Braze passed by his own student,
Leos
, pausing to quietly observe the careful notes he had made. He set a hand gently on his shoulder and offered a small approving smile.
"Good thinking," he said softly before leaving him to his work.
"It can become like a game if you memorize all your steps for the box. Fifteen is a big number of steps to keep in mind, but once you have it, it becomes easy. Learning something for the first time on your own can feel like a monumentally difficult task as well. But little by little, if you keep trying, things do eventually become easier… eventually, you might be able to open a box with a better and better time each time."
When a few students began asking rapid questions about what the boxes contained, Braze lifted a hand for quiet.
"In due time. Your answer will come once your box does."
He handed out the small squares of microfiber and velvet cloth one by one to each student as they opened their boxes.
"These will help protect whatever you earn today."
He noticed
Zan Krytle
hesitating at the edge of the group.
"You are welcome to join us," Braze said with a warm gesture. "
There is a prize within if you can open a box. But the box is part of the gift. Forcing it will damage what is inside." He gestured to the front where he had several other untouched boxes.
He continued checking on the students who had already opened theirs, offering light praise before shifting into the lesson.
"Has anyone here seen Kyberite before?" Braze settled by the front and opened a box taking out the
kyberite pendant holding it up.
"Kyberite, often dubbed 'false kyber,' is a mineral from which kyber crystals naturally form. Unlike kyber crystals, which are attuned to the Force, kyberite channels and guides the Force without negating it. This unique property made it invaluable in ancient Jedi practices."
Braze began as he started to walk slowly around the metaphorical room, inspecting each student's box and how far they had gotten.
"One of the most significant structures utilizing kyberite was the Martyrium of Frozen Tears, on Tython. Built by the earliest Jedi, this temple housed a confessional chamber made entirely of solid kyberite."
He stopped beside
Aliris Tremiru
, watching her for a brief moment before moving on.
He paused just in front of one student, looking down at
Casaana
, his gaze lingered for a prolonged moment, locking eyes in complete silence. Then, saying nothing, he continued on.
"Jedi would enter that chamber to confess their transgressions directly to the Force, seeking clarity and redemption. The kyberite amplified the emotional resonance of those confessions, creating a powerful spiritual experience," he explained, perhaps pointedly, or perhaps not. He cast one last glance over his shoulder before moving on to another student.
"The Martyrium of Frozen Tears was a revered Jedi temple buried within the Meridional Ice Cap of Tython. Over time, it became a symbol of the Order's commitment to introspection and redemption. Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the Imperial Era… and with it, the Confessional."
He paused upon reaching the center of the stone flooring, then walked a slow, reflective circuit around the circle again, letting the silent thoughts build. The silence that followed was intentional. He began to pace slowly again, hands loosely clasped behind his back, his gaze unreadable as it moved from face to face.
He looked to
Aliris Tremiru
"Tell me, " he said after a few steps, pausing near another student.
"The Confessional didn't forgive. It didn't offer solutions. It simply listened. What would you say, if left alone in a room with nothing but the Force to witness your truth? Would you speak at all?"
He turned toward
Casaana
, voice quieter now.
"Imagine yourself in that chamber. No voices. No counsel. Only the Force. Casaana… would you speak your truth out loud if only the Force heard you?"
He let that settle, then approached
Fahlv Vehnek
.
"Some Jedi left that place in peace," Braze continued.
"Others left in tears. Some said nothing at all. Fahlv… what do you think they discovered in themselves that they had never faced before stepping inside?"
He stepped away, now nearing
Kas Larsen
.
"The chamber never forgave," Braze said. "
It offered no answers. Only silence that reflects your own voice back at you. Kas… do you believe confession is about being heard… or about finally hearing yourself?"
His steps carried him toward
Kharis Larsen
next .
"Kharis… if confession does not grant absolution, then what purpose does it serve? What do we gain when we revisit the memories we would rather bury?"
He moved again, this time stopping near
Ko Vuto
.
"Ko… if I took away the Force, your robes, your history… what part of you would still remain? And would the person beneath all that still be enough to call Jedi?"
He crossed toward
Leos
afterward.
"Which is harder for a Jedi? Admitting failure… or admitting fear? And when you finally speak those words… who do you want to answer you?"
Finally he paused in front of
Neriyan Soria
Braze studied him for a long quiet moment.
"When you bury something deep enough under silence and duty… does it stop being part of you? Or does it wait in the dark until you are alone?"
He looked to
Caden Larsen
,
"Caden… if the Force shows you a truth you are not ready to accept, is it kinder to look away until you are stronger… or to face it while you are still afraid?"
His shifted next to
Fallon Draellix-Kobitana
,
"Fallon… when conviction becomes your shield, how do you tell the difference between standing firm in the Light and simply refusing to bend?"
With that, Braze fell silent, letting the weight of his questions settle across the students.
Braze
,
Kael Varnok
,
