A cold smile touched Princess Imogen's beautiful face, icy enough to freeze the warmest spring as she took two steps back and began circling Prince Kaelor like a predator sizing up its prey.
“I have never found the ground that interesting,” she said as the gong sounded.
There was static in the air as magic spewed from the fighters, silencing the crowd.
Kaelor smirked, his hazel eyes turning dark as ink when he unsheathed his sword and it became lightning, the current zapping into the sky. His grey-red dragon watching from the peaks roared in response, its amber fire embracing the lightning in the sky.
Imogen's sword answered with silver-blue fire that coated the sharp blade. Her dragon, black as night, roared too, its dorsal crest blazing with silver-blue fire that brightened the sky. The crowd gasped and shuddered in amazement.
In an instant, the fighters' blades met in a clash that shook the ground beneath their feet. The people gasped as spell after spell, blows after blows followed.
Spectral wolves leapt out from Kaelor's shoulders to attack Imogen. She slashed through them with her blade, dissolving them into swarms of glowing ravens that turned and rushed at the Prince. But Kaelor was stronger and the people could see that.
The queen cried quietly at the podium while her lips murmured prayers to the goddess to save her child. Then she rose to her feet with a cry as Kaelor's powerful strike broke Imogen's sword into two, driving the Princess down to one knee. Blood seeped from a corner of her mouth and nose as she gazed up.
There were whispers and murmurs in the royal gallery. The king closed his eyes when Kaelor raised his sword and struck Imogen at her neck. The queen slumped into the arms of her maids, unconscious.
A section of the crowd went silent while the others cheered, hailing Prince Kaelor. He raised his hands in the air acknowledging his triumph.
Then the grounds trembled lightly and the cheers slowly died down. Kaelor's brows furrowed as he looked down. Unbeknown, the runes beneath Imogen skin that only the queen and the high priestess knew about gently glowed through her armour.
The amphitheatre fell into a deathly hush as shadowy forms of past queens emerged through the crimson sand and slipped into Imogen's body. Her fingers jerked and curled around the hilt of her blade to Kaelor's astonishment. She was alive. Disbelief widened his eyes as the princess' broken sword fused together, becoming whole and gleaming with silver-blue fire.
For the first time, fear entered Kaelor's eyes. “What sorcery is this?” he whispered.
Princess Imogen stood upright, her once brown eyes glowing amber as she smiled. “Death is not the end, Kaelor,” she replied, the sound like the voice of past queens speaking as one.
Before Kaelor could make sense of the scene, Imogen raised her blade and with one stroke severed his head from his body. The dragons on the peak roared in unison, their voices like claps of thunder reverberating through IIrywn.
Princess Imogen bowed on one knee as the king and queen descended into the arena to embrace her. The king took off his crown and laid it gently on her head.
A blast of the trumpet announced the beginning of a new reign and monarch.
Queen Imogen of IIrywn and Grywod.
I hope you enjoyed reading this short fantasy. It's inspired by the Freewrite #dailyprompt phrase "death is not the end”.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
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