Private Moraband's Stranger

[Varin Mortifer]

Varin listens to her stories as she opens up. It's strange, not many sith open up to one another, or so Varin is aware of. He was always taught that most sith nowadays either backstab, plot, or twist the truth into their favor to get the upper hand. On instinct Varin is defensive of her stories but as he listens, he can feel that pain she's feeling. A genuine stab beyond the heart, it pierces the core of your being having something ripped from you.

As she finishes speaking about the skills he could learn only one thing comes to his mind. "Did you kill them?" He asks quietly.

"The ones responsible for your mother and the one responsible for your master?" He gives her a very dark and serious look of genuine curiosity pausing for a moment, "How did it feel? ....To watch the life leave their eyes?" His heart pounds with eagerness, as if excitement grows within him. Almost like a lion on the hunt, just about to catch it's prey.

After a moment he catches himself slowly starting to slip and collects himself. "I know masters should not promise anything to their students. But if they come looking for me to finish the job, I want to kill them, and I'll send their pieces back to their loved ones." He sits quietly as they approach the crashed ship.

 

[Revna]

Tag: Varin Mortifer

​

"Did you kill them?"

Varin’s soft voice pulled her burning eyes back towards him.

"The ones responsible for your mother and the one responsible for your master? How did it feel? ....To watch the life leave their eyes?"

Perhaps…such statements coming from a younger individual might have been disturbing to others, had they heard his words. But not to Revna; the glimpse of his inner darkness did not disgust or disturb her. In fact, it fascinated her. It almost pained her to have to disappoint the boy’s dark eagerness with her response.

“No. I was sold before I could take my vengeance for my mother. Those responsible were lost to me…though I have my ways of hunting them down, and one day I might…if they still live. As for the one who killed my Master…well, that is complicated. You see…it was my own flesh and blood who killed Him. A cousin of mine. One day, I might have my moment to avenge my Lord’s death. But for now…I wait, and I grow in strength and power.” Revna smiled darkly at the boy for a moment, a more sinister gleam in her eyes that wasn’t there prior.

Varin seemed to recognize that he had revealed a bit of his inner darkness and made an effort to rein himself in and regain his composure, before saying: "I know masters should not promise anything to their students. But if they come looking for me to finish the job, I want to kill them, and I'll send their pieces back to their loved ones."

Revna was silent for a few heartbeats as they finally came upon the charred and burned husk of his ship.

“I won’t deny you the chance to attain your revenge, but I would be a poor teacher indeed if I allowed you to face your foes without ensuring you at least stood a chance at besting them, instead of fleeing for your life.” The transport they both rode in came to a halt and the woman turned to regard the young man with a more serious expression. “Do you know who might be responsible for the killing of your family? I…do have my ways of gaining knowledge and insight about both allies and foes alike. I might be able to aid you in tracking them down, as well as preparing you to destroy them.”

 

[Varin Mortifer]

Varin remained quiet as she spoke of training and prepping him. An idea he surely was not against. Though a question did pop up in his head almost as if it was signaled to him right as Revna asked a relatively similar question burning into his thoughts.

“Do you know who might be responsible for the killing of your family? I…do have my ways of gaining knowledge and insight about both allies and foes alike. I might be able to aid you in tracking them down, as well as preparing you to destroy them.”

He thinks hard as they sit by the charred remains of the ship, reliving all the trauma he witnessed just trying to gain some evidence. He remembered the intrusion, the killings and the burnings but that's all he remembers being focused on. Not once did he think about what the killers looked like. Perhaps this Revna could help him uncover those memories.

"I....can't remember. It all happened so fast and everything is extremely fuzzy." He looks at the burn marks of the ship, a pattern recognizable and similar to blaster fire. The ship was beaten to hell and back even before landing. It would appear there is a lot of details blocked in his mind than he remembers.

All of a sudden something clicks in his head, he does remember a singular detail of his soon to be prey. Their scent, though it is difficult to put into words and it may be a bit difficult to track by scent, the detail seemed useless but it's the only real clue he has.

"I remember, a smell. Very different and contrast from smoke. Whoever it was seemed like they were really well kept possibly. I know it's not much but that's all I have....unless you could help me?" He looks up to her before making his way to the ship to let her think on her answer.

Just as before the doors were sealed shut from the emergency lock down that was triggered moments before crash landing. He strains to try to pull them open hoping to avoid going through the windows again, he'd hate to ruin such fancy robes he was gifted. Eventually after a few moments of straining the doors open and inside is a highly damaged cockpit and living area. Mostly damaged by fire and smoke not much is salvageable. He looks under the remains of his cot and locates a small highly durable lockbox locked via a bio-code of his fingerprint.

He stares at it for a while. "This is all that I have left, these few items." He presses his finger on the box letting out a soft beep. The box clicks, he opens the lid and inside is a white crystal with what looks to be red cracks bleeding through the midsection similar to veins. "It was my mothers. It was supposed to go to my sister when she came of age. In my family the female warriors were known as shield maidens. Equal in every way when it came to battle." He gently rubbed his thumb over it as it reflected the light from outside. The object was brimming with force energy, unstable, but very functional.

 

[Revna]

Tag: Varin Mortifer
​

It did not surprise Revna that Varin did not remember who or what attacked him and his family. Still, asking him such a question just might jar his thoughts enough to allow something to resurface, and she still hoped that this might be the case as she watched him in her still silence.

He was looking at the burned hull of the ship he had crashed in, perhaps lost in thought for a little bit. Whoever had damaged his ship had tried to bring him down before he could flee; her eyes narrowed slightly in consideration and thought. Was the attack on his family an assassination attempt, perhaps? It appeared that everyone had been targeted for elimination - including the children. Someone had really wanted Varin’s family erased and gone from the picture entirely.

…but why?

"I remember…a smell. Very different and contrasting from smoke. Whoever it was seemed like they were really well kept possibly. I know it's not much but that's all I have...unless you could help me?"

Revna returned her gaze back to his face, watching as he departed the transport before she followed suit.

“I have the ability to see thoughts and memories of others…but that would require you to allow me into your mind and let me see what you saw.” she said almost nonchalantly as she watched him struggle to open the sealed cargo bay door through brute strength. She considered stepping in to help him, but before she could, he managed to pry it open, revealing a fire devastated interior.

Varin stepped within, looking around as he did so, and Revna followed suit - giving him space but also keeping her eye on him. The boy ventured into what she assumed to be a sleeping area of some sort, and watched quietly as he bent down to retrieve something that had been untouched by the fire - a lockbox. He opened it with a press of a finger, saying that its contents were all that was left to him.

He then revealed what appeared to be a crystal of some sort, beautifully white but veined with red - as if it had a heart that pumped blood throughout its interior. It radiated Force energy, and a curious expression came over Revna’s face as the boy revealed a little bit of its history to her.

"It was my mothers. It was supposed to go to my sister when she came of age. In my family the female warriors were known as shield maidens. Equal in every way when it came to battle."

“Well, now it is in your possession, a reminder of the legacy you still carry forward.” She said before glancing around at the damaged interior. The smell of burnt synthetic materials tickled her nose and irritated her throat, and reminded her that the less they hung around here, the better they would be. “Unless there is anything else you wish to locate or retrieve, then we should probably return to the transport shuttle and make our way back to Vardin. These deserts are not a safe place to be at night.”

 

[Varin Mortifer]

Varin took not of her caution and warning about being out at night, with a nod he placed the crystal in his pocket and followed her out of the ship. His mind replayed over in his head what she had just said.

"Well, now it is in your possession, a reminder of the legacy you still carry forward."

He hadn't thought of it like that. A whole legacy is left with just him, that holds a lot of weight on a teenager. He said before he was willing to rebuild his family, but puting it into that perspective just seemed....big in his mind.

"You said you could read thoughts? Could you unncover lost memories? And all id have to do is be willing to let you in?"

He watches her as they left the shuttle feeling the cold nip of the air. Exhaustion started to take hold of him, he did not realise how tired he was with all the excitement, even after being unconscious for a day he still felt it's weight.

"How soon could you do it?" He asked with a hint of impatience in his voice, not necessarily in a disrespectful impatience but an impatience of moving forward with his goals.

 

[Revna]

Tag: Varin Mortifer
​

Thankfully, Varin seemed agreeable to her caution, and she led him from the ruined ship and back towards the shuttle, just as the rays from Horuset began to lengthen the shadows that heralded the coming of evening. The temperature was beginning to drop, slowly but gradually, and a stiff wind pierced through cloth to bite at the skin underneath.

Revna waited until Varin was situated within the shuttle before turning away from the smoking ship and setting course back to Vardin.

After a few minutes, Varin broke the silence by questioning Revna further about what she had said in regards to reading the thoughts and memories in his head.

“I can read thoughts. I see memories, hidden or otherwise, read surface level thoughts of those around me.” She glanced at him for a moment, a half smile on her face. She didn’t tell Varin about the other things she could do; there was no need to scare the boy. He asked how soon she could do this, and she chuckled softly.

“Such a thing can wait until after you’ve rested some more. Invading another’s mind can take a toll on their psyche and body, and you’ve been through a lot recently.” Revna asserted before she fell silent for a few moments, seemingly in thought. “Once we return, I will get your quarters squared away, then I will have you rest and get a lay of your surroundings for a few days before we start tackling things with your training. I will more than likely have my other Acolyte, Lysander von Ascania , cross paths with you to show you around the Academy. It will be good for the two of you to get to know one another anyway, sort out any differences you may have.”

She glanced over at Varin again, looking him over a bit more critically. “And perhaps tomorrow we can visit the city proper and get you some more clothes and personal items. I know what it is like to go from having nothing to being able to have things to call your own. How does that sound?”

 

[Varin Mortifer]

The mind reading is certainly going to have to wait for now. He'd hate to complicate things unintentionally especially for his own mission. He gently pulls the crystal out and rubs his thumb back over it, feeling the cracks and the slight warmth if gives off.

Crossing paths with her other acolyte? Settle differences? Would this acolyte want to fight? Sith culture truly is intriguing. Varin partially hopes he could get a good fight in, get a good look at this acolyte and possibly earn a partnership of some kind, but if it doesn't happen then the fight doesn't happen. Simple as that, there's no need to make enemies yet. Allies though, that is something certainly needed.

He noticed Revna looking at his outfit. “And perhaps tomorrow we can visit the city proper and get you some more clothes and personal items. I know what it is like to go from having nothing to being able to have things to call your own. How does that sound?”

Extra clothes do sound nice no denying that. Varin looks at Revna "I'm not going to lie, I hate clothes shopping but having better options especially for training would be nice. I doubt I can do everything in a robe."

He yawns deeply as the landscapes pass them, he watches them approach the city once again but seeing it at night time is certainly a sight to behold. Especially in between the dusk and night lighting, something about it brings a feeling of nostalgia to him. A feeling of home. The reds and oranges bleeding into the expanse of land followed by darker crimson from the falling sun. It was like a living fire. Cold was the night air but it was nothing he wasn't already familiar with. Truly this is a sith planet, and was rightly so.

Do not let yourself get comfortable boy. Comfort brings distractions. You will let down your guard and eventually weakness consumes you followed by death The voice in his head startles him slightly but he reigns it back in. As for your memories they are mine. You are not ready for them yet, maybe I'll keep them forever, delay your "personal mission". You will do what I want you to. My goals are above yours. Never forget that.

Varin winces placing his hand on his head but he remains silent. The voice is right, comfort can bring false security. It's something he didn't need to be taught, not again.

 

[Revna]

Tag: Varin Mortifer
​

Varin was mostly quiet, rubbing the crystal in his hand - almost as if it was something that soothed him or allowed him to focus. He said nothing in regards to her statement in having her other acolyte meet with him, though she was certain thoughts were turning through his mind.

The boy broke the silence though when she mentioned clothes shopping, and a smirk came over her face as she listened to his response. "I'm not going to lie, I hate clothes shopping but having better options especially for training would be nice. I doubt I can do everything in a robe."

“I mean, you could. I did a lot of my early training wearing robes that were traditionally worn by Wonosan priests. Basically the same thing as a Sith acolyte robe.” Revna responded back. “My Master wore Sith battlerobes that acted like armor. He was a sight to behold on the field of battle…” she murmured, reminiscing a little bit for a moment before continuing on. “I won’t drag you all over the place clothes shopping. We will go to one store and you can pick out your own outfits and then go from there.”

She watched as he yawned, before turning her attention back to the desert sands around their transport shuttle. In the distance, Vardin’s spires and lights were already glittering in the setting sun’s light; they would reach the outskirts soon.

Her gaze flickered back over the Varin when he suddenly, though very briefly, startled. The boy winced before placing a hand on his head as if in pain, though he remained quiet. She was curious, but she didn’t wish to poke and prod him too hard, too soon. Better that they both get to know one another first, before getting into the deeper things that might be plaguing him. It would also help her figure out the best way to train the boy, or if she was even able to do such a thing.

Ever closer the city loomed before them, until finally they came within the limits of Vardin proper. The Sith woman guided the shuttle along the travel routes until they came upon the great and looming structure of Kor’ethyr Academy; even though evening was falling, the place seemed to bustle with life, with students and others going in and out of the academy. The shuttle came to a halt, and Revna turned to regard the young man sitting beside her.

“Unless you need anything else immediately, I will take you to the First Year quarters and get you into your room. I will give you a communicator so that you can communicate with me a bit easier.” she paused for a moment, a frown creasing her brow. "I won't tell you not to fight anyone or get involved in whatever foolery you feel like while you're here...but I must warn you, don't kill anyone, and do not disobey orders given to you by any of the faculty or staff here. And don't let any of them catch you fighting or doing anything...foolish. You are not a student here, but you are connected to me, and it will be expected of me to...reprimand you accordingly, should you violate any Academy laws or rules. I don't want to be put into that position, so don't force my hand."

She looked over at Varin, her expression serious. "Do you understand me?"

 

[Varin Mortifer]

He looks at her as she speaks to him.

"Do you understand me?" She suddenly sounded a lot like his mother. He has a slight roll of his eyes out of habit.

A bit of a disappointed look is noticeable on his face. "No fighting? Well I didn't know the academy would be this boring. But I guess I'll behave." He mutters under his breath "for the most part."

He knew that at some point while he was living here he would have to prove himself some way or another that he is capable. It wasn't any attention he was wanting but it is a necessary part of young sith survival. One moments look of fear, nervousness or hesitation and he knew those students would try to pick him apart. No that simply won't do. As for no killing, that seemed like an easy ask, but what were he to do if he was defending himself.

As the shuttle approaches tge academy Varin cant help but look around at the still active academy grounds. All of these students, he hasnt seen this many people in a long time in one place. Its almost claustrophobic, as well as paranoying. Anything could happen in this massive group of bodies and likely no one would notice. What is one of his hunters was here?

Calm yourself boy, anxiety is nothing to you. Fear is nothing to you. You are a warrior, act like it. His fathers words rang into his head and Varin controls his breathing calming himself down. Maybe it was the sudden amount of people that bearly triggered him, but it will not take him.

"Will I have a roommate? Or am I by myself? I don't mind either way but I like to just prep myself first if there's someone sharing the quarters." He places his crystal back in his bag making sure it's secure. "I'd hate to have my meditation time interrupted by your typical roommate with no boundaries."

 

[Revna]

Tag: Varin Mortifer
​

Did the boy just…roll his eyes at her?

Revna scoffed softly; had she ever rolled her eyes at Darth Strosius? Oh plenty of times, she realized. Especially with his fiery antics he always loved to pull.

"No fighting? Well I didn't know the academy would be this boring. But I guess I'll behave." the boy said, before muttering quietly: "- for the most part."

She couldn’t help herself; Revna laughed, a throaty sound that rumbled from her chest and she shook her head slightly. “Let me rephrase what I was trying to tell you, smart ass.” she said as she glanced over at Varin, her eyes sharp despite her laughter. “Don’t get caught. Fights happen. I don’t expect you not to fight; don’t be stupid enough to do it in front of the staff of the academy. If you were a student, they would be responsible for your punishment. But because you are not, I will be the one to carry out such a task - as it will be expected and demanded of me. I don’t want to punish you, but if you’re going to act stupidly then I absolutely will.”

Revna stepped from the shuttle, and expected the boy to follow suit, as she began to make her way into the Academy once more, though this time it was a different location than where they had left from earlier.

"Will I have a roommate? Or am I by myself? I don't mind either way but I like to just prepare myself first if there's someone sharing the quarters. I'd hate to have my meditation time interrupted by your typical roommate with no boundaries."

For a few strides, Revna was quiet as she weighed on whether or not she should tell him the truth. In the end, she chose to reveal the information anway.

“You will be rooming with my other acolyte, Lysander. He is a student, whereas you are not…at least, for now anyway. There are others in your dormitory you could do well with getting to know, that I think would be a benefit to you.” To this regard, Revna thought about the Zabrak, Naamino Zuukamano , and the small group that he seemed to be a part of, known as ‘the Badawans’.

Revna cast a look at Varin, her expression harder and a touch more stern than it had been earlier, before she looked back ahead of her. Some individuals, older students and staff who saw her coming, stepped aside and showed a measure of respect towards her, some even saying ‘Lady Revna’ as she passed by. She made no comment nor seemed to pay any attention to such things - though truthfully she was still growing accustomed to such deferential treatment.

It would only grow worse when she actually ascended the throne, and she knew that. Best she get used to it now, she mused darkly to herself.

Several twists and turns later, the two of them entered a long hallway, decorated with fire sconces and doorways. As they continued to walk, Revna reached into one of her cloak pockets and pulled out a communication device and handed it over to Varin.

“Here, so you can reach me. You are free to eat in the student dining hall…at least until you have familiarized yourself with Vardin, then you can go and eat elsewhere. Do you require anything else of me before I leave you for the night, Varin?”

 

[Varin Mortifer]

Varin follows Revna as she takes him to this new area of the academy, a weird shiver runs up his spine, the kind you get when you are in a very unfamiliar area unsure of if you should be there.

“You will be rooming with my other acolyte, Lysander. He is a student, whereas you are not…at least, for now anyway. There are others in your dormitory you could do well with getting to know, that I think would be a benefit to you.”

Varin shakes his head in mild surprise, he knew about her other acolyte but did not know this other acolyte was a student let alone going to be his roommate. What was this acolyte like? Were they strong? Are they more physical natured or force natured? Does he have anger issues? Will he cause problems? Surely these questions will be answered soon. All he does know about this acolyte is his name and that's about all Revna seems willing to tell at the moment. She seemed to be in a bit of a hurry, I don't blame her she seems of high status so who knows what plans she has and how much of those plans have been detoured because of him.

Very soon they approach the dorms, passing by many doors, Varin cant help but wonder how many of these students he will meet. He's not very much a people person but in this matter he has no choice. Eventually they stop at a single door, Revna passes Varin a communicator.

“Here, so you can reach me. You are free to eat in the student dining hall…at least until you have familiarized yourself with Vardin, then you can go and eat elsewhere. Do you require anything else of me before I leave you for the night, Varin?”

He pauses looking up and down the hall trying to memorize the layouts, this place is almost like a maze, but he will get the hang of it. He finally looks at Revna "i....believe i have everything i need. I think I just need to get some rest is all." He opens the door ready to rest unaware of the many events and adventures that are bound to take place in the future, near or far.