Author's note:
I'm so sorry that I took so long to update, but life got in the way :/
Thank you so much for your kind feedback on the last chapters, they really make my day and mean so much to me!
As always, thank you so much, my beta readers:
- hellostarlight (AO3)
- Megara09 (AO3)
- Everren (AO3) or Everren327 (Twitter) I hope you enjoy this chapter!
When Rey exits hyperspace, Exegol looms before her in all its awful glory. Its atmosphere is covered with dark gray clouds, bursting with flashes of lightning.
So this is where the Sith have hidden and schemed for all these decades.
Swallowing, Rey steers the X-Wing towards the clouds. As soon as it enters the atmosphere, the ship begins to rattle and the console beeps warnings. She grits her teeth and grips the center stick tighter, hoping the old ship will survive this descent long enough to bring her safely to the ground. She enters the thick cloud floor, and immediately she's blinded by the flashes of light around her. The electricity makes the hair on her arms stand on end.
She exits the blanket of clouds and sighs in relief, but then the air gets stuck in her throat. Before her, hundreds of Star Destroyers stretch out to the horizon, their shapes illuminated by flashes. She almost lets go of the center stick in shock and horror. It's worse than her vision predicted.
She recovers enough to steer the ship down through the fleet. She prays that no one will notice a lone ship, a tiny one at that. She curses herself again for destroying Ben's. It would have been much easier if she were flying a TIE-Fighter.
Somehow, she escapes detection and lands the X-Wing safely on the ground, blowing up snow-white dust. A wall of hot air hits her when she climbs out of the ship. It's incredibly dry and electrically charged.
Damn this planet. Rey hated Jakku, but Exegol is a whole other category. It's not only dry and barren, it's also dark, and its surface is torn by enormous fissures that make it hard to navigate, especially with the constant alterations of brightness over the surroundings.
Rey peers up to the sky, her body tense with worry. Beads of sweat roll down her neck as she struggles against the urge to run. She needs to tread carefully, lest she falls into one of the fissures. She narrows her eyes in a vain attempt to see better before she gives up and reaches out with the Force.
A presence, dark and ominous, beckons her closer, pulls her forward, until a massive monolith appears in front of her. Terror presses down hard on her, and there's a pain throbbing behind her eyes as if the sight alone could corrupt her.
The building seems to be hovering above the ground, exuding pure evil. Her breath hitches. Is it moving towards her? She shakes her head, then squints at it. No, it must have been her imagination.
'Pull yourself together!' She forces herself to approach it, even though every muscle in her body screams at her to run. The presence buried deep under the building is darker and colder than anything she's ever felt.
'It's your destiny to confront that fear, Rey, to confront Palpatine.'
Igniting Leia's lightsaber, she steps beneath the building and guides her way through the darkness with its comforting blue glow. 'Trust in your instincts, Rey,' Leia's warm voice echoes in her head. 'They will guide you.' A rueful smile tugs at her lips when she remembers the warmth in her brown eyes and the softness of her touch.
Leia had been much more than a teacher and a graceful leader to Rey. She had been guiding her like a mother most of all. And she still does. The glow of the lightsaber blurs in front of her and she blinks, wiping her eyes to clear her vision. Leia had been the mother she never had, her love unconditional, warm, and strong. But she had also been her friend, eyes sparkling when she teased her or when she was proud of her achievements. Rey never had the chance to tell her all this, assuming Leia would live forever, but she believes Leia had always known what was in Rey's heart all along, without her ever having to say the words.
Rey slows down and holds the blade so that it illuminates a short distance of the ground before her. Every once in a while, flashes of lightning light up her surroundings for a few seconds before it grows dark again.
She cries out when the floor under her feet gives way. Stretching her arms out, she regains her balance, legs trembling as she stabilizes herself. She realizes that she's standing on a platform that's descending deep underneath the surface. With wide eyes, she takes in the sight of huge, imposing statues, their faces grim and hooded. Are they watching her? She shudders and looks away from them.
The platform settles with a thud and she steps off, little stones crunching beneath her boots. This place feels ancient, like it was built millennia ago. She focuses on her instincts and lets them guide her deeper into the structure, until she enters a narrow corridor that opens up into a vast room. At the other end of it is a chair with giant thorns stretched out like claws.
It's the throne from the vision. The throne of the Sith.
Suddenly, she finds it harder to breathe, but she steps in, her eyes fixed on the throne, its thorns reaching out to her from the shadows. She is meant to ascend this throne. Together with Ben. She shivers.
Strange whispers around Rey make her tear her eyes away from it. Only now does she notice a vast amphitheater crammed with figures, all dressed in robes. Their whispers grow louder as she approaches the throne, terror closing its fingers tighter and tighter around her throat with every step.
She stops a short distance away from it. Her teeth begin to clatter, and she resists the urge to hug herself. The whispers slowly turn into chanting, and Rey looks back at the masses of figures. They move like a dark and deadly ocean, their chanting rhythmic like waves crashing onto the shore. Where did they all come from? What are they all waiting for?
As if reading her mind, every head turns to her in unison. Rey flinches, her heels hitting the first step of the throne. There's only darkness staring back at her. She tightens her grip on the lightsaber. Have they been waiting for her? The chanting swells, almost as if they are welcoming her.
Swallowing, she turns towards the throne, her eyes traveling from the steps leading up to it, to the thorns stretching to the sides, until they rest on the empty seat. What would it feel like to sit on that throne, to have that power, all for herself? Rey has barely finished the thought, when she realizes that her feet have already begun climbing the steps. Something deep inside her recoils in shock and disgust, but there's a curiosity, a hunger, that urges her on.
She stops at the foot of the throne, then extinguishes her lightsaber and clips it to her side. Her hands tremble when she reaches out to touch the stone of the arm rest. It's rough and incredibly cold, but the energy it exudes—dark and forbidden—is thrilling her.
If only her parents could see her now, their daughter, who they had thrown away like garbage, like she was nothing, poised to ascend the throne. They were nobody, but she is not. She is more powerful than they might ever have imagined. She's not like them, she's not going to disappear into insignificance, buried in sand to be forgotten. No. She will show the galaxy that she's more than just a scavenger, that she's worth being remembered.
"Long have I waited."
Rey staggers, and with a yelp, she falls backwards, her arms flailing and feet missing several steps. She catches her fall by rolling to the side, and when she comes to a stop, she's lying on her stomach, breathing heavily, her heart thundering in her chest. She pushes herself up, and ignites her lightsaber, eyes frantically searching the dark corners. Her breath hitches when a figure floats out of the shadows, towards her.
No, it's not floating. It's attached to a metal arm. The man is robed and the hood conceals half of a sickly pale face, tubes and cylinders connecting to his back. His thin, black lips contort into a sneer, revealing teeth rotting away in his mouth.
Rey wants to run, but her feet are rooted to the floor. Palpatine spreads his arms out in welcome. His fingers are falling apart—a few pieces are missing and bone is sticking out of their ends. Nausea washes over her and the hand holding her lightsaber begins to tremble.
"Welcome, welcome, young one," he speaks slowly, his voice rumbling and echoing from the walls.
Then he lifts his head enough to reveal the rest of his face. Rey wants to bolt, to scream. Lifeless milky eyes stare back at her. A whimper escapes her lips.
"Have no fear, child, I don't wish to kill you," he croons, but the coldness in his voice suggests otherwise. "I know what Kylo Ren told you…"
'Palpatine wants you dead.' Ben didn't lie to her, Rey knows that. 'I never lied to you.' Or has he? She screws her eyes shut and shakes her head vehemently. Where does the sudden doubt come from?
Palpatine cackles. "I told him to kill you." At this revelation, Rey opens her eyes and stares back at him. His smile repulses her. "But I knew he wouldn't do it, that he would be too weak. That boy is far too weak to resist you… He could hide his thoughts from me, but he wasn't able to conceal his pathetic feelings." His smile fades. "Kylo Ren has proven to be soft. Like Darth Vader at the end of his life...Kylo Ren couldn't kill you because of compassion, because of love." He spits the word out in disgust, then his focus shifts back to her. "He's not worthy of the throne. You on the other hand…"
"I thought both of us were meant to sit on the throne," Rey interrupts him, not sure why exactly, maybe to bide time or out of a stupid urge to defend Ben. "I saw it. In my vision."
Palpatine cackles, but it sounds more like a wheeze. "Ah, foolish child. Do you harbor tender feelings for him too?" Rey glares at him, but he continues to cackle. "Well...you can have that pretty boy by your side, if you so wish. As the Empress, you can do whatever pleases you."
"I have not come here to become Empress," she snaps and clenches her fist, ignoring the nagging voice in her head that calls her a liar, a hypocrite. For she had been tempted, even if it was just for a moment...She shakes her head vehemently. "I will not lead the Sith. I have come here to destroy them once and for all."
"Oh, so you think you have come to kill me...as a Jedi?"
"More than that."
His laugh is cruel. "So strong and yet so foolish. But that can be forgiven. You will be Empress, child, it is your destiny. You have so much anger and hatred in you…" He closes his eyes and draws a deep breath. "I can feel it. You want to kill me, you want revenge. Yes," he hisses and opens his eyes to sneer at her. "Strike me down...and my spirit will pass into you. We will become one and rule the Galaxy as is our right."
Rey pales and her stomach convulses into a knot. She swallows repeatedly, but the acidly bitter taste in her mouth won't go away.
"I won't do it," she presses out, deactivating the lightsaber and attaching it to her side, "I won't hate you."
She's lying through her teeth, and they both know it. If she weren't petrified with terror, she would slay him here and now. Palpatine wheezes a laugh, his skin stretching repulsively over his bones. He lifts one arm, and Rey flinches back.
But instead of attacking her, a rumbling and scraping of stone echoes through the cavern, and the walls begin to shake. The ceiling above them opens and light floods the room, revealing enormous Star Destroyers, their silhouettes contrasting against the backlit sky. A few specks flitter between them—the comparatively-tiny Resistance ships—firing laser beams at the Destroyers. There are explosions everywhere.
Rey watches on in horror as the battle unfolds. No, this is not a battle. This is a slaughter. And the Resistance is losing. Her friends are out there, fighting a lost battle.
Dying.
"They won't be able to save you." His voice vibrates through her bones. "They won't last long..." Rey looks back at his false sympathy and grits her teeth. "And it is you, child, who led them here."
Her eyes are pricking with tears. He's right. She led them here. She led them right into a death trap.
"If you want to save them, you have to take the throne." Palpatine speaks slowly, patiently, like he has all the time in the world. Or like he's talking to a child. "Only then can you command the fleet, do as you wish. You can save your little friends or family , as you like to think of them. But if you refuse, if you refuse to strike me down, I fear...your precious new family is lost." His voice turns sorrowful, sickly sweet in deception. "It would be a pity to see them all die, to know it was your fault…"
Rey is trembling now, her teeth and fist clenched, her other hand bypassing Leia's saber for the one she had used on Starkiller Base, when she'd felt herself become one with the Force. What is she supposed to do? Her friends are dying. But if she kills Palpatine, he will possess her, take over her soul. She shudders at the thought and blinks away tears. She doesn't want this. She didn't ask for any of this!
Her gaze flickers back to the battle above her. She could save them. Maybe this is the sacrifice she has to make. Maybe this is her destiny. If she becomes Empress, she'll be able to save them and the galaxy. If she rules, if somehow she manages to keep Palpatine out, she could end this war and bring peace to the galaxy.
Palpatine smiles wickedly. "Yes...you can save them. You can save the galaxy."
Rey knows this could be her doom. But what choice does she have? If she doesn't strike him down now, they will all die. Finn, Rose, Poe, Chewie...and Ben. Tears spill over her cheeks and her lips begin to tremble. Either way, she won't see them ever again. If she lets Palpatine possess her—
No. She can't let that happen. He would still kill them all. But, at least she would have a chance to take control of him, maybe even to destroy him. She will do what she must. Even if it means that she will die.
Her body goes cold with dread. It is against her basic instincts, against her will to survive. The constant fight for survival has been ingrained into her for her whole life. And now, she has to give her life voluntarily. So that the people she loves have a chance to live. And isn't it worth it? Isn't it what she always wanted? To be useful, to help, to have someone to fight for, instead of only for herself?
Rey sets her jaw, her finger sliding over the activator button of Anakin's lightsaber, when she feels a sudden warmth tingling at the back of her mind. It spreads out all over her body, comforting her and warming up her limbs. She turns her head slightly to the side, staring into the distance.
The presence grows warmer, stronger, and she feels her back straightening, her chin lifting as new energy surges through her veins. The presence feels so familiar, like she has known it for a lifetime. But it also feels so different. So incredibly bright .
Ben.
He's come back to her.
Despite everything. Her heart is still pounding in her chest, but now it's dancing with hope. Rey locks eyes with the Sith and shields her thoughts with a thick and solid wall. Then, she dips her head, projecting feelings of resignation, sadness and surrender to him.
"I will become Empress," she whispers and then looks up at him, adding anger into her voice and clenching her fist, "I will rid the galaxy of you."
Palpatine sneers and folds his hands in front of him. "Good. The time has come." The chanting crescendos to a volume that sends chills through her. "The scavenger will rise to become Empress." He looks back at her, lips stretching over his rotting teeth. "Strike me down and pledge yourself as a Sith."
Rey feels Ben's presence approach and thickens her wall to keep her thoughts and true feelings hidden. Steeling herself, she takes a step forward, stopping right in front of the living corpse, and forces herself to stare into his milcy eyes. Adrenaline, both hers and Ben's, rushes through her.
Ben is in trouble.
Pain shoots through her body and she nearly flinches. What's happening to him? She clenches her teeth and resists the urge to run to him.
'What's happening, Ben?'
'I didn't think this through.'
Another flash of pain. Anger flares up in her and she lets it seep out for the Sith to see. Every muscle in her body begs her to rush to Ben and tear apart anyone who dares to hurt him.
Palpatine inhales deeply, bathing in her anger. He smiles with malicious glee and spreads his arms out. "Let the ritual begin!" he exclaims, and the chanting grows deep, causing the ground underneath her feet to vibrate. "She will draw her weapon."
'Biding time,' she thinks and presses the activator. The plasma blade comes to life with a hiss. She raises it above her head, feeling sheer power in her veins, and it threatens to overwhelm her, tempting her to strike him down.
She has to stay strong now. For him, for everyone. If only she could help him somehow... That's when she remembers Leia's lightsaber at her hip. Of course!
"She will take her revenge and the Sith are reborn."
Rey is holding the weapon in both hands, high above her head, her face a mask of rage. But her mind is elsewhere. She reaches through the bond for him, for Ben.
'Be with me. Be with me.'
"Do it!" Palpatine booms. "Make the sacrifice!"
Author's note:
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