Chapter 12: Academy Days Episode XII
Walking along the path in front of me I noticed the walls were entirely made of crystal.
Just like the false wall before.
As I walked farther into the tunnel I noticed two images appear in the walls on either side of me.
Both of the images are older versions of me.
The one on the left is dressed in Jedi robes and is excluding a calmness and wiseness about himself. He is seated in a chair I have only seen used by Jedi High Council members.
The one on the right is dressed in armor and seated upon a throne. Excluding a bloodthirsty and arrogant aura. He also has a scruffled beard and glowing yellow eyes. In his hands are chains connected to collars, which are secured to the necks of females dressed the same way Leia was in 'Return of the Jedi' when she and the others were being held prisoner by Jabba. The females in question being older versions of Aayla, Yennali, and Serra.
The last of which is using her hands on the lightsaber in the pants of the older dark version of me.
It's obvious the image on the left represents what would happen if I solely focus in the light side of the Force.
I will eventually become a member of the order High Council.
While the version of me on the right tells me what happens if I solely focus on the dark side and end up going full Sith.
"Follow my path. For if not you will be stepoed in blood." The light side image of me spoke.
"Don't listen to that weakling. That robot who never allows himself to feel anything. Follow my path and you shall gain all that you want whenever you want. The dark side image of me spoke.
Both versions of me speaking in my voice.
The farther I went down the path the more the two of them tried to tempt me to their respective sides.
Listing all the pros and cons.
'Talk about having angels on your shoulders.' I thought.
Ignoring the temptations of both my ligjt and dark side future selves.
For I have alredy chosen my path.
One that encompasses both light and dark. For one cannot exist without the other.
"I seek balance." I said.
Then as soon as I did both images stopped talking and I reached the end of the tunnel.
Walking out of it I found myself in an open cavern once more.
The moment I did my eyes landed on a single spot.
A crystal formation that was being hit by a beam of light from above.
[Image Here]
Moving over to it I looked and saw a Khyber crystal sitting atop the formation.
My khyber crystal.
Picking it up I immediately felt a resonance with the crsytal through the Force. Me and it forming a connection.
One that can never be brokken.
Smiling I pocketed my crystal.
I then began looking for a way back to the caves entrance.
Letting the Force guide me I chose one of the tunnels in the cavern and began walking down it.
Until eventually I reached its end and found myself in an area with a frozen lake.
Where I spotted Marcellus and Serra on the other side.
"Hey guys." I shouted to them. Which caused them to look in my direction.
Once they did I made my way around the lake and over to the two of them.
"So, do you have your crystals I asked them?" Upon reaching them.
"Yep." Serra said.
"Yes. What about you Van?" Marcellus asked me.
"I sure do." I replied. "Now, let's get out of here."
The two of them Nodded at my words.
Once they did we made our way back to the caves entrance and got out.
Just before it froze over completely.
The three of us being the last to arrive.
"Congragulation younglings, it looks like you all have passed 'The Gathering' and taken your first step into a larger world." Plo Koon spoke.
The moment he finished speaking my clanmates and I released cheers and put smiles on our faces.
Because now we were one step closer to becoming true Jedi.
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After 'The Gathering' was completed we headed back to the Crucible and left Illum.
Siting in the ships workshop, after a full day of rest, the others and I swapped stories on how we obtained our kyhber crystals.
Naturally I had to leave out a lot of parts of my story, for obvious reasons, but the others still enjoyed hearing it.
I also enjoyed hearing theirs.
To obtained her Khyber crysral Serra had crawl into a small tunnel.
Which makes sense, since she's never been good with small spaces and the caves of Illum creates personal challenges for one to overcome if they want to obtain their crystal.
Marcellus had to use telekinesis on several boulders to enter the cave that contsined his crystal.
He's always been a bit touchy that his usage of Force techniques was a bit lagging behind the rest of us.
Though he more than makes up for it by being a natural in lightsaber combat.
Kento needed to trust in the Force more as he found himself in a room full of reflections where his crystal was located.
Nahdar learned patience as he had to wait ice to melt as his crystal was encased in a block of it.
Then Yennali had to take a dangerous tunnel to reach her crystal. Teaching her that sometimes you need to take risks to achieve a goal.
The others had similar stories.
We basically finished sharing our adventures in the caves with each other just as Huyang walked in.
"Alright younglings gather round." He spoke.
So we did.
"Good work on passing 'The Gathering' first stage. But before you can say you have successfully completed it you must complete stage two. Constructing your very own lightsaber. And that, is where I come in." Huyang spoke. He then emmitted a holoprojection into the air of numerous lightsaber designs. "For in my databanks I contain a record of every lightsaber ever built my members of the Jedi order. Now then, let us begin. Because I promsie you all, before you leave this ship you will know how to construct your own lightsaber."
Huyang's words were enough for us to dive right in.
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Sitting with my legs crossed on the floor of the Crucible workshop I stared at the components I had chosen to use to construct my own lightsaber.
As well as my Khyber crystal.
My clanmates around me, some doing the exact same thing I am, while others were using the Force to try and construct their sabers.
Key word being try.
Since we've been at this for four days straight and no one has completed their saber yet.
Walking around the room Huyang kept his eyes on our work.
"Younglings, even if I am not a Jedi nor a human I can sense your building frustrations. And I understand them. But you will never complete your lightsabers with that type of mindset. You must clear your mind, focus, and picture the image of your lightsaber in your kinds. Not what you want it to be, but what is already is." Huyang spoke.
'Okay. Let's try this again.' I thought.
Closing my eyes I opened myself up to the Force. Calling upon it to guide me in my lightsaber construction.
Feeling the components lift into the air due to me using telekinesis on them I worked to picture my completed saber in my mind.
Inhaling and exhaling slowly I focussed on nothing but that.
As I did I heard something.
It was faint at first, but the sound gradually increased. Getting louder and louder until I could clearly make out the noise I was hearing.
It was the sound of a lightsaber.
But not just any lightsaber, it was the sound of my own.
Upon realizing this the image of my lightsaber became clear in my mind.
Once it did I willed the components to come together like I saw them.
When they finished doing so I opened my eyes and then took hold of my lightsaber.
[Image Here]
Smiling as I did.
Coming over to me Huyang held out his left hand.
When he did I placed my saber in it and he began to examine it.
"Yes, yes. Everything looks to be in order. Congratulations youngling Sunrider, you have completed your lightsaber." Huyang said.
Handing it back to me.
When he did the others turned their attention toward me, and I knew why.
Standing to my feet I held my saber out in front of me and activated it.
The blade popping out with the iconic hiss.
But when it did I became slightly shocked.
Since my lightsaber blade is not the usual standard green or blue of most Jedi, no instead the color of my blade is gold.
[Image Here]
Completely unexpected.
But not unwelcome.