Location: Florianis System
Date: 5 ABY
The sky above was a soft gradient of blues. The wind rustled through the trees, carrying the scent of rich earth and fresh leaves. Merrin's eyes scanned the terrain—mountains in the distance, a dense forest to the east, and in her hand, the small stone tablet they had uncovered. Carved into it were symbols, cryptic yet familiar. They weren't far from the coordinates that this slab seemed to be pointing them toward.
Merrin held the slab in front of Cal, her brows furrowed. "Cal, try touching this," she said, handing it over carefully. "Tell me what you see."
Cal took the slab, his expression calm as he focused. His psychometry ability allowed him to connect with the memories and energy attached to objects, a gift Merrin thought could be particularly useful here. He closed his eyes, his fingers brushing the weathered stone.
For a moment, there was nothing. Just the soft sound of the nearby stream and the gentle breeze moving through the trees. Then, Cal's eyes fluttered behind his eyelids. His mind was swept into a vision—one that felt like stepping into an ancient memory.
The world around him morphed. The sun shone brightly over vast greenery, vibrant and untouched, like the wilds of another world. Trees rose high, their trunks thick and twisted with age, and rivers ran with crystal-clear water, reflecting the sunlight like tiny, shimmering diamonds. The sound of rushing water filled his ears, and the scent of pine and damp earth was thick in the air. A calm, serene forest, stretching endlessly in every direction.
Among the trees, Cal could see a faint glow—one of the coordinates from the slab, its light pulsing faintly as if guiding him. It pointed northeast, leading toward the distant mountain range that stretched across the horizon.
His eyes opened, and he exhaled deeply. "Northeast," he said, glancing at Merrin. "There's something there. A mountain range—one of the coordinates is glowing. That's where we need to go."
Merrin nodded, taking the stone back from him. "Then let's head out."
They began their journey on foot, preferring to walk rather than rely on their shuttle or speeders. The journey was meant to be deliberate. They felt it was a test, a riddle posed by the spirit they had encountered earlier on this strange planet—a riddle that required patience and understanding, not shortcuts.
The terrain was wild and untouched by civilization. They passed through rocky hills and dry, semi-arid plains where the air was cool in the mornings and harsh under the midday sun. There was a quiet beauty to it—a sense of isolation and peacefulness as they moved deeper into the wilderness. Small, winding creeks cut through the landscape, their clear waters winding between rocks and sparse vegetation. The trees were fewer here, scattered in small clusters, their twisted trunks resilient against the dry conditions.
As they walked, the landscape gradually changed, transitioning from the barren, rocky terrain into something more alive. The air became cooler, fresher, and the sound of running water became more constant. The ground beneath their feet softened, and the sparse vegetation gave way to a thick, green forest. The trees were taller now, their leaves creating a canopy above that filtered the sunlight into soft beams that danced across the forest floor. The stream that had accompanied them on their journey widened, its waters rushing more forcefully as it snaked between the trees and rocks.
Cal glanced down at the stone slab again, feeling the presence of the force that was guiding them. It was strange. He had never encountered a force being like this before—something so deeply connected to the land itself. A living planet, represented by a spirit, with a consciousness that reached out to them.
"We're close," Cal said quietly, sensing that they were nearing the mountain range from his vision. He looked around, taking in the towering cliffs that rose on either side of them, the flat valley floor they stood on. A creek ran along the edge of the valley, and to the other side, a river flowed gently, its waters glittering in the fading light.
"This is it," he said. "This is the place from the vision."
They stood at the foot of two towering mountains, with the flat, open space between them like a natural gateway. The sun, now low on the horizon, cast long shadows across the valley, but its golden light still illuminated the distant peaks. The air was crisp, filled with the sound of rushing water from the nearby river.
Merrin looked around, contemplating the spirit's riddle. "What do you think it means?"
Cal narrowed his eyes, watching the sunlight as it began to sink lower behind one of the mountains. The answer came to him slowly, like a puzzle piece falling into place. "Light," he muttered. "It has something to do with the light."
He looked across the valley, toward where the setting sun was casting its final rays of light. His gaze followed the sunlight as it touched the other mountain and, finally, the river. There, in the middle of the river, was a tiny island, no bigger than a small house. It was bathed in the last golden rays of sunlight, standing out like a beacon in the shadowy valley.
"There," Cal said, pointing toward the island. "That's where we need to go."
Without hesitation, they made their way toward the riverbank. The water was cold as they waded in, but the current wasn't too strong. They swam the short distance to the small island, their clothes dripping as they climbed onto the soft, grassy surface.
The island was simple—just a couple of shrubs and a single tree, its branches twisting up toward the sky. Gungi, the Wookiee Jedi, stepped forward, his large, furry hands reaching out toward the tree. He closed his eyes, connecting with the force, and the tree responded to his presence. Its branches shifted, curling slowly toward its trunk, as though it were awakening from a deep slumber.
Cal and Merrin watched in amazement as the tree revealed a hidden treasure—a blue holocron, nestled within its branches. With a gentle movement of his hand, Gungi used the force to bring the holocron toward him.
Cal smiled, pride swelling in his chest as he watched the young Jedi. "Good job, Gungi," he said softly.
The sun finally dipped below the horizon, and darkness began to settle over the valley. The air grew cooler, and the gentle sound of the river filled the quiet space around them.
"One down," Cal said, glancing at the holocron in Gungi's hands. "Five more to go."
Merrin smiled, her eyes bright in the fading light. "Let's make camp nearby," she suggested, her voice warm and light. "We'll need to rest before we continue."
Cal nodded, glancing up at the darkening sky. "Yeah. Let's get some rest."
Together, they made their way back to the riverbank, ready to set up camp and prepare for the next leg of their journey. The night was calm, peaceful, as the stars began to twinkle in the sky above them.
XX
Cal Kestis shifted on the rough, uneven ground, the small stone slab still resting by his side. He had spent most of the night tossing and turning, not from the cold or the darkness, but because of the tiny bugs relentlessly nipping at his skin. His cheek and arms were covered in itchy bumps. He sighed, listening to the soft sounds of the nearby stream, wishing it had been enough to drown out his discomfort.
Merrin, for her part, had managed to drive the bugs away using her Nightsister magic. She still didn't sleep perfectly, but better than Cal. Gungi, being covered in thick fur, seemed to have escaped the worst of it, snoring peacefully through the night.
The sun was already up, casting long shadows across the forest as Cal and Merrin stirred.
"We survived the bugs," Cal muttered, rubbing his eyes.
"Barely," Merrin replied with a smirk, brushing dirt off her cloak. "Perhaps we should add insect repellent to our gear list."
Gungi woke up later than the two of them, yawning wide as he stretched his arms. Merrin watched the Wookiee with an amused expression as he groggily sat up, clearly not too concerned with the morning routine.
The trio sat in silence by the stream for a while, drinking water and chewing on their ration bars. It wasn't a hearty breakfast, but it was enough to give them the energy to move forward.
After their brief meditation, Cal reached for the stone slab, tracing the route inscribed on it with his fingers.
"Looks like the line takes us south," Cal said, squinting at the ancient markings. "But I can't sense much more from it."
Merrin nodded. "Ok. We'll just keep moving."
They packed up their camp, slinging their bags over their shoulders, and started southward. The forest thinned out, gradually giving way to a wide expanse of grassland. The wind swept over the tall grasses, bending them in gentle waves. The scene reminded Cal of some of the remote plains on distant planets, though there was something distinctly wild and untouched about this place. It felt like they were on the edge of nowhere.
In the middle of their journey, as they walked under the wide open sky, the spirit of the planet appeared before them once again. The apparition formed from the air, materializing in a way that still made Cal's breath catch, despite seeing it before.
The figure, cloaked entirely in a dark-colored blanket, sat on a stone chair, motionless but powerful. It was encased within a shiny, lime-green pyramid that resembled a giant holocron, shimmering slightly in the sunlight. The spirit gave off an aura of ancient wisdom, like a being that had existed long before any of them had stepped foot on the planet.
The trio stopped immediately, standing at attention.
"Good work, Jedi and Nightsister," the spirit said in a low, echoing voice. "For the next challenge, we have an element that will guide you to the next treasure. The stone slab may do you wonders again."
"Understood," Merrin said with a nod.
"Yes..." Cal replied, though there was a slight edge to his voice. Despite everything he'd been through, the presence of this spirit still unnerved him.
The spirit continued, "I rise without hands, but I hold the key. Climb me not for treasure, but to see. What am I?"
Before they could utter a word, the spirit vanished into the air, leaving only the riddle behind.
Cal turned the words over in his mind. "I rise without hands... but I hold the key..." he murmured.
"Any thoughts?" Merrin asked, watching him closely.
Cal ran a hand over the stone slab, but it didn't respond right away. His mind wandered as he tried to piece together the meaning of the riddle. Climb me not for treasure, but to see… What could it be?
As they resumed their journey southward through the rolling grasslands, Cal couldn't shake the feeling that the answer was on the tip of his mind. His Force psychometry gave him visions, but the clarity of the spirit's message remained elusive.
"What do we climb to see?" Cal said to himself, still distracted by the riddle.
He touched the stone slab again, and a vision began to form. Faint at first, but then clearer. He saw Luke and Kata.
"Luke and Kata?" Cal said quietly, curious. The vision was of them on an unknown planet, one Cal hadn't seen before. Luke, similar age right now, and Kata—his adopted daughter—were walking along a coastal trail, a sea breeze blowing against their faces. They hiked above rocky cliffs, far above the water, with fog drifting over the horizon. The cliffs provided an expansive view of the endless ocean below, reminding Cal of the power and majesty of nature.
Cliffs?
The word echoed in Cal's mind.
"I rise without hands, but I hold the key… Climb me not for treasure, but to see. What am I?"
The cliffs.
Cal blinked as the vision faded, the stone slab cooling in his hand. He was back in the present, back on Florianis. The answer clicked in his mind.
"A cliff," Cal said aloud. "The answer is a cliff."
Merrin looked at him with interest. "You're sure?"
"I saw something in the vision. It showed Luke and Kata on cliffs, high above the sea. I think the planet spirit wants us to find a cliff, not to search for treasure, but for a view that holds the key to where the holocron is hidden."
Merrin thought for a moment, then nodded. "That makes sense. We'll keep heading south, see if we run into any cliffs or mountains."
Gungi growled in agreement, his steps becoming more purposeful as they pressed forward.
XX
The grasslands stretched far into the distance, their golden waves rippling with the wind. Cal squinted under the mid-morning sun, the faint hum of the Force buzzing around him. As they moved south, the terrain began to shift gradually. The tall grasses thinned out, replaced by shorter, scrubbier vegetation. Rocks jutted out from the ground, their surfaces gleaming with pale hues of orange and brown, like fingers clawing up from the earth. The landscape was slowly transforming into something harsher, more rugged.
"I think we're getting close," Cal said, stepping over a cluster of loose stones. "These cliffs should be nearby."
Merrin walked beside him, her eyes scanning the horizon. "It feels... barren here. But alive. The land is speaking, but it's quiet."
Cal nodded. "I suppose it's been guiding us, even when we weren't aware."
Behind them, Gungi trailed, his furry feet making almost no sound as they crunched over the dry, hard-packed earth. The Wookiee growled softly, glancing at the stone slab in Cal's hand.
"We're moving toward something," Cal said, mostly to himself. The tension in his gut was growing. Not fear, but anticipation. He could feel the Force pulling him forward, like a rope tied around his middle, yanking him steadily onward.
As they moved, Cal's thoughts drifted to Kata. It wasn't the first time, and it probably wouldn't be the last. He still couldn't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, he'd failed her in some way.
Kata was strong, that much was obvious. She had her father's stubbornness, her mother's supposed resilience. But she'd grown up without real Jedi training, relying mostly on the basic meditation and self-defense techniques Cal had taught her. And now, here she was, training with Luke Skywalker.
Luke.
That was the part that unsettled him. The stories about Luke were legendary, even among Jedi survivors like himself. Luke was supposed to be this great warrior, a hero who'd brought down the Empire. Yet... he'd allied himself with Vader after Endor. Vader, the same monster who had wiped out the Jedi, killed countless innocents. And somehow, Luke wanted to work with him.
Cal's grip tightened on the stone slab as he walked. It didn't make sense. The scars Vader left behind weren't just physical—they were deep, buried in the hearts of those who had survived his wrath. It made Cal uncomfortable, knowing that Kata was now under Luke's influence. Could he really trust someone who could forgive Vader so easily?
But Cal also trusted Luke. Maybe it was because of the Force. Maybe it was because Luke was the best of the Jedi Order, one of the only who still understood what it meant to walk that path. If Luke trusted Vader, maybe there was something Cal wasn't seeing. Either way, he had no choice but to trust Luke's judgment now. For Kata's sake.
"Cal?" Merrin asked gently, interrupting his thoughts.
"Right," Cal shook his head, bringing himself back to the present. "Sorry. Just... thinking."
Ahead of them, the grass had given way entirely, replaced by jagged, rocky formations. The cliffs now surrounded them on all sides, their sheer faces towering above, casting long shadows over the path. The rocks gleamed in the sunlight, their colors shifting from earthy oranges and browns to pale yellows and whites, like they'd been painted by the wind over centuries.
Cal's head started to throb, a dull ache building between his eyes. He rubbed his temples, blinking against the sudden onset of pain.
"You okay?" Merrin asked, watching him closely.
"Yeah, it's just... I think something's coming," Cal muttered. He felt the familiar pull of a vision tugging at the edge of his consciousness, trying to break through.
He touched the slab, and the world around him shifted.
Suddenly, he wasn't on flat ground anymore. In the vision, he saw himself climbing. The rocky hill in front of them rose sharply, leading up to a vantage point that overlooked the surrounding cliffs. As he climbed higher, he looked back down the trail they'd been following. He could see everything from here—the trailhead far below, the cliffs and rocky formations spread out like a labyrinth of stone.
And then it clicked.
Those cliffs, the ones near the trailhead—they matched the vision exactly. This was the place. They were right where they needed to be.
Cal snapped back to the present, the vision fading as quickly as it had come. He turned to Merrin and Gungi, his heart racing with realization.
"Hey, I think I've got it," Cal said, excitement edging into his voice. "We're near a trailhead. It leads up a rocky hill. Once we climb it, we'll find what we're looking for. The answer's up there."
Merrin tilted her head slightly. "Oh. Continue on this pavement?"
Cal nodded. "Yes. We follow the trail, and it'll take us where we need to go."
Merrin exchanged a glance with Gungi, then nodded. "Very well. We trust your judgment."
With renewed determination, they continued southward, weaving their way through the maze of cliffs and rocky formations. The sun climbed higher, beating down on them as they walked, but the air felt lighter now, filled with purpose.
Forty minutes passed, and they finally reached the trailhead that Cal had seen in his vision. The rocky hill loomed ahead, steep but manageable. It was just as Cal had seen—every detail was the same, right down to the scattered stones marking the path upward.
"This is it," Cal said, stopping for a moment to catch his breath. "We're almost there."
Merrin glanced up the hill, her expression thoughtful. "It's been a while since we had an adventure without someone trying to kill us," she remarked.
Cal grinned. "Yeah, it's kind of nice, actually. No stormtroopers, no Imperials, no Inquisitors. Just us, and the planet."
Gungi let out a low, rumbling growl of agreement. He seemed to be enjoying the peace as much as they were.
Cal couldn't help but smile. He liked these kinds of adventures—ones where they could focus on the task at hand, without the constant threat of danger looming over them. It saved them time, energy, and effort, and it allowed them to actually enjoy the journey. Plus, every step brought them closer to the treasure that could help in their battles ahead.
"Let's get to the top," Cal said, his tone eager.
They climbed the rocky hill, the path winding upward. Every step felt like it brought them closer to something important, something they had been searching for since they'd arrived on Florianis. Cal could feel it in the Force, like a magnetic pull drawing them toward the answers they sought.
XX
Fifteen minutes of steady climbing brought them to the vantage point Cal had seen in his vision. They stood together at the top, eyes wide as the world unfolded before them.
Below, the cliffs formed a bizarre, unnatural sight. The formations, far too geometrically precise to have been shaped by the elements, jutted out in sharp angles, enclosing a massive triangular island of trees. It was surrounded, not by water, but by a round gaping abyss—a black void that seemed to devour all light. The sheer drop was disorienting, as though the land simply vanished beneath them.
In the center of the island was a perfectly round body of water, its surface so still it resembled glass. The reflection of the sky rippled slightly, distorting the edges of the scene like a half-formed dream. Hills upon hills rose on all sides, looming over the triangle and its strange abyss. No wonder they hadn't noticed this place sooner—the landscape was so obscured by its own complexity.
Cal, Merrin, and Gungi stood in silence, taking it all in.
"This…" Merrin began, her voice uncertain, "is not natural."
"No way," Cal agreed, shaking his head. "Something—or someone—made this."
Gungi let out a low growl of confusion, his eyes scanning the horizon. The Wookiee's fur bristled, and Cal could feel the tension emanating from him. The Force pulsed here, but it was strange—both ancient and unfamiliar at once.
Cal sighed, lowering the stone slab from his hand. "I'm not sure what we're supposed to do now." He exchanged a glance with Merrin, who furrowed her brow.
They had reached the spot his vision had guided them to. But now that they were here, standing at the edge of the cliff, staring down into the abyss, they were left with more questions than answers.
"I'm open to suggestions," Cal muttered.
And for the first time since the journey began, none of them seemed to know what the next step was.
XX
The sun hung low on the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the rocky cliffs. Cal, Merrin, and Gungi stood at the vantage point, their eyes still fixated on the strange island below. The triangular landmass, surrounded by a perfect abyss and containing that circular body of water, had to hold some kind of secret. But what?
Merrin broke the silence first. "Could that entire island… be the holocron?"
Cal blinked, glancing at her. "Not likely. Our last treasure was a blue holocron, something this big? Nah, I doubt it."
Gungi, who had been quietly observing the scene, reached down and pulled out the blue holocron they'd discovered the day before. The compact translator device on his waist kicked in, translating his low Wookiee growls into Basic. "Open the island like this holocron," the device said. "Twisting it."
Cal raised an eyebrow and looked at Gungi thoughtfully. "Twist it, huh?" He turned back to the island. The idea was crazy, but they were dealing with things far beyond normal logic.
Merrin stepped forward, her gaze serious. "If that's even possible, all three of us would have to combine our power to turn something of that size."
Cal considered her words. The other two were already nodding in agreement. "Okay," he said, taking a deep breath. "Let's give it a shot."
The three of them closed their eyes, settling into a meditative stance. Their breathing synchronized as they focused their connection with the Force. The energy flowed between them, and soon they felt it reaching out to the distant island below, far away but within their grasp through the Force.
For several long seconds, nothing happened. Then, the faintest sensation of movement—a twist. They all felt it at the same time, a slow and subtle turning, as though the island itself was responding to their combined will.
"Keep going," Cal urged, his voice steady. "We're making progress."
The island, surrounded by the circle of the abyss, began to rotate. Slowly at first, then faster. They twisted and twisted, until the land had spun a full 360 degrees. The ground shook beneath their feet, a low rumble echoing from the cliffs down to the valley. It felt like an earthquake, but they all stayed focused.
At the center of the triangle, the circular body of water began to bubble and steam. A geyser of water shot up. Only this geyser wasn't natural—it glowed with a bright, orange light that cut through the darkening sky.
"Look at that," Merrin whispered, her eyes wide as the glowing light shot higher and higher into the air. It pulsed with energy, and they could all feel the presence of something ancient, something powerful.
The geyser of light reached its peak and hung there for a moment before slowing. Their eyes were all open now as they watched, working together to bring the orange holocron slowly toward their vantage point, high above the valley. It hovered in the air, shining brilliantly as it floated hundreds of feet up to them.
The strain was starting to show, but it wasn't overwhelming. They were tired, sure, but nothing like the exhaustion that came after a battle or a duel. It was a different kind of effort—mental, but less draining.
Finally, the orange holocron settled in front of them, hovering just above their outstretched hands. Gungi let out a satisfied rumble, showing the blue holocron they'd found the day before. Merrin reached out and carefully grabbed the orange holocron, examining it.
They stood in silence for a moment, watching as the last rays of the sun began to slip behind the hills. The light was fading fast, the sky turning shades of purple and deep blue.
Merrin gave a small smile. "A daily routine indeed. One holocron a day."
Cal chuckled, shaking his head. "I suppose the spirit is ready for us to rest. I won't argue with that."
Gungi growled, the translator clicking in again. "I'm tired. Sleep on the top of the cliff or the valley?"
Merrin glanced around, then looked at Cal. "Less bugs up here, I imagine. Let's stay here?"
"Fine by me," Cal replied. "But if it gets too windy, we'll have to head down."
They all exchanged tired smiles, satisfied with their progress. The holocrons were coming to them one by one, and they were getting closer to their ultimate goal. The sense of accomplishment settled over them as they sat down to rest, the cool night air beginning to rise around them.
Cal leaned back, gazing up at the stars. "Not bad for a day's work."
Merrin chuckled softly, placing the orange holocron beside her. "Yeah, not bad at all."
The group's progress had been steady, and their journey was far from over. But for now, they could take a moment to rest, knowing they were one step closer to uncovering the mysteries of this strange, ancient world.