Star Wars: Force Bound

Yoda slowly stood up after some time passed. Jack had entered meditation while waiting after he walked around a little bit and analyzing the hall a little bit more.

"Time, it is. Prepare yourself, plenty of it, you had. To find your crystal, it arrived.", said Yoda and talked about the younglings having enough time to prepare themselves for the last step of this test.

Then with a hand outstretched upwards to the ceiling he seemed to target the massive crystal hanging from it in the middle. It seemed to shift slightly with the Force and Yoda started to open one of the round windows that were surrounding it.

The outside light that was now at its highest point shone through it and hit the crystal. Reflected by it the beam of light went towards the frozen waterfall and slowly melted it down. The entrance to the kyber mine was now revealed.

Jack opened his eyes and slowly stood up. Once again he stretched himself to prepare himself. There would probably be enough climbing and walking included in this test.

"Inside, you go. Only as long as the light remains, you got time. Find your crystal, you must."

"That is...Guys, we only have a few hours left until night falls. And with the cycle of this planet there, won't be daylight until another 18 - 19 days...", mentioned the Falleen girl Nara while looking at a datapad.

"Really? Then we need to hurry up.", said Ahsoka and looked over at Jack.

"Hmm? Sure, we should hurry, I guess?" Jack didn't think they needed to hurry. If the ice was thin enough to be melted down by mere sunlight then it was very thin and brittle in the first place. A strong enough Force push with all of them together would do the trick.

With Jack's confirmation, everyone went into the cave and soon they reached a dividing end with three different ways to go.

"What now?", asked Arin. "Which way is the right one?"

"Just close your eyes and feel the Force. Then point with our fingers where you feel something from and then follow that path.", said Jack and could feel a clear tug by the Force even before suggesting that and closing his own eyes.

The others looked at each other and just did what he said. Then after a slight moment, everyone had a different path they pointed at.

Ahsoka and Jack actually had the same path to the right that looked the creepiest of them.

"Huh, looks like we two are stuck together again.", smirked the Togruta with a clear happy expression.

"Sure, but don't think you can hide behind me if something scary happens.", smiled Jack back and went forward to the right path.

"I'm not scared!", she huffed in retaliation. Then looking at the others she nodded at them in confirmation. "Good luck to you guys. See you later."

"So we are the ones being together?", asked Arin towards Rak and Nara. The three of them had the left path while the major part of the clan had the middle path and therefore the largest group of 8 whole people.

"Looks that way.", shrugged Rak lightly.

Then the three went into their path as well. Everyone had to go their own way or else they would never find their crystals.

Jack and Ahsoka were no exception and had to go deep into the cave until another split in their path occurred.

"Um...Do we really have to go different ways here?", asked Ahsoka with a slightly worried face and quiet voice.

Jack chuckled lightly. "I thought you were not afraid?"

The cave became quieter and much colder the more they went inside it. That actually got to Ahsoka's mind to some extend. "I...damn you..." She couldn't even lie anymore. She clearly disliked it when he mentioned her being a scaredy-cat.

Jack put a hand on her right shoulder "Don't worry. I am sure you can make it. You are a brave and capable Jedi."

That got her spirits up after hearing his words. She even rolled her eyes after noticing his try to get on her good side and cheer her up. "You know we are not even padawans yet, right?"

"The more I trust in your abilities.", smirked Jack. "And if something happens I will come to the rescue like a shining knight that I am, alright?"

Ahsoka nearly started laughing and a small giggle escaped her mouth. "As if I would need to be rescued like that!"

"Admit it, you just thought about it. You envisioned yourself being carried in a princess carry, didn't you?", laughed Jack lightly with a toothy grin.

With her high spirits back and now a clear blush on her face she stormed away towards her own path where she felt her crystal's location.

Jack looked at her back and smiled. "Cute. It's just all too easy to tease her. At least she got her spirit back."

Then he looked at his own path and frowned a little. Jack stared at the entrance and closed his eyes again.

'Now then. Why is this aura getting so strong and suffocating? I can feel kindness from it for sure but in the coldness of it there is a facade deep inside, there is...rage and darkness as deep as an endless pit. And when I concentrate my mind on that pit...It looks back?'

[Dark Presence activated. Corruption increased by 2%]

'What the!?' Jack suddenly heaved heavily after coming back to his senses. Just now he felt some sort of tendrils slither out of the pit and touch his mind just for a small moment.

[Careful Jack. Just because this is mainly a light side nexus doesn't mean that darkness is gone from it. When you stare into the abyss it will also stare back into you.]

'That makes no sense. Why would there be even such a great dark presence here? The aura is so strong I nearly got grabbed by it. Is that really the danger of the dark side?'

[Most people in your old world would think there is no real dark and light side because every Jedi and Sith somehow acts on both sides at least to some extent. But that is not entirely true. The darkness can overwhelm someone and make them beasts of their former self while the light side also can change people to unemotional stones. Ever heard of the saying that even angels can be cruel and uncaring to the extent of becoming monsters themselves? You could see the dark side as the demon part of humanity while the light side as the cold celestial side...]

'Wait, you are saying that the light side is not the right side either?'

[That is for you to decide. But would you become someone that pursues "justice" in the name of sacrificing what defines you? For example, we can take the father, son, and daughter as an example. Even though those celestial beings knew the path and suffering that would befall the galaxy, they did nothing to change that outcome. Why? Because it was predetermined? Nothing is set in stone and the light side tries to keep everything in order while the dark side reigns chaos. Both have allures to them.]

'Then what I am to pursue? I kept myself clean from the dark side when I learned in the ways of the Jedi...'

[Really? You think so? You never did do that, Jack. Your slightest emotions are proving that point. And neither do those Master Jedi have full control of their emotions. Not even Yoda achieved that state. He is 89% light side inclined while the rest is his darker side. The strictness, the zealous pursuit of keeping order with neglect of the bigger picture. It is already a surprise to me that he believes his visions about you so strongly.]

'Ugh...Let's stop with this philosophical stuff. My head already starts hurting from all the thinking. So Yoda saw something in me that made him think I was a benefit towards the order. Anyway, I still dont like that the dark side is trying to pull me towards something.'

[It didn't. It was you who looked inside it. It just tried to hug you.] Terra's voice sounded slightly amused.

Jack chuckled lightly as well. 'Why does it sound like you would enjoy it see me suffer from that? Are you actually even a good person to begin with? We do know each other for a few years now and I still can't figure that out.'

[What are you talking about. I am just your friendly guide~ There would be no reason for me to endanger you since our lives are connected.]

'We will see, I guess' Then Jack looked around and saw that he was not anymore near the entrance he looked at before. 'Looks like while I gazed into that abyss I was also walking somewhere? Great...'

With that realization, Jack started to walk into the direction that he had in front of himself and continued his search for the origin of that ominous aura.