Rey brought the trimaran into a half flooded equatorial hangar. Nested in the gantries and cranes overhead, feral ties descended from those who had survived the Death Star's destruction through various means watched the newest arrival to their sanctuary. Barely visible in the water below them were piles of broken stormtrooper armor and bones. This was a sight familiar to Rey from her scavenging on the Star Destroyers and she knew that she need not fear a similar fate.

Finn lowered his binoculars once Rey's boat entered the old hangar. She had made it to the ruins but he still sensed an impending tragedy.

Jannah cried out Finn's name as she ran up to him. He turned and looked at her expectantly.

"Norn's volunteered to take us out on his skimmer."

Finn took a deep breath and looked back to the ruins for a moment before nodding.

From the shoreline, the Death Star appeared to be a mostly cohesive mass surrounded by mostly submerged chunks. Once inside though, Rey realized the extent of the structural damage sustained. Fissures and ravines wide enough for cruisers to sail through riddled the basalt fortress. Most every surface in the primary and secondary corridors had a teal and orange glass crust on it. Occasionally Rey would recognize partially deformed stormtrooper armor fused to the glass, still in a roughly humanoid shape.

Rey entered one of the ravines and stared up at the grey sky visible through the giant crack. Twisted trees and other flora grew from any place the plants had been able to find purchase while birds from the mainland glided from branch to branch. The dim light spilling through from high above also revealed a perfect cross section of the many corridors and rooms that once bustled with countless loyal Imperials. Rey couldn't help but wonder just how many had died in this cursed rock.

As Rey scanned the far side of the ravine, she noticed a waterfall coming from one of the corridors spilling rainwater into the dim depths below. Next to it was a fallen structural support that reached what looked to have once been a middling sized conference room. From there, she could reach the broken elevator shaft and climb the hanging cables. With her plan formulated, Rey prepared for her ascent, slipping back into the instincts that had served her so well during her scavenging.

Rey found one of the elevator doors had been pried open at some point, most likely by one of the hungry ties based on the claw marks. With any further ascent of the shaft blocked by the elevator carriage, she climbed through the door and into the corridor beyond.

Bones, rent armor pieces, and rusted carbines littered the corridor. Every wall bore deep claw gashes and long dried blood stained the floor. Rey looked at the wall behind her and was shocked by the sheer number of bullet holes.

Though getting lost in the ruined maze of corridors was almost as easy as breathing, Rey could sense herself drawing closer to that refined Darkness she had sensed earlier. When at the door to a unique looking elevator she found skeletons in unfamiliar red armor she knew that her goal lay only just ahead.

Rey held onto the shaft's service ladder and pried open the doors at the top. A wave of overwhelming cold washed over her and her hairs stood on end. She shivered as she pulled herself up.

Rey leapt across the fallen footbridge and stared up at the stairs and elevated platform in front of her. Centered atop the platform and framed by a shattered circular window sat a ruined throne.

Rey's eyes drifted left and widened at seeing a rusted vault door of some kind. She climbed over the remains of a fallen walkway and slowly ascended the stairs, knowing what she sought lay beyond that door.

Rey paused before she reached the vault and looked at the throne. She shuddered, feeling as though she was beholding something she shouldn't.

Before Rey could turn back to the vault, she heard the internal mechanism of the door activate. She snapped her eyes to it with alarm and her hand went to her Lightblade on her belt. The door screeched open and a cold fog rolled out.

Cautiously, Rey stepped through the door, keeping her eyes open for any traps or other threats. Strange artifacts sat atop pedestals, undisturbed by the calamity that befell the rest of the Death Star. Each one exuded an aura that spoke of millennia of Dark deeds.

Rey gasped as the door sealed behind her and plunged the vault into darkness. Slowly, Rey began to sense that she was not alone. She ignited her Lightblade and crept between the pedestals.

As Rey neared the center of the vault, the widest pedestal of all took shape from the darkness. Atop it sat an obsidian and silver chest from which indecipherable whispers emanated. This was it.

Rey turned the silver locking mechanism on the front until it clicked and she opened the lid with her fingertips. The chamfered pyramid inside slowly pulsed with a sickly green light. The strange whispers increased as Rey reached for the wayfinder then stopped the instant her fingers touched the cold tarnished silver edging. Rey turned the wayfinder over in her hand and released the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

Rey turned back towards the door and heard the unmistakable sound of a Lightblade igniting. She gasped at the sight of a dark figure with an unstable red magic blade. A second parallel one ignited, further illuminating the apparently feminine figure.

The Dark woman wore loose black hooded clothing with a red lacquered breastplate over a long tabard. A pair of glowing yellow eyes like like those of a cat stared at Rey from over a black half mask. With a long nailed hand she reached up and removed the mask, revealing skin as pale and flawless as porcelain.

All remaining warmth drained from Rey as she realized she was looking at herself.

Rey's shadow smiled at her in a way that could best be described as sultry, flashing angular teeth like those of a shark. "He'd do anything for you. Anything. You could have him wrapped around your finger and be your obedient little guard dog."

Rey closed her eyes and breathed deeply. No. This wasn't real.

"I could be real," the shadow said. "Don't be afraid of who you are. The world could be yours, Empress."

"No!" Rey opened her eyes. The shadow was gone. Breathing heavily, Rey looked down at the wayfinder. A faint echo of her own laugh sounded from elsewhere in the room.

Rey ran towards the door, weaving between the pedestals. The door started to open as she neared it and she glanced over her shoulder. Her shadow self was only a stride behind, baring her sharp teeth with a look of hunger.

Rey yelped and tripped over the bottom of the vault door's frame. She hit the cold stone floor of the throne room hard enough to knock the wind out of her and the wayfinder slipped from her grasp.

The Sith relic slid across the floor until a booted foot stopped it. Kylo Ren leaned down and picked up the wayfinder. He looked it over with mild interest before turning his gaze to Rey.

Rey scrambled to her feet with teeth bared. She ignited her Lightblade.

Kylo relaxed his stance and took a step forward. In response, Rey readied her sword and planted her feet.

"Look at yourself," Kylo said. "You wanted to prove to my mother that you were a Jedi." He shook his head almost imperceptibly. "But you've proven something else."

Rey glared and shifted her feet forward.

"You can't go back to her now... Just like I can't." Kylo's voice cracked as he uttered the last sentiment.

Rey's face hardened. "Give it to me," she hissed.

Kylo shuddered at the venom she poured into those four words. "The Dark side is in our nature. Surrender to it."

"Give... it... to... me..." Rey growled each word.

Kylo raised the wayfinder while looking into Rey's eyes. "The only way you're getting to Exegol is with me."

All at once, the wayfinder imploded under Kylo's crushing Force magics. Ethereal green tendrils escaped the ruined relic before rapidly dissipating.

"No!" Rey roared, charging at Kylo. She swung wildly and narrowly missed Kylo's face.

Kylo jumped back, dodging each of Rey's erratic swings. He could feel the uncontrolled fear, anger, and hate boiling within her, fuelled by the overwhelming miasma of Darkness that permeated the Death Star.

Kylo ducked a high swing and slipped behind Rey. She whirled around in response and thrust her Lightblade at him but failed to make contact. Roaring, Rey flung him to the ground with the Force.

Kylo ignited his Lightblade in time to block Rey's downward strike. After pushing her blade away, he jumped to his feet. He spun to avoid Rey's slash and leapt aside to dodge her followup.

Kylo turned and jumped off the throne platform, landing at the bottom of the stairs. Rey screamed and ran after him.

"It's time, Leia."

Leia stumbled slightly as a wave of dizziness suddenly hit her. She grunted and caught herself on one of the command center consoles.

Lieutenant Connix rushed over. "General? What's wrong?"

Leia waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine. I've just been overworking myself."

"Are you sure?"

Leia chuckled. "Yes, Connie. I do think I'm going to rest for a while, though. Let me know as soon as anything comes in."

"Of course, General."

Leia headed back towards her grotto. She hated to lie like she had, but if what she believed was coming actually was, she didn't want to be coddled. The rising pain in her cane arm and her shortness of breath reinforced her theory as to what was happening. It wouldn't be much longer now.

But there was one thing she had to do first.

Rey's and Kylo's melee spilled out onto the giant causeway formed from a long piece of stone broken free from the Death Star. Sprays of seawater formed by the breaking waves soaked the stone as it did the two duelists clashing atop it. Whenever water and blade met, steam clouds formed before being dispersed by the wind.

Finn led Jannah through the ruined corridors, letting his fledgling Force powers guide him. Upon reaching a wide fissure that broke through to the exterior, the pair of them saw the glows of two Lightblades through the rain. The two former stormtroopers looked to one another with worry.

Rey's violent attacks spoke of the anger and hatred burning within her. In this accursed place the seed of Darkness within her grew wild, fuelled by her loathing of Kylo and herself.

Kylo blocked and parried each furious strike, never exploiting his advantage. He would not kill her. He could not kill her. Without her help, he would never be able to defeat Palpatine. Without her, he would be alone again.

Rey locked blades with Kylo. Whether it was tears, rain, or seawater that streamed down Rey's face, Kylo couldn't tell but he thought it safe to assume it was all three. Tendrils of her hair clung to her face, neck, and peeled back lips. There was an almost unsettling beauty to her, he had to admit, but at the same time he felt a pang of guilt.

Kylo had wanted so much for Rey to join him in the Dark Side, but watching the growing Darkness flow so freely planted doubt and regret. It had to be done, he told himself. There was no other way. Still, watching and sensing her succumb to the same feelings of betrayal, loneliness, and self hatred he had pained Kylo more than any of the wounds Rey had inflicted upon him.

Finn too could sense the burgeoning shadow within his friend. He sprinted down the causeway towards Rey while calling out her name.

Rey broke the blade lock and launched into a flurry of strikes. Over the sound of the clashing Lightblades, she heard what she thought was Finn calling out to her. When she sensed that indeed it was Finn and that he was rapidly approaching, her fear spiked. She couldn't go back, nor could she allow him to interfere.

Screaming, Rey spun and unleashed a powerful wave of Force magic. Finn flew backwards as though struck by a rampaging beast. He grunted in pain as he landed on his back and skidded along the causeway. Jannah rushed over to him and helped him into a sitting position.

Rey hadn't even waited until Finn had landed to reengage Kylo. He blocked her brutal attacks over and over until again their blades locked. As before, Rey glared at Kylo with abject hatred. Then her eyes twitched to something behind him.

Kylo noticed this and turned his head. A towering wave was quickly closing in. With only seconds to react, the two of them broke their blade lock. Rey sprinted down the causeway and took a running leap over a wide gap with Kylo close behind.

From the relative safety of the ruins, Finn and Jannah watched the wave break over the causeway, unsure if the duelists had made it out of the way in time.

Kylo landed in front of Rey and spun around to block her downward swing. The edge of the breaking wave further drenched them as they held the blade lock and nearly knocked them off their feet.

Kylo winced as the steam burned his face and he jumped back, holding his blade in front of him. Rey knocked the sword away and thrust her own forward. She narrowly missed Kylo as he twisted himself to avoid the attack.

Once more, their blades connected in an arythmic staccato while Rey roared with rage. Kylo needed to find a non-lethal end to the duel, but with each passing second, the chances of that happening fell as the Darkness in Rey grew.

Finn gasped with relief upon seeing Rey in the distance. He tried to climb to his feet only for Jannah to stop him. "No! We can't follow them out there!"

Finn shook himself free and stood. "We can't leave her! We can't!"

"We have to find another way!"

Finn looked out to Rey with rising panic. He wasn't sure how much longer she had.

Kylo caught Rey's downward strike and struggled to hold the resulting blade lock. No longer wildly attacking, instead Rey had begun to focus and direct her anger.

Kylo pushed back with all his might but Rey leapt back, leaving Kylo to stumble forward. He blocked just in time and regained his footing as he turned to face Rey again. Thrice more their swords connected before Kylo deflected Rey's Lightblade into the causeway. Rey snarled at him as the wet stone sizzled and spat.

Rey pulled her blade back and flipped backwards, putting a great deal of space between them. She stood from her landing crouch with a look that dared Kylo to follow.

Solemnly but determinedly, Kylo did, marching forward through the sheets of rain. Perhaps she was too far gone now, he thought. He would have to face Palpatine alone, just as he had to do everything else alone. He cursed his own failure and gripped his Lightblade tighter.

For the first time in their duel Kylo went on the offense, brutally bringing his sword down towards Rey. Rey, caught off guard by the sudden aggression barely managed to block the attack. Kylo followed up with a thrust.

Rey's hand shot out and caught Kylo's arm with the Force with only a finger's width between the tip of the blade and herself. The pair of them grunted with effort before Rey knocked Kylo's blade away.

Rey managed to swing once before Kylo put her on the defensive again. Kylo's attacks rattled the bones in Rey's arms and made her feet slip on the wet stone, but she held out. After parrying one of the strikes that left Kylo open, Rey swung horizontally.

Kylo held out his hand and stopped Rey's arms with the Force as she had his. Rey strained against Kylo's hold then whipped the blade upwards while spinning. Her's and Kylo's Lightblades clashed with such force that the pains of impact shot through their entire bodies.

Kylo jumped back and stared at Rey knowing only one of them would leave this duel alive. The knowledge sickened him but the fate of the world depended on it.

Rey moved in with an upward diagonal slash. In less than two seconds, their blades connected half a dozen times before their blades locked once more. Kylo and Rey moved together, each trying to increase the leverage to overpower the other.

Rey collapsed backwards as Kylo's strength won out but she rolled back to her feet. Her hands stung from the brutality with which they had gone at one another but she dutifully gripped her Lightblade again. She too knew only one of them would survive this fight.

Again and again their blades connected, torturing their sore muscles and joints. While Rey's fury burned brightly, it had consumed much of her stamina and now she struggled to hold her own.

With one powerful downward swing, Kylo forced Rey to her knees before him. He looked down at her with sorrow and pity, not wanting to do what needed to be done. Rey exploited Kylo's hesitation and lashed out, but her slow movements were easily deflected.

Kylo raised his sword to deliver the coup de grâce when he suddenly stopped.

Across the world, Leia felt her last moments upon her. Mustering all the strength she had left, she reached out through the Force and spoke one word.

"Ben."

Leia laid herself down on her bed and closed her eyes as though falling asleep.

Kylo lowered his arm and turned in the direction of Ajan Kloss, mouth agape.

His Lightblade deactivated and slipped from his fingers.

As the hilt tumbled, Rey grabbed it and reignited it. Kylo turned back to Rey just in time to see her run the unstable red blade through his chest.

A tremor rippled through the Force as Leia's heart beat its last.

Rey gasped. "Leia."

Suddenly, the shroud of Darkness that had consumed Rey fell away. She looked at the man she had just run through. This wasn't just Kylo Ren. This was Ben Solo. This was Han's and Leia's son. This was the Prince of Alderaan. This was the lost boy whose parents held out hope to the last that he would come home. And Rey had just delivered his killing blow.

Rey withdrew the blade and Kylo collapsed backwards, gasping for air. She stared at him, horrified by what she had done and fell sobbing to her knees.

Kylo's eyes conveyed neither anger nor blame but instead absolution. He kept them fixed on Rey as each labored, rattling breath brought him closer to his end. Everything he had striven for, everything he had done, it would all end here as would the pain.

Rey reached out a shaky hand as tears fell from her face. She had wanted so much for Kylo to return to the Light - for his own sake, his parents', the world's, and hers. They were linked as a dyad, she could not deny it and already she could feel a void within her soul forming with each passing second.

She could not let him die.

Rey placed her hand over the wound and concentrated. Each breath she took was steady and measured as she poured her magic into Kylo Ren. Charred flesh, organs, and blood vessels knitted themselves back together leaving not even a trace of a scar as they did.

Kylo took a deep breath free from any labor and looked at Rey with wonder. Even after everything, she had saved him. An alien warmth bloomed within his breast. For the first time, he truly understood what it meant to be loved as an equal.

Rey sat back and looked at the man before her. The facial scar that she had given him in Ilum was gone as too, she assumed, was the one from Chewbacca. She cast her eyes down. "...I did want to take your hand," she whispered. "Ben's hand."

Rey took one last look at Kylo before standing and walking away. Kylo sat and watched her go, disappearing into the rain. After several long minutes, he heard the drone of the Whisper's engine and knew it was Rey who sat at the controls.

Finn knew as well who was in the Whisper as it passed overhead, though he could hardly believe it. Even in the darkest times, he had always been able to feel the warm optimism in Rey's spirit. It was gone now, replaced by a cold unlike anything he had experienced. At first, he feared it was the cold that comes with the Dark Side, but the truth pained him more. It was the cold of a soul that has utterly given up.

She wasn't coming back.

The Rebels of Brightstone Cove gathered in Leia's grotto, quietly surrounding their general. Many could not believe that she was gone. Some wondered how the fight could go on without her leadership.

Artu had been present at Leia's first breath. So too had he been present for her last. His unique perspective on her life struck a chord with the little nautomaton and he reflected on those many years.

Each Rebel mourned silently in their own way. Those few familiar with Alderaanian funerary traditions wetted their hands and flicked droplets of water over her, symbolizing the waters of Cloudshape Falls washing her one last time.

Maz waited until everyone else had paid their respects and gently pulled a sheet over Leia's face. "Goodbye, dear Princess..."