Several seconds passed as cold air rushed against Rey's body. Her robes flapped wildly. Just as she wondered how much longer it would take to reach the bottom of the Exegol Pit, she crashed into the water, causing a spray double her height.

The dark water was freezing, to say the least; but it supercharged her muscles to move and escape. She swam to a rocky beach a few yards away. It bore a strange resemblance to the same one outside the mirror cave on Ahch-To, as everything seemed to in this place. She pushed herself onto the flat, slippery rock, completely spent. Catching her breath and dripping wet, she stood up tall.

She made out some kind of picture in front of her. Wiping her eyes clear of water, she realized it was a mural of some sort. Two figures, one a beautiful woman, another a fearsome man with glowing red eyes and bizarre facial features stood beside a tall, far larger, bearded man. His face showed no emotion, and Rey felt as if his eyes stared into her very soul. She realized what this was. It was a mysterious painting from Luke Skywalker's notes: The Ones of Mortis, also known as the Mortis Gods. Personifications of the Force.

She stepped up to it, trying to make it all sink in. In curiosity, Rey touched the mural. Immediately, there was a sound. The Son looked up to The Father, who stood in the middle of his children, and sunk downward. Voices resonated that she could not understand, but just as quickly, the mural vanished. Whatever this thing was, it seemed almost . . . alive.

Rey gulped, staring at the blank, unanimated stone wall before her. She watched it for almost ten seconds, but nothing happened. She balled her fist and hit it. "No! You can't do this! Show me!"

Suddenly, lights began to materialize in the corner. They moved across the wall of the underwater aquifer. The bright dots formed into the shapes of animals. Wolves. Rey's eyes widened. She froze.

Paying no attention to her whatsoever, the wolves walked into the center of the wall where she stood and began to move in a perfect circular path on it. They continued this. Rey backed up, trying to make any sense of it all. This was something she never saw before. It was something else, something otherworldly.

Inspecting it from a few feet away, the answer came, hitting her like a ton of bricks. Everything seemed connected now. All the questions had answers. What the wolves had created was a doorway — some sort of portal — to a different realm. But not just any realm — a world. A World Between Worlds.

FINN & POE — ZAKUUL

Keeping the words of Nihilus as teachers, Finn boldly walked into the open hallway as blaster fire hailed toward the small Resistance strike force. Still on the floor and recovering from his wound, Poe watched Finn, stunned and amazed. Finn really had come a long way. He had the power of a Jedi and the stature and maturity to match.

Gripping Leia's pulsating blue lightsaber with both hands, Finn stepped into the fray. The First Order stormtroopers, once his brothers, aimed directly at him. Channeling the Force just as Rey taught him for a while now, he focused on just pushing the shimmering bullets back from where they came. Time slowed to a mere standstill. He breathed deep, and as the first blaster bolt hit, he deflected it with superhuman agility and speed. It hit the ground, causing a spark.

Poe's eyes widened. Every second, almost a dozen shots hit Finn, but not one landed. He deflected each right back down the hallway, even managing to hit one in the leg, wounding him.

"What are you guys doing?" Poe exclaimed, gesturing to the Resistance soldiers. Their backs were to the wall. "He's taking all the fire! He's doing what Luke Skywalker did on Crait! Take them out!"

As the sounds of battle continued, the Resistance scooted behind Finn and picked off the stormtroopers. One soldier pulled out a mini sentry machine gun and powered it on. It purred like an engine before unleashing a barrage of fire, mowing down the enemy. They dropped loudly onto the floor.

"Nice!" Poe shouted in triumph, raising his arms into the air. He got up, holding his scarred shoulder. "Let's get out of here! The Resistance backup is almost here."

Finn turned off his lightsaber and hooked it on his belt. He followed the others, but stopped before jumping over the dead bodies. Staring at them, his eyes, for some reason, began to water.

Poe looked back and saw Finn distracted. "Come on, backup is here, Finn."

Finn shook his head. "They were never given a choice . . ."

"Yeah, they were," Poe replied. "They saw you and chose to shoot. It's either us or them. I wish it wasn't, but remember, this is what war is." Finn nodded but did not move. Alarms still screamed into their ears. Annoyed, Poe grabbed Finn's hand and ran down the hallway leading outside the facility.

"The hand-holding really necessary?" Finn quipped. "Now I know why Rey hated it!"

"You're being a child," Poe replied. His tone dripped with sarcasm. "So, I must lead you by the hand, child."

"Man, I should've left you imprisoned on that star destroyer," Finn joked.

When the Resistance strike force reached the exit, Finn Force pushed it away. The wall blew open and crumbled. A long metal runway extended out to a paved field of ships, including the Resistance ones. First Order TIE fighters engaged with Resistance X-Wings high above as backup cruisers 6landed. Finn personally led the turned stormtroopers, including FN-1759, to the ships. Within minutes, everyone boarded. Finn and Poe smiled at each other. A few dozen stormtroopers had joined the fold, and they found the locations of other Empire-era and First Order bases throughout the galaxy. Rey would be pleased.

"Great job, General," Finn praised.

"You too, General," Poe replied with a smirk. He slapped Finn's shoulder just as the craft took off to head back to Exegol. "Don't even think about smacking mine. I still have a—" Before he could finish, Finn smacked Poe's good shoulder, but it still reverberated to the recently injured one. "Ow!" Finn laughed.

Good, good, a voice spoke into Finn's mind. He froze, but quickly recognized it to be Nihilus again. You are strong and noble. Rey will truly be pleased.

Nihilus, who is my great uncle? Finn asked. No one around knew what was happening. The steady music of conversation continued on. You brought up my great uncle before. Who is he?

You do not know? Nihilus replied. The First Order, then, never told you about him.

Who was he? Finn inquired.

There was silence for a few moments, and Finn almost feared Nihilus had left. That is, until he answered. He was one of the greatest of the Jedi Masters history has known, and the leader of the Jedi Order near the end of the Republic. Windu, was his name. Mace Windu. His blood now courses through your veins.

Finn froze.

REY — EXEGOL

Rey stared at the wolves that circled around a black piece of the wall. The cold air brushed against her wet body, causing her to shiver. Yet, she paid almost no attention to it. The end of the road was close.

Now, you will face your other's greatest fears, Nihilus said.

"Ben's?" Rey replied out loud, seeking an explanation.

And Kylo Ren's, Nihilus answered. Both had their fears, and both never conquered them. In order to find his soul, you will do what he couldn't: conquer his fears for him. You will be tested. Before you reach that world between them all, you must pass through the Veil of the Force.

Gulping, Rey replied, "That sounds impossible."

Beyond the land of the living, anything is possible, Nihilus responded.

Breathing in deeply and exhaling all her nervousness, Rey narrowed her eyes. "Wherever you are, Ben, I'm coming," Rey muttered. "I'm coming."

Without a second thought, Rey stepped into the portal. The wolves instantly stopped moving, and shortly after, she tumbled straight through it, landing in a pitch-black landscape. She groaned, pushing herself up. When her eyes readjusted, it did not seem as dark. Instead, a bluish hue melted into the air and atmosphere of the place. Her eyes widened. This was where all her visions were centered. It was easily recognizable.

"What do I do now?" Rey cried, seeking a response from Nihilus. Yet, there was none. "OK, think, Rey, think! What was Kylo's greatest fear?" She paused, contemplating, almost being distracted by the sheer prevalence of the Force in this place. What did Kylo Ren obsess over? she thought to herself. "Darth Vader," she muttered, answering her own question. Then, she remembered the first time they met. When he took his mask off for her in that star destroyer above Takodana. "You're afraid," Rey recollected, repeating the words. "That you will never be as strong as Darth Vader."

"Your insight serves you well," a deep, intimidating voice bellowed. Following it were the scariest noises to ever enter her ears. Breathing. She froze, sweat dripping from her forehead. It was the sound an entire galaxy had feared for years, and now it was her turn.

Hawh, purr.

Once she fully turned around, a vibrant red lightsaber ignited. A steady, nerve-wracking hum arrived in quick succession. Her neck tensed for the millionth time, and after turning around, her eyes landed on the legendary, hulking figure of Darth Vader. He gripped his lightsaber with only one hand. Its crimson color basked the mist around him in a demonic red aura.

Darth Vader pointed at her, and when he did, her breath caught in her throat. "You will submit and die," Vader pronounced. He balled his fist. "In your dying breath, you will know the power of the Dark Side."