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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/38758
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I'm working on a trilogy of YA novels that revolve around a group of teenagers (aged 15, though in the made-up world, 16 is adulthood) who set off to rescue someone who has been kidnapped.

When they find him, there are guards protecting him and a battle of sorts ensues. It's not a large scale fight - 3 on 5 - and I don't want to bluntly write that "Justin killed him" or "Eddie stabbed him". This kind of language is too out-of-character for my characters and too jarring for the rest of the narrative. I'm struggling to write an effective and believable battle scene that allows my protagonist characters to emerge victorious - at the expense of the three guards - without it being too violent for the targeted audience.

Any suggestions?

EDIT: I'm new here! In accordance with the site policy, let me clarify I'm not asking about how to specifically write this scene but asking about thoughts on how people navigate the subject of violence in young adult literature. For me, this means as young as 13 years old which makes the conversation slightly more relevant.

Some context to my writing - medieval period, nothing more than dull swords and hand knives. At best a bow and arrow.

Original score: 5