He didn't know what it was, or what it meant, but he needed to find it. He had seen it for a reason, the force had obviously wanted him to.

Kylo Ren sat in his personal chambers, still on his bed. Instead of cradling his head, his hands were wrapped around Holotext. It had only been a few after him waking up, having spent all of the time from then researching. He had been looking into what exactly he had seen, and when the time came, where he could eventually find.

While he wanted to know about the surreal place he was in with the pathways, he knew that it would be practically impossible to further learn about. Things about the force were not usually stored on things like Holotexts. He'd probably have better luck with a Holocron, but not only was The First Order severely lacking in their storage but the ones they did have were on the Supremacy for Snoke's use and were probably destroyed. Either that or they were floating in dead space.

Instead of finding out where he was, he'd try figuring out what those images he had seen meant. The first image, that of an icy tundra with a massive cliffside in the distance, was the first place he'd start. He was looking into planets that matched the description, assuming the entire planet was ice. Only three planets had produced any semblance of similarity, those being Hoth, Vandor, and Ilum. Hoth didn't line up, as it was extremely unremarkable. Probably the reason why the Rebels had chosen the location to set up their base in the first place. Vandor also didn't work, as while it met the description, it also had very little going on and was primarily used as a transportation planet by the Empire.

That left Ilum. Ilum was an ice planet with barely any inhabitants. While all three shared this trait, Ilum was kept remote for a reason. Recovered Imperial documents on the planet detailed that it housed an ancient Jedi temple that was used for a ritual known as "The Gathering'', which involved a Youngling obtaining their first Kyber crystal and crafting their first lightsaber. The presence of Kyber crystals also lined up with his second image, as the crystals were extracted from a cave within the temple itself. As it stood, there was no doubt in his mind Ilum was where he saw.

That only left the mosque palm, which Kylo was less thrilled with his findings on. The concept of a mosque hand seemed to be too vague to find anything that yielded the result he wanted, and as such he had practically nothing on it. If only the dream had given him more to work with, he might know what he was looking for. Kylo turned off the Holotext, tossing it on his nightstand. He stood up, cracking his neck and back. He clipped his lightsaber to his belt and left his room. He, thankfully, didn't have any meetings today. He wasn't sure if he could withstand another one. At the rate they were going, he'd kill Hux within a week.

He received the typical "Supreme Leader" from all Stormtroopers and Personnel he walked past. It was now seriously getting on his nerves. Maybe he should have them not refer to him anymore when they saw him? Make a big fucking to-do about it. He was, after all, the "Supreme Leader". He could have his way with anything. On this Starship, in the First Order, even the entire galaxy. He could have everything. Everything except-

Either way, he still ignored them.

After spotting an elevator, he made a sharp turn towards it. He pressed the button to call it, waiting for it to arrive. When the door opened, he was greeted by the same bald General from the meeting the day before. He still blanked his name, but that didn't really matter that much.

The prattling boot-kisser stumbled for purchase, addressing him in the grating, tinny voice Kylo had learned to hate from his subordinates, "Supreme leader, we have several important meetings today alone. We—"

Kylo jerked his finger and the speaking ground to a merciful halt. The onlookers paled as the General struggled for breath. Supreme Leader Ren addressed the First Order soldier shakily holding a datapad next to the bald general that suddenly found himself short of breath after setting off a particular tick. "I'm going to investigate a planet in the Ilum system. We will resume when I return." He did not bother with a return date. He would not be questioned. "Prepare my ship," he ordered.

There was a chorus of "Yes, Supreme Leader" as he stalked out of the elevator. He heard the concerned gasps when Kylo finally released his force grip on the General. No point in suffocating the rest. Not only did he need them, but it wasn't wise to do things that start rumors. Keeping them loyal with fear was good, but if he was excessive then it might come to bite him. Also, he had to admit, what he had just done was a little extreme.

Kylo hadn't initially planned to tell anybody about his departure, but looking back on it, it was probably wise that he did. He'd rather not have to deal with too many questions when he returned. Hopefully, the entire First Order didn't implode on itself without his presence, but he trusted that a two-day absence would not be a death sentence.

The hangar itself was rather crowded, with many of the First Order either repairing or working on ships. They all did however acknowledge him, much to his dismay. As he approached his personal TIE Silencer, he pressed a button on a command port causing the fueling cable to detach. As he climbed into his Silencer, he inputs the coordinates of Ilum into the navigation computer. Without a known safe hyperspace route, he would have to travel normally.

"Request for Launch." He spoke into his intercoms inside the cockpit. A few seconds later, A voice returned. "Access Granted, Supreme leader." Kylo shook his head. Really starting to piss him off.

After a few button presses and switches flipped, the Silencer lifted. He pressed his steering joysticks forward, causing the ship to leave the hangar into space. The navigation system told him that if he flew optimally and stayed the course, he would be there in a few hours. He pressed the Joysticks forward again, blasting off into the cold vacuum of space.

The black emptiness of space surrounded the similarly colored Starship as it glided through the cosmos. It had been more than a few hours since he left the Finalizer, not that he really minded at this point. He had spent a lot of time in his cockpit reflecting on everything, with occasional glances at the navigation system to make sure he was still on track.

He was still confused about why the force had sent him that vision. Why did it show him this planet? What did the Mosque palm mean in all of this? Why did he hear Rey's voice? Why had he seen it now? It had to mean something. There had to be a reason for all of this.

Maybe the force had sent it to him to put him on the right track again. Perhaps Rey was going to be traveling to the planet to learn more about the Jedi, considering the Temple was one of the most sacred. If she was there, what would he even say to her? He doubted it would even be civilized, mostly shouting and maybe a fight. He wondered if by now if she had repaired the lightsaber, or maybe gotten a new one.

Despite this, he still hoped that if they did meet, he could reach her. It wasn't productive for the two most powerful beings in the Galaxy to be at odds with one another. The Empire was solidified by the most powerful Sith in centuries and the most powerful force-sensitive being ever, and look how much they accomplished. Alone, they fell apart with weaknesses of family and old age, but together they covered each other's weaknesses. She could be that second piece.

A beeping noise from the Navigation system reeled Kylo from his thoughts. He was here. Outside his cockpit, he could see the white and blue world. It reminded him of the snowballs he made when he was a kid when it snowed on Chandrila, so white and even. The planet actually looked rather peaceful from this distance, but he knew better. The planet was practically in a constant blizzard, with barely any relent to ever be found on the surface. Another reason why the Jedi had done all their ceremonies within cave systems.

Kylo pushed his joysticks forward, the small matte black ship descending upon the planet. The planet grew in size until all he could see in front of him was the ivory surface. His vision was covered in a frosty glaze as he entered the atmosphere. Once he got to about one hundred meters above the surface, he began to coast forward in a single direction. The planet was exactly like the Holotext had described, a barren desert. No life, no sun, no anything. One massive sheet of ice and snow.

Suddenly, something rose from the skyline into existence. It was tall and wide, seemingly stretching the entire horizon. He was unable to make out exactly what it was at first, but as he got closer, that "something" grew and became more defined. It was a massive jagged ice cliff, as tall as any building on Coruscant and as wide as it's the artificial sea. He slowed his Silencer to a halt about 50 meters away from the wall.

It was the same ice cliff he had seen in his vision, he was absolutely confident in that.

Kylo opened the hatch to the cockpit and climbed out on top of his Starship. The snow made a soft crunch as he jumped down into it, submerging his soles in the frozen liquid. A frostbite bit at his captured toes, sending a chill up his feet. He grunted, agitated. It may have been wise to bring better garb. At least better boots.

The icy blizzard wind whipped him from all directions, lashing his face, and eclipsing his vision. His scar burned from the crisp wind, causing him to almost raise his hand to cover it. He really wished he hadn't smashed his mask to bits, as it would have provided perfect protection from the elements.

Despite the blindness and his dull roast, Kylo trekked forward. He was still close enough to see the cliff. He pressed his feet through the snow. He would not be denied.

Kylo stopped his tread, crouching down to the snow. Something was beneath it. He heard the difference. A softer, less dense sound when he stepped on it. He stuck his finger into the snow, sinking only an inch before feeling something hard and cold. It could have just been a large rock or lump of ice, or him finally going mad, but something else told him it wasn't. He called upon the force, blowing away all the flakes to reveal a giant metal disc. It was covered in ornate and beautiful inlays and writings, depicting Jedi and force users of old. His excitement at the calibration marvel sprung up in bounty, before being squashed down again. He was here.

What Kylo didn't know was how to get into the temple itself, or even where the entrance was. The documents only outlined the existence of the temple and what purpose it served. Everything else, like how to get into it, was left out. Kylo huffed in annoyance, scanning the ice wall and disc. Maybe there was a hidden mechanism or something he was missing. He ran his hand down the taciturn surface of the circle. Jedi iconography poured from every etch and carving, depicting the labor of forming their sacred blades.

His mind wandered back to his training as a Knight. Back to what Skywalker had told him about the Jedi of this era. The Jedi of the Republic. Beyond all their political meddling and warring, they considered themselves philosophical. Nothing was straightforward or expected. Everything was a sagacious test. All trials were tests, and all tests were the will of the force.

A test…

If the former Knight was a prospector, then he had just struck a mine of Songsteel. Getting into the temple was a test. A test of will and worthiness to forge their weapons. He raised his hand towards the ice wall and pressed into it with the force. The temple was within, covered by layers upon layers of sleet and floe. All he needed to do was excavate it.

He directed all of his energy into the cliffside, sending hairline splinters up from the base to the tip. He assumed that the Initiates would all do this together, but he didn't have anybody else to help him. Why would he need them, anyway? His power would have far surpassed any group of Initiates, no matter how many engaging. An ice wall was nothing to him.

The cacophony of cracking ice drowned out any wind or remaining thoughts as he poured more of himself into his exercise. Ice crystals collided with the ground in a stampede of monstrous thuds. Silver dust was thrown up around him, clouding his vision even more. He dug even deeper, causing his soul to ache and burn from the pressure. Finally, it gave way, sending down more and more ice until it all tumbled like a waterfall.

Not willing to wait for the literal dust to settle, Kylo shot all the floating particles away in a single repulse. He waited for his eyes to focus. To pull apart the details of his venture. If he had failed, then he would have just wasted tons of energy to tell a mountain to go fuck itself and would have been no closer to what he wanted. But if he was right, then he was on the right track. Besides, he wasn't rushing for time.

A temple archway, like the ones he had seen while traveling with Skywalker as a student, emerged. Kylo smiled. He was right. Of course, he was right. Jedi were too predictable in their approach. Instead of streamlining the process, they always made things a weak challenge to make themselves feel accomplished. As if they were fulfilling their purpose to the force. Utter nonsense.

He walked inside, getting out of the harsh climate to a more bearable one. It was freezing, still, and it seemed much of the snow had seeped in from disrepair, but at least he was safe from the wind.

The Inner Chamber was extraordinary. Even with all, its decay and elemental fury, its beauty was hard to miss. The white stone rotunda reached what felt like hundreds of feet into the air, with scribes and depiction of Knights on each wall reaching upwards. Massive statues, each many times larger than himself, towered like obelisks with their hands around their stone blades. From the ceiling, a massive crystal, the biggest he'd ever seen, hung by a cord. It was a wonder. Truly breathtaking.

If Kylo was younger, or not on business, he would have spent hours examining it. Digging through the settled foundation of snow just to see what few words lie beneath. As if they held the secret to his domination and agitations.

In front of him, again, was another archway. Many times larger than the one he entered through as well. Just like it's dwarfish brother, it too was covered in ice. Great. Truly wonderful. More damn ice. There seemed to be no other way to go as well, which meant that this the way to go. While this layer didn't seem nearly as thick as the one outside, the idea of breaking more ice made him green. It was just not something he wanted to do again.

He pulled his lightsaber from his belt, igniting its fiery blade illuminated the surroundings in crimson. He stabbed it into the ice, dragging it around and around in a circular fashion. With a kick, a ring of melted ice dislodged itself, allowing for passage in the caves.

His gentle steps echoed in the white halls and subways. Near the beginning, ancient artificial lamps hung from each side of the wall. Echos of the Dynasty past used these caves to create their superweapons. They were long extinguished, however, just like the lamps. If it were any darker, he might have needed to produce a torch or his saber. However, the little bits of Kyber too insignificant to mine provided just enough ambiance. It caused the entire passage to glisten like a quartz geode. If the cold wasn't so harsh in these areas, he would have stopped to admire them.

Eventually, the knaw of the cold and din of his feet faded, and his mind began to wander. This entire trip was actually making him quite nostalgic. Before Snoke and Skywalker, he loved to study places like these. Works of art, infused with natural splendor. It was hard to strike the perfect tone to make it feel right. The galaxy was so often one or the other. Zest to the basal flavor that was usually offered was always desired.

Maybe that was what drew the Jedi here? Maybe that would draw

here?

Oh the force, why was she such a pain in the ass? Nothing is good enough for her. One day she's calling you a snake, and the next she's confining her feelings in you, and then the next she's back to wanting you dead again. He was seriously beginning to doubt whether she could see the bigger picture or not. Whether she could see that were the future. Old hokey religions and dying causes would only weigh them down.

The Jedi. The Republic. Both corrupt, even without the influence of Sith lords. Outdated and constricting, they needed to be remodeled into something more stable or completely abolished. It was a fool's errand to pursue two systems that have failed twice in rapid succession. The first time you can chalk it up to chance, but the second time you have to realize something is wrong.

Why did she believe in the Jedi? What about their restricting, hypocritical lifestyle was so appealing. The mythology? Becoming a self-proclaimed "PeaceKeeper", like they even knew what that was? He had been a part of the Order. He knew their lies and could see past them. All the Order wanted was control. Over their members and the galaxy. They would have thrived in the Empire or the Republic. What different were they to the power-hungry and domineering Sith?

She would see. He would make her.

The crystal lights twinkled out gradually, becoming less and less abundant. Soon, all he was left with was complete darkness. Cold Darkness. He pulled his crude weapon from his belt, igniting it. It's fire spread crimson shadows on the ice and stone walls, bathing the hallway. It didn't make it any warmer, but it at least solved one problem. He resumed his pace, walking forward again. This passageway...it was a straight line. It had been for quite some time now. He hadn't seen any offshoots or alternate paths since the beginning.

The darkness. The sound of his own feet. The straight line...

Kylo narrowly missed stabbing himself with his own saber as he bumped into a way, shattering his formulating speculations. He dropped the saber, allowing it's deadman switch to activate and turn off. Darkness once again enveloped him, this time blinding him completely. He hissed, slithering his hands on the ground in search of his blade.

After a moment, his hands brushed the metal, causing him to snatch it back up in a moment. He flicked it back on. The crimson light poured from the hilt, bathing the surface in front of him. It was a large mosaic of a man. He was bald, with anemic white skin and a sort of extravagant black armor. That was not the most striking thing about him, however. Those were his eyes. Black with red pupils, the same color as his saber. They were transfixed in a downward state, almost as if to force eye contact.

He was forced to look away. It was much less the picture itself, but more the scene's sinister energy that unnerved him. Such a picture was to be expected in a tomb on Korriban, not in a sacred Jedi temple. What could they have possibly wanted with such a foul artifact?

He forced himself to look back. He wasn't afraid of a drawing, and he wouldn't let it dislocate his pride. He examined it fully. The being was bare besides his forward position, save one detail. His hand was raised in an open palm, almost as if striking a saintly pose. Surrounded by it a ring of reflective gold.

His eyes transfixed on the palm. There was no need to explain or even acknowledge his realization, as it happened the moment he saw it. That's what he saw in the vision. An open palm enclosed in a golden ring.

Never had he had a vision so realized.

For the first time since he entered, Kylo smiled. It was rare for his visions to be decisive, and even rarer for him to actually see them through. A personal victory. Something he didn't relish in too long, as there was still work to be done. He shook his open hand until its glove released, letting his bare skin sting in the air. He reached out for the open palm. His fingers touched the smooth black stone of the inner palm, feeling the cold granite. He pressed his hand forward fully, encapsulating all digits of the portrait. He closed his eyes.

Nothing.

He readjusted.

Nothing.

opening his eyes to make sure he was mimicking the pose correctly.

Nothing.

He grunted, this time reaching out with the force. He pushed his perception, passed all the kyber life within the cave around him, and focused on what was in front of him. He dialed his senses upward. He felt something. Something he had never felt before. He pushed deeper, dragging out what was invisible. Something greater appeared. It felt like a surge of sparks.

Then agony. Violent agony.

Scarlet lightning poured from the wall, connecting it's strands to his body like a spider to an insect. The cattle prods boiled his muscles in their own oils. He tried to scream, but his neck ignored his request. Instead, it began to gasp for life, as if all the air in his lungs had been set aflame.

He fell to his knees, scattering his saber somewhere close and far away. The hot illuminations of the electricity drawing out all other ambient light and overwhelming his senses. For a moment, he thought he heard laughter, but then he heard nothing. He felt nothing. All there was all-consuming darkness.