The Queen of Varkaan

The culture of Varkaan was peculiar in many ways, but one of its most striking aspects was its strong matriarchy. For Tyrin, that word was completely new, but it only took a few moments of observation to understand its meaning.

As Lisa stepped forward toward her mother, about to embrace her, a firm voice interrupted the scene.

— Daughter, where are your manners? — The imposing woman spoke, crossing her arms. — You know what you must do, don't you?

Lisa froze mid-motion. In an instant, her relaxed posture transformed into something almost military.

— Forgive me, Mother. — Her voice was firm and disciplined, as if reciting a mantra. — Your daughter failed to observe this detail and asks for forgiveness.

With a subtle bow, Lisa reintroduced herself, this time flawlessly:

— This is my teacher, Lady Gertrudes Scar, and this is my classmate, Tyrin…

She paused for a moment, furrowing her brow as she realized she had never asked for Tyrin's last name. Before she could turn to him, Ty stepped forward himself.

— Just Tyrin, Your Majesty. — His voice was calm but carried an unusual weight. — I have no titles, no glory, no gold, nor status. Just Tyrin… or Ty, to those close to me.

The queen studied him for a moment, her eyes analyzing every detail. Then, a faint smirk appeared.

— Hmm… what a clever boy. — She tilted her head slightly, intrigued. — He seems strong. Has my daughter defeated him in a duel yet?

Lisa seemed to shudder at the question.

— Mother… I haven't dueled him.

The atmosphere grew tense for a moment as mother and daughter exchanged glances laden with unspoken meaning. But before the tension could escalate, Gertrudes decided to intervene.

— Forgive my intrusion, Your Majesty, but they are my students. I brought them simply because they are the only ones I have. There is no fate or great revelations in this, only convenience.

The queen looked at the teacher, then let out a light laugh.

— Gertrudes, my dear, no need to be so formal. — Her eyes gleamed with a mix of amusement and interest. — You know… when my incompetent husband told me you were coming and that our daughter still hadn't learned something so basic, I wanted to punch him.

She made a dismissive gesture with her hand, as if waving away her frustration.

— But seeing you here, I had a better idea. While the Scorched One chooses a female, how about you and my incompetent husband exchange some battle experience?

An uncomfortable silence followed before a hesitant male voice spoke.

— Darling, please. — The king cleared his throat. — I haven't fought in decades… I'm out of practice.

The queen narrowed her eyes and stomped her foot on the ground.

— Husband, shall I remind you that my mother did everything to make me choose another man, yet I insisted on being yours alone? So shut up and fight. — Her eyes gleamed with authority. — Our daughter needs to learn a few things you chose to abandon when you had the chance.

The king sighed, resigned.

— Yes, my dear.

To Tyrin, all of this was bizarre. He had never seen such a different culture firsthand. The power dynamics were the exact opposite of what he was used to.

That was when the queen spoke again, turning to Lisa.

— Very well. Summon the Scorched One, daughter. Igniselda wants to see him.

Lisa obeyed without hesitation, and what happened next was unbelievable.

As the girl summoned the Scorched One, the queen did the same… but the creature that appeared was colossal.

A black iguana, with scales as dark as coal, rose onto its feet. Its body exceeded seven meters in height and nearly sixty in length. It moved with an imposing weight, its claws scraping lightly against the stone floor.

Tyrin felt a shiver run down his spine. Unlike the Scorched One, this iguana was not engulfed in flames. But its presence was suffocating, and the smaller iguanas in the room seemed to shrink away in fear.

As soon as the Scorched One saw the giant, he ran toward her. Instead of retreating, he did something unexpected—he gently rubbed his face against her skin, almost as if he were nuzzling her.

The queen watched the scene with a fond expression.

— You know, it's a shame Igniselda only had one offspring. — Her voice carried a hint of nostalgia. — But I see he's growing well. Have you been following the diet I gave you?

Lisa nodded quickly.

— Yes, Mother. We've run out of stones, so I'll need to get more. He's very hungry.

The queen smiled, then turned to her majestic beast.

— Igniselda, my friend. Your son has reached the stage where he must choose a mate. I've brought the finest in the kingdom. Is there one that interests him?

The great iguana didn't respond verbally, but her gaze softened. Then, something curious happened—the queen pressed her forehead against the beast's snout and closed her eyes.

The scene lasted exactly three minutes.

When she finally opened her eyes, her expression was serene.

— Good. She will let him choose.

The queen turned to the Scorched One and gave her command:

— The time has come to answer your calling. Go to the corner and choose a mate.

Tyrin recalled something he had read about fire iguanas: they chose only one partner for life. The decision was crucial, as it determined the strength of the next generation. Normally, it was the female who selected the male, but this time, the rules were different. To be accepted, the Scorched One would have to challenge and subdue the chosen female.

As the young man observed the selection ritual, the queen turned to the others.

— Very well, this will take a few hours. Let's head to the arena. I want to see my useless husband fight you, Gertrudes.

Her eyes gleamed.

— I heard we had serious trouble in Drokavas, but I also heard you handled it as best you could. Show me that power.

Tyrin shuddered at the mention of that place.

The castle's arena was colossal, an oversized structure… but it made sense, considering the size of the queen's pet.

In the locker room, Tyrin and Gertrudes spoke in hushed tones.

— Professor, do you think you can win this fight?

Gertrudes let out a long sigh and crossed her arms, her gaze distant for a moment.

— In a normal situation, I would definitely lose. — Then she smirked. — But I came prepared.

Tyrin raised an eyebrow.

— Prepared?

— Those two were in my class, so I know them well. Their culture of marrying cousins has always confused me, but one thing I do know… He has never beaten me.

— Interesting. — Tyrin scratched his chin. — But, just out of curiosity, have you ever fought Igniselda? She seems… pretty strong.

Gertrudes hesitated for a moment, then glanced around to make sure they were alone.

— I'm going to tell you a secret about this family. But promise me it stays between us.

Tyrin nodded, intrigued.

— I promise.

Gertrudes crossed her arms, leaning slightly toward him.

— I have never beaten that crazy redhead.

Tyrin blinked.

— What?

— You see, on my planet, each person has to wait for the Pongos' mating season to acquire their pet. But unlike Fire Iguanas, once we choose them, we never get another. So basically, the older a person gets, the stronger their Pongo becomes.

Tyrin shook his head, trying to grasp the connection.

— And what does that have to do with the queen?

Gertrudes smirked.

— What I mean is that this limitation of ours doesn't apply to the Queen of Varkaan. She passes her companion down from generation to generation.

Tyrin's eyes widened.

— Are you telling me that…

— That's right. — Gertrudes crossed her arms. — Igniselda must be around a thousand years old. There are very few beings in the universe who could defeat her in a one-on-one fight. In fact, if I think about it, I can only imagine two or three at most. And I'm definitely not one of them.

A shiver ran down Tyrin's spine. The weight of that revelation settled in his mind.

— So… does that mean that when the queen dies, Igniselda will pass on to Lisa?

— Probably. — Gertrudes shrugged. — Honestly, I have no idea how long a fire iguana can live.

Tyrin swallowed hard. Even the books he had read didn't mention a specific lifespan for these creatures. The records only covered their habits, diet, and power. But nothing about death.

Gertrudes stretched, clenching and unclenching her fists.

— Well, I guess that's my cue. Shall we?

— Of course. — Tyrin nodded. — I'll be watching from above. Hope you win.

— Don't worry. — She winked. — My concern isn't even him… it's that chaos-loving lunatic.

When Tyrin reached Lisa, he realized the fight wasn't just for the participants. He looked around and saw hundreds of people pouring into the stadium.

He frowned.

— I thought this fight was just for your entertainment, Queen.

Thalyzara let out a sharp, booming laugh.

— Hahaha! Boy, your manners astound me. If you want to ask something, just ask!

Tyrin took the opening and got straight to the point.

— Why call so many people to watch Gertrudes fight your husband? From what I know, he's never beaten her.

The queen tilted her head slightly, assessing the question with a sharp gaze.

— Hmm. You're smart too. — She smiled. — On this planet, I am the strongest. So, there's no shame in him losing. But I need him to feel that sense of urgency. He'll do everything he can to win.

Tyrin studied the queen for a moment. She wasn't just powerful. She was a strategist. He was beginning to understand that her way of ruling wasn't just about strength—it was about constantly pushing those around her to evolve.

Fascinating.

A voice echoed through the arena, silencing the murmuring crowd.

— Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the arena!

The audience erupted in cheers.

— Today, we bring you a battle unlike anything you've ever seen!

Spotlights shifted, illuminating the two competitors at the center of the arena.

— To our right, the second, the Beta, the one who won the heart of our giant… King Dravok Lizaard!

The crowd applauded.

— And to our left, a front-line warrior from Drokavas, slayer of elites, and a direct descendant of the Scar family… Gertrudes Scar!

The roar of the crowd shook the very structure of the arena.

— HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

The noise was deafening. Even the combatants seemed slightly uncomfortable with the intensity of the reception.

The queen smiled and lowered her hand.

— You may begin.

In that instant, Tyrin noticed something.

The air was getting hotter.

And then, he saw it.

Drokavas had summoned his fire iguana.

The beast was massive—nearly twice the size of the Scorched. Its scales gleamed like solidified lava, and its eyes burned with an amber glow. Unlike the Scorched, this creature radiated pure, destructive aggression.

But Gertrudes wasn't lagging behind.

She extended her hand, and in a flash of blue light, CaoCao appeared.

Tyrin's eyes widened.

This time, CaoCao was wearing completely different armor.

Ice armor.

Drokavas' eyes went wide, and he pointed an accusatory finger.

— Hey… That's not fair! What the hell is that armor, Gertrudes?!

She smirked provocatively.

— Oh, come on, Drokavas. Did you really think I'd come to this scorching-ass world without some kind of protection for CaoCao?

The king clenched his fists.

— That's cheating!

Gertrudes simply shrugged.

— What if something happened? I had to be prepared.

Drokavas didn't have time to reply.

Because in the next instant, CaoCao and the fire iguana lunged at each other.

The impact echoed like thunder, shaking the arena.

Tyrin held his breath.

The battle had only just begun.