Awakening

[Jasik Arjan]

Hoth
2 Years After Jasik’s Disappearance

The sun began to peek over the horizon in the early morning hours. Slowly but surely, the dark, cold icy planet began to light up as the rays of light poured out over the land. Temperatures would scarcely change and remain freezing, but the light and increase in warmth always seemed to bring some life back into the planet.

It was astonishing that some chose this place at home, despite its apparent hardships. But still, it was home and many would be born, live and die here. Civilizations were few and far between on Hoth and on the outskirts of one such place, stood a mountain.

As the sun’s light poured down the mountain like the darkness was being peeled away, it soon reached an area, just below it’s peak. For the past two years, this cycle continued and each and every time, some snow melted and then froze and at times fresh powder fell and replaced almost all that was lost. But these past few months had been fortunate and not to many storms and blizzards had plagued the lonely giant.

The hot rays began to melt away the snow and something began to appear although completely unrecognizable. As the day progressed, more and more snow began to give way and the something took on the shape of a figure and soon the figure appeared as a person until it had melted away enough to reveal the head of a man.

Though still completely buried, the bright sun of the day had done its work and as it set and darkness fell over the ice world again, the creatures of the night roamed freely again. And one such creature began to draw breath and as he exhaled there was no warmth to clash with the cool night air. An hour passed. Two. Three. Stirring from a long slumber, the man started to come to.

And at the night’s darkest moment, just before the sun would begin to rise again, his eyes slowly opened and he stared out amongst his home world for the first time in years. All he did was stare and slowly breathe. As the sun finally rose, the cold air carried one sound with it.

"N’yssa."

[Jasik Arjan]

Day 1

As the beams of light continued to spread across the surface of Hoth, they once again swelled like a wave, rushing over the tall giant that had silently kept its prisoner quiet until this very morning. But the sun had worked its magic over these past couple of years, finally freeing that which only sought darkness. An ironic twist of fate as it was the darkness that the prisoner was after that had sealed him away. His bonds were weak and would be no match for his soon to be renewed vigor.

”N’yssa.”

He whispered aloud again, her name and face were the first things coming to his mind after being entombed for so long. There was no indication for the span of time that had passed during his imprisonment. Instead he merely felt the cold of the ice and snow packed around his body and the shackles tight grasp around his ankles and wrist. Even the thought of how he came to be here had still not surfaced. Instead, his strength and anger began to rise as he only thought of her and struggled to set himself free. As the hours of the day passed, the hot sun, almost willingly working to free the prisoner, weakened his prison even more to the point where he could begin to slightly move his body. He only needed to gather more momentum.

Alas, the sun was limited to the amount of freedom it could provide in a day and soon began to set. But it was a start. The prisoner could begin to move his fingers. And if he could do that, he would soon be able to make a fist. And with a fist, he would summon his strength and break free of his bonds.

”I’m coming."

[Jasik Arjan]

Day 2

Morning. Once again the sun breached the horizon and as its rays fell upon the face of the mountain's prisoner, he awoke from his sleep. Anger and struggling to set himself free only brought exhaustion quicker in the cold world of Hoth. Still he had no concept of time in relation to the years he had been a prisoner, but only day and night. Today would be the day.

As the hours passed and the ice weakened further, the prisoner worked his arms and hands, fighting against his natural bonds. The ice began to give way, cracking as his momentum increased. The stars heat bore down on his prison, making freedom more and more of a reality. The ice whined as his arms flexed pulling them in towards his chest. The cracks splintered throughout and in moments his hands and arms were more free than when he awoke.

His right hand moved forward, his fingertips trailing slightly across something else. It was hidden still by the snow and ice but he could clearly tell it wasn't part of the mountain. It was just out of his reach, but after he touched it, he had a small memory come to him. He knew what lay outside his grasp, but the reason why he was here still remained a mystery.

"No."

His thoughts raced back to N'yssa. Where was she? Why had he left in the first place?

[Jasik Arjan]

Before freedom within his reach, the blazing star would escape again and the night would come, bringing with it the cold, deathly chill that made Hoth the ice world that it was. His bonds were strengthened once again, making any and all attempts to escape futile. The prisoner would have to remain in his "cell" for one more night, but tomorrow would be the day.

Day 3

As the small beams of light peeked over the horizon, his eyes flashed open and only the slightest smirk crossed his face. It was there for a moment before the emotionless canvas returned. Although the day began, it would be hours before the sun's strength would be enough to shatter his shackles. His fingertips still trailed across the object before him. Still he knew the object only from a memory fragment, but the rest was shrouded in darkness and confusion.

Finally the warmth of the star rested upon his face and he could once again begin to feel the ice weaken. Having rested for the night, it would be now or never. Summoning all his strength and a power unbeknownst to him that rested deep inside, the ice prison broke around his upper body as his arms reached outwards and he stood to his full height letting out a cry as muscles and bone ached with a stiffness after having not been used for so long.

He breathed deep and heavy as he looked around. His legs and feet remained trapped still, but with a heaving grunt he broke free first his left, then his right. As the prisoner escaped his bonds, the object that had lay just outside his reach was revealed before him. At it's peak was the cold, dark steel of the hilt of a sword. Plunged deep within the ice was the full length of it's blade.

He reached for it, still unknowing what it was that brought him here, but as his hand began to clasp around the hilt, he once again had a flashing memory, and quickly withdrew his hand from the sword. It wasn't just a sword, but was his jailer.

Whatever the reason that brought him here, he must have been seeking this blade. And when he found it high atop this mountain, he seeked its power and in doing so was entrapped in the ice. For how long he did not know. It's power and secrets were simply unobtainable, at least by him. For now. He would disregard whatever this source of strength was for now and instead turned his gaze to the horizon, an area he had not laid eyes upon since his awakening. It was there that he saw signs of life by the bellows of smoke that rose to the atmosphere. Turning away from the sword, he paid it no heed and began his descent, making his way back to civilization and soon off this planet.

The beautiful face of his once fiancee was his only thought. He needed to find her.

"N'yssa. I'm coming."

The Jedi came to his wiped mind. Whoever, or whatever they were, he knew that they would be the key to finding her.

[Jasik Arjan]

OOC: It took me a long time to finish this small story, but I wanted to ensure that I finished what I started to somehow explain where Jasik has been for so long as I know my absence has been noted both IC and OOC. Thank you for reading.