388Please respect copyright.PENANAgkLpFXy4l2
388Please respect copyright.PENANAVyPvYn5jSM
All taxes must be paid 388Please respect copyright.PENANAoBiR6eTeQb
in a timely and organized manner. Each prince controls tax 388Please respect copyright.PENANAZNC55g8wzP
collection in his princedom War is forbidden between the princes. All 388Please respect copyright.PENANAadxU7F4PCD
dissatisfactions must be dealt in a civilized manner. Via duels or by 388Please respect copyright.PENANAxtVtmuxAA7
lodging a complaint to the council of princes.The most powerful 388Please respect copyright.PENANATteVM5W4nr
traders shall form a council of 10; with each member being called a 388Please respect copyright.PENANA0GfgWrLhX3
prince. This council shall gather in emergencies: such as war, the 388Please respect copyright.PENANAFG8Q6R6g3J
enactment of widespread changes, as well as to deal with any 388Please respect copyright.PENANASbbltXmQAV
grievances between the princesIf any trader or isle within the trade388Please respect copyright.PENANAofvcXWMPRU
union territory is attacked all princes must come to the defense 388Please respect copyright.PENANALVjEUchjYJ
Declaring war on foreign bodies is forbidden. If any trader or 388Please respect copyright.PENANA3AJNKU2Knm
prince is found doing so they will be stripped of their goods and 388Please respect copyright.PENANAM0yaeGdBOX
factories and will have to contend with the war on their own.All magic 388Please respect copyright.PENANAx2bfD3nnWk
is illegal and practitioners will be prosecuted388Please respect copyright.PENANA4nIcUh4rqU
We are traders, not warlords. We thrive on income and civility, not chaos and murder.388Please respect copyright.PENANAIq72hktxc1
'The union codex, rules the traders abide by.'388Please respect copyright.PENANA50i82f5g5B
___________________________________________________388Please respect copyright.PENANAnk625BkQtL
388Please respect copyright.PENANAV1AZcd5rGy
David has been in jail 388Please respect copyright.PENANA1T1k02TU6I
before, a flying jail, a jail on the ground ground. All kinds and types.388Please respect copyright.PENANAxAHalkr4HS
Honestly he felt kind of at home when he woke up on the cold hard floor388Please respect copyright.PENANAwVd84zMneJ
of a ship to metal grates wishing him good morning.388Please respect copyright.PENANAWgSv2UGoD0
The cell was big enough 388Please respect copyright.PENANAcA6EK4VMkr
for him to stretch his muscles and walk around a bit. He checked his 388Please respect copyright.PENANAX8kQ2r5MBO
back pocket where kept Boyle's pendant but it was gone, good riddance. 388Please respect copyright.PENANAcSYuZqsMMi
Luckily David didn't have any other belongings on his person and the 388Please respect copyright.PENANADmRZq2pfPu
guards graciously allowed him to keep his clothes.388Please respect copyright.PENANAGuOutLmLDw
David didn't even 388Please respect copyright.PENANAixASfhdTGa
contemplate shouting, as it usually invited a guard and when you're the 388Please respect copyright.PENANA3rWrCzKl0w
one in the cell why would you want a guard to be nearby. So David did 388Please respect copyright.PENANAPJXpKSQNPW
what any sane person in his situation would, he went back to sleep on 388Please respect copyright.PENANAj5wNNmzMM1
the bed hanging from the metal wall. 388Please respect copyright.PENANALZeJbZUYq2
Sadly event the best 388Please respect copyright.PENANAGh8C5CAFFq
plans sometimes fall apart and it was the case here, as he couldn't fall388Please respect copyright.PENANAx1JZMSWAGj
asleep. There was something akin to ringing in his head, a feeling that388Please respect copyright.PENANA1VyXT7PUpr
something was close, similar to something he feels when he's near 388Please respect copyright.PENANAVyOUw78mmX
Francesca. Soon enough David heard the sound of doors moving and he 388Please respect copyright.PENANAfzyEuCEH5W
opened one, the only one that was working, eye. Through his eye he could388Please respect copyright.PENANAAOxBIH7blw
see two guards carrying...something big, leaving a trail of blood. Now 388Please respect copyright.PENANA80Zovo1hHQ
while David didn't get a good look that did seem to eerily look like Gob388Please respect copyright.PENANAm8BkoYBOWz
or at least what David wished Gob would look like. Either way that was 388Please respect copyright.PENANAk9aI6YvxmP
enough to get his attention and he stood up, as the guards locked the 388Please respect copyright.PENANA1DvDKpVmMY
cell next door.388Please respect copyright.PENANAKMQid39fXa
Another soldier came up 388Please respect copyright.PENANADc1n2I7Sty
to David's cell, and David recognized him as the one who was trying to 388Please respect copyright.PENANAeQwDewC6rA
talk Gob down. The officer gestured at the soldiers and they quickly 388Please respect copyright.PENANAevd9FSxxfy
unlocked David's cell, who promptly presented his hands in submission. 388Please respect copyright.PENANA45tIB5Oi2W
Sadly the guard didn't seem to care as one of them punched David in the 388Please respect copyright.PENANAHzXBhqtpLD
gut and the other handcuffed his hands, putting them behind David's 388Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZTIDRQ0KX
back.388Please respect copyright.PENANAcD0PTVbyNE
While David would've 388Please respect copyright.PENANAQsOfn1BNzU
preferred everyone to be civil, his mind was too preoccupied with one 388Please respect copyright.PENANAFwj7rzfEa0
fact, the tug was definitely stronger when closer to the officer. It 388Please respect copyright.PENANApjPzNXP0o9
seemed he was the other chosen, David was hoping there were more as 388Please respect copyright.PENANAzIOAZQOsIx
Jesters words came back to him. 388Please respect copyright.PENANA0ODgz0z4Gi
The walk itself didn't 388Please respect copyright.PENANAQUyzQLy3hz
last long as they arrived in a room with a table and two chairs, on 388Please respect copyright.PENANArk7d1eOc65
opposite sides. It was downright friendly if you ignored the blood 388Please respect copyright.PENANAX0uQzjkXiJ
splatters all around the room.388Please respect copyright.PENANAmm0VoZAZwT
David was put into the 388Please respect copyright.PENANA8eIfgL6sLf
chair further away from the door and his hands attached to the handles. 388Please respect copyright.PENANAhSEx1eHUxW
The officer motioned for the guards to leave them and took a sit at the 388Please respect copyright.PENANAE7Ec3Kno4r
other chair, staring into David's soul.388Please respect copyright.PENANAq6KFgVs3nm
"Who are you?" So the questioning has started.388Please respect copyright.PENANAvJE5efRKH9
"I'm David, the rebels 388Please respect copyright.PENANAfj0RjbhdlL
have caught me and took me hostage. I would like to..." before he could 388Please respect copyright.PENANASPEH7d3cj7
finish the interrogator held his hand out to stop David.388Please respect copyright.PENANApMBeS25qY6
"Where are you from?"388Please respect copyright.PENANAf8B4znRkuq
"The Isle Commonwealth, Capital isle. I was..." again the hand came out. And notes were made.388Please respect copyright.PENANABoKwKSVxrh
"Why were you meeting with the trade union?"388Please respect copyright.PENANAgpOWNeF8Hi
"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 nodded388Please respect copyright.PENANAnU91PrwBnI
"Where did the rebels move?"388Please respect copyright.PENANAtQ4GJvlnV9
"Gods, we're not getting388Please respect copyright.PENANAJQTrxHch65
anywhere here. I'm not a rebel. I was just captured by them if you want388Please respect copyright.PENANA3yqHkwuwK7
to know names I'll give you them! I owe them no loyalty."388Please respect copyright.PENANAGxPINtMxXz
"We know the rebellion 388Please respect copyright.PENANAZ61OOejNbT
is led by Francesca Horrikh. He second in command is Gob D'Fortez. With 388Please respect copyright.PENANAb69PFwvk6z
the help of officers chosen by them they lead the rebellion..."388Please respect copyright.PENANAtQaIGFJGRd
"Well if you know all 388Please respect copyright.PENANAWaj4eHZeil
that then why are you asking me? Go ask Gob you have him here!" David 388Please respect copyright.PENANAbrwDlFAr32
interrupted the officer, acting more agitated and scared. Act clueless 388Please respect copyright.PENANANCVGIz8PJ0
make them doubt themselves. Sadly that tactic didn't seem to be working 388Please respect copyright.PENANAgWGvqshWYK
on the imperial soldier.388Please respect copyright.PENANAu6SW5nayLI
"I wanted to make this 388Please respect copyright.PENANAKBhRi48xN8
civilized, sadly you don't seem to want to answer my questions and I've 388Please respect copyright.PENANApkFD84Hhsc
no time. If you truly are but a simple hostage then you have my 388Please respect copyright.PENANAFyoW0a6kks
apologies. My name is Fernand Schumah and if you so wish you can curse 388Please respect copyright.PENANAT3CMIVj0G4
my name in the afterlife." Fernand gathered his notes, got up and was 388Please respect copyright.PENANAOF3yoyhqVy
about to leave the room. David had an idea of what was about to happen 388Please respect copyright.PENANAzGtc8Jgdxy
but judging by the blood on the floor he wanted no part of it.388Please respect copyright.PENANAIISGYD9VYE
"Wait wait!" Fernand 388Please respect copyright.PENANA8eylTYRPnO
paused. "I've heard them mentioning moving to a different isle, one of 388Please respect copyright.PENANAMxRz9Xgsgz
their previous hiding spots. I don't know where exactly...or how."388Please respect copyright.PENANA4pDJYoX6cO
Fernand was shaking his 388Please respect copyright.PENANA2Fu1eCEWWy
head. "Useless, we guessed they would move to a different isle, we can't388Please respect copyright.PENANAZRvcTdd8Po
keep guessing where." Fernand paused "We can't risk you knowing where 388Please respect copyright.PENANAIDqMyGuUBD
they went, my apologies." For what it was worth Fernand seemed genuinely388Please respect copyright.PENANAcWWYYeFGX4
sorry. But David was close to panicking now. Torturers were sadists by 388Please respect copyright.PENANAm0UMmaEbFw
nature, they wouldn't care about anything but the screams they elicit. 388Please respect copyright.PENANASv9cYj46HS
"Did you have any strange dreams? Someone telling you to do, or find, something?"388Please respect copyright.PENANAkvi8gDySLo
That made Ferdinand 388Please respect copyright.PENANAD3dkRgegb2
pause and sit back; David could finally see a flicker of emotion on the 388Please respect copyright.PENANAB9P7VzoHNR
man's face. "Why would you know about that?"388Please respect copyright.PENANAj3D9JicPvB
Fernand wasn't denying 388Please respect copyright.PENANAQxsdOG3uDQ
it, David was glad of that. "I had a dream like that as well, and so did388Please respect copyright.PENANAv6iWxi6q1p
the rebellion leader, Francesca. Apparently they're The Five trying to 388Please respect copyright.PENANAgiHvbK0Vn1
get us do something." 388Please respect copyright.PENANAcJOLy6Nn9q
"Blasphemy, he 388Please respect copyright.PENANAJAS8du8jFv
introduced himself as such but is most likely a demon. A noble should 388Please respect copyright.PENANADPV4Hdfia3
know better." Fernand dismissed, but didn't immediately stand up.388Please respect copyright.PENANAfFrp6BTnNh
"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" 388Please respect copyright.PENANAGeEdS2l5pC
"Demons tend to plan 388Please respect copyright.PENANAelVCoY3hZP
elaborately for their objectives." Fernand paused and sighted. "But 388Please respect copyright.PENANA35Of87X0q9
let's say it's true, what did your vision ask of you?"388Please respect copyright.PENANAK54gVXzrzl
"To find something, he 388Please respect copyright.PENANAv03FS02SiT
wasn't specific." David was afraid of that, Francesca's vision seemed to388Please respect copyright.PENANAcAF7utQGN7
be pretty clear on what she had to do and David was sure it was the 388Please respect copyright.PENANAt4YZpp4rA8
same for Fernand.388Please respect copyright.PENANAi8AiGvD0nM
Fernand was about to say388Please respect copyright.PENANA8TW7DimgPr
more but shook his head. "All this just makes you more suspicious. You 388Please respect copyright.PENANAQN6on1iiOo
knew of Francesca's visions, which means she trusted you enough to 388Please respect copyright.PENANA5ZSYPQbfag
reveal that. Unless you know of a way of how I can feel Francesca as I 388Please respect copyright.PENANAiRtg09vUSw
feel you from a distance, the apparitions and their orders are useless."388Please respect copyright.PENANAKyP4tvOOwQ
David quickly rummaged 388Please respect copyright.PENANAtExppLwjAI
his brain on what else he could use to hook the soldier. "She'll be back388Please respect copyright.PENANA65QO0FeBJA
to the last isle, the one you just attacked. She seemed keen to find 388Please respect copyright.PENANAIJwKuLkYhY
something on it. If you manage to find that something first you'd be 388Please respect copyright.PENANAyiI2WVzepc
able to trap her."388Please respect copyright.PENANAHwQfjI6wjA
"And you know what it was or where I can find it?" 388Please respect copyright.PENANACXn6vVQBLw
"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.388Please respect copyright.PENANAnu5tBetDc6
"And how will you do 388Please respect copyright.PENANAI6pUuWL0rp
that? That isle has an expansive underground system.. It was lucky we've388Please respect copyright.PENANARSII1uZlOv
managed to find you in the first place." Shaking his head Fernand got 388Please respect copyright.PENANAk7VlNCWu9G
up. "Enough delays, you seem to know more than you're telling me this 388Please respect copyright.PENANAkZ7AxZZBr2
little chat proved it beyond a doubt."388Please respect copyright.PENANAwswJ8SeoRp
"But I don't! I really 388Please respect copyright.PENANA7r70dDzqQd
don't! I told you everything I know!" David was shouting, the whole act 388Please respect copyright.PENANAyuXqkJ2dIM
gone, torturing isn't something one came back fully from.388Please respect copyright.PENANAkkrDKX0IU8
"Ah captain Schumah, a 388Please respect copyright.PENANAt1Vl4wcn8t
pleasure as always." Came a jolly voice from the outside as Fernand 388Please respect copyright.PENANAYeK6nHvvqa
opened the door and left the room. A tall man came in shortly. Wearing a388Please respect copyright.PENANAZ6yvaRWG5W
mask to hide his identity but still revealing his teeth, half of them 388Please respect copyright.PENANANLkvcAfz7p
black. 388Please respect copyright.PENANAbHodCPP3fE
"Well, well. What do we 388Please respect copyright.PENANAm4MKd7Fdok
have here?" The man asked as he deposited a bag on the table. Coming 388Please respect copyright.PENANAGGYQhFhqq4
closer to David and investigating his burn scars.388Please respect copyright.PENANAamIBqPu4sP
"Look, I swear to all 388Please respect copyright.PENANAN5tygJHLpk
gods. I don't know anymore. I'm..." his jaw was shut violently, causing 388Please respect copyright.PENANAwEEhElMmpb
his teeth to hurt and gums to bleed. 388Please respect copyright.PENANAjRcgRNdtfq
"We will find out if you388Please respect copyright.PENANA3hMaBgeEhR
do or not. Everyone is honest in front of the almighty god of pain." He388Please respect copyright.PENANAjcPlqFDZMG
cackled at that. But then gave David a dissatisfied look. "Cheer up; by388Please respect copyright.PENANAUM2Lno6xZ7
the time we're done here, we'll be good friends."388Please respect copyright.PENANAl9kilulYEJ
David struggled against 388Please respect copyright.PENANAn9LVIgqmC8
his bonds. But it was of no use, both his arms were attached to the 388Please respect copyright.PENANADYntjElQlL
chair with metal bonds, while the chair itself was fastened to the 388Please respect copyright.PENANA8soYJeRZ0T
floor. No matter how much he tried to buckle it didn't move an inch388Please respect copyright.PENANAv4ykunN6rl
"Now how should we 388Please respect copyright.PENANA4gcjSS8SfT
start? With this?" The torturer took out a saw but then shook his head. 388Please respect copyright.PENANAKlFT26rqH2
"No too early, need to warm up first." He rummaged in his bag for a 388Please respect copyright.PENANAQpZQn1U6zk
while longer but then stopped and looked at David. "You know, I was 388Please respect copyright.PENANA2IN2c9ecB9
supposed to get three bodies. One was already dead so I couldn't have my388Please respect copyright.PENANAqfH3zSRcJF
fun, the other one barely made any sound while I was having my fun, 388Please respect copyright.PENANAMBQz2B6EaV
such a bore. So you my friend, I will definitely need to take my time, 388Please respect copyright.PENANAUINWuv7cuT
with you. Make sure to scream for me." He gave David a crooked smile, as388Please respect copyright.PENANA6gmo0XksLq
he pointed a long finger straight at David's chest.388Please respect copyright.PENANATltE3Eg17A
Before David could reply388Please respect copyright.PENANA2EKrnYScI5
he smelt something burning under his nose, without registering the 388Please respect copyright.PENANAnZCMMfscgg
pain fully he saw smoke coming from the finger, then the pain hit him, 388Please respect copyright.PENANA4usvB3643f
and he screamed.388Please respect copyright.PENANAxCvljJYdaY
The torturer 388Please respect copyright.PENANAExxSfKohDp
clapped."Perfect!" He was practically jumping with glee. "Magic! How 388Please respect copyright.PENANAAeVQLF7M7l
could I forget, you must forgive me, I should've just started off with 388Please respect copyright.PENANAq8CodgD0a5
this."388Please respect copyright.PENANAIrdVyTlKA8
The torturer moved his 388Please respect copyright.PENANAzeZFmT4Tcg
finger away from David's chest, but the pain didn't fade. Before David 388Please respect copyright.PENANAE0Eudzx1Xp
could catch his breath, the burning finger was jabbed into his forehead 388Please respect copyright.PENANAwT3YY7WWfg
and he screamed again. "Hahahah! And they say magic can't affect 388Please respect copyright.PENANA6ui2PcPaZW
humans. Even if you can't control the mind or heal wounds directly with 388Please respect copyright.PENANAl8KeXSL5Va
magic, you can easily control or brake with the power of magic, don't 388Please respect copyright.PENANARUx6oggON5
you agree?"388Please respect copyright.PENANA8VNMZy68kk
The torturer stopped his388Please respect copyright.PENANA8p899V1jv4
smile and coked his head. "Oh, that reminds me, I should ask you 388Please respect copyright.PENANAT3ArUUxdk0
questions. Now what should I ask, I believe the good captain left me a 388Please respect copyright.PENANATiReGthBLf
list?" He took out some papers from his bag and gave them a quick glance388Please respect copyright.PENANAaRoTG3eieY
before discarding them on the floor. "Ah yes. Where did the rebellion 388Please respect copyright.PENANACPw2A1DZ00
go?" 388Please respect copyright.PENANAqa9xk8xTAT
David was trying to 388Please respect copyright.PENANARkDr7zCcWE
formulate an answer, a lie, a scathing rebuke, anything but his mind was388Please respect copyright.PENANAmjJgD5MPim
too muddled to think of anything. The torturer nodded. Smiling "Now I 388Please respect copyright.PENANAIBTzSjcY8p
guess saying you can't heal directly with magic is a lie, you can 388Please respect copyright.PENANAMYcLVEEcFI
cauterize your wounds! For example..." The torturer waved his hand and 388Please respect copyright.PENANAxGmrn7G8l0
David felt pain coming from his right arm, as he looked down he could 388Please respect copyright.PENANArsPUAaSrrH
see three of his fingers crushed, bone protruding. David couldn't even 388Please respect copyright.PENANAa8J4RV4uZu
let out a scream before fire overtook his hand, burning it to a crisp.388Please respect copyright.PENANAa4Zz9XTxqV
"See, the bleeding stopped!" The torturer loved and David added his scream to this symphony of horror.388Please respect copyright.PENANATb8tTncmVo
Then suddenly David was 388Please respect copyright.PENANAHd5EqtYkgj
his with a force of cold water strong enough to brake his nose as it 388Please respect copyright.PENANAn3go1un1jA
made contact with his face. "Where are the rebels?" The torturers voice 388Please respect copyright.PENANAfqFvmJaMoe
changed, becoming more matter of fact. That mad glean from his eyes 388Please respect copyright.PENANAhymQq7t4CB
gone, David almost believed that the whole thing was an act. "I...I 388Please respect copyright.PENANAk9By7mGTND
don't know."388Please respect copyright.PENANABhE1njdUhz
The torturer nodded and smiled again, the glean coming back. "Good."388Please respect copyright.PENANA3gKSfm52yX
"Now, while magic is 388Please respect copyright.PENANA9G4O95vOli
amazing, variety is important as well. Wouldn't want you getting bored 388Please respect copyright.PENANAHaQTn5TErO
in your seat there." The torturer gave David a smile and pulled out some388Please respect copyright.PENANAEdLL9gCNgc
pliers out of his bag. "Nails are pretty useless, aren't they?" He 388Please respect copyright.PENANA6HLqtmQitJ
tapped Davids fingernails with the pliers. "See it as me doing you a 388Please respect copyright.PENANAIEtwheF2sO
favour." The first nail was ripped, it was a weird feeling for David as 388Please respect copyright.PENANA0etn5Lrkzf
he didn't feel pain at first, but then as the open skin was exposed pain388Please respect copyright.PENANA7bQ5mudsfo
came and David screamed for someone to help388Please respect copyright.PENANA9v44ZbmsBD
~no one will come.~388Please respect copyright.PENANAXJ80uzJMs3
After pulling out all 388Please respect copyright.PENANAt0u3pb1w68
the nails, David could hear the pliers hitting the table. His vision was388Please respect copyright.PENANA4oP9varOMA
blurry he couldn't see or hear anything, only pain existed. "ull out 388Please respect copyright.PENANAXgrppa2esJ
teeth, but that's what everyone does. A hammer...." David could only 388Please respect copyright.PENANASF9s9m7iy4
hear bits and pieces of what the torturer said. He then felt his mouth 388Please respect copyright.PENANAkPKGN5El6x
being opened. David tried to resist, he truly did, but he didn't have 388Please respect copyright.PENANAdgkQLR5AXh
the strength nor the will to do anything substantial. David then sensed 388Please respect copyright.PENANACYyltlzQRX
something metal and cold in his mouth, touching one of his back teeth 388Please respect copyright.PENANAlUdnN1obVQ
and then pain and the taste of blood on his tongue, slowly filling his 388Please respect copyright.PENANAhTvOaOYf66
mouth and dribbling on the floor. The scream came soon after, as David 388Please respect copyright.PENANAMebKLsXNLC
could only think of the pain, with only a small part hoping that someone388Please respect copyright.PENANAomXiBJVRZj
would rescue him.388Please respect copyright.PENANAMhstusE5PD
~no one cares.~388Please respect copyright.PENANAEgIjJs3wHT
Next few moments were a 388Please respect copyright.PENANAU2BWTc2fKI
blur, David was sure the torturer did something else, but he had no idea388Please respect copyright.PENANAsYp7X0levK
what. Until finally the pain was too much and David lost consciousness.388Please respect copyright.PENANAWliDFCFzWG
Thoughts that no one came and cared ringing in his mind as a constant 388Please respect copyright.PENANA0bll72gG08
companion in the darkness.
388Please respect copyright.PENANAFNRed0ME1M
388Please respect copyright.PENANAkuE8Euzwmd