Ascendance

XI

Ridley thrashed around in the figure's arms, wailing. "Let me go!"

BB-8 was taken into another room, screeching frantically as it went, but all noise was cut off as the door slid shut behind it. After a moment, the figure returned, rejoining the others.

The figure holding Ridley set him down on my other side, quickly binding his hands and feet. My brother fell silent as he saw my face, dark eyes going wide at what I'm sure was a mess of features.

"You're bleeding," he observed quietly.

"Are you okay?" I asked urgently.

"Yes, I—"

"Quiet!" One of the figures barked out, and the four of us fell silent.

The first figure paced in front of us, lightsaber still activated. He lashed it in front of him, looking to the others.

"Well, we know what to do with trespassers."

The others ignited identical scarlet sabers. My breath caught in my throat.

One by one, the six dark figures stepped forward. Ridley let out a whimper beside me.

"Wait!" The figure who had recognized me before held up a hand. The others paused, turning to listen. The figure pointed at Ridley. "Now, that's a face I know."

I turned to look at my brother, whose face had gone white. The six figures stared at him, standing rigidly. The silence was suffocating, my brother squirming under the weight of their gazes.

"Kylo Ren." One of them spoke at last.

"Which means..." Another looked at me, realization dawning. My heart plummeted.

"We've got both of his kids."

"And a couple extras."

The figures all looked at each other, debating silently. Blood pounded in my ears.

"Who is Kylo Ren?" Ridley asked, genuinely curious. "My dad's name is Ben."

The cloaked figured turned to him for a moment, then broke into cruel laughter.

"It doesn't matter what his name is, kid. He's a traitor."

"And he's going to get what's coming to him."

They turned their backs on us, resuming their prior conversation.

Ridley turned to me, confusion across his young face. "Rylie, what do they mean? Is Dad a traitor?"

"Hush, Ridley." I strained to overhear what they were saying.

Their voices, although low, were audible. "We could hold them ransom."

"He would come to collect them. I don't think we want him here."

"How can we make this hurt?"

"We could kill them and send him their bodies. As one last parting gift."

An amused murmur of agreement. My heart skipped a beat.

Ridley let out a whimper, looking to me with fear in his dark eyes. I leaned over and pressed my forehead to his temple.

"It's gonna be okay, Rids." I murmured, forcing a smile. "Be brave, little man."

He stared back at me, unconvinced by my feeble attempt at comfort, but remaining silent.

I turned to Murphy. "Murph, I've gotta tell you something."

She gazed at me with expectant eyes. But before we could speak, we were cut off by the figures again.

"This is the day the Knights of Ren finally get their revenge," One spoke proudly, turning to us and lashing its saber. "on the traitor, Kylo Ren."

I looked to Murphy desperately, my heart pounding.

The Knight approached me first, its expressionless mask reflecting the red glint of its lightsaber. Fear pulsed through me as I looked into its dark eyes, instinctively trying to move away.

I looked to Murphy again.

She stared back, eyebrows raised. "Now or never, Ry."

I blinked rapidly, my throat dry. The figure stood before me, raising its saber to strike. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying one last thing out of desperation.

I love you.

I kept my eyes shut as I waited for death, praying that in my final moments the mind bridge had worked, that my friend had heard the sentiment I had wanted for so long to share with her but had always been too much of a coward to put into words.

There was the sound of a blaster shot, followed by a crash.

I opened my eyes, staring confusedly into Murphy's face before turning to see the source of the noise. The figure in front of me was lying facedown on the ground, a smoking hole through its chest.

"I'd take a step back, if I were you." Poe stepped into the room, snow dusted in his hair and a blaster in his arms.