The Redemption of Fate ~ A Reylo Story

14

Rey collapsed onto her bed, staring at the very spot where Ben once stood. His response was half of what she expected from him, half not so much. And all she could do was replay the conversation in her head. Everything Ben said. All the anger that arose inside his bones. It was palpable, and Rey couldn't begin to critique him for his worrisome angst. He spent nearly half of his lifetime imprisoned to the Dark Side; no more than a haunted slave, manipulated and tormented. All because of Palpatine, Rey's grandfather, the most powerful Sith lord known to the galaxy.

Rey knew her choice to bring Ben back to existence was unethical. It could prove erroneous, and risk her life without resurrecting Ben. Or it could work triumphantly with Ben's resurrection.
It was a shot in the dark; it could evoke devastation or mastery. Rey was willing to risk both. A sudden, pulsating ambition pumped through her. Its electricity surged through her veins, momentarily seizing any and all doubts or fears or worries. She may have been blinded by her motivation, but she didn't care. Her fit of moping was over and beyond that, nothing could hinder her. Rey threw herself into her objective, because it was all she could give, it was all that she felt crucially inclined to do.

Her rumination was over. With a guileful grin across her face, Rey took her saber in hand and fled from her tent. Making haste as she dashed across the slumbering campground. The gooey mud underneath her feet created audible sucks. With each thud of her foot, more and more splatters of thick, goopy earth showered itself on her calves. Her shoes were permanently soiled. Her legs freckled with dirt. Her hair disheveled. But none of those nuisances mattered, none of them could ever matter. Ben was the only significance that raged in her brain.

***
Rey hiked to the jungly cove, lightsaber lighting the way. She felt the most power there in that enclosed space. The most at peace on that entire planet. She meandered through the cascading banyan limbs, through the palms and jungle shrubs, until she stood in the very center of the cove. Breathing heavily, Rey sat down, crossed her legs, planted the hilt of her saber in the solidifying dirt underneath her. She took in one small glance at the dark-slowly-becoming-light sky, and closed her eyes. "Be with me." She breathed quietly, "Be with me."

Instantaneously, her sense in the Force was interrupted, split in two. She felt another presence, another synergy infiltrating the power she was mustering up. Rey's eyes opened abruptly. Surprised, she sucked in a quick breath. The ghost of Luke Skywalker stood before her. His luminescent specter body casting that familiar blue hue.
"Master Luke! What are you--"
"I could ask the same about yourself." He replied. A dour look in his phantom eyes.
"I--" Rey started, but then fell short of words. She searched the ground beneath her, hoping to conjure up a good enough explanation. Though he probably knew the truth already.

Luke confirmed his knowledge. "I can sense what you're about to do, Rey. Don't pretend otherwise."
Rey's gaze remained downwards when she spoke. "I'm sorry, Master Luke. . . This is what I have to do."
Luke nodded, though it was more solemn than agreeing. "I know. And it's not like I could stop you anyway, huh?"
Rey met his eyes, somewhat sheepishly, but she managed to grin. "Nope."
Luke nodded, satisfied with his prediction. "Well, I thought I'd at least warn you. It's your choice whether you heed it or not--though I know you probably won't."
"What is it, Master Luke?"

Luke kept a solid gaze on Rey, communicating the seriousness of what she was about to do. "Unleashing the power of your grandfather can be destructive. . . Though you're strong enough to handle the extremities of the Dark Side, you will still be entering into that realm. And though you are able to fight it off, you will still reap the consequences. . . physically."
"Physically?" A nerve was struck inside her. "What do you mean?"
Luke waved his hand, indicating a plethora of possibilities. "I don't know, and I also don't know the extent of damage. But if you're willing to test your luck, test it. Just understand my warning."
Rey swallowed. Her eyebrows creased in thought. The dark jungle didn't help to alleviate the ominousness. "Can you at least tell me if I'm successful or not."

Luke nodded. There still wasn't much of a readable expression to his face. "From what I can see," he closed his eyes briefly, "you will succeed."
"But my outcome?"
"That's unclear." Luke replied indefinitely. "That can only be determined by you."
Rey sucked in an unsteady breath. Anxiety was beginning to build inside of her chest. Her airways felt as if they were being strangled by a snake. Rey nodded, feigning a calm expression, though she was everything but calm. "Well, then I must try."
Luke finally cracked a preconceived smirk. "You're invincible."