382Please respect copyright.PENANAKQbqJv4Dl9
382Please respect copyright.PENANAMN27EYz31E
All taxes must be paid 382Please respect copyright.PENANA8zzTffjOFF
in a timely and organized manner. Each prince controls tax 382Please respect copyright.PENANAA01hWHOAdi
collection in his princedom War is forbidden between the princes. All 382Please respect copyright.PENANAd06XM1huJE
dissatisfactions must be dealt in a civilized manner. Via duels or by 382Please respect copyright.PENANAaWMZsZjjSy
lodging a complaint to the council of princes.The most powerful 382Please respect copyright.PENANANk7eRhCGI0
traders shall form a council of 10; with each member being called a 382Please respect copyright.PENANAZWfx89sQZO
prince. This council shall gather in emergencies: such as war, the 382Please respect copyright.PENANABqcDFjK3Uu
enactment of widespread changes, as well as to deal with any 382Please respect copyright.PENANAgPdWULmg5q
grievances between the princesIf any trader or isle within the trade382Please respect copyright.PENANA8CHa6JlXdn
union territory is attacked all princes must come to the defense 382Please respect copyright.PENANApAIsR4a6q0
Declaring war on foreign bodies is forbidden. If any trader or 382Please respect copyright.PENANA0O30Rhp4vp
prince is found doing so they will be stripped of their goods and 382Please respect copyright.PENANAbyOA8dYbA1
factories and will have to contend with the war on their own.All magic 382Please respect copyright.PENANA6IDKezFrPN
is illegal and practitioners will be prosecuted382Please respect copyright.PENANAqyrkYxaSez
We are traders, not warlords. We thrive on income and civility, not chaos and murder.382Please respect copyright.PENANARUpnc3vNs4
'The union codex, rules the traders abide by.'382Please respect copyright.PENANAdHIAs8HGxR
___________________________________________________382Please respect copyright.PENANAnpjs7FN0wt
382Please respect copyright.PENANAlO27RsHsPU
David has been in jail 382Please respect copyright.PENANADNZQnKcSqS
before, a flying jail, a jail on the ground ground. All kinds and types.382Please respect copyright.PENANAPNDP8yMInt
Honestly he felt kind of at home when he woke up on the cold hard floor382Please respect copyright.PENANAIzCURwQVh6
of a ship to metal grates wishing him good morning.382Please respect copyright.PENANAiAwG3R8xiU
The cell was big enough 382Please respect copyright.PENANAzAb9qEKqZz
for him to stretch his muscles and walk around a bit. He checked his 382Please respect copyright.PENANAvs7Ud4Srn7
back pocket where kept Boyle's pendant but it was gone, good riddance. 382Please respect copyright.PENANA2u3ggFSLCk
Luckily David didn't have any other belongings on his person and the 382Please respect copyright.PENANAyXcDDozNQc
guards graciously allowed him to keep his clothes.382Please respect copyright.PENANAEmwDylldql
David didn't even 382Please respect copyright.PENANABkXB6VohqM
contemplate shouting, as it usually invited a guard and when you're the 382Please respect copyright.PENANAQo4txVWjGV
one in the cell why would you want a guard to be nearby. So David did 382Please respect copyright.PENANAjN2U1817mK
what any sane person in his situation would, he went back to sleep on 382Please respect copyright.PENANAFHZllm5lpK
the bed hanging from the metal wall. 382Please respect copyright.PENANAgkoBV4Hejf
Sadly event the best 382Please respect copyright.PENANASIsZVe14Tk
plans sometimes fall apart and it was the case here, as he couldn't fall382Please respect copyright.PENANAry4eQHkGrc
asleep. There was something akin to ringing in his head, a feeling that382Please respect copyright.PENANAqsQpJHVazu
something was close, similar to something he feels when he's near 382Please respect copyright.PENANAa3Wskq0r0q
Francesca. Soon enough David heard the sound of doors moving and he 382Please respect copyright.PENANArxh6GRWy4P
opened one, the only one that was working, eye. Through his eye he could382Please respect copyright.PENANAEljFZ6SVoH
see two guards carrying...something big, leaving a trail of blood. Now 382Please respect copyright.PENANAqnTC9Rpclx
while David didn't get a good look that did seem to eerily look like Gob382Please respect copyright.PENANAWcevzH9wcZ
or at least what David wished Gob would look like. Either way that was 382Please respect copyright.PENANAWklyHbFXmY
enough to get his attention and he stood up, as the guards locked the 382Please respect copyright.PENANApDq3B5Q71C
cell next door.382Please respect copyright.PENANAmbf4GqBKm4
Another soldier came up 382Please respect copyright.PENANAOuwVgjLBsp
to David's cell, and David recognized him as the one who was trying to 382Please respect copyright.PENANAF2ujvwACsv
talk Gob down. The officer gestured at the soldiers and they quickly 382Please respect copyright.PENANAaB7YEibS0M
unlocked David's cell, who promptly presented his hands in submission. 382Please respect copyright.PENANA0JUGSynMoT
Sadly the guard didn't seem to care as one of them punched David in the 382Please respect copyright.PENANAOsAeoe9ghK
gut and the other handcuffed his hands, putting them behind David's 382Please respect copyright.PENANALU3sdLxnn2
back.382Please respect copyright.PENANAoCHEk7UfFa
While David would've 382Please respect copyright.PENANAirbryv8N7M
preferred everyone to be civil, his mind was too preoccupied with one 382Please respect copyright.PENANAD3g76Rnnmc
fact, the tug was definitely stronger when closer to the officer. It 382Please respect copyright.PENANASeA8EH055q
seemed he was the other chosen, David was hoping there were more as 382Please respect copyright.PENANAKDggqI1dul
Jesters words came back to him. 382Please respect copyright.PENANASHXxtEyPws
The walk itself didn't 382Please respect copyright.PENANAJhsTxZMDfu
last long as they arrived in a room with a table and two chairs, on 382Please respect copyright.PENANAAqhMsI0toe
opposite sides. It was downright friendly if you ignored the blood 382Please respect copyright.PENANAgTokaKuwVT
splatters all around the room.382Please respect copyright.PENANAbzDa4gEjnW
David was put into the 382Please respect copyright.PENANAubBsKMmWx5
chair further away from the door and his hands attached to the handles. 382Please respect copyright.PENANAMV7k58EFC3
The officer motioned for the guards to leave them and took a sit at the 382Please respect copyright.PENANAZQkUIGs7Nc
other chair, staring into David's soul.382Please respect copyright.PENANAF7V2ASPiS4
"Who are you?" So the questioning has started.382Please respect copyright.PENANAh2YXB8pXRO
"I'm David, the rebels 382Please respect copyright.PENANAW3lA8b7vTt
have caught me and took me hostage. I would like to..." before he could 382Please respect copyright.PENANAEpsyspO7lk
finish the interrogator held his hand out to stop David.382Please respect copyright.PENANAJY4SXdb4sr
"Where are you from?"382Please respect copyright.PENANAJlx6ZM8R1C
"The Isle Commonwealth, Capital isle. I was..." again the hand came out. And notes were made.382Please respect copyright.PENANAbcO239fgRB
"Why were you meeting with the trade union?"382Please respect copyright.PENANADd5XFJYVgs
"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 nodded382Please respect copyright.PENANA1CNSPkTZ1P
"Where did the rebels move?"382Please respect copyright.PENANAI5A3WyGXLY
"Gods, we're not getting382Please respect copyright.PENANAvhnau86VN8
anywhere here. I'm not a rebel. I was just captured by them if you want382Please respect copyright.PENANA5zHNOjR1wY
to know names I'll give you them! I owe them no loyalty."382Please respect copyright.PENANAIy6s1mau2x
"We know the rebellion 382Please respect copyright.PENANAofbVU4IGQd
is led by Francesca Horrikh. He second in command is Gob D'Fortez. With 382Please respect copyright.PENANAdUiVRkLcWl
the help of officers chosen by them they lead the rebellion..."382Please respect copyright.PENANArZk2pxbu05
"Well if you know all 382Please respect copyright.PENANAeFo9CJpcd6
that then why are you asking me? Go ask Gob you have him here!" David 382Please respect copyright.PENANAlzWVYBVShj
interrupted the officer, acting more agitated and scared. Act clueless 382Please respect copyright.PENANAqk7RWrKoWt
make them doubt themselves. Sadly that tactic didn't seem to be working 382Please respect copyright.PENANA4S1zQE5sJ5
on the imperial soldier.382Please respect copyright.PENANAb7WWzwDcdT
"I wanted to make this 382Please respect copyright.PENANASvP6ieA5HD
civilized, sadly you don't seem to want to answer my questions and I've 382Please respect copyright.PENANA6t2WqQL8Ci
no time. If you truly are but a simple hostage then you have my 382Please respect copyright.PENANAk0FIywSEkz
apologies. My name is Fernand Schumah and if you so wish you can curse 382Please respect copyright.PENANAZjJ1Rak5Q6
my name in the afterlife." Fernand gathered his notes, got up and was 382Please respect copyright.PENANAKhykQjpKhr
about to leave the room. David had an idea of what was about to happen 382Please respect copyright.PENANAWlvFQW89xl
but judging by the blood on the floor he wanted no part of it.382Please respect copyright.PENANAshi3gEVL9K
"Wait wait!" Fernand 382Please respect copyright.PENANAzISrhz5Nfe
paused. "I've heard them mentioning moving to a different isle, one of 382Please respect copyright.PENANA3bbBNMNkWC
their previous hiding spots. I don't know where exactly...or how."382Please respect copyright.PENANAn3MycHk2P7
Fernand was shaking his 382Please respect copyright.PENANAaR9F0wpOyT
head. "Useless, we guessed they would move to a different isle, we can't382Please respect copyright.PENANAfJ4TNCPu64
keep guessing where." Fernand paused "We can't risk you knowing where 382Please respect copyright.PENANAxo1WHuvxgV
they went, my apologies." For what it was worth Fernand seemed genuinely382Please respect copyright.PENANAgUMqpOzSfA
sorry. But David was close to panicking now. Torturers were sadists by 382Please respect copyright.PENANAbvUCYvrNdE
nature, they wouldn't care about anything but the screams they elicit. 382Please respect copyright.PENANA5OW2GxdtWA
"Did you have any strange dreams? Someone telling you to do, or find, something?"382Please respect copyright.PENANAeFR2ZagJPB
That made Ferdinand 382Please respect copyright.PENANAvFidCSEqvi
pause and sit back; David could finally see a flicker of emotion on the 382Please respect copyright.PENANA8lRlRTUxpG
man's face. "Why would you know about that?"382Please respect copyright.PENANAFqWgNOhT3X
Fernand wasn't denying 382Please respect copyright.PENANAca1hUlqbsq
it, David was glad of that. "I had a dream like that as well, and so did382Please respect copyright.PENANAj9WZMXCtsB
the rebellion leader, Francesca. Apparently they're The Five trying to 382Please respect copyright.PENANAUePLmb0HTl
get us do something." 382Please respect copyright.PENANALRedvBl5tG
"Blasphemy, he 382Please respect copyright.PENANAEyhfR9103B
introduced himself as such but is most likely a demon. A noble should 382Please respect copyright.PENANAVF9sNJfX7e
know better." Fernand dismissed, but didn't immediately stand up.382Please respect copyright.PENANAOxtYpKZCv4
"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" 382Please respect copyright.PENANAbhh4T5Bxtv
"Demons tend to plan 382Please respect copyright.PENANAXyqrID7ft7
elaborately for their objectives." Fernand paused and sighted. "But 382Please respect copyright.PENANA4UbMwD0K34
let's say it's true, what did your vision ask of you?"382Please respect copyright.PENANAqf6iNLCVHL
"To find something, he 382Please respect copyright.PENANAOyASu3dE4Y
wasn't specific." David was afraid of that, Francesca's vision seemed to382Please respect copyright.PENANAxPuOQDylWD
be pretty clear on what she had to do and David was sure it was the 382Please respect copyright.PENANAsfLp55M8NO
same for Fernand.382Please respect copyright.PENANAEdFM8GpuX9
Fernand was about to say382Please respect copyright.PENANALzDcuWGO6p
more but shook his head. "All this just makes you more suspicious. You 382Please respect copyright.PENANAHYTjc7ZMAs
knew of Francesca's visions, which means she trusted you enough to 382Please respect copyright.PENANArDWLere9fS
reveal that. Unless you know of a way of how I can feel Francesca as I 382Please respect copyright.PENANAxg6CyH9LxT
feel you from a distance, the apparitions and their orders are useless."382Please respect copyright.PENANAW2owZ4JyWV
David quickly rummaged 382Please respect copyright.PENANAeYAg532bKs
his brain on what else he could use to hook the soldier. "She'll be back382Please respect copyright.PENANARp6tuRr3ez
to the last isle, the one you just attacked. She seemed keen to find 382Please respect copyright.PENANAVkxNw7muwv
something on it. If you manage to find that something first you'd be 382Please respect copyright.PENANA0c10nHGAx5
able to trap her."382Please respect copyright.PENANAKdVgFU4QQs
"And you know what it was or where I can find it?" 382Please respect copyright.PENANARpd1qbaj2x
"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.382Please respect copyright.PENANA4KimL1xvss
"And how will you do 382Please respect copyright.PENANA5eLX8MXIbs
that? That isle has an expansive underground system.. It was lucky we've382Please respect copyright.PENANAGiPfWRn6hC
managed to find you in the first place." Shaking his head Fernand got 382Please respect copyright.PENANAbsT7VbOiSI
up. "Enough delays, you seem to know more than you're telling me this 382Please respect copyright.PENANAc449pNgNLo
little chat proved it beyond a doubt."382Please respect copyright.PENANAtGco9Ap264
"But I don't! I really 382Please respect copyright.PENANA55kzgc67KX
don't! I told you everything I know!" David was shouting, the whole act 382Please respect copyright.PENANAwdN5le0FKu
gone, torturing isn't something one came back fully from.382Please respect copyright.PENANA2tO12bI0gf
"Ah captain Schumah, a 382Please respect copyright.PENANAb6QaLBMSvz
pleasure as always." Came a jolly voice from the outside as Fernand 382Please respect copyright.PENANA5UhMndZwUi
opened the door and left the room. A tall man came in shortly. Wearing a382Please respect copyright.PENANAwLGReTNiDU
mask to hide his identity but still revealing his teeth, half of them 382Please respect copyright.PENANAYhKz6O1rJZ
black. 382Please respect copyright.PENANANRBxEDoFFa
"Well, well. What do we 382Please respect copyright.PENANArDmtnnHerc
have here?" The man asked as he deposited a bag on the table. Coming 382Please respect copyright.PENANAxjPZv8TTXa
closer to David and investigating his burn scars.382Please respect copyright.PENANAhSmzYTvVAV
"Look, I swear to all 382Please respect copyright.PENANAdIQZAua8z6
gods. I don't know anymore. I'm..." his jaw was shut violently, causing 382Please respect copyright.PENANAHlWPyGowa9
his teeth to hurt and gums to bleed. 382Please respect copyright.PENANAdCbplsffHf
"We will find out if you382Please respect copyright.PENANAt8sRPIX9FN
do or not. Everyone is honest in front of the almighty god of pain." He382Please respect copyright.PENANAaHFuCR8lCm
cackled at that. But then gave David a dissatisfied look. "Cheer up; by382Please respect copyright.PENANAiJF6Zq5yED
the time we're done here, we'll be good friends."382Please respect copyright.PENANALs1xfQMOob
David struggled against 382Please respect copyright.PENANAd4RPsBGv0F
his bonds. But it was of no use, both his arms were attached to the 382Please respect copyright.PENANAOr0XCwfV6Q
chair with metal bonds, while the chair itself was fastened to the 382Please respect copyright.PENANANRAbgFDmAU
floor. No matter how much he tried to buckle it didn't move an inch382Please respect copyright.PENANAQSN6Q6EIiX
"Now how should we 382Please respect copyright.PENANAkV6fgDkqxZ
start? With this?" The torturer took out a saw but then shook his head. 382Please respect copyright.PENANANEHFClCbQv
"No too early, need to warm up first." He rummaged in his bag for a 382Please respect copyright.PENANAVTp5QyVGIW
while longer but then stopped and looked at David. "You know, I was 382Please respect copyright.PENANAnoMBEyZYI2
supposed to get three bodies. One was already dead so I couldn't have my382Please respect copyright.PENANAzdVXQbXxY6
fun, the other one barely made any sound while I was having my fun, 382Please respect copyright.PENANAWvRd8ofqpx
such a bore. So you my friend, I will definitely need to take my time, 382Please respect copyright.PENANAETG1kTewyU
with you. Make sure to scream for me." He gave David a crooked smile, as382Please respect copyright.PENANAZTjE6KVTvQ
he pointed a long finger straight at David's chest.382Please respect copyright.PENANAmDzhq8wNUZ
Before David could reply382Please respect copyright.PENANAAaOSlQXTQL
he smelt something burning under his nose, without registering the 382Please respect copyright.PENANAoSH9AgZP9N
pain fully he saw smoke coming from the finger, then the pain hit him, 382Please respect copyright.PENANAj9UTd8jcCg
and he screamed.382Please respect copyright.PENANAu6L5Smaobt
The torturer 382Please respect copyright.PENANAPNbEhWI4Ye
clapped."Perfect!" He was practically jumping with glee. "Magic! How 382Please respect copyright.PENANAAB9F2uK5Mc
could I forget, you must forgive me, I should've just started off with 382Please respect copyright.PENANAVlWd08vMkk
this."382Please respect copyright.PENANAxKZ0Mfz8XE
The torturer moved his 382Please respect copyright.PENANAQd3dWeTFDt
finger away from David's chest, but the pain didn't fade. Before David 382Please respect copyright.PENANAt2uRTp6iZZ
could catch his breath, the burning finger was jabbed into his forehead 382Please respect copyright.PENANAYyN29ZxcBW
and he screamed again. "Hahahah! And they say magic can't affect 382Please respect copyright.PENANA8GPSpVsCUc
humans. Even if you can't control the mind or heal wounds directly with 382Please respect copyright.PENANAP5eGDJ8sUI
magic, you can easily control or brake with the power of magic, don't 382Please respect copyright.PENANAnk23ZgX00E
you agree?"382Please respect copyright.PENANAaDtjsmprx3
The torturer stopped his382Please respect copyright.PENANAi4X38E4keb
smile and coked his head. "Oh, that reminds me, I should ask you 382Please respect copyright.PENANAj15b08WufA
questions. Now what should I ask, I believe the good captain left me a 382Please respect copyright.PENANAAwLAvQhZSH
list?" He took out some papers from his bag and gave them a quick glance382Please respect copyright.PENANAy5XnGCkoId
before discarding them on the floor. "Ah yes. Where did the rebellion 382Please respect copyright.PENANA3VJrl16gOb
go?" 382Please respect copyright.PENANAZMi4MgLVcw
David was trying to 382Please respect copyright.PENANAX6arMYZGqV
formulate an answer, a lie, a scathing rebuke, anything but his mind was382Please respect copyright.PENANAorxc6A7xfZ
too muddled to think of anything. The torturer nodded. Smiling "Now I 382Please respect copyright.PENANAxf88a8cNpo
guess saying you can't heal directly with magic is a lie, you can 382Please respect copyright.PENANAIkmJI74zvD
cauterize your wounds! For example..." The torturer waved his hand and 382Please respect copyright.PENANA9rPvO8GywT
David felt pain coming from his right arm, as he looked down he could 382Please respect copyright.PENANASbW8VgHdLG
see three of his fingers crushed, bone protruding. David couldn't even 382Please respect copyright.PENANArk3BHj92vB
let out a scream before fire overtook his hand, burning it to a crisp.382Please respect copyright.PENANA7v6VN354Bg
"See, the bleeding stopped!" The torturer loved and David added his scream to this symphony of horror.382Please respect copyright.PENANAiylkYkoNNR
Then suddenly David was 382Please respect copyright.PENANA5kBd52T3iR
his with a force of cold water strong enough to brake his nose as it 382Please respect copyright.PENANAPMuYbcz7jI
made contact with his face. "Where are the rebels?" The torturers voice 382Please respect copyright.PENANAgVte8fXV9l
changed, becoming more matter of fact. That mad glean from his eyes 382Please respect copyright.PENANAGkl07Q5XVN
gone, David almost believed that the whole thing was an act. "I...I 382Please respect copyright.PENANAajB5IxdnJW
don't know."382Please respect copyright.PENANANfe1Tq2Z5r
The torturer nodded and smiled again, the glean coming back. "Good."382Please respect copyright.PENANA3JsUIJ4VnL
"Now, while magic is 382Please respect copyright.PENANAXc3laEwPws
amazing, variety is important as well. Wouldn't want you getting bored 382Please respect copyright.PENANAtBIHyWcLpX
in your seat there." The torturer gave David a smile and pulled out some382Please respect copyright.PENANAonG5GF2pv0
pliers out of his bag. "Nails are pretty useless, aren't they?" He 382Please respect copyright.PENANARwyXShfQxx
tapped Davids fingernails with the pliers. "See it as me doing you a 382Please respect copyright.PENANA0wEJmafYSk
favour." The first nail was ripped, it was a weird feeling for David as 382Please respect copyright.PENANAkNWXp5lpPR
he didn't feel pain at first, but then as the open skin was exposed pain382Please respect copyright.PENANAoQIbsuUGD4
came and David screamed for someone to help382Please respect copyright.PENANAUIRHYfUtru
~no one will come.~382Please respect copyright.PENANAL8zNg0iEEz
After pulling out all 382Please respect copyright.PENANA4htwaKQxDG
the nails, David could hear the pliers hitting the table. His vision was382Please respect copyright.PENANAk7uLgLAObK
blurry he couldn't see or hear anything, only pain existed. "ull out 382Please respect copyright.PENANAwTzJ5lo60L
teeth, but that's what everyone does. A hammer...." David could only 382Please respect copyright.PENANAfx89SM1lz1
hear bits and pieces of what the torturer said. He then felt his mouth 382Please respect copyright.PENANAG5pyfSYcsk
being opened. David tried to resist, he truly did, but he didn't have 382Please respect copyright.PENANAA9N1xiTTQB
the strength nor the will to do anything substantial. David then sensed 382Please respect copyright.PENANAHMKo435sd3
something metal and cold in his mouth, touching one of his back teeth 382Please respect copyright.PENANA0dEtBd1mlw
and then pain and the taste of blood on his tongue, slowly filling his 382Please respect copyright.PENANA1hWvzFltZm
mouth and dribbling on the floor. The scream came soon after, as David 382Please respect copyright.PENANAvIWhonFbvC
could only think of the pain, with only a small part hoping that someone382Please respect copyright.PENANA1M0jzIFjAo
would rescue him.382Please respect copyright.PENANATzj9Ld9bTx
~no one cares.~382Please respect copyright.PENANA26ajuxHRvB
Next few moments were a 382Please respect copyright.PENANAjrAjYjQxUi
blur, David was sure the torturer did something else, but he had no idea382Please respect copyright.PENANAjhSPcWQMcd
what. Until finally the pain was too much and David lost consciousness.382Please respect copyright.PENANAbcKidouUFS
Thoughts that no one came and cared ringing in his mind as a constant 382Please respect copyright.PENANAGDNHgGmD1p
companion in the darkness.
382Please respect copyright.PENANAAe9xt3Vvb9
382Please respect copyright.PENANAq7MnZvZ9dy