The Force was an odd feeling. Most times there was a gentle warmth from it, a power. Other times it was a cold strength. And just recently, while trapped between life and death, the Force had brought a pain with it. This was different.
There was a heat, something akin to the scorching sands of Tatooine concentrated in palms and fingers pressed against a cold rock wall. It gripped in round about ways up arms like Dianoga tentacles. A molten core within rib cages. A strong backing against both legs.
A splintering sound filled the cave and caused those standing around to wince and take steps back as if they could escape the noise around them. The spider web crisscrossed haphazardly over the mirrored rock, a brilliant light shining through each new clawed crack.
Ben's eyes were shut tight in concentration, of trying to find his way through the heat burning his body. The intensity made his mind fog and he had to fight to stay present and awake.
Please, he begged silently to himself. Please don't let me fail them again.
Something pressed against Ben's hand and pulled him from the fog in recognition. He didn't have to open his eyes to know the spirit behind him. Uncle Luke's presence was strong and familiar. Ben had grown up with it. As he had with his mother's, somewhere to the other side of him, a sweetness. The roughness was his father, Ben was positive it was. But the last two that had appeared were different.
A power like unto a Queen stood beside him. Something far more royal than even his own mother, though she felt like a mother just the same. A warrior that could take command, but a voice that still understood. A spirit that could never be tamed. Someone taken too young, but loved by millions.
The last was something he had sensed before. A troubled darkness swirling with a rich light. A mix of good and bad, though Ben knew the darkness better than the light. Life. Death and decay, that feeds new life. Warmth. Cold. Peace. Violence.
A balance.
Anakin.
A family.
His family, completely behind him, letting him know he was finally in the right. This was what he was meant to do, meant to be. He was finally on the right path and there was nothing that was going to stop him. People telling him that he was forgiven as far as they were concerned and now it was his and Rey's turn to be the balance that the force needed.
Just as suddenly as they had come, the feeling of each left and Ben was drenched in a coldness that leeched the strength from his body. He tumbled to the freezing stone ground beneath him, breathing hard and heavy, fingers outstretched over the ungodly black floor of the Netherworld of Unbeing.
Rey instinctively took a step forward as she watched Ben's tired form crumble among the falling splinters of rocks. A fierce tug on her hair pulled her flush against Wayzac's body. There was something a little sharp that bit into Rey's back, but she brushed the thought aside as Emila strode over to Ben and took the back of his shirt, pulling him up onto his knees with a strength Rey didn't think the teen would have.
"Move your feet," Wayzac instructed with a hiss that made Rey's ear tickle and forced Rey forward. Rey couldn't hold back a small cry as her leg collapsed under her, the fingers in her hair being the only thing keeping her upright. "Stop that. Walk."
"I need my walking stick," Rey muttered for what felt like the hundredth time since she had been captured. She could feel the annoyance radiating off of Wayzac but she consented and nodded to one of the several other stormtroopers to fetch it for her.
Once balanced, Rey did as instructed, awkwardly limping her way into the Vergence Scatter along with all of her friends.
Her eyes flickered around the vast emptiness that awaited them with an endless number of decorative portals in white swirling patterns. The nearest looked to be a fiery wasteland with lava rivers that had burnt everything to a blackened crisp. Another held the picture of deep space with a star that looked to be collapsing in on itself as it died. On and on they went, but that wasn't what Rey was looking for. Her eyes were searching through the darkness for those monstrous eyes that would be watching them, waiting to get to Ben who she was sure was in no position to fight.
There didn't seem to be any sign of the creature though and that brought Rey more worry than comfort.
Wayzac finally came to a stop in front of the hellscape portal and Rey could feel the heat of it against her back. She wasn't sure where this was going to go, but she knew she wouldn't like it. Finn held himself tall, but Rey could tell he was annoyed and waiting for a moment to take action. Cordella still looked a little dazed and Poe was glaring silently at Wayzac, teeth still clenched tightly in pain. As for Ben, he was back on his feet with a blaster still pressed into his back from Emila. There was frustration around him like a thundercloud, blood running hot like he could take on the world despite his current state.
There had to be a way out of this, Rey just had to make sure it was timed perfectly. That everyone knew exactly when to jump into action. They were all waiting for her next move and she hoped that it would come to her.
"You two, come take her," Wayzac instructed and Rey felt the burning relief of her hair being released before her arms were seized up by the cold hands of two stormtroopers, her walking stick clanking as it fell to the floor. Even as Wayac stepped away from Rey, the blaster stayed trained on her. Wayzac walked past the group several times, a tense silence around them as they waited and waited for something to happen. She finally stopped beside Cordella and glanced over her for a moment. "It's really beautiful the way that you fight because you don't know how to die quietly."
The whisper was enough to make Cordella shiver in disgust, but she was grateful for the whisper all the same. She wasn't sure if her pounding head could take words at full volume. Those cold eyes on her did nothing to ease the anxiety that was building in her chest. Wayzac's eyes lingered for a moment more before she left Cordella and passed Poe, heading to Finn.
"And you," she says as she stops in front of Finn, blaster still carefully trained on Rey. Finn scowled. "You were born a leader, no throne or crown needed. Why do you think you rose through the ranks so quickly, FN-2187?" At the mention of his name, his eyes darkened. "You were a fast learner, a bright trainee. If you find yourself alive at the end of this, you should expect some conditioning to bring you back to your full potential." Wayzac smirked and pushed back a laugh in her throat. "I wouldn't hold on too much hope though."
Her head turned to Rey and Rey returned the harshness that waited there for her. Wayzac stepped over and the barrel of the blaster was pushed against Rey's right temple. Rey didn't flinch. "And you, Rey Palpatine," Wayzac said softly, her voice still carrying through the empty space around them. "I bet you're thinking that you can make it out of here with everyone and go on your merry little way, and even if you can't you need to." Rey didn't budge as the pressure on her temple increased. "Because we both know you're special. A dyad, a balance, and the universe would be in ruin without you."
"Why are you doing this?" Rey asked softly as if to not disturb the poison in Wayzac's blood. "Because you weren't fed love on a silver spoon?"
"I've learned to lick it from knives," Wayac shot back with a twisted grin that only accentuated the scarring over her lips. "And no. It's not because I wasn't loved as a child. It's because this is what I deserve. The universe is what I deserve. It is my birthright and I am here to claim it, unlike you. You were too weak to take it, just like your grandfather."
"Monster," Rey hissed, blood boiling.
"You can call me monster," Wayzac whispered back, unphased by the insult. "But I think we both know that you were far too caught up in being a nobody to be a somebody and I am not making that mistake. I will write history and you will be the one erased, not me."
Wayzac stepped away and glanced over her final target. She positioned herself in front of Poe whose nose was scrunched up in hate. "Pilot Dameron, the king with no crown." Her free hand that was chaotically bandaged took his chin and forced him to look up at her. "I'm wondering which will get you killed faster, your loyalty or your stubbornness."
"What do you mean?" he asked as curiosity gripped him. She roughly turned his head to look in the direction of Ben who looked just as tense as the rest of them were. "What about him?"
Wayzac's smile only grew and she laughed. "You can't tell me you don't remember what he did to you."
"He's done a lot of things to the Resistance," Poe defended, unsure of where the woman was going with this.
Her grip released Poe and she strode over to where Ben stood, snatching up the collar of his shirt and dragging him closer to the group. Ben's face twisted to one of pain as he almost hopped to stay in pace with her. Emila followed a step or two behind, watching calculatingly.
She pulled at Ben's shirt so hard that he finally stumbled and fell to his knees in front of Poe with a pained groan. Ben inhaled heavily through tight teeth before his head was forced up by the same hand in his hair that had been holding Rey's.
"Look at him, Ben. Really look," Wayzac instructed. "You can't tell me you don't see it."
"What is it you're wanting me to see?" Ben gasped out, eyes watering.
Wayzac stood there for a moment longer, allowing the situation to boil a little longer in enjoyment. She was going to get rid of all of them, every last one, but what was the point in doing that if she couldn't have any fun first?
"I have to say, I think the family resemblance is a little uncanny, don't you?" Wayzac said, again trying to hint at what she wanted from the two men.
Poe's blood ran cold at the realization of what she was doing. Poe had already decided to let the incident go as it seemed that Ben hadn't recognized him or just didn't remember. Poe didn't think it right, but there was no point in having the hardship between them when he was as close to the Resistance as he had gotten.
"Do you remember Cole?" Wayzac inquired, gripping Ben's hair tighter in her fist.
Ben's heart pounded in his chest and his eyes widened, flickering over Poe as realization slammed into him. How had he not noticed? How had he let the name slip past him? Maybe it had to do with the fact that Poe was so big in the Resistance and as a pilot that Ben had never put the two names together.
And the family resemblance was there, clear as day. They had the same nose, the same jaw, the same eyes, the same curly hair. Ben's gut twisted with guilt and he fought to find the right words to say. What could he possibly say? What could Ben ever say to make up for that death? Why hadn't Poe ever brought it up?
Or maybe Poe had in a roundabout way that Ben hadn't placed. Poe had been so harsh with him when they had first officially met, when Ben had tried to make amends. He finally understood the anger and the hostility.
And Ben didn't have an excuse for killing what he assumed was Poe's brother. Ben had been angry at the betrayal of what he felt had been his closest friend. That was why he had made Cole his second in command. The loyalty was unwavering until that night and Ben couldn't see past the sick feeling in his stomach when a Knight of Ren stood against his leader.
"No apology?" Wayzac taunted. She released Ben's hair, but Ben didn't dare move. "That's a little disappointing, don't you think Poe?" Poe didn't reply and Ben stared at the man's boots, unsure if he could meet Poe's gaze at the moment.
"Just a bit," he replied, his words strong. Ben winced. "I'm a bit sad that I don't get to take care of him myself."
There was a new feeling that washed over the room and Ben's head shot up to look at Poe in question. He knew he deserved it, but the way all of the other's tried to move forward made Ben nervous. What was Poe doing? They could have it out after they dealt with Wayzac. Ben wouldn't even fight. Why was Poe falling for her provoking words? Was Poe really as hot headed as Ben thought he was?
Wayzac waved her hand and Ben watched in confusion as Poe was released hesitantly from being held. Ben took a look over his shoulder and saw Wayzac shrug in response. She was going to let it play out, watch Poe kill him and then what? The others wouldn't stand by and let Poe get away with it, would they?
Poe stretched out his arms, a stiffness in them from the odd angle they had been held in. Poe stepped past Ben and moved to Emila, snatching Rey's saber that she still had in hand. Poe glanced over it, finding the activation lever before igniting the blade. It hummed to life, the yellow blade casting a reflection in the cold dark floor.
The back of Ben's shirt was seized and Poe yanked the man to his feet. Ben stumbled at the new momentum and direction and did his best to keep up. Ben could see fear in the faces of Finn and Cordella as he passed them, each straining against the hands that held them back.
Ben was tossed forward and stumbled, falling to the floor again, this time beside boots he recognized as Rey's. She wasn't looking at him though, her steel gaze was sharp on Poe. It was difficult for Ben to get back to his feet, but once he did, he faced Poe head on. He could admit he was wrong, but he wasn't going to die on his knees if he had the choice.
"Poe," Rey said harshly. "Stop this." Poe simply shook his head and looked over the lightsaber in his hand, the blade humming with the movement. "Poe-"
"No!" Poe shouted, making everyone jump with how fierce the word was said. "I am not letting this opportunity get away!" The anger was shocking, something similar to Kylo's rage filling the room. "He killed my brother and he deserves to pay."
"And he will when this is over," Rey assured, voice broken and begging. "Please Poe."
"You should know better Rey. He has always run away from his problems. The moment we are done here is the moment he disappears for good." Poe was pacing now in his familiar movements. "The universe deserves justice and if this the only justice we get, I will be praised in the afterlife! The man who finally killed war criminal Kylo Ren!" There was a long pause before words that would haunt Ben for the rest of his life were uttered. "I expected better from you."
Ben didn't have time to think as the yellow blade was hurtling towards him. He waited for the searing pain that came with being stuck by a lightsaber, but none came. He could feel the heat radiating off the blade from his right side and there was a crunching of stormtrooper armor, then again on his left.
With a harsh push to his chest, Ben stumbled back into Rey and Poe watched as both of them tumbled out of sight through the portal behind them with nothing more in it than lava rivers. As quickly as he could, Poe let the blade close and he tossed the saber through the portal as well.
A pure cutting pain filled Poe's back as several blaster bolts entered him and he dropped to the floor, unmoving.
"Poe!" came Cordella's shriek as she fought to get away from the two troops that still held her in place. She had to reach him, make sure he was ok, protect him like he had protected her. Her feet weren't moving though. She was being dragged into the opposite direction.
With a strong pull, Cordella felt her captors' vice grip fall away as their bodies were tossed across the vast, never ending room.
She searched around desperately for what had caused the odd movement and found Finn, breathing hard with a hand outstretched towards her.
She gave him a nod of thanks before sprinting to Poe's collapsed form. She dropped to her knees and slid the last few feet to him.
Cordella couldn't stop her hands from shaking as she reached out and rolled him onto his back. He groaned at the movement and Cordella's heart didn't feel quite so tight now that she knew he was still alive. He was unconscious, but alive.
There was a pressure against her head and Cordella tumbled over, a bright white light exploding behind her vision. A suffocating pain assaulted her from all directions as she tried to gain her bearings.
When the white faded back to her dark surroundings, she could see her twin looking back at her as if waiting for her to make a move. Emila causally paced, slow and calculating, like a rancor waiting for its next meal.
Cordella's head was swimming once more and she tried to push herself up onto her knees, her arms trembling under the weight. Emila's boot pressed into Cordella's shoulder and with a simple push Cordella fell back onto the black floor, dizzy.
Emila squatted in front of Cordell with elbows on her knees and watched as the queen tried again to get to her knees as the stream of blood that had stopped began to run down her face once more from the second blow to the head.
There was a crash of armor and Emila looked over her shoulder to see the dark skinned one throw another two out of the way and through a portal that had a large sandpit in it.
"Not so tough now that you don't have a room at your beck and call, are you?" Emila mocked softly, finally turning back to Cordella.
The queen growled and tackled Emila, the blaster flying from her hands, Emila's head slamming hard into the floor. Cordella tried to race after the fallen weapon, but a hissing red light halted her, Wayzac's feet in her vision, Ben's lightsaber flickering angrily by Cordella's face.
Her breath was heavy and sharp as she slowly followed the beam of light and straightened up. The girl flinched as the blade swung upwards, but no pain came. Her eyes flickered open, growing wide at the sight of Finn holding off Wayzac's blade back what looked like Rey's discarded walking stick.
"Get the blaster and get Poe out of here," Finn ordered through clenched teeth, shocked at how strong Wayzac truly was.
"How are you doing that?" Cordella asked in no more than a whisper. It shouldn't have been possible. As far as she, or anyone else was aware, lightsabers cut through anything but other sabers, so what was stopping this measly stick from being sliced through in seconds?
"Go!"
Finn's tone jolted Cordella so much that she snatched up the blaster from under Finn and turned back to find Emila slowly getting up. Cordella scrambled to her feet, almost falling back to her knees as she made her way back to Poe. Her hands worked as quickly as she could make them to get a good hold on Poe and hoist his arm over her shoulder so she could pull him upright.
A broken sound of pain came from his throat and he collapsed into the teen who struggled under the new weight. "I've got you," she assured him though she doubted that he could hear her. Her feet were knocked out from under her and her, Poe and Emila rolled across the floor.
Wayzac rolled her eyes at the interaction that was happening behind Finn's back. Maybe the old saying really was true. If you want something done, you have to do it yourself. Wayzac didn't need Emila anymore. Emila had played her part dutifully and it was time for the girl to go and whether it was by Wayzac's hands or one of the others, Wayzac didn't care. As long as those in her way were cut down.
She would dispose of all of them, every last one of them, save for this interesting man in front of her. Sure, Cordella was strong willed and Poe was a gifted pilot and had drive and goal, Rey was stubborn and Ben was loyal, but FN-2187 was a different machine altogether. There was something special about him. How else had he been able to turn this pathetic excuse for a staff into a weapon to go up against the lightsaber that Kylo Ren had poured all of his malice into?
Wayzac would keep FN-2187 alive. She would break him, destroy everything he loved right in front of him and then build him back up the same way that Snoke did to both Kylo and her. She would make FN-2187 Kylo 2.0. A weapon that obeyed orders, a weapon without a mind of his own, and she would harness this power for her armies. She could have ruled the universe with Kylo and his force at her side, dark and dangerous, but with FN-2187 time and space would be hers.
Finn's foot began to slip on the slick surface of the ground beneath him and he quickly dodged to the side, leaving Wayzac off balance enough to take a few steps forward. She turned back around and Finn blocked the wild thrust at him, the force making his arm go numb as he focused all of his strength into the only thing he had to fight with.
Finn waited for Wayzac's next move, unsure if the stick in his hand could do much more than block her advances. He watched as she repositioned her long curls out of her eyes, jaw tight in anger and curiosity.
Out of the corner of his eye, Finn caught movement and turned just in time to catch another trooper with a blaster aimed right at him. With his free hand he swiped in the air, using the trooper to knock Wayzac off her feet and skid across the floor.
Wayzac easily rolled back to her feet and without a second thought shoved the lightsaber through the chest of the trooper. If he was going to be in the way then she was going to take care of him.
Finn's eyes widened as he watched her kill one of her own just like it could be replaced, just like they had always been replaced. Anger pooled in Finn's blood, traveling through his veins at speeds that matched the ferocity in Wayzac's eyes when she turned back to him, stance ready to continue their dance.
A/N: Thank you once again to all of you who sent me well wishes. They were much needed.
First I would like to say, thank you so much for all of the well wishes. They have done wonders for me.
I haven't been very well, which is why it has taken me so long to post.
The surgery went well, but afterwards was not so well. I am so lucky that they allowed my mom was allowed to be there or I'm pretty sure I would have probably been in a coffin, no kidding.
In overweight people, the anesthetic that is used lingers in the system far longer than it does for people who are not overweight. This causes the lungs to stop working and therefore I stopped breathing multiple times. Your oxygen levels should always be at 90/100 or higher, or your oxygen is too low.
Mine continued to drop to below 70 and my alarms would go off, but none of the medical staff would check on me. My mother luckily was there and would wake me up and fought for me to get a better oxygen machine when the medical staff would not allow her to stay the night with me. The medical staff did not believe my mother that my oxygen was dropping and said that their machines were wrong.
The next day when she was allowed back in, the nurses took me off of all of my oxygen and I passed out and became unresponsive. They didn't believe my mom when she went to tell them and it took them a long while to wake me back up.
Then they wouldn't allow me to take home any oxygen devices even though my oxygen levels were barely at 90. My mom took me home, and my aunt, who is a nurse, brought me a bunch of oxygen for me to breathe. So for the foreseeable future, I have to sleep with oxygen so that I won't die. And no one at the hospital seemed to care one bit.
I have been pretty sick since then. I am slowly doing better, but am still out of it. I owe you guys a chapter though. And also, my beta has been having issues with work and so she's not sure when she can have the next chapter edited for me.
But I hope you all enjoyed and I will do my best to get the next chapter up soon.
Love you all very much! Thank you again for all of your comments and well wishes. Until the next chapter, happy reading.