Okay, wow... Firstly, Happy belated New year. Secondly, 2020 can die in a goddamn fire! And thirdly, sorry that this took so long. But I wanted to do something different for this chapter, which is why it took so long to write.

Alongside the usual bulletin-board shenanigans, I realized that the Black Knight battle is one of the crowning moments in PoR and I really can't leave it out for this particular fic, so I've thought, 'you know what? I'm gonna add my own take on that fight as well'.

So for this chapter, you all are getting my first, actual attempt at writing a fight scene. So enjoy the chapter Readers.

Remember everyone. If you see the Black Knight, do not engage in combat with him! General Ike will be the one who fights him (Please be safe…). I don't want anyone pulling a Kieran on this army.

-Titania

Astrid- Please stop staring at Gatrie and drooling. He's undergoing punishment, not being eye candy for you.

Bastian- Lucia was justified in kicking you in the groan for hitting on her with only your undergarments on.

Boyd- What part of 'Normal weapons won't work against the Black Knight's armour' escaped you? Giving Ike a Hammer won't work because 1. The aforementioned reason earlier. And 2. Ike doesn't know how to use axes.

Brom- Well now we all know what happens when you try to swing a prison cell door in tight corridors. It gets stuck and once you pull it out the door knocks out several of our men. So, for what had better be the last time, USE A NORMAL WEAPON!

Calill- Thank you so much for dealing with damage control yesterday.

Elincia- I know that you're happy that Amiti is essentially a more durable Brave Sword, but please save some enemies for the rest of us…

Devdan- Apology accepted. But the next time you get influenced by Gatrie, I won't let you off so easily.

Gatrie- Request denied. You're staying tied up and without any clothes on until you think about what you've done yesterday.

Geoffrey- Elincia was justified in thrashing you for what you did yesterday.

Griel's Ghost- If you can hear me… Please watch over your son.

Harr- While I appreciate that you've decided to go into battle on foot, the appreciation's taken back once I saw you sleepwalking.

Ike- I won't stop you but remember what I've said about retreating if it gets too much for you to handle.

Ilyana- You can't say I didn't warn you about trying to eat fire… because it's fire! …no, the burning part does NOT mean it's spicy… look, fire isn't food.

Janaff- Let me put it this way, the only other thing that could maybe, possibly stand a very low chance against the Black Knight is a Dragon Laguz and sadly we don't have one of those in this army.

Jill- You cannot pummel your father just for being overprotective and for beating up your platoon for staring at you in nothing but your undergarments yesterday… Letting Mist do it for you is also out.

Largo- Kieran was someone who decided to idiotically attack the Black Knight. Only for him to just raise his arm and have Kieran run into his fist and instantly get decapitated. He was a prime example of why I hate my job.

Lethe- Ike is carrying the only means of damaging the Black Knights armour. Even if you went with him, I'm afraid that you'll only get in the- don't give me that look! …fine, you can watch from an extremely safe distance

Lucia- You cannot stab Bastian in the face. We still need him as a diplomat. Other non-lethal areas are free game as long as he doesn't bleed out.

Makalov- So what have we learned about what happens when you throw bottles of wine into fires instead of water? Alcohol is extremely flammable and makes fires worse…" Good. Be sure to keep that in mind for the next time there's a fire.

Marcia- For the last time, we are not using either Oscar or Makalov as battering rams! Especially if you use them airborne!

Mia- The Black Knight will turn you into a smear on the wall. Don't! Follow! Ike!

Mist- I understand you're worried about Ike, but this is something he must do for himself…

Mordicai- Go Chewbacca on their asses and help clear a path for us.

Muarim- You're still getting paid, don't worry. But you're being held responsible for Tormod's actions and guarding him until I say otherwise.

Nephenee- Why are you carrying a pitchfork...? …In case of Soren-related emergencies? You know what? I'll allow it

Oscar- You have only yourself to blame when you decided to jump through the window instead of taking the front door. You learn to know how much glass hurts when you break a window with your body. Go see Rhys.

Ranulf- No, you cannot use Mordicai, Muarim, and Lethe to perform a 'Square Attack-' Damnit! I am not repeating this lecture again!

Reyson- While joining Ike so you can use your Galdars to aid him in the duel is a decent plan. Unfortunately, it'll cause the Black Knight to go after you first.

Rhys- Short version. Soren got his hands on a bunch of Meteor Tomes and set the field ablaze with them.

Rolf- You're staying in the medical tent until your burns are healed. Burns, you brought upon yourself.

Shiharam- You've earned that nap for dealing with the fires yesterday.

Shinon- Request denied. You're going to stay feeling bad about getting tricked by Soren until I say otherwise… No, I'm not doing this because of your earlier shenanigans, as much as I want to say otherwise, getting tricked by Soren is worse.

Soren- Not so smug now, are you? You're hereby banned from using any sort of tome and on healing duty until I say so. Be thankful that we all still need your tactical prowess.

Sothe- You get first crack at every item you find in chests, and 20% of the gold. Open every lock you see.

Stefan- Stand there, and kill everyone you don't know.

Tanith- When you said that you couldn't crack an egg without punching someone, I didn't think you meant it literally. Just… just continue your lessons from Oscar.

Tauroneo- Fine. Whatever. Suplex a path for us…

Tibarn- Please throw away those severed arms immediately! I am NOT having this discussion again! I don't care if you weren't the first offender.

Tormod- Congratulations! You're now working for free! This is your punishment for going along with Soren's bullshit.

Ulki- Thank you for finding Soren and beating him within an inch of his life before the fires could get any worse yesterday.

Volke- Stab everyone you don't know that we missed and loot every chest Sothe misses. There are no other orders since you're just going to ignore me anyway.

Zihark- You will not assist Ike in fighting the Black Knight. Even with all of the ludicrous things you and Ilyana pulled off, he'd still turn you into a smear on the wall.

After the battle…

After the enemy commander was slain and the Daien soldiers killed or fled. The Crimean army reached the doors to the throne room. Ike moved towards them, stopping the army behind him when they tried to move. "The one I seek is behind these doors. Don't follow me. I'm going in alone." He ordered as he opened the doors and walked in.

"Ike! Wait! I'm going with-" Soren tried to follow but was stopped by Titania.

"No, Soren, we have to let Ike go alone. The Black Knight is his. Defeating him is a crucial step that Ike must take in order to truly get over the death of his father." Titania explained, but Soren just scoffed.

"Idiocy! I'll hear no more of this naive stupidity! What if something happens to him? What then?" Soren asked as the rest of the group said nothing.

"I think Ike has gained the composure to keep calm and judge whether or not he can match an opponent. If…. if he can't...it means he's reached his full potential, and that's all there is to him. We just have to accept that. But I believe in Ike and I trust him. His life is not his alone any longer and I don't believe he's so irresponsible as to leave his companions behind by choosing to engage in a contest he cannot win. Please, Soren, you must feel the same way, don't you?" Titania said as Soren sighed.

"…I don't like it. Sometimes, bravery and good judgment aren't enough." Soren sighed. "We've seen how much damage we all do in this army thanks to those."

"Perhaps… But this is something he must do. Even if I can't help him." Lethe sighed at her inability to help Ike.

"Besides, He and I haven't forgotten what you and Tormod both did yesterday!" Titania pointed

"You're still mad about that?!" Soren sighed. "Most of it was Tormod's idea! All I did was fan the flames and give him Meteor tomes."

"And that's the problem! You, in your vest tactical intellect and genius, decided to give a pyromaniac METEOR tomes to set Crimean territory ablaze!" Titania countered.

"We still won the battle. What's your point?" Soren quipped

"We were fortunate that he didn't set US on fire during the whole thing!" Titania shouted. "Honestly, it's like you don't even-"

"Umm, Titania? As much as I don't want to interrupt your lecture to Soren. But Mist has just gone into the throne room!" Astrid said pointing at the now closing door as Titania gasped.

"MIST!" Titania went to the door but couldn't open it. "Damnit! She's locked it!"

Volke rushed towards the door and tried to pick it, but it was clear that he was struggling. "The lock is magic-based… Likely caused by the Black Knight… Which means he has to be wounded or killed in order to open it… or somebody powerful, probably on the scale of a Dragon Laguz, has to destroy the door."

"Damnit!" Titania pounded her fist at the door and sighed. "I've told her to stay put… If both of them die, I'll never be able to face Griel or Elena again…" She struggled not to cry, but a hand was placed on her shoulder reviling to be Elincia, who smiled at her.

"I believe in both of them. And so does everyone else here. So please believe in Sir Ike and Mist, Titania." Elincia said as the rest nodded in agreement. "He'll win and defeat Sir Griel's tormentor."

Titania quietly thanked her and started to pray for the siblings' safety. "Commander Griel… Elena… Please watch over your children."

Unbeknownst to the army, however, a cloaked figure was standing behind them and listening… and waiting for the right moment to break the doors down.

"Be strong... Ena…" The figure said quietly to himself as he remained still as heard someone getting struck behind the doors.

Nados Castle throne room: At that same time;

"Turn and face me, Black Knight!" Ike shouted as he entered the room where his Father's killer was.

"Hmph…So you've come, boy." The knight said as he turned around and stared at Ike, noting that he was holding a sheathed sword.

Ike, however, turned his attention at Ena laying on the ground behind the Black Knight. "Ah, that woman. Did you kill her?"

"Despite my promise, the blow was not clean. She breathes still." The Black Knight answered. "Though how long she will is another story…"

"I'll take her then!" Ike said moving towards her but was stopped by Alondite pointed at him.

"You'll have to do so by force." The Knight said. "You brought Alondite's sister blade, Ragnell, did you not?"

"It's right here," Ike answered showing Ragnell. "If using it is the only condition I need to fulfill to defeat you, then I will not hesitate!"

"It appears you've grown smarter…" The Black Knight nodded. "Good. There is no challenge in killing a fool. Shall we begin?"

Suddenly, the sounds of a galloping horse interrupted the two as another entered the room, revealing to be Mist. "Brother!"

"("Damnit… why did she come here?!") Mist? No! Stay back!" Ike shouted.

"I-I'll… I'm fighting with you Ike! I won't allow this monster to kill you!" Mist said clearly scared out of her mind but refused to show weakness to the Black Knight and Ike.

"Gawain's daughter, eh? Good. Now I can pull out the entire family tree by the root…" The Black Knight said amused. "You can try, but you won't do much against-"

"I know that you have the Renewal ability, Black Knight!" Mist interrupted getting her staff ready. "Mages and healers can sense healing auras, and you're really bad at hiding yours! So, I'm levelling the playing field by being here alongside Ike!"

"Fine… But If things get out of hand, run for it Mist! This craven wretch is mine!" Ike shouted.

"Hmph! Do as you will. This time, we begin in earnest!" The Black Knight declared.

"You took the words right out of my mouth!" Ike growled as he moved towards the knight, drawing Ragnell from its sheath as Mist stayed a few inches away from Ike. Ready to heal him if needed.

"What an odd fate. This will be the third time I have defeated you. The first was in the forest of Gallia. The second at Delbray in Crimea." The Black Knight mussed as they stared at each other.

"We've met twice, and I've lost twice. But this time it'll be different!" Ike declared

"Oh? How so?" The Knight asked

"My sword-fighting skills were given to me by my father. If I stay true to them, I cannot lose." Ike answered

"Did you never think that using your father's techniques on the man who killed him would be futile?" The Black Knight countered.

"…You still haven't realized it, huh? Fine, I'll enlighten you." Ike sighed as they circled each other. "Haven't you found it strange that your victory against Father was too simple? Too easy that you can't even find satisfaction in it? Why he refused to pick up Ragnell?"

"… If you put it like that, the fight was too simple." The Black Knight thought aloud. "He still lost to me though, so why should it matter?"

"After Mom died, Father crippled himself by cutting the tendons on his sword hand so that he couldn't properly use a blade ever again. If he didn't, he would never have lost to you. That's why he refused Ragnell! He couldn't use it or any other blade other than a training sword! If you really were his student, then you should have noticed that something was wrong right from the start!" Ike revealed as Mist nodded in confirmation at the story.

"Is…is that so…?" The Black Knight asked. ("Gawain… destroyed his sword hand? Then that means…. I never fought him at all! Just a shadow of him! I fought and killed my teacher… for nothing?!") Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he raised Alondite. "Let us test your stronger arm then. Come, son of Gawain...Show me your strength."

The two charged and clashed the sacred blades against each other as Mist watched. Unlike their previous duels, this time it was for keeps. Nothing was stopping them, and only one was walking out of the fight unscathed… and they both knew it.

Blow after blow, the two seemed to be in equal power, but they couldn't out-damage the other without additional healing. The only difference was that Ike had Mist healing him while the Knight relied on Renewal, his healing aura.

After a few minutes into the duel, however, one combatant was having different thoughts than the other. One who's thoughts were changed after being told what Gawain did to himself.

("I'm a fool… I spent years studying the sword under Gawain, but it seems I haven't learned a thing from him. How could I have not realised it before that Gawain couldn't use a sword anymore?") The Black Knight thought as he blocked a strike from Ike. ("It's so obvious now that I reimagine that fight… I assumed that my 'victory' against Gawain was because I never stopped practicing the sword… But now that I know the truth, I can't even call it a victory. I took away the boy's means of becoming Gawain's equal… and if I kill him here… then I'll never truly surpass my teacher!")

The Black Knight dodged a blast from Ragnell and countered with his own from Alondite. ("There's only one thing I must do… in order to continue his training… I'll have to-") His thoughts were interrupted by Ike clashing Ragnell against Alondite. The two were struggling against each other, trying to push the other off-balance as Mist continued healing Ike. "You'll have to do better than that, boy! Relying on Gawain's techniques won't work against me!"

"Who said anything about using only Father's skills?" Ike countered by using his foot to kick him away and slashed at the Knight, making a crack in the armour.

Looking at the damage done to him, he hid a smirk under his helmet. "Well played… But that won't help you win!" The Black Knight said as he charged towards Ike and crossed blades with him. Then a group of soldiers walked in on the fight.

"Protect the Black Knight! Don't let-" The soldier tried to say but was killed by a blast from Alondite.

"Do not interfere! This man is my prey! I need no assistance, so leave here at once!" The Black Knight ordered.

"Oh! Then...uh... Hey, get that girl! Kill her before-" Another tried to say but was also killed by the knight.

"I WILL NOT REPEAT MYSELF! LEAVE!" The Knight roared. Making it clear that he was in no mood to be crossed a third time.

"Uh... Yes, sir! Understood!" The last soldier quickly said running out of the room, not needing to be told twice as both Ike and Mist both kept quiet.

"Now then…" The Black Knight said turning back to the siblings. "Where were we…?"

Ike wasted no time charging at the Knight once more as said knight blocked the strike. He knew that it'll take too long just to use conventional means to damage the Black Knight, so he now had no choice but to try to use a sword technique that he was practicing in secret with Stefan… It was a gamble as it wasn't fully complete, but he needed a way to end the fight quickly. He then saw the Black Knight focus aura into Alondite. Causing it to glow a deep silver.

Quickly making his decision, he pushed himself away from the Black Knight to dodge his 'Luna' skill, he raised and pointed Ragnell at the Black Knight, the blade glowing a deep gold as aura was focused into it. "It's time we end this!" Ike shouted as he tossed Ragnell into the air and then jumped in a front-flip to catch it. "AETHER! He shouted as he slashed down at the Knight and then proceeded to jump and uppercut the Knight, stunning and damaging him as Ike landed on his feet. Mist gasping in awe at the move her brother performed along with Ike being just as surprised at the fact that Aether worked against the Knight.

"(Perfect….)" The Black Knight thought as he saw his blood seep from the wound he received.

The Black Knight staggered backwards as he dropped Alondite and clutched his bleeding wounds. "You've grown stronger...I... commend you..." He said quietly as he collapsed onto the floor. Laying motionless as Ike breathed heavily and Mist panting from magical exhaustion from healing her brother.

However, at that moment. A Daien solider ran into the room and gasped at the sight of the fallen Black Knight.

"Th-the Black Knight's fallen! How can this be? D-don't... Don't think you're going to walk out of here, though! Now! Activate the traps now!" He shouted as he ran out of the room.

Suddenly, several explosions were heard coming from the other rooms as the Castle started to shake violently.

"W-what's going on? This rumbling…" Ike asked

"Hate to point out the oblivious, but t-the room is sh-shaking!" Mist said as she tried to calm her horse down.

Suddenly, another loud blast was heard as a Daien soldier was thrown into the room, followed by a large white dragon. The sounds causing Ena to wake up and see the dragon. "Nasir…?!"

On cue, the dragon laguz transformed back into his human form. Revealing to be indeed Nasir. "Ena!"

"Nasir?! Why are you here?! And how do you know of that woman?!" Ike asked

"I'll explain later! The others have already escaped, so don't worry about moving the army outside." Nasir said as he ran towards Ena as the castle shook harder and parts of the ceiling fell to the floor

"Speaking of moving, we should as well!" Mist shouted as she got on her horse and went ahead.

"Yeah, Hurry!" Ike ordered as Nasir picked up Ena and followed the two out of the throne room.

Once they escaped, Nados Castle collapsed and any Daien soldier unfortunate enough to be in the castle was caught by the fallen debris and killed instantly. After a few minutes, the castle was now nothing more than a pile of stones.

The Crimean army stared at the castle remains as Ike and Mist both sighed a breath of relief. "...Father...I've finally... defeated him... Father..." He said not believing it himself.

"Yeah…" Mist sighed as well, struggling not to cry. "…Thank heavens you've survived brother…. I don't know what I would have done if the Black Knight killed you…"

"But he didn't… I've avenged Father…" Ike said as Mist hugged him. "Even now, though, I'm nowhere near as good as Father was. There's no way I could ever defeat him at his full strength... This fight… Defeating the Black Knight was my way...I wanted to show him how strong Father truly was."

"I know Ike… I know…." Mist said. "And you'll keep getting stronger too… This is just the beginning of obtaining your true power…"

"Yeah… Father was truly a great man…" Ike said.

"The best…" Mist agreed.

"Sir Ike! Mist!" Elincia said approaching them. "You're both safe! I was so worried…"

"Ike. Mist. Both of you...You did so well..." Titania said struggling not to cry.

The rest gave their congratulations as Soren kept quiet but smiled at the two.

"So, before we go back, I need to ask…" Ike said. "Did anyone here cause additional explosions to the ones Daein did as we escaped the castle?"

After a series of 'no's' were said simultaneously throughout the army, Ike and Mist sighed.

"Okay good. The last thing we need is another Tormod in this chaos we call an army." Ike said

"Did…did I miss something after I left…?" Nasir asked in confusion at Ike's question.

"I'll explain that later…" Titania sighed. "Short version; Tormod is tied up and his mouth is taped shut until this war ends."

"That bad, huh?" Nasir sighed, he knew about the ensuing chaos that happened on a regular basis. All that he asked himself was how that chaos didn't affect Lerhan's Medallion.

"Let's get back to the others...I can't do anything else today." Ike said as he and the rest of the army marched back to the camp.

And for the first time since Griel's passing, Ike had slept peacefully.

Two hours after the army's departure…

Once the sun went down and dusk came to the remains of Nados Castle, a small regiment ordered by Bastian was sent to look for the remains of the fallen Black Knight. But before they could even get there, a pile of debris was shaking within the remains of the castle's throne room.

Suddenly, a hand broke free from the rubble. "Damnit… did they really need to destroy this castle…?" The hands' voice asked as the rest of the body got out of the debris, revealing an alive Black Knight… "Even with the armour's blessing and even when using half my strength… that boy can still damage me… But it was necessary… he must become stronger…." He said as he noticed a small crowd coming from the Crimean camp. "Son of Gawain…. Ike… Continue your training… You must become your Father's equal…" The Black Knight said to himself as he got up, picked up Alondite and sheathed it. He then took out some warp powder. "…We shall meet again… when the time is right… But until then… The Black Knight: Rider of Daien… is no more…"

He then warped away before anyone could find him… never to be seen again… and declared dead by all in Telius.

AN: So. Aside from it being slightly short. What did you all think? And yes, I am going full 'Black Knight holds back' on this because honestly? Him holding back is a lot scarier than a warp powder malfunction that the Japanese version did.

As usual, please read and review and thanks go to Austsakurakyzor for proofreading/editing.