Chapter 6
Encounter of the Two Heroes

For a mere second there was a hush as the men looked in abject terror at the beings that were apparently demons. Then all became chaos as men started to run out the door and crash through the windows, desperate to get away from the "demons". When it became quiet again, only Link, the bartender, the old man, and Little Pacho were left in the ruined pub.

"Hmmph...this is most unfortunate" drawled the bartender, without looking up from what he was doing.

Link didn't know who these beings were, but if they were the demons the old man spoke of, he knew that he had to be careful. Standing upright, with his right arm, Link drew out his Hylian Shield and, with his left arm, the Master Sword out from the sheath behind him. The light that reflected from the mystical blade caused the four crystalline men to pause for a moment, looking at each other as if communicating before they started to advance upon Link. But just before Link or the crystal men commit to any action, a figure in blue overalls fell from the ceiling, screaming.

"IIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-ooff!" shouted the pudgy figure as he landed on top of one of the crystal men. Surprised, Link and the three other crystal men saw the being rise up and brush himself off before looking around in amazement.

"W-where am I" the being spoke in an Italian accent. "And what are you things doing here!?" cried out the being in anger. Before the crystal beings were able to respond, the being charged up to one of the crystal beings and slid kicked on of the crystal beings down.

Link turned to the crystal beings and immediately yelled, swinging his sword at the crystalline being. The Master Sword was able to cut deep into the unsuspecting crystal being knocking the crystal being down. Wasting no more time, Link leaps into the air and sticking his sword down, stabs the being in what would have been the chest. But to Link's surprise, the crystal man's head looked in Link's direction and with its free arm, punches Link off of its chest.

Link grunted as he was sent sprawling on the ground to the side. Standing up again, he puts his shield and sword up in a defensive position. As the crystalline being tried to rise up, the other crystalline being looked at Link and suddenly reformed its arm into a blade and took a mighty stab at Link. Instinctively, Link drew up his shield to block away the blow from the newly formed crystal blade and gripping his sword, he swung again, only for the being to form a crystal shield. Even so, the Master Sword was able to bite deep into the crystal shield of the opponent. As Link held up his shield to block a swing from the crystal blade, he noticed that the mustachioed being had just swung the crystal being into a wall with such force that the crystal being looked as if it would crash through the wall.

"SMASH!!"

The crystal being shattered into many pieces and out of the being dropped a glowing ball with two grooves that look perpendicular to each other.

"Mamma mia!" shouted the man in blue overalls, moving away from the glowing ball, "What is that?!"

But barely did the words leave the mouth of the being in blue overalls when the crystalline shards started to reform around the ball with grooves. Soon, the form of the crystal soldier formed again and, for a moment, Link thought that the crystal being formed a crystalline frown upon the normally blank visage.

Quickly turning back to the more pressing issue at hand, he found that, to his dismay, the crystal man he downed was up again and started to approach Link. Realizing he was to be surrounded, he made a loud shout, pushed the being away and formed a power stance. Slowly his blade starts to glow and suddenly, Link spun around, landing multiple cuts into the two crystal men, knocking them forcefully to the walls of the bar, shattering them into pieces.

"Dear me" says the bartender unenthusiastically as he observes the glass he held having multiple cuts, "That was my second favorite glass" he continued as he placed the cut glass down and picks up the other glass he was wiping.

As Link caught his breath and his orientation, he saw the being in blue overalls run past the two crystal men he was fighting to one of the grooved balls and grab a hold of the ball with his hand. Suddenly, to Link's surprise, he saw the ball consumed in a large fire. A large "POW!" emanated from the grooved ball as it exploded into dust.

Realizing what must be done, Link turned his attention to the other crystal being and, with a scream, jumps, points his sword down, and stabs the second grooved ball, just as the crystals began to reform around the ball.

"POW!" went the ball as it brightly exploded. And the crystals reforming around the crystal ball soon fell into useless crystal shards.

Seeing what had happened, both Link and the man with blue overalls looked at each other, nodded and rushed at the two other crystal men.

The being in blue overalls made an amazing massive leap that not even he, Link, was able to perform and, jumping over a slash from the crystal being, performed an aerial roundhouse kick at the head of the crystal being, causing the being to shatter. With no time to waste, Link slashed the grooved ball into oblivion. Turning his attention to the other crystal being, Link parried a swing of a crystalline blade and slashed deep into the crystal being, stunning the being. With a mighty grunt, Link delivered a massive back kick to the being, slamming him onto a wall. As the being shattered and the ball started to tumble around the floor, both Link and the being in blue overalls tried to grab a hold of the ball. Soon, the crystals started to quiver and shake in anticipation of reuniting together. A few seconds later, the being in blue overalls shouts, "I a-got it!" only to see the crystals fly towards him. Rather than risk himself getting hit, the being in blue overalls aerial-kicks the grooved ball into the feeble fire. The crystals rushed into the fire along with the ball only for the ball to go "POW!" causing the once feeble fire to ignite into a massive inferno. With eyes widening in terror, both Link and the being in blue overalls fell face-down to avoid the horizontal pillar of fire. Soon, the feeble fire returned to normal.

Then for a moment, it was still.

Link rose up, taking a look around. Not only were there many chairs smashed, but the tables were broken, steins litter the floor, newly formed stains have formed. The old man lay there foaming in the mouth, continuously muttering. Little Pacho still lay there softly moaning in pain. Picking himself up and dusting off the crystal shards that was on his tunic, he picks up the being in blue overalls.

"Ah...that was most appreciated" said the being in blue overalls, "Thank a-you"

Link shook his head and sticking out his hand, took the being's hand and shook it.

"Ah...it was a-nothing" the being in blue overalls said. "My name is'sa Mario, and yours?"

"His name is Link." the old man's voice said.

Both heroes turned to look as the old man picked himself up. Hobbling a bit to the side as he regained his balance, he brushed himself off before hobbling to both heroes. With wide eyes and a snaggle-tooth grin, he continued.

"You were both able to deal with the demons. Heh heh...this is great news...great news indeed." the old man muttered as he switched his eye patch from the left eye to the right eye. "For both you heroes, you deserve to be treated like heroes. Please, I implore you, as an old man with little to do and too much time in his hands, come to my family abode for the night...hee hee..." The old man started to hobble out of the door, motioning both of them to come. "Come, COME! Before I start begging you insufferably!" and with that, both Link and Mario looked at each other in confusion, shrugged and followed the old man.

"Hmmph..." the bartender said as he came out from the kitchen and leaned back on his post. "Little Pacho, " he said while wiping his glass, "You and your friends are going to foot the bill tonight..."

And Little Pacho moaned at his misfortune.