Ben felt the iron shackles loosen around his wrists before he heard them clatter on the ground.

   Rey's gaze locked with his, and at the same time they stood up, back-to-back.

   "Give them their weapons!" the Supreme Leader barked at the two Generals that have brought them.

   But the two men seemed reluctant to do so as they kept their places.

   "What part of that sentence did you not understand, fools?!"

   It was enough for them to hurry, unstrap the sabers, and flung them to Rey and Ben.

   Rey's blade sparked golden light as she ignited it, waved it through the air. And Ben's silvery blue one contrasted with hers. Two beacons of light amidst darkness. Two hopes amidst loss.

The eight praetorian guards had their spears at the ready, the four commanders their blasters loaded.
Pryde climbed the steps and took his seat on the throne, preparing for the show.

Ben could feel Rey was anxious. And he remembered how she had injured her ankle just a few days ago. But she was not afraid for herself.

Are you ready? She asked him.

Yes. But you?

I think so.

Back to back, feet planted on the ground, they lifted their sabers, waited for the enemy to strike.

And Rey spun around as the first spear whistled past her hip. Ben was already cornered, but his elbow found the stomach of the guard that attacked him, and shrugged him off.

Swiftly, she twisted her wrist and pointed her Saber at the red clad guard, catching the hilt with both hands.

She let out a cry as she snarled her teeth and the tip of the sword found the warrior's side. She ducked the spear that fell over her in time, rolling down the ground and jumping up to her feet.

Ben was battling three now. And unlike them, he was weak.

Rey did not have time to lose. Steady on her feet, she plunged into the fight. Ben was bent back, his saber clashing against two crossed spears that were meant to split him in half.

   Rey lunged for the one that was preparing to strike Ben from behind. Stretching her hand out, she summoned the force, wrapped it like a cord around the warrior's throat and pulled him back. Her blade was halfway to meeting flesh, when she heard the shot cutting through the air, to her head, and she had to spun, moving out of its way.

Her saber met the razor sharp blade of an axe. The sudden collision made sparks ignite between them, that fell on the floor in a rain. She gritted her teeth, and with a slash sent the man who had attacked her reeling backwards.

   She stopped to take a breath. And her head snapped to Ben, who was using the force to push away a red guard who was approaching him. She smiled proudly, he was finally using the force.

   Rey scrutinized the hall. Two... Three... And five, she counted in her mind. Only five guards left. The thought ought to make her feel better. But for some reason, she was even more scared than she had been before.

   As she turned, she sparred her sword against a long spear. The cry that escaped her mouth turned into a groan as she tried to forget the pain in her ankle.
   But somehow, she managed to twirl around, stick the blade between the guard's ribs.

   Four... She counted.

   She felt a sharp cut against her leg. Her head instinctively turned to where Ben fought. But she never got to catch a glimpse of him, for another pair of guards were on her.

Ben
The stroke had been quick and careless, biting deep. Looking down, he glimpsed pale flesh where the wool of his pants had parted. Then the blood began to flow. But it was nothing. He had taken deeper wounds before, this was but a scratch.

His eyes wandered through the arrangement. And they locked on a well known figure. The face of a boy, not much younger than him. The face of a child he had once helped. The face of a man that has ascended from the rank of spy to the rank of commander, a blaster in his hand, aimed straight at Ben's head.

"Jacen!" He wanted to yell at him, to make him stop and think twice about what he was going to do. To let him know he was making a mistake, to prevent him from doing the same wrong things as he had done.

Blood was rushing in his veins, the battle with his past allies promising a bright future. But he couldn't hurt one who had been through the same things as him.

He was afraid, afraid to fight one that he loved; and for a moment he wondered; would he be able to fight Jacen if if ever came to that? Would he be able to defend himself, as he saw the yoing man rush toward him, his teeth bared in a snarl, his eyes full of hurt?

When Jacen was but two strides away from him, he lowered the sword to the ground. The other stopped, too. And for a moment, just for a brief moment, Ben thought they could speak. Only for Jacen to throw away the blaster, and leap with his hands stretched out to Ben's throat.

He caught him off guard, his mind lost to a different place. And he pushed Ben to the ground, his hands shooting to his eyes, to his neck, but too late.

Jacen was now stronger than Ben remembered him to be, as he pinned his arms against the floor. And he struggled to move, but the blood that was leaking from his wound drew the life out of him.

His mind was gone blank, as he tried to reason with the boy, as he tried to explain he could not fight him. And he never saw the first punch coming. Jacen's hard fist caught him full in the face, leaving a numbness in its wake.

Jacen rose his hand up, ready for the second strike. His knuckles were all bloody, as Ben's eyes focused.

"Why?!" Jacen growled. But behind that voice that was meant to be hard, Ben saw the reason that caused it. The fear of letting go. "I thought you were my friend!"

He could hear it, the small shiver that could break into tears at any moment. And understand it so well...

And the second blow came. Hard and cruel and ruthless. And the metalic taste invaded Ben's senses and he choked out the blood that was rushing down his throat to drown him.

He rolled his head up, as if to look at Jacen through closed eyes. As if begging him to hit one more time. But that was a greedy thing he would have done in the past.

"Jacen..." he choked, and spat blood that landed on the boy's fist.

"I thought you were dead!" Jacen cried.

And Ben made an effort to look at him.

"I was... But I rose...Stronger."

Jacen let out a mad laugh, one that Ben did not recognise. If I had a chance to be redeemed, it must be that he has one, too.

"Then why are you all bloody by the hand of a child? Why don't you fight back?! Because you're a traitor! A bloody weak traitor who has no honor! A fool who had left everything behind! And I... I was a bigger fool for entrusting into you!"

I brought him where he is, now, Ben reflected. I made him loyal to the first order. And yet I gave him a chance.

"I'm sorry..." he began.

But then he felt the blood rush up his nose, he felt as though his skull had cracked.

   Jacen hit him, and hit him, until he choked on his blood. Ben could feel the numbness in his face, could feel it creep to his shoulders, and to his arms. Could feel the need to give in.
   But he was not ready. He still had a purpose, he knew that. The blurry sight of the dark throne reminded him of that, of the plan he was going to respect at all costs.

   "You were my friend!" he heard Jacen growl through fists. But his voice were growing weaker, and weaker... And it was not because Ben's hearing was fading... But because his voice was slowly turning into sobs. "I trusted you!" he cried one more time as he carried Ben another fist, as bright red blood splashed the floor. He yelled as if that was what would finish Ben off. Fool of a boy.

   But in a way it was...

   One more time, Ben's hand shot up in the air, too weak. And he tried to reach out to Jacen.
  
   "I trusted you!" the boy yelled again. And it sounded as if his chest would rip apart.

   Ben could feel the foul smell of death creeping nearer. And he had failed... He had failed to tell Jacen those last words he had had in mind, to make him see why he had left the Final Order, and why he needed to do that, too...

   "I trusted you!" Jacen sobbed. And the fistfalls were weaker, weaker... "I trusted you..." he said again and this time, when he rose his hand to strike, it didn't land on Ben's face; but on the floor next to him.

   And Jacen's sentence was drowned by tears. He squeezed his eyes tight, and his body shook violently.

   Ben was waiting for the final blow to come. But it never did.

   Instead he felt Jacen's head fall against his shoulder, tears weeping on his torn tunic.

    "I trusted you..." he continued to sob, as he balled a fistful of Ben's brown jedi robe. "And you betrayed us..."

   Ben would have opened his mouth to speak, though the last bit of strength was deserting him.

   But his eyes darted open.

   It was when he heard a sharp cry of pain, coming from the battle fought at the other end of the hall.

Rey
   Rey wheeled around. She didn't feel the stab at first, but fought on. And on, and on, and on, until the blade of her saber found the guard's throat.

Only then did she stop. And only then did she feel the slick blood that wet her pants, that dripped on the floor.
Her vision was beginning to fog as she lowered her eyes to the cut, to the place the blade had revealed the skin of her leg.

Her hand rose up, trembling, and she meant to place it on the wound. But her knees gave in, melted beneath her weight, and she collapsed to the ground.

The wooden hilt of her saber hit the floor, and she heard it roll in the distance. But she was too tired... too tired to summon the force now as she watched the distance that out beneath them.

Her hand stretched out on the floor. But her eyes were closing. And the beats of her heart were weaker...weaker...

She heard an echo of her name. What was it? Was it some force-ghost welcoming her in Heaven? Or was it someone in the World, someone that clung to her not to go?

Hurried steps thundered against the hard marble surface. She thought it was an enemy, she thought it was the circle of her life, walking her to the Force ghosts, running fast alongside her, a distant echo of her steps.

But it was neither of these two.

The arms that eased her in them were caring, gentle. And the hand that caressed her cheek was loving. And she yearned to open her eyes, and to see who that person was.

Until she heard the voice.

"Rey? Rey..." and the hand began to tremble, and she knew in an instant who it was.

"Ben..." She managed a ghost of a whisper as she struggled to breathe, as she tried not to cringe in front of death.

She felt his hand press against her wound, and held her to his chest.

"Hold on, Rey. Hold on. I'm here now, I'm here, don't worry."

He eased her in his lap to look upon her face. And with an effort, she opened her eyes to take a glimpse of his. But that had been the last of her strength.

And the last thing Rey knew, she was falling inside the black.

Ben
He watched with horror as her head lolled against his chest. But she wasn't dead. He could still hear her low heartbeats. But as he cradled her in his arms, he felt like there wasn't only her he needed to protect.

Desperately, he cast his gaze around for help. Help, from his enemies. Something he'd never get.
He didn't lose hope as the first commander rushed forward, and grabbed his arm, tearing him apart from Rey. But he held on to her, still afraid to leave her in such brutal hands.

"Get rid of him at once!" he heard General Pryde bark.

When two commanders teamed up, they shackled his hands back, made him stand. He knew it was in vain; yet his heart told him to go to Rey.

"Take me!" he screamed. And a searing pain passed through his fresh wound. "But do her no harm."

It pained him more than any wound, to see her collapsed there, in front of him, the life leaking out of her.

In that madness, he finally saw her being lifted up by a guard. And he thought he was going to strike her at first, and struggled to break free. Only when he turned, with a half dead Rey in his arms, to realise it was Jacen.

The younger man looked him in the eye. And he was telling him to trust, he was telling him that Rey was in good hands.

Ben found himself nodding mechanically, before being dragged out of the room, and back along the corridor he had come from.
He did not fight to resist anymore. Even though he wanted. Because he knew Pryde would only harm Rey for it.

He glanced one time over his shoulder, though. And Ben's eyes beheld the man that carried Rey along the opposite corridor, as if he was making up for turning against him.

~*~

A/N: Because it had happened so long ago, I need to make a short reminder that Jacen is the spy from chapter 24.