Chapter 47: Time of End; Fight for Stralanavia

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.

"The Boundless Ground" Dynasty Warriors II OST. Scene 1 (First Half),

"The Voice Someone Calls" - Persona III OST. Scene 1 (Second Half).

"Main Menu" - Street Fighter V (Vanilla) OST. Scene 2 (First Half).

"Random Fire" - Judgment OST. Scene 2 (Second Half).

"Rake Your Inside" - Judgment OST. Scene 3 (First Half).

"Parry Addiction" - Yakuza 0 OST. Scene 3 (Second Half).

"Last Moment of the Dark" - YS I & II Chronicles OST. Scene 4 (First Half).

"Termination" - YS: I & II PCE OST; Kage Narumono's Theme. Scene 4 (Second Half).


In their climb through 'Stralanavia's Strongest', Link and his close companions very quickly find themselves near-outclassed at a horrifying rate; indeed, even with the gambling odds in Link, Barkner and Alwyn's favours, they all soon discover just how close they are to losing their fated match-ups. Even current Palashian and Hylian champions Vassia Palashia and Raynard Van Garrick, while incredibly powerful warriors and especially for their exceptionally young ages, end up in double-disqualification together following their brutal clash together.

Now, only one of the original group remains, just as within all national championship tournaments before it; the determined if, overconfident young Hero of Time himself.

His opponent is the young Stralanavian girl that has managed to claim so many victories; a mysterious youth going by the name 'Veronika Fedoroa'. Said to have a similarly enigmatic origin in the curious techniques she uses that she deems 'Soul Power', Veronika utilises this Aegir in order to somehow foretell the future itself; a clairvoyant. While a fairly rare phenomenon, even in his eccentric homeland of Hyrule, it is not unheard of.

Link can only portend to any possible ending to their fated confrontation in the seventh and final round of the Skirmish in Stralanavia...


Scene 1

"Dobro pozhalovat' obratno... and welcome back ladies and gentlemen, to the Stralanavia Skirmish!"

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

Mr. Marshall's ever-inviting baritone filled the indoor arena and melded on well with the expectedly-excited exclaims of the surrounding Stralanavian stands of people, allowing him to press on in his hyped greeting.

"Can you believe we've already hit six rounds in this incredible competition?" The smiling older man began again, this time directing his commentary toward the grinning-faced Seth on his left. "It's been one gem after another."

"It really has Marsh," Seth smirked on back enthusiastically. "You gotta love how close these fights have been; I don't think I've seen one fight finish too early here today."

"We can count on the good ol' Stralanavian people for that one, eh Seth?" Marshall quipped back with a half-mischievous grin on his face as he lightly pressed a finger at the air between the pair, drawing in another deafening cheer from the listening audience and an eye-roll from the listening group in the competitor's box.

"Hell yeah!"

"And with that we have one last glorious hurrah for you lovely people watching out there!" Marshall added on, snapping his fingers in the direction of the listening audience. "A fight to the finish for the title of 'Stralanavia's Strongest'... the grand-finals!"

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

Like a bonfire being ignited, and a huge one at that, the sound of the screaming surrounding Stralanavians shot out into the sky around them all; a true indicator of their high-raising morale.

"Yo Marsh... can you believe we've seen one of these guys at every grand-finals so far?"

A corner of the listening Marshall's mouth upturned into a knowing, telling smirk. "And which... 'guy'... is that Seth?"

"Ma boy 'Fire Fist'!"

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

The crowd all screamed out a third time in growing excitement, numerous fans in the audience for the named young Hylian in question.

"Indeed my young friend!" Marshall chuckled in an acknowledging nod, infected by his excitement. "Many of you returning watchers in those stands know of 'Fire Fist Firbrand'; a story as old as our very beginning itself in Hyrule's 'Hylian Hyrax'!"

"That one's my absolute favourite I think Marsh," Seth grinned on in reminiscence, leaning back in his chair as he did, tilting his head to the side as he spoke as if from memory. "We didn't have killers like Fedoroa or Palashia but it was the only time we got to see 'Fire Fist' and Van Garrick lock fists... that fight's still my absolute favourite!"

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

"I see many agree with you...," Marshall chortled along, nodding in a wry little grin as he felt the vibrating after-boom of the surrounding Stralanavians' scream. "And I can't help but see why; that engagement was easily one of the best I've ever seen as a commentator and sportscaster. That said however...," he began again, his grin growing a little as he re-opened it to speak once more. "I do believe we may indeed see a contender for a superior fight!"

The listening Seth threw his head back and laughed. "Aww don't Marsh! Don't get my hopes up like that!"

"Ah but that's what hopes are for my young friend!" Marshall grinned on, index finger rose up as he did. "We have your two finalists fast approaching the finish line folks! Don't go away!"


"I still can't believe it comes down to this..."

Vassia's annoyed huff made the listening Link limp up his oceanic eyes in a comical-looking expression as he briefly eyed her,

"And what's that supposed-ta mean?" He shot back, half-insulted by her irritated little quip.

"Me, double-disqualified and you in the grand-finals again! Without me!" The indignant Palashian Princess cried out angrily, huffing again as she rolled her raven-black eyes in response. "Urgh. I want that... how you say... 'runback'... so badly."

This time the former Kokiri's frown upturned into a half-amused grin and he laughed a little as he re-opened his mouth to respond. "I can dig that."

Before Malon could interrupt the conversation – a habit she had grown accustomed to when it came to the two – it was the wincing Barkner trodding on into the competitor's box that managed to pull all heads and attention his way. When the frowning-faced Link clocked his Goron companion drudging on in, he couldn't help but upturn it into the usual friendly grin he liked to wear.

"So!" The rambunctious young Hylian began, straw-haired eyebrow rising up as he did. "The 'Elbrus Smasher' huh?"

Realising he was being referred to by his young Hylian friend, Barkner blinked and rose up his rock-skinned head to face the boy with, nervously chuckling as he approached the group. "Ahhh... you heard that huh?"

"Hey, I like it!" Link grinned on back positively, placing up his arms to rest behind his head; an old habit. "It looks bare bones basic as hell but strong. Like... really strong," he chortled this time, eliciting a light smile from the listening Goron. "Kinda like a... 'Death-fist'," the blonde began again, disjoining his hands behind his pony-tailed head to click his fingers as if to think of the term he used in his sentence, pointing its index at the Goron as he spoke next. "Hey! You could be 'One Punch Man'!"

"That sounds fairly true to his style I think."

The recognisable baritone that responded managed to surprise the wide-eyed Link, similarly-surprised Vassia, Barkner, Zelda and Impa; they swung their heads 'round only to find the ever-frowning Alwyn now standing in the competitor's box's entrance, holding his stance up with what seemed to be crutches. He put on a tiny smile as his friends laid their stares on his injured Zoran body.

"How are we all doing?"

"How are you doing?" Impa spoke up from the back, silver-haired eyebrow piquing up as she did, her armoured arms folded at him. "The fact you're on those is a little..."

"Worrying?" He finished for the Sheikah, his minute grin growing a little before he re-opened his mouth to elaborate further. "I'm fine, honestly; it's a precaution they gave me at the Stralanavian Health Facility," the Zoran claimed, his studious frown returning to him. "They really do know what they're doing in there."

"Told you..."

Vassia's child-like tone in her soprano, spiced along with the classless little head-turn she gave him, could only make the listening Link's initially-curious frown turn in frustration and discontent; he dug his brow down deep and lowered the eyelids on his oceanic-eyed gaze at her in a comically-annoyed expression, choosing instead not to voice a retort.

"How did they treat you?"

Zelda's genuinely-curious question, spoken with a sociable smile, brought the group's attention back as Alwyn turned his injured head-fin down to face her.

"Fairly well, considering I'm not of their country, let alone race," the former soldier explained briefly. "Their technique and professionalism is really up there; I don't think even the medical division of Hyrule can hold a candle to it."

"Damn..." Link merely muttered back, eyebrow shot up in light surprise of his own.

"I'll have to visit that place then...," Zelda murmured out in a light nod. "Get some information..."

"So here's the million rupee question..."

As the similarly wounded Barkner spoke up next to the Zoran, he turned on his heel to face him, eyebrow rising up.

"How did you find her?" The Goron asked, nodding his rock-skinned head up to his upper-left, toward the entrance and exit in which they both came. "Little miss 'Soul Power'."

Alwyn nodded in acknowledgement. "Very powerful, in spite of her appearance," he replied simply. "I have to admit, she caught me off-guard fairly well."

"Ain't you in the Zoran army Al?" Link batted back in a challenging half-grin, folding his small arms as he did. The listening Alwyn drew up a small grin of his own, choosing to join in.

"Hardly stops an intelligent foe from still blind-siding you I'm afraid.," Alwyn fired through, head-tilt and all, eliciting some amused chuckles. "Seriously though, you should prepare yourself for another loss or even a tie; she's good."

"Real good," Barkner agreed on with his close companion, swivelling his own head 'round to face the surprised Link. "If Al's speed and my strength can't take her, then..."

"You guys forget I'm the perfect mix of everyone's talents!" The ever-overconfident youth blazed back, shut-eyed grin and head-tilting shrug attached to his expression as if to display himself to the unimpressed group surrounding him.

A second or two passed around them, while would have been fairly awkward to anyone else with a less-sized ego, was soon punctured when the frowning-faced Malon issued the standing Link with a light kick to his right leg. He widened his eyes and cursed as he flinched in response, facing her with a half-annoyed look on his face.

"Ow! What was that for?!" He shot back, soon drawing out amused laughs from the watchers in their band.

"I don't want your head getting too big." She shot back in a comically-deadpan frown, pulling out yet more laughs. He rolled his oceanic eyes back at her, groaning as he did.

"Just be careful out there," Impa threw into the conversation, her usually-objective frown spicing it as she did. "We don't know this girl's intentions... or even the extent of her powers."

"Ain't you proud I hit grand-finals again Impa-sensei?" He asked, his frown soon turning a little softer, his brow furrowing lightly as he lowered his eyebrows at her.

"Of course I am," the ever-impassive Sheikah responded with in a light nod. "But we have to be realistic as well... pragmatic," she clarified, tilting her head lightly as she spoke wisely. "We're not just dealing with Stralanavia's strongest here... but Kage into the mix also."

Link's eyebrows shot up in recognition and everyone else visibly stiffened; a sheer reaction to the blood-thirsty surge of murderous intent sleeping within him. He winced and lowered his blonde-haired head, nodding in acknowledgment.

"Yeah... I always forget about him." He admitted honestly and shamefully, his frown twitching as he did.

It seemed as if in every grand-finals he had taken part in, he had fought to his last breath which, naturally, also meant Kage Narumono would come crawling out of the one chaotic Triforce piece he carried on the back of his hand.

A chilling proposition indeed.

"Competitors Veronika Fedoroa and Link Firbrand; please approach Velinsk Arena for the seventh and final round!"

The referee's words managed to pull the frowning Link out of his deep-seated thoughts; he swung his head up to the competitor's box, his ponytail of blonde hair swishing with him as he did. Perhaps instinctively, he darted his eyes over to the far-off standing Veronika to the group's front and the pair of children found themselves staring at one another for the second time. While it wasn't something the watching Malon, Vassia or even Zelda liked, Link had to admit he had found something oddly addicting about it.

Maybe it's something to do with that power of hers, he thought.

"Okay good luck," Barkner whispered next to the boy, his own eyes focused on the Stralanavian girl. "If anyone's got a shot at winnin' this thing it's you!"

Link nodded wordlessly and stepped forward to leave, stopping mid-march and blinking when he found it interrupted by the soft touch of Zelda's hand upon his own, pulling him toward her slowly. He faced her and rose up an eyebrow as if to prod her silently and she smiled over at him wordlessly, rising up the back of his hand to rest on her chest, eyes shutting as she did.

"Good luck..."

He couldn't help but flash a closed-mouth grin back at her, clenching the fingers of his back-fist at her softly yet firmly. She let go and allowed him to leave.

FWIP

"W-Wha-?!"

"Mmmm..."

"Mmm!"

Quick as a flash the decisive Palashian princess behind him birled the boy 'round to face him before mashing her lips with his, pulling out a shocked gasp and noise from him in response. The watching Impa and Alwyn couldn't help but crack their own small grins as Barkner and Zelda chuckled in amusement. Malon, however, was less than entertained.

"Hey! Let go of him!"

Almost as if he were listening to his childhood companion, the former Hero of Time gasped out a second time as he wrenched control of his body and back-dashed away from the smirking Vassia, immediately wiping up at his lips with the back of his right arm.

"You ain't gettin' a hug when I get back!" He called back angrily, stabbing an accusatory finger at her as he did. The surrounding group, minus Malon of course, all let out bursting laughs from the scene playing out before them, eliciting the muttering Link to turn on his bare-foot heel and march back toward the arena.

He sighed through his nose as he approached the doorway, single cerulean eye narrowed as he did.

Could have been worse I guess, he added on silently.


2

"Welcome back, one and all, to the Stralanavia Skirmish! We're here in snowy Stralanavia and at long last we're in the grand-finals of this magnificent tournament!"

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

Mr. Marshall's initial call was, as always, joined enthusiastically by the excited Aurelians surrounding him and his younger co-commentating companion, their voices filling and reverberating across the walls of Velinsk Arena.

"That's right folks we've managed to get through six rounds already!" He exclaimed out excitedly, smiling through the Gossip Stone in which he spoke in. "Six incredible, unexpected rounds that no-one could have predicted!"

"I swear if I could have Marsh I'd have put rupees on that Stralanavian kid," Tasty Seth shot into the conversation with, grinning on in similar exuberance as he did, leaning back in his own chair. "She's somethin' else!"

"She certainly is... and what a payout that would have been!" Marshall agreed on in camaraderie, smiling in a likewise fashion. "For the good of all your Stralanavian hearts... she has won them and kept them on fire...," Marshall began again, directing his words toward the listening audience. "Veronika Fedoroa!"

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

As if on cue, a coloured pictograph of the frowning young girl flashed up on the left pillar of Velinsk Arena, complete with her tournament statistics.

Veronika Fedoroa

Combination Damage: A

Aggressiveness: S

Side-Stepping: S

"Can you believe young Fedoroa is just a little older than Firbrand himself? And yet still younger than Palashia and Van Garrick?" Marshall smiled on in commenting, directing his words this time to the curious-eyed Seth on his left.

"Really?!"

Marshall chuckled in his confirming nod. "That's right! They're officially the Prima World Tour's youngest grand-finalists to date."

"That poor Van Garrick kid and Palashia!" Seth laughed, throwing his head back as he did.

Watching on in abject silence from the competitor's box, Vassia gnashed her teeth together as she clenched her little fingers into fists at her sides, her scowl shaking and twitching with barely-contained livid rage. The amused group behind her couldn't help but smile and grin in their own spectating.

"We certainly have some serious competition growing in this tour of ours Seth!" Marshall responded with, leaning his head in the younger man's direction as he did. "And one that can only be met by..."

Link Firbrand

Aggressiveness: A+

Agility: A

Tenacity: S

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

Again, as half-expected, the surrounding Stralanavian spectators rent the very air with their screams of cheer and approval for the name displayed on the right pillar attached to the smirking-faced Link himself; a fast-growing section of personal fans for the young Hylian.

"Gotta love the 'Fire Fist'!"

"Indeed!" Marshall chuckled alongside his younger companion. "Young 'Fire Fist Firbrand' has managed to leave his mark on the Prima World Tour in a similar sense; counting this tournament, he has somehow qualified for four grand-finals! That's right, four!" He exclaimed out, bringing up his fingers to gesture the very number itself, as if in personal shock of his own. "This boy cannot be counted out!"

"Or at least ever give up, am I right Marsh?" Seth smirked cheekily back at the older man, eliciting amused laughs from some in the audience.

"In any case," Marshall chuckled alongside them, briefly facing the youth next to him before re-facing the front. "Today is sure to end in one hell of a finish!"

"Grand-finalists please take your places!"

The Stralanavian referee's order called up the slow-marching Veronika and Link; they both stepped up the small staircase, one after the other, before ending up on the corresponding red and blue sides. The pair of children with adult-like fighting abilities fixated their stares on one another, less hostile and more of genuine curious interest.

"Prima's lights are blazing!"

Link watched Veronika's similarly hardened raven-black eyes with his sky-blue orbs carefully, watching for any sign of weakness.

"Go!"


Soul Power Savant

Veronika Fedoroa

Overly eager to get the confrontation with the mysterious young Stralanavian started, Link's small fiery form shot forward at a frighteningly fast rate; in a flash he was off and running, his figure flying ferally through air. The watching Veronika widened her ebony-night eyes and brought up her 'Soul Reflect' technique as if to block the patented fire fist her young opponent held back to attack her with.

FRRRRR-SMASSSSH

While Veronika's defensive abilities seemed second-to-none in her earlier incredible showings through the tournament, it was this time that they were truly tested and overcome; indeed, the power of Link's abrupt, fast and powerful forward strike was enough to break through her gasping 'Soul Reflect' technique, the sound of glass breaking echoing out and reverberating across the walls of Velinsk Arena comparatively boldly to match.

As Veronika was sent stumbling back a step or two, it wasn't much, but it was enough for the narrow-eyed young Hylian to press the precious okizeme he so recently obtained; opting to swing his body 'round in a swift air-dash to her undefended rear, his form and figure leaving fire-like after-images in the sheer overwhelming speed with which he moved.

CRACK-CRACK

KRSH-KRSH-SMACK

In a deft series of spinning back-blows, the narrow-eyed Link utilised his speed and strength to fight through Veronika's defensive windows and finished his initial combination by leaning his body back and slamming a sky-high vertical kick into her back, sending her sailing high into the air above him. He widened both oceanic orbs he carried before leaping up into the blue landscape aloft, soon careering above her as he did. The blonde youth pulled his left leg back and, filling it up rapidly with fire-elemental Aegir, he eventually brought it crashing down on the young Stralanavian below him, spicing his assault with a familiar battle cry as he did.

"HEYT!"

FRRRRR-CRRRRASSSSH

Veronika gasped out in agonised injury, raven-black eyes scrunched shut from the pain as she soon re-opened them in sudden snap to watch on; Link followed up, or attempted to follow up his assault, with a pull back of his left fist, burning with the same fiery-elemental Quintessence behind its clenched fingers.

FRRRR-DROOOOOOOM

Again a fiery explosion of biblical proportions rent the arena completely, caking it briefly in a blood-red tint before Link followed up his combination with a final small series of attacks as he leapt up to pursue her sky-high form.

KRK

FRR-KRSSSH

SMACK-CRRRRACK

Veronika cried out in sudden agony and pain as the narrow-eyed Link first dove-kick up to go by her and then eventually turn one roundhouse into a spinning fiery double-handed axe-like smash with his hands, sending her small figure whining back down to planet earth.

VWEEEE...

KERRRASSSSH

As her small body, in the sheer velocity with which she was sent careering in managed to blow apart a good chunk of the brown-tiled Stralanavian arena below her, she tech-rolled to her left side and grunted in the effort as she did, raising herself to a standing position once more. Perhaps irritable with the proceedings of the fight so far, Veronika found herself joining both modestly-sized palms together, eyes briefly closing as if in some kind of prayer. As the curious Link dropped back down to the tiled earth below him, he found himself narrowing both oceanic eyes at her in unsure concern, having never seen the technique before now.

Sure enough, a dull aura of Aegir and Quintessence formed around her little form before she at long last snapped open her eyes; a signature of her technique having been seemingly ready. With little else as a pre-cursor, her small figure left a mere blur of non-elemental Aegir behind it as she moved, the common eye unable to follow it. Before the young Hylian could even react she slammed her body into his in a debilitatingly abrupt shoulder-charge tackle, causing him to widen his cerulean-shaded eyes and gasp out a 'whulf'-like call in his shocked agony.

Her brow furrowed as she rapidly channelled her inner Quintessence and, like a Bombchu being set and let off, she erupted in a magnificent show of non-flavoured Aegir; an explosion of magic that saw the watching crowd of Stralanavians and Aurelians ooh, ahh and shout with delight.

DROOOOOM

Link grunted out as he was sent pelting up into the high-raised ceiling of Velinsk Arena, eyes scrunched shut and teeth grit from the abrupt agony visited upon him. Veronika followed up her initial assault with a surprising one indeed; seemingly defying all laws of physics itself, a large clawed-like hand made of Aegir shot up from her form below him to angrily grasp at his high-flying figure, before bringing him in a savage plummet back down to meet her.

VWEEEE...

CRRRRASSSSH

As Link ricocheted achingly against the ground below him, creating a small crater in the sheer speed with which he moved, Veronika followed with a determined glare on her countenance; opting to continue her relentless offensive with a quick vertical high-kick to catch him in mid-air before she soon finished her vertical high by lowering it into a grunting low axe-like kick.

FWOOSH

KRSSSH

A smaller quake rent the ground and foundations of the building as Link was sent further spiralling across it and she, of course, pursued him; the narrow-eyed Stralanavian soon widened both raven-shaded eyes as she brought up both arms in a similar technique to his earlier utilised one, soon bringing them both crashing down to meet him.

SMASH-KRSSSH

Link grunted out again, a small drop of blood forming on the side of his face as she slammed down and then up with both arms to bring him closer to her; she followed up with a first pair of swift gut-punches and then widened both eyes a second time as she brought her clawed-like arm backward, pulsing with intensely-raising Quintessence.

RUMBLE-RUMBLE...

KRRRR-BZZZZT

Like a small thunderstorm somehow, a beautiful-blue shade of aura briefly filled her, almost as if she were activating a super art technique, before she shot both arms forward in a lightning-fast series of blows and punches that made even the fastest movement look lethargic and stiff. Veronika narrowed her ebony-black eyes forward as she stopped abruptly mid-way and, acting adversely slowly and carefully, she calmly and almost gently hovered her extended palm forward; with all its digits extended outward, she very suddenly pulled them all into a fist and they stiffened as they made contact with the Hylian boy's body, ending in a devastating one-inch punch.

"Hmph...!"

CRACCCCK

The wide-eyed Link could barely exude a shock-faced gasp through his unintelligible agony, his arms and legs splaying out forward as he was sent careering backward through the air from the sheer intensity of his opponent's incredible Aegir-control. Before he began to hit the edge of the ring however he widened his blue-azure eyes and used the tiled ground beneath him to flip backward acrobatically in recovery, wincing lightly with a single eye shut in display of his anguish.


3

"Hmph... Soul... ARM!"

Veronika's sudden shout caused the cheering audience to quieten a second time, their eyes widened as they watched a magical-like arm form from the Aegir in her very named arm itself, extending forth and flying forward at a a frightening rate that would have scared anyone else.

Her recovering opponent, however, was not just 'anyone else'.

A fact he liked to egotistically remind himself on through a regular basis.

The watching youth cracked a grin as the overconfident thought passed through his mind, landing in a knelt position as he watched her purple fire-like magical Aegir-arm come careering violently toward him, easily eating up the brown-shaded tiles below it in its wake. In preparation for the incoming attack, Link responded with his own Aegir technique; he brought up his his usual shield-holding hand, his right, and narrowed both eyes as if in concentration before channelling his own inner Quintessence.

As if in cue, a bright-red aura of fire-elemental Aegir shot up to help block the fast-incoming violet-shaded Aegir-arm; leaving the former Hero of Time in a stance similar to the one he took when bringing up his standard shield when not targeting a foe, kneeling forward as he did.

CLINK...!

Like a stray rock knocking harmlessly against reinforced steel, Veronika's Aegir-arm rebounded back in a jarring echo, causing her to gasp and widen her eyes, this time in surprise; Link kept his eyes focused firmly on his forward foe, before his frown swiftly flew up into a confident smirk.

"My turn!"

FWIP

FWOOOOO...

With incredible control over his own Aegir (as well as his enemy's), the grinning Hero of Time somehow managed to pull the wide-eyed Veronika toward his position, sending her flying vulnerably and helplessly through the air as he did. The small Stralanavian girl at last chose to voice her surprise and called out in shock as she rushed toward him, no option of defensive manoeuvre to her should things go as she fear. Almost as if he were working on her very inward anticipations however the grinning Link, utilising his right arm to pull the girl in, he relied on his superior left arm to counter-attack her with.

"Burn KNUCKLE!"

FRRR-SMASSSH

"Gngh...!"

Veronika let out a sudden cry as she was scorched badly by the burning strike, like a dog being kicked; she was sent spiralling and tailspinning roughly and diagonally high into the air, beginning a launch for which the overconfident youth could begin another chain. He leapt up into the arena's skyway to pursue her and dealt her a quick yet brutal series of fire-flamed fists, knocking her around for a second or two before at last roundhouse kicking her back to planet earth.

As the burned Stralanavian was sent sailing back down, rolling agonisingly against the fast-destroyed tiles below her, the narrow-eyed Link utilised his inner Aegir to stay aloft within the air as he pulled both arms back, rapidly charging another Aegir technique. As she, perhaps inevitably rolled up into a worried recovery, she gasped as she quickly noticed his intent; it didn't take long for the young Hylian to at last respond. He widened both eyes, dropped his grin and lunged both opened palms forward, as if he were firing some kind of projectile at her.

"Shinku HADOKEN!"

Veronika attempted to quell the fire beating in her heart and the adrenaline pumping through her veins before shutting her raven-shaded eyes and bringing up both of her own arms to retialiate with.

"Soul Reflect!"

Just as the watching audience had half-expected, a near-invisible aura of Quintessence shot up between the pair of children; essentially a shield of some sorts to protect her from the fast-incoming projectile. When the watching Link clocked it exit her system, his grin re-grew on his face and he opened up his mouth as if to voice his delight.

"Let's go!."

FWIP

His small form very suddenly and without warning vanished from the common eye; indeed, even the frowning-faced Veronika widened her eyes again, darting them around in panicked and horrified search. Nothing unfortunately however could have prepared her for the inevitability that was to come; an abrupt assault without warning, brutal and effective behind her.

"Crack Shoot!"

FRRR-CRACCCK

Much like the name implied, a loud crack emanated out from the shock-eyed Veronika as the grinning Link re-appeared suddenly and savagely behind her, executing what looked like a wheel kick to her face caked in fire-elemental Aegir.


Veronika grunted out in great effort as she pulled back on her body to flip in recovery, narrowing her eyes through the blurry blood and pain she endured to begin advancing forward. As she closed the distance between her blonde foe and herself, she began to dart and weave her body unnaturally through the small spheres of fire-elemental Aegir that he threw her way. Link widened both sky-shaded eyes when he clocked the incredible speed with which she was moving and, just like that, she was in his vicinity already; a fact marked by the deft dive-kick she gave to him in greeting.

He rose up both arms to block and furrowed his brow back at her as she swung her body up into a second deft air kick; an acrobatic roundhouse-like assault that he, this time, was unable to block successfully.

SMACK

KRK-KRK

KRSH-KRSH...

KRSH!

Link called out as his seemingly younger opponent managed to vanish and re-appear around his very form itself, issuing out odd-looking kicks and punch-like strikes as if to hearken back to her odd style of martial arts in her previous match-ups. As she vanished and re-appeared a third time, this time dead ahead in front of him as if to mix him up, he managed to see her coming and blocked her initial forward palm strike. When the eager young Stralanavian attempted to follow up her combination, she widened her eyes when she found the newly-grinning Hylian side-step her obvious follow-up assault; a simple yet lunging pair of scissor-like hands.

Although it wasn't anything fancy, it was certainly enough to get the job done; Link responded by pulling his left fist back and, burning with intense fire-elemental Aegir, he pursed his lips as he plunged it forward deep into her.

FRRR-SLAMMM

She gasped out, eyes widened as the near-divine flame she suffered burnt her again, barely able to handle the next follow-up. He hit her three more times; once with a basic punching strike with his free right hand, a swift knee to her lower chest to take the wind out of her and then a quick grapple to over his shoulder behind him.

CRASSSH

The chestnut-brown tiles beneath them both cried out in agony and came flying upward into the arena's skyline as she collided roughly with it, wincing on as she did. The young Stralanavian recovered quickly to her feet, considering the fatigue and nature of her earlier assault, and narrowed her ebony-night eyes forward at the rushing form of her foe. The grinning Link pressed his luck with an effective yet fairly telegraphed and simple stabbing forward kick; one that she skilfully stepped to the side with to avoid.

His grin very quickly dissolved in favour of a worried-faced frown, eyes widened when he clocked her glide to his undefended right side; Veronika's raven-shaded eyes shut as she swung up her scarf and had it quickly yet gracefully cover the boy's body with.

Essentially a grapple.

FWIP...

"Illusion Spark!"

BZZZZZZZZZZZZT

The wide-eyed boy's form comically lit up into a bright display of static electricity; a technique that she had utilised earlier in her match-up with Alwyn. The surrounding audience all cheered on in excitement and, when the technique began to wear off, Veronika shut her eyes as she stepped forward in a near-gliding manoeuvre. She advanced ahead and used the thick aura of Aegir she brandished around her slim, small form to attack him with; a savage and brutal-looking series of swipes enhanced by her magical ability.

SLICE-SLICE-SLLLICE

FWIP

CRASH-KRSHKRSH

The sound of the ground shaking up horribly was enough for the watching crowd of Stralanavians and Aurelians to cry out in surprise, shocked on as the grunting young blonde was sent tumbling and back-rolling into one of the competitor's box's pillars.

KERRRASSSSSSH-RUMBLE-RUMBLE...

Opting not to wait for her opponent to recover, the shut-eyed Veronika snapped both orbs open in a hardened scowl as she very suddenly and without warning vanished from sight.

FWIP

Like magic she re-appeared not far above the smoke cloud of her own creation, the aura of Aegir around her body forming a dense and thick knife at the base of her opened palm, extending down threateningly as she came plummeting and plunging down on her fallen foe.

"No!"

Even above the din of the screaming Stralanavian crowd surrounding them and the sounds of battle before her, Malon's watching shocked screech was heard by all and yet also somehow a prelude. As the wide-eyed Veronika dropped down to give one final assault, it was an assault that made its mark; directly below her was the newly-injured, similarly wide-eyed Link himself, staring back up at the Stralanavian girl above him in a face-up position, arms and legs at his sides as if he were still recovering.

Even the watching audience grew respectfully and shockingly silent.

Time seemed to slow down for the pair of martial artists. As a tiny stream of blood began to prick down at the side of his mouth, so too did a larger glob begin to form on his wounded area; on his left side, Veronika's Aegir-knife had successfully seemingly pierced his flesh and essentially ended the fight. When the young girl had noted her success, the scowl on her face grew significantly softer and she pulled her magical weapon directly out of the blonde boy's side, drawing out a shut-eyed grunt from him in response. Her eyes grew soft to match as she lowered her hands and channelled a different kind of Aegir to them, this time to heal much in the same manner as in her previous match-up.

The smoke began to dissipate from the outside and, from within, revealed all; the watching referee on the out-of-bounds section of the ring stepped up to get a better look, eyes narrowing forward as he did. As he seemingly noted the situation's results, nodded and stepped on over to join the pair of children.

"K.O.!" He called out loudly, his voice reverberating across the walls of Velinsk Arena. "This set's winner, and the winner of the Stralanavian Skirmish, is Veronika Fedo-"

CRACCCCCK

4

The watching Veronika herself widened her eyes in shock, jerking her hands back suddenly and abruptly, as if they had been intensely burned by a hostile source. She gasped to convey her shock and even stood back to her feet to back away a step or two, as if to give the blonde boy some room; below, he began to convulse unnaturally and make strange, uncanny noises.

"Yo..."

The worried Seth's voice managed to make the listening Marshall swing his head in his direction, similarly concerned.

"Is it just me, Marsh...," he began worriedly. "Or is this lookin' a little too familiar...?"

Marshall's frown pursed a little further as he slowly swivelled his eyes back to the front, wincing as he re-opened his mouth to respond. "I'm afraid it is... Seth."

While there were those in the listening audience whom didn't quite follow the commentators' words of wisdom, those in the competitor's box knew exactly what was happening.

"This has gotta be some kinda record...," Barkner spoke up from his position, single eye twitching in spectating.

"That he got this far? Again?" Vassia batted back, violet-shaded eyebrow rising up in curiosity. Barkner shook his rock-skinned head back at the Palashian princess but it was his close Zoran companion Alwyn that responded for him.

"That this is happening again." The injured Zoran nodded forward, clearly gesturing toward the rapidly-growing aura of fiery intense-red Aegir surrounding the fallen Link's form. As it billowed noisily and powerfully, his small worn body began to gradually rise up by itself somehow, as if something else were pulling it entirely; some parts of his inner organs began to crack and squelch sickeningly, almost as if they were being forced back into place somehow by another mysterious force entirely.

"I'll never get used to this..." The watching Malon moaned in a cringe of her own, holding back a gag as she brought up a small hand to block her mouth in disgust.

Veronika meanwhile, still sheerly shell-shocked at the sight of her fallen foe recovering in a ghost-like form, could only back away from him in growing fear and perplexity.

"Grnnngh..."

The animalistic growl, a familiar sound for those close to the young blonde and even a select few in the audience having witnessed the transformation before, was one that further shocked the listening Veronika; she took wary and careful steps backward to gain space away from her earlier foe, growing concerned and uneasy with the odd feeling of murderous intent suddenly so strong in the air between them both.

"Ore no koboshina shioma-tometeru..."

The voice with which Link's form spoke, filled with his old adult baritone and yet corrupted somehow; a kind of demonic-like filter flowed through it, a new kind of spice for the horrified Veronika. The boy's body, having clearly been pierced earlier by her Aegir-knife, seemingly wasn't quite enough to fell him; indeed, a new higher kind of power somehow reinvigorated his body's functions and got him to his feet entirely.

What stood now, however, was not the host's original but a perversion of nature and one all too familiar to those of previously-held knowledge. The new spirit that took hold of Link's host body shot up his fiery-tinted blonde-haired head, a crest of three triangles and the right-held one lit up resting on his forehead briefly, before he widened his blood-red eyes back at the horrified Veronika. With little warning he crossed the distance between them as quickly as a sheer millisecond, only a single word of ancient Hylian escaping his demonic lips.

"MESSATSU!"


ROOOOOOAAAAARRRR

The very ground of Stralanavia's country itself vibrated and was rocked by a light tremor from the sheer intensity and stinging Aegir that Kage gave off as he leapt at his foe and, while in her face, opted to shout in a some twisted mixture of a battle cry and an animalistic scream. Veronika's eyes widened in horror and, unable to form any words in which to respond, she instead opted to back-dash to some modicum of safety, gasping as she utilised her Aegir to vanish a second time.

The glaring demonic will before her furrowed his host's brow and glowered hatefully, satanically-red eyes darting around in swift search for his faded foe.

"Spark!"

Like magic, numerous 'Soul Spark' projectiles flew at the wide-eyed Kage from all directions; a feat Veronika achieved somehow in her near-invisible state. As they all flew diagonally down for the wide-eyed demonic will, they made their mark and struck him with the same stinging strain that resembled her earlier techniques. As they hit him, however, a shield-like aura of lava-like fiery-red Aegir shot up between the projectiles and himself, essentially protecting and him from and successfully blocking the Soul Sparks.

Kage darted his fiery-tinted blonde-haired head to his sharp-right and widened his eyes in a hardened grunt, like an animal on the scent of its prey, and he bound in its direction to call out in anger as he raked his clawed-like fists against what seemed to be sheer air itself.

KRRRR-KRSSSSH

Like glass being broken, an unseen pane of Aegir and Quintessence found itself shattering from the sheer power Kage commanded, revealing fast-vanishing shards of Veronika's face within them as they dropped slowly to the ground. Seemingly having failed to unearth her, Kage growled and darted his head around in search again, sniffing at the air as if he were a wild Lynx in search of its helpless prey.

With little warning bar the look on her face from the fleeting falling shards, Veronika herself at long last re-appeared high above the wide-eyed Kage and fast-descended down upon him, Aegir-knife held in her right hand as her left held back behind it to propel it forward. As she plunged down on him offensively, raven-black eyes narrowed in determination, Kage, somehow sensing her very presence high above him, opted to swing his body into an unnatural-looking side-somersault through the air to his sharp-right, his body giving off whipping noises as he did.

WHUCK-WHUCK-WHUCK-WHUCK

The very dark-brown tiles beneath his feet didn't so much as break off their positions as he skid his clawed feet across the ground, as they did disintegrate from existence as they did break off; a sign of the stinging and biting trait that Kage's infectious and virulent aura contained. As he shot up his Hylian host's blonde-haired head, he cast his livid-lava eyed glowering gaze on his wide-eyed Stralanavian opponent; a portent of the horrifying assault that was to come.

With little warning, in a cast similar to his opponent's technique, Kage shot toward her with incredible near-unseeable speed and grappled at her right arm with his host's left, pulling her in with a low growl. Time seemed to slow down for the pair yet, even as she very slowly and gradually fell into her foe's rhythm, Veronika chose not to shout in fear; the elusive young Stralanavian merely stared back at her rabid-eyed foe with widened eyes of her own, barely unable to pull up a fist of her own to block the inevitability incoming strike.

SMMMMMASSSSSH

Kage's clawed fist came barrelling and crashing painfully into the grunting Veronika's face, forcing a scrunch-faced shut-eyed scowl as she was sent sailing and soaring back into a violent tailspin behind her. As she landed into a similarly cruel side-roll across the tiled arena below and behind her, the dark-brown stoneware beneath spitting up into the air destructively in her wake. As she at long last stopped in her movement and slowly stood to her feat, not without some modicum of effort, she pulled out a painful sharp-sounding gasp, a small trickle of blood dropping down from the side of her mouth as she did.

Both hands at her side, she shut her eyes as she hung her raven-haired head to very lightly to the side, almost as if she were either preparing a technique somehow or simply pondering to herself. Amidst this peaceful display, the wide-eyed Kage stood not far from her, hellish-red eyes and fiery-tinted head eerily calmly rising up to meet her. With very little warning, he barked like a hell-hound and immediately took off after her, his demonic aura of lava-like Aegir stinging and burning the ground around him as he stomped hatefully forward.

"Omae no inochi...!" He began, eyes briefly narrowed at her before suddenly and abruptly widening. "MORAIUKERU!"

In that single echoing scream, Kage easily crossed the distance between them, clawed fists held open-palmed at at his far sides, his head positioned lowly to match his volcano-red eyes darting up to meet her. As he began to fast-approach her, pulling back his left fist to attack her with, Veronika seemed to merely stand in her earlier posture, eyes shut calmly and softly. It was only when the cruel demonic will made the final approach, satanic-red eyes widened that he was stopped mid-march; he gasped in shock, a kind of invisible shield of Aegir brought up between them that managed to hold him in place.

Almost as soon as he made contact with the trap she so skilfully laid, Veronika snap-opened her night-ebony eyes and set a hardened and bloody-faced frown on her expression, bringing up her right and left hands together; she glared back at the devil-like existence as she hovered her left in a horizontal direction ahead of her chest, her right outstretched forward to point at the demon's host body, index and forefinger both rose skyward. Shocked into silence, the wide-eyed Kage could only gasp a second time, eyes darting around in growing horror and concern as he felt the symbol of his origin – the holy Triforce – light up on his Hylian host's forehead.

"N-Nanda-ko...?!"

His horrified whisper, spoken of in ancient Hylian, was understood only by the furrow-brow faced Veronika. A few seconds passed between the pair, seemingly almost eventless, before eventually something happened; as the holy crest of Courage on his forehead began to glow dim before his foe, Kage's eyes also began to grow limp and weak.

Somehow a sign of sudden-growing fatigue, in great spite to Kage's near-limitless physical and spiritual energies.

"T-" He began weakly, his left eye twitching in what seemed to be held back rage. "Torikkusutā..."

FWOH...

THUD-KERRRASSSSH

Veronika scrunched shut her eyes and winced painfully as Kage's small body comically managed to create a small earthquake in its abrupt and sudden fall to the ground, bringing up dark-brown tiles with it in his descent to unconsciousness. A brief and yet long-feeling period of seconds passed around the deadly-silent Velinsk Arena, almost as if the watching audience and its last participating fighter were waiting for the fallen Kage to suddenly and horrifyingly re-awaken, in some horror-fantasy like setting.

When a fair amount of seconds passed for the last judgement to be sent down, the referee finally spoke.

"K.O.! Link Firbrand has lost consciousness!" He called out, his words echoed and reverberating with the power of the small Gossip Stone he announced into. "This set's winner, and the winner of the Stralanavian Skirmish... is Veronika Fedoroa!"