"BEGIN!"
The moment the sergeant's words ended, both Drake and Odin moved.
CLANG!!!!!
They clashed in the middle of the stage, weapons striking with a sharp, echoing crack.
Drake gripped a plain iron sword — little more than discarded scrap from the armory, maybe Tier 4 at best, its edge nicked and worn.
Odin lunged forward with an equally battered spear, its dull tip still dangerous in the hands of someone who knew how to use it.
CLANG!!
Drake swept the spear aside with a smooth upward motion, then followed through with a diagonal slash aimed at Odin's shoulder.
Odin twisted away just in time, the blade skimming his armor with a harsh scrape of metal.
In the same breath, he whipped his spear into a broad arc that forced Drake to spring back out of reach.
As things were just beginning... it was obvious that neither one faltered, especially with their advancement being on the line.
