581Please respect copyright.PENANAO09nlOzC4M
581Please respect copyright.PENANAXrbZQW1pH3
All taxes must be paid 581Please respect copyright.PENANAfyjN1F3ZMq
in a timely and organized manner. Each prince controls tax 581Please respect copyright.PENANAyASzPaH3B3
collection in his princedom War is forbidden between the princes. All 581Please respect copyright.PENANABQ6Kn92toY
dissatisfactions must be dealt in a civilized manner. Via duels or by 581Please respect copyright.PENANAWpvUMv0m5q
lodging a complaint to the council of princes.The most powerful 581Please respect copyright.PENANAwZdhuq9x0L
traders shall form a council of 10; with each member being called a 581Please respect copyright.PENANAa7QFXgT8mn
prince. This council shall gather in emergencies: such as war, the 581Please respect copyright.PENANACupvtc4Zcs
enactment of widespread changes, as well as to deal with any 581Please respect copyright.PENANAvnJda45ED9
grievances between the princesIf any trader or isle within the trade581Please respect copyright.PENANAW1HL6Tp0kI
union territory is attacked all princes must come to the defense 581Please respect copyright.PENANA2vqPfvLGzh
Declaring war on foreign bodies is forbidden. If any trader or 581Please respect copyright.PENANAma4l2SuhfP
prince is found doing so they will be stripped of their goods and 581Please respect copyright.PENANAFwqYm2OdVz
factories and will have to contend with the war on their own.All magic 581Please respect copyright.PENANASxqYIaQhJT
is illegal and practitioners will be prosecuted581Please respect copyright.PENANA1rgYszciwQ
We are traders, not warlords. We thrive on income and civility, not chaos and murder.581Please respect copyright.PENANAnhHlg8kjMN
'The union codex, rules the traders abide by.'581Please respect copyright.PENANAJQEOytR8iT
___________________________________________________581Please respect copyright.PENANAdwTHmDDQle
581Please respect copyright.PENANAWB0Lmht9gi
David has been in jail 581Please respect copyright.PENANAwdGiH4X9oa
before, a flying jail, a jail on the ground ground. All kinds and types.581Please respect copyright.PENANAMgzNZQ7e3u
Honestly he felt kind of at home when he woke up on the cold hard floor581Please respect copyright.PENANAmSfYdLDCZa
of a ship to metal grates wishing him good morning.581Please respect copyright.PENANAxPNVp59HhI
The cell was big enough 581Please respect copyright.PENANAvuCDzxJdCy
for him to stretch his muscles and walk around a bit. He checked his 581Please respect copyright.PENANAcp90GbaAjV
back pocket where kept Boyle's pendant but it was gone, good riddance. 581Please respect copyright.PENANAccuAsK010T
Luckily David didn't have any other belongings on his person and the 581Please respect copyright.PENANARXtqjjpUiM
guards graciously allowed him to keep his clothes.581Please respect copyright.PENANAbzi2i3V7D7
David didn't even 581Please respect copyright.PENANAiaP1F5nlgF
contemplate shouting, as it usually invited a guard and when you're the 581Please respect copyright.PENANA31TmyZMjdj
one in the cell why would you want a guard to be nearby. So David did 581Please respect copyright.PENANArQjr2tu1nP
what any sane person in his situation would, he went back to sleep on 581Please respect copyright.PENANAUjw3uXkTWC
the bed hanging from the metal wall. 581Please respect copyright.PENANAdSdnScMxzC
Sadly event the best 581Please respect copyright.PENANAeXbR2pWV4K
plans sometimes fall apart and it was the case here, as he couldn't fall581Please respect copyright.PENANA6BCYG6oXmG
asleep. There was something akin to ringing in his head, a feeling that581Please respect copyright.PENANAoO2RdLruNs
something was close, similar to something he feels when he's near 581Please respect copyright.PENANAV9ukLAlHWU
Francesca. Soon enough David heard the sound of doors moving and he 581Please respect copyright.PENANAGoSC6LnyYz
opened one, the only one that was working, eye. Through his eye he could581Please respect copyright.PENANAon7JEkDCz2
see two guards carrying...something big, leaving a trail of blood. Now 581Please respect copyright.PENANAlIb6pAerUI
while David didn't get a good look that did seem to eerily look like Gob581Please respect copyright.PENANAfCRwIOnHa2
or at least what David wished Gob would look like. Either way that was 581Please respect copyright.PENANAMRHzGLZ7zd
enough to get his attention and he stood up, as the guards locked the 581Please respect copyright.PENANADDBh53Wd16
cell next door.581Please respect copyright.PENANAXsZ80Qf1O7
Another soldier came up 581Please respect copyright.PENANAzDBymtleoX
to David's cell, and David recognized him as the one who was trying to 581Please respect copyright.PENANAMzgvvDN7we
talk Gob down. The officer gestured at the soldiers and they quickly 581Please respect copyright.PENANAMegx9aPziR
unlocked David's cell, who promptly presented his hands in submission. 581Please respect copyright.PENANA0E9wIN9w88
Sadly the guard didn't seem to care as one of them punched David in the 581Please respect copyright.PENANAlUYbNL4e3P
gut and the other handcuffed his hands, putting them behind David's 581Please respect copyright.PENANAfoE4ax6nHi
back.581Please respect copyright.PENANAVHNn7E5pVg
While David would've 581Please respect copyright.PENANAS9y7vg86YJ
preferred everyone to be civil, his mind was too preoccupied with one 581Please respect copyright.PENANA1sAADwy8sk
fact, the tug was definitely stronger when closer to the officer. It 581Please respect copyright.PENANA4hGX5yO0Ql
seemed he was the other chosen, David was hoping there were more as 581Please respect copyright.PENANAEcUeT8RNkW
Jesters words came back to him. 581Please respect copyright.PENANAhmHh8RvAkx
The walk itself didn't 581Please respect copyright.PENANAiLQ215cebH
last long as they arrived in a room with a table and two chairs, on 581Please respect copyright.PENANAhGNE5oolX4
opposite sides. It was downright friendly if you ignored the blood 581Please respect copyright.PENANAEFHKY6bi4j
splatters all around the room.581Please respect copyright.PENANA5PinuZm2zh
David was put into the 581Please respect copyright.PENANATxxW3xlfp3
chair further away from the door and his hands attached to the handles. 581Please respect copyright.PENANAJk6C4SFzZh
The officer motioned for the guards to leave them and took a sit at the 581Please respect copyright.PENANAhaw7Gwetja
other chair, staring into David's soul.581Please respect copyright.PENANACbHKb0MIwe
"Who are you?" So the questioning has started.581Please respect copyright.PENANAOeni3KyX0e
"I'm David, the rebels 581Please respect copyright.PENANAU7eY9CJKLp
have caught me and took me hostage. I would like to..." before he could 581Please respect copyright.PENANAryJQ59TgkF
finish the interrogator held his hand out to stop David.581Please respect copyright.PENANAT7MGmefT5l
"Where are you from?"581Please respect copyright.PENANAJ94Oh0zjL5
"The Isle Commonwealth, Capital isle. I was..." again the hand came out. And notes were made.581Please respect copyright.PENANAlX8xJK8Nbn
"Why were you meeting with the trade union?"581Please respect copyright.PENANAwiaF8W72GL
"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 nodded581Please respect copyright.PENANAAjzducllg2
"Where did the rebels move?"581Please respect copyright.PENANAb1yTrZrj98
"Gods, we're not getting581Please respect copyright.PENANAJyT0NeX1Wl
anywhere here. I'm not a rebel. I was just captured by them if you want581Please respect copyright.PENANAIaj8QrErLZ
to know names I'll give you them! I owe them no loyalty."581Please respect copyright.PENANA1zCNJGixFB
"We know the rebellion 581Please respect copyright.PENANAkzQ0c3W6ox
is led by Francesca Horrikh. He second in command is Gob D'Fortez. With 581Please respect copyright.PENANAW3XAcFSBMM
the help of officers chosen by them they lead the rebellion..."581Please respect copyright.PENANA4vxkWWWV0u
"Well if you know all 581Please respect copyright.PENANAskwOWLIBe6
that then why are you asking me? Go ask Gob you have him here!" David 581Please respect copyright.PENANAij4F5YuKxM
interrupted the officer, acting more agitated and scared. Act clueless 581Please respect copyright.PENANAUyQCrMrVVJ
make them doubt themselves. Sadly that tactic didn't seem to be working 581Please respect copyright.PENANAL7OiFXlow2
on the imperial soldier.581Please respect copyright.PENANAjcx6jkHgM1
"I wanted to make this 581Please respect copyright.PENANAxTmJhHZOgC
civilized, sadly you don't seem to want to answer my questions and I've 581Please respect copyright.PENANAECol6lF1Al
no time. If you truly are but a simple hostage then you have my 581Please respect copyright.PENANAFz6jfxicZ1
apologies. My name is Fernand Schumah and if you so wish you can curse 581Please respect copyright.PENANAetoL2qmVYF
my name in the afterlife." Fernand gathered his notes, got up and was 581Please respect copyright.PENANAVdgEBjfTVr
about to leave the room. David had an idea of what was about to happen 581Please respect copyright.PENANA5dWJwu0lpU
but judging by the blood on the floor he wanted no part of it.581Please respect copyright.PENANAFJjOKyKQzd
"Wait wait!" Fernand 581Please respect copyright.PENANAd2zB6rWebG
paused. "I've heard them mentioning moving to a different isle, one of 581Please respect copyright.PENANAP4RS1ZWwLY
their previous hiding spots. I don't know where exactly...or how."581Please respect copyright.PENANAwUmNrNFMOg
Fernand was shaking his 581Please respect copyright.PENANAFmS4tk024R
head. "Useless, we guessed they would move to a different isle, we can't581Please respect copyright.PENANAvClliCoZ95
keep guessing where." Fernand paused "We can't risk you knowing where 581Please respect copyright.PENANAG6LCfg56zQ
they went, my apologies." For what it was worth Fernand seemed genuinely581Please respect copyright.PENANAYPoDwhSGK4
sorry. But David was close to panicking now. Torturers were sadists by 581Please respect copyright.PENANAS674oZ6oDP
nature, they wouldn't care about anything but the screams they elicit. 581Please respect copyright.PENANAZl4LOjnCsZ
"Did you have any strange dreams? Someone telling you to do, or find, something?"581Please respect copyright.PENANA9hKVeAK61p
That made Ferdinand 581Please respect copyright.PENANA6CoOkUMiRa
pause and sit back; David could finally see a flicker of emotion on the 581Please respect copyright.PENANAk2N4CBWIrA
man's face. "Why would you know about that?"581Please respect copyright.PENANAsR4USkrY68
Fernand wasn't denying 581Please respect copyright.PENANAUf8EdBqzyM
it, David was glad of that. "I had a dream like that as well, and so did581Please respect copyright.PENANAnrS7TjayXl
the rebellion leader, Francesca. Apparently they're The Five trying to 581Please respect copyright.PENANAl9GfwWXIRZ
get us do something." 581Please respect copyright.PENANAWlDHVnS69k
"Blasphemy, he 581Please respect copyright.PENANAmfXgZvm8iH
introduced himself as such but is most likely a demon. A noble should 581Please respect copyright.PENANA4DtQqmmkd3
know better." Fernand dismissed, but didn't immediately stand up.581Please respect copyright.PENANAXu5AE6sDUS
"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" 581Please respect copyright.PENANAzXPJ69w09Q
"Demons tend to plan 581Please respect copyright.PENANAJtVG6wwuOh
elaborately for their objectives." Fernand paused and sighted. "But 581Please respect copyright.PENANAzf6R4evyrL
let's say it's true, what did your vision ask of you?"581Please respect copyright.PENANAeImTSqY4Wz
"To find something, he 581Please respect copyright.PENANAnedSTWM8nC
wasn't specific." David was afraid of that, Francesca's vision seemed to581Please respect copyright.PENANArUbJegaEWh
be pretty clear on what she had to do and David was sure it was the 581Please respect copyright.PENANA8ASuMPdckv
same for Fernand.581Please respect copyright.PENANAGwf10j0ygx
Fernand was about to say581Please respect copyright.PENANAgYtZR0P27E
more but shook his head. "All this just makes you more suspicious. You 581Please respect copyright.PENANA5kINL6pVXu
knew of Francesca's visions, which means she trusted you enough to 581Please respect copyright.PENANAey9nSzepvW
reveal that. Unless you know of a way of how I can feel Francesca as I 581Please respect copyright.PENANAFREEjl64PB
feel you from a distance, the apparitions and their orders are useless."581Please respect copyright.PENANAnrf8SSvLIH
David quickly rummaged 581Please respect copyright.PENANAFi5HecbsSC
his brain on what else he could use to hook the soldier. "She'll be back581Please respect copyright.PENANAZinxkTsEDB
to the last isle, the one you just attacked. She seemed keen to find 581Please respect copyright.PENANA67mDPIenhu
something on it. If you manage to find that something first you'd be 581Please respect copyright.PENANAXSiktBvrH7
able to trap her."581Please respect copyright.PENANA6VTbmiv3vO
"And you know what it was or where I can find it?" 581Please respect copyright.PENANABwZVzVT4iH
"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.581Please respect copyright.PENANAZBsMPvt0Mw
"And how will you do 581Please respect copyright.PENANAmCt0Rpx4Mi
that? That isle has an expansive underground system.. It was lucky we've581Please respect copyright.PENANA3QmfizcZgK
managed to find you in the first place." Shaking his head Fernand got 581Please respect copyright.PENANAppdDWead5X
up. "Enough delays, you seem to know more than you're telling me this 581Please respect copyright.PENANAvaMz8ShfQK
little chat proved it beyond a doubt."581Please respect copyright.PENANAcnzsCG77Nw
"But I don't! I really 581Please respect copyright.PENANAS6eYqEcEi3
don't! I told you everything I know!" David was shouting, the whole act 581Please respect copyright.PENANAq2KF0Wg5Ts
gone, torturing isn't something one came back fully from.581Please respect copyright.PENANA0UKfGGbp9u
"Ah captain Schumah, a 581Please respect copyright.PENANA7L5CTLlaCp
pleasure as always." Came a jolly voice from the outside as Fernand 581Please respect copyright.PENANAOhWKh9xP5f
opened the door and left the room. A tall man came in shortly. Wearing a581Please respect copyright.PENANALiQyw00MTe
mask to hide his identity but still revealing his teeth, half of them 581Please respect copyright.PENANAWpfzEa3Rum
black. 581Please respect copyright.PENANApEBNhvtpg8
"Well, well. What do we 581Please respect copyright.PENANATjeXAt6VqR
have here?" The man asked as he deposited a bag on the table. Coming 581Please respect copyright.PENANA3AbiqCqOzv
closer to David and investigating his burn scars.581Please respect copyright.PENANAdAA9xaU4G8
"Look, I swear to all 581Please respect copyright.PENANAoVkPZ8YP5a
gods. I don't know anymore. I'm..." his jaw was shut violently, causing 581Please respect copyright.PENANANJwFB2mbJR
his teeth to hurt and gums to bleed. 581Please respect copyright.PENANACGmbx8F3mv
"We will find out if you581Please respect copyright.PENANAnO6G3mF7kV
do or not. Everyone is honest in front of the almighty god of pain." He581Please respect copyright.PENANANpJH9Aegxj
cackled at that. But then gave David a dissatisfied look. "Cheer up; by581Please respect copyright.PENANAorj7SUe7jj
the time we're done here, we'll be good friends."581Please respect copyright.PENANADKjTQQHm4c
David struggled against 581Please respect copyright.PENANAYXJSPG6Vnv
his bonds. But it was of no use, both his arms were attached to the 581Please respect copyright.PENANANQSpWALL4n
chair with metal bonds, while the chair itself was fastened to the 581Please respect copyright.PENANAYjf0M3goKd
floor. No matter how much he tried to buckle it didn't move an inch581Please respect copyright.PENANAuOX85JL4Rc
"Now how should we 581Please respect copyright.PENANARsoHeugS3n
start? With this?" The torturer took out a saw but then shook his head. 581Please respect copyright.PENANAcDNMVGbBwI
"No too early, need to warm up first." He rummaged in his bag for a 581Please respect copyright.PENANAszBEG4FTz7
while longer but then stopped and looked at David. "You know, I was 581Please respect copyright.PENANA37ZU7nK3m4
supposed to get three bodies. One was already dead so I couldn't have my581Please respect copyright.PENANA51YmJskfFj
fun, the other one barely made any sound while I was having my fun, 581Please respect copyright.PENANAa2bbQ74Cfs
such a bore. So you my friend, I will definitely need to take my time, 581Please respect copyright.PENANAPLme0bu7XO
with you. Make sure to scream for me." He gave David a crooked smile, as581Please respect copyright.PENANAqepNBAQNcx
he pointed a long finger straight at David's chest.581Please respect copyright.PENANAyZsb7jNefv
Before David could reply581Please respect copyright.PENANA4n7zrTqjmp
he smelt something burning under his nose, without registering the 581Please respect copyright.PENANARDHIg7puxi
pain fully he saw smoke coming from the finger, then the pain hit him, 581Please respect copyright.PENANA4RuxydK03c
and he screamed.581Please respect copyright.PENANAGCVgFaeC2m
The torturer 581Please respect copyright.PENANAtU3DHppChH
clapped."Perfect!" He was practically jumping with glee. "Magic! How 581Please respect copyright.PENANAVIMiuIz48n
could I forget, you must forgive me, I should've just started off with 581Please respect copyright.PENANA8tCPiOiMZL
this."581Please respect copyright.PENANAySMHQBLEC4
The torturer moved his 581Please respect copyright.PENANARKmHAbHPav
finger away from David's chest, but the pain didn't fade. Before David 581Please respect copyright.PENANAQOiSrTFDtG
could catch his breath, the burning finger was jabbed into his forehead 581Please respect copyright.PENANAE2DBeR8v1h
and he screamed again. "Hahahah! And they say magic can't affect 581Please respect copyright.PENANAsa903RCAO8
humans. Even if you can't control the mind or heal wounds directly with 581Please respect copyright.PENANA1ODmaED0Y2
magic, you can easily control or brake with the power of magic, don't 581Please respect copyright.PENANAwtNWnejY36
you agree?"581Please respect copyright.PENANAa9BQG2aKQn
The torturer stopped his581Please respect copyright.PENANAi6GCn94AKh
smile and coked his head. "Oh, that reminds me, I should ask you 581Please respect copyright.PENANABQonJnok7w
questions. Now what should I ask, I believe the good captain left me a 581Please respect copyright.PENANAieHmGfyGp8
list?" He took out some papers from his bag and gave them a quick glance581Please respect copyright.PENANAME9KWW34CM
before discarding them on the floor. "Ah yes. Where did the rebellion 581Please respect copyright.PENANAH5sw0xpBl4
go?" 581Please respect copyright.PENANAx3NnhkGmXv
David was trying to 581Please respect copyright.PENANAXVr8PZdAzg
formulate an answer, a lie, a scathing rebuke, anything but his mind was581Please respect copyright.PENANAdmadseLaXX
too muddled to think of anything. The torturer nodded. Smiling "Now I 581Please respect copyright.PENANAth7gv3k6iI
guess saying you can't heal directly with magic is a lie, you can 581Please respect copyright.PENANATdgznr8hyq
cauterize your wounds! For example..." The torturer waved his hand and 581Please respect copyright.PENANAxi2RzEhBml
David felt pain coming from his right arm, as he looked down he could 581Please respect copyright.PENANArv20hAw98k
see three of his fingers crushed, bone protruding. David couldn't even 581Please respect copyright.PENANAwZs5AqKU6g
let out a scream before fire overtook his hand, burning it to a crisp.581Please respect copyright.PENANAWaJOPxOUca
"See, the bleeding stopped!" The torturer loved and David added his scream to this symphony of horror.581Please respect copyright.PENANAWWW3LzhuOl
Then suddenly David was 581Please respect copyright.PENANAnF3oWqUyA4
his with a force of cold water strong enough to brake his nose as it 581Please respect copyright.PENANArGhXgrCEOB
made contact with his face. "Where are the rebels?" The torturers voice 581Please respect copyright.PENANASvJHpNTglx
changed, becoming more matter of fact. That mad glean from his eyes 581Please respect copyright.PENANA1fbSU30eca
gone, David almost believed that the whole thing was an act. "I...I 581Please respect copyright.PENANAKVbPwOzeOO
don't know."581Please respect copyright.PENANAzYqtDElBh4
The torturer nodded and smiled again, the glean coming back. "Good."581Please respect copyright.PENANAUFakVYgLZQ
"Now, while magic is 581Please respect copyright.PENANAzDOCNOMf4k
amazing, variety is important as well. Wouldn't want you getting bored 581Please respect copyright.PENANAlqfPflqrNn
in your seat there." The torturer gave David a smile and pulled out some581Please respect copyright.PENANAcG1C8zX6l4
pliers out of his bag. "Nails are pretty useless, aren't they?" He 581Please respect copyright.PENANAbVjr9Y1Cvv
tapped Davids fingernails with the pliers. "See it as me doing you a 581Please respect copyright.PENANAs85J6HIVKU
favour." The first nail was ripped, it was a weird feeling for David as 581Please respect copyright.PENANAIv1pdLyDhg
he didn't feel pain at first, but then as the open skin was exposed pain581Please respect copyright.PENANAQCje4kuf6S
came and David screamed for someone to help581Please respect copyright.PENANAhNMucPPLrC
~no one will come.~581Please respect copyright.PENANAVq3GEx042V
After pulling out all 581Please respect copyright.PENANAHQo6iMnaqw
the nails, David could hear the pliers hitting the table. His vision was581Please respect copyright.PENANABSvN86FUFO
blurry he couldn't see or hear anything, only pain existed. "ull out 581Please respect copyright.PENANAIx2UhltFAR
teeth, but that's what everyone does. A hammer...." David could only 581Please respect copyright.PENANABGp5OtbbrC
hear bits and pieces of what the torturer said. He then felt his mouth 581Please respect copyright.PENANAsnxqZtVUrO
being opened. David tried to resist, he truly did, but he didn't have 581Please respect copyright.PENANAZr599iNc0Q
the strength nor the will to do anything substantial. David then sensed 581Please respect copyright.PENANApKVGcCQt9v
something metal and cold in his mouth, touching one of his back teeth 581Please respect copyright.PENANANK5jJAk0x3
and then pain and the taste of blood on his tongue, slowly filling his 581Please respect copyright.PENANABbTfa9Wonj
mouth and dribbling on the floor. The scream came soon after, as David 581Please respect copyright.PENANAqp94OZD7UX
could only think of the pain, with only a small part hoping that someone581Please respect copyright.PENANAURwLqYQfmS
would rescue him.581Please respect copyright.PENANAQp9kzHNYAh
~no one cares.~581Please respect copyright.PENANA5tNepUsfR1
Next few moments were a 581Please respect copyright.PENANAWlTqPYh79i
blur, David was sure the torturer did something else, but he had no idea581Please respect copyright.PENANAQd0zPpfFAY
what. Until finally the pain was too much and David lost consciousness.581Please respect copyright.PENANAL0HVRp3Y5u
Thoughts that no one came and cared ringing in his mind as a constant 581Please respect copyright.PENANABuZp5K4ZC2
companion in the darkness.
581Please respect copyright.PENANAMaMJkqE3Cs
581Please respect copyright.PENANAaGzIFP6GQR