I have been following a group on discord called Writers Block. They have a weekly writing competition. I have not been able to finish and submit a story yet. However it has given me the opportunity to develop the mythology and characters of the story I started writing for NaNoWriMo. I hope I will be able to complete NaNoWriMo this year. Below is an expanded story of a scene that figured in that story. I would truly appreciate any comments.

The Abbot looked onto the field from his battlement. The students were getting ready over a “game” of capture the flag. The play area was circular. Teachers and students alike were placing bets. Whisky and beer flowed freely in the crowd. The rules were simple. There were twelve players in each side. The flag had to be visible at all times. Wooden replicas of swords and knives were to be used. Blunt rubber arrow heads were to be used. Similarly magicians could not cast spells that could cause serious harm on their opponent.

“Start in the middle. Collect your flag and pole on the sound of the horn. Flags should be visible at all times. You have time until the second horn to set up the pole and then the game begins. Play hard and play fair.” One team wore green gambesons and the other blue. The umpire climbed up the ladder to a high pedestal. He signalled that the trumpet be blown. The green team started digging the ground. Their magicians started preparing the ground. As soon as the flag was brought they started to call roots from the ground and entangled it around the pole. The mages stood in between the infantry and archers.

The blue team started to secure themselves in the centre of their half. Clarke the mage stood next to the pole and cast a fog spell that surrounded the edge of the circle. The soldiers formed pairs. Each member of the pair stood opposite each other. Every pair stood three hands away and together they formed seven concentric circles.

Perspiration flowed down the brows of the contestants. The hot midday sun made everyone sweat. The second horn sounded. Green arrows flew through the air The mages shot through the air. Clarke raised a shield and the infantry raised their bucklers over their heads. The green team saw a gap and rushed towards it. The magicians fell back. The archers dropped their bows and charged behind the warriors. The first three green players were dispatched as soon as they entered. Then the first person from the blue team fell. No sooner did that happen than the entire team moved three spaces right to fill the gap. This followed each time someone from the blue team fell. The front line of the green team were down. The archers proved to be a different challenge.

The intensity of the battle increased by the minute. The mages of the green time tried penetrating the magic shield but whoever was casting the protective spell was good. In all the fervour they failed to notice a petite figure sneak by the circumference. Burly Bruce fell down even before he felt the tap on his neck. Brighid climbed up the pole and untied the flag. She proceeded to dash across the ground. Before anyone had released anything Brighid disappeared into the circle of her team. Clarke helped her hoist the green flag up. There was silence. Then in unison the remaining blue team erupted in joy and carried Brighid on their shoulders. The green team were in shock. They slumped to their knees. They quietly got up and took their fallen mates to the infirmary. They dreaded what awaited them. Bruce lay in quite slumber and drooled dripped onto the ground. Brighid tightly knotted his shoes and feet together and skipped away happily towards her room.