The tension in the air was thick, almost sacred. The Spectare stepped forward, silver robes shimmering like a quiet prayer, eyes steady and calm. He regarded the towering Titanus form before him—not as a monster, but as a force awakening.
Cid's Titanus form stood immense, black armor gleaming under the fading light, eyes burning with fierce resolve.
The Spectare did not rush. Instead, he moved with purpose, circling, watching, waiting for an opening.
With grace and precision, the Spectare launched the first strike—quick, measured, testing the strength behind the massive armored limbs. Cid responded with a crushing blow, the ground trembling beneath the impact.
They traded blows—strength and skill in a deadly dance. The Spectare's movements were fluid, evading the full force of Cid's attacks, striking weak points with practiced precision.
Spectare (calm, respectful):
"You wield great power... but this path demands control, wisdom."
With a fluid motion, the Spectare drew forth an ancient artifact — a blade inscribed with sacred runes, glowing softly with holy light.
As Cid advanced, the Spectare moved swiftly, striking Cid's armored arms with the blade. The artifact bit through the darkness, releasing a searing energy that scorched the shadow essence.
SFX: KSHHHH—KSHHHH!!!
Cid staggered, pain sharp but controlled.
Cid's thoughts, steady and focused:
This power has just awakened within me...
Yet I already begin to master it.
He gathered the shadow energy flowing through him, weaving it with calm precision, forming a protective cloak that absorbed the Spectare's next strike.
With a deep breath, Cid pushed back, breaking the Spectare's hold and creating space between them.
Cid's Titanus form thundered through the shattered city walls, heavy footsteps shaking the earth as he tried retreating.
But the Spectare's voice rang out—calm, unwavering, cutting through the chaos like a bell.
Spectare:
"You can't run."
The Spectare planted his feet firmly on the cracked stone ground, silver robes billowing as he closed his eyes and raised his hands skyward.
A ripple spread outward, invisible at first, then thickening the air itself.
Spectare (chanting softly):
"By the clarity of truth and the weight of unseen chains...
Enter my zone — Maddening Sight."
The world warped.
The space around the Spectare shimmered, folding in on itself like a mirror cracked into infinite shards.
In an instant, the battlefield became a nightmare.
Cid's Titanus form halted, eyes wide as the air twisted into a cage of illusions.
The Spectare's Maddening Sight forced him to see visions — the darkest fears and regrets he buried deep inside.
Whispers of failure, shadows of doubt, faces of those he couldn't save.
The twisted visions clawed at Cid's mind, threatening to unravel his resolve.
Cid's inner struggle:
No... I cannot fall to this. This is just a trick.
But the maddening visions surged, each one sharper than the last.
His Titanus form staggered, faltering beneath the weight of unseen torment.
The Spectare watched, eyes glowing softly, his voice calm but commanding:
Spectare:
"Face what you fear, or be consumed by it."
Cid's Titanus form faltered under the Spectare's maddening illusions. His colossal frame shattered like brittle glass, and he plummeted helplessly toward the ground.
Spectare (cold, poised to finish):
"This ends here."
But then, from the shadows, a figure moved with calm precision.
The mysterious man raised his hand, whispering silently:
"If the Spectare advances AND Cid falls, then knives will rain."
At his command, knives appeared, swirling in the air — not just thrown, but released by a chain of logic the man created in an instant.
The knives surged forward in waves, each blade striking exactly where it would disrupt the Spectare's advance.
SFX: WHOOSH — THWACK — THWACK — THWACK!
The Spectare staggered, caught off guard as the calculated cascade of attacks tore through his focus.
Before Cid could hit the ground, the mysterious man caught him with steady hands.
Mysterious Man (urgent):
"You're not finished yet. Trust the chain."
Using the power of Causare, the man maintained the intricate network of conditions, creating a protective web of cause-and-effect that blocked further attacks as he carried Cid away.
Spectare (furious):
"You cannot run from fate!"
Cid gasped, shaken but alive — saved by the cunning manipulation of causality itself.