Star Wars | Episode X: The Edge of Destiny

Chapter 31: Reflection

As I exit Maz's castle, I can see my party ahead chatting on the landing bay.  Once I'm close enough, they all turn and greet my presence.  I watch as a few of Maz's workers load Z-Man's ship with supplies.  Over in the corner, I notice Chewie near the parked Millennium Falcon.  I sense Maz's presence exiting her castle. "She must be going to wish him luck," I smile.

"Jedi Master, Rey. Everything is ready for our departure," Jace says to me.

"Excellent, there's something I have to do first."  I can feel Finn's eyes watch me closely as I walk past them and head to the trailhead of the forest. 

"Where are you going?" Finn asks.

"I need to stretch my legs before we leave.  It's going to be a long journey and I need to focus my thoughts."

"Be careful out there.  Don't be gone too long," Poe chimes in with a smile.

I give them a wink and turn toward the direction of the trailhead.  They return to talking amongst themselves and go over the plan once more.  I can smell the lush forest and am greeted by a gentle breeze.  I hear a tune of familiar beeps behind me.  

I turn around, "No Bee-Bee-Eight, I have to go alone," I lower my head down and smile at the droid near my legs.

He gives me a few concerned beeps. 

"No, I need you to go back to the Falcon with Chewie, Finn, and Poe."

He gives a loud whistle up at me and rotates his head in an empathetic motion.

"I'll be alright this time.  It will be over quickly.  I promise," I smile at the little droid and watch as he reluctantly starts rolling towards the Falcon.

I face the forest line and breathe deeply in. 

***

I can feel it growing--the darkness. My pace quickens on the winding trail.  The trees are getting thicker as I hear the sound of my feet crush the fallen foliage.  I walk the familiar path I trekked on the day the First Order attacked Maz's castle.  It all seems surreal to me now.

Ahead, the small rocky ravine.  The same ravine where a man clad in black and a mask pursued me with a red lightsaber. My shots were helpless against his blade.  "Kylo Ren's blade."

A fog of darkness clouds my mind. "No!" screaming into the forest. "You will not take hold of me!" 

"Foolish child.  I already have."

Looking around at my surroundings, everything is blurring.  I am not alone anymore...

"You are not going to win! When will you finally realize that you cannot defeat me! I am stronger than you could have ever dreamed of!" I scream.

I stumble over fallen branches and scattered rocks---I can hear a stream nearby.  My mind feels like it's being poisoned.  Evil is trying to turn me against the light.  I trip over a small boulder and land hard against the fallen leaves.  My face crashes into the dirt and it feels as though someone is pressing down against my back--pinning me to the ground.

"No!" I scream in anger, as dirt gets into my mouth. Using the Force, I break from the invisible hold and stumble up to a standing position.  My vision is doubling and I'm becoming dizzy.

"You can't fight this anymore.  He's not here to save you again!" the menacing voice laughs.

I fall to my knees and feel like I'm going to hurl my lunch.  I crawl on all fours to the stream and crash my hands in the water and splash my face. Hoping the cool water will snap me out of this living nightmare.

"You're not going to come back to this world. We won't let you!" I scream into the air.

I throw water over my face again and cough into the flowing stream.  The agitated ripples in the water begin to calm and a reflection in the water emerges.  "It's him."

His face is less deformed and slightly younger.  The figure of Palpatine as a younger man stares back at me. 

"Oh, pathetic child. You think you are so far ahead in this game.  You think that somehow you're going to win." The reflection in the water says to me.

"I'm going to kill you on Ahch-To!" I say with an evil grin.

"Will you now? How can you do that and save young Ben Solo?  You know that you're going to have to decide.  Do you think that you can have everything in the end? If only you chose my throne on Exegol.  Then you would have everything!"

"I will get everything I want.  You underestimate the light side of the Force---again!"

"Even the power of the Dyad cannot stop me from coming back! You know deep down this is a fool's errand... Rey, my granddaughter---give into my power and I will make all that you wish come true.  Together we can find a way to bring him back--bring them all back."

"I will watch with pleasure as your soul is destroyed!" I scream at the reflection.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" he cackles. 

"Your plan forgot about one wild card, Sidious."

"Oh? And what could that possibly be?" an evil smile spreads across his face.  

"Me!"

The smile fades from his face.  I use the Force to gather power.  Focusing on the images he's projecting of chaos and death in my head I unleash a blast of Force energy.  

"Ahhhhhhh!" 

With everything I have, I scream at the reflection.  I watch the reflection of Palpatine squirm. His eyes close tight, and he puts his hands over his ears.  The reflection fades with my vision going black.  I fall back against the ground. My legs fall to the side and I gasp for any air I can.  The darkness was strangling my mind---and my body.  

After a few moments, my vision returns and I can see the green of the tree canopy overhead.  I watch as the leafy branches sway in the gentle breeze.  Cracks of sunlight break through the canopy and illuminate the surrounding ground.  I can feel warm sun rays hit the water on my face.

"Breathe, Rey..." a familiar voice whispers in my mind. 

I do as it says and intently focus on my breathing.  Closing my eyes, the light returns to my mind and pushes away the darkness--balance restores. I open my eyes. 

"I won't let him win, Ben."