Chapter 26: Dawn & Sunset; a Clash in Friends
Kara-Throwing in Kaiohdrahl Arc
Disclaimer: I don't own The Legend of Zelda, this is just a Fanfiction.
Featured Music: "High Score Results ~{Taito Type X²}" - Ultra Street Fighter IV OST. Chapter Briefing.
"Main Menu (A)" - Super Street Fighter IV OST. Scene 1 (First Half).
"Receive & Slash You" - Yakuza V OST. Scene 1 (Second Half).
"Parry Addiction" - Yakuza 0 OST. Scene 2 (Second Half).
"Battle for a Dream" - Yakuza V OST. Scene 3 (Second Half).
With his advance blazing as powerfully red as the crimson flame he sports, 'Fire Fist Firbrand' himself trails through Aurelia at frightening speed and all within the confines of his slow-growing group of companions; Zelda the royal princess of Hyrule herself, Impa guardian and bodyguard to their country's princess, Barkner, an old friend of Link's himself during his quest for the Goron Ruby, Alwyn, a Zoran companion also gained in the Hero of Time's stint for the Spiritual Stones of Hyrule and Malon, daughter to the well-known proprietor and owner of 'Lon Lon Ranch' of Hyrule.
Newly accompanying the heroes are some older friends from a different era and others new entirely; Raynard, an old companion that once worked within the rebellion in the original timeline and rival to Link himself, joins the group on temporary occasion having already been travelling in his own small party with the devious Scaverin. And finally Vassia, princess to the kingdom of Palashia herself; a rather stubborn and imperious young girl, focused intensely on wedding the unfortunate young Hero of Time himself after their incredible clash in the Palashian Premier grand finals.
It is with these companions that Link has already managed to trek through his own homeland of Hyrule, Palashia and has now at last arrived in Kaiohdrahl, all for the next national championship that the Prima World Tour are hosting. When arriving within Kaiohdrahl however, the heroes are soon met with an intimidating run of company; an invading regiment of knight-turned-mercenaries led by a former soldier and a charismatic one himself; former lord Velkarez of Stralanavia's regulars.
While Link and his companions fight valiantly it is Velkarez who comes out on top, and rather impressively at that, having taken every single member of the group on at once and an in single combat. It is only when Link returns, having been given a second chance by the Sorcerer of the Divine Divide himself, that the group's morale begins to rise once again; although his physical and spiritual strength had been increased by the Sorcerer in the gap between dimensions, Link still finds himself at a crossroads when he forces Velkarez to access little under half of his true power. An incredible rise that sees the once-confident Hero of Time hit a wall; an insurmountable wall that no other has ever managed to climb.
Very quickly he begins to despair and reach for the forbidden powers of the Shinzui-et-Sanmiitai itself; a sentiment that he eventually falls into when he takes the Sorcerer's woe-spoken advice, to turn and give in to the power of 'Akuma'. Said to be a 'yōkai' of the ancient days of Hyrule and Aurelia, 'Akuma' bears an uncanny and downright concerning resemblance to Link himself of his adult years; a fact bolstered by the worrying words and murals given to him in his adventure across Termina's Ikana Canyon.
Regardless of Velkarez's otherwise impressive and unchallenged strength, Link's new form in the 'Fierce Deity' is all but near-godlike itself; Velkarez finds now that it is he who must fight for his life... and fight for his life he does. In at last ordering the death of Link's only remaining companion still conscious, the Fierce Deity at last not only breaks the rest of Velkarez's unit of former soldiers, but the Templars' commander himself; a chilling display of the 'Rikudo Osatsu', a forbidden and ancient martial arts technique of the Shinzui, said to seal away a person's very soul within the depths of the Void, further strengthening the speculated link from the Fierce Deity, the Shinzui and Kage Narumono himself.
With Kaiohdrahl freed and having gone to assist the kingdom of its missing persons' problem, accompanied by the royal family's personal knight herself Shanaari, Link and his companions at last find some rest in between to prepare for the rapidly-upcoming 'Kaioh Bio'. Having finally signed up in the early morning and been seeded, Link takes hope that he may progress past the grand finals and finally become a national champion; something he has yet to do. Unfortunately for him however, he must wait, as his match is in round four. For now, he stays his boiling blood to prepare himself for round one; a clashing of two close companions within their group that no-one had ever expected or predicted.
Barkner Elbrus VS. Alwyn Weirson.
As always, he wishes his good friends well-tidings for their match together and relaxes himself, if only for the first round...
Scene 1
"Welcome back ladies and gentlemen and good morning! If you're just joining us you're just in time!"
The sound of Mr. Marshall's ever business-like baritone filled Tiverpool Castle's very walls itself, rebounding powerfully and mixing well with the high-octane screams and cheers of the surrounding audience around the two sitting commentators. The younger man sitting next to Marshall grinned on as he rose up the small gossip stone in his own hand, leaning backward rather carelessly in his chair as he opened up his mouth to speak as if to add to the man's words.
"It is such a beautiful day and we're all cooped up in a castle?!" The rambunctious youth called out, drawing humoured laughs from the crowd. "I mean it's a beautiful place but, come on!"
"We'll just have to create our own sun in these walls my young friend!" The smiling Marshall bounded back off the younger man with, brown-haired head leant to the side as he re-faced him before turning back to the patient audience. "We hope you all haven't been waiting too long folks! Your cheers all validate the palpable anticipation surrounding us all today! And yet this is merely a paltry when compared to the incredible dedication and commitment all these challengers have displayed to achieve top eight!"
"I can't wait for this one!" The younger man grinned back. "Tasty Seth gonna devour all this delicious action! Glad I got out of bed this mornin'!"
"As are we all Seth and what a tournament we have for you all today!" Marshall continued on, turning his smile forward. "In our top eight's inauguration we have an unexpected pleasure for you all!"
"Oh yeah?" Seth asked curiously, eyebrow rising up as he popped a light grin. "What's that Marsh?"
"If any of you at home have been following our Prima World Tour, then you'll know the names 'Barkner Elbrus' and 'Alwyn Weirson'!"
"I love those guys!" Seth laughed out in response, ever the excitable one. "If ever I'd have a drink with a Goron and Zora, it'd be them!"
"What an interesting correlation Seth!" Marshall laughed similarly, nodding as he turned his own smiling-faced head to eye the two large walls surrounding the competitor's box. "Because..."
Almost as if having been cued up for the man's very words, a pair of pictographs flashed across each wall; a Goron's and a Zoran's. The grinning Barkner's displayed across the left wall whereas the ever firmly-frowning, folded-armed Alwyn's flashed up on the right, all complete with their martial arts statistics placed neatly under their pictographs.
Barkner Elbrus
Defensive Ability: S
Grapple Countering: A
Side-Stepping: A
Alwyn Weirson
Combination Damage: A
Agility: S+
Punishment Proficiency: S
"Yooo!" The excited Seth exclaimed out, eyes widened to match the thrilled look he carried in his vision. "This is a dream match Marsh!"
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH
Almost as if in full agreement with him, even before he managed to explain himself, the audience all cried out in full exclaim and excitement with him.
"And I never even knew I wanted it!" Seth grinned on as he swung his look of delight on the chuckling Marshall.
"It was only inevitable my young friend," Marshall merely smiled on, tilting his well-kept head as he did. "Those of you who have been watching our Prima World Tour keenly know of Mr. Elbrus and Mr. Weirson's rather successful climbs throughout our national championship series," he continued in his brief explanation amidst the cheering crowd of people surrounding him. "Both have left one hell of a mark on our championship series thus far; in two nationals they have already won much respect and honour for their respective races," he chuckled, shaking his head as he turned his eyes across the audience at the cheering Gorons and Zorans. "Something for all you lucky Gorons and Zoras out there!"
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH
"With how aggressive our lad Alwyn is and how strong defensively our boy Barkner is, this is gonna be an awesome match!" Seth exclaimed out alongside the high-toned voices of the listening congregation of fans. "And this is only round one! You spoil us Marsh." He grinned this time, tilting his own head in the older man's direction.
"What can we say Seth?" Marshall chuckled on in his own smile. "We like to deliver!"
"Good luck!"
The listening Alwyn and Barkner themselves, surprised by the sudden interruption to their concentration, could only similarly blink as they turned their heads down to their lower sides only to find their ever-grinning blonde companion himself. He stood staring back at the pair, a single slim hand across his karate-gi uniformed hip; an old conversational habit he liked to enact before swiftly re-opening his mouth to continue.
"No hard feelin's on who loses!" The young Hylian reiterated, drawing a noticeably amused chuckle from the listening Barkner and a silent-faced and shut-eyed smirk from the quiet Alwyn next to him.
"That much is a given." The sociable Goron shot back, swinging his own grin on his new Zoran opponent. Alwyn re-opened his ocean-teal eyes to mix with his new Goron opponent's, before soon regaining his own smile and nodding as he rose up his blue-skinned arm, presumably with which to be shook.
"No hard feelings...," the Zoran began, drawing the nodding Goron in as he grappled with the older man's hand amiably. "No matter who loses."
Barkner nodded a third time, his happy-go-lucky grin ever plastered on his rocky-like exterior. "You betcha."
As the pair turned to walk out together into Tiverpool Castle's duel halls, the sound of the cheering audience heightened to such an extent that even the listening challengers still standing within the walls of the competitor's box had to stop from wincing.
There's definitely more people at this thing, Link thought to himself excitedly, his grin slowly growing at the thought of being watched in his matches by yet more people.
"I can feel the electricity in the air folks; it's palpable, it's bold, it's there!" Marshall called out, his baritone powered and ever-amplified by the mystical properties of the small Gossip Stone he spoke into. "Almost as sure as time itself turns; this is going to be one hell of a show today!"
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH
"Red side, ready!"
The young woman's words, calling the standing two competitors out of their reverie, readied themselves; Barkner on the right side of the arena turned and grinned in the referee's direction, nodding simply and briefly before rolling his rocky-bodied fists together.
"Blue side, ready!"
The contrastingly frowning-faced Alwyn swung his business-like look on the young woman in his own nod of confirmation, before eventually swivelling it back on his Goron opponent, lightly gripping at both of his ocean-shaded wrists and flexing his calloused fingers together.
"Begin!"
Almost as immediately as the gong sounded for the match to begin did the two fighters start their inevitable duel; Alwyn's slim figure very quickly shimmered in and out of itself before the watching Barkner and the Goron widened his eyes in response. He stood calmly and carefully, his boulder-brown eyes darting around his surroundings as if in search for his slick-moving opponent, only to find shimmering after-images of the fleet-footed Zoran appearing almost in every direction around him.
It was an unsettling sight to say the least.
At last, and soon as well, Alwyn at last chose to break the illusion and attack; Barkner pulled deep within his Aegir to sense through the air to determine which form of his enemy was the correct one, before rising up both his powerfully-rock like skin arms to block horizontally as the narrow-eyed Zoran assaulted him from behind in a leaping left punch laden with the blade-like fin resting on his arm.
SKRRRRR
Thanks to the incredible residual effect of his earthy skin, Barkner not only managed to block the otherwise intimidating offensive strike but also the secondary effect of Alwyn's blade-fin, scraping noisily and agonisingly against the slabs of his Goron arms. Alwyn's eyes narrowed and, finding a weak spot however little, pressed forward by utilising his free right arm in an under-sliding low gut punch that surprisingly connected. Barkner's boulder-brown eyes widened in a mixture of abrupt shock and agony and, again surprised purely to the slim man's level of strength, found himself coughing out as he was sent just a few inches into the air.
As time regained its flow however, the Quintessence that Alwyn channelled through his connecting blow at last displayed its results and the newly shut-eyed Barkner grunted out as he was sent flying through the air, gripping down at his newly-injured stomach. Moving with incredible speed, the firmly-frowning form of Alwyn re-appeared just as quickly as he disappeared, at the mid-air Barkner's side, and he narrowed his eyes in concentration as he shot down his left elbow viciously into the yelling Goron's undefended face.
"Gurgh...!"
SMASH-CRASH
In a massive explosion that drew up much dust, smoke and bright-white tiles of the arena below him, Barkner's huge lumbering weight was a deciding factor in the grand collision that saw savagery and barbarism itself hit the very floors of the beautiful Tiverpool Castle duel room; an event that gave the watching audience a reason to call out their deafening cheers of morale and excitement once more.
"An incredible display to start off the Kaioh Bio!" The likewise enthused Marshall called out alongside them, left fist clenched at his side as he held onto the small Gossip Stone he spoke into with his right. "Alwyn's expected blinding speed has managed to overcome Barkner's overwhelming defence in a trickery-infested offensive!"
"Trick or treat Marsh!" The ever-grinning Seth quipped back, eliciting the listening Marshall to double-take in the youth's direction, as if to verify and confirm exactly what the young man had just said. The watching audience all around them gave out little chuckles, amused.
CRRRRK...
The sound of the arena's tiles cracking again echoed across the walls poignantly; a signature of the quick-rising Barkner's form. His rock-like figure shot up with surprising speed and he shot the eyebrow-risen Alwyn wide-eyed scowl as he pulled back his clenched right fist, the side of his mouth sporting a small drop of blood.
FWIP
FWIP
FWIP-FWIP-FWIP-FWIP-FWIP-FWIP-FWIP
Barkner surprised not just the watching audience, commentators and other competitors but also himself in how speedy and nimble his rock and earth-fisted assault was; an insurmountable number of punches and strikes that saw the narrow-eyed Alwyn darting and weaving his slim body through, like greased lightning itself. Finding himself a window and, indeed an opportunity with which to respond with, Alwyn flashed forward a light horizontal chop to the similar-eyed Goron's right to force him in a blocking scenario.
He shot up his right arm horizontally and the blade-fin on Alwyn's arm scraped noisily across its rock-like skin as he did. Almost immediately and, without warning, Alwyn's figure shimmered again into yet another after-image before he re-appeared almost as quickly behind the man. Barkner realised in barely enough time, swinging his form 'round to rise up both arms to block.
SLAM
Another struggle began between the men and, as it raged on into sparks of confrontation, a surprising revelation occurred; even in spite of Alwyn's seemingly weaker physical strength, the bright-blue shade his arm took grew deeper and broke the Goron's defensive hold, the assault genuinely finding result in powering through. As Alwyn smashed through Barkner's defences, the shut-eyed Goron grunted out a second time as he was sent staggering backward, his aegis now open and undefended.
Alwyn chose not to waste the opportunity and grunted out similarly as he pressed forward in a series of quick but brutal haymaker-like slices across the man's face, sending Barkner further teetering across the arena. In retaliation, the angered Barkner pressed forward in a reckless but deft assault of quick-fists that saw the narrow-eyed Alwyn weaving in and out of a second time. It was this time, however, that the wide-eyed Zoran was finally caught within one.
SMASSSH
One of Barkner's boulder-brown eyes twinkled and his scowl soon swung up into a satisfied smirk and, as time slowly began to regain its flow for the pair of evenly-skilled warriors, the young Goron launched himself into a superfast series of swipes and strikes that saw the grunting Alwyn retreating and staggering backward from the sheer ferocity of the brutal counter-attack. As Barkner yelled out in effort and spun his form around in a final turn, presumably for a finisher, he slammed his earth-infused fist horizontally across Alwyn's face to send him careering and skidding across the arena. As a result, his savage trajectory of drifting fired the wincing Zoran veering painfully against the ground, ferociously kicking up smoke and debris in his wake. The former soldier re-opened his eyes in an abrupt widen and, as he did, his slim figure suddenly and precipitously vanished; the watching audience voiced their similar surprise to the eyebrow-risen Barkner himself, a sentiment he also carried as he darted his eyes and his head in swift search for his opponent. It was only when he felt a form whoosh quietly yet noticeably to his back that he realised his position, yet all too late.
SLAM
"Gurgh...!"
WHIIIIIIINE...
As Alwyn re-appeared directly behind the Goron he sent his water-buffed leg in a ruthless roundhouse kick that saw the eye-scrunched Barkner careering wildly out the ring; as he very quickly began to approach a surface outside of it, the watching audience all let out an excited built-up yell that the listening commentators acted on.
"Here we go folks; this could be the end right here, right now!" The watching Marshall called out eagerly. "A sudden swing that leaves Barkner's defences wide open!"
"Come on Bark!" The ever-grinning Seth yelled out, a cheer for the horizontally-flying Goron. Almost as if in response, the grunting Goron himself shot down his free right hand to his back; rapidly charging with what seemed to be a brown-shaded Aegir, he essentially formed up a quick-building jagged rock that stood between himself and the small wall that stood between the ring and the cheering audience.
FWIP...
KRRRRSH
Barkner regained his victorious grin as he used the force from his surprising technique to rebound off the wall successfully, all without having touched any surface outside of the Tiverpool Castle Arena; a feat in and of itself. The watching audience all cried out in approving yells and whoops as the grinning Barkner suddenly found himself vaulting high into the air in a diagonal angle, essentially positioning himself high above the wide-eyed Alwyn.
"It's a Loftwing!" Seth called out, a grin on his face as he pointed toward the sky.
"It's a Keese!" One of the many laughing audience members cried out alongside the excited youth.
"No my friends...," the smiling Marshall began, his brow soon furrowing to match the likewise inspired smirk growing on his own face as he thrust a finger skyward. "It's a sky scorcher!"
True to the older man's words Barkner's very figure, now coating itself in what seemed to a strong and bold mixture of earthen and fire-like Aegir, grew so thick that his very form was near-invisible through it; a testament to the very power that now flowed through him. Perhaps inevitably, Barkner's body very quickly descended back down to earth, his target; the wide-eyed Alwyn.
Finding himself with almost little to no time to move in evasion, the sly Zoran grunted out in effort as he rose up both arms vertically, fists clenched together back-facing him. As if on silent command, the pair of blade-like fins attached to his arms elongated and solidified strongly before him, creating an effective defensive shield. Perhaps concerned it wasn't quite a satisfactory enough defence, Alwyn's ocean-teal eyes narrowed in similar force as his own form began to pulsate and throb away quietly with a visible aura of Aegir, the air around his knelt body vibrating similarly to the crackling blue electricity surrounding him.
VVVVVV...
As the pair eventually collided together, a fizzling sparkle that soon ignited into a full-blown explosion, Tiverpool Castle Arena was filled with a mixture of dark-brown, bright-blue and sheer-white to go along with the piercing whine their Aegir gave off as they clashed. Soon enough the powerful Aegir that they mixed with one another reacted and, as it did, so too did the watching and listening audience.
CRRRRRRRKKK
DROOM
"Agh...!"
"Hrngh...!"
–
2
"Incredible..."
Link had to break himself directly out of his own reverie, genuinely surprised by his own reaction to the scene before him, as he swung his frown on the source of the deeper tenor next to him. The firmly-frowning Raynard watched on in similar awe and wonder, his small muscled arms folded as he did. Link blinked on silently, as if to press his raven-haired rival to voice his thoughts.
"To think Barkner alone had that much power...," the youth murmured out, his chestnut eyes narrowing as he shook his head, almost as if in disappointment in himself. "He hid it well..."
The young Hero of Time blinked one final time before chuckling back well-naturedly, rising up his own small arms to rest horizontally and casually behind his pony-tailed head. "That's Bark for ya!" He grinned back, swinging his straw-haired head back 'round to face the blazing arena before them both. "He's always been a natural," he chuckled on, his grin growing a little as he spoke as if from memory. "In fact there're times where I'm pretty sure he's just too lazy to show it."
Raynard turned his hard-eyed gaze back in his companion's direction, curious. "Really...?" The young Hylian murmured back, eyes briefly swivelling back to watch the fight unfold before them. "You said you knew them both... didn't you."
It was more of a statement than a question but the frowning-faced Link turned his head regardless to answer it.
"Who, Bark and Al?" The youth asked for confirmation, eyebrow rising up as he did. Raynard nodded. "Yeah I've known those guys for-" he began again, his grin ever present on his face before very quickly realising his mistake.
Can't tell him yet; it wouldn't add up, he thought.
Damn!
So what do I say?!
Raynard's genuine look of confusion very quickly shifted into a suspicious-eyed stare, his head gradually turning to watch him in silence as if to confirm his doubt. Link chortled nervously as he turned his own head back 'round to face his black-haired rival, re-opening his mouth to continue.
"A few days!" He answered at last, a kind of zig-zag-like smile written across his young countenance. One of Raynard's eyes narrowed in scrutiny as he listened intently. "Did I not tell ya? Zel sent me to go grab the Spiritual Stones for the country."
"No... you didn't," Raynard responded curiously, his right eye narrowed. "What were the stones for?"
Satisfied and silently relieved that he accepted his answer, Link smiled on as he relaxes his face muscles and re-faced the arena ahead. "To stop Ganondorf gettin' in the Door of Time."
"And who's Ganondorf?"
Realising his second great mistake, Link's smile dropped in favour of an annoyed twitching frown, holding back an audibly-annoyed grunt as he did.
Maybe it's okay to tell him at least that, he thought.
He is workin' for Scaverin though.
Deciding to trust the last Van Garrick, Link let loose a quiet-voiced sigh through his nose as re-opened his mouth again to voice his thoughts.
"He was the guy tryin' to take over our country, actually," the blonde youth answered, briefly turning his grinning-faced head back 'round to eye the curious Raynard on his left before soon re-eyeing the arena again. "I mean it was a bad idea to go and collect 'em all anyway because he'd just use a stand in to open the Door again like he did bef- uh I mean-"
The listening Raynard's brow furrowed suspiciously.
"He was obviously just lookin' for a stooge to do his work... obviously." The nervously-speaking youth repeated his words redundantly, chuckling on in a shut-eyed sweaty-faced smile, inwardly cursing his inarticulacy as he did.
"Yeah... obviously," Raynard echoed out half-insultingly, single eye narrowed at the blonde suspiciously before he turned his head back to the fight before them. "I hear little old princess Hyrule herself did the jailing, or at least got the credit for it."
Link's grin very quickly dissolved in favour of a frown, swinging his head 'round to eye his raven-haired rival curiously.
"Must be nice for her...," the bitter-laced mercenary muttered out lowly, his chestnut-brown eyes slowly wandering over to the named Zelda herself, sitting in the audience stands with Impa and Malon. "Being so lucky all the time."
"She ain't that lucky."
The hardened tone in Link's tenor genuinely took the listening Raynard by surprise; he snapped his spiky-haired head 'round to eye the youth interrogatively, brow furrowed silently as if to prod the boy to continue. Link watched him similarly carefully, his own brow furrowed as he re-opened his mouth to elaborate.
"I used to feel the same way you do," he admitted in his hardened, serious-faced frown as he slowly swung his look on the far-off sitting Zelda. "I never liked the royal family," he claimed, shaking his head. "Resented 'em, actually. And her most of all." He finished, this time in a half-amused chuckle, his smile quickly dissolving again as bad memories resurfaced from the era in which he came.
The things he once uttered to her directly still filled him with guilt, even in the knowledge that this particular Zelda herself is a different person completely.
It's weird how that doesn't seem to matter to me, he thought.
"They both feel the same somehow..."
"Really...?"
Raynard's low-voiced murmur, filled with genuine surprise and thought, brought the startled Link out of his reverie. The scoff that filled the mercenary's low-voiced tenor made the young Hero of Time furrow his brow a second time, feeling somewhat insulted.
"I would have thought you'd have always been her majesty's loyal terrier."
His superior if jokey quip awakened something within the listening Link; it was a trait of their older, more hostile rivalry from the Hero of Time's exploits in the original era. It was biting, fierce and spiked; like a hot flash that washed over unpleasantly across him.
It wasn't quite as agreeable as their friendship had been in this era, especially when compared.
"Better 'n just bein' bitter all my life." He shot back, quick as a Keaton, his hardened-eyed glare finding its own confrontational electricity with the surprised and annoyed Raynard; the older Hylian double-took in the blonde's direction, almost as if he were unable to believe that the words he spoke came from his mouth, before eventually regaining his own callous scowl to his face.
It was a look that Link remembered fairly well, rather oddly enough; a look similar to the expression in his eye during their duel in the Water Temple.
To say it was nostalgic wouldn't even be fully accurate.
Perhaps out of respect for one another's friendship, they chose not to act on their hardened glares they shared with one another, yet also opted not to voice an apology either; a heavy atmosphere that lingered enduringly between the two boys even as they were eventually joined by the ever-sociable Vassia and Shanaari.
The surprised pair of men were sent careering from their own assaults, both equally as strong and bold as the other; as they flew through the air in opposite directions, the surrounding audience all cried out in approving and excited yells and cheers, greatly entertained as they watched the pair fly backward in agonised tailspins.
As Alwyn's form rapidly approached the small wall behind him, he extended his blade-fins to vertically stab into them; eyes narrowed in effort and concentration, he grunted out as pushed off of the wall to effectively send himself into a deft forward flip back into the arena. Barkner, on the other hand, opted to utilise a similar technique as he did earlier and used the force of the earthen-like Aegir he formed to rebound himself off the breaking wall behind him.
SMASH
TMP-TMP
As the pair landed they almost immediately broke out into sprints, their runs taking them around the wide tile-broken arena of Tiverpool Castle duel hall, eyes watching one another carefully; Barkner in his ever-excited grin and the business-like Alwyn. Before long the two close friends soon found themselves swerving their sprints to coincide with one another, pulling their arms back. Almost as immediately as they rapidly approached one another did their arms shoot in and out of each other's; a lightning-fast exchange of blows that seemed to almost be enhanced by the screaming, cheering and approving audience.
"Marvellous!" The ever-smiling Mr. Marshall called out captivatingly, his baritone boosted by the small Gossip Stone in his left hand. "I think I speak for all of our lucky tournament viewers when I say how boldly Elbrus has taken us all by surprise!" The man began excitably. "Not only to be able to match Weirson blow for blow but in his sheer speed at that as well!"
"The man's a damn lightning bolt Marsh!" The young Tasty Seth cried out in laughter next to the man, leaning backward in his chair contrastingly as he grinned alongside him. "I always loved Fishman Al but Boulder Boy Bark's really makin' him work for this! I don't know who to put my rupees on!"
CRACK
"Ngh...!"
One of his many superfast strikes spiced with suspiciously-strong electricity, Zoran in nature, managed to take the grunting Barkner by surprise; as it perhaps inevitably clashed with one of Barkner's own arms amidst their wild exchange, he froze for a brief moment. Although it was merely a momentary window, it was all the wily Alwyn needed; he struck the shut-eyed Barkner as fiercely and quickly as he could across the face and, while it was a powerful-enough assault by itself, for the rock-like skin and defence Barkner possessed he easily shrugged it off and somersaulted his body into a backward-skidding recovery.
SKRRRRRR
The eager-faced Goron re-opened his eyes into his likewise keenly-motivated grin as his meteor-like legs ate up the poor bright-white tiles beneath him, sending them flying high and skyward above them all. Opting instead not to pursue directly, Alwyn surprised not just the watching audience but the wide-eyed Barkner himself by pulling back both of his slim arms and swiping them forward.
FWIP
THWUCK-THWUCK-THWUCK...
The watching congregation of spectators all cried out in cheers as they recognised Alwyn's race-unique technique; having tossed the blade-fins attached to his forearms, Alwyn covered the front by sprinting forward after his opponent and blocked Barkner's two sides by tossing forward his blade-fins like boomerangs.
It was essentially a lock-down technique.
"It's not looking good for Elbrus folks!" Marshall called out noisily, his baritone reverberating boldly across the walls of Tiverpool Castle Arena. "Having had his offensive effectively blocked and repelled, he now finds himself in the same unenviable situation of dealing with Weirson's lock-down technique!"
"But don't count my boy Bark locked down just yet Marsh!" The grinning Seth exclaimed in response; humorous little quip, even if unimaginative that earned a few pity chuckles from those in the audience and a head-shaking smile from his co-commentator as he re-opened his mouth.
"Right you are..."
As Alwyn alarmingly and quickly surrounded the carefully-watching Barkner, the young Goron slammed his left burly fist into the arena's floor beneath him in a savage rake that broke apart and even pierced through its surface.
SKRRRRRRR
He managed to halt his movement and just in time, his body a mere fraction away from the edge of the arena; a fact that the narrow-eyed Alwyn acted and counted on. The eager Zoran leapt skyward and descended very quickly down in an audacious dive-kick, somersaulting forward into an axe-like descent that saw his slim arms held horizontally to both sides of himself. The sound of his blade-fins reverberated noisily, echoing through the air as they promptly curved into the similar-eyed Barkner's seemingly undefended two sides.
FWIP...
DROOOOOOOOM
The audience all cried out in a mixture of shock and distress as the very arena and earth itself shook with violent trembles; a brutal reaction to the analogously passionate tremor that Barkner created with his free muscled right arm, a simple-enough vertically-downward punching strike that formed a translucent shield of earthen and fiery-like Aegir. The young Goron let out a bruised-faced smirk as the wide-eyed Alwyn began to approach downward, now unable to alter his air-trajectory and all the worse for it, realising his mistake far too late.
Perhaps also realising, the audience all called out in mixed cheers for Barkner and Alwyn; a blended and varied calling for the two seemingly equally-skilled warriors.
"A bait and switch!" The watching Marshall cried out breathlessly, clenching a fist passionately as he did. "Ingenious!"
SLAM-FRRRR
"Hrngh...!"
Alwyn let out a mere grunt of light inconvenience as his body made agonising contact with the surrounding shield of Aegir below him, effectively passing on a flame that began to burn away boldly on his slim ocean-shaded body. Known for its powerful and adverse effect on the Zorans, it spread across his body alarmingly quickly, leaving the watching audience all mixed in cheers and distressed yells.
"Hot, hot, hot!" The laughing Seth cried out from his seat. "Gotta rid that fire fast!"
Perhaps in desperation, the narrow-eyed Alwyn back-dashed immediately as if to gain some distance and space between the two before swiftly lowering his form into a defensive stance.
VVVVVV...
The sound of the bright-blue electricity that ever-surrounded his form, a unique technique of the Zorans, echoed out across Tiverpool Arena; as a result, it somehow managed to overtake the growing fire that infected the older man's body, drawing out appreciative yells and cheers from the watching audience.
–
3
"Now that's impressive."
The watching Malon, sitting uncharacteristically patiently in the seat next to the folded-armed and frowning-faced Impa, swung her similar-eyed look on the wise-spoken Sheikah next to her before turning back to the arena.
"How'd he do that?" The young farm girl asked curiously and cluelessly, blinking her deep-blue orbs as she did.
"It takes tremendous effort and control of Aegir, but...," Impa began, her brow furrowing as she stared on downward with the young Hylian girl. "It looks as though Alwyn's managed to discover how to overwrite effects on his own Aegir."
Malon merely blinked again, this time as she turned back to face him. "'Overwrite'?" She parroted curiously.
"Think of it like he's... written over a sentence that Barkner just wrote on a page with a quill pen," the Sheikah began again, pondering, her eyes briefly wandering upwards before lowering again. "Extremely aggressively." She finished, this time in a half-humoured chuckle.
"Ohhh..." Malon murmured out in an understanding nod, turning back to the arena.
"Certainly very crude...," Impa started, tilting her silver-shaded head as she popped a grin and chortled again. "But effective."
SMACK-CRACCCCK
Alwyn and Barkner both let out effort-filled grunts, their eyes twitching and their bodies trembling as they slammed one another's fist into the other's face; they refused to budge, even in the incredible force with which they gifted one another, leaving the audience whooping and cheering in approval.
FWIP
The pair vanished from common eyes almost immediately and only the sight of tiles being sent skyward were any indication of their similar movement; an assault and rush 'round the wide arena whose speed was so high was near-unwatchable.
SLAM-SLAM-SLAM
SLAMSLAMSLAMSLAMLSLAMSLAMSLAM
Their lightning-fast fists, caked in electricity and earthen Aegir, exchanged violently as their figures and forms perhaps inevitably collided; a rumble and tremor that sent resonating shock-waves throughout Tiverpool Castle Arena, bringing out surprised calls from the watchers in the stands.
VVVV
A small spark of electricity managed to get through one of Alwyn's many swipes and strikes, earning a pained grunt from the scrunch-eyed shut Barkner, before the young Goron pressed forward to lay his own field of aggression. Alwyn's eyes widened as he darted his slim body in and out of the Goron's wide haymakers and assaults before peppering the young man with one of his own quick jabs, essentially drawing annoyance out of him.
CRACCCCK
Alwyn used Barkner's impatience against him and caught the impudent Goron with a quick but damaging uppercut to the jaw, sending him grunting and shut-eyed into the air, even if a few inches. The former Zoran soldier followed up with a savage series of body blows, all buffed with his Zoran electricity, before at last finishing up his counter-attack with a brutal haymaker of his own.
SMACK
"Ngh...!"
KRSSSSH...
Even as Barkner fell noisily and destructively to the arena's now near-stripped ground, he whipped his body up into an athletic back-flipping recovery that saw him immediately rushing forward in another sprint, his bruised and bloody face contorting into an entertained smirk. As Alwyn prepared for his opponent's approach his own ever serious-faced frown slowly swung upwards into an unusual smile of his own, a kind of brotherly-like reaction to his companion's entertainment.
"Yo... are they grinnin'?!" The watching Seth exclaimed out in his sentence, leaning forward in his chair as if to get a better look. "They are! What the hell?!"
"They must be good friends!" Marshall responded in his own light smile, nodding his brown-haired head as he did, chuckling. "To be so savage and ruthless with one another... and yet to have that look in their eye!" He explained briefly, drawing all heads to the two combatants. "There must be true trust lying somewhere in there between them," he continued on, his smile widening a little in a wholesome quality. "True friends indeed."
Barkner wasted little time in the re-application of his own offence; he leapt athletically into the air before descending quickly downward. Alwyn, however, was ready and even as he shot up both slim arms, pulsating with Zoran electricity, he was taken by surprise again; when Barkner's form unavoidably came crashing down with its punch to meet him, it very suddenly phased in and out of itself, the strike never actually making contact. Like a spectre or a ghost itself, Barkner's Goron-like figure passed through him and Alwyn's ocean-teal eyes widened in realisation.
But far too late.
CRACK
"Argh...!"
Time slowed down for the gasping audience as they watched the surprisingly-quick Barkner re-appear directly to the Zoran's undefended right, issuing out a single but devastating low body blow that sent the former soldier staggering sideways. Barkner continued his newly-gained offensive by air-dashing forward and slamming his earthen-infused fists in three slow but damaging swings that saw Alwyn shut-eyed, bruised and bloody.
The middle-aged Zoran rolled across the annihilated arena floor beneath him agonisingly before pushing up off of it, forcing himself to recover in an acrobatic side-somersault. Barkner grinned on as he twirled his right fist into the air before immediately grunting out as he slammed it downward in a savagely-descending strike to the earth.
DROOOOOOM
The ground, and the surroundings around everyone, all tremored violently and worryingly just as before; an after-effect of the assault he visited upon the earth. It was only when Alwyn began to descend back to the earth that he double-took below him only to find a newly-formed craggy rock, opened up and ready to receive him; an earth-infused trap. Perhaps in desperation, the former soldier grunted out in a scrunching-faced scowl as he very quickly pulled his blade-fins back before firing them both forward.
THWUCK-THWUCK-THWUCK...
Surprised by the proceedings were the audience that they all exclaimed in shock-faced gasps when, almost as soon as his blade-fins were tossed, did Alwyn's very figure itself disappear. The watching Barkner also let out a wide-eyed frown, darting his boulder-brown eyes 'round in swift search to the swinging sword-fins. As Barkner's earlier-placed trap exploded upward with no victim inside of it, the blade-fins Alwyn threw earlier eventually revealed their purpose; they boomeranged toward the careful-eyed Barkner's side and, from them, a humanoid figure re-formed next to the wide-eyed Goron.
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH
Almost immediately did the audience react; in deafening cheers, screams and whoops they cried on in approval for the crafty former soldier, watching on as the pair of combatants inevitably began another exchange of their fists.
"That's amazing Marsh!" The watching Seth called out, his own eyes widened. "How the hell'd he do that one?!"
"It looks to me like a bit of Aegir-control my young friend!" Marshall responded, ever wearing his sociable smile on his face. "And yet there's nothing 'little' about it!" He chuckled on humouredly. "To have somehow reduced his body into the sheer Aegir itself within the blades on his arms takes an untold level of Aegir-control," the commentator explained briefly. "Mr. Weirson certainly has a lot of tricks in his book!"
SLAM
One of Alwyn's punches got through and Barkner grunted out, eyes widened as he reeled very briefly from it before quickly responding with one of his own.
SMASH
Alwyn let out a more agonised grunt as he held back from staggering in the sheer pain he felt from Barkner's more muscled strike.
BAM-VVV
It was Barkner's turn to cough out aloud from the supplemental strength that Alwyn channelled, purely through his Zoran-lightning, near-taking a step back from the intense strike.
WHAM
Alwyn's ocean-teal eyes widened and blood dropped out from his mouth as Barkner's inevitable counter gut-punch sent him inches up off the ground; a sheer testament to the Goron's incredible physical strength.
CRACK
Barkner growled out as Alwyn responded with a super-quick near bone-breaking roundhouse across his face, taking more than a few steps backward, his position growing increasingly and alarmingly untenable. As the narrow-eyed Zoran acted on his recently-gained momentum, one of the battle's many fifty-fifties, Barkner's scrunch-shut scowl very quickly upturned into a satisfied smirk and he spread out his arms horizontally.
Alwyn realised his opponent's intentions but, just as before, it was simply too late. Barkner laughed on as he grappled on to the older man's extended limbs; a horizontally-positioned final assault attempt, both of his Zoran arms swiping in a savage crossed slash. The audience all let out wide-eyed gasps and cheers as they realised the end to match was coming; a chance that the grinning-faced Barkner simply wouldn't let slip by. The young Goron, successfully grappling the wide-eyed Zoran, pulled him closer and opened up his mouth as if to speak.
"No hard feelin's!"
CRACKKK
Alwyn's eyes widened when a cube-shaped boulder shot out from the man's very rock-like stomach, successfully further winding him, before Barkner followed up by leaning his own form backward and over-tossing the former soldier's figure over his own. Alwyn grunted out and, in one final ditch effort, kept one eye scrunched shut as he swung his body up into an effort-filled spin in mid-air; as a result, he tossed forward both of his blade-fins presumably to channel himself with a second time. Barkner's smirk grew even further, as if that were possible, and still leaning on the ground he turned his left elbow backward into a ruthless smash into the ground.
CRASSSSH
In the wake of his seemingly aimless destruction of the arena below him, he created what appeared to be a translucent shield of Aegir-like aura between himself and Alwyn's form. It wasn't very wide but it was just enough to prevent the two blade-fins from approaching any further than he intended.
KTAAAAAAANG-TAAAANNNG...
Like rushing water crashing against solid rock, Alwyn's blade-fins' progress were stopped in mid-air and his hopes with it; he re-appeared like magic in the blade-fins' forms, ghosting into the Light World before widening his eyes a second time and gasping as he reached for the edge. With Barkner's see-through shield blocking any potential grapple-point however, he simply dropped straight to the concrete ground.
THUD
"Ring out!"
The young woman's call, the referee, managed to break out the reverie both the watching audience and the commentators were in; all their own eyes widened as they witnessed the most unlikely result happening before their sight.
"The winner of this set... is Barkner Elbrus!"
