A Shattered World ~A Kylo Ren x Reader Story~

Chapter 1: Haunting

~Your POV~

Freedom had a cost. You either dwelled in its Darkness or danced around in its Light.

I am no dancer.

It had been almost three years since the fall of Snoke. It had been almost three years since I last saw my daughter; since I last saw Ben. It had been almost three years since I became who I am today.

I now ruled the First Order the way it was meant to be ruled: with insistency to command all the Galaxy. Nothing could stand in my way; no one could stop me. Not the New Republic and especially not the Resistance. I had become lethal, dangerous, malicious. But I guess that happens after you watch the ones you love die at the hands of the people you once called 'friends.'

My mission now was to eradicate the Resistance. Burn all of what it stood for to the ground. I have a new weapon now; a larger one than Starkiller Base. The Cataclysm could destroy more than one Star System now- it could destroy two at once, from anywhere in the Galaxy. I also now have new legions of Stormtroopers, ones that will be used as decoys since they all look like the traitorous FN-2187.

The Resistance would pay for what they had done. They would be brought to their knees for killing my fiancé and my children. Especially the Resistance's General. She would pay for commanding the plan that killed my family. I could never forgive her so easily for it.

Because of my hate, my anger, I no longer allowed General Hux, Phasma, or even Satele Skirata to use my full name. I was no longer (Y/N) (L/N). I was Barnael Ren, leader of the Knights of Ren and Supreme Leader of the First Order. Barnael Ren was a persona I had perfected over these last few years. It was something I was proud of. No one but a few handfuls of my most trusted generals knew who I was, who I used to be. And it would stay that way.

"Supreme Leader," Hux said, snapping me out of my thoughts. Even after these last few years, nothing about the red-headed general had changed. He still wore his hair cropped and neatly styled. His uniform was of the deepest shade of black and was pressed daily to keep it in pristine condition. If one were to look closely, one could see the black of years-old dark circles under his blue eyes; he told me that I was the sole one to mention them to him.

I turned my head to him. He, as well as the few other First Order officers, looked at me with curious eyes. "What?"

I watched as Hux went to speak but another officer jumped in. Alligent General Pryde. "Supreme Leader, we were just discussing the operational schedule for the Cataclysm."

"Go on," I stated, waving a gloved hand the General's way.

Today, like the previous ones of the past couple of years, the highest of generals of the Order and I met to discuss our future plans. Our meeting room, a glossy black room with a view of Exogol below us, was aboard the Supremacy, my newest ship. It was trimmed with red lights and First Order banners, and it was located only a floor below the bridge. While our previous meetings consisted of discussing the plans with the new clone troopers, today was different. Today we discussed the Cataclysm, my newest pride, and joy.

Hux would want one to believe that he was the one most proud of it, but he wasn't. I was. Sure, he oversaw its conception and the beginning of its construction, but I've overseen everything else. His blue eyes met mine briefly before he cleared his throat.

"We're ahead of schedule," he began, "and the Cataclysm will now be fully operational this time next week."

I simply nod. Of course, we'd be ahead of schedule. I pushed this regime to be better and do better; I would only accept excellence, which I was getting in return.