"You look off today." I look up at Alexandra. She is smiling down at me, but I can detect the pain behind the smile, the doubt in her eyes. "Has something happened?" She seems stiff. As if she is avoiding something, or someone.

"I am fine." I shrug my shoulders, large smile plastering on my lips. The feeling is still here. When I woke up, I believed that it was nothing, but a dream. But the mud on the floor suggested otherwise. And when I tried to find the door, that leaded me to the garden again, I could not find it, no matter how hard I tried.

The whole hall seems to be off. Everyone seems to be on the edge. Sebastian is talking with Michael, anger visible in his every movement. Michael is calm, yet I can feel anger and rage radiating off of him. Nikolas and James are talking in hushed voices, yet I can see the pleased smile spread on Nikolas's lips.

"What's the fuss?" I whisper to Luke as I sit next to him, putting the iron tray on the table. He looks at me, his doe like eyes sinking directly in my hazel ones. Even he seems worried about something, debating whether or not to inform me. "Luke?" I raise my eyebrows.

"It's nothing." He shakes his head, tiredness visible in his orbs. "The Base was attacked yesterday." He adds in barely audible tone. I blink in surprise, my hands tightening on the edges of the tray. "Today, Catherine young has arrived with the information." I raise my eyebrows once again at the said name, as I have never heard of it before. "Catherine Young is second assistant of Joana Finnley." He states with a shrug. "Anyways, currently, she is the medical ward, being treated and questioned. We have a lot of wounded. It turned out that The Dark Ones were searching for specific information."

"Which is?" I urge him to continue talking, while keeping eye on others. Sebastian seems worried more than angry. His eyes keep darting from place to place, watching over all of us.

"I don't know." Luke shakes his head. "It's all we managed to hear before they left the room. But from the sound of it, it is important and dangerous." He whispers in distress and sighs, rubbing his temples. "Whatever it is, they managed to get it, Cassie." He adds in hallow tone. "It only means that we are one step nearer to the end."

I nod at him. But I don't say anything. Whatever the information was, Luke is sure that it will bring the end. His eyes suggest that the information is about me, partly. With deep sigh, I push the tray away from me, instead of food, concentrating on people around me.

Jacob is nowhere to be seen. Kate and Marlee are sitting together, whispering something in hushed voices, while looking up at me from time to time. I cannot say that I miss them dearly, because I was not that close with them. Yet, I do miss Ellis. Sitting at the far corner, just under the window, she is staring aimlessly in the garden. Her face is hardened and she has lost look on her face.

"Cassie?" I look at Alexandra, who smiles at me nervously. The atmosphere around her suggests that something terrible has happened. Her usual smooth curls are in a mess, her usual smile is nowhere to be seen. The doubt is radiating off of her skin. "You have a lesson with Alvin." I nod at her and stand up. "He is waiting in the garden. The guards will not be attending today, I hope it won't be a problem."

"It's alright." I whisper with a small smile. I never really had a problem with Alvin, if anything being observed by the guards made me feel uneasy. "I will be going then." I offer her a smile, which is not returned. I doubt that she even noticed it.

I can feel eyes on me as I walk out of the cafeteria. The burning gazes that speak volumes of hate and doubt. But I do not blame them. I can understand what they might be feeling right now. Their home was attacked, their friends and family members might have been attacked and I am here, the reason why Dark Ones starting attacking in the first place.

Alvin is standing outside the building. His hands in his jeans, hair down, face even paler than before. His lips are bust open, left eye bruised. His nose seems to be broken as well. And he has trouble standing still, his body trembling slightly.

He is standing in front of the Sisters' Fountain. His eyes on the legendary sisters, slowly studying them and murmuring something under his breath. He seems lost, pained, tired. His gaze is fixed, yet his eyes are clouded.

I start approaching him, uneasy smile appearing on my lips. He does not notice me, until I gently tap on his shoulder. He jumps, startled and frightened, but smiles in relief as soon as his eyes land on me.

"Are you okay?" I whisper in a low voice, as if scared that someone might overhear us. Alvin seems to have same thoughts as he starts looking around urgently, before nodding his head.

"Should we start lesson?" He manages the words out, looking at the direction of our usual spot. I nod, slowly walking side-by-side with him, often letting him to lean on my during the walk as he has trouble moving.

We sit in the middle of the field, away from prying eyes. Alvin does not say anything, having trouble to even breath normally, without having to clutch to his ribs in pain.

"I can try to heal it for you." I offer in a low voice, somehow feeling guilty about what has happened to him. Yet, I do not dare to ask questions, scared to hear the answers. But I know that I cannot do it any longer. No matter how painful the truth is going to be, I will have to find them out eventually. And the fact, that I already do suspect what the answers are going to be, is speaking on its own.

"No." Alvin shakes his head, tiredly. "They are going to do worse, if they find it out." He mumbles in barely audible tone.

"What happened to you?" I whisper the question out, flinching at my own voice. Hoarse, stained and doubting. That what it has become. The look on Alvin's face tells me everything, but I need verbal confirmation to it all. As if somehow, talking loudly about it will make it even more real to me.

"They were angry, about the attack." Alvin starts explaining in slow motion. His eyes are wide open, filled with hurt, pain and humiliation. "They wanted revenge for their fallen." He adds in quivering tone. "They came into my cellar." I flinch at the word. "Starting dragging me into Torture Room." Another flinch, and anger. I clench my hands into tight fists. "They starting interrogating me about the attack, beating me up and demanding answers." He shakes his head, I can see amused smile slipping into his face.

"You knew about it?" I tilt my head, confused. "About the attack, I mean." I add quickly as he looks at me surprised.

"No." He shakes his head and sighs. "I did not know about the attack, but I know why they took the folder. And what they were searching for, exactly." He adds in a lower tone.

"Did you admit it? In the Torture Room?" I ask with raised eyebrows.

"No." He shakes his head. "I could not tell them the truth. They would have destroyed everything in that case." He adds with small smile.

"Why are you telling me it then?" I tilt my head once again, confusion sipping inside of me. Alvin looks at me with small, resting smile upon his lips. He almost looks at peace, serene. "Why do you trust me, Alvin?"

"Because you are prophesied Princess." He whispers in a barely audible tone. "You are only person, who will manage to save us all, Cassie." He leans forward. I can see blood oozing from his mouth, I can smell the metallic scent from where I am sitting. It seems to be spreading around in the air, consuming everything. "The reason why Dark Ones were created was not to take over the world." He admits in a low voice. "But to create safe haven for Darkness and Fear Elementalist. People, who believed that we should not be banished solemnly because of our powers joined the organization." He whispers the forbidden information to me. "it was not like that until recently, Cassie." Alvin chokes the words out.

"I..." I shake my head, trying to line up the thoughts in my mind. But everything is in chaos. Nothing makes sense to me anymore. Nothing, but the words of Selene and Sapphire repeated in my mind again and again and again. "I believe you." I mumble and sigh. "But I do not know enough. I cannot trust your side completely after witnessing what they are doing, Alvin."

"The coin has always two sides, Cassie." Alvin smiles gently, as if talking to a toddler and in some way, I am infant in this world. I know nothing about it, I do not know how it functions and how it works. "There are all kinds of people in the both sides. Do not trust either of them." He explains slowly. "But do trust in yourself. Believe in what you do."

"I do not know what I am doing." I nearly shout in distress. The fear is filling me up. I do not wish to make mistakes. I do not want innocent people to be paying for my mistakes. "I do not know anything about this world, Alvin. I don't know why should I trust anyone, taking in that all they see me as is a weapon."

"You don't know, do you?" Alvin whispers in surprised tone. I can see confusion in his eyes, awe on his face. "You are not weapon, Cassie." He states the words loudly and clearly, as if he is angry about the information I have been provided with. "And you have right to know the truth." He states again. "Start collecting information and legends about everything around you. Because all of these are history. And past is only key to the present."

I do not say anything as I watch him. Confident and sure of what he is talking about. He has information The Base would kill for. He was beaten up and tortured, yet he did not break. He still keeps the secrets deep inside of him, willing to sacrifice himself for them. Instead of beaten boy is standing proud man. And behind pain and tiredness there is a reason, purpose why he continues to stay unbreakable.

"Okay, now let's start the actual lesson." Alvin states with small grin appearing on his lips as he leans back, the sparkle never leaving his eyes.