Chapter 36 The Void

Rey wiped a tear away because for the first time she was leaving Nova. Of course she was going to be with her grandmother and would be safe but it was still hard to say goodbye. She was going to miss her growing even if it was for a few days. Ben didn't like saying goodbye to Nova either as he held her and held Rey too. Ben handed Nova off to his mother and the baby knew mom and dad were leaving and started to cry. Both Ben and Rey almost went ahead and gave up the mission but this was important.

As they began to board the cruiser Poe came running up to them.

"Hey," He greeted them as they stood together. "Decoding now but we may have intercepted a transmission from the Order." That seemed promising. "It's a big one too."

"Where's it coming from?" Rey asked.

"Outer Rim," Poe answered and Ben sighed. He needed Finn and Poe here but this could help.

"Retrieve the code personally." Ben ordered as he caught a glimpse of Leia walking away with Nova. She was smiling at the little girl, bouncing her on her hip.

"Should we run it by the General?" Poe asked knowing any and all missions should be cleared through her. Although there is a side mission going on at the prison that only three people knew of. Ben watched his mother and daughter leave the hanger. The way his mother walked, her stands, she was getting tired. She's led two revolutions and she isn't getting any younger. Leia made Rey and himself Admirals for a reason, she gave up the crown for a reason.

"No," Ben answered and looked back to Poe. "Covert mission." Rey shot her glance to Ben and he looked to her. Something was wrong or maybe he was truly taking leadership, it was hard to tell. "Once the transmission is intercepted and decoded, take the Falcon, you, Chewie and Finn, in, out back here as soon as possible."

"Yes Admiral." Poe acknowledged and headed off. Rey watched Ben as he boarded the cruiser and she looked back out to the hanger. Everyone was busy and the day continued. Something wasn't right. Rey followed inside and to the cockpit as Ben began to fire up the cruiser and she took her seat. He punched in the coordinates and they were heading out.

Once they were in hyperspace, the hum of the cruiser could be heard and the lights of the stars gave their path Rey turned to Ben. She's known him for a long time now. They share a deep bond together and through the Force. But those walls she's been able to tear down, they were slowly going back up. Ben was building his defenses again. Rey reached out and placed her hand on his squeezing it. Ben looked to her, squeezing back.

"What's going on Ben?" Rey asked, as they would have some time in hyperspace. Ben was wondering what he could tell her without lying but also without telling her about Bleys. He needed to say something because she will find out sooner or later. And he knows by now they're stronger together.

"Before Nova was born, I had a dream," He started. "I saw…I don't know who it was but he was powerful in the Force. For a moment I thought is was Snoke but it's not…it's someone else, something else." Ben began to confess. "I've seen this…man over and over and he's been talking to me." Ben looked back to Rey.

"And why am I just now hearing of this?" Rey asked and Ben was about to answer. "And don't say its because I was pregnant or you didn't want me to worry because of our daughter." Ben went back to facing the controls. There were no real reasons.

"I'm sorry," He whispered and looked back to Rey.

"I'm here Ben," She assured him squeezing tighter. "You're not alone." That gave him relief. He then fully took her hand into his bringing it to his lips holding it there closing his eyes, taking a moment. He then looked up to her and she could see those deep brown eyes. They held his soul and she could see it. She could see all that he was, all that he is and all that he could be.

"Neither are you." Ben replied back. Oh, how far they have come from touching fingertips across the galaxy to now.

The small cruiser pulled out of hyperspace and before sat the busy planet.

"Why Coruscant?" Rey asked trying to figure out what they were doing. Ben was going to try and answer but hold back because he didn't fully understand.

"The Commonwealth received a message in the language of the Sith. It's a dead language and few know how to speak it…if they're even alive." Ben began to explain as Rey listened. "Remember we found a Sith Temple under the Jedi Temple?" He asked and she nodded. "We may find text and maybe even a coder. Maybe I can find out who's been in my dreams." Rey looked out to the neverending city as they flew in and she could feel the fear in Ben. Someone was talking to him, this happened a long time ago.

Snoke had begun to whisper to Ben when he was young, began to twist him and watch him from afar. It was happening again, someone was watching and trying to take him. She then looked to Ben again but unlike the last time where he felt alone, where and when no one listened, she was here. He was nearly lost to the dark but not this time.

They landed a few clicks from the Jedi Temple as to not draw attention. As they walked there with the sun showing that it was going to set soon they stood before the front door. It wasn't open and it looks like no one has been here since their last visit. They opened the door just slightly and slipped in and closed it. The old hallow ground remained quiet as they looked at the once mighty Jedi Temple of old.

Ben and Rey walked through the low lit temple, it was just the way they had left it. They knew where to find the Sith Temple this time and headed straight there. The opening was there and ready because they never did close it up. Ben and Rey looking into the darkness below them and began to reach into their packs for items like twine and lights. Rey took a small rod and flipped a switch and tossed it down seeing where the bottom was. She then anchored her twine and was about to go in but Ben stopped her. When they were first here he did let her go first but now, now with all that is happening he was going to go first.

He started to descend down as Rey waited for some space. Rey then started and luckily it wasn't too far down. Ben reached out grabbing onto her making sure she was safe. The two looked around turning on their flashlights and the whispers started again. Rey reached out placing her hand on his shoulder gripping it.

"Ben?" She asked as he looked around. He has brushed the Darkside, these whispers pulled those feeling up. And being away from the dark for so long, burying those feelings and unwanted thoughts for so long; this was a kick.

"I'm ok." He insisted and took her hand into his. He was ok because he had Rey. That voice that whispered to him, offering the galaxy to him, as Kylo Ren he would have taken it without hesitation. But with Rey, he was stronger than that. The two started looking or more like feeling and then felt the slight breeze. Rey started first once more, something wanted Ben, something dark and if that's the case it will need to get though her first. They started down the path together again. The walls started to close in and narrowed. Ben reached out grabbing Rey's utility belt to one follow but also pull her back if needed just as he did before.

They then made it into the entrance looking at the upside down temple, the guarded entrance. They then found the open entrance down into more darkness. Rey lit a flare dropping it next to the entrance and then climbed with Ben behind her. The walls were even more narrow as they moved. That sickening feeling hit Rey but she ignored it and continued to move forwards.

They made it into the Sith Temple and looked around the place. This time though they brought more lighting and began to light up the old temple. The throne was there as Ben stared at it. That chair was seen in his dream only the one in dreams had long jagged spikes coming from it. Ben looked around the room seeing smaller statues of Sith, similar to the larger ones in his dreams. This was nearly a replica of his dreams.

Rey began to look around the place looking for anything that looked like texts. The Sith Temple was small, maybe the size of the meeting room at the base, it could hold about a hundred people. Ben turned away from the throne and continued to look around.

"The stories of the Sith a passed down by mouth, if there are any books they're long lost. But it's been said they will write on the walls and pillars." Ben scanned the room and unlike before he noticed it.

"Ben," Rey called out and he made his way to here and they stood before a pillar with writing. "Text," Ben looked around and got closer to the walls seeing more texted. Rey continued to look too but what was she looking for? But then something caught her eye, it was reflecting off the light of her flashlight. She continued towards seeing something gold. The gold itself was nearly faded, just pieces of it. It was a box as she put her hand to it and began to feel for a latch. She felt one but a lock on it. She used the Force to crush the latch and now opened the box.

Inside she saw a triangle device, solid, smooth in her hand as she picked it up. Ben looked for Rey as he continued to find more writing. He walked over to her seeing the strange device. Ben then took it from her looking at it. He studied it but it was locked in a gold box so it has purpose. He then turned it upside down seeing a small hole.

"Rey," Ben handed the device back to Rey as he reached for his saber. "It needs an energy source, something only a Sith would use." Ben took out his saber and held it before him and began to break it apart with the Force. Within the saber was the cracked Kyber Crystal. He let pieces of his saber fall to the floor and held the device with the Force placing the crystal within. The device then lit up in red letting the room glow.

Rey looked around the lit room of red and began to scan the walls.

"It's translating them." Rey informed Ben as he looked around. "What are we looking for?" She asked. Ben didn't know as he set down the device and they scanned the walls. But some how they would know what they were looking for once they found it. "There's a lot, we'll be here for hours." Rey stated and Ben agreed. They didn't have all the time in the world to look. They had to focus on one part but where?

"It's been calling to me." Ben then looked to the throne. Rey looked to him as he walked to the throne and then looked back at Rey.

"Ben," She sounded afraid for him. She then walked to him knowing if the dark was calling him this could be a trick or a way to lure him.

"If you see me struggle," He started but Rey nodded. It had to be him as he has been to the dark. Ben stepped to the throne and then took a seat. He settled in and closed his eyes and began to think. He opened his eyes still sitting on the throne but this time it was on the larger one in his dreams.

"Welcome…young Skywalker, I have been expecting you." The low garbled voice greeted him. Before him stood a hooded figure, cloaked in darkness, the same thing that has haunted him for months. "You brought her here too…" Ben stayed silent. "Stand up, let us see one another face to face." Ben did not stand but felt himself rising against his will. He began to float towards the figure seeing it's yellow and red eyes. "You look so much like him, your grandfather." Ben felt his feet touch the ground.

Ben continued to stay silent. The figure before him looked around. "The Force is strong with her and together..." Ben saw a smile form. "This…this is something else…" The thing looked around as if it was pleased with itself. "The two…the two that are one..." The being looked to Ben knowing he has discovered something and the smile was even bigger. "You coming together…that is your undoing. Kneel," Ben said nothing feeling the pull, the desire to comply. "Kneel!"

Ben's eyes opened and he looked around. Rey kept her eyes focused on him and he stood up from the throne. He stood there in that cold sweat still hearing the whispers. But at the same time he knew what to look for. He stepped away and started for a spot in the room and his eyes fixed on one spot. Rey looked behind her and they both headed to the wall and found a text.

"Copy all of this and then we leave, take the device with us, seal this place up." Ben more or less ordered. Rey grabbed a scanner from her bag and began to scan the entire wall as Ben stood guard. His senses were on fire and he could the voices once more.

'The mighty Kylo Ren,' Ben closed his eyes, feeling the air was being sucked out of his lungs. 'At last…my boy,' Ben couldn't shake it this time. 'When I found you I saw what all masters live to see. Raw, untamed power. And beyond that…something truly special.' Ben had to let the voice speak, let the fire burn and die. But then it hit him as he opened his eyes and saw Rey there.

Then every fleeting memory he had of her rushed through him. Her light warned off the darkness. It didn't fail, it didn't run, it burned ever so much that he could always reach it. He could reach out now and touch it. It made the shadows disappear. She was the call back.

"Rey," His voice was just beyond a whimper. She turned around seeing him standing there and she rushed to his side as he began to fall to the ground. She managed to ease him to the ground. Rey heard a beep and she called the scanned to her. She then called the decoding device to her as well as the pieces of Ben's saber. She needed get them out of here. "Rey," He sounded nearly out of breath.

She looked down to him as he reached out to her, stroking her face gently. It was almost like he was seeing her for the first time. He could remember the first time too. She was scared, small, no idea why she was where she was at that time. When he reached out to her then all he saw was a frighten girl wanting to go home. But he felt something, something deep and true and he had to know what it was.

She came for the monsters that had ever touched him. She came for all the ones that twisted his soul into shadow. They turned him into a nightmare but she became theirs. Ben managed to pull himself up cupping her cheeks into his hands. Just as she could see his soul he could feel hers. The darkness was fighting for him but her soul fought it back, it always had.

"You are the greatest thing I have." He confessed. Rey didn't know what was happening but she listened. "They do not deserve you." That last part was a declaration. Something was coming for him and it wanted her too. Rey felt the Force bond open between them as he let her feel what he felt. Rey pulled him in closer comforting him, absorbing the fear and dread. She pulled him tighter looking to the throne. Whatever wanted him would have to kill her first.

Ben was asleep on the cruiser. Whatever happened down in that dark temple took most of his energy. As he slept Rey began to study the text they saved. She set down his saber as she put it back together for him not taking her eyes off the words. The decoding device she had sat there as well. As she read an alarm went off. Rey got up and ran to the cockpit. She sat down in the pilot seat and started to flip switches.

Ben stumbled in still feeling a bit weak but that went away as soon as a hologram of a Star Destroyer popped up.

"What are they doing here?" Rey asked.

"Same thing we are." Ben answered and looked to Rey. "It's Antar." Rey began to flip more switches and Ben sat down in the co-pilot chair and started to get the cruiser ready to leave. Rey began to pilot away slowly. They wanted to slip away quietly and they made sure to quiet themselves in the Force. As they pulled away a group of TIE fighters descended to the temple. Rey piloted the cruiser away knowing once Antar's finished with place it would be destroyed. Rey let out a tear; a great place was going to be destroyed.

"This will end." Ben declared to her as he reached for her hand. "We will end it." Rey nodded and went to type in some coordinates. But it wasn't to home. "Where are we going?"

"We need more answers, and it's time for him to talk." Rey then jumped the cruiser into hyperspace. "What, you're not going to be nice?" She asked as Ben gave the look of disapproval.

"It's just going to be one hell of a family reunion." He commented as he leaned back into the seat as they headed for Ahch-To.

A/N; Quick chapter and hope you enjoyed it. What does all this mean now? What did they find? What happens next? To be honest we're getting close to the end of this. I got about 10 chapters give or take left for you guys. What's going to happen in those chapters though? I'm excited; I hope you're exited too. But don't fret, there's another story I just started, Glitter and Gold. So when this one ends you'll have another. Better yet, chapter 1 of Glitter and Gold has been posted. As always, thank you for reading, commenting and following. You guys are the best.