Black Hearts | Kylo Ren [1]

VII. "running solves nothing."

There was a feeling, unrecognized yet somehow familiar for Letha and Roman.

This sensation led them inside the castle to find a stairway, ancient stonework leading downward. Perceiving Letha's unease, Roman asked what was wrong.

"I don't know. I—I have to see." She started down the stairway. Struggling, her brother followed. "No. You go back to Han."

Roman gave her a questioning look. "I want to come with you, it's not safe to wander around here."

"You're hurt." Letha pointed at his leg. "We don't know if the origin of this energy is dangerous."

"Exactly!" Roman felt uneasy but his sister was right. Every step he took it felt like his leg burned. "Just be careful." He said and lipped back to the main hall.

The stairway terminated in a deserted, dimly subterranean corridor. Why was she here, she asked herself. Though the passageway was not long, it appeared so to her. At the very end were Maz and Rey, the brunette girl laid on the floor, trying to catch her breath.

"Oh, God." Letha said under her breath. "Rey!"

Letha ran through the hallway and kneeled next to Rey.

Maz looked from Rey to the open doorway and then back to Rey. "It called to you."

Rey stood unsteadily with Letha by her side. "I—I shouldn't have gone in there. I'm sorry..."

"What was that?" Letha asked Maz. "I could sense it all the way from outside the castle."

"Listen to me." Maz was watching her closely. "I know this means something. Something very special..."

"I need to get back." Rey shook her head.

Maz came closer. "Yes, Han told me that." Her voice was gentle now, not at all the hard, sardonic tone she had employed up until this moment. "Whatever you've been waiting for—whomever—I can see it in your eyes, you've known it all along...they're not coming back."

Tears were beginning to trickle down Rey's face. "No," she said simply.

"That lightsaber was Luke's." Letha said when she saw the object on Maz's hands. "And his father's before him. If it's reached out to you, it's for a reason. I didn't complete my training, but I know the Force. It moves through and surrounds every living thing."

"The saber. Take it." Maz nodded and held out the weapon.

Rey's voice strengthened as she wiped away tears. "I'm never touching that thing again. I don't want any part of this."

Without another word Rey took off running, heading determinedly toward the stairs that beckoned just ahead. Maz watched her go and sighed.

"Rey!" Letha called her but she was long gone.

—

Overwhelmed and exhausted, both physically and mentally, Letha ran behind Rey util the girl finally slowed to a halt.

"Running solves nothing." Letha spoke, making Rey jump in surprise. "Besides, you have nowhere to run to, and you cannot run from yourself. Maybe it's your destiny to come with us and find Luke."

"I thought I was strong enough. Or tough enough. But I'm not. I have to go back home."

A familiar electronic chirp made the girls turn.

BB-8 slowed as he approached, beeping inquisitively.

"No," Letha replied, gesturing. "We have to go back with Maz." More beeping, and she could only shake her head tiredly.

Rey kneeled beside the droid. "You have to go back, BB-8. You're important. Much more so than I am. They'll help you to fulfill your mission, more than I ever could. I'm sorry."

"Can't you see that BB-8 won't leave you? And nor will I, Rey." Letha placed her hand on Rey's slim arm. "I know that we literally just met but remind me of a friend I lost, and I'm afraid that if you leave, my memories of her will go away too."

She would have continued but for the thrum overhead that drowned out her words as well as BB-8's startled beeping. The fleet of First Order ships thundered overhead, dropping toward the castle. The castle—where Roman and her friends still were.

Racing through the trees and back toward the castle, Letha and Rey slowed at the top of a slight rise. Wide-eyed, Letha could only hope that Roman and her friends had managed to flee the complex before the attack began. Swooping TIE fighters were methodically reducing the stone walls and towers to dust, while smugglers and traders were frantically running for cover.

Turning to run in the other direction, Letha caught herself just in time as a shuttle touched down nearby. Without the slightest hesitation, the cloaked figure emerged and strode forward to join the battle. It looked like the ones that joined Ben that night at the temple, but this one looked different, taller and darker.

Beside the two girls, a tree erupted in flame as splintered branches flew. One of the patrolling squads of troopers had spotted them and opened fire. "Shit." Letha said and drew her lightsaber from her belt, with swift moves she managed to deflect the shoots from the Stormtroopers. "Would you mind giving me a hand?"

Taking cover, Rey drew her blaster, aimed, and pulled the trigger. Calling to BB-8, who was at their side in an instant, Rey and Letha started back into the woods and away from the scene of combat.

"Keep going, stay out of sight," Rey told the droid. "We'll fight 'em off."

—

Spotting Kylo Ren moving through the debris, one trooper hurried to report.

"Sir, we're still searching for Solo, but the droid that's wanted was spotted heading west, with two girls."

At this Ren said nothing, but instead looked sharply in the indicated direction.