Class Zero

This place wasn't always on fire. It may have been abnormally red, but that was because of all the decorations uplifting the pride of being under the Vermilion Crystal. Though, now the purple rugs covering the blue tiles are burnt beyond recognition. The red cogs in the middle of the entryway have disappeared, to prevent the enemy from using the teleporting abilities of it. The red teleportation circles on the sides of the room also received the same fate, keeping the students hiding in their classrooms safe.

Not that they should be safe. It is almost the same as betrayal if you were caught hiding, and not fighting to defend the capital of Rubrum. Which is why Jinyi is running on those burnt purple carpets, to the doorway hosting two big wooden doors hanging dangerously on their broken hinges. A small wooden piccolo is clenched in her left fist as a long orange cape flows behind her.

A blast of smoke blurs her sight as she runs past the doors- but Jinyi knows her way around the school campus. She takes short strides as she carefully runs down the stairs, not ready for the view in front of her when she can finally see.

The chocobo statue that resided on top of the water fountain in the middle of the courtyard is now laying in pieces in the dry fountain. The gates that were guarded with gargoyles holding long thin spears, now lay on the ground in defeat. Light red and smoky black paints the morning sky, the sun resembling a drop of scarlet blood. Shivers run down Jinyi's arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

Jinyi goes to run around the right of the crumbling fountain, but stops in her tracks when a Nymurod raises onto it's three metal legs. The Militese Empire's magitek looms over Jinyi's smaller figure. The gun in front of the Nymurod starts humming, signalling that Jinyi needs to snap out of her daze and do something, or she would be facing a whole new world of hurt.

So, with a soft gasp of fear, Jinyi throws her piccolo aside. It shatters into blue particles, disappearing into nothing. She then pushes her hands in front of her and releases an electric burst of magic. It shoots through the air and hits her target, making the magitek stumble before falling to the ground once again- this time to stay. The green lights on the magitek flicker off, and Jinyi takes this moment of peace to take a deep breath.

It isn't her first time facing one of the enemy's migiteks, but it definitely is still terrifying. Jinyi wants to curse at who ever came up with the idea of using the crystal's power to create machines that could kill people, but that person probably isn't alive right now. And plus, Jinyi doesn't even like cursing. Well anyways, she needs to worry about defeating the enemy right now, before-

A huge blast sends a wave of air, making Jinyi's orange cape flap behind her. She tries to shield her eyes with her arms from an overwhelming burst green that fills the sky. Looking over her forearms, she sees a beam of vibrant green coming from the right.

"Oh no, the Arena!" Jinyi stares with wide eyes before moving her legs, running over rubble to get to the Arena. The big wooden doors lay defeated on the ground, giving easy access into the arena. Instead, the sight of inside the arena causes Jinyi to pause and stare in shock.

A ginormous migitek stands in the far end of the arena. It looks like a mix of a metal tiger and a peacock. But that's not the only surprising thing. There's three cadets adorned with red capes standing in front of her, holding out their hands over a red summoning circle. Wait, they're summoning an Eidolon?!

"What are you-" Jinyi screams out, but a giant burst of air takes her words out of her mouth. She stares in awe as the three cadets stand there unharmed as a huge horse climbs out of the summoning circle. An armored rider with long braided black hair coming out of his elaborate helmet, rides the six legged, black horse.

"No way. It's Odin," Jinyi whispers to herself. How did they not die? She remembers her commanding officer teaching them that anyone who summons an Eidolon has to use up the rest of their energy force, which kills off the summoner. These cadets look nowhere near dead.