Betrayal

Chapter 13: Valley of the Dark Lords

"So....this is Moraband?" Benson questioned as we walked off the ship. 

"Yeah, isn't it pretty?" I ask, taking in the beautiful snowy mountains in front of us. 

"Do you not...feel the darkness here?" 

"Of course I do. Just because bad things happened here doesn't mean it can't be pretty. Beats Coruscant," I casually reply, eager to begin searching the planet for Master Jinn. 

"I don't feel the force here," Benson responds as he nervously follows me. 

"It's all around us, just hidden." Closing my eyes, I begin focusing on nature and the planet around us as the force begins to course throughout me. 

"Whoah." I open my eyes and see Benson standing with his arms stretched wide and a serene look on his face. 

"See?" 

"How did-"

"I focus most of my studies on the teachings of the force," I shrug. 

"Can I ask you something?" 

"Sure."

"What is it like being with a Jedi line so powerful?"

"My line is not any more powerful than the other Jedi-"

"C'mon, Satara! You're training under, arguably, the most powerful Jedi in the order right now," he exclaims. 

"Well, what's it like training under General Su? He's highly regarded in the order." 

"My master and I do not always get along. He takes everything incredibly seriously and expects perfection. Everyone always talks about the unique bond between Padawan and Master, but I've never established a bond with Master. He can also be pretty intense at times," Benson recalls. 

"I'm sorry-"

"-Don't be. If anything, I deserve it for being so mean to everyone." 

"Just because you were unkind doesn't mean that you no longer deserve a master who cares." 

The two of us walk in silence, Benson leaving me to my thoughts as I try and reach out to Master Jinn, who still doesn't answer. 

"Can you sense when someone is alive?" He suddenly asks. 

"What do you mean?" 

"Like, do you know, for sure, that Master Jinn is still, y'know, alive?" 

"Master Jinn and I force-bonded so I can sense whether or not he's alive." 

"How do you sense it?" He asks. 

I begin explaining the boring details of force-sensing, surprised he does not know how to do it. The two of us become so immersed in our conversation that we failed to notice the dangerous path ahead. As we approach what appeared to be a valley, I begin sensing an enormous amount of darkness. 

"What the kriff is this place?" Benson asked as the valley came into view. 

What was once a beautiful planet turned desert, barren, and lifeless. 

"Is this-"

"-The Valley of the Dark Lords," I cut off Benson, taking in my surroundings in awe. 

As we began walking into the valley, the darkness became almost suffocating, choking the light side of the force right out of me. Gigantic structures began appearing the farther we walked. Statues of fallen sith lords litter the valley. From Naad to Plagueis, every single one stood tall and menacing.