ManaTech: A System of Magic And Technology

Coliseum

The atmosphere in the coliseum was electric and I couldn’t help but find myself swept up in it.

Looking around and grinning up at all the cheering alien faces, it felt like I was somewhere I truly belonged. 

“We’ve got a few more initiates than usual this time around,” The woman on the screen said, drawing my attention back to her, “But I’m sure a replay of what exactly went down out there can explain exactly what happened!” 

The holographic screen flickered and all of a sudden instead of showing the girl it was showing me, moments before I began fighting the mecha. 

I barely recognised myself. 

In the footage, you could actually see the power crackling off my body in the moments before I launched myself toward the giant mecha.  

Lightning trailed after me as I soared through the air, only to be gripped by the mecha’s hand. But what had felt like an eternity of me being squeezed by the mechanical monster was actually only a few seconds in the footage. 

When the mecha threw me out of its grip those sparks of energy had been extinguished, and I hit the ground so heavily that it caused a visible shockwave to ripple out of the impact point. 

It definitely looked like a harder strike than it had felt. 

There was a gasp from the crowds when I jumped up into the sky and launched myself off of the mecha’s arm. 

At this point in the fight, the energy that had been crackling around my body was back in full force, stronger than ever before. It glowed like an aura around me, and with the way the camera was positioned it almost looked like I’d grown giant golden wings. 

The blast of energy I’d levied against the mecha was powerful enough to fry whatever camera system that they’d been using to capture the footage, but the blast sent the crowd wild. 

“Yep that’s right, in an absurd display of raw power and overwhelming strength, the human Victor Dyllon managed to blow our mech away in what was almost entirely one-on-one combat!” The camera feed had come back to showing the girl as she started speaking again, “He’s going to be one to watch out for over the course of the rest of the tournament, that’s for sure! Though you shouldn’t count out our other competitors just yet!” 

With her last words a deep rumbling began somewhere far below the floor of the coliseum. 

“Now as usual,” The woman said as if nothing was happening, “The next stage of our trials is going to be the battle royale, which is designed to help thin out the competition a little… which is definitely needed this time around.” 

As she spoke the walls of the coliseum seemed to stretch and warp around us. 

It somehow seemed like the space we were standing in was getting bigger and wider without taking up any extra room. Above us the spectators were getting smaller, yet they were remaining in the exact same location. Dimensions were being twisted and warped, and if I thought about it for too long it’d make my head hurt. 

To put it simply magic was weird. 

Trees and bushes grew spontaneously out of the ground around us, and the ground itself which was once nothing more than a simple concrete twisted and changed to mud and grass. 

From somewhere in the distance I could hear the sound of water babbling along a river, while in the distance above the treeline, I could just about make out the snow-covered tip of a mountain range. 

“The rules are simple,” The girl continued, “For the next half hour this is your battleground! Everyone who eliminates another contestant will make it through to the next round. Those of you who are knocked out will be removed from the proceedings, and anyone who doesn’t eliminate someone out is eliminated too!” 

Muttering began among the gathered aliens, from the few words I could catch it sounded like alliances and battle plans were being drawn up. 

From the way people were glancing at me and keeping their distance, it was pretty clear that I wasn’t going to be included in any of those alliances. 

The girl on the screen clicked her fingers and the sky was set alight with the sudden appearance of several amber portals hovering in the sky followed swiftly by a much bigger portal underneath the rest of us. 

Without any time to avoid falling through the portal, I and the rest of the aliens around me were sucked through the hole below us. 

I tumbled end over end through the air and hit the ground hard. It only took a couple of seconds for me to stand up again, but I had no idea where I had been deposited by the portal. 

While before I had been able to hear a babbling river, now I couldn’t hear anything other than the leaves rustling in the trees as the wind passed through them. 

[You’re going to need to be careful with this one,] The AI said, [Most of the lifeforms involved in this, if not all of them, will be able to sense others and hide their own magic signatures. You can’t do either, which is going to put you at a major disadvantage.]

“Well, that’s just great,” I grunted to myself, “What would you suggest, then?"

[lay low, keep on the move, stay out of trouble,] the AI rattled off easily, [but somehow I doubt that's going to be your gameplan.]

"Aw, you know me so well already," I couldn't keep the snarkiness out of my tone. 

To put it simply I needed to level up to discover more abilities to wield more power so that I could stand up to those around me.

Running away like a coward with my tail between my legs wasn't the best way to achieve that goal. 

I was going to have to fight as many people as I could find. Take out as many of then as I could. 

Besides, if I didnt fight at least one opponent and then best them I'd be kicked out immediately anyway. 

[maybe that would be better for everyone,] my AI grumbled. 

I decided to ignore its attitude. I didnt have space in my mind for negativity, all I needed in my head was my plan. 

The second the battle Royale began I was going to get to the high ground, locate another fight and then stick my nose right in the middle. 

Back when I played battle royale games on my PC on Earth that strat was called third partying, and if it worked there then there was no reason it wouldn't work in this situation too. 

"Our contenders have been scattered around the grounds!" The voice of the girl called out, "so let the battle royale… commence!"