A/N - Okay, another short chapter, but I promise more is coming soon!
Ben's shoulders were heaving, his chest was tense, and his arms sore from the amount of damage he'd just rendered. His vision was blurred by a hazy cloud of red that coated his eyes and made it nearly impossible to see.
Although he couldn't see them clearly, he knew that the others had retreated far from him. Only his mother was brave enough to remain anywhere nearby.
He never should have agreed to her going into that town, never should have let her go. However, there was no letting Rey do anything. One way or another she was going to go.
He'd been concerned about her safety, but he hadn't actually thought that it would be overly risky for her in the town. The weather had driven most people inside, the cloak would cover her, and though she'd been his prisoner few people within that town had ever seen her, and even fewer would remember her. Or so he'd thought.
He'd been an idiot.
His entire body shuddered as he drew his lightsaber once more, slashing and hacking at the nearest tree until it tumbled to the ground, sending Finn and Poe scrambling to get out of the way. Ben stood shaking as he tried to gather a semblance of control, but he was quickly spiraling toward something dark and dangerous.
This dark spiral was worse than when Rey had first left him in the palace. The only thing allowing him to hang on was the fact that he knew she was still alive, and that he could find her. Soon. Now.
He spun on his heel as he stormed across the clearing toward the town. Luke moved to intercept him.
"Ben, you have to calm down, think about this rationally. We don't know where she is…"
"I can find her," he grated.
"Yes, yes you can, but if you go charging after her you'll ruin every aspect of surprise we have. You have to stay in control, you're the leader here…"
Luke broke off mid-sentence as Ben began to move toward him. Apparently his Uncle's survival instinct was firmly intact as he held up his hands and took a couple of steps back.
"We don't have the element of surprise," Finn spoke up, and Ben whirled on him.
"What do you mean?"
Finn took a distinct step backwards, eyeing Ben cautiously.
"Hux was the one who took Rey. He said something about Snoke knowing we were here."
Ben felt as if he'd been kicked in the gut.
"Snoke?" Ben managed to choke out.
"Yes."
This time it wasn't rage that overtook Ben, but a fear so intense that it left him momentarily immobile. Snoke would destroy her, would break the spirit that Ben had been trying to keep free.
In that moment he didn't know who he hated more, himself or his former master. Red suffused his vision once more as a bellow of anguish ripped from him.
Broken. He felt broken, but nowhere near as broken as Rey would be when Snoke was done with her. Even if he could reach her right now, it might already be too late for her.
A/N - Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
As always, please leave a review with your thoughts, suggestions, and predictions, and I'll see you in the next chapter!
~ Elizabeth (FanOfDeliciousFlavour)