PROMPT DESCRIPTION:

Fight scene. New to the Olympics. It's a fight scene. Use short snappy sentences to create a fight between two characters. Remember to include what starts it off and what ends it. It can be an argument, a fist fight or a sword fight, whichever you like.

RULES
• Please submit on time, you only have 24 hours to write this scene
• Please make sure scenes are edited, spelling and/or grammatical errors could mean you lose points
• Please make sure your scenes are written like stories and not screenplays or poems etc.

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There was always something about the palace at night that sent chills down Brennan's spine. It was a mixture of the moonlight casting a silver hue in the rooms as it filtered through the arched windows and the stoic armour of the knights lined against the walls of each of the main hallways. Maybe the oil paintings of the monarchs that came before-which stared down at all that passed through-also left that uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

His fingers trailed the gold and obsidian hilt of his longsword, the blade perfectly hidden by the scabbard attached to his belt. Loosening an uneasy breath, he took a step into the light.

A dark chuckle echoed from the shadows. "Come to murder your king, Bren?" he asked with the silky purr of a predator.

Unsheathing his longsword, Brennan pointed the black blade in front of him, his stance wavering. He knew that voice all too well.

A shock of dirty-blond hair entered the light, sharply followed by the piercing eyes of Brennan's cousin, Cordell. His lips pulled into a smirk as he prowled forward, his eyes darting between him and the sword that shook in his hand.

"Dear me! Does that wench of a princess really have you tied under her thumb?" Cordell asked, tutting until he paused at the tip of the blade being offered to him. "I don't think you have this in you."

Brennan stiffened. "The wench that you speak of is the true reigning monarch. Not you!" he growled.

Cordell laughed with his head thrown back. He stumbled back. "Really? You would take the side of a pompous brat who saw our country fall to ruin than your own cousin?" he asked.

Tilting his head-a calculated move-he took in Brennan. The obsidian blade of his sword, the fine clothes, and the spark of hatred that he'd never come across before in all of their years together. It was like looking at another person, not someone he'd known since childhood.

"I thought better of you," he shouted, his voice causing the chandelier crystals to shudder. "Especially after everything we have been through!"

"Things change," Brennan yelled back. "I love her!"

Cordell rose an eyebrow. "So be it," he spat, loosening his own sword from its sheath at his side. "Treason it is!"

Running at Brennan, his sword of silver slashed in midair, crashing against his cousin's. The sound scraped against their ears.

With all his might, Brennan pushed Cordell away. As he fell back, the former rushed to gain some distance between them whilst he plotted his next move.

They circled one another, both waiting for the other one to make their move. Brennan's mind raced. Cordell's heart thundered in his chest.

Eventually, Cordell's battle cry rang out through the hallway. With each pounding step, he slowly raised his sword. But he hit the air as it came down where Brennan once stood. It wasn't until he was down on his knees, a sharp pain singing through the bones in his back, that he realised what had happened.

He glared at Brennan. His sword was positioned to finish Cordell off. Though, silver met obsidian again.

At a closer look, Cordell noticed the darkness crying out from the blade and the shadows that danced around it. "What have you done?"

Brennan's eyes flashed.

In seconds, a fist crashed against Cordell's face, the crack of bones breaking erupting in their ears. He tripped over his own feet as he hid his face, feeling the dislocated nose under his fingertips. Blood dripped down, the tang of metal passing his lips.

Regaining his footing, Cordell pushed his pain aside. He rammed into Brennan. Their screams of pain rang out into the air. Brennan hit the ground with an almighty thud. His sword slipped from his grip, sliding out of reach.

Cordell stood over Brennan. His sword came down, aiming for the heart.

Panic ran through him as he tightly closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable pain to pierce through his chest. It never came.

A great, metallic crack burst where the tip of the sword was supposed to hit. Sharp shards cut against his face, the clatter of metal thundering against his eardrums.

Slowly, he opened his eyes.

The fragmented pieces of Cordell's sword lay scattered on the ground. Looking down, Brennan's dormant power lay at his chest, the dark shadows forging themselves together to create a shield over his heart. His hand wrapped around the smooth silk of the shadows, a sword of pure darkness lying in his hand.

Brennan smiled.

Leaping onto his feet, he threw the sword of shadow at Cordell. It narrowly missed, taking a bite out of his ear as it slipped past.

A roar of pain thundered towards Brennan as he picked up his sword of obsidian. He turned to find Cordell charging towards him, broken sword held aloft. The victory was imminent!

However, Brennan's sword swiped down in time to cut Cordell's hand off.

Falling onto his knees, Cordell wailed. Tears stung his eyes as he glared up at his assailant.

Ready to end his life, Brennan swung his sword down with a shuddering roar. But a hand clamped onto his wrist tightly, stopping him.

He glanced down, his eyes finding Leora's ocean-coloured irises staring back at him. His sword clattered onto the floor as it fell from his hand.

"That's enough!" she ordered. "This is not the way I want to regain my throne."

Brennan bowed his head.

The sound of guards running through the palace halls reached Leora's enhanced hearing before Brennan knew what was happening. Quickly, she kneeled down and took his sword, sheathing it with her own. Her gaze momentarily locked with Cordell's, her lips quivering before she turned away towards Brennan.

"We need to go. Now!" She pushed Brennan out of the hallway in front of her, both racing against time and the guards.

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PLACEMENT: First Place