The Skill of Zirial

[Jairdain]

The change from light to dark within Jairdain had not happened overnight, but had taken months. Her time was spent in solitude mostly. There were people around her in passing, but nobody close. In the past, she had always had a friendly and warm smile for people. Now instead of masking her emotions behind a curtain or hiding them in a box, she let them be felt. Her upbringing had allowed her acknowledge these emotions, but she had boxed them away. She had never denied them though and this was still the case. The box was gone now though.

Her friendly demeanor was more muted now and while still polite to people, there was a new darkness around the young woman. While she had been Jedi, this darkness had been locked away. It had been there then though, just untouched and unused by her. Jairdain had mastered control long ago and used it still. Now however, she used the emotions she felt touched by. Never allowing them to fully control what she did, but empower her actions.

Now the former Jedi wondered the streets of Bastion, without a true purpose or goal. Her view of the Dark had changed with the passage of time. The beliefs of her people were no longer important. What they had thought was wrong. They and her had been afraid of what emotions could do, how strong they were. Her ordeal and trial were over and a new life was begun. A person grew out of the ashes of the old and Jairdain was reborn. The flames that had filled her veins were gone, but even she didn't know who the new person was.

Today, a purpose manifested. The desire to find a form of companionship with the only person she could think of among this new family. That person was Lykos. A man she had met in battle and searched him out a month later. So today, she did it again. She knew he was here on Bastion, their connection guided her more than anything.

Knowing he would feel her as well, Jairdain walked to where she felt him. Bound and bonded to him deeper than with anybody else, nothing would sever that. Their past relationship had been defined. How would be changed since she was different now? Would that mutual respect still be there?

It lead her out of the city she had been in and took her into the natural lands of Bastion. Here it was away from prying eyes and the population thinned out. She found him observing something only he could see. What that was, Jairdain had no clue and chose not to ask. Her approach was in the open, she had nothing to hide from him. Even now for some reason, she did not fear him either.

He had claimed a sort of ownership of her. Lykos has given her the name of Zirial when they initially met in battle. That name given to her meant sparrow. A name that he used when addressing her. Now it was her turn to speak it.

"Lykos, your zirial is here. She has found enlightenment through trials and is accepting of what she denied for so long."

[member="Darth Lykos"]

 

[Xevek Nekonis]

Long had Lykos decreed that even as he would revel in the freedom of emotion, he would not do so in any manner that would consume him and his focus, that he would remain attentive and whole for as long as he could. And, from that personal mandate, his passion and fury and emotion hadn't risen to form a roaring flame that would consume all. Instead, it had manifested itself as an ocean of ice, ready to pour forth and smother all in his way beneath its cold, calculated fury. He was the Shadows personified, and his rage reflected that, cold and calculating in its passion rather than heated and all consuming - subtle, focused and deadly. However, that ocean of ice was no longer as cold as it had once been. No, now, at its center, was a ball of burning anger- a tightly held and embraced flicker of a flame, kept separate from the ocean of ice but burning beneath it none the less.

That ball of fire came from one act and one act alone. Oh, he understood that betrayal was simply the way of the Sith and would never deny that - he never trusted fully after all, only made allies unless he bound them to him through the arcane. But Krest's act had been one step too far. He had not only chosen to betray a fellow Horseman of the Sith Assassins, but, in doing so, he had trespassed against Lykos. The red skinned one of the pair of Iridonians had sought to take from Lykos what was His and, it was in that fact that Lykos' flame of primal, possessive fury had been born. He had dismissed Lykos, taunted him as if he was nothing more than a simple child and then sought to steal from him. Such infringes against him were not allowed and blood would be the only thing to satiate his thirst - Krest's blood.

However, even as he now turned against the elder Zabrak, Lykos was not reckless. He played the humbled upstart he still snapped in fury when the mask of calm would falter. He played the necessary part in public and when under the watchful gaze of technology. However, beneath it all, he planned and plotted. He studied and he prepared. Krest held years on him, years in which his body had slowed and mind had sharpened and the decay of his body could always be corrected through the Force. In experience alone, Krest had Lykos beat and, as such, a much more subtle manner of attacking would have be used. And so, away from the gaze of the organic and inorganic, he stared with an empty gaze at nothing as he reviewed his plots.

His thoughts, however, would not remain undisturbed as he felt a Presence approach, their scent carried upon the wind. But, he did not panic, nor did he even move from his position, kneeling amongst nature. For, even before he could analyse the Presence that approached, he new who it was. He had gazed into her Soul after all, brushed against it and found himself bound to the woman. He would always be able to know when it was her and not even death would be able to halt that, for as their souls would pass into the domain Nath, the bond between their souls would remain; only destroyed if one of their souls were destroyed.

As such, as she stepped into the clearing and made her approach, he did not move, curious as to what he actions would be. He could feel that the seeds that he had planted against the blockade of the Ysalamiri back in her cell had ensured he bondage to him - just as he could feel his Right Hand's efforts in ensuring that such seeds were fully rooted. So, he knew that her loyalty was not to Krest and against him - as he had ensured - but, that did not mean that he would know what her actions would be.

In the end, though, he had no need to worry for the words that she spoke brought a twisted, dark and feral smirk to his lips. In a single move, he pushed himself to his feet - the grace of years of training as an Assassin easily evident in the fact that no move nor energy was wasted. Turning to stare at her, his single amber gaze roved over her features as the silence between themselves grew heavy. She looked similar to how she had before the trails that had awakened her to the truth of the galaxy, but, similar was not exact. He could see it in her eyes, the weight of the knowledge and emotion she now bore upon her shoulders. His smirk only grew larger at the dark shadow that now lingered there.

Striding forwards on silent footsteps, Lykos stopped only when he was directly before the woman, towering over her as he reached up to lower the hood of his robe and fully reveal his features. Still maintaining his silence, Lykos lowered his hands until they cupped Jairdain's jaw and leant down so that his warm breath would rush over her ears.

"You are mine, Zirial, just as you proclaim. Mine before your accent into the Dark and still mine after. You have entered a new era of your life, but you are still mine. That is a fundamental truth engraved upon your soul." His words were whispered, hissed with possessiveness, but fierce none the less. "Welcome to your new life, Zireal." As he spoke those last few, entrapping, words a single emotion would ring out within their bond. Mine!


[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

With her senses open more than before, Jairdain was able to observe more-to "see", feel and hear. What she had known in the past had been shielded by her own fears. These had been stripped away from her and she no longer kept buried what she had feared.

Her sight was through the Force and it allowed her to see things on a more personal level than those with actual vision. Jairdain could see Lykos with far more clarity than before. She could see through his shield of ice to the burning ember within. It glowed like his eye did, the one she had seen in their duel. The time they had forged their bond.

In the year since they met, the former Jedi had changed. One thing was obvious to her now, their relationship remained the same. There was no love and never would be. It wasn't what she looked for in what she had with him. At the moment, she wanted to just be near him. While she had changed, she was still human and had the need to be accepted. He accepted her and claimed her as his.

In all of their physical contact, he had always been almost gentle with her. As if he would break her if he touched too hard. Lykos cupped her face within his hands and leaned in close to speak to her. His breath, warm on her skin also acknowledged what she had just spoken. He knew her journey was just begun and welcomed her to it.

If her eyes had focus, she would have been looking at him. All she had was the Force for that and he would know her attention was on him. Their connection rang out strong with that possessive emotion from him. Accepting it with her arms open through that bond, the new sith looked to her companion.

"Thank you, Lykos. It is so very new and have come to learn more."

Her eyes narrowed slightly before speaking again. The thought of Krest brought up a touch of anger. It didn't get boxed away like it would have before, instead it was displayed on her voice and ran through her veins.

"I may have passed the trial set before me, but there is so much more I need to know."

[member="Darth Lykos"]