593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSGvDTOGx7
593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTxtdXGj9S
"Mummy, look!" 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrj9gLkyo1c
Tap, tap. 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWg2hl8Ot0
"Mummy I will make you proud!" 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKZQw20YNR
Tap, tap.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvEoss6SVR
"Mummy, save me."593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bDA86FhM9
Tap, tap.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBvzT8McrI
"Alright you better shut593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpT0TsEJ8FB
it with the falling tapping!" David shouted as he opened his eyes and 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYgidfnRtJ
got up. Waking from his dream, for what else could it have been? 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2ePZrDfVj
David was about to 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprEcUj4Ve1
complain more but then he remembered what happened, how he fell from the593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFSwwvPUHf
ship, to his apparent death. But right now he was in the middle a city 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3AgMqxXw8
or at least a shallow imitation of one. With the buildings and the 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nUSw2HUC3
people just being shadowy reflections of the real world, but still 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQInuNr9YM
eerily lifelike.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3y7HfnL0k7
Then it clicked, the 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lJY1ygF3n
ramshackle buildings, the crooked streets, dark alleyways guarded only 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡge0ftbG0fr
by footpads and thieves. Shadowy humans begging and fighting. Stumbling 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6qFkdgJwg
around drunk. David was back in the Havenport slums, his home. A home he593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0TY1ZAZAy
left around 20 years ago when he boarded his first ship. Why was he 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8DjukEZkq
back? Was he dead after all? 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWO0Ix4Z1vI
All of those thoughts, 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zq0CO5r7I
and more, were racing through Davids mind. As he was trying to gather 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktSHluezBk
his wits, he heard laughter from...not behind exactly but everywhere.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNStQJAbHz7
"Ah! Perfect you finally awoke!" David tried turning towards the voice but couldn't quite pinpoint where it was coming from.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLD6PbaPFI3
"Ah, apologies. The ether world makes everything quite fuzzy." 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVo9Vfp2vP3
David fell backwards out of fear as a figure appeared out of thin air in front of him. "Spirit! G..ghost! Demon!"593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnSnMAtloc
"There, there. Get it 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqueZoj0FoY
all out." The being said in an amused voice. Was it even amused? David, 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BwWjK4uGx
again, could not pinpoint the exact tone of voice. It sounded as if it 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnf8mmBW0RF
was echoing both in his mind and in this city. Hitting the walls making 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5T6mJKk4GP
the voice both louder and yet quieter. The voice had both male and 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaF9JvpMJVw
female aspects to it as some parts sounded quite high pitched while 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykNBqbUeEL
others sounded low pitched. Both happy and sad, amused and disappointed.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvJo3MRGb2
It was quite disconcerting. 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qIJxpuJlo
"All done now?" The 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmvSNdTjhh
apparition asked, smiling. Or was it smiling? As David got back up he 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoVNUlw612
got a better look at his new friend. Or at least at the parts that he 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6voXdYjRW
could see. Its face was covered in... something that looked like mist. 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfrbw1wkaX
David was unable to properly distinguish the features. Whether it was 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNq8ivfvgCj
smiling or crying David would never be able to tell.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMTOMHynS8
Its clothes were quite 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6E9NSfdr9W
weird as well. Wearing a top hat which seemed both as tall as the person593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxhD06e27P
wearing it and as short as Davids own pinky. Its body was covered in a 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIn4jyXDkA
dark shroud going from the shoulders to feet and every time it moved it 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7NauXVGCM
changed both color and shape.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZe4sTTWhX
The figure tilted its 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6RnQtvyZC
head and moved his hands as the tapping noise continued. Concentrating 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UIXGsoD4q
on the lower part of the body David could see a thin shape of an object 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjlpxQARwD
that looked like a stick. A cane? A walking stick? Who knew?593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPi6TtZp3A
"The tapping, was that you?" David said as the tapping noise surrounded them again echoing as if they were in a cave.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkf5zefSF86
"Indeed" 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTBmXzRcV2
Tap, tap, tap.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxsIobANBD
David flinched at the 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bOGFu2tOS
sound. He wanted to shout at the ghost to stop the tapping. To answer 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPxMKBpAJ7
where he was and what was happening. But there was a power dynamic here,593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLPBsSJCGc
as in everything else in life. During the years he learned that there 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMFu3AqaJH
are three types of people: Leaders, followers and parasites (a handy 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVvMnKRBfr
word he learned from a scholar, turned pirate, in his earlier forays 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTBZLkzpXu
into piracy)593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWRm2eKKlrc
Leaders and followers 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uPnorYQvT
were self-explanatory. David, meanwhile, considered himself a parasite. 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbcyI1RKxX
Parasites attached themselves to either a leader or a follower. Making 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzLDaFKjyY
them believe you were on their side, that you were one of them. And then593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gX4ytMFzF
when that person gives you everything you need you leave and attach 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwFaQsqphv
yourself to someone else.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhRrPCmXtf
This was not so 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOyPYU3sYj
different, David was the parasite and the person in front of him was the593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JECiLqkh0
leader. He was in charge of the situation so David had to attach 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJfy0GDKi8
himself to him or her. Had to make them believe he was on their side or 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDyXMgU5Il
harmless or whatever the situation called for. After all no one is 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FU7KGNeXg
immune to flattery, be it gods or ghosts.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyk8FS2B9qh
"I'm sure I'd have the pleasure of your acquaintance, if I knew your name?" He ventured slightly bobbing his head.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEw7O9TZ8bo
The figure gave a 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8d8TIdHELm
chuckle, which sounded as if glass shattering. "Ah yes, you will suck up593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRY3J35M0Wn
to me trying to win me over and then hopefully gain an advantage. I've 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbP9T90FO3
been watching you, David Oxtorne, lying and never revealing your true 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBPkDGxFb0
self. Being a friend to some, an arrogant bastard to others whatever 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNMcY6ck9w
would get them to like or accept you." A pause and the figure looked to 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUE8FC62Meq
the side. "I've no time for your games; otherwise I would've loved for 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBznObzeF0m
you to grovel and try to win favor. For now call me...Jester." Jester 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNt9JXRRmEz
laughed, as if saying a grand joke that David wasn't part of.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHklZd3T6o1
David looked at him 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qg601gHeQ
puzzled adding his own awkward laugh to Jesters. This...Jester certainly593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaw5SFNIy4
liked to laugh a lot, although David was failing to find any funny 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3oPPjG13W
jokes. "Nice to meet you Jester." David was about to say more but he was593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIELXcbMss
interrupted by a raised hand.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNOhLhiKZh
"Yes, yes you're a slow 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEa7mmojzw
learner aren't you? We will need to change that. You want to ask where 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVWJW1M2Ep
you are and whatnot. So let me answer that for you. You're in the ether 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinHG8q6mtm
world. You're not dead because I saved you. Your body is laying asleep 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJWmzfudbr
so you're here only in your consciousness. Not a lot of giftless can do 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdxgbDfumU
that, you should feel dead honored"593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOthOtDHo1
David was having trouble593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSk05cYFTj4
following jester. But one thing he understood was that you didn't save 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnKuq6gwkX
someone's life unless you got something out of it."wha..."593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYblaDkZhyz
But David didn't get to 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXPT7ky7Im
finish as jester continued." Not done yet was I? Your next question is, 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoT60hpqTRK
probably: 'what do you want in return for saving my life?' Which 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAScUtagivt
honestly David hurts, just hurts. Don't you think I'm a generous soul?"593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBcvEz2TbU
A pause, David was 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2xdCkQfTy
unsure what to do and begun to answer but the figure kept on talking." 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQ7Tn4Nvpu
Of course I'm not. Suffice to say I will need you to find something. 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5BBsSvojUo
Can't tell you what yet but others will be hunting for it too" 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUSPzbYZMs
Jester made a clock 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGpwApbGsQ
appear in front and nodded...probably." Well that's all from me. We'll 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVj43GlNSqs
meet again once you've met the other chosen ones. I'll explain more 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PNu6Ne3ev
then, hopefully you'll be better company by then. Or else I've chosen 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiL9gIWPuJY
quite wrong, quite wrong indeed."593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVM5rqXfPDd
David was about to ask 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQEKwmiuFb
more questions but then he heard a whisper. He looked at jester first 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JPRvzWbDs
but as far as David could tell it wasn't his doing, which didn't 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11ZNcXm0T9
convince David at all.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmRJHUGadl
"Hey I...body..." a voice echoed. Sounding human. 593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDKPe2tHt9
And then his world shook, all the shadows dissipating, as if swept away by the wind.593Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2hgLkJPPT
"I am watching, my chosen. Make it interesting for me." Jesters voice resounded within Davids head as darkness fell again.
ns18.222.185.243da2
