"No! Don't leave me—not again."

His eyes closed tighter, gloved fingers clenching around the hilt of his lightsaber as it lay in his lap.

"Ben…please…"

Her grieving voice still haunted him, refusing to leave him alone in his darkness. Many lightyears lay between them now, but her call—the light's call—only grew louder and more persistent.

Ben.

Snoke had not allowed anyone to speak that name for so long, but now it fell from her lips so naturally. It felt so familiar—so right—and even though he had convinced himself that he despised it, he could not bring himself to stop her.

His eyes snapped open. A presence he recognized had arrived on the planet. All thoughts of Rey were temporarily driven from his mind as he watched a heavily modified TIE Interceptor descend through the gray clouds of Mustafar. It appeared that his message had been received after all.

Rising, Ben silently tracked the small fighter as it approached the obsidian tower. Through the wide viewport that stretched nearly half the length of the vast chamber in which he stood, he could see much of the planet's surface, which was nothing short of a hellscape. Death had seeped into the bones of this place and taken hold. Dark currents stemmed from its tainted core, corrupting the land and poisoning the air. Black jagged peaks pierced the thick haze that hung over rivers of molten lava, their sulfuric streams reeking of misery and despair.

Mustafar was a nexus of dark side energy, and its power was most heavily concentrated in an ancient cave deep beneath the tower. Long ago, it was buried below a Sith temple, but now, only Darth Vader's abandoned castle remained. Many years had passed since he first set foot in this place with Snoke and the Knights of Ren. So much had changed.

Everything had.

Soon, the smaller door on his right hissed open, and he turned. A tall, slender figure stepped through the void-like opening, wearing a long, asymmetrical black coat, boots, and a helmet whose shape was similar to the one he had once worn. But the faceplate was gold and divided into five columns of metallic squares, a narrow visor curving along the top row. The mask concealed a face he knew all too well, and his lips curved into a slight smile.

"Valdis."

The helmet clicked and disengaged, two gloved hands reaching up and lifting it from a head full of thick black hair that was loosely tied back from the angular face of a woman.

"Kylo."

"It's been a long time."

She sighed indifferently and propped the mask against her hip. "Surely you didn't summon me here to exchange pleasantries, Kylo? I was quite busy, you know, carrying out the orders you gave me." Her eyes were like black marbles, glittering in the semidarkness. "I hear there is dissent within the ranks of the First Order, from your highest ranking general, no less."

"And so you've come." His smile had vanished in an instant, his expression flattening and hardening into a cold, blank slate. "Am I to assume that you have decided where your true loyalties lie?"

Valdis stared at him for a long moment. Blinked once. Then an incredulous laugh burst from her chest. "Is this a poor attempt at a joke? I mean, are you actually being serious? I don't know whether or not I should be offended."

His silent glare was the only response she received, and her lips pressed into a stern line, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.

"Hux is a fool," she snarled. "He schemes and connives and strikes from the shadows, but he is weak. He chases after power like a salivating dog, but he is not worthy of it. He knows nothing of the Force, cares for nothing beyond what he can see. He is as blind as he is useless."

Appeased, Ben inclined his head in agreement. "And that is why he must be destroyed."

"The others will come," she concurred, "and when they do, we all will stand ready to do your bidding. You are the only one who is deserving of our loyalty. You are the only one who proved strong enough to slay Snoke."

"But that must remain secret," he responded firmly. "No one can know. Many would question the legitimacy of my rule. More would swear allegiance to Hux."

"Of course, Supreme Leader."

He turned and faced the dark horizon once more.

"If I may ask," Valdis inquired with a hesitancy she had not previously expressed, "how did Hux manage to catch you so off guard?"

Ben clenched his jaw and did not meet her gaze. A burning sensation passed through his chest.

"A moment of weakness," he answered quietly. "It won't happen again."

HHHHHHHHHH

Energy crackled around him, tingling in the tips of his fingers and all the way down to his toes. The air hummed and vibrated against his damp skin, his clothes clinging uncomfortably to his body and his long black cape trailing behind him as he entered the inner chamber of the Force cave beneath the castle. The heat emanating from this place was so intense, so stifling, that it was almost difficult to draw breath. But he had come here seeking answers, and he was not going to leave without them.

Carved out walls with strange markings arched high above his head, veins of magma glowing deep within their crevices. At the far end of the narrow passage was a large, circular rock whose surface was flat and smooth—a meditation stone. Stepping around its curved edge, Ben moved to the front of the stone, which faced another wall that was covered with more illegible markings. Slowly, he lowered himself onto it and scooted back until he was situated at its center. Then he crossed his legs and closed his eyes, hands gripping his knees as he inhaled deeply.

Clearing his mind, Ben consciously slowed his breathing and sharpened his focus. Silence reigned, the corporeal world giving way to the all-consuming presence of the Force. The dark side was strong here, raw and powerful and calling to his most deeply held desires. It offered answers, answers to questions he could not answer on his own, but there was also…something else. A voice.

It was faint at first, indistinguishable. But then it grew louder, booming inside his head and pounding against his skull. It rumbled and crashed like savage thunder, ruthless and dripping with sadistic cruelty.

'Have you seen something? A weakness in my apprentice? Is that why you came? Young fool. It was I who bridged your minds. I stoked Ren's conflicted soul. I knew he was not strong enough to hide it from you, and you were not wise enough to resist the bait.'

No. He knew this moment.

'And now, you will give me Skywalker. And then I will kill you with the cruelest stroke!'

No! He sprang to his feet and wheeled around, but he was too late. Her broken and bloodied body lay on the ground behind him, her soft brown eyes wide and frantic, her violently trembling fingers desperately reaching for him.

"Rey!"

Six red blades ignited and prevented him from reaching her, malicious laughter echoing just over his shoulder. He turned again, this time finding himself face to face with General Hux.

"The girl is dead," he gloated with an insufferable sneer. "The Resistance is dead. All thanks to you."

Chest heaving, Ben glanced down and saw the smoking blaster in the other man's hand. He could not move. The soles of his boots were fixed to the floor. He met Hux's merciless gaze as the weapon was raised and aimed at his forehead. There was a blinding red flash, and he saw no more.

Gasping for air, Ben came back to himself. He had fallen off the rock and was now lying beside it, fingers pressed to the solid stone. Rey…the vision…it was not real. Not yet.

Shifting, he rested his back against the rock and heaved a weary sigh. Of course—the cave had preyed upon his fear. It had given him no answers, no guidance. It had not told him what to do next, how to rule the galaxy, or how to fill the void inside him that only seemed to be growing larger.

But the vision—could it be true? Could it be what would come to pass if he remained on his current path? Could Rey…?

He swallowed hard and shut his eyes, realizing what his subconscious had known all along. He could not destroy her. He could never destroy her. Could not do so much as raise a hand against her. But he was the Supreme Leader. He had no choice in the matter.

Or did he?

He was subject to the authority of none. Snoke was gone. He was no longer under his reign of terror and relentless manipulation. The First Order could change. It did not belong to Snoke—not anymore.

And Leia…

Ben's breath hitched as a sudden wave of grief threatened to overcome him, the same grief that had caused him to make the reckless journey to Adamus. He had never told her. Never told her how much he truly loved her. He had never repented, had never asked for her forgiveness after killing his own father—her husband.

And yet, when he had felt her presence after all those years, he had sensed no hatred or resentment. Only love. And sorrow. He had caused her untold pain and suffering, but she had never stopped caring for him even then.

He wondered if she had finally given up on him in the end.

Silent tears rolled down his cheeks, and Ben slumped forward, burying his face in his hands. It was too late. Too late. The past could not be changed, and they were all gone now. All of them. His father, his uncle, his mother…

He was the last of their bloodline, the last of their legacy. A failed Jedi. A failed heir. A failed son.

The last Skywalker.