Welcome To The Arena Dungeon
The Arena Dungeon loomed in the West Wing, its thick vault-like door a forbidding barrier that could only be opened electronically. It was different from the training facility the Super Cats used to complete their daily training. In essence, it was a dungeon, artificially manufactured inside an arena that was even older than the bunker under which it was located.
Behind the thick metal door, a tunnel-like pathway led to a grander opening that revealed the Arena Dungeon. Its walls bent in a circular motion. Above the door, the wall was carved in an oval form, and a thick cylinder of glass planted at its centre. Inside the glass, flames blazed, their orange light bathing the gloomy surroundings. It was evident that a harsh reality existed behind those doors. All of those who had entered had never returned. Except for one, and because of the nature of that creature, everyone dismissed it as a fluke.
There was a maze that claimed many cats, chasms with no bottoms, pitfalls with deadly spear-like stalagmites, dangerous mutated animals that either couldn’t be controlled or were too sensitive to light and too scary to boot, and so were let loose inside the Dungeon. And yes, they were all deadly. To be called a Super Cat meant that you had completed those trials in the dungeon, and completed them, without dying, or made obsolete. Those who survived the trials earned the title Awakened Super Cat. The Arena Dungeon adapted to its challengers in each trial. Some even claimed that it was conscious, and aware similar to Artificial Intelligence, but Amber dismissed the idea as nonsense.
Amber was the first Awakened Super Cat, successfully synchronizing with the gene implants that transformed her body into a golden-furred feline with a sleek, glossy sheen. She stood upright on two legs, had arms and hands that were lightly furred, feminine shoulders and feline features. Her selfish nature was also more prominent, but with charisma and clever tactics, she always managed to get away with it. Her powerful abilities impressed The Mad Scientist, who already had a soft spot for her. Amber was the alpha of the Super Cats, a title she had earned through her strength, abilities, and leadership.
When Amber emerged from the dressing room, her new superhero costume gleamed in the gloomy light of the waiting hall. It was a sleek blue body suit with golden accents, made out of nanofabrics interwoven with nanowires and soft material that would counter impact and health risks associated with the nanofabrics themselves.
The suit was designed specifically for her, with inbuilt sensors programmed to recognize and respond only to her DNA. It could also adapt and adjust according to changes in her body and powers. For instance, if she was injured, the suit would repair her injuries at a high speed rate and help her recover stamina, although only slightly. Each Awakened cat was given a suit specifically made for them, all adjusted according to their powers.
“It looks good on you,” said Catsi clad in a gray coloured costume mixed with black and white, and a half mask that covered down to her eyes. “Much better than this gray and white costume, wouldn’t you agree?”
“I absolutely would, Catsi, look at the furs, they also fit in to the design!” exclaimed another female feline dressed in a pink and blue nanosuit, with a thin layered mask covering the mouth and nose. “But I loooove, my outfit. Looks purrr-fect on me.”
“Thank you, Catsi and AIkat!” Amber said happily. “The suit is comfortable and has many features the scientist who designed it said. And AIkat, you do look good in pink.”
“So you did not read the manual, huh?” Deals quipped, watching Amber with a knowing smile.
“Who has time for that?” Amber quipped back with a smirk. “But look at you! You look stunning. The scientist must have a sweet spot for you.”
“Yes, absolutely!” AIkat quickly approached Deals, studying his costume, fully black, his black fur complementing his suit. He had no mask, but a mane of dark glistening fur covered his shoulders and back, like a half mantle. “It looks like you’re wearing a symbiotic suit.”
“Well, it is not symbiotic,” King said, shaking his big dark furry-cat head. His presence came as a shock, for nobody heard the super cat who was always serious, and direct in any given time. The nanosuit he wore was of brown colour. No face mask. Bulky features, and yellow eyes that made him look like a lion, rather than a cat. “It is nanotech, nano particles applied on silicas and poly. I won’t bore you with the details, but these nanosuits were designed to boost our mutant abilities, and help us heal when injured, recover some of our stamina, shield our body from external attack to an extent, and…”
“Yes, yes, we get it!” Deals interrupted nonchalantly. “You read the manual.”
Everybody in the hall laughed, except King whose look turned to glare focused on Deals.
“Alright, alright” Deals said with a chuckle, clapping King on the shoulder. “Even though, I too did not read the big book-like manual, I am proud to say that our King here, has done us all the favour in reading it. It is important to be prepared, right King?” Deals looked expectantly at King, whose visage calmed a bit.
“That’s right,” he confirmed, his tone as serious as ever. “We need to be prepared for anything.”
The Super Cats nodded in agreement. They all knew what they were preparing for, what this test would mean if they passed, and the horrors that awaited if they failed. It was a gamble with their lives, and in order to succeed, they needed to be ready through preparations. For in the eyes of the denizens of the dungeon, ready or not, anyone brave enough to venture inside it was welcome to the Arena Dungeon.
