Chapter 42: Time and Punishment; Fight for the First

Skirmish in Stralanavia Arc

Disclaimer: I don't own The Legend of Zelda, this is just a Fan fiction.

Featured Music: "Ranked Amongst the World's Best"The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass OST. Chapter Briefing.

"Character Select (Full Mix)" Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition OST. Scene 1 (First Half).

"Short Change" - E-Z Rollers. Scene 1 (Second Half).

"Geometric Plane – The Motion" - Tekken VII: Fated Retribution OST. Scene 2 (Second Half).

"Remorse" - Hotline Miami II OST. Scene 3.


Slavery.

An old and legitimately ancient practice within the continent of Aurelia that has been in law since its inception, since even the legendary days of the Sorcerer of the Divine Divide himself. Having just recently arrived in Stralanavia, the heroes soon find themselves violently entangled with not only the strict laws and customs of its evasive country, but also of its internal strife and struggle with the recent outspoken politicians against slavery.

In their train ride-gone-awry they meet Zina Tarasova, her granddaughter Sonya and her daughter Nadya; members of a tribesman of Stralanavia that have since near-gone extinct in modern times. A village of people that protect and watch over the entrance to Klimormansk Cavern; a nearby location to the village that serves as a holding place and, indeed prison, for the horrible things Aurelia's ancestors have sealed away.

When also arriving to Stralanavia, coincidentally before the heroes, Raynard Van Garrick and Scaverin Estienne soon find themselves in Klimormansk Cavern and manage to rouse the very dead themselves in their exploration through the ancient pathway. Once inside, it is they who awaken the strange and otherworldly creatures that run the heroes' train off the rails thanks to their meddling with the 'Cube of Insight'; a similarly strange and powerful artefact supposedly also from the days of the Sorcerer himself that even allows entry to the fabled and forgotten metropolis of Dragowald, city of the Niylahns.

After both parties initiate themselves into Stralanavia, they soon find themselves locked together in confrontation once again; embittered enemies of circumstance and history. Having been hired both by opposing factions, the heroes by Nadya and their rivals by a party of slavers, Link and Raynard once more lock fists; the first time since their incredible double knock-out set in the Hylian Hyrax. The two Hylian boys fight with almost everything they have and, short of unleashing the Shinzui-et-Sanmiitai on Raynard again, it is Scaverin who manages to save his protégé by at long last revealing himself to the group of adventurers. In doing so he Impa and Link's suspicions and even successfully surprises them all by knocking back most of them with his rapidly-rising power.

Perhaps a product of the grand price of blindness he paid in his curiosity to Dragowald's forgotten borders.

All is not lost for the group however for in their success in stopping the band of rebels they are awarded the title of 'Volunteer Pioneers' by Stralanavia's very panel of politician judges themselves; the highest honour any outsider could ever potentially and possibly expect to receive from the strict Stralanavian natives. With Stralanavia's slavery problems now far at their back, the group-of-the-hour turn their sights on the fast-approaching national martial arts championship of Stralanavia itself; 'Stralanavia's Speedy Skirmish' of the Prima World Tour, the very next step in Link's long quest for self-approval.

In signing up as they always expected, the group of martial artists, thanks to their already largely-amassing championship points, find themselves qualifying for the top eight ahead of time; a bonus for their continued progression through the world tour. This time Link is soon placed into Block 'A' of the national championship, another surprising similarity he shares with his raven-haired rival Raynard as he too is placed in Block 'A'.

Having just reeled from their oh-so-recent fight in the far-off border of Stralanavia, Link can only speculate to their next inevitable clash, whether it be in the national championship or further down the road...


Scene 1

"Welcome back ladies and gentlemen to the one, the only, the Prima World Tour!"

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

The sound of the surrounding community of Stralanavia went far; far enough even to hit its capital of Velinsk's main hub, a testament to the amount of watchers within its audience.

"I'm your host commentator for the day, Mr. Marshall and as always my good friend 'Tasty' Seth is by my side!"

As the older man's smiling voice was amplified through the use of the small Gossip Stone he spoke into, feeding into a larger one behind him as he sat just outside the ring at a nearby table next to another young man, he turned his brown-haired head 'round as if to face him and segue into the next set of the conversation.

"'Sup!" The younger man grinned back, informally dressed in comparison to his older companion as he leant toward the older man on his right, issuing him a brotherly fist-bump. "Take a seat ladies and germs; we got one of the best upcomin' national tournaments for your viewing pleasure!" He called out in his excitable grin, drawing out another cheer from the listening people. "We got old friends, we got new friends but most importantly almost every participant in this competition all are killers...!" He finished in a chuckling hissing call, drawing out one more cheer as he did.

"That's right, Seth...," Mr. Marshall agreed on amiably with his younger companion, swivelling his head 'round to face the audience as he did. "In the Speedy Skirmish we have 'Fire Fist Firbrand', 'Boulder-Boy Barkner' and the 'Zesty-Zoran Alwyn'!"

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

"As you all know Firbrand, Elbrus and Weirson have managed to not only participate in each national championship following their initial qualifying round in the Hylian Hyrax, but have also finished quite respectably in each tournament!" Mr. Marshall elucidated on with another light smile atop his pleasant expression.

As he spoke on, coloured pictographs of the smirking Link, grinning Barkner and firmly-frowning Alwyn all flashed up on each wall of the competitor's box, one after the other as if cued up by the tournament's staff.

"While all three of these incredible fighters have had intense, amazing matches, only one of them has ever managed to reach the grand finals of any of these tournaments," Mr. Marshall began again, pointing his next sentence out with a light raise of his index finger. "'Fire Fist Firbrand'!"

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

"You gotta love the 'Fire Fist' kid," the grinning Seth shot back with a light shake of his brown-haired head as he did. "I feel like every match that little terror's in brings in the viewers like no-one's business I swear."

"And how, Seth!" Marshall smirked similarly back at the younger man. "In Firbrand's career spanning across three national championships, he's managed to qualify and fight for each title in the grand finals!" He exclaimed out excitably, his smirk soon slowing into a smile as he re-opened it to elaborate further. "Will we see him at last earn a title for himself?!"

"If anyone deserves it, it's gotta be him Marsh." Seth shot back in a grinning chuckle, tilting his head back at the man as he did, drawing out a cheer from the surrounding audience and a similar-sounding chortle from the listening Marshall. The older commentator turned his head to face the audience so loyally as he always did, an excited smirk upon his face as he rose up his free right hand to point forward.

"All this and more in the next exciting entry to the Prima World Tour! Don't go anywhere!"


"Firbrand, Link... yes?"

The blonde youth, named so suddenly, could only issue out a half-surprised blink before swinging his straw-haired pony-tailed head 'round to find the source of the voice; a simple baritone seemingly attached to an average-sized adult male. A man stood behind him, not terribly built, yet somewhat toned.

Somehow similar to his own eighteen year old self in the alternate era and timeline he had come from; he couldn't help but smile back at the man in an acknowledging nod, raising up his small right hand to take the man's into a greeting shake.

"'Sup?" The young Hylian shot back informally, a light grin adorned on his youthful lips as he did, drawing out a light smile from the foreign man.

"I am your opponent in the first match-up," he began in introduction with, nodding forward similarly. "Egon Kozlov."

Link's eyebrows shot upwards to successfully convey the genuine surprise he felt upon realising the man's identity. "Oh!" He exclaimed, rising up his free left index finger to point up at him directly. "Yeah! You're in the first round with me ain'tcha?"

"And my future mari wins another award for his grand powers of intelligence..."

The pair of males swung their heads only to find the ever-smirking Vassia standing a step ahead of the rest of his similarly amused group of companions, most of them with light smiles and grins adorned on their faces and in their usual stances. Some, normally the less-socially inclined members of course, opted merely to watch the scene with impassive frowns and folded arms. Link rolled his oceanic eyes in response and turned back to ignore the young violet-haired girl's oh-so-obvious attempts to bait him into a vocal due; something she seemed to enjoy quite fervently.

The listening Egon however, raising an eyebrow as he seemingly attempted to translate the Palashian princess' words, furrowed his brow as he exchanged his eyes between the pair before soon swiftly raising both eyebrows in shock and surprise.

"Vassia Palashia...?!" He whispered out incredulously, eyes widened. The named princess herself rose up her eyes and smirked away as she swung her hair and head around as if she were recognised on the street for her fame and fortune. "You... and you...?!" Egon whispered out again, directing a finger both toward the smirking Vassia and the deep-frowning Link.

"Quite something isn't it." The young girl continued on, ever-riding on the highs of her ego.

"Yep," Link fired back toward the shocked Egon uncaringly, a kind of tired sigh to his tenor. "Unfortunately."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

He sighed again, rolling his eyes as he turned away from her in a humorous exchange that saw further smiles from the on-watching group. "Nothing dear," he merely responded with sarcastically, drawing out a few chuckles before, suddenly, his eyebrows lifted and his brow furrowed in realisation. "Wait a damn minute!"

Vassia's own annoyed frown soon turned quizzical as she blinked back at the blonde boy. "Hm?"

"I thought we had a deal!" He called back, suddenly annoyed with her as he stepped toward her, eyes narrowed. "We didn't have to get married after the last tour-"

"Ah if you won it."

He blinked in response mid-speech, surprised. "Huh?"

"If you won, mon chéri," she reminded him with another of her usual smug-faced grins, drawing out a light blink before he turned his oceanic-eyed gaze from hers in realisation, calling back to his memory as he muttered under his breath. "You also agreed that if you lost the grand finals you'd owe me a ring."

If he were drinking a beverage he would have easily spluttered it out, pulling louder laughs from the more talkative members of the watching group and even a half-amused smile from the listening Egon behind the boy.

"I hoped you'd forget about that..." Link murmured back, wiping at his face horizontally as he eyed her carefully.

As before, most of the more talkative members of the group all let loose their lightly-amused laughs as they watched, smiles on their faces.

"Better hope little Malon and Zel-Zel don't find out about the ring then, huh?" The grinning Barkner teased forward, learning toward the blonde youth as he edged an elbow in his direction. The listening Link rolled his eyes and reached up to grip his head, lowering them both in what seemed to be shame.

"Ohhh don't remind me..." He groaned back worriedly, anxiously gripping and rubbing the back of his straw-haired head as he did, almost as if in attempt to ward off the jolly Goron's taunts. The listening Barkner pulled his head back and laughed, eliciting the watching Vassia's smirk to merely widen in silent victory.

"You certainly have colourful friends, I'll give you that much..." The smiling Egon spoke up again softly, a half-amused look in his eye as he turned to view the tournament's participants before him, placing a hand on his hip as he did.

"Competitors Egon Kozlov and Link Firbrand, please approach Velinsk arena!"

Called out of their amused reverie, the conjoined group all swung their heads toward the end of the competitor's box and indeed the entrance; standing and leaning up against one of its sides was the folded-armed and glaring form of Raynard, his glower fixated firmly on the frowning Link. When the former Hero of Time clocked his angry look, he found himself losing his earlier amused look in his eye and his face, soon devolving back into the hardened frown he wore on Morovo's outskirts during their second clash together.

"Easy..."

Link had to double-take toward his back, his eyes still carefully focused on Raynard when he realised the owner of the voice belonged to the similarly-faced Barkner behind him, his Goron hand resting on his left shoulder.

"In the ring."

The blonde youth nodded again knowingly, rising up his right hand to softly knock its knuckles in acknowledging, re-opening his mouth to voice his retort.

"Yeah."

Although he sounded fairly confident in responding to the jolly Goron behind him, even as he and Egon stepped forward to march toward Velinsk arena, the stubborn boy found himself glaring back wordlessly at the folded-armed Raynard as he did. The watching Egon, puzzled by the exchange, could only slowly rotated his eyes and head 'round to look at the pair of boys, unsure and quizzical.

Even as the former Hero of Time marched on toward the rest of the arena's walking path, he still felt that powerful sense of butterflies flying in his stomach; those that rest uncomfortably when a confrontation is strong in one's mind.

You'd think I'd be used to it by now, he thought morosely, sighing through his small nose as he frowned on in light melancholy.

2

"Here we go people, it's the start to another one of the Prima World Tour's beautiful tournaments!" The ever-rambunctiously grinning 'Tasty' Seth called out from his table far-off from the ring itself, his youthful voice ever-amplified by the small Gossip Stone he spoke into. "We've got an interesting match-up comin' up, all just for you guys here in the tasty snow-white Stralanavia!"

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

Successfully having pandered to the Stralanavian peoples' patriotic egos, the grinning Seth leaned back in his seat and allowed the eye-rolling Marshall to continue on.

"That's right Seth, we've got a personal fan favourite; a match with the one and only 'Fire Fist Firbrand!" The older man smiled this time as he turned his head mid-speech toward the two arena's walls, almost as if to cue something up. Sure enough, a coloured pictograph, taken fairly early in the Prima World Tour of the grinning-faced Link leaning at a side stared back at the viewer.

Link Firbrand

Aggressiveness: A+

Agility: A

Tenacity: S

"Can you believe this kid's gotten to every single one of our tournaments' grand finals?" Seth threw into the conversation with, a lightly-amused grin spicing the flavour of his words. "Anyone would think we're fixin' the fights!"

"After the last endings to them?!" Marshall shot back, eyebrows lifted as his own smile graced his complexion. "Just not possible!"

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

"Yet more proof of our legitimacy; Firbrand's opponent today is a relatively unknown challenger!" Marshall continued again with a light smile, turning his eyes down and affixing the spectacles on his face as he briefly eyed the paper below him, almost as if to confirm the information he was reading from. "A man from the very lands of Stralanavia himself; Egon Kozlov!"

Just as with his much younger opponent, a coloured pictograph this time of the smiling Stralanavian stood displayed across the opposite tournament wall.

Egon Kozlov

Combination Damage: S

Defensive Ability: A+

Punishment Proficiency: A+

"Yo this looks to be fairly even Marsh, at least with their stats!" The ever-grinning Seth pointed out knowledgeably. "But their records..."

"That's an interesting point, Seth!" Marshall responded in a similarly-smiling nod. "While our new man Kozlov has just started his international career, our people's champion Firbrand has quite the achievement record already! Four grand finals in four national championships!"

"That's quite the record Marsh!" Seth grinned back. "Our kid's growin' up already!"

Marshall chuckled in amusement. "Regardless this match-up looks to be quite an intriguing one indeed!"

"Red side, ready!"

The smiling Egon nodded in the referee's direction, standing up straight and placing both hands at his sides in a fairly calm and near-complacent state.

"Blue side, ready!"

Link, by comparison, had opted to go for his usual Loftwing-style stance; hands clenched into soft yet firm fists hanging up at his high-centre, his legs set apart in a bladed stance as his body slowly popped up and down as he breathed, oceanic eyes set on his new opponent.

"Begin!"


Like a firefly Link was off and running; as the powerful sound of the Stralanavian bell for the Stralanavian Skirmish echoed out of the arena and even as far as out into Velinsk's main hub, his young white-gi form dashed quickly across the brown-tiled ground beneath him, drawing up light dust from his sudden advance. The watching Egon opted merely to retain his earlier confidence and seeming complacence, his smile still written fairly well across his facial expression as he simply watched his younger opponent dash and feint toward him.

Finally and very quickly as well, as the blonde youth made the abrupt approach in, he dove in with a quick dive-knee to the front followed up by a swift back-elbow directed at the back of the tall man's head. Unfortunately for the surprised boy however, the smiling Egon merely blocked both attempts; the former with his right arm and the latter with his left, both catching the shocked-eyed Link's assaults and drawing out similarly impressed-sounding calls within the watching audience.

"Impressive," the Stralanavian began, a calm and collected pitch to his baritone. "But let's see how you deal with... this!"

SLAM

"Urgh...!"

Link's brave, if reckless assault, was soon knocked back by the careful martial artist before him with a simple push and eventual punch to the face; Link's oceanic eyes widened as he was sent into a narrow tailspin, swinging into the air endlessly. As he attempted to recover, and in mid-air at that, the smiling Egon pulled back his open-palmed right hand; charging rapidly with non-elemental Aegir he threw it wildly and sharply at his opponent in a sudden volley that saw the wide-eyed Hylian veer his body while suspended in an attempt to evade it.

Almost as immediately as he landed did his young form shimmer; a sign of two things.

The after-image or superspeed and sometimes both.

Sure enough, the seemingly never-ending smile on Egon's face very quickly dropped as his sphere of Aegir whined through the air harmlessly, his eyes darting 'round in swift and sudden search for the slippery young Hylian. It was only when his own head darted to his top that he clocked the quick-moving blonde boy high above him, soon descending on him like a Keese from on high with both fists conjoined together to assault him with.

SWOOSH

The narrow-eyed Egon shifted through the air to his left to avoid the incoming blow before retaliating by pulling back his right hand and throwing a rapidly-charged sphere of Aegir-like energy at the boy.

CRASSSSH

As it inevitably smashed apart the brown-tiled arena below him, it was Link's turn to retreat through the air, his form shimmering as he vanished from common eyesight. When he re-appeared to his far-left he pulled back both hands and widened his oceanic eyes as he fired them forward, palms opened and hanging in a straight-focused stance, as if he were aiming a bow and arrow.

"Hadoken!"

FWOOSH

Egon swerved his body out of the Hadoken's way, effectively evading the sphere of Aegir energy before swiftly descending back down to earth. As he did, Link utilised the okizeme gained from his earlier attempted assault by attempting a second one; he air-dashed toward the descending Egon and pulled back a fist, widening his eyes as he slammed it forward in an effort-filled grunt.

SLAM-KRRRRRR

Sheer sparks of fire generating from the grunting Link's shallow cloak of Aegir came up from his clash as he slammed his fists with Egon's; in spite of their ages and height differences they stood fairly equally, neither willing to give up their spacing and okizeme to one another. Very soon however the pair's struggle soon turned into a pushing match; the wide-eyed Egon's shoes left marks in the brown-shaded tiles beneath him, as he was pushed forcefully back the way he came toward the edge of the end of the ring.

A fact that saw him, and the watching audience, leave their respective signs of surprise; a wide-eyed shocked expression and a call of cheering approval.

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

"In an impressive start to the match, Firbrand has managed to turn the tide on this tough match-up by pushing forward the much taller Kozlov toward the edge of the ring!" Marshall's loud baritone called out from the commentator's table. "But how will Kozlov respond?!"

Almost as if he were listening to the older man's words of wisdom the frowning-faced Egon narrowed his eyes forward and, breaking the hold the pair held together, he pulled his left leg back and widened his eyes as he tossed it forward with a grunt in a savage roundhouse. Link widened his own cerulean-shaded eyes and pulled his body into an acrobatic backward flip through the air to evade it, time slowing down for the pair of martial artists. As he began to descend back down to earth in a similar fashion to his opponent, he pulled both back arms and widened his eyes as a beautiful blue spark of Aegir energy formed within.

"Shinku...!"

The watching Egon furrowed his brow as he recovered from his earlier attempted assault, unsure and contemplative. It was only when he realised it was an incoming projectile attack that he widened his eyes in a comparable vein to his opponent and made ready to side-step.

"HADOKEN!"

FWOOSH...!

This time the beautifully-blue sphere of Aegir energy easily ate up the mahogany-brown tiles as it began to rapidly approach them, skimming against them like a small pebble against a body of water. As the watching Egon narrowed his eyes and stepped to his left to avoid the incoming projectile, they soon widened again when he clocked the high-flying Link suddenly vanish from sight; he darted his black-haired head to his undefended rear and could only watch on in growing horror, as the newly grinning-faced young Hylian had somehow re-appeared to his back, left fist coated with fire held back the way as if to prepare for an assault.

"How's this for a segue?"

FRRR-SMASH-KERRRASSSH

"ARRRGH!"

Glossing his counter-attack with a grin on his face to match the cheeky commentary he added, Link savagely tore his fire-coated fist directly into the wide-eyed Egon's defenceless back, sending him stumbling forward into the fast-approaching Shinku Hadoken projectile he fired toward him earlier. The result of which left his horrified opponent reeling and lightly seared from the painful and brutal assault, teeth grit and eyes scrunched shut as he stumbled forward a few steps.

When the grinning Link pressed his luck by advancing forward in a run to continue his pressure, the glaring Egon widened his eyes and swung his body 'round to face the youth, opting to bring up both arms in a diagonal position to block.

FWIP

Sure enough, the overambitious young Hylian leapt toward the older Aurelian with a swift but unsafe hop-kick, leaving him open and defenceless. The watching Egon responded by throwing a couple of jabs into a single low kick before back-handing the surprised Link, sending him skidding, gasping and tail-spinning across the air.

CRASH

He grunted as his small body was sent into the invisible wall of Aegir brought up to protect the watching audience and commentators, soon throwing the scrunch-shut eyed Link hurtling back towards his opponent. Egon watched on in hungry-eyed glowering before pulling his leg back and throwing himself into a high-diagonal shoot, leg first filled with non-elemental Aegir.

FWOOSH

Having recovered in mid-air, Link widened his cerulean eyes before pulling his body back and abruptly spinning it rapidly, coated in the deep-faced fire he was known for.

"Kaiten Resshō!"

Like a spinning top engulfed in flame he spun endlessly through the air; a beautiful sight of fiery-crimson mixing with the bright-grey of his opponent's before his defensive technique soon saw the kicking Egon ricocheting back whence he came. As Link's karate-uniformed body fell back down to the brown-plated arena below he regained his usual-faced grin before taking back off up into the air in pursuit.

KRSH-KRSH-KRSH-KRSH

SMASH

In a quick series of smashing side-blows to the head, Link finished up his counter-attack by socking the grunting Egon roughly across the face, firing him further high vertically into the air above them. As he also hung in the air, arm pulled back, his enthusiastic grin carried him on as he spun through the air from his earlier last punch, using the same arm to rapidly charge up Aegir before eventually re-facing the front and grunting out as he volleyed forward his fire-coated sphere of Aegir energy.

3

"Ngh!"

VWEEEEEEE...

KERRRASSSSSH

Like a ball being hurled at a game of skittles, the fire-covered Aegir sphere clashed noisily and painfully with the high-flying form of Egon; the pre-cursor that saw him fast-descend back down to earth almost as quickly as he was sent up it and fortunately for his younger opponent, headed straight in a diagonal direction for out-of-bounds. The falling Link grinned on in satisfaction as he watched Egon widen his eyes and grunt, swinging his burnt-blackened body backward in mid-air to recover from.

It was only when he knocked both feet off against the invisible Aegir wall to his rear protecting the audience behind him that the watching Link's grin fell but only a little; he snapped his fingers to his downward-diagonal right position, almost as if he were lightly disappointed at the results, before breaking forward into a sudden sprint to pursue. When he came well within halfway of his destination the narrow-eyed Egon used the Aegir wall behind him to ricochet off of, knocking himself back toward the ring and the carelessly-running young Hylian ahead of him. Link widened his oceanic eyes and made ready to defend but by then it was far too late.

"Hmph...!"

CRACCCK

Link's eyes widened a second time since his initial pursuit, his sprint effectively ended prematurely by the fast-flying form of his frowning-faced foe, fist flung fiercely into his face. Time slowed down for the pair of martial artists before eventually the air-suspended Egon followed his counter-attack up by spinning his body mid-air into a savage high roundhouse, crashing extravagantly against the grunting young Hero of Time's cheeks and sending him into a high tailspin.

SMASH

"Hrngh...!"

As the blonde youth flew backward the very way in which he initially came, the careful-eyed Egon pulled back his left arm and then abruptly flung it forward, a long string of visible translucent Aegir, almost as if it were a long-range throwing spear.

Like a throwing spear tossed by an expert warrior on an ancient battleground, the string of Aegir flew forward at a near-invisible sight, successfully making contact with and even piercing the wide-eyed Link's torso.

"Get over here!"

Link grunted out as he was pulled suddenly and fiercely back toward his opponent through the air, in great spite to his earlier tossed direction. As he came within range, his oceanic eyes widened again as Egon similarly widened his own in his next brutal counter-attack; a ferocious back-fisting uppercut, unlike the standard dragon fist Link himself utilised, Egon's instead opting for a low-standing position.

SMASH

"Toastyyy!"

Even as the sound of Seth's grinning commentary filled the arena, peppered with the rest of the listening audience's chuckles, the standing Egon followed up his counter-assault by pulling back both hands and narrowing his eyes; the ground reacted to his odd shift in stance by very lightly shaking before, suddenly and with that little warning, multiple streams of Aegir came crashing up through the arena's brown-tiled floor.

CRASSSH-CRASSSH-CRASSSH

Some of the more easily frightened members of the audience all called out in light distress, as if in anxiety for their own positions before soon returning attention to the battle. As they did, the source for the sudden shake soon became apparent; an abruptly-rising trio of spheres of non-elemental Aegir energy came flying up from underground, successfully catching the high-flying Link and sending him tail-spinning all the way back toward the narrow-eyed Egon. Even as the young Hylian came barrelling toward him however, he flipped his body forward into a quick recovery and crowned over the older man, grappling him at his head before swiftly tossing him overhead.

"HEYT!"

FWIP

CRASSSH

Egon grunted out as he was sent rolling and tumbling painfully against the brown-tiled arena below him, drawing up debris and smoke in his wake. The Stralanavian used one of his arms to swiftly side-flip into a recovery of his own, single eye shut as he landed into an acrobatic skid across the floor. As the grinning-faced Link pressed on his recently-gained okizeme by dashing forward into a reckless dive-kick, the careful-eyed Egon rose up both arms horizontally, as if to catch it. Sure enough, as the blonde boy fast-approached him, he successfully snagged the youth out of the very air itself and widened his eyes for the umpteenth time as he swung the yelling boy around mid-air to crash noisily and brutally into the ground.

DROOOOM-KRSSSH...

The sound of rubble being completely wrecked and brought spitting up into the arena's building echoed on out, clashing boldly with the calls and screams of the watching approving audience. It was only when further smoke and dust generated from the two warriors' turbulent collision that their cheers very quickly began to devolve into disapproving boos and heckles.

"What an incredible counter-attack by Kozlov!" The watching Marshall commented on, fist clenched at his side and his other holding his small Gossip Stone that he spoke into. "While either fighter simply just lays into the other, they never fail to capitalise on either the okizeme they get or the counter to it! Both of these fighters have some real battle experience!"

"It's somethin' else Marsh; it really is." The ever-grinning Seth agreed on with his passionate companion, nodding toward the scene as he did.

At last as the smoke began to die down the audience got to watch the wide-eyed Egon pull his right fist back up, presumably to finish the fight with, and grunted out in effort as he at long last pushed it directly downward. As the audience all cried out in shock, eyes widened, the watching Egon could only gasp in similar surprise as his fist seemed to almost vanish completely through the fallen young blonde. It was only when the boy's body began to shimmer that the Stralanavian realised his grand mistake.

A mistake that would cost him the match.

"Shinku Tatsumaki!"

KRSH-KRSH-KRSH

Somehow, having seemingly utilised an after-image of his fallen form, the nimble-bodied Hero of Time re-appeared as quickly as his original form shimmered and slammed a multi-hitting spinning hurricane kick through the air at the older man, his small body shining with obvious use of his EX meter. Having been caught off-guard by the abrupt assault across his face, Egon grunted out in pain as he was sent tail-spinning through the air for one final follow-up; the predicted end to the savage entanglement.

"Are you okay...?"

Almost as if sensing the very Hylian's next upcoming action and attack sheerly through his one pre-meditated sentence, the grinning audience surrounding the pair of martial artists all opened their mouths to sing along to his next words.

"Busterrrr WOLF!"

FRRR-DROOOOOOOM-CRASSSSH

LINKLINKLINK-LINKLINKLINK

As the watching people in the stands chanted out his name, they watched on as the beautiful show of fiery sparks and blazing flame that engulfed Link fill his enemy; the grinning young Hylian stood in a fair stance, his bare feet placed far apart as he aimed one fist forward as if it were a firing a projectile of some kind through its knuckles. As a result, the area surrounding him and the area around the burnt and blackened Egon was similarly completely charred; a colour not unlike that of its original mahogany-brown. Egon called out, eyes scrunched shut in agony as he was sent flying out the ring, all limbs splayed forward from the intense speed in which he travelled.

CRASH-FLUMP

Like a wave of water crashing harmlessly against solid rock, Egon's unconscious body knocked agonisingly against the invisible Aegir wall behind him before eventually sagging down it and falling to the ground anticlimactically, one last grunt escaping his lips as he did.

"Ring out!"

The sound of the smiling referee caused the cheering audience to quieten for a change, all turning heads in his direction as he stepped into the very arena itself, reaching for the blinking Link's free right hand. Lifting it up in victory, he opened his mouth a second time to finish out his announcement.

"The winner of this set... is Link Firbrand!"

Like a light being turned on suddenly after the right amount of coaxing, the surrounding audience all let loose their usual cheer of approval for the popular young Hylian.

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH