Lance's throat was burning but the screams of agony continued as one of the Druids cranked the lever back stretching Lance's limbs to an even more excruciating length. He could feel the ligaments and tissues tearing with every pull and he was choking on sobs as he felt like he was being torn to pieces. He had stopped being able to form words to beg them to stop long ago and could now only hope to fall unconscious soon. He was barely hanging on now his vision getting blurry and he prayed it would take him but an electric shock went through him waking him up from his half unconscious state. The second Druid put his arm down once the spell had been finished. Lance squeezed his eyes tight waiting for the horrid clicking noise of the rack to tighten more but it didn't come. He opened his eyes to see them instead, untying his wrists and ankles. He could cry again just due to relief. He was grabbed none to gently and dropped on the floor.

"Get up." One of the Druids spoke and Lance felt his stomach form a pit. He couldn't move. Anything, hIs arms or legs even if he wanted to.

"Please.." he whispered and felt a hard kick land on his ribs. The air was knocked from him causing hm to rumple into the floor more.

"Walk." It said again but Lance just laid there a sobbing mess wishing he would just wake up from this awful nightmare and be in his nice warm bed at the Castle. This couldn't be real. He had never done anything to deserve had to be a dream. Keith was going to wake him any second now with that sweet smile he had always saved just for him. Any second now. Another electric shock entered Lance's already broken body followed by another cry of pain and a

"Move."

Keith was awoken to a hammering on his chamber door. He groaned and sat up rubbing the sleep that lingered in his eyes.

"What on earth is going on you must wake me before the sun even wakes?" He grumped and a frantic man burst in. Keith was immediately awake and sick with worry. The poor man was beside himself.

"Y-Your Majesty!" He wailed and Keith hurried over helping the poor man sit.

"It's awful! Just t-terrible!" Keith crouched in front of him to look him in the eyes.

"What. Is. Wrong?" He asked his voice stern but not harsh.

"The house! You sent your boy to! Burned. Gone. Burned to the ground!" The man cried out throwing his arms up. Keith's heart dropped to his stomach and he could only stare at the man before him. Adam's house? That couldn't be.. An accident?

"Was.. there anyone.. Inside?" Keith asked knowing full well he could not take the answer. Just the look on the man's face told him there was.

"How many?" Keith asked his hysteria rising. The man shook his head shaking in his sobs. Keith grabbed his shoulder shaking him.

"How many bodies!" He screamed and the man cried harder and held up one finger. One. One body. Keith stood up and backed away. This man could be lying. It could be a lie. Shiro. Shiro would know. Keith grabbed his robe and ran out of his chambers his nausea tickling the back of his throat. NO no no no no.

"Shiro?!" Keith called running around. He had looked everywhere, throne room, his chambers, hallways. Where was Shiro?

"Your Highness.." A soft voice made Keith wheel around to see a very solemn Hunk.

"Thank the Gods, Cardinal! Have you seen Shiro?!" Keith asked not evening caring to use his proper name in his state. Hunk looked down and nodded.

"He's in the Chapel, Your Majesty.." hunk said and Keith felt every ounce of warmth drain from him. He doesn't remember running but he could hear it. Hear Shiro mourning. The King barrelled into the chapel, stopping short seeing a crowd of people, Shiro on his knees and a small mound covered with a white cloth on the stone table in front of him. Keith walked forward his body in control over his mind as it raced trying to figure out what was happening. Keith hadn't heard Shiro make these noises in years, since their parents had died… People bowed in respect as Keith walked past them and he stopped staring at the white mound in front of him. Shiro covered his mouth to try and muffle his cries and Keith rested a hand on his shoulder. He tried to keep it from trembling but it was no use.

"Show me" Keith ordered the man standing above the body on the other side. He hesitated glancing at Shiro.

"Show. Me" Keith growled and the man bowed slightly and gently took the sheet in his hands and pulled it back. Keith hadn't known what to expect but it wasn't this. Shiro sobbed harder as it was revealed. A pile of black charred bones and ash. No way to know who it was. To know whose life had ended.

"Shiro.. It might not be…" Keith managed feeling the puke rise to the back of his throat at the scene. He waved to the man who covered it again. Keith crouched down net to his grieving brother. He was never the one to console, it was always Shiro who knew just what to say to make Keith feel better.

"It might not be Adam." Keith said and Shiro just shook his head burying his clenched fists into his face his whole body shaking uncontrollably.

"Shiro.." Keith started and Shiro held out his hand. HIs fingers opened to reveal a very burnt broken half of a pair of glasses. Adam's glasses.

"They found it." Shiro gasped between his breathing. "On..on.." He covered his mouth and Keith fell to the ground his legs unable to hold him any longer. He stared at the table in horror. Adam was dead. Keith felt darkness creep around him as he realized that Lance was still gone. He hadn't been in the house which means. Someone had taken him.

"He didn't last long. We only got to about seven of his fingers…" Haggar said staring at the limp body of Lance, hanging from chains on the wall. Zarkon merely smiled and walked closer examining his broken, mutilated fingers in amusement.

"How weak.." he said dropping the bruised and bleeding hand.

"Play with him some more. He still has some things to break I'm sure." Zarkon said and Haggar grinned.

"Yes Sire.. Much more we can do with him."

"Good. Now, wake our guest up. The evening has just begun."