Matt's Pov:

Tears gathered at the corner of my eyes. As I watched my Princess get his cruel punishment. A punishment that I couldn't step in to stop it. It was hopeless to even try. The thing that actually kept me from not actually run up there was Preston clinging to my arm. The second reason was that my princess wasn't even flinching. I saw hints on pain on his face but in other words, no one could tell he was in pain. After 5 more lashes, the King stopped Rob.

"Robert! If he is not crying by now, you are not hitting him hard enough!" The King growled standing up, his face a bright red.

"Sir, I am hitting him as hard as I can," Rob whispers, looking at the ground.

I turn my attention back to Pete, his eyes were closed and he was breathing slowly. I saw hints of a tear running down his face. No one else noticed thou.

"The King is fuming." Kenny points out.

"Really?" Jerome asked sarcasm dripping from his voice.

Preston looks up, first at Pete then at all of us. "I have an idea... I could distract them, I could start the platform on fire. Just block the stairs..."

"Well, that is the only idea anyone has, so let's go with that," Choco states, waking closer to myself and Preston.

"That is a good idea...I think. But then the will either think it is another magic user or blame someone in the crowd." Choco states, "But it is the only idea we got...Do it, Preston."

Preston nods and closes his eyes. A second passes, then the stairs are up in flames. Pete looks at the fire and then right at Preston. He pulls on the rope holding his hands. Fear fills his eyes.

"Guys, he wants us to leave. Like now... he dosesn't want the king to find us...with all six of us here...They could find us." Choco states.

"What do you mean..." I start But I get cut off by the roar of the king.

"Who started this fire! Robert, I swear if I die. I will haunt you for eternity."

'Sir, I don't know how the fire started. We never have our torches close to the platform. " Rob yelled.

"It must be this magic user." The king stated, grabbing Pete by the neck and forcing him to his feet. "You started this?"

Pete gets himself under control and shakes his head. "Who else would start a fire. It's a distraction. Obviously didn't work very well."

The king growls and throws him onto his back hard. I swear I hear something break...

Pete starts to laugh and his hands faze through the rope. "Man, that felt great. I forgot I could do that." He stands up and glares right at the king.

"I am not just some puppet like most of your hunters are. I will now bow and you will not hurt me. "

The king raises his eye brown and chuckles. "You don't think I could control you." The king's eyes turn red. "Watch this."

The king glares and Pete for a few moments and when Pete was about to start laughing...he screams and falls to the ground, spazzing out. Holding onto his head.

That was when the realization hit. The king ain't no mortal.

"The king is a Magic User..." Choco gasps...