The crafting of Fiach Dubh’s lightsaber

[Fiach Dubh]

“Energy constantly flows through the crystal. You're not fighting with a simple blade as much as you are directing a current of power. Your thoughts, your actions, they become energy. They flow through the crystal as well and become a part of the blade.”
― Kanan Jarrus, to Sabine Wren

Continued from this thread on Dantooine.



Once she parted from Nara, Fiach walked through the caves — although by her own admission, it was an aimless wander. There was something wrong, but Fiach could not put her finger on it. Yes, as she walked down various tunnels, she saw plenty of crystals, but that’s all they were to her. They provided light and she could sense the Force, but none spoke to her.

She was not entirely sure what she was expecting — and maybe that was the problem. Or rather, she was sure that something was wrong, but she could not identify it. Her subconscious knew, she was sure of it, but she could not tap into its wisdom, and so continued to walk for hour after hour — aware of the curfew the Jedi Knight had set.

And she felt she was now just wasting time, walking deeper and deeper into the caves until she gave up and headed out.

Frustrated, she kicked at the ground and three crystals broke off from wherever they had been growing. Somewhat embarrassed and not wanting to leave them lying around, she picked them up and put them into a pouch she had brought for the occasion. It would at least look as though she had not come away empty-handed but she knew the somewhat embarrasing truth.

 

[Fiach Dubh]

Some time later and continued from this thread on Dantooine.



She felt the fear rise within her as a living thing, like the Force but whereas that was a positive sensation that filled her body with tranquility, this threatened to choke her. Innately, she fought against it. Fear should be expunged.

The teachings had said to accept the fear. But how? If she allowed it in, it would permeate her very being, surely?

Looking up, she saw a shadowy figure and it was lagging at her. “Fear will kill you,” it said. “Allow it in and it will destroy you, fight it and it will win and your end will be just as inevitable.”

“No!” Fiach shouted and ran at the shadowy figure. But it disintegrated into particles of light, its hollow laugh still ringing in her ears.

“Stop,” she begged. “Please, just stop."

As if the cave was listening, silence fell. But the darkness enveloped her and weighed her down. Fiach closed her eyes and then reopened them before moving on, further into the caves, but still she sensed nothing.

Then, ahead she saw a faint gleam on the wall of the cave. Crystals!

Her step quickened and she leaned across to examine the wall. The crystals grew in intricate formations. Even in the dark cave, they glowed from a source she presumed was the Force. She passed her hand over them without touching. Where she had been told she would feel vibrations emanating from them.she felt nothing

She sat on the floor of the cave and put her head on her knees and her arms around her shins. This was just like last time. Surely she would not come up empty handed again?

A fresh wave of fear consumed her but — perhaps out of weariness and maybe out of resignation — she allowed it to wash over her. And to her surprise, by doing nothing, it dissipated.

She laughed softly. “OK, I understand the teaching,” she said, “but to what end? None of these crystals speak to me.” And as she spoke, she felt something. It started as a warmth and became a soft but unmistakeable vibration. And it was not coming from the cave ahead or behind her, but from her own pocket.

Slowly she fished out the pouch she had been carrying since her previous visit here. Opening it, she saw the three crystals she picked up all that time ago, they were now glowing...pulsing. They felt warm to her touch and felt as though they were speaking to her, although she could not understand what they was saying.

Finally it made sense. “I believe,” she intoned. “I trust in the Force and believe I can become a Jedi. And now I am worthy, yes?” The crystals glowed especially brightly, as if to acknowledge her understanding. She chuckled. “I had you all along, didn’t I, I just never knew it?”

Fiach shifted on the floor until she was sitting in a cross-legged position. The ground was uncomfortable but she did not care, and she closed her eyes and entered a meditative state, cleansing her mind.

 

[Fiach Dubh]

She felt the Force around her and within her and especially felt it emanating from the crystals.

Unaware of her actions in her meditative state, Fiach emptied the contents of the two pouches she carried onto her lap. Slowly she levitated them and connected them. Many hours passed, but to Fiach it was just a few moments.

Then she awoke, as if from a dream. Around her it was still dark. Looking down, she saw a completed lightsaber in her lap. Was it real? She picked it up and turned it in her hand. She gripped it, and it seemed solid against her fingers, a perfect fit.

“The crystal is the heart of the blade.
The heart is the crystal of the Jedi.
The Jedi is the crystal of the Force.
The Force is the blade of the heart.
All are intertwined.
The crystal, the blade, the Jedi.
We are one.”

The words came unbidden to her tongue. And when she had finished, she activated the saber with a snap-hiss and the blade glowed a shade of lilac.

She stood, deactivating the blade, and found her legs were trembling slightly. She took a deep breath and connected once more with the Force. When she was sure she was in complete control, she returned to the mouth of the cave, she could not wait to show her Master what she had crafted.