Faction The Gathering [NJP + Open to All Jedi]

[Arassyl Nnyrht]

It is high time I intervene; it seems my hour has come. For now, I must still convince the Jedi Master to let me enter this cave. How to do it? Approaching head-on seems to be the right solution. I know this is a gathering of pure nonsense, but hey, the Force loves humor—I've always said so! It is already a miracle that the real Lyssara agrees to surrender, but that won't be enough. As long as I exist, she will never be able to align herself with the Light Side. We must re-merge our essences for the ritual to be complete. After all, I am her, and she is me.

A green Nightsister portal appears before the caves of Ilum. I look at the aura of Matsu Ike and the others; if they probe mine, they will see a luminous aura, just like theirs. After all, over these last months years now I have been in the service of the Jedi Order, and I have worked as best as I could for peace and the protection of civilians and the galaxy. So, if I have succeeded, she can too.

Advancing toward the group of Jedi, I bow my head politely as my portal disappears, displaying a sincere smile.

"Gentlemen, ladies, good day to you. Allow me to introduce myself, I am... Arassyl, or Lyssara. Everything she wants today, I am the one who holds it."

I create a small sphere of light in the palm of my hand and show my own green lightsaber, containing the Kyber crystal she seeks. Activating the blade, a beautiful green emanates from it; I have nothing of a Sith in me. Doing so, I clasp my hands behind my back, returning my saber to my belt.

"She told you she wanted a Kyber crystal for meditation, didn't she? Let me enter. As long as I exist, she will never be able to find peace. She is the darkness; I am the light at this moment. We are... connected, under the same song it would take too long to explain... Do you authorize me to enter and help her? If we let her proceed alone, she is heading straight for her downfall; for once her defenses are shattered, she will be nothing more than an empty shell if I do not intervene, stripped of all her darkness. I ask you for this favor. Let me go save her..."

My hands now come together in a prayer-like gesture, bowing my head politely toward them. I am very much real and I truly exist; yeah, the Force is full of humor, indeed. I am going to show Lyssara that another life is possible by sharing my recent memories with her. This will help to soothe her and calm her fears.

Matsu Ike Braze

 

[Warren of the Narrows]

Another few moments passed, or was it longer? Warren twitched his nose again in another failed attempt to sniff out the others. To no avail, obviously. Selonians didn't even have particularly strong noses to begin with, but he was grasping at anything now. He wanted to get back to the others as soon as possible. His tail started swaying back and forth in an anxiety-induced motion.

His breathing grew heavier, his lungs tightening as if they might collapse in on themselves. He realized he was panicking, something his former Master had warned him about before. Master Abarosis had always been there to help him down from those emotional ledges the Padawan so often found himself standing on. He had given him a quick way to ground himself again. Warren focused on the memory of his Master as he drew on the Force, closing his eyes and centering himself, even as his breath struggled to follow.

Five things he could see. The Padawan opened his eyes and began the exercise. Quickly, Warren looked around the cave, landing first on the snow that still clung to the ground even this far inside. He shifted his focus to the walls, noting the marks etched along them, likely left behind by groups before him, though their meaning was unclear. His gaze moved forward next, toward the end of the chamber, where he could make out the faint shimmer of something in the dim light. His eyes narrowed slightly as the shapes resolved into what appeared to be crystals. Finally, the Selonian lowered his head and looked down at his own hands, watching as he curled each clawed finger one at a time.

Four things he could feel. He crouched slightly and scooped up a handful of snow, the cold biting instantly into his palms and tightening his chest at first, but the shock was enough to pull him out of the spiral. He let the snow fall and reached out to place a hand against the cave wall, taking a moment to feel the steady hum of the Force moving through it. He lingered there briefly, trying to use that magnified presence to find the others, but the sensation only echoed back at him in confusion, too broad and unfocused to follow. Letting go, his paws dropped to his sides, brushing against the roughspun wool of his robes. He lifted a hand to his face, rubbing lightly at the pressure building behind his eyes.

Three things he could hear. In the snowy silence that blanketed the cave, it was difficult to isolate anything at all. His ears lowered as he focused, forcing himself to listen. There were no outward sounds, but he could hear his own heart, still beating rapidly in his chest. It wasn't reassuring, but it was something. He shifted his weight slightly, listening as the snow crunched beneath his feet. The sound, small as it was, echoed outward into the cavern, stretching forward into what felt like a larger open space. He found himself wondering if that was where the crystals were.

Two things he could smell. He lifted his nose again, this time not searching for anything specific, just waiting to see what would come. At first, there was nothing, just the same dry, empty air. Then, faintly, something cut through it, ozone. The sharp, electric scent stirred a memory immediately, reminding him of the first time he had encountered a Jedi. He leaned into it, breathing in deeper, letting it guide him. Beneath it, something else began to surface, subtle at first, then unmistakable. The smell of carrion lingered underneath, the scent of something long dead and left to rot.

The smell drew him forward despite the unease creeping up his spine, each step slower than the last as the air shifted around him and the cave seemed to narrow. As he rounded the bend, the scent grew strong enough that it settled into the back of his throat. Warren swallowed instinctively, and the taste followed with it, metallic, stale, and wrong. One thing he could taste. The realization grounded him more than the sensation itself.

He dropped low without thinking, slipping behind the jagged edge of a crystal formation for cover as his body reacted to something just beyond his sight. His breathing had steadied now, controlled again, even with the lingering taste in his mouth. Whatever was ahead, hidden in the dim light and thick silence of the cave, felt wrong in a way he couldn't explain, and the further he had come, the more certain he was that turning back was no longer an option.

He rested his head against the crystals as he thought of something, anything to do. That's when he heard a voice, faint, but familiar. "Warren." The voice called out, this time closer, more easily understood, "You have to go forward. You have to follow your destiny." There, just in the end of his words, Warren could make out the voice of Master Abarosis. Was it truly him from beyond the grave? Or was the cave playing tricks on him? The Jedi shook his head, he needed to focus on what he knew was real, whatever was beyond this crystal and caused that awful stench.

"Master if it is truly you, tell me how to defeat whatever it is I am about to face." Warren said under his breath, into the frozen ether that surrounded whatever purgatory the Padawan found himself stuck in.

"Not defeat, Warren." The voice echoed back, this time it felt like it was right above him, "Listen, understand." The voice of Abarosis now echoed in his head, nearly overwhelming him. He pushed the voice aside as he readied himself to face down whatever it was that was standing between him and his crystal.

 

[Novac Lyrikal]

as novac slithered down the tunnel it seemed..off. far to long then it shoulde be. but he didnt mind this to terribly much, after all it was beautiful. the walls covered with crystals, it truly was a wonder. he continued down the tunnel, looking at one wall, then the other, then the ceiling of the cave, eyes wandering taking in the cave.

but after he blinked everything was different, he was on a ship. no not any ship, he was on his ship. but it was in ruins, fires everywhere, his droids destroyed and in pieces around the room, his pets dead, parts of the ship falling down every now and then. it stopped novac dead in his tracks. that wasnt the worst of it however. a little ways ahead of him his master cinia, a female chelidae about 3 feet shorter then novac, is on the floor. "running" towards her novac slide to a stop next to her as he bent down "MASTER!" as he lifted her head up the left side of her face was completely burned, parts of her shell missing. novac almost dropped her out of shock. her eye snapped opened and stared at novac with a look he's never seen from her. hatred.

she spoke, not in basic, as her species where incapable of speaking basic. but in her native language which novac took time to learn, when the first met and for a while after that they used a droid she had to translate but no longer have they need for said droid. "this is your fault you know. you weren't here to help us. to protect us. you've already failed. as a jedi and me, and i've clearly failed as a teacher. i wonder, what will happen when im gone hmm? what happens when everything you have is destroyed and dies? i'll tell you what happens young one. you fall. you are devoured by hate, fear, sadness. you fall to the dark side. our deaths and destruction are guaranteed to happen one day. therefore your guaranteed to be a sith. so tell me," she says standing up slowly, "why are you here? this is a place for jedi. not for you." she got up and was now standing with her cane, staring at him with pure hatred

Novac almost couldn't speak at first but managed to say, "master i...no...thats not true. i'd never fall you know that i-" before he could finish his master yelled "LIES! your already on the path to becoming a sith. you dont truly follow the jedi code, you form bonds that jedi shouldn't. worst of all you let your emotions control you. right now even! you stand there frozen in fear. have i taught you nothing? you must control yourself...hmm, perhaps i've already failed. perhaps i trained a sith." she ignited her lightsaber, a yellow bladed saber build into her cane. she spoke flatly, or novac thought she did. her language made it hard to tell at times "prove yourself then. control yourself, your emotions. prove you will be a jedi to me.

she rushed at him with unnatural speed. she was a master at using the force to make herself faster. novac barely had enough time to dodge to the left. but as he did his master's saber caught his top right hand, cleanly taking the top half of his fingers. this wasnt real he thought, they said it wouldn't be real. but the pain hes feeling, it has to be.

novac used the force on a fallen panel and threw it at the side of his master knocking her to the ground. with the few seconds he had he pulled on of the droids electro staffs to himself and just barely blocked his masters next strike as she got up in a second and charged yet again. they locked weapons cinia said "see? you still have no control" as she pushed him across the room with a force push.

novac got up just in time to dodge her yet again. she didnt let up for a second, strike after strike. novac just barely blocking each. it went on for a few minutes like this, a one sided dual. he wouldn't be able to keep up, not like this. fear, that was it je was still afraid. novac tried his best to calm himself the best way he knew how. something his master told him. close your eyes visualize your fear in your head, grab it with your hands and throw it away. shake it off your hands and wipe them clean. breath in and open your eyes to no fear. he did this as cinia made a over head strike. as she did novac used the force to push her back.

cinia looked surprised. she charged yet again but as she did novac grabbed her leg with his tail and slammed her to the ground and stabbed at her with his staff. she rolled away at the last second, a piece of her shell getting chipped and stood back up. "my my, finally getting somewhere," she said with a grin. novac knew she'd charge again so before he did he focused all the force he could on the metal foor of the ship and pulled up, ripping part of the floor up as a wall. as he thought she charged just as he did this, slamming into the wall. just as she did novac came to the other side of the makeshift wall where she was and swung with all he could hitting cinia in the back of her shell. massive cracks formed on the entirety of her shell. she dropped her saber and slumped to the ground. novac threw his staff to the side as well, breathing heavily

she slowly rolled over to face novac while on the ground. "hehe good, you controled your fear. im impressed well done. perhaps theres hope for you yet...do you still have your dream? to go to the unknown region and discover new fauna?" she said weakly. novac was a little confused "of course, why?" cinia had a shine to her eyes now, "good, hold on to that. a goal will be good for you."

novac remembered what he was told before entering, "wait...this isnt real, your not real..so who have i been talking to?" the fires in the ship started to fade, the broken droids, his pets, all started to fade to black. before his master was fully encased in darkness she spoke one last time, with a faint chuckle "who knows. the force, yourself, your mind and thoughts. maybe you've just been talking to this crystal the whole time." as she was covered in darkness novac blinked once again. now everything was the way it was. the pain in his hand was gone, looking at his hand his finger where still there. he was back in the cave, further in now.

 

[Jayna Ismet-Thio]

Objective: Find a lightsaber crystal
Location: Ice Caves of Ilum
Outfit: Warm clothes
Tags: Jett Vox | Matsu Ike | Lyssara Thrynn

Jayna grinned as they made it inside the cave. The grin became a giggle when Jett stated that no one had stopped her from entering the cave. That much was true, but how far she would be allowed to go was another question for the near future. As soon as they were in the cave each of the Jedi participating in the Gathering would start to hear things, feel things. Warren of the Narrows and Novac Lyrikal started off on their own missions. Jayna was more cautious and slow, listening to the cave's whispers while also paying attention to Jett. Lyssara Thrynn, who Jayna seemed to remember seeing on Bastion but had never met, was also away on her mission to find a crystal after giving up what appeared to be a fully complete lightsaber in the process. The dark-haired young woman was accompanied by Pari Sylune and Master Solene Beroya further into the cave.

That left Jayna alone with Jett. She smirked again. Someone from the outside would have to keep Jett from going further into the cave. Unless the cave stopped her itself somehow. Jayna glanced sideways at Jett Vox as they walked, the faint glow of the crystals catching in her eyes. Her question earned a quiet huff of amusement—not mocking, just… familiar.

"Yeah," she said lightly, "that sounds about as clear as most of the answers I've heard too. I am not officially a Jedi yet. Both my parents are or were or I'm not really sure what the status of a Jedi is anymore. So I have gotten training in how to use the Force like a Jedi, but not some of the other stuff like what they do."

She let a few steps pass before continuing, gaze drifting along the cave walls, fingertips brushing the air like she could feel the question lingering there. "I don't think it's a job the way you mean it." A small shrug. "It's not like—today I'm a diplomat, tomorrow I clock in as a warrior, and next week I file for 'peacekeeper' duty." A faint smirk tugged at her lips. "No rotations. No schedule."

Her expression softened after that, more thoughtful than uncertain. "It's more like… those are all just ways you might have to act, depending on what's in front of you." Jayna slowed slightly, glancing ahead into the dim path before looking back to Jett.

"Jedi are supposed to keep the balance of the Force. That's the goal." A beat. "To do that they try to keep the peace. But peace isn't always quiet. Sometimes it's talking. Sometimes it's standing between people. Sometimes it's stopping something before it gets worse."

She tilted her head, considering her own words as much as offering them. "And yeah… those things do contradict. A lot." A soft breath escaped her, not frustrated—just honest.

"I think the trick is you don't get to pick the comfortable one. You pick the one that actually helps… and then you live with it after." Her smile returned, a little crooked now. "So no, Jedi don't switch when things get boring."

Jayna glanced at her again, something a bit brighter sparking in her expression. "If anything, it gets complicated way faster than that." She nudged a small stone forward with her boot as they walked, sending it skittering into the dark ahead.

"But if I had to boil it down?" Another step. Another flicker of crystal-light across her face. "Help where you can. Don't make things worse. Try to understand before you act."

A pause. "Everything else is just… how messy that ends up being."

A smile formed on Jayna's lips as she heard a focused whisper. "As for the crystals…yes. They are why we are here. They have 'magic', what we call the Force, but they aren't what allow us to use the Force. They are the heart of our lightsabers. They are what makes pure energy into a blade and the crystal is what connects a Jedi to a lightsaber."

Jayna nodded in the direction of the whisper that she had heard. "That bond is what this Gathering is all about. We aren't just looking for any crystal. We aren't looking for the brightest or the strongest or some other -est. Our crystal will call for us. Our being here is sort of a test. So you might see us doing some strange things. Reacting to stuff you don't see or hear."

Jayna gave a bit of a sigh, but perked right back up. "I may not be a Jedi, but I'm pretty sure I am subject to the same rules. I'm not sure what your presence will do. How long it will be permitted, by the Masters or the crystals. I don't know if I will need to leave you behind in order for my crystal to reveal itself to me. For now though, let's explore some more if you want."

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Ilum
Tags: Sergeant Omen , Braze

Lightsaber, Refuge, Respite, Jedi Outcasts, Grafted into Stone
​

"Don't just stand there! Hide before he comes and jabbers us all to death!"

"Little good that would do," Jasper remarked with a laugh. "He's got a knack for following Force-connections. Got dragged away to another galaxy once by weird primordial beings and he still found me."

Jasper offered a half wave in the direction of his student before he crossed his arms and thought on the words of Omen. An old fogey, huh? Jasper had been around the block a bit by now, hadn't he? He was only a boy when he had his first interaction with the Silvers, and that was well after the New Jedi Order had split off from them. Now he lived in a galaxy where both orders ceased to be in some capacity. He had watched the Enclave go from friends, to raiders, to whispers.

Maybe the description wasn't wrong.

"Been a while since I thought about my time in the GA," he admitted. "Left before it all fell apart. Guess I understand feeling bored and aimless when you don't have a caravan to hitch your cart to. S'pose if that can be channeled into some good, I should accept aid as it comes for what it is, yeah?"

Talking was only talking in the end of the day. The real proving grounds for words was in action. Better then to let battle show the true merit of alliance.

 

[Braze]

Tags: Jasper Kai'el Sergeant Omen ​

Braze paused as a green portal split open in thin air, and a woman stepped out of it. He made a sour face, frowning as he drew in a heavy breath and let it out through his nose.

"I haven't had enough caff for this bantha fodder today…" he murmured, shaking his head as he rubbed at his eyes. He wasn't a Master, so he would leave that to the would-be Master.

Instead, Braze made his way toward Jasper, wrapping the object in his gloved hands with nullification resin-soaked cloth before slipping it into a pouch. He looked over the mess of snow, then toward Sergeant Omen with open curiosity. "You okay?" He asked lightly before looking up at Jasper.

"Hey, pops…"

With that, he moved to attempt a tackle-hug at Jasper, though it was unlikely to do much of anything given the difference in height and weight between them. He tucked himself into Jasper's side and huffed warm air against him to help warm up the tip of his pale nose, which had gone pink from the cold.

 

[Arassyl Nnyrht]

I don't really have the time to wait; after all, my time in this world has run out. But nothing truly dies, everything is transformed—or so they say. Permission to die? Never heard of it. I am Lyssara, after all. With my usual nerve, I conjure another Nightsister portal a glowing green rift and give them a small smile, a polite nod, and an informal bow. I throw myself into it, diving straight into the caves at the heart of Ilum.

The breach Lyssara made in the wall is the sign that her mind is beginning to fracture. It's perfect. Her doubts, her fears—her mind is racing. We mustn't give her the time to think or to refocus herself within the Dark Side; this is a race against time.

Traversing the caves of Ilum, I know exactly where I need to go. I only need to focus on Lyssara's aura. If she wants to enter crystal resonance, I'll have to force my way in; her aura is far too powerful in the Dark Side. She's impossible to miss.

Ignoring my own visions within the cave, I see only Lyssara the real one, the only one, the one belonging to the Dark Side. I see all her crimes, her experiments, her memories from these past few months; it all haunts me. I must make her change, and I will use force if I have to.

Arriving in one of Ilum's caverns, I see Lyssara sitting on a rock, seemingly lost in thought.

"Hello, me. You're going to listen to me now. I'm going to show you that another life is possible, and I am going to merge with you. I am the key you've been looking for, Lyssara. That day in the lab, when you condemned your Light Side to wander... I'm going to show you that you can be a good person. It's up to you to own your choices."

I hold out a pink sphere to her, becoming her own vision of Ilum. This sphere symbolizes the suffering of all her victims; if she wants to accept change, she must see things from the perspective of her targets. While she is lost in her visions, I will take care of the rest.

"Above all, do not let go. Or you will die."

 

[Lyssara Thrynn]

Looking into those blue eyes, which have lost some of their luster and grown slightly glazed, I look up at the woman who has just appeared. Is she the original or a vision of Ilum? It's hard to say, but the fact that she is here and that I can feel her aura reassures me it is her, my light, the one I've searched for everywhere. She was already serving the Jedi Order? Is this a joke?

She's feeding me some nameless nonsense about how another life is possible, that I must put myself in the shoes of my victims to learn empathy. Her final warning leaves me cold. I stare at the pink sphere she holds out to me. What is this...? All the suffering of my victims? A bit brutal for a lesson in empathy, but fine I owe them that much. If I must suffer to get my hands on this Kyber crystal, then so be it....

"Give me your damn pink sphere and let's get this over with."
"No, this is only the beginning, Lyssara the beginning of your new life."

My arm reaches forward, moving toward the pink sphere. I make it hover just above the palm of my hand, almost hesitating. I look at her, then at the sphere, and with a sudden, unprompted gesture, I pull it inside of me. The suffering begins to vibrate, projecting me into the rooms of my own lab. I see myself in the chair, but on the other side this time the patient's side. All that agony surges through my veins as if I had shattered a thousand lives. I collapse to the ground, beginning to lose control of my aura as the pain becomes unbearable. A dark aura becomes visible around me.

On her side, Arassyl steps forward, her white aura visible as well, reacting in echo to my state. She reaches her hand toward my heart and projects the Light side of the Force, performing an essence transfer or some similar nonsense. First, she purifies my aura, my entire dark side gradually evaporating, and then she injects her own luminous aura in place of mine.

As she does this, I see her memories begin to return. Her last few months she spent them saving lives, protecting the weak, and simply enjoying life without domination or violence. Her calm, peaceful life is occasionally peppered with battles against the Sith and dark side users... They destroy life; Arassyl protects it. I see... I think I'm beginning to understand...

The process is likely to take some time; the quantity of aura is such that the transfer could take several minutes. I see her ship too, a small modified X-wing parked somewhere on Ilum, her lightsaber, her Jedi robes, all her belongings... I see everything.

The aura stabilizes into gray and begins to turn luminous. As I lie there on the ground, is she sacrificing her life to give me a second chance to shine? I don't deserve such an honor. I am torn between the visions of my victims and Arassyl's peaceful life. The second option truly appeals to me. The problem with the dark side is that it always demands more; it treats the Force as a mere tool, whereas it is alive. Arassyl and Pari are right: I cannot dominate the crystal without the risk of breaking it. I must learn to listen to its song.

 

[Jett Vox]

​

"That makes zero sense," she said under her breath. How can a job not be a job? How much does a job like that pay? How do the Jedi make a living that way? Jett was finding the traversal through the cave more and more difficult, her rifle catching wherever the cavern narrowed. She unshouldered it and tucked the heavy weapon under her arm, almost wishing she hadn't brought it - but then again... weapons were a Mandalorian's religion. Once, she knocked the top of her head against a low hanging part of the cave, and so she slid her helmet back on, muttering curses in the Mandalorian language as she did. The buzzing of her voice transmitter beginning when the helmet fully covered her head.

She walked slowly, but listened to everything her companion said. After all, she knew almost nothing about Jedi or Force-Users, and her mind was still on her Verd'goten, when she had faced up against the horrible power of storms and lightning unleashed by the most powerful mortals she had ever faced. The first rule of battle, she was learning, was to know the enemy.

<bzzt> "What's the appeal in something like that? Being a Jedi, I mean." <bzzt> She expected her new companion to say something about the powers, or the adventure, maybe even something like the traveling to new places or seeing new things. She would not be prepared for the actual answer, which would likely just confuse her more. If Jett were a Jedi, she'd probably use the power to enact revenge on her enemies, and kill the Chistori who had killed her parents and little sister. Such things do not make a Jedi.

Still, in the greater Galaxy, revenge didn't make you evil. What she didn't know was that the powers that gave a Jedi strength also limited them morally, and had personal consequences to their very nature. A regular person could steal, murder, and be definably evil and then in their later lives settle down and have a family, become a protector and be a comparatively good person. Once you started using the Force, those things could define who you were for the rest of your existence.

Jayna Ismet-Thio

 

[Warren of the Narrows]

Fear was an emotion that everyone felt at some point in their lives. From Grandmasters to Padawans, to Bounty Hunters, to Sith Lords. It was what you did with that fear that defined who you were, and more so, what your legacy would be. Master Abarosis had always led with courage, teaching Warren to face his fears, but never to cover them. He taught that unprocessed fear was an easy path to the Dark Side. It had been fear that led the Selonian to even go to this Gathering. Well, fear, and the Jedi Masters making him, but without fear he wouldn't have dared himself to actually go through with it. It was ironic, fear was what kept him back, but also forced him to better himself.

Fear was also what kept the Jedi Padawan from looking over the stone and peering at whatever had caused that terrible smell. Fear was what kept him firmly planted on the frozen ground. He was so afraid, so scared of what could be that he wasn't able to take the situation in. "Focus, Warren, you can do this." The Padawan blinked as something that could only be described as light began to take the shape of Master Abarosis. In life the Jedi Consular was very tall for his species, nearly seven feet tall, and in death it just added to the grandeur. It was hard to take it all in at once.

"Mas-" He shook his head in disbelief before finishing, "Master? Are you here?" His voice was hopeful for once as his big brown eyes trembled at the sight.

"Yes, and no, Padawan." He nodded his head, nearly touching Warren's forehead with his own. Oh how Warren wished. "I am here right now, but I have passed on to the Force." His tone was even, like he had rehearsed it before. His eyes narrowed as Warren tried to take it all in. "You must face your fear, your destiny lies just beyond what you refuse to see." His voice getting deeper and louder toward the end, almost startling the young Padawan.

Beyond, there was a stirring in the snow. Whatever it was Warren was hiding from knew he was there. When he looked back to ask his Master why he had done that, he was gone. Replaced by a cold draft beating against Warren's fur. He was starting to get very dried out, and needed to find water sooner than later. The sense of dread that Warren felt go down his spine was chilling, even more than the biting winds whipping through the cave. He knew he had to act now, it was what Master Abarosis would want, it was what he would do.

A deep breath in through the nose, closed eyes, hold it, breath out through the mouth. Another trick from his late Master. It was go time. With a renewed sense of ambition, Warren popped his head out, his paws instinctual going out to meet whatever it was with a Force push. He didn't, and he was glad he paused. When he took in what was before him, he almost gasped. It was a Kyber Crystal, a very large one, one that stuck out of the ground like a broken tooth. It was wrong, somehow, not evil or bad, but dying. The Padawan felt a rush of emotions as he connected with the crystal.

For a brief moment, Warren felt every moment since the crystal formed. Millennia, eons, infinity, all of it peppered by the brief, joyous visits from Jedi Padawans. There was a history in this cave longer than any recorded history, and this crystal had seen almost all of it, and now for that brief moment, so did Warren. Finally, in the moments after their connection, Warren felt a surge in his mind as the crystal made contact.

//I am dying.//

There was no tone, no dialect, the Padawan wasn't even sure if it was speaking Basic, he just knew he understood.

//I have watched.//​

There was an ache in Warren's stomach now, knots wasn't the right word, it was worse, like something coiled inside him, stealing his breath. He looked intently at the crystal that was glowing faintly. Inside, he could make out a small pulse, erratic and faint.

//I have guarded.//​

Then, without realizing why, Warren touched the crystal again. This time he saw flashes of dark forces entering the cave, their intentions to hurt and desecrate the cave and the crystals. It then flashed to cave-ins and beasts tearing them apart. Finally it was another scene of Padawans visiting the cave, excited as they found new routes and uncovered ancient Sith lightsabers under the rubble. It was finally clear to Warren what was happening, this Kyber crystal was protecting the cave for the Padawans, and now he was dying.

"I am so sorry." Warren's voice trembled as a tear formed in his eyes. He hadn't the words in Basic to describe how he was feeling, let alone how the crystal was feeling. Instead he decided to stay with it a moment longer, letting some of his energy sustain it. It may have been its last moments, but he wanted to make sure it wasn't going out struggling. The smell of ozone and carrion filling the hallway again. It was strange how the mind associated smell.

"I taught you well, Padawan." The voice of Master Abarosis came from behind. Warren closed his eyes and focused on the warmth he provided.

 

[Novac Lyrikal]

(ooc i heavily edited my last post i didnt like what i did with it, felt to short and fast. plz go reread)


novac now stood in a pocket in the cave much farther then he was before the..vision? it was beautiful, lile nothing he'd ever seen. the entire room was covered in crystals, it was like he was standing inside a giant geode. light from where he came poured in and reflected of the crystals in amazing ways. the singing novac heard from the entrance was much louder now. it was a harmony, the most beautiful harmony. novac just stood there for a minute listening to it.
he noticed that in 4 points in the room the singing was loudest and more localized. he closed his eyes and sat down, held his arms out palms up. the focused on the 4 louder singing spots and could feel the force being pulled to them. so he pulled back, not forcefully, but he could feel the energy and hear the singing get closer until they where hovering above his hands.
'4? do i really get 4, most jedi only have 1 maybe 2 right? this is supposed to happen right? i didnt..no, stop second guessing. the force has brought me to these 4. ok breathing in lets see what they look like' he thought. je exhaled as he opened his eyes. floating just above his hands where 4 crystals. the 2 in his upper pair of hands where in a rough diamond shape and where yellow. the bottom pair where 2 purple crystals in a more triangular shape.

he'd done it, he couldn't belive it. he finally got his crystals. he got up and tryed not to run back to the entrance to show the other jedi waiting for him and the others. the way back was much shorter. when he got back he went up to Katarine Ryiah and Matsu Ike since they where closest to him and he'd met matsu before " hey im back!" he siad, hands closed behind his back.

 

[Matsu Ike]

Arassyl Nnyrht Novac Lyrikal Lyssara Thrynn Katarine Ryiah Kael Venn Jayna Ismet-Thio

She looked at the woman who was there and remained deathly still for a moment. She had just teleported into the chamber... that was crazy, that was out there. She was hovering and moving as she observed. "Hi... you... you... old so and so." She said it and was motioning with her hand for one of the jedi who had come here. "You've never met her." SHe looked over at them as she wiped her brow. "Oh thank goodness, thought I was starting to see things again. ALmost lost my cool there." She said it and turned back to look at the woman though with some interest. "But I do not see to much of an issue, if you are meant to be in there the force will allow it... or it will make it so you are forever trapped and unable to get out as you slowly succumb to hyperthermia."She shrugged looking at her and then saw one of the padawans coming out with a nod of her head. "Welcome back, come we are building snowmen. All the cool kids are doing it."

 

[Aidan Bard]

✦ A LONG TIME AGO, IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY ✦

---

Aidan's transport several hours into the ceremony. He stepped out onto Ilum, the frozen planet vast in empty null besides the massive temple a few hundred yards away. The whistling, cold winds caused his hair to wave and bat against his face. "Cold." He stated the obvious, looking over to the palace-like structure before him. The gates were open, and it seemed welcoming enough. He steps forward, no idea of where to go or what to do, and his faith in the force was absent for a long time. He did walk with trust, thought, trust that he'd be here to witness the ceremony he never had. Faith that he could see the tradition, how special this tradition was, how the Initiates valued finding the catalyst for their blade. He should be in there with them, his kyber crystal was stolen from a Tatooine cave! He was an outsider. He froze, a few meters from the open gate and pondered if he was even worthy enough to watch, to be an observer of individuals who no doubt thought he'd gone through the process himself.
He looks down, he had a lightsaber. He never questioned others on where they got theirs, no, he never questioned anyone. He was different, he isolated himself. Maybe he should turn back.
He pushed forward, this was a goal of his, something he never really had. He had to see this through, and he walks into the temple, striding toward the other observers.

---

END OF ENTRY

 

[Novac Lyrikal]

Aidan Bard Matsu Ike Katarine Ryiah

novac noticed the new arrival and waved him over "oh hello there! your just in time i just got my crystals." turning to ike and ryiah "oh yea i was gonna tell you two i got my crystals, four of them to." he puts his hands out infront of him the 4 crystals floating above his hands. "i didnt think they'd be so pretty, almost a shame their gonna be hidden inside a lightsaber hilt." novac was almost bouncing with excitement.

 

[Aidan Bard]

✦ A LONG TIME AGO, IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY ✦

---

Aidan looks over to Novac Lyrikal , he didn't reply. He just leers his eyes at the crystal, then over to the Initiate. A smile began to form on his face. He watched the Initiate's glee, but had no words to say. Especially not now that they began to talk to others. He let out a light, barely audible "Congratulations." Before turning over to the cave, waiting for more Initiates to show their crystals to the Knights and Masters. He didn't find a rock though, he'd stand. He was off to the side, watching from a distance. The smile on his face faded as he went into thought.

---

END OF ENTRY

 

[Arassyl Nnyrht]

The essence continues to transfer; it feels like it's taking an eternity, and I must ensure that Lyssara's condition does not deteriorate over time. I have to maintain the aura now, continue sharing positive memories, and make sure this house of cards doesn't collapse at the slightest breeze. The essence of the transfer is going well for now. Illum seems to be leaving us alone during the process; after all, what is more noble than a piece of the light sacrificing itself to save its own kind?

As the aura finally stabilizes, it has shifted through two spectral colors. All of the dark side has been purged—all the negativity, all of her rage has been dissipated. This is it: the infamous moment of mental lethargy. To fill this empty vessel, now is the time I shove all of her light right down her throat her own light. It's a good thing we're compatible; otherwise, what I'm doing would be like injecting a dose of acid that would leave her with third-degree burns. She is like my twin sister; that is what gives me this unmatched precision. Her heartbeats are synchronized with mine.

As I use Force sight to perceive the color of her aura, it is beginning to glow brightly now. And since she possesses my knowledge, she will understand that the Force is not a tool, but a partner to work with not something to be subjugated. The forced empathy had a specific purpose: by making her put herself in her victims' shoes, she saw the reflection of her own anger and the pain she inflicted on others. That should curb her desire to start again for a long time. The Force is not to be dominated; it is to be understood. Through this process, she will be able to use it without burning through her life essence every time. Given the power we hold having both drunk from the Pools of Abeloth the consequences would have been catastrophic otherwise. Memories of the journey to Mortis resonate in my mind.

I will eventually disappear completely into the Force, merging with it once the process is complete. My belongings will fall to the ground, my work finished. I haven't vanished; I have simply reclaimed the place that was mine by right, alongside my original host. From now on, she can use the light to do good. The process will be long and difficult she'll still have that foul temper of hers but at least her aura has been saved. As for me, I have done my job. Mission accomplished.

 

[Kael Venn]

The wind howled like a living thing across the frozen surface of Ilum, but within the mouth of the Crystal Caves, the storm fell away into silence.
Kael stepped inside.

The cold did not leave—it changed. It became something deeper. Older. Not the bite of weather, but the quiet weight of something sacred. His breath slowed as the dim blue light of the cave swallowed him whole, the entrance fading behind like a door closing on the galaxy itself.

He was not alone.
Other Padawans moved through the labyrinth, their footsteps soft, their presences flickering like distant stars in the Force. But the deeper Kael went, the less he felt them. The cave did not separate them by distance, but by truth.

A narrow passage opened before him, jagged ice arching like the ribs of some ancient beast. He hesitated only a moment before stepping through. The Force shifted instantly, pressing closer, more intimate. It did not guide him with words.
It listened.

Kael exhaled slowly, grounding himself.
“I’m ready,” he whispered—not to the cave, but to whatever lay beyond his understanding.
The path twisted.

Light refracted through crystalline walls, casting endless reflections of him—fractured, distorted. In one, he stood taller. In another, cloaked in shadow. In another still… alone.

A flicker of unease touched him.
Then—
A voice.
Not heard. Felt.

"You seek to wield the Force… but do you understand what it asks in return?"
Kael’s jaw tightened. He didn’t answer aloud this time.
Instead, he stepped forward.
The reflections shattered into brilliance as the cavern opened into a vast chamber. The ceiling disappeared into darkness above, while the walls pulsed with a soft, living glow. Thousands of crystals—blue, green, violet—rested within the ice like stars trapped beneath glass.
The kyber.

The Force here was overwhelming—not chaotic, not dark, but alive. Each crystal sang, a chorus just beyond hearing, resonating through bone and breath.
Kael closed his eyes.
He reached—not with his hands, but with himself.
The noise faded.
The cave disappeared.
There was only stillness.
And within it—
A single note.

Clear. Steady. Waiting.
His eyes opened slowly.
There, half-buried in ice before him, a faint blue light pulsed. Not the brightest. Not the largest.
But it was his.

Kael approached, kneeling as if before something sacred. He didn’t rush. Didn’t grab. He placed his hand against the ice.
Cold burned through his palm—but he did not pull away.

“I understand,” he murmured softly.
Not mastery.
Not control.
But connection.
The ice cracked.
Not violently—but willingly.
Like something opening.

The crystal slipped free into his hand, its glow intensifying the moment his fingers closed around it. The hum deepened, no longer distant.
Now it was his heartbeat.

Kael inhaled sharply as warmth spread through him, pushing back the cold, anchoring him in something larger than himself.
For a moment—
He felt whole.
Not because he had taken the crystal.
But because it had chosen him.

Far above, the cave shimmered in quiet approval.
And Kael rose, the first step of his journey no longer ahead of him, but alive in his hand.

He began his descent back out of the cave, when he had reached the mouth of the cave once again but this time in reverse, he saw the masters and knights awaiting each of the padawans, and there were already some with crystals in their hands. He made his way to his particular master and showed a bright blue hued glowing crystal to her grasped in his hand.

Matsu Ike Novac Lyrikal

 

[Jayna Ismet-Thio]

Objective: Find a lightsaber crystal
Location: Ice Caves of Ilum
Outfit: Warm clothes
Tags: Jett Vox | everyone else

Jayna’s hearing was very good, and she smirked at the redheaded Mandalorian’s response to her explanation of a Jedi’s “job”. Jayna had thought that everyone in the galaxy knew what a Jedi did, or at least made their own assumption. Jett’s ignorance to their ways was actually kind of fun, and it forced Jayna to look at her own feelings on the subject.

Jayna had always resisted the idea of becoming a Jedi. Both her parents belonged to Orders at one point in their lives. Jayna thought they both probably considered themselves Jedi. Her Dad certainly did. Jayna had always fought against the idea that she needed to serve an order, but now that she thought about how her definition of a Jedi didn’t make sense to Jett, Jayna wondered if her stubbornness was wise.

Unlike Jett, the taller Jayna had no trouble negotiating the caves. It was as if the walls warned her of any potential dangers. She shifted her shoulders at the narrowing of the cavern. Ducked when necessary. She still heard the subtle whisper guiding her, but her experience was nothing like the others. Perhaps because she had not committed herself to being a Jedi. Or maybe because she encouraged a Mandalorian along. For now, Jayna was secure in the fact that she was heading the right way. And that was enough.

”Doing the right thing,” Jayna said with a bit of a shrug. It sounded stupid, even to her, but that should have been the answer every Jedi gave. The mission was to counter the evil that the Sith and other darksiders brought to the galaxy. Fame, adventure and seeing the galaxy, those were biproducts of doing the “job”. Jayna supposed in these times there were Jedi who sought out an Order for those things. But that was just plain wrong.

”Being a Jedi is certainly a job, but it is not an occupation,” Jayna continued to talk as she ducked another dip in the cavern’s ceiling. ”Some Jedi are from rich families, some gain wealth in other manners while still upholding their commitment to the Order. A lot don’t though. The Jedi provide what is needed to live, and what is needed to do the mission. The appeal is that you keep good people from being hurt by bad ones.”

Jayna continued deeper into the cavern and the whispers started to get louder, more persistent. Jayna sighed. Jett had followed her in here, but the Mandalorian didn’t know what was going on. To be honest Jayna didn’t either. She knew that a crystal would reveal itself to her as the one, but how that happened was a mystery. It was probably completely personal. ”The crystals are calling to me. I am not sure how loud they will get, what they will say to me. You won’t be able to hear or see them…I don’t think. So if I do something strange or talk to something that isn’t there, don’t be shocked. If I start acting dangerous please don’t hurt me too bad.”

 

[Lyssara Thrynn]

The ritual finally concludes and Arassyla has vanished; my split mind becomes whole once more. The ritual worked perfectly, but it was grueling for me, both mentally and physically. That filthy trial putting myself in the victims' shoes, empathy, all of that it's true I didn't care much for it before. All that mattered was that my experimental results were a success. I was afraid of failing, afraid of never managing to synthesize what I wanted. Today, I realize that such an atmosphere is superfluous and completely useless. No more need to create in order to destroy; those many lives I shattered... it will take a long time before I can claim to serve the good, I am well aware of that.

Rising from the ground I had fainted I notice that my aura's alignment has shifted. I look at my hands, then at the belongings on the floor. I decide to change and take her things with me; after all, they are technically mine. I slip into the Jedi attire tailored to my morphology: her lightsaber, her comlink, her datapad I have everything at my fingertips. I slide my old Sith outfits into my backpack and clip Arassyla's new lightsaber to my belt. I must find that crystal. I still have to make my own; now that I have one right under my nose, I must focus.

I sit cross-legged, this time to listen to the Force rather than seeking to dominate it. I sigh for a moment and let myself be carried by the meanders of my mind. Having accomplished the hardest part, I must, above all, catch that little tinkling sound. Once I have calmed my mind, things appear much clearer now. I perceive a song, unique in the Force a point, further into the cave.

Time to walk. I stand up, checking that I haven't forgotten anything except for my ego and my pride; I'll just leave those here, shall I? I walk with a calm pace through the corridors of Ilum. I arrive in a dark, poorly lit part of the cave. I draw the green-bladed saber, illuminating my surroundings. I search and see the crystal, there, inside a stalactite. I reach out toward it to seize it and gaze at it for a moment. Calming my mind and emptying this anger... this crystal will help me. I will have two lightsabers: my own, and Arassyla's.

Closing my hand gently, placing it against my chest, I close my eyes and finally show the crystal to Pari Sylune

"There, I finally managed to hear the song of the crystal. It was long, it was painful, and the road ahead will be long, but... the result is here. Shall we head back?"

 

[Pari Sylune]

Pari felt the Force shifting all around, but she could not see all the Lyssara saw. What she could do what feel the moment the other woman’s aura shifted slightly. When the green crystal was displayed the young girls eyes lit up.

“I am so proud of you. I know that wasn’t easy.”

Together they started back towards the opening, Pari radiating a tranquility in case Lyssara wanted to talk about what she saw.


Lyssara Thrynn Solene Beroya