The Revelers (Serial 1)

Prologue: Ari

The audience cheers with triumph for us, the home team.

"—and last year's champion on the blue base, The Brick City Sirens of New Jersey."

The home crowd lets out a loud and hissing boo.

"Two squads enter. Only one will remain!"

For the next two hours, our teams clash, trading shots, firing weapons, clashing blades — killing, respawning, and killing again! Spectators watch and marvel as they witness the explosive madness packed inside T.F. Roth Stadium here at Al Davis Way in Las Vegas. The scoreboard shifts and sways leaders for each kill scored, point held, flag captured, and each rocket scored through the goalposts.

Rayne and I — our teams — wrecked and wasted, putting in everything we got in the last four rounds. We're in the lead, but only by a tiny margin. Good thing my teammates can relax since the final round is a 1v1 deathmatch between captains. That's right! It's just Rayne and me. White-and-blue versus black-and-purple, colors of NovaTech, the corporation who sponsors the Sirens. Unlike me, Rayne wields an actual gunblade that can fire bullets at long-range while I depend on my melee-centric triggerblade. During the previous battles, I have deflected a majority of her shots back at her or her teammates. Her reflexes are quick, but I can counter speed with the creative use of accuracy.

We stand face-to-face with Rayne's sharp nose is just mere millimeters from touching mine. Her frayed raven-black hair flowing unsecured by the light draft in the arena. Her sapphire blue eyes locked with a piercing gaze. The stadium lights accenting her bronze colored skin.

Ruby's platform descends once more, shining a spotlight right on top of us. "Mad Machine Fans, it all comes down to this!" Ruby declares. "Two of the finest soldier-athletes shall compete in a brutal deathmatch. You two know the rules! Ari, are you ready?" Ruby shines her spotlight at me.

"I am." I say, nodding.

"Rayne, are you ready?" Ruby asks, shining the spotlight on Rayne.

"Yes," she says.

Lights go black, the holograms and jumbotrons shut off, and the public announcement system stops playing music. Theatric suspense, I ponder. This has to be all kayfabe. Drama and theatrics are gimmicks that Ruby relishes on.

It would not surprise me if this is Ruby's plan for a daring surprise to interrupt the finals just to show off her skills as a one-woman army, like she did during the All-Star Battle Theater a few months ago. In that game, I lead top soldier-athletes from the west coast teams to against all-stars from east coast teams, lead by Rayne Sahin. It's crazy, but Ruby thrills for having the odds stacked against her.

Yet, as Ruby continues to speak, her microphone refuses to amplify her voice. Something is not right. Ruby taps her lapel mic on her robe, but nothing pops.

"Ari," Rayne says to me, "do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" I ask, my eyes shifting left to right, attempting to discern a strange noise.

"The wailing noise." Rayne shifts her gaze upward. "It's coming from above us."

I focus my sights and hearing towards the ceiling. I see nothing odd through the glass roof of this domed stadium. Just the apparent lack of the giant hologram that depicts The Eyes of War's insignia, a red bloodshot eyeball with crossed rifles below it. I hear a noise. My first thought is a jet whizzing and wailing. Yet, the sound seems a little off. Instead, it sounds like a beast that should not belong here. It's a wailing noise with a lower pitch, almost like a roar. Then another noise, this time an obvious ferocious guttural sound, bellowing and menacing. Yes, a monster. It has to be. No doubt about that!

"What the hell?" Rayne gasps. "Ari, we need to run. Something ain't right, mate!"

"You're right. Any idea where to go?"

Rayne and I glance around and notice that all the gates are locking. We're stuck in the arena!
At that moment, a screeching wail sounds from above. I raise my chin, gazing high, and activate my zoom on my cybernetic eye, getting an unrestricted view through the clear roof. Then I realize that beyond that glass is something dreadful. My voice cracks. "Rayne, get back! Get back!"

Rayne and I rush out of the center of the arena in a daring panic, taking cover near one of the course's obstacles. A second later, something menacing crashes through the glass. Shards and metal debris fall on to the battlegrounds. Fans scream, horrified by the thing crashing from above. Dust clutters the battlefield, clouding our vision.

"What in the world?" Rayne snaps. "What the hell is that thing, mate?"

"I have no freaking clue," I say.