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Young genius Lucius Dalworthy climbed from his Subterranean Tunneller, straightened his top hat, and strode into the underground chamber. ‘Surrender!’ he cried. ‘There is no escape for you now!’

Standing amid the steam and dust, Cressida Mandeville – his equally young and equally brilliant arch-enemy – raised an eyebrow. ‘That’s odd. I was just about to say the same thing to you.’

‘You are lying; you were coming here to stash what you stole from the son of the Arch Duke of Albania. Cressida, you are heartless and immoral. How can you steal from a boy who is so disabled that he can’t even walk, and kill the protectors who care for him? I knew you were evil but not this heartless. You’re not getting away with this, Cressida. I will not let you leave this hideout.’

‘Oh, very cool, Lucius, pretending that I did this sick crime. We both know how all these jewels got down here and who the evil criminal was who killed that helpless boy’s protectors. I’ll kill you rather than let you go back up there and persecute that poor defenceless boy.’

In the semi-darkness Lucius saw the glint of a familiar blade – Cressida Mandeville’s – and just in time pulled out his own to block her. The clash of steel on steel rang out in the thick silence and the glints of the swords were the only guiding light. As Lucius swung he felt an immense pain in his sword arm as the ferocity of the block jarred his shoulder. He regained his balance and stance; with his sword out in front of him he blocked Cressida’s vicious stabs. He nicked her blade out of the way and to counter her stab slashed at her legs. He felt the drag of the blade across her flesh and saw the red tear in her thigh. She stumbled back in pain or surprise, but as he moved forward, Cressida launched herself at him and with unimaginable strength forced him backwards. Lucius, his shoulder throbbing, watched the cold sweat dripping off his nose and, bizarrely, heard a door bang. Clearing his head he pushed down on her, trying to press on the wound. He saw her leg trembling and shoved her backward into a pile of rubies.

As she fell, pushing the rubies backwards, a door creaked then swung open. A shadowy silhouette was outlined in the dark doorway, and disappeared. Lucius had Cressida in his power, but suddenly, on instinct, leapt for the door. He saw a huge cavern. He heard Cressida scrambling up. Suddenly he felt an overpowering weight pushing him back and as he fought with the heavy door he felt the help of a second pair of hands pushing alongside him. He and Cressida forced their way into the room. A figure was leaping nimbly from pile to pile of priceless jewels. It entered another dark doorway and they followed it into a small cramped chamber. The door banged and they were plunged into darkness. Lucius pulled his flare from his pocket as he heard the familiar sound of a blade withdrawing from a sheath. As the blinding flash threw the room into light they saw the figure turn and reveal bloodshot eyes, a twisted smile and the cruel curved dagger. From the young prince’s face came a wicked laugh.

By Patrick Gianni, Year 7 (Male)