A/N: I do not own Star Wars: Jedi Quest

Chapter 8: The Heart of the Crystal

Ilum. 3 ABY.

Once the camp was set, both Han and Leia set out for the crystal, leaving Bren Delin in charge. Han Solo reported that there was no snowstorm raging on the planet's surface. Looking around the terrain of Ilum, Leia noted that Hoth was more harsh. At least on Ilum, rocky peaks were emerging from the snow-filled grounds. The day itself was cloudy, but a pleasant one. Still, both Han and Leia decided to wear the gear from Hoth; white gloves, off-white long scarfs and white Hoth caps with white rimmed ski goggles attached to them. Han additionally had a hood trimmed in brown fur.

Chewbacca, as usual, wore nothing. His fur was thick enough to protect him from the coldness of both Hoth and Ilum. He was following behind them.

"You know, if I had to choose between Ilum and Hoth, I would've chose Ilum." Han commented.

"Yes. Ilum is as I imagined, but I thought it would be a bit colder." the princess replied. Suddenly, she felt a headache, causing her to grab her head. Looking up, she saw the same place where they landed, but instead of their shuttles, a Republic T-6 shuttle stood, while two people stood instead of Han and Chewie. One was a tall man in the first half of his 20s, with long, auburn hair and beige Jedi clothing. Another one was a young boy in his early teens. He had short brown hair with a ponytail hairstyle and black and brown Jedi clothing.

The young man asked the boy. "Is the planet Ilum as you imagined Anakin?"

Leia shivered from the shock. So this was young Anakin Skywalker, her father. When he was still a Jedi disciple.

"Yes. Well, maybe a bit colder." Anakin answered. Leia's eyes widened again. It was just what she told Han. Anakin and Obi-Wan, not noticing her, continued their journey.

"Tell me, Master Kenobi, why did the Jedi choose such a hazardous spot to keep the Ilum crystals?" Anakin then asked.

Kenobi smiled at the boy's curiosity. "The crystals grow in a cave at the top of this cliff." he pointed at the large cliff fully made of ice. "That is where we must gather them. The challenge is part of the reward."

Anakin shrugged. "I'm not complaining. It looks like fun."

As Leia Organa watched both Anakin and Obi-Wan heading on, they suddenly vanished and once again, she found herself with Han Solo and Chewbacca. The Corellian was observing the ice cliff with his macrobionoculars, while the Wookie stood on watch.

"Leia," Solo called out to the princess. "I can see an entrance at the top of this cliff." he pointed somewhere at the cliff before giving the macrobionoculars to her. "We're going have to climb."

Nodding, Leia joined Han in taking out three grappling hooks. The three fired, and the sharp spikes bit into the ice. Han checked the cable.

"There is no wind, so we're lucky for now," Han told the others. Leia looked at the ice, it wasn't as smooth as it looked. They all activated their hooks and began climbing at high speed, making small stops. Both Han and Leia were cutting though the ice to create the next foothold, with the Wookie doing the same. At that moment, a sudden gust of wind began to swing them towards the icy slope. Han managed to avoid his face on the ice. Suddenly, the wind blew again, trying to pull Han and Leia away from the cliff. The trio began clinging to the cliff as best as they could. It seemed to Leia as if a giant hand was trying to pull them away from the rock.

As soon as everything was quiet, they continued to climb again. Two more launches and they will be at the top of the ledge leading to the Cave of Crystals. Han saw that despite her speed, Leia was struggling with the gusts of wind that were hitting her on the ice. Panting, Leia looked up, seeing that Han reached the cave first. Putting his equipment aside, the Corellian approached the edge and reached out for Leia, pulling her up, helping the princess. They both sat, with Leia panting as Chewie caught up with them.

"Chewie, why were you so slow?" Han asked teasingly. "I thought you Wookies were good at climbing, considering your homeworld Kashyyyk." Chewie roared something in response, only for Han to answer. "There is no difference in climbing a tree and an ice cliff, pal."

Leia only chuckled at this. She then stood up along with Han, who rhetorically asked what to do now when suddenly, Leia found herself in another vision. Both Anakin and Kenobi have reached the cave too.

"Now comes the hard part." Obi-Wan told the young teen. "The crystals are deep within. To reach them you will have to pass through visions and voices. Some of them may frighten you. Some of them are drawn from your own past. They are your deepest fears. That is what you must face."

Leia then returned back to reality, rejoining Han and Chewie. She took out her father's lightsaber.

"I must go inside and find the crystals." she stated. The three went deeper into the cave, where they saw drawings engraved on the walls, illuminating blue light.

"What is this?" Han asked in awe, while Leia already knew the answer.

"The history of the Jedi." Leia explained before facing Han. "I must do this alone, Han."

Han was about to argue. "I… I understand."

Sharing another hug with Han, the princess then went deeper into the tunnels of the icy cave. Shivering from the frost, Leia suddenly felt the cold presence again. She turned to a corner and gasped at what she saw.

"Han!" she cried. Indeed, right in front of her was Han, cuffed to medical table, while Darth Vader was torturing him using the various droids. The Corellian screamed in pain, almost deafening Leia, who took out her blaster

"I'll kill you!" she yelled firing at the Sith Lord, but once she was about to collide with him, Vader suddenly vanished and Leia instead crashed into a wall.

"Stop! Stop!" Leia cried while punching the wall as various visions began haunting her. Especially the destruction of Alderaan, with Bail and Breha Organa blaming her for the death of millions. "No! Stop!"

It was at that moment, suddenly, the whole tunnel was illuminated and Leia looked up. The princess of Alderaan gasped as the whole tunnel, from floor to ceiling, was filled with crystals. Suddenly, Leia found herself in another flashback as Anakin Skywalker stood right where she was. Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared.

"It is time." he said. "Go into a trance state, Anakin. Cleanse your mind. Then your feelings will guide your intent."

Anakin then grabbed a crystal. Leia followed him and did the same. It was blue, just like the one Anakin took. Returning to the present, Leia sat on the ground, placing the crystal with the lightsaber of the Skywalker family. Closing her eyes, Leia took a deep breath before she began concentrating, reaching out to the Force. The following words appeared in her mind.

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. You are one.

While she heard that, meanwhile, the lightsaber began to levitate and its particles began to separate, while levitating. Then, the blue crystal began levitating too, replacing the older and broken crystal when the lightsaber was being rebuilt. Opening her eyes, Leia Organa caught the rebuilt lightsaber in her hands.

Standing up, Princess Leia Organa ignited her lightsaber, releasing a blue-coloured blade while smiling with joy and pride.

Through the light of her blade, Leia once again saw another flashback. Sitting on the ground, and surrounded by crystals, young Anakin Skywalker was holding his lightsaber when he heard a voice.

"I've been looking for you."

Looking up, Anakin saw Obi-Wan Kenobi approaching him.

"You made this?" the Jedi Knight asked his padawan.

"Yes… I did." Skywalker answered. "You appeared to me. You told me to go into a trance state. I felt the Force very strongly."

Kenobi nodded in approval. "This is a good sign, padawan. When you allow your instincts to take over, they will not fail you. The Force is always with you."

Leia at that moment felt as if Obi-Wan addressed both her and Anakin.

Kenobi, meanwhile, continued. "However, even here, duty calls. We are wanted back at the Temple. The Council has a mission for us."

"Yes, master." Anakin Skywalker answered and followed Kenobi. Following them, Leia soon ended up back at the entrance, with Han Solo and Chewbacca waiting for them. Looking up, the Corellian saw the girl approaching.

"Leia!" he exclaimed.

"Han!" Leia answered. They rushed to each other, embracing in a hug. Then, suddenly, Han gently grabbed Leia's face and kissed her in the lips. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she deepened it. Once they broke the kiss, Leia looked up at Han.

"Han…"

"I was so worried about you, Leia." he confessed, nuzzling against her.

"No need to, I'm here." the princess assured him. Holding each other's hands, the two were joined by Chewbacca on their way back to the camp.