Lord of the Wars

Chapter 8

King Aragorn and Gimli reacted better to the news that she was a Gray Jedi from another galaxy than Rey had expected. Of course they were surprised and disbelieving at first—they admitted her name and her three-bun hairstyle was unusual—but once she demonstrated what she could do with the Force by lifting objects and wielding her lightsaber, and because Legolas backed her up on what she said, they eventually lost any doubts.

With them caught up-to-speed, the four of them headed to Minas Tirith's main library to search for any recording that could help her. The library was massive, holding ancient tomes and scrolls of history from millennia ago. It was musty and dusty down there, too. She sneezed quite a few times.

Rey helped in the search, but most of the writings were in foreign languages. The Elf or the Man would briefly scan those writings, classify them as some kind of Elvish, and dismiss them—they didn't contain anything referencing a 'Force'. Few were in Dwarvish, which Gimli read for her, but they were cast aside as well. At Master Luke's request, she left one scroll open for him to read which he took interest in, saying he was getting a grasp on translating it—it was from some king of a place called Rohan.

They were down there for hours and never found anything. Night had begun to fall, so they called it quits, agreed to search again in the morning, and returned to the King's House. Rey and Legolas dined with Gimli, King Aragorn, and his family—Arwen, an absolutely beautiful She-Elf; and their son, Eldarion. She was also given sizeable quarters for the night.

Come morning, and after breaking their fast, it was back to the grind. More searching, failed findings, and Rey sneezing. Gimli even puffed on his pipe again—Rey worried with all the flammable paper around.

By the gnawing hunger in her belly, it was noon when Legolas became absorbed in some aging parchment. He remained standing as he read; his crystal blue eyes digesting every single word.

Finished reading—and Rey sure he read it multiple times since it took so long—Legolas lowered the parchment and looked at the plain stone wall. His eyes were distant as he thought, and never made a sound or movement.

Whatever he had read had troubled him.

I think he expected the knowledge he found, Master Luke said. And it was what he feared.

Rey agreed. She could sense the worry and turmoil churning inside him, but kept it hidden from his friends.

"Legolas?" King Aragorn ventured, also feeling the change in the Elf, and trying to bring him back.

He didn't even blink as if he had heard.

As she stood near the seated-Gimli waiting for Legolas to respond, Rey vaguely sensed a familiar presence—almost like a gentle nudge.

"Rey?"

She gasped at the sudden voice, no longer aware of what Legolas, Gimli, and King Aragorn did or said. She never would've expected him to reach her this far from their Galaxy, or that he would seek her out through the Force like Master Luke said.

Whipping around, she found Kylo Ren sitting on a large piece of stone. It looked old, badly cracked, and more rubble surrounded him from a statue. Skinny trees became his background. Whatever his location had a quiet but tense feel, like it teetered on the edge of good and evil.

"Ben?"

"Huh. You heard me."

"I'm surprised, too. I'm no longer in our Galaxy. Why have you blocked me out from reaching you through the Force?"

He focused on what she said instead of her question. "You're no longer in our Galaxy? Where are you, then?"

"On a planet called Arda. Middle-earth. I'm in a city named Minas Tirith, right now."

Ben fell silent for a while. She knew she hadn't lost her connection with him through the Force because she could still feel his powerful, dense presence, and see him sitting before her, thinking.

"I am too, except the 'being in Minas Tirith' part."

"Really? Where?"

He looked off from her to speak with someone nearby. "Thilion, what did you call this place again?" Ben waited for whoever to reply then faced her again. "What used to be the Grey Wood."

"The Grey Wood?" Legolas said, drawing her attention to the Elf, Dwarf, and Man. He had been listening in to her conversation with Ben. "That is not far from here."

"Can you see him too?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I can only hear him."

"You have another friend here?" King Aragorn asked.

Rey hesitated How to tell them? "Umm..."

Are you going to be honest? Master Luke said. She couldn't sense how he felt from Ben contacting her and being in Middle-earth too.

"Sounds like a complicated relationship," Gimli said.

She looked at the Dwarf. "That's... a good way to put it. He's like me, but on a different scale."

"The Dark Side, then?" Legolas began. "The 'evil' side of the Force, as you have said?"

Rey's lips twisted, but she gave a small nod. "There's still Light in him, though. I'm sure I can bring it out someday."

Ben scoffed. She frowned and cut her eyes at him.

King Aragorn and Gimli didn't like the news that Ben was probably evil. They expressed their concerns, but Rey focused on Legolas. The Elf's eyes slid down to the parchment in hand. He studied the words further, considering again.

He looked up, reaching a decision. "We will meet him. It is vital that we reach him."

First, Master Luke added. You meant to include 'first' but cut yourself off.

Legolas held her gaze and gave a slight nod.

Why, Legolas?

"I will explain later, but we must go," he said out loud, for King Aragorn had asked him about the nod.

Rey turned to Ben who still sat on his rock in a forest, patiently waiting.

"We're coming, Ben."