“Before the Sun Rises”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

I can’t stop the smirk from spreading across my face as I approach the tower. This is going to be fun.

Six guards, all wielding simple swords and shields. I should be in and out before the sun even rises.

I’ve already got their attention. I hear shouts and the guards scramble into position. They think that they’ll be able to subdue me easily.

They couldn’t be more wrong.

I stride forward, keeping my head up and shoulders back. I’m not afraid to show my confidence.

From the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of moonlight reflecting off my blade. Bright, sparkling, and beautiful.

“Halt!” one of the guards yells. “Come no closer!”

I chuckle. I wonder what it must be like to have such ignorance.

Their swords raise, bristling toward me. I continue walking and raise my own blade.

It’s time for the fun part.

Without pausing, I spin and strike the swords from the front three guard’s hands. They immediately raise their shields and retreat to let the other three take their place. The new guards try attacking, but I’ve already stepped out of reach.

One of the guards–a young man with a hooked nose–releases a yell and charges at me, sword raised. I wait until he’s face-to-face with me before ducking and swinging out with the flat of my blade, knocking the air out of him. He’s thrown back toward his fellow guards, his sword flying through the air and stabbing downward into the earth a good ways away.

Before he has a chance to get back up, I charge the other guards. I unleash a flurry of attacks, jabbing and slashing in a rhythm only I know.

One by one, they fall, clutching at minor wounds and gasping for air. When the last guard is down, I step back to admire my work. I’ve always prided myself in avoiding killing, even though my brother disapproves.

‘In our line of work, you’ll have to kill eventually,’ he always says.

Eventually? Maybe. But not now. Right now, I have a job to finish.

I step over the guards’ trembling bodies and into the tower. Just before closing the door behind me, I glance back at the sky.

I was right. In and out before the sun rises.

Final Comments: I think I need to try expanding my fight scene vocabulary. These scenes are a lot of fun to write, but I think that they all sound similar after a while… Again though, great song!

Overall Rating: 🤨