Disclaimer: Disney owns Star Wars, not me. All the characters and places (except for my OC Analise Joy) belong to them.
"aaaa"-talking out loud."aaaa"-talking through a holo. 'aaaaa'-inner thoughts. aaaaa-talking through a Bond
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Chapter Eight
Illum was cold. Illum was icy. Analise watched her feet and clung to the back of Anakin's winter cloak as they made their way carefully across the frozen ground to the small temple that guarded the entrance to the famous ice caves of Illum.
The wind was always blowing. Luckily the snow was lightly falling and wasn't the typical Illum blizzard. Her new boots softly crunched the snow and ice beneath them. Aayla was in front of Anakin following Qui-Gon while Obi-Wan and Quinlan walked behind the three Padawans.
It reminds me of Michigan a little during winter Ani.
Was winter like this there?
Maybe not so much, but it could get pretty cold and snowy and icy...
Do you miss it?
Do you miss Tatooine?
Not really Ana. I really only miss Mom.
I wish I could met her Ani.
Don't worry Ana, I'm sure you will one day.
"We're here." Qui-Gon's voice broke through the twins' silent conversation as the line halted. Analise stood on tiptoe to try and see over her taller brother and fellow Padawan. All she could see was a wall of ice with spires poking up behind it. Her eyes ran all over the wall, looking for some sort of opening, but there wasn't one.
"There's no door Master Qui-Gon. How do we get in?" Analise was glad that Anakin had asked the question and not her. The Master chuckled.
"You three must help us old ones open the door." His large hand gestured to the ice wall. "The wall is the door to the temple, but it can only be opened by all of us using the Force together." He turned to the wall and held up a hand. "Focus Padawans. Clear your minds and focus on the temple beyond."
Quinlan and Obi-Wan extended their hands to the wall, closing their eyes and breathing deeply. Aayla, Anakin, and Analise watched their Masters before nodding. Aayla and Anakin almost as one raised their hands to the wall and centered themselves. Analise was a beat behind them, her confidence in her Force abilities still lacking.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she pushed her hand out to the ice wall. She sank deep into herself, into the Force, her parent. Colors, threads swirled before her eyes even though she had them shut tight. She could see the threads of the Force, strong threads. Silver for her, gold for Anakin, blue for Master Obi-Wan, green for Da, yellow for Quinlan, and amber for Aayla.
The threads wove together, becoming stronger. They layered themselves in criss-crosses over the wall, some of the threads draping over the top. 'Picture it...picture the wall opening...opening...please let us in...please..."
With a tired groan as if it was too old to even think about moving, the ice wall trembled. Analise bite her lip to keep from loosing her focus. Slowly, ice cracking along the sides it sank into the ground. Inch-by-inch it lowered until it was gone leaving only a wide opening.
"Wow" Anakin's breathless whisper summed up everything that the Padawans were thinking. "That was so wizard."
"Enough levity for now Ani." Qui-Gon turned back to the teens. "Now it is time to be serious. All three of you are about to take a huge step on the path to becoming a Knight of the Order." He smiled at Aayla. "Well another step in your case Aayla."
Taking a hint the three Padawans attempted to school their faces into something resembling seriousness. Only Aayla really succeeded. Anakin's eyes shone brightly with excitement while Analise's teeth kept darting out to nibble on her lower lip in worry.
The group entered the hollowed halls of the temple. Like the planet it was made from ice and snow. Little puffs of breath escaped from their mouths as they breathed in and out. Even Aayla could not remain as serious as the occasion warranted. She joined the twins in staring in awe at the glittering, glistening temple. So unlike anything that they had ever seen before. Even Aayla who had traveled to the far reaches of the Republic with her rebel Master had never seen such beauty.
"Today you take a step forward on your path." As the most senior of the Jedi there, Qui-Gon stepped in to do the traditional lecture. Every Jedi had a different version of the lecture, a different way to impress upon the young Jedi just how important a lightsaber was to a Jedi. From the moment their training started, Temple children were always made aware of that, but an extra lecture never hurt.
He took out his lightsaber and ignited it. The green blade came to life with a soft snap-hiss. The ice and snow that it's light fell upon glowed a soft grass green. Qui-Gon made a few passes through the air, his blade humming. "Today you three will enter the caves of Illum to be tested. If you pass, you will be given a kyber crystal and be allowed to build a lightsaber of your own. What is the mantra that you have learned from the moment you picked up a blade?"
Aayla started the mantra. Anakin and Analise jumping in right after her:
"The crystal is the heart of the blade.
The heart is the crystal of the Jedi.
The Jedi is the crystal of the Force.
The Force is the blade of the heart.
All are intertwined; the crystal, the blade, the Jedi. We are one."
The three young voices echoed around the chamber. Aayla's crisp and clear. Anakin's ringing with confidence. Analise's soft, but just as clear as her brother's and Aayla's. This mantra was seemingly as old as the Jedi Order. It and the Code were really the only two things that children at the Temple had to memorize from a young age. Jedi like Qui-Gon even held the Crystal Mantra as it was called in higher reverence than the Code itself.
"The lightsaber is the life of a Jedi. It is a symbol of who we are. It is a weapon, a symbol of peace. The lightsaber is an extension of yourself." He glanced up as sunlight filled the chamber. It hit the magnifying crystal in the center and fell upon the ice door behind him.
Three pairs of eyes widened as the ice began to melt, vanishing as the sun shone upon it. Qui-Gon turned back to the Padawans. "In a traditional Gathering you would enter the caves together, but as this is a group made up of the Pawadans of nontraditional Masters" there was little chorus of giggles "The Council has ruled that you enter the caves one at a time. Aayla first, then Anakin, and finally Analise."
Without even thinking the twins clasped hands. They knew they would have to face their tests apart, they just had thought that they could enter the caves together and stick together until it was time for their tests. "We believe in all three of you. As you search, we will wait and watch." He gestured to the ice door that was all but gone. "Remember there is a time limit. As the sunlight moves away, the ice will reform again. The opening will stay there for a least two rotations of Illum. You will be trapped if you linger too long."
A last burst of light and the ice door was totally gone. In it's place was a gaping black hole that lead deeper and deeper into the ice caves. Hidden within were kyber crystals and tests.
"May the Force be with all three of you." He, Obi-Wan and Quinlan all shared a look before Qui-Gon nodded. "Aayla, go ahead."
