Veeza looked to the floor and pressed her hands together and her ifrit dealt the final blow to her opponent as the crowd standing at the trees began to cheer. She felt the magic ebb out from her heart, to the tips of her long ears and fingers, before it flew out of her body and into her opponent’s. Kieru sank to the floor, his pom pom falling onto the soft grass beneath him.

“See?” Veeza said, her lips straight but with a smile in her eyes. “Told you I could defeat you!”

Her moogle friend’s eyes widened as large as a moogle’s eyes could as he looked behind her. Turning, Veeza clapped eyes on a tall, dark bangaa smoking a long cigarette.

“Very impressive,” he smiled after a long drag and exhale of the smoke. “So you can beat your friend. Think you can beat me?”

Veeza’s heart jumped into her throat. She had never fought anyone outside of her circle of friends. They all knew each other’s limits. This man could kill her, even if he didn’t mean to.

“Who are you?” Her voice broke.

“Name’s Cid Highwind.”