589Please respect copyright.PENANAR0M1qS4xn7
589Please respect copyright.PENANAVDQ1kat0WR
All taxes must be paid 589Please respect copyright.PENANA48EhLdlq5T
in a timely and organized manner. Each prince controls tax 589Please respect copyright.PENANA8mBhsoVdL3
collection in his princedom War is forbidden between the princes. All 589Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZbpWoOOSz
dissatisfactions must be dealt in a civilized manner. Via duels or by 589Please respect copyright.PENANALqGF9L7V5q
lodging a complaint to the council of princes.The most powerful 589Please respect copyright.PENANApYeJzXCYKz
traders shall form a council of 10; with each member being called a 589Please respect copyright.PENANAYdYV9MxG5o
prince. This council shall gather in emergencies: such as war, the 589Please respect copyright.PENANAmQAhizT8Pr
enactment of widespread changes, as well as to deal with any 589Please respect copyright.PENANA748P6EQgs1
grievances between the princesIf any trader or isle within the trade589Please respect copyright.PENANAl4xnsiWPMw
union territory is attacked all princes must come to the defense 589Please respect copyright.PENANAm6E1QaaOJg
Declaring war on foreign bodies is forbidden. If any trader or 589Please respect copyright.PENANAgTIOXLwGd1
prince is found doing so they will be stripped of their goods and 589Please respect copyright.PENANASji0jOfx3s
factories and will have to contend with the war on their own.All magic 589Please respect copyright.PENANAQP5NDbiLOF
is illegal and practitioners will be prosecuted589Please respect copyright.PENANAZ7RAd8YOZn
We are traders, not warlords. We thrive on income and civility, not chaos and murder.589Please respect copyright.PENANA5wIfOs932V
'The union codex, rules the traders abide by.'589Please respect copyright.PENANAf0bmQgRzMN
___________________________________________________589Please respect copyright.PENANAtPwXT1nCka
589Please respect copyright.PENANAwrXgYLJI9R
David has been in jail 589Please respect copyright.PENANAnvx43UFtSK
before, a flying jail, a jail on the ground ground. All kinds and types.589Please respect copyright.PENANAgx1NFvcFxN
Honestly he felt kind of at home when he woke up on the cold hard floor589Please respect copyright.PENANAW7O2vI6QJ0
of a ship to metal grates wishing him good morning.589Please respect copyright.PENANAJWbyywTyUf
The cell was big enough 589Please respect copyright.PENANAtG0V6s50KA
for him to stretch his muscles and walk around a bit. He checked his 589Please respect copyright.PENANAEi4WbDXFcX
back pocket where kept Boyle's pendant but it was gone, good riddance. 589Please respect copyright.PENANABgz3pmlvFM
Luckily David didn't have any other belongings on his person and the 589Please respect copyright.PENANApfo46YPUJZ
guards graciously allowed him to keep his clothes.589Please respect copyright.PENANAp0uqXFL4QM
David didn't even 589Please respect copyright.PENANAJruoEAurch
contemplate shouting, as it usually invited a guard and when you're the 589Please respect copyright.PENANAZKh38qwo1E
one in the cell why would you want a guard to be nearby. So David did 589Please respect copyright.PENANAh4O9vdODHz
what any sane person in his situation would, he went back to sleep on 589Please respect copyright.PENANA7W9wMCPh7v
the bed hanging from the metal wall. 589Please respect copyright.PENANAo5cbb0x4v0
Sadly event the best 589Please respect copyright.PENANAFkIoy6s1YX
plans sometimes fall apart and it was the case here, as he couldn't fall589Please respect copyright.PENANAueWaHvBgSO
asleep. There was something akin to ringing in his head, a feeling that589Please respect copyright.PENANATfJ8JUxV2f
something was close, similar to something he feels when he's near 589Please respect copyright.PENANAHsrHxIWJA9
Francesca. Soon enough David heard the sound of doors moving and he 589Please respect copyright.PENANAMI0knsueHZ
opened one, the only one that was working, eye. Through his eye he could589Please respect copyright.PENANAZIzPHBaaa8
see two guards carrying...something big, leaving a trail of blood. Now 589Please respect copyright.PENANATnsyL68K3E
while David didn't get a good look that did seem to eerily look like Gob589Please respect copyright.PENANA8deIqDQJKC
or at least what David wished Gob would look like. Either way that was 589Please respect copyright.PENANAHskuqb3Kd0
enough to get his attention and he stood up, as the guards locked the 589Please respect copyright.PENANAp0hash23Xp
cell next door.589Please respect copyright.PENANAyXn9yJtNzl
Another soldier came up 589Please respect copyright.PENANA0CsuWU3cZt
to David's cell, and David recognized him as the one who was trying to 589Please respect copyright.PENANAHMlf8aXzdE
talk Gob down. The officer gestured at the soldiers and they quickly 589Please respect copyright.PENANAs4OOGD82gW
unlocked David's cell, who promptly presented his hands in submission. 589Please respect copyright.PENANAVdHKS4g6i6
Sadly the guard didn't seem to care as one of them punched David in the 589Please respect copyright.PENANAarefFiD5X0
gut and the other handcuffed his hands, putting them behind David's 589Please respect copyright.PENANAVAu6fu6j83
back.589Please respect copyright.PENANABwbkIKAOqT
While David would've 589Please respect copyright.PENANAWqEkK6HCpr
preferred everyone to be civil, his mind was too preoccupied with one 589Please respect copyright.PENANAi7Jo3NqwKm
fact, the tug was definitely stronger when closer to the officer. It 589Please respect copyright.PENANAPClD02BSxX
seemed he was the other chosen, David was hoping there were more as 589Please respect copyright.PENANA2ovUjsCG1X
Jesters words came back to him. 589Please respect copyright.PENANAkoePfaAlKp
The walk itself didn't 589Please respect copyright.PENANAYeq7CEm0O4
last long as they arrived in a room with a table and two chairs, on 589Please respect copyright.PENANA112aeK5IAA
opposite sides. It was downright friendly if you ignored the blood 589Please respect copyright.PENANAVtLMo3GMC2
splatters all around the room.589Please respect copyright.PENANAoSuIW6ziZ7
David was put into the 589Please respect copyright.PENANABKeRqZGpSO
chair further away from the door and his hands attached to the handles. 589Please respect copyright.PENANAmQ8beKmqqY
The officer motioned for the guards to leave them and took a sit at the 589Please respect copyright.PENANAi0HRZEp8vQ
other chair, staring into David's soul.589Please respect copyright.PENANA3y50Zsjfka
"Who are you?" So the questioning has started.589Please respect copyright.PENANAcaY7ISxZ3I
"I'm David, the rebels 589Please respect copyright.PENANA0td8H5jWXM
have caught me and took me hostage. I would like to..." before he could 589Please respect copyright.PENANAzCguJuPjp8
finish the interrogator held his hand out to stop David.589Please respect copyright.PENANAjFaCN4bkd3
"Where are you from?"589Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7VmjapylC
"The Isle Commonwealth, Capital isle. I was..." again the hand came out. And notes were made.589Please respect copyright.PENANAGB55GAomDD
"Why were you meeting with the trade union?"589Please respect copyright.PENANAjDLQazXvcv
"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 nodded589Please respect copyright.PENANAKO06imhoBw
"Where did the rebels move?"589Please respect copyright.PENANAEgLzJwdIZs
"Gods, we're not getting589Please respect copyright.PENANASI9UNrcBPs
anywhere here. I'm not a rebel. I was just captured by them if you want589Please respect copyright.PENANAILADKQXojr
to know names I'll give you them! I owe them no loyalty."589Please respect copyright.PENANAIOlvky70ma
"We know the rebellion 589Please respect copyright.PENANAv5xegqM0zU
is led by Francesca Horrikh. He second in command is Gob D'Fortez. With 589Please respect copyright.PENANAQ2W6JX4ttp
the help of officers chosen by them they lead the rebellion..."589Please respect copyright.PENANAZOFjoCZM2D
"Well if you know all 589Please respect copyright.PENANAQ8bpZsTfmv
that then why are you asking me? Go ask Gob you have him here!" David 589Please respect copyright.PENANAATs6eMEV6X
interrupted the officer, acting more agitated and scared. Act clueless 589Please respect copyright.PENANAAGhAk6ad5s
make them doubt themselves. Sadly that tactic didn't seem to be working 589Please respect copyright.PENANA45KzjHJZ4I
on the imperial soldier.589Please respect copyright.PENANAHV09z6jgXW
"I wanted to make this 589Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3AcZsS2qa
civilized, sadly you don't seem to want to answer my questions and I've 589Please respect copyright.PENANACJgvnlyNbO
no time. If you truly are but a simple hostage then you have my 589Please respect copyright.PENANASLCGI5eSt4
apologies. My name is Fernand Schumah and if you so wish you can curse 589Please respect copyright.PENANAnxQpNxENGf
my name in the afterlife." Fernand gathered his notes, got up and was 589Please respect copyright.PENANAG064GmgIKe
about to leave the room. David had an idea of what was about to happen 589Please respect copyright.PENANAQhroJdKxtS
but judging by the blood on the floor he wanted no part of it.589Please respect copyright.PENANAHSyOjxH5sm
"Wait wait!" Fernand 589Please respect copyright.PENANAGKtzXlnz6Z
paused. "I've heard them mentioning moving to a different isle, one of 589Please respect copyright.PENANAOj4JFtdMcG
their previous hiding spots. I don't know where exactly...or how."589Please respect copyright.PENANA1gA4Rz5hbo
Fernand was shaking his 589Please respect copyright.PENANAO1BYo63WYt
head. "Useless, we guessed they would move to a different isle, we can't589Please respect copyright.PENANAi0vLean8Rf
keep guessing where." Fernand paused "We can't risk you knowing where 589Please respect copyright.PENANAX24NpLrHYU
they went, my apologies." For what it was worth Fernand seemed genuinely589Please respect copyright.PENANA7leJlS15Av
sorry. But David was close to panicking now. Torturers were sadists by 589Please respect copyright.PENANATCzoWd60ya
nature, they wouldn't care about anything but the screams they elicit. 589Please respect copyright.PENANAtBIK7TK6cd
"Did you have any strange dreams? Someone telling you to do, or find, something?"589Please respect copyright.PENANAkTeaO3AbpY
That made Ferdinand 589Please respect copyright.PENANARggImkhfxj
pause and sit back; David could finally see a flicker of emotion on the 589Please respect copyright.PENANAP8LfXgsMOf
man's face. "Why would you know about that?"589Please respect copyright.PENANAuWRcwqyvs3
Fernand wasn't denying 589Please respect copyright.PENANAYiCj0StwlY
it, David was glad of that. "I had a dream like that as well, and so did589Please respect copyright.PENANATcqzIPTNRB
the rebellion leader, Francesca. Apparently they're The Five trying to 589Please respect copyright.PENANAftJw2E1eC6
get us do something." 589Please respect copyright.PENANAAegorLUe0d
"Blasphemy, he 589Please respect copyright.PENANAR8pjPcaWR3
introduced himself as such but is most likely a demon. A noble should 589Please respect copyright.PENANAb8lU4MNhlW
know better." Fernand dismissed, but didn't immediately stand up.589Please respect copyright.PENANAm2JWs7hNVc
"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" 589Please respect copyright.PENANA0KxK0z0La9
"Demons tend to plan 589Please respect copyright.PENANA10TPNAQhUQ
elaborately for their objectives." Fernand paused and sighted. "But 589Please respect copyright.PENANAmPSEvg0WIh
let's say it's true, what did your vision ask of you?"589Please respect copyright.PENANAR8RQARsA1g
"To find something, he 589Please respect copyright.PENANANOad149MMs
wasn't specific." David was afraid of that, Francesca's vision seemed to589Please respect copyright.PENANAFzrKodoNZo
be pretty clear on what she had to do and David was sure it was the 589Please respect copyright.PENANAUXbKCMu4kf
same for Fernand.589Please respect copyright.PENANAXBZkIESxeB
Fernand was about to say589Please respect copyright.PENANA5AcyruOlLt
more but shook his head. "All this just makes you more suspicious. You 589Please respect copyright.PENANA0PaqMUuRba
knew of Francesca's visions, which means she trusted you enough to 589Please respect copyright.PENANA3omQs4w8Qf
reveal that. Unless you know of a way of how I can feel Francesca as I 589Please respect copyright.PENANAqAX4bJMmTn
feel you from a distance, the apparitions and their orders are useless."589Please respect copyright.PENANAUvGbUEXuPg
David quickly rummaged 589Please respect copyright.PENANAKFP476Y82L
his brain on what else he could use to hook the soldier. "She'll be back589Please respect copyright.PENANA4HRovGgspK
to the last isle, the one you just attacked. She seemed keen to find 589Please respect copyright.PENANAl8unY5hWrf
something on it. If you manage to find that something first you'd be 589Please respect copyright.PENANAeNM199PBPa
able to trap her."589Please respect copyright.PENANAe0kno4gSL1
"And you know what it was or where I can find it?" 589Please respect copyright.PENANA5yqAsfqsTO
"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.589Please respect copyright.PENANAaYPkbr0dQm
"And how will you do 589Please respect copyright.PENANAkcX3LFVwAB
that? That isle has an expansive underground system.. It was lucky we've589Please respect copyright.PENANA9kEjSNBwCJ
managed to find you in the first place." Shaking his head Fernand got 589Please respect copyright.PENANA8dKhwYUikl
up. "Enough delays, you seem to know more than you're telling me this 589Please respect copyright.PENANAqrSxm7rtWa
little chat proved it beyond a doubt."589Please respect copyright.PENANAZLzSUrhvpe
"But I don't! I really 589Please respect copyright.PENANApZSsyq5bB7
don't! I told you everything I know!" David was shouting, the whole act 589Please respect copyright.PENANA29dfCOsz6X
gone, torturing isn't something one came back fully from.589Please respect copyright.PENANAcGq87m7jLE
"Ah captain Schumah, a 589Please respect copyright.PENANAIngzrKqkIf
pleasure as always." Came a jolly voice from the outside as Fernand 589Please respect copyright.PENANA54kxJMyTvo
opened the door and left the room. A tall man came in shortly. Wearing a589Please respect copyright.PENANAf8GLeqSUlk
mask to hide his identity but still revealing his teeth, half of them 589Please respect copyright.PENANAdpE3gQ4oHA
black. 589Please respect copyright.PENANARYwyIwhCC9
"Well, well. What do we 589Please respect copyright.PENANAf85pyNFqeH
have here?" The man asked as he deposited a bag on the table. Coming 589Please respect copyright.PENANA4tYCNepsnf
closer to David and investigating his burn scars.589Please respect copyright.PENANAFf8cZLCEy6
"Look, I swear to all 589Please respect copyright.PENANA0qodNo6w1c
gods. I don't know anymore. I'm..." his jaw was shut violently, causing 589Please respect copyright.PENANAnCyhpEyNPn
his teeth to hurt and gums to bleed. 589Please respect copyright.PENANAbHXJPxDHp4
"We will find out if you589Please respect copyright.PENANA4hO9ZmOlbd
do or not. Everyone is honest in front of the almighty god of pain." He589Please respect copyright.PENANAXzO2VY4VXC
cackled at that. But then gave David a dissatisfied look. "Cheer up; by589Please respect copyright.PENANAl2w1tyA4qq
the time we're done here, we'll be good friends."589Please respect copyright.PENANAFOST6WBgSJ
David struggled against 589Please respect copyright.PENANAKR8hKCinkC
his bonds. But it was of no use, both his arms were attached to the 589Please respect copyright.PENANAUE7SaW0Vrn
chair with metal bonds, while the chair itself was fastened to the 589Please respect copyright.PENANABdFjXs9rxu
floor. No matter how much he tried to buckle it didn't move an inch589Please respect copyright.PENANAMMyNUHxaVb
"Now how should we 589Please respect copyright.PENANAhgmiLRA9NB
start? With this?" The torturer took out a saw but then shook his head. 589Please respect copyright.PENANAvCXqxvnqq8
"No too early, need to warm up first." He rummaged in his bag for a 589Please respect copyright.PENANAFPU8qnAhqU
while longer but then stopped and looked at David. "You know, I was 589Please respect copyright.PENANAgclm5BqeTV
supposed to get three bodies. One was already dead so I couldn't have my589Please respect copyright.PENANAK1yatW5Kpn
fun, the other one barely made any sound while I was having my fun, 589Please respect copyright.PENANAq0DGXlPB7u
such a bore. So you my friend, I will definitely need to take my time, 589Please respect copyright.PENANALJ2Kj7wT0x
with you. Make sure to scream for me." He gave David a crooked smile, as589Please respect copyright.PENANA3HGdo0ZeZx
he pointed a long finger straight at David's chest.589Please respect copyright.PENANAKq0dOlifT0
Before David could reply589Please respect copyright.PENANAp7Btqd3z4q
he smelt something burning under his nose, without registering the 589Please respect copyright.PENANAfKafLdpUBV
pain fully he saw smoke coming from the finger, then the pain hit him, 589Please respect copyright.PENANA9N9kr6KP0i
and he screamed.589Please respect copyright.PENANAjfgc96xeCn
The torturer 589Please respect copyright.PENANAGMtJrOcim0
clapped."Perfect!" He was practically jumping with glee. "Magic! How 589Please respect copyright.PENANAVZ0kdXdLeI
could I forget, you must forgive me, I should've just started off with 589Please respect copyright.PENANAaxaMCRpNxX
this."589Please respect copyright.PENANAOwb4zz6KJn
The torturer moved his 589Please respect copyright.PENANADoUHVVCEbv
finger away from David's chest, but the pain didn't fade. Before David 589Please respect copyright.PENANA2WYvLW7qlh
could catch his breath, the burning finger was jabbed into his forehead 589Please respect copyright.PENANAx5bos1Lc2L
and he screamed again. "Hahahah! And they say magic can't affect 589Please respect copyright.PENANAEsFWOr9n9A
humans. Even if you can't control the mind or heal wounds directly with 589Please respect copyright.PENANAyXnjVzv2g0
magic, you can easily control or brake with the power of magic, don't 589Please respect copyright.PENANA64I5ODKbZT
you agree?"589Please respect copyright.PENANAkjnpx9T5B4
The torturer stopped his589Please respect copyright.PENANAQlzYJMxkBa
smile and coked his head. "Oh, that reminds me, I should ask you 589Please respect copyright.PENANAx5Q1QZrzEe
questions. Now what should I ask, I believe the good captain left me a 589Please respect copyright.PENANAAfhYKo4MPd
list?" He took out some papers from his bag and gave them a quick glance589Please respect copyright.PENANAXSl13WXJ3q
before discarding them on the floor. "Ah yes. Where did the rebellion 589Please respect copyright.PENANAHLaa8BDWW8
go?" 589Please respect copyright.PENANAo6tCKOIMrV
David was trying to 589Please respect copyright.PENANAu54tLD7fK2
formulate an answer, a lie, a scathing rebuke, anything but his mind was589Please respect copyright.PENANAH59knaHnHe
too muddled to think of anything. The torturer nodded. Smiling "Now I 589Please respect copyright.PENANAiTKhpkiqn7
guess saying you can't heal directly with magic is a lie, you can 589Please respect copyright.PENANAs52yhNTmqV
cauterize your wounds! For example..." The torturer waved his hand and 589Please respect copyright.PENANAypNPNpOIfS
David felt pain coming from his right arm, as he looked down he could 589Please respect copyright.PENANApc1i2j9ohu
see three of his fingers crushed, bone protruding. David couldn't even 589Please respect copyright.PENANAdcz7PjVVQH
let out a scream before fire overtook his hand, burning it to a crisp.589Please respect copyright.PENANAYqTSlXjucH
"See, the bleeding stopped!" The torturer loved and David added his scream to this symphony of horror.589Please respect copyright.PENANAp5dAaIKNHi
Then suddenly David was 589Please respect copyright.PENANAWSOuiLCf1I
his with a force of cold water strong enough to brake his nose as it 589Please respect copyright.PENANAt4bndSiP0z
made contact with his face. "Where are the rebels?" The torturers voice 589Please respect copyright.PENANAdahgZ1GgRA
changed, becoming more matter of fact. That mad glean from his eyes 589Please respect copyright.PENANA6bPZuTIHMz
gone, David almost believed that the whole thing was an act. "I...I 589Please respect copyright.PENANAycus7YiNzy
don't know."589Please respect copyright.PENANAIQTcgZIu2i
The torturer nodded and smiled again, the glean coming back. "Good."589Please respect copyright.PENANAaM3uLtZnKT
"Now, while magic is 589Please respect copyright.PENANA0a46mSiWgY
amazing, variety is important as well. Wouldn't want you getting bored 589Please respect copyright.PENANAm5EgUmo5Ox
in your seat there." The torturer gave David a smile and pulled out some589Please respect copyright.PENANAyS4r81jlSA
pliers out of his bag. "Nails are pretty useless, aren't they?" He 589Please respect copyright.PENANAmt1Arhy2CR
tapped Davids fingernails with the pliers. "See it as me doing you a 589Please respect copyright.PENANAqRg98LzRph
favour." The first nail was ripped, it was a weird feeling for David as 589Please respect copyright.PENANAKt7T3TXzvY
he didn't feel pain at first, but then as the open skin was exposed pain589Please respect copyright.PENANAwFcr8ktnEc
came and David screamed for someone to help589Please respect copyright.PENANAGFsw6Vqfy3
~no one will come.~589Please respect copyright.PENANA5Cc5eb36AA
After pulling out all 589Please respect copyright.PENANAAN0KnRsrWp
the nails, David could hear the pliers hitting the table. His vision was589Please respect copyright.PENANASMZTx3wUJ6
blurry he couldn't see or hear anything, only pain existed. "ull out 589Please respect copyright.PENANAIAVrC7I6V1
teeth, but that's what everyone does. A hammer...." David could only 589Please respect copyright.PENANAsJyKdlhYEl
hear bits and pieces of what the torturer said. He then felt his mouth 589Please respect copyright.PENANA8GvRyjbT3K
being opened. David tried to resist, he truly did, but he didn't have 589Please respect copyright.PENANATd4vKpH3E8
the strength nor the will to do anything substantial. David then sensed 589Please respect copyright.PENANA0AM3EYzevx
something metal and cold in his mouth, touching one of his back teeth 589Please respect copyright.PENANAkfMbGn606n
and then pain and the taste of blood on his tongue, slowly filling his 589Please respect copyright.PENANALTMwAqeBWX
mouth and dribbling on the floor. The scream came soon after, as David 589Please respect copyright.PENANAAuJIFMISFb
could only think of the pain, with only a small part hoping that someone589Please respect copyright.PENANAHOgw5T28Tz
would rescue him.589Please respect copyright.PENANAvCVBiD2FjI
~no one cares.~589Please respect copyright.PENANALZv1XCbSbI
Next few moments were a 589Please respect copyright.PENANA68q8vng7o8
blur, David was sure the torturer did something else, but he had no idea589Please respect copyright.PENANAXmcpgu2fiR
what. Until finally the pain was too much and David lost consciousness.589Please respect copyright.PENANAGGXCWD2Dy9
Thoughts that no one came and cared ringing in his mind as a constant 589Please respect copyright.PENANADHLQIHt1nZ
companion in the darkness.
589Please respect copyright.PENANA7cW0RpXE2r
589Please respect copyright.PENANASvYKLZJhi9