"Not over our dead bodies!" the leader barked, drawing a rusted sword and attacking him head-on. Maurice defended against the clumsy swing easily, the clang of metal echoing in the narrow alley, before ducking low and driving the blade straight into the man's thigh.
The thug cried out in sharp pain, clutching his bleeding leg as he collapsed onto the damp ground.
Seeing their leader fall, the remaining three men instantly grew alert and rushed Maurice all at once. From the mouth of the alley, Louis cheered loudly for his companion, throwing his fists into the air. "Show them what you've got, Maurice!"
It didn't take long for Maurice to take the remaining men down, finishing the fight in under a minute. The four thugs struggled to their feet with difficulty and ran away, crying out in pain and cursing into the night.
Louis ran over to Maurice and patted his back enthusiastically. "You really are the perfect knight for our Duke," he said with a proud smile.
