Most of everyone had escaped from the catacombs underneath the Jedi temple housing the crystal caves of Ilum.
They were only waiting for the last of the initiates to come back and among those that were not back yet was Anakin.
Most of everyone was excited that they had gotten their crystals and they shared this excitement with each other, their pairs, friends and what they might consider their family considering they would have grown up together.
"Yet to return few have." Yoda was speaking towards the other two Jedi masters present, Mace Windu and Shaak Ti.
"Worry not Master Yoda, I am sure the kids can handle themselves." Shaak Ti spoke up in this moment knowing the padawan she had chosen was also not back yet.
"Worry not I do. Safe they should be." Yoda responds.
"Master Windu, why do you think your apprentice is taking so long?" Ti questioned Mace.
Mace responded. "I dont know, but from how I understand Anakin he should be just taking his time."
Confused and intrigued, Ti questioned. "Taking his time? Does he not fear the closure of the entrance?"
"He would have figured that out, almost immediately if not immediately." Mace responds.
"How would you know?" Ti questions further.
"I am his master, am I not?"
"Well, he has shown to be more than what his actual age suggests, from his physical to mental state of mind." Ti states her observations. "I did not think he would see through the white lie I told."
"He is much more talented in stuff like that, sensing emotions, thoughts, stuff like that plus his other talents." Mace then continued. "But he would not even need to see through that to know that he is safe, it is because he is smart enough to figure it out."
"I didn't give no clues?"
"That doesn't matter, he probably asked someone else about the trials here to know about it. He likes to be prepared after all."
"Isn't that cheating? Master Yoda, isn't it?" Ti says in exasperation then directs to Yoda.
"Padawan Skywalker's methods unorthodox they may be. Cheating it is not." Yoda says in slight amusement at Shaak Ti's disbelief.
"Great, so I could have just asked someone what was to happen when I was going through my trials?"
"Test of emotion Skywalker need not. Proven to Master Windu and others capable of control he is." Yoda continued.
"Master Yoda is correct in saying he has impeccable control over his emotions. I would not have taught him Form VII otherwise."
"Right, that makes sense..."
Dawn turned to dusk, and it was nearing the time everyone should have been finished, the deadline that was set and most had returned. They continued to wait and as the day passed the remaining initiates had completed the test and everyone had finally exited the catacombs.
All except one, Anakin.
Growing a bit worried, Ti starts to question if they should go in or not. "I think Skywalker may have gotten himself into some trouble."
"He does that often but it is unusual that it would take this long." Mace said.
"Sense I do Skywalker is safe." Yoda says.
Something was rumbling within the Force, a signal that everyone who is Force-sensitive on the planet could feel. The initiates and the masters could tell that something was happening within the catacombs.
A ripple that spreads from within, with no stop.
Like a pond, a stone was thrown into the pond and ripples were created but instead of it dying down, the ripples became stronger and stronger.
"Master Yoda, you sense that dont you?" Mace spoke to Yoda.
Humming, Yoda then says. "Sense I do but know not it is."
"Maybe it has something to do with Skywalker." Ti says in a questioning tone.
An echo goes through the Force and a voice is heard only to those on the planet of Ilum, within their minds was it transmitted.
'Flowing through all, there is balance.'
'There is no peace without a passion to create.'
'There is no passion without peace to guide.'
'Knowledge fades without the strength to act.'
'Power blinds without the serenity to see.'
'There is freedom in life.'
'There is purpose in death.'
'The Force is all things and I am the Force.'
They all hear the same thing, and most are confused at the chant transmitted to them all. Shaak Ti's facial expression showing confusion.
The initiates feeling and showing awe but curiosity and Mace was clearly surprised as he could swear this mental voice sounded somewhat like Anakin.
Master Yoda was the most stoic of the bunch not showing any expression and was most immersed within the experience.
This experience continues throughout the rest of the night until the dawn of the next day. The initiates were sent back to the ship and were told to try and ignore the strange happenings so they could begin their next step.
While the masters stayed behind waiting for Anakin ready to question him or interrogate him as to what had happened.
Most did not sleep through the night and only meditated while the kids did and were able to do so even with the pulse from underneath as if it was coming from the caves itself.
Coming out of a meditative state, Yoda senses that end was drawing near. "Ending this event is."
Ti having kept her mental state calm heard Yoda and responded. "Is it finally over?"
Mace stays silent and only awaits for what would happen next. "Master Ti head back you should. Little sleep you have had." Yoda told her.
"Understood, I could use some rest." She was tired as despite being here, her concentration had broken many times during meditation.
She starts to head back while Yoda and Mace continue to wait for Anakin. "Master Yoda, what do you think that was?"
"See we will."
[]
Back deep within the caves, the amalgamation of voices that was echoing within his mind and maybe even resonating with the cave he was in, Anakin was within a trance like state.
Unlike that ritual down on Dathomir, this one he could feel had increased his light side alignment affinity helping to balance out the improper energies within himself.
If the dark side magick ritual increased his greed and lust, then this time the light had helped further pronounce some of his virtuous character traits, specifically the virtues of kindness and temperance.
Greed is the intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food and Anakin was very ambitious, very greedy for alot of things. He had done things in accordance to those types of values.
Lust is strong sexual desire or a passionate desire for something. In his previous life he was extremely lustful one could say going by his playboy nature but that did not mean he had no self control or restraint.
Temperance or in other words self control, justice, honor, and abstention. Again Anakin has shown these traits and has practiced them outwardly towards others and himself.
Kindness the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. What comes under kindness would be compassion, satisfaction, loyalty, and integrity which are things Anakin had shown to have.
He had a theory that he was the sum of two parts, the original Anakin plus him from his previous life. Two characteristics or key features that could sum up his past life's behavior was exactly that, lustful and temperate but he would not have called himself greedy or all that kind.
Here it would seem he developed some traits from the original, or at least what was at his core. The possessive, that was reinforced throughout his life but was there from the beginning but the kindness, the loyalty and compassion that Anakin showed was there throughout.
So, he has come to the conclusion he inherited both of these factors. Lustful and greedy but temperate and kind.
It was only brought out by these irrespective rituals he had gone through. For the dark it was these sinful traits, and for the light it was the virtues, all amalgamating into one. Himself.
Coming out of the meditative trance he was disoriented.
Groaning a little his mental thought processes were jumbled and the acceleration, the speed of them was not helping matters. 'My head hurts.'
His Jedi robes were a bit wet but that didn't matter to much, as he got up from the center of the lake he was surprised to find that before him, the lake was no more.
What was left in his wake was a deep chasm.
The lake that had been illuminated, the crystals that were shining from beneath the deep waters were dim, almost as if they had been absorbed of their residual energies.
Even stranger was the discovery that there was a red crystal there in front of him still glowing and pulsing within the Force. It was calling out to him and he picked it up putting it within his pocket wanting to keep it hidden for when he comes out.
Whistling Anakin looks down as his mind starts to clear up. 'Thankfully I had learnt how to fly using the Force otherwise the gap would have been too large for me to cross. Even with the Force aiding my body.'
Patting himself, he took a quick look into if his own chosen crystal was sapped of the Force. Looking it over, it still glowed up and he still felt a connection to it, only that it was dormant. Ready to be unleashed.
Next he decides to use the Nanosuit to check his body, as it was able to do so with near precise accuracy. 'Show me the changes.'
What was visualized was a high tech 3D representation of his current form.
The interface showed everything from his new extra heart to the other internal organs and even able to monitor the life signs and vitals of his being.
Knowing that nothing really physical would have happened he takes a guess that it may have somehow effected the only thing really connected to the Force. His midi-chlorians.
'Analyzing. 0%'
'40%'
'89%'
'100% Complete.'
'Midi-chlorian count per cell readings. 49200.'
Thinking to himself. 'It increased by another third did it? I have over twice as much I was born with, this increases the potential within myself and the raw power I could use as an output.'
Using the connected network he records down the results so he could look into it further down the line because for now he has to get back to the top.
Anakin floats over the massive chasm and lands on the other side looking back down one more time to see if he could spot some of the lake that was previously there.
But there was nothing, just a black void that seemed to continue to go down forever.
'Best be heading off then.'
Anakin starts his long trek back to the entrance of the Jedi temple through the catacombs and along the way two of his new and temporary friends appear before him again.
'Finally, you have done it. It took you long enough, I would have completed this process way~ faster.' Red says appearing on Anakin's left.
'Not true, you are too deep within the dark side to ever be able to complete that.' Blue says from Anakin's right.
'Says who? The dark is power and power is strength and through this I would achieve victory. Conquering the light with my unlimited power.'
The two continue to argue, but Anakin lets them because his temperance has been pronounced, these types of things even though they annoy him, he has self-control enough to let it pass.
Don't mistake that for patience because Anakin believed that there are more important things to do, so if he starts to think its too much he would shut them down.
"How long are you two here for? Until I leave or am near leaving the caves?" Anakin asks the pair.
'We will be gone once you leave the planet, but if you are asking if we will still be around then yes it would be until you leave the caves. We will only exist until you leave.' Blue says.
'We are not only an extension of yourself and the Force, we are an extension of this very planet.' Red continued.
"Really? I knew some planets were alive and even had consciousness, but here?"
'Yes, that is correct but we are not actually the planet. Just the connection between you and it.' Blue Started.
'Once you are gone, the residual conflicting energies that you had will also go along with it so if you were ever to return the both of us would not exist.' Red continued.
"Quite sad."
'Don't be, we are not the living. We are only you, apart of you but still you.' Blue says.
'We dont even necessarily should exist and would only be a figment of ones imagination.' Red then said. 'You are basically high right now, but because of this and the connection to the Force you see us.'
Red and Blue start to laugh at Anakin as his expression changed from neutral to disappointment. 'I should have known.' He thinks to himself.
"Be quiet now, or dont involve me in your conversations, I would like a peaceful trip back up to the surface."
'Don't forget your crystals.' Blue says.
Anakin checking his pockets again because of paranoia finds that it is safe and looks towards the pair seeing them hide chuckles and giggling like a pair of school girls. 'How frustrating.' Anakin's face turns a bit ugly as he continues on his trek back up.
'Young Skywalker, no emotions remember. That is the Jedi way.' Blue says in a mock patronizing tone.
'Yes, give in to your hate, your passion makes you strong.' Red joins in on the teasing.
Anakin ignores them both.