Private Long Time, No See

[Varin Mortifer]

It had been over a year since Varin had landed on Korriban. Back then he was but a stranger in a strange land, Now he is a resident to the academy. Before, none of the students knew him, a lot had underestimated him. Now they tend to give Varin a wide birth as he walks the halls. The wisping smoke trailing off his back like a cloak of soot and blackened clouds. He towered over most of the students, he was not hard to spot. Most of the students even tended to avert their gaze from him. The stories that were told of his ferocity and brutality on the battlefield. But what was likely the most shocking about all of the stories, was his drive to finish the mission at all costs. His success rate had been noticeable, and it reflected with how the other students interacted with him. Most of these students were not worth even a simple glance from him. But only one other student always seemed to pull his gaze from the mundane of day to day life in the academy.

A Sith Pureblood by the name of Nyara. Since their first sparring session they had been spending more time together. Training, sparring, eating in the dining hall. He had grown familiar with her, and he felt that she had grown familiar with him as well. The bond only grew since Sinew came into the picture. Given Varin’s lack of knowledge of such beasts as the Tuk’ata, Nyara’s clan revered these hounds. She was something of a guide when it came to understanding Sinew. And Sinew had grown very fond of her. Unfortunately, due to recent events, Varin had not gotten to see much of Nyara. His time going back and forth between Desevro and Korriban had taken most of his free time away. Perhaps though, he could invite her into the Covenant. Though he would certainly expect some teasing from Lysander von Ascania about it, he would not mind her company though.

As he made his way through the building he ventured outside towards the gym where he normally trained. If he was lucky he would see Nyara there too. She was overdue for a good sparring match.

The thought brought a smile to his face as he stepped into the gym, the sound of weights shifting and the feeling of energy in the air, it never got old for Varin as he made his way to the locker room to change into his tighter fitting training clothes. A black tank top with black training pants and some lighter slip on shoes. He looked over the list that Lysander left him as to what he should put into his preworkout. He was pretty sure the measurements were right, but there was only one way to find out.

He gave the bottle a firm shake for about a minute before popping off the cap and taking a large sip. The feeling was almost instant. He felt like he could take on a pack of Rancor. He went through his warmups in the locker room, some stretching and some light cardio to get the muscles warm and finally headed out into the main floor to work on some bench presses.

Nyara Dakhan​

 

[Nyara Dakhan]

Varin Mortifer ​

Time had passed for the Pureblood female. Students came and went from the Academy on Korriban, many falling while others achieved their place at graduation. She had yet to be taken on by a Master - something that was almost unheard of for a Sith Pureblood such as herself. It was a stain against her in the eyes of her Sire. It wasn’t that she wasn’t an impressive specimen, but the Sith Lords and Ladies that had come to the Academy to scope out prospective Apprentices never really seemed to settle on her.

Perhaps, it was time for her to leave Kor’ethyr and try her hand at something new, and open herself to more possibilities.

Typically, the Pureblood female kept to herself, but over the last couple of seasons she had been finding herself spending more time with a particular student, when and where she could - a male, and not a Pureblood at that. His name was Varin Mortifier, and he had proven himself a capable warrior in her eyes. He had grown and matured much and more recently Nyara had begun to watch him and study him when they spent time together, especially after he had acquired the Tuk’ata pup, Sinew. She had taught him a thing for two about the ferocious predators of Korriban, and how her people had worked with them in ages past. She felt that he babied the pup, but she couldn’t deny that their bond was strong. He would have a loyal guardian and battle companion for years to come.

Nyara and Varin also spent time together sparring, testing one another’s strengths and weeding out any weaknesses. The spars, both physically and with weapons, were not pleasant - but it seemed to bring them closer together, like they were battle buddies. Truthfully, though she wouldn’t admit it aloud, Varin was one of few that Nyara would choose to fight at her side.

She had also started noticing that whenever other females looked his way, she would feel a surge of territorialism over Varin. It was something else that she would not admit to, and she did her very best to hide that truth of it from him, but it would shine through in her eyes whenever she spied others looking or talking to him. This only seemed to grow more when he was away for longer periods of time, returning to Korriban for some classes periodically.

On this particular day, Nyara found herself in the back portion of Kor’ethyr’s gym in the weapons portion, training hard to keep herself in peak physical condition and stay on top of her forms. It had been some time since she’d last seen Varin, and as she went through her forms with a staff, she wondered how he was faring, what exploits he’d gotten himself into. The adventures he was having away from Korriban.

Sometimes she caught herself wishing she could join him on some of them, and see how well they could work and fight together.

She wasn’t aware that Varin had entered the gym; she was so focused on her task that she didn’t sense his presence, not immediately anyway. She could feel a hush come over the gym, though she paid it no mind and didn’t turn around to see what had brought the stillness and silence. She performed a complex series of combination blows on the dummy in front of her, counting the critical hits in her mind as she did so…and all the while wishing she could be putting her skills to use in the real world, defending her homeland, her people, and the ancient way of the Sith.

 

[Varin Mortifer]

Just like any typical gym, there's always that one guy who never puts the weight plate back where they are supposed to be. Varin noticed the plates were missing and a sigh of inconvenient annoyance left his lungs as he stood up to look for them.

A feeling told him to go towards the back where the weapon rack was.

Following his gut instinct he walked towards the back where he found.

Her.

He expected to see her, but it had been so long that it came unexpectedly at the same time to him. A smile crept on his face as he drew closer to her.

“Well, well, well.”

He spoke as he approached. A couple of other individuals in the section of the gym saw Varin approached and looked at him and Nyara. Feeling it was best to leave the area they chose the smart option, in case they decided to spar.

Though they always cleaned up afterwards, their sparring sessions were always best to be watched from a distance. A good Stones throw away kind of distance.

“I was hoping to find you here.”

He stepped closer to her, staying out of range so he would not interrupt her form exercises.

“You have been practicing more I see.”

Just at quick glance, he could tell she had been getting stronger. Even grown some. But Varin's natural growth was much more aggressive. Growing to almost tower over her.

Nyara Dakhan​

 

[Nyara Dakhan]

Varin Mortifer ​

Nyara sensed Varin’s presence approaching before she heard his voice, or saw him with her own eyes. She could feel his distinct Force signature amongst all the other students, brushing against her own, little tingles of sensation prickling along the back of her neck.

“Well, well, well.”

The Pureblood female turned her smoldering gaze towards him, acknowledging his presence there with her in the larger training dojo. Her gaze flickered briefly towards the other lesser students who decided to give her and Varin ample space, just in case a spar erupted between her and the now taller Sith apprentice.

She had heard he’d been snatched up by some Sith woman; it made jealousy flare brightly and hotly within her for a moment at the thought of it…but it faded quickly. He had been building his reputation and making a name for himself, not just on Korriban but other places too. Not many young Sith could claim such a thing, as most faded into obscurity, forgotten and lost to time.

“I was hoping to find you here.” Varin said, and Nyara turned to face him more directly, her eyes narrowing somewhat as he stepped a bit closer to her, but not close enough to interrupt her katas. She decided that was the moment to stop her practices for the day - she’d been at it for a while now as it was and could use a break.

“...Is that so?” she said in a low voice, stepping closer to him with an expression that could be considered somewhat seductive or playful. “You simply can’t get enough of me…can you?” she said with a smirk. Just when it seemed like she was going to step right into him, she stepped past - her presence barely ghosting his own as she set her staff back in its place on the rack against one side of the dojo’s wall.

“You have been practicing more I see.”

“Indeed. A true Sith never stops honing themselves.” she replied as she turned back to face him, her posture relaxed but her amber eyes were sharp and piercing. She was not intimidated by his size, though he stood taller than her now. Nyara gave Varin another look over - taking in the sight of him more fully, and not bothering to hide the expression of appreciation that passed over her crimson face.

“You’ve changed. You wear strength and power well, Varin Mortifier.” Nyara said as she returned her gaze back to his face, staring directly into his eyes with her Pureblood boldness and superiority.

“But tell me why you were hoping to see me here, hmm? Hoping to be dominated by me again?” she added the last bit with a challenging smirk.

 

[Varin Mortifer]

She stepped up to him, almost a playful gleam in her eyes. It was as if she had been waiting for this moment though she seemed to play it off well. Varin began to tense up ever so slightly barely noticeable, in an automatic defense in case she tried something. Then she just stepped past him.

His body eased a bit though he kept his guard up. He gave her a look as she looked him over, as if admiring either a slab of meat or a statue of artistic value. Either way the look in her eyes told him she was certainly hungry for a possible spar.

He was never able to keep a good posture around her, he never knew why. But something had slightly changed in him after his visit to Malachor. He had gained more understanding of himself and the powers that be.

“Well, I have been through a lot, to put it simply. Battles fought, planets explored, tombs and temples raided. It's been a busy year.”

His eyebrow raised at her question and a slight chuckle left him.

“You would have had to have dominated me in the first place for it to happen again.”

He straightened up his posture as he looked at her.

“But, I would never say no to some competition, if you can keep up this time.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing her up and down, noticing how much she had changed.

Nyara Dakhan​