Ironside

is the son of Varghese. He is a renegade Holy Knight after betraying King Arthur Pendragon and fleeing from Camelot sixteen years ago, before returning to his service in order to save his son Diodra.

He is known as The Red Knight and Ironside The Assassin.

Appearance
Ironside wears a suit of red armor with an unique type of frog-mouth helmet that has three crooked visors, an intricate orb on the chest and a high collared cape.

Under his helmet, Ironside's face is that of an aged man with short beard and light-colored hair.

Personality
Ironside is a ruthless and almost impassive man, showing no emotion when killing his own father, Varghese and tried murdering Percival, for what he believed would be for the "greater good". Pellegarde saw his survival as a sign of holding value in his life, believing he held back, but Ironside soon admitted he simply underestimated him and held absolutely no regards or value in Percival's life, which was confirmed by Anghalhad's magic power. This ruthlessness extends to innocent people, as Ironside attempted to sacrifice all of Sistana in an attempt to activate the Coffin of Eternal Darkness and tried murdering those who stood in his way. Despite the actions commited against them, Ironside treats them as if it didn't matter, critising both Anghalhad and Percival, referring to them as children without discipline and acting as if the latter was wrong for badmouthing his father.

Despite all this, Ironside shows a calmer and caring side towards his son, Diodra and brother-in-law, Mortlach, both of whom he treats as real family, being more protective and respectful of them. It is noted that his desire to heal Diodra bordered on obsessive, using a forbidden spell to have a Life Spirit inhabit a deceased infant, desiring him to live for a millennia, something which Varghese criticized, seeing it as not real paternal love. Because Pervical ended up gaining awareness, this made it impossible for him to act as a vessel, earning Ironside's seething anger.

History
When Ironside became sixteen, he left the house to go on an adventure like his father did as a family tradition.

16 years ago
Ironside and his group of renegade Holy Knights betrayed King Arthur Pendragon and fled from the Kingdom of Camelot.

At some point after this, Ironside had a son, Diodra. However, Diodra and his mother fell victim to an unknown illness caused by the poison that the Demon King released during the new Holy War, that resulted in her death. Ironside then returned to the service of Arthur Pendragon, since he found within the new Camelot the opportunity to save Diodra. He became known as "Ironside the Assassin" and "The Red Knight".

Which he described as being an accident, Ironside found Percival, the seventh prince in a wagon that fell off a cliff. Taking him back to Camelot, he intended on using the deceased child as the vessel of a powerful Life Spirits using a forbidden spell which cost some of his life-force, with the intention of transferring Diodra's soul into him, so that he could live for almost millennia.

That night, Varghese betrayed Camelot and King Arthur Pendragon, due a combination of his change in personality due to Chaos's power and Ironside's intentions for Percival, fleeing along the baby.

Percival arc
Ironside arrives at God's Finger on a phantom boat where he comments that he is truly surprised that his father Varghese shot down his avian messenger and knows it is him. Landing, Ironside never thought Varghese would be living in the middle of nowhere for he could not find him no matter how hard he searched. He notices Percival who believes him to be "The Knight Who Sails A Ship of Illusions Through the Heavens". He greets the boy, telling him that he is in the middle of searching someone, and asks him if he knows the name Varghese. Ironside learns that Percival is Varghese' grandson and explains in half-truth to the boy that he and Varghese were old friends in the Holy Knights before breaking ties with him 16 years ago. The Holy Knight tells him that he has an urgent business with Varghese that needs to be resolved. After Percival directs him to the other side of the hill where Varghese is at their house, Ironside allows the boy to check out the phantom boat but darkly comments that his father is a cruel man for raising his son without knowing the truth which brought a chill down on Percival's spine before heading off.

Upon locating his father, Ironside comments that Varghese used the sword he have been honored with by King Arthur Pendragon as a kitchen knife and his father is still his same old self. He sends Varghese flying into the house by pointing his two fingers at him with a powerful magical star-shaped cutting attack despite his father's attempt to block it. Approaching Varghese, Ironside states that he is looking for him, addressing his father with a Lord honorific. He notes that it has been 16 years since they have betrayed King Arthur and fled, and did not expect Varghese to be living carefreely in such remote land. Drawing his sword, Ironside clashes with Varghese and exchanged blows before pointing his finger at his father with a magical attack that cuts through him with a star-shaped gaping wound and the destroyed house behind them. When Percival shouts at him to stop and demands him what did he do to his grandpa, Ironside offhandedly silences his son with a star-shaped hole on the hill he stands on. The renegade Holy Knight tells Percival that there is an order to everything and that he will be next, advising him to wait.

Ironside effortlessly blows up the two rocks, both small and large, thrown by Percival and chastises him for having no discipline, pointing his finger with intent to kill him. Suddenly, Ironside is grabbed by Varghese in a grappling hold from behind as his father tries to tell his grandson to run. The Holy Knight tells them that he won't let either of them escape before raising his hand to inflict multiple star-shaped wounds on Varghese, heavily injuring and blinding him at the same time in front of Percival. After defeating Varghese, Ironside tells Percival that if it's anyone he should blame, it is his grandfather. He inflicts a small star-shaped wound on Percival's body and a large star-shaped hole on the hill behind him at the same time. Ironside is unaffected by his son's attempt to punch him and simply kicks him away from him.

When Varghese asks him why did he come to kill him only now, Ironside reveals to his father that some days ago, an ominous prophecy was made about an arrival of an existence called "The Four Knights of the Apocalypse" that will lead their lord, King Arthur to his doom. He states that the truth and details are still unclear and if that is the case, until his group reap the seeds of that possibility, no matter how far they fail, they cannot say for sure that there is no change of Varghese being one of those Four Knights. After Varghese asks him if that is why he harmed Percival and wonders if he has any feelings, Ironside claims that it is all for the greater good and left the two for dead in the middle of the snow.

Attending a meeting on Camelot within the realm of Chaos, Ironside and his fellow Holy Knights listen to the cloaked figure who holds a staff with a scaly hand telling them vital news regarding the new prophecy and the new clues to the whereabouts of the Four Knights of the Apocalypse which is considered a great boon for them to streamline. The Red Knight is curious and would like to hear more before he turns out to see Pellegarde making an entrance and enthusiastically greets everyone in the room only to be meet with silence. He comments that the Black Knight never changes as Pellegarde takes a seat next to him. Ironside is surprised to learn from the cloaked figure that the Four Knights of the Apocalypse are all young lads and then upset to learn Percival is identified to be one of them, slamming his fist on the desk and leaving the meeting. Leaving the castle and traversing the bizarre pathway, Ironside chastises himself for the blunder and he should have double checked for Percival's pulse. He even wonders how could his son survive his magic at point blank range. The Red Knight is surprised when Pellegarde is standing right behind him and comments that he thought his fellow Holy Knight spared Percival out of pity and muses how Ironside's reputation as "The Assassin" would be at risk for failing to dispatch one of his targets. Ironside noted that Pellegarde speaks as if Percival is alive which the latter confirms it. He asks Pellegarde if he finished the boy off but the latter states Percival has potential and room to grow. Ironside scolds him for not killing Percival despite Pellegarde's insistence that it is better they raise him and put him under their wing than kill him. Suddenly, Ironside slashes Pellegarde at the neck close range with his sword only for the Black Knight to easily block it with his right hand. When Pellegardes asks him if he truly believes Percival is a threat to King Arthur, Ironside beseeches him to fulfill his duties as a Holy Knight. After sheathing away his sword, Ironside tells the Black Knight that he failed to see the problem and stated that Percival is going to destroy the world.

Sistana arc
Ironside later shows up at Sistana, asking the Duke and his daughter Anghalhad, for information about a piece of the Coffin of Eternal Darkness. That night, he and Duke Galden are at the party, where Ironside shows the crowd an incomplete Coffin of Eternal Darkness, claiming that it will solve their problems.

He tells them about the last missing piece of Coffin that represents humanity, revealing that he asked them days ago to search for it in order to complete the ritual that would protect Sistana from disaster. When someone asks what disaster they mean, Ironside says it is the Four Knights of the Apocalypse whom Liones is trying to gather together to destroy Britannia. In the middle of the panic, Anghalhad interrupts saying that Ironside is lying. When Ironside tries to ask her not to discredit him, Anghalhad insists that her powers let her know that he is lying. Ironside takes her by the arm stating that he must discipline her. However, Percival appears surprising Ironside for having survived. Wondering if he is trying to avenge Varghese or take the Coffin, Ironside claims that he cannot do anything against him. Percvial then uses his little golems to distance him and take Anghalhad, Ironside attacks them with a great magic blast from which they manage to escape. Anghalhad's father reproaches him for trying to kill his daughter, to which Ironside tells him that she would have been a sacrifice for a greater good. He then receives a telepathic message from his familiar who had obtained the Coffin piece and takes it with him.

Ironside then proceeds to initiate the ritual to activate the Coffin, creating piles of monsters to gather the citizens of Sistana to use as sacrifices. At that, Percival and his companions arrive to stop him. When Ironside refuses to stop and everyone is paralyzed by feeling his magical power, Percival attacks him with his power, which Ironside manages to override and tells him that he must teach him some discipline.

After Percival failed to destroy the Coffin with his mini golems, Ironside attacks everyone with his magical power demanding that he speak to his father like this. After another series of attacks, Percival lashes out at him saying that he will knock him down while the others take care of the Coffin, to which Ironside jokes by stopping all the blows of his sword. Ironside asks if Verghese taught him that, calling it a good move to use against birds. Anghalhad stops his thrust by reproaching him for wanting to hurt his own son, to which Ironside replies that she is just a girl pretending to be a Holy Knight. The two exchange swords with Anghalhad finishing with the ruined clothes and Ironside with a scratch because of the dissiness courtesy of the henbane that Nasiens enchanted in Anghalhad's rapier.

Ironside unleashes his Belfest Margot, seriously wounding everyone, who is saved thanks to Percival's mini golems who heal their wounds. Ironside, however, captures Percival remarking how dangerous he can become. Percival asks him why he killed his grandfather, to which he remonstrates that he could not risk that Varghese was one of the Four Knights of Apocalypse and that he also took something precious for him. After repelling Anghalhad, Ironside smashes Percival to the ground as he tries to damage the Coffin and plunges his sword into his hand. Ironside begins to beat up Percival and when Anghalhad tries to stop him, he totally intimidates her by warning her to break more than her sword. Ironside finally decides to kill Percival by driving his sword into his heart, claiming that there will no longer be Four Knights of Apocalypse.

Ironside then intends to continue with the Coffin's ritual, when a breeze of magic leaves Percival's body. Ironside destroys everything to finish it off, being this protected by Nasiens. Ironside points out that he was saved thanks to the fact that his poison affected the precision of his magic and warns him to leave if he does not want to die, attacking him again at his refusal. Anghalhad then confronts him again, with Ironside taking advantage of her and warning him to kill her, though Anghalhad refuses to abandon Percival. Percival's magic multiplies more and more, leading Ironside to use his Ragna Claw. However, a revived Percival saves everyone with his magical power, which is revealed to be the power of Hope.

Upon calling Darak, Ironside discovers that all the monsters he summoned are being wiped out by an unknown offender. Seeing the ritual ruined, Ironside shows regret for everything he has done telling Percival that he wants to see his face before being executed for failing in his mission. However, Anghalhad's power shows her that he is lying and all he wants is to finish off Percival. Ironside launches his attacks at him, forcing Percival to fly all over the place to evade them. In that, Donny uses his telekinetic powers to levitate the Coffin away from Ironside, allowing Percival to re-divide it and also cut Ironside's helmet revealing his face.

Ironside claims they haven't stopped him as he just has to kill them and reassemble the Coffin and gather more sacrifices from Britannia. However, Mortlach appears stopping him from continuing to fight. Ironside demands that he not interfere, but Mortlach reminds him that whoever destroyed the monsters he summoned must be someone as strong as the Seven Deadly Sins, so in the face of such a threat, it is best for them to retreat.

Upon returning Camelot, Ironside reports to Arthur Pendragon his failure of completing the ritual with the Coffin of Eternal Darkness. Despite this, Arthur calmly finds Percival's intervention interesting despite Ironside claiming it to be no laughing matter, but Arthur instead asks him that should he come across Percival again, he is to give him a message from the king himself - a challenge to see if he can fulfill the prophecy of bringing him to his ruin.

When Ironside states that he is willing to take punishment, Arthur proceeds to torture him with visions of horrific monsters attacking him while remarking on how nonhumans have caused humans so much trouble and that Camelot will be a peaceful land without them. He then sends Ironside to look for a wife for him.

Chaos in Liones arc
Ironside arrives in Liones with the other Knights of Camelot in a huge flying ship and tells Arthur that he has had played enough and must return. Arthur complains that he lecture him, but Ironside reminds him that they can't afford a full-scale conflict just yet saying that the people of Camelot would be lost if something happened to him. Ironside finally convinces him by telling him that he accomplished his mission, but is concerned when Lancelot puts his arm through Arthur's chest. However, Arthur takes everyone with him away from the place.

Wallnack arc
Ironside appears in front of Guinevere at her inn. When trying to introduce himself, is interrupted by the girl who demands that he be direct that he is a Knight of Camelot and that he came to kidnap her. Ironside is surprised by her power to see the future, to which he questions why she did not just call for help or try to run away. Guinevere says that even if she wanted to, she would have to pay a heavy price for defying fate. Ironside then takes the girl to Camelot before Lancelot could come to stop him.

As Guinevere wakes up in Camelot's unreal landscape, Ironside tries to introduce her, but Guinevere says that she will go alone from then on, even knowing where King Arthur's castle is. Ironside says that he should make sure nothing happens to her so the king doesn't get mad at him, but Guinevere says that he really just wants the credit for capturing her, calling him a boring man. When Ironside insists on accompanying her, Guinevere reveals that in his last moments, he will be in the arms of his beloved son weeping and frothing blood. This convinces Ironside to let her go alone.

After complaining about how irritating and undisciplined Guinevere is, Ironside returns home singing a song, to be greeted by a boy who calls him father. The boy looks sick from running, but claims that he will be fine as long as he is in Camelot. When the boy asks if he beat the Four Knights of Apocalypse, Ironside swears to protect him.

Ironside then seats to take a drink seeing Diodra play with a tiger-like creature, as Ironside remembers how he brought Diodra as a baby to Camelot along his dead mother. Diora then asks if he will return to Britannia, which Ironside confirms by saying that he has another mission and warns Diodra not to go to such a dangerous place. Diodra says she understands and asks him to take a break after drinking. Ironside then thinks that he wishes he could show his late wife how Diodra has grown.

When Arthur receives the report that Macduff and Teaninich were killed while the Four Knights only lost one of their followers, Ironside tells him to stay calm. As Guinevere tells him that now he will send three times as many soldiers to face the enemy, but they are all defeated and four end up dead. Ironside suggests sending even more men, but Arthur denies that numbers are the answer since manpower is limited. Arthur asks Ironside to select the six that will go, also adding his brother-in-law to make seven.

Demon Realm arc
When Arthur comments that the knights sent are facing the Four Knights of Apocalypse and that Mortlach took Percival to his "Dueling Chamber", Ironside says that this is wonderful news since the prophecy will end if Percival is eliminated, stating that his fate is sealed since the Duelist power prohibits the use of magic and Mortlach's skill with a sword surpasses even his own.

Abilities/Equipment
Ironside, like all other Holy Knights, has magic imbued within his body. He is strong enough to send his father Varghese flying into the house, and later fatally wounded and blinded him with his star-shaped cutting power. He is unaffected by his son Percival's punch despite the boy's superhuman strength. His aura is frightening and manages to make Percival and his friends recoil for an instant in fear for his great magical power. When Anghalhad saw his murderous will up close she was paralyzed with fear.

Ironside is an excellent swordsman able to block blows from Varghese, a quite experienced former Holy Knight, managed to block the sword blows of Percival and Anghalhad easily while on his back and counter-attacking even when he was weakened by poison.

He uses a phantom boat which allows him to travel in the air and only he can use it.

Abilities

 * A form of that allows Ironside to summon elemental Spirits to aid him in battle. In the past he showcased the knowledge and ability to summon a powerful Life Spirit, which then possessed the deceased body of the original Percival, at the cost of a lot of Ironside's lifespan.

Weapons
He wields a sword with a sharp pommel that he uses for close range combat.

Varghese
Not much about their past is revealed, but it seemed as if Ironside held his father in high regards, believing his strength would be enough for him to be a potential member of the Four Knights of the Apocalypse. Sixteen years since the last time the two met, he didn't hesitate in attacking and brutally murdering his father in cold blood, even referring to him as a "cruel man" for not telling Percival the truth of his birth and placing the blame of the teen's death on him.

It was revealed that the reason behind Ironside's ruthlessness towards his father was due to him stealing Percival, who was intended as the vessel for Diodra. It's unclear how their relationship used to be before, but it seemed to be a positive one, as he referred to him as "dad".

Diodra
Differing from his father and Percival, Ironside loves his son dearly, as he did whatever it took to ensure that Diodra survived, because of the poison which he inherited from his mother while in the womb. Agreeing to be a Holy Knight for the Kingdom of Camelot, where Diodra could receive proper treatment. However, at some point, he Ironside vanished, then reappeared with a deceased infant from some royal family, named Percival. He then performed some ritual that would let one of the powerful Life Spirits possess him, turning into a potential vessel for the then confused Diodra to possess, which would let him live for beyond a typical Human or inhuman lifespan.

Throughout his conversation with Varghese, it was revealed that Ironside's desire to save Diodra started bordering on obsessive.

Percival
Ironside has no love or compassion for Percival, having attempted to kill him after their first encounter, openly blaming and condemning for whatever crime he believed Percival was responsible for. Realizing that he was one of the Four Knights of the Apocalypse simply bolstered his desire to kill him. In spite of murdering Varghese and Percival's attempted murder, Ironside treated his contempt and comments as nothing but "disrepect at his father", with Anghalhad even confirming no apology, no regret, no repentance, and no love for Pervical existed in him, such being nothing more than lies shown in a complete black cloud.

It was revealed that Ironside isn't Percival's real father, instead the end result of him finding the deceased infant from a royal family, who was named "Percival". Having no soul, he used it as a vessel to house a powerful Life Spirit, who due to lacking awareness was intended to be Diodra's new body and would live a near-immortal life without fear. After Varghese, who disagreed with such an act took the new Percival and left Camelot, resulting in them earning Ironside's hatred as soon as Percival gained self-awareness and in turn losing all value as a vessel.

Trivia

 * Using a Foribdden spell among the Spirit Arts has resulted in Ironside losing an unknown amount of lifespan, meaning how long he has left to life is undetermined.
 * In Le Morte d'Arthur, there is a character named Ironside, known as the "Red Knight of the Red Launds".