I chase after her but I stumble over the rocky steps, unable to keep up with Rey's expert manoeuvring - she must train up and down these because her feet don't miscalculate any of the uneven distances. I realise my attempt to follow her is futile, so I jog awkwardly down to the cliff face towards the pebbled shore. I press my feet hard into the stones trying to prevent myself from rolling my ankle. I run up the ramp of the Falcon, out of breath.
"Poe!" I practically scream his name, as I run through the corridors. "Poe!" I burst into the cockpit, he sits in the pilot seat, BB-8's small head wizzes around and he looks anxious. Through short jagged breaths I ask: "Can you get the beacon on my tracker?"
"Already got it," he leans over, flicks a switch and a hologram of my beacon appears. "Hey, where are you going?" He laughs heartedly, but I'm not ready to find humour in the situation.
"It's Rey, we need to get to her, she went back for Luke..." I puff out the words before sneakily sitting in the co-pilot seat.
"Okay," glancing again at the hologram Poe then turns his attention to starting the Falcon, he pressing buttons and flicks on the ignition asking me to pull a heavy lever, we hover in the air. He grips the controller and navigates the large freighter through the rocks.
"Now I know why we landed on the shore..." I say half to myself when I realise there may not be much space for us to land on rugged terrain of the island. Why did Rey so desperately want to return here? D'Qar is so much more comfortable, even if it does get extremely warm.
As Poe hovers close to the surface, surveying for a place to land I become aware of my sickening combination of anxiety and adrenaline; I close my eyes and breathe in slowly. I hold my breath for a long moment before reopening my eyes as I exhale.
Poe lands on the grass near a small hut, Chewie emerges when he hears us. "She should be just over there..." He points to the hologram and indicates that we are not far away from the place where her beckon flashes; she has not moved and I fear the worst.
"Thank you," I call quickly, rushing from the cockpit, grabbing my blaster from my bag on the way out; even though it'll be useless against Kylo Ren, It's better than nothing.
I stealthily weave between rocks and try my best to not cause any disturbances in the uneven ground.
I look up from my feet, I should be close… I see her, her back to me, hiding behind one of many large rocks which form a semi-circle around a large clearing that leads to a steep cliff. Chewie may have been unsuccessful in finding Luke but General Hux wasn't, because I witness as he emerges from his ship that is near the edge of the precipice. I slip between a few rocks making sure I am out of sight as I manoeuvre around a longer way to reach Rey.
"Luke Skywalker!" Hux calls out as if he is addressing an audience, not realising he has one, "Finally..." I can hear the satisfaction in his raspy voice, Hux slowly walks towards him.
I'm nearly at Rey's side when she unexpectedly rushes out into the open; I am unable to grab her before she is seen. I take her place, hiding behind the rock Rey was concealed by. "You..." Hux is disgusted but I watch his eyes gleam with delight, "Kylo Ren will be so pleased that he will have the both of you." The two Jedi stand still, not doing nor saying anything. Hux takes out his large, black tranquilizer gun, but they wouldn't know it doesn't shoot bullets.
Without another word Hux pulls the trigger aimed directly at Luke, who doesn't break eye contact with Hux but the dart floats in mid-air before it drops to the ground. Hux twitches his upper lip, lowering his gun. A methodical thumping echoes around the rocky enclosure and I feel my heart sink; the remaining fleet of Stormtroopers file from the cabin in the ship. They split in half, six on either side of Hux, as they advance, blasters loaded and their fingers on the triggers both Rey and Luke unsheathe their Lightsabers. The familiar beat of laser fire makes my ears ache, the loud clashing and sparks as they connect and ricochet off the 'sabers disorientates me momentarily. A few of my old comrades lie wounded on the ground by their own bullets. Then I notice another, approaching from behind Rey as she defends herself against two other troopers. I take a single breath in then reveal myself. I move around the battlefield, sneaking behind Rey's two attackers, all the Stormtroopers are focused on their targets, they don't seem to acknowledge me. I have a clear aim, I fire the blaster and he falls to the ground. Rey directs her focus away from her opponents and looks at me; instantaneously she staggers back and grasps her upper arm. The two Stormtroopers advance on her but I shoot them down. I push past their bodies and rush to her. I gently cup her cheek as I swiftly grab the Lightsaber from her hand. I stand up, covering Rey's body behind me. One trooper is left, the green Lightsaber glows and burning sparks flicker as the relentless blasts ricochet in all direction, I hear the rocks crack as I try to aim so one blast will return in his direction and hit him. He advances closer to me; suddenly another Stormtroopers tackles him to the ground. I look behind me to see that Rey, who is slumped on the ground had Force thrown a rival I had not seen coming, into my opponent. I look over to Luke, who stands victorious surrounded by six fallen bodies. I turn to Hux, who stands expressionless; I slowly start to walk towards him, saber poised and ready.
He shakes his head at me, walking back on to the ship.
Darkness falls upon the island, the sun slipping behind a cloud as heavy footsteps walk down the metal ramp of the ship. I see his black feet and cape and know it is Kylo Ren even before his masked face emerges. I stand my ground, looking behind to witness Rey stand to her feet in defiance.
Kylo Ren does not stop looking at Luke, he approaches him, and the Jedi master does not seem intimidated; more so disappointed.
"What happened to you?" Luke asks rhetorically.
"My grandfather chose you, he wanted you to lead the empire with him-" he is only a few steps from Luke now, "- and you refused him." The disgust is evident in his voice.
"You didn't know him," Luke's stoic expression falters slightly.
"Oh, yes I do, his anger flows through my veins, and yours, you were just too weak to let him in the way that I have. I can make you stronger..." Kylo sounds so sure of himself, leaning in close trying to convince him, almost begging him.
"You killed your own father... You are nothing like Vader," Luke shakes his head in disappointment. Kylo Ren glares at Luke; I can see his lip quiver even from this distance. Abruptly the air is unable to enter my lungs, my feet rise from the ground.
"You're right, I'm stronger," Kylo's loud voice resounds through the clearing as I scrap my hands across my throat trying to relieve the invisible grip. Kylo Ren's arm is outstretched, his fingers grasping me from a distance one could not humanly reach. Rey runs towards me, putting her body in front of mine.
"Stop! Let him go..." She pleads. His grip tightens: wheezing, staggered gasps escape my lips, my feet twitch and my body spasms as I try to find purchase on the ground.
Rey looks at me, right in the eye, she is crying, and I feel my heart break at the sight. Through my blurred, strained vision I see her, and only her. Her mouth open, her face contorted in horror and grief. I want to reach for her: touch her face, hold her close, but my hands continue to try and release the excruciating invisible grip around my throat.
I close my eyes, losing all sense of myself. Unexpectedly I hit the ground on my hands and knees. Gulping in enormous, shallow breaths, I attempt to calm myself but I cannot. I collapse onto my side, my chest heaving in exhaustion. I don't know how long I stay in my disorientated, dark limbo, but after some time I am able to hear the loud drone of the Falcon. I feel my body being lifted from the ground; my arms wrapped around two shoulders. My legs dragging lazily behind me, I try to push myself up but I can't even open my eyes. I'm carefully laid upon a bed, voices are muffled around me and I slowly slip into complete unconsciousness.