Some creatures scuttled overhead on many legs, as if they were messengers on urgent business, while others loitered, perhaps performing a similar cleaning function to the servant in Slither’s quarters.
But one thing puzzled me. I saw Kobalos and I saw chained human female slaves, but why did I not see any Kobalos females? Were they not allowed out in public? The faces of the Kobalos were all hairy and bestial, with elongated jaws and sharp teeth. Could it be that Kobalos females were similar to the males in appearance and I simply couldn’t tell the difference?
We twisted and turned through this labyrinth until we arrived at a wide flight of gleaming white steps. Four levels up, we finally reached a huge gate large enough to admit a creature ten times my size.
‘Here we are, little Nessa. This is where we will all die or triumph!’ Slither said, pulling me through.
I found myself standing on a triangular platform surrounded by tiers of empty seats rising on either side to encircle us completely.
‘The whole arena is formed from skoya. The whoskor spat it into a mound so that it could be manipulated and shaped by their many nine-fingered hands.’
‘It’s so white!’ I exclaimed. It dazzled my eyes.
‘Skoya can be many colours,’ Slither explained, ‘but there is a reason why it is white, little Nessa. It makes it easier to see the bright red of freshly spilled blood, a colour that is very exciting to my people.’
This place was truly despicable. I did not reply, but my eyes moved around, darting in all directions as I wondered about the layout of the arena. I saw that there was a white post positioned at each corner of the triangular arena.
‘What are those for?’ I asked.
‘They are the three posts to which you and your two sisters will be tethered. The number varies, and the arena is shaped anew in preparation for each trial. But it is always white, to display the blood of the defeated to its best effect. You will be bound there, and the Haggenbrood will try to drink your blood then eat you. I will do my best to save you all.’
My stomach churned at the impossibility of the task. What was this Haggenbrood? I was certain my sisters and I would all die here.
‘Do you see that?’ Slither asked, pointing to the circular grille in the floor at the centre of the triangular arena.
I was filled with a terrible foreboding and I began to tremble. I did not even want to look at the grille, let alone move closer to it. But I had no choice.
He started to walk towards it, tugging me after him. All at once I smelled something foul, and was afraid to move closer. When I came to a halt, the chain jerked my neck painfully. Rather than tug me forward again, Slither walked back to see what my problem was.
‘What ails you, little Nessa?’
‘That awful stench! What is it? Is it from something down there?’ I pointed with a trembling finger towards the grille.
Slither tilted his head and sniffed the air. ‘Yes. What you smell is the scent of the Haggenbrood. That it where it will emerge. Come closer and take a look,’ he said, walking towards the centre of the arena.
Once again the chain became taut as I resisted. But this time Slither gave a hard tug and I reluctantly stumbled along after him until we approached the edge of the pit.
‘Look down through the grille, little Nessa, and tell me what you see.’
The grille was wide-meshed and white, but the inside of the pit was a dark brown. It was coated with something extremely unpleasant. Up close, the stink was unbearable, and I tried to pull away.
‘The Haggenbrood excretes that brown slime from its three bodies as part of its digestive process. It is that which causes the stench. Don’t be afraid. Move closer so you can see properly.’
Cautiously I moved to edge of the pit and looked down into the darkness. I felt very nervous and vulnerable, and my legs trembled. Why did Slither want me to stand so close? The grille looked too flimsy to bear my weight. His hand touched my shoulder, and for one terrifying moment I thought he was about to push me in.
‘There’s something moving down there!’ I cried, shaking with fear. Down below, in spite of the darkness, I could see three pairs of glowing red eyes watching me!
The next moment, something leaped upwards, and the long, scaly fingers of a huge hand grasped the grille. The creature roared up at us through the bars, clearly desperate to sink its teeth into my flesh. I had a glimpse of its snarling mouth, angry red eyes and pointed ears.
This was what we faced. My knees began to tremble more violently and my heart pounded with fear. What chance did Slither have against three such fearsome beasts? We were as good as dead.
But my captor showed no fear, and with a frown moved on to the grille directly above the snarling face of the creature. ‘Learn your place! I walk the earth and you belong in the filth!’ he shouted into its teeth, stamping down hard on its fingers with his boots. With an angry growl, the Haggenbrood released its hold and fell back into the pit.
‘Never show fear to such creatures, little Nessa,’ he advised me. ‘Always be bold! It pays to show them exactly whom they will be dealing with in the arena.’
‘It’s so fast and fierce.’ I shook my head in dismay. ‘What hope do you have against three of them? You will be alone. Surely you should have some help?’
‘Oh, Nessa, you must try to listen more carefully to what I say. It is even worse than that. As I explained, the Haggenbrood is one creature. One mind controls the three bodies, three selves, and can coordinate their attack as easily as I can control each of my fingers simultaneously.’
In order to demonstrate, he lowered his hairy hand and drummed a quick rhythm on the side of my head with three of his fingers. It hurt and I gave a cry of pain. Next he quickly flexed those same fingers, making his knucklebones crack repeatedly. I shivered.
‘You will be immobile, tied to the posts, and I will only be able to be in one place at a time. Although I will try, it may prove impossible to defend all three of you. I will be alone, of course, because those are the rules. Only my purrai and I are allowed in the arena to face the Haggenbrood.’
‘Then don’t worry about me,’ I told him. ‘Defend my sisters.’
I had spoken without thinking, but I would not recant. Although I was desperately afraid of the Haggenbrood, I couldn’t bear the thought of what they might do to Bryony and Susan.
‘That is very noble of you, little one, but that depends on how the Haggenbrood deploys its selves.’