Danny Skywalker

Chapter 3: Revelations

Dagobah

The dark side rippled like a storm in the mind. Striking blasts of lightning filled with anger, hatred, and suffering till nothing else could be seen. The storm was on the verge of devouring its victim like a wild beast consuming its prey. Till all of a sudden, the victim overcame the dark side through the calling of the light, with its pureness and goodwill providing the strength needed to heal itself in order to fight and survive.

After overcoming the attack of the dark side, Ben Solo reawakened from his meditative trance to find himself inside the core of the dark cave on the swamp world of Dagobah. The young Jedi, along with his cousin Jazz Skywalker, had been sent by their mentor Luke Skywalker for a test. Problem was that neither student knew what they were being tested on. They only knew that they did know was that the force would guide them, (which didn't help a lot).

The two trainees had spent days on the planet without any clue as to what their test was. Eventually, Ben had sensed a disturbance originating from a cave in one of Dagobah's swamps. But because Jazz didn't sense anything, the two had come to a conclusion that this was meant for Ben alone.

Inside the cave, Ben had an encounter with the dark side of the force, stronger than ever before, (he's always been tempted by the dark side). It attempted to devour him, turn him into a monster, a weapon of evil every day basically. Though like always, (as he's fought and defeated the darkness within him before), the light within him had prevented the darkness from consuming him. For now.

After his victory over the darkness within him, Ben began to wonder if that had been his test. But he quickly shook it off since his uncle had told him before that there was an unbalanced inside of him. The dark side and light side of the force within him were in a constant state of conflict with one another, with no signs of an end to it. Besides, he'd overcome his darkness that same way as he'd just done before countless times, and the darkness always returned. This triumph felt no different from the previous ones.

"If that wasn't my test than what is?" Ben asked himself. "Why did the cave call to me?"

Suddenly the sounds of screaming interrupted his chain of thought, "BEN! BEN! BEN!" Turning around, Ben noticed his younger cousin Jazz, running towards him. Almost tripping on a few roots inside the cave in the process.

"Jazz, Jazz, calm down," said Ben as soon as Jazz was less than arms reach from him while placing his hands on her shoulders. "What's going on? Why are you here?"

"I… I… uhk." Suddenly Jazz was lifted into the air and choked through the force by an unknown source till her body eventually stopped moving. Her body was then released from its force grip, causing her to collapse onto the ground.

"Jazz? JAZZ!" screamed Ben.

Kneeling down, Ben checked to make sure his cousin was still alive. Fortunately, he found a pulse which allowed Ben to breathe out a sigh of relief.

Afterwards, he looked up to see a grey-bearded man in a white cloak walk into the core of the cave. There was no doubt in Ben that the mysterious man was the one who'd just choked Jazz with the force. "Greetings young Jedi," the mysterious said politely. "I am Supreme Leader Snoke. But you may call me Vlad."

In response, all Ben could do was glare angrily at Vlad for what he'd done to Jazz. To him Jazz was like a sister, one who'd he'd looked after ever since her mother disappeared years ago; and you don't mess with relatives like that and get away with it.

Understanding what Ben was feeling right now, Vlad gently spoke, "Do not worry about your cousin. She'll be alright" he assured the young Solo. "I have no intention of killing her. I just didn't want her interfering in our little conversation."

Standing up, Ben reached into his cloak, pulling out and ignited his blue-bladed, crossguard lightsaber.

Filled with anger, and a desire for vengeance, Ben lunged straight towards Vlad. However, the Supreme Leader was prepared for such an attack as he immediately put his right hand out, unleashing a massive blast of red force lightning from his fingertips towards the young Jedi. The electricity sent ripples of pain throughout Solo's body that were so agonizing that he ended up dropping to his knees while he screamed in pain.

Though that didn't stop Ben Solo. After the lightning stopped Ben immediately got up and attempted another strike; only to be stopped by more force lightning. This time the Supreme Leader sent an even more powerful blast at his opponent, causing Ben to fall onto his knees once again; and drop his lightsaber out of intense pain.

"Is this all the power you possess?" The Supreme Leader asked mockingly, which only infuriated Ben even more than he was before.

"Not even close," Ben answered back.

Raising his left hand, Ben called upon the force, lifting the Supreme Leader into the air. With the Supreme Leader in his grasp, Ben used the force to slam him into one of the cave's walls multiple times till eventually dropping him back onto the ground.

As the Supreme Leader began to lift himself up, Ben used the force to bring his lightsaber back to him. Immediately he lunged forward, his lightsaber reignited and raised above his head as he prepared to strike at Vlad's head.

Before Ben's blade could hit him, however, the Supreme Leader stood straight up… and blasted Ben with another wave of force lightning, more powerful than the last two attacks. Again, Ben fell back to his knees. Though this time he was unable to get up without feeling enormous amounts of pain reverberating through his body; even after Vlad stopped blasting him with the dark lightning.

Fighting through the pain, Ben asked, "What do you want from me?"

"I only wish to talk with you, Ben Solo."

"How do you know my name?" Ben asked surprised.

"Even in the Unknown Regions you are well known," Vlad revealed. "Ben Solo: son of the famous war heroes Han Solo and Leia Organa. Future Jedi Knight/guardian of peace, justice, and freedom for all members of the glorious New Republic."

"Sometimes I don't feel like the New Republic is all that glorious as the stories say it is," Ben admitted.

"Really? Hmm... how come?" Vlad asked, showing joy in the young boy's confession.

Ben was hesitant to answer Snoke, due to how the darksider had just choked his cousin unconscious. At the same time, however, he was a bit curious as to what Vlad's intentions were towards him. Also, he was a bit fascinated by the darksider's skills. Perhaps if he revealed a little info, then Vlad might end up spilling a few of his own secrets. At the very least it would give him and Jazz enough time to regain some energy needed to escape from this, clearly dangerous, force wielder. So reluctantly, Ben decided to continue talking; revealing secrets that he'd never spoken to anyone about, (including his relatives).

"I've never believed that the New Republic truly brought peace, freedom, or justice to the galaxy. I mean sure it did defeat the "so-called" evil Empire, but what has it done since? It's reinstated a Senate that does nothing but the debate over finances, reduces military might, (which in my opinion only makes the government more vulnerable to attack), only recruiting worlds with valuable resources, and arguing over who should be in power. Basically nothing related to helping make the galaxy a better place where everybody is safe from chaos."

"And how would you make the galaxy safer?" Vlad asked.

This surprised Ben. He wasn't expecting things to go this deep. But he'd already come this far, he couldn't, wouldn't stop now. "Well, I uh… I'd uh…Well for starters I'd increase the strength of the military, using it to keep citizens in line while following the laws of the government. I'd reduce the senate's abilities to the point where they'd only be able to report on the affairs in their systems to a strong, wise, powerful leader who'd be prepared to take immediate action towards solving any sort of problem. This leader would have more power over the Republic than what is currently approved of for its Chancellor."

"That sounds awfully like the Empire," Vlad pointed out. "What do your relatives think of your ideas?"

"I've never told them. I knew they'd never agree with me," Ben admitted. "All my relatives are supporters of the New Republic and the system that it's based upon."

"Ha, ha, ha, ha," Vlad chuckled before speaking again. "I know of one your relatives who would agree with you. Your grandfather, Anakin Skywalker; aka, Darth Vader."

To Be Continued…