One against three

Paul stood, looking down at these three disgraceful men, and the noblemen behind them.

He spat at the ground.

He got into his stance, raising his sword gracefully above his head.

"That's not Knights Style." Said a nobleman

"Aye, it's the style you noblemen so shamelessly stole and claimed as your own."

"It can't be! Some lowly towns guardsmen couldn't know the Celestial Harmony Style!"

"Indeed, most don't. It seems I'm not like most."

"It can't be!"

"Silence! Can't you bumbling sacks of gold see he's bluffing? He's holding it all wrong."

"Or am I the only one holding it right?"

One of the bandits, having his patience tested, lunged at Paul, attempting to stab him right through the gut.

Paul stepped to the side, and slashed right through the man's back, making him into two parts.

The men's and the child's mouths stood agape.

"You're not gonna want to see the rest of this kids, run along now back to Gozan."

Akame, being the only one who could stand lifted Soukou and Mizu away, running as fast as she could.

"Who's next now? Don't tell me ya lost your spine after one of yar men died?"

Kleine whispered to his partner: "Don't do anything rash. We fight together, he will better us one-on-one." 

"Noblemen! Use your support magic to grant us strength, beg to whatever God you may, if we die you go down too." 

The noblemen whispered old words, accompanied by the old symbols of Sinhala, a dead faith.

The two bandits approached Paul, readying their blades.

Kleine first twirled around unto his left side, his blade gracefully arriving at Paul's chin.

Paul swiftly moved his blade upwards tiptoeing around with the blade at his back.

"It seems you've met your match with the blade, Bandit King."

"So you knew, eh? I'm no longer king of the bandits however, that title has long departed my grasp."

"Aye it has, so has your power. Lost to a little boy, and now a lowly towns guardsman."

"I haven't lost yet."

He glided, inch to inch, foot to foot, and before Paul knew it, he had escaped his grasp. 

The other bandit, sneakily prepared an attack while Paul was wrapped up with Klenine.

Stabbed him right in both legs, Paul looked down and took his head right off in a clean strike.

"I hope I bought enough time." He whispered to himself.

Alas, Paul was still mortal, and fell to the ground, coughing out blood.

Paul, Blood swelled from his eyes, 

"It seems your friend here got me."

"Yes, he has. Now, I will execute you."

"Oh please, I don't deserve such a fancy death, oh great Bandit King."

"Very well then, I'll give you a quick death, and then sell your corpse and send your head to any family you possess."

Kleine reached for his blade, took it out, sunk it deep into Paul's chest, and prepared to do it again.

A blast of fire, from afar, scorched his face, and sent him flying back. 

TO BE CONTINUED