**Last time on WO: Ben had horrific visions that left physical marks on him and emotional scars. But he breaks out of it and they are ready to continue and GTFO
"Okay, Luke. This thing is pulsing. I don't like pulsing in this place, by the way."
Luke looked at Ben with sympathy. "Me either. Let's go though, the sooner we finish, the sooner we get out." He took the wayfinder from Ben and tried not to look at Ben's face. He hoped that these scars and marks would disappear when they left, but somehow he doubted it. A place like this has a cost. He just regretted that he couldn't be the one to bear it. Although, they hadn't gotten out yet.
Ben walked behind Luke, his feet dragging slightly. Without realizing it, he also had his wrist cradled and his shoulder hunched from his previous injury. Luke for once was walking faster and when he turned to look at his nephew his heart dropped. Ben looked so small and defeated. Luke knew that he was over six feet with muscles from his training, but small still somehow fit.
"Let me heal you," Luke said, slowing to let Ben catch up.
"We need you full strength, save the Force for when we need it," Ben said, giving Luke a weak smile.
"Do you hear yourself? You need to be physically strong. The amount of force to help you won't affect me like being in so much pain will hinder you," Luke's voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.
Ben finally nodded, he hated to admit that he was weak or needed help, but now wasn't the time to be bullheaded as his mom said. The icy feeling of healing rushed through him and it wasn't perfect but Ben had to admit that he felt better and could keep up with Luke. As they looked around they found no other exits except the two doors, that they had come in through. "Well, I guess that's where we need to go," Ben said, shrugging. He hoped that they didn't have to backtrack and end up in this kriffing room again. Ben reached out for a door, but it wouldn't budge. "Do you have the keys?" Ben said, looking at Luke.
"Yeah." Luke went up to the door on the right. "The left might just take us back the way we came," he said as he stuck the key in. The door opened and Ben started to go through. "Let me, just in case. You triggered this one and this one and it's my turn." Luke said, pushing past Ben.
They walked in and were faced with hundreds of mirrors. "What now?" Ben asked. He was afraid to look, but knew this was something they would have to face.
"I guess we look? Until we find what we need?" Ben hated Luke sounding so unsure especially in a time like then. "I think we should look together."
They walked up to the closest mirror and stood in front of it but all they saw was a reflection of themselves. Ben and Luke both raised their lightsabers at once to poke at the mirror and then matching smiles appeared on their faces. Nothing happened, but they weren't really expecting it to. Ben's amusement didn't last long. He was tired of this place and he wanted to be back with Rey. He tugged on the bond and for a second, nothing happened. Then a wave of darkness bounced back to him and he smashed his saber into the mirror, hoping it would shatter and give something physical form to what he was feeling.
It didn't shatter but Ben saw himself, alone this time. He was wearing all black and holding something in his hand. He couldn't quite make out what it was, but it wasn't important. He was stalking across the room on a stark starship, with a scrawny ginger pressed up against the wall. He looked down to see it was his hand that had his throat closed by the force. All Ben could think of was first Rey's hands around his neck and then Vader's force choke. Ben felt sick and turned away from the man, hearing him drop to the ground muttering apologies to the supreme leader. Ben's hand opened and a red stone fell to the floor.
He looked up and was disoriented. The mirror had shattered at his feet, and he wasn't sure if he'd passed or failed some sort of test. He looked around for Luke but he was alone. He caught a glimpse of himself in another mirror and walked up to it. Maybe one of these would be the key to the artifact they needed, and they could get out.
This time he was the pilot of a fighter. He was flying low over a planet that was red as far as the eye could see. There were all terrain walkers everywhere, surrounding a barricaded abandoned building. His fingers were on the trigger to fire and as he blinked his uncle appeared in his sights. He'd already pressed the trigger in the vision and he watched as blood sprayed from dozens of wounds. Ben screamed "NO!" and noticed his transport was headed straight toward the red salty planet. He tried to pull up so he wouldn't crash land. "Get medical supplies, we need to save him." His hand opened as he flipped landing sequences and a ring fell from through his fingers.
Another mirror smashed and another reflection of him. This time some sort of interrogation room. He turned to face who he was supposed to be questioning and it was Rey strapped to the table. She had such hatred in her eyes it almost physically hurt. He was wearing a suffocating mask and it reminded him of his grandfather's from the holos he had seen. He ripped it off, and strode towards the chair, pulling at Rey's restraints. He thought she must not have recognized him in the mask, but when he reached up to cup her face, she grimaced and turned away as much as she could in her restraints. His heart hurt, and he never wanted Rey to look at him like that. He whispered he was sorry and went back to trying to open her restraints. Something dug into his hand, and a dagger fell out. Thankfully he was back in the temple in front of another shattered mirror.
Ben fell to his knees, stomach churning. These visions somehow felt different. In them all he had the scar on his face, which he had not in the other room. So maybe those were his fears, and this is what he could become. He looked around for Luke once more, and saw him inside a nearby mirror. It hurt his heart too.
Luke had caught sight of Ben with his new scar in a mirror, hovering over Rey in a mask so similar to the one his father wore, and he had to look away. When he looked up, he saw himself laying in his own bed at the academy tossing and turning. He got up, grabbed his saber, and padded barefoot through the academy. He found himself outside Ben's door, and as he entered his nephew was facing the wall, snoring softly. Luke's mind raced, he kept seeing a reel in his mind of Ben losing control, hurting other students, and the waves of darkness Luke would feel seeping from his. He raised his lightsaber, knowing this was the best thing for the light, for the universe, and he struck. Just before the killing blow, Ben looked into his eyes, a single tear falling from his eye. But it was too late for Luke to pull back. As soon as he smelled the burning flesh, he fell to his knees placing his hands over Ben's abdomen, but the damage was done. No matter the amount of healing he poured into the boy, he was gone. Luke howled, wishing the force would take him, and he heard something hit the floor. When he lifted his head, he was on his knees, a shattered mirror in front of him, and his nephew staring at him. Luke had no idea what, if anything, Ben had seen of his vision.
"Ben… I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Me too," Ben said, his voice still gravely and hoarse. Ben broke eye contact and turned to his next mirror. He hated what he saw through Luke's but he also knew what he had done in his own mirrors. He looked up and feared what he would see next. He was on a walkway over empty space, red lights dimly lighting the path across. He held a red, spitting lightsaber in his hands and when he stopped staring at it, he saw his father coming to meet him in the middle. Han was asking him to take off the mask and Ben asked him what he thought he would see.
"The face of my son," Han replied.
"Your son is dead," Ben heard himself reply. His head was hurting, the icepicks he felt when he would hear the voice tenfold. This is it. Prove your worth. Let go of the past, the light makes you weak. Kill him. "It's too late," Ben whispered.
"It's not. Come home, we miss you," Han replied.
"I'm being torn apart, I want to be free of this pain," Ben said. It felt like his head and heart were being squeezed and then ripped. This will make you stronger. You won't keep feeling like this. Kill the past. It will stop. Ben resolved himself and met Han's eyes. "I know what I have to do but I don't know if I have the strength to do it." He couldn't bring himself to. Memories of flying in the Falcon with his dad, talking and joking while taking walks around their house, the two of them and Chewbacca always finding something new to repair or customize on the ship. Han lovingly kissing his mom's temple. Ben tried to shove it down, but his voice cracked anyways. "Will you help me?"
Han answered yes, and cupped his cheek. Now! You have him there. Don't be weak and foolish like him. Ben's head throbbed and he could barely see straight. He ignited his saber and thrust it into Han's chest. For a brief moment, there was peace and calm in his mind. But it didn't last. He saw his father's light go out of his eyes, and watched as he fell over the side of the walkway. Ben scrambled, trying to catch his hand, anything to undo what he'd just done. His helmet fell as Ben's hands met thin air.
He was sobbing as he came out of that one. He was sitting on shards of glass, and unable to process in these visions how some part of him was capable of doing this to Han, or his mother from the room prior. He squeezed his eyes shut. Surely there was another way? He could find the sith himself and kill him. That would free him and Rey.
The temple had other ideas. Ben was somehow on his feet, looking into a new mirror.
Ben was in a darkened throne room, with a scarred, emaciated being seated above him. Ben wore the dark robes and mask from earlier, and he could feel a place carved out in his head. It was full of darkness, so much more than he'd ever felt before. He kneeled before him, and he could feel claws ripping through his mind, looking for something. Then it stopped.
The man, the sith Ben assumed, laughed as he waved his hand and Rey floated towards him. It looked like she was being drawn to him by an invisible hook in her chest. Her back was arched and the only thing that touched the floor was the tips of her toes.
"She has the spirit of a true Jedi, and for that she must die. My apprentice, heir of Darth Vader, I sense your strength and resolve where there was only weakness. Complete your training and fulfill your destiny," Ben picked up his lightsaber at his feet. The Supreme Leader had been right, he was able to turn more towards the dark after Han. Rey could not be allowed to live. Either him or her had to die. He stood and walked towards her. Push down those feelings, I know that you are ready. You are putting weakness aside.
Ben found himself repeating "I know what I have to do," just like when Han had died. No, like when he'd killed him. Rey was breathing hard, staring into his eyes, but not saying anything. But then she whispered his name, and he pictured how he loved to hold her, kiss her, talk to her. It was her. Everything was for her.
Ben turned his lightsaber towards Rey, while subtly twirling his hand, pointing it towards the sith's side.
"I see him turning the lightsaber to strike, igniting it and kills his true enemy."
Ben ignited the saber, and cut the sith in half. Rey fell to the floor, and Ben on his knees beside her. She met his eyes, smiled, and pressed something into his hands.
Ben stood in the temple once again, looking around for Rey. He'd just seen her and she had given him a smile so full of light and so Rey. But he was alone. Something metal cut into his hand, and he looked at it. It was triangular, a dull gray color, and didn't seem to be anything special. But he'd dropped other things before coming out of the mirror, so he kept hold of it. All but two mirrors had disappeared. He stood, deliberating. He didn't see Luke anywhere, and he was afraid if he saw himself he might lose what the last mirror had sent him out with.
The metal in his hand warmed as he stepped towards the mirror on the right, so he stepped closer. Luke was in it, holding up the wayfinder. He said something but Ben couldn't hear him. Ben saw that the triangular object in his hand would fit something and Luke seemed to be beckoning Ben to join him. Ben hoped this wasn't a trap, but he didn't know what else to do, so he walked up to the mirror and stepped through. Luke hugged him as soon as he stepped through and then held up the wayfinder. "They match, don't they?"
Ben nodded. He took the wayfinder from Luke, and it was pulsing like he'd never felt it do before. He fit it in, and realized that this must be the two pieces of the artifact.
As soon as they joined, his brain went white.
AN: I know, I know. I used scenes from the movies, and I changed some things around to fit my purposes, I hope you'll forgive it.