All of the Stars

Part 32: Doubt

"Luke, I can't do that." Kylo's voice broke slightly.

The sound of boots on the gravel smothered the voices temporarily.

"You must. It is the only way to save your friend." He pauses. "Please."

Kylo took a deep breath, you watched his figure shudder.

"Is there no other way?" He finally asked, raking his hand through his hair which must have been soaked.

"Please Kylo. I need Leia to be safe." Luke's voice barely came over the sound of the wind, blowing through the island as the aftermath of the storm.

"When?" He asked, his voice resolved.

"Tomorrow. There are things I must take care of first." You watched Kylo's figure nod and the sound of retreating footsteps on the gravel.

Careful not to wake Poe or Tyler you stood, placing the cloak back over the boys. For a moment you stared at them, a small smile on your face. Tyler leaning against Poe and Poe's hand inches from Tyler's.

Then, you took quick steps over to the figure of Kylo, avoiding a sleeping Finn, lying on the floor by the door.

"Hey." You whisper, wrapping your arms around his torso.

Kylo started slightly and then relaxed into your arms.

"You heard that?" He questioned, not looking over his shoulder.

"Only a small part... What happened?" You whisper back, resting your head against his back.

Kylo took a deep breath and released it slowly.

"Some sort of shift in the Force around Snoke. Somehow even more powerful..." He trailed off.

"Can we fight it?" You ask, your heart sinking slightly.

"No," Kylo said, finally turning around and grasping your arms, bending slightly to be level with you. "Not with the power we have."

Your heart drops a few more steps.

"What are we going to do?" You ask, your eyes widening as you think about Ara.

"With the power we have, we can't touch that amount of Force..." Kylo looked down. "Luke wants me to take his Force."

You freeze, staring at Kylo who meets your eyes again.

"Take it?" You breathe, your voice taken away.

"I don't want to, Y/N." He gave in, touching his forehead to yours. "I don't see another way."

"What will it do to you?" You whisper, your eyes dancing between his.

You see his mouth harden slightly.

"I don't know." He answers honestly and closes his eyes, the sound of the waves and the wind between you enough to fill the silence.

A scream fills the air, causing both you and Kylo to turn, searching the night for where it came from.

A figure stumbled into the light by the moon, her hair a mess around her face, her clothes soaked.

Her shoulders heaved and she propped herself against one of the houses, behind you, Finn and Tyler stood, their eyes wide. Poe also stood, squinting into the dark.

"Come... Quick..." She gasped, her hands wrapped around her lower stomach.

Finn pushed to the front of your group, his eyes wide.

"Rey?" He asked, the figure becoming clearer the more you looked at her.

"Please." She begged. It was, in fact, Rey. Shivering in the cold, but her eyes were filled with panic.

"Where?" Kylo demanded, walking forwards to her.

Rey pointed one shaking finger up the valley, towards a mountain hidden.

As you watched you saw sparks flying into the air, temporarily illuminating a column of smoke, twisting and rising into the night sky.

"What on Hoth..." You breathe, and then Kylo started to run.

You instantly follow him, by the sounds of footsteps behind you, Finn also was.

Rey quickly manages to overtake you all, her feet easily moving in the dark over the uneven ground, she spins and beckons you to move faster.

At the top of a set of winding stairs through looming rocks outlined by the moon, you finally saw the source of the smoke.

A tree was engulfed in flame, spitting angry orange flints into the sky as raindrops tried to douse it.

Ash fell to the ground like snowflakes, resting on the dewy grass around your feet.

Despite the situation, a small memory gasped behind your thoughts.

Snow...

But at that moment you didn't notice it, instead, you saw a dark shape not too far off.

A figure turned at where he was seated on a rock, his body language relaxed.

"I am ready, Kylo." He spoke, the flickering light of the tree framing him in a hazy glow.