The Revelers (Serial 1)

Prologue: Ari

The final day of the Mad Machine War Games is here, and I'm ready to punch my ticket to victory. It's been a long time coming, but I've been meaning to get my revenge on my rival Rayne, the team captain of The Brick City Sirens, since the past year.

What's the War Games? It's a sport where two teams, sometimes three or four, duke it out in a battle royale deathmatch with guns, explosives, scouter drones, and the odd engine-powered sword thrown in. Some games even have special objectives like capture the flag or holding a checkpoint. The difference is that unlike an actual war, if we die, we respawn and fight again. It's all fun and exhilarating, drawing in millions of spectators to the sport every Sunday night.

Before we enter the arena, I get a quick text message from my holo-phone. It's from Cithara, my girlfriend. Good luck, Ari! We'll be cheering you on at the labs. Bring home the gold! Also, we should go out tonight after your game.

I respond: Thanks! I'll see you tonight at the local café. Then I place my phone back in my pocket and march onward with my team, the Neon City Valkyries, sponsored by CrystalCorp Cybernetics of Las Vegas, with me as the Valkyries' team captain.

As we all enter the arena, orchestral war drums pound. A chorus of strings and trumpets hum and tweet in the air, announcing a battle of epic proportions. It's the anthem for The Mad Machine War Games, and it's playing through the public announcement system. The audience cheer and root as we enter the war zone. Jumbo sized holograms of our team display above, introducing us to sixty thousand attendees and millions of viewers streaming at home.

I live for this sport. I've been in the Valkyries' War Games team since my 13th birthday, and made it to two championship games, three counting today. Won at my first appearance against the Sirens, but they one-upped us a year later. Now, we're going to a trilogy! However, for the first time, I'm entering this game as the team captain. It's not an easy job, I'll admit, but if — no — when we win the championship, it's going to be all worth it. It started with 32 teams. Only the Valkyries and the Sirens remain. I'm pumped and ready!

Besides, if we didn't win, Dr. Kari, my coach, would put me up for trade and I wouldn't want that. That's what happened to the previous team captain, Skylar Li, and I haven't heard from her since. Hell, I don't even know if she's enjoying her time with her new team. Skylar's profile on WarGamesPedia hasn't updated since she got traded, which makes me wonder if she's still even playing — or maybe worse. Some say that CrystalCorp's scientists were performing illegal cybernetic experiments on the rejects. Is it true? Beats me, but I ain't going to find out.

Still, this team is family to me. I don't know who my real parents are — I know I'm adopted. Instead, the scientists and trainers at the CrystalCorp campus are the closest things to parents while my teammates — they're all sisters to me. I'm not sure how I would feel if I'm forced to leave them behind. I know Skylar didn't take the trade too well. The Valkyries need to win. If we don't win, then I won't have a family to return to.

Right now, my arms are tensing with my left hand near the hilt of my engine-powered triggerblade.

A levitating platform descends at a gentle pace. Fans chant and cheer: "War Games! War Games! War Games!" Standing on the platform is The Eyes of War Grand Overseer herself, Ruby Solstice. She stands high, donning a red hooded robe with black accents, covering her polished metal cybernetic body. Her chrome metal hands undo her cowl to reveal her long platinum white hair. Yet, a white grinning porcelain mask shrouds her face, like a life-sized doll. A creepy one at that.

"Greetings, fans!" Ruby's booming voice reverberates throughout the stadium, crying out the prelude to a glorious battle. "Welcome to the Mad Machine War Games' Grand Finale. It is time to witness the Final Chorus amongst two warring factions: the #1 seed on the red base, The Neon City Valkyries of Las Vegas."