Sulit [ Ben Solo ]

XV.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
[ family! ]

Asteria fell out of the sand and hit the ground hard. Her head spun from the impact, and it took her a moment to get her bearings. Poe fell beside her, collecting himself sooner and quickly asking if she was alright.

"I'm fine," she assured him. "Where are—"

Before she could finish, Rey dropped through the sand, followed by Chewie, 3P0, BB-8, and eventually, Finn. Asteria glanced up to where they'd fallen from the sand, then to her right where there was a long tunnel, leading the stars knew where.

"I suppose we've got no choice," she said once everyone had dusted themselves off. "Let's go find Ochi."

On the walk down the tunnel, Rey pulled her lightsaber and ignited it for some light, and Poe clicked on his little flashlight that so clearly paled in comparison. "Helpful," Asteria commented, flicking her eyebrows up and smirking teasingly, before following the others. She could feel him grumbling at her back the whole time.

They found another ship, one with an old Sith symbol on it. 3P0 recognized it instantly. They found Ochi not long after— or what remained of him. Their last find was a dagger, inscribed with an old Sith language.

"Someone's got to be able to read this," Asteria said, holding the dagger in her hands. It felt horrible. Dark.

"You don't have a clue?" Poe asked.

"No, I'm afraid they didn't teach us old Sith languages at the Jedi Temple," she replied, sighing. "Just because I'm old doesn't mean I've always got answers."

While the group looked over the dagger, Asteria felt a strange presence behind her. A hiss came from where she'd felt it, and they turned to face it together. It was a vexis snake hissing in their faces and baring its teeth.

They all took a collective step back but for Rey, who handed Asteria her lightsaber and stepped toward the serpent. Finn took a step forward to stop her, but Asteria held up a hand to stop him.

"Wait a second," she told him, curious as to what her padawan would do.

Rey went close to the snake, stepping inside of the coils and stopping when she saw something. It was injured. Rey bent down near the injury, put her hand near it, and closed her eyes.

Slowly, the injury healed and the snake slithered away. Asteria stood in awe of her padawan, who had done something she herself had never once even considered doing.

"Where— where did you learn that?" She breathed, staring at Rey in wonder.

"I didn't learn it," Rey told her. "It was just. . . an instinct."