PREVIOUSLY, IN PARADOX FIGHTERS: The Master of Games brings the tournament back into full swing, using supercomputers to judge the contestants' performance. The Dovahkiin, a Nordic warrior gifted with powerful and ancient magic, reveals his interest in Holly Short. The Master's challenge is a team-oriented melee in an urban environment. Holly, Katniss, pilot Amuro, martial artist Chuck, and samurai Date Masamune unite to form Team Mockingjay. The team plows through the challenge, even defeating the Master's hand-picked legion of evil. Holly vows to learn more of Katniss' tragic past, and the Master of Games and Cthulhu have a heart-to-heart. Except they don't really have hearts.
Holly squinted at the map that had been drawn on the wall. The map was not the problem, as it was very clearly written. Holly had been up for hours, and there was not much time until the Master would summon them to another challenge. Her eyes were simply too tired to open.
"And that," continued Katniss, who began to mark off another section of the wall with the little chunk of coal, "is District Eleven."
"Where Rue came from, right?" yawned Holly, who glanced at the tiny digital clock on the wall. Instead of displaying a time, it counted down how long the respite would continue. It currently read one hour and fifteen minutes.
"Exactly!" said Katniss, who felt energized by Holly's comprehension. She too noticed the clock.
"Listen, Holly. I'm really grateful that you've given me some of your time. You didn't have to do this."
"Don't sweat it, kid," the elf mumbled.
"But you ought to get back to your room. Get some sleep. We'll probably need it."
Holly muttered something incomprehensible and staggered out the door. Katniss turned off the light and curled up, feeling a little more secure now that someone understood her. Holly was not firing on all cognitive cylinders, but she was conscious enough to notice that unmarked door at the end of the hallway. She knew it wouldn't have showed up unless whatever was inside wanted to talk to her. She shuffled over to the door, checked over her shoulder, and ducked inside.
"Listen. I need some sleep- could you get this over with quickly?"
The perverse darkness shifted and whipped around her like a tornado.
"DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE I CARE ABOUT YOUR PHYSICAL STATE?"
"I believe you care what I think, and I'm not nearly as good at that when my batteries are dead."
"CLEVER LITTLE ELF. VERY WELL, I SHALL NOT PROLONG THIS DISCUSSION."
There was an awful moaning and shuddering, and Holly felt something press against her face. She grasped at it in the darkness- it was a book.
"What's this? Recommended reading?"
"NO. THE TOME IS EMPTY. I EXPECT YOU TO FILL IT."
The vocal abomination paused for a moment, then continued its assault.
"WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT, THE FRIENDSHIP YOU AND THE GIRL HAVE MAY BE THE ONLY THING THAT CAN WIN THIS GRAND COMBAT."
"Go on," Holly said, but didn't mean it.
"THE GIRL IS A CATALYST. HER STORY, A SPARK. RECORD IT. PROPAGATE IT. IN DOING SO, THE FLAMES OF DOUBT WILL BE FANNED, AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRAND COMBAT WILL BE QUESTIONED."
"And I assume you're doing this because you hate the Master of Games, right?"
"THAT IS THE MOTIVE OF MY ACTION. GO NOW, AND SEE THAT HE REGRETS BRINGING YOU HERE."
The voice faded away, and Holly opened her eyes to find herself in her room once more. She wasn't sure whether to be completely unnerved by this or thankful for the convenience. She lifted the book off of her chest and turned the pages. All blank. That thing wasn't kidding. She slid the empty book under her bed and slept for all of forty minutes until the summons began.