Chapter 3: Journeys End
It's so hard to open my eyes but I know I'm awake. I can feel the sun on my skin. I hear the birds in the distance. Suddenly the weight on my eyes lets go and I spring them open. Almost on instinct I get into my attack mode, crouching down with one foot I front of the other and my hand to my staff. Wait my staff. Where is it? Oh yeah, it's up on the cliff where I left it after meditating with Luke. Or at least trying to meditate. What happened? It wont do any good to sit here and find out so I turn back around and start running up the stone steps back to Luke. I must tell him about the voice now.
"LUKE! LUKE!" I yelled when I almost reached the top. But no one answered. "LUKE, I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!... Luke?" But no answer. That's when I feel it before I see it. Luke laying lifeless on the ground. I could feel him though, reaching out to me. Not physically but in my mind I could feel him. I start running faster up the steps. Passing a few seldom trees. When I get to the top I see him. He was over by the ledge where I fear to look down to the ground again because I know I'm to clumsy and would just fall to my death. I ran as fast as I could over to him and got onto my knees, not caring that my foot slid over and hung hundreds of feet above harsh waves crashing over rocks. "Oh Luke, what happened? Oh Luke." Tears flowing from my eyes crashing down onto his chest. He hasn't even begun to teach me things. Anything, I don't know what I'm going to do.
I do a once over his body. He isn't physically hurt, at least that I can tell. How can a Jedi who spent all those years in exile just collapse for no reason. This can't be happening, this can't be.
"Rey, Rey." He suddenly coughs so hard blood comes out. "There is great darkness out there. Horrible things. But you, child, are the Light. Bring... Bring... Peace." Then as much as I felt him there, in my mind, trying to hold on. I felt nothing. He was gone. I felt cold overwhelm my body, that's when my arms get weak and I just collapse my head on his chest and let out a long sob. What has happened? The resistance counted on me to bring him back. To become this new Jedi and be his apprentice and learn the ways of the force. I let everyone down. I still don't understand how this happened. I pull my head up from my arms and look down at Luke's face.
A fire red pain starts in my head, so painful it feels as though my mind has been set on fire. A jolt to my head like a high pitched scream, temporarily putting spots in my vision. I stand up so fast I loose balance and fall forward. Thankfully I didn't fall backwards down the cliff. I lift my face up from the ground and rub my eyes on the back of my arm wrap. I can only see black shapes until my eyes focus and I see a pair of dark boots inches from me.
"You thought you could hide from me. How predictable." The voice was deep, dark, and sent chills up my spine. I stood up to come face to chest with thick black fabric before putting my arm above my eyes to shield it from the sun. Slowly looking up to the mask of Kylo Ren. He was just a feet inches away. Suddenly I felt like I was hit by a moving starship and flew back until my head hit a tree. Nearly knocking me unconscious. Then the worst pain around my neck and being lifted off the ground until I was on my toes. I grab to remove the invisible hands. Of course it's the force. I can't breath and I keep my eyes closed, I don't want to die looking into the mask of a murderer. "Open your eyes scavenger!" He sounded like he was still near Luke's dead body. But I could hear him walking closer. His feet were so heavy.
"No" I manage to whisper. The hold around my neck loosens and my feet are flat on the ground now. "Luke... Luke." I manage to squeeze out of my throat.
"Open. Your. Eyes." He hissed through his mask.
'Or I'll make you.'
His voice exploded in my head like rays of heat. Of course he wore that stupid mask, it's so damn intimidating. I slowly but reluctantly open my eyes. He was arms length away. With his arm stretched out just inches from my neck. He still had a small grasp that made it hard to breath. I stare into his fingers not daring to look into his mask. "I could kill you right now. Though I'm sure Luke Skywalkers death will redeem me of the embarrassment you caused me. But I don't think Supreme Leader Snoke would be happy I killed you, just yet. You pathetic excuse of a Jedi."
I can't even fight back. My head started to get fuzzy. I could feel tickle startin to form on the back of my head. I must of cut it open because I can't focus on his gloves anymore. Everything is so blurry. He dropped his arm and the hold around my neck let go and I sag to the ground gasping for hair. My eyes are half shut. I move my left hand to my side looking for the staff that isn't there, I instinctively move my right to rub the tickle forming on the back of my neck. It was so wet and felt like to much blood. I look at my hand and up to the Mask before everything went dark.