It certainly has been a while! So much has happened, and life has gotten even busier. I just wanted to give some quick info since it's been so long. For all you newbies, I started writing this story a week after The Force Awakens came out. (So obviously, this is an Alternate Universe story.) Almost all of this chapter was written shortly after my last update in February 2016, and I'm not entirely sure why, but I never posted it. (To those who have been here from the beginning, I apologize.) However, I have been struck by the urge to continue this story, and I will most definitely do my best if there is enough interest. I have already begun the next chapter! So please, I would love to hear what you think!

Chapter 10

Beams of bright fiery light slowly began to peek over the mountains in the distance, as dawn came over the island on the planet. The skies were clear on Ach-to this morning, a rare occurrence Rey had come to find, for the normally rainy planet. On the cliffside, not far from the Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker's hut, Master and Padawan stood locked in combat.

Rey quickly swung her arm up, blocking the descending green blade with her blue.

The lightsabers hissed, the light coming off the blades, flashing and blending together. Luke spoke, commenting on his student's weapon retaliation. "Good. But remember, you need to stay behind your blade, always keep it up." He broke contact with their blades, taking a step back, keeping the green weapon raised. "If you lower your blade you are giving your opponent an opening. It's easier to drop your blade than to raise it."

Rey nodded as she took in the information, doing her best to remember it for later. As of a few weeks ago, something had changed within Luke. She could sense it as well as see it in his eyes. He seemed far more accepting with the concept of teaching Rey the ways of the force, and in turn, she had learned so much more with the time that had followed.

The blue and green lightsabers met once again, illuminating both holders' faces with the fluorescent light.

"Do not strike out of anger," Luke warned, reminding her of what he had tried to teach over and over to her. "Or fear."

She nodded slightly, that was definitely a harder thing for her to accept. While living on Jakku, Rey had taught herself how to fight. It had been a necessity to survive, and her combat skills were tested more than a few times to survive. All of the moments she had struck out, she knew that if it had not been anger she felt when she had attacked, it had most definitely been fear. Fear that her next meal would never come if the scavenged parts she had worked all day to find were taken from her.

Fear was not something a Jedi should feel. Rey still did not understand how one should not, or more like could not, feel such a necessary emotion to life. Luke's voice pulled her suddenly from her thoughts.

"Rey?" He had stepped away from their locked blades, his blade still raised, and Rey silently praised herself as she realized that hers was as well, having subconsciously taken heed to Luke's earlier council. "Is something on your mind?"

She took in a deep breath nodding once.

Luke smiled. "You know you can ask me anything. So." He deactivated his lightsaber, hooking it to the belt at his side. "Ask away."

Shifting on her feet slightly, Rey deactivated the blue blade following suit and glanced at the ground before looking back up at the Jedi Master. "I just don't understand."

"Don't understand what?"

"Fear."

"Most do not."

She did her best not to come across as exasperated. "You say it is forbidden to feel, yet fear is more than half the reason that I stand before you today." Her grip shifted on the hilt of the lightsaber slightly and she studied the metal.

Luke chuckled lifting a hand to stop her. "I never specifically used the word forbidden."

Rey's eyes moved up, staring at Luke in confusion, her thoughts quickly mulling over his teachings. And as she looked back, she realized that he was right. He never had used the word forbidden.

"I simply have stated that you must be cautious when acting out of fear for yourself or that of those you love. Fear can cause you to lose yourself, make you do things, irrational things, that you wouldn't do if you were in a different mindset." His eyes were shadowed with days long since past as he continued. "In my young age, I acted out of fear more than once. It never ended well, for me or those that I cared for."

"I didn't take part in the battle of Endor. At least not really." He continued, officially ending their combat training as he slowly got into a sitting position in the luscious green grass, before motioning her to join him. Rey complied and sat adjacent to him. She enjoyed listening to the stories he would tell her over the past few weeks, even if sometimes he repeated them, having forgotten he had already told her of a particular adventure. She knew that Luke had not been present on the Endor moon when the battle had taken place, but this part of the story she was certain she had not yet heard.

"Instead, I was being manipulated by the Emperor, to kill my father and take his place as his new apprentice. He fueled my rage through my fear and as much as I wanted to stay calm, the Emperor just brought to light more of my fears. Even my father used my fear against me. I thought I could destroy them both, free the galaxy from the darkness and keep those I cared for safe." His right hand found her shoulder, patting it fondly and with understanding. "I do not know what you have suffered, or what you have been through to survive. But I can see how strong it has helped you become." He smiled at her before continuing, his words filled with wisdom and warning.

"Rey. Just be cautious with your fear. Although it may cause momentary clarity or strength in times of need, do not allow it to become your undoing."

...

Pain.

Deep and burning across his face. After what felt like an eternity, the mark the scavenger had given him had finally begun to heal, the angry red scar tissue matching the shade of his new lightsaber, and standing in stark contrast to his pale skin. Even with the time that had passed, allowing it to heal, there was still agony that was left behind, ready to consume him. This agony was one he knew was being caused by his teacher as Snoke summoned him through the wound. Reminding him of his failure every time he was summoned gave the Supreme Leader some sort of twisted pleasure. As if it would renew a hatred for the girl that had bested him in his weakened state on the former Starkiller Base.

He replayed that moment in his mind over and over more than he cared to admit to himself.

Harsh red light struck against blue. He had been toying with her at the start of their fight. He didn't care for the traitorous Stormtrooper, in fact, he had hoped to rid the First Order of the failure FN-2187 had turned out to be. But the girl was different.

He didn't want to kill her.

Fatigue and pain had started to wear down on his tall frame, each blow renewing tenfold the pain from the blaster wound that he had been graced with by his father's furry companion. He began to find it increasingly hard to keep up the vigorous fight. If only she had understood the need she had for a teacher. She could have commanded armies, bring the Galaxy to its knees by his side. He could have made her great.

His thoughts were ripped back to reality as another flash of agony crossed the mark on his face causing lips to curl in a grimace.

Snoke didn't like to be kept waiting.

Kylo snatched his discarded mask, pressing the latch before sliding it over his head. This one was different from the mask he had worn for years. The front looked more like a grid. It was in far better condition to be sure. It wasn't scattered in cracks and dents.

That mask was gone. As was the man who had worn it. He scowled. They had both been eliminated on Starkiller Base. And he was better and stronger now because of it.

"That wasn't the only thing you lost."

He tensed at the passing thought of his father, quickly pushing it away before securing the mask and exiting his room, making his way towards his awaiting master. With every step, his dread increased, filling his being.

What torturous training did the Supreme Leader have in store for him today? It's for your own good. It makes you stronger. More like Darth Vader, his thoughts hissed, responding to the question for him.

He didn't stop. Instead, he increased his already rapid pace. The mechanical doors could barely open for him fast enough, his shoulders skimming them as they opened.

Supreme Leader Snoke sat upon his throne as always, his long boney fingers tapping the armrests slowly.

"How does my student fare today?" His voice cooed with a false sense of caring, his beady orbs following Kylo down as he knelt before him.

Kylo answered promptly. "I feel stronger with every passing day, Supreme Leader."

"Good." Snoke leaned back into his throne. "Very good. You will need your growing strength, now more than ever if you are to face your next challenge."

Dark eyebrows raised in question as he looked up at his teacher, fearing that perhaps another one of Snoke's special training sessions was in store for him today.

Snoke continued at Kylo's silence. "We have just received coordinates for the whereabouts of the last of the Jedi."

Kylo mulled over the words silently. It had only been a matter of time. The First Order must have finally finished completing the map.

An eerie smile slowly crept its way onto the Supreme Leader's deformed face as he continued. "An outer rim planet, Ach-to, is where the Jedi has spent his exile. No doubt the scavenger resides with Skywalker now."

Kylo froze at the words. He was unsure if it was anger boiling up within him or dread. To face the scavenger again? Face his uncle again? He didn't know if he'd be able to do it. Not after all that had happened on Starkiller Base.

"I want you to go, to rid the galaxy of the Jedi once and for all. Finish what your grandfather started. Only then," he paused taking in a rattled breath, "will you truly conquer the galaxy."

Kylo bowed his heads his thoughts racing. "It shall be done Supreme Leader." He stood cautiously turning to go before Snoke's voice halted him.

"Do not underestimate the girl again Kylo." His tone was threatening. "She has grown under Skywalker's teachings. Together they have grown," he paused "Even so, I have no doubt you will be able to handle the both of them."

Nodding once, Kylo Ren exited the room, pushing all the thoughts laced with doubt from his mind. He was stronger now.

It was time to finish what Darth Vader had started.

...

Metal closed around metal as the father's saber was returned to the son once more.

"Are you completely sure about this?"

Hazel eyes scanned the opening of the ominous cave in front of her. The blackness seemed to go on forever.

Luke attached the old familiar lightsaber next to the other newer one on his belt and simply smiled as he watched his new student. "Absolutely. You are ready Rey. Far more than I was when I prepared to make my first lightsaber."

Rey looked over her shoulder at the old Jedi Master her eyes flickering with question. "And you're saying I'll just know where I need to go in here." Her tone sounded slightly skeptical, yet curious.

"Yes," Luke responded. "And I'll be right out here." He gave the girl a smile, in an attempt to make her feel better. "You'll do great."

The smile did lighten the weight of nervousness that had been piled upon her shoulders ever since Luke had told her that it was time for her to start the next step of her training. When he had told her it was time to build her very own lightsaber. She felt a little unnerved going in without something to defend herself with. Rey had grown used to the metal hilt either at her side or in her hand, but she trusted Master Skywalker and would go forward weaponless.

Luke watched as Rey took a deep breath, before she stepped forward, entering the mouth of the cave. She looked back at him one last time before going further in, disappearing into the darkness.

All he could do now was wait.

Sky blue eyes, heavy with wisdom beyond his years, closed as Luke sunk to the ground slowly, his legs slipping into a crossed position. Taking in a deep breath he closed his eyes. Any normal being that watched would have been dumbfounded as they watched the old Jedi Master, slowly begin to rise in the misty air. Luke's cloak moved gently in the wind as the old Master waited with the intent that his newest student would return successfully with her crystal.

Hours passed, though it only seemed like mere minutes before a familiar growl pulled him from his serene state. Blue eyes opened. "Chewie?" Luke's legs uncrossed, touching the ground, ending his levitation. The Wookie came into sight, repeating what he had said before. "A message?" Luke tensed slightly. "From my sister?" He hadn't spoken to her in so long and had avoided reaching out since Rey had arrived. Why? He wasn't sure. She had tried to use the force the first few months after he had gone into hiding to communicate with him, to find out where he had gone. He felt guilty, for he had never responded. Eventually, she stopped trying.

Luke looked up at the Wookie as he approached. "What did she say?"

Chewbacca growled softly in response.

Luke was silent as he looked over at the cave. "Well. We can only hope Rey finishes before he arrives." His mind mulled over options. The girl was too far in, nothing could be done on his end now. "We'll need to be ready. Prepare the Falcon Chewie."

"We're going home."

...