Contents
20. The Ludus of the Green Devil
Overview
Kinch, Galva, and Birch are bought by sandmaster Verna Zan Zan and brought to the Ludus of the Green Devil. After a quake interrupts Verna’s ruthless orientation, training reveals Birch’s unwillingness to fight and Kinch’s speed. Verna capitalizes: she keeps Kinch for his value to Galva, later replaces Birch with a vicious giant and sells off other recruits.
Summary
Kinch, Galva, Birch, and other slaves are marched into the Ludus of the Green Devil, a fortresslike gladiator school dominated by a black-sand courtyard. Verna Zan Zan, the sandmaster who purchased them at auction, delivers a blunt speech about profit, survival, and exploitation. Kinch, translating for Galva, is repeatedly struck by a quarter-giant handler for perceived missteps.
A sudden earthquake halts the speech; residents adopt the Posture of Receiving, then resume as Verna continues unfazed. She makes clear that freedom is unlikely, affection will be weaponized, and only fighting success matters. Kinch realizes Verna bought him chiefly to serve Galva and to leverage his speed and wits.
Training begins with a game: Kinch, a Holter sailor, and an Oustrim woman are given poles to test a hesitant Birch, armed with a padded club. Pressured to engage, Kinch pokes Birch but is launched and humiliated by a massive blow. When Birch stops to check on Kinch, Verna explodes, and the handler and armed blacksanders spear-prick Birch back to the sand, revealing the handler’s cruelty and Birch’s gentleness.
Birch is forced through more rounds, bleeding and shaking, confirming he is unsuited to killing. Verna notes Kinch’s quickness and that he is holding back, calculating that he will reveal his full ability under real threat.
In the aftermath, Verna buys a brutal true giant named Kaenik, sells Birch to a stone quarry, sends the Oustrim woman to a salt mine, and the Holter sailor dies in their first public games at the Winter Folly. Verna keeps Kinch because he can communicate with her prized fighter Galva and because she sees his potential value in the arena.
Who Appears
- KinchNarrator; enslaved and brought to the Ludus, translates for Galva, reveals speed while holding back.
- Verna Zan ZanSandmaster of the Ludus; ruthless, shrewd buyer of fighters, spots talent, later replaces Birch with a killer giant.
- GalvaEsteemed fighter purchased as a star prospect; relies on Kinch’s translation; unfazed by threats.
- BirchGentle young giant; injures Kinch in training then tries to help; punished and later sold to a quarry.
- Smacky (quarter-giant handler)Brutal overseer who beats and spear-pricks Birch; enforces Verna’s orders with relish.
- Holter sailorFellow recruit in training; later dies in their first arena games at the Winter Folly.
- Oustrim womanTraining partner who prods Birch during drills; later sold to a salt mine.
- KaenikMean true giant Verna buys to replace Birch; signals a harsher combat future.