Chapter 23

35 ABY

Shards of stone lodged into her flesh as Nox flew forward. A smell of earth, blood and burning flesh flooded into her nostrils as she hit the ground. As the charring pain rattled through her she realized the burning flesh was her own. Choking on smoke she lay on the rust trying to figure out what was happening. Her eyes were blinded by a burning light around her and a loud ringing was banging in her ears. Then slowly it faded into the screams of a man.

"ES!" Kylo grunted. "Get up!"

She tried to rise up on her elbows and could feel the sharp stone slivers slicing into her with every movement. Slowly she raised up her head and tried to drag herself through the smoke. But she fell down again breathing heavily and turned her head to look at the bright light above her. Hovering frozen above her was the explosion.

"Get up!" He cried again, straining in his voice.

The smoke settled a bit and before her she could see Kylo at the edge of the hill, his hands extended, shaking, holding the explosion suspended in the air.

"I'm trying," she wheezed once again to push herself up and falling back down on her face in the blinding pain.

"I can't..." he grunted. "I can't hold it!"

A wave of heat pushed forward as Kylo momentarily lost the grip he had. A strong gust of hot fire filled air rolled her violently forwarded for a few seconds until he got a hold of the explosion once more.

Inside the temple, Rey stood dumbfounded. Part of the wall was hovering in a fireball before her blocking the exit. Finn and her had taken cover but the Trandoshan that was chasinng them wasn't aware of the charges and had been knocked unconscious behind them.

A flicker of familiar darkness and self loathing filled her. Kylo. She knew he was nearby. Rey gestured for Finn to join her as she took a deep breath and let her mind and soul connect with the Force. That man wasn't holding her prisoner again. A warmth began to envelop her as she held out her hands and push the explosion out further.

"ES!" Kylo screamed panicked as he saw her body slide forward.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a squadron of Storm Troopers come around the corner.

"Grab her!" He ordered, his hands quivering under the strain.

"Who's he screaming about?" wheezed a slippery voice over the commlink in their helmets.

Inside Kylo felt his stomach turn with dread as the Troopers replied to the General that it was the assassin.

"Leave that witch to die," Hux sneered. "Retreat."

"No!" Kylo yelled as he felt a surge of power push from the other side of the temple, forcing him to slide up the hill a few feet.

The Troopers quietly turned and ran back towards their base.

"Get back here!"

On the ground shaking from pain Nox tried to concentrate on the Force to pull herself out of the blast radius, but she couldn't cut through her fear. She tried to move her legs again and ripped through the stones pinning her leg with a loud scream. Then her arm pulled forward. Slowly, she began to drag herself with a trail of blood behind.

"Someone grab her!" Kylo screamed again knowing he was losing the battle over the explosion, his own injury surging pain through his body.

Nox looked up at him and she couldn't help it at that moment but feel regret. Even though he was trying to save her, all she wanted was to get away from him. If she would have just said no to the deal, maybe her friends would be alive. Maybe she would be alive at the end of this. However, she gave in once again to that hold he had on her.

True panic took over, her heart and breathing constricting her mind and body. Her hands slid into her hip satchel frantically, in a last ditch effort, the instinct of survival now taking over, as the explosion grew closer.

Pain stabbed inside of Kylo's chest. He wasn't going to be able to stop it. He called her name once more and met her eyes as his strength and pain took over. He felt another surge of power from the temple and was flung back as he watched Nox's body get engulfed by the full force of the explosion.

oOoOoOo

A violent gasp flew out of Kylo's lips as he gained consciousness. He must had been knocked out for a second. Fire and smoke was everywhere as he sat up and scanned the terrain. He couldn't see her. His feet took over and he ran down the rest of the hill, climbing over rocks and rubble calling for Nox.

The Resistance fighters that had been with her, lay dead and broken on the ground. He jumped over them, looking around panicked when he saw in a clump, a small body, bloodied and charred.

"Es!" He called and ran down, throwing off his helmet. "Esmin."

Kneeling down, he pulled her body destroyed and unmoving. He felt nothing from her. The life and Force was gone. Words didn't leave his mouth as her erratically felt her face and smouldering hair. A sharp sound pulsed through the air. It was ripped and fractured, full of grief and frightened him once he realized it was his own voice screaming out.

That's when he saw the figures emerge from the temple: Rey and Finn. Kylo gently put Nox back down and stood up blinded with rage, tears streaming from his eyes.

"You did this," he growled.

Realization dawned on Rey's face, her eyes glued to Nox's body. She wasn't sure who that dead woman had been, but was quickly realizing that it had been a huge mistake to kill her. Her round and blue eyes met his, as the red glow from Kylo's saber glowed before her.

The rubble behind her shifted and both her and Finn jumped back as Gruss emerged. "What happened?"

"That girl," Kylo fumed through gritted teeth. "Killed Nox."

Kylo stepped towards them instigating Rey to light her saber. Gruss snapped his eyes on them, his fangs visible. Almost as if they were thinking with one mind, both Knights of Ren lashed out towards the young couple, who both took off to flee.

oOoOoOo

The Resistance began an all out skirmish with the First Order in the sky, as they tried to pull out. Near the base, Galibran ran to his friend Gruss, who was limping towards him.

"What happened?" He gasped, supporting his Trandoshan comrade.

"The girl blew up the wall and took out Boss Lady," Gruss began as they hobbled over to the Ghost, parked behind several boulders.

Galibran nodded remorsefully, blaster bolts still in the distance. As they approached the ship they both stopped before the tall figure of Kylo Ren.

"Why didn't you kill them?" Gruss snapped. "That boy killed my Baz!"

Kylo stood quiet, gripping something in his gloved hand.

"We could have crushed his sstupid face!" Gruss continued, wincing as he ran to Kylo. "That old man saved them!"

Kylo nodded and held out his hand. In it was the Holocron. "I will give you compensation for your loss." His voice was deep and void of emotion.

"How did you get that?" Galibran asked, quirking his head to the side.

"It was in the rubble of the explosion,", Kylo replied with a hint of fatigue in his tone. "The stupid girl must have tried to blow it up."

Kylo stepped forward and winced in pain as he pulled out a datapad from under his arm. It had streaks of blood on it. "I have released you from the contract. There's no point anymore."

"But-" Gruss began.

"The credits were transfered," Kylo continued, fighting back visible pain. "Just take the damn thing and go. It holds no power anymore because of the explosion. Add it to your collection."

Galibran eyed Kylo closely for a moment then nodded and took the Holocron from him. "I see."

"But-" Gruss started again and was pulled away by Galibran.

The two remaining members of the Grey Syndicate boarded their ship, Kylo watching on quietly. As the ship ascended into the sky heading away from the fighting above, Galibran could see Gruss slouching next to him.

"We're going to make it out," Galibran assured hin, steering the ship.

"I know," Gruss pouted. "Iss just, I finally won the bet."

Galibran shut his eyes for a moment with an annoyed huff.

"But no Baz here...sso I don't care."

"Ah," Galibran nodded to his friend with a sorrowful smile and looked down at the Holocron between them.

oOoOoOo

The destroyed shell of the Phantom sat in the field as Kylo's form came up to it. He looked around making sure he hadn't been followed. Once he was sure he was alonehe, hurried towards the ship, his whole body in pain. A green fog floated away from the wreckage, revealing a perfectly fine shuttle. Kylo opened the hatch in the back and stepped in as a green fog fell off his body revealing a small tanned and bloodied Nightsister.

Nox quickly began to activate the ship reliving everything she had done, her heart racing. The blood on her hands was dry now, wounds closed up by Bacta gel she stole from the Resistance Base during her escape.

Somehow she had made it out. Faking the crash, faking her death, signing the contract. It hadn't been planned, she wished she was that premeditated. It all had just played out for her. Her eyes stung knowing the pain she had caused her crew and even Kylo, but she had to get away from him.

She threw her hip pouch to the side, the shield Gruss had given her, peaked out, slightly charred. Her hand had grazed it in her final panic as the explosion tried to engulf her. All Kylo saw was her death, nothing else, she had made sure. A sudden decision that she couldn't go back on now.

As she rose the ship in the sky, she heard the same whisper in her ears.

"I helped you," it said. "I can make you whole again."

Angrily she shook her head as she steered the Phantom."Leave me alone," she hissed and punched the engines.

"We will meet again," it called out to her. "I am the Star Forge. I will not stop. I cannot stop."

oOoOoOo

Days passed as the Phantom slid through space. She had finally come up with a destination. The sensors chirped letting her know she had arrived to the jungle covered moon. The ship descended easily towards the ground settling down just outside of a large compound of huts embedded in trees and caves.

The Nightsister dragged her shredded leg behind her as she passed through the center of the commune. Dozens of women and girls stared at her baffled as she came up to the centermost hut. Two woman came out, one tall and elegantaround, her age, the other much older, her hair white, supporting herself with a staff.

"Grandmother," Nox wheezed, falling to her knees. "I'm so sorry. I should never have left home. All the trouble I put you through. And others. But I saved myself...I think. I just need help getting better and I will leave you. I don't want to cause more trouble. I just need...help."

Asajj slowly walked over , looking down at the broken and blood stained woman.

"Olijz," the Great Mother ordered to the elegant woman next to her. "Get the Healers quickly. Then order for a bath to be drawn and a great meal made for us all. This is a night we will celebrate. A daughter of the Winged Goddess has been brought back to us."

Esmin looked up at her family as they gathered to help her up and aide her wounds. She didn't know if it was truly over. Gruss and Galibran weren't Force sensitive and couldn't be manipulated by the Holocron. Hopefully that could buy her time. Something in the back of her mind told her that at least she would see her crew again. Just like when they had grown tired of following Kylo's orders before, they would go looking for a new leader. However, now, she wasn't sure if she was the right choice.

She saw Kylo's distraught face as he watched the flames take her. Inside she twisted with guilt. She could feel his hands on her again, his breath on her neck. But just as she almost fell into a spiral she remembered Bazine. There was no forgiving for that. Holding back tears she knew she had made the right decision. Hopefully he wouldn't come looking for her now.

The doubts almost flooded her mind until all the pain and aches began to wash away as she looked around at the familiar faces. Even if she was just at the beginning of another chapter of her journey, she did know one thing, she finally was home.

The End

A/N: Update the sequal The Path of the Grey: Choices , is up!

Thank you! I am so excited to have finished my story. It never was supposed to have a sequal. But little bunnies have been playing in my head and if I ever get inspired enough I will write it. Thank you so much again!