JEDI TEMPLE – UPPER GARDENS – SOME YEARS LATER
Time passed faster than I imagined. Ahsoka and I are now twelve years old.Sometimes, I still catch myself remembering that first moment of synchronicity with her in the training chamber—as if it happened yesterday. But so much has changed since then.
We became permanent training partners. The Masters decided there was something special in the way the Force flowed between us—something worth nurturing. And we... well, we accepted it gladly. The connection didn't fade. On the contrary. It only grew.
We train together every day. With sabers. With the Force. In meditation. On missions. Even in our silences, there's a bond. I know when she's restless. She knows when I'm holding something in. Words have become almost unnecessary between us.
Since that night we got stuck, Barriss Offee showed up—and never left.Within a week, she was already sharing meals, training sessions, and late-night terrace talks with us. She's the balance between my intensity and Ahsoka's fire. Serene, precise, always ready with a thoughtful analysis... or a perfectly timed unexpected joke.
Now, the three of us are lying in the grass of the upper gardens, sabers by our sides, staring at the stars beginning to appear in the sky.
"You ever notice that half of our fights start with Ahsoka provoking someone?" Barriss says with a smirk.
Ahsoka lifts her head from my shoulder and pretends to be offended.
"Hey ! That's not true. I only provoke people who deserve it."
"So basically, everyone," I mutter, smiling with my eyes closed.She gives me a light punch in the chest.
"You provoke me all the time and no one complains."
"Because I know how to dodge."
Barriss laughs. The sound is soft, soothing.
"If someone saw us now, they'd never guess we took down seven training knights in the last joint combat session."
"Eighth was you, remember ?" Ahsoka adds, pointing at her. "Double jump, spin, saber on the ground. A work of art."
"Modesty, as always," Barriss replies.
We fall into silence for a while. Only the sound of the wind through the leaves. Down below, the Jedi Temple corridors still echo with footsteps and voices. Up here, everything is peace.
I look at the sky, then at Ahsoka, who now has her eyes closed again. Her head is still resting on my shoulder. Barriss is lying on my other side, arms crossed behind her head, gazing at the stars.(Reminder: Ravan does not see Ahsoka romantically at this stage.)
"You know…" I begin, slowly. "If someone asked me what the Force truly means… I think I'd say: this."
"This what ?" Barriss asks, without turning her head.
"The three of us. Together. Strong. Balanced. The Force flowing between us like a bridge. A bond."
Ahsoka opens her eyes and turns to look at me. For a second, she just stares.
"You're getting too philosophical, Ravan."
"Maybe. But I'm right."
She smiles faintly, without denying it.
Barriss closes her eyes, relaxing.
"Whatever the future brings… it's good to know we have this."
"Always," I whisper.
ORBIT OF ILUM – INSIDE THE JEDI SHIP – COLD MORNING
The ship's window fogs with our breath. Outside, Ilum awaits—a planet covered in snow and mystery. The white mountains shine under the distant sun, and a powerful calm hovers over everything.
"Feels like the whole planet is meditating," Barriss says quietly beside me, watching.
Ahsoka walks up, arms crossed.
"Or just frozen solid."
I chuckle.
"That's what I thought too. Hopefully the warmth of the Force works as a heater down there."
Barriss smiles faintly.
"You know the cold on Ilum isn't just physical, right? The cave will test each of us. Out here, it's snow. In there… it's what lives inside."We exchange glances. We all feel it. Ilum wasn't just a mission. It was a rite.
ILUM TEMPLE – ENTRANCE TO THE CRYSTAL CAVE
The Jedi Master guiding us—a silent Zabrak with a stern gaze—speaks few words as he ignites the Jedi symbol with the Force. A wall of ice slowly opens, revealing a dark tunnel with crystals shimmering in the distance.
"Each of you will find your crystal," the Master says. "But remember: the crystal must find you as well."
We enter one by one. Ahsoka gives me a determined look. Barriss just nods with a gentle smile. And then, we step into the darkness.
INSIDE THE CAVE – REVAN'S TEST
The cold of the cave vanishes, replaced by a deep, heavy silence. Before me, the darkness parts, revealing two spectral figures. Two versions of myself—but opposites.
To the left, a red shadow, wrapped in flames and rage. Its gaze intense, full of promises of power and total control.
"Come with me," it says in a deep, distorted voice. "Here, you'll never be weak. No limits. Only strength."
To the right, a pale blue light, calm and serene. Its presence radiates peace, compassion, and wisdom.
"I am the truth of your path," it speaks gently. "Balance, protection, hope."
I stand between them, feeling the Force vibrate between these two opposing powers.
"Which one am I ?" I ask, my voice echoing in the cave.
"You can be both… or neither," the red figure answers with a cruel smile. "It all depends on what you choose."
"True strength lies in accepting every part of yourself," says the blue figure with a kind nod. "But without losing yourself in darkness."
I close my eyes, searching within. The voices become murmurs, and the light and shadow swirl around me.
When I open my eyes, both specters begin to approach—side by side.
As the red and blue figures draw near, the tension rises. They embody everything I could become—dark power, pure light—and in the middle of it all, I feel divided, but steady.
Suddenly, a soft, intense glow appears between them. A third figure materializes—completely white, almost translucent, radiating absolute, profound calm.
Her face is serene, almost maternal, and her eyes seem to see right through me.
She speaks with a voice that seems to echo in my soul:
"Ravan, you now understand the weight of choice. It's not about surrendering to darkness or getting lost in blinding light."
"Then what is it ?" I ask, still hesitant.
"Balance. Acceptance of all parts of who you are. The strength born when shadow and light coexist in harmony. Not an easy path—but the only true one."
She extends her hand to me—open and steady.
"Accept this truth. Accept the Force in its complete form."
I hesitate for a moment, feeling the vibrant energy radiating from her. Then, with determination, I reach out and take her hand.
In an instant, a white, pure light explodes around us, bathing the entire cave in brilliance. The red and blue figures vanish, as if they were never there. I'm left alone in the frozen cave.
As the light fades, I open my hand and see, resting in it, a white crystal. It glows with a soft intensity, illuminating my face and part of the cave around me.
I feel the weight of the crystal and, at the same time, a tremendous lightness—as if my entire being had been both released and strengthened.I whisper to myself:
"This is my path."