(NJO) (Itacil) Lesson lll: Self Discipline

"Is it really a good idea to let them go alone?"

"Do not concern yourself about their trip Nokori, both of them grew up on mountains with conditions way worse than here and they have each other to rely on. It will strengthen them and easy their mind for the upcoming weeks"

replied Jedi Master Jun to a seemingly bothered Nokori.

The following morning, Itacil was seemingly stressed out and in a rush as he heard a rhythmic knocking on his door. "Come in, I just need 3 and a half minutes, then we can go," he replied.
Druffin opened the door carefully and peeked into the room, finding a surprisingly fast and chaotic Itacil jumping around to get ready for their trip.
"Dress appropriately; you don't have hair like we Talz do, so you'll freeze, and I don't want to hear you cry about it,"

Druffin's translator droid said sarcastically.

Dressed in a thick layer of robes, climbing gear, and a grin from ear to ear, Itacil and Druffin made their way to the trail for their day adventure into the snowy peaks of The Grandmother, where the monastery was located. Right next to the southern gates was Meego, packed and ready to join the group.

"Have you meditated? Are you ready for this?"

Itacil asked him, looking in Meego's direction.

"Don't worry, we are here for you"

Druffin said as he tapped Meego's shoulder.

The Grandmother is a twin peak in a chain of mountains located in the colder regions of Ator Hollo's hemisphere. These mountains are covered in snow at all times, making them a perfect place for cold-seeking adventurers to visit and test themselves.

Druffin took the lead, having spent years in the snowy ranges of his homeworld. Itacil followed closely behind, taking in every breath of fresh air and playing with the snow in his hands, remembering his family back on Scipio. Meego was standing right next to Itacil, trying to guide him. However, when Itacil turned to him, he firmly grabbed Meego's hand, then bowed before the Rodian and said jokingly,

"I'm very happy that you want to help me because of my lack of sight, but I'm not THAT blind.”

They walked through the mountain passage for about two hours until they reached the point where they had to walk through thick layers of snow and climb the rocky walls. As heavy snowfall began, Itacil took the lead. He loved being fully immersed in the snow and had a blast. However, in the deep snowstorm, he couldn't hear Druffin and Meego. The snow was hammering against his face and ears, making it hard for him to concentrate. He decided to go back and look for them, but as he stepped back, the ground beneath him cracked, and he fell into a cave.

He landed on his side, and it felt like he had cracked a rib. The pain was unbearable, and breathing was very difficult. The mountain air was already thin, so being unable to breathe properly with an injured rib made Itacil feel uneasy and gasp for air. His mind raced with frustration, anger, and despair. His thoughts grew darker with each passing minute.
But then Itacil remembered Nokori's words:

"Whenever you are in a situation that you cannot control and fear enters your mind, kneel down and breathe in through your nose right into your stomach. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, and hold again for 4. Repeat all that until you feel at peace and ready to move on."

Itacil did just that and slowly began regaining control of his feelings to the point where he realized that there was something in this cave. Something that pulled him towards it.

In a dark niche of the cave, he found a dead corpse frozen to death, dressed in robes and a straw hat. Only bones were left in the clothing. In front of him was a fireplace with some pots, but everything was already frozen and long forgotten.
As Itacil approached the deceased figure, he felt a shiver run through his body and a pull towards the corpse. He sensed something speaking to him. Upon searching his robes, he was surprised to find a lightsaber in his right hand and an old datapad hidden under his robes.
Itacil stored his belongings in his backpack and kneeled before the corpse, bowing and saying a prayer before attempting to find a way out of the cave. Despite still having his climbing gear, his fractured ribs prevented him from climbing more than a meter.

Suddenly, he heard a droid screaming. He recognized it as Druffin translator and remembered that he and Meego had a rope. Itacil shouted to let them know he had fallen through the ice and to be careful where they stepped. They found the hole and rescued Itacil. After their adventure, they returned to the Monastery, and Itacil went straight to the Masters to share his findings.

a long lost Jedi & Itacil