Chapter 30: Knighthood's Highest Calling
Answering the Sworn Oath Arc
Disclaimer: I don't own The Legend of Zelda, this is just a Fanfiction.
Featured Music: "Urgency Drives Us" - Fire Emblem 10: Radiant Dawn OST. Chapter Briefing.
"Crimson Sunset" - Tekken V OST. Scene 5.
In their fight to overturn the influence of evil and fear that the Dreadlord Dragmire has breathed into the divine Fire Temple Sheik, Link, Navi and Raynard all join forces in their infiltration to rid it of their enemy's military forces. Although, as before, the group splits up they both encounter similarly difficult problems indeed.
Heading deep into the lava-like dungeon, Sheik and Raynard manage to come into contact with what can only be called a 'Flare Dancer'. Although they come very close the pair of experienced young warriors manage to come out on top by utilising their teamwork and inside knowledge.
Similarly exploring far through the ancient temple Link and Navi at last come into contact with their old companion Darunia and reminisce of former days. Pressing on, the trio eventually come face-to-face with the right-hand to their country's usurping ruler; former man of the Hylian military and religious cloth, Scaverin. In revealing himself the devious summoner uses his infamous technique to bring back yet another former companion of the heroes.
The Goron Barkner.
Having been previously murdered in cold blood seven years prior in a horrific accident by the villainous Kage Narumono, Scaverin hopes to undermine the group's trust by revealing this information to the listening Darunia. At last aware of the treachery he never thought to consider, Darunia can barely form a word in response.
The horrifying truth has finally come to light.
In spite of this revelation however Scaverin's order to finish the pair forces them into yet another confrontation; it is in this that they learn one important fact about their enemy's unholy technique.
The summoned corpses that Scaverin calls seem to have a near limitless supply of Aegir and physical energy.
In spite of this knowledge and even knowing it all, Kage Narumono attempts to come to the rescue a second time. Ready for this interruption however Scaverin uses his research into the Shinzui-et-Sanmiitai, thanks to the willing Ganondorf, to counter the demon's normally wildly effective treatment. In doing so he not only near eliminates him but destroys all hope of redemption.
Surprising even his demonic second side however the Hero of Time himself re-awakens from within his consciousness for one thing only...
Forgiveness.
Oddly, Barkner responds to the youth; the first and only words he were to ever speak after his return to the Light World. When he absolves the guilty-plagued hero he, strangely, finds himself ascending once more to the next plane of existence – the Void.
Although he has no answers for the epiphany he has just witnessed Scaverin, once again, retreats from the battlefield as reinforcements arrive in the form of the wandering Sheik and Raynard...
Scene 1
"So... he did it again..."
Ganondorf's voice, normally so easy to read, was oddly calm and composed; it echoed on out into the throne room they resided in.
"Yes... my lord," Scaverin answered, standing ever at the ready at his master's side, eyes narrowed down to meet the reserved form of Hyrule's king. "Although I was ready to deal with the Shinzui's power..."
"It would certainly appear this boy is no ordinary warrior..."
His words having been interrupted, albeit softly, the listening Scaverin upturned one of his eyebrows in light surprise before swiftly closing his mouth.
An eager grin spread very slowly across the formerly-frowning form of the Gerudian king. "Even discounting the involvement of the Shinzui itself... I must say I am impressed." Ganondorf couldn't help but grin in his compliment.
"Ah but... sire..."
Though he chuckled on, Ganondorf soon found himself raising up a flaming-haired eyebrow in curiosity before turning to face the former bishop.
"It's, rather, how he did it that is still a problem..." The cloaked schemer managed out with a concerned frown, folding his arms as he did so.
The listening Gerudian king lowered his smirk in favour of a turning frown. "How so...?"
"Of all things... this boy asked for... forgiveness..."
Silence.
"And... that is what stopped your summoned corpse?"
Positively ashamed by the association of such words the listening Scaverin sighed through his nose before shutting his eyes and nodding.
"Hrm...," Ganondorf hummed out thoughtfully before briefly swivelling his head back 'round to face forward. "Perhaps... it is more simple than we think."
Blinking in surprise Scaverin couldn't help but put on a similarly shocked frown. "M-My lord?"
Placing his right elbow to rest softly across his buffed up left forearm he cupped his chin in an astute manner. "Did this boy have any kind of history with this... soldier you summoned?"
"W-Why yes I believe he-"
"Hmph...," Ganondorf interrupted in a deft grinning grunt. "There's your answer..."
"W-Wha-?"
"It would appear that your new technique most definitely has some drawbacks... my old friend," the knowledgeable older man shot back before turning his amber-eyed gaze forward once more. "Somehow... in reaching this relationship your enemy had with your soldier... it would seem he managed to lay his formerly living regrets... to rest."
At last realising his king's words, and the meaning behind them, the listening Scaverin couldn't help but hold back a shocked gasp as he widened his eyes.
"Hah...," Ganondorf laughed heartily, nodding his head upward as he thought of the exchange. "How noble..."
"Of course...," Scaverin whispered, narrowing his eyes in a mixture of realisation and anger. "How could I miss it...?!"
"It's an easy mistake to make...," Ganondorf offered in a low casual smile. "You'll just have to do more research into your subjects...," he continued on, threading his fingers together once more in his smile as he briefly turned to face the former bishop. "Or improve your technique... whichever comes first."
Bowing forward in a sign of apology and respect, the listening Scaverin shut his eyes as he did. "Yes... my lord."
"More importantly...," the joined-fingered king began once more, a grin gracing his complexion as he re-faced the front. "Not once but many, many times this mere boy has managed to impede my plans..."
Harking on quietly and intently Scaverin rose up an eyebrow.
With a final knowing smirk to his tone, Ganondorf finished his calculated speech. "We may have to pull the full potential of the Shinzui-et-Sanmiitai from him... my old friend..."
"Yowai..."
The sound of Kage Narumono's normally sharp and harsh blade-like voice uncharacteristically softly bounced off the walls of the listening Link's subconscious. Turning his blonde head 'round to face the source of the demonic voice, the frowning ex-Kokiri found the reflection of himself laying down inside a steel-barred cage. Back facing him, the form of the young adult was in a low sitting position, ostensibly resting inside the prison he spoke from.
"Kage..." Link greeted in a light frowning murmur.
"Why are you here...?" The demonic mirrored form of the youth threw over his low shoulder, head similarly lowered. "You saw what happened..."
Realising he was referring him to their earlier altercation with Barkner Link couldn't help but frown back softly, a strange sense of melancholy to it.
This was the very first time he had seen a quality in Kage Narumono that he could fully appreciate.
To be fair though, the young Hylian thought to himself...
This was quite possibly the one time Kage had ever encountered failure.
He must be feeling fairly sorry for himself, the youth surmised silently.
"No power is absolute... Kage," Link advised the deflated demon before him, a kind of sad frown atop his own expression. "Everyone learns that eventually." He finished, a light smile forming on his complexion.
"Weak...," Kage shot back over his shoulder, facing the crimson-garbed youth with a hateful glare on his hellish-red eye. "Only non-combatants would speak in such a way..."
"Maybe...," the listening Hylian conceded very easily before re-growing the smile on his face. "Maybe it's just a matter of... perspective."
As his words echoed across the walls of their shared subconscious, Link's tall form began to phase in and out of existence; a sign of his leaving. Watching with one eye Kage merely furrowed his brow as he listened.
"Yowai..."
–
3
Groaning from the sheer agony his body and head dealt to him, Link felt disorientated to say the least.
Where am I, he thought.
Darkness covered his eyes; something appeared to be completely blocking his normally decent vision.
"Don't make any sudden movements; you're injured."
Gasping very quietly, more to himself, Link judged the voice as fairly soft and demure.
A woman's?
Not someone he recognised.
"Though I'm sure you'll make these look like scratches in a few hours..." The woman spoke once more, a well-natured smile in the tone of her words.
"W-Who...?"
"Shh..."
Wincing from the abrupt touch he felt across his open mouth the youth dropped his own voice in obeying, surprised a second time by the woman's cushioned finger. Listening further the blind blonde furrowed his brow as he listened to her step lightly 'round to what sounded like his left.
What is she doing, he thought, half-worried and paranoid.
"It's okay...," she whispered down at him, somehow sensing his inward thoughts. "You know me..."
Link found his eyes narrowing into the abyss staring back at him.
Who was this woman?
"You're safe...," she spoke, her voice as delicate as the touch she graced him with. "I won't let anything else happen to you."
Strange, Link thought.
Somehow that voice is so familiar.
Where have I heard you before?
"W-Where is-?"
"Shh..."
Silencing him a second time she drew even closer to him than before; sensing her presence approach his body he widened his eyes past the blindfold he wore when he felt her fingertips graze his apparently bare chest.
Why is my tunic off?
What the hell is going on?
"Those wounds... they've all been my fault..."
His brow furrowed once more as he listened, attempting to work out who the reticent voice belonged to.
"I wish I could tell you who I am but...," the mystery woman's voice sighed close-by. "I shouldn't even be speaking to you now..."
He sensed her approach even further; he couldn't help but flinch when he felt her forehead press delicately against his. The youth held back a gasp when he felt something caress the sides of his callous face gently.
Her hands it would seem.
The odd scent of some oddly familiar kind of perfume filled his nose's senses.
I do know who this is, he thought.
But how?
"You've given up so much for me since that day we met..."
The pleasant odour of her body began to mess with his already groggy head; intoxicating him even as he lay there.
This isn't good, he thought.
I can't just let her-
"I think... that I've always loved you... even back then."
Her demure voice so oddly confident in her claim gave a bizarre kind of quality to it.
What is she talking about, he ruminated on silently.
"Even if nothing else... I can at least do this for you."
With those words he felt her come even closer to him judging by the ticklish sensation across his cheeks.
That feels like earrings, he thought.
Earrings and long hair.
"Mm-!"
Surprised by the slow graze to his mouth she graced him with, he felt her lock her lips with his.
What the hell is she doing?!
In spite of the abrupt surge of anger that flew through his spine he, very gradually, found himself sinking into the embrace she gifted him with.
I shouldn't be doing this, he thought.
What about Malon?
Maybe this is Malon.
No...
No, it can't be Malon; she smells different.
So then... who...?
"Mm..."
The sound of her mezzo-soprano moaning softly with his contributed to the dizzily swimming of his head.
It was, oddly, very addictive.
This is wrong, he thought.
I have to stop this.
But it feels so good...
He felt her run her fingers smoothly through the bangs in his blonde hair, as if revelling in the action. Although he attempted in vain to lift his arms he found, strangely, that he couldn't.
Something seemed to be pushing down on it supernaturally.
A magical seal perhaps?
Whatever it was, it was absolute; the young Hylian could only lie there and feel the young woman somewhat naively explore the insides of his tongue and his mouth. In spite of this however he felt a similar kind of eagerness he had displayed himself when first embracing Malon.
She definitely wants this, he thought.
At last however she pulled her fingers from his head, almost seemingly begrudgingly; a promise yet to come for the pair. Before completely leaving the sides of his face however she seemed to linger a short while longer.
"I know how it must feel to you..."
Narrowing his cerulean eyes beneath the blindfold he wore, Link listened on as if to look for some kind of deception in her voice.
"But I will always be watching over you Link...," the mystery woman whispered, her own head seemingly close to his own; he could veritably feel the humid warmth of her breath on his face. "I will... always be yours, alone..."
The similarly sweet singing sound of her voice managed to take him the rest of the way to sleep, the compulsion to let go in her arms simply too great.
This is just a dream, he thought.
Just a dream...
With a wide-eyed gasp Link awoke with a start, similar to how he used to back in his childhood days in the Kokiri Forest. At last able to move again he shot his upper body in a vertical snap; reaching for the blindfold he cursed so infernally he grunted in his removal of it, eager to regain his vision again.
Sure enough, as the brick-red of the room slowly began to settle before him, Link at last realised where he was.
The prison.
Surprised he was laying on a stretcher that appeared to be rolled on in the room he had fought in not mere minutes ago.
Maybe it was longer, he countered himself silently.
I was out cold...
Wasn't I...?
"It felt so real..." He mused quietly lowering his cobalt-blue eyes in a thoughtful frown, thinking back to the voice of the elusive woman speaking to him. Pulling his left arm off from across his raised knee the blonde turned to step off of the stretcher. Surprised in the sudden responsiveness his body allowed him he rose his straw-haired eyebrows up to reflect it.
"After that fight I thought I was finished."
At least I got to be forgiven he added on in his ruminations, a slow smile gracing his complexion as he thought of the fallen departed Goron.
But... Darunia...
With that thought weighing him down Link marched forward out of the prison previously used to hold Goron prisoners-of-war and rolled his shoulders to regain some feeling through them. Reaching for the door he flinched when he saw the knob turning and narrowed his eyes, waiting; opening it through, a similarly blonde form stood staring back at him, familiar and all.
The leader of the Hylian rebellion.
"Sheik...," the Hero of Time greeted the fiery-eyed Sheikah with a business-like frown. Oddly he found the Sheikah uncharacteristically avoiding his eyesight. "How long have I been out?"
"U-Um... just a few hours...," the youth shot back in a hand-raised cough. "H-How are you... feeling...?"
Link couldn't help but raise a half-annoyed eyebrow at him but responded regardless.
"Fine...," he murmured, furrowing his brow forward. "How is Darunia?"
"He's... still unconscious last we checked but he's very much alive," the blonde youth nodded, at last turning to re-face him. "He's in a stable condition."
"Good...," Link murmured back, lowering his oceanic eyes in a silently thankful frown. Suddenly remembering his odd dream however, his eyebrows re-rose before he did the same with his head and re-opened his mouth. "This... might sound strange but..."
"Hm...?"
"Is there a... woman... living around here?"
Silence.
Feeling completely and utterly stupid Link couldn't help but avert his eyes from his unit's leader, a very faint wince upon his face.
"U-Um..."
Double-taking in bewildered curiosity Link found himself staring at Sheik's second bashful expression.
What the hell is wrong with him?
"N-No... w-why do you ask?"
"I...," he began in reply, narrowing his left eye singularly in scrutinisation. "Had a weird... dream...," the youth claimed before shaking his head of the matter. "It's probably nothing..."
"Ah..." Sheik nodded, an odd quality in his hot-crimson eye; Link watched him carefully, finding an odd kind of knowledge in them.
He knows something, he thought.
"Did you... get to-"
"Yo!"
Interrupted so crudely Sheik could only cringe from the sudden firm disrupting voice; turning their heads similarly the pair found the firmly-frowning face of Raynard fast-approaching them.
"I was wondering when you'd finally get up...," the dark-haired mercenary bantered over in a well-meaning light grin, his arms seemingly folded as per usual. Realising his two allies hardened annoyed stares on him however he pulled back temporarily, raising a curious ebony eyebrow upward to match the clueless shrug he graced them with. "What?!"
In a visibly annoyed sigh Sheik shook his blonde head before turning to leave into the lobby, presumably to drive the discussion forward.
"How is Darunia, last you checked Raynard?" The Sheikah questioned over his shoulder, the frowning pair of warriors following behind him dutifully.
"Still out cold," the black-haired halberd wielder shot back, re-folding his arms in his hardened frown. "Haven't seen him come back out of it since we dug him up."
"Navi in there with him?" Link questioned curiously, raising a blonde eyebrow. Nodding in response, Sheik re-opened his mouth to reply vocally.
"Yes," he answered before continuing on. "She was very helpful; it seemed she knew quite a bit about his condition."
Knowing exactly what he was referring to Link chose to remain quiet, averting his eyes in a guilty frown.
"I stored the Master Sword inside with Darunia; don't worry," he added on. Link furrowed his brow before reaching for the familiar sky-blue hilt on his left side and, sure enough, couldn't find it. "For some odd reason you... weren't using it during that fight."
Again, realising what the Sheikah was talking about, the young Hylian turned his eyes away from his commander.
"I'll go get it for you; we can discuss tactics on the final assault." The rebellion's leader threw over his shoulder one last time before pressing forward, presumably for the unconscious Darunia's room. Left alone the two young men found themselves awkwardly sharing silence together.
"Raynard...," Link began, narrowing his oceanic eyes after his leader in an unsure frown. The listening mercenary raised a curious eyebrow of his own as he turned his head to face the Hero of Time. "Was there... a woman in here earlier?"
"A woman?" The scarred youth parroted before chuckling derisively and shaking his head. "In here?"
"I know how idiotic it sounds...," Link murmured once more, lowering his eyes in thought and remembrance. "But... it felt so real..."
"What felt so real?" Raynard countered shaking his head a second time though, this time, more in an unsure request for clarification.
Realising he was creating more questions than answers Link merely sighed softly and blew a stray strand of straw hair out of his sea-blue eyes, a saddened frown upon his expression.
"Oh... nothing really."
–
4
The smell of brimstone and fire permeated the atmosphere and the area the group of warriors stood around.
Oppressive, Link thought to himself reservedly.
It was almost as if something in the air was telling him that this confrontation had to be done regardless of what had already happened.
"Where is it?" Raynard, as always, crudely put toward his unit's commander. Nodding his turban head forward in response, Sheik frowned beneath the similarly white scarf he wore, pointing toward the noticeably large locked door.
Recognising it as the one he once met Darunia from, Link realised exactly what was hiding behind it.
Leaping forward he pressed on ahead of his three comrades, aquatic eyes set on the door.
"Link, wait!"
In spite of Sheik's call the blonde youth pressed on regardless, his destination the golden-locked door before him. Catching on up with the Hero of Time however the high-flying Navi, Raynard and Sheik all crossed the distance in the platforms between them all.
"You can't walk in there alone," Sheik hissed in the young man's direction as he stepped to his right side, fiery-eye narrowing accusingly. "That's a dragon...!"
"I know Sheik," Link countered over his shoulder, knocking the golden locks above him with the back side of his right hand. Sure enough, as he pressed it, it dropped to the ground in a cacophonous clang seemingly having been seen to earlier. "Better me than anyone else."
Surprised by his words, the listening Sheikah rose up his light-blonde eyebrows, seemingly unable to find a viable response.
"You ain't getting' rid of us that easy," Raynard muttered over in a hard-eyed glower; his normal firmly-frowning expression. "Dragon slaying's gotta be on my list too, after all..."
"Dragon slaying... huh...?" Link repeated in a dream-like yet hardened gaze of his own as the previously firmly locked door before him shoot upward. Feeling the weight of the silvery Megaton Hammer on his belt he couldn't help but grow a small shut-eyed grin to match the odd cheer he felt. "Yeah... same here."
The boiling air that washed over his face was as bad if not worse than the wind in the previous room.
On the single platform the three men stood they turned their gaze forward only to find the single and last platform left; it was a dirty-coloured one with oddly crimson-hot rings of lava dotted around it.
It's hiding in there, Link thought to himself as he narrowed his oceanic eyes at them suspiciously.
"Be careful in approaching it...," Sheik advised lowly, eye similarly narrowing next to him. "It's probably already aware we're in here..."
"Good...," Raynard interrupted the exchange as rudely as usual, a scowling grunt on his tongue and tone as he stepped forward past the group. "Faster we get this done... the better."
"No Raynard wait!"
TMP
In an effortless bound the dark-haired mercenary managed to cross the distance between the brick-red platform they stood on and the dirt-shaded one ahead. Wincing as he watched Sheik couldn't help but flinch as his rash ally landed.
"What?" The youth threw over his shoulder in a shrugging grin. "There's nothing he-"
RUMBLE...
Widening their eyes the group of men found themselves in the heat of battle, just as they had initially feared; grumbling on beneath the boiling hot lava below, the form underneath that caused the echoing rumbling at last revealed itself.
SCREECH
In a boisterous reverberating scream, the long form of what appeared to be the dragon itself finally unearthed itself; flying directly out of one of the small pits of lava the long intimidating creature called out cacophonously. Looking more like a snake than a dragon in its form, Volvagia appeared to be wingless entirely; its only appendages were its similarly sleek clawed arms and head. Upon its flaming-haired head it wore what appeared to be an ancient dragon-scaled helmet.
A form of armour that would be a challenge indeed to penetrate.
"Come on...," Link murmured over to the wide-eyed Sheik. "We'd better go help him."
–
5
Subterranean Lava Dragon – Volvagia
SCREECH
As the snake-like form of the high-flying dragon filled the air with its deafening call, it fired forth a stream of searing flame from its mouth; the sign of a true lizard indeed. Rolling across the blackened ground Raynard grunted in effort as he just barely managed to avoid the well-aimed singing Volvagia attempted.
"Fuck me...!" He hissed out, amber eyes narrowing on after the ancient flying creature. "Can't slip up!"
"Link, it's getting away!" Navi suddenly called out from the joining blonde's side; he nodded in response, reaching back into his belt behind him.
"On it."
With that the Hero of Time pulled forth the trusty bow he had procured from the Forest Temple and, nocking an arrow behind the string, he took careful aim at the floaty and predictable flight path of his enemy. Widening his sea-blue eyes he let loose the carefully-plucked arrow and watched it fly through the air in rapid search of its destination.
SQUELCH
Although Volvagia itself gave no vocal notice of the arrow's strike the watching group of youths caught the echoing sickening squash from its head connecting with the air assault. Even as it flew back inside one of its many underground lava holes the narrow-eyed Link gave pursuit in a futile attempt to head it off. Sure enough, even as he approached, he was too late even to draw his main weapon.
"Over here!"
Turning their heads 'round in surprise both Sheik and Link found the eager-toned Raynard rushing for the burning-aura that was the fast-approaching Volvagia.
"Raynard wait for us!" Sheik called out worriedly fiery eye widened as he leapt up to fire off a few throwing knives. Just as he had feared however they bounced harmlessly off the screeching Volvagia's robust helmet. As they spun ecstatically into the air the narrow-eyed Raynard, seemingly opting not to heed his commander's order, reached for the shining halberd across his back. Spinning it 'round expertly he roared with effort as he brought it down in an effort-filled diagonal swipe.
WHOOSH
TINK
His sap-amber eyes widened in a mixture of bewilderment and horror, especially when he realised the inevitable counter-attack was coming. Shooting up his halberd diagonally in a near-futile attempt to block he grunted in a shocking movement of effort as Volvagia roared back at him angrily.
SKRRRRR
"Agh...!" Raynard managed out; having been sent drifting a few steps backward from Volvagia's raking clawed strike, the black-haired youth took his time in recovering, spinning his halberd a second time as he did. "That's insane...!"
"Normal weaponry won't work!" Sheik advised, jogging to catch up with the gasping mercenary. "I don't think even the Master Sword would be able to damage it..." The wise Sheikah claimed, briefly turning to face the walking and listening Link. Nodding in turn with his commander he reached onto his belt for the silvery hammer he once watched Barkner wield.
The legendary Megaton Hammer.
Pulling the sheath of the Master Sword itself off of his belt and his back, perhaps to lighten his load, Link dropped it to his side in an echoing clang. Cobalt-blue eyes narrowing he even found himself removing the boots 'round his ankles as well as the fingerless gloves he wore so well previously.
"Link what are you-?"
"If there was one thing Kage was right about... it's this," Link responded by softly interrupting his guardian fairy, crackling his bare knuckles and rolling his neck 'round his shoulders. "Power is everything."
"You need that sword!" Raynard called over his shoulder, amber eyes similarly narrowed. Glaring back at his similarly-aged ally, Link merely re-opened his mouth to respond.
"Only a weakling relies on weaponry," he retaliated with in an emphatic glare before re-focusing his gaze on the missing form of their shared enemy. "Yowai..."
Though at first seemingly surprised by his rival's audacity the listening Raynard turned his shocked frown into an annoyed glower before 'rounding it in search for their common foe.
SCREECH
Almost having listened to the Hero of Time's very words the screaming ancient dragon called out cacophonously as it rose up from one of the many lava pits close-by. Although his comrades widened their eyes in an attempt to ready themselves, the watching Link darted his eyes over to his lower left before raising up his superior left fist. Seemingly encircled with an elementally crimson-coloured aura of a similar fire, the wide-eyed Hero of Time roared with effort as he brought his fiery left fist down on the narrow-eyed Volvagia's head.
CRASH-DROOM-SCREECH
With incredible power the dragon beneath him was near knocked unconscious by the swing of its opponent's mere fist; thrown like a great-axe, it appeared to carry much weight behind it for the lizard-like creature fell to the ground, its limbs and long flaming hair splayed out before the watching warriors.
"Good god...!" Raynard gasped out, eyes widened, near unable to believe it.
"Now Link; now!" Sheik called out urgently, clenching a fist in excitement.
Opting to heed his commander's order the narrow-eyed Hero of Time rose up his slow-spinning left leg in a half-moon axe kick technique.
SMASH
Grunting as he forced it out of its hiding place, Volvagia was sent spinning up high into the air from the sheer intensity of the Aegir-filled strike before swiftly coming back down. In pulling his left and right fists back Link began to slowly widen his eyes, a similarly fiery-red kind of aura filling his body. Finally, as Volvagia at last came within range, Link merely expelled forth an effort-filled yell as he slammed his two open palms against its flying body savagely.
DROOM-KRRR-SPLASH
In a daring and grandiose manoeuvre indeed the screaming dragon was sent careering across the platform's dirty-shaded ground and straight into the ocean of lava ahead of them.
"W-Woah...," Navi's surprised and even intimidated little squeak came from the sky next to the recovering Link; rotating his arms in a clockwise motion he narrowed his oceanic eyes after his fallen enemy. "How'd you do that?"
"It's not difficult...," the young blonde admitted, taking a deep breath in as if to regain his strength. "Once you learn how to use certain types of Aegir."
Listening in with mixed reactions both Sheik and Raynard's faces depicted a contrasting pair indeed; while the watching Sheik seemed to be somewhat impressed and perhaps even revered the glaring Raynard scowled with some sense of revulsion and resentment.
SCREECH
"Watch out!"
Harking true to the little guardian fairy's warning the trio of men turned their eyes to the front only to find the angry-voiced lizard-king gliding high up into the sky, seemingly having recovered from its earlier damage.
"What's it...?" Link trailed off, furrowing his brow in a display of concentration as he watched the snake-like form of Volvagia endlessly twist and turn high into the sky.
"Oh no...," Sheik murmured, crimson eye widening in an unhealthy mixture of realisation and horror. "Scatter!"
"Why?!" Raynard threw over his shoulder urgently, raising a black eyebrow.
Before the Sheikah commander could even respond vocally the young Van Garrick's question was soon answered.
CRASH
By the sudden sound, and appearance, of a rock.
"Rock slide!"
Turning to weave in and out of the wide array of falling molten boulders, Raynard and Sheik found themselves moving quickly in their attempt to keep out of harm's way. In spite of this however the frowning Link merely shot his right clenched fist down in a downward punch.
DROOM-VRRRR
In a defensive effort the narrow-eyed Hero of Time managed to bring up a spherical shield of Quintessence. Although it was transparent in nature not even a single molten mineral managed to get through; as they drew close and collided with the bulwark they blew apart in a beautiful show of sparks and lava. Watching from within the protection her partner offered her, Navi's eyes widened behind her little blue form at the fast-approaching form of their enemy.
"He's coming back!"
Having successfully been alerted the firmly-frowning Link snapped his hard-eyed glare up to meet with the arrow-like form of Volvagia. Grabbing the Megaton Hammer off his belt he pulled it back with his left arm and narrowed his eyes, seemingly concentrating.
"Link? What are you-?"
Despite her enquiry her hard-eyed partner found himself following through with his action; a mixture of fiery and wind-like elements began to circulate his body and, by association, the hammer itself. Eventually, once the dragon reached a certain height, Link at last let loose his leverage; yelling with effort he pulled back and tossed forward the Megaton Hammer within his grip barbarically. All combatants turned their heads to watch, near unable to believe the sheer sight of what they saw; last, of course, was the wide-eyed dragon itself.
Turning its burning-eyed gaze upward from its downward flight it could only stare ahead at the incoming holy silver, emblazoned with wind and fire-elemental Aegir.
CLANG-SKRRR-CLATTER
In screeching heavily and painfully with the divine hammer, Volvagia was successfully shot straight out of the sky. As it descended down its pathway was diverged by the strike it turned to fall in an agonised twist and turn. Watching from a safe distance the shock-faced Sheik and Raynard could barely find words with which to voice their surprise; staring on from one end of the battlefield they could only merely exchange an unsure look with one another.
Marching on toward his fallen adversary with a deliberate carefulness in his manner Link bent down briefly to pick up the resting Megaton Hammer before standing imposingly over the growling Volvagia. Reaching up in vain to scratch and slash at him, the ancient dragon offered its hostility to him in an impressive show of moxie and rage. Narrowing his oceanic eyes however Link rose up his bare right foot and slammed it down on the lizard-kin's neck. Gasping aloud with widened eyes beneath its helmet Volvagia's initial last-laid resistance began to fall, allowing the wide-eyed Link to follow through with his final counter-attack. Rising up the Megaton Hammer with both arms he grunted in an echoing savage scowl before bringing it singing down on his enemy's skull.
WHEEEE...
CRACK-CRUNCH-SQUELCH
In a sickening and echoing smother Volvagia gave one echoing screech before seemingly attempting to turn its flight back upward. Merely watching in his hardened cold gaze Link witnessed his enemy give its last bit of strength to scream cacophonously. Almost as if realising its end, Volvagia's form at last began to burn up into the already volcanic atmosphere the group resided in. Eventually the youth found only broken bones of his deceased adversary to match the final skull laying at his feet.
CRASH
"Well..."
Turning his straw-haired head up to match the curiousness his facial expression took, Link swivelled his frown 'round to face the voice of his guardian fairy.
"That's one way to deal with that."