THE MONSTER INSIDE - KYLO REN

x - salvation

 He was watching me through that mask still, seemingly enjoying seeing me squirm beneath his metallic gaze. He didn't look even remotely concerned about my plan to escape moments before - the idea seemed to give him more amusement than worry.

"So, Alena.' he drawled. 'Are you ready for training?'

____________

I was furious. Or was I? The events of the past few days had made it almost impossible for me to decipher what was happening, never mind how I felt about it. Was I angered at my forceful kidnapping, relieved that I was not injured in the slaughter that preceded it or upset at the loss of my family? The problem was that I had no way of knowing if my parents, or indeed if any of the population of my planet were even alive.

However, Kylo Ren was a strict teacher, and so despite how I was feeling, although my captor could inevitably sense it through the force link we shared, I was still forced to train everyday like clockwork, nevertheless.

Each morning I would be woken up at before sunrise in order to begin training as early as possible. The leniency he showed me on the morning after the crash was not extended to the remainder of our training time - in fact I seemed as if Kylo Ren was enforcing longer and harder training days in order to punish me for my uncoordinated escape attempt. At first, with every move the new training was absolute torture. I would swing real lightsabers, throw heavy parts of the ship and lift objects with my mind all day, so when at last I was allowed to retire at night I had no energy left, and immediately collapsed. I contemplated escape many times more, but I decided that considering the force link that had developed between me and Kylo Ren the idea would be futile. Even if I managed to escape, how would I survive? The planet was empty, and if I was that valuable to the New Order they would surely find me anyway.

However, despite my shaky start to training, after a while I gradually began to improve. The despondent head shakes I so frequently received from my mentor began to transition into curt nods, which, although, weren't particularly encouraging, they gave me the fiery sensation that I was finally serving a purpose, and my success made me feel less vulnerable. Although Kylo Ren was the one training me, I felt as if I would now be more likely to defend myself against him than I was before.

Once my initial fumbling carelessness had been overcome, I grew stronger and stronger without its inhibition. As I learnt and practiced more of the critical moves that made the soldiers of the New Order so infamously deadly, I quickly surpassed the calibre of an average stormtrooper. The curt nods evolved into silence, an expectation of success before a move had even been performed. Kylo Ren knew that I was now capable of replicating any move he demonstrated, and, through this mutual understanding of the combat he taught me, an underlying alliance was born. I began preparing for training each morning not because I feared for my life, but because I was increasingly eager to learn more. The combat training had unleashed a skill-set that I'd never encountered before, but it made me feel powerful, and I was interested to see how my new skills would be manifested.

Indeed, as I continued training, and as I became stronger, my endurance also improved. The long days of training which had exhausted me previously now only made a slight dent in my stamina. This meant that after each day of training I would automatically remain awake for a few hours, and with no alternative entertainment it eventually became difficult to pass the time. On one such evening I found myself sitting outside with my mentor. For a long time we watched the New Order base, mottled with starlight, pass across the horizon.

After a few minutes he began to talk to me. He explained that although the crash of our ship had been initiated by my futile attempt at escape, following his initial unsuccessful call with the General he had instructed the commanders at the New Order base not to send a rescue ship. This was because he had believed that a more isolated training environment would have been better for me, initially. However, now that I had improved significantly, he recommended that we relocate to the New Order base in order to develop my skills most effectively. Initially, I seethed at his implication that I used to be too weak to start my training at the New Order base itself, but I realised as he progressed that his motivations had been, in fact, driven by concern for me and, less detectably, benevolence. Although I could not forgive his initial treatment of me, the reasons behind his actions became more clear. In any case, I was glad to have some of my questions resolved, and although I tried to resist, I felt a small sense of pride at his reluctant praise.

As the New Order base reached the edge of my peripheral, he finished his explanation, stating that tomorrow morning the rescue ship he had ordered was scheduled to arrive the next morning. I was ordered to pack what little stuff I had and prepare to leave the planet behind early the next morning. On that note, he left the clearing where we had been sitting and began walking away from the buildings. I assumed that he needed to clear his head, and I could relate. I noticed that he now trusted me not to run away, and tried to suppress a small glow of satisfaction. Although I had learned so much there, I was glad to leave the planet.

The next morning the ship arrived. I had packed up my possessions along with the equipment we had managed to salvage from the crash. The pilot reached out of the ship to help me in, but I took no notice of his outstretched hand. I did not need the assistance of these lower-class soldiers. By going through Kylo Ren's rigorous training, I had become a merciless weapon of destruction. The only person on whom I could even slightly rely was Kylo Ren, and so everyone else was a potential enemy. I was ready for anything the New Order could throw at me, and now, at last, I would be able to fight back.