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Even in the days of the Old Republic, it was a world on a far side of the galaxy. With the fractured politics of the current era, a journey to Ilum was perhaps even more perilous. From Ossus, the Jedi had set out for the galactic north, voyaging through neutral territory and into space belonging to an ally of the Republic -- the Mandalorians -- in the old YT-series freighter that had somehow managed to survive the passage of centuries the same as the small Anzat who piloted it. They had stopped over in the Mandalorian world of Aeten II for a reprieve from the confines of the Alderaan Queen, and to resupply the ship before the voyage that would take them along the most dangerous leg of their journey.
The Corellian Jedi had given navigation over to his padawan, allowing Joshua to refine his skills in piloting and hyperspace travel as the group voyaged from Aeten II in a western arc. One which would take them far too close to Sith territory for Sor-Jan's liking. Then again, the fact that the Sith held territory at all was against Sor-Jan's liking.
Their arrival was met by the blast of intense cold. Frost began creeping across the interior corridors near the loading ramp as the moisture in the air began freezing almost the very moment that the hatch was opened upon a world of endless ice. Jagged, crystalline formations and rolling dunes of hard packed snow decorated the landscape before them.
The small, tow-headed boy had exchanged his green robes for a heavy parka and snow boots. Already, the loading ramp was half-buried under snow. And conditions didn't get much better away from the ship, as Sor-Jan's body disappeared almost to the waist when he stepped off the ramp.
Turning back to face the ship, the young knight raised the hood of his heavy coat and motioned with a heavily gloved hand for the padawans to join him. "Stay close, stay together," the boy warned, before turning to start plowing ahead into the icy wrath of a hell which had frozen over.
Ilum, Josh knew, was a planet in the unknown regions of space. It was far from where he was stationed on Ossus. His master was letting him fly the ship, which was not unlike his own, both being YT-series freighters. To get to Ilum though, one would have to fly nearby Sith space, the Republic's obvious enemy. Luckily, the journey was uneventful and they arrived to Ilum unscathed.
Josh's first thought of the planet as he flew into the atmosphere was 'Cold'. He'd never visited a planet on the likes of Hoth, Csilla, Ilum, etc, so this was an experience he never had. This was all gotten from flying through the planet, stepping outside though was another story.
As soon as the boarding ramp was lowered, the freezing cold could be felt all around the ship. He too had had his clothes exchanged for something more appropriate for this trip, though they only helped slightly. He stepped off the landing ramp to see the landscape. It can be considered a thing of beauty, if your mind wasn't focused on how freezing cold it was. He looked for his master who was already half way in the snow, and stayed as close to him as possible. The weather made it almost impossible to see an arm's distance in front of you, so staying together was imperative to their survival.
Supposedly, this was going to be how the construction of a lightsaber would begin. How that is even possible here? Josh didn't know, but it has been a Jedi tradition for thousands of years, so he opened his mind, prepared for the unpredictable, and followed the group.
Etyk slowly came down the ramp, he was wearing the Kushiban equivalent of a parka, boots and mittens. The boots and mittens weren't hard soled, though, as that would impede with the way Kushiban moved. Instead, they were made of a pliant fabric that was resistant to the cold. They were also clawed to be able to bite into ice and snow better. Being as small and light as he was, he'd be able to walk on most of the snow drifts.
He followed silently as Sor-jan and Joshua exited. He flitted across a part of the snow on all fours, moving ahead of them a little bit before turning and running behind them. He lowered his face to the ground and sniffed around a bit. The ice smelled like nothing, as if the world had been wiped clean of anything interesting. Finally, in lieu of having his own master to complain to, as he didn't have one yet, he flitted over the snow to Sor-jan.
"This place smells like nothing...there isn't anything here." Etyk was on the cusp of adulthood for most Kushiban, though the way he was raised had made him at times more serious and others more juvenile than others his age. "Do we have a destination already planned? I'm not sure I'd be able to find it by smell, but I could definitely follow our scent back here. We all still smell like the brownies we had on Aeten...the brownies we had eaten on Aeten..." He chittered a laugh, the sound only a little bit less sweet than the sound of babies laughing.
Jerry came trooping down the ramp like any good soldier would. Clad in her Tin-Roberts EVA and hunter's shawl, the cold air was an afterthought. She tapped her helmet and engaged it's HUD with new telemetries. Her wrist com updating her with a map and nav points. Currently it was just a cold white tundra. What a boring map.
"Lead on and we shall follow." She chirped towards [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"]. Her voice never revealing the anticipation she felt inside. Her helm was grim and commanding. Steep and reserved. But deep down inside her being, the Force was stirring. Oh my yes. This was going to be fun after all.
Mars was of the school of thought similar to the Mandalorians. Life should be conquered with armor, guts, and heavy weapons. Her time with the Jedi Rangers was long and studied however. Serving mostly as a Privateer against the One Sith Navies. Indeed. Were it not for her unique Force Sensitivities and her strong private beliefs, she might not have affiliated with the Jedi Order at all. Something that many Jedi Masters had noticed just from looking at her. There she was. Waltzing around the snow in armor and carrying a disruptor rifle in her arms. Not a priestly gown in site. Jerry had always been more trooper than mage. History making her what she was. Yet, destiny guiding the young woman forward.
The Zeltron remained quiet however and let the others run this show. Mars could grab herself a crystal once they reached the caves. All in good time. She was patient and her will was strong. This would make for a grand adventure yet.
The Jedi Ranger was a somewhat surprising addition to the group, smashing a great deal of the young Anzat's expectations.
Which was good. It was sometimes necessary to shake off the weight of old stereotypes and perceptions, and embrace change. That armor certainly looked like it might be more comfortable than this parka. He wondered if it had a heater in addition to thermal insulation...
The sound of something moving across the snow, rather then through the snow, brought the youngling's blue eyes onto a creature that immediately sparked warm feelings. The Kushiban were adorable. Bright eyed and bushy tailed, and with a fluffy coat that brought back memories of a beloved teddy bear one might have held as a child.
It didn't help that the rabbit-like padawan had a sense of humor. "I could really use a hot brownie right about now," the Anzat remarked, smiling through chattering teeth. "...the ice cream, not so much..."
Through the haze of drifting snow, a shadow began to take shape ahead. It seemed at first to be merely another jagged formation, but quickly spread to become a solid horizon of ice. A wall, as tall as a mountain, stretching for what seemed infinity in either direction. "As for our destination..." Sor-Jan began, feeling the ground beneath his boot shift as he now stood on a stone path which had yet to be revealed.
Turning to face the padawans who were trickling in behind him, the Corellian announced, "Welcome to the Temple of Ilum!" They would probably think he was mad. There was no temple ahead, just a solid ice cube the size of a mountain. He recalled first laying eyes on it, and being quite convinced the Jedi leading his Gathering had lost their minds. "To pass, we must work together to reveal the path ahead," the boy explained, as he turned to look forward once more.
"Stretch out with your feelings," the boy called, raising his voice as he spoke into the harsh winds of the icy world. Holding out an arm, the boy pushed a gloved palm out toward the icy barrier ahead. "Trust each other, and the Force."
Wriggling his nose slightly against the barren, scentless air, Etyk closed his eyes and let his mind drift down to where the force flowed through him. Warmth instantly seeped through him as he touched that center, and a warm golden light suffused his vision instead of the black of closed eye lids. The knight had said to reach out with his feelings and trust the others. He had proven knowledgeable on Aeten where they had eaten the brownies, so Etyk supposed he should do as instructed.
Etyk stretched his force sense out, brushing a furry essence against those around him as he tried to make connection. He assumed they would have to combine together to find the path, much like Captain Ossus that was broadcast throughout Republic space. 'With your powers combined....I am Captain Ossus!'
Etyk shook his head, clearing it of the superhero's image, then focused again and reached out to the others with the force.
Mars approached the endless mountain and nodded. That was indeed the gateway. She could feel it through the Force. Though her eyes deceived her.
"We shall all be as one."
She closed her eyes and lifted a palm to the invisible barrier that denied them. Stretching out with her feelings the warrior woman called forth to the strings that bound them. The Force being ever mindful,
"Hear our call o' guardian mountain. The Jedi stand before your straight gate. Know the servants voice who stands before you. Open the way that we might pass."
Her voice was the voice of authority and their summons could be felt in the energy that surrounded them. This was the power of the Jedi. This was the awakening of the Force.
There wasn't a great call for Kaminoan winter wear throughout the various retailers of the galaxy; negligible at best. Even Kaminoans themselves preferred to hire out to contractors for any resources required from arctic climates. The species was fit for cold weather, having been reared in the briny, scant-degrees above freezing waters of their home's oceans. The world of Kamino, however, lacked ice caps. As such, Kaminoans, most of whom never left their homeworld, let alone their now sophisticated and considerably comfortable domiciles, simply did not have a need to adjust themselves or their attire to below freezing temperatures.
Tyl remembered quite well the first time she had been to Ilum, as well as how difficult it was to acquire climate-appropriate clothing. That acquisition was no less difficult this time around. Nevertheless, she walked off of the Alderaan Queen in a parka long enough to be a dress for everyone else in the group, thick snow pants that were cut to match the way her knees bent while in stride, and snow boots specifically designed for a digitigrade stance. She was quite certain that none of the articles had been originally designed for a Kaminoan's physique. The Jedi Order apparently had some decent tailors, however. She'd met plenty of Jedi artisans but Jedi... outfitters?
The towering Knight exited the craft behind the others, making sure to keep the other Jedi within her range of senses if corralling was necessary. The blizzard was thick with wind and heavy precipitation. clouding the air. But then, eyesight was not a necessity with the Force as an ally. Tyl had faith that her fellow Knight was more than capable of handling this group of young hopefuls on his own. Over the course of their voyage from Republic space through Aeten and finally to Ilum, Tyl had come to value the young-appearing Knight's disposition, often instantly making him approachable to those far younger than Sor-Jan.
The Kaminoan Jedi's role was far different. She recognized that her appearance could be intimidating to the more timid of the young ones. Sor-Jan, a Knight senior to her in age, hardly even came up to Tyl's hip after all. But where her peer was playful and friendly, she was thoughtful and motherly. As she approached the wall of ice, she reflected silently on these matters as Knight Sor-Jan led the group through the ritual of opening the passageway to the hidden Temple. Holding her long, covered arm and gloved hand out, Tyl complimented the energy flowing from the group with her own.
Hot Brownies.... Josh thought back to the warm, delicious brownies that the group enjoyed on Aeten II. The situation now was the complete opposite. As he followed the group, the cold only got worse.
Eventually, the snowy ground below them slowly turned to hard stone. Looking up, was another glacial mountain standing in their path. The Anzat had stated that they arrived to their destination. Um... this is just a Mountain...
'Stretch out your feelings, trust each other and the force.' the boy said. Realizing that there was more to this mountain than meets the eye, Josh stretches out his hand, and reached out to the force. The calming feeling of using the force was still very new to him, but he trusted it none the less. He feels the others around him and starts to concentrate on the mountain in front of him with them.
An entire section of the frozen wall before them sank down. Giant slabs of ice moved. Sliding away to reveal the facade of a temple concealed within the tundra. As the small Corellian stretched out his hand, an avalanche of snow and ice came trickling down around them as the door to the hidden temple became clear. As the flurry of snow drifted to the ground, a pair of statues cast in the likeness of Jedi Temple Guardians flanked the entry into a cathedral-like structure that was now becoming visible.
Allowing his arm to fall back by his side, the small Anzat ventured quietly inside of the great temple. The portcullis opened into a rotunda, with openings through which the dawning sunlight filtered. Translucent fingers of lights glistened over the permafrost which decorated the interior. They had left the wind behind, but the cold was perhaps even more biting inside than out.
Hopping up on a piece of broken stone masonry, perhaps from a shattered column, the youngling knight turned to address the assembled padawans behind him. "A Jedi is the Force made physical," the boy remarked, reaching a hand into the folds of his parka to produce a silver handle encircled with a small, textured black grip at one end. A verdant, bright green blade bathed the child in emerald light as he held aloft the signature blade of a Jedi Consular. "A lightsaber is a Jedi's companion. Not a tool, or a weapon."
Some of them even had names.
As the green blade was extinguished, the now inert lightsaber levitated from out of the boy's grip. Holding out both hands, the boy closed his eyes for a moment. The handle twisted, breaking into two, then three, then multiple sections as it was telekinetically disassembled in mid-air. A green spark caught the light. "The heart of the lightsaber is the crystal." As he spoke, the boy pushed his left hand outward, as the Adegan emerald drifted away from the assembly and closer to where the padawans could inspect the crystal if they liked.
When they had had a moment in which to look over the gem, the boy pulled it back toward him. The pieces of the lightsaber began to re-assemble as he opened his eyes and spoke. "Through the crystal, you will find a deeper connection to the Force," the child explained, reaching out to wrap his right hand around the re-formed Paperweight. The green blade once again illuminated the boy, as he held it aloft in what was almost a Makashi salute. "Your lightsaber will become an extension of you, as much a part of you as your arm."
Shutting down the blade, the boy returned the lightsaber to his side. As he did, he gestured with his free hand to the many vaulted passages which led from out of the central round in which the Jedi now stood. "In these caverns, you may see many crystals," the boy advised, warning, "Your challenge is to find that one that speaks to you."
"I warn you, the Force is strong in these caverns," the tow-headed boy advised, his tone slightly more stern than before. "In you must go, but the Force will test you."
Turning toward the Jedi Ranger, the boy inclined his head to indicate the blaster rifle which she carried. "You will not need your weapons," he noted softly. Which wasn't to say that he would stop her from carrying them. Merely that if she did, she might be making things more difficult for herself later on. "In these caverns you will find only what you bring with you."
Surveying the assembled padawans one last time, the boy held out his hands as he said, "Tyl Ro and I shall be here, waiting."
And with that, they should be off.
"May the Force be with you."
--- OOC Notes And now the actual fun begins. Feel free to come up with whatever physical, mental, spiritual, psychological, or food allergy problem that the Force may come up with to throw at you. You might gather your crystal in one post, or several, or require rescue or assistance in the attempt. If you need help with any ideas or anything, please shoot me or Tyl Ro a PM, or use this OOC thread to communicate if you'd like.
Shouldering a pack over his winter clothing, Travot ambled down the ramp of the vessel to join the rest of the jedi onto Ilum itself. A gust filled with snowflakes rushed up against his exposed face. Out of habit, the man quickly rubbed his hand across his bearded face. But even as he finished, more snowflakes rushed in to cling to his facial hair. A wry grin creased his face before he let out a chuckle. I shouldn't have even bothered, it's like trying to stop sand from getting on your clothes on Tatooine...His eyes glanced around the assembled jedi, but he only knew one of them, the jedi healer [member="Tyl Ro"]. He quickly fell in behind the Kaminoan as the group traveled away from their craft to the mountain.
As the other jedi called out to the mountain, Travot closed his eyes and began to meditate. He stretched out his will to feel the mountain and brush across the currents of the Force that ran through it. He focused on the mountain's energy, and that of his group, and tried to blend them together as one in his own way. The Force flows through all things...
Etyk opened his eyes and witnessed the ice giving birth to the hidden temple. He had never seen anything like this in his entire, relatively short life. He stood there stock still for a few moments drinking in the feel of the place. Etyk had a very deep connection to the force, so it was difficult to believe that he hadn't sensed this place before it was revealed. Now, however, Etyk could feel it in full force! The light side permeated the aura, but it wasn't wholly benevolent. This was a place of testing, Etyk could tell, and as such there was a higher concentration of anxiety washed into the walls of the temple complex than in most light sided areas.
Most who first saw Etyk thought he was someones lost pet. Those who initially met the Kushiban padawan took him for a joker, like his father was. Others met him in more scholarly environs, and they got the truest picture of Etyk. Sure, he was fluffy. Sure, he liked a good joke and bad ones even more, but there was always something else in the jokes and cuddles that others never seemed to notice. Etyk was always watching, always thinking, always comparing. His mother had been a scientist, and so he had grown up knowing the advantages of good observational skills.
So, for the next few minutes, Etyk sat still on his haunches. His eyes turned from the magnificent edifice of the hidden temple and took in the other padawans. He observed their reactions and would go on his quest once they all had gone in.
Her heavy boot came to rest on the inner stairs of the Temple. Her helm dominating the room as she turned this way and that. Seeking for shadows in a room bathed in light. The Force commanded her now. It spoke to her of the trials to come. [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] had been right. She would not need her weapons. Nor her armor. This was a trial of spirit and of flesh. Her technology could not help her now.
"And so it begins. Day has come to night. Evening governs these humble runes and controls these outer doorways. Time is against me. Time is my friend. This ice, this water. It breaths. Speaking of the fires to come."
The Zeltron knew what she had to do. She put her rifle aside and she withdrew from her helm. Relinquished armor, belt, and technology alike. it's optical superiority. It's heated warmth. The protection of her guns and hidden knives. In only a matter of moments she stood in nothing but her sealed body-glove. Black from neck to toe. The cold on her breath could be seen as she un-pinned her hair and lay the last of her possessions against the icy stone.
"A Jedi is born with nothing. A Jedi will die with nothing. ...I am prepared to face my trial. Naked and afraid. Like the Eldars before me. Skin and bone. Nail and teeth. May the Force guide my footsteps through these halls of wonder. May I live in harmony with my sisters and brothers, until my dying day."
Military and poised. The Amber Zeltron took her first steps across the threshold of the Temple Atrium. Coming to stand before the Great Gate and gazing into into it's caverns. Darkness. Filled with purpose. Blackness. Yet, filled with inner light.
"Who will come with me?" She turned with a smile, "Shall we not wander as Jedi united? Companions into a dark abyss? Travelers along the long road where even the memory of home is oft to fade?"
Mars held out a hand and beckoned all companions to her side,
"Come Jedi of Ossus. Brave and bold, alike. Human or far of kin. Let us seek crystals together in the darkness below. Let the Force be our light. And let our hearts be the guide."
She bade farewell to [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] and [member="Tyl Ro"] with a smile and a nod. A black silhouette against the light. She was now to death or glory. The crystal caverns awaited.
Her light sole came to rest upon the outer stairs of the Temple. Her eyes dominating the room as she turned this way and that. Seeking for light in a cavern bathed in darkness. The Force commanded her now. It spoke to her of the trials to come. [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] had been right. She would not need her weapons. Nor her armor. This was a trial of spirit and of flesh. Nothing could save her now.
Travot stood by quietly in the back of the group, watching the others contemplate the temple in front of him. An icy wind swept up at his feet and curled up around him, and the large man turned his own gaze towards the temple. He reached out through the Force towards the temple, trying to get a feeling of what it is. There seemed to be a certain edge to the otherwise pure aura of the temple, though Travot could not help but wonder if that edge was a projection of his own feelings on it. He heard legends about the trials that frequently came with such places.
He observed the poetic words of [member="Jerry Mars"] and slowly nodded. Setting his pack down, the man silently trudged behind the zeltron towards the crystal caverns. As he did so, Travot began to mentally prepare himself for what would lay within.
Etyk watched for a little while, it seemed that the woman in armor was quite the poet. She spoke in verse almost constantly. Etyk watched as she stripped out of her armor, not in a creepy way, and then watched as one of the men folk put down his weapons and followed her. She was still somewhat clothed, and he didn't seem to be stripping out of anything but weapons, so Etyk felt that it might be safe to follow them.
Of course, they could disrobe and couple further on into the temple...but then you add in the fact that they are here for crystals and it goes down hill from there. "I'd better go after them, to make sure no one gets hurt." He says out loud and sprints up the stairs after [member="Travot Ravenna"] and [member="Jerry Mars"]. Etyk didn't have any weapons or tools on him, only the clothing that protected him from the cold, so he couldn't relinquish much of anything. He didn't relinquish the clothing.
The further in that Etyk went, the strong he felt the force. It was at once something that subsumed him beneath its mass and uplifted him as if he had wings. The normally diametric feelings somehow could not feel more right. He slipped between the two humanoids, then in front of them, then he sprinted back behind them. He sniffed the ground all around them, there was still nothing to the scent of the area except the lingering aroma of their passing. This was supremely strange. Etyk sprinted back tot he two humanoids and looked at them. He guessed that they should just keep going, but he didn't know if this was to be a solo experience or a group one.
"So...are we doing this as a group or should we split up?"
Jerry turned to face the group as [member="Etyk"] spoke. Their walking thus far had been quiet and serene. A far cry from the personal darkness and majestic apparitions that she had been expecting. Still it begged the question and she must have the courage to answer it,
"Well said, small friend. Each crystal will undoubtedly contain a worthy task placed before it. A task specifically suited to each Jedi practitioner. However. If we can help each other in these tasks? Uplift each other and work as a team? I predict our faith will be well rewarded."
She shrugged and added with a wave,
"But if any Jedi wishes to travel alone into the Force, I shall not deter him. Go as thy spirit demands. Truly. This experience is well beyond my own understanding."
Standing firm and aged in her bodyglove, Mars was reminded of her unique companions. Zeltrons are infamous for their lack of modesty. Both in attire and in speech. It was not out of character for Jerry to be somewhat scandalous. Even in best attempts at piety. Such was her nature. The fact that she was withholding her pheromones and keeping them from affecting the party was evidence enough that she wanted them to be of individual minds. Free peoples. Even if she considered this withholding of herself an insult to her species. She could see the logic in minimizing external distractions at this time.
"The charisma of the Zeltron is a potent one indeed. The connections of our bodies are potent in suggestion and in faith. However. I do not lead. Only follow. The Force beckons me to make haste. I am a servant of the Living Force."
She looked over her shoulders and then back at the group there assembled. Nodding with some apprehension,
"Very well then. Let every man then say his peace and walk in the comfort of his own shadow. What say you all? Shall we move together? Or seek our hidden trophies alone? Speak from your heart and let these old walls listen. This cavern will have it's accounting before the end. Of that much, I am sure."
Her eyes passing over each of them. [member="Etyk"]. [member="Travot Ravenna"]. [member="Joshua Vantai"]. She would govern no man this day. They were each free to do as they will. Such was the nature of the trials that lay before them. Eventually each of their hearts would be tested. Eventually they would have to overcome their own personal darkness for themselves. Alone.
She waited for each creature to make his own mind known or to begin the telling of their own adventure with gusto.
He pondered the question that [member="Jerry Mars"] had posed to [member="Etyk"] and himself. He was almost ashamed to admit that his own preference would be to wander off alone into the temple alone, but he felt that such a preference was probably not the right answer in this situation. From a practical standpoint, there were many unknowns of what would the temple would hold for him. From a more spiritual standpoint, this could be a potentially strong moment to bond with the other Jedi present. How few of them there were in a galaxy so large. Such momentous experiences rarely occurred. But yet his own preferences remained. Travot briefly closed his eyes and concentrated on the Force, hoping that it might enlighten him. His eyes fluttered open to exchange gazes between his companions.
"I think we should enter the temple first before we come to that decision. There may only be one path forward for a while, or it may immediately break off into different corridors. But given a choice, I would accompany any of you if you so desired."
Bowing his head in acknowledgement of the Kushiban's expressed concerns, the tow-headed Anzat watched as the group of padawans ventured into the start of their journey.
Part of him was thankful not to be repeating the lessons of the past, whereas a different aspect of him was jealous for the new experience this represented for the padawans. A Jedi might visit Ilum many times. Replacing crystals, building new lightsabers, searching for rare minerals or insight into the history of the Jedi... but after the first time here, there was a certain nuance that was lost. A feeling of knowing what to expect, and being better prepared to face it head on.
"I was..." the child knight began, watching as the last padawan vanished into the caverns before he turned his head up toward the Kaminoan woman. He hesitated for a moment, now trying to recall more than two decades back. "...twenty-five when my master brought me here."
Not an unheard of age. Not in the Jedi Order of the Current Era or the last, but certainly Sor-Jan had been both a little older and still younger than most when they undertook the trial to build their own lightsaber. "The whole way here, I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to find a crystal," the young Corellian confessed with a wry smile. Turning his head back toward the caverns, he added, "Then I got inside, and all I could see were crystals for kilometers on end..."
How long had he stood there then? Dazed and confused, nearly blinded by the brilliance of the light reflecting off the gems, and at a loss to know just which crystal was the right crystal. "It took me awhile to figure out the lesson," the boy said simply, concluding the brief tale.
Turning back toward the tall woman, the boy asked, "What was it like for you?"
Again, Tyl placed herself towards the back of the group, patiently observing the Padawans enter the Temple for the first time. Emotions ranged from awe and wonder to hesitancy and anticipation; all quite natural for their age and experience. As she looked around for herself, the Kaminoan was comforted to see that the site was obviously well cared for by those who made the pilgrimage, even if the place was in the midst of Sith territory. Imagination wasn't necessary for Tyl to picture the multitudes of Jedi that walked through the Jedi Temple and into the caves to find the crystal that spoke to them.
The woman gradually made her way to [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"]'s side as their Padawan companions began their spiritual journey. The diminutive Knight spoke to her as the young hopefuls faded further into the depths of the circuitous labyrinth. Tyl's gaze broke away from the cave system while her peer recounted his initial experience and she peered down at the much shorter Jedi.
"Unfortunately, my trial here was quite lost on me at the time. The Jedi were at war. Building a lightsaber was nothing more than a practicality for me, even if my skills were better suited to support." Tyl bent and angled her knees, lowering herself down to the floor without using her hands to aid her balance, finally coming to rest in a cross-legged, seated position, her arms where they had been: crossed through the sleeves of her parka across her chest. The Kaminoan locked her eyes with Sor-Jan's.
"The original pretense for being on Ilum wasn't even for training. My Master had volunteered to help defend this planet from incursion. He knew the importance of the world to the Order, so here we would come. My experience wasn't even a consideration." Tyl smiled rather bleakly. "I don't think I was much older than ten at the time.
"In one of the intervals of the conflict while each side rested, I was able to delve into the caves, select a crystal and return to quickly finish the construction of my saber before the next bout."
Tyl felt the hilt's familiar weight tucked underneath her winter wear. The elongated shape was not the original construction, rather an update that Tyl had made years later to better fit her hand, and with better resources available. But the crystal was still the same. Even chosen in haste, the crystal had bonded to her, and she to it. "A shame, perhaps, that I wasn't able to appreciate the experience until later in life. But always reconciled by my ability to escort others here to experience what I could not."
Finishing her own account, Tyl smiled more warmly. "Have you returned many times since your first journey here?"
The guardians of peace and justice seemed eternally defined by conflict -- the very concept they worked so hard to avoid. As a boy, much younger than he was now, the small Anzat had been exposed to death and the Dark Side of the Force. It still frightened him. Not for the ephemeral, imaginative shadows which painted the nightmares of younglings for fear of the dark... but the experience of how very real that evil could be, or become. And the consequences which became manifest when it did. When Jedi failed, or faltered. Perhaps it was the nature of those who worked for peace to be beset by a road to perdition.
The small Corellian was the product of an Old Republic. Of wars now four hundred years in the past. Tyl Ro, like him, was a Jedi of a different time. And yet, what did they have in common but the wars that had shaped them into the Jedi that they were today.
Peace, through becoming a good soldier.
"Twice," the boy answered finally. It was a wistful word that brought a smile to his face, the edges of which did not quite reach his eyes. Instead, there was a sadness there. A fondness, as though mourning the passage of all our yesterdays.
"My first task as a new Consular was to serve as teacher to a youngling clan," the Anzat remarked, elaborating upon his answer as he delved into what had brought him to Ilum since his own trial. "As they grew older, some were moved to the Republic Academies. Some to the Jedi Service Corps. That much, I suspect, has not changed much in any era. But, of those few who were left, I picked one to be my padawan," the child knight recalled aloud, glancing back up and at the taller Kaminoan woman. He spoke as a parent would of a child, or a teacher of a student. Or as one who had grown through the experience of a friendship. "We didn't come here until he was... fifteen."
Dilly hadn't been chosen for the Gathering. Many had said that they thought the boy ought to go to the Service Corps, that the ways of the Jedi were not his best destiny. Sor-Jan had disagreed. That had been the first time that the small Anzat had broke with a decision of the Council, and not the last. And, still, if he'd had it to do over again he would repeat every decision, every mistake, every word said. And had no regrets for that.
"I think I was more nervous than he was," the small Corellian remarked candidly, recalling well how much of a nervous wreck that he'd been for the safety of his padawan during the Yinchorri Uprising and the sudden turn to undertaking the knight trials when that conflict had been declared over.
Looking over to where Padawan Vantai's back had vanished inside of the crystal caverns, the small knight commented, "Now, I return. With a young man as a padawan learner."
Perhaps it was true. The more things changed, the more they tended to stay the same.
"And you?" the boy inquired, turning back to gaze up at the taller Jedi. "Will you take a padawan?"
