leader roared as blood began to seep through his robes. His arm shot out and he used the power of the force to blast Ben backwards, sending him skidding across the throne room floor. Taking deep breaths, Ben was quickly back on his feet. He rushed in again, leaping high as Snoke swung his saber low. Ben struck his master again, slashing him across the shoulder. This time he was ready for the direct hit as Snoke used the force to push him backwards. This time he didn't fall, but merely skidded back a few inches.

Snoke paused in his movements, his eyes narrowing with hate as he glared at Ben. "Foolish boy, you really think you can defeat me? You are outnumbered. I sense your exhaustion as I do hers. Bow down before me and I might consider showing you leniency."

A bitter smile crossed Ben's handsome face. "I would rather die!"

"Then die!" Snoke spat angrily as he exerted all of his power against Ben, pushing him back so violently that he fell backwards and lost his grip on his mother's saber.

Snoke took advantage of Ben's momentary loss of control. He called the saber to him, laughing as it flew right into his hand. He now had Ben's old saber and his mothers, too. The Supreme leader lunged at Ben with both sabers raised, ready to plunge them into his helpless body.

Rey, in the midst of her own fight, felt Ben's distress through their force bond. She swung around, gasping in shock when she saw what Snoke was about to do. In the grip of silent panic, wild eyes, pupils dilated, her heart racing. Her brain felt like it was on fire. This was like a nightmare. She couldn't lose Ben. She wouldn't.

Not again!

"Ben!" She cried, flinging her own saber toward him, leaving herself defenceless.

Ben caught Luke's old saber, raising it above his head, parrying Snoke's double strike, then lurching to his feet and driving the plasma blade right through Snoke's heart.

Time slowed down…

Snoke's eyes widened in disbelief. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. Ben drove the blade harder, slicing right through the Supreme leader's body. Then he shut the saber down, breathing hard as he watched Snoke's lifeless body slump to the ground at his feet.

Snoke was dead. Gone forever.

Time sped up again…

Ben, feeling triumphant, swung around to assist Rey, only to find her slumped on her knees, her right hand pressed tight to her shoulder as she tired to stem the blood seeping like thick molasses from a deep wound inflicted by one of Praetorian guards.

A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.