What no one had seen was his body was throwing hundreds of feet away, slamming into a crater where he was found by young Amelia Amadis. His body motionless, no sense of him whatever, his sould had moved on.
Jedi Master Caltin Vanagor awoke in a realm that was both hauntingly familiar and deeply otherworldly—a luminous ether swirling with vibrant colors and shifting shadows. As he blinked away the remnants of slumber, a profound serenity enveloped him, yet an unmistakable ache gnawed at his heart. Then, at the edge of his vision, he beheld her—a radiant figure emerging from the brilliance, standing before him like a beacon of hope. It was Alyscia, his beloved daughter, whose life had been extinguished far too soon for his tastes. In truth she had lived a long and full life but the visage of her was of the girl he remembered, not the woman she grew into being. Remember, he had been frozen in ice for over eight hundred sixty years.
Her presence illuminated the void within him, a warmth that ignited memories of laughter shared and dreams woven together. Alyscia, he breathed, the name barely escaping his lips, laden with longing. She appeared just as he remembered: eyes sparkling with mischief and wisdom beyond her fleeting years. In that transcendent moment, the bond they forged could not be dimmed by the sorrow of her absence.
Father, she replied, her voice a melodic whisper that resonated deeply in the silence, wrapping around his heart like a warm embrace. You’ve wandered far, but your journey is not yet complete. A wave of pride surged within him, tempered by the weight of grief. They stood suspended in time, the vibrant colors swirling around them like a cosmic dance.
I’ve missed you every single day, babygirl, he said, yearning to reach out, only to find an ethereal barrier holding him at bay.
I know, she said, her gaze filled with compassion and understanding. But you have a purpose to fulfill, a destiny that still awaits. The Force has more in store for you, and the galaxy needs your strength.
His thoughts raced with memories of battles fought and sacrifices made, yet in this moment, all he could feel was an overwhelming surge of love for her. He had heard this speech countless times before.
It’s been over nine hundred years, and I still miss you every day. I always have to make a choice, and I am tired of it. he asked, the weight of his loss pressing down like a Guardian over his heart.
I am here now, is that not a good thing?
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great thing, a wonderful feeling to see you with my own two eyes, but all this does is remind me of what I have lost. How can I carry on without you?
By living, by fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves, she urged, her eyes fierce with conviction. Let the light within you guide your way. You will never be alone in this struggle. As her words hung in the air, the surroundings shimmered like the night sky ablaze with countless stars, echoing the joyful laughter that was forever etched in his soul.
Caltin understood with a clarity that transcended this realm that this was not a farewell, but a powerful reminder of strength and perseverance—a call to honor her memory by championing the light. With that realization surging through him, the scene began to fade, but her brilliant essence remained etched in his heart—a guiding star illuminating the path ahead, unyielding and resolute as he prepared to face the trials that loomed before him.
Caltin felt a surge of anger rise within him as he processed Alyscia's words. The idea that he had come to rely on the Force, that he had allowed it to become a crutch, was unacceptable. I’ve never depended on the Force to save me, he asserted vehemently.
Alyscia’s expression softened but held a note of urgency. That was before you were frozen, Father. Eight hundred-sixty years before you emerged from the ice, and when you did, you weren’t the same man. Something in you changed, and not just your atrophied connection to the Force. You lost a part of yourself.
That was addressed. I seeked out the Wellspring of Life. They changed me.
That was not meant to be a permanent thing. You were supposed to learn the Force again, not use what you were given. You misunderstood and right now this is what you have brought on the future.
Before he could respond, the air around them shifted, and a flood of visions washed over him. Time seemed to collapse as he was thrust into a scene he dreaded to see. He watched helplessly as his son, Connel, a brave and promising Jedi Shadow, was caught in a chaotic rampage. Caltin’s heart sank as he saw the faces filled with fear, the destruction left behind. He relived the moment when Connel was overwhelmed, his lightsaber skills failing against the onslaught. The vision of his son's fall haunted him, fueling his determination to confront the trials ahead with renewed strength and clarity. He watched as on the planet Woostri, Connel Lost all connection to him, and on Prakith how his fury drew him deeper and deeper, moving further and further away from the son he knew.
