Kylo Ren observed Rey. She was unconscious and slummed against the rock wall. Her hair was messy, wet and filled with mud and bits of leaves. Kylo raised his hand and touched her cheek. Her skin felt cold and sticky, and his hand left a red mark in her own blood. "She's cold. She's wet. She lost a lot of blood. Kriff, how much is it..." He looked at the floor, trying to evaluate the amount of blood on it. "Half a litter? A litter? Yes...about that much." He removed the makeshift tourniquet from her thigh.

Kylo reached and touched her clothes. They were soaking wet and cold. "Damn it. Damn this cold." The knight raised to his feet and, even though he knew it would be useless, he tried to use his wrist comlink. No answer came back. They were too deep underground. Ren removed his belt and broke the clasp to reveal Hux's tracker device. It was inactive, of course. Ren cursed and felt the sudden need to demolish the place. "No, no...I need to concentrate and find a way keep her warm. Otherwise we'll both die here."

The knight opened his heavy overcoat and felt the inside. It was warm and dry, and Ren could not thank the tailors of the First Order more than in that second. He looked for a suitable spot on the floor and placed the overcoat there. He scooped Rey up and carried her, placing her gently down next to it. He had to take off her cold and wet clothes so he started by removing the wraps on her arms. While supporting her torso in an upright position with his left hand, he gently tugged the blouse over her head. He lowered her on the overcoat and took off her boots and trousers. He looked at the spot where she had been impaled. The skin was pink and a scar could be seen. His healing wasn't perfect but it saved her. Kylo Ren bundled her up in his overcoat. At least now she was dry.

He stood up and started evaluating his surroundings. The room they were in now had a low ceiling, sculpted walls and had about 13 meters in length. The staircase they rolled on was worn out by time. On each side he saw wooden statues. He touched the nearest and felt the Force in it. It was extremely old. There was no light in the staircase hall so he doubled back and picked up Anakin's lightsaber with his flesh hand. He squeezed the handle and felt the energy seeping in his palm. He could see him sitting on something. A tall blond man in black Jedi robes said "what have I done?" in disbelief of his own actions. "Yes...what have you done Grandfather? What have I done?" Ren pushed the vision away and moved the lightsaber in his right hand. He went back on the stairs and ignited it. The statues were washed in blue light and Ren could see their faces now. There were six statues, three on each side. The ones on the right had padawan braids made of beads. The wooden statues were dressed in armor and had knives, swords and lightsabers on their belts. Some were missing from the belt, fallen to the ground. He touched a lightsaber. He felt a faint surge of energy from the kyber crystal. He went up to the trap door just to make sure it was closed shut and could not get any signal through. He couldn't even sense the world outside although he should have felt his knights and Skywalker. He turned around and noticed an engraving just above the arch door: "Behold our forefathers along with their padawans and remember: these were our first steps. Now, take yours". Ren considered a few moments and took out a small probe droid out of his pocket and released it in the hall. After it finished scanning Ren chose the closest statue and demolished it. He left the head and arranged the wood close to Rey. He used Force lightning to ignite it. Smoke rose lazily followed by vivacious flames. He felt heat rising, warming his flesh hand. He looked at Rey, snugged in his overcoat, and touched her cheek. It was warmer. He was relieved. He placed her clothes next to the fire to dry them and left his red lightsaber near her.

Ren looked at the timer on his wrist:

30 hours

He left the Selax system in the Mid Rim 30 hours ago. How long have they stayed down there?

There was no time to waste and Ren started meticulously analyzing the walls after he launched his probe again. If they had any chances, he must know what they had found. The wall opposite to the staircase had 2 doors: one on the right and one on the left. They were made of stone. When Ren touched one he felt the Force resonate within, and he realized he needed Rey to open them. The walls showed scenes from various battles and councils. They told a long story. Ren strained to identify them. "Kriff I can't place any of these events. I need my database. Are these so old or am I so out of touch? Or was this whole temple a case of history written by the victorious? What have we found?"

32 hours

Ren sat crouched near the doors analyzing one of the bas-reliefs when he heard movement coming from Rey. He looked toward her. She didn't take notice of him. She extended her hand and touched his lightsaber. Her eyes became glossy, and she turned around, trying to dodge something that was not there. "She is...having visions? Is she...that much like me?" Rey dropped the lightsaber on the floor and got up on her feet as fast as she could. She was breathing fast and had her eyes were wide open. She squealed when she realized she was only wearing her thin undergarments and was wrapped in his overcoat. She finally realized he was watching her.

"What...where are my clothes? What happened?" she demanded from him.

"What did you see?" he asked, not acknowledging her embarrassment.

"What? I..." her eyes widened even more. "You will tell me what happened!" Her cheeks were colored red now. She looked beautiful.

"Answer my question. You had a vision? What did you see?" he persisted, moving his gaze to a neutral spot just above the archway. He sensed her discomfort.

"I'm the one almost naked here. Where is my lightsaber?"

"It's not yours, but I'll lend it to you." Ren told her in a harsh tone. "To answer your question: you lost a lot of blood, you were wet and cold. I feared you might suffer from hypothermia, so I removed your clothes and wrapped you in my overcoat. It's waterproof and quite warm."

"My clothes?" Rey looked horrified. "He undressed me?"

"I front of you, near the fire."

She turned and found her clothes. She picked them up and the content on her face told Ren they were almost dry.

"I'll change back in them. They are...dry enough for me. Here, take your overcoat"

"Keep it. It's going to get colder in the temple. The fire's burning here for two hours."

Rey looked surprised at him. "Inside the Temple?"

"The door we fell through - it's locked. Our only way out is through these doors, and the rest of the temple. It is not going to be easy. I suspect we landed in some sort of a test designed for masters and their new padawans."

"My master is out there" she said, with her hand pointing toward the surface. "I have nothing to do with you or this...test. I will change and then I will open those metal doors. Turn around"

"...turn around? Yes...sure" Ren turned back and pretended to analyze the bas-relief. "I know you refused my offer. I know you chose to go to Skywalker. But this temple accepted us together. Feel it, Rey, The Force. If you listen with your mind open you'll realize that you can't leave without me."

"You are not my master."

"And yet we are connected by something stronger than you can possibly imagine. It's called a Force Bond. They are rare and supposedly hard to form. Ours was forged during the interrogation. It's growing stronger. "

"I don't care about what you are saying. You're a monster and I have in no way a… bond with you"

Ren looked at her. How could she not feel it? The Bond grew stronger each time he entered her mind, and he could feel it in every waking moment. Not to mention the desert world dreams he started having, dreams of Jakku, not Tatooine.

"Stop it"

"Stop what?"

"Looking at me like...like that"

"Like what, Rey?"

"Like...you'd want...like that...just STOP" She was flustered and extended her hand: "the lightsaber. I want it back"

"Fine". Ren stood up and gave her back the blue lightsaber.

Rey took it and stormed up the stairs. He saw the blue light and waited patiently until she came back disappointed and thoughtful.

"These were our first steps? I...I heard it before"

"I think you have a rare talent: psychometry. You might also poses Force foresight."

"Why would you say that, Ren?"

"You had a vision from my lightsaber. I have them too. I used to have really bad dreams because of them. They stopped bothering me when I learned to control and understand them. You had visions when you touched my lightsaber. And I think you have visions from my grandfather's lightsaber as well. You can see the past, albeit a bit distorted, and you can catch glimpses of the future. Am I wrong?"

"No...No, I have them. The visions. Master Luke told me it's nothing to worry about. That things like these can't hold memories. Objects can resonate with the Force but they don't have the Force."

"Well, yes and no. Objects can be imprinted by the essence of the persons using them. Like me, you have an extremely developed version of psychometry. You can extract these imprints made by the Force and perceive emotions, sounds and sights. You don't even have to concentrate to make the visions appear. Some have spent years to obtain your level. But those were a few. People like us are even rarer. The Jedi council feared psychometry could lead to the Dark Side if used unwisely and its study was limited. I guess Skywalker finds it hard to believe you have it. Or he is afraid you have it and chose to ignore the problem.

"Why would he be afraid?"

"Because he can't teach you. In the same way he couldn't teach me. The Empire destroyed most of the Jedi lore. Skywalker spent most of the past 30 years trying to piece back together the knowledge the Jedi Order has lost. Since psychometry was not encouraged and few ever practiced it we had little to study. I gained more control over it as the years passed, discovering ways to trigger the visions only when I wanted to. Skywalker was...lost. He can use it too, but his is somewhat undeveloped, so he couldn't help me. I helped myself. I can teach you what I know. It should work fast if we use the Bond"

"I don't want you to teach me anything"

"You are so stubborn. It will be the death of us".

33 hours

Rey was standing in front of the doors trying to make them open. Her face betrayed her frustration. Ren watched her carefully, waiting for her to finally realize she isn't going anywhere. "Stupid, stupid doors…Argh, I don't want to…but I don't have a choice, do I?" Rey touched the stone again. She leaned her forehead on the door

"You win, Ren. You are right. We need to open these doors together"

He jumped up and was right by her in two steps. They were both standing in front of the doors. Together, they concentrated their wills but nothing happened.

"Stay on the right, Rey."

"Why?"

"The padawan statues are on the right." he said, pointing toward the staircase

"Oh, so now I'm your trainee?" she snapped at him.

"I have been studying the Force for several years now. I doubt it would be the other way around." he said in an arrogant manner.

They switched places and tried again to no avail.

"Well this...is pointless" sighed Rey. "So much for you theory, master" she said mockingly.

"No, it's not. I think I need to teach you something. Actively teach you, not like we did until now"

"You never taught me anything, monster" she declared.

"How did you mind tricked that Stormtrooper, scavenger?"

"I...I was lucky. The Force knew I was in trouble and it helped me" Rey answered without blinking.

"That's not how the Force works" Ren was half annoyed, half amused. "No, you took that from my head. Unwillingly and unintentionally of course. And I had not realized what happened. You did it a second time in the woods. Just before you gave me these." Ren raised his robotic hand to point at his scar. He looked at her, thinking just how special she was. She raised her hand and touched his scar. Ren jolted. It reminded him of Starkiller.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to touch you."

"It's alright."

"So" she began, avoiding the subject of Starkiller, "if you have to by teach me something so we could open these doors, I agree. Teach me to control this psychometry thing."

"Yes" Ren answered, eager to show her.

34 hours

They sat crossed-legged in front of each other.

"Now what?"

"Well, we need to understand why you need these visions."

"I don't need them"

"Yes...you do but you have no idea why. First vision?"

"I heard a child scream, I followed he sound and I found this" Rey told him while moving the lightsaber. "I touched it and I had a vision. I saw a hallway and two men dueling, and a little boy at the end of it. I saw The Jedi Academy burning and Master Luke knelt near R2. And...You."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. In the woods on Starkiller...and here I guess."

"Here?"

"You stopped that clan leader from smashing my head. I saw that in the vision. Why would your grandfather's lightsaber show me all this? I have no connection with your family."

"Oh, you do, you do somehow. I saw you: in my dreams, in my visions, in my future" Kylo Ren thought but he did not share these thoughts with Rey.

"Others?" he asked.

"I didn't get any visions as strong as that one. I...I was scared before when we went in the Jedi Temple, and I touched the saber. I felt confident and foolishly brave. It was reassuring to touch it but it also got me in trouble, I made a mistake and I drew the warriors on our location. During the fight with the warriors someone threw a grenade. I was down. I felt lost, and I didn't know what to do, and I just saw him. A man in..."

"...black Jedi robes with blond hair?"

"...yes. Is he your grandfather? Darth Vader?

Ren nodded. "If you saw him like that…he was still a Jedi Knight. What did he say?" He was suddenly intrigued and curious. He leaned closer to Rey.

"Just Ahsoka, get up. Do you know who she was?" Rey asked

"She was his apprentice, Ahsoka Tano. I have no idea if she is still alive. Setting all that aside you have your answer. You need help and guidance and through psychometry you extract what you need from the lightsaber. And it's only natural you find them. A lightsaber is a Jedi's life."

"That's fine but what do I do to stop them?"

"You must seek the answers you need within you."

"That is not a real answer"

"Here I'll show you how I managed to stop them."

Ren extended his flesh hand. She took it. The knight contained a smile when he slipped inside her mind and felt her enter his. They were in each other heads and he showed her what she needed. He became greedy and searched for the vision she had when she first touched the legacy saber. He saw the little girl held by a Crolute.

"Stop it. I didn't give you permission to see that"

"I want to see them"

"You can't take whatever you can, Ren" she warned him, poking at his own bad memories and visions.

Reluctantly Ren retreated, he didn't want her to see more of his childhood and especially that period of his life. Rey savored her success with obvious glee.

"You should meditate. Think about yourself, try and find…balance. You don't need the lightsaber to tell you what to do or how to feel. You need to count on yourself" he advised her.

Rey nodded and assumed a meditation position. Ren watched as she inhaled and exhaled slowly, reminding him of his own teachings.

36 hours

They were standing in front of the doors again. They both raised their arms and concentrated their thoughts on opening them. This time they were better synchronized and focused. With a low rumble the doors started to lower. Rey was grinning, showing off all her perfect teeth. Ren barely smirked but he was truly happy.

"You have a timer on your wrist. What does it say?"

"36 hours and ten minutes."

"Ok...let's do this. See you on the other side. May the Force be with you" Rey wished him while skipping through her door.

Ren stood there looking after her until he couldn't see her anymore. He already longed for her. He knew he had to go through with it but there was something keeping him from entering. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Ren passed the doorway and walked down the stone corridor. After a turn the scenery changed. He wasn't on Parrellia anymore. No, this was...

"Starkiller?!"

He was inside the thermal oscillator. He saw it...the bridge. There was someone standing on it.

"Father?" Ren made a few more steps until he saw clearly. "FATHER!" Ren shouted, not caring if anyone could hear him, not caring if anyone saw him while he ran like a child to Han Solo. Han turned. He had a huge whole in his chest. Ren stopped just a few steps away, horrified. He did this. He could feel he was on the brink of crying. He jumped and hugged his father. He felt cold and he backed away... it wasn't Han anymore. Ben Solo was looking at Kylo Ren, masked and draped in black.

"You are weak and foolish, such a waste of energy" the mechanized voice was menacing and impersonal.

The monster ignited his lightsaber and stabbed Ben in the chest in a rapid movement. He gasped. The pain was so intense he could barely keep his eyes open. It was tearing him apart. He staggered a few steps back and fell in the white abyss.

He landed in sand. He was on Tatooine. The planet's primary was burning bright. He felt cold. He felt the fear, the anger, and the hate, he heard the heavy breathing. The monster was coming for him. He got up and wanted to run, but to no avail. It was in front of him. Masked, looming tall over him, the monster's shadow covered Ben. More machine than man, Darth Vader blocked his path. Ben felt his knees would give in.

"Ben Organa Solo, you have disappointed me for the last time." Darth Vader ignited his red lightsaber.

Ben looked down and in his hand he saw a lightsaber, his old lightsaber. The one he left on that forsaken rock. He ignited it: it was a double-bladed lightsaber with one blade green, one blade blue.