Having just barely won his fifth round against the specialized combat droid, Zell collapsed down to the ground, drained, unable to stand back up.
"Initiate MoonCrest would you like to move on to level six, or would you prefer to yield"
Seeing Zell in such a state the Rodian knight asked if he'd like to continue.
"N--No sir, I--I think that it for me. I yield"
"Very well, let this conclude this part of your trails. Initiate, rest for now, you will be contacted once a decision has been made on whether you are moving on to the next trial"
"Understood"
Having finished his part in this, the Rodian knight left to report the outcome of the trial. Zell however remained where he sat, for quite a while, giving his aching muscles much needed time to rest.
As he rested the surrounding jedi slowly exited the room as well, having finished seeing all they could.
As they left Zell faintly overhear bits and pieces of their conversions. The majority were impressed with his performance, surprised that he got as far as he did. Apparently most initiates who face the combat droid normally loss to it around level 3. With very few ever beating level 4.
And Zell was the first in recent generations to even reach level 5.
'I'm glad I was able to leave a strong impression on so many. However it seems some of them weren't pleased with me, near the end'
Among the exiting onlookers were a small group who disapproved Zell's attempt to challenge level five.
After completely level four some of the observing jedi became concerned and displeased that Zell continued on to level five. They had believed that Zell allowed pride and recklessness to guide his actions. Causing him to face such a high level while clearly worn out, needlessly. They believed that Zell should have acknowledge his limit and conceded after level four, and saw his choice to push forward as foolish, and unnecessarily risking injury.
'I hope they don't suggest to the council that I'm still not ready for advancement'
After a while, Zell finally recovered enough strength that he left the training gallery and moved a lounge like area of the temple to further relax and rest. In time he would be called and informed that he had passed his second trial and was to report to a designated area to face his third and final trail.
******
The Final trial had Zell walking down a spiral stairway located deep within the temple. In front of was a heavily cloaked jedi master, who's race and gender couldn't be made out due to the robe they wore and the shadow cast by their hood that hid their face.
Following them Zell was guided to an ancient meditation chamber.
Once at the chamber's door the jedi master began giving Zell instructions.
"Initiate MoonCrest, your final trial lay beyond this door, within. Know that I can not give you any information on what you will face. All I can say it that what lies within is unique for each person that enters"
Not giving Zell the chance to even respond, the hooded jedi placed their hand on the ancient door and through the force activated the ancient mechanism within. Causing several clacks and clicks to be heard.
Slowly the ancient door raised, and small whisps of dust were thrown about. Showing that it had been quite while since the last time this space was used.
Once fully opened Zell looked into the chamber from where he stood, seeing a mostly dark space. Its contents being only four torch like stands in the room's corners, providing minor light to the room and a singular transparent spherical crystal ball, placed atop a stone podium.
"This is as far as I go initiate, from this point on you must continue alone"
Unlike the first two trials that had jedi watching him, this one required that he attempt it by himself.
"Now, may the force guide to well"
The guide left and began climbing back up the flight of stairs after giving Zell some words of encouragement, soon leaving him by himself, alone in front of the now opened chamber.
After watching the guide disappear out of view while going up the stair way, Zell returned his attention back to the chamber.
Walking inside, he began scanned the interior with his force sight, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Thinking it was best to be as cautious as possible. Given the obscurity of the few details he had been given by the guide, him had little to no intel to go on for this trial.
So Zell was not going to rush things and would procced carefully.
And just as he took a few steps inside, the ancient door that had opened up not to long ago, started slowly closing behind him. Turning around he watched as it finished, sealing him inside. Zell felt a brief period of anxiety, but soon recovered when seconds passed without any other spontaneous mishaps occurring.
Seeing nothing else go wrong Zell slowly walked toward the center of the chamber, where the sphere was located. As he got closer to it Zell noticed a faint pull that draw his mind towards the sphere. With each step the pull grow stronger.
Standing right in front of it, Zell got a clearer sense of why he was drawn towards the object. He hypothesized that the crystal was likely some type of force artifact. And that he had to activate it somehow, for his trial. Following this train of thought Zell reached out and placed one of his palms on it.
Instantaneously upon contact, a faint glow erupted around the sphere. As he watched it, Zell basked in the small warm aura the light gave.
But just a second later, a chill quickly traveled along his spine, putting him on alert. His awareness now fully alert, Zell noticed a cold air filling the room, and a sudden oppressive feeling that came out of nowhere starting bearing down on him.
Wondering what this ominous feeling was, Zell realized that the natural shadows that filled the room began to spread and creep closer toward him and the sphere, as if they were alive. As they grow the shadows seemed to darken into a black abyssal devoid of all light, and as they draw closer across the ceiling, floor, and walls the oppressive feeling he felt grow as well.
Panicked by this bizarre situation, Zell tried to remove his palm from the artifact and face the encroaching darkness, but right when he was about to, his intuition screamed at him not to let it go.
Jared by this, Zell nearly pulled his hand back by accident, but managed to barely stop himself, due to sheer will power.
Seeing that there was no time to hesitate, deciding to take a gamble Zell followed his intuition. Committing his full focus to the artifact, he ignored the looming shadows and held the object in both hands.
Calming his mind he directed the force into sphere. Seconds passed and nothing happened, but even as the shadows washed over the flames of the four torches, extinguishing them, plunging the chamber into almost complete darkness, leaving the artifact's faint shine as the chamber's solo source of light, Zell did not break his concentration.
Another second later, just when the shadows were about to touch Zell and swallow him, the sphere began emitting an intense bright radiance that pushed the darkness back. Noticing this Zell, focused even harder on the force and when he did a great pulse of light engulfed the room, burning away the abnormal shadows.
Almost instantly the malevolent aura that was bearing down on the room disappeared and the light of the artifact dimmed, soon going out. Shortly after, the four torches reignited, returning light to the chamber and the sealed door once again began opening.
On the other side waiting was the hooded jedi who had guided Zell earlier.
"Congratulation initiate you have passed the trial"
******
Location: Jedi Council chamber
-Several days later-
Inside the council chambers the gathered council members were in the middle of discussing the recent group of younglings who had passed their trials and were to be promoted to padawans, and who their masters were to be.
For the most part the matching of padawans and masters went without issue.
The council were careful in their selections and had paired many of the newly appointed padawans to teachers who they believed would be compatible with them. Of course there were one or two padawans who would unfortunately have to go without a master for the time being, due to no knight or master being willing to take them under their wing, for one reason or another. At least for the time being.
Nearing the end of the session the council came to the last padawan to be assigned, and perhaps the one they had to be the most careful with.
"So now about initiate MoonCrest"
Mace Windu said plainly.
"Any recommendations"
The council fall into silence as they each pondered on who should be tasked with guiding this child who strength was proving unrivaled.
"May I put forward that we consider knight Kit Fisto. He and initiate MoonCrest have always held a strong bond, surely that very bond will serve them both and help them grow as teacher and student. Plus Fisto has made several petitions to this council be assigned as the child's master, showing his willingness"
"We can not allow that, it has all ways been an unofficial rule that those who have brought in a youngling into the order can not also be that same youngling's master when said youngling becomes a padawan"
Opening up the dissuasion Plo Koon advocated for Fisto to be picked, but his suggestion was quickly met with resistance from Mace Windu.
"It's that very bond, that puts them both at risk of forming attachments to each other if paired, it too risky"
Windu coldly rejected the idea and was supported by several other council members, master Yoda included, effectively making the decision final. As time passed the members continued voicing other candidates. Most of who were young knights who the council wished to given the chance to become masters.
But the Thisspiasian Jedi Master Oppo rancisis, noticing this, disagreed.
"My friends there is a consideration I believe we should into account before we make a final decision. I think that whoever we pick for Zell MoonCrest should at least be a jedi master"
Rancisis went on to explain that given Zell's advance abilities, pairing him with an inexperienced knight who has never personally taught before could possible lead to stagnation in MoonCrest training. Or even the opposite happening, with Zell quickly surpassing the knight, causing that knight to miss out on the chance to gain the wisdom and experience that comes with teaching another.
A possibility Rancisis saw happening, seeing how he believed Zell was already at a level that would soon advance to match that of a knight's, in probably just a year or two.
He advocated that a jedi master was the only sensible option. That only a master had the skillset and knowledge to properly guide Zell to his full potential.
The council deliberated on this point a bit and quickly agreed to it.
But the core question still remained, which master should they pick. Further debating resumed as more ideas were thrown out, at one point a motion that a member of the council should be picked, and was seeming gaining traction.
After a short period Master Yoda put an end to the back and forth, ultimately stating he had his own suitable candidate in mind. Catching the councils attention, many curious at who the Grand master had personally chosen.
******
Inside one of the botanical gardens of the jedi temple, Zell was enjoying a warm cup of tea that was brought to him by a nearby serving droid, who's job was to provide drinks to people who come to enjoy the garden, while sitting on a stone bench that was overlooking a small artificial pond, on its edge.
As he drank slowly, he took small sips, to really taken in the tea's favor.
"Hmmm, this really is delicious, its a pity this is the first time I've ever came here, I should definitely try to make more time to stop by and just relax like this"
Zell said to himself as he emersed himself in the peaceful, serene environment of the garden. Allowing its ambiens to wash over him.
"I'm pleased to see that you're enjoying it here. I had a hunch that you would"
Said a mature female voice, the owner of which sat down on the other end of the stone bench. Sitting right next to Zell.
"Yes, its quiet lovely. I'm grateful that you chose it for our meeting place. Now then, if I must say I was rather surprised by your sudden request for a meeting"
Unstartled by the sudden appearance, as he had been expecting it, he gave a frank reply.
"That can't be helped, I'm rarely ever at the temple, people don't usually anticipate running into me here"
"I see. So why did you want to see me, Master Fay? It was quite a shock when I was told that you had returned to the temple just to speak to me of all people"
The voice that had arranged to meet with Zell, turned out to be the long lived jedi, Master Fay.
"Yes, for two reasons. First I wished to congratulate you on passing your trials"
She said as her lips curled into a smile.
"Why thank you master Fay, it was---a fascinating experience"
Fay chuckled at Zell's comment, as she received a cup of tea from the serving droid that had previously served Zell.
"The second reason was because I was hoping we could speak and get to know each other better"
"Truly?---Forgive me master Fay for asking but, why? and so suddenly?"
Given her nomadic style, Fay rarely if ever returned to the temple. And for her to do so just to talk to him, Zell though honored by this, couldn't help but pause.
Puzzled by Fay's actions, Zell couldn't help but ask why, while he watched as she drank her tea.
Since such a thing from Fay was, at least from Zell's perspective, unusual.
"Well wouldn't you say it's only natural for me a jedi master, such as I, to try and get to know their new padawan as soon as possible"
"Yes, I would indeed say so ------ wait, WHAT!"