The Road to Redemption

The taste of blood had seared itself to the inside of Rey's parched mouth as she recalled the last taste of water she'd had to drink. Being forced to swim through a watery realm to get here; she hadn't had anytime to concern herself with the simple, yet necessary human need. Heat exhaustion was setting its claws into her skin but Rey kept a warrior's pace among the arid and soulless landscape. Her home planet of Jakku was hot as it was miserable but this place filled her lungs with a toxicity that kept her coughing and frequently fighting to breathe. Her nostrils were burned with the dank, damaged city now behind her, overcooked under the oppressive ball of fire.

The wanderer's hopes were high as she put all her trust into the force and stumbled along the broken coastal roadway; she prayed she would find refuge soon. The road led into a hazy horizon with looming mountains in the distance and the diverted sunlight continued to dance in front of her like a beacon. The road had become less damaged now and easier to maneuver instead of through rivers of broken stones. Parts of were the road were beautiful obsidian that was reminiscent of the grandeur that once was Solace. The manner in which the dark stones were glistening in the sun reminded her of Ben's lovely eyes and the giant ball of fire had already began it's descent into the sea. Using the force, Rey could almost see the settlement that lay nestled in the mountains ahead of her. Pleading with her own lifeforce for just a bit more strength, the scavenger wandered parallel to the sea along the beautiful dark stones which absorbed the heat of the sun. Tidal waves tossed and fell around the scavenger girl who took delight in several dips into the waves. Washing the sweat from her hair; she finally re-secured the three buns she'd tied that morning on Achto. Remembering her friends were waiting for her, she finished wringing herself out, the cool seawater her only refuge from the brutal day.

As the wandering scavenger carried on, she thought of the unfinished duel with the Dark Wraith, trying make any sense of it. She ran her brain through the course of events and found it rather strange and out of character for the Wraith to drag her all the way here just give her warning. The testing nature of the Wraith was like a hierophant; calculating her will to withstand the Darkside. Rey's chain of thoughts were interrupted by a commotion of a decorated caravan pulled by a bewildering Bantha; which ran scared in the opposite direction of Rey. The beast and the wanderer locked eyes, and it was Rey that brought it all to a screeching halt with a concise wave of her hand. Frantic Bantha eyes told the the tale of foul play and Rey knew the Captain of this ridiculous caravan was no where near, or maybe even dead.  Stashing her saber away momentarily; sensing no immediate danger, Rey soothed the scared Bantha beast with a gentle touch to his muzzle. Succumbing to her gentle mind trick, the beast rested while the scavenger raided the runaway wagon, taking pleasure in its sweet shade from the cruel sun.

Rey scoured through luxurious tapestries, rugs and pillows looking for only one thing: water. The merchant's cart had a tiny but extra plush bed and a secret compartment below it-fully stocked. The scavenger almost cried at the sight of multiple flagons of water and wine; reaching for the first flask, she was grateful for the rush of cool water that quenched her scorched soul. Included in the stash was the familiar "portions" she had lived off of most of her life, but also exotic dried fruits, hard cheeses and somehow her favorite, smoked fish. The delicate feast amongst the shaded pillows was a real luxury that this wandering scavenger had never experienced or expected.  Seemingly like a gift from the force itself, Rey knew she could survive the trip through the mountains now, even if she had to pretend she was a princess, she thought laughably. Wasting no extra time, Rey savored her rest and nourishment; just glad to have the taste of hell out of her mouth.

Choosing to ride atop the Bantha, the scavenger mounted the beast with ease, the two of them already bonded in fresh friendship. The setting sun was melting over the Boralic Sea and the sight was quite breathtaking as the wanderer reveled in her gifts from the force, she made better time towards the mountains and Mock. The sandy coastline was quickly sweeping away into a jagged mountain range that seemed to cradle the hidden city within its valleys. The toxicity of Solace seemed to have finally dissolved away into a cooler and quite refreshing atmosphere. Rey stroked the soft hair of the Bantha's head thanking him for carrying her out of that hell. The scavenger and her caravan were now rolling through the foothills, still lantern-lit from their last kiss with the sun. Reaching out with the force, Rey tried to keep her wits about her as searched nearby for any sign of the presence she had felt earlier.

Filling her damaged lungs was the icy mountain air now, and the roar of the oceanic wind had finally died down. The grasses of the foothills turned to forest and the waning light of the sun was a blessing. A single tear ran unheeded down Rey's cheek at the beauty of the evergreen temple surrounding her. Drinking in the wonderful sounds of the forest, her ears longed to hear Ben's musical voice again. The caravan had reached the tallest mountain pass now, and the weary wanderer paused at the summit to gaze upon the dimly lit settlement in the valley below. The Bantha beast took advantage of the break and snacked on a few leaves that hung near him; Rey looked around for any signs of danger. The lush greenery was barely illuminated now and Rey felt almost rewarded with her current environment. She felt nothing sinister lurking in the shadows and almost felt she could achieve deep meditation right here and now. Reflecting upon the strange day she'd had, Rey opted to wait until she could identify the presence of life forms she'd picked up on earlier.

As they made their descent down the steep mountain  pass, it was increasingly difficult for the Bantha to keep good pace now and the caravan was moving at a slow crawl. The trail was now parallel to a rushing river and the shades of twilight mixed with the nocturnal sounds of the forest and lulling Rey to sleep like a sweet little spell. The noble Bantha had become aware of his sleepy rider and did his best not to spill her over the steep embankment, her fingers still weaved into his hair. She woke momentarily, her weary eyes drinking in the bioluminescence around her and she struggled to keep them open. Slumping over again in sweet helpless slumber, "Ben," she whispered into the Bantha's silky cheek, "Be with me.."

The moon was bathing the caravan in light as the Bantha kept a quiet pace along the last mile to let his weary new friend rest. Something stirred her now, as he felt her lift her head; he stopped, allowing her to fully awaken. Rey's senses were on high alert and she felt her lifeforce had been fully recharged; every nerve tingling with electricity. The scavenger patted the Bantha's head in gratitude for keeping her safe while she slept and she knew that they were almost to the edge of the dreamy forest which was still glowing magically in the moonlight. All of her  senses were alive now and she detected the presence of an enigma she hadn't felt in a long time. "Ben?!..."

A golden pair of predator eyes came out from the darkest corner of the woods. The elusive creature waited there in the darkness, it's presence oddly not terrifying at all. Rey knew that whatever it was had left her and the Bantha alone to savor her few moments of stolen sleep. The wanderer and the watcher locked eyes; immediately Rey felt an overwhelming wave of love and light wash over her soul. The gorgeous yellow eyes were matched with the intensity and color of the young Jedi's lightsaber which she had no need for in that moment. As the animal moved slowly from the shadows, Rey hopped down from the Bantha to meet it. A massive midnight-colored wolf, painted with moonlight, sauntered over to Rey; its luminous eyes holding her unwavering gaze.