As the last echoes of his peers fade, Braze took a deep, steadying breath and stepped forward into the darkened cavern. The cool air enveloped him, a stark contrast to the warmth of the sunlit world outside. With each step, the light from the entrance dimmed, and the bioluminescent glow from the walls and ceiling became his guiding light.
The deeper he ventured, the more intense the quiet became. The soft, otherworldly light played tricks on his eyes, casting long, dancing shadows that seemed to move of their own accord. The silence around him was deafening, a heavy blanket that pressed against his ears, making the occasional drip of water sound like a thunderclap as it echoed throughout the caverns.
Braze's footsteps were cautious and slow with deliberate placement. The uneven ground demanded his full attention. The path twisted and turned, leading him away from the entrance and deeper into the heart of the cavern.
His breath was visible in the cold air that enveloped him. The chill seeped through his clothing. Each inhale brought a sharp, cold sting to his lungs, contrasting sharply with the warmth he had left behind at the sunbathed entrance.
The deeper Braze ventured, the more the silence seemed to envelop him, swallowing his world. It was a startling contrast to the vibrant, Force-rich environment of the Caverns on Centerra he had experienced before. There, the Force had been a loud, overwhelming presence. Here, its silence was disquieting, leaving him feeling unmoored and adrift. This wasn’t like the previous visits here... A sense of dread rose from the pit of his stomach and settled into the back of his throat tightening.
This absence of the Force's usual whispers only amplified his self-doubt. Memories of past failures in the gathering trial flickered in his mind like unwelcome shadows.
'Why is the Force so silent here?' he wondered, the question echoing in his thoughts, unanswered.
The oppressive quietude of the caverns gnawed at him, stirring a sense of unease. He tried to focus, to reach out with his feelings, but the silence was like a barrier, impenetrable and unyielding.
Deeper and darker still he continued down, the winding paths of the cavern that lead him away from the group. He found himself alone, the isolation amplifying the eerie silence around him. This solitude forced him into a state of introspection, his thoughts turning inward.
He reflected on his past, on the times he had stood on the periphery, observing rather than participating. These memories brought a sense of detachment, a realization of how different his journey had been from those of his peers. He pondered over his past failures, not just in the trials but in forming the close bonds that seemed to come so easily to others.
Lost in his thoughts, Braze's attention to the treacherous path waned. His footsteps, once cautious and deliberate, became less focused. The path twisted and turned, leading him further into the cavern's heart, into an area markedly different from where he had started.
Suddenly, his foot caught on a loose patch of ice hidden beneath a thin layer of snow. His balance faltered, and with a sharp intake of breath, he found himself sliding uncontrollably down a slick, icy shaft. The descent was rapid, the walls of the cavern a blur as he plummeted into the depths.
He landed with a jarring thud in a part of the cavern that was starkly different from where he had been. The light here was dimmer, the bioluminescent glow barely reaching this depth. The air was colder, if possible, and the sound of running water could be heard nearby.
Braze lay there for a moment, catching his breath, his heart pounding in his chest. He slowly sat up, taking in his new surroundings. The cavern here was narrower, the walls closing in, creating an almost claustrophobic feel. A small stream trickled through, its waters dark and cold, reflecting the scant light and casting eerie reflections on the cavern walls.
This part of the cavern felt older, untouched, as if he had stumbled into a forgotten world. The darkness was more profound here, the shadows deeper, and the sense of isolation more intense. Braze realized that he had not only lost his way physically but had also been led astray by his own spiraling thoughts.
Valery Noble
