A raven headed apparition jumps in from my left and I quickly aim the launcher at its chest.

Although it's just a simulation I feel the ricochet from the blast reverberate down my arm causing it to shake slightly. In a blink of an eye the raven disappears and another creature attempts to assault me from behind.

I twirl around on the heel of my foot and fire and this process continues as I go into automatic mode. My body does the work but my mind could well enough be on another planet.

For the past three days all I could think about was Lazarus and what he told me in that dark room. The more I thought about it the more absurd the whole thing sounded. Why would he admit all those things to me? Crimes that were so treasonous they would undoubtedly get him in trouble.

He hardly knew me and yes he blackmailed me with Cassandra but how could he be so sure I wouldn't tell Lucian? How would he know if I did?

I can't help but think that maybe he told me all those crazy things just to throw me off somehow. Why would someone as powerful as him need to tell me anything?

Wondering about his motives made my head hurt and all I had was a gut feeling telling me I should never trust him. This is the only reason why I haven't said anything to Lucian even though these secrets have been burrowing holes in my head like a swarm of ants.

After I finish in the training cubicle I walk outside and take a sip of water at the dispenser. A few fighters pass by and their chatter dwindles when they catch me looking. They rush away and my heart sinks.

Everyone has been avoiding me since Lucian came into our training center that day and not so subtly warned Leslie. Even Rosie refuses to talk to me.

I catch her training in one of the cubicles and let out a small huff of disappointment. She was the only proper friend I made here and our friendship was extinguished before it could even fully develop. In a way I was partially to blame for lying to her about Lucian but I never expected the fighters to react like this.

The whole thing is so hypocritical it irritates me immensely. More than half the humans here want to be picked up by Plutonian's so they can join the army but just because I am associated with a member of the Trinity that makes me an outcast?

Where is the logic in that? There are no different than I am yet they stand around and nod my way with judgmental looks when I pass by?

Even the newly recovered Leslie avoids me like a disease. My fingers tighten around the knob of the dispenser as I wonder why I am so angry with them. It's not like I was close to many fighters but the mere fact that the humans have ousted me like this feels like a betrayal from my own species.

It hurts because the person I am closest to now isn't even human and yet Lucian has been nicer than most of the fighters here. My whole paradigm is shifting and I find it disconcerting. I don't want to lose focus on my main focus of leaving this place.

I don't realize that someone is standing behind me until a hear them clearing their throats. I turn around and quickly move to the side when I see a group of fighters waiting. I recognize the dark haired boy as the one who defeated Micheal but he refuses to even look at me.

In fact the four of them just stand there silently looking at the floor. I frown in confusion and then I hear Rosie's voice.

"If you're done you should leave. Unless you think you now have special privileges over the dispenser as well." Her strides are wide as she by passes them and takes a sip for herself.

"I'm not exactly blocking," I state defiantly. I'm literally standing about three feet away.

"Guys don't piss her off. Unless you want to die in your next match." Rosie says sarcastically as she wipes her mouth with the palm of her hand.

At hearing her words the group of fighters quickly retreat and rush in the opposite direction away from me.

"Look I know you're pissed that I lied to you but don't you think this is too much?" I ask her in anger. I know she's angry with me for lying about being with a regular commander, she told me so when I approached her yesterday but does she really have to act like I sabotaged her life?

"No, I don't think it's enough. You've been living with one of our dictators and hiding it the whole time. It's really hard to know if you are even a real fighter or if you've been put here to spy on us or something." Rosie's eyes have narrowed to slits, aimed my way like daggers. "That would definitely explain why you've done so well in the pits."

She turns around to leave but I grab her arm and pull her back in a burst of anger.

"That's not true and you know it. Every fighter here wants to be chosen by a Plutonian, so why am I being picked on just because someone chose me? Is it really fear or are you people just jealous?" I spit out and she laughs.

She shrugs out of my hold and looks down at me pathetically. "You know I really thought you were different. I felt it and that's why I let down my guard. Couldn't have been more wrong though. You are exactly like those worshipers but worse. You're more ambitious than any fighter I've met."

"You don't know anything." My voice quivers after being judged so harshly by someone I had grown to like. "You accepted Mike for being with a commander. What makes me so different? Just because Lucian belongs to the Trinity?"

Rosie's angry expression falters slightly and for the first time she looks less confident. "Then tell me the truth. Why did Lucian X choose you to be his lover when he hasn't had one in years? What's in it for him? And I don't believe for a second that it's just for sex."

Her questions put me on edge and I feel an invisible wall growing thicker between us knowing I will never be able to answer.

"I am just his lover. It's as simple as that," I shrug and my skin itches with apprehension. It might be paranoia but I feel like I am being watched. Lucian knew about my interactions with Rosie without me ever telling him.

I instinctively look up at the four corners of the training center like Lucian had done in his spa room. What was he looking for?

I don't see anything but one of the doors swings open catching my attention. To my surprise, Cassandra walks in hesitantly and then looks around until her eyes find mine and there is no mistaking the panic on her face.

"Well since we both can't trust each other, I think it's best if we just do our own thing from now on," Rosie says and I swallow my disappointment before nodding. If that's the way she feels then I'll just have to accept it. I'm going to join the army soon and I wouldn't have to deal with these people anymore.

Rosie walks away and I rush up the stairs to meet Cassandra.

"What's wrong? Why are you here?" I ask her quickly. She hardly ever came to the training center so her being here was enough to send a bolt of worry down my spine.

"Can we talk?" She says in a quiet voice and I nod.

She leads me through the algae laden court yard, down a lone corridor that leads to a back entrance that exits the human quarters. We stand outside the pale grey wall and I wait for her to speak.

I scan her body from head to toe and bite my lip hard when I see a new bruise peeking out from her shirt, underneath her collar bone.

"Aria, you need to be careful. I don't know what but they're planning something terrible and it's not going to end well for you," Cassandra's face scrunches up in fear and her voice cracks. She bunches her hands to fists and rubs her teary eyes. Her legs are quivering so badly, I'm afraid she might fall to the concrete floor.

I grab her hands and force her to look at me.

"What are you talking about? What happened to your chest, Cassandra? Who's giving you these bruises? Lazarus?"

"Shhhh, you can't say that!" She starts shaking even more.

"What are they planning? Did he send you here to warn me?"

"No, he didn't but he's livid at something you did or said and now he's planned something to get rid of you. I came to tell you to give him what he wants, Aria. You don't know how powerful he is, the influence he has is terrifying. You don't want to get on his bad side."

A sad smile crosses my face because Cassandra doesn't know that by being Lucian's lover I have automatically gotten on Lazarus's bad side already.

"Thanks for warning me, Cassandra but it's fine. I can handle it." Lazarus maybe be powerful but he isn't all powerful. He still has to share that power with Lucian, Luna and the remaining generals, for now at least. "And I won't let him hurt you again, okay? I'll make sure he deals with me directly instead of taking it out on you."

I hold her arms and smile but she just frowns. She grabs my arms and shakes me violently, as if trying to put some sense into me but it only makes me more worried for her.

"No you don't get it, Aria. I need you to stay alive, not just for me but for all of us humans here. You don't know this but I've noticed you since you were punished in the South when we were thirteen. You survived something that could have killed you and you've been a strength to me ever since," Cassandra's eyes are full of hope as she stares at me and her words shock me to the core. "I've always believed you were extraordinary but when you told me you were with Lucian I realized you could even be the bridge that unites the humans and Plutonian's."

I am at a loss of words as Cassandra explains the most absurd thing I have ever heard.

"If Lucian and you fall in love, maybe just maybe the humans will be treated better. Maybe one day we might even be equal to them. And for that I'd rather Lazarus punish me a million times over before he lays a finger on you."

"Cassandra, that's never going to happen and you know it," I say calmly.

"You need to stay alive, Aria. Please promise me that you will." Tears pool at the corners of her eyes and then roll down her cheeks.

It worries me immensely how shaken up and crazy she sounds. "Okay, fine. I promise to stay alive if you do too."

The moment I say that she smiles and hugs me tightly. "I promise."

After she leaves I walk back into the training center. Seeing Cassandra so shaken up and her warning about Lazarus made me lose my appetite so I decide to train more to calm myself down. As I walk down the stairs I notice everyone crowded around the levitating blue screen near the training ring.

I rush down and join them to see whom I will be fighting next. I also notice Rosie staring at me but I ignore her and search the screen. When my eyes fall on my name and then my opponent, my body goes rigid like someone has poured a bucket of ice cold water over my head.

My next match will be against Rosie.

Ahhh, so Aria's last match will be against the powerful Rosie. But she shouldn't be worried about losing because it's just a formality, right? Or should she? hehe. Do you guys think it's related to Cassandra's warning? Curious to know your thoughts :) :)

Oh ya so regarding my updating schedule. I actually don't really have one but I've been updating about 3 times a week so I hope to keep it like that. Updates will most probably be during the weekdays like on alternate days. I don't want to set specific days because I suck at keeping those promises :( :( . Anyway hope you enjoyed and thanks for commenting and voting it really motivates me to write esp when I feel like crap. :) :)

Hope everyone's doing fine and keeping safe during the lockdown and if you feel lonely or bored please feel free to msg or chat. It's quite stressful to be locked up and boring but being a wattpad user is a great distracion lol. Keep safe and sorry for the long ass A/N.