Consortium of Eight

The consortium was established the year 270 to govern magical affairs. After the Militesi Empire begins its campaign to claim the dominion in 842, they conquer most of the dominion regions and deploy a crystal jammer to Akademeia to cut the Rubrumite forces off their Vermilion Bird Crystal, rendering them vulnerable. On the last minute the Agito Cadets personally tutored by Arecia Al-Rashia of the Sorcery Division are deployed to take down the crystal jammers, as the youths have been augmented by her to withstand the jammer's effect. The cadets' involvement is top secret until the last minute. When the commandant hears the cadets are to join the liberation they are delivered a COMM by a legionary soldier to link them with Operation HQ, the mission being approved by the chancellor himself. The cadets destroy the jammers and drive a White Tiger Secundus l'Cie from Akademeia, liberating the city.

The consortium is called to decide the next step. The commandant wants to deploy the Vermilion Bird l'Cie, seeing that the empire is already deploying theirs, but is reminded the l'Cie only answer to the Crystal. Arecia arrives to the meeting late, informing the others that though they don't have much information on the empire's crystal jammer, its operator l'Cie seems to have disappeared. The cadetmaster asks if the legionaries can be augmented with the same magiteknology that allows Arecia's Class Zero wield magic independent of the Vermilion Bird Crystal, but she denies, saying they should just deploy the Agito Cadets instead.

Arecia's cadets are officially enrolled to Akademeia as Class Zero and it is decided that the dominion would deploy Akademeia's Agito Cadets to missions to help in the war effort. The provost is skeptical as to the commandant's justification for placing the cadets under military command. In Provost Tekise's eyes, assigning the cadets to the charge of the dominion legions and sending them off to war with other nations is a rather broad interpretation of their role in "defending the Vermilion Peristylium." However, Chancellor Chival VI declares the dominion—and, by association, the peristylium—to be in a state of emergency. Thus, with the consortium's approval, the cadets are organized into military units and cast into the flames of war.

The leaders of Orience's Crystal-States eventually convene at the imperial capital of Ingram for armistice talks, but all discussions of peace come to a close when Queen Andoria of Kingdom of Concordia is assassinated. Troubled by the news, the Consortium of Eight determines the ceasefire over and the chancellor and his entourage retreat to the dominion.

The commandant deems Arecia has too much power in the consortium and plots to remove her influence, getting the cadetmaster and the provost on his side. He resents Class Zero for having stolen the spotlight from his legionaries, and suspects Arecia has ulterior motives. The commandant manipulates one of the new Class Zero cadets, Machina Kunagiri, into becoming disloyal to his classmates and to be an informant. The commandant has the class left behind in Ingram when the queen is assassinated, and Class Zero ends up being blamed for the incident. The commandant is angered Class Zero's commanding officer, Kurasame Susaya, organizes a rescue operation.

Queen Andoria is succeeded by a king who allies with the empire over Rubrum's supposed betrayal and assassination of the late queen. As the coalition forces begin their campaign against Rubrum the consortium is called. Some members, the commandant included, blame Class Zero for the turn of events, claiming the cadets have gone rogue. Arecia finds this ridiculous. The chancellor tells the others that the Vermilion Bird l'Cie Lady Caetuna will help Rubrum with Verboten Eidolons should the coalition invade, shocking the other members.

The commandant estimates the upcoming battle against coalition forces is a battle Rubrum has a good chance of losing. He sends Kurasame and Class Zero to the thick of it intending for them to perish under the pretense of offering a chance for Class Zero to clear its name. With the cadets gone, the commandant schemes Arecia will lose her coveted position within the consortium.

Machina is called away to meet the cadetmaster and the provost who ask him to report on Class Zero and Arecia. Machina is surprised the commissar and the provost are colluding with the commandant against the doctor. The two further manipulate Machina by claiming his espionage is done out of honoring his late brother Izana Kunagiri, and say that if he doesn't want to be the spy, they can ask Machina's childhood friend Rem Tokimiya instead. Knowing that Rem would never have the heart to go against her classmates, Machina relents and divulges what he knows of Class Zero: he describes them as emotionless fighters who would do anything their "Mother" Arecia asks. However, he doesn't have knowledge on any ulterior motives, and is thus dismissed. After Machina has left the cadetmaster and the provost deem him the perfect agent as his brother's death—blamed on Class Zero—prevents him from developing camaraderie with his classmates.

Machina never lives up to the trio's expectations as a spy, as he frequently disappears from Akademeia for an espionage mission of his own choosing. The commandant's plan to rid of Class Zero partially succeeds when their commanding officer perishes when he, among others, gives up his phantoma for Caetuna to summon Alexander. The cadetmaster informs Class Zero that due to the class's unique nature, they are not assigned a new commander. The commandant keeps his icy demeanor toward the class, especially when they slowly clear their name by winning many decisive battles for the dominion. Soon the Kingdom of Concordia surrenders, and the dominion concentrates its efforts in conquering the empire.

When Tempus Finis commences, the consortium is gone when Class Zero returns from their last mission, leaving Akademeia leaderless. Only Arecia remains, giving the class her final advice. It appears at least some of the consortium members were slain by the Rursus, the commandant among them. Central Command is taken over by Naghi Minatsuchi, a Class Ninth cadet, but the situation doesn't look promising. It is unknown how Rubrum is governed after most of Class Zero gives their lives to vanquish the Rursan Arbiter, Arecia departs Orience for good, and the light of the Crystals dims, leaving mankind to cope without their power. Director Hajime Tabata has said that all consortium members may have died in the Rursan invasion.^[1]