Star Wars: I Am a Slave ✓

Chapter 80 - Cleansing

Luke led Ben to the other side of the planet to the upper elevations. It was still dark, but the Resistance had not picked up their trail. Luke sent a coded message through Artoo to Ackbar, requesting that he stand down his fighters.

When they climbed out of their fighters, Ben was brought back instantly to that night 14 years ago. It was here that it had all begun. "We're on Khalkha?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm surprised you did not figure that out earlier," spoke Luke. "How long has it been since you've lowered your shields and allowed your insight to work?"

Ben closed his eyes and pulled his shields down. "Since Rey resisted me, since she got into my brain," admitted Ben.

"Come over here. I want you to sit there," directed Luke to a spot of turf and shale. Luke sat in the master's pose, and Ben assumed the learner's. "Feel the Force through flowing here. Let it speak to you, Ben. Let it change you, mold you, form you into something new," directed Luke.

Ben lowered his shields and reached out with it. He was at once battered with the horrors that this place held. He relived the Purge, the Purge that he had caused, but this time he felt the fear, the pain, the torture of his victims as he lived through every single moment.

Luke sat there, watching and feeling his students die once more, watching his love struck down with Force-lightning. He had never known her exact cause of death; he had arrived too late that night. Now, to know that she died from that painful lightning overwhelmed Luke. He felt his baby boy's death first, then the pain inflicted on Naluma. He saw her left there to die in the pouring rain, a calling card for him.

Luke remembered their last conversation when Naluma begged him not to go. She had known it was going to happen, and Luke let his duty interfere with his first priority—his family. The grief was unbearable as Luke collapsed into a ball, screaming out Naluma's name as he saw himself hold her in his arms, as she gave her last breath.

Tears flowed down Ben's face as he relived his crimes. He screamed in pain as each one died. "I can't take this anymore, Master. Please make it stop!"

"No. You have to know exactly what you did. You must come to terms with this. Otherwise, you will do it again," spoke Luke in agony as he watched his wife's funeral pyre once more. "Watch! Understand what your actions caused! Feel it through the Force! It ripped a great rift through it here, Ben. Can you sense it?"

"Aghhh!" screamed Ben as he felt the agony the Force itself unleashed on him.

"I should have killed you that night," mentioned Luke, his anger flowing over his Force-signature.

"What prevented you?"

"Your aunt. She appeared, Ben. She begged me not to turn, as she has every day since," stated Luke.

"So you aren't a coward?" asked Ben.

"No. My exile was to protect you, for your mother's sake, for my sake, for the galaxy's sake," revealed Luke. "It is time to cleanse the soul—for both of us."

Ben looked at Master Luke, unsure of what he meant. "Do you remember how to meditate, Ben?"

"I was never really good at that, only when contacting Snoke," admitted Ben.

"Back to the basics, then. Deep breathing, first. Long inhale, long exhale. Focus on the Force only. Empty your mind of everything else. Breathe. Just breathe. Now, let the Force flow through you, washing away the anger, the hatred, the fear. Become one with it."

After a few minutes, Luke directed with tears in his eyes, "As I forgive you now, forgive those who have hurt you. Your father, your mother, Snoke, me . . . even Rey."

They passed the night in this vigil of cleansing, repurposing themselves as servants of the Force . . . for good.