Alitia: Hellfire and Blizzard

X: Rumors of Failure

Altina didn't know what to do. 

In her many years of combat and teaching, she had learned how to work with the chaos of any situation. Expecting a battlefield to always be under complete control was a vain effort, so the best alternative was to work with the chaos and turn it into something that could be used by everyone involved. Altina had mastered that art during her time at the Millennium Six, and she had been using it to her advantage however she could ever since then. 

But today, it seemed as if all the experience she had ever gathered in trying to turn the tides of a situation had slipped between her fingers like sand in an hourglass. Altina was doing her best to keep her composure, communicating with anyone and everyone who could have given her updates about Acadia. All of the students and professors had managed to get out of the school before Brynn could declare it hers, and they were now scattered throughout the remaining four schools just like the students from Sierra. Altina listened to each new report she heard, telling those who delivered them to stay safe and to command her students to do the same. They would be together again with time. Altina wouldn't let them be divided forever. 

Altina strayed from the shell of her school and toward Sacred Heart. It was a bit of a walk, but that had never stopped her before. Altina was halfway tempted to fly just to get there a little bit faster, but trying to fly in between the trees would ultimately hinder her more than help. She couldn't take to the skies properly either, not as long as there were so many scouts from Brynn watching over everything in the clouds. Altina just needed to be slow and steady. She had done it countless times before, so why was she struggling so much with it now?

Altina knew the true reason even though she didn't want to admit it: no one had told her about Minerva's fate yet. Altina was certain that Minerva had taken the attacks her sister was launching as a personal offense. Brynn had always been one of Minerva's greatest foes and worst weaknesses. Minerva practically turned into a different person when her sister was mentioned, all of the life in her eyes fading in favor of a rage that could never hope to be extinguished. Altina had learned to love that part of Minerva with time. The anger was proof that Minerva was no longer being used as a tool by the people who should have loved her most. Altina vastly preferred Minerva fighting for a better future than letting her anxiety control her, and if that led to angry outbursts, then so be it. 

Now, Altina wished she had never praised Minerva's rage for keeping her safe. She wished she had gone out of her way to make sure her lover stayed safe rather than rushing into danger. Minerva couldn't have been stopped when she truly put her mind to charging after Brynn, but Altina imagined making a difference anyway. In all the time since the falls of Acadia and Sierra, no one had breathed a word of Minerva's fate. She was surely still alive. She wouldn't give up as long as Brynn was out there and hurting the people she cared about. Minerva had to be out there, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and tear the world down around her... Right?

That was what Altina kept telling herself, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep herself together. She needed to focus on the situation at hand. If she looked at the facts, then Altina would see that everything was alright. They needed to be okay. Losing her composure was just going to invite Brynn to ruin everything again. Altina couldn't give her that chance. If she just kept her eyes on the horizon, then--

Altina's thoughts both intensified and slowed to a stop when she arrived at the gate of Sacred Heart. Students and professors alike were bustling around, trying to find the room they needed to shelter the students of Sierra and Acadia. Minerva had taught her staff and students well for an emergency. They were handling the situation far better than Altina would have if she was in the same position. Then again, it was difficult for her to keep her judgement level when she still knew nothing of what had happened to Minerva.