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| “ | This is an Avenger you're fighting! Even if they don't want me! Even if the world's gone to hell and Brian's dead and my love forgot me and nobody's a hero anymore! The Ebony Blade still says hello!
— Black Knight
|
” |
The descendant of the legendary Sir Percival of Scandia, Dane Whitman was the latest in a long line of warriors to inherit the cursed Ebony Blade, a weapon cursed with a lust for blood after being used to kill the innocent. Proving himself strong enough to resist the blade's call, Dane took on the title his villainous uncle once used, the Black Knight, and became an ally of the Avengers, joining the team for real after helping them defeat Kang the Conqueror. After the curse became too powerful for Dane to resist, he was turned into stone rather than risk killing innocents, though he later broke free and began working as a reserve Avenger before briefly leading the Ultraforce.
Returning to England, Dane took part in the defense against the Skrulls and ended up befriending Faiza Hussain, an NHS doctor who was given superpowers by experimental Skrull tech. During the last stand, Dane was fatally wounded by the Super-Skrull, but Faiza was able to heal him using her powers, and an eternally grateful Dane took her as his steward when she was able to draw Excalibur from the stone. Together, the two became vital field agents of MI-13 and even began to grow attracted to each other, but Dane refused to pursue the relationship, citing duty above all else.
Battle vs. Artoria Pendragon (by Jon memeing)[]
Dane sat with his hands on his lap, dimness and silence surrounding him, inside this isolated room in his castle. His only company were books, Medieval weapons, and magical artifacts, scattered all around the place.
The world had been slowly turning more dangerous every year, with every conflict he had to face. First, an alien invasion led by the Hulk, then a bloody Civil War between the heroes. Then, there was the Skrull infestation, and the takeover of the cunning Norman Osborn.
Everything was turning crazy, everyone going insane. Problems became more and more difficult to fix, and Dane himself reflected if they, the super-powered, were to blame.
“You fretting?” the spirit of Sir Percy of Scandia, asked, appearing as a phantasmal silhouette, almost gaseous in nature, behind Dane’s back.
Dane sighed, before saying, “Anxious? Yes. Things have not been as easy as it was back then. I don’t even know if I can help out much longer.”
“You worry about your skills?”
“Probably? Though it’s more on my conviction to the whole superhero thing rather than my fighting abilities.”
Sir Percy nodded before walking around the study. He stopped in front of an 18th century portrait of King Arthur, before saying, “I believe a more proper training in the knightly arts can help you, dear squire. You may be the Black Knight, but you’ve never really knew what chivalry is. Superheroics is close, but still far from the commitment of a professional warrior.”
“You want me to learn chivalry?”
“It can help. If morals is of your concern, it does help to learn more from good people. And I know a lot of them back in my time.”
Dane stood up and went to Sersi’s desk near his. He grabbed a book from her shelves, one that was filled with spells and magicks from her life’s adventures. “Eh, what the hell. I do need to get out of this bloody room anyways. I think Sersi’s got something here than can help us travel back through time. Question is… who is the best person who can teach me?”
Clapping his palms, Sir Percy happily suggested, “No one better to learn chivalry than thy king himself. King Arthur of Camelot.”
In an apartment balcony somewhere in Fuyuki City, Saber took in the cold breeze from the early morning. Traffic was non-existent yet and peace still permeated. She’d never been a long sleeper, much less nowadays after her whole world had changed. She was no knight anymore, nor a king. She was a modern woman now, with modern problems, and modern duties to attend to.
Arms suddenly wrapped around her shoulders, giving a relief of warmth to counter the cold. She then felt a nose rummaging through her hair, and lips that gently kissed her nape. The embrace made Saber close her eyes and bite her lip, giving her comfort from her doubts, and love in a new strange world. “Why so early? You beat me to making breakfast,” the boy who hugged her said.
“You need rest for your education, Shirou,” replied Saber. “Let me take care of you sometimes.”
“We’re here to take care of each other,” Shirou said before he disengaged and headed back. “And Saber?”
“Yes, Shirou?”
“Thanks for staying.”
Saber blushed and smiled, before waving goodbye to her love. This had been a good idea so far, remaining in this world and time the same way Gilgamesh did. She sighed and let the warmness in her heart flow from her body. She had never felt anything like this; this feeling called love. A warm feeling that conquered her coldness. A feeling she wished would never end.
Several minutes after Shirou left to school, a thunderous crack made Saber recoil in surprise. The explosion came from just behind their apartment, right in the yard where they did their laundry. Shirou had always been a private man, especially in the matters of magic. So a noisy incursion like this could mean danger. A rogue magi perhaps? A mad servant or a vengeful enemy?
Saber donned her armor and readied her weapon as she headed downstairs to investigate.
Dane and Sir Percy looked in awe and confusion, scratching their heads upon the results of their time-travel. This was no Medieval era they came upon. Far from it in fact. It was a modern city; a bit different from the hustles and bustles Dane was accustomed to, but a modern city nonetheless.
There were small apartments and signs with Japanese characters on them. The sun was warm, lacking the dreariness of good old England. And the people? Oh there were a lot of them alright. Noisy, volatile, and pretty much in a hurry during this rush hour morning.
But still, it was all far from their intended destination.
“This is… weird,” Dane remarked.
“Indeed so…” added Sir Percy. “Did the spell malfunction?”
“Hey!” a voice suddenly called out to the time-travellers. Standing behind Dane and Sir Percy was a young blonde woman, encased in blue and silver armor, carrying what appeared to be an invisible weapon. She looked at them with cold piercing eyes that sized them up, weighing the threat they might be bringing.
The woman, Saber, was not as adapted yet to modern life. But she knew that even the mundane and common world was wrought with dangers all around. She sensed something in these men, and her instincts kicked in, drawing multiple paths that a fight might start in.
“Good morning… fair lady in armor,” Dane greeted. “Yeah, um, to be honest, I have no idea what to say in this fuck-up that’s happening.”
“You can start by stating who you are and why you are here,” Saber instructed.
“Me? While I don’t like to brag…” Dane answered. “But it’s me. I’m the Black Knight. Member of the Avengers? The guys who saved the world yadda yadda.”
“Believe us, we intend no harm, m’lady,” added Sir Percy. “You might not believe this, but me and my companion drew a spell that is supposed to take us back in time to meet King Arthur and—“
“Well, congratulations, you two,” Saber interrupted. “You found her.”
Sir Percy opened his mouth in surprise. What did she just say? What on Earth was she on about?
“Are you saying…” Dane said, perplexed, “that you are King Arthur?”
“Yes, I am,” answered Saber.
“Poppycock!” Sir Percy exclaimed. “Arthur is no woman! What heresy is this?!”
“I know this is a shocker,” Saber said. “But yes, I am King Arthur. My sex had been hidden by my father to —“
“Liar!” yelled Sir Percy. He then turned back towards Dane, furious anger boiling inside him, as he commanded the Black Knight, “This imposter lies! Punish her!”
“What?” Dane asked. “What the hell, mate?”
“Do it! I feel something wrong here. Something dangerous. We are not safe! Deception for now, but trust me, murder comes forth next if we are not careful!”
Saber raised her invisible weapon and made her stance. “You are right. You both are in danger,” she said. “Especially if you don’t leave this place at once.”
Dane put his fingers on the hilt of his ebony blade, feeling the darkness drew him near. He recoiled, wincing, at ever going to such a last resort. He instead took out his uncle’s power lance, contended with first starting with something safer to use, on an opponent that he didn’t really want to fight.
“Easy now,” Dane said. “We don’t want no trouble.”
“Leave… now!” Saber said as a gust of wind from her weapon propelled her with blinding speed towards Dane.
Dane tried to dodge the incoming attack, but his reflexes proved slower, and a slash from Saber’s invisible weapon ripped through Dane’s armor. The Black Knight managed to flip out of the way, as he fired his lance’s machine guns at Saber. But the bullets only bounced off, prompting Dane to fire lasers instead, which too proved useless. Saber, on the other hand, retaliated by unleashing a gust of wind that knocked Dane away.
“Fucking hell!” the Black Knight cursed.
“Use the blade, Dane!” yelled Sir Percy.
“Not yet!” Dane answered as he unsheathed his false blade. As Saber moved forward, Dane made a wild swing, cutting the abdomen of Saber. The female knight clutched her midsection in shock after seeing the devastation the blade caused. She then unleashed her mana burst to bash Dane away and give her some room.
“Dammit!” Saber thought. “I am not going to die here!”
As Dane attempted to make another slash, Saber finally removed her invisible air and unleashed excalibur’s true form. A giant downward swing came upon Dane, and when he attempted to block it, the power was too much that he was disarmed of his weapon.
“Shite!” Dane yelled, and with no other choices left, he finally unleashed his ebony blade. Dane then made a wild thrust that pierced through Saber’s shoulder. Though screaming in pain, the female knight kicked him away and slashed at his back. The two knights faced each other, bloodied and bruised, but still standing nonetheless.
“You…” Dane said as rage began to collect inside of him; a rage that was enough to rival even Wolverine’s and Thor’s. A madness that caused misery and destruction. One that was both a blessing and a curse, yet something that Dane would never be proud of. “Diiiieeeeee!!!”
Hundreds of powerful slashes struck a surprised Saber from all directions. She blocked most of it but several shredded through her skin and muscle. Saber began to bleed in a shower of blood. She parried a slash and a thrust, but a pummel broke her nose, and a swing cut her shoulder.
“Continue, Black Knight!” Sir Percy told Dane Whitman. “I can sense it. Her magic is draining. It will not be long before she finally falls.”
This was it. Saber was finished. She couldn’t possible survive this any longer.
“Saber!!!!” a voice suddenly entered her consciousness.
As Saber continued to defend herself in vain, the familiar voice gave her both hope and dread. Shirou had returned. He probably had heard of the battle she was in and ran back home. But this… No. Shirou should not be here. This opponent was far more than what they had faced before. Shirou was in danger. He could get hurt… He could… Die…
To the astonishment of Dane and Sir Percy, Saber became encased in a blinding radiant barrier. Every attack he did bounce off. Everything he threw seemed null and void. Saber, on the other hand, thanked the heavens for allowing her to summon avalon once again, her long lost sheath. Through Shirou’s appearance, and the blessings of the fairies, Saber felt joy, hope, and rejuvenation.
“Saber…” Shirou murmured. It was excalibur’s turn this time to burst with fiery energy. A magnificent, spectacular golden aura emerged from the sword itself, making it searing hot with the righteous fury of a thousand courageous cries.
“What the bloody hell is happening now?” Dane asked, panicking.
“S-Squire…” Sir Percy could only murmur. “I-I don’t know…”
“This ends now!” Saber yelled as she raised her sword above her head. “Ex… calibahhhhh!!!” yelled Saber as a powerful torrent of golden energy came barreling towards Dane.
Wordless and terrified, Dane attempted to block the gigantic energy attack coming towards him. The power of that blast was enough to throw him into the air, making him fly through trees and buildings. With determination, Dane eventually managed to plant his feet back to the ground. His armor and sword held up, but he could feel his body… no… his whole essence… burn away by such godly attack. Doom clouded his mind, and Dane cried for his life, his mortality fleeting every second. The fact that he would not be able to save people anymore. The possibility that he might not see his friends… and Sersi… his beloved Sersi… anymore…
“Noooooooo!” Dane screamed, making a promise not to die that day. A promise to get home. And with all the strength he had from countless battles with supervillains, aliens, and gods, Dane lifted his ebony blade as energy continued to push and disintegrate him. Just inches enough so that the blade could absorb more of Saber’s attack. Just enough to…
And then, something hit Saber like a chugging iron train. Her ribs broke and collapsed, her torso burst open with blood and bone. Her skin and armor burned away, and with a scream, Saber was no more.
Shirou saw the whole horror happen. That Black Knight somehow redirected Saber’s own excalibur attack, like how one redirected a beam of light, which ripped through Saber. But it didn’ matter anymore how he did it. Shirou could not believe his eyes. He could only grit his teeth and cry.
With shaking legs, Shirou ran towards what remained of Saber. Her beautiful face still remained gorgeous yet her body was mangled mercilessly and brutally. He knelt down and clutched her in his arms, tears bursting like there was no tomorrow.
“Saber! Saaaaabbbbbeeeeerrrrr!” Shirou could only cry for his lost loved. His partner, his sheath, the bone of his sword… No more.
Dane himself knelt down and wept. Nothing besides the ebony could kill him, yet he felt no victory. He only felt sick and sorry for what had happened. He didn’t even know what made everything turn this way. There was misunderstanding, yes. But he had always tried to do good. He had always tried to save, not hurt. Was it survival? Was the threats Sir Percy felt legit? Or was this murder? A murder of an innocent girl whom this young boy loved.
“This is all your fault…” Dane said as he turned towards Sir Percy.
“Apologies…” Sir Percy said, regret also obvious in his words. “Let us get out of here. This is enough lesson for today.”
Expert's Opinion[]
The battle is really close but I'm giving a tie-breaker in favor of the Dane Whitman, the Black Knight. Saber has everything going for her including speed, strength, and powerful range attacks. But Dane still beats her since his ebony blade can absorb and redirect magic, so Saber's attacks, and even herself entirely (Servants are made of magic) will be weak against the ebony blade. Couple with the fact that Dane has training and more experience fighting many dangerous foes in the MC's Earth 616, and Dane would win.