Esinons

Chapter 5

The next two days go by slowly. The whole temple seems different without Ahsoka. I've started to notice how quiet and peaceful it is without Ahsoka's constant chatter. Maye and I have become even closer since we are all each other have. After the night Ahsoka left, it's like we've discovered this bond we've always had.

I'm beginning to get nervous because Ahsoka hasn't come back from Ilum to assemble her saber. Today is the sixth and she said they'd be back on the fifth. I'm sure everything is fine, but I just hope I didn't miss her return.

Just as Maye and I are walking to the eating hall, we hear the big, heavy, main doors open, and in walks the padawans from Ilum! They are all covered in snow, their cheeks and noses bright red. I get eye contact with Ahsoka immediately. I gather the force energy around me and push it at Soka saying, Hey! I missed you! I was getting worried. Did everything go okay? Seconds later I hear her response. I missed you too! Yeah, everything's good. Meet me in the library in 45 minutes. I'll tell you everything. Bring Maye. I nod my head.

As Maye and I find our seats in the eating hall, I tell her about Ahsoka's message to me. Maye agrees to come with and is just as excited as me to hear about Ace's trip to Ilum.

We decide to leave for the library a little early. Maye and I both love to read, so we find comfort in the library.

Hardly anyone is in the library when we walk in. We know exactly where to look for what we read while we wait for Ahsoka to come. Maye heads towards the High Republic section while I go to the general Jedi Order section.

My comfort book is called The Jedi Path. It's an old book from when the Jedi order started. It contains lots of information about the order and everything you need to know. My favorite part is the explanation of the Jedi code. I feel so soothed and comfortable reading the code. It's like it was written just for me. I feel so connected to it and it structures my life perfectly.

There is no emotion; there is peace.

There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.

There is no passion; There is serenity.

There is no death; there is only the Force.

A Jedi does not act for personal power or wealth but seeks knowledge and enlightenment.

A Jedi never acts from hatred, anger, fear, or aggression but acts when calm and at peace with the Force.

Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy.

Jedi use the powers to defend and to protect, never to attack others.

Jedi

Jedi serve others rather than ruling over them, for the good of the galaxy.

Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training

A Jedi's promise must be the most serious, the deepest of his or her life.

A Jedi seeks not adventure or excitement, for a Jedi is passive, calm, and at peace.

A Jedi knows that anger, fear, and aggression lead to the dark side.

A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack.

There is no "try," only "do."

Believe and you succeed.

This isn't the traditional Jedi Code, but the book contains multiple versions, so I've merged some of them together to best fit me. I truly love the code. I know a lot of my friends don't like all of the rules, but I morph under them well and I am grateful for them, to have them as a backbone in my life.

I hear Maye speed walking towards me. We come here often together, so it's no surprise that she knows exactly where I am.

"Izzie! Ahsoka is here!" Maye says in a whisper shout.

I quickly walk out of the aisle behind her, so excited to talk to Ahsoka. Hopeful that it won't be the last time for a while because I only have 11 more days to be selected before I'm sent to the agricorps.

"Ahsoka!" I whisper shout, speed walking as fast as I can up to where she is sitting.

"Hey, Izzie!" She says happily as she gets up and goes in for a hug. "Hi, Maye!" Ahsoka says after hugging me. "I missed you guys!"

"It was so weird without you here! How was Ilum? " I said.

"It was so cool! Nothing like we've ever seen before. We walked through this cave and had to find our kyber crystal! But the thing is that you would only see your crystal. I walked around the cave for what felt like hours! I finally found my crystal at the top of a big alcove. It was crazy!" Ahsoka goes on.

"Wow!" Maye and I say. "What does it look like?" I ask.

Ahsoka pulls the brightest shining crystal I've ever seen. It glows a bright green.

"Wow, Ahsoka!" Maye exclaims, "It's so cool! It's so crazy to think that your crystal was meant for you and just you!"

"Yeah totally!" I agree. "What took you guys longer than expected to come back?" I ask.

"Oh, one of the younger padawans had a really hard time climbing some rock to get their crystal. They wound up getting stuck in the cave since the entrance froze over. Eventually, they figured out how to break the ice blocking the cave." Ahsoka said casually.

"The cave entrance froze over?!" I exclaim.

"Yeah. It had to do with the whole planet's freezing cycle or something." Ahsoka responds. 

"Alright, well I better get going. The rest of the padawans are meeting up in the lightsaber crafting room. I'm so nervous. I have no idea what I want my saber to look like. I hope I'll be able to find you guys after. I'd hate to leave and not say goodbye." Soka states.

"Yes, please do find us! I would love to see your saber once you've assembled it!" Maye responds.

"I'll try my best," Ahsoka says, "I'm not sure how I'll find you, but I'll make sure of it."

"Thank you," I respond as I get up to hug her again.

"See you guys later!" Ahsoka says cheerfully as she walks out the library doors.

Maye turns her head to look at me as she says, "what if this is the last time we see her? You and I are really close to turning fourteen and neither of us have been selected."

"Hey, don't talk like that! We're going to be chosen soon. I know it." I respond, even though I'm just as unsure as she is.