I sighed out a puff of white as I stepped out of the Millennium Falcon and onto the frozen wasteland. Already the cold was seeping into my bones despite the thick cloak I had on.

"Quickly, you must hurry if you want to get out of the caves before dark." Luke stated as he cocooned himself in his layers and led me to the entrance of the cave.

My body shook with anticipation, that or it was the cold. Either way I couldn't help the perturbation I felt in my gut.

"You'll be fine, Rey. I know you're capable." He attempted to smooth my nerves. "Now remember, this cave is one of the most sacred places the Jedi have. Don't be surprised if you get visions." I nodded as I let out another puff of white. "You remember what you're looking for?"

"The crystal that doesn't melt in my hand. Seems easy enough." I smirked at my master as I trudged past him and through the entrance.

"Remember I can't retrieve you if you get stuck! You will surely freeze to death if you get trapped in there after dark!" I heard him yell after me, but I just shrugged.

How hard could it be?

Finally I reached the real entrance to the temple. The severity of its archaism was so egregious that I could only assume it came about during the Old Republic. This is the part that had me worried. The cyclopean stone ingress that stood in my path.

I stretched out a hand as I felt the presence of the door. My arm flexed as I felt the weight of the door and it began to raise up. When it had reached about half way I quickly slipped under it, before letting it go with large thump.

This place felt almost... alive. I could hear the slightest or whispers echo throughout the tunnels, drawing me farther into its depths.

The light was dim, but the walls seemed to glow as I crunched down one of the tunnels.

Fortuitously, my feet were leaving footprints so it would be possible to find my way back.

I honestly didn't know where to look. I thought there was supposed to be a sign or something...

There was a chamber that stopped me in my tracks, the bright reflection of myself had caught my eye.

I looked down both ends of the tunnel before stepping into the niche, towards my reflection.

As I grew closer, it multiplied into a long line of- well, me.

I lifted a hand to my head and saw there was a cascade of the movement down the reflection. I snapped my fingers and all of a sudden I wasn't in a room anymore. The snap traveled down the extensive line of my reflections before coming back around, finishing with the reflection behind me.

That's when I realized it wasn't reflections anymore, it was copies of myself and the line had to end somewhere. That was where I needed to be, that was where I would find my answers.

I peered up at the enormous wall in front of me, resembling a mirror that has long been neglected.

Somehow I knew it could give me what I needed, what I've been looking for.

"Show me... my parents." The words came softly and in a puff of white.

Two silhouettes appeared behind the ice and began walking towards me.

My heart began to flutter with anticipation as the grew closer to each other... and merging.

A singular silhouette now stood right on the other side of the glass, the silhouette of a man. Who's features were not recognizable.

I lifted my fingers to meet the ice and I touched them to it gently. The fog began to recede to reveal... myself.

I stared into my own eyes, crestfallen.

That's when I heard it. I'd know the ignition of that lightsaber anywhere. Completely unlike Luke's.

My gaze broke away from my reflection as reality came rushing back and I started out of the chamber, back into the tunnel.

My heart began to hammer against my chest as I glanced down one of the other passageways. The soft hum continued to rebound against its icy walls.

I sucked in an algid breath before starting towards the hum.

It's not real. There is no way he could be here.

I attempted to convince myself of my stupidity as the humming gradually got louder as I got closer.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously as a red glow became apparent farther down the shaft and around the corner.

No... It can't be.

The glow germinated to the point where the tip of the saber had peaked from behind the corner.

I heard my gasp echo around me as I retreated slowly.

His mask was what coagulated me, I was held in place by his clandestine gaze. His advance towards me seemed painstakingly slow, but all the while I was screaming at myself to move.

Finally, when he was no more than a couple feet away, my legs worked. I spun around and careered down the tunnel, not caring if I were to get lost.

Suddenly, I heard the ice beneath my feet begin to crack, a split second later, it was gone and I was plunging through the apparently thin ice. I scrunched my eyes shut as I felt the crushing abyss engulf me while I fell. I don't even know if I screamed as I waited for the ground to macerate my body, but it didn't come.

I peeled open my eyes diffidently to see if I was dead, but I wasn't. I was floating. My eyes widened as it dawned on me that I was being pulled away from the ice spikes below me.

I tried to glance behind me to decipher what the hell was going on, but I was frozen again.

Had Luke broken the rules to save me?

It was completely uncharacteristic of him, but I was grateful all the same.

I let out the breath I had apparently been holding as my body met snowy solid ground.

I scrambled to look at Luke as embarrassment burned my face and defense started pouring from my mouth.

"You shouldn't have done that! I would've been fine! I had it all-" My words died on my tongue as my mouth gaped open in utter shock.

It wasn't Luke.

"Under control? It didn't appear so." His masked voice came out mechanical and deep as I struggled to push myself away from him, my heart in my throat.

I felt him seize control of my limbs and restrain my struggles.

"What are- what are you doing? Why-" I struggled to speak as I strained against his power. Any moment now he would knock me out like he did the last time. I gasped for breath, mortified.

This isn't like last time though. I've been trained for this. I told myself as I pushed and my arm moved slightly.

"Why would I save you? Why, because I need you Rey." His voice was monotoned and cold as he halted my movement.

"You don't need me. You should've just let me die. I'd never help you with anything." I spat as I groaned in frustration.

"You misunderstand, I don't need your help. I just need to bring you to Snoke, and I'm assuming he prefers you to be alive when you are put on your knees before him." He explained, he sounded almost amused, but his hold on me didn't falter.

He's gotten stronger, but so have I.

I shut my eyes and sucked in an icy breath, my throat burned from the shards that littered the air.

Concentrate Rey. Remember what Luke taught you. Use the force. Feel it.

Before he could respond, my eyes snapped open and he was flung through a wall of ice. My body was finally free from its constraints. I hopped up and prepared myself for his counterattack, but it never came.

As quickly as he had appeared, he was gone.

The wall that he had flown through gave way to an elaborate room full of crystals and Kylo Ren was nowhere to be found.

I smirked. I knew he was never really there. It was just a vision, like Luke had warned.

I closed my eyes and stretched out my senses to see which of the crystals was calling to me. I smiled slightly as I followed the insistent pull.

My eyes popped open and right in front of me was not the biggest or the grandest, but the most beautiful crystal in the room.

I reached out nervously for I had no time to look for another crystal. So if this wasn't it... I would either be trapped in here and freeze to death or leave empty handed and fail my trial.

I felt my fingers carefully grasp the Kyber crystal. It felt like ice, but it didn't melt in my hand.

I let out a sigh of relief as I delicately placed the crystal into the silk pouch that I had brought.

I smiled as I looked up and started out of the room, but before I left I couldn't help but notice a large patch of disturbed snow. The part where I had never walked.

Since when do visions leave footprints...

I shrugged and trudged out of the cavern and started back towards the entrance, using my footprints as a guide.