temptation | kylo ren.

chapter eighteen.

all guards left the base and were headed to the secluded one. you and ben were already on the command shuttle, tears filling your eyes as the view of the risen empire slowly disappeared into the clouds and the command shuttle finally left your planet you called home for months.

you had both luke and leia's sabers with you, knowing it was probably double the power for you. you were back into the galaxy, taking in a quick, admirable moment of it all. you looked at ben and smiled small.

"i love you." you spoke softly and he turned his head to look back at you, kissing your forehead. his focus went back to piloting the command shuttle and getting to exegol. hopefully after this, everything would be done. all bad would obliterate, and there would finally be peace, forever. that's all you ever wished for.

he pressed a button to the hatch command, hearing static for a few seconds until someone broke it and heard a familiar voice. "poe dameron! it's us, again. is everyone in place? do you have enough people to cover you all?" you asked. "yes, empress. listen, let us worry about the ships and you take care of madeline and the creature. we got this!" poe exclaimed and the hatch went silent again, your breathing pacing quicker each passing minute.

kylo grabbed your hand, his thumb stroking it. "we're going to be okay. i won't let anyone or anything hurt you." he reassured and you nodded, looking down at your lap, holding his hand tighter.

the silence was calming, it gave you time to think. you finally took easy breathers and shut your eyes for a moment, probably for minutes. "don't fall asleep. we're here." ben told you and your eyes snapped right opened, seeing the colorless planet. it had nothing to it. it even seemed evil.

you swallowed thickly and the command shuttle slowly got closer to the atmosphere. ben nudged you, getting your attention and pointing over to the sun. the solar eclipse. as the moon starting to shield it more and more, your bones and body tensed too. your body was full of more power and you inhaled sharply. for such a beautiful sighting, darkness would consume inside of.

about to the enter the atmosphere, you experienced it all. the moon now covering the sun, fully and you could feel a new soul enter you, the rays of the sun nearly blinding you. "quicker! we need to land!" you told ben and he pushed the command shuttle faster more, the setting of exegol being dark. there was grey and very dark blue, lightning too.

you saw this place in a dream before.

finally the ship landed onto desert, rocky ground and you both raced down the ramp. you noticed this place in a dream before. many months ago, when you first met han. you looked at him and smiled small. he kissed you, which felt like for the last time. he pulled back and stared into your eyes, pushing a strand of hair behind your ear.

"i love you, darling."

a big lump was in your throat as you stared at him more, wishing that the evil went away a long time ago. you hoped this wasn't the last moment for you both. your last touch and kiss. your last gaze. everything.

"i love you too, ben. thank you for everything."

he smiled and kissed your forehead, his eyes having a sparkle in them, almost like stars. "i'll go find rey. i promise i'll be back. for now, go get palpatine. please." he demanded and you nodded, giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"i love you."

"i love you too."

with those words slipping out of both your mouths, you went different directions. a energy dragged you to where you needed to go, the wind being cold and sending shivers down your spin. you walked carefully and under a rock, being able to see in the darkness.

a dark, malicious voice started speaking, almost like if it was in your head. "silly child. why have you come?" the voice asked and your heart raced, walking even more slowly step by step. "did that throne room incident teach you nothing? you could get killed. snoke should've killed you and rey, my granddaughter."

palpatine.

"we killed snoke. we'll kill you too."

his chuckle made goosebumps spread across your body and though you didn't feel frightened, you felt intimidated. you were finally in a spacious area, looking around.

"if it isn't empress palpatine. the only one who truly accepted her fate." the voice was now near you. you spun around and a person in a dark cloak came closer to you, sitting on something that pushed him to you. you were only a few feet away from this person. this disgusting looking creature.

"i didn't accept anything. it was for a moment. it was just a quick temptation, but that isn't me!" you shouted, your voice booming. it was a standoff between you and your uncle. the vicious monster who created snoke. the one who got into your and rey's head forever. "you're childish, like your mother. stupid and naive like my brother." he degraded you and chuckled more, trying to overshadow you.

"my mother and father were good people. they left me in this world to finish you and all the evil that exists! after i kill you and the ordeal, it's over, forever!" you shouted and his chuckle turned into a laugh, echoing clearly.

"still trying to prove you're something? you'll only become something if you truly accept your fate. if you take my spot in the throne. if you call yourself a sith."

his hand gestured towards a rocky seat, where he was trying to create the imagination of you sitting there, ruling over everyone. "i'm a sith with good in her heart. i overcame my dark side two times. i pulled ben into the light. i took down the first order and helped take down snoke. if i was able to do all that, i can take you down."

"if you kill me, you won't be getting rid of me. i would incarnate into you." he said, staring him down and the lightning struck more, thunder rumbling, louder and louder. he wasn't finished speaking there. he wasn't finished, at all.

"it's time for you to see who you really are."