The Great Gathering | The Je'daii Order

[Ignatius]

Sahna continued to run onward. While her running was fairly fast, the twist and turns limited her movement. I kept up easily as running every day was just a part of my life. Keeping my body in shape for martial arts, and the Matukai training was difficult as hell. My stamina was on superhuman levels. So keeping up with the small frame of Sahna bouncing up ahead of me was easy. I could hear her calling out to someone. Saying that she was coming. I had to wonder who it was, and would likely as her later when she wasn't so interested and invested in this person. Even more so, I knew that this cave system was causing some mental problems to her, and I didn't want to interrupt that. She needed to learn, and grow from this. Even if it hurt to do so.

I felt bad. Hurting myself as she continued on. Knowing that this pained her so. I had been so focused upon myself, so ingrained into my own head and training her, that I didn't think what could be holding her back was her past. I didn't think to make her face her demons earlier. I just ran after her for now.

Hearing a yelp of pain after a rather loud thud, there was a small drop that would have been difficult to see. Dropping down, I thudded hard into the ground. Impacting enough to bend my knees and my rear almost touch the ground. But I was not injured in any form. Using Matukai training, I was able to harden my skin, muscles and body to resist impacts. However, Sahna had not done the same because she was so flustered. She was nursing her leg and was almost hissing at it in pain. With her open mouth, I could barely see the sharp teeth she had. Having already seen them before, I was not scared, nor afraid, or thought any differently.

Kneeling down next to her, I removed her hand. Feeling up her leg to see if there were any injuries.

"Sahna, I know that whoever is there means a lot to you. However, you need to be careful when reaching your objective. Take your time, and make sure that when you work on getting there, that you don't do so too fast, that you injure yourself or others."

It looked like she would be learning quickly, and multiple lessons from this as I was giving her the bad news.

"No broken bones, but you did sprain your ankle. Stay still, this will hurt."

Holding her ankle on my lap, I kept her foot level and square with the rest of her leg. Slowly, I began to focus the force upon it. The muscles, ligaments, joints, and even the swelling that would take place would be going through the stages rapidly. The healing process took a few moments, but would speed up the healing process, while at the same time, causing pain from the rapid changes to her body. I wouldn't be surprised if she yelped or hissed at me a second time.

Once it was done, I let her leg down slowly.

"Take it slow. Put only a little pressure on it if you can. And please, walk to where you need to go. I don't want to see you hurt again."

Trying to hide my emotions of pain, nervousness, and even fear for her, I scooted myself to be towards her hips instead of at her feet. Speaking directly at her the entire time.

[member="Sahna Te"],

 

[Lief]

Neither of the others had followed it seemed. The way back was quiet, and the only noise she heard came from [member='Caedyn Arenais'] as he deactivated his lightsaber with a snaphiss and lowered himself to the ground, knocking a few stray rocks in the process.

She turned her gaze back over to him and smiled, listening as he spoke. Two steps closed the distance between them, and there she sank to her knees before him and reached out her hands to take up the both of his. She didn't have to be an Empath like certain other members of their Order to be able to sense his apprehensive state.

"Close your eyes," she encouraged him, "Ignore everything save for my voice, and quieten your mind. The Force is all around us, Padawan, it flows through absolutely everything within the Galaxy" - Well, aside from the likes of the Force Dead Horde, but he didn't need to learn that just yet - "rocks, durasteel, beings such as you and I, it envelops and binds. All you have to do is reach for it, and it will be there."

It wasn't quite that easy of course, and Asha knew it. Unlike most she had been utilizing the Force since she was little more than a toddler, she had been meditating just as long, but that was what happened when your Father was a stalwart Force User who was concerned for your safety and kept you moving around from place to place. A Father who brokered independence and security, who knew that he wouldn't always be there to protect her.

"Breathe in, and out, and reach for it... The crystals around us, they sing with the songs of the Force. Listen for them, my student, listen for their voices, for the one which speaks for you alone..."

 

[Valgærd]

Pain lanced through her leg.

As Sahna sat, the jolts seemed to concentrate, shooting up from her ankle. A wave of anguish washed over her; fear from the pain, frustration as the voice began to recede into the distance, overwhelming sadness that she was not good enough to follow. All these emotions seemed to crash in around her, threatening to swallow her up.

Then she felt movement beside her.

Glancing up, with tears trickling down her cheeks, she saw Ignis kneel beside her. He reached out and gently peeled her hands from her leg, inspecting it. He spoke softly, chastising her for rushing ahead, but doing so without malice or disappointment in his tone.

“I-I’m… sorry.” She murmured, choking back a sob.

Her ankle was sprained. He told her as much as he moved, placing her ankle into his lap. This will hurt. Well good, perhaps it ought to. Perhaps it would drive the lesson home if she had something of a… tangible reminder. Sahna nodded quietly, indicating that she understood. She drew in a breath and steeled herself, feeling her throbbing ankle as Ignis began to work.

He was right. It did hurt. She curled her lips back in a snarl, hissing at the pain. Sahna turned her face away, clenching her fists. But she kept still. It would all be for naught if she tried to pull her ankle away.

Once it was done, he let her leg down, and she let out a sigh of relief. As he spoke again, she turned to meet his eyes. He had scooted closer, looking back into hers. She could see so much emotion behind his eyes, feel them through the force. He cared for her. He was concerned for her wellbeing, her pain. Of course she knew that, but in this moment, it seemed to hit her all at once. Had she not been in pain, had her head not been spinning, she might have been able to hold herself back. But she could still hear that haunting cry echoing through the darkened tunnel. She could still feel the pain in her leg. Right now, she was weak.

She reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close in a tight hug.

“I’m so sorry.” She murmured, more hot tears spilling from her deep blue eyes.

She stayed there for as long as he’d let her, before finally pulling away. She met his eyes for a moment, utter gratitude in hers. She realised almost suddenly that he had no idea what she was chasing, who she was chasing. And yet, he had followed her anyway. For that, she was more grateful than she knew how to express.

She pulled herself to her feet, slowly easing her weight down onto her previously sprained ankle. Gently she took a step, then another. Were Ignis to stand as well, she would reach out and lean on him. This was partially to make sure she didn’t lose her balance, and partially to force herself to slow down.

But the call was still echoing throughout the tunnel ahead, and onwards she limped, her heart swelling as she sought to right the biggest, darkest wrong she had committed.

[member="Ignis Imura"]

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Seated before [member="Asha Hex"], Caedyn hadn't expected her to take his hands into her own, it caused a slight sense of anxiety to come over him as he wasn't used to the contact of others since he had left home. Truthfully, he hadn't come to know anyone well enough or formed bonds of friendship like he had back on Commenor; though that wasn't to say that he didn't like it or felt uncomfortable, it simply caught him by surprise. Listening to her words of advice, he closed his eyes with some hesitance, though she might not see it so well in the darkness of the cave they shared, the light minimal thanks to the glowing stones and crystal formations around them.

The Force remained a mystery to him, though he wasn't new to the theory behind it at all. Lori and Caedyn had tried to do their own research about the Force behind closed doors that their parents might not be given the chance to discourage them. You'd think that in a family of such prominent force users, that they'd have been encouraged more so than anything yet the case had been quite the opposite where their chance for normal lives had taken priority in their parents eyes. Fortunately, such things were not solely left up to their Mother and Father, forced to resign their protectiveness, Caedyn now found him in a completely different life today.

Closing himself off from everything else around him, Caedyn sought to listen only to his Master's voice. It was a warm and encouraging voice, she of whom had become the sole person that he could rely on and trust these days, in most aspects of his life today, she was the only one he had to depend upon and in her advice and instruction, Caedyn welcomed the feeling of being led to something greater than themselves; knowing that he wasn't going this path entirely alone.

His presence within the Force seemed to strengthen in what could be felt by his Master; possibly strengthened by her shared company and contact, yet Caedyn not able to notice it as his mind had become distanced. His brows furrowed a little to the center just above the bridge of his nose, a frown of concentration for which he wasn't entirely certain he was going about this all the right way. His perceptions of what he might be sensing were consistently marred with doubt, much like in the sense of seeing a mirage and doubting it's authenticity; here it wasn't the Crystals that spoke out to him but something else further within the caverns of Aurum...Something that felt old and forgotten, an image that would unintentionally be conveyed between the pair of them both; something that his Master would likely have a better idea of how to explain than Caedyn himself.

This image though brief held the presence of something else, sentient feelings of possession accompanying a crate or box of some sort covered in dust and dirt. The boy's eyes snapping open, staring back at Asha a little unnerved. She had spoken of the crystals, he having never experienced something like this before automatically falling into denial and doubt, speaking up a little warily.

"I don't think I'm as good at this as the others, Master...".

 

[Ignatius]

Sahna had done this only to herself. She knew the trouble she was in. Even as she hugged me, I was there as a friend, as a teacher. Mentor. I returned the hug. I may have not been someone who accepted them, nor someone who showed physical forms of affection towards others, I accepted her. She needed someone. She wanted to be held by someone who was there, and who she trusted. I happened to fit the bill. Even as she hugged me, I wrapped my arm around her, and had my other gently patting her. The tears streaming down her face. She stood up and attempted to walk.

While the healing would mostly be done, it would still hurt, and thus need to take it slow. She leaned against me as she walked onward. She kept saying that she was sorry. Shaking my head as we walked on, I spoke to her. Letting her know the truth.

"Don't ever be sorry. Each decision you make is made for a reason. Living with guilt will only hold you back. It prevents you from moving on, and from seeing the rest of the world as it is. You get tunnel vision and focus on just that one thing. Just as you did a second ago."

Picking up the ball of light with the force, I held it with my off hand while my other one was wrapped around the underside of her arm. Even so, I continued.

"You are so focused on catching up to your friend, so focused on protecting and helping them, that you didn't see the drop. You can only help that person, if you help yourself. You are in no condition to fight for others, when you cant even support yourself."

Ever word I spoke was true. Every thought would hit home with her. The ONLY reason she would be running so vehemently after someone, is if she loved them. She cared so deeply for this person, that she couldn't see anything else. That one reason blinded her to the rest of what was around her. She needed to learn to let go. Not to let the past die, or fade, but to remember it, and use it as a stepping stone for the future. Learn from it, mourn it, but not to let it consume you.

Even as I knew this, I myself dealt with the same problem in my own way. I hated my father. I hated what he did to me. I am learning how to move on. To understand whatever he did made me stronger and the person I am today. His decisions came with a reason. Even if they were selfish. I am not ashamed of my actions, nor my feelings. I accept them and who I am. Its only through this that I have found the best way to move past my own guilt.

"Sahna. This person is someone you love and care for. No matter who it is, they will always be alive within you. You remember them. You have them within your heart. But they are gone. They are your past. They have created you into who and what you are today. Use them as your foundation to create a better tomorrow. Learn to let go of the past, but never to forget it. Otherwise, it will consume you to literal death."

After some time of her walking and leaning on me. I stopped. Releasing her, I then handed the ball to her.

"You are strong. You are capable. I know you. From here on, this is your own. I will support you, but you must discover how to overcome your own challenges. They were created for you, and you alone."

Currently where we stood, there was a fork in the path. One leading ahead, and the other slanted to the right. I moved to the path on the right as it was the direction the force was calling to me. I too, had my own desires and problems. They needed to be dealt with.

"You are the captain of your fate, and the Master of your soul. So own it. Fight for it. Every day. And do not allow your head to be bowed. You may become bloody. You may be broken, but do not bend to the darkness within your heart."

Turning away from her, I ignited my own flame, and walked off. Calling out behind me.

"You are my ally. My student. My friend. My sister. Don't give up."

[member="Sahna Te"],

 

[Cecilia Wissen]

Cecilia rolled her eyes at Kyle. "I don't want to just leave her here. Besides, it's not like I'm in any hurry."

"Whatever, you do need to get a crystal at some point though. Just figured no sense dragging her along with you." he responded

"I wasn't really planning on doing that," Cecilia responded.

"Oh?" Kyle said, sounding rather bored, "Then why bother waiting? Locating a crystal is a deeply personal experience. Both of you would be better off on your own for the final stretch."

"I guess, but I still want to make sure she's okay," protested Cecilia

"Seriously?" Kyle asked, raising his eyebrows. "It's meditation, not cardiac arrest. She'll be fine."

"Yeah but--"

"Stop it." Kyle commanded, interrupting Cecilia. "Go find your karking crystal. Down right?"

"Bu-- Yeah, I think my crystal is below us, but wh--" Cecilia said, bewildered by--

"Have fun!" Kyle said, a gleeful smile on his face.

At this moment, the section of the cave floor that Cecilia was standing on shattered, creating a hole that Cecilia immediately fell through. After a split second panic, she managed to gain enough focus that she didn't die when she hit the floor.

She looked up towards the hole. That was easily more than 20 meters up, yet she survived the fall. The Force was pretty awesome. Though not awesome enough that she could get back up. Letting out a sigh of resignation, Cecilia surveyed her surroundings. Damn that Kyle.

[member="Mariya Fleischer"]

 

[Valgærd]

Ignis had returned the hug, allowing her to lean on him, to use him as her rock in this moment of weakness. She didn’t care how it looked, she didn’t care if he’d judge her for it. She was in need, and he was there to be the shoulder to cry on, in this case, literally.

As they walked, she leaned against him, accepting his support. But he shook his head, speaking not soft, flowery words of comfort, but the truth, a much harder pill to swallow. It hurt, stinging her to her core, that she’d failed herself already. As he picked up the ball of flame, it illuminated the tears still streaming down her face.

She hated it, being so weak. He was right, she was in state to do much of anything in this state. She lifted a hand and angrily wiped the tears from her eyes, nodding solemnly. He was right, dammit he was right.

Ignis kept speaking as they walked, reminding her that he was gone, Aranias was gone. But… he told her that the boy was still alive in her heart, as long as she remembered him. She’d heard the sentiment elsewhere in the past but… no one had specifically said it to her. The sombre warning that followed seemed to dry the last of her tears, or at least, came at the same moment they ran out. As he handed her the ball, she looked up into his face.

“His name was Aranias.” She mumbled, “One day I will tell you about him.”

Truth be told, although she had sworn never to forget him, Sahna had been avoiding Aranias’s memory. She had never truly confronted the truth of what he’d done. Perhaps that was what she was to face in here. But one way or another she needed to make peace with her past. Besides, didn’t she owe him to tell someone of his bravery? Hadn’t he earned that much, at least?

Up until this point she had felt very small and frail indeed. But Ignis told her otherwise. He said she was strong and capable. She instinctively opened her mouth to rebuke him, but stopped. Had he not been right on everything thus far? Why wouldn’t he be right now? The Togruta cast a glance towards the fork in the tunnel. A path led in each direction. It was time to discover for herself.

“I will.” She replied to his encouragement. “I’ll see you on the other side.”

He moved off into the other passage, calling out behind him. For the moment she was left standing alone, ball of light in hand. Although he had likely moved out of range and couldn’t hear her, she spoke anyway,

“My teacher, my friend, my brother.” She murmured, “I won’t give up, if you don’t give in.”

She’d already been tested by the caves, and she had felt the darkness in Ignis from the day she’d first met him. What would be here to tempt and test him, she wondered? But she couldn’t worry about that now. Turning to the other passageway, she took a step, then another. Keeping her footfalls soft and her mind clear, she followed the eerie, mournful cries of her dead friend into the darkness.

 

[Ignatius]

I held my emotions. Even I every fiber of my being wanted to turn around and head back towards the woman. My friend. I wanted to walk her down the path she needed to follow. However, the path of balance is one that must be experienced alone. While others may come in and help you. Preventing you from falling too far to the darkness, they could only give you a leg up. Never carry you. That was the path we all accepted when we came here. No hand holding. No carrying. No gifts on silver platters. Everything, even your rank, your titles, your gear, your friends. It all had to be earned, and gained through various means of respect, honor, dedication and more.

I had been discovering that my time with the Je'daii would be one I would never forget. Even should the fall tomorrow, I would always be one. Striving to become in balance with myself. The Matukai training I had were very helpful with this. Preserving my body. Eating not to satisfy my tongue or stomach, but to satisfy my body as a whole. Pushing myself past my limits. Pushing beyond them so that I could surpass the apex of human conditions. I was much stronger, faster, and last well longer with my endurance than the average man. Performing well into super human levels. Some times, I was surprised with how powerful I had become so far, and was eager to become even more so.

The more powerful I was, the closer I could be to ending the fight with my father. One step closer to righting the sins of what he has caused. Once he was gone, I would bare those sins. Carry them upon my own shoulders, and repent for them in any way possible. All in the name of my family and for a better tomorrow. Even as I walked on without Sahan, I could feel her growing further and further away from me until all I could hear were my own echoing footsteps, and the sound of my own thoughts. However, I knew that I would find something soon. It was only until I reached an opening that I started to feel a headache. Massive in size and pain. I tried to fight it. Something was trying to force their way in. Something was trying to fight me. I would not let them.

I stood still. Clenching my fists. Fighting with every fiber of my being. Countering their actions by fortifying my mind. Keeping them from entering. However, I could feel myself slipping. The sounds of someone calling my name. It was so... real. So... genuine. I wanted to find out, but I knew they were fake. I had to fight them. However, I felt a sudden and powerful push. Forcing it's way into my mind. I lost it. Falling to my knees. the water at my feet splashing upon my clothing as I knelt there. Hands holding my head at the temples. Wanting to push whatever it was out. Then... it stopped.

Looking around me, I saw faces. Many I had seen before, but only in passing. These were the people I had killed in my life. Soldiers, civilians. thieves. Among their faces, they all just stared at me. Not saying a word. However, I saw someone walking between them. As they came forth, I noticed it was not one, but several people. My mother Lexa. Caleo my sister. Kinta my friend and companion. Damien my younger brother. Nickolas, Morna. Sahna, Jyn and Asha. Walking out from behind them all. Was one individual who I fought to keep out of my head. A girl.

Her

I closed my eyes. Even then, I could hear her screams echo in my ears. My perfect ears. I then felt a hot pain in my chest. Opening, it was the girl. In her hands was my own sword. My own weapon. Removing her hand from the weapon, it stayed still. Pierced through my chest. My heart. Her face solemn. However, I knew her thoughts. She wanted to welcome me to the afterlife. Where I could be with all of these people. So I could repent for my sins. To give up on this world.

She reached out her hand.

I reached out. Almost touching her, but a set of words came to my mind. I hadn't heard them. Ever. Yet they still rang out.

"My Teacher, my friend, my brother. I won't give up, if you don't give in."

The girl heard it too. Her face contorting in anger. Mouth opening to scream but being without noise. All of the people. Every one of them raised their hands out at me. And with a flash, they all carried my sword. I scowled. Hard. I could feel the sword within my chest still. Yanking it from my own body, I looked at the blood stained weapon. I had blood on my hands that would never leave me. They would always be there. Tormenting me. The Sins of my own, and my fathers. All converged upon me.

They struck at me. Attempting to fight and destroy me. I fought back. I clashed swords with every one of them. Fighting and killing. Ending their lives one more time. That was, until I saw the faces of my friends and family. Just them and the girl. Slowly they faded from me. I was left alone once more. Sweating from head to toe, I saw that where they had been was a crystal formation. I started to lean down when I felt a pain in my chest just over my heart. Looking at my shirt, I found there was a hole. Opening it, a scar. A single line that was directly over my heart. A scar I had not had before. Feeling it gently. I knew what this meant. Even if I won this, I still had much more ahead of me.

Reaching forward, I plucked the crystal from where it was. Taking a good size for various projects I may need. Once I had, I breathed in. Hearing once more the words of the little girl that still haunted me. Something I never speak of for a reason.

"Your sins will find you."

I shuddered from the words. Making my way out and back from where I came.

[member="Sahna Te"],

 

[Valgærd]

Sahna walked alone.

Of all the friends she'd made on Aurum. Of all people she'd met and all the time she'd spent with them, now, she had to walk alone. She had to face this on her own strength. Whatever came next. The togruta drew in a deep breath, held it for a moment, and let it out. Her steps were slow, even though Ignis had healed her ankle, it was still tender. A reminder, perhaps, a warning to go slowly. She had to trust in herself, in the force. She had to move slowly.

Sahna! Help me, please!

She could hear the voice echoing ahead of her. The girl recalled Ignis's words. It wasn't real. He was already gone. She had to physically hold herself back, to stop herself from running off again. It seemed that this ghost... this memory, made her abandon her reason, abandon her resolve, and go traipsing off into the dark. So this was why she was made to confront it.

"I'm coming, Aranias." She murmured, "I'm coming."

But she made herself maintain a slow, steady pace. The tunnel twisted and turned, the voice echoing just beyond her field of view, always close, but not close enough.

Then she rounded a corner.

And there he was.

It was Aranias, standing just as she remembered him. Twelve, maybe thirteen years old. He was Standing in a little nook in the earthen wall. His head was tilted to one side, resting on his shoulder and an awkward angle, as if he hadn't the strength to hold it up. His eyes were wide, glistening with tears and clouded with pain and fear. As Sahna's gaze lowered, she saw why. His chest bore the scorched mark of a large wound, he'd been impaled by a lightsaber. Upon spying the horrific damage, Sahna gasped. She dropped her head, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks.

Sahna, help me, please... He begged, his voice weak, breath raspy and shallow. The togruta's heart broke. She collapsed, falling to her knees in front of him.

"I'm so sorry," She wept, "it should have been me. I should have stayed."

Aranias's voice, although soft and weak, still rang clearly in her ears, easily heard even above her own sobbing.

Help me... to get the others... to safety

The words caught Sahna completely flat-footed. Her sobs caught in her throat, almost choking her. Her shoulders went still, the air around her quiet and cool. She wanted to look up at him, to ask what he meant, but she couldn't bring herself to lay her eyes upon that horrible wound again. What was the point? She couldn't change what she'd done. She couldn't help him now. She was useless, she'd been weak before, and she was being weak again. She felt the coldness of a dark shadow step up behind her, heard the unmistakable buzz of a lightsaber igniting. This is how it should have been before, she should have stayed, should have died that day.

"You are my ally. My student. My friend. My sister. Don't give up."

Ignis's words rang in her mind. Something sparked in her chest. It was tiny, like the first single glow of a lone ember. She took hold of that ember, clinging to it as if it were life itself. She couldn't give up. She hadn't given up that day, why could she now? In that moment, she understood. Opening her eyes, she could see the angry red glow of the lightsaber behind her illuminating the rocks. She could feel the heat on her back. But instead of focusing on that, she turned her gaze up to the boy standing above her,

Help me. He said once again.

"I did." She said in reply, "I got them out. All of them. We did it, Aranias. We saved them."

The moment those words left her lips, the red glow disappeared. The heat faded. The visions vanished. She closed her eyes, one more tear rolling down her cheek. He was gone now. When she opened them again, Sahna noticed the rock formation she had been kneeling before. Perched on top, embedded in a bed of stone, was a crystal. Small and unassuming, orange in colour. Reaching out, she plucked it from the rock.

Clutching the crystal close to her chest, she stood on trembling legs, and turned back towards the cave's entrance. She had done it.

 

[Lief]

Asha wasn't stupid.

She knew the signs when she saw them, that someone had discovered something they might not understand through the Force. Perhaps it wasn't singing, perhaps it did not radiate, but he had sensed something the Force wished him to see and that was what mattered. Were they here for lightsaber crystals? Of course they were. But a life that could not be comfortably altered was no life she wanted to lead, and so she smiled and squeezed his hands gently.

"I beg to differ; you sense something, no? Maybe not a crystal, but something. Focus on that, Padawan, feel for it, sense what it is. You are picking up on it for a reason. When you feel as though you have a good grasp of it we'll head toward it. Things do not always go as we plan them to, and that is great in some cases. We must learn to adapt, change our paths where they converge with other plans the Force may have for us. You should be proud of yourself, Caedyn, you just used the Force..."

Releasing his hands so that he could focus properly on the task at hand, Asha slowly rose to her feet and brushed off her robes. So many singing crystals, yet he had managed to overlook all of them in favour of something silent, something squirreled away in the middle of this network of colourful caves.

She did not know what, of course, but she knew enough.

[member="Caedyn Arenais"]

 

[Ignatius]

Walking back through the tunnels, I reached the fork in which we had separated from. Standing there, I waited. Holding upon the crystals girth with my hands. It was a little large in size, but enough to make a lightsaber, or two out of. Maybe even just break the entirety of it down into shards and invest it into armor. I began to think about the last time I had used a lightsaber. Back when I had first joined the Sith. They had me face a woman. Juliet. We both used lightsabers and instead of using and training with them, resorted to old tactics where Alkor, a Dark Jedi, broke us up. However, the memory faded as Sahna walked out from her own hall.

I could see the tears upon her face. They had now dried since then, but even with that, I walked onward with her. Placing an arm around her shoulder. Holding her gently to let her know that her trial was over. Her test had been completed and she passed. However, the hard part was not over. It never was. We were quiet as we walked onward. No words needed to be spoken.

However, as we left the entrance into the cave system, I spoke very softly and tender.

"Lets go home."

[Exit for Sahna and myself]
[member="Sahna Te"], [member="Asha Hex"],

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

To be honest, Caedyn wasn't entirely sure what he had sensed. This was his first time having actually connected with the Force, such a thing that wasn't always so clearly defined to youth who were still struggling to take hold of their Force practices and abilities.

It felt like there might have been a pull in a certain direction leading deeper into the cave-system yet there too was that doubt and insecurity that he might just be over-thinking everything and playing a trick on himself. [member="Asha Hex"] however seemed to think otherwise, having been able to trace his steps and monitor his progress confirming that there was in fact something behind his instincts; thus giving him the confidence to exhale slowly and open his eyes, turning to look further down into the darkness of the open cavern and slowly getting back up to his feet, nodding a little warily in acknowledgement of the possibility.

"I don't think it's the same as what everyone else is looking for though, these Crystals are everywhere but..." He hadn't seen it so much as felt it, though that in itself was difficult to explain; "It...Didn't feel the same" he thought openly, sharing his intrigue with his Master and slowly stepping on ahead only once having been assured she would accompany him further.

He knew nothing about this place, these caves nor who might have come before them. Somewhere further down the path they traveled however, Caedyn would cautiously lead Asha away from the rest of the group, parting off down a somewhat tighter corridor of rock before reaching a dead end. Frowning to himself, he placed his hand against the wall before him as if to confirm that they could go no further.

"Great...-I guess I really do-" he was about to emphasize how poorly he had done while turning to look back to her, yet his foot caught on something and he almost tripped full force to his front, just quickly managing to get his hands in front of him that he might catch his weight and not lose teeth against the hard stone floor; "Ow! Little sh-..." His gaze traced the floor he had tripped upon and in the dull light sticking out of what looked like a softer surface, he saw something protruding out, a corner of what looked to be sharp, sentient made...

 

[Lief]

"Sometimes it's not enough to go searching for what everybody else is, just because they are. Everything you do will alter your own path, your own future, and if that means taking deviations from the well-worn road? Then so be it. That is where your future lies."

From that moment on she remained absolutely silent, following him through the tunnels without a word so as to let him focus. He had figured out roughly where it was, his feet led the way with precision even if his mind remained shrouded in doubt. This was an important lesson, one which showed him that he was capable of great things, of stepping up to the mark and trusting in his instincts. Whether this was his first real attempts at utilizing the Force or not Asha did not know, but it would mark a momentous occasion all the same.

When they found naught but a dead end she could sense his disappointment, he was getting ready to belittle himself further when he tripped over something on the ground. Despite the fact that he may have cut his palms or knees she could not help but smile.

The Force truly did work in mysterious ways.

"What have you found, Padawan?" she inquired, not stepping any closer so as to let him unveil what it was himself.

[member="Caedyn Arenais"]

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

"What have you found, Padawan?".

For a moment, Caedyn Arenais glanced back up to his Master and simply stared at her, his mind pausing a moment in something of a blank space before shaking himself back to it and glancing back across the cave's floor, soon scrambling to crawl a little closer to the strange and seemingly unnatural edge that stuck up from the rock's surface. His hands guiding him through what little natural light he was allowed, his fingers soon found that the floor ahead of him seemed to soften compared to much of what they'd already trekked.

"Something's been buried here..." He muttered mostly to himself, though his intrigue was far too strong now to go on ignoring what he'd found, his fingers scratching at the soil and as though it were wet clay, it slowly came undone in his hands enough to bury them into it and begin prying the fragile floor away. He must have looked rather uncivilized in the moments to follow, Caedyn who was apparently too focused on discovering this hidden treasure, pried the wet loose earth from the floor, pulling much of it up against himself in all his eagerness. Slowly, despite some of the clay falling back in due to his less than organized digging, he managed to expose the side of some sort of box, a metal handle attached to it by bolts secured to a metal frame and large enough to get both of his smaller hands around.

Climbing to his feet, he brushed his hands against his clothes, dirtying them by no subtle amount before clapping them together in preparation to pry the rest of his trophy from the ground. Taking it into both hands, he pulled. And pulled....-And pulled; finally the rest of the clay gave in and Caedyn was caught stumbling back several paces, the box seemingly more akin to some sort of footlocker in size, being dragged against the rock with a great racket and consequently dropped with a loud clash of metal against the hard surface they stood upon.

"Woops..." Caedyn muttered, glancing back at [member="Asha Hex"] apologetically before looking down over the thing. It was old, though how old he couldn't tell. It was big though, and though he'd been able to pull it out, it'd been heavy. For some reason, whatever was inside, if anything, hadn't been buried too deep and thus he wondered if it was going to be something it's owner might come back for. "...-Should I open it?" He asked his Master, suddenly wary about whether or not he might be prying into someone elses belongings. His Mother had always lectured he and [member="Loreena Arenais"] after-all about taking things that didn't belong to them.

 

[Lief]

Usually Asha would not encourage him to open something that did not belong to him. Of course, not knowing what lay inside also brought about its own set of problems... But being that the only sentient life forms recorded on this planet, outside of those residing now in Azar City, belonged to the Old Je'daii Order - the men and women of which had been mercilessly slaughtered without survivors - she merely shrugged her shoulders. Whoever had buried them here was not likely to return.

"By all means, let's see what's inside."

If it was anything of any real worth they could leave a note behind, ensure that if someone returned for it they would be more than compensated. But as it stood the Force had led him to this place, a place which had stood empty for over a decade now, and who was she to defy the Force?

Still hanging back she waited and watched, sensing through the Force to check for any sort of anomaly or lifeform inside and finding very little. Just some tightly packed molecular structure, durasteel perhaps? Hard to tell without opening it...

[member="Caedyn Arenais"]

 

[Lief]

Some time passed, with Jyn handing [member="Tracyn"] her comm frequency on a piece of flimsiplast before parting ways. There was so much the pair had to talk about, but she could sense her student further in the cave struggling to begin the Gathering he had attended and as such she knew that her duties out trumped personal needs for now.

Heading further into the cave systems she kept her attention on [member="Kid Starburn"] but was surprised to also feel [member="Arekk"] out there too. Both of them shone like beacons to her, after all they were both integral parts of her life now, and so she picked up her pace hoping that she would bump in to at least one of them along the way.

Her hopes were founded in truth, for soon enough she came upon Ar'ekk tending to [member="Josef King"] and she could only smile. The man admittedly didn't look in too great shape, so she pulled out her commlink and boosted its range through the Force so that she could get a message out to the City.

Possible medical crew needed in the Crystal Caves. Ensure the man is checked over for injuries and sickness.

"We'll stay with him until the crew arrives, and then head on out," she told Ar'ekk, before closing her eyes and focusing on Kid. While her actions could not be reciprocated through the Force due to her genetics, she was able to tug on his mind to indicate to him that she was close by, and hopefully that would prove enough to bring him to where she and Ar'ekk now waited.

[ [member="Josef King"] / [member="Tracyn"] - I was just trying to come up with a way to let you both finish the thread despite your LOAs, if you want this changed at any point please let me know]

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

With [member="Asha Hex"]'s approval, Caedyn no longer felt so guilty about the potential stumbling across someone else's property. In his mind, his Master knew this world and the Je'daii Order better than anyone (whether that was true or not was a matter of his ignorance); so as she gave her word, the boy moved to crawl closer to the footlocker and feeling around the sides of it for any sort of a locking mechanism or latch.

To Caedyn's welcome surprise, he found the clamps that secured the great box closed to be without a lock, a small smile coming over him, he soon pulled back on the clamps and they flung up with a rusted screech, the lid popping with a sudden loose of tension against the rest of the frame. The boy's mind began to race with questions, his imagination coming into play as he thought up the most extreme possibilities of what he might find within. Thousands upon thousands of credits or perhaps a holocron thinga-magig the Jedi used to learn those really awesome tricks in the Force with.

No longer able to contain his excitement, he pulled the lid back to find himself looking down at a rather old and odd looking set of armor way to big for himself. Pulling it out of the footlocker, he set the breast plate down beside himself not knowing the value of the material that was used to create such an old piece (Phrik) and there awaiting him beneath it all was a crystal shard, a rather size-able chunk that had already been shaped and something he recognized to be similar to his own lightsaber's crystal; only this one held a lavender tinge to it, a sort of mystical purple glow, almost.

Turning to look back over his shoulder to his Master, he held up the crystal with something of an indifferent expression; "Well, I guess I found a Crystal after all..." he offered a reluctant smile before adding, "And this Stuff...-Guess someone didn't want it anymore".

 

[Arekk]

AURUM​

THE CRYSTAL CAVES OF AHN, AZAR CITY​

---

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INTERACTING WITH: [member="Asha Hex"], [member="Mariya Fleischer"], [member="Tracyn"], [member="Jyn Lorr"], [member="Sahna Te"], [member="Ignis Imura"] [member="Caedyn Arenais"], [member="Kid Starburn"], [member="Josef King"]​

"Hey, I knew you were inside this cave!"

The old saying "the Force worked in mysterious ways" couldn't have proved more true in this occasion. From all the way to Aurum to this snowy mountain and inside a crystal cave, Jyn managed to find Ar'ekk and viceversa. Now that he was here, I think it would be a good opportunity to tackle one of the trials and why not, obtain and attune a crystal with the Force as a gift for little Tefie when the time was right.

Placing his robotic palm on Josef's shoulder to give him some relief, he tried to give him some encouraging words until the medical team arrived from within the city. They wouldn't take longer.

"Just hang tight. We'll speak further when you're feeling better."

Ar'ekk stood on his feet and dusted off his jacket, giving Jyn a good glance inside the dark cave. He was happy to see her despite not being able to do so during the morning, like the man was always accustomed to. He knew more people were inside the crystal cave to gather the precious material, the Force tugged him further.

"You're okay?"

---

---

 

[Card Null]

The Lone Wanderer
He had continued walking down his trail , still wandering aimlessly following nothing but his gut instincts . " I mean this has to be one of my trials she was talking about, I mean there's nothing here what do these crystals even look like " Seeing nothing but the layers of rock surrounding the cave at each step he took

Still thinking of how he would come across the others, Maybe if he kept walking he'd just stumble into someone . Finally figuring out to stop and concentrate , slow paced breathing calmed his nerves.

He then outstretched his hand using his power to feel throughout the cave to sense those who had gotten further than him. failing to sense anything his skill with the force was still novice at best ,the thought had restarted his frustration.

He had gotten up to continue down his path , when suddenly he had felt something tug at his psyche . He was oddly familiar with it , Trying to recognize where it was coming from , finally figuring it to be his teacher Jyn ushering him to her position. He had begun to walk again following further down the cave's tunnels until reaching close to where she called him . Up ahead seeing three figures stick-out to him , Walking closer he was able to spot [member="Jyn Lorr"] with two other strangers most likely others apart of the gathering party.

"I'm here i hope i didn't keep you waiting " looking down to see a man kneeling down over someone who looked to be unconscious "Um is he going to be okay , was he attacked by something"

[member="Arekk"] [member="Josef King"]

 

[Lief]

Despite his former reservations and fears, somehow Caedyn still managed to make light of the situation when he unearthed a lavender crystal.

"Seems you are correct, excellent work Padawan."

But it wasn't so much the crystal that drew her attention as it was the armour within. When he pulled out the chestpiece she glanced over it curiously, before tentatively reaching out one hand. The moment her fingertips touched the piece her eyes clouded over, becoming rather pale in comparison to their usual state, and in the moments which followed she did not say a word. She did not move, at least not noticeably. Her eyes flickered, her lips moved silently...

And then she blinked.

It couldn't have taken more than twenty seconds but to Asha it felt like an eternity had passed. She stepped back from him, dropping her hand back to her side, and simply smiled.

"The owner is not returning for them," she informed him, "The Force led you here for a reason, I believe it means for you to make use of these things. Before we head out of these caves, you're going to need to attune yourself to that crystal. If you plan on keeping it, that is. Meditate with it, focus through the Force on yourself and on it, allow the Force to create a bond between the both of you... It is imperative that you forge a connection with your crystal, Padawan."

[member="Caedyn Arenais"]