Ascendance

XXV

I lit my lightsaber to cut through the sudden darkness, my eyes fighting to make out detail in the forest around me. Wherever I looked, there was only forest; I was alone.

Meet me here in three days' time. The figure's coarse whisper surged through the darkness, filling my ears for a moment before leaving me in silence once more.

A shiver ran down my spine, and I exhaled a slow breath to center myself.

Then I was running. As fast as my feet could carry me. Branches on both sides scratched at my face as I raced through the forest, blood pounding in my ears.

My lungs were burning by the time I returned to the base. I had almost reached the entrance when I was blocked by a shimmering entity.

"Now's not a good time, Anakin!" I tried to sidestep, but he knocked me to the ground with a swipe of his hand.

"What did you just do?!" His voice was panicked.

"Oh, good, you saw that." I sat up, gingerly rubbing the small of my back. "So I don't have to explain."

"Have you not listened to a single thing I've told you this entire time?" He stared at me, exasperated.

I started to stand but he raised his hand again threateningly, so I stayed on the ground.

"I need you to be with me on this." I stared back evenly. "I know what I'm doing."

He shook his head. "No you don't."

"I have to save my father," I insisted. "He is... the way he is because of me. And now I have the chance to fix him, to make it better."

"And I'm sympathetic to that. But I can't let you bring back the Sith."

I stood slowly. "Anakin, I have to—"

"No!" He growled, moving so we were standing nose-to-nose. "I understand you feel guilty. But you can't let your guilt cloud your judgment. You need to trust me."

"No, you need to trust me." I stepped to the side, letting out an irritated huff when he blocked my path again. "Anakin, I really need to talk to Rey right now—"

"Rylie." He gazed at me solemnly. "Learn from my mistakes, please—"

I closed my eyes tightly and dismissed his presence. When I reopened, he was gone. I gritted my jaw, feeling a twinge of guilt at the desperation he had shown.

He doesn't understand. But he will.

My footsteps echoed through the halls as I hurried to Rey's door, knocking swiftly. She answered after a moment, squinting in the light.

"Rylie?"

"Rey, I need your help."

"Can it wait until morning?"

"No." I pushed past her to enter her quarters, pacing for a moment before turning to look at her.

She gazed at me expectantly, waiting for me to speak.

"I've found a way to fix my father." I watched her reaction carefully. "I've struck a bargain."

She frowned, put off by my restless energy. "With whom?"

"I've agreed to use my powers to help the Sith. In return they are going to teach me to heal my father, to fix the damage I did to him when I brought him back to life."

Rey stared at me, my words having not quite registered yet. When she spoke, she spoke slowly, as if explaining a simple concept to a child. "The Sith are gone. They ended with the fall of the Empire."

"Well, I just spend the last hour with one, so I don't know what to tell you." I let out a huff of frustration at her failure to understand. "I saw it in his mind – there are more out there. They've been quietly reviving their numbers while the First Order was in power, using the Order as a shield to draw our attention while they regrouped."

"Are you sure it was the Sith?"

I let out a growl of frustration at her apparent inability to comprehend what I was saying. "The Sith, the Empire, the First Order—does it matter? The Dark Side is rising to power again."

Her eyes widened. There was a long pause as she absorbed my words. "Rylie, you—"

"I need you to teach me to close off my mind to the Force. To make it so no one can enter my thoughts."

"Why?" Her voice was thick with exasperation. "Why have you done this? Why have you turned to the Dark to find answers?"

"Rey, you need to trust me—"

"Where did I fail you?" Her eyes fell, her voice softening with sadness as she sat on the edge of her bed. "Where did I go wrong? Rylie, if there's anything I can do to fix this, please—"

"Rey, listen!" She jumped, caught off guard by my raised voice. I lowered it, staring at her intently. "Just listen for a moment."

She turned to face me, resignation clear across her face.

"I need you to teach me to block out everyone. Nobody can be allowed to enter my thoughts under any circumstances. That is possible, right?"

She thought for a moment. "Yes, with some practice, but why—"

"Teach me." I stood in front of her.

"Why?" Her voice rose in desperation.

"You can't tell anyone what I'm doing. And that includes my family, and... even Murphy."  I took a moment to register that, my heart aching.  But I forced myself to continue.  "The fewer people that know about this, the lower the risk."

"The risk of what? Rylie, why are you asking this of me?"

"Because," I swallowed shakily. "I'm going to learn all I can and heal my father. And then I am going to infiltrate the Dark Side, and finally end them."

I paused to assess her reaction, but she offered nothing, only a shocked silence that begged to be filled.

"I need you with me on this." I looked deep into her eyes, willing her to understand. "I can't do this alone."

Rey's eyes searched my face for what felt like a lifetime. Finally, she nodded. "Okay."