Chapter 12
The icy corridors of Ilum's crystal caves seemed to stretch endlessly before Kaedan Dorn, twisting and turning like the convoluted paths of destiny itself. The soft crunch of his boots on the frosted ground echoed in the eerie silence, punctuated only by the occasional crack and groan of shifting ice. Despite the biting cold, beads of sweat formed on Kaedan's brow as he ventured deeper into the heart of the sacred planet.
The Force pulsed around him, stronger and more visceral than he had ever felt it before. It was as if the very air was alive with energy, each breath filling him with both power and trepidation. Kaedan's adult mind, trapped in this young body, raced with the implications of what he might face. He knew the legends, the stories of Jedi facing their deepest fears and darkest truths in these caves. But knowing and experiencing were two very different things.
As he rounded another corner, the narrow passage suddenly opened up into a vast, cathedral-like chamber. Massive ice columns stretched from floor to ceiling, their surfaces reflecting and refracting the ambient light in dazzling patterns. In the center of the chamber stood a single, perfectly smooth pillar of ice, its surface as reflective as a mirror.
Kaedan approached cautiously, his reflection growing clearer with each step. But as he drew near, the image in the ice began to shift and change. The young face he had grown accustomed to seeing melted away, replaced by something altogether more terrifying.
An adult version of himself stared back, but this was no Jedi Master. Clad in flowing black robes, a hood casting deep shadows over his face, this Kaedan exuded an aura of malevolent power. A crown of dark energy crackled around his head, and his eyes burned with the sickly yellow of the Sith.
"Behold," the dark reflection spoke, its voice a cruel parody of Kaedan's own. "The true power you could wield. Why settle for being a pawn of the Jedi when you could rule the galaxy? With your knowledge, with your power, none could stand against us."
Kaedan stumbled back, his heart racing. "No," he whispered. "This isn't me. This isn't what I want."
The dark emperor laughed, a chilling sound that echoed through the chamber. "Isn't it? Don't lie to yourself, Kaedan. I am you. The you that embraces your full potential, that doesn't hide behind outdated Jedi dogma."
Before Kaedan could respond, the image shifted again. Now he saw himself as he might have been – a venerable Jedi Grand Master, wise and powerful, surrounded by a thriving Order. This version of himself radiated peace and serenity, but there was a sadness in his eyes, a weight of responsibility that seemed almost crushing.
"This is the path of duty," the Grand Master said softly. "The path of sacrifice. You can save the Order, Kaedan. But at what cost to yourself?"
Kaedan's mind reeled. Two possible futures, two extreme paths. But before he could fully process what he was seeing, the ice rippled once more.
A striking Chiss woman appeared, her red eyes blazing with a mixture of fury and desperation. In her hand, a crimson lightsaber hummed with deadly intent. "Why won't you love me?" she screamed, her voice filled with anguish. "After everything we've been through, everything I've done for you!"
Kaedan's breath caught in his throat. He had no idea who this woman was, but the raw emotion in her voice struck him to his core. What decisions, what actions in his future could lead to such pain?
The scene shifted again, and Kaedan found himself face to face with a being he had seen in Star Wars from his past life. Abeloth, the embodiment of chaos and madness, her tentacled form writhing in the ice.
"My savior," she crooned, her voice a discordant melody that set Kaedan's teeth on edge. "You are the key, the one who will set me free. Embrace your destiny, my child."
Kaedan's head spun. Emperor, Grand Master, a love he didn't understand, a cosmic horror seeing him as a messiah – it was too much. He closed his eyes, trying to center himself, to find some anchor in the storm of possibilities.
When he opened them again, he found himself staring at the most familiar and yet most shocking vision of all – his true self, his adult form from Earth. The man he had been before waking up in this galaxy far, far away.
"Remember who you are," his old self said, eyes filled with a mixture of compassion and determination. "Remember why you're here. The knowledge you carry, the changes you can make – they come with a heavy burden. But you're not alone. Trust in yourself, in the Force, and in the connections you'll make. Also, have some damn fun..."
As the echoes of his own voice faded, Kaedan felt a sudden warmth in his hands. He looked down to see not one, but two kyber crystals resting in his palms. One pulsed with a sharp, fluorescent green, while the other shimmered with a light, fluorescent purple.
The significance wasn't lost on Kaedan. Green, the color of sage Jedi Consulars, those who sought balance and understanding. Purple, rare and powerful, straddling the line between light and dark. Together, they represented the path ahead of him that would require both wisdom and strength, understanding and action.
As the visions faded and the ice chamber returned to its natural state, Kaedan clutched the crystals to his chest. His mind raced with the implications of what he had seen, the possible futures that lay before him. But amidst the chaos of possibilities, one thing became crystal clear – the choices he would make, the path he would forge, would shape not just his own destiny, but that of the entire galaxy. An ordinary guy of all people....
With a deep breath, Kaedan turned back towards the cave entrance. The Gathering was complete, but his true journey was only beginning.
Emerging from the caves, squinting against the harsh Ilum sunlight reflecting off the snow, Kaedan saw his fellow younglings gathered around Master Yoda. Some looked exhilarated, others shaken, all forever changed by their experiences in the caves.
Yoda's ancient eyes locked onto Kaedan, a flicker of something – surprise? concern? – passing over his wizened features. "Successful, your Gathering was, young Kaedan?"
Kaedan nodded, his hand instinctively moving to the pocket where his crystals rested. "Yes, Master Yoda. I... I found what I was meant to find."
As they boarded the ship for the journey back to Coruscant, Kaedan's mind was already racing ahead. Two crystals meant two lightsabers. An unorthodox choice, but one that felt right given the complex path ahead of him. He would need every advantage, every tool at his disposal, to gain an advantage over the enemy.
The future was still uncertain, filled with both promise and peril. But as the icy surface of Ilum receded beneath them, Kaedan felt slightly vindicated. He had faced his fears, confronted possible futures, and emerged.... stronger for them. Whatever lay ahead – be it the temptations of power, the weight of duty, the complexities of love, or the threats of cosmic forces – he would face it head-on. Hell, It's not like he could avoid it.
The force would make sure of it.