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Chapter 13 - Trial of Courage

Barriss stood at the edge of the Trial Chamber's ancient stone archway.

Then Master Luminara Unduli approached her. "Youngling Offee. This is your trial. I cannot tell you what's beyond the door, But the Force is with you and you should trust and listen to it."

Barriss bowed. "Yes Master, and thank you."

Luminara then walked away from Barriss without a second glance.

Barriss nodded. After a moment she steady heart. She only had her Initiate robes, and her lightsaber hilt on her side with her. She then took a calming breath.

She knew in her heart to trust in the Force.

Master Fay, Plo Koon, and Windu observed from the hidden viewing room, along with Shaak Ti and Master Yaddle.

The door opened and the room beyond was ancient and dark. 

Barriss stepped in, the arch sealed behind her. The room was dark, but Barriss didn't use her lightsaber as a light source. Instead she kneeled and began to meditate. 

After a few minutes she heard a voice. She was then in a battlefield. It was wore and torn from conflict. Corpses, and the smell of fires in the air. 

She stood up surprised at how she just appeared there. Then she remember she her a voice calling to her. She ran through the battleground. She saw the dead, some faces she recognized and others she didn't.

She then found a fallen Jedi Knight, groaning and clutching his side, pinned under debris. She reached him with calm and clarity, using the Force to ease the rubble off his chest. He coughed, barely alive.

"There's… another," he gasped. "Enemy… wounded. Somewhere… ran."

Barriss stabilized him with her force healing, slowing his heart rate, while treating the less serious injuries. "Let me focus on you right now. So please be at ease." She realized his internal injuries were more serious. She could do more, but she needed better tools, a real medkit.

"I'll return," she promised. The knight nodded.

Then she followed the trail of blood deeper into the trees.

There, she found the enemy.

A Zygerrian slaver, burned, bleeding from the legs, crying out, alone, afraid, clearly no longer a threat. His weapon lay broken beside him. Along with the medkit she needed.

When Barriss approached, he raised his arms. "I surrender. Please… no more."

A voice spoke to her: "Only one can be saved. You must choose now."

Barriss froze.

The slaver, repentant or not, was a known abuser of innocents. The Jedi, her own kind, was an ally who could be rescued if she left now.

But the Jedi was barely stabilized, but still needed help. The medical kit looked like it only of enough supplies for one person.

Then Cain's voice rang in Barriss mind. "Don't let yourself be trapped on a path chosen for you by others. Find the courage to make your own path no matter the outcome."

Barriss then looked back the slaver.

The Zygerrian was bleeding out now.

She knelt beside the slaver.

"I don't know who you were before," she whispered, "but I see who you are now."

She levitated him and grabbed the medkit, and headed back to the fallen Jedi. She placed the two near each other and divided the medical equipment between the two. 

She divided pain stimulates and Bacta patches between the two. She wrapped the Zygerrian leg wounds after the patch piece.

She then heard a voice whisper in her ear again. "You can only save one. Trying to save both will result in both dying."

But Barriss, did not falter. "No I will save both or die trying."

Barris, kneeled between both of her now patients and placed a hand on both of their heads. 

She then meditated. Focusing the Force through herself and using it to stabilize the two. Minutes passed, but for Seris it felt like hours. She was sweating non stop. The voice appeared in her head again.

"You cannot save both, pick one."

But Barriss, did not falter. Even when exhausted and on the verge of collapsing. Instead she thought of her friends and a thought appeared in her mind.

"I must let go."

"I must let go of the fear of not being good enough. I know I am good enough. I want to help my friends but first I must start by helping these two."

In that moment Bariss, had let go of her fears and doubts. And she dived deep into the Force to the point she started glowing. Her body was surrounded by a radiant jade green color.

In that moment the surroundings and the two injured individuals disappeared. Barriss was shocked, and wondered what had happened.

Then she looked in front of her. Jedi Master An'ya Kuro was right in front of her. Others may know her as the Dark Lady.

"Who are you, and how long have you been there?" Barriss asked.

An'ya just smiled. "Child I was here the entire time. I will say you showed a lot courage. Not many Jedi, let alone younglings could show the conviction you showed."

"Wait you say that?" 

An'ya nodded. "Yes youngling Offee, I saw it. You were beautiful, and your connection to the living Force was radiant. Your conviction was grounded in the worst of situation. If it was just up to me you would pass. But those old stick in the muds get the final say. But I believe they will see things my way."

An'ya said while smiling.

"Thank you master for the kind words."

"No problem child. Now go to the other side."

As An'ya said that, a door behind her glowed. Barriss bowed to the master, and walked to the door. An'ya looked to the reflective wall next to her. "Was that enough for you all?" 

In the adjacent hidden room, the Masters observed in silence.

Plo Koon was the first to speak.

"She chose the harder path knowing the chance of succeeding were slim to none. Others would have saved the Jedi and claimed wisdom."

Shaak Ti nodded. "She chose mercy over allegiance. That is… rare."

Windu, arms folded, offered only: "Her conviction was powerful. She put her own doubts to rest."

Fay, smiling softly, added: "She listened to her soul and the Force resonated with her."

Yaddle, in her slow, echoing tone, said. "Her connection to the living Force is growing more and more, and her compassion, knows no bounds."

Back in the grand hall, the others and I watched the door open.

Barriss stepped out.

She didn't speak. Just walked forward, and hugged everyone.

"Your turn," she whispered.

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