The beginning 

The book begins with Og alone in his mountain, doing his daily chores when he hears a sound at his door. To Og, this is an impossible noise, in order to make it to his front door you have to survive a long intensive entry way full of death traps.

When Og opens the door a half-dead creature falls to the floor unconscious. Og didn’t know what the creature was but he was almost certain it was not sent to kill him. He nurses the wounded creature back to life. The next day Lapithes is able to explain to Og the horror that is happening outside of his door.

Og’s cousin Azazel has not only crowned himself as king of the giants but is trying to claim that the world is his, in the name of Lucifer. This is not recent or surprising news to Og, Azazel has been trying to prove himself better than Og since they were children growing up together.

Lapithes takes Og to a nearby camp of Azazel's. Og witnesses gruesome scenes. After a close call with a Cyclopes Og decides it was time to give his cousin a visit. Lapithes was 100% against the idea. He told Og about the ‘games’ Azazel has for fun. This peaks Og’s interest and he decides they will participate in the games despite Lapithes arguing.

There are five stages the ‘warriors’ (victims) have to complete. Keep in mind, the rules state the warriors have to complete the games in the nude with only one weapon.

The first stage usually is usually simple, defeat a lion or other large jungle cat. Stage two consists of one terror bird. These are flightless birds that stand about ten feet tall and will kill anything that moves. Stage three, the Gorgonops, Lapithes describes these creatures as being alligator-like with huge cheetah fast legs. To complete stage four you have to conquer two Titanoboa, these are giant serpents, roughly 2,000lbs and 40ft in length. Lapithes can’t explain to Og the fifth event because no competitor has ever made it past the fourth stage.

“Og, how do you even know there will be a game tomorrow?” asked Lapithes angrily.
“It’s his birthday; trust me there will be a game.”