Hello my faithful readers! Fitting that I post on May the Fourth! Totally unintentional but serendipitous. Sorry that it has taken so very long to update. I have yet to find the balance between working from home, being mommy/wife and teacher. It pretty much have had nothing left to inspire me to write even though I have it mapped out in my head. This chapter is a tad shorter just cause it was the only place I could split so I could post and not have a crazy long chapter.

To all you who have followed, favorited and commented...I have heard you all and have been so very blessed by all the support and patience! Here's to you all sticking with this epic story...the longest I have undertaken! Please...comment, keep me going! I want to post the next chapter soon!

Stay safe all! And please...from this front line staff...keep up with the social distancing!

As usual, still no word from Disney so all rights to them and the story.

Chapter 33

Unlike the moment when Palpatine pulled Ben and her forward, drawing on their bond, Rey felt like the power they needed to defeat the darkness was just outside her grasp. It was hovering around her, glowing in a fantastic orbit, barely touched by her and Ben as they struggled to guard against the battering of the darkness. It was draining, pulling her very connection to the force and directly through her to Ben, and she could feel how they were both starting to tremble with the force of the effort.

Ben's power wrapped around her and her eyes popped open in surprise to find his concerned hazel eyes studying her face.

Ben...no...you can't. We have to do this together. She said pleading with her eyes and slid the hand that was over his heart up to his cheek.

I...can't. I can't sacrifice you...or them for me. He said through gritted teeth pulling back from the sensitives powers as their shield splintered further.

The orbs seemed to dim as the darkness roared and surged forward, battering on the barrier until it shattered. The backlash of the force hit them all, crashing them to the hard dirt in the field as the whole of the island shuddered.

The rumbling ceased as the Ben groaned, hands searching for Rey as they had been plunged into darkness, the only glow coming from the angry cracks in the mountain, and an eerie silence settled over them while Rey glanced around, her hand reaching to Ben for support.

"Everyone alright?" Rey asked. One by one each person stood, inching closer in a tighter group as they glanced around at the devastation that surrounded them, all eyes settling on the peak.

Murmurs rippled through the group as the wave of anger and malice seemed to slip over them all, billowing down from the peak as the air was suddenly sucked away in a rush, causing the whole group to drop to their knees, but Ben and Rey, before a loud deep rumble exploded up from the peak.

The sheer force of the explosion rocked Ben and Rey to the core as they ducked, Ben folding himself protectively over Rey and he deflected any major debris that threatened the cover of the structure they all cowered in, by use of the force.

A great, billowing cloud rose from the shattered remains of the temple followed by a triumphant roar that split the air. A black ink-like mass rose against the dark sky, building in energy and radiating despair and hopelessness as it grew, blotting out any light that was left.

"Ben..." Rey breathed in horror as she watched the fiery lava bubble out of the cracks down the mountain, spilling over the sides in slow devastating rivers as any porgs left on the hill scattered into the air adding to the noise with their cries.

Ben smoothed over his face after the initial shock of the scene and turned to the group, "Everyone move over here behind Master Rey and I. You need to focus on us, open your minds and let the force flow through you as you meditate. We need our strength now." He said, desperately hoping his voice sounded encouraging as the faces started back at him in stunned horror.

"NOW! Everyone!" Finn yelled snapping everyone else out of their shock and into focus on their Masters. He locked eyes with Ben who gave him a brief nod of thanks before turning and glancing at Rey.

Rey had a puzzled expression on her face as she studied the building cloud of hate and she felt Ben step forward, placing a cautious hand on her lower back, "What is it?" he said in a low tone, feeling...something, flowing through their bond.

Rey's face screwed up in concentration, "I don't know...there's...it's..." she fumbled until her face suddenly shifted as a thought dawned on her.

She whipped around to face Ben, her eyes drifting down to his hip, "It's...our...sabers!" She whispered, her gaze drifting further down to her own belt, her hand coming up to unclip her weapon.

As her hand touched the saber she shuddered, the world shifting around her as it did when she touched Luke's saber and the holocron. Her hand shot out reaching for Ben's arm to steady her, face filling with concern, and he was yanked into her vision as soon as her hand came in contact with his arm.

The island was smaller, split apart again, nearly to the core as the great darkness filled the sky, and a pair, with their backs to Rey and Ben were on their knees, the kyber crystals that resided in their light sabers in one of their hands, raised into the air, their other hands open, blocking an attack against them by the darkness with use of the force.

Rey's eyes filled with tears as the pair were buffeted over and over by the blows, weakening them and battering them until the larger one moved to protect the smaller one.

Ben blinked as something picked in his mind as he studied the look of them as the scene played out, "I think they are Sharu!" He whispered, unable to take his eyes off the pair, feeling like he should be running across the distance to help, but unable to move.

The great darkness withdrew its onslaught momentarily and the pair slumped, weak and bloodied from the barrage beating down on them. They seemed at the edge of defeat and everything about their postures suggested that they were unable to continue for much longer.

The larger one turned, revealing that it was a male, his muscular chest visible even from their perspective distance, cut, and bleeding as the smaller one collapsed into him, turning in his arms to reveal a petite female. He cupped her face in a heartbreakingly tender moment, lips moving to inaudible words and the women's frame shuddering with her cries until she stepped back, her head hung in accepted defeat.

The man turned his back to Ben and Rey again to face the darkness, striding forward with purpose, obviously trying not to show how injured he was as he walked. Rey's gaze shifted and she noticed the woman looking directly at her, and a recognition seemed to dawn on her, hope and peace filling her face before she ever so slowly turned back to watch her partner move forward to face the darkness.

It howled, back-building for a moment before surging forward with a triumphant bellow to envelop the man uncontested. His pained yell cut through the air as the mass enveloped him, swirling in an angry massive storm, lifting up into the air until it was clear that it wasn't destroying the man, but filling him.

All of the darkness rushed into the man, as if being absorbed by is entire body, and slowly lowered from the sky, feet touching gently to the rumbling earth, turning back to woman, eyes clearly glowing red, his face twisted in a vicious grin.

She held her hands out defensively, obviously begging, pleading for the man to stop, to fight the darkness that had over taken him and he smiled, his features distorted further by the hateful energy that filled it, making his smile appear almost, manic and frightening.

With a tearful, final look tossed over her shoulder at Ben and Rey, she reached her hands up, both kyber crystals seen in each palm, glowing, like beacons in the night. She strode forward, the force gathering around her like an electrically charged storm, rising up from the depths of the earth itself as she drew on everything the island had left to offer. Each step towards her darkened partner, raising her up on invisible steps into the air, her hair whipping around her gaunt neck and shoulders in a beautiful final tableau.

The hair rose on the back of Ben's neck as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. It was like watching a horrific crash, knowing it will end in nothing good, but literally unable to look away. As promised, a silence settled over the area, time seemed to slow and stop for just an instant, before a radiant burst of light and energy exploded out from the woman and she plummeted to the Earth. The darkness was violently expelled by the blinding, light filled energy, like a radiant shock wave, leaving the shell of the man to collapse where he stood, devoid of the power that had inhabited him.

The darkness roared as it was encased in the light, carried away on the radiant wave to the far side of the island, the ground shuddering as it disappeared and was absorbed by the island itself by the fading, last powers of the light force.

The world tilted again and both Rey and Ben were overcome by a wave of nausea as their eyes tried to focus on the world around them. Rey dry-heaved, gasping for air as if she hadn't taken a breath for the whole length of the vision. It had been like a dream, occurring within the span of seconds, when it felt like it stretched out for hours to her.

She blinked back her tears and lifted her head to Ben's pale face and determined expression. We can do this. They showed us how to defeat the darkness. He said gently to her, his tone firm with resolve.

Rey started to shake her head, desperately trying to deny what she saw and knew in her heart. I... She wavered, I just found you...this. We don't even know how she used the crystals! She said feeling selfish, knowing the whole galaxy was resting on their shoulders and she reached up, cupping his cheek in her hand.

Ben closed his eyes, leaning into her hand for the moment before turning his head slightly to place a tender kiss in her palm. He steeled his resolve before opening his eyes and meeting her watery gaze. I never deserved how you saved me, but if it comes to it, maybe...just maybe, I can earn it a little with the sacrifice. He said and leaned in to place a chaste kiss across her lips, conscious of the stares of the group on his back.

Ben took a deep breath in and the posture and arrogant demeanor of Kylo slipped into place like a hard shell of protection for what was to come. He stepped slowly to the side of Rey as she kept her head down for a moment, still facing the sensitives, her hand on his arm as an anchor.

She inched her head up to meet Finn's worried gaze and watched it turn to confusion, then horror and finally, a pleading heartbreak. "Focus on us. All of you!" And she turned back to stand beside Ben, igniting her saber at her side as he lit his, the golden and reddish hews glowing in the night.

"Rey! No!" Finn yelled behind her as her and Ben strode forward. Nelo reached out, taking Finn's arm and holding him in place with a surprising strength.

"Let me go!" he pleaded, turning his tear-filled eyes to Nelo in desperation and anger.

"They have a path, my friend, and right now you have a job that could keep them safe." He said softly, appearing calm and serene.

If it had not been for the slight tremble in the hand on Finn's arm like a vice grip, Finn would have snapped at Nelo, something about acting like an unfeeling droid, but when he met his new friends gaze, he saw the flash of concern and fear in his eyes for their masters.

Finn swallowed hard and looked around at the other scared people in the group, "Nelo is right. They need us. We can do this." He said firmly, swallowing down his emotions and centering his mind as he had been shown.

The rest followed his lead and he felt a small hand slip into his and his head snapped around to meet Ann's dark gaze as she nodded to him for support. He took another deep breath, allowing his lopsided grin to comfort her before turning his gaze back to his friend and her dyad partner.

Finn hadn't looked further than Ann, but if he had he would have seen that she hadn't just taken his hand, but she had slipped her tiny hand into Nelo's, and the others followed in a show of solidarity and strength, linking themselves and joining their powers in the force before focusing on their Master's.

The darkness seemed to sense the kyber crystals in the sabers that approached, held by Ben and Rey and it swirled angrily in the sky, gathering as a mass before billowing down the mountainside to coalesce at the base across the field from where Ben and Rey approached slowly.

So, you think those trinkets will be able to push me back? You are nothing like those who came before you! It raged angrily and swooped forward to attack them.

Ben and Rey raised their sabers, the power of the kyber's seeming to hone their minds, bringing their power into focus and blocking the darkness with relative ease. They barely flinched as the wave pummeled their shields with veracious force over and over, the roaring sound filling the air like a hurricane.

We are nothing like those who have come before because we are not alone! Rey raged back, drawing on the groups power.

Ben flicked his gaze to Rey for a moment as the held their sabers up, the golden glow reflecting off her fiercely determined face. She was beautiful and strong, focused on her enemy and firm in her resolve and he moved his eyes back to the darkness.

Rey could feel the force between her and Ben weaving through each other, in perfect harmony as they blocked the onslaught. It bashed against their defenses and the backed off, gathering at the base of the mountain.

Ben stood up tall and tossed a look over his shoulder to see the group of sensitives joined together, eyes closed, hands joined and focusing all their energy. Now that he had shifted his attention, he could feel their power like a cloud hovering in the back of his mind and it bolstered his strength.

You do not have infinite reserves. Those behind you will be the first to suffer for your insolent resistance. The darkness purred and Rey tossed Ben a worried look.

They both realized the danger at the same time and turned, extending their power as the dark surged over them both towards the huddled group in the structure.

Ben and Rey both groaned with the effort as their protections were battered with relentless attacks while the group standing together, eyes closed, focused on thier mediations. The darkness howled a maniacal laughter on the wind as the shields slowly inched lower towards the roof of the structure, the distance between Ben and Rey and the group much further than the previous attack causing them to extend their powers to the edge of their abilities.

Rey felt the strain shudder through the force, reverberating back to her and Ben and it forced her to crumple to her knees. She groaned with the effort to keep her focus and pain laced through her knees as they landed on the sharp stones littering the field from the shattering of the mountain peak. She wasn't sure how she managed to keep her saber extended as her arms started to burn with the strain of keeping them up to maintain the shield.

Ben stumbled, torn as he watched Rey drop to her knees with a small groan, her face flashing in pain, the sensation filtering through their bond. He closed his eyes and pulled some of his energy from the shield and shifted it to her, turning his head and opening his eyes to see the relief flood her face.

Rey felt Ben's strength wash over her, warm and comforting as it filled her and she reveled in it for a moment before she pushed herself up again and took a step forward in unison with Ben, shoving the darkness back with the intensity of it.

The darkness swirled back around, splitting in two, shifting Rey and Ben back to back as they had been in the battle in Snoke's throne room. It paused in its attack giving them a reprieve for a brief moment and rumbled across the field in a deep threatening voice.

You faulter!? The others lasted much longer on their own!! It howled mockingly at the pair as they lowered their arms, Rey shaking out the burn that had built up.

She could feel the heat of Ben at her back as she regarded the cloud of dark churning at the edge of the field. It was about half way up the height of the mountain and was backdropped by the bubbling and splashing lava that was slowly coursing out of the veins that snaked their way down from the shattered peak ending at the far end of the field where the hissing roar could be heard of it dropping into the cold water far below the edge.

Rey momentarily allowed herself the small victory that the island had fractured in such a way that the lava had flowed away from the main structures and off of the back side of the mountain before she focused again on the hate that was building for another attack.

"You have yet to see our true strength!" Rey sneered at the mass, feeling the strength of Ben and the filter of power that was starting to bleed to her from the rest of the group. It gave her the strength to yell into the wind, feeling the power build in her.

The darkness rumbled with an ear-splitting thunderous crack, shooting forward in a split attack. One section went after the group of sensitives that were still unaware of their danger, and the other towards where Ben and Rey were standing in the field. This time, though, the dark swirling tendrils rushed across the ground and morphed into dark, faceless figures, their eyes the only thing giving them personality, glowing dark red, thin lines of hate.

Rey flicked a gaze over her shoulder at Ben as she raised her saber, GO! Cover them! She shot Ben a millisecond before he took off at a flat out run to put himself between the group and the shadowy warriors in time.

Rey crouched and readied herself to meet the dozen or more figures that were solidifying as they ran towards her and she just prayed they would be solid enough to grab with the force. Glancing towards the base of the mountain she focused on a medium sized bolder and swiped her hand across the field pulling the boulder with the force through the middle of the dark solders, watching a third of them splinter and shatter into pieces to litter the field as the rest continued toward her.

Ben heard a sound like shattering glass and turned to see some of Rey's shadow fighters break apart as a boulder rolled across the rest of the field to come to a stop at the edge of the wall before the huts. His lip twitched up at her ingenious attack as he skidded to a stop about twenty feet in from of the group and brought his saber up, his lip curling in a focused snarl. He didn't have the time to thin out his group like Rey had, but his fighting experience had put him similar situations in the past such as this.

He cut down the first half dozen warriors within seconds, making his way through the group with blinding speed, yanking and pulling figure after figure around, flinging them against huts and over the group to be dashed on the base of the mountain. They attacked with sharpen appendages that had elongated like obsidian swords from where hands should have been. The dark eyes reflecting the malice that had created them.

Rey spun, catching a glimpse of Ben in the thick of a group of figures, the glow of his reddish-golden saber spinning and slicing with a controlled fury that was elegant in its own right, and she spun back around to toss another three warriors back to be dashed on the large pieces of the mountain that had landed at the back of the field.

Rey felt a mild pain lace through her left shoulder and her mind flitted for a second to Ben as a warrior sliced a deep gash across his shoulder. She felt him shift the pain of the injury to the back of his mind, cutting it off from his senses and hers, and she was back in her body, anger spiking and igniting the darkness deep down.

"AAARRRRGHHH!" Ripped from deep inside of her and she reached out with everything, giving into the anger and darkness that burst from her control. Lightning shot from her outstretched hand rippling out across the field exploding the last half dozen warriors instantly before she turned her rage to the group swarming on Ben.

The hair raised on the back of Ben's neck a split second before the air around his was filled with light and the shadow fighters exploded around him in a shower of black sand and white lightning. He turned, panting, to see Rey pulling her hand back, slumping a little with the effort, the field returning to darkness, only illuminated by the glow of the lava bubbling and splashing its way down the mountain.

The silence after the roaring noise was almost as deafening as Rey and Ben slowly made their way to each other.

Rey's face was pale, her hair matted with sweat as he walked, her whole being appearing drained. Ben turned his saber off as she neared and shifted it to his hurt arm, reaching up to cup her cheek.

"Thank you." He said simply as he took a moment to study her face and eyes before he seemed satisfied, she was otherwise unharmed.

Rey leaned her head into his hand for a moment before reaching up and placing her hand over the deep gash on his shoulder as it oozed blood down, soaking his shirt almost to the elbow. She closed her eyes and gathered the force, feeling her center and balance returning as she carefully knitted together the wound.

She opened her eyes and carefully ran her hand across the, no smooth, skin, inspecting her work before returning her gaze to Ben's dark eyes.

"It wasn't that easy was it." She stated letting her gaze travel around the field, littered with shards and small chunks of what was left of the dark's warriors.

Ben huffed a humorless chuckle, "No. It never is." He said softly and noticed the sensitives opening their eyes and looking around startled.

Finn caught Rey's glance and he took off, face filled with worry towards her and Ben, "You guys okay? Is it over?" He said slightly breathless as he neared.

Rey shook her head, eyes disappointed but firm, "No. We have only gained a reprieve. It will be back soon. Are you all okay?" Rey said, turning to look over towards the group that were squeezing together in a smaller group.

Finn shrugged, eyeing Ben's ripped shoulder and shirt soaked dark red with blood, then bringing his look back to the group and Rey's question, "I think we are alright. I could feel the pull of you both and our power as a group, but it was almost like we weren't even here." He said frowning a little in thought.

"We need to find a better place for you. It's not safe out in the open." Ben said, his gaze flicking around a little with a sense of nervousness.

Finn's brow knitted in concerned thought for a moment, "The base of the hill on the way to the landing pad. It's not covered, so we don't have to worry about something coming down on our heads, and it's enclosed on all sides by structures. Plus, we are still close enough to lend our strength."

Ben nodded slowly as he weighed Finn's suggestion, his gaze settling on Rey and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah," Rey said cautiously, "That could work. It's out of sight." She looked at Finn with agreement as a rumble started in the distance.

"Get everyone going, now!" Ben commanded, and Finn was off running, yelling at the group to move as he waved his arms.

Nelo, Sardis and a few others scooped up the few Lanai who were left and everyone started running as Finn directed them. They all crested over the hill and down out of view, Finn pausing for a moment to give a last look as the pair.

Rey felt a wave of relief pass over her as she felt they had some semblance of safety out of sight as the rumbling neared, the lava that spewed intensified into thick, bright rivers with guizers at the top of the destroyed peak.

Ben wrapped his arm around Rey for a moment giving her an encouraging squeeze before they moved towards the center of the field again, as they both noticed the shards of the dark fighters dissolving into a thick haze, moving against the wind to gather at the base of the mountain.

Ben could feel the power of the group again at the back of his mind and figured Finn had organized them back into meditation. His mind briefly wandered to how they had been at such odds just a short while ago, but had since found a balance in their common group and even a mutual respect of sorts, as he watched the darkness gather again.

Rey could feel the power massing in front of them again and a cold shiver ran down her back as her mind thought of the pair in her vision standing at the same place they were, facing down the darkness and giving their lives to keep it at bay. It was like a cold grip on her hear and she turned quickly, stepping in front of Ben, drawing his concerned gaze.

"I love you Ben Solo." Rey whispered fiercely and pushed up on her tip-toes while snaking her free hand around the back of his head to pull his mouth to hers in a desperate kiss.

Ben wrapped his arms around her, crushing her to him, feeling her desperation and fear flowing through him. And the memory of his dream burst forth in his mind like a beacon of hope.

Rey pulled away with a gasp, her eyes searching his questioningly as the image slipped away from her, but the sense of what he felt remained.

"Ben?" She gasped in an airy tone, her eyes wide with surprise and wonder at what he had inadvertently shown her.

Ben dropped his gaze, self-conscious of his slip, "It was just a dream." he whispered; his tone not quite convincing as he was trying to be.

Rey moved her hand to cup his rough cheek, his days growth like fine sand paper under her palm, and lifted his chin to have him meet her eyes again, "It's a beautiful dream." She said firmly the hope of what could be shining brightly in her eyes.

Ben's eyes widened in surprise at her acknowledgement and what it meant to him as the rumbling began to shake the earth under their feet, traveling towards the mass of darkness now at the base of the mountain.

"We can talk about this later?" Ben said with a defiant flash in his eyes as his lips curled into a slight devilish grin.

Rey smiled at his charm and nodded, her face turning serious as she turned back, the ice around her heart melted.