Star Wars: A dyad in the Force Chapter 10: Exegol - Family Bonds, a star wars fanfic

Warning: Major Spoilers of TRoS.

Note: This is a Reylo FanFiction (slow-burn)

「Part II」

「Act 10: Exegol 」

「 Family Bonds 」

Exegol, 35 ABY

Exegol, the Sith's hidden world, the dark desert planet located within the Unknown Regions, was discovered. The forsaken planet was occupied by the Sith Lord Darth Sidious and the Sith Eternal. It was also the place where Supreme Leader Snoke was created and a few more abominations. The Emperor also hid the Sith Eternal fleet that was amassed by Sidious and the Sith Eternal. All those creations had only one purpose of establishing a New Empire. A New Empire that would not be ruled by Palpatine, but his granddaughter, Rey Palpatine.

Dark Sidious had set the plan in motion. He knew, he sensed it, through the force, that his granddaughter was coming to slay him. And that was exactly what he needed. A new body to live on. Until now, none of his enormous plans were finalized. There was always a Skywalker blocking his way. But not this time. He made sure if today's plan failed. One of his abominations would continue his vision in a forgotten world.

Exegol stood finally before her, surrounded by dark clouds and lightning. A world long neglected by the known Galaxy. Rey's ship dipped below the cloudline as the Sith fleet revealed upon her. Even vaster than her vision had led her to believe. She stared at the Sith fleet with wide, horrific eyes. Larger in number, the Star Destroyers shined bright against the lasting storm of Exegol. The vessels were based on an older model from the Galactic Empire, but they were larger. Extra guns turrets and laser cannons were verified to a greater capability than the Resistance would expect.

Her shoulders shook in fear as Rey took a closer look. She was not allowed to be afraid. She was not allowed to show the tenseness that grew in her head. She had to rise to the expectations; to stand tall no matter what came her way. She took a deeper breath and believed. Believed in her friends. The Resistance would hold. It is not for her to regret who she was, but to fulfill the destiny given. Not as a Palpatine, but as a Nobody. A nameless Jedi. So she balled up the fear, she had to and allowed it to seep out when it was safe. She knew now that ahead lay a path she was born to follow.

Luke's old ship wobbled a little. She managed to compensate quickly and dropped to an altitude below the Sith fleet. Exegol might be a creepy planet, but its atmospheric anomalies offered her a secure passage. She was counting on it. Rey was slowly approaching the ground. The air was warmer and dry, matching the horrifying image of the planet. Ahead of her, breaching the clouds, was a gloom building. For the briefest moment, she considered giving in to terror. She sensed the darkness and the pure evil that was dwelling all over Exegol. She knew what... who, she would find inside. Even more terrifying was the fact that the presence felt familiar.

'Confronting fear is the destiny of a Jedi.' A voice reminded her.

Rey took a deeper breath and pressed on. She stepped beneath a massive monolith that seemed to hover in the air. She put all her trust in Luke and his lightsaber to light her way. She pulled Luke's lightsaber from her belt and ignited it. She looked around, alert to any sight or sound, but she found only silence. Suddenly, she heard a booming sound, too distant to identify. The ground below her started lowering, detaching from the rest of the ground and began to descend. She kept the saber closer to her face, the brightness revealing her worried face.

The lift finally settled, and she stepped down. Before her, the statues commemorated by Lords who had come before. Rey sensed it through the Force; this was an ancient place. The air was heavy with the weight of time and dark secrets. Secrets she didn't want to unfold. She took a few more steps further. She became aware she was not alone. Figures moved in the shadows, but they were no threat to her.

She continued.

There it was a dizzying array lab that included monitors, tubes, and tanks. All empty and abandoned now as they had served their purpose. The ground there was as the planet's surface, trained fissures and lightning flashed down. She didn't know how further it was leading as the entire crust had formed around a core of electricity. An unusual place to create life. Even an unnatural one. Rey kept going, passing through the narrow stone corridor as her eyes were drawn ahead.

Something dark and cold waited for her. It was bent under the weight of age. She felt chills against her arms, as she noted upon a dais was the shape from her vision. A giant throne with spikes curving up and around it. A Sith throne that was meant for her. Rey strode towards the dais. The booming grew louder. The corridor came to an end, and it broke open to an amphitheater gigantic as a hallowed open-level countryside, brimming with robed figures. There were thousands of them, faceless in the dark. Yet, there was something else dwelling upon her arrival.

Waiting to welcome her.

"Long... too long have I waited," said the voice in the dark, slow and eerie tone, as if he had all the time in the galaxy. "My grandchild has finally arrived!" The voice said in triumph. It was her grandfather, or better, his ghost trapped in an artificial form with no power to contain. Evil rose from him. Similar to the evilness she sensed inside Snoke. Yet so different from the darkness that had grown inside Kylo Ren.

She turned towards the voice.

Now she could see clearly a robed figure suspended from strange machinery. She held her lightsaber tighter when she noticed his face. He looked monstrous, with white eyes, rotten skin, and reformed body parts. What was even worse was his smell. He smelled like rotten eggs, rancid old cheese, like nothing on the Galaxy would survive that repellant and revolting odor. But Rey could withstand all that, though the evil rising from him was difficult to fight. Her feet twitched towards him. She didn't look away. She took a step closer.

"Ï never wanted you dead. I wanted you here. I wanted you alive, Empress Palpatine." he welcomed her.

Rey stared at him, taken in every detail. She listened to every word he told her. And she heard the calling. The darkness was calling for her. This was nothing she wanted; she reminded herself. She stepped forward as she noticed there was no wind; the air was more stagnant than it used to be a moment before. The darkness bent around her and surrounded her haunted her being. And again, darkness called her. It warned her that she had his blood. She had his darkness inside her.

She tried to ignore it.

Several guards, similar to Snoke's, which he and Ren had defeated together. She knew these guards would prove more formidable adversaries. Only this time, Kylo Ren was not with her. This time she would have to fight them alone. For a brief moment, she caught herself wishing for him to fight by her side. When they fought together, it felt right as it was supposed to be. Two that were one. Rey dragged herself out of that thought. Now was not the time or the place to get lost in memories.

"You will take the throne," he assured her as he caught her attention. "It is your birthright to rule. It is in your blood. Our blood."

She forced herself to sound strong. She would always stand strong, even if she were scared to death. She took a step back, still staring at him. "I haven't come to lead the Sith," she uttered with confidence. "I am here to end them!"

"As a Jedi?" The Emperor quizzed with a dark voice, puzzled at her reaction. He seemed irritated by her answer. But at the same time, proud as Rey showed strength. She was strong, strong as the Sith should be.

"Yes!" came her answer secured. She lifted the lightsaber, making it clear that she was there to end his life.

Palpatine laughed more, sniggering and triumphant, "No. Your hatred. Your anger. You want to kill me. That is what I want. Kill me. End my life, and my spirit will pass into you. As all the Sith live in me. You will be Empress. We will be one."

Rey's eyes open wide, and her inner voice screamed, "Ew!" His words disgusted her to her bone. But also surprised her. Did her grandfather tell her what the outcome would be if she would strike him down in anger? The Emperor was supposed to be the evilest and terrifying creature in the Galaxy, known and unknown. But at that moment, he sounded foolish. Scary, but stupid. "No! I won't! I will not hate you. Not even you!" Rey voiced up.

"The time has come!" the Emperor said, and slowly, the dark roped figures fell to their knees, praying in a language Rey had never heard. "With your anger." he continued, "You will take my life as I did. I killed my master, Darth Plagueis." He smirked, showing his gray teeth. "Now. Raise your saber and strike me down," he ordered her.

Rey remembered Luke warning her about this. She frowned. "All you want is for me to hate." her voice came out calmer, "But I won't. Not even you!"

"Weak! Like your parents!" the Emperor provoke her.

"My parents were strong!" she said, shaking her head. "They saved me from you. They gave their lives to keep me safe."

The Emperor paused and observed her, almost read her thoughts. About Luke, about Leia, and even Kylo Ren. He laughed, "I've made this very proposal before. But Luke Skywalker had his father to save him. You do not have anyone."

The room around them rattled. Light poured down as a vast stone ceiling opened, revealing the Star Destroyers. The Resistance fighters were battling in and out, dodging fire from monstrous cannons, and Final Order TIE's lit up the sky. Her friends were in danger. They were dying.

"They don't have long. And you are the one who led them here." her grandfather pointed out.

Rey gazed up at the Resistance fighters trying to win a battle beyond their strength. They were too few in comparison with the Sith fleet. The Emperor was right. They were dying. Tears filled her eyes. She knew that he was manipulating her, but he was doing it with the truth.

This was her fault.

"Strike me down. Take the throne as Empress. Rule the new Empire, and the fleet will be yours to do as you wish. Only you have the power to save them all. Refuse, and your new family dies." he threatened her.

His words dwelt in her head, confusing her, troubling her. 'Empress.' She thought. Would that be so bad? Maybe accepting his offer would be worth it. To bring peace in the Galaxy. To save her friends. The whole galaxy would have no choice but to be saved. She spaced out, gazing at the battle above her. Her heart was beating faster. Her mind was aching. And she felt herself being drawn and pulled into nothingness and darkness so evil and unfamiliar to her.

"Very well," the Emperor said as he noticed she was not obeying his orders. "Finish them!"

"No!" Rey uttered loud torrents of tears, feeling her eyes. "Wait! Wait!"

「Upcoming Chapter: Act Eleven」

Okay, guys, that's all. I hope you enjoyed reading the tenth chapter.

Thank you all so much! Stay awesome! Stay sweet!

And be nice to each other, see you soon, in the next chapter!

Feel free to Review and Follow the story!

Feedback is always appreciated!

thereisaredeemer: Really, thank you for the reviews. It means a lot to me. You have not offended me at all. ^_^ I already took notice of your suggestions, and I edited the chapters. It's a bad habit to rush things (especially if I am tired), and I end up making mistakes. I always reread the stories and edit them along the way. Feel free to review and point my mistakes. It was beneficial. Thank you again. Also, I agree with you. The Rise of Skywalker was rushed. Too many things were happening at once. Let's see how this chapter will go!

Russell: I strongly believed Anakin should have more screen time in the new trilogy. He is what connects the previous two trilogies. Thank you for reading and reviewing this Fanfiction.