The Midgar Zolom [Event!]

The air had started to cool around the Midgar Zolom. A blessing for those would could even remotely register the small comfort in the midst of this wasteland. The temperature would drop further as the Midgar Zolom coiled into itself and raised its head up, blotting out the sun at its full height.

For its gargantuan size, it was faster than one would think. It’s coiled body added to leverage and speed to its strike. Just by following it’s eyes, it was easy to see the sole focus of its ire: the last remaining helicopter. The sounds of whining steel and breaking brass was all that remained of the helicopter. Two fangs as large as people sunk into the cockpit, leaving no question to the pilot’s condition.

It was a strange feeling for Leonhardt, the sensation that time had slowed down in the presence of tragedy and danger. He was accustomed to the fight-or-flight phenomenon, but it never sat well with him. The death of others improved the performance of human weapons.

The people stuck on that soon to be steel coffin would, in all likelihood, die. Even as another landed, tore the heavy machine gun from its bolts, and unleashed hell into the reptilian maw that would take their life.
Leonhardt’s attention fell on to a familiar redhead onboard. From the train. The Turk.

As the Midgar Zolom increased the pressure, causing the fuselage to yield and cave, the woman tossed a rope out of the cabin. It was suicide. If the Midgar Zolom began to trash around... What other options did she have?

The time for thinking was over. Leonhardt had reached the peak of his jump. Focus. Don’t think, just do. Using his father’s motor cycle as his point of leverage, the bangle on his left wrist began to glow. Brighter and brighter until he launched himself off, sending the motor cycle careening into the ventral scales of the snakes underbelly, wrecking the vehicle on impact, and spinning as it fell towards the ground.

“AUTUMN!”

Soaring through the air, Leonhardt reached out towards the woman, hoping she would take his arm. This was going to be unpleasant no matter what happened.

More people were arriving on the field, which made what she was doing even more dangerous. She could sense their materia, but she couldn't spend any more time mitigating collateral. But still, she wouldn't unleash until she knew for sure it wouldn't be wasted. The last thing she wanted was to disintegrate her allies. Depending on which one, it might even get her demoted. So she was stiff and focused, more detritus was lifting into the air.

She could see the shadow of the beast moving and hear the absolute pandaemonium revolving around it. Just then, something struck the Zolom. She could see it jerk through the dust. It turned and by its growing size Amanda could tell was heading towards them. Whoever was engaging the thing was failing spectacularly at controlling its movements. Even at the range Amanda had taken for casting the Zolom would be on top of her in seconds if not stopped. The goal of saving Midgar would be a failure if they kept allowing it to move how it pleased and gain ground.

She could now see what she assumed was the Zolom's massive head. Some twisted thing was in its mouth. Her guess was a chopper, and she could only hope the occupants got out. At least it had moved its attention away from the ranged combatants.

As though to twist the knife of her worry about the chaotic field, she saw a motorcycle enter her vision, flying straight at the Zolom. But that was just a consequence of the idiot cyclist's attempt to jump at the head, screaming his empty head off as he soared through the air. She watched the shadow of the roaring machine fall towards the lower body of the Zolom, just over where the melee fighters were making their stand. With luck it wouldn't hit any of them.

They were all going to die.

And then a miracle happened. Some unknown force settled on her, whispering secrets to her from a time long past. She'd thought she was an expert in the use of her materia--but in milliseconds she'd learned more than she ever thought possible. She smiled. Maybe they would have a chance. She'd do everything in her power to give them one.

By now the soldier who'd healed her had been getting to work. He called out to her and started firing.

"Oh, you beautiful man!" she cried out over the din. With her ability to see its general shape and his laser showing how far away the beast was, she was as ready as she could hope to be. Calling lightning required precision.

She'd measured twice. Time to cut. The thunder, at once, grew louder.

It felt like her arm was suspended in water, such was the resistance as she brought it down to trace out her path. She let out a cry, letting out her frustrations and putting force behind her spell. There was a tiny moment of silence. Someone watching might have thought she'd only waved her arm and yelled.

And then the battlefield was illuminated as a thick and searing column of light and electricity broke from the cloudless sky, traveling so fast it might have appeared from nowhere. The sound of its arrival was like a cannon, echoing across the wasteland. Amanda grinned--the power of it was outstanding. The lightning bolt was aimed for the area just below the Zolom's head, where its spine met its skull. Once it struck, piercing through all it could, the light would dissipate bit by bit, leaving only the echo from the crack of thunder.

Without pausing to see if it struck true, she moved her hands before her and made fists, redirecting the electrical energy as the voices had taught her. And the water it had been hit with could only help. If it worked, it would stun the creature and give the rest of them time--not a lot, but enough to make it count.

Her spell complete, half of the stones and debris fell to the floor. But she wasn't finished yet. They didn't call her a prodigy for nothing. She raised both arms this time, and the wind began to pick up around her.

---

Thalia grimaced at her commander’s irresponsible lack of urgency as the scaled walls circled tighter and tighter around them. She didn’t want to abandon him but the SOLDIER wasn’t in the mood to be crushed either. She leapt up the writhing creatures back and started climbing up the back of its hood in search of something vital to stab.

The constant thrashing of the Zolom sent Thalia crashing onto her back and as she pushed herself up onto her hands and knees she felt a sudden rush of power. It wasn’t physical strength. Thalia had sometimes caught a second wind in battle but this wasn’t like that. This was a power the SOLDIER had never felt before.

Thalia stood up and held her hands out before her. Water formed in the palms of her hands, circling her gauntlets with clear tendrils. She lashed out and two torrents of water came bursting out like a broken fire hydrant. Thalia’s jaw dropped and her eyes grew wide.

“Holy $&#$! I’m a mage.” She exclaimed as she lashed out, snapping the water like two whips to bite at the back of the Zolom’s head.

Notes: Thalia is suddenly able to cast tier 2 water because of Kaze's +1 and the mimic in her defense slot.

Autumn slipped further down the rope as the Zolom thrashed about, her palms stinging as she neared the end of the rope. Her left high heel slipped off her foot and she looked down to watch it tumble out of sight. Big mistake.

She’d heard that people often had moments of clarity right before they died. Wasn’t her life supposed to flash before her eyes? All Autumn could think was how dumb she had been not to keep that jump materia for herself. I mean… %#@$ friendship.

This was it.

Her arms shook and as desperately as she wanted to hold on, the pull of gravity and the will of the monstrosity were too intense. She lost her grip and Autumn could feel the contents of her stomach churning as she began to plummet.

All of a sudden, there was a hand reaching out for her. It appeared too quick to know who her savior was but she reached out on pure instinct towards the only life line available to her at this point.