365Please respect copyright.PENANAQh39o3q7wr
365Please respect copyright.PENANAWt8h7uVTGL
All taxes must be paid 365Please respect copyright.PENANAxR2jrgUEhg
in a timely and organized manner. Each prince controls tax 365Please respect copyright.PENANAxcOgqti8Bg
collection in his princedom War is forbidden between the princes. All 365Please respect copyright.PENANA9Hg0h0r3iZ
dissatisfactions must be dealt in a civilized manner. Via duels or by 365Please respect copyright.PENANAjQ6ge4aF2T
lodging a complaint to the council of princes.The most powerful 365Please respect copyright.PENANAHN8HjFUkdH
traders shall form a council of 10; with each member being called a 365Please respect copyright.PENANAk4pCSMQVHO
prince. This council shall gather in emergencies: such as war, the 365Please respect copyright.PENANA5IJ61RZp5A
enactment of widespread changes, as well as to deal with any 365Please respect copyright.PENANA3Dg5WhZvmX
grievances between the princesIf any trader or isle within the trade365Please respect copyright.PENANAMeqln1fOcS
union territory is attacked all princes must come to the defense 365Please respect copyright.PENANAW0umLUV9wc
Declaring war on foreign bodies is forbidden. If any trader or 365Please respect copyright.PENANA2CtNmzZVPA
prince is found doing so they will be stripped of their goods and 365Please respect copyright.PENANAhffV6Bv1dJ
factories and will have to contend with the war on their own.All magic 365Please respect copyright.PENANAeyyHTcuT4W
is illegal and practitioners will be prosecuted365Please respect copyright.PENANA3mgdWrQnQ2
We are traders, not warlords. We thrive on income and civility, not chaos and murder.365Please respect copyright.PENANAQCDUEDVIWP
'The union codex, rules the traders abide by.'365Please respect copyright.PENANA0N9bR2eTmJ
___________________________________________________365Please respect copyright.PENANAWFHz85TgVT
365Please respect copyright.PENANAii7mkbMgMP
David has been in jail 365Please respect copyright.PENANA5Ibim8iDXC
before, a flying jail, a jail on the ground ground. All kinds and types.365Please respect copyright.PENANASmShdctH5T
Honestly he felt kind of at home when he woke up on the cold hard floor365Please respect copyright.PENANAQvGowPbVr8
of a ship to metal grates wishing him good morning.365Please respect copyright.PENANA1YGgr53X0J
The cell was big enough 365Please respect copyright.PENANArnegxbteVW
for him to stretch his muscles and walk around a bit. He checked his 365Please respect copyright.PENANAyxCLiB5snF
back pocket where kept Boyle's pendant but it was gone, good riddance. 365Please respect copyright.PENANANgKtIXefFE
Luckily David didn't have any other belongings on his person and the 365Please respect copyright.PENANArNltUxTel6
guards graciously allowed him to keep his clothes.365Please respect copyright.PENANAzM9OvCWIjW
David didn't even 365Please respect copyright.PENANAdycMVF5v13
contemplate shouting, as it usually invited a guard and when you're the 365Please respect copyright.PENANA2NNH0a8kpZ
one in the cell why would you want a guard to be nearby. So David did 365Please respect copyright.PENANAj94i78KUwJ
what any sane person in his situation would, he went back to sleep on 365Please respect copyright.PENANAhLEuU8jZwC
the bed hanging from the metal wall. 365Please respect copyright.PENANAA1gh5mb2os
Sadly event the best 365Please respect copyright.PENANAPI07rlWqpx
plans sometimes fall apart and it was the case here, as he couldn't fall365Please respect copyright.PENANACnW3z29lds
asleep. There was something akin to ringing in his head, a feeling that365Please respect copyright.PENANA0jgpS4CmCW
something was close, similar to something he feels when he's near 365Please respect copyright.PENANAF32FJF00kv
Francesca. Soon enough David heard the sound of doors moving and he 365Please respect copyright.PENANAW5QPTcO9cv
opened one, the only one that was working, eye. Through his eye he could365Please respect copyright.PENANAOso8oi31J8
see two guards carrying...something big, leaving a trail of blood. Now 365Please respect copyright.PENANAlSp4k9hxCS
while David didn't get a good look that did seem to eerily look like Gob365Please respect copyright.PENANAddyeMBeEwG
or at least what David wished Gob would look like. Either way that was 365Please respect copyright.PENANAzKC62gO6fx
enough to get his attention and he stood up, as the guards locked the 365Please respect copyright.PENANAKNniVc9sVi
cell next door.365Please respect copyright.PENANAG3O6eaGpfB
Another soldier came up 365Please respect copyright.PENANAjRpd8GCDQW
to David's cell, and David recognized him as the one who was trying to 365Please respect copyright.PENANAqrNGgzbIo9
talk Gob down. The officer gestured at the soldiers and they quickly 365Please respect copyright.PENANAG3G2YbPJLo
unlocked David's cell, who promptly presented his hands in submission. 365Please respect copyright.PENANA0SXSQr0w3w
Sadly the guard didn't seem to care as one of them punched David in the 365Please respect copyright.PENANAmCLgBdx9j9
gut and the other handcuffed his hands, putting them behind David's 365Please respect copyright.PENANA2WpizRV5g8
back.365Please respect copyright.PENANARCkFMSNqEV
While David would've 365Please respect copyright.PENANAffWDodRwID
preferred everyone to be civil, his mind was too preoccupied with one 365Please respect copyright.PENANAurNrtrpXR9
fact, the tug was definitely stronger when closer to the officer. It 365Please respect copyright.PENANAgwe9t5GpJN
seemed he was the other chosen, David was hoping there were more as 365Please respect copyright.PENANAIQAx4igM2G
Jesters words came back to him. 365Please respect copyright.PENANAmm3Z30LqOM
The walk itself didn't 365Please respect copyright.PENANATkgeny9Qjy
last long as they arrived in a room with a table and two chairs, on 365Please respect copyright.PENANAIO9sTSoONO
opposite sides. It was downright friendly if you ignored the blood 365Please respect copyright.PENANATFoyql2zMk
splatters all around the room.365Please respect copyright.PENANAwajn4qjwqu
David was put into the 365Please respect copyright.PENANAPiW4dLUFUn
chair further away from the door and his hands attached to the handles. 365Please respect copyright.PENANApaYCLLJIDm
The officer motioned for the guards to leave them and took a sit at the 365Please respect copyright.PENANAXtynNC5HUC
other chair, staring into David's soul.365Please respect copyright.PENANAfuXEWrofq1
"Who are you?" So the questioning has started.365Please respect copyright.PENANACqeSiOBU6E
"I'm David, the rebels 365Please respect copyright.PENANAAOgI2yCy8b
have caught me and took me hostage. I would like to..." before he could 365Please respect copyright.PENANACBHJXyk5E5
finish the interrogator held his hand out to stop David.365Please respect copyright.PENANALeZW5HfX7B
"Where are you from?"365Please respect copyright.PENANARMBmI316Z0
"The Isle Commonwealth, Capital isle. I was..." again the hand came out. And notes were made.365Please respect copyright.PENANAeZ7ADTvBFg
"Why were you meeting with the trade union?"365Please respect copyright.PENANAru3JnkJ7qz
"Didn't you hear me? I'm a hostage they didn't share anything with me!" David was adding agitation to his voice. The man nodded365Please respect copyright.PENANANKjq1nhyAz
"Where did the rebels move?"365Please respect copyright.PENANATojwMbuGlp
"Gods, we're not getting365Please respect copyright.PENANAkVUmfvdN5g
anywhere here. I'm not a rebel. I was just captured by them if you want365Please respect copyright.PENANApymkXL4uko
to know names I'll give you them! I owe them no loyalty."365Please respect copyright.PENANAto0J1V66Up
"We know the rebellion 365Please respect copyright.PENANAMlvznuTKRG
is led by Francesca Horrikh. He second in command is Gob D'Fortez. With 365Please respect copyright.PENANAr7HAjXQGa3
the help of officers chosen by them they lead the rebellion..."365Please respect copyright.PENANAVWp7wa7ZGm
"Well if you know all 365Please respect copyright.PENANAPvz3hMSPKj
that then why are you asking me? Go ask Gob you have him here!" David 365Please respect copyright.PENANAhQygSFrNGJ
interrupted the officer, acting more agitated and scared. Act clueless 365Please respect copyright.PENANAltSlNOd08M
make them doubt themselves. Sadly that tactic didn't seem to be working 365Please respect copyright.PENANACFwFsUcevY
on the imperial soldier.365Please respect copyright.PENANAZpN6aIhkGL
"I wanted to make this 365Please respect copyright.PENANAIAwTvJyBBT
civilized, sadly you don't seem to want to answer my questions and I've 365Please respect copyright.PENANA4grBZ7u7jW
no time. If you truly are but a simple hostage then you have my 365Please respect copyright.PENANAbKHYHyZWlj
apologies. My name is Fernand Schumah and if you so wish you can curse 365Please respect copyright.PENANAotCEJB46mN
my name in the afterlife." Fernand gathered his notes, got up and was 365Please respect copyright.PENANArbfZOgA3da
about to leave the room. David had an idea of what was about to happen 365Please respect copyright.PENANAuqyiL411V9
but judging by the blood on the floor he wanted no part of it.365Please respect copyright.PENANAlRRAEBk9Dh
"Wait wait!" Fernand 365Please respect copyright.PENANAq6dx3n8ztd
paused. "I've heard them mentioning moving to a different isle, one of 365Please respect copyright.PENANA540l92PAIG
their previous hiding spots. I don't know where exactly...or how."365Please respect copyright.PENANA4EUGyN57qe
Fernand was shaking his 365Please respect copyright.PENANA1Qluucp8Xl
head. "Useless, we guessed they would move to a different isle, we can't365Please respect copyright.PENANAaFmkuofd3S
keep guessing where." Fernand paused "We can't risk you knowing where 365Please respect copyright.PENANAA8wmjw4OXZ
they went, my apologies." For what it was worth Fernand seemed genuinely365Please respect copyright.PENANAdDv70MZI7X
sorry. But David was close to panicking now. Torturers were sadists by 365Please respect copyright.PENANAacXp9lItTm
nature, they wouldn't care about anything but the screams they elicit. 365Please respect copyright.PENANA4Una0uJKWe
"Did you have any strange dreams? Someone telling you to do, or find, something?"365Please respect copyright.PENANAQ4CJcV8lI3
That made Ferdinand 365Please respect copyright.PENANAuhGHPOSlEo
pause and sit back; David could finally see a flicker of emotion on the 365Please respect copyright.PENANAj20ev7O4c8
man's face. "Why would you know about that?"365Please respect copyright.PENANAIRYJsppnSL
Fernand wasn't denying 365Please respect copyright.PENANAoBvigXUiMG
it, David was glad of that. "I had a dream like that as well, and so did365Please respect copyright.PENANA5pFbdmkpNc
the rebellion leader, Francesca. Apparently they're The Five trying to 365Please respect copyright.PENANAH2Dt0utEMy
get us do something." 365Please respect copyright.PENANAiArWHz3Z2n
"Blasphemy, he 365Please respect copyright.PENANA0rTXtLKi8x
introduced himself as such but is most likely a demon. A noble should 365Please respect copyright.PENANAolYN4302gC
know better." Fernand dismissed, but didn't immediately stand up.365Please respect copyright.PENANA8eD0r0Eth9
"Are you also going to tell you don't feel a tug when you're near me? Or what about the fact that we had the same dream" 365Please respect copyright.PENANAOVjPwGopT3
"Demons tend to plan 365Please respect copyright.PENANAmBLTCCrv4h
elaborately for their objectives." Fernand paused and sighted. "But 365Please respect copyright.PENANAgF86qY1rAV
let's say it's true, what did your vision ask of you?"365Please respect copyright.PENANAcnQGaJzc5F
"To find something, he 365Please respect copyright.PENANADON2WJ1eu6
wasn't specific." David was afraid of that, Francesca's vision seemed to365Please respect copyright.PENANA4vS4hWJSQy
be pretty clear on what she had to do and David was sure it was the 365Please respect copyright.PENANAIIZVvHPrWk
same for Fernand.365Please respect copyright.PENANAMy7DbZ1ve0
Fernand was about to say365Please respect copyright.PENANApbdIr0PUoL
more but shook his head. "All this just makes you more suspicious. You 365Please respect copyright.PENANA52J8NytqH3
knew of Francesca's visions, which means she trusted you enough to 365Please respect copyright.PENANAhjKvgdQLjC
reveal that. Unless you know of a way of how I can feel Francesca as I 365Please respect copyright.PENANAza6kJNJoMr
feel you from a distance, the apparitions and their orders are useless."365Please respect copyright.PENANAcnOoiJisGi
David quickly rummaged 365Please respect copyright.PENANAbYvzUxhSVS
his brain on what else he could use to hook the soldier. "She'll be back365Please respect copyright.PENANAOx2BsRaUAK
to the last isle, the one you just attacked. She seemed keen to find 365Please respect copyright.PENANAwYHu3YSy4T
something on it. If you manage to find that something first you'd be 365Please respect copyright.PENANAQeJ4ElCykM
able to trap her."365Please respect copyright.PENANAWanKdshNMX
"And you know what it was or where I can find it?" 365Please respect copyright.PENANA0L2L0f9q1U
"I just know it's on the previous isle. But I'm sure I can find it!" David said pleadingly, most of the acting gone by now.365Please respect copyright.PENANAObBamjJJID
"And how will you do 365Please respect copyright.PENANAeJDTe0JPR1
that? That isle has an expansive underground system.. It was lucky we've365Please respect copyright.PENANAzD9Ne5rVvu
managed to find you in the first place." Shaking his head Fernand got 365Please respect copyright.PENANA3lVEVC0DhM
up. "Enough delays, you seem to know more than you're telling me this 365Please respect copyright.PENANAD8vNJHNtJY
little chat proved it beyond a doubt."365Please respect copyright.PENANAFSr3NoKkhV
"But I don't! I really 365Please respect copyright.PENANAJCK6EtJrop
don't! I told you everything I know!" David was shouting, the whole act 365Please respect copyright.PENANA1oU821E7Ai
gone, torturing isn't something one came back fully from.365Please respect copyright.PENANAQNC2RCPf9T
"Ah captain Schumah, a 365Please respect copyright.PENANAk3XFuVTDxP
pleasure as always." Came a jolly voice from the outside as Fernand 365Please respect copyright.PENANAOsUluvsHGc
opened the door and left the room. A tall man came in shortly. Wearing a365Please respect copyright.PENANAbJNpGJYDej
mask to hide his identity but still revealing his teeth, half of them 365Please respect copyright.PENANAwdBMBb3i4o
black. 365Please respect copyright.PENANAK8FhTaDxIV
"Well, well. What do we 365Please respect copyright.PENANA9iMtFDXuNy
have here?" The man asked as he deposited a bag on the table. Coming 365Please respect copyright.PENANApTBXL2r2MN
closer to David and investigating his burn scars.365Please respect copyright.PENANA2GY57JIEwn
"Look, I swear to all 365Please respect copyright.PENANAtUDOWfzno1
gods. I don't know anymore. I'm..." his jaw was shut violently, causing 365Please respect copyright.PENANA0EWKICkzCx
his teeth to hurt and gums to bleed. 365Please respect copyright.PENANAoKLHYZzLex
"We will find out if you365Please respect copyright.PENANAT0m4B1RAx5
do or not. Everyone is honest in front of the almighty god of pain." He365Please respect copyright.PENANAQHctE28QUB
cackled at that. But then gave David a dissatisfied look. "Cheer up; by365Please respect copyright.PENANA3ubnCYhalD
the time we're done here, we'll be good friends."365Please respect copyright.PENANAqEncgoiTAp
David struggled against 365Please respect copyright.PENANArPcBcSaxGr
his bonds. But it was of no use, both his arms were attached to the 365Please respect copyright.PENANAyDIGAWUeiP
chair with metal bonds, while the chair itself was fastened to the 365Please respect copyright.PENANAR5TUzl0gij
floor. No matter how much he tried to buckle it didn't move an inch365Please respect copyright.PENANAkHR89hKOtR
"Now how should we 365Please respect copyright.PENANAPxvHi8b4vG
start? With this?" The torturer took out a saw but then shook his head. 365Please respect copyright.PENANArVlHUupvrl
"No too early, need to warm up first." He rummaged in his bag for a 365Please respect copyright.PENANAth2p2namze
while longer but then stopped and looked at David. "You know, I was 365Please respect copyright.PENANAGHYqBUujBV
supposed to get three bodies. One was already dead so I couldn't have my365Please respect copyright.PENANAvyl1hVmu6m
fun, the other one barely made any sound while I was having my fun, 365Please respect copyright.PENANA2nOIx0g5Q6
such a bore. So you my friend, I will definitely need to take my time, 365Please respect copyright.PENANAqhhiMVT5o7
with you. Make sure to scream for me." He gave David a crooked smile, as365Please respect copyright.PENANAoAK7CMexrL
he pointed a long finger straight at David's chest.365Please respect copyright.PENANACvF3zJrlMl
Before David could reply365Please respect copyright.PENANADQcYxTJWbQ
he smelt something burning under his nose, without registering the 365Please respect copyright.PENANAfEGsG84SLs
pain fully he saw smoke coming from the finger, then the pain hit him, 365Please respect copyright.PENANAz71GwK7CCr
and he screamed.365Please respect copyright.PENANAAQRkBCYV46
The torturer 365Please respect copyright.PENANAjFcNmS1PqQ
clapped."Perfect!" He was practically jumping with glee. "Magic! How 365Please respect copyright.PENANAvCwVwEaFv6
could I forget, you must forgive me, I should've just started off with 365Please respect copyright.PENANADNc5xJvYo2
this."365Please respect copyright.PENANArAKBYlMPnL
The torturer moved his 365Please respect copyright.PENANAC2Xv2di2ER
finger away from David's chest, but the pain didn't fade. Before David 365Please respect copyright.PENANAee3diiI7Cl
could catch his breath, the burning finger was jabbed into his forehead 365Please respect copyright.PENANAMgjuokbfcG
and he screamed again. "Hahahah! And they say magic can't affect 365Please respect copyright.PENANAh8sX6GxE6H
humans. Even if you can't control the mind or heal wounds directly with 365Please respect copyright.PENANAjG2zbiEvN6
magic, you can easily control or brake with the power of magic, don't 365Please respect copyright.PENANAJP0fgeP8ir
you agree?"365Please respect copyright.PENANAK2iIroXeQQ
The torturer stopped his365Please respect copyright.PENANAgSMLA16gNZ
smile and coked his head. "Oh, that reminds me, I should ask you 365Please respect copyright.PENANAUzeGDFd7Md
questions. Now what should I ask, I believe the good captain left me a 365Please respect copyright.PENANAgpPM9La72d
list?" He took out some papers from his bag and gave them a quick glance365Please respect copyright.PENANAZNEgzVvlfi
before discarding them on the floor. "Ah yes. Where did the rebellion 365Please respect copyright.PENANAGSYIyfDg5G
go?" 365Please respect copyright.PENANA2Hfipgy51m
David was trying to 365Please respect copyright.PENANA9kKaaqF5pl
formulate an answer, a lie, a scathing rebuke, anything but his mind was365Please respect copyright.PENANADGBn4Ej6IX
too muddled to think of anything. The torturer nodded. Smiling "Now I 365Please respect copyright.PENANAA7S0u4S7cU
guess saying you can't heal directly with magic is a lie, you can 365Please respect copyright.PENANAE4tyUYBdPT
cauterize your wounds! For example..." The torturer waved his hand and 365Please respect copyright.PENANAu6J1u6g8Ra
David felt pain coming from his right arm, as he looked down he could 365Please respect copyright.PENANAwiE3Y0JYGk
see three of his fingers crushed, bone protruding. David couldn't even 365Please respect copyright.PENANA3zd7H93uqu
let out a scream before fire overtook his hand, burning it to a crisp.365Please respect copyright.PENANAaGp66dZ8I5
"See, the bleeding stopped!" The torturer loved and David added his scream to this symphony of horror.365Please respect copyright.PENANAErE4U8BpTo
Then suddenly David was 365Please respect copyright.PENANAcuQbKPD8Xe
his with a force of cold water strong enough to brake his nose as it 365Please respect copyright.PENANA6lOu3k3rRB
made contact with his face. "Where are the rebels?" The torturers voice 365Please respect copyright.PENANA4PDcdXkG4K
changed, becoming more matter of fact. That mad glean from his eyes 365Please respect copyright.PENANASIxyunSLsI
gone, David almost believed that the whole thing was an act. "I...I 365Please respect copyright.PENANAvGXygMhzDM
don't know."365Please respect copyright.PENANAeBPHOsjiFC
The torturer nodded and smiled again, the glean coming back. "Good."365Please respect copyright.PENANAY3CyD7fmTA
"Now, while magic is 365Please respect copyright.PENANAPflC51OdVI
amazing, variety is important as well. Wouldn't want you getting bored 365Please respect copyright.PENANAVWMWuZKgKv
in your seat there." The torturer gave David a smile and pulled out some365Please respect copyright.PENANAiEZbHrxvOM
pliers out of his bag. "Nails are pretty useless, aren't they?" He 365Please respect copyright.PENANAXv6xM7LL1C
tapped Davids fingernails with the pliers. "See it as me doing you a 365Please respect copyright.PENANADwzSEeV9Fx
favour." The first nail was ripped, it was a weird feeling for David as 365Please respect copyright.PENANAJjy8vXppJx
he didn't feel pain at first, but then as the open skin was exposed pain365Please respect copyright.PENANARyrdNd3Wh4
came and David screamed for someone to help365Please respect copyright.PENANACWcTheCDdW
~no one will come.~365Please respect copyright.PENANAsNMPXJPRvh
After pulling out all 365Please respect copyright.PENANA1BghkEjo8u
the nails, David could hear the pliers hitting the table. His vision was365Please respect copyright.PENANAMZbiSCrlKc
blurry he couldn't see or hear anything, only pain existed. "ull out 365Please respect copyright.PENANAmouhY4mdQi
teeth, but that's what everyone does. A hammer...." David could only 365Please respect copyright.PENANAdy0C1Hez7i
hear bits and pieces of what the torturer said. He then felt his mouth 365Please respect copyright.PENANAmXX1Fd8BCX
being opened. David tried to resist, he truly did, but he didn't have 365Please respect copyright.PENANAdDenSjEq6d
the strength nor the will to do anything substantial. David then sensed 365Please respect copyright.PENANA6yrUP5HjVw
something metal and cold in his mouth, touching one of his back teeth 365Please respect copyright.PENANAIv5Q6WZMmG
and then pain and the taste of blood on his tongue, slowly filling his 365Please respect copyright.PENANAmarcd4c7vU
mouth and dribbling on the floor. The scream came soon after, as David 365Please respect copyright.PENANARm2uY7HeHa
could only think of the pain, with only a small part hoping that someone365Please respect copyright.PENANACAbmYXQd2V
would rescue him.365Please respect copyright.PENANAc3D9FixIL7
~no one cares.~365Please respect copyright.PENANA8oYj2oQbbo
Next few moments were a 365Please respect copyright.PENANA2rQpvmUWcl
blur, David was sure the torturer did something else, but he had no idea365Please respect copyright.PENANA9bhecdoJiY
what. Until finally the pain was too much and David lost consciousness.365Please respect copyright.PENANA4LZWh7uxaH
Thoughts that no one came and cared ringing in his mind as a constant 365Please respect copyright.PENANAhHgsk2s35N
companion in the darkness.
365Please respect copyright.PENANAiuXGrYtIcg
365Please respect copyright.PENANAA1Yw68esNM