Gladio watched, barely keeping the joy from his face. He felt like a kid watching his first chocobo race or, lately, Blitzball match. He hadn't been sure what to expect, and there wasn't the infectious enthusiasm and anticipation of a packed stadium, but he was nonetheless excited to see how this match would play out.

It was strange to see those two Aeons paired up for a battle. Ifrit looked every bit a wild beast, all claws and horns and fur and mane while the lines of Bahamut's form looked curiously inorganic, almost robotic. The overly smooth, nearly unnatural move it made to avoid Ifrit's swing just hit that home.