Afterglow II | The Clone Wars

1 | Problems in the Midsts

"Challenging, your journey as younglings has been, hmm?"

"Yes, Master" a chorus of small voices evaporated into the grand hall of the Jedi Temple, echoing between the smooth, towering columns and twirling around the golden statues that defended the space in the midst of twinkling sunlight. A warm, morning breeze had settled on the sacred space where many Jedi have trained and resided. The young Jedi learners who trailed closely behind Master Yoda that morning were raised from infancy to walk in the way of a Jedi Knight.

They were raised for a purpose. To use their force-sensitive abilities for good. They are the future of the order. The old shall pass away and demands that the new takes its place. Some of the younglings were ready and possess the capability of becoming all that the order hopes of them to be. Others, on the other hand, still require much training and a wise mentor to guide them. The younglings that walked with Master Yoda were an utterly mixed bag, most especially the defiant Caleb Dume.

"Young Caleb, something on your mind, is there?" Yoda could sense it. The old master turned, resting his small, green claws on his wooden staff as he met gazes with the youngling. Caleb stood at the back of the group of younglings and they all parted to allow for the pair to speak.

"When do we receive our lightsabers?" Caleb asked without hesitation, crossing his arms boldly over his chest. The younglings were shocked at his attitude towards the grand master "Jedi do not wield sticks as we have so often in our training"

"Problems with sticks, you have?" Yoda wobbled his staff against the carpet, a hint of amusement present in his tone "patience, you must practice. Find your lightsaber at the correct time, you will"

"Find? We need to find our lightsabers?" Caleb repeated.

"A lightsaber, you will have, yes, but upon obtaining it, that is up to none other than yourself"

To the left, group of Master Jedi walked by the younglings and Master Yoda in that moment. Caleb eyed their wide variety of sabers that hung from the belts of their tunics. Each of them had their own unique design "Morning, Master Yoda" one of the Jedi greeted, it was Ahsoka. She walked alongside her Master, Shaak Ti, Luminara Unduli, and others. They all nodded in greeting.

"Padawan Ahsoka, borrow you for a minute, may I?" Yoda asked. She broke away from Anakin's side to come stand before the younglings, eager to know why she had been requested "demonstrate your lightsaber to the younglings, please" Yoda gestured.

Ahsoka didn't hesitate. She pulled out one of her sabers and ignited it. The young Jedi learners stared in awe at its green glow. Caleb Dume remained with pursed lips

"The crystal that resides within the lightsaber, finds you, it does" Yoda explained in his parable-like way, motioned to Ahsoka's saber "An extension of you, it becomes. Not a weapon, not a symbol of power or arrogance, but a symbol of hope. To Illum, we will go, soon, not yet. To participate in the Gathering. However, patience, we must first exert"

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Above their heads, through the many upper levels of the Jedi Temple and beyond the soaring ceiling that rose above the supporting columns, Jedi Master Dakota Ky tripped and stumbled over own feet and slid along the hard ground. Her mechanical leg scratched against the rooftop of the temple, resulting in sparks sprouting up from underneath her metallic knee. She growled in frustration and smacked her balled up first on the floor. The sound of her bionic fingers clanked against the ground.