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It wasn't like he was absorbing the heat into his own body or something, allowing for Viper to ascertain control from within or something-- so even if there was something felt in the heat itself, it wouldn't register strongly.

Relentlesly watching-- the more Viper moved the more time Vahn had for his eyesight to grow acustomed to the speed-- and judging the exact moment when to strike--

--- His lead hand would suddenly push straight with a very slight forward motion of the upper knuckles. Without waiting for the upper knuckles to strike firmly, the lower knuckles sprang forward to about 1 and 1/2 inches behind the point in which his hand first touched. At the same time that he thrusted his fist forward he twisted his hip and shoulder inwards to gain added power with his full body weight. "LET'S STOP WITH THE MARATHON!!"

Lots of martial arts are based on the circle. The so called 'technique' for releasing internal power. The circle is 'power' that doesn't move. In other words, while you are storing up that 'power' coming from that circular movement, it is continuing to accelerate more and more.

Passing through the shoulder, eventually all that heat is tempered like a needle through the arm. Then directing the inherent heat from the circular motion to a straight line... taking on the qualities of that fist... to send all the gathered force galloping toward Viper all at once, aiming to catch the speedster just as he would pass in front of Vahn (more than likely at least nicking him and not striking him completely, but enough to throw him off).

Outside Style: One Inch Heat

He was still going at it-- maybe his aim was off or didn't put enough pressure into-- but whatever the case, Viper was still running around. Vahn's stance remained, and it was only because of that, that he became vaguely aware of what was coming.

Because he was with his right lead, from the corner of Vahn's right eye, that brief flash of movement gave Viper away, even as his opponent emerged from the "circle of speed".

However, as he had thought-- just because his eyes were growing acustomed to the movement, did not mean his body was yet able to cope with reacting to it.

At best, even as Vahn began to step forward, trying to get out of the way of the strike-- it would still nick him along the back, creating a sharp cut through the fabric of his jacket, and sending impact against Vahn's back.

Int he process of turning on his left heel at the same moment as well, he could only grunt and bear with it, before getting buffetted by the sonic boom to follow.

Really..getting...annoying!

Slightly turned, and with a half-assed guard up, Vahn would have slid backwards slightly, boots digging in for secure purchase. No worse for the wear, but annoyed at not being able to keep up, he stood his ground.

"You like to move... let's see you move!" Spreading both arms out to the side, he took his lead stance again, and brought both hands in close, nearly cupping them together. His eyes flashed a gleam of yellow (which was really just a slight haze of heat playing optical tricks), as he began to take in deep breaths.

And it started.

Focusing, he would begin to draw all the available heat around the arena towards him.

This had only been done a couple of times, the first being as a means to protect himself from being completely destroyed in the rift that had opened to the Fire Plane.

The process would be aided by the fact that all three artifacts he wore thrived and fed on heat, pulsating visibly as they grew in strength.

The Hand of Efreet. The Greaves of Efreet. Efreet's Fang.

All three, in unison with Vahn's natural affinity worked in tandem to suck in all that heat out of the very air and from the surrounding area.

A tiny sphere of pure undiluated heat would appear within his cupped palms, which would only grow in time.

Around Vahn's body, a visible outline could be seen, as a second sphere began to wrap itself around his entire body-- powered by what was being concentrated in the first sphere.

The result would be that as heat was stolen from the enviroment (which was limited to just the arena grounds of course, and a radius around Vahn's body) the only thing left in its place would arguably be: cold.

"Haaaaaaa!"

"Oh I have something for you..."

Flame-yellow eyes narrowed even further, as his boots slid into the ground, which began cracking under pressure-- having tunred into nothign but straight glass around him (since the arena floor was covered with sand).

Outside Vahn's sphere of influence the enviroment would be dropping below zero, with Viper on the outside, and now apparently trying to reel back in what he had casted out.

Unfortunately, even in fishing, the damn things were liable to take the bait, and still get away, especially if the fisherman underestimated his prey.

You don't use a fishhook to catch a great white.

And you certainly don't use several hundred fishhooks to catch a blue whale.

"...I have something so raw..."

While Viper would have some success with reeling back in 'power' the vast majority of it would not be leaked out or taken. This was laregly due to the fact that even as a fire user, Vahn had a veritable advantage on his side, in the form of the three items of legacy he possesed; previously mentioned before.

Efreet's Fang.

Efreet's Greaves.

The Hand of Efreet.

And how they shone in the firestorm that was centered around Vahn.

Black metal with origins from another plane, inlaid with crimson runes that glew as hot as coals, each actively helping to contain and drive in all that heat-- which was being purely concentrated between Vahn's hands, which never grew in size-- only brilliance. Viper was not only fighting against Vahn himself, but the dominance over heat and flame by these items.

Items that had nearly conquered Vahn's body and soul.

Just.. a little more!

Whatever Viper did manage to get would be used just to ensure his survival in the apparent 'ice age' taking place at the moment, while Vahn continued to.. do whatever it was he was doing.

That much was true.

Most of the crowd had come to this match in beachwear, with cold drinks. However, most of them now were shivering their asses off and trying to keep warm.

What a bizzare twist!

Rynn was just PEACHY.

Not to be confused with interfering in the fight, but rather just maintaining homeostasis, he was furiously sucking in all the heat in a 5 foot radius around him.

Rynn squinted at the contestants- a look of irritation.

It's Gloriously entertaining that masters of cold are masters of heat.

And vice versa.

"Watch it on TV tomorrow or something, Christ."

If the blade was able to move that freely in the near sub-zero temperature, then it would find resistance the moment it came in contact within Vahn's sphere of influence, being buffeted by the weighed down atmosphere and intense heat.

Should it continue to push forward, it would be a simple matter for Vahn's right hand to push to the left and send the blade off target with a swift palm strike, unsure and unknowing of the blade's properties.

The miniature sphere of collected heat however would now be 'cupped' somewhat in his left hand, before being slammed right into place along the top of his right wrist, where the 'Eye of Efreet' on the Hand was, the then dim-ruby now accepting the 'sacrifice', and glowing a deep hue of crimson.

The ball would slip into the gem, as the gauntlet began to shift, the Hand of Efreet taking place; first turning into liquid metal, then wrapping about his entire right arm, creating layer upon intricate layer of runic armour.

This would not be the only change, as Vahn's flesh would also darken, actual steam beginning to rise from his body as he let loose a rumbling yell. His sphere of influence would begin to contract tightly, causing a discernible rumble within the ground itself, and sending waves of cold air from outside his sphere.

Vahn didn't have control over the cold-- it was more or less a byproduct of what happened when he had begun to forcibly remove the ambient heat energy from the surrounding area, just for clarification's sake.

As for what happened next-- well the sphere that encased Vahn would begin to gleam and burst, tiny pockets and cracks appearing which let loose vast amounts of steam.

Like a kettle coming to boil, the temperature within was well over 50,000 degrees farenheit and climbing; all of it roiling.

And inside it, was Vahn.

His flesh was a darker color, more reddish than tanned and the clothing on his body that wasn't form fitting was easily burnt away; leaving him in only his pants, greaves, and remains of a shirt. His 'aura', the same that granted him immunity to his own fearsome power was extended around Vahn's body, which is why the clothing that stuck to his body remained.

Efreet's Hand was seen in it's full glory, the eye in full bloom and the 'hearbeat' heard steadily as it used Vahn's blood directly, and the collected energy.

"Your pretty fast, I'll give you that much..."

Yellowed eyes narrowed, even as streams of smoke escaped his lips. "But speed is useless if you don't know where to go..."

His lead foot slid backwards, cracking glass even as he grinned. "Mirage Step."

There was a considerable amount of steam rising from the ground as Vahn's left greave touched the ground.

And then his very image seemed to blur and streeeeeetch to the left, before actually locking in place above the ground, turning into what appeared to be a descending flash kick, aimed for Viper's skull from his right side.

Apparently Vahn had found a way to repoduce the same mind-numbing speed as Viper... or perhaps there was more than meets the eye...