A Traitor Amidst

19 BBY, Jedi Temple Ilum

ENTERING

the icy gate, Kema made her way into the cave deeper and deeper. Training in Yossut helped her run faster in crazy obstacles: high walls, tight paths, mazes even underwater paths. Her rock climbing skills were also tested as she rose from an icy lake heading towards...a voice. A distant echo and a tiny ring.

In the distance, she locked her eyes on a bright light and surveyed the maze before her. Locking her target, she drifted on skiddy ice, climbed rocky walls and before she could even think of jumping a cliff below the light caught her by surprise.

Kema screamed while she fell into the abyss, screaming hoping someone would get her. But before she could go any further her body was stuck in place, she opened her tightly sealed eyes to reveal a hand.

"I got you!" the voice seemed familiar until a mask came up and the hand turned dark almost looking like a glove. But after she saw an ignited red blade she let go falling into the abyss.

It felt endless, the air kept her steady as the walls around her became darker and darker. However, there was light at the end!

She began hearing voices, "What if I kiss you right now?" "Kema get out of the way!" "Kema! Help!" "We will always love you!"

The howling air seemed to be hypnotizing her, but her misery was cut short after she met the water in a painful belly flop. Her body entered the icy water and she came back to consciousness. Almost drowning! She looked towards a light leading to an opening. She began to feel the ice around her close in but gladly made it to the opening leading to a rocky wall.

Kema struggled to pick herself up but she could hear the crystal call and little flash. She was close, really close. Bothka was right, she would be tested quite hard.

She felt an urge to give up.

Her arms were slow, feeling like they locked their joints together. Her legs felt heavy and they scraped off a few rocks they couldn't step on any other rock leaving her hanging in desperation.

"I am one with the force," she uttered. Before her lips could give one more go she repeated it before they began to tighten and tremble to create more heat. An arm grabbed her from the top, and as she was pulled towards the edge where she saw her parents.

"Wait, what?!" she struggled to speak only left dumbfounded.

"Mother?" she uttered. "Father?" they picked her up to her feet and they all embraced. I've missed you guys so much! She began tearing, but they only said a few. Feeling a sudden warmth from them.

"We know," the mother spoke with her voice resonant in her head.

"We love you," the father finished. Upon letting her go, they walked towards the bright light and thus disappeared with the light dimming to reveal a little flash.

Creeping closer, she rubbed her arms together and removed the crystal from its peak and observed it closely. It rang a low bell but was not bad enough to make her deaf. It was soothing, almost relaxing. It glowed brighter once she placed it in her palms.

Observing it more made it look more blue-green which she never understood fully. But she remembered Bothka's words and pulled out Bothka's old sabre and a new hilt which she picked earlier. She began to reset his sabre, discovering a green kyber crystal and using the force she crafted her sabre from her mind and liking. It took shape, connecting the two ends with each pommel, then the body and the igniters.

The emitters were flat disks that made the whole product look like a Shinai hilt. Balancing all the materials together she conjoined them with the force and connected locking every piece in place. The sabre then felt in her hands and she opened her eyes to survey it. Igniting the newly made weapon it put out a nice, warm green blade. Pointing it upwards she held the other hilt and ignited it revealing a double blade.

In her excitement she jostled up and down, proceeding to practice her newly perfected Form IV moves. She did figure-eight whirls, cuts, turn cuts, side whirls and step thrusts. Some of them took the time to get because the sabre was a bit heavier. She needed much more practice. It was dangerous but if she kept herself in a full form she could've been dangerous.

"This amazing," she couldn't contain her happiness.

-

At the other side of the temple, Kai's group that went with Yu'sarai were finally almost out. One by one padawan ran out of the closing icy gate. "Good job, padawans!" she would tell them as she waited patiently.

"Master, master! I lost Kai down the cave!" a padawan came out running in fear! "I saw him back there!"

"Alright calm down," she held her, "I'm sure he'll be alright, don't worry let's trust in the force!"

Kai was stuck at a dead-end where but halfway into the end was his crystal. The only thing that stopped him was his father, his abusive father.

"Well, well, well...if it isn't the ol' womp rat," he chuckled.

"How?!"

"The force can be strange," if you paid attention more maybe you'll understand. Tightening both fists, Kai warned. "You can't be here this is a trick,"

"Let's see," Kai's father spoke as ran towards Kai but before he could touch him he began uttering.

"I'm one with the force," repeatedly, almost cowardly. He ran. Ran through the fake illusion of his father, through his fears and to where is crystal would be. Yanking it from its spot he ran towards the opening. Bumping into Kema.

"Kai?!" Kema looked towards him in surprise. "Blast! You almost made me turn this thing on!"

"Oh, Kema am I glad to see you!" he hugged her tightly. "You would not believe what I just saw,"

"Yea, yea but aren't you supposed to have left?"

"Oh yeah right but I got lost and ended up here," he said. Kai noticed her new weapon. "Woah, where'd you get that?"

"I made it," she laughed before she ignited it, "cool isn't it?"

"Wow! Can't wait to make one on my own!" Kai sighed, "but anyways we have to leave before the class takes off!"

They began running back towards the icy gate. They plotted through underwater paths, drifted in ice and came to an opening that revealed the icy gate.

"Ah yes, freedom!" Kai laughed.

Kema's comlink began beeping. "Kema! Get...t! There's...hurry!" it began cutting out in static.

"Is that master Bothka?!"

"Come out through the gate my young ones," the comms blurted. It seemed like something was wrong. They hurried beneath the icy gate and slipped down through coming out to the Jedi on the floor surrounded by henchmen.

"Don't try it, we have you surrounded!" Enodo spoke overall present. "We just trying to get safe passage for our client, that'll be all." He loaded the gun making all the kids start whimpering in fear.

"Don't worry kids, trust in the force hehe!" one of the mercenaries mocked them cackling wildly.

Kema and Kai sat by the other padawans with their weapons down. Out of the icy weather came out Bothka with his hands behind him, it seemed like he was ambushed.

"Come on, let's handle this like gentlemen!" he laughed as one of the henchmen hit Bothka with his rifle stock.

The icy gate, which by now had already frozen over was blasted open! Inside walked out Jysell with the Holocron of Knowledge in hand.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your saviour is here!" she cackled!