Vampire Rites Trilogy. Darren Shan

      Kurda smiled. “Hopefully, you’ll never get it in either!” Then, clapping my shoulder, he said, “This is a gloomy place, best avoided. Let’s go play some games.” And he swiftly ushered me out of the Hall, eagerly leaving behind its mysterious Guardian, the cages and the stakes.

       CHAPTER SIXTEEN

      THE HALLS of Sport were gigantic caverns, full of shouting, cheering, high-spirited vampires. They were exactly what I needed to perk me up after the disturbing visit to the Halls of Cremation and Death.

      Various contests took place in each of the three Halls. They were mostly games of physical combat – wrestling, boxing, karate, weightlifting and so on – though speed chess was also strongly favoured, since it sharpened one’s reactions and wits.

      Kurda found seats for us near a wrestling circle and we watched as vampires tried to pin their opponents down or toss them out of the ring. You needed a quick eye to keep up with the action – vampires moved far faster than humans. It was like watching a fight on video while keeping the fast-forward button pressed.

      The bouts weren’t just faster than their human equivalents – they were more violent too. Broken bones, bloody faces and bruises were the order of the night. Sometimes, Kurda told me, the damage was even worse – vampires could be killed taking part in these games, or injured so badly that a trip to the Hall of Death was all they had to look forward to.

      “Why don’t they wear protective clothing?” I asked.