Star Wars | Episode X: The Edge of Destiny

Chapter 20: The World Between Worlds

I stop to catch my breath.  I have been running now for what feels like hours.  Hunching over, I place my hands on my knees.  I spit out some mucus that formed in the back of my throat from running.  It hits the dry ground with a small sound.

"Where are you?"

Whispers. 

I stand up and try to breathe deeply. I spin around and look at the vast dark horizon in any direction I face. Facing forward, I stare up to the triangular star formation in the night's sky. "Ben."

Pressure builds.  I feel like a rope has tied itself around me.  I look around my torso and see nothing.  A great jerk in the Force pulls me forward---I keep running.  Up ahead, I see what looks like a small hill formation.  The Force is pulling me towards them.

I reach out through the Force and increase my speed.  I allow the power to wrap around my muscles and dissolve the pain I was starting to feel.  My stamina strengthens as the Force entwines harder around my body and mind.

Time passes and the proximity between the hills and myself decreases.  

Whispers.

I can feel something is here.  A presence of great power---even greater than that of Master Skywalker.  Not evil but not good either.  A completely balanced being. I have never felt energy like this before---I keep running.  

After a few more minutes I am at the base of what I think is a hill.  Darkness consumes everything around me.  I can barely see anything in front of me---even my hand. 

I turn around and look back at where I came.  Nothing is behind me---I turn back forward. 

Pressure in the Force builds. The whispers are getting louder and louder but I cannot understand what they are saying.  It's in a language I have never heard before.  The words have a rhythm that dances in my mind.  Their sound is intoxicating to hear. 

I pant, trying to regain my breath.

"Rey..." A voice whispers in front of me. I am alert from the call.

My breathing balances and I continue walking forward.  The distance between myself and the hill closes and I extend out my hand and feel the dead soil hit my fingers.  Suddenly, I hear grinding.  A giant door begins to open in front of me.  As the door slides open, a glowing orange light illuminates in the distance. 

Lowering my right hand, I grip my lightsaber tight as I get a better look at what is in front of me---stairs. I swallow and without hesitation walk past he doorway.  As I step past the frame, the doors close hard behind me.  There's no way out, only down. 

I don't ignite my saber.  Instead, I keep it ready at my side. I pace slowly down the steps.  I am unsure of the being that awaits me but I sense it does not mean me harm---yet. 

I keep going down the winding staircase.  After a few minutes, I can see a landing as I come around the turning side of the staircase.  Cautiously, I step and peer around the side of the wall.  There is a large room illuminated and it looks like the living quarters for something.  

"Harm we do not mean you, Jedi Master Rey," a voice speaks in the distance.  

I relax my shoulders and breathe deeply---I continue down and arrive on the last step.  I can see the room fully lite by the light from the fireplace.  The room is full of trinkets, books, and objects placed in a disorganized fashion.  I look around to find the origin of the voice. 

"Cautious you are.  Good, need that you will, one day.  Here though, you will not," the voice says.  

I look over and see a small chair near the fireplace turned away from the staircase.  A large white wolf lies on the floor in front of the fire.  The wolf lifts its head and stares at me.  I reach out and sense this wolf has a deep connection to the light side of the Force.  This is a protector of the Force.  I believe I read about these creatures once in the library---a Loth-Wolf.