All of the Stars

Part 33: Shining

Luke's burning face was screaming in agony, his hands tightly on Kylo's. 

And then as abruptly as his scream had started it ended. Like an explosion happening in slow motion, the Light was drawn back in, but instead of drawing back to Luke, it came to Kylo. 

Kylo took a step back, the Light engulfing him and then disappearing inside him. 

The sudden absence of the burning luminescence made your eyes take a second to adjust, when they did you saw Kylo, crouching on the dewy grass and bent over a body.

His eyes glowed white for a second, and then, like the last trace of Luke's Force, it disappeared.

In his arms lay Luke, his face pale, but the agony was gone. 

Kylo was holding him in his arms, his eyes wide as he stared at him. 

Finn grasped onto Rey tighter, but now you could hear her screams, they were hoarse and quiet.

You watched, as if the world was suddenly much slower, Rey struggling at a speed that would never let her break her bonds. Kylo's eyes filling with tears as he watched Luke in his arms, the tree's flames burning brightly, but nothing in comparison to the Light that had just fled from Luke.

You watched as Luke raised his hand to Kylo's cheek, so slowly it seemed to take a lifetime, but you knew life was not what was occurring here.

Luke's thumb wiped away a tear, one you hadn't noticed fall. 

In the sudden silence of the night, apart from the strangled sobs of Rey, you watched Luke's mouth move for the last time.

"Thank you, Ben." His voice was calm, and his blue eyes trained on Kylo's who nodded.

You watched as Luke's bright blue eyes closed for the last time, and he became limp in Kylo's arms.

Luke Skywalker was dead.

Finn seemed frozen, Rey burst from his immobile arms, darting towards Luke.

Kylo's eyes remained fixed on Luke. But as Rey approached he looked up, he lay down Luke, letting him rest in front of the burning tree.

Rey crouched beside him and let tears stream down her face, but you didn't notice her, instead, you gazed at Kylo, waiting for him to meet your eyes.

He stumbled back a few steps and you ran forwards to meet him, propping him up on your shoulder.

"We have to go..." He murmured, blinking slowly.

You turned back to look at Rey.

"What do we do?" You question, watching her body trembling with her sobs.

"We have to mourn later... I don't know how long we have..." Kylo's heart was beating fast, but his words were slow.

You glanced at Finn, who nodded and jogged up to Rey, gently bringing her away from Luke's lifeless body.

"I didn't... I didn't know it would kill him..." Kylo said, his eyes fully focused on yours in the darkness. 

You stop and gaze at Kylo, placing your hand on his jaw. As you stared at him you concealed your tear-filled eyes.

"He wanted this." You spoke to him, nodding your head. It was the truth.

Kylo nodded slowly. Sobering up.

"We need to leave." He increased his pace, you kept up with him, worry clouding your thoughts as he closed himself off. But he was right.

You made it back down to the huts quickly, Tyler and Poe waited outside, both with worry creasing their faces as they watched you return holding Kylo and Finn carrying a despondent Rey.

"We need to get to the ship." Kylo said, continuing to walk down the path.

"What's going on?" Poe asked, his forehead creased.

"Wait!" You stopped and Kylo also did, staring back at you, breaking out of his daze. "We need Poe to pilot." 

Kylo's eyes widen. He takes quick steps to Poe and holds out his hand.

The light comes faster and quicker than it did in the other two times you had watched it, Kylo's face held almost no emotion, however, as he watched the light wrap around Poe's eyes and enter.

He stepped away quickly and kept walking, you turned once you had seen Tyler was taking care of Poe and jogged up to meet Kylo.

"Kylo, are you okay?" You ask, broaching a subject you knew he didn't want to talk about.

Kylo froze in the middle of the path down to the ocean, his back turned to you. The suns were starting to rise, appearing over the horizon and casting a glow over the planet, in front of you a dark cloud of smoke moved across the sky.

"I just murdered my uncle." He said, his voice hollow. "I am going to kill Snoke next."