Re: Varekmon Saga

The room was immersed in a silence that only anxious children can create.

Even the Varekmons seemed to be holding their breath. The Professional Conductor stepped forward, posture firm — the kind of stance that says "take me seriously" even while wearing a uniform that clung too tightly to his body.

"Youth of Zone 3," he said, his voice soaked in theatrics, "my name is Irvon, licensed Professional Conductor by Cordeiro Corp. Four points in Conductance, Silver Class certified, and partner of the legendary creature known as..."

He paused dramatically. I rolled my eyes. Here it comes.

"Thundorar, the Thunder Horse!"

Beside him, the Varekmon responded with a metallic neigh that vibrated the floor. Sparks danced where its hooves met the ground, and its mane of living lightning swayed as if it were listening to a song no one else could hear. It was a noble creature — elongated, muscular, a mix of organic and metallic matter, with storm-bulb eyes. Blue steam hissed from its nostrils, and its tail snapped like an electric whip.

Thundorar.

Because of course, someone thought merging "Thunder" and "Terror" into one name wasn't a pun straight out of an energy drink slogan.

The children were hypnotized. Me? I was just thinking about the smell of ozone it left behind — not exactly a pleasant memory from the time one of those things stepped on my arm in a different timeline. Accident, of course. But that doesn't change the fact that I spent three days with a battery taste in my mouth.

"Today," Irvon continued, "three of you will have the honor of forming a Bond with a Varekmon. Three creatures selected and raised in the ZCCs to grow alongside the best Conductors of the new generation."

He pointed to the younglings on the pedestals. The one with glowing fur let out a soft growl, like a purr. The translucent frog shifted gently, floating slightly. And the gray one... remained still, forgotten in the corner.

"But only three," Irvon emphasized. "And to select who the lucky ones will be, we'll conduct a small test. Three questions. The first three to answer correctly will take a Varekmon home. Simple."

The ZCC common yard buzzed with excitement. The kids whispered like they were about to decode ancient riddles — even before hearing the questions. I scratched my head. I remembered what was about to happen.

"In my timeline, the three who won this test were: Alek, my best idiot friend who ended up melted during a mission on the Acid Coast; a red-haired girl I never saw again; and the poor soul who picked the gray one."

"He died quietly. No one noticed. Two days later, they found the body. The Varekmon... was gone. And that's when hell began."

Not this time.

This time, I'd pick the gray one. No matter what.

It was my best chance to delay the collapse. Or at least slow it down. As useless as it might be, I was going to try.

My face — usually a blend of boredom and sarcasm — took on a new weight for the first time. I looked at the small, pale, dim Varekmon, slouched on the pedestal like a factory defect. That was it. It had to be.

"Before the test," interrupted Dayana, the teacher, in her soft, deep voice, "I'd like to remind you that having a Varekmon is a great responsibility. A Bond isn't just a combat partnership — it's an emotional connection. Deep. And powerful."

She walked among us in her usual simple, elegant dress, but her presence filled the room. The kids were starstruck. I was only thinking about how the future would tear that glow from her eyes. I wanted to freeze that version of Dayana in time — before the horrors scarred her. But that was asking too much.

"These Varekmons were donated by Cordeiro Corp exclusively to Zone 3," she went on, "so we want the future Conductors to be the most promising. The test will measure not only your knowledge but also your emotional potential."

Translation: they'll give the creatures to whoever can count to three without drooling. The world's been in worse hands.

Irvon resumed his place at the center of the room. From the back, Clara smiled at me in a way that gave me chills — and wedding flashbacks. I pretended not to notice. Aura, her mother, was still around, exchanging glances with the teacher — and occasionally with me. A love triangle was forming, and none of us were old enough to handle it.

"Let's begin!" Irvon announced with the excitement of a game show host. "What is the primary energy source used in Zone 3's public transport?"

Half the class froze. One or two raised their hands. I stayed still, watching. Waiting. In my timeline, Alek was the first to answer that one.

Alek, by the way, was right beside me, sweating buckets.

"Collective Creative Energy!" he shouted, without being called.

"Correct!" Irvon smiled. "A point for... what's your name?"

"Alek! With a K at the end!"

"With a K at the end. And a grave in the middle of the acid desert."

It still hurt. But I smiled for him. I let him have the first one. His last happy moment — it was still beautiful to see.

"Second question," Irvon paused for suspense, "Why are Varekmon called Varekmon?"

I raised my hand before anyone else. Not just because I knew — but because I loved this part of the story.

"Because a man named Varek was the first to form a Bond with a wild creature," I said. "And it changed everything. He didn't try to dominate or destroy it. He saw a friend where others saw a monster. So they gave his name to all the creatures — so no one would forget how it all began."

Irvon looked at me for a moment, then nodded, pleased.

"Perfect. A point for the young man."

"The first man to treat a Varekmon like a friend. And now they've become currency, weapons, and luxury goods. Congratulations, humanity. You've managed to turn even love into a system."

The third question came. The final one. The one that would decide who got the third Varekmon.

"How many registered Varekmon species exist currently?"

I could've answered. I knew it. But the red-haired girl next to me — the one I vaguely remembered from the past — raised her hand first.

"Four hundred and thirty-seven, according to the latest Cordeiro Corp bulletin."

"Absolutely right!" Irvon clapped. "We have our three chosen ones!"

The room erupted in celebration. Alek cheered with his usual charm. The redhead smiled like she'd just won the world. Me? I looked at the small gray Varekmon, still curled in the corner — and felt the weight of what was to come.

"Three questions. Three answers. Three futures."

"But this time, one of them will be different."

And for the first time in a long while, I felt hope.

With the selection complete, we were led one by one to the enclosure, as if choosing new toys — except these toys had teeth, claws, and hearts that beat in sync with ours. Alek rushed to the flame-furred Varekmon, the redhead went straight for the liquid frog that floated gently on the ice pedestal. And me? I walked to the corner, where the little gray creature still seemed unaware of everything, huddled as if it didn't want to bother anyone.

I knelt slowly, looking deep into those large, dark eyes — as deep as fresh ink. And I saw myself there. Not a reflection — but a memory.

Every time I die, I lose someone. And every time I come back, I have to start over.

How many Varekmons have followed me into death? How many looked at me, waiting for answers I never had?

The last one...

I closed my eyes for a second and smelled smoke, tasted iron, remembered a wounded body dragging itself to me, trying to protect me until the last breath. He died standing, roaring. And I woke up in a bed with childish sheets, the taste of warm milk and trauma in my mouth.

I opened my eyes again. The little creature stared at me, motionless. But something had changed. Something flickered within that lifeless gray. An instinct, maybe. A spark. And then, without warning, it slowly crawled to my foot — and licked my heel with a cold, sticky tongue, like marble and surprisingly rough.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Okay... is that a hello, or are you checking if I'm edible?"

It made a strange sound. Part click, part purr. And for the first time, I felt chosen — by something nobody wanted.

Maybe that's what connects us.

We're two forgotten mistakes in the corner of the room. But this time, it's our turn to mess everything up.

...

Today on the Varekpedia we have:

Species: Ondulith

Type: Psychic

Origin: Zone 2 – Gray Belt

Evolution Stage: Infant

Threat Level: Low (psychic potential still developing)

Description:

Ondulith is a serene and hypnotic creature with a slender, soft body and translucent blue skin that reveals delicate golden veins pulsing beneath its surface. It resembles a mix between a frog and a jellyfish, with thin legs and respiratory membranes that gently ripple in sync with the environment, as if constantly harmonizing with the world around it. When it moves, reality seems to ripple with it — like watching waves form inside a liquid bubble. Highly sensitive to emotions and mental vibrations, Ondulith often reacts even before a sound is made. Though peaceful, its emerging psychic abilities can disturb unstable minds. Ideal for Conductors who are empathetic and support-oriented.