381Please respect copyright.PENANADiQYAZplCm
381Please respect copyright.PENANAcnEGw75YtQ
All taxes must be paid 381Please respect copyright.PENANAKMFSoCouMl
in a timely and organized manner. Each prince controls tax 381Please respect copyright.PENANAUzu9MsQgwx
collection in his princedom War is forbidden between the princes. All 381Please respect copyright.PENANASCH2Mp1bkp
dissatisfactions must be dealt in a civilized manner. Via duels or by 381Please respect copyright.PENANAnLmf6HsyLa
lodging a complaint to the council of princes.The most powerful 381Please respect copyright.PENANATnIfSBKghh
traders shall form a council of 10; with each member being called a 381Please respect copyright.PENANAiOAXizYZPJ
prince. This council shall gather in emergencies: such as war, the 381Please respect copyright.PENANA7R7CKJsuqe
enactment of widespread changes, as well as to deal with any 381Please respect copyright.PENANAlfN3c04eJ5
grievances between the princesIf any trader or isle within the trade381Please respect copyright.PENANASwFfCZb5dS
union territory is attacked all princes must come to the defense 381Please respect copyright.PENANAcSqixBYSrS
Declaring war on foreign bodies is forbidden. If any trader or 381Please respect copyright.PENANAWxu32cYnFd
prince is found doing so they will be stripped of their goods and 381Please respect copyright.PENANANUipUXxBM2
factories and will have to contend with the war on their own.All magic 381Please respect copyright.PENANAKiMNir0O4T
is illegal and practitioners will be prosecuted381Please respect copyright.PENANAtl3swOf9mK
We are traders, not warlords. We thrive on income and civility, not chaos and murder.381Please respect copyright.PENANAWRNdRPgDpb
'The union codex, rules the traders abide by.'381Please respect copyright.PENANA9oq6Wezj6B
___________________________________________________381Please respect copyright.PENANAAmVzUfznep
381Please respect copyright.PENANA7vRngEpVeH
David has been in jail 381Please respect copyright.PENANAza2B1jUew8
before, a flying jail, a jail on the ground ground. All kinds and types.381Please respect copyright.PENANALVU4xvRtxH
Honestly he felt kind of at home when he woke up on the cold hard floor381Please respect copyright.PENANAVrZmjuszsb
of a ship to metal grates wishing him good morning.381Please respect copyright.PENANAbeWeiJCLi6
The cell was big enough 381Please respect copyright.PENANAzWgJM6yY3f
for him to stretch his muscles and walk around a bit. He checked his 381Please respect copyright.PENANAuKNnH1IGqw
back pocket where kept Boyle's pendant but it was gone, good riddance. 381Please respect copyright.PENANAwP6cLXdaiW
Luckily David didn't have any other belongings on his person and the 381Please respect copyright.PENANAw7pLSWBX0g
guards graciously allowed him to keep his clothes.381Please respect copyright.PENANAWWne7NOuZX
David didn't even 381Please respect copyright.PENANAX0vi2Pmq4H
contemplate shouting, as it usually invited a guard and when you're the 381Please respect copyright.PENANAitUnsQwEsu
one in the cell why would you want a guard to be nearby. So David did 381Please respect copyright.PENANAwuc21wZB4x
what any sane person in his situation would, he went back to sleep on 381Please respect copyright.PENANA20x1w0juJK
the bed hanging from the metal wall. 381Please respect copyright.PENANARn5dJeHy2j
Sadly event the best 381Please respect copyright.PENANAAH4M6SyQ30
plans sometimes fall apart and it was the case here, as he couldn't fall381Please respect copyright.PENANAxlVJCkZzdB
asleep. There was something akin to ringing in his head, a feeling that381Please respect copyright.PENANAImF3kdWMpq
something was close, similar to something he feels when he's near 381Please respect copyright.PENANAPxG0rwnPO8
Francesca. Soon enough David heard the sound of doors moving and he 381Please respect copyright.PENANAhvheKXlIOt
opened one, the only one that was working, eye. Through his eye he could381Please respect copyright.PENANALjlRbEiqqt
see two guards carrying...something big, leaving a trail of blood. Now 381Please respect copyright.PENANAPPOssME2v6
while David didn't get a good look that did seem to eerily look like Gob381Please respect copyright.PENANACMqwXyRQWf
or at least what David wished Gob would look like. Either way that was 381Please respect copyright.PENANAtx8nNhcyC2
enough to get his attention and he stood up, as the guards locked the 381Please respect copyright.PENANA3fFUsR2OZ6
cell next door.381Please respect copyright.PENANABmDXZycpL9
Another soldier came up 381Please respect copyright.PENANAbSBAWA6Fgy
to David's cell, and David recognized him as the one who was trying to 381Please respect copyright.PENANAYIeXjNj4go
talk Gob down. The officer gestured at the soldiers and they quickly 381Please respect copyright.PENANAMg0tyqkOrf
unlocked David's cell, who promptly presented his hands in submission. 381Please respect copyright.PENANApYYYLeVp0B
Sadly the guard didn't seem to care as one of them punched David in the 381Please respect copyright.PENANALnR1Jol9rU
gut and the other handcuffed his hands, putting them behind David's 381Please respect copyright.PENANAGREuskMiGy
back.381Please respect copyright.PENANAHjm2m18wdn
While David would've 381Please respect copyright.PENANAstY4SOlbun
preferred everyone to be civil, his mind was too preoccupied with one 381Please respect copyright.PENANAW1hXNPOL7m
fact, the tug was definitely stronger when closer to the officer. It 381Please respect copyright.PENANAwIeykZl8Lq
seemed he was the other chosen, David was hoping there were more as 381Please respect copyright.PENANAKsWE0bkmgR
Jesters words came back to him. 381Please respect copyright.PENANAq28Te51hdw
The walk itself didn't 381Please respect copyright.PENANAdC31SrdwkM
last long as they arrived in a room with a table and two chairs, on 381Please respect copyright.PENANAuSe4pirpDB
opposite sides. It was downright friendly if you ignored the blood 381Please respect copyright.PENANABQheapxppk
splatters all around the room.381Please respect copyright.PENANA7aiS2dIMt0
David was put into the 381Please respect copyright.PENANA700msriSUz
chair further away from the door and his hands attached to the handles. 381Please respect copyright.PENANAFUsJQjw5B6
The officer motioned for the guards to leave them and took a sit at the 381Please respect copyright.PENANAPCTw3OJ6iz
other chair, staring into David's soul.381Please respect copyright.PENANAYIczD0TRGh
"Who are you?" So the questioning has started.381Please respect copyright.PENANAgnFMGocLOf
"I'm David, the rebels 381Please respect copyright.PENANALTU1ziPBcN
have caught me and took me hostage. I would like to..." before he could 381Please respect copyright.PENANAuAdqRHQesh
finish the interrogator held his hand out to stop David.381Please respect copyright.PENANAOJubeQNSB5
"Where are you from?"381Please respect copyright.PENANANOBbHWd3wD
"The Isle Commonwealth, Capital isle. I was..." again the hand came out. And notes were made.381Please respect copyright.PENANADyPoNSPdMB
"Why were you meeting with the trade union?"381Please respect copyright.PENANAizIwRYVbTm
"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 nodded381Please respect copyright.PENANALLQ48nqD08
"Where did the rebels move?"381Please respect copyright.PENANAV53rll0LxS
"Gods, we're not getting381Please respect copyright.PENANAZCCZxy6yez
anywhere here. I'm not a rebel. I was just captured by them if you want381Please respect copyright.PENANAIawcY7LE0c
to know names I'll give you them! I owe them no loyalty."381Please respect copyright.PENANAGUy8KqkX5e
"We know the rebellion 381Please respect copyright.PENANArXx9zYXrF7
is led by Francesca Horrikh. He second in command is Gob D'Fortez. With 381Please respect copyright.PENANAuNqLurLVLg
the help of officers chosen by them they lead the rebellion..."381Please respect copyright.PENANABAokIJurf5
"Well if you know all 381Please respect copyright.PENANAX2g2ZPQBxW
that then why are you asking me? Go ask Gob you have him here!" David 381Please respect copyright.PENANAuyGrX6hXuu
interrupted the officer, acting more agitated and scared. Act clueless 381Please respect copyright.PENANA2WagVbtn1N
make them doubt themselves. Sadly that tactic didn't seem to be working 381Please respect copyright.PENANA71gApVUvk3
on the imperial soldier.381Please respect copyright.PENANAHCnETWluzS
"I wanted to make this 381Please respect copyright.PENANAxoKnR7dKcO
civilized, sadly you don't seem to want to answer my questions and I've 381Please respect copyright.PENANA7fM3Kzf6ns
no time. If you truly are but a simple hostage then you have my 381Please respect copyright.PENANAsfqEfL0IEj
apologies. My name is Fernand Schumah and if you so wish you can curse 381Please respect copyright.PENANAkJ21brRymr
my name in the afterlife." Fernand gathered his notes, got up and was 381Please respect copyright.PENANAPRvX8oXaWm
about to leave the room. David had an idea of what was about to happen 381Please respect copyright.PENANAggz7poMhMn
but judging by the blood on the floor he wanted no part of it.381Please respect copyright.PENANA2rQdybY9OD
"Wait wait!" Fernand 381Please respect copyright.PENANA4KirmstG5O
paused. "I've heard them mentioning moving to a different isle, one of 381Please respect copyright.PENANA5yAw6gxiSE
their previous hiding spots. I don't know where exactly...or how."381Please respect copyright.PENANAY9xM7n35Z1
Fernand was shaking his 381Please respect copyright.PENANAV0CM7fmEzN
head. "Useless, we guessed they would move to a different isle, we can't381Please respect copyright.PENANADrhsRjsngH
keep guessing where." Fernand paused "We can't risk you knowing where 381Please respect copyright.PENANAbewiDiZNYK
they went, my apologies." For what it was worth Fernand seemed genuinely381Please respect copyright.PENANAXUWIaU8Rbd
sorry. But David was close to panicking now. Torturers were sadists by 381Please respect copyright.PENANA0fgCLH4ULp
nature, they wouldn't care about anything but the screams they elicit. 381Please respect copyright.PENANAy28PQvgsRK
"Did you have any strange dreams? Someone telling you to do, or find, something?"381Please respect copyright.PENANAGLHAzCWQNR
That made Ferdinand 381Please respect copyright.PENANAV7sqaNQRMt
pause and sit back; David could finally see a flicker of emotion on the 381Please respect copyright.PENANAtChCsfpMJE
man's face. "Why would you know about that?"381Please respect copyright.PENANA1miGyYEqPg
Fernand wasn't denying 381Please respect copyright.PENANAOcZmRjinSt
it, David was glad of that. "I had a dream like that as well, and so did381Please respect copyright.PENANAVAfi9HmmO2
the rebellion leader, Francesca. Apparently they're The Five trying to 381Please respect copyright.PENANArPQiNlNDm7
get us do something." 381Please respect copyright.PENANAjBv97WWRFa
"Blasphemy, he 381Please respect copyright.PENANAPjONjw9VVQ
introduced himself as such but is most likely a demon. A noble should 381Please respect copyright.PENANAuIqzfkp2qr
know better." Fernand dismissed, but didn't immediately stand up.381Please respect copyright.PENANAtYKgKaM84H
"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" 381Please respect copyright.PENANA0zbl9hnFE8
"Demons tend to plan 381Please respect copyright.PENANAuxZLNMotxb
elaborately for their objectives." Fernand paused and sighted. "But 381Please respect copyright.PENANAAoARwcNPP9
let's say it's true, what did your vision ask of you?"381Please respect copyright.PENANA2QJgxfJVQ2
"To find something, he 381Please respect copyright.PENANAJf711v4NFk
wasn't specific." David was afraid of that, Francesca's vision seemed to381Please respect copyright.PENANAZrLjuALO7u
be pretty clear on what she had to do and David was sure it was the 381Please respect copyright.PENANAnGcSlCu2Do
same for Fernand.381Please respect copyright.PENANAHjXN6ovz7O
Fernand was about to say381Please respect copyright.PENANAjATAITGxD2
more but shook his head. "All this just makes you more suspicious. You 381Please respect copyright.PENANAzuXCJPwBOK
knew of Francesca's visions, which means she trusted you enough to 381Please respect copyright.PENANAi7PVxW4yc1
reveal that. Unless you know of a way of how I can feel Francesca as I 381Please respect copyright.PENANADXc9H5M3Ib
feel you from a distance, the apparitions and their orders are useless."381Please respect copyright.PENANAE6TpFbh6uf
David quickly rummaged 381Please respect copyright.PENANAeQxWPQLm3S
his brain on what else he could use to hook the soldier. "She'll be back381Please respect copyright.PENANALaW7d8xyoF
to the last isle, the one you just attacked. She seemed keen to find 381Please respect copyright.PENANATmqOopnCBs
something on it. If you manage to find that something first you'd be 381Please respect copyright.PENANAzV37ubsPKf
able to trap her."381Please respect copyright.PENANAFBHrPGqLta
"And you know what it was or where I can find it?" 381Please respect copyright.PENANACss5RSK2QV
"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.381Please respect copyright.PENANAD2mmljbIsX
"And how will you do 381Please respect copyright.PENANA3lMHTJbnlI
that? That isle has an expansive underground system.. It was lucky we've381Please respect copyright.PENANAipI2cdymzC
managed to find you in the first place." Shaking his head Fernand got 381Please respect copyright.PENANAq0AoIZCOhR
up. "Enough delays, you seem to know more than you're telling me this 381Please respect copyright.PENANANZt6CwfovN
little chat proved it beyond a doubt."381Please respect copyright.PENANAW25sc5Pb9M
"But I don't! I really 381Please respect copyright.PENANAm5bEEgJirU
don't! I told you everything I know!" David was shouting, the whole act 381Please respect copyright.PENANAq0d5LOiNe0
gone, torturing isn't something one came back fully from.381Please respect copyright.PENANAzkrjlg8gvX
"Ah captain Schumah, a 381Please respect copyright.PENANA59l4mmEPMY
pleasure as always." Came a jolly voice from the outside as Fernand 381Please respect copyright.PENANA3Q1YJRaJvK
opened the door and left the room. A tall man came in shortly. Wearing a381Please respect copyright.PENANAofkp73e8u7
mask to hide his identity but still revealing his teeth, half of them 381Please respect copyright.PENANAU1Nu5rdOwV
black. 381Please respect copyright.PENANABv3BX9yETH
"Well, well. What do we 381Please respect copyright.PENANADsy09h4QhI
have here?" The man asked as he deposited a bag on the table. Coming 381Please respect copyright.PENANAGmU0yhQHlv
closer to David and investigating his burn scars.381Please respect copyright.PENANAiYpGLW6v25
"Look, I swear to all 381Please respect copyright.PENANAOwNnof4vNT
gods. I don't know anymore. I'm..." his jaw was shut violently, causing 381Please respect copyright.PENANAFn9FDbnnza
his teeth to hurt and gums to bleed. 381Please respect copyright.PENANAzNTUo8YLaV
"We will find out if you381Please respect copyright.PENANAdxXKkNwvFU
do or not. Everyone is honest in front of the almighty god of pain." He381Please respect copyright.PENANAT3L0jA2Kwx
cackled at that. But then gave David a dissatisfied look. "Cheer up; by381Please respect copyright.PENANAOA5CdJ86x6
the time we're done here, we'll be good friends."381Please respect copyright.PENANAsgvjnGYaS4
David struggled against 381Please respect copyright.PENANAiYm3xrHGkS
his bonds. But it was of no use, both his arms were attached to the 381Please respect copyright.PENANAXbQWhg9jnq
chair with metal bonds, while the chair itself was fastened to the 381Please respect copyright.PENANAh9ZLUWXimH
floor. No matter how much he tried to buckle it didn't move an inch381Please respect copyright.PENANABo6sd4qcGa
"Now how should we 381Please respect copyright.PENANAoZ0rLOKPY1
start? With this?" The torturer took out a saw but then shook his head. 381Please respect copyright.PENANA05QwZdhAqo
"No too early, need to warm up first." He rummaged in his bag for a 381Please respect copyright.PENANAJER4xFRcvP
while longer but then stopped and looked at David. "You know, I was 381Please respect copyright.PENANAYoLqvUzQhH
supposed to get three bodies. One was already dead so I couldn't have my381Please respect copyright.PENANAQiauj7sHTC
fun, the other one barely made any sound while I was having my fun, 381Please respect copyright.PENANADY3JXAvl4v
such a bore. So you my friend, I will definitely need to take my time, 381Please respect copyright.PENANA754cx5D5r0
with you. Make sure to scream for me." He gave David a crooked smile, as381Please respect copyright.PENANAw86S9n2m9h
he pointed a long finger straight at David's chest.381Please respect copyright.PENANAHwhhNSFg4T
Before David could reply381Please respect copyright.PENANAVZQ4H72lii
he smelt something burning under his nose, without registering the 381Please respect copyright.PENANAVcusdolf9t
pain fully he saw smoke coming from the finger, then the pain hit him, 381Please respect copyright.PENANAnVhU1yc8vn
and he screamed.381Please respect copyright.PENANAJ7zpQrbFxC
The torturer 381Please respect copyright.PENANAUHbWvDSbvs
clapped."Perfect!" He was practically jumping with glee. "Magic! How 381Please respect copyright.PENANATHJYRmMeNV
could I forget, you must forgive me, I should've just started off with 381Please respect copyright.PENANAXEgoajQpqT
this."381Please respect copyright.PENANAElPsXsi9Km
The torturer moved his 381Please respect copyright.PENANALCVPVvBECI
finger away from David's chest, but the pain didn't fade. Before David 381Please respect copyright.PENANAoJMYmgKQ37
could catch his breath, the burning finger was jabbed into his forehead 381Please respect copyright.PENANACJ8PoB2eF7
and he screamed again. "Hahahah! And they say magic can't affect 381Please respect copyright.PENANAGtsBJx1xb7
humans. Even if you can't control the mind or heal wounds directly with 381Please respect copyright.PENANAjyz1K0RuMl
magic, you can easily control or brake with the power of magic, don't 381Please respect copyright.PENANAm9K6pBZq61
you agree?"381Please respect copyright.PENANAW3DxYPzby4
The torturer stopped his381Please respect copyright.PENANAePE8iUXftc
smile and coked his head. "Oh, that reminds me, I should ask you 381Please respect copyright.PENANAQF8rS2AKDe
questions. Now what should I ask, I believe the good captain left me a 381Please respect copyright.PENANA3rrvDrU038
list?" He took out some papers from his bag and gave them a quick glance381Please respect copyright.PENANAt7vD19kWKu
before discarding them on the floor. "Ah yes. Where did the rebellion 381Please respect copyright.PENANAekMG4BF9JO
go?" 381Please respect copyright.PENANAlGterldzul
David was trying to 381Please respect copyright.PENANA8jHSnY56rx
formulate an answer, a lie, a scathing rebuke, anything but his mind was381Please respect copyright.PENANAx6rdmu0Nvo
too muddled to think of anything. The torturer nodded. Smiling "Now I 381Please respect copyright.PENANA3GT6lVOEIo
guess saying you can't heal directly with magic is a lie, you can 381Please respect copyright.PENANA2QIfVumcNt
cauterize your wounds! For example..." The torturer waved his hand and 381Please respect copyright.PENANAdMsFc9x6an
David felt pain coming from his right arm, as he looked down he could 381Please respect copyright.PENANAQtvFsuRGkr
see three of his fingers crushed, bone protruding. David couldn't even 381Please respect copyright.PENANAUNyOJCVhPn
let out a scream before fire overtook his hand, burning it to a crisp.381Please respect copyright.PENANAYQXS9HPmgf
"See, the bleeding stopped!" The torturer loved and David added his scream to this symphony of horror.381Please respect copyright.PENANAGhWivFJ1lx
Then suddenly David was 381Please respect copyright.PENANAhivx3WrDHq
his with a force of cold water strong enough to brake his nose as it 381Please respect copyright.PENANAnl9CsyHuNM
made contact with his face. "Where are the rebels?" The torturers voice 381Please respect copyright.PENANAxODXQNwCw1
changed, becoming more matter of fact. That mad glean from his eyes 381Please respect copyright.PENANAUA8N12F3to
gone, David almost believed that the whole thing was an act. "I...I 381Please respect copyright.PENANA6kaMgRDAhX
don't know."381Please respect copyright.PENANAKksYojn1fm
The torturer nodded and smiled again, the glean coming back. "Good."381Please respect copyright.PENANAz0Uhla5i1X
"Now, while magic is 381Please respect copyright.PENANAxVydNPaHSA
amazing, variety is important as well. Wouldn't want you getting bored 381Please respect copyright.PENANAR1jV6nvmTp
in your seat there." The torturer gave David a smile and pulled out some381Please respect copyright.PENANAqEOVsyGo6s
pliers out of his bag. "Nails are pretty useless, aren't they?" He 381Please respect copyright.PENANAgGxDSg0KtO
tapped Davids fingernails with the pliers. "See it as me doing you a 381Please respect copyright.PENANAfHor3EiXO0
favour." The first nail was ripped, it was a weird feeling for David as 381Please respect copyright.PENANAIeSjXIIObn
he didn't feel pain at first, but then as the open skin was exposed pain381Please respect copyright.PENANAyYlFvDPjEy
came and David screamed for someone to help381Please respect copyright.PENANAsfMWGmhxOe
~no one will come.~381Please respect copyright.PENANApEPqljOJPa
After pulling out all 381Please respect copyright.PENANA5GH1BlgaZa
the nails, David could hear the pliers hitting the table. His vision was381Please respect copyright.PENANAMYVQGv4fkT
blurry he couldn't see or hear anything, only pain existed. "ull out 381Please respect copyright.PENANAwNeormYBUu
teeth, but that's what everyone does. A hammer...." David could only 381Please respect copyright.PENANA3YM5sFgg7e
hear bits and pieces of what the torturer said. He then felt his mouth 381Please respect copyright.PENANA6PZjgJIfEr
being opened. David tried to resist, he truly did, but he didn't have 381Please respect copyright.PENANAHdiKcMNrXr
the strength nor the will to do anything substantial. David then sensed 381Please respect copyright.PENANADhbG76vDZs
something metal and cold in his mouth, touching one of his back teeth 381Please respect copyright.PENANATfemgMKECB
and then pain and the taste of blood on his tongue, slowly filling his 381Please respect copyright.PENANAlZhIvvdOQh
mouth and dribbling on the floor. The scream came soon after, as David 381Please respect copyright.PENANA535RFHwt7S
could only think of the pain, with only a small part hoping that someone381Please respect copyright.PENANAZCvTlhh4iH
would rescue him.381Please respect copyright.PENANAV6BtXXJpCY
~no one cares.~381Please respect copyright.PENANAPMDatK58Nr
Next few moments were a 381Please respect copyright.PENANA1pO89ohitL
blur, David was sure the torturer did something else, but he had no idea381Please respect copyright.PENANAGNoRhuhUtI
what. Until finally the pain was too much and David lost consciousness.381Please respect copyright.PENANAbFaBU7C30C
Thoughts that no one came and cared ringing in his mind as a constant 381Please respect copyright.PENANA8BjxrfrdDW
companion in the darkness.
381Please respect copyright.PENANA0gVHJk9TO5
381Please respect copyright.PENANA4kC6cVObpY