Truth - Rey x Reader

Chapter XXII

Traveling to Exegol was stressful, to say the least, but you didn't spend hours and hours getting trained by the best pilots in the Resistance to not be able to handle such trying situations. Thanks to Rey, she marked the way to Exegol so you followed her immediately. You are not too far behind her and when you land on the dark, desert, and a rather desolate planet, you see Rey's ship, which you remember to be Luke's. She must have gone to Achh-To before arriving here. She must have spoken with Luke's spirit. It's the only logical thing you can think of. Even though she didn't get enough time with Luke as she wished to, you know that she saw him as a father figure and admired him greatly. It wouldn't surprise you if she confined in him heretofore.

You land your craft next to Rey's and leap out of the cockpit, ready to save your love. She is close. You can feel it. She's conflicted and daunted. You need to get to her now. Time is ticking and the Resistance will be here any minute to take down the First Order once and for all. You follow the path you believe Rey to have traveled but when you do, you realise that you are not alone. Through the darkness, you see a familiar figure and it makes your blood boil.

"Ren!" You call out.

The man stops in his tracks and turns around. He is not in his usual Sith attire. He looks... ordinary. When your eyes meet, he looks different and there is something peculiar about his gaze. If you didn't know any better, it's... soft. Nonetheless, you approach him and you feel tension but nothing like when you usually encountered him. The evil is no longer there. Is it possible that he has turned?

"What are you doing here?" You probe.

"I'm coming to save Rey," he answers. "Palpatine is too strong for her alone."

"I know, which is why I'm here. She's my love. It's my duty to save her so you need to leave before I strike you down right here and now."

"I understand that you're angry with me but I... I'm not Kylo Ren anymore."

You look deeper into his eyes and you fail to see the menacing man you once saw.

"Ben?" You utter.

"Yes," he nods. "What Rey said to me on the wreckage... it made me think. I saw my dad... I knew I couldn't continue the way I was going. I couldn't."

You look at the man before you and you can feel his regret. You can feel his shame. His sorrow. But most of all, you can feel his heart. He is Ben.

"Rey can't face Palpatine alone," he continues. "She needs us. I need to repay her for changing my heart, even if it kills me."

"I still don't understand how he is alive. He should have died."

"But he didn't. He wants Rey to kill him so his life force will carry on through her and the Sith will continue to live. He will try to turn her."

Your blood runs cold and you have fury in you more powerful than anything you have ever experienced.

"Over my dead body," you snap.

"He will try to turn you, too. He knows your strength. He knows your power. He wanted me to turn you into a Sith and that way, you could turn Rey, and together, we would all be unstoppable."

"We are unstoppable. Just not under his command. Now, let's go save Rey."

With a nod, Ben leads you in the direction Rey went. You follow him close behind until you are both stopped when you encounter the Knights of Ren. The six of them circle you and Ben until you are back to back. You draw your lightsaber and ignite it, the orange blade burning bright amongst the darkness.

"On a scale of one to ten, how skilled are these Knights?" You ask.

"Eleven."

"Great."

Ben instigates the fighting by using the Force to push a Knight back, causing the rest of them to lunge at you and Ben was right, eleven out of ten indeed. They are very skilled Sith fighters and they test your abilities. Three of them target you while the other three target Ben who is without a weapon. Regardless, you fight the Knights but in that, you can feel Rey's heart and it's weighing heavy with every passing second. Ben feels it, too. Rey needs you. She needs you NOW. You manage to take down several Knights but by the time you do that, Rey is close to despair and fear.

"Go to her!" Ben calls out, now equipped with a sword from one of the fallen Knights.

"What about you?"

"I can handle them! Go! I-"

You turn around and see that Ben has been impaled by a Knight, the blade going straight through his abdomen.

"Ben!" You call out then race over to the Knight who removes the blade and runs towards you.

Furious, you channel the Dark Side, using the Force to pick the warrior up and electrocute them before tossing them to the side like a ragdoll. The feeling is powerful and furious but you focus on Ben who is quickly being encircled by his own blood. 

"Ben!" You fall to your knees and gently raise him so he can meet your gaze. "Ben, stay with me."

"No," he takes your hand. "Go after her. She needs you. Connect with her. Let her know that you're here. That will give her the strength to keep pushing on. As soon as she knows you're here for her, she'll fight. She will."

You can feel the life force drain quickly from Ben and for the first time, it hurts your heart.

"Be the woman she needs you to be. Be the Gray Jedi she needs you to be. Save her."

"Ben..."

The man smiles at you but he grows weak and falls heavy in your arms, his eyes shutting and his soul leaving his body entirely.

"Ben..." You breathe and you feel that he is now fully gone as is Leia.

Your heart weighs heavy but you have to push that aside. You need to connect with Rey. Her life and the future of the galaxy are at stake. So, closing your eyes briefly, you reach out into the Force where you search for Rey. At first, she is difficult to find but eventually, you find her. She is scared and feels so alone.

"Rey..." You speak and now, you can see her.

Your eyes lock and you feel her heart ignite with hope and light.

"I'm coming... Fight... Fight, my love. Be strong..."

Rey nods as do you and then, your connection is lost. When you open your eyes, you see that Ben's body has disappeared, leaving his clothes behind in your hands. You stand, holding your saber close then turn in the direction you feel Rey. It's time to end the Sith once and for all.