Across The Stars // Star Wars (Sequels)

✰Chapter 6✰

"Okay, we've been out here for an hour, when is this eclipse thing happening?" I ask Jaz. "Everyone else already went to bed."

She shrugs. "I don't know. Ask the moon," she huffed.

"Why don't we just go to bed? We have early trial training tomorrow," I say, suppressing a yawn.

"No!" Jaz exclaims suddenly, gripping my arm. "No, I'm sure it'll happen soon. Just a few more minutes. Please."

I narrow my eyes at her. "Jaz, are you alright?" I ask softly, taking her hand from my arm.

She nods, swallowing thickly. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

I raise a brow. Never in the fifteen years that I've known her have I ever seen Jazcar this nervous.

"Okay, I'm not," she admits. "I really need to talk to you about something."

"What's wrong?" I ask, turning to face her.

She inhales deeply before looking up. "I know personal attachments and relationships are not allowed as a Jedi but you are so special to me. You're my best friend, I can talk to you about anything and you'll never judge me."

"Jaz, where is this coming from?" I ask slowly, only to be completely startled as Jaz grabs the sides of my face and pulls me close, kissing me. I let out a yelp before pulling back instantly. We stare at each other for what feels like hours, both of us breathing heavily.

"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," she whispers, looking away. My heart is pounding in my chest and I can't think clearly.

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "I-It's okay," I stammer.

A loud crash is heard behind us and both of us jump up. "What was that?" Jaz asks.

"I don't know. It looks like it came from the sleeping accommodation of the boys." I say, shooting her a quick glance before both of us break out in a sprint toward the sound of the crash.

When we turn the corner, we stop dead in our tracks at the sight before us. The Temple and the boys' sleeping accommodation are on fire and both look like they can come crashing down at any given time.

With wide eyes, I look at Jaz. "Go find the other girls, I'll find Master Skywalker," I say to her.

"No, Raven, don't leave me!" she calls, gripping my arm to hold me back.

"Jaz, it's gonna be fine. I'll come find you, I promise," I say before pulling her in a tight hug. "Go!"

We run in separate directions and as I run, rain starts pouring from the heavens. I run all the way to the other side of the island where R2-D2 speeds in my direction. "R2! Where is Master Skywalker? Where is Luke?" I ask, dropping to my knees in front of him. He beeps a couple of times. "His hut? Are you sure?" He beeps again. "Okay, okay, sorry!"

I run up to his hut only to find a large heap of debris. "Master! Master Skywalker!" I scream. "Luke!"

A hand breaks through the debris and I sprint up to it, wrapping my hand around his to pull him out of the rubble. A few cuts and bruises etch his face but other than that, he seems to be okay.

"Raven!" he exclaims as soon as he sees me.

"Master! What happened? What is going on?" I ask him.

Another explosion erupts and I feel the ground shake under my feet. Master Skywalker grips my arms, forcing me to look at him. "Raven, it's your brother," he says.

Tears instantly fill my eyes. "What? Ben?" I ask, even though I'm afraid to.

"He killed them all, Raven. I don't know where he is but we need to stop him before he does something even worse!" he says to me before he turns around and runs. I stand frozen for a second before following him. We end up in front of the girls' sleeping accommodation that is fully burnt to the ground.

"Oh, my God..." I whisper. "Jaz! Jazcar!" I sprint forward even though Master Skywalker tries to stop me. I spot someone lying on the ground and I don't hesitate to speed up to them, but a foot or two away from the person, I stop, feeling as if I'm going to pass out.

It's Jaz, with a large gash down her torso. Her lifeless eyes stare at the rainy skies as mud stains her once clean robes. I fall to my knees, ugly sobs erupting from my throat.

"Raven, look out!" Master Skywalker's voice shouts, but he is too late. Something collides with the back of my head. I'm sent rolling through the mud and when I turn over, I'm faced with my brother hovering over me.

"Ben..." I whisper but he just raises his Lightsaber. My eyes widen and I roll aside before pushing myself up. I take my Lightsaber from its holster and I am just in time to hold it up to fend off Ben's attack. I look into his once hazel eyes, but the eyes that look back do not belong to my brother. They belong to the Dark Side, and my brother is gone.

In that short moment of distraction, Ben has the opportunity to strike me down, and he does. His Lightsaber hits me in my face and I let out a tormented scream as I drop to the ground. Ben raises his hand to land another strike and I duck for impact, but that impact never comes. A thud sounds and I look up, finding Ben running away from me, followed by five others. They get on the same spaceship Master Skywalker had once flown to bring me and Ben here and the engines turn on.

As rain clatters down around us, the spacecraft rises up and disappears from our view. My tears mix with the blood dripping from the wound on my face as the rain washes it all off and I am drenched to the bone, but I don't even feel the cold. Or the pain. It feels as if someone has ripped my heart out of my chest and I can't breathe.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and I look up, meeting Master Skywalker's eyes. "I'm so sorry, Raven." His voice is a mere whisper and I close my eyes, lowering my head. "I failed you both."

I shake my head. "You didn't," I say through thick sobs.

"I did. You don't have to be nice right now. I was too focused on making sure you didn't turn to the Dark Side that I lost sight of your brother, and he was struggling even more than you. I didn't see it, and I'm so sorry." His voice sounds utterly defeated as he tightly holds onto my shoulder.

I stand up and for the first time ever, I don't see my master standing in front of me, I see my mother's brother. My family. And I don't hesitate to wrap my arms around him. He tightly hugs me back and we just hold onto each other for the longest time. The gash on my face hurts like nothing I've ever felt before, but it's nothing compared to the aching pain I feel in my chest.

My brother turned to the Dark Side. My brother, Ben, my twin. Even saying that sentence to myself feels so unreal.