Star Wars: Son of Skywalker | Book III: The Rise of Skywalker

Chapter IV: The Emperor

The guardians stood in the way of their prized possession, protecting it from possible thieves who wish to use it to find the secret planet. They charge towards the one who seeks it, As Supreme Leader Kylo Ren draws his crimson cross guarded lightsaber and begins to slaughter them down. He stabs one guardian, then he charges towards another, stabbing him with one of his side blades, then he slams him to the ground. More guardians were on the way, but the Supreme Leader wasn't alone. Masked warriors with weapons of their own begin to slaughter the rest of them to his aid. Kylo lead the Knights of Ren to victory as he strikes down the last guardian. The cold wind blew across the woods, there was nothing but corpses, and silence. He storms towards the stoned casing, and opens it, revealing a triangular shaped compass similar to the design of a Sith holocron. He picks up the Sith Wayfinder, and discovers the location that had been stored inside.

"Get to the ship." Ordered Kylo. "We're going to Exegol."

With the help of the Wayfinder, wired in to the shuttles computer, The Knights of Ren discover a red misty field surrounding the planet. The Shuttle enters and flies through it, dodging the solid form of smoke that formed over the years. After several dodges and evasive maneuvers. The shuttle finally makes it through the force field, spotting the dark desert moon of Exegol, the shuttle enters the atmosphere, the stars then faded into the dark blue sky. The Shuttle spots an abandoned temple of the Sith, it lands as the Knights step down the boarding ramp, led by their leader.

"Remain on guard." Kylo ordered. "The dark side is strong with him." Kylo walks towards the planet, igniting his lightsaber. The knights of Ren followed him, readying their own weapons. They enter the temple, and step down the chained elevator platform, revealing a dark lair of sorts. The platform slowly descends to the ground, the dark knights look around it, weapons at hand, prepared to strike down any enemies that charge at them. Kylo looks around and sees four jars of identical bodies around the place, he looks at one of the jars, revealing his old master, Snoke, along with several other bodies with the same scarred face, and the same shriveled body structure. Kylo sees another jar, a smaller one, it was a Bacta tank, the front of it was destroyed, revealing a cracked hole at the front.

"At last, Kylo Ren." Echoed the sinister voice of Emperor Palpatine. "Descendant of Lord Vader, Snoke trained you well."

"Snoke is dead." Said Kylo. "You will die too, and I'll be the one to kill you."

"My boy, I made Snoke, a body that I made and possessed." Said Palpatine. "I have been every voice..."

"...You have ever heard...." echoed the voice of Snoke.

"...inside your head." Echoed the voice, of Darth Vader. This was Palpatine's doing, he was Snoke, he was the one who started the First Order, and the reason Kylo had turned to the dark side, it was all him, it's always been him.

"As incompetent as they are, The First Order was just the beginning, I will give you much more." Said Palpatine.

"You'll die first." Said Kylo.

"I have died before." Kylo looks towards a support mechanism, and a cloaked, ragged silhouette attached to it, he walks towards it as the Knights stood guard. "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities, some considered to be...unnatural." Said Palpatine, lightning strikes from outside, flashing a flickering light, revealing Palpatine's decomposed body, his eyes completely blind, his lower half obliterated, his fingers destroyed. Kylo quickly points his lightsaber at the dark figure, Palpatine was now a shadow of his former self, or was it not his body? A silver lightsaber blade ignites revealing a black hooded figure, with the hoods shadow covering his face completely, a guardian of the Emperor of sorts. The Knights ready their weapons but the mysterious hooded figure force pulls their weapons out of their hands. Palpatine signals his guardian to stop, as he looks back at Kylo. Both blades were then pointed at the other.

"What could you give me?" Asked Kylo.

"Everything." Said Palpatine. He lifts his shattered fingers, using the force outside, Old Imperial Star Destroyers, with a slight newer design, emerge from the underground, hovering towards the sky. Palpatine opens the sky light, revealing several of them. "The might of the Empire shall return anew, one that is more stronger and more powerful." Said Palpatine. "It will be yours if you do as I ask." Kylo kept his saber pointed at the guardian. "Destroy the girl, end the Jedi, and become what your grandfather, could not. You will rule the entire galaxy, as the new Emperor. But beware, she is not what you think she is." The Knights of Ren stared at each other, then look at Kylo, who slowly lowers his blade, but still grimaced at the former Emperor. The hooded figure retracts the silver blade.

"Who is she?" Asked Kylo. Palpatine glances at the hooded figure, then to the shattered Bacta tank. Then he smiles.