Ike:
“Are we going the right way?”

Yune:
“Yes. Ashera is at the top. We’re going up. This is definitely the right way.”

Ike:
“I’m a little disoriented because this is much bigger than it looks from outside. It’s not my imagination, is it?”

Yune:
“To be honest, you probably shouldn’t look around too carefully.”

Yune:
“True miracles can overwhelm and terrify mortal minds. If you dwell on what you see here, you might stop climbing.”

Ike:
“Really?”

Yune:
“Yes, really! Well, for most people, anyway. You’re all the exceptions. You are all focused on your one goal, and you can’t die until you achieve it. That’s what you think, right?”

>Ike:
“Yes.”

Yune:
“Desire propels people forward. That’s how it’s been since the beginning of your kind.”

Yune:
“You hope, take, give, kill, struggle… Out of all those needs and desires, hate and strife are born. And that’s all right. You should want. You should strive to fill that want. You should challenge your fates. When all else fails, you can still die fighting.”

Ike:
“Your philosophy is pretty extreme, too. Ashera doesn’t forgive people for their imperfections. But you embrace both the good and evil natures of people. You seem to enjoy our internal struggles.”

Yune:
“A straight road is boring. Defeat and destruction are far more interesting than stasis.”

Ike:
“Huh. Is there a goddess who takes a middle-of-the-road approach?”

Yune:
“Well, long ago… Wait. Stop, everyone! We need to talk. The next one who stands in our way is someone deeply tied to you.”

Ike:
“…Let’s go.”

A little later

Black Knight:
“You’ve come. Welcome, son of Gawain. Welcome all, courageous warriors.”

Ike:
“…”

(Movie of Ike fighting the Black Knight plays)

Ike:
“I wonder how I didn’t notice? Your composure, bearing, voice… It seems obvious in retrospect.”

Black Knight:
“…”

Ike:
“I wish I’d had the chance to fight you… or see you fight, General. Then I would’ve known a lot sooner.”

Black Knight:
“Unfortunately for both of us, that opportunity never came.”

Ike:
“So, it really is you. The Black Knight… No, General Zelgius!”

(The Black Knight takes off his helmet)

Zelgius:
“Ike. I have long looked forward to the day we would fight again. Now that it is here, let us not delay any longer. Raise your sword and begin!”

Ike:
“Let’s finish this!”

(Tibarn comes between the two)

Tibarn:
“Stop right there. I’ve got a debt to settle with this scum.”

Zelgius:
“True, your revenge against me remains incomplete. However, may I ask you to step aside for now? Though at different times, Ike and I both learned the way of the sword from the same master: one of Daein’s famous Four Riders, General Gawain. He left Daein under an assumed name and formed a mercenary company. I was entranced by Greil’s swordsmanship while he was in Daein. I studied under him, I fought next to him… I idolized him. When he left, I was crushed. I vowed to find him again, and challenge him to a duel. I had to know if I had surpassed him! Three years ago, I caught up to Greil. I challenged him to a duel, and was victorious. But, something was wrong… The fight had been too simple. I thought I’d never feel satisfaction again. Then, Ike told me why it had been so easy. Greil had severed all the tendons in his right hand, and swore never again to draw a blade. Can you imagine my joy at the news? I knew that a swordsman of his stature couldn’t have been so easy to defeat!”

(Image of Greil fighting the Black Knight in the past)

Zelgius:
“My master’s skills were passed down to his son, Ike. I will defeat him and finally surpass my master! I trust that you understand. Once our fight is finished, I will allow you to settle your quarrel, Hawk King.”

(Image returns to normal)

Ike:
“Please, Tibarn.”

Tibarn:
“…Fine. If you’re taking my place, you’d better win. Got that?”

Ike:
“Of course. This is my chance to avenge my father’s death. This time, he won’t walk away.”

(Tibarn leaves)

Zelgius:
“Let us begin.”

Mist:
“Ike! Be careful!”

(Mist comes up to Ike)

Ike:
“Trust me, all right?”

Mist:
“…Fine.”

(Zelgius creates a barrier separating himself and Ike from the others)

Zelgius:
“I won’t allow anyone to interfere with our fight.”

Ike:
“Agreed. It’s better this way. I can focus on you!”

Zelgius:
“No draw. No escape. One wins. One loses. We shall end this. One of us will live… And one of us will die.”

Ike:
“I’m ready. Good-bye, General Zelgius.”

After battle

Ike:
“Ugh! Hahh!”

Zelgius:
“You are stronger. Much stronger than before…”

Ike:
“I have you to thank for that. I grew stronger through our previous fight.”

Ike:
“To be honest… I was overjoyed when I heard that the Black Knight was still alive. That surprised me… I felt neither sadness nor hate. Just joy. My hands were shaking with anticipation. I couldn’t wait to fight my most formidable enemy again!”

Ike:
“Your swordsmanship was fearsome. Fiercer and more powerful than any I’ve ever seen. After our duel three years ago, I trained hard, trying to remember all of your skills and techniques.”

(Image of Gawain facing backwards)

Zelgius:
“General Gawain was invincible at the time he trained me. To surpass him was my ultimate goal as a swordsman.”

Ike:
“Was I as skillful as you remember my father in his prime years? Did you see his shadow in my sword?”

(Image returns to normal)

Zelgius:
“I certainly did, Ike. Thanks to you, I was able to fight my master at the height of his glory days.”

Ike:
“Black Knight Zelgius. You were my father’s killer. And my last teacher.”

Zelgius:
“…I spent most of my life shrouded in darkness… But my life had meaning. Now I’m certain of it…”

Zelgius:
“…phiran, I will wait for you in the afterlife…”

(Zelgius dies)

Ike:
“…”

Ike:
“…Let’s move on. We don’t have much time left.”

(As Ike turns to leave, Alondite starts glowing next to Zelgius’s body)

Yune:
“The swords are calling to each other…”

Yune:
“The holy sword Alondite… It’s the counterpart to your sword, Ragnell. I think it wants you to take it up.”

Ike:
“Alondite… The sword that took my father’s life.”

(Ike picks up Alondite)

[Note: Only if certain criteria were fulfilled, does the following flashback scene occur – see the Hints and Secret page]

Ike’s Memory Scene

(Flashback in a village)

Sephiran:
“What happened here?”

Zelgius:
“We have arrived too late. General Gawain!”

(Image of Gawain impaling a woman appears briefly)

Zelgius:
“General! Oh, thank the goddess… He’s still alive. But…oh, no… What has he done? Elena… Did he kill her?”

Sephiran:
“It must have been the medallion. He touched it, and the chaos bound within sent him into a rage beyond reason. Tragic…”

(Further away, a young boy is standing still, and a young girl runs up to him)

Mist:
“Ike, wait for me! Ahh! Father! Mother!”

Zelgius:
“The general’s children…”

Mist:
“What’s wrong with them? Are they asleep? …Father? Mother?”

Sephiran:
“They’re very tired, child. Let’s not disturb them.”

Mist:
“We can’t leave them sleeping here! It’s cold out! We have to take them home! Ike, you have to help me!”

Ike:
“…”

Mist:
“…Ike?”

Zelgius:
“I’ll take them home. Will you show me the way?”

Mist:
“Yeah! Come with me!”

(Sephiran moves closer to Elena’s body)

Sephiran:
“May your final slumber be a peaceful one. It appears the medallion was too much for Lord Ashnard. It would be unwise to allow him access to it again.”

Mist:
“Ah! Hey! That’s my mother’s medallion! No one’s supposed to see it!”

Sephiran:
“No, child! You mustn’t touch it!”

(Mist picks up the medallion)

Mist:
“We can’t let it get lost. I’ll keep it.”

Sephiran:
“You… You are unchanged?”

Mist:
“You said you’d take my mother home, too.”

Zelgius:
“Yes, of course.”

Mist:
“Ike? What’s wrong? Why are you just standing there? Are you hurt?”

Sephiran:
“You saw everything, didn’t you? Poor child.”

(Sephiran casts his staff at Ike)

Mist:
“Ike?”

(An image of Greil impaling Elena appears for less than a second)

Ike:
“AH! AAAH! AAAAAAAH! AAAAAAAH!”

Mist:
“Ike?! What’s wrong?”

Ike:
“AHHH!”

Mist:
“Ouch! Ike, that hurts. Let go!”

Ike:
“Nnng! Aaagh! Aaaanngghh!”

Zelgius:
“What happened?”

Sephiran:
“Give me a moment.”

(Sephiran casts his staff at Ike once more)

Ike:
“……”

Sephiran:
“Sweet children… Sleep now. Rest.”

Zelgius:
“What did you do to him?”

Sephiran:
“Merely helped him to forget. I could not leave this memory to haunt him. It is too heavy a burden for one so young.”

Zelgius:
“What will you do with the medallion?”

Sephiran:
“The girl seems safe from its influence. We will leave it with her, for the time being.”

Zelgius:
“Mm.”

(End of flashback)

Yune:
“What… What was that? You saw it too, didn’t you, Ike? That memory… Could that have been–“

Ike:
“I…I…was there… In that…place… My mother, she tried to stop my father, and…he killed her… I saw it all…”

Yune:
“Is that what happened? I was contained inside at that time. I had no idea.”

Ike:
“Zelgius… …”

Yune:
“Can you still fight?”

Ike:
“Yes. I will keep fighting. I won’t stop until I die.”

(End of Ike’s Memory Scene)

Yune:
“What’s happening? Ah! What…?”

(Flashback)

Unknown:
“You bear the mark. So that’s your secret, is it? The blood of the laguz runs through your veins.”

Zelgius:
“Yes. There was someone on my father’s side who…who was with a laguz. My lord…the brand…do you know of a way to remove it? This cursed thing, I…I am an outcast from my family. I joined the military to escape the shame and hatred in their eyes… I live in fear of discovery. When I think that I might see that same shame and hatred in another’s eyes, I… I come close to despair… I have lived my life alone, unable to trust or become close to anyone.”

Unknown:
“Such loneliness and isolation. You poor child… It pains me to tell you that I know of no way to remove your brand.”

Zelgius:
“I…I understand… It was a foolish question. I apologize. Lord Sage, I– I realized some years ago that I was aging more slowly than others do.”

Unknown:
“And you wish to conceal that fact, don’t you? Is that why you rarely remove your armor, even when indoors?”

Zelgius:
“Yes…but this ruse will not last indefinitely. In a few years, I will be forced to leave this army’s service.”

Unknown:
“And once again, you will be alone.”

Zelgius:
“I am accustomed to being alone. My only hesitation, is that…I will miss studying the sword under my commander, General Gawain.”

Unknown:
“When the time comes for you to leave, will you come to me, perhaps?”

Zelgius:
“My lord?”

Unknown:
“We share a…similar condition. I see something familiar within you. I can… understand your pain and isolation.”

Zelgius:
“But why me?”

Unknown:
“I have a task that I must accomplish. With you at my side, I would feel more confident of my success.”

Zelgius:
“If I join you, will I be redeemed?”

Unknown:
“I cannot say. At the very least, however, you will no longer be alone. And neither will I.”

Zelgius:
“That is enough, then. You have made my decision simple. When I leave here I will find you. I am a soldier in the Daein army. I serve under the command of General Gawain. My name is Zelgius. May I ask your name, my lord sage?”

Unknown:
“My name? Of course…”

(End of flashback)

Yune:
“Whose… Whose memory was that? It’s just one of many… They’re swirling everywhere… The tower resonates with their strength. But…who is it? Who do they belong to? …There is such sadness… Zelgius met someone. One lonely soul calling out to another…”

[Note: The next line exists in the game script, but isn’t used for some reason]

Yune:
“Micaiah. You’re sad, too, aren’t you? You wished that the Black Knight could have stayed by your side.”

Yune:
“But he’s no longer with us. Zelgius is gone… And now the soul that remains is once more alone…”