lightsaber training, piloting, memory skills, and the most important goal
of all - connection to the Force.
Yet it was exactly his quick progress that gave Obi-Wan pause. Things
came too easily to him. There was a danger of recklessness and arrogance
inherent in his power. Anakin had a tendency to take matters into his own
hands. He could be impetuous and make his own way, disregarding advice.
Just as Obi-Wan once did. Just as Qui-Gon once did. That was what Obi-
Wan always came back to. He had made grave mistakes at Anakin's age. He
wanted to allow Anakin the freedom to do the same.
They pulled on their winter survival gear, fastening thermal coats
over their tunics and pulling gloves over their hands. They lowered goggles
over their eyes. The temperatures on Ilum were numbingly cold. Blizzards
struck without warning. Ice formations had treacherous sharp edges.
They opened the hatch and carefully stepped onto the icy ground. There
was only a small amount of ledge between them and a drop of thousands of
meters. The wind cut into the exposed parts of their bodies, the tips of
their noses and chins. The sun was just a pale suggestion in the sky, a
frosty color almost indistinguishable from the white sky and the colors of
ice and snow.
"Where is the Crystal Cave?" Anakin asked. Obi-Wan pointed. "Up. We
have to scale this cliff." Anakin regarded the cliff carefully. It was a
sheer sheet of blue ice, smooth as a mirror. There were no handholds or
footholds visible. Any misstep would send them flying into the open air.
"So this is the easy climb," he said. "Tell me something. Why did the
Jedi choose such a hazardous spot to keep the Ilum crystals? Wouldn't it
make sense to remove them from the cavern and keep them in a safe place?
Even a thousand years ago, they had to have a better idea."
"The crystals grow in the cave," Obi-Wan answered as he reached for
the cable launcher on his utility belt. "This is where we must gather them.
The challenge is part of the reward."
The wind whipped a strand of stray sandy hair away from Anakin's
cheek. His gaze snapped with the exhilaration of the adventure ahead. "I'm
not complaining. It looks like fun." He flashed a mischievous grin.
Obi-Wan nodded. There was something about this boy that wound around
his heart. During the course of their missions together he had seen
firsthand Anakin's impulsive generosity, his loyalty, his thirst to learn.
Remember, Padawan, that most beings are essentially unknowable. There
are mysteries at the heart that can surprise even those who think they know
themselves.
Obi-Wan turned away so that Anakin could not see his wry smile. Qui-
Gon was in his head so often. It was as though his presence was so powerful
that he could never die. Obi-Wan was grateful for it. He missed his friend
and Master with a keenness that had not diminished with the years.
He activated the cable launcher and the sharp spike bit into the ice
above. He tested the line.
"Remember to factor in the wind," he told Anakin. "There is wind shear
on the mountain. The gusts can come from any direction. Keep your body
loose. Pay attention to balance at all times. The ice is not as smooth as
it appears. There will be formations that can cut you."
Anakin nodded. The dancing light had left his eyes; they now seemed
opaque and expressionless. Obi-Wan recognized the look. Anakin had an
ability to summon stillness in a moment. He went somewhere that Obi-Wan
could not reach. Obi-Wan knew he was gathering his will and the Force for
the difficult climb ahead.
Anakin launched his own cable and tested it. After a nod from Obi-Wan,
the two activated the lines and let themselves be hauled up at dizzying
speed to hang suspended. Obi-Wan chipped at the ice with a sharp implement
to create his next foothold. He glanced over to make sure that Anakin was
doing the same.
Suddenly the biting wind gusted. It hit him broadside, causing him to
momentarily sway against the ice cliff. Obi-Wan twisted so that his
He slipped one foot into the crevice he'd created and hauled himself
up slightly. Then he created a crevice for one hand. This was the tricky
part, requiring perfect balance. Carefully, he loosened his cable launcher
for the next assault on the ice. The wind suddenly flipped around from the
other direction, slamming him against the ice. He lay as flat as he could
against the cliff, digging in with his fingers. It felt as though a giant
hand was trying to fling him off the face of the mountain.
As soon as the wind gusts subsided, he activated the cable line again.
Only two more launches and they would be at the high, narrow ledge that
opened out into the Crystal Cave.
Anakin had already launched himself high in the air. He worked quickly
with his sharp tool, digging another foothold into the ice cliff. Obi-Wan
could see that despite his speed Anakin was struggling with the wind gusts
that slammed him against the cliff.
Obi-Wan took the lead in order to slow Anakin's pace a bit. They
leapfrogged up the cliff, pausing to wait out the wind gusts. At last Obi-
Wan was able to reach the lip of the cliff above. He looked over at Anakin,
who gave him a nod. At the same moment, they launched themselves up to the
safety of the cliff ledge.
But they were not safe. Obi-Wan paused, teetering a bit on the edge.
Surprise caused him to almost step back. A group of gorgodons were lying
directly in front of them, sleeping near the mouth of the Crystal Cave.
They were large, hulking creatures native to Ilum. Usually their feeding
grounds were on the icy plains below, where they thrived on lichen and
scrub. Obi-Wan knew that they were expert climbers, but he had never heard
of them up this high.
They were also fierce predators. "Be still," he whispered to Anakin.
If they were lucky, the beasts would not see them. Their eyesight was poor,
but their hearing and sense of smell were excellent.
"What are they?" Anakin breathed.
"Gorgodons," Obi-Wan murmured. "Triple rows of teeth, sharp claws.
They dispatch their victims by squeezing them to death. The only way to
kill them is a blow to the back of the neck."
Anakin regarded them warily. "Anything else?" he whispered as a gust
of wind swept the ledge.
The wind must have carried their scent, for one of the gigantic
creatures stirred. "Yes," Obi-Wan said. "Watch out for their - "
Suddenly a large, reptilian tail whipped out from the closest
gorgodon, smacking Anakin and sending him flying back toward the cliff
edge.
"Tails!" Obi-Wan shouted, vaulting after him.
CHAPTER 2
Anakin was thrown back by the force of the blow. His foot slid on an
ice patch, sending him careening close to the edge of the cliff.
Obi-Wan leaped. With one arm, he kept his lightsaber slashing at the
tail, which continued to flail toward Anakin. With the other hand, he
reached out and yanked Anakin to safety.
Anakin recovered his balan
ce immediately and activated his training
lightsaber. It was not capable of the same power as a Jedi lightsaber, but
it could protect him somewhat. It was up to Obi-Wan to ensure that his
Padawan wasn't vulnerable.
The gorgodons were roused now. They awoke in a fury, jaws snapping and
eyes rolling. They roared, the fur sticking up now in sharp spikes. They
bared their triple rows of sharp yellow teeth at the intruders.
Obi-Wan and Anakin had no choice. The gorgodons were prepared to fight
to the death.
As usual before a battle, Obi-Wan's mind went clear and still.
Look for the weakness in the strength.
Yes, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan thought. Their great size makes them powerful,
but it also makes them clumsy. I will use that.
The largest gorgodon loped toward him. It had the dead relentless gaze
of a predator as it raised a paw as big as a gravsled to swat Obi-Wan. He
was sure he would be sent flying off the cliff if it connected.
The blow was slow in coming, at least for the reflexes of a Jedi. Obi-
Wan had time to contemplate his move and the likely counterattack. Mindful
of Anakin, he rolled to the right, drawing the gorgodon in that direction.
The creature swung out with its tail as it missed, as Obi-Wan expected it
to. Obi-Wan struck a blow to the gorgodon's side. He felt the impact
shudder through his lightsaber. The skeletal structure of the gorgodon was
extraordinarily strong, as well as covered by deep layers of fat and
muscle. It would take more than one blow to fell such a creature.
At the same time, Anakin leaped to the side, slashing at the giant paw
with his lightsaber. The creature gave a howl as the two blows connected.
It whirled around with surprising speed, the lethal tail whipping forward
toward Anakin. This time the boy was prepared. He leaped backward,
somersaulting in the air to give himself momentum. When he came down, he
delivered a blow to the gorgodon's nose that surprised the animal.
Another roar brought the other gorgodons closer to protect their
comrade. Tails slashed and paws rose, claws ripping at their clothing.
There was little time for Obi-Wan or Anakin to strike any effective blows.
They were too busy trying to stay out of the way.
Suddenly Obi-Wan's foot hit a patch of black ice. Hidden by the
shadows, the ice was slick and deadly. He slid helplessly straight toward
the gorgodon. The great beast bared its yellow teeth and raised its massive
arms to pin him between them.
Anakin accessed the Force and leaped as high as he could. He came down
on a paw, which flicked him off like a flimsy durasheet. The boy flew back
and hit the cave wall, dazed.
Obi-Wan regained his balance and struck out in a furious series of
moves. His lightsaber was a blur as he dived, feinted, and reversed,
striking blow after blow at the gorgodon's paws and body. The blows
wouldn't kill it, but they did slow it down. One angry, earsplitting roar
followed another. Obi-Wan moved so fast the gorgodon could not track him.
Anakin's head cleared and he raced forward to join Obi-Wan. He did not
notice that another gorgodon had craftily moved to cut him off. Anakin was
directly in the creature's path, caught between the gorgodon and the sheer
cliff.
Obi-Wan leaped forward. The only course open to him was to place
himself between the creature and Anakin. He struck out at the creature's
face with his lightsaber, but he saw the giant paws come together, trapping
him. Obi-Wan's breath left his body at the blow. The gorgodon brought Obi-
Wan to his chest in a death-hug.
Obi-Wan's face was buried in the foul-smelling fur. He choked,
struggling to fill his lungs. Instead, he breathed fur. The animal squeezed
him tighter. He was afraid his ribs would crack. His last reserves of
breath whooshed out of his body. He tried to move his arms, but he was
pinned.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a blur. A second later the animal
howled, and its grip loosened just a bit. He realized that Anakin had used
his cable launcher. The sharp end had dug into the gorgodon's fleshy back.
Now Anakin was above him, on top of the creature.
The gorgodon's grip intensified. Obi-Wan fought to stay conscious as
his vision went gray. He kicked out with his feet, but it was like kicking
the face of the mountain.
Just when he thought he could hold out no longer, the gorgodon's grip
lessened and its arms opened, dropping Obi-Wan abruptly to the hard ground.
He scrambled out of the way as the animal fell dead. Clinging to the
gorgodon's neck, Anakin launched himself off the animal's body to land
clear. He'd been able to fell the creature at the soft, vulnerable point in
its neck.
The other gorgodons smelled the death of their comrade. With
surprising speed, they dug their sharp claws into the cliff face and began
to scramble up the ice to the next peak.
Panting, Anakin turned off his training lightsaber. Obi-Wan rose
slowly to his feet, still struggling to catch his breath. They both paused,
their clothing torn by the gorgodon's claws, their hair matted with sweat.
Obi-Wan peeled off his goggles and Anakin did the same.
He grinned at his Padawan. "Thanks for that. Now comes the hard part."
Anakin wiped sweat off his forehead. "Glad to hear it. I was getting
bored."
Despite his words, Obi-Wan could see that the battle had drained
Anakin. His Padawan hated to show weakness. Yet Obi-Wan also knew that
Anakin would recover quickly.
"We should remove our survival gear here," Obi-Wan said, stripping off
his gloves. "We won't need it inside the cave. The crystals are deep
within. To reach them, you will have to pass through visions and voices.
Some of them may frighten you. Some of them are drawn from your own past.
They are your deepest fears. That is what you must face."
Anakin now stood in his tunic. The cold wind did not cause him to
shiver. His shoulders squared, and he took a step toward the cave. "I am
ready."
Obi-Wan put a hand on his sleeve. "Remember your training, Anakin," he
said. "Let your fear enter you. Do not battle it. There is no shame in it.
Your feelings are your strength. Experience them and let them go as you
proceed toward your goal. There are lessons to be learned even from fear
and anger. Face those lessons and move on with calm and justice."
"I know all these things," Anakin said, a trace of impatience in his
voice.
"No," Obi-Wan said softly, "you do not. But you will."
Once inside the cave, they were plunged into darkness. The walls of
the cave were of black stone. The stone was smooth and shiny, but it
swallowed light rather than reflected it. Entering the cave was like
entering a void.
"Should I use a glow rod?" Anakin's voice echoed. "No. Wait for your
eyes to adjust."
Obi-Wan reached into his tunic and took out a small pouch. He placed
it in Anakin's hand. "Here is the hilt you worked on and the other
components. After you find the crystals, you will fashion the lightsaber to
your ow
n hand. Do not rush the task. Some Jedi take days or weeks to make
it. However long it takes you, I will wait. We will stay on Ilum as long as
necessary."
Now they could distinguish the shape of the walls around them and the
stray rocks in their path. Obi-Wan walked farther into the cave and
gestured at the black walls. "Here is our history."
Over the centuries, Jedi history had been recorded on the walls of the
cave. The drawings were made of strong shapes and lines, just enough to
suggest the truth of a scene or the character of a Jedi. Names were
inscribed in rows that went from the ceiling to the floor. There were also
signs and symbols that Obi-Wan and Anakin didn't understand.
Go back. Here is what you fear.
The voice was a murmur, more like a running brook. Anakin looked at
Obi-Wan questioningly.
"It begins now," Obi-Wan said softly. "You must go forward alone."
A Jedi stepped forward from the cave wall. His tunic fell all the way
to the tips of his bare feet. The lightsaber he held looked like an ancient
weapon. His expression was so fierce that Anakin stopped dead. "There are
so many pleasures in the galaxy. Why do you deprive yourself? The Jedi path
is narrow. Why choose it? It will only bring you grief."
Obi-Wan waited to see what his Padawan would do. The time for his
instruction was over. After a moment, Anakin walked forward, and the Jedi