Note: This fic is gifted to Perry_Downing because this was how we met, through her reviews of this fic, and it began an amazing journey of friendship and love and support. Love you, lady.

I am reposting this fic after I was hacked and my fics deleted back in January 2017. Sorry it took me so long to come back! I needed to heal. The first chapter of this was originally posted on January 3rd, 2016.

Oh gosh. Please keep in mind this was my first long fic that I ever started to write, and my second SW fic... the first being a oneshot. So... those things are all vastly different!

Since I don't have a lot of time, I'm really not going back through these stories and editing them, so hopefully you understand if there are style, grammar, spelling, whatever else kind of errors there could possibly be! :P

Thoughts and comments (concrit welcome too) are always welcome. I don't abide with rudeness or flaming (against me and against others) in my comments sections if it ever happens, or on Tumblr, where you can find me under juuls.

All Kylo Ren could feel was pain. He couldn't feel anything besides his nerves burning, his muscles cramping, and the hole searing its way through his right side.

Scratch that; he was cognizant of a slight breeze wafting through his hair and rustling the leaves of the trees surrounding him. His fingers were unresponsive when he went to brush his hair out of his eyes, but even though he couldn't move he still felt a huge increase in the amount of pain flowing through his body. It was more than he'd ever felt before. More than his Sith training could prepare him for.

Still, he refused to cry out. Even though there was no one nearby.

All Kylo Ren could feel was pain… but he could remember everything.

Snoke called him into his audience room – the one that was in his physical presence. The tall man stood facing the window that showed a view of the base's grounds, covered in a mixture of ash and a hardy pink wildflower that grew from the rocky soil that was prominent on this continent.

The Knight of Ren went to one knee in front of the dais, even though his master was not sitting upon the seat reserved for audiences. Ceremony must still be maintained, especially when the Knight had no previous knowledge as to the nature of the audience.

Kylo Ren could sense another presence just to the side of the door he had entered through a moment ago, but kept his attention focused on the floor before him. His mask remained fastened upon his head, but he could still hear the footsteps of the third person as they approached him from behind. That did not sit well with his instincts, but he was used to Snoke's power plays by now. If he said or did anything, if he moved an inch before being acknowledged, he would be punished.

"Take off your mask, First Knight," Snoke's voice was closer but he had obviously circled around behind Kylo Ren from where he had originally been stationed at the window.

He did not hesitate to do as ordered by his master, even though the Force was buzzing oddly in the background of his mind. His mask clicked and hissed upon its unlatching, and he slowly drew it off. He placed it on the ground as he gave his head a tiny shake to get an errant hair out from in front of his eye.

It had been over a year since the events that took place on Starkiller base. His wounds had healed, and his wounded pride had morphed into rage. It was not easy accepting defeat at the hands of an untrained girl.

Kylo Ren could hear more clearly now as his master bridged the gap between them. He did not touch his apprentice, though the younger man was fully aware of the Sith Lord standing over his kneeling form.

"Kylo Ren," the Supreme Leader addressed his pupil once more. "You have disappointed me."

The apprentice kept his head bowed towards the floor. "Yes, master."

Snoke continued. "You have failed me."

"Yes, master," Kylo Ren's voice remained strong though compliant.

"I have kept myself attuned to your mind and thoughts these last months, First Knight." Snoke's voice was taking on a harder edge. Kylo Ren held his breath for a moment before releasing it and breathing normally again. "Your thoughts have been decidedly… too Light for my tastes. I have tried to train you. I thought that the murder of your father at your own hand would help cast you once and for all into the Dark. But I was wrong. I thought that your admiration of your grandfather would be enough for you. I thought that my acceptance of you, unlike your family's, would be enough for you. But I was wrong. And after having you be defeated by a girl barely wet behind the ears, that was almost too much. But I bided my time. I waited to see if you would conform; if you would truly accept the ways of the Sith.

"But you… you do not fit in anywhere. You are no one. You are inadequate. You have no worth to me anymore.

Kylo Ren was barely able to make a half turn where he kneeled before he was held in place by the Force, wielded by an unknown user. His master's voice was filled with pride when he spoke next. "Allow me to introduce you to my new apprentice, Ta'Veq. Kylo Ren, I strip you of your title of Knight of Ren. I strip you of your position as my apprentice. I cast you out, to survive only if you are strong enough. Your death will hopefully be a long one; one that will bring much pain and suffering – to you, and to those whom I will leave to find you. Your usefulness is at an end. Let this be your last act in this world."

Kylo's eyes widened and he struggled against his bonds with the Force. The new apprentice was not nearly as strong, but was being backed by his former master.

This was it. Somehow he'd known this day would come.

Kylo caught a glimpse of the new apprentice – a Turasin male – before there was nothing else.

Nothing else but pain.

Across the galaxy, Rey shifted uncomfortably on her cot. She didn't know what had woken her, but her entire body thrummed with the Force unlike ever before. It disappeared before she decided to wake her master, and soon enough sleep pulled her under once more.