Star Wars- A Jedi's Journey One: The Padawan's Struggle

Chapter Two

I sat alongside my unchosen clan-mates in a round classroom. We were only a few, as it was only those of us, who had graduated from the trials but had yet to be chosen as apprentices. Those who were good enough to not fail, but not good enough to be chosen. The grey walls of the room rose high above us. The walls collided in a rounded ceiling in a dome-like shape. The walls all had a big, red stripe in the middle of all the grey- the signature of this particular part of the temple. I always wondered why they didn't color the whole wall. Perhaps it was to show, that there were three Jedi classes- the Jedi consular, the guardian, and the Sentinels. Two grey stripes and one red stripe. But would they not have colored all the stripes in different colors, if that were the case? I sat in the middle of the round room. "What have you heard from Aaron, Aayla?", asked June, a togruta with red skin and orange and white striped montrals and lekkus- or 'headpiece' as I thought of it. June was probably well aware, I was most likely to still have contact with him out of all of us. The others weren't quite as close with him as I was. The thought of Aaron's apprenticeship was enough to make me smile. I was so happy for him. "Only that Master Drime is treating him really well and is a phenomenal teacher", I replied. That was, in truth, all I knew. June simply sighed. "I wish, I was as lucky as Aaron. Being chosen immediately as an apprentice must be nice", Adam, a human boy with brown skin, said. I nodded. "Aaron says, the bond between a master and an apprentice truly is as amazing as the stories say". I sighed. I wanted that. I wanted a master, a friend, who would teach me the fighting forms, I so obviously lacked an affinity for. I wanted somebody, who would see to it, that I would receive sufficient training to become a Jedi Knight. Personally. I wanted the relationship rumored to be like siblings- one being the older and much wiser of course. "Aayla, I was wondering- has Aaron gotten his lightsaber yet, do you reckon? He may be able to give us some advice for tomorrow", Letha, a Twi'lek with green skin, asked. "I tried to ask him, but he was all mysterious and secretive about it. All I've learned is, Ilum is a cold planet", I sighed. That wasn't exactly news. "Well, we already knew that", said June, who was chasing around the room. I rolled my eyes at her. "Oh really, June, because I could have sworn, I caught you snoring during Master Quare's lecture about the gathering", said Adam. Letha and I snickered. "Well, I did snore, but afterward I used my amazing force abilities to learn the most important things from the lecture". I would never stop wondering, how June made it through the trials, even though she was quite skilled with sensing the past. She simply didn't ever seem to care to become a Jedi Knight. "Just because the rest of you have no abilities to be taken note of". Why you little. I did not make the plant beside June's roots grow out of the pot, just for June to trip on them. I did not do it out of a little bit of anger. Definitely not. Alright, yes, I did. And June did trip on them. She fell onto her but. "Sorry, Aayla", June said. I just smiled at her. I could feel a slight tickle on my lower thigh. Healer abilities activated. A bruise was growing on June's leg, and I felt bad for my actions immediately. "I'm sorry too", I said, as I walked over and healed her. "It's alright". "I didn't know, you could manipulate living things too", said Letha. I could feel my face heat up. I didn't usually do it in class due to it taking too much energy for me to do anything grandiose with it without ending up on the cold floor, so too was the case with manipulating water consistently. Even that little trick was a bit too exhausting for my liking. I simply couldn't do it. I was too weak. "Well, I always studied the force more than lightsaber techniques", I replied. "Still, your midi-chlorian count must be quite high. That water trick was quite impressive", commented Adam. "But basically useless in a fight. It takes too much concentration", I retorted. I had to stop this conversation. It was leading in a direction, I didn't like. Usually, attention like this was directed at Aaron, because of his impressive skills with a lightsaber. But Aaron wasn't here and second to him, I was the top student in our clan, due to my weird or at best unique skills with the force. Great. Not. "It could give you an advantage. Who says, you won't be fighting underwater?" asked Adam. I shrugged. I couldn't argue that. "Technically, he's right", said June. This talk made me uncomfortable. I had to change the subject, so I spoke the words, which were on my mind. "Shouldn't we be preparing for tomorrow?". My comment made the whole room's atmosphere change. It was bright and playful before. Now it was like a big, impenetrable cloud was covering the sunlight. We all were nervous about the gathering. Tomorrow, we would be going to Ilum. The sacred planet, where Jedi would usually acquire the kyber crystals for their very real, non-training lightsabers. The crystals were the heart of the blade, creating energy for the saber to utilize. The kyber crystals also decided the color of the blade, which would mirror the crystal's color. Stories would have it, that the crystals would remain the same color as ice until the rightful bearer of the crystal would touch it, and the force alignment of said bearer would decide the color of their crystal. Usually, the color of the crystal was a great sign of which Jedi class, the bearer belonged to. There were deviants of course- as a result of the Jedi's choice policy allowing the individual Jedi to actively choose their own class. The process of the bearer finding their crystal was called 'The Gathering'. Upon passing the trials, a Jedi would go through 'The Gathering' on Ilum, where they would find their kyber crystals. If a graduate had been chosen to be an apprentice, their master would accompany them to Ilum and help them craft their lightsabers. Was a graduate not yet chosen as someone's apprentice, they would go with the rest of their 'unchosen' clan-mates and the grandmaster to Ilum along with a Jedi, who was further in their training. In some cases, that Jedi could be a Jedi master, Knight, or a Padawan. The grandmaster would stay for a short while, while the other Jedi would oversee the class' construction of their lightsabers. "What do you suppose it'll be like?" I asked. I had no idea myself and would like to know their theories. "Well, master Quare said, it would be a test of our characters, so probably just that", Adam said, smiling proudly. He always did try to remember everything, our teachers said. He was also one of the clan's top students, just like Aaron, and I, I suppose. "They may test our bravery, our honor, our kindness, or maybe our persistence. Probably things like that to test, if we are worthy of wielding a weapon as mighty as a lightsaber", Adam finished. "Master Quare also said we would have to find our own crystal, traveling through the sacred cave. How would that test our honor?" Letha asked. Adam's proud smile disappeared. "I honestly have no idea whatsoever", he sighed. None of us did. An idea came to my mind. Force illusions. We had just been taught about the subject, and it was very likely with the gathering in mind. Force illusions only acquired the creator to be strong with the force, and the creator didn't have to be a living creature, so maybe... "It might be through illusions. The place is supposedly strong with the force due to the crystals", I tried to connect the dots. Letha, June, and Adam all looked at me in unison. "Illusions? Like those, master Quare once taught us about?", asked June. I nodded. "Force illusions. If someone strong with the force can make them, why wouldn't a place full of kyber crystals, which power perfectly capable lightsabers, not be able to?", asked Adam. "Exactly", I said. "Woah", said Letha. "Yeah", I agreed. June and Adam looked as perplexed as I felt. "Incredible", a voice coming from the classroom door said. I recognized the voice. I felt his presence through the force as well. No doubt it was master Kenobi."I must warn you though. Although some of the challenges you will be facing undoubtedly will be caused by illusions, some of them will be of a more real character. Don't just assume, it's illusions, for then you may very well be in even more danger, than if you do not". I shook. Adam looked like he was processing this information. Letha looked, well, scared. She was shaking profusely, while June was simply looking at master Kenobi. "Master, will you be the one to accompany us to Ilum?" June asked. A valid question, one which I couldn't figure out, why I hadn't been the one to ask. "Yes, I will, Youngling June". He had not learned her last name, and had to use her first name, so it came out a little awkward. "I came to deliver a message: Tomorrow will be a long, tiring day, and some of you may not make it out, so you had best rest. This class is over, and you may retire for the day. Pack a bag for the trip. It will be a while before you're back". And with that, we all got up, and retired to our chambers.