Page 4 of The Bonding Games: Part 1

I nod mutely.

After asking someone else to describe the vehicles, a girl with deep brown skin and voluminous curls who I think is named Willow begins, “The vehicles match the green of the rest of our Avri cluster—which is a darker shade the higher our Score is on the scale from 0 to 100. It’s the same for Exots, but theirs are shades of red.” She points at a stripe of glowing hunter green running down her arm, the deep colour telling everyone she’s got a fairly high Score. “So all my Avri vehicles will appear this exact colour, no other.”

“As for the other aspects of the vehicles’ appearances,” she continues, “the Avri cars mimic Techta’s normal racing cars in shape: they have one seat, no roof, and a low-slung body. They’re also lightweight and small, extremely aerodynamic to allow for high speeds.” Toldem listens with a proud look on his face that he’s never had with me. “The Avri tribikes are designed similarly, also based on Techta’s non-Avri versions: they’re ultra-minimalist, have three large wheels in a row, a long body and comfortable seat to allow for the rider to lie almost horizontal, two separate handlebars, and the nose of the bike is shaped like a cone, tapering into a narrow point. And of course, in front of the last wheel, in the small space between that one and the second one, there’s the foot pegs. It’s all designed for the least possible air resistance when riding.

“Avri jets have a similar minimalist design and tapering front, as well as sharp wingtips, one long seat that’s completely exposed to the elements so that there’s nothing boxing you in, and pressable buttons that fire missiles and bullets of Avri that work like lasers in terms of damage. They’re slightly more complicated than the other vehicles since it’s physical to let loose one of our missiles or bullets, but the actual locking onto the target is done through our minds, our line of sight directing exactly where the energy will fire; it requires maximum control and concentration to ensure our aim is true.” Holding up a hand and extending one finger, then another, in time with her words, she finishes, “Lastly, there’s steps and platforms, which are the easiest to command into being because they’re basically just rectangular or square slabs of Avri.”

That’s true. And I’d relax a smidge at the fact I can actually use those two decently if it weren’t for the knowledge that jumping around on floating slabs of energy the entire time is hardly a solid plan to survive the Games.

“Oh!” Willow exclaims suddenly, and I jolt. “I almost forgot to say that, of course, if you’re bonded, your Avri cluster understands this and allows for seating room for another person in your car, jet, and tribike. You simply have to command it to, and an Avri car will widen to make room for another seat beside the original, while a jet and tribike will elongate enough so that their seat can fit another person behind you. Isn’t that so fucking cool?!”

“Language,” Toldem scolds with more amusement than anything, then amends, “But yes. It is, I agree. Avri will always be a phenomenon, its intelligence and abilities surpassing our human understanding. To this day, it is still the greatest finding in the world.” A glance at the digital clock on the right wall. “Okay, moving on. Let’s recap your armoury sticks . . .”

As the lesson progresses, I listen as attentively as always, frowning in concentration and typing detailed notes onto my tablet despite having heard this a million times: Mr Toldem goes through the list of Avri weapons, reminding us that they’re manifested Avri, just like the vehicles; he explains how the energy changes weight and shape with each item, goes through each and every detail of the whips, axes, daggers, swords, throwing stars, chains, and the bows and arrows. And now that I’m not stuck under pressure, I can recall the appearance of all of them quite well:

For most of the weapons, the actual armoury stick—a six-inch, ebony-coloured baton—acts as the handle, so when the Avri emerges in its commanded form, a sword, for example, would appear as a luminous curved blade of solidified energy, connected to the baton that’s now acting as a hilt. But with the bows and arrows and throwing stars, it’s a little more complicated: The Avri actually temporarily warps an armoury stick to fit the shape of a throwing star, leaving the centre advanced alloyed metal with the energy surrounding it in five razor-sharp points that are able slice through our opponents’ suits and skin like butter. And most different from all the others, the bow and arrow is the only weapon where you must use both armoury sticks; since we have two batons each, we have two of all the other weapons available, and we can even mix and match, but with the bow and arrow, one baton becomes the quiver and the arrows within, while the other keeps its original shape and acts as the grip, with Avri extending from either end of it to complete the remainder of the bow, forming the limbs and the string.

A clap of Toldem’s hands and he’s moving on. “Who can tell me how many Bonding Games there are and what each of them are? In order, if you please.”

“There’s six: Game 1 is The Bondings, where the actual bonding happens; Players are only allowed to use their Avri tribikes and armoury sticks in that one. Game 2 is Single Fights, designed to cull the weak Bonds in a Bonded group, or knock the group out entirely if they all lose their one-on-one fights. Game 3 is Arrow Tag, which is basically just the fatal version of laser tag that people have been playing forever, but with bows and arrows instead of guns. Then there’s Game 4: Air Battles, where Players fight on their Avri jets above The Courtyard. Game 5 is The Maze, where, obviously, there’s a maze. There’s different routes to the middle every year so it can’t be learned, and Players have to get to it without being killed. You can’t get out of that one without your entire Bonded group, though, so most Evots and Exots will look for their Bonds first.”

“Well done, Sydney.” Our instructor dips his chin at the short-haired girl who answered. “And Game 6?”

“That’s Final Battles. The remaining Bonded groups fight each other with anything and everything. It’s a free-for-all. The Game lasts for thirty minutes, and whoever survives that long wins. But of course, there’s only one group named the true winner of the Games, and an Unbonded can neither be named the winner nor escape TBG, even if they managed to survive on their own.”

“Excellent.” Toldem glances at the clock again, seeing the end of the lesson is nearing. “We’re almost done, so let’s focus on Game 1 briefly again. Who can tell me what the rules are?”

“There’s not many,” Vivian points out, twirling a dark strand of hair absently around her finger. “Evots just have to try and bond Exots.” She shrugs. “And the only vehicles we can use are our Avri tribikes.”

“So how do you know how to play the Game? What must you always keep in mind to motivate you?”

The damning words spoken in unison turn the blood in my veins to ice:

“Bond or die.”

2

ALBY

I really hope I don’t wet myself in front of all these people. That would just make my week.

Luckily, that hasn’t happened before on either of the previous two times I’ve sat in this hall on Name Generation Day, but never say never.

Packed with hundreds of students from Evot Training School 246, the gargantuan assembly hall feels unbearably stuffy despite the advanced air conditioning. The level of noise is aiming to pop my eardrums, and I’ve been elbowed enough times, and hard enough, to be sporting a bruise if it weren’t for my Avri suit protecting me. At least it smells nice in here, though; fortunately, the sinthe of our training gear works to absorb sweat and prevent bad odor.

Sitting in the top row of seats, I can hardly keep the tremble in my limbs at bay as I wait for the large screen at the front of the room to turn on, eyes flicking nervously between it and the six Neutral guards split evenly on either side of the stage down below.

It’s not often that the guards for TBG are seen—they’re only an obvious presence on Name Generation Day—but the threat of them is very real. They work to keep everyone in line and prevent anyone from leaving, and after a well-known incident that happened in a different Evot school several years ago where a student who was generated tried to run, their job has been made exceptionally easy. Because no one has dared to attempt an escape since.

The boy was only sixteen, and they executed him on the spot.

I tug at my high neckline as if that’ll help regulate my erratic breathing as I watch a member of The Council walk across the low stage, stopping to speak with our headmistress. After their hushed conversation, Headmistress Soya walks to the centre of the stage, her sleek ebony bob swaying with her steps.

“Can I have your attention, please?!”

Her words boom through the room, carried by her voice amplifier, and the effect is immediate: a few gasps sound out before it’s quite literally quiet enough to hear a leaf drop.

Her slanted eyes scan over the seats. “Thank you, students. The school generating is about to begin, so, as always, I’d like to say a few words. We all understand the importance of The Bonding Games, but I realise it may be hard to see the positive impact the event has on our region when you’re in the thick of it, so let me give you a reminder of our history: