"Do we have a choice, Master?"

The Praetorian Guard's echoed across the Throne Room as he stared at General Hux, who sat seated on the Throne itself. The tone of the Guard's voice however already suggested he knew the truth.

There were no options.

As if it wasn't clear enough from Hux's demand itself, the Guard looked around again at the small army of Stormtroopers who were also in the room. All carried their weapons closely to their chest.

The Guard looked down once more at the restraints around his wrists. Then, he looked again at his brothers, all former Knights of Ren and all similarly restrained, and sighed. From the slow shaking of their heads, he knew they were just as conflicted as he was.

"Of course," replied Hux, lifting himself from the Throne and turning his body to face that of the Guard in question. "You either gift your Force to me, or you die. I have no need of you unless it is to help me become which I know I must. Which you know I must."

Hux looked so different in the new clothing he wore. Instead of his usual uniform, he was wearing a long black robe and cloak, with the hood pulled over his pale face. On his hand, he wore a black diamond ring.

Snoke's ring.

Phasma, who was standing to one side, coughed, and continued to explain.

"If we are to finish the Resistance once and for all, we must harness the Force against their Light. This honoured role sat with Kylo Ren. But as we know, he was not worthy of his position. Sadly, none of you, individually, are as powerful as he. But together, we can rebuild, if you combine your powers and gift them to Supreme Leader Hux.

She carried on, "This is exactly the process Supreme Leader Snoke took, decades ago, in the Unknown Quarter. Do you think men such as he just appear from nowhere? No. He harnessed the powers of others through himself. And with that, he created one of the most powerful Force users the galaxy has ever seen."

As she spoke, Hux grinned from ear to ear, as he lifted his hand to show the black diamond on his finger.

Hux continued, "Look at this gem!" The black rock glowed dully against his silvery-white skin. "This obsidian is from the same rock on which Vader himself built his castle. Snoke himself cut a stone from that rock, and forged this ring, to complete the same ceremony that we ourselves will begin just in but moments. This is a historic day! And to think we would never have known if Snoke hadn't died. With his death, his secret books were revealed. And this ring passed to me - this ring, a Force nexus in itself."

He pulled his hand closer to himself, and gazed upon the ring.

Meanwhile, Phasma pulled out a dusty tome, and opened it up. "To gift your power," she said, "You just focus on the ring. Use your will to direct our request towards it. And together, you will imbue our Supreme Leader with your combined sensitivities. Your combined power!"

"But what..." murmured the Guard. "Will happen... to us?"

"You will be tied to me," replied Hux, his lips thinning as he started to pace before the Throne. "You will not die. But we will become...one. Every thought, every action, will be as if we are one. You will become Supreme Leader... and I, in turn, will be your Guard."

The Guard looked down at his restraints, then up again at Hux.

He had not imagined this day would come, but now he was here, he understood and recognised that he had a part to play in the final destruction of the hated Jedi. The Jedi who has damaged and destroyed his previous Brother, Kylo Ren, and still poisoned his heart against the truth of the Dark side.

He wished he could have been the Vader Kylo could not. He had no desire to be ...merged. But he also knew, that together, his Brothers were more than a match for Vader, and any other powerful Force user they may face in the future. And success was more likely if they didn't just work as one, but combined.

He was afraid, but he was resigned. Slowly, he raised his arms, and looked hard at the black obsidian ring. He let his mind focus on Hux's request. Hux, the Supreme Leader. Hux, the greatest Force user in the galaxy. Hux, their Master.

Around him, his Brothers started to follow suit. One by one, their restraints snapped and fell from their wrists as their minds resolved towards the task in hand. The Stormtroopers stood silently.

Hux's eye widened as he realised the process had begun. Initially, he felt nothing, and could see nothing. But then, there was a buzzing in his ears, and quickly afterwards, he felt a burning sensation tear through his body. He looked wildly around him, and saw bolts of power surging from each of the Guards' hands towards him. Slashes of coral red, they sparked and roared before they flew into the ring on his finger. He cried out in pain.

"Continue!" yelled Phasma.

The Guards stepped closer, and bore down on the General, who had now fallen to his knees. Slowly, a ball of electricity seemed to surround him. Hux's face started to glow a dull red, and his jaw started to jut away from his face.

It's as if he's burning, thought Phasma, remembering Snoke's melted, gruesome face. Almost as soon as she said this, she saw him contort, and his skin indeed start to slacken and drop.

His body also changed. Whereas before, he had had mass, now it was as if his body was wasting before their very eyes. His fingers lengthened, and his cape now seemed to hang from skeletal, bony shoulders. He dropped his face to the floor. His breathing became a rasping hiss.

And suddenly, it was done.

Hux waved his hand, the all eight Guards lowered their hands simultaneously. Then he raised his face again to stare at Phasma. She caught her breath as she recoiled in horror. His eyes glowed a steady scarlet, sunk deep into the chalk bones of what was left of his face.

He gave her a thin, mocking, smile.

"Now," he rasped. "It's time to go to war."