Chapter twenty eight
The Battle of Exegol
Ryssa's POV:

"Ryssa. Can you hear me? It's Remus."

I gasped as I sat up really quick. I realized I had been asleep. "Ryssa? Are you ok?" Ben's voice said from next to me. I looked around and forgot that Ben and I had found a planet to hide out on. There were small cabins and the villagers were more than welcome to let us have a cabin. "Yeah. I'm ok." I replied. Ben sat up, putting his hand on the small of my back. "What is it?" "Remus." "Remus?" "He spoke to me. In my mind." "Remus used the force?" Ben asked. "I think so. His voice was so clear. It was like he was here. In this room with us. I think he was trying to tell me something." I said. "Maybe he was trying to figure out where we were. The Resistance would do anything to eliminate me from the situation." Ben said as his hair fell into his face. I turned to face him. I moved his hair out of his face and said "I won't let that happen. I will not let them take you away from me. Ben, I can't be without you." Ben looked at me as I cupped his cheek. His lip quivered and he said "I shouldn't of done those things. I shouldn't of-" He stopped as he buried his face into my shoulder. "Shouldn't of what?" I said as I slowly wrapped my arms around him. "I shouldn't of killed my father." His muffled voice said. I gasped softly and hugged him tightly. Sobs left his lips and I hugged him tightly. "I'll protect you. And I'm sure Leia will too." Ben removed his face from my shoulder and said "you think she'll forgive me?" "Of course she will. You're her son." Ben half smiled and hugged me again. I played with the ends of his hair and his hand went up and down my back. "Remus was talking to you? Using the force?" He changed the subject. "I think so. It was weird." "Could he be force sensitive? And everyone missed it?" Ben said. "He could be. I'm force sensitive. And it would make sense if he was. But my parents always said he wasn't. Could they have lied?" I said as I pulled away from Ben. "The way they treated you, they might as well have lied to everyone about it." "I'm gonna try to contact him. Using the force." Ben nodded and wiped his face, making sure it was very evident that he hadn't just cried in my arms.

"Remus? It's Ryssa. Can you speak back to me?"

"Ryssa? Where are you? You went after Ben and disappeared!"

"Remus, I'm with Ben. We're safe. Do you know what this means? Us speaking like this?"

"Does this mean I'm force sensitive?"

"Yes!"

"I had this feeling and I really needed to talk to you so I reached out."

"I'm glad you did. I was worried about you. How is everyone?"

"Rey found the path to Exegol. The Resistance has a plan and we're on our way there now. Are you able to meet us?" Remus asked.

"Yes. We'll be there."

"The Resistance." "What?" Ben said. "They're going to Exegol. They're going to need our help." Ben nodded and said "Rey can't take on Palpatine alone. We have to help her." "You don't have a lightsaber." I told him. Ben shrugged and said "so?" "You're going to need one. To help us fight." Ben sighed. I thought about it and then remembered something. "I think I know someone who might have a lightsaber. But we'll have to go to their planet. Can we do that?" "Sure."

-

We arrived on Tatooine. I gulped as we stood outside of the small home. I knocked on the door and an elder woman answered. "Who are you?" She said. She looked at Ben's ship and said "you're First Order." "No! We're not. I'm Ryssa Dartsen. The queen of Naboo. You aided my parents a long time ago. You helped them with the protection of Naboo. When the First Order was just beginning." I said. She studied my face and said "oh yeah. I remember you. You were the little queen. Ain't so little anymore." "Yes. I've come to ask for your help." "In the fight against Palpatine? No way. My brother and I fought him years ago." She said. "You're brother? Who is he? If I may ask." She looked down and said "Luke Skywalker. I'm Osira Darkrose Skywalker." "You're brother? My uncle was your brother?" Ben asked. She nodded and said "yes. Are you Ben Solo?" "Yeah." "I remember when Leia gave birth to you. It was some time after Endor. You look like her." Osira said. Ben shuddered and said "I do? I look like my mother?" "A lot like her. Now tell me, if you're not asking me to fight with you, what's with the visit?" Osira said as she went back inside her home. Ben and I cautiously followed her inside. "Is it just you?" Ben said as he looked around. "Yep. Didn't have kids. I was too busy protecting the galaxy. And I was afraid of my genes. Especially because of what happened to my mother and my father." I looked at some pictures that were on the shelves. I saw a young man and a young woman. "Who are they?" Osira looked over and said "that woman there is my mom. And that's my uncle. Vexa and Tobias. Uncle Tobias was the one who raised me. Since my father became a Sith Lord and my mother.." She didn't finish. "What happened to her?" I asked. Osira shook her head. "It's in the past. So, how I can I help you?" "We need a lightsaber." Ben quickly said. Osira chuckled and said "a lightsaber? Where's yours pretty boy?" "I'm no longer working for the First Order. I didn't want to use mine. I got rid of it. So I'm in need of a new lightsaber." Osira nodded and walked over to a chest. She removed some things out of it and pulled out her lightsaber. She ignited it and an orange glow appeared. I gasped softly and said "orange." "Yep. I was trained in secrecy and even kept me being a Jedi and having a lightsaber a secret." She said as she disengaged it. "Working close with your mother was one of the best things I ever did. A lot of good people died for her cause. Lots of my friends died for the rebellion. I wouldn't let anything happen to your mother. I looked up to her even though she was younger than me. And when I found out she was my sister, it was like I had family. It was great. I'm trusting you, Ben. I'm trusting that you'll do good with this. It's a powerful saber." Osira said to Ben. She handed it to him and he took it from her. "I'll bring it back. Once we defeat Palpatine." He said. Osira half smiled and said "that's nice of you. You should probably keep it. Won't get used here. I don't have anyone to give it to." Ben nodded and said "thank you." "Ryssa, you and Ben better get rid of him this time. I'll be rooting for you." "We will. Don't worry."

-

Ben and I arrived on Exegol. A storm surged on the planet and I could see the Resistance fighting the First Order. "We have to go. Come on." I said as I began to run. Ben ran alongside me, the two of us running to meet Rey. That's when we met, the Knights of Ren. "I really should've took them out." Ben mumbled. "You think?" I replied. One of them stepped towards me, swinging their weapon. I force pushed him and ignited my lightsaber. I began to fight the knights in front of me. Ben ignited his lightsaber, the orange glow making the room brighter.

"Ben. Ryssa."

Rey's voice echoed through our minds. The two of us were able to defeat the Knights of Ren. I gasped as I felt electricity surging through someone's body. "Remus." I said. "Remus? He's here?" Ben asked. I nodded and the two of us made it to the throne room. "Kill me and I'll spare your friends." Palpatine said to Rey. She looked up at the fighting ships in the sky and then noticed us. Palpatine did the same. Ben and I stood next to Rey, Remus on the ground. "Ryssa." He said as he looked up at me. "Remus, you need to get out of here." I said to him. Palpatine used the force on me, bringing me to his level. "No!" Rey said. Ben stepped forward and Remus said "let her go!" Palpatine stared me down and said "you're going to fight me? You're child in the future will only defeat you and Ben. My eyes widened and I said "what?" "It's so obvious. You're going to give birth to the child of Ben Solo. Years from now and he will be the next Kylo Ren." Palpatine said as he dropped me to the ground. I landed on my feet and said "that's not true." I told him. Ben shook his head and said "our child could turn out good. You don't know. You said years. How would you know? There's no way you could possibly know that." "I can see the future. One of my many powers. I know everything about the you both. The two of you have a dyad. It's time to take care of you." Palpatine replied. He used the force on Ben and I, beginning to drain our life force. Remus stood up, going to approach Palpatine. He sent Remus flying across the room. "Don't!" I yelled at Palpatine. Ben managed to ignite his lightsaber and he tried to get to Palpatine. Palpatine then sent him flying off the cliff. "Ben!" I said as I was released from Palpatine's hold. Rey looked to the cliff and gasped. I stood up, making my way over towards it. I felt the strongest jolt of electricity shoot through my body. I fell to my knees and Remus was knocked out cold. "Leave her alone!" Rey said. Palpatine of course ignored her. And the electricity he shot at me, was enough to make me feel weak. My vision got blurry and I eventually let my eyes close.

Ben's POV:
I crawled up out of the cliff. When I reached the top, I saw the lifeless bodies of Rey, Ryssa, and Remus. I limped my way over to Rey first. I scooped her up in my arms, taking a deep breath, beginning to bring her back. Rey sat up and looked at me, taking everything in. "You brought me back." She said, shocked. I nodded and felt myself begin to grow weak. A wince left my lips as I picked up Ryssa, holding her in my arms. She was dead. I shuddered and my eyes welled up with tears.

"N-No. Ryssa, you can't. You can't go. Not when you've just....brought me back to the light side. You can't!" I yelled. "Ryssa? Oh god." Remus said as he crawled over. I brought my hand to her stomach, using the force to bring her back. A gasp left Ryssa's lips and she sat up quickly. Remus exclaimed happily. She looked around and noticed me. My lips parted in shock. "Ben." She said, cupping my cheek. I nodded and she cupped my cheek with both hands. "Ben, you saved me." Her voice was soft. Angelic almost. I breathed heavily and nodded again. She pressed her lips to mine and I kissed her passionately. As she pulled away she cupped my cheek with one hand. I played with the ends of her hair, not wanting to let her go. She smiled at me and I did the same.

Ryssa's POV:
Ben's arms grew limp and I noticed he had let go of me. He fell onto his back but I caught him, making sure he didn't hurt himself. He laid on the ground. Lifeless. "Ben?" I shook him and he didn't move. I shook him again. "Ben, don't do this." Nothing. My lip quivered and tears ran down my cheeks. Remus put his arm around me. "Ben." I cried. I buried my face in his chest and my body racked with sobs. "Ben, I love you. I always have. Please don't go. Don't go yet. Please. Please, Ben." My heart was breaking into a million pieces. The man I loved since I was fifteen, dying in front of me. The pain I was feeling was indescribable. "Ben..please." I pleaded. Rey pulled me off his body and Remus pulled me into a hug. Rey knelt down next to him. "We gotta get out of here." Remus said. I shook my head, pulling away to look at him. "I can't leave Ben. I can't leave him. I won't!" "You don't have to." The sound of Ben's voice filled my ears. My eyes widened and I turned around, facing him. He was trying to stand. Remus helped me stand up and I jumped into Ben's arms. Ben was caught off guard but he still caught me. Ben chuckled and said "whoa! Ryssa, it's ok." I squeezed him and said "I lost you. You were gone." "I lost you too! I think we all died." Remus laughed and said "everyone but me. You did it, Rey." Ben set me down and Rey half smiled. "I couldn't of done it without the two of you." She said. "Yes you could've. You're so strong, Rey." I told her. Rey smiled really big. "We need to go tell everyone we're alive. Before they assume the worst." Rey said to us. Ben nodded and said "we should do that."

This chapter is long asf omg! This book is over and I'm really sad but I'm gonna write a few more chapters. This chapter wasn't as emotional as I wanted it to be and that makes me mad but I hope y'all like it!!
~skylar🪐✨🪐✨