Chapter 8 : The Truth Revealed

Valac had always trusted his mentor, Master Rhea, implicitly. She had been his guide and teacher since he had first joined the Jedi Order, and he had looked up to her as a paragon of virtue and wisdom.

So when Master Rhea called for him to come to her chambers, he went without hesitation.

When he arrived, however, he was met with a scene that chilled him to the bone. Master Rhea was sitting in the center of the room, surrounded by a group of cloaked figures. Valac recognized them as members of the Sith, their red lightsabers glowing ominously in the dim light.

"Master Rhea, what is going on?" Valac demanded, his hand instinctively reaching for his own lightsaber.

Master Rhea stood up, a cold smile on her face. "Valac, my dear pupil. I'm glad you could join us. You see, I've had a change of heart. I've realized that the Jedi Order is weak and ineffective. It's time for a new order to take its place."

Valac was horrified. "You can't be serious. You're a Jedi, Master Rhea. You can't just turn your back on everything we stand for."

Master Rhea laughed. "Oh, but I can. And I have. You see, Valac, I have something that you want. Something that you've been searching for your whole life."

Valac's heart sank as he realized what she was talking about. "My family. You have information about my family."

Master Rhea nodded. "Yes. And I'll give it to you, on one condition. You must join me and the Sith. Together, we can create a new order, one that is strong and powerful. We can rule the galaxy, Valac. We can be gods."

Valac was torn. On the one hand, he desperately wanted to find out what had happened to his family. On the other hand, he knew that joining the Sith was the ultimate betrayal of everything he had ever believed in.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. "I can't do that, Master Rhea. I won't betray the Jedi Order, no matter what you offer me."

Master Rhea's smile disappeared. "Very well, Valac. You leave me no choice." She signaled to the Sith, and they attacked.

Valac fought with everything he had, his lightsaber clashing against the red blades of the Sith. But they were too many, and he was quickly overwhelmed.

Just when it seemed like all was lost, a group of Jedi burst into the room, led by Valac's friend and fellow Padawan, Sariel. Together, they were able to defeat the Sith and save Valac's life.

Valac looked up at Sariel, tears streaming down his face. "Thank you. Thank you for saving me."

Sariel smiled. "That's what friends are for, Valac. We'll always have your back."

As they left the room, Valac couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness and betrayal. His mentor, the person he had trusted most in the world, had turned out to be his greatest enemy. He didn't know what the future held, but he knew one thing for certain: the Jedi Order was more important now than ever before.