A/N: How's it going everybody!

After a long wait, it's time to D-D-D-D-DUEL! (Sorry. Couldn't resist).

2019

"Good grief." Clark began. "To put all that on the line for a duel. I can't even imagine where to begin…"

"Were the stakes really that high to go through for such a thing?" Duke questioned. "I can't imagine."

"With everything on the line…" Phaedra started. "I am guessing it is all up to desperation at this point."

Coco sighed, before she said "Ugh. I have my doubts about anyone coming out of this cleanly."

"You and me both Co," Bartie nodded.

"It was said that the duel would change everything in the lives of those who lived in Ancient Fodlan," Ms. Gregory began. "But when the duel eventually happened, and concluded, it was the entire continent that would change. Not just its people."

Verdant Rain Moon, 1186
Garreg Mach Monastery Outskirts

As Niya exited the Monastery, Seteth alongside her, the roar of the crowd, mostly consisting of soldiers, grew louder and louder. As she walked closer, she saw in plain view, the Emperor herself, Edelgard von Hresvelg in plain sight, as she waited patiently for her arrival. Beside her were both Hunter von Vestra, half-brother to Hubert von Vestra, and son to the late Marquis Vestra, and Jeritza von Hrym, half-brother to Mercedez von Maritz. The trio all stood patiently, awaiting her arrival, as the Imperial Army stood half a mile away from them.

While the Imperial Army, stood half a mile away, The Student Army was noticeably closer, at one-fourth of a mile away from the designated arena, which was a small rock pile which was a remnant of the Imperial Army's attack on the Monastery 6 years prior. Both armies were kept that far away to avoid any interference. The only ones, other than the combatants, allowed on the arena were those appointed by the combatants themselves, a maximum of three marshals, no healers allowed.

For Edelgard, she had Hunter, Jeritza, and the captain of her army, a heavily-scarred, buzzcut individual named Trahsar. For Niya, she had Seteth, Yuri, and Ingrid. The former professor would have gotten Seiros Knights leader Everon, but she wanted him to deal with other things.

As soon as Niya entered the arena, Edelgard finally moved forwards to meet her opponent. As traditioned in the what was thought to be, lost texts, the two bowed, before they paced themselves back, unsheathing their weapons. Edelgard of course, had her personal weapon, Aymr, as well as the Kadmos Shield, a special shield designed for Edelgard's use. Niya, of course, had her personal weapon, the ancient Sublime Creator Sword, the same one that Nemesis himself had wielded a thousand yeards before, as well as the Seiros Shield. Normally, Niya would never risk bringing the shield anywhere, but with everything on the line, she knew that she needed all the protection she could get.

"There is still time to surrender Edelgard." Niya spoke, the two eyed each other.

"I agree, which is why I'll let you go first." Edelgard spoke back. "You really have to wonder how many more need to die just to see the end of it all."

"I believe that question should be for you." Niya replied back. "I'm through with death, and will prevent all I can."

"So, I guess that means one then."

"Battle Begin!" Seteth announced.

The duel began with the two girls circling around each other, each waiting for the other to make the first move. The tension was thick, and not a single syllable escaped from their mouth, save their breathing. Everyone else was quiet, as they observed the duel.

Finally, Edelgard struck first, swinging Aymr, but Niya blocked it quickly with her shield. Niya then retaliated with a sword strike, but the mighty shield that Edelgard carried with her blocked it easily. A few more strikes were exchanged between the two, but neither of them has gotten a single cut yet. What surprised Niya was that despite the massive difference in size of both Aymr and the Sublime Creator Sword, Edelgard wielded it as though it weighed like a dagger.

Granted, Niya shouldn't be surprised, considering Edelgard's efficiency with the axe weapon, to the point that she was the only one who outranked the Golden Deer's Hilda as the top axe-user of the Monastery. Still, an axe is considered a heavy weapon to wield, and hard to use for someone with no experience prior.

After another exchange, Edelgard quickly ducked behind her shield, and used it like a battering ram. Though Niya tired to block it with her own shield, the Kadmos Shield's massive weight proved too much, and the resulting attack knocked the former professor off-balance, and to the ground. It wasn't illegal, since the Emperor was using something that she had officially brought with her at the start of the duel.

While on the ground, Niya tried to slip, and kick the shield away, but again, the shield's massive weight prevented it from slipping off of Edelgard's grip. Seeing as it was useless to do so, Niya quickly got her sword, and gave a quick slash to Edelgard's left calf, causing her to lose balance, and gasp in pain. Niya had drawn first blood.

Using this to her advantage, Niya quickly got up, and struck her former student's back with the shield. The attack knocks Edelgard to her knees, but she thinks fast enough to swing her axe as she fell, to which Niya barely dodged, causing a slash to her right arm, causing her to momentarily drop the Sublime Creator Sword.

Meanwhile

As everything was happening, the former students began to worry about the both of them. Surprisingly, despite the fact that Edelgard was now their enemy since her betrayal, they still couldn't help but feel some concern for her, likely due to her being their fellow classmates once upon a time.

"I don't think that neither of them will surrender now." Bernadetta began, as she tried to hide herself behind Dorothea.

'Edie… why? Is it really worth all this?' Dorothea thought to herself, wincing as an axe swing came close to slashing open the former professor's stomach.

"Whatever's going on," Constance spoke gloomily. "I doubt that neither of them will not be able to come out of this without any grave injuries…"

The Arena

Back to the battle, the two girls still fought head on, neither of them showing any signs of giving up, still trading blows with one another.

After a while, a clash between Aymr, and the Sublime Creator Sword radiated enough energy to push them both back to opposite ends of the arena. The both of them rush, but while Niya aims high, Edelgard aims low enough, causing Niya to trip, but she manages to roll forward, and back up to her feet. This didn't help much, as Edelgard once again used her shield to knock Niya to the ground, before stomping on the shield's curved interior, bending Niya's hand violently, causing her to shriek in pain, to which Ingrid visibly flinches to.

With her foot still on the shield, Niya tries to strike at the leg, but Edelgard blocks it, lifting her leg up, allowing Niya to roll out, as she parried swing after swing. Another swing comes her way, but Niya manages to kick at Edelgard's knee, stopping the swing, before another leg trips her over.

While the Emperor was down, Niya quickly gets back up, ignoring the pain in her arm, before rushing over, and delivering a hit to Edelgard's hip, courtesy of the pommel of her sword, causing her to shriek in pain, before delivering another one to the back of her head. Technically, Niya was still using her sword, so it wasn't by any way illegal.

Edelgard quickly gets back up, before saying out. "I call for a respite."

"Five minutes?"

"Three. No more, no less…"

"Very well." Niya nodded, before she backed away to her side, ever keeping a watchful eye on the former student. Likewise, Edelgard did the same to the former professor.

To be continued…

A/N: And we're clear!

I am not used to writing chapters where the main focus is a 1-on-1. Heck, I can't even write them well even if it's the small part of the chapter, as evidenced with previous chapters.

I apologize for the lateness, but this is just a hard chapter to put together, which is why I'm gonna need more than one part for this.

Also, the number of times that I went back to the previous chapters, because one section had to be revised because I actually broke one of the rules, therefore, a rewrite was necessary.

Next chapter, the part two of the duel. The end will surprise you (Probably).

Until the next chapter, BYE!