PREVIOUSLY, IN PARADOX FIGHTERS: Holly is tasked with recording and sharing Katniss' story, apparently in order to seed dissent. The fighters are plunged into a deadly game of keep-away over the mysterious and powerful One Ring. While Katniss snags the ring, Holly is approached by a newcomer, Twilight Sparkle. The two locate Katniss only to find her corrupted by the ring. After tracking her down again, they team up with street fighter Ryu and the Survey Corps' brightest, Mikasa Ackerman. Together they confront the Master of Games' team… only to find that Katniss' father is in the Grand Combat- and he's not friendly. Katniss unlocks the power of residual magic and defeats her father, but forever loses any chance to reconcile with him. And it seems that Twilight may have an agenda of her own...

The common hall was empty, as it usually was in the longer stretches between rounds of combat. The only exception to this rule was the yellow-robed, kingly figure whose elevated seat rose high above the floor. The Master of Games lounged across his throne sideways, attempting to look, what was it that they called it? "Casual". He heard the footsteps from across the room, and saw the solitary man walk out from the endless hallway that branched into the warriors' various rooms.

The man was thin, but exceedingly muscular. His wild yellow hair was barely contained by his green headband, his greedy red eyes poking out from underneath the blond waves. His wardrobe was similarly garish, his ridiculously-short yellow jacket conflicting with various green baubles. He knelt in front of the throne.

"I received your message, my liege. Is it time?"

"Not yet," quipped the Master of Games. "I'm going to have another round first. Then we'll set it up. Are there any particular requests you have?"

"First, I'll need something devoid of sunlight."

"No need. I can simply make you immune to its effects."

"Excellent. My only other request is that you give me a nice, big space to work with. Preferably something with some building I could use as a base of operations."

The Master raised an eyebrow. "A base of operations?"

"I think you'll agree that previous techniques involving all-out attacks have failed. A large team on my side, and the ability to either seek out opponents or defend… this would give me a great deal of tactical flexibility."

"Hahaha! You are a clever one aren't you? Very well then. I'll see what I can do. Are you sure there won't be anything else?"

"Now that you mention it, having some ambient… obstacles would be useful as well."

"Keep them on their toes even before they run into you… You are a marked improvement over your predecessor," giggled the Master of Games. "I have just the thing in mind. We'll have one environment-savvy on our hands, but that shouldn't prove to be much of an obstacle to you."

"Nothing does," said the man, licking his lips. He turned and began to walk back to his room.

"Oh, Dio- before you go," called out the King in Yellow.

"Yes, my liege?"

"I just have to compliment you on the outfit again. Simply marvelous."

"Of course, my liege."