Luke Skywalker, the Last Jedi, faces his toughest challenge yet. After taking his Jedi vows, he assumes the misbelief that love has no place in his life. As a result, he denies the love he craves in order to establish the New Jedi Order and maintain...
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Naluma did not know how long they watched the pyre burn down. When she was aware of anything beyond their staggering grief, the snow had reached their calves, numbing their faces and lower legs. What little light the storm let through was fading. Naluma murmured, "Luke, we've got to find some shelter. Sun's going down."
Dazed, Luke nodded to her.
❶ They stumbled over hidden tree limbs and rocks as they searched for a good camping spot. When they found a clearing, Luke revived a bit. "Are you sure this is best? It's colder here in the wind. At least we were out of it in the forest."
"Luke, those branches are snapping like twigs with the weight of the snow. We don't want to get caught under one," Naluma said as she staked down the tent.
She lowered her shield on their Force-bond, but all she received back was the despair overwhelming Luke's ability to think. Underneath the anguish, Naluma could feel Luke's anger building again, a dark wrath that scared her.
The only way she could pull him out of this despondency was to get him moving, doing something useful. Sending urgency through their Force-bond, she said, "Pack snow against the walls of the tent. It will hold our heat in better."
"What if we get buried alive by this storm?"
"We'll cut our way out with our lightsabers."
Luke helped her pack the snow in, but he stopped after a few minutes.
"Hey, Luke, you with me?" Naluma asked as she looked over from the other end of the tent.
Luke's face reflected dark grief.
Tired of it all, Naluma yelled, "Come on, we don't have much time, Luke, and I can't do this on my own. I need you. Snap out of it and do your duty. There will be time to grieve later."
Luke lurched about the tent.
Frustrated, Naluma ordered, "Oh, don't bother. I'll finish. Go inside and set-up the bedrolls."
This is so much worse for him that the deaths on Telti. If this is one of the perks of becoming a Jedi Master, I don't want it.
She crawled into the tent. Any other time, I wouldn't mind being crammed in here with him. Oh, Luke. He sat in the middle of the tent and stared at the bedroll in his hand. His despair cut through their bond, and she could not handle it anymore. She built her strongest shield to shut him out once more.
