Threads of Destiny
Chapter 51: The Gathering
As the Clone War scorches its destructive path across the galaxy, it is the Jedi who bring order to the chaos.
Though as the war progresses, the number of Jedi have declined, and new younglings are harder to find.
When a youngling is located, they are brought to the Jedi Temple and learn quickly that their true family is now the Jedi Order.
The trials are hard.
Tests must be passed.
But none is as important as The Gathering.
It is then that a Jedi's path will truly begin.
Ahsoka and Nadia were escorting the newest class of prospective youngling graduates to The Gathering was awaiting their charges at the boarding ramp of the ship which was to ferry them to their graduation test.
Nadia smiled at seeing Sors Bandeam, who was secretly her favorite among the other younglings.
"Hurry, younglings."Ahsoka stated. "You have proved to be the top of your class and so now is the time of The Gathering for a Jedi, there is no greater challenge or honor."
"What is The Gathering, Padawan Aomori?"Petro asked.
"Petro, Ganodi, Byph, Katooni, Zatt, Gungi and Sors the time has come for you to build your own lightsabers."Nadia admitted taking out one of her lightsabers.
The seven younglings cheered in excitement.
"Be warned: this is no simple task, and many perils lie ahead of you."Ahsoka reminded. "Where we are going, there is no place more sacred to the Jedi."
This caused the seven younglings to look at each other.
Afterwards...
Ahsoka and Nadia took the younglings to the harsh ice world of Ilum.
The jedi placed on their coats to prevent themselves from the cold except Gungi since he was an Wookiee.
They then went out of the ship with Artoo.
"Not the most hospitable place."Katooni admitted.
"I think that's the point."Petro reminded.
The two female jedi lead the younglings to an entrance.
Nadia then wiped the floor showing a symbol knowing this was the place.
"It's a dead end."Sors said nervously.
"Younglings, outstretch your hands and focus the Force."Ahsoka instructed. "Together and only together, can we enter."
The two girls closed their eyes and lifted up their hands to focus causing the younglings to do the same.
Then the gates began to open and creating an entrance to the Caves.
"Now hurry."Nadia commented. "The sun has already risen and we must begin."
Nadia smiled as she and the group walked into a large circular room with an icy entrance remembered this was the place where she and Ahsoka first got their kyber crystals.
"Master Yoda."Zatt greeted.
The other younglings bowed as the two girls went to the opposite sides of the Grand Master.
"The Force made physical, a Jedi is."Yoda commented. "Comes great responsibility with that, yes?"
The Younglings nodded in response.
"Protect others, how does a Jedi, hmm?"Yoda asked as he used the force to lift up his own lightsaber and activating it. "Build your own lightsaber, you shall, but first, harvest your crystal, each one of you must."
The Younglings began to whisper to each other in excitement.
"The heart of the lightsaber, the crystal is."Yoda said as he deactivated his lightsaber. "Focuses the Force from the Jedi it does."
The Jedi Master uses the Force to open a window from the top causing the light to hit the big crystal making it show different directions while one beam of light hit a small crystal making the top of the ice wall to melt.
"If Jedi you are to become, enter the crystal cave, you must."Yoda explained. "Trust yourself, trust each other, and succeed, you will."
The seven younglings began to walk up to the crystal cave entrance.
"Once you have found your crystal, do not remain inside."Ahsoka stated. "As daylight ends, the door will freeze over again, and you will be trapped."
"For how long?"Ganodi asked.
"For one rotation."Nadia replied. "There will be nothing anyone can do for you."
"How will we know which crystal to pick?"Petro asked.
"Only you can know which one is yours."Ahsoka admitted. "Now, hurry."
The younglings fell silent and walked into the cave.
Inside the Crystal Cave...
"How do they expect us to find our crystals when the whole place is made up of ice?"Katooni asked.
"I don't see the big deal, though."Petro admitted. "I could easily last a night in here."
"From my calculations, taking into account the planetary movements in this system, um the sun only rises on Ilum every 19 days."Zatt commented.
"That's a very long night."Sors said.
"Well, I don't know about you lot, but enough with the chatter."Petro suggested as he walked forward. "I'm gonna be the first to get my crystal and get out of here."
"Petro, wait."Katooni said. "Maybe we should stay together."
"No, thank you."Petro said with a smile. "You're on your own."
He then ran off causing his friends to smile.
Sors scoffed and folded his arms.
"Show off."He mumbled.
"Come on."Katooni suggested. "We need to keep moving."
The six younglings went to the other direction of the cave.
Gungi then let out a growl as they walked deeper into the cave.
"You're right."Katooni agreed. "He is selfish."
The six younglings continued walking until they found themselves in a chamber with several doorways.
"Ugh! Which way now?"Ganodi asked.
"We don't have much time and we have no idea where the crystals are."Katooni stated. "We need to break into groups."
"What?"Ganodi asked. "No!"
Byph responded in agreement.
"Are we Jedi or cowards?"Zatt questioned. "On the count of three, close your eyes and point to a door and that's the direction each of us will go, one, two, three."
The Younglings opened their eyes revealing the directions they picked.
Zatt and Katooni pointed on the first door, Ganodi and Gungi pointed to the second while Byph and Sors pointed to the third one.
"Then its settled."Katooni commented.
The Younglings split up into pairs to explore one door each.
Meanwhile...
Petro was in a cave and spotted a crystal shinning in the far end.
"That must be a crystal."He suggested with a smile.
Petro carefully slithers on the ground to avoid the sharp parts of the cave and happily gets the crystal with his hand.
In the Third Cave...
It was getting darker as Sors and Byth continued walking.
Sors then notice Byth was getting scared.
"You shouldn't be afraid of monsters, Byph."He reminded. "You're a Jedi."
The two younglings then notice an entrance that looked like fire monster's mouth causing them to get a bit nervous.
Outside the Crystal Cave Entrance...
Yoda, Ahsoka and Nadia were waiting patiently for the younglings.
Then Petro came out of the entrance with a proud look on his face.
"Looks like I'm the first back with my crystal."He said. "That wasn't so hard."
"And the others?"Yoda asked.
"Who knows?"Petro said. "I didn't want to gloat, since I found mine so quickly."
"Show us."Ahsoka suggested.
Petro takes out the crystal he gained, but it melts into a puddle of water in his palm.
"A crystal you have found."Yoda said with a smile. "Water you have brought."
"But that's impossible."Petro commented. "It was my crystal, I was sure of it."
"So certain were you."Yoda explained. "Go back, and closer you must look."
"But the door is already half closed."Petro admitted nervously.
"Then you better hurry."Nadia stated with a smug smile.
Petro nodded and went back to the cave to find his true crystal.
Sors and Byth were hiding behind the rock until they notice a bright light coming from the cave's 'mouth'.
The two boys walked closer ignoring the red steam and saw two crystals attached to the rock.
One was a deep blue colour while the other was a cyan colour.
The duo took a deep breath and took the crystals causing them to sigh in relief.
A Moment After...
Zatt, Ganodi, Sors, Byth have each found their crystals and met the three jedi outside the entrance.
As the ice wall was getting closer to close down, Gungi appeared holding his crystal.
"Well done, Gungi."Ahsoka said with a smile.
"Yeah, but two still remain."Nadia stated worriedly.
Gungi looked at the ice wall and whined.
Petro was running around causing him to come upon Katooni, who on her way back outside has fallen into a small cave blocked by a thick sheet of ice.
"Petro! Petro!"Katooni called out.
"Katooni?"Petro asked.
"Petro! I'm trapped!"Katooni said. "Can you help me get out?"
"I can't."Petro admitted. "I still haven't found my crystal."
"Petro, you can't leave me!"Katooni protested.
"I-I have to go."Petro said and ran off.
"Petro, no!"Katooni shouted. "Petro! Petro!"
Outside the Cave Entrance...
Yoda frowned and closed his eyes.
"Will they make it, Master?"Zatt asked.
"We should help them."Ganodi suggested.
Yoda then blocked her path with his stick.
"Left the cave, you have."He stated. "Help them, you will not."
Meanwhile...
Petro quickly plagued by his conscience and returns to help Katooni.
"Katooni!"He called out.
"Petro!"Katooni said in relief.
"There's no time."Petro stated. "Put your hand on the ice, together, we can break it."
By jointly using the Force, the two were able to break the ice.
"I knew you'd come back."Katooni said with a smile. "Come on! The doors are closing."
She then notice Petro was not moving.
"Petro?"Katooni asked.
"Go ahead."Petro suggested. "I think I see something."
"But it's too late!"Katooni protested.
"Trust me."Petro reminded. "Go."
Katooni nodded and rushed off.
Outside the Cave Entrance...
Katooni came out of the cave, who manages to slip through the bottom gap of the door just before it freezes shut.
"I have my crystal, but Petro is still inside."She admitted.
"Give up on your friend, do not."Yoda commented.
Before they can all begin to despair about Petro, the lost youngling bursts through the ice wall holding out his crystal.
"Petro!"Katooni said with a smile. "You made it."
"How did he break the ice?"Ganodi asked.
"Only water made solid was the door."Yoda explained. "Easy to break if you have the will."
"You-you said we would be trapped."Katooni reminded.
"Not by the cave you were but by your mind."Yoda stated. "Lessons, you have learned, find courage, you did Hope, patience, trust, confidence and selflessness, yes?"
Ahsoka and Nadia smiled proudly at the younglings.
"Take your crystals back to the temple and keep them safe, young Jedi."Yoda said with a smile.
The Seven Younglings cheered at their victory of finding their own kyber crystals.
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter
Feel free to review what you think so far:)
P.S. Sors Bandeam was a Force-sensitive Human that was given to the Jedi Order for education in the ways of the Force.
