Chương 52: V.1-C.52│Caves of Ilum I│
"To Ilum we must go." Yoda states.
[]
Ilum.
Ilum was an ice planet in the Unknown Regions, one of the main sources of the valuable Adegan crystals used in the construction of Jedi lightsabers.
The caverns containing the crystals were long ago turned into a Jedi temple. Unlike the crystals of other planets, the crystals of Ilum were limited to blue, green and purple in color. The planet was over ninety percent-covered by ice.
"You have proved to be the top of your class, and so now is the time of The Gathering. For someone, no anyone whom is Force-sensitive, there is no greater challenge or honor." Anakin spoke to a bunch of children around a year older then himself, but he was much bigger and taller towering over them.
The Gathering was a part of the training process of the Jedi Order which also served as a rite of passage for Jedi Initiates prior to their beginning training as a Padawan learner. It was established at the beginning of the Jedi Order and was preserved into the time of the present.
The Gathering was an exercise which took place on the ancient Jedi world Ilum. A group of Jedi Initiates would be transported to the frozen world to claim their lightsaber crystals for the first time.
The process was a lesson to teach the young Jedi to overcome their own personal fears or failings.
Everyone was currently within a ship that was landed on the icy frozen planet, staying within until the snowstorm blocking their way forward settles down.
"Arrived, we have." Yoda says to the group that had come to complete their initiation along with Anakin whom did not need to, but was here to get his lightsabers core, a crystal.
Others in attendance included Jedi Masters Mace Windu, and Shaak Ti. Jedi Master Qui-Gon was not here because he was setting himself up for the mission to come.
Usually only one Jedi of higher rank would come to and help the initiates but this time it was a special case involving Anakin.
Everyone had someone to talk too, Yoda was minding his own business sometimes having a initiate approach him, Mace was talking with some of the younglings because of his reputation and other younglings here to get their own lightsabers also had their own groups.
The only real person left out, to wait out the storm was Anakin because he hardly knew anyone in this age group, in fact he did not mingle much with other members within the Order.
Now only this, he saw most other children his age, even a few years older then him as annoying.
He is basically an already developed being, his character, his personality and would be troubled by the unstable emotions of the children. Thankfully they had been taught and reinforced with the Jedi codes mindset which made interactions much more tolerable.
"Padawan Skywalker." Jedi Master, Shaak Ti had approached him as it would seem she had no one to interact with.
"Master Ti." Anakin greeted back.
"It would seem that you do not have many friends here."
"That is because of the difference between myself and the others."
"Difference? What difference do you see?"
Humming to himself much like Yoda, Anakin then responds. "Maturity, in both the physical and mental aspects, level of knowledge and the application of that knowledge."
"Interesting way to look at your peers." Shaak Ti raises her non-existent eyebrows.
"Surely you are not suggesting that I am the same as them..."
"No, you are different. So much so different that I would not have expected something anything less when you were given leeway." She continued. "Mind you, I am also not much for communication."
A powerful Togruta female, Master Shaak Ti's nature was notably different from her heritage at times. Though Togruta were a communal species, Ti was highly independent and preferred to operate alone.
"Yes... I have heard of your reclusiveness."
"My reputation proceeds me." Shaak replies in jest.
Anakin deciding to stay away from the topic of her apprentice, knowing that her first apprentice had died, asks a question. "Why have you come on this trip?"
"Lets just say, is that I have a vested interest on what will go on here."
Deciding now that this would be the best time to throw caution to the wind, he asks. "Are you here for your second apprentice?"
She grows a bit silent at the question before responding. "Yes, the girl over there. Fe Sun is her name." She points to her padawan to be, except Fe Sun herself does not know she is to be accepted.
"So you have decided to stalk your target, have you?"
Not showing any embarrassment, Shaak Ti responds. "In fact, I have." With a smile on her face she asks Anakin a question herself, her naturally pointed teeth showing. "You have come for your own crystal as well? To shape your very own saber."
"Yes, I have."
Looking him up and down, her smile becomes a bit predatory. "It looks to me that you already have a saber of quite the caliber."
"And what would you mean by that?" Anakin replies with a slightly surprised tone not expecting the joke.
"I am sure you know what I mean by that young padawan Skywalker."
Deciding not to comment and move on to another topic because the conversation was turning a bit awkward. 'Is it her instincts kicking in? I did not know that she would act this way.'
Highly amused he begins to speak again. "Right... Moving on from that topic I am sure that you have better things to do right now."
"No, not really. I just thought it would be fun to come and mess around with you."
"You mean that in the joking sense, right?"
"Yes, I jest."
Hesitantly Anakin replies. "Ok..."
'Don't get me wrong, she is quite the looker but does no one else find it weird that she was coming onto me so strongly, weirdly strong...' Anakin thinks to himself at the strange occurrence.
As everyone continues to pass the time, the snowstorm starts to settle down but it is not quite over yet. Anakin and Shaak Ti begin to talk about many things after the initial conversation and found they could connect over lightsaber combat.
Even though they could not spar or duel with each other here given what everyone is here for, and there being to room they could only rely on their speaking skills to debate with one another.
With a subtle sense of humor, Master Ti sometimes seemed cold and unfeeling; something that was not helped by her naturally pointed teeth which, when bared, appeared as a sinister snarl. Thankfully it did not take away from her appeal.
It may even add appeal for certain people whom were into that sort of thing.
Despite being trained as a Jedi Consular, Ti's reputation with a lightsaber was well known throughout the Order. Regardless of her reputation, Ti remained humble and preferred to spar with words rather than her lightsaber.
"Ended, the storm has. Everyone, begin their journey, they may." Yoda spoke out loud for everyone too hear given that it was quite noisy within even after the storm had calmed down.
Everyone begins to disembark and continue on their journey to the crystal caves of Ilum.
[]
The Gathering began with a group of Jedi Initiates being transported to one of the few worlds where lightsaber crystals could be found, often the ice world Ilum, by a Jedi of a higher rank.
Once on Ilum, the Jedi traveled together to the entrance of the ancient Jedi Temple located at the mouth of the Crystal Caves.
At the entrance to the Temple, the group of young Jedi would endure their first test of skill. Their guide would direct the group to focus their concentration on the Force, that only their combined efforts would be able to open the sealed entrance to the Temple.
"Now that everyone is here, first things first is that your safety and the safety of your pairs should come above all else." Shaak Ti announced to the group of expectant initiates.
'Shaak Ti was all about safety considering her training methods, but that was besides the event that was happening.' Anakin thinks to himself knowing of what would happen and has happened due to her nature of being extremely isolated.
Mace spoke up right after Shaak Ti. "Yes, everyone here should listen to the words of advice given by Master Ti. Follow it, follow the code and trust in the Force, everything should be ok."
'Who will be our guide, well their guide...' Anakin was to participate with the rest of the group even though he could probably do it himself but the point of the exercise is teamwork. 'Teamwork makes the dream work... Right?'
"Begin will, your first test." Yoda says to the expectant initiates.
"I shall be your guide for the rest of your trials to come." Ti speaks up about her position for this trip.
Everyone then travels towards the entrance of the caves. "Here you all will have to trust in yourselves, each other and your connection to the Force to help you open up this sealed entrance."
Murmurs are spoken in hushed tones with the children undoubtedly worried about what is to happen. Thoughts such as, 'Will it work?,' 'I might let everyone else down,' and many other examples as at the very first test the insecurities of the children are put on full display.
And Anakin could see through them all. 'The best and the brightest but in the end still developing children. The weight of expectation surely pressures them.'
"Only through your combines efforts will be able to move the entrance, to open the seal and will you then begin your journey onto becoming a true Jedi." Shaak Ti encourages with some positive reinforcement.
Encouraged, as if they had been buffed by some support class some got right into the action. Delving deep into their connection they pulled upon the immense cosmic power at their fingertips and together tried to unseal the entrance.
The temple door slowly started to unravel itself, as Shaak Ti continuously provides the buffer but did not help other than through words alone.
Deciding to move things along, Anakin started to give them another boost to their adrenaline and dopamine to increase the chances of participation. 'This event is not for myself, but for the others.'
Some students here needed some proper characters development.
Everyone finally put in the effort and succeeded, with a little help from Anakin and the encouragement from Ti. "Great!" With a smile on her face that scared a few of them, she continued. "Now that you all have passed your first test we should head inside."
The first to enter the Jedi temple was Ti, followed by Anakin. The others follow soon after now excited and astonished at their accomplishment so far.
Everyone followed after Master Shaak Ti, as her experience and Force signature would be the beacon for everyone to follow. She had after all come down here a few times herself and traversed the illustrious caves.
Following this, the group of younglings were required to descend into the catacombs of the Crystal Caves in order to search out the lightsaber crystal which would become theirs. So to would Anakin have to delve deep into the catacombs.
"Now that we have arrived, I must warn you all that what comes next will be another test." Ti says before continuing. "You all will only have a limited amount of time in which to search for your crystals, as the entrance would freeze shut with the setting of this planets star."
This sobered up some of the children drunk on the high of passing the first test.
'To bad I know that the supposed frozen entrance is nothing but a trick. Quite cruel to do to children but that is the way of the Jedi.'
"Now if you do not hurry along, your time is running out and you would not want to be stuck down here forever, now would you." Ti, incentivizes.
The children rapidly push themselves into the catacombs but Anakin stays behind to talk with Shaak Ti for a bit before heading in, knowing he has all the time in the galaxy.
"Master Ti, if I may. I have some questions to ask you."
"Go ahead, but I suggest you make this quick, your time is running out." Curious she replied.
"I was wondering about your rank as a Jedi Master, among some other things."
"What about my rank?"
The rank of Master was bestowed upon very few Knights in every generation. As such, Masters made up the smallest percent of the Order's membership. The most common path to this rank was to train and elevate several Padawans to the rank of Knight, typically one right after the other, and have them all successfully pass their Jedi Trials.
"It seems that you have achieved your rank pretty young, if I do say so myself."
"Smart on you for not having to ask of my age." Ti quips back knowing that this was Anakin's real question.
"True, I did not want to know in particular what you had done to get where you are now, but your age."
'Never ask a woman's age, this only applies to people thirty years and older in general but with her I can not tell.' Anakin sighs mentally.
"What is your age now?" She asks Anakin first.
"Well, that is complicated but right now I am eleven years of age turning twelve this year."
"I am ten years older then you are, born 21 years ago on my homeworld of Shili. This makes me the human age equivalent of 21."
"Thanks for answering my question, I best be heading off now then." Anakin zooms off into the catacombs to look for his very own crystal or crystals.
'Weird question, but ok...' Ti thinks to herself about the strangeness that had just occurred. 'Now to wait for when everyone succeeds, or inevitably fails.'
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