Iva Khaldrun

Born to a single mother, Iva grew up in a very wealthy household with maids and butlers tending to her every needs. Somewhat different from other babies, her body's natural temperature was far higher than normal and she was thought to be sick, only for the clerics to be puzzled at her lack of illnesses and declaring her healthy upon hearing the name of her father : Ihab Khaldrun, the undefeated champion of the Al-Bahim grand arena.

As she grew up, her personality only got more rowdy as she'd punch the butlers' knees before running away laughing, sneak into the kitchen to steal food for some stray dogs she adopted and stand alongside the guards with a big branch whilst pretending to be one. Eventually, she befriended the kids outside and would wear their clothes after outrunning her guard only to go watch the gladiator fights by climbing up the bricks on the outside, there she saw what would mark her for the rest of her life, and what she'd strive for from there on : A man with orange hair like hers fighting against all odds, surrounded by beasts as he blocked their attacks effortlessly before striking against them one by one.

Mesmerized by the spectacle, she begged her mother to let train with the guards. Upon seeing the literal fire within her daughter's eyes, she reluctantly accepted, realizing that there was no stopping one's blood from flowing. That very day, she was outfitted with a rather poorly-adjusted set of padded armor and a wooden shortsword which she was instructed to wield with both hands. She swung it along with the guards who simply smiled at her as she looked quite adorable in her outfit, but they quickly realized she was no laughing matter as she adapted fairly easily and started using the weapon she was given with only one hand within a single week. A buckler was handed to her by the head of security Ayman, an old man with a missing eye who was the only one taking her seriously, he nodded as she kept swinging and occasionally threw a few jabs at her that she managed to block after some time.

Years passed and Iva was now thirteen years old, with a physique far outmatching even adult men, towering over others at an amazing height of 6'2", yet her entourage knew she was only about to grow taller. The neighborhood kids loved her like a big sister and she doted on the younger girls while roughhousing with teenagers. Clearly beloved by everyone and acknowledged by even Ayman, she ignored her mother's plea and enrolled at the colosseum under the alias of "Lady of Flames", which drew a bit of laughter from the audience during her first fight although it was drowned out by her friends' cheers. The gates opened and her first opponent appeared : A rather unimpressive skinny boy with dead eyes. They looked at each others for a bit, Iva not understanding why he looked the way he did, before the signal was given to start the fight. He rushed towards her, mace ready to strike, only for her shield to bash him right in the face, knocking him down, before her foot slammed down painfully onto his wrist and her longsword caressed his neck. Silence followed as the fight was so unexpectedly short that the announcer did not know how to react. And then the audience erupted in cheers, prompting him to congratulate her as she grinned uncontrollably. She was finally there ! She was like that stunning man she saw as a child ! Granted, her first fight was not as flashy or impressive, but it was only a matter of time ! Performing the same victory lap he did, she walked off the arena as the commentator did not let that slide : "IS SHE DOING IHAB'S MOVE ? BY THE GODS, IS SHE CHALLENGING THE CHAMPION ?! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS ROOKIE IS FULL OF SURPRISES ! KEEP YOUR BEHINDS RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE, WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK WITH THE NEXT FIGHT AFTER A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR !"

Returning victorious from her first fight, she was given a victory cheer by her friends who lifted her all the way to the exit, where her mother was waiting. The smiles disappeared and they all put her down as no one wished to be on her bad side as she knew every single one of their respective parents, some even worked for her. Looking up to her sweaty and dirty daughter, she just smiled as she held her face with both hands and asked "Did you win ?". A huge grin on her face, Iva nodded once. "Good. Now go back home and wash up, you're meeting up with your father." Anna said to her, which left the young gladiator stunned. Her father ? She thought he died long ago ! This was stunning, and the girl carefully prepared whilst pestered by her maids to wear a cute dress that was bought for the occasion. She almost gave in, but realized her mother only wished for them to meet after she had won a match, and the cogwheels started turning in her brain, slowly piecing things together. She pushed aside the girls and with heavy steps, walked towards her wardrobe, grabbing her armor with a smile, to the sound of the staff sighing in disbelief.

She polished it for hours that day, then bathed in the giant baths in the city where she met some new fans who fawned over her, which only boosted her self-confidence further. That night, her body was hot, far hotter than ever before. She dreamed of a giant with a flaming beard and a full head of hair that looked like fiery whips, he towered over her and laughed as he saw her, only to bring down a fist towards her. She dodged twice before the man's expression soured and he shouted in a language she did not realize she understood : "ACCEPT MY GREETINGS, MISERABLE DESCENDANT OF MINE !" before attacking her once more. Somewhat confused, she retaliated this time by punching back, her body lighting aflame. "HAH ! YOUR BLOOD IS NOT SO THIN IT SEEMS !" The giant said, ignoring her and turning to walk back towards a table where what seemed like a human woman was sat down. Oddly enough, the fire did not burn her, instead it enveloped her, strengthening her, bringing forth power she never thought she had. It sank deep within her, yet it felt like she could call for it whenever she pleased. Stepping towards who she only presumed to be her ancestor, Iva accepted a heavy tankard full of alcohol that she drank, only to then cough and spill it as the giant laughed. "NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE ALCOHOL JUST YET, LITTLE MISS ?" he shouted, which only spurred Iva's newfound pride as she chugged a good half of hit before coughing some more, then looking at him with a smug grin on her face. "... I SUPPOSE NOT. GOOD. MY BLOODLINE IS ASSURED THEN, GO ON, LEAVE." groaned the giant man as the woman next to him pinched his skin, bring out an unexpected yelp. "She only just got here, at least let me hug her !" and, not waiting for a response, the feisty woman was already out of her gigantic chair and came with arms extended, she was taller than Iva which surprised the young girl, and embraced her. "My good girl, you just unlocked the full potential of your bloodline ! I've met with many before you, all of which having accomplished something that made them so proud they managed to awaken the immense lust of power of their blood, and you're no different ! Go now, do what you must, and know we are proud !"

Birds were chirping, the sun was high in the sky, and Iva awoke to a bed drenched in sweat with the wood slightly singed. She called for her maid Samia, who took care of it all, then went to take her usual bath only to find it rather cold as it had slept in far longer than usual. Recalling her dream, she held her hand out within the water and focused on that warmth. The water started boiling rapidly and she laughed in disbelief, tightening her grip and promising her ancestors that she would not let them down. She went back up to her room where her reluctant maids outfitted her with the gladiator armor she had bought, looking at herself in the mirror and the new fire within her eyes, determination filled her and she was ready to meet her father at last. Traveling via carriage, Iva, her mother and their entourage arrived at a mansion on the outskirts of town, one that rivaled theirs in