2 Months later.
It has been 2 months since the incident involving the Sorcerers of Gora, and the Energy Clan has since continued their training to become Jedi Knights.
Since their return to the Jedi Temple, numerous events have transpired. Ryak has been assigned a new Master to further his training and the Jedi Trial's; however, he is hesitant due to his lingering attachment to his former Master, Juno Xelari.
Kragen faced trial for his involvement with the Sorcerers of Gora, and the murder of Juno Xelari, Following the trial, Chancellor Palpatine delivered a verdict, condemning him to spend the rest of his life in prison. Kragen experienced a complete breakdown in the courtroom, shouting at the top of his lungs and asserting that the Sorcerers of Gora would never be truly vanquished. He demanded that they kneel in reverence to him for his contributions to their cause. Soon after, he was taken away to be sent to prison.
Kragen underwent questioning by the Jedi Council, who sought to figure out how the Sorcerers had obtained knowledge about a group of Jedi traveling to a planet associated with the Jedi Order. Despite Kragen's being... well... insane, he has proven to be resilient. He has not divulged any information, remaining steadfast under pressure. The council, along with several other Jedi, continues to conduct their interrogation of him.
Dylan, Ahsoka, Cameron, Natalya, Erix, and Amber continued in their training sessions, focusing on lightsaber techniques, honing their skills with the Force, and engaging in lessons about the Jedi Order's history. Although the Jedi Council reprimanded them for confronting the Sorcerers of Gora when they should have remained aboard the Jedi Shuttle, but they also received praise for their skills and courage displayed during the battle against the Sorcerers of Gora.
Tiiona and the Jedi Council have been closely monitoring their training sessions for the majority of the time. The clan's abilities have been advancing at an unprecedented pace. Following their recent mission to destroy the Sorcerers of Gora's ship, their self-assurance has soared. However, there are moments when the confidence of the younglings wavers, particularly when one of them doubts their own skills. Despite these occasional uncertainties, their overall confidence continues to be robust.
Until one fateful day...
(Coruscant) 6:46 pm
On a particular afternoon, in one of the training room's of the Jedi Temple, Tiiona was instructing the initiates in the practice of various Force move's. Positioned to the side, she observed as the initiates lined up in a straight row at the center of the room.
They had been going about this for about an hour at best.
Before them stood a medium-sized sphere designated for each initiate, while a few feet away, a training dummy awaited, also intended for each participant in the training season.
"Remember, the force flow's through you. It doesn't control you, but it obeys your command." Tiiona said observing them.
Dylan, Ahsoka, Natalya, Cameron, Erix, and Amber raised their hands toward their spheres. Focusing on the force, the spheres levitated into the air.
They pulled their arms back for a moment, before thrusting them forward with great speed. The spheres shot forward with rapid speed, colliding forcefully with the training dummy, which toppled over with a resounding thud.
Channeling the force, the trainees lifted the training dummy off the ground, their muscles straining a little bit. With a swift motion, they lifted their opposite arm and channeled the force, the training dummy came crashing down onto the solid surface, causing a loud thud that echoed in the training room.
Tiiona clapped her hands, which got the initiates attention. "Great job young ones. It seems you have made greater progress on you focusing, and on the force, instead of distractions." She said, stealing quick glance at Cameron.
Cameron noticed her glance at him and rolled his eyes with a hint of amusement. He should have known Master Tiiona was aware of his meandering thoughts. He'd been preoccupied with thoughts of dinner when the lesson commenced. It made him lose concentration a few times during the lesson.
Tiiona let out a light laugh before looking down at her comlink. "Okay, that's enough training for today. Please tidy up the spheres and the training dummies, and then you can go off to dinner," she directed.
Cameron was the first one to move, he zoomed off towards his sphere and training dummy to pick up. Dylan, Ahsoka, Natalya, Erix and Amber followed suit.
"Wait for us Cam," Amber called with a grin on her face.
"But he's hungry sis!" Erix said grinning.
Cameron interjected. "Because I am!" He said defensively, while already holding his sphere in his arms.
"We know," Erix and Amber chuckled.
Natalya sighed in exasperation. "Can we save the jokes and arguments for after dinner?" she suggested.
"How long have you know us Nat? That isn't possible," Dylan said grinning.
Ahsoka nodded. "He's right you know," she said.
Natalya rolled her eyes and just picked up her sphere.
After putting away all the spheres and training dummies, the younglings headed off to the cafeteria for some well earned dinner.
Tiiona watched her student's walk away, disappearing from view after rounding a corner. Once they were out of sight she made her way to the spot where her datapad was placed and picked it up. She reviewed several reports concerning the training of her students. Two months prior, while her students were on their "meditation trip," the results of their tests were received, and the Energy Clan had been approved to attend... 'The Gathering.' This event is regarded as the most cherished, honored, and sacred tradition within the Jedi Order. Her students were set to participate in this significant occasion.
Tiiona, however, felt a sense of hesitation. Although they had demonstrated considerable skill, despite their age, Padawan Vererone had reported his observations to the council. She remained concerned about the possibility of another attack. As Jedi, they were aware that such threats were to be anticipated, yet they were still children. They were not adequately prepared for such events at this stage. Their capabilities had been evident during their time on Trealo, but the risks involved weighed heavily on her mind.
"Hesitation," someone spoke behind Tiiona. "Worried and Concern. In you, I sense."
Tiiona looked behind her and saw Master Yoda and Master Windu walking towards her. "Master Yoda," She said with a polite bow. "Master Windu."
"Master Tiiona," Mace said, bowing as well.
Yoda gazed toward the direction Tiiona's students just left. "Your students, uncertain you are, for them to participate in the Gathering, hmm?"
Tiiona remained silent for a moment, the turmoil of her thoughts betraying itself in her worried expression. "I'm just… worried that if I send my students out again on a trip, they may be attacked." Her brows were furrowed with outward worry, her voice betraying her with anxiety. "I know as a Jedi they should except such things. And they did show impressive performance on Trealo... but they're still children."
Yoda nodded in understanding, scratching at his green chin. "True, that is," he said. "But in your students you must have faith in what we teach them."
Mace touched her shoulder in reassurance. "There is no need for concern when they attend the gathering. We will have several Jedi accompanying your student's to Ilum. In light of the Sorcerers' attack on your group of students two months ago, we have enhanced Jedi security measures when dispatching groups of Jedi youngling's to specific locations."
Tiiona nodded, anxiety still crawling along her skin. But she knew they were right. She had to trust the council and her students. "That is reassuring," she breathed out. "We certainly do not wish for more younglings to be attacked by anyone. Certainly not by cult's."
Grandmaster Yoda felt a flash of frustration omit from Tiiona.
He walked over to the box that contained training sabers. "The point is, Master Tiiona, their teacher you may be. But all the time you will not be." He levitated some practice sabers into the air. "To grow. To learn. To rise as a Jedi, they must." He used the force and activated the lightsabers, colors shining in the dim room. "They must participate, in the gathering if they are to become, true Jedi."
The female Jedi reflected on Yoda's words, and her anxiety resolving itself. Although she felt a deep sense of responsibility for her students, similar to that of any dedicated teacher, she knew she had to let them participate in the gathering, collect their kyber crystal's and construct their lightsabers, which will allow them to continue their training to become a Jedi Knight within the order.
She exhaled deeply. "Very well. Although I still harbor some concern's, my students will participate in the gathering."
Yoda nodded with a serene smile on his face. He deactivated the training sabers and levitated them back into the box.
All 3 Jedi left the training room and walked down the hall.
"Has Kragen revealed anything as to why the Sorcerers of Gora decided to attack group of Jedi?" Tiiona inquired.
Yoda shook his head. "Nothing revealed, Kragen has."
"Kragen may be crazy, but he's tough." Mace said, crossing his arms. "But we did manage to look into his mind."
Tiiona's eyes widened. "Really? Was there anything you discovered?"
"The Sorcerers of Gora were contracted by an unknown buyer to eliminate Master Xelari. Padawan Vererone, and your students were on route to planet Tython at the same time." Mace disclosed.
Tiiona's anxiety came flooding back. "This is concerning," she admitted. "How could this buyer know that the younglings, Master Juno and Padawan Vererone were heading to Tython?"
"Unknow, the answer is," Yoda said, his cane making a gentle clink with every step.
"I'll have Jedi continue to question Kragen for information," said Master Windu. "For now, we just have to wait."
"That's when I swoop in and blast away all my enemies!" Cameron exclaimed, his mouth full of food. He was telling them a story he made up, entertaining his friends during their small break. Currently everyone was in the cafeteria eating dinner, the room full of other younglings chattering amongst themselves. The energy clan was sitting before a large window-wall, where they had a spectacular view of the dark, glowing city on Coruscant.
Erix grinned at Cameron and said, "But not before one of the bad guys sneaks up and hit's you over your lumpy head."
Cameron scowled, touching his horn. "I do NOT have a lumpy head."
Erix opened his mouth to argue but Amber interrupted. "He whip's out his lightning pistol and stun's you!"
"Lightning pistol?" Natalya asked with furrowed brows, her hot soup steaming into her blue face. "Why a lightning pistol?"
Amber shrugged. "Why not?"
"He then takes you back to his lair and steal's your power!" Erix finished with his arm's raised.
Cameron groaned and bumped his head against the table. His friends somehow hijacked his story.
"Come on guys," He said, his voice muffled. "That's not how the story was going to go."
"Too bad," said Eric. "So sad," Amber Finished. Everyone chuckled except Cameron. Both Winslett's turned to each other and high fived.
Natalya gathered her trash and moved to stand. "Ok guy's, lay off him." She said with sympathy. Before Cameron could thank her, she said with a raised finger, "But, they did make the story more interesting."
"Interesting?!" Cameron said with indignation. "I was doing just fine until you guys Butt in!" Younglings around them turned to stare. The Energy Clan was always animated.
While Cameron continued to squabble with Natalya, Erix and Amber. Siting next to them just talking to each other, was Dylan and Ahsoka.
Over the last two months, the friendship between Dylan and Ahsoka has grown significantly, building upon their already strong bond as best friends. Following the incident in which Dylan saved Ahsoka's life on Trealo, their time spent together has increased markedly, even leading them to develop nicknames for one another.
Dan for Dylan. Ashla for Ahsoka.
"So, how goes training for our next duel?" Ahsoka questioned, while she ate some rib sandwich.
"Coming along nicely Ashla." Dylan said smirking while he ate some noodles.
Swallowing a piece of the sandwich Ahsoka spoke. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you Dan." She teased.
Dylan rolled his eyes smirking. "We shall see about that." he remarked with a hint of amusement. After taking a sip of water, he set his cup down. "I am curious as to when we will have the opportunity to construct our own lightsabers."
"I agree! I wonder when we will FINALLY be able to do that." Ahsoka said. "It feel's like they barley trust us enough to get our lightsabers." She frowned.
Dylan looked at Ahsoka with concern in his eyes. "They trust us Ashla, I'm sure they just want to get in some extra training in before taking a big step towards becoming Jedi Padawan's and then Jedi Knights." He said, reinsuring his best friend.
After a moment of silence between the two. Ahsoka sighed and nodded her head. "It'll be alright, I know it." Dylan said.
This made Ahsoka feel better, she looked over to her best friend, a grin forming on her face. "You always know what to say, don't you." She jokingly said, lightly punching his shoulder.
Dylan chuckled. "Indeed I do." he teased.
Ahsoka's smile diminished as she looked him with a hint of worry in her eyes. "By the way, how is your shoulder?" she asked, her tone reflecting her concern.
When Dylan was shot in the shoulder by Killian's on Trealo, he required a cast to limit movement and prevent further irritation. For several days, he experienced significant discomfort, but with appropriate medical care and the natural healing process, his shoulder gradually improved. Within two weeks, it was completely healed; however, a permanent scar remained there, faint, but still there.
He put his hand on his shoulder. "It's good, I don't feel any pain anymore, thank the force." Dylan said grimacing. "Those few days were it ached were beyond annoying."
His best friend look at him with sympathy on her face. "I'm sorry you felt like that Dan. I still feel responsible for what happened to you." Ahsoka said feeling guilty, she looked down at her plate with sorrow on her face.
"It was nowhere near you fault Ashla, what happened to me was not by your hand, it was Killian's." Dylan said, shaking his head.
"But still, if I had been faster or had sensed Killian's intent to shoot me, you wouldn't have had to endure all that pain in your shoulder" Ahsoka said, a tear streaming down her cheek.
Dylan rested his hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. "If saving your life requires me to endure suffering for days, then that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make," he stated firmly.
Ahsoka wiped away the tear on her face and looked back at him. "Your the bestest best friend, a friend could ever have." She said, smiling at him. Dylan smiled back, his cheek's slowly turning red.
"By the way, are you okay?" Ahsoka questioned.
Dylan looked confused. "Is this about my shoulder again?" He asked.
She shook her head. "No, I-I meant, are you feeling alright, I've noticed that you have been acting odd for the past 2 month's." She asked.
Dylan's eye's widened a little but he shook his head. "I'm alright Ahsoka, I promise." He said.
Ahsoka narrowed her eyes a little but dropped the subject.
While the two continued to talk, Natalya starred at them interested. She was the only one to have been noticing that the Togruta and Human were spending a lot more time together. Obviously they were best friends, have been for years. But ever since Dylan saved Ahsoka from being killed, they have become more closer.
"Why are you starring at Dylan and Ahsoka?" Cameron questioned confused. Which startled Natalya out of her watching, she looked over to her other friends. Cameron, Erix and Amber were starring at her with raised eyebrow's.
"Have you guys noticed that both Dylan and Ahsoka were spending a lot more time together then usaul." Natalya whispered.
"I mean, they are best friends?" Erix said.
"That's normal for them." Amber said.
Natalya shook her head. "Yea that's true, but this is different, their more... I don't know, closer?" She exclaimed.
Cameron glanced at the Human and Togruta, who were engaged in a casual conversation. It seemed perfectly ordinary, yet he had no idea what Natalya was talking abo-
"You can't possibly think that Ashla!" Dylan chuckled.
Ahsoka playfully remarked, "Come on, Dan, you have to admit its true—come on you're practically at the library every day!"
Wait... Ashla?
Dan?
Cameron leaned over to his friends. "I think Natalya has a point. They even have nicknames for each other!" He whispered.
Natalya looked surprised, while Erix and Amber looked at each other confused. "Nicknames?" He said. They never had nicknames before?
The Zabrak nodded. "Yea, Dylan is calling Ahsoka, 'Ashla'." He said. "While Ahsoka is calling Dylan, 'Dan'."
"Wow nickname's, that's... something?" Erix said, unsure on how to react.
"Maybe it's just nickname's guy's, I mean, Dylan and Ahsoka have been friends for years." Amber interjected.
Natalya sighed. "That may be the case, but I really do know what I'm saying." She said, glancing back at Dylan and Ahsoka, who were oblivious to the fact that they were the center of the conversation.
40 minutes later (Jedi Temple Energy Clan Common Room) 7:26PM
Dylan, Ahsoka, Natalya, Cameron, Erix and Amber were sitting around in the common room, doing their own thing. Dylan was reading a book about the great hyperspace war, Ahsoka was next to him throwing a ball in the air and catching it. Natalya was looking out the window looking at the city of Coruscant. Cameron was trying to catch up on some homework he had forgot about and Erix and Amber were playing a board game, but they looked very bored.
The door to the Common Room opened and Master Tiiona entered. She clapped her hand's. "Younglings!" She said.
Everyone paused their activities and turned their attention to her, they walked up to her and bowed. "Master Tiiona," they all exclaimed in unison.
Tiiona bowed back. "I have very important announcement." Tiiona said.
She inhaled deeply and crossed her arms. "You have a significant test ahead of you tomorrow." She said. "Tomorrow you will be traveling to a planet that has a strong connection to the force, a specific location on that planet is related to your test."
"Does it involve a crazy cult trying to kill you?" Cameron murmured. Even though he had tried to put the events of two months ago behind him, those memories occasionally resurfaced, lingering in the corners of his thoughts. Tiiona heard Cameron and glanced at him with sympathy.
"What kind of test is it, Master Tiiona?" Dylan questioned.
Tiiona didn't answer at first. She preferred to keep it a surprise for their trip to Illum the following day. Perhaps dropping a subtle hint would be enough to pique their curiosity.
"Let's just say... It's a test, or a challenge sort of speaking." Tiiona said.
Dylan and Ahsoka exchanged puzzled glances, they were going to do a test, o-or a challenge? What in the force was Master Tiiona talking about?
The best friends were about to speak their thoughts, when they were interrupted. "What do you mean, Master?" Erix asked, his confusion evident.
Tiiona simply grinned. "Tomorrow, during the test, you'll be challanged, you'll use your physical skills, your strength, your skill in the force and, your inner potential." She said. "'It'll push you past the limits that have been holding you back."
"But that's what you'll just be doing during the test, what this test really is, you'll find out tomorrow." Tiiona said grinning
Dylan and Ahsoka grinned at each other. This sounded exciting!
Erix and Amber looked at each other with curiosity on their faces. What will this test really be about?
Natalya had a smirk on her face. This sounded fun!
Cameron on the other hand. Had a worried look on his face.
Tiiona noticed this, she shot him a concerned look before walking over to the entrance door. "You will be leaving early in the morning, so I want you to get ready for bed early ." She instructed.
"Yes Master Tiiona." Dylan, Ahsoka, Natalya, Cameron, Erix and Amber said.
Tiiona gave a nod, stepped through the entrance, and proceeded down the corridor.
Dylan and Ahsoka made their way to where they were sitting, engaged in a conversation about the upcoming trip for tomorrow. Meanwhile, Erix and Amber strolled over to to the table that they were playing at, discussing what the upcoming test is really going to be. Natalya headed off toward the restroom to freshen up before bed. Cameron remained in place, lost in thought about the trip tomorrow. On one hand, the idea of the trip seemed exciting yet confusing; on the other, he felt a sense of unease. The adventure would take them to another planet, which didn't concern him, but he couldn't shake the worry that they might encounter another crazy cult group intent on harm killing Jedi.
1 hour and 20 minutes later (Energy Clan Dorm Room's) 8:46PM
While Ahsoka, Natalya and Amber were in their dorm room. Dylan, Erix and Cameron were in their dorm.
Dylan was sitting on his bed reading a book. "This test seems like a blast! I'm really looking forward to it." He said with a grin his face.
"You think every test is blast man, but I agree." Erix said, rolling his eyes as he made his bed. "Though I do wonder what this test will be about."
Dylan nodded in agreement. In the back of his mind, he contemplated on what the test will be, to be honest he had a sneaking suspicion on what this test really is. However, he remained uncertain. It might merely be an additional training session, yet the phrasing used by Master Tiiona, referring to it as a 'very important announcement', if it was just training?
He glanced over and saw Cameron laying on his bed, gazing blankly at the ceiling. Dylan could sense that he was deep in thought, accompanied by a sense of concern and worry
"Cameron." Dylan said.
The zabrak jolted and looked at him. "Yes?" He asked.
"Is... Everything alright?" Dylan question carefully, not sure what's bothering Cameron.
"Y-yes, everything is fine don't worry about it." Cameron said waving off his concern's.
Erix walked up to his friend and grinned cheekily. "If it's about the test tomorrow, then don't worry man." He said. "The test will go smoothly an-"
"It's not about the test!" Cameron interrupted, rolling his eyes. "Tomorrow we're going to another planet. AGAIN!" Throwing his arms up.
Erix narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Ooookay, then what's the problem?" Erix asked. Cameron was never nervous about test's, even though he struggles with him, he tries to keep a high confidence.
Not this time, something was clearly bothering him.
Cameron scoffed. "Have you guy's seriously forgotten what happened 2 month's ago!" He questioned.
Erix shrugged. "I have no idea what your talking abo-"
"Your talking about the Sorcerers of Gora, aren't you." Dylan said, walking up to the two of them.
Realization crossed the Pantroan's face. So that's what Cameron was talking about. Though he was right, he had forgotten about the incident 2 months ago.
"Oh." Erix said quietly. "W-well... Umm."
"At least you remember Dylan, you got shot in the shoulder for kriff sake!" Cameron said crossing his arms and looked towards the Human.
Dylan winced as he rubbed the area on his shoulder where he had been shot 2 months ago. "Not exactly a memory I'd like to remember." he murmured.
Cameron sighed and looked down. "Sorry." He muttered. "But you can't ignore the risk's of going to another planet for some 'test'."
"Your worried that were going to be attacked again?" Dylan suggested. This suggestion startled Cameron.
He swiftly looked up at Dylan's, his expression one of astonishment. "W-what?!" he exclaimed, as though Dylan had just uttered something utterly shocking. "No, no, no, no, no, I'm not worried at all."
"Yes, you're worried Cameron." Dylan said. "I can sense it."
"How?!" Cameron said rolling his eyes.
"The force." Dylan said with a look that said 'Are you serious?'.
'Oh.' Cameron Thought.
After a moment of awkwardness, Cameron coughed a bit into his fist. "Ok, stupid question." He said.
Dylan was about to speak but a knock on the door prevented him, he walked towards the door and opened it. Ahsoka, Natalya and Amber were on the other side of the door in their night clothes.
"What's going on in here, we heard yelling." Natalya questioned annoyed.
"Some of us are trying to sleep you know." Amber said annoyed as well.
Dylan turned his head to look at Erix, a slight shrug of his shoulders saying, he didn't know how to answer. His gaze then shifted to Cameron, who had returned to staring blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought.
"Eh, sorry girl's." Dylan said. "It's just, Cameron is worried that were going to be attacked again when we're going to go do our test tomorrow." Dylan explained.
"I'm not worried!" Cameron said annoyed, calling out from his bed. Stubborn as always
Natalya rolled her eyes and walked into the room, over to the Zabrak. "Cameron, just because we were attacked last time does not mean we're going to this time." She said.
"You don't know that!" Cameron said.
"You're right I don't" Natalya said. "But you can't let your fear's play with you."
"She's right Cameron." Ahsoka said. "Also, Didn't you get a pep talk from Ryak to overcome your fear's or something?" She questioned, walking over and standing next to Dylan.
"Yea I did." Cameron muttered. He sat up and leaned his back against the wall. "But still, I'm not afraid." He said stubbornly.
"Cameron, we're your friends, and it we can tell that you are afraid about going on this trip." Amber remarked. "Use the advice Ryak shared with you and conquer your fears, just like you did back on Trealo." She said.
"Besides, when we suggested sabotaging The Sorcerers of Gora's ship, you weren't afraid, instead, you actually supported the plan." Dylan said. "You fought alongside us against Zaine's henchmen when we were surrounded, and from what I remember, you fought pretty well."
This made Cameron reflect; his friends were right. He had managed to conquer his fears back on Trealo, thanks to Ryak. He supported the plan to sabotage the Sorcerers of Gora and chose to fight alongside them instead of hiding in fear.
"Just... Think about it okay?" Natalya said.
"We promise you, we won't be attacked tomorrow." Erix said. Amber nodded in agreement.
"Besides, I'm sure the Jedi Council and Master Tiiona will put in place some extra measures just in case something happens tomorrow." Ahsoka said.
After a moment of silence, Cameron sighed and nodded. Satisfied, Ahsoka, Natalya, and Amber left the room to return to their dormitory. Dylan walked back over to his bed, layed down, and continued reading his book while Erix went back to making his bed.
Cameron rolled onto his side and closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep. Although the fear of being attacked again while on the trip tomorrow lingered in the back of his mind, he knew he had to push away those fears and emotions, just as Ryak had advised him to do. Also, as a Jedi, he understood that this was what he should always be trying to do.
11 Hours Later. (Jedi Temple Hanger) 7AM
Tiiona stood in front of a Jedi shuttle, waiting for her students to arrive, though they were a little late. It was early in the morning, and the sky was a light gray. Fog enveloped the Coruscant landscape, making it difficult for someone to see clearly. But luckily Jedi doesn't need just their eyes to see.
She then heard multiple footsteps rapidly approaching her. Tiiona looked over and saw her students running over to her, they were wearing their usual Jedi Robes but had a backpack on. They looked tired but buzzing with wonder and excitement.
"Over here younglings!" Tiiona yelled out.
They ran over and stopped on front of her, catching their breath they looked up at their instructor.
"S-sorry we're late master, we lost track of time while eating breakfast." Dylan said trying to catch his breath.
"W-wont happen again." Ahsoka said with a nervous chuckle.
Tiiona just chuckled. "It's quite alright, Accidents happen." She said.
Her amusement faded into a serious expression. "Alright, young ones, today you will be taking a test. This is one of the most important tests you will ever take before becoming a Padawan in a few years," She said, walking over to the edge of the hangar and looking off into the distance.
"This test or lesson is called, 'the Gathering', it is most sacred and most important tradition to the Jedi." She said. "It has been apart of the Jedi Order ever since the beginning. A long time ago."
The younglings looked at each other, this test/lesson, or... The Gathering seemed really interesting.
"Excuse me Master Tiiona, but what exactly is The Gathering?" Dylan questioned curiously.
Tiiona looked back over to her students with a grin on her face. She walked back over to them and stood in front of them. "The Gathering young Dylan. is we're you will be able to assemble your very own Lightsaber." She said, taking her own Lightsaber off her belt and showing it to the younglings.
"WHAT!" Dylan yelled excited and shocked.
"REALLY!" Ahsoka yelled with a huge grin on her face.
"WE'RE FINALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT!" Natalya yelled shocked.
"NO WAY!" Cameron yelled with a surprised look.
"THIS IS GOING TO BE EPIC!" Erix and Amber yelled.
Tiiona chuckled at their reactions as she put her lightsaber back on her belt. "But this test will be no easy challenge, I need to make sure you are going to be ready for it." She asked concerned. "Are you ready to take the next step as a Jedi?" She asked.
Dylan and Ahsoka exchanged smirks and nodded at each other. Natalya crossed her arms, smirking and nodding. Cameron looked a bit unsure but smiled casually and nodded. Erix and Amber smiled, nodded, and fist-pumped each other.
"We're ready." Dylan, Ahsoka, Natalya, Cameron, Erix and Amber announced.
Tiiona looked at them with a proud look in her eyes. "Alright then." She said. Though she was a bit unsure at first, she held nothing but confidence in her pupils. "If you truly believe you are ready. Then lets get going."
She turned around and walked up the Shuttle's ramp, followed by Dylan, Ahsoka, Natalya, Erix and Amber. Cameron followed but stopped in front of the ramp, his fear about them being attacked again prevented him from following.
Erix and Amber noticed that he was falling behind, his face marked by a look of anxiety. "Erix, remember Ryak's advice." Erix said. "Conquer your fear, be brave." Amber said. After that, the twin's walked fully into the ramp.
Cameron continued to stand at the bottom of the ramp, he let out a nervous sigh and walked up the ramp, the ramp shutting behind him.
The shuttle lifted off the ground, soaring out of the hangar and into the overcast sky, the shuttle was being followed by 4 Jedi star fighters, dispatched by the Jedi Council to serve as personal backup/protectors.
1 hour later (Ilum system: Ilum)
The shuttle emerged from hyperspace, positioning itself in front of the planet Ilum, closely trailed by four Jedi Starfighters that also burst out of hyperspace. The ship's hovered in space, it front of the ice covered planet.
"We've arrived." Tiiona muttered to herself, It had been ages since she set foot on this planet, not since she was a little girl, when she was going to craft her own lightsaber. From what she can tell, nothing had changed. Still a ice covered planet that has a strong connection to the force.
Breaking out of her thoughts, she flew the shuttle towards the ice covered planet, followed closely by the 4 Jedi starfighters behind her.
The shuttle flew into Ilum's atmosphere, the ship battled against the violent wind's and the harsh weather. Tiiona guided the ship towered an open area in front of a LARGE Mountain range with a large ice wall. She settled the ship onto the ground slow and steady.
"Easy, Easy." Tiiona thought as she gripped the controls tightly in her hand's.
The ship slowly came to rest on the ground, the same went for the four Jedi Starfighters which landed besides the ship, snow swirled around the ship's in vast speeds while the wind blew and howled harshly against the hull of the ship.
The ramp of the Jedi Shuttle descends to the ground. Tiiona, clad in a heavy winter coat, steps out of the ship. Following her, Dylan, Ahsoka, Cameron, Natalya, Erix, and Amber emerge, all dressed in winter coats for warmth, gathered behind her.
"We're are we?" Cameron yelled, trying to be heard.
"Are we lost?" Amber questioned.
Tiiona smiled mischievously while she looked at the large ice door in front of the mountain. She turned around and looked at her pupils. "Younglings, in front of us is the entrance to a large cave, but not just any cave, a Jedi Temple from the very beginning of the Jedi Order." She said, gesturing to the Large ice door behind her.
The young ones gazed at the large mountain in amazement and wonder while they exchanging hushed whispers filled with excitement.
"To enter the temple, we must open the door using the force. But to open it, we must work together if we are to enter." Tiiona instructed.
She turned back towards the ice door and raised her palm towards it, she focused the force onto the door, the younglings doing the same.
The ice began to crack and splinter, crashing down to the ground. Where the towering ice wall once loomed, a doorway now stood in it's place.
Once finished, Tiiona and her students let their hands down and looked at the large doorway.
"Wizard!" Dylan said grinning.
"Agreed my friend." Ahsoka said grinning as well.
Tiiona chuckled as she turned back around and looked towards 4 Jedi the were standing a bit of a distance away. "Stay here." She ordered her students.
She walked towards the 4 Jedi that were their escorts/Protection. "Stay here and make sure no one followed us." She ordered.
"Yes Master." The 4 Jedi said bowing their head's. Tiiona bowed as well before turning around and walking back over to her students.
"Lets get inside, the sun has risen and we must hurry." Tiiona said glancing at the sun in the sky.
She and her students walked towards the large doorway and entered the temple while the 4 Jedi escorts stayed outside.
The group walked through the cave/Jedi temple, the younglings looked around in wonder and awe.
"This is so cool, I c-can feel and sense the force here. It's very peacefully in here!" Dylan whispered to Ahsoka.
"I know right?!" Ahsoka whispered back. "I still can't believe we'll finally going to be able to build our own lightsaber's Dan!" She said excited.
"I told you they believe in us Ashla." Dylan whispered with a smirk. Ahsoka rolled her eyes but she was also smirking.
Tiiona overheard their conversation and was confused by two part's of it. "Dan, Ashla?" Tiiona thought. She was confused on why they called each other different names. She also overheard that Dylan could sense and feel the force within the temple. Sensing the force very clearly at his age is pretty impressive.
She pushed those thoughts away and paid attention to what was in front of her.
The group continued to venture deeper into the temple. The temple's walls were decorated with carvings of Jedi in different Jedi stance's, these carvings likely date back thousands of years.
They soon arrive in a big room within the temple. The room some statues of Jedi carved out of stone, which were standing near the entrance of the room. On the ceiling there was a contraption that would use light to melt doors within the temple.
In the middle of the room, Master Yoda sat in a meditative pose. He looked up at the group approaching him and smiled. Tiiona walked over and stood behind him with her arms crossed.
"Master Yoda!" Dylan exclaimed while bowing, his friends followed his example and bowed as well.
"Welcome, young ones." Yoda said. He got up from his meditation and walked over to the group of younglings.
"Being a Jedi, comes great responsibility, hmm?" Yoda said.
Dylan, Ahsoka, Natalya, Cameron, Erix and Amber nodded.
"Not just the force, A Jedi uses. To protect people" Yoda said. He lifted his cloak and used the force to lift his lightsaber in the air. "A lightsaber, this weapon is a Jedi's life. To protect and Defend, we use it." he said, using the force he ignited his lightsaber, a green blade shot out of the hilt.
"But to construct one, a easy task, it will not be." Yoda said. "To properly construct one, one must have, a Kyber crystal. He said, he deactivated his saber and disassembled it using the force, the components of the saber separated, revealing a green crystal at its center.
"A Kyber Crystal, the heart of a Lightsaber, it is." Yoda said. "It focuses on its user, it focuses on the force within the Jedi wielder."
"To become a true Jedi, enter the cave and find your crystal, you must." Yoda instructed. He looked up to the contraption on the ceiling and used the force to make it open up a pathway for sunlight, the sunlight made the entire ceiling bathe in a bright yellow glow, Yoda used the force to spin the device around a, using a focus crystal it shine's a beam of light down onto the top of a tall doorway of ice. The ice melted away to the floor which revealed another cave.
"Enter the cave, you must, Find your crystal! But warning, test you, the cave will." Yoda instructed.
Dylan looked at the cave and took a deep breath. He walked towards the cave, followed by Ahsoka, Natalya, Cameron, Erix and Amber. They stopped at the entrance of the door and looked towards the two Jedi Masters.
"You must hurry though. After you find you crystal, DO NOT hang about. Get back here as soon as you can." Tiiona said. "Once the day ends, the light will fade away and the door will freeze over once again, trapping you in."
"WHAT?!" Cameron yelled.
"For how long exactly?" Erix questioned nervous.
"About 1 rotation." Tiiona said.
"How will we find our crystals though?" Natalya asked.
"The crystal will choose you, you'll know it. Trust me." Tiiona said.
The younglings looked at each other. "There's no going back now guy's." Dylan said, he walked off into the cave, followed by Ahsoka. The other younglings remained behind for a bit before following after them.
They walked through the dark cave while looking around, trying to find their crystal's.
"Soooo, to find our crystal... The crystal will choose us and we'll know it?" Amber said. "That doesn't really make sense."
"Agreed." Erix said.
"We just have to continue searching guy's." Dylan stated. He looked around the cave, seeing nothing but ice and stone and hearing nothing but echoes of their voices and footsteps. "I am sure we will find our crystals soon."
"When are you not positive dude." Cameron questioned.
"When are you not negative?" Dylan said smirking. Cameron just rolled his eyes and huffed, Natalya giggled a little as she shook her head.
As they proceeded deeper into the cave, the younglings scanned the surroundings, and before long, they encountered an intersection with various passageways leading to distinct areas within the cave.
"Different pathway's." Dylan observed.
"What should we do?" Erix questioned.
Dylan thought about that for a moment. "Do we continue going as a group and go in one certain path?" Natalya asked.
"That could world." Ahsoka said.
"I think we should split up." Dylan suddenly said, startling everyone
Everyone looked at him in surprise. "What?!" Ahsoka said.
"Seriously!" Cameron asked.
"I think that's a bad idea!" Natalya said.
"But guys, we need to find our crystals, and besides, there are six different paths, one for each of us." Dylan said, pointing to each pathway. He was right; there were indeed six paths. "Each person will take a different path to try to find their Kyber Crystal," he added.
"B-but splitting up is always bad!" Cameron said. "Like on those Holo-movies we secretly watched! Splitting up is always a bad idea!" He said trying to convince Dylan to change his mind.
"We have no choice!" Dylan countered. He sighed and looked towards each passageway. "We have to guy's. If we are to find our crystal's we must walk different path's if we are to succeed." He said.
Although not everyone was in favor of the idea of separating, Dylan's reasoning made sense. In order to locate their crystals, it was essential for them to split-up, if they were to find their own Kyber Crystal.
Ahsoka sighed. "Alright, we'll split up." She said.
Dylan acknowledged with a nod and proceeded to walk towards one of the pathways. Ahsoka made her way toward a different pathway, while the other younglings did the same. Each youngling stood at the entrance of their respective passageways, leading to different sections of the cave.
"Good luck everyone." Dylan said to his friends.
"You to." Ahsoka said.
Dylan smiled, but looked a little unsure about it himself. He nodded, took a deep breath and walked his own path, followed by Ahsoka walking down her path, followed by Natalya, Cameron, Erix, and Amber doing the same until there was no one left in that intersection.
Amber Winslett's Path
Amber walked through the dark cave, her footsteps echoing in the cave, she continued to look around for her crystal. But with no luck.
"Split up, why did we have to split up!" She groaned.
"We could have helped each other find our crystals but nope, we have to do it on our own." She said rolling her eyes. "I don't even know why I'm talking like I know what to do, Dylan is the smartest one in the group so he knows what he's talking about." She sighed.
She kept walking for several more minutes, feeling a twinge of impatience creeping in. However, she persevered, reminding herself that impatience would not serve her well. Though after a few minutes of just walking her feet started to feel sore.
"Ughhh, I need to sit for a moment." She groaned. She walked over to a large rock and sat down. She took some water from her bag and took some sips.
"That was nice." She quietly remarked. Just as she was about to return her water bottle to her bag... she sensed something
"Huh?" she said, looking around the cave. Everything seemed normal, and there was no one in sight. She shrugged and moved on, placing her water bottle back into her bag. After getting up from the large rock, she was ready to continue walking.
After a moment she sensed it again. It feel's like, something was calling to her.
Could it be her Kyber Crystal?
Amber's face lit up with excitement. She quickly scanned the area, trying to find where she was sensing her crystal. "Where is it?" She asked to herself. She head zipped around in multiple directions. She sensed it calling to her again, she looked towards the direction was she was sensing it from, she ran off deeper into the cave.
As she was running she started to faintly hear something, was... that water?
She continued to run, the sound of water grew louder. She could sense her crystal was growing near and nearer.
She eventual made it to were the sound of water was coming from, and her law dropped. She ended up in a large cavern, on the right side of the cavern was a large waterfall. "Wow." Amber said as she walked slowly around the cavern.
While she looked around she sensed something, it was very strong and powerful. She looked over to her right, she noticed in the distance, a bright glow. It could be her Kyber Crystal!
Amber began to sprint toward the source of the glow, but she suddenly halted in her tracks. A vast ravine lay between her and the shimmering crystal, stretching across an expansive field.
'This could be a bit of a problem' She thought.
She looked around the cave to find an alternative path she could take, or maybe she could just climb to get to the other side of the ravine. But as far as she knew, she had no way to get across.
She desperately looked around to find anything, anything! To help her.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Nothing.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Absolutely nothing.
Amber sighed and walked over to one of the ice walls, sitting on the ground and slamming her head backwards against it. 'What am I going to do!' She thought.
She remained seated for a minute or two, contemplating a way to cross the ravine and retrieve her Kyber Crystal. To pass the time, she began to use the force to levitate a few small pebbles, drawing them closer to her before tossing them into the depths of the ravine.
Wait a minute.
"That's it!" Amber said.
She immediately got up and walked over to the ravine. "I could just use the force to grab my crystal." She said.
She extended her hand toward the Kyber Crystal shimmering in the distance, concentrating deeply as she tried to harness the Force to draw it to her. However, her efforts proved futile, and the crystal remained stubbornly in its place.
"Huh?" She muttered confused. Why wasn't it working?
She shook her head. 'Maybe I'm not trying hard enough.' She thought, she extended her hand out towards her crystal again, she tried hard to pull her crystal towards her, but nothing was working!
Amber grunted in frustration. "Why Isn't it working!" She yelled annoyed.
For the next few minutes Amber continued to try and pull her crystal towards her. But. Nothing. Worked.
Amber shouted in annoyance, her frustration boiling over as she yanked a rock from the ground and flung it across the ravine with all her might. Gasping for breath, she remained fixated on the distant Kyber Crystal, her eyes locked onto its shimmering glow.
She suddenly got an idea. She analyzed the ravine, trying to make out how large the gap is. From what she can see, it is a medium size gap between her and the other side were her crystal was.
"Maybe I can use the force to force jump my way across this ravine!" She said to herself.
It appeared to be a good plan... However, what if she fails to make the jump? What if she fails to use the force for her jump and ends up plummeting to her death!?
"M-maybe I should come up with another idea." Amber said quietly.
After a few minutes of trying to come up with different solutions to try and get to the other side of the ravine, or trying to find alternate path's that can bring her to her Kyber Crystal. Everything ended with it not working out, or making sense.
Amber groaned and threw her arms up in the air. "That's it, I'm never going to get that crystal. I'm a failure." She yelled.
She gazed back at the path from which she had came from and contemplated about weather or not she should go to find Erix or anyone of her friends.
"I'm going to go find Erix." She mumbled.
As she began to make her way toward the exit, a sudden pause halted her steps. Turning around, she focused her attention on the distant glow of her crystal, its light glowing in the dimly lit cave.
Should she really think about giving up?
Abandon her Kyber crystal and leave the cave?
What might Master Yoda and Master Tiiona say?
Or more importantly.
.
.
.
.
.
what would her brother say?
What would he say about her giving up and just leaving her crystal behind to go find him?
Amber thought about what to do.
She could do, 1: Leave the cave and go find her brother or any of her friends, or 2: Stay and continue trying to get to the other side of the ravine and get her Kyber Crystal.
She really wanted to go find her brother, yet she understood that he would likely tell her to not give up and go back to find a way to collect her Kyber crystal. Erix had consistently supported her during her times of need, but she realized that he wouldn't always be there for her forever. It was essential for her to forge her own path. It had to be her way... or not at all.
Amber sighed, hesitation flickering on her face, but also determination. "Alright, I'll attempt it one more time." she declared. With that, she turned around and walked towards the edge of the ravine. She gazed at her crystal glowing on the other side of the ravine. Her gaze drifted downward into the dark abyss, which seemed to stretch endlessly into the depths below.
While she was nervous she had to have trust in her abilities, and not just in her skills. But the force itself. She walked backwards a good distance away from the ravine.
She shut her eyes tightly and inhaled deeply, seeking to soothe her nervous mind. When she opened her eyes again, they sparkled with determination. Her expression tightened as she braced herself, holding her position for a few extra seconds. Then, with a burst of confidence, she launched herself into a sprint toward the brink of the ravine.
She got nearer and nearer to the edge of the ravine. When she reached the brink of the ravine, she summoned her strength in the force and jumped, soaring high into the sky thanks to the force. she soared across the ravine and landed safely on the opposite side, rolling as she touched down.
She looked up breathing heavily. She saw that she made it across the ravine! She got back onto her feet and looked at the ravine behind her. She then raised her arms into the air and cheered. "WOOHOOO YEA BABY!" Amber yelled with a big grin on her face.
When she was about to yell in joy again, she sensed her crystal reaching out to her. She looked behind her... and saw it closer then ever before.
She approached with a smile, the crystal was surrounded by ice and rock's. Undeterred by the jagged ice and rock's that encased the crystal. With a steady hand, she reached for the crystal and carefully grabbed it. As she cradled the Kyber crystal in her palms, the crystal glowed while the force was radiating off of it peacefully, her gaze was fixed upon it, a broad smile illuminating her face, reflecting a sense of triumph and wonder.
She did it.
Erix Winslett's Path
'This is going to be easy.' Erix thought.
Erix was walking through the cave, whistling to himself. He felt confident that he would find his crystal before anyone else. Although he was a bit worried about his sister being on her own, but he knew she could handle herself.
"Alright, find Kyber Crystal, exit the cave immediately and then build my lightsaber. Easy as pie!" Erix said grinning.
He looked around the cave trying to see if he can find his crystal, but so far he hasn't found anything yet. Maybe if he uses the force, o-or something like that to find it.
He stretched out his senses the best he can, but so far... nothing... again.
Erix groaned. "Where is this crystal at man." He mumbled.
He continued pushing forward, deeper into the cave. He looked ahead and saw something glow slightly. Erix's face lite up as he saw this.
This has to be his crystal!
He rushed towards his crystal with fast speed, he then stopped right in front of it. There were 2 crystal's, one crystal glowed slightly and the other crystal didn't glow. Too be honest, it kind of looked like ice, though Erix thought it was just a coincidence notice.
'Great! Now I just have to get out of the cave!' Erix thought. He pulled the 'crystal' from its socket and held it in his hand, With a sense of triumphant he stuffed it into his coat pocket, turned around and started to stroll back the route he had come.
"This was too easy man." Erix mumbled to himself as he walked towards the exit.
Erix strode confidently back to the intersection where he and his friends and sister were originally at. He smirked as he thought he had completed his test with a quick pace. He reached into his pocket to take his crystal out, But his fingers met only emptiness. His crystal wasn't in his pocket for some reason.
'Huh?' Erix thought.
He moved his hand everywhere in his pocket, exploring every corner, every seam of his pocket, trying desperately to find his crystal. But it wasn't there! The only thing there was just a wet spo-
His pocket was wet. And the crystal… gone.
.
.
.
That could only mean one thing, was his crystal merely a chunk of ice and not a genuine Kyber crystal he originally thought it was?
Erix was filled with panic. Had he really just been tricked by a piece of ice? He continued to rummage through his pocket, desperately searching for his crystal. He even checked his other pocket, just in case he had placed it there and forgotten. But there was nothing there either.
He groaned annoyed. Great... Now he had to go back into the cold dark cave and try and find his crystal, again! He walked back in to his cave and renewed his search.
As he walked, he actually felt relieved he checked his pocket earlier and not in front of Master Tiiona and Master Yoda, otherwise, it would have been quite embarrassing. But he also felt annoyed that he had to search for his crystal again after he thought he found it.
BUT NOPE.
It was just ice.
'stupid ice.' Erix thought as he walked deeper into the cave.
After walking for another few more minutes, he found the spot where he originally thought he found his crystal.
He sighed and glanced annoyed at the place where the chunk of ice had once rested. That ridiculous ice had left him feeling like a fool; no Jedi should ever experience such a feeling!
He shook his head, trying to rid himself of distracting thoughts, he needed to stay focused here and now, finding his Kyber Crystal and getting out of the cave was his main priority. As he navigated the cave, he examined each piece of ice, trying to determine whether it was a Kyber Crystal or just ordinary ice.
He walked past a section of the cave that resembled a hallway, but then he noticed a faint light emanating from the corner of his vision. His curiosity piqued, he stopped, retraced his steps, and turned his gaze to the hall-like passageway of the cave. He walked into the hall-like passageway, this passageway was for some reason full of ice! Not like the other parts of the caves were there was some pieces of ice, but this passageway was FULL of ice.
"Wow." Erix muttered.
He analyzed every single shard of ice that was in the corridor. he paused, his gaze fell upon one particular piece that bore a striking resemblance to a Kyber Crystal. He looked around the passageway once more, now that he thought about it, he realized that many of the shards of ice in the hall-like passageway had a similar appearance to Kyber Crystals.
But he didn't know which was his crystal. It could be any of these! He had to find it quickly and get out of the cave as fast as possible.
"The crystal will choose you, you'll know it. Trust me." Tiiona said.
Erix remembered Master Tiiona saying that at the beginning of the test/trial. But how is he supposed to know when his crystal will choose him?
He shook his head. Now was no time time for those thoughts, he had to find his crystal and fast! He walked up to one shards of ice, hoping it was his crystal. He held it in his hand as he starred at it, but after a few seconds, the piece of ice in his hand melted into water.
"Oh come on!" Erix yelled.
He reached for another piece of ice, he really hoped that it might be his Kyber crystal. After a tense 20 seconds of looking at the 'crystal' in his hand, he believed he had finally uncovered his crystal. A swell of pride began to rise within him.
But it didn't last long; within just a few seconds, it completely dissolved in his grasp.
"Stupid Ice." Erix said.
"Nope" Erix said as another piece of ice melted in his hand.
"Nada." Erix said as, yet again another piece of ice melted!
"Come on!" Erix yelled, as he threw the half-melted piece of ice against the wall.
Erix shouted in frustration, his voice echoing in the chilly air, as he glared at his soaked glove, watching the last remnants of ice drip away. "Where could it possibly be?" He muttered annoyed.
"Where is it!" Erix said.
"WHERE ARE YOU STUPID KYBER CRYSTAL!" Erix yelled into the dark cave.
After 20 minutes of doing nothing but plucking ice out of its sockets, Erix gave up. He just paced back and forth trying to find out what he's doing wrong.
"There has to be something I'm doing wrong. My crystal has to be here somewhere." Erix mumbled as he crossed his arms.
"Wait a minute, maybe I'll find the answer in what I've been doing for the last thirty minutes." Erix said.
He stopped pacing and focus his mind onto his memories, he reflected on the his past activities of the last half hour. He had been extracting ice from its sockets, frustration evident in his voice as he shouted in annoyance. He grumbled about not being able to find his Kyber Crystal. Yet, amidst all of his chaos, there was two significant thing's he had been feeling in during those annoying moments.
Being impatient, being over confident and arrogant.
Three things a Jedi shouldn't ever be feeling.
Maybe, if he start's to be patient and calm. He will finally be able to sense were he can get his Kyber Crystal.
He thinks back to a few years ago when Master Yoda taught him and his sister on the importance of patience, when he and Amber were nervous and afraid about handling practice sabers.
"To succeed, patience you must have. If not, it can lead to being overconfident, overconfidence can lead to arrogance and arrogance, lead's to failure. Calm and patient, you must learn." Yoda explained.
That's it!
"I must be patient and calm. That's the key in finding my crystal!" Erix said.
He gazed down the corridor where he had been searching for his Kyber Crystal. He closed his eyes, and took deep, slow breaths, allowing the cool air to soothe him. He pushed aside his pride and arrogance about being the first in his group to discover their Kyber Crystal first, He let go of his impatient thoughts about not being able to do it fast enough and to getting out of the cold cave quick enough.
He took a few more deep breaths and open his eyes. He looked around the cave and the passageway were he did a rampage in. Erix paused, he sensed something through the force, almost as if something was reaching out to him through the force.
Could it be his Kyber Crystal? He used his senses to see were his possible Kyber Crystal was calling him. He walked away and walked towards the source. He saw something glowing in the distance. His curiosity peaked and he walked towards it, he sensed it calling out to him.
He approached the source of what he was sensing through the force. Turns out, to his great surprise. It was his Kyber Crystal! He found it! He did it!
Wait, he recognized it, it was the same crystal as the one from before that didn't glow! Erix remembered Master Yoda saying that the cave will test you, so the cave made it seem like his crystal was just a piece of ice.
Whatever he got is crystal and overcome his mental obstacles! Erix grinned happily as he reached out and carefully took it out from its socket. He held it in his hands and looked at it, the crystal glowed brightly, he could sense the force radiating off of it peacefully.
'Guess being patient and calm worked out.' Erix thought.
Cameron Moneaux's Path
As Cameron walked in the dark and cold cave, he was feeling a mix of anxiety and a hint of fear. He knew he was safe, that was certain. Next to the cave's entrance were Master Tiiona and Master Yoda, he would be okay... wouldn't he?
He shivered a little bit from the cold, he took a deep breath and folded his arms, seeking some warmth in the annoying cold. It was ridiculous that a Jedi temple was situated in such an icy cave. Why couldn't the Jedi Order relocate all the Kyber Crystals to a different cave on a warmer planet, such as Naboo, Alderaan, or Tatooine?
'Nah, Tatooine would be to hot.' Cameron thought.
As continued to walk for a few more minutes, he tried to use the force to sense for his crystal, but nothing popped up, not even a sliver of anything... That didn't really make sense.
Cameron shook his head as he walked through the cave.
He continued to observe his surroundings, on the lookout for anything that could direct him to his crystal. from tiny shards of ice to large chunks of ice. When he was observing one piece of ice, he heard something. It kind of sounded like a deep chuckle.
He swiftly spun around upon hearing the sound. Scanning the cave for any signs of life, but he found nothing. This left Cameron baffled. Why did it seem like someone was laughing, when in reality he was all alone?
The Zabrak narrowed his eyes suspiciously, though no one was there, deep down he had a feeling that he wasn't alone in the cave. He turned around and continued to walk through the cave. He kept his eyes peeled all around him, looking for any sign of anyone or his crystal. When he passed by some spiky looking ice pillars, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and again saw noth- wait... For a split second he thought he saw a shadow go behind one of the walls.
This was becoming really strange. It was honestly making Cameron a little freaked out. His thoughts from last night and earlier this morning about the chance of another attack rushed back into his mind. Along with the accompanying fear. He tried to push away those thoughts, but it wasn't working.
A few minutes later, Cameron's pace has quickened to something more like a brisk walk, he keeps hearing more noises and seeing shadows moving out of the corner of his eye. He doesn't know what's going on, he doesn't know if it's something... Or someone following him.
Could it be one of his friends trying to play a prank on him? No, it couldn't be. Besides he can't sense anyone out there.
But... H-He does senses something. But what is it?
He walked quickly through the cave, looking around at his surroundings. He heard another sound behind him and quickly stopped, he slowly looked over his shoulder to see what was following him. Luckily or unluckily. He didn't see anything, just the empty dark-looking cave.
With nothing in sight, Cameron drew in a long breath to soothe his fear's, but it barely made a difference.
He looked straight ahead and continued walking. As he rounded a corner, he stopped suddenly; he noticed something up ahead. Curiosity got the better of him, and he sprinted forward.
As he drew closer and saw it more clearly, he realized something, it was a intersection, it was almost identical to the one where he and his friends had passed through only a few minutes ago. However, there was something different about this one, at the previous crossroads he was at, there were six different passageways, but this one only had 2.
Looking at each passageway, they go to either the left side of the cave or to the right. Cameron debated on which passageway he should enter.
As he thought, he heard another sound. But this time it was clearer. It sounded like... footsteps? Cameron turned and looked in the direction he had come from. He squinted into the distance to see where the footsteps were coming from. In the distance, he could barely make out a shadow, and it was coming towards him, along with the sound of footsteps getting closer and closer!
Fear gripped him tightly, causing him to lose his calm. Not that he was calm, he whirled around and looked at the passageway's. Without pausing to think, he dashed towards the left passageway without a moment to lose,
He ran through the cave with fear and panic coursing through his mind.
Glancing over his should towards the entrance of the passage way, he could see nothing standing in the entrance.
'I think I've lost the person who was following m-' His thoughts were cut off. In his frantic attempt to see what was following him by looking over his shoulder, he became so distracted that he failed to notice a pit right in front of him.
"Aaaah!" he shouted as he plunged into the pit. He fell headfirst onto the cold, hard earth with a jarring thud.
"Owwwww," Cameron moaned as he struggled to get up. His head was swirling from falling in the pit and the harsh landing to the ground, because of that, when he attempted to stand up his legs gave way and fell back to the ground.
He rubbed his head as he tried to grasp his barring's. His head slowly started to feel better as the dizziness gradually began to fade. With a grunt, he pushed himself onto his hands and knees.
'What in the force just happened?' Cameron thought. He shook his head and glanced upward, looking up and around, only to realize he had fallen into a deep pit. "Oh you have got to be kidding me!" He muttered.
Once he got back on his feet, he took a long, calming breath and shook his head. He gazed upwards and analyzed how far he needed to climb to get back to the top.
"Well, time to climb my way back up." Cameron muttered. He approached the wall, running his hands along its surface, searching for a spot that would help him scale it.
While he looked around the wall's, a Deep chuckle echoed through the cave. Cameron's heart stopped, he recognized that voice. He heard those footsteps again alongside the chuckle, they were approaching the pit were he fell in. Cameron glanced up at the edge of the pit, and he froze in shock.
Standing above him, looking down at him.
Was Zaine Grimm.
"No. It can't be, your supposed to be dead!" Cameron said in shock and fear.
Zaine just chuckled. "Oh no my friend. I am far from dead." He said. "I will always come back!" He Declared, with sadistic smile on his face.
"That's impossible though! Nathan killed you by blowing up your ship with you inside it!" Cameron said.
Zaine's anger flared. "That traitor of a spy? He couldn't hurt me even if he tried." he exclaimed.
Cameron was slowly starting become more and more afraid as he stared up at Zaine with fear.
"W-Why you h-here?" Cameron stuttered.
"I am here, because you are here." Zaine said casting a menacing glance at the young zabrak. "I'm here to hunt Jedi."
"B-But why! Master Juno died because of your servant! Wasn't that enough" Cameron said.
Zaine scoffed and looked away. "That servant of mine was merely a foolish power-hungry idiot." he remarked, circling the edge of the pit and peering down at him. "Regarding your previous remark, don't you remember me saying to your group that I was hired to take you out? I'm just seeing that job through."
"Once I'm done with you, I'll track down each and every other one of your friends, and kill them!" Zaine said.
"N-NO!" Cameron shouted, his eyes wide with terror. "Master Tiiona and Master Yoda will put a stop to you before you can even try!" He declared, jabbing a finger in his direction.
Zaine brushed aside the threat, a smirk playing on his lips. "Sure they will." He said with a mocking tone. "No Jedi has ever been able to stop me, and I don't expect that to change anytime soon."
Cameron squeezed his eyes shut, he grasped his head with both hands, his head shaking back and forth, overwhelmed by denial and fear.
What is he going to do, how will he get out of this?!
A full fifteen minutes have gone by and Cameron still remains trapped in the deep pit, with Zaine standing over him, ridiculing him and vowing to kill him and every one of his friends, even Master Yoda and Tiiona.
Cameron sat against the wall afraid, he held his knees against his chest and rested his face against his legs.
"Now you see, when I kill you brat's I will hang your head's on my wall!" He said insanely.
'Wow, he really is evil, not that there was any doubt.' Cameron thought.
"Won't that smell?" Cameron muttered to himself.
"Shut up you brat!" Zaine yelled, having heard the zabrak muttering that comment.
Cameron couldn't help but roll his eyes, even though fear gripped him within his mind.
To be honest, this was becoming... weird, sort of speak. Not that it was already weird. Why is Zaine still talking? He's going to kill him along with all of his friends. He stated that SOOO many times the past 15 minutes. Why hasn't he done anything yet?
In fact, Zaine has made statements that seemed a bit... off.
How did he know that Nathan was a spy? He never made any mention off Nathan being a spy back on Trealo.
It raises an interesting point: how did he manage to survive being inside his ship when it explored. Besides, it was in space, the lack of breathable air would result in immediate suffocation, and he would have eventually freeze to death within a few hours.
Also, he said he was here because he was here, not him and his friends. Just him. Was Zaine... Just an illusion? Master Yoda did say that the cave will test you. Plus, how would Zaine have gotten past Master Yoda and Master Tiiona, heck even the Jedi escorts outside the temple? Master Yoda and Master Tiion were powerful Jedi Masters. Nothing could past them, not even a sociopath that wants to kill kids.
But... Even if Zaine was an illusion. He's still afraid to make any move.
"Y-Your just a-an Illusion Zaine! YOUR NOT REAL!" Cameron yelled at the top of his lungs.
Zaine burst into laughter, his voice dripping with insanity. "An illusion? How foolish are you! You're just as foolish as that pathetic Jedi Padawan who thought he could challenge me. Luckily, I took care of him!" he boasted.
As Zaine continued to laugh, an attempt to mock Cameron. It didn't work as Cameron was too focused on his thoughts.
Ryak.
He reflected on the guidance given to him, about overcoming his fears, aand it proved effective, especially during his battle against the Sorcerers of Gora on Trealo, where he stood strong with his friends. Fear did not grip him then. Last night his friends had made an effort to recall the advice Ryak had shared with him. Their faith in him was a powerful.
Now he was afraid again, he needed to use that widsom given to him by Ryak and get himself out of this pit and find his Kyber Crystal!
Cameron inhaled deeply, allowing the cool air to soothe his mind. His fear's slowly melting away before he gradually rose to his feet. With a fierce glare, he fixed his gaze on "Zaine," It didn't take long for "Zaine" to realize that Cameron was now standing and was staring at him with a brave look.
Zaine sneered, "So, a little boy has finally mustered the courage to confront me, all while shooting me a stupid glare. How utterly laughable!"
Cameron remained silent, his gaze fixed intently on Zaine. He shut his eyes tightly and inhaled deeply, allowing himself to release all lingering fears and anxieties. In an instant, his eyes snapped open, and with a aid from the force, he leaped into the air, he soared out of the deep pit and landed firmly on the opposite side of the pit. He assumed a defensive stance and starred down at "Zaine"
"Zaine" starred shocked at Cameron managing to get out of the pit. He grew angry and snarled. "Why you little!" He said, he then huffed and started to walk over to the young zabrak.
Cameron concentrated on the force around him and unleashed a force push directed at Zaine. The force push sent Zaine hurtling backward, causing him to collide forcefully with the wall and then slump to the ground. Zaine's body radiated an intense light, forcing Cameron to shield his eyes. After a few moments, he could sense the light went away. When he decided to look, he was left bewildered—Zaine had disappeared without a trace.
Confused, he looked around to try and find the man. But he was nowhere to be found.
He used the force to try and sense were the sociopath was hiding. But, he sensed nothing. Now that he thought about it, when Zaine was still here, he couldn't sense him then!
Yes, that... thing, was not the real Zaine. The real Zaine is no longer alive.
Deciding to forgot about the whole event that just happened to him, he just walked away, as he was walking. He sensed something.
"Huh?" Cameron said, he sensed something... reaching out to him. Calling to him.
He walked back into the intersection that he was in 15 minutes ago. He looked around the room, what was he sensing. Suddenly he sensed it again, only more stronger. He looked to his left, towards the other passage way, the one he didn't go down.
He saw something down there, something faint, something... glowing. The force was calling out to him through, what ever that was. Wait a minute...
Could it be?
Entering the other corridor, Cameron raced through the cave, He sprinted forward before coming to an abrupt halt, his breath hitching in surprise. There, right in front of him, was his Kyber Crystal, glowing softly and reaching out to him through the force.
He reached over and plucked it out of its socket. He held it in his hand as he looked very closely at it.
"I did it." Cameron said with a grin, feeling both a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Natalya Kennet's Path
As Natalya traversed the frigid ice cave, while she looking for her Kyber Crystal. her mind was preoccupied with her thoughts.
'When I get my Krystal, what then?' She thought.
'I'll probably have to construct my lightsaber, but... but what if I won't be able to?' She thought.
Natalya shook her head. 'No! Don't think like that! I'll be able to pass this test, build my lightsaber and continue my training to become a Jedi Knight.' She thought.
She continued walking while trying to push away those thoughts. She approached some spiky ice, thinking she saw some glow emulate from it.
She inspected it from left to right. But it was nothing. Just plain ordinary ice.
"Dammit!" She muttered.
With a sigh of annoyance, she rolled her eyes and walked off in frustration. She tucked her hands into her coat's pockets and just walked slowly through the cave. her footsteps echoing against the Icey wall's
"Guess I wasn't going to get it immediately." Natalya said.
She paused. "Master Yoda did say that the cave will test you. Maybe when I complete the test, my Kyber Crystal will reveal itself to me?"
"I don't know. Will I even complete the test?" She said rubbing her forehead. "Why am I even talking to myself?" She muttered.
'GET YOURSELF TOGETHER KENNET!' She screamed in her mind.
After a few minutes of walking, she found nothing. No Krystal in sight or any sign of a test.
Honestly, this was becoming annoying and increasingly alarming. Would she manage to finish the test? However, how could she possibly complete it when she has no idea what she is supposed to be looking for?
She suddenly stopped walking and stood in the middle of the cave, thinking.
Would she complete it?
If she did? Would she be even able to build her lightsaber!
If she wasn't able to build it. W-Would she... fail?
But even if she is able to build her lightsaber, what will happen after that! Would she continue her training as a Jedi.
But what will happen if she will fail at that!
Would she get kicked out of the energy clan, heck even the Jedi Or-
"STOP IT!" Natalya yelled as she slammed her hands against the side of her head. "STOP THINKING LIKE THAT!"
From a young age, Natalya couldn't help but think she was destined to fail. While she hid it pretty well, it showed a few time's, Dylan caught onto it and helped her out. As she matured and grew older and with Dylan's help, it didn't pose much of a problem, but it did come back every know and then. However this Jedi Temple/cave is amplifying her thoughts about failing!
Or, could it just be her?
Maybe...
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.
.
.
Or maybe not?
She tried to continue looking for her Kyber Crystal, but her thoughts about failing continued to overwhelm her.
At this point she was overwhelmed with thought's about her.
Natalya knelt on the ground, cradling her head in her hands. She was breathing rapidly and erratically, each breath coming in quick, desperate gasps.
'I'm going to fail getting my Krystal.' She thought.
'SHUT UP I WILL NOT FAIL.' She yelled in her mind.
'I've failed a few multiple time's in my life, why should today be any different?' She thought.
"Why is it so hard for me to concentrate?" she shouted in frustration. "A true Jedi is expected to stay completely focused on their mission! But I just can't seem to do it!"
'I'm a failure.'
'I'll be the worst Jedi ever.'
'I'll be kicked out of the Jedi Order.'
'I'll mess up training.'
'I'll always mess up.'
'I'm a failure.'
Reaching her breaking point. "ARGH!" she yelled, she seized a rock from the ground, and launched it at the wall with all her might.
She has reached her limit, her situation was becoming overwhelming and was genuinely beginning to give her a headache.
Natalya let out a deep sigh, her fingers pressing against her forehead in frustration, while also feeling overwhelmed. 'There has to be a way to get rid of these stupid thoughts out of my head!' She thought.
With a sense of desperation, she tried to come up with a solution. But due to her mind preoccupied with other negative thought's, she ended up coming up with nothi-
'Wait a minute.' She thought.
She remembered Master Tiiona mentioning something to her regarding clearing your mind of all thought's.
But what was it though?
Natalya concentrated intently on her memories. Although the thoughts of potential failures continued to be overwhelming for her, she didn't pay it any mind, channeling all her energy into her thoughts and memories.
When she dug deeper into her memories, she found it.
"When you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, stressed, worried or anxious, consider turning to meditation, it's the perfect remedy. It allows you to clear your mental clutter and sharpen your focus effectively." Tiiona said.
Natalya's eye's shot open. "Meditation! That's the solution!" She said.
Meditation was a common thing for Jedi, and she was baffled as to why it hadn't come to her mind until now. Probably because of the constant thoughts about her failing and the overwhelming stress that was making her not think straight.
She knelt down onto the cold, rough ground and sat. She took a deep but calm breath and closed her eyes.
Her thoughts of failure and the future continued to berate her mind, but she didn't care, she let those thoughts seep away from her mind.
Her expression twisted in discomfort as some of those thoughts returned, intensifying the stress that was already overwhelming her mind. She gently shook her head to get her focused again, determined to push these thoughts out of her mind.
'I will fail.'
'I'll be a terrible Jedi.'
'I'll never make it.'
'I'll make Master Tiiona ashamed to have me as one of her students'
'Enough!' Natalya thought.
'I refuse to allow these thoughts to define who I am!' She thought.
Her hand's gripped her knee's tightly, she inhaled and exhaled slowly and silently, her face scrunched up with determination.
'I will not fail!'
'I will find my Kyber Crystal!'
'I will build my Lightsaber!'
'I WILL MAKE MASTER TIIONA PROUD!'
Her face contorted further, her shut eyelids tightened, her shoulders scrunched up and her whole body became rigid with tension.
'But, what if I-'
'No. Even if I do fail, I will never admit defeat.'
'I will push forwards despite the odd's against me.'
'I'll continue to train.'
'I'll learn from my failures.'
'I'll push past any obstacle.'
'I will push on!'
'LIKE A TRUE JEDI' She yelled in her mind.
All thoughts about failing and the future swept away from her mind. Her body relaxed, her hands stopped gripping her knees tightly, and her eyelids softened. She took a deep, calming breath and opened her eyes.
She rose back to her feet and let out a deep sigh, feeling her shoulders relax as the tension completely dissipated from her mind and body, bringing her a sense of calm.
When she was about to start walking again. She sensed something, something... calling to her.
She scanned her surroundings, attempting to identify the source of what ever was calling out to her. Turning her head, she noticed a faint glow shimmering in the distance.
Her eyebrow's shot up surprised, curiosity got the better of her and she walked over to the source of the glow, as she got closer, she could sense it calling to her. As if it was telling her to walk over to it.
She came to a halt before the source of the glowing, her eyes widening in a mix of surprise and joy. It was her Kyber Crystal that emitted the glow, and she could distinctly sense the Force flowing from it, radiating a sense of peace.
She raised her hand towards it and plucked it out of the ice.
She held it in her hand and starred at the glowing Kyber Crystal.
"Look's like I succeeded." Natalya said smirked.
Dylan Shan and Ahsoka Tano's Path
Ahsoka strolled through the cave. She looked around the cave looking for her crystal, but her mind kept wandering back to a certain someone. Dylan Shan.
Over the last two months, Ahsoka has noticed that Dylan's behavior was a little strange, so has Master Tiiona. Any time whenever the topics of the Sorcerers of Gora, Master Juno, Padawan Ryak, or Tython are mentioned. Dylan would get this look on his face. A face full of shame. Ahsoka can also sense guilt grappling Dylan, and it seems to be weighing heavily on him.
Ahsoka sighed. She wished that Dylan would just talk to her, or even to seek guidance from Master Tiiona, o-or from Master Yoda. She tried talking to him about it yesterday but he was acting stubborn. The events from two months ago had clearly taken a toll on him, they had impacted her and the rest of their clan too, but it seemed to have struck him the hardest.
Ahsoka turned a corner, but due to being lost in her thoughts about Dylan and the troubles he was facing, she failed to see what lay ahead: a slick patch of ice that turned into a long Icey slide. As she took a step forward, her feet slid out from beneath her, and she cried out as she hit the ground. She let out a scream as she zipped down the icy slide. She slid down the Icey slide for 5 seconds before she approached a bend in the the slide, and she slid around the bend, sliding all the way into a large chamber of the cave.
She spent a few seconds on the ground before regaining her composure. she collected herself and gradually stood up. Shaking her head, her eyes wandered around the area of the cave she found herself in.
The part of the cave she was in a large chamber, the roof of the cave was very high up and there was a lot of spiked ice everywhere.
"This is weird, but cool at the same time!" Ahsoka commented with a grin. "But I have to get out of here, can't stop looking for my crystal because of some cool looking ice."
After taking one final look around at the cave, she turned and made her way back to the spot from which she had came from, or more precisely, the place she had slid down from.
She looked up the slide, she saw it was all ice. This could be a bit of a problem. She shook her head and decided to give it try. She slowly and carefully walked onto the ice.
"W-Wow!" Ahsoka said as she slipped a little. But she regained her balanced, she took a deep breath before slowly walking up the slide.
Nothing could go wrong.
.
.
.
.
.
.
She slipped almost instantly, she out a yelp as she fell onto her back with a thud.
"Owwww." Ahsoka groaned.
Yea it went wrong.
Slowly, she regained her footing, rubbing the back of her head where a dull ache lingered from her frequent slips on the ice. Glancing back at the icy slide, she couldn't help but frown.
"Yea there's no way I'm getting back up that way." She muttered.
She sighed and crossed her arm's. "What am I going to do?" She questioned.
"AHHHHH!" ? yelled.
Ahsoka looked around to were she heard the yell. Her eye's widened with surprise at who it was.
As Dylan made his way through the cave, his eyes darting around the cave, scanning his surroundings in search of any trace of his crystal. However, up to this point, he had found nothing. Only ice, ice and more ice.
"Okaaay, so far no crystal." Dylan muttered.
He sighed. "Even if I do find my crystal. What if it actually isn't my crystal and I'll be fooled?" Dylan questioned himself.
For the past 2 months. He has been... distrusting himself, in a way. Ever since Master Juno was killed back on Trealo, he has felt nothing but distrust in himself and pure guilt.
Dylan sighed and stuffed his hands in his pocket. He blame's himself for Master Juno getting killed. If he just told Master Juno about him sensing danger back on Tython, she would still be alive today, she would still be Ryak's master. But because of his decision to not tell Master Juno that he sensed danger, she died, and he felt so horrible for it. If he continues to make those type's of decision for the rest of his life, how could he ever trust himself?!
He's aware that Ahsoka has been picking up on his reactions whenever the Sorcerers of Gora, Master Juno, Ryak, Tython, or Trealo are mentioned. He would feel horrible and be filled with nothing but pure guilt. He feels bad for not being upfront with her, but he doesn't want to bother her with his personal problem's knowing that she is already occupied with training and studies. On the side she's also currently taking lessons with Master Shaak Ti to prepare for a test that involves slaying an Akul beast on Shili, which is necessary for her to earn a Togruta headdress.
He walked past some spiky ice that was sticking up from the ground, he was so distracted by his depressing thoughts he didn't notice that he was approaching a Icey slide. As soon as he stepped onto the ice, he slipped.
"WHAT TH-" He yelled, he didn't finish speaking as he slammed onto the Ice. He grunted in a little pain, but he didn't have time to think because he started to slide down at fast spead.
As he descended the icy slide, the wind rushed past him, his eyes filled with surprise and bewilderment. Approaching a sharp turn, he slid around it swiftly but also uncontrollably. He was at a complete loss for words and didn't know how to respond. The only thing he could think to do was...
"AHHHHH!" Dylan yelled.
Screaming...
He soon slid all the way into a large open chamber of the cave. He came to a stop on the ground, he took a moment to gather himself. He was about to stand up before...
"Dylan!" ? yelled.
Dylan looked towards the voice and saw Ahsoka running towards him.
"Ahsoka!" He said surprised, he slowly sat up. "You're here to huh?"
"Yea I guess." She chuckled as she helped him up from the ground.
"Thanks" He said. He looked around the cave. Noticing how large and open it was, plus all the spiked ice that was everywhere. "We're are we?" He asked.
"It's a cave." Ahsoka remarked smirking.
Dylan rolled his eyes. "I know that but, what part of the cave are we in." He questioned
Ahsoka shrugged. "I don't Know." She said.
"How'd you get here anyway?" Dylan asked curious.
"All I was doing was just walking through the cave/temple trying to find my crystal, but I ended up not looking where I was going and ended up slipping onto a Icey slide." Ahsoka said
"Huh, that's exactly what happened to me." Dylan said smirking.
"Maybe it was Destiny." Ahsoka said jokingly.
Dylan rolled his eyes smirking. He looked around the large cave. "How do we get out of here?" He questioned.
"I think the only way out is from the way we came in from." Ahsoka said. She pointed towards the entrance of the Icey Slide they came sliding from. "Those Icey slide's are our only way out." She said.
Dylan walked over to the Icey slide's. "We'll we're going to have to find a way to climb the slide's without slipping." He said.
"How though, it's pure ice, we'll be slipping all the time." Ahsoka questioned.
He looked back over to her. "I never said it was going to be easy." Dylan said smirking.
At first, they made a desperate attempt to summon help from anyone nearby.
"IS ANYONE OUT THERE?" Dylan yelled, his voice echoing into the emptiness of the cave around them.
"WE'RE IN NEED OF HELP!" Ahsoka added, her tone filled with urgency.
"CAMERON NATALYA!" Dylan yelled.
"ERIX AMBER!" Ahsoka yelled.
"PLEASE, IF ANYONE IS OUT THERE. WE NEED HELP!" Dylan yelled.
Sadly, despite their loud cries and heartfelt pleas, their attempts to reach out went unanswered, leaving them feeling increasingly isolated and hopeless. But they weren't giving up. They had to get out of there.
The next idea they came up with was to use the Force by launching one of them up the icy slide.
"Alright, here's the plan: I'll run up as far as I can without slipping, and you give me a Force push," Dylan explained.
Ahsoka looked concerned. "Are you sure this will work?"
He shrugged. "We won't find out unless we give it a shot," Dylan replied.
Taking a few steps back, he then took off running up the icy slide. As he ran up it, Ahsoka used the Force to propel him further. He soared upward but collided with the wall with a thud.
"Ow!" Dylan grunted.
"Dylan!" Ahsoka shouted, her voice filled with concern.
He tumbled back down the slide and landed in the expansive cave chamber once more. Ahsoka rushed over to him.
"Are you okay, are you hurt?!" She questioned worried.
"Feeling fantastic." Dylan replied with a hint of sarcasm.
Ahsoka rolled her eye's. "Seriously Dylan, are you hurt anywhere?" She asked.
"No, just sore." Dylan said.
After spending 20 minutes brainstorming ideas or attempting to ascend the icy slide—only to find themselves sliding back down or tumbling down—they decided to take a short break.
They settled against the cave wall, sitting in silence.
Ahsoka tried to come up with a new plan in her mind while Dylan just sat next to her, he felt so much guilt.
'This is all my fault. If I hadn't separated everyone, Ahsoka and I wouldn't be in this predicament!' Dylan thought to himself.
He glanced down at his hands, his eyes narrowing as he clenched his fists tightly.
'Just like on Tython, my decisions have led us into chaos. Whether it's being attacked by that kriffing cult that cost us a life or being trapped in this cave with no escape!' he thought.
Taking a deep breath, he relaxed his fists, but guilt washed over him like a torrent.
"Another disaster caused by my choices. Great job, Dylan," he muttered under his breath.
Ahsoka, having overheard him, turned to him with concern. "Dylan, what's wrong?" she inquired, she noticed the guilty look on his face which made her even more concerned.
"N-Nothing's wrong, I-I'm fine Ahsoka." Dylan stuttered.
She rolled her eyes and nudged him. "Come on, you can talk to me." She said.
"Ahsoka seriously I'm fine." Dylan lied.
Ahsoka raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.
"I really am!" Dylan insisted, trying to reassure her.
Frustrated by his stubbornness to open up, Ahsoka pressed him further. "Dylan, you need to tell me what's going on. You've been acting odd for the past two months!"
"No, I haven't," he replied quietly, looking down at his lap.
"Yes, you have," Ahsoka countered, narrowing her eyes. "I've noticed it, and so has Master Tiiona. Whatever's troubling you, you can share it with me." She pleaded, hoping to get him to open up.
He didn't say anything or do anything but instead he just sit there in silence. He slowly looked over to Ahsoka who looked back at him with concern, worry and frustration in her eyes.
"Dylan, plea-"
"BECAUSE OF MY DUMB DECISIONS, WE'RE ALWAYS IN A MESS!" Dylan shouted. "MASTER JUNO IS DEAD BECAUSE OF ME!"
Ahsoka stared at him, taken aback. She placed her hand on his shoulder. "That's not true, Dylan," she replied gently.
"BUT IT IS!" he insisted, raising his voice.
He stood up and faced Ahsoka directly. "IF I HADN'T WARNED MASTER JUNO ABOUT THE DANGER I SENSED BACK ON TYTHON, SHE'D STILL BE ALIVE!" he exclaimed.
Ahsoka looked at him in disbelief. "Dylan, Master Juno's death wasn't your fault. It was Kragen who took her life, NOT you!" she clarified.
"NO, IT WAS ME!" Dylan shouted again, turning away from her and beginning to pace.
"IF I TOLD HER THAT SHE WOULD STILL BE HERE TODAY, RYAK WOULD STILL HAVE HIS OLD MASTER." He shouted.
"IF I HADN'T TOLD EVERYONE TO SPLIT UP, WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS SITUATION!" he yelled, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Ahsoka observed her best friend with a mix of sympathy and concern. She had never seen him like this before, they had been friends since they were toddlers and he had never acted or felt this way.
"I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN STILL BE MY FRIEND. I'M SURE YOU MUST HATE ME, IT'S ALWAYS MY FAULT WE END UP IN THESE PREDICAMENTS!" Dylan shouted, leaving Ahsoka in stunned silence.
"HOW CAN I TRUST MYSELF AFTER MAKING SO MANY HORRIBLE CHOICES AND SO MANY MISTAKES!" He yelled.
He continued to ramble on how he was a fool, an idiot and how his Decisions always end up screwing everyone over in the end.
Fed up with Dylan's self-inflicted torment over things that weren't his fault or were simply untrue, Ahsoka marched over to him.
"DYLAN, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Ahsoka exclaimed. Dylan looked taken aback, his eyes widening in surprise.
With a sympathetic gaze, Ahsoka placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Dylan, it was NOT. YOUR. FAULT. Master Juno was killed by Kragen, NOT YOU!" Ahsoka said, narrowing her eye's at him.
"I'm sure that Master Juno wouldn't want you to be down in the dumps and feeling responsible for her death." She said.
He remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ground. Tears streamed down his cheeks, splattering against the cold cave floor.
"It's also not your fault that we ended up in this part of the cave. Even if we hadn't split up, we would have likely found ourselves here anyway," Ahsoka continued.
"Besides, everyone makes mistakes. You can learn from them. No Jedi is flawless, I'm sure even Master Yoda has made his share of errors in his nearly 1000 years of being alive," she added.
Dylan finally lifted his gaze to meet Ahsoka's, noticing tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
"Dylan, I care about you. You're my best friend, and I will never hate you, no matter what happens. I believe in you, I have faith in you." she reassured him.
He gazed at her for a moment longer, a faint smile beginning to form on his lips.
"You need to have faith in yourself, Dan. Trust your instincts and never, ever give up," Ahsoka urged him, her voice steady and reassuring.
"How can you be so sure that I can do this?" Dylan asked, a hint of doubt creeping into his tone.
Ahsoka smirked at him and crossed her arms, her expression playful. "I've known you for almost my entire life, I have complete faith in you, I'll always have your back." she declared confidently.
They lapsed into silence for a few moments, and gradually, the small smile on Dylan's face transformed into a more radiant expression.
"You're right. I need to believe in myself again. Even if I make mistakes along the way, I can always find a way to make things right." Dylan confessed, a newfound determination shining in his eyes.
He looked at Ahsoka with a smile on his face. "Thanks for that pep talk Ahsoka." Dylan said. "I'll always have your back as well" He said chuckling.
"There's the Dylan Shan I know." Ahsoka said smiling.
They hugged each other with smiles, both feeling happy knowing the other will always have their back.
While they were hugging, they then sensed something, something... reaching out to them. Calling out to them.
They released their embrace and exchanged puzzled glances.
"Did you, sense something?" Ahsoka inquired.
Dylan nodded in agreement. "Yes, I did."
They scanned the large empty cave, searching for the source of their sensations. Finding only ice and nothing els-
Once again, Dylan and Ahsoka sensed it, but this time it was... behind them. Cautiously, they turned around and saw a faint glow in the distance.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Dylan asked.
"Yes, but what could it be?" Ahsoka replied, her eyes narrowing in confusion.
The distant light seemed to beckon them through the Force.
"Let's get a closer look." Dylan suggested.
Ahsoka agreed, and together they began to approach the mysterious glow. As they drew nearer, they could feel its energy reaching out to them through the Force.
Eventually, they stood directly in front of it. They gazed down at the source, their faces filled with astonishment and surprise.
"Dylan... Is that what I think it is?" Ahsoka exclaimed.
"Our Kyber Crystals!" Dylan said, a broad smile spreading across his face.
Trapped in the ice, two Kyber Crystals radiated vibrant colors, casting a warm light in the otherwise dim cave.
With exactment, Dylan carefully extended his hand and seized the Kyber Crystal from the ice that was calling to him through the Force. Meanwhile, Ahsoka reached for the other crystal that was calling out to her through the force.
They looked at the Crystal in their hand's, feeling happy and full of pride that they completed the test.
After a brief period of examining their Crystals, Dylan concluded that it was time to leave the cave.
"We should head out before the entrance door freezes shut completely," Dylan proposed.
"That's a smart idea," Ahsoka concurred.
As they made their way to the center of the cave, they soon faced a problem.
"How exactly are we going to get out of here?" Ahsoka asked, looking puzzled. "We didn't exactly have much success getting out of here before."
Dylan paused for a moment, scanning the cave until his gaze landed on a section of spiked ice. After contemplating for a moment, an idea sparked in his mind.
"I think I have a idea," Dylan announced.
"What do you have in mind?" Ahsoka inquired.
He approached the spiked ice, grasped a piece, and broke it free from the ice it was stuck to.
"What are you planning to do with some ice?" Ahsoka asked, her curiosity piqued.
Dylan turned to his best friend, a grin on his face, holding the spiked ice triumphantly in his hand.
In the intersection of the cave, Dylan, Ahsoka, Natalya, Cameron, Erix, and Amber emerged from their respective passageways simultaneously. Upon entering the intersection, they were taken aback to see one another.
"Guys!" Dylan exclaimed with a broad grin.
"Wow!" Ahsoka responded, clearly surprised.
"This is perfect timing." Natalya remarked with a chuckle.
"Absolutely." Cameron agreed.
"I didn't expect to run into any of you here." Erix joked.
"Same here brother." Amber replied with a playful smirk.
Everyone made their way to the center of the room and gathered together.
"So, did you all manage to get your crystals?" Dylan asked, his curiosity piqued.
Everyone exchanged smiles, they reached into their pocket's and revealed each of their respective crystals, which they held up in their hands before placing them together in the center.
"We did it." Dylan declared, filled with pride.
"Indeed we did." Ahsoka chuckled in agreement.
"I can't believe we actually made it here." Natalya said in disbelief.
"We couldn't have done it without all of you." Cameron added with a warm smile.
"No problem, bro!" Erix replied enthusiastically.
"I'm so glad to have shared this moment with you all." Amber exclaimed.
They lingered for a few extra moments, but then Cameron shivered, his breath visible in the chilly air.
"You know what? I've had my fill of cold planets for today. Can we head back to Master Tiiona and Master Yoda?" Cameron requested.
Dylan laughed, he grabbed his Kyber Crystal and pocked it. "Come on, everyone, let's go!" he urged.
Ahsoka cheered, Natalya celebrated with a fist pump, Cameron smirked and nodded, while Erix and Amber exchanged fist pumps, both beaming with joy.
In the middle of the Jedi temple, Master Yoda and Master Tiiona stood in front of the entrance to the cave waiting.
They sensed multiple presence's approaching them from inside of the cave, they looked towards the cave and saw Dylan, Ahsoka, Natalya, Cameron, Erix and Amber exiting the cave, all of them together as a group. This surprised Master Yoda and Master Tiiona. This was quite surprising to see all the younglings return at the same time.
"This is a surprise!" Tiiona said chuckling.
"Indeed, it is." Master Yoda said smiling. "Never in my life, or in the Jedi Order's History. Younglings to return all at once, do they." He said.
"Really Master?" Dylan asked quite curious.
Yoda chuckled. "Yes young one." He said.
Cameron lightly punched Dylan in the shoulder. "Now you can add some of your own history to the Jedi Temple's Library." Cameron said jokingly. "Also for you to read it a bunch more time's for good measure." He finished.
"Oh ha ha." Dylan remarked.
"Enough." Tiiona said amused.
She approached them with a proud smile on her face. "All of you have taken a big step in your journey as Jedi." Tiiona said smiling. "I am proud of all of you. You have done a good job." She said.
Dylan, Ahsoka, Natalya, Cameron, Erix and Amber stood in front of the cave with proud smile's on their face's.
40 minutes later
Master Tiiona, along with Dylan, Ahsoka, Natalya, Cameron, Erix, and Amber, were aboard the Jedi Shuttle, which was presently traveling through hyperspace en route to Coruscant.
In the meantime, Master Tiiona introduced the younglings to Huyang, the Architect droid professor. Huyang was thousands of year's old and helped hundreds and thousands of Jedi with building their Lightsabers, had been for thousand generations.
Huyang provided the young Jedi with detailed explanations and guidance on the process of constructing a Lightsaber.
After several minutes of instruction from Huyang, the young Jedi gathered their chosen components to create their personalized sabers. Each of them moved to their designated tables, equipped with their selected parts and a Kyber Crystal. A holographic diagram of a Lightsaber was displayed to assist the younglings in their assembly.
Master Tiiona took her time to walk around the room, observing the younglings as they entered a meditative state, their components levitating in front of them as they concentrated on the Force.
After a few long minutes, Dylan became the first to successfully assemble his Lightsaber using the power of the Force.
Dylan's lightsaber was crafted from a specific metal alloy, featuring a handle wrapped in white cloth. The activation switch was fashioned from gold metal, as was the control switch for adjusting the lightsaber's settings.
The next individual to create their lightsaber was Ahsoka.
Ahsoka's lightsaber utilized the same metal alloy as Dylan's. However, the switches for powering on and modifying the settings were constructed from a black metal.
Following the Human and Togruta, Natalya completed her lightsaber.
Natalya's lightsaber was made from grey metal, with a handle crafted from brown leather. The activation and adjustment switches were made from a dark grey material.
Next in line was Cameron, who, despite encountering some challenges, successfully built her lightsaber.
Cameron's lightsaber was composed of a gold alloy, while the switch to activate it was made from a dark grey alloy.
After Cameron, Erix finished assembling his lightsaber.
Erix's lightsaber was constructed from a shiny alloy, and the handle was made from bronze material.
Finally, Amber completed her lightsaber, following her sibling's lead.
Her saber was made from the same material as Erix's, and its handle was crafted from gold.
With everyone having finished their lightsabers, they gathered in the center of the room, forming a circle while proudly holding their newly crafted weapon's of life and defense.
Amber raised her lightsaber high and activated it, causing a vibrant cyan blade to emerge.
Erix followed her lead, lifting his lightsaber into the air. Upon activation, a striking green blade shot forth.
Next was Cameron, who pointed his lightsaber upward and switched it on, revealing a brilliant blue blade that shot out.
Natalya then joined in, raising her lightsaber and activating it, which produced a bright orange blade.
Ahsoka stepped forward, aligning her lightsaber with the others, and as she activated it, a green blade burst into life.
Lastly, Dylan joined in with the rest of his childhood friends, pointing his lightsaber skyward. When he activated it, a stunning purple blade emerged.
The array of colors from their blades illuminated the walls, ceiling, and floor of the Jedi Shuttle. Master Tiiona observed from the back, her face beaming with pride at her students' achievements.
Erix and Amber exchanged joyful smiles and shared a light laugh, while Cameron wore a smirk as he admired his saber. Natalya beamed at her friends and Ahsoka gazed at her lightsaber with a sense of pride.
Dylan looked at the purple blade emanating from his lightsaber, his face radiating pride and pure joy.
It seemed that his journey was just beginning. What adventures lay ahead, he had no Idea. But he could not wait.