[ WP ] Write about a character that is legitimately skilled and does n't rely on plot armour to keep them alive .

The sound of water dropping into small puddles ticked through the silence. 
 Who would've thought the rebels plotting a coup would hide in a cavern? 
 Arthur did, and a short investigation confirmed his assumptions. 
 A woman dressed in typical high-nobility attire laughed quietly, suppressing her laughter with the back of her hand. 
 She was accompanied by a dozen brutes wielding various kinds of weaponry. 
 A smirk slipped onto her face, “ Although I applaud you for coming this far, you ’ ll go no further. ” 
 She looked the intruder up and down. 
 The man that had so boorishly lumbered into her hideout looked like your typical down-on-his-luck mercenary. 
 A ragged tunic, faded pants, old leather boots and a sword not tied to a proper sword belt but to a rope. 
 She eyed him with mixed feeling of disgust and annoyance, “ Take care of him. ” she waved dismissively. 
 The brutes that had been awaiting her command sprung into action. 
 The first man to reach Arthur swung down his mace in frightening overhead swing. 
 In the blink of an eye Arthur unsheathed his sword and parried the mace. 
 Rather than blocking it outright he held his weapon at an angle and the mace slid down the length of the blade. 
 The man stumbled and Arthur opened the man's neck, his body drooped to the floor. 
 Four other attackers came charging, faces red with anger. 
 They raised their weapons: spear, sword, axe and cudgel. 
 Each of them proficient in a different kind of weapon. 
 Having a wealth of experience to draw from, Arthur instantly decided on the best course of action. 
 One man yelped in surprise as their enemy stepped in between them. 
 He plunged his spear at Arthur, it made its way towards him like a snake closing in on its prey. 
 Arthur stepped aside at the last second and kicked the shaft of the spear, deflecting it. 
 The spearhead disappeared in the gut of the man that had been closing in from behind. 
 The spear-wielding man went pale, “ Fredrick! ” 
 Fredrick could only gurgle in reply, blood bubbled at his lips. 
 Arthur gripped the wooden shaft and pulled it. 
 The man on the other end of it was tugged forward, stumbling in an attempt to recover his balance. 
 Arthur stabbed him in the stomach once he had stumbled close enough. 
 A large iron axe closed in on Arthur ’ s side. 
 He jumped backwards and landed in the fold of the brute ’ s arm. 
 Arthur freed his sword from the bowels of the first man and hammered the hilt down on the axe man's wrist. 
 The man dropped his axe and cried out as arrows started zipping by. 
 Arthur swung the man around towards their origin, using him as a human shield. 
 Moments later, a dozen arrows had collected on the surface of his body. 
 He pushed his man-made shield towards the archers, whom fired additional arrows at it - hoping to hit the target behind it. 
 The human shield made it several steps before slumping towards the ground but it was enough, Arthur had already closed the distance. 
 Some of the archers had the presence of mind to reach for a dagger or attempt to stab him with an arrow, they were far too slow. 
 Others simply stopped moving, their faces showing the same fear before and after it had been separated from their shoulders. 
 Witnessing the spectacle, gazing upon a man who smiled amidst blood and gore, two of the remaining brutes turned to flee. 
 Arthur picked up the bow of a fallen archer and neatly placed an arrow between their shoulder blades. 
 The woman failed to comprehend to scene in front of her, staring with her mouth agape. 
 Plans and proper ethics had all made room in her mind to accommodate the overwhelming sense of dread. 
 She lifted the skirt of her dress and hastily turned in the direction of a nearby escape route. 
 An arrow found a way into her side and she crashed into the rocky cavern floor. 
 Finally able to catch his breath, Arthur breathed hard. 
 Surrounded by whimpering moans of the dead and dying. 
 Out of the corner of his eye Arthur spotted his final enemy. 
 The man sat on the ground, holding the head of his dying friend, thoughts of combat long forgotten. 
 Arthur kicked away his sword, stepped up behind him and slit his throat. 
 The woman cried out, “ He had already surrendered! ” 
 Arthur shrugged, “ Seems like an unnecessary risk. ” 
 `` You mongrel,'' she cried, `` you filth!'' 
 She buckled at her knees, “ It ’ s too late, ” she replied with a smirk, “ The plans are already in motion. ” 
 Blood from her arrow wound started seeping into the fabric of her dress. 
 “ You can not stop all of us. ” she added with a cough, “ The fellowship will prevail. ” 
 He spoke without turning, “ Secret fellowship. ” Arthur replied with a chuckle. 
 Arthur plunged down his sword into the gut of the limp form in front of him, “ You mean your sleazy gathering of exiled nobles? ” 
 Groans echoed throughout the cavern, the fallen archers were desperately clawing their way towards the escape route. 
 Arthur took on a mild jog and met with the men with arrows protruding from their backs. 
 He flipped them over, stabbed them in the chest and twisted the blade. 
 Arthur sighed in satisfaction. 
 He walked over to the last idle body and kicked it in the stomach, the body screamed and started wheezing. 
 Arthur smiled to himself, glad that he had made a habit of checking. 
 He lowered his sword and slit the man ’ s throat before returning his attention to the woman. 
 Arthur pointed at her using the tip of his bloodied sword, “ You ’ re the last one, ” he said, “ the last noble, that is. ” 
 Her eyes went wide, “ Impossible, ” she cried, “ word would ’ ve reached me by now. I would ’ ve known! ” 
 Arthur closed the distance and stood over her, “ Words won ’ t get out if there ’ s nobody left to speak them. ” 
 He drove his sword deep into her chest. 
 After some choking breaths, the life faded from her eyes. 
 Arthur stabbed her an additional five times before sheathing his sword. 
 
 
 
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 Feedback is always appreciated. 
 So do n't hestiate to let me know if you find any mistakes or have some pointers. 
 Edit: 2:39PM - Thank you /u/stayshiny 

