Dawn was lighting up the camp where we had spent the night and although the stars had given way to the sun, everything seemed to be calm. Stella and I were still sleeping in each other's arms, enjoying the quiet, when suddenly, a deafening voice broke through the peace of the camp.
"UNGALONS!" shouted Queen Tives, echoing throughout the jungle.
We both awoke startled, jumping to our feet in confusion. Stella, her eyes still half closed, clung to me, while I tried to figure out what was happening. The queen, however, laughed out loud at the sight of our bewildered faces.
"Relax, I was just kidding!" She said, with a mischievous grin on her face. "The day has begun and the warriors have already hunted for breakfast, come on, get those lazy bodies up."
The Amazons were moving quickly around the camp, already preparing what would be our first meal of the day. Some had brought what looked like some sort of local deer, while others were carrying the remains of a huge beast that had clearly been hunted especially for the queen. Still somewhat dazed, I looked at Tives as she tore into a piece of meat with her hands, ready to devour her portion.
"Is this how you're always going to wake us up?" I asked as I took a seat near Stella, who was already starting to sober up.
"You'll get used to it." Tives said with a playful grin as he took a big bite of meat. "If you don't wake up energized, you'll be eaten alive here."
The group enjoyed a hearty meal, filling up their strength for what was to come. Stella, while eating, checked her gloves again, looking for the exact coordinates of the nexus that would lead us to the deserted Cosmoworld. "Everything seems to be in order." She said after a few minutes. "We can begin our journey to the cave when we are ready."
"So be it." Declared the queen. "Today we face what's left in that nest."
After preparing our weapons and making sure everything was in order, the group set off. The cave of the Ungalons was not far away, situated on a nearby mountain that seemed to overlook the entire jungle. As we entered the cave, a strange atmosphere enveloped us. The crystals on the walls shone with their own light, creating a surreal atmosphere. Despite how deep we were going, we were not encountering any Ungalon.
"I don't like this..." Stella muttered, looking around. "Where is everyone?"
"I don't think they're running away." I replied, feeling a strange pressure in the air. "It's like... they're waiting for us."
We went lower and lower, deeper and deeper into the depths of the mountain. The air was getting thicker, and the Amazons kept their weapons at the ready, waiting for any sign of danger. Finally, we came to a vast, completely hollow area. It was a subway world, with huge holes in the walls that seemed to function as living quarters for the Ungalons. There, in the center of it all, sat King Thunder, a massive being with red skin and shiny white fur that stretched across his back and head.
The Ungalons surrounded us, watching us from their holes, but none of them showed any intention of attacking. They simply looked at us, as if they already knew what was about to happen.
King Thunder raised his index finger and his deep voice echoed throughout the cavern. He seemed to be intoning a chant, an ancient ritual that I could not understand.
Tives narrowed his eyes, watching the king's gesture intently. "It is clear." He said, his tone serious. "He will only accept one-on-one combat. No Ungalon will fight beside him, it will be him against me."
The Amazons were silent. Tives took a step forward, turning to us. "No one must intervene. Keep as far away as possible."
King Thunder rose from his stone throne, his size monstrous, but Tives was undeterred. As he prepared for battle, I knew we were about to witness something monumental.
The king was the first to move, lunging at Tives with surprising speed for his size. His fist smashed into the queen's face, knocking her back as blood began to spurt from her mouth. Despite the impact, Tives licked the blood from her lips and sketched a smile.
"Was that all you got, holy beast?" She lunged at him, taking advantage of the proximity, grabbing him by the back of the neck and delivering a brutal knee to his face.
The king roared, full of fury. In his rage, he began to punch the walls of the cavern and the Ungalons living in them began to fall. Chaos erupted and the echo of his roar resounded like thunder.
"It can't be!" shouted Stella. "He's destroying his own people."
Tives' eyes hardened at the sight of the damage the king was causing. She lunged at him again, but this time, the king was faster. He caught her by the throat, knocking her to the ground. The queen struggled to get free, but her strength was beginning to falter. The air escaped from her lungs as the king squeezed harder.
But just when it seemed all was lost, a different, deeper roar came from the queen. With a mighty scream, an orange energy emerged from her body, shaking everything around her. Black stripes began to appear on her skin, her eyes became feline and her hair turned bright orange. He had awakened the power of the legendary tiger Rugymu.
"It's unbelievable...!" Stella exclaimed. "That's the transformation the queen spoke of - the power of a legendary beast!"
The Amazons watched in awe as Tives' transformation reached its peak. King Thunder tried to strike her again, but this time, the queen parried his fist with insulting ease. With one swift movement, her claws pierced the king's chest.
The king's colossal body fell to the ground, defeated. From King Thunder's body emerged a white energy that floated into the air and merged with Tives, giving him even more power. His skin turned reddish, his hair, a mixture of white and orange, and a white fur cloak covered his torso and back, giving him a majestic appearance.
Tives stood up, looking at the Ungalons surrounding her. "I am now your queen and therefore, your mother. You will be under my protection and I will guide you to a brighter future."
The Ungalons, moved, began to bow in respect.
Stella, still impressed, looked at Tives. "In that state... your Pink Power is 24830. I've never seen anything like that..."
The queen, though victorious, activated the nexus in the center of the cave, but before we could leave, her transformation disappeared, and her body fell to the ground, passed out. Despite her exhaustion, a smile adorned her face.
That night, back in the Amazon village, the victory was celebrated with a great feast in honor of Tives. Bonfires lit up the whole place and meat was cooked while the Amazons laughed and drank in celebration. Stella and I, sitting near the fire, couldn't help but smile.
"With power like the queen's, we have nothing to worry about." I said optimistically.
"Yes!" Stella nodded, leaning back next to me. "The queen will guide us to the end."
End of chapter 9.