Compassion | Reylo

2

Ben

My fingers wrap around the hilt of my uncles lightsaber, the metal still warmed from Rey's hand. In the moment before I lash out at the Knights of Ren and sever the force bond I see Rey drop her now empty arm and stare with resolve at something- or someone- ahead of her.

I shrug my shoulders cockily and get to work. Slashing and stabbing, the force flows through my veins I can sense every enemy around me. A single pang hits my chest as I feel remorse for the group that were not long ago my followers. But I must get to Rey. She needs me. It takes only moments to be free of my knights and race to the throne room where Rey has another saber and has fought off the rest of the guards but one. I slam him to the ground with the force and am face to face with the scavenger once again.

My heart lurches with a desire to touch her. Though it was not long ago that she held her hand to my chest and healed the wound she inflicted on me, It has been many days since she held her hand out to me in the hut, and allowed me to be near her. Gazing into her eyes I am relieved to find no hostility or fear, only confidence, and perhaps a bit of relief. I hold her stare, hoping she knows what I am echoing with my eyes.

I am here. I am here. I am here.

We both turn sabers raised, the warmth of each other's eyes replaced by the soulless orbs of Palpatine.

"Stand together. Die together." I am ripped forward, lightsaber clattering to the ground. A fleeting glance to my right shows Rey in the same position, struggling angrily against the hold Palpatine has on us, pulling a bit of our life force out.

"A dyad in the force, a bond so strong, the two shall restore the one." He pulls and pulls and I can feel my life force being ripped out of my chest, it doesn't feel like dying, but like being broken, shattered beyond what were my already jagged edges. I want to reach out for Rey but I cannot move from Palpatine's grip.

He finally releases us and my lashes are thick with the desire to sleep, laying heavily down to rest. But I must get up.

I pull myself off of the floor. Rey is still unconscious, and the sight of her helpless body, barely breathing fills me with rage.

"So falls the last Skywalker." I am thrown backward off of a cliff, my back hitting the edge of a wall before landing on a small platform that juts out from the wall. I lay on my back, which must be broken, and gaze up at the sky.