A/N: How's it going everybody?

Here's Part 2 of the duel, and for some reason, it was much harder to write compared to its predecessor…

Verdant Rain Moon, 1186
Garreg Mach Monastery Outskirts

Though the duel was still ongoing, both Edelgard, and Niya have agreed for a temporary, three-minute respite. Either way, it was still anyone's fight, as both combatants were equally skilled, with no signs of the other willing to give in to defeat.

As Niya headed back to her side, both the pain she has suffered so far, as well as the fatigue was getting to her, as she breathed heavily.

"I'm not sure… how long I… can keep going on honestly." Niya huffed, when she finally made it to them.

"Well giving up would be a horrible idea, I assume right?" Yuri spoke. "It's not like you have a choice."

"I'm well aware of that."

"I've heard word of Edelgard's skill while I was working with the Central Church Force." Seteth began. "Safe to say that today confirms it to be all truth, and not exaggerations."

Edelgard's Side

"This is not going as well as we'd hope." Trahsar spoke in annoyance. "That little brat should've surrendered by now."

"Then you underestimate her skill general." Jeritza said. "She is no slacker in battle. I should know. I've been on the receiving end of that myself."

"Then you are nothing, but weak." Trahsar mocked.

Jeritza was about to give the general a piece of his mind, but was stopped by Hunter.

"Enough you two!" He hissed. "The real enemies are over there."

Edelgard turned to Trahsar. "You would be very foolish to even come close to underestimating her, Trahsar."

Two Minutes Later

For many, two minutes is short. For the duel however, two minutes felt long, and lasting as both Niya and Edelgard got all the healing they could. Because no healers were allowed, vulneraries, and elixirs were all that they could use, and there was only so much that items could heal. Wounds were simply faint scars at this point.

"Sorry, but this is all that we can manage for now." Ingrid sighed, as she helped apply the soothing salve on to her former professor's skin.

"It's fine." Niya reassured. "Those are the rules."

"The third minute is up." Seteth announced. "The duel will continue now."

"That's my cue," Niya spoke, as she struggled slightly to get up, grabbing the Sublime Creator Sword, and re-equipping the Seiros shield on her arm. "Whatever happens, stick to the plan no matter what."

"Whatever you say…" Yuri spoke, unsure if he wanted to hear those words at that point.

Before the duel began, Niya turned to her allies, and raised the Sublime Sword to them, to which they cheered in response. With the duel resumed, Niya started by rushing with a battle cry, as tried to start with a stab, which Edelgard blocks with her shield, before retaliating with four consecutive axe swings, with the first, second, and fourth blocked by the Seiros shield, while the third was blocked by the Sublime Sword.

Edelgard then thrusted her shield forward, which Niya tried to block, but the sheer difference between the two shields' sizes meant that Niya was pushed back, knocking her to the ground. Niya barely rolled out of the way, as Aymr came swinging down, slamming into the ground, shattering where it struck, rubble flying everywhere.

Dodge, roll. Dodge, roll. Dodge, roll. This was all that Niya could do, as Edelgard swung Aymr down repeatedly. Whatever was going on at Edelgard's side during the respite seemed to have igniting something inside the Emperor, as every miss had caused her to growl in anger louder, and louder as each strike missed.

'Seiros Damn Edelgard!' Niya thought to herself, as she dodged the attacks. 'What the hell has gotten into you-AGH!' With so much rolling, Niya's back struck hard against one of the rocky barriers, as Edelgard went for another swing.

Finally seeing the opening that she had been looking for, the former professor used all her strength, and kicked the shield as hard as she could. She kicked hard enough to knock Edelgard back far enough to give her enough time to get back up on her feet, and grapple the Kadmos Shield, wrestling it from Edelgard's grasp.

As Niya tried to disarm her former student of her shield, Edelgard tries her best to swat away at the professor with her Aymr, but Niya is just as quick to respond, with blocks, courtesy of the Sublime Creator Sword.

After a few more failed swats, one delayed swat from Edelgard is finally blocked, when Niya instead moved the shield towards the Emperor, which Aymr got a slice into, before for some reason, Niya grabbed the glowing blade of, before using all her might to not only push the mighty shield away, but also the gigantic shield.

Everyone watching, Edelgard included, were practically stunned with just how much strength that the former professor possessed. While everyone knew the strength that former prince Dimitri possessed, none knew about the former professor's strength. All they knew was that she was a skilled fighter on the battlefield, due to her being a former mercenary.

With a jerk of her hands, and a battle cry, Niya disarms Edelgard of her shield, and tosses it aside. She could've done the same for Aymr, but with a free hand, the Emperor uses it to keep a tight grip on the axe.

The struggle between the two was taking a lot of energy between the two, something that Edelgard had noticed, and to Niya's shock, Edelgard grabs the blade of the Sublime Sword, and with a grip so tight, that the blade's teeth pierce through her armor, she yanks it from her grasp, tossing it far from Niya's grasp, trying her best to ignore the pain.

Now without her sword, all Niya could do was deflect Aymr's swings with the Seiros shield. Normally, any shield would've been cleaved near-instantly should they have met the strike of Aymr, but due to the Seiros shield's status as a Sacred Weapon, the shield could absorb the attacks much longer than any other shield.

Knowing that she couldn't rely on the shield forever, Niya instead grabs unto Aymr's handle during one of its deflected swings, and once again, tries to wrestle it from Edelgard's grasp.

"You should really stop trying that again." Edelgard huffed, as she fought for her axe.

"Then yield Edelgard." Niya huffed back. "End this pointless war."

"I will never give up. Even if my arms and legs failed me, I would still find a way to move forward." Edelgard stubbornly refused. "I will smash that false goddess and her minion into the ground, and I will fight to free this world from her vile grasp!"

"So be it." Niya closed her eyes, now understanding clearly that convincing Edelgard is a failure.

The two wrestled for Aymr once more, their grip so strong, that were it not for the strength that Aymr possessed, despite its questionable origin, the axe would've snapped by now.

"Enough!" Niya cried out, as her crest manifested, healing her wounds, allowing her to regain her strength. With new strength, she manages to get the upper hand, and forces Aymr behind Edelgard.

"What?!" Edelgard spoke out, stunned by what was now happening right before her eyes.

"It's over…" Niya whispered to her, as she gave a sudden twist, bringing the axe to a new angle, before she pushed hard, knocking Edelgard to the ground, who has now lost her grip on Aymr.

Before Edelgard could even turn her head, she found Aymr now facing her, blade first, being held by Niya.

"That is that." Niya spoke to her. "Now yield. This duel is concluded."

Edelgard could only breath heavily for a while. She knew that resisting could only result to something worse than what was to happen next.

"All right…" Edelgard began, albeit bitterly. "I… surrender."

"Louder." Niya demanded. "So they can hear."

Edelgard could only growl, before declaring out loud. "I. Surrender!"

Upon hearing the words, The Student Army cheered loudly, knowing that the duel was not only the former professor's victory, but theirs as well.

"No!" Hunter growled in anger, while Jeritza only stood in silence, quietly accepting his fate.

"Like hell!" Trahsar snarled, before he rushed forward, brandishing a dagger that had been secretly enchanted with poison.

Though Niya's back was turned, Edelgard saw what her former general was about to do, as the general's face was locked in fury.

"Professor!" Edelgard called out, before quickly leaping with whatever strength she had left.

"Edelgard!"

A/N: And we're clear!

Oh sh!t, a cliffhanger!

Sorry for the wait. Not only was this chapter much harder to write than its predecessor, I also had an assignment that I had to prioritize, so writing this chapter had to be put on hold.

The next chapter will surprise you.

Until the next chapter, BYE!