Congratulations, humans! You have accepted your first System Challenge!

Earthling Challengers Selected: Corporal Maxwell Stone, Lt. Jessica Brown, and Lt. Steven Caldwell’s Ranger Platoon with attached support.

Dragon Army Challengers Selected: General Ma’grian Falestian Secundus Martis, Magistar General Estalia Tertiarius Septnarian, Emperitor Stagian Secundus Septnarian’s First-Phoenix Royal Guard.

The first match will begin in 120 seconds. All participants please prepare for transport.

“You might want to get out of that hole, Lt. Brown and Corporal Stone. It sounds like we’re going to be teleported somewhere and I would prefer you arrive in one piece.” A hatch opened a few yards to John’s left, and he smiled as three people crawled out of the small hatch less than ten feet from where he stood.

The golden armored man scoffed and shook his head. “I knew these newly integrated worlds were filled with savages, but I didn’t know they were completely lacking in honor.”

“What is lacking in honor, sir. Is you refusing to surrender after literally thousands of your men have been mercilessly slaughtered, without us even breaking a sweat. Corporal Stone, I think that’s still your rank, right?” Max shrugged.

“I’m the only Marine around. My rank doesn’t really matter does it?” John smiled as the marine joined him, followed swiftly by Lt. Brown, and a ranger John had never met before who was carrying a SAW and looking at the three slightly glowing enemies in front of them as if they were too tall grass, and he was the lawn mower blade.

“I suppose it doesn’t. I know you, Lt. Brown, and her bodyguard, but who are you?” John asked the young soldier.

“Oh, I’m PFC Menendez, good to meet you, General. These three giving you trouble?”

“Yes, they are. But they won’t be for very long. You’re from Caldwell’s platoon, yes?” The man nodded. “Good. Can you please return to him and inform him he and your platoon will be engaging in a search and destroy mission soon?” Menendez grinned from ear to ear.

“Yes sir, I can do that, sir. Oh boy, Caldwell is going to love doing some proper reaping.” THe young PFC started humping it back to the line, and John returned his attention back to what was going on.

“Well, Marine, looks like you’re first. Are you ready?”

“Yes sir! Let’s get to the bleeding.” John shook his head but couldn’t help but smile as he watched the timer in his vision tick down to zero. Then the world around him seemed to fuzz out, and he found himself back in his Command Platform on the outside railing, looking out over the central part of the fortress. The pillar of light at its heart was cut off, as a black mass descended on the land, changing it into something far different.

“General? When did you get back here?” John ignored Cranton who had come out to meet him, as he watched the shadows spread out and begin forming some type of arena. Above the black mass of shadow was a bright blue ball that reminded John of nothing more than a Jumbotron.

“I got a notification that we are entering some kind of duel?” Cranton asked, but his question slowly trailed off as he finally saw what John was looking at. As the shadow stuff finally finished spreading out in a solid quarter mile square around the pillar and formed into different terrain, and then surrounded the area with a massive wall, it started to solidify into real material. Concrete walls surrounded the dueling arena.

Trees that John knew hadn’t been there before appeared next, followed by sand dunes in one quarter, and a rocky hilly area in another. The fourth quarter was plain savannah. The Jumbotron type display above the arena misted over in gray, before finally showing Max, in full battle rattle, appear in the open Savanah. He stood there as still as a statue in some kind of suspended animation.

Next it switched over to show the spear wielding General from the invading force materializing on top of the hilly area, himself as still as stone. The display split into three screens, one a map of the entire arena that showed each dualist’s location. The other two were nearly perfectly framed shots of both fighters as the reanimated and began to take stock of their situation.

“Looks like the fun is about to begin. Do we have any popcorn?” John asked, and Cranton scowled. “Oh, don’t give me that look. No one can die while in that thing. At least, that’s what the System suggested when I bought something called a Resurrection Array.”

Half a heartbeat later, the golden figure of the Imperitor appeared next to John on the dias.

Be aware, as the defending force, you are expected to provide Guest Rights including protection, general foodstuffs, and appropriate accommodations where the invading forces leadership can observe the duel unmolested. Failure to do so can have severe consequences up to and including forfeiture of the Challenge.

You’ve got to be shitting me, John thought as the lights disappeared around the invader and he finished materializing.

“What was that I heard about something called Popped Corn?”