Kissed by Fire: Cal Kestis

Chapter 29

Cal was close to his crystal. He could feel it deep in his bones. Or maybe that was the chilling cold that seeped deeper and deeper into his body with every step he took closer into the planet's center. The caves were freezing him inside and out, but he knew he was honing in on his connection. The song that flowed through his ears became louder and louder with each breath he took and each step he walked. He had been wandering for far too long. It was about time he found his way forward.

He found a small crevice in the ice caves, just big enough for him to fit through. Cal let a smile fall onto his face. "It's through there. I can feel it," he spoke to BD. "We're almost outta here. I promise."

Wooo... Be-beep BD responded, holding on tight to Cal's poncho as he jumped up and over rocks and slid beneath the ice.

Cal neglected to pay attention to his footing, for as he stepped on a fragile path of ice, he felt his body fall. He had just enough time to catch himself on the ledge as BD jumped to the edge. The little droid ran to aid him, but he held out his hand and shouted, "BD! Don't come any closer!"

Beep beep!

"BD!!"

Cal felt his hands slip, and he was suddenly submerged in the coldest water he had felt in his entire life. It felt as thought ice picks were pricking at the skin of his cheeks, and he had no breather to allow him oxygen. He began swimming as fast as he could, seeing a spot of light from an opening not far away, but his muscles were contracting against his body, trying desperately to keep him warm. It felt as though his eyes were freezing over, and his vision was suddenly encased in white.

But then he felt it.

A tug through the Force, demanding him to open his eyes and see what was in front of him. When he did, he saw... himself. Only, he was young. His red hair was cropped short, and the Padawan braid he had removed himself, an act that ought to have been done by the Council, was hanging gently behind his ear. Trust me the young vision of Cal whispered, reaching his hand into the frigid waters.

What other choice did he have?

He reached his hand up as high as he could get it, and grasped onto the vision. He felt it wrap its hands around his, and gave him a comforting smile before pulling him up and out of the waters before disappearing.

He grasped at the snow on the solid ground, gritting his teeth together at the sudden bite all over his body. He almost wanted to go back into the water, for the breeze in the air made the chill almost ten times worse. He shivered, feeling his teeth chattering together as he dragged himself up and out of the water, huddling into himself on the ground to try and retain some sense of warmth. But he heard something. A song.

Looking up, he finally caught sight of a crystal, his crystal, sitting upon a large icy pedestal. The boy he saw was walking towards it, before disappearing and revealing his treasure to him. Cal managed to stand, holding his arms close by his chest as he gathered to strength to move his legs. He could feel his eyes drooping, and shook his head vigorously to keep himself awake. But the cold was becoming too deep in his body, and he fell to the ground. Screaming to himself in his mind that he needed to get up, he dragged his body back to his feet, weakly reaching his hand up to take his crystal off its pedestal.

Finally, he felt a sense of rejoice as his fingers touched the cool stone, taking it from its place with a light snap. He held it gently in his hands, looking down as it glowed blue in his eyes, and finally let a smile grace his lips.

Until he watched it crack in half.

An unwavering sense of hopelessness crawled over his entire body in that single moment, and he dropped to the ground as he cradled the crystal in his hands. "No... No, no, no, no. No!" He let out as large a growl of frustration and sorrow as he could, but it felt pathetically weak on his lips. Leaning against the stone cold ice, he curled into his body. "It's over," he uttered through the shaking of his lips. "I failed."