"If I stay it won't be long
'Til I'm burning on the inside
If I go I can only hope
That I make it to the other side
If you wanna get out alive
Oh, oh, run for your life"
Get Out Alive - Three Days Grace
Rey was running. She could hear it behind her, hear it's labored mechanical breathing. She didn't know what it was, she didn't dare turn around to look. She only knew that it was evil. And so she ran, through the black obsidian halls until she came to a tunnel. She hesitated, she could feel the evil both behind and ahead of her. She was trapped. She looked at the lightsaber in her hands, could she fight it off? The breathing echoed off the walls wrapping itself around her.
And, what was that sound? Something new.... maybe someone who could help her. Then it became clearer, a deep cackling laugh. Rey hadn't thought she could be more frightened. She was clearly wrong as her blood froze in her veins. She sprinted through the tunnel, the blue light of her saber guiding her way. She could smell something, sulfur?
She sprinted around a crook and managed to stop just as the tunnel suddenly ended, as she skidded along the red stone ledge, her scream reverberating. She peered down, trying to concentrate, but the noise in her head was making it impossible. She was halfway up a huge ravine, below her a river of magma wound it's way through, the heat of it scorching her skin. She turned and saw two figures approaching her, shrouded in darkness. Each carrying a blood red saber. Kylo? No, neither had his signature crossguard. They paused at the crook in the tunnel, as if waiting for something, or someone...
Rey stood in the center of the narrow ledge, debating which end was worse. The magma was certain death, but the figures before her hadn't actually attempted to harm her, despite their Dark auras. Could they be reasoned with? She hesitantly stepped towards them, yet they stood still as statues. She stepped forward again. The two figures turned to face each other, sabers held at attention when a third figure appeared, carrying a double-sided red saber.
She barely had time to process this development as the newest figure lunged towards her. She barely managed to block the sudden attack, taking a step backwards. The figure attacked again, forcing Rey back even further, causing her to stumble, her heels against the very edge of the precipice. She was still regaining her footing when the figure silently swung again, knocking the lightsaber from her hand, down into the ravine. Rey's skull was pierced with a howling whine that echoed throughout the ravine as the saber was engulfed in magma, the crystal inside screaming in pain. Rey instinctively dodged as the figure swung at her belly, realizing her mistake a second too late, teetering on the edge.
She waited for the Sith to strike again, to finish her for good. Instead, it deactivated it's weapon and strode towards her, stopping inches away, staring at her from within it's dark hood. Time seemed to slow as the figure slowly lifted it's head, the red light of the ravine illuminating it's demonic face for the first time. A smile of pure evil split the Sith's face as it pushed her off the edge of the ledge, sending her tumbling through the air towards the boiling river. She felt her hand strike something smooth and realized in horror that Kylo was falling next to her, his face the last thing she saw before her world went black.
Rey sat straight up in her bed, a scream on her lips, her face flushed as if she had just spent too long in the Jakku sun, her heartbeat threatening to tear through her chest. Kylo! Rey cast her Force to the room next door, relieved to feel his dark aura.
Kylo was running. He could hear it behind him, a screeching sound like metal dragging across stone. He didn't know what it was, he didn't dare turn around to look. He only knew that it wanted him dead. And so he ran, through the black obsidian halls until he came to a tunnel. He hesitated, he could feel the malevolent presence all around him. He was trapped. He looked at the light saber in his hands, could he fight it off? The scraping echoed off the walls, wrapping itself around him, penetrating his mind.
His ears picked up a new sound within the scraping, piquing his interest. The sound became clearer, "I hate you!" being screamed over and over, the voice both familiar and foreign. Kylo froze in place, before turning to sprint through the tunnel, the red tinted glow of his saber illuminating the walls. He could smell something familiar. Mustafar?
He sprinted around a curve and managed to stop just as the tunnel suddenly ended on a narrow ledge. He quickly looked around, his labored breathing pounding in his ears. He was halfway up a tall rock face, a river of lava flowed at the bottom. He could feel it's heat even from so high above. He turned and saw two figures, each carrying a lightsaber, one carried green, one carried blue, their faces obscured by the radiance of the sabers. Rey? No, neither of them fit the curvy silhouette he had come to appreciate. In fact, one was short and didn't appear to be human. Enemies then. They paused at the crook in the tunnel, as if waiting for something, or someone...
Kylo stood on the edge of the tunnel, looking for an opening. Another ledge he could jump to perhaps? The two figures behind him didn't move, despite the waves of malice emanating from them. Perhaps he could bargain his way out, he was the Supreme Leader after all. He stepped towards them, trying to appear more confident than he felt, yet they stood still as statues. He stepped forward again. The two figures turned to face each other, sabers held at attention when a third figure appeared, carrying a blue saber. He took another step and the figure suddenly attacked.
Kylo barely managed to block the sudden lunge, taking a step backwards. The figure swung again, forcing him back even further, causing him to stumble, his feet against the very edge of the precipice. He was still regaining his footing when the figure silently used the Force to rip Kylo's saber from his hand. To make matters worse, a high pitched wailing filled the ravine, coming from the river below. Kylo instinctively dodged as the figure swung at his head, realizing his mistake a second too late, he teetered on the edge.
He waited for the Jedi to strike again, to finish him for good. Instead, it deactivated it's weapon and strode towards him, stopping inches away, staring at him from within it's tan hood. Time seemed to slow as the figure slowly lifted it's head, the red light of the ravine illuminating it's malevolent features for the first time. A wicked grin formed on the Jedi's face as it pushed him off the edge of the ledge, sending him tumbling through the air towards the boiling river. He felt his arm brush up against something and realized that Rey was falling next to him, her name on his lips as everything went black.
Kylo sat straight up in his bed, pulse pounding in his ears, his face flushed as if he had just run 5 miles at full effort. Rey! Kylo cast his Force to the room next door, relieved to sense Rey like a beacon in the night.
YOU ARE READING
Confronting Fear
Fanfiction"When I offer you my hand again, you'll take it." What if Kylo Ren had been right? What if Rey had taken Kylo Ren's hand when he offered it the second time, deciding her best chance at defeating Palpatine and saving the galaxy was with him? But can...
