Ouroboros

Ten

Ten

Rey found herself swathed in ice and fire, battered by a hurricane of power. Around her, the air was poisoned by the malignant presence of Snoke, clammy and viscid and foul with cruelty and evil.

"Young Rey," he breathed, his voice sending shivers down her spine from the memories of those minutes in his evil presence. Alive, he was a black maelstrom, more treacherous and dark than the dark space below the Jedi Temple but dead, he seemed even more dangerous, a powerful current dragging her closer and closer to his sphere, tainting her with his very proximity. Just feeling the edge of his toxic presence reminded her of those agonising moments as she matched herself again the Supreme Leader-and was found wanting. He had sifted through her mind with complete ease, uncovering every corner of her memory and she had been utterly powerless. There was no resisting him as she had Kylo Ren: Snoke took it all and as brutally and painfully as he could. He had sensed her potential, categorised it and taunted her with the loyalty of his instrument, Ren...but in the end, he had lost. His own manipulation had undone him because their Bond had made them stronger, made them closer...and had allowed them to make their own decisions. Kylo...Ben...had saved her and slain Snoke.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, drawing every ounce of calmness into herself. Since those moments on Exegol, she had felt connected far more closely to the Force, felt the power of every Jedi flow through her. It was there, just a thought away, filling her with light and warmth and belonging...and even amid Snoke's ferocious attack, she was able to call the light to her and cause him to pause.

"I believe we share a purpose, child," he said patronisingly, dark tendrils of Force wrapping themselves around her and she felt bile rise in her throat. She had never felt this constricted by the Darkness, even when she had faced the Emperor but as she centred herself, forcing the tension from her body and drawing on the Light. But despite that, an attenuated humanoid shape coalesced from the fog. The pallid blue eyes were colder than the depths of space, the scarred and deformed head looming over her.

"But you..." she mouthed.

"Oh silly girl, you have no idea," the former Supreme Leader chuckled, moving towards her and extending his talon-like hands towards her. Her body stiffened, rejecting his attack. "My powers far transcend anything that you have experienced or read..."

"Snoke," Rey managed to utter in pure astonishment as she felt another sickening tsunami of the Dark Force energy pour over her. "But I thought the Darkness...when Palpatine..."

"And here I thought you had more brains than my foolish apprentice," Snoke said haughtily. "Not even the Emperor's granddaughter is that smart it seems."

"You knew?"

"Girl, I've known all along!" Snoke laughed and his laugh felt so sickening. "I could smell him on you. It was laughable, watching you being so weak, so pathetic when all the time, the Galaxy was your birthright. Scavenging scraps of metal from the wrecks of your grandsire's fleet? Pathetic!"

"How can you still be this strong! Palpatine said he made you!" Rey retorted as she tried to move back.

"There are more ways to make someone child," Snoke smirked. "Surely you can feel it...."

Rey had goosebumps as she tried to take a step back. Snoke took a step forward while saying "The reason I wanted you....."

"You tried to kill me!" Rey retorted.

"It made you stronger didn't it!" Snoke shot back. "Child, haven't you felt that familiar feeling..." For a sickening second, she felt his cruelty and manipulation enswathe her, his lies and half-truths and inferences seeking to confuse her and manoeuvre her to where he needed her to be...but she closed her eyes and a small smile lifted her lips.