Veeza knew exactly who he was, now, and so did all of her friends by the sidelines by the sound of their gasps. Even Kieru behind her let out a gasp in his exhaustion.

“I-I couldn’t…” Veeza stammered.

“Come on,” he said, his voice husky, probably from an overzealous panchant for smoking. “You know you’re good, so do I. Let’s duel.” Cid threw his hand up into the air as a Judge appeared from a burst of bright white light.

Veeza hesitated. She felt completely out of her comfort zone. She had only ever fought friends and teachers. The brawls at the local pubs were the only insight into grown-up fights and someone always got hurt. Badly.

But then Cid thrust his fist toward her from seventy feet away, but it hurtled into her chest and she staggered back into a tree behind her.

“Come on!” he shouted. “Fight me!”

Another floating punch slammed into her stomach and Veeza felt the hot rush of adrenaline and looked up at the bangaa’s smirking face. She threw a shiva at him and the fight began.