Panem Capitol
soon After the 73rd Hunger Games

"A hundred participants?" President Snow looked at his visitor. "You simply cannot be serious." The visitor, dressed in an all-black garb, grinned a wicked smile.

"No Mr. Snow, there will be one-hundred and twenty participants and I am dead serious."

"But this is just impossible. All that is possible for the Hunger Games is 24 Tributes. Anymore than that and it would just be inhuman."

"Yeah I'm sure," the visitor muttered under his breath before raising his voice, "and that is just what we expect of you."

"Excuse me?"

"You are to handle the Reaping as you always do. Bring the 24 Tributes to the Capitol, but post-pone the construction of the next arena until next year."

"You mean you already have another arena built?"

"Almost, it's nearing completion. Give us just a few more months and we will be ready. Now, on the day of the Hunger Games, my people will transport the Tributes to the arena along with the contestants of three other events of a…similar nature."

"Oh, I see. Very well, I don't see anything wrong with the plan you've laid out, just one last thing before I agree."

"Okay, and that is?"

"What will this…mega-game…be called?" At this, the visitor smiled again.

"Mors Venatus…Death Game."

After the meeting, the visitor boarded a District-bound train, drawing stares from passers-by. He presented his ticket and withdrew into his room. There was a light beeping tone and the visitor answered his cell phone. "Hello?"

"Archtype-boss-dude, this is Leet."

"Any problems?"

"Nope, all are compliant on my end."

"Good, return to Sanguis Sphaeras and wait for me there."

"Yes boss." Archtype hung up and laid back on the compartment bed.

11 months later
undisclosed location

A girl in her mid-to-late teens looked over the various computer screens. She wasn't smart by any advanced standard; besides, that was Leet's job. She just wanted to know as much as posible.

"So...how are things going?" The girl turned to see two guys in trench coats and hard-toe boots.

"Morning NBS," she greeted, addressing them both by their "last acronym." She turned back to the screens. "Everything is moving along as predicted. Just listen." She turned up the volume on some of the computers.

"Happy Hunger Games!"
"BR-ho. Batoru rowaiaru!"
"Idou, oi neoi diagonizomenoi tis arenas kentri!"
"Zavtra, Krovavyy pesok Yezhegodnyy nachnem!"

"Well, they sound like they're ready alright," said NBS1, twirling a combat knife around his finger. NBS2, almost a head taller than NBS1 and a full year younger, leaned in to scrutinize the images and shook his head.

"Why are some people just starving to see the blood of the youth?"

"Because there are also shit-heads in asshole institutions. Remember, home of the rebels?" NBS2 nodded silently as the girl got up and stretched. "Oh hey, Virgo," NBS1 said as he stowed his knife away and slid into a position next to the girl, "I was wondering if you would like to go out for dinner sometime this week before the participants are brought in?" The girl, Virgo, looked up at him with a coy smile.

"Oh D, thank you for asking, you're so sweet. But in all honesty...
...I'D RATHER DIE THAN GO OUT WITH A MASS MERDUROUR LIKE YOU!"

NBS1 cried out in shock and then retreated into a corner as NBS2 looked on after going through a full-body shiver. That's just cold.

"Uh...you know, you could actualy TRY to be nice every once in a while."

"Maybe," Virgo replied, "but not to people like you two...
...Doom and Postal."

later
unknown location

Katniss awoke and sat up.

She was in a room with black walls, black ceilling, white floor, white cot, and a black circular block with an orange glow along the circumference. On the floor, next to the cot, was a grey duffel bag with a note. She placed her feet on the ground and picked up the note.

-Welcome Player: HG24-
the bag contains supplies that you MIGHT need during the game
do yourself a favor and DO NOT remove the collar
more will be explained when the game begins
Signed: GameKeeper Delta

Collar? What collar? Oh!

Katniss' hands flew up to her neck, feeling a solid ring of somewhat thick metal that was only loose enough to prevent her from choking.

Ting! tONG!

A little chiming sound made Katniss jump to her feet just as a feminine computer voice said: "All contestants, please enter the circle." The orange glow on the black block suddenly changed to purple and began to pulsate. Katniss froze, her hands shaking, mouth quivering, eyes shut.

"I n-need...I n-need to d-do this..." she said to herself. She clenched her fists a repeated with more decisiveness "I need to do this!" She stood, hefted the duffel bag over her shoulder, and stepped onto the block. Something snapped shut around her and her vision went black. She heard not a sound, nor saw anything but blackness. The ground beneath her feet seemed to vibrate. She began to feel herself slowly moving up. Light appeared above her head and slowly illuminated her body from top to bottom. Then she saw whiteness, then grey, then...

She was standing on a black circle in a bowl-shaped valley in what appeared to be a desert wasteland with the ruined shells of stone houses scattered around. With her, all on one side standing on the exit tubes, were the other Tributes. Across from them were another cluster of youth, this group larger and appeared to be all within the same age group, wearing a strange assortment of garments. To the left and right at similar distance were two other groups. The cluster to the left looked to be the second largest, they also were garbed in random bits of clothing instead of uniforms. And to the right, another cluster, the smallest, all carried stick-like weapons and were garbed in cloak-like uniforms.

"Well now...the players have all assembled...let the fun begin." A voice seemed to whisper from the very air, making everyone turn left and right on their perches, looking for the source.

A loud bang and a series of whistles and cracks echoed throughout the area as a prolonged flash of multi-colored light occurred in the midst of everyone, in the center of the ring of players. Light gave way to vapor and smoke, which slowly dissipated in order to reveal a figure. A tall boy with black hair that spiked up in the front and bright, unnatural blue eyes, dressed in black. "Greetings gisei-sha," the figure spoke, standing to full stature, "my name is Archtype-Delta, and welcome to Mors Venatus, best god-damned game ever!"

to be continued...