580Please respect copyright.PENANAmIGpOsBBBs
580Please respect copyright.PENANAvUSTNHXSKQ
All taxes must be paid 580Please respect copyright.PENANAzNH47651py
in a timely and organized manner. Each prince controls tax 580Please respect copyright.PENANAn38gdMVfz3
collection in his princedom War is forbidden between the princes. All 580Please respect copyright.PENANA364NdQEhlH
dissatisfactions must be dealt in a civilized manner. Via duels or by 580Please respect copyright.PENANA5Kws2b2KCU
lodging a complaint to the council of princes.The most powerful 580Please respect copyright.PENANASerTY8BhHV
traders shall form a council of 10; with each member being called a 580Please respect copyright.PENANA061u46DCKX
prince. This council shall gather in emergencies: such as war, the 580Please respect copyright.PENANAHj6r77eSTO
enactment of widespread changes, as well as to deal with any 580Please respect copyright.PENANAUgCHco2Oqi
grievances between the princesIf any trader or isle within the trade580Please respect copyright.PENANASCTQObu1sS
union territory is attacked all princes must come to the defense 580Please respect copyright.PENANAvo0tWsyxOj
Declaring war on foreign bodies is forbidden. If any trader or 580Please respect copyright.PENANAL8j2QNAvyi
prince is found doing so they will be stripped of their goods and 580Please respect copyright.PENANAw64nDWP39x
factories and will have to contend with the war on their own.All magic 580Please respect copyright.PENANA9pdKYzWClT
is illegal and practitioners will be prosecuted580Please respect copyright.PENANAgcuMZs7wFr
We are traders, not warlords. We thrive on income and civility, not chaos and murder.580Please respect copyright.PENANAwd2kJr7Qhi
'The union codex, rules the traders abide by.'580Please respect copyright.PENANAB5cEhEe6eU
___________________________________________________580Please respect copyright.PENANAm4T11UGbxC
580Please respect copyright.PENANA4uIed7oDK2
David has been in jail 580Please respect copyright.PENANAIaFip20mBu
before, a flying jail, a jail on the ground ground. All kinds and types.580Please respect copyright.PENANAHcXXp5nLRe
Honestly he felt kind of at home when he woke up on the cold hard floor580Please respect copyright.PENANAZZlEo6o2Wr
of a ship to metal grates wishing him good morning.580Please respect copyright.PENANA31ZsjjOJjX
The cell was big enough 580Please respect copyright.PENANA6vWwxjC00V
for him to stretch his muscles and walk around a bit. He checked his 580Please respect copyright.PENANAkvH9d7znXV
back pocket where kept Boyle's pendant but it was gone, good riddance. 580Please respect copyright.PENANAa4a2mrwjIO
Luckily David didn't have any other belongings on his person and the 580Please respect copyright.PENANAx4dlwRb5ES
guards graciously allowed him to keep his clothes.580Please respect copyright.PENANARlugm4vON3
David didn't even 580Please respect copyright.PENANAlk2rdPH7CS
contemplate shouting, as it usually invited a guard and when you're the 580Please respect copyright.PENANAOkToL5oEAe
one in the cell why would you want a guard to be nearby. So David did 580Please respect copyright.PENANACI8OrYpsgG
what any sane person in his situation would, he went back to sleep on 580Please respect copyright.PENANA3Rygd7YkUc
the bed hanging from the metal wall. 580Please respect copyright.PENANAatSA7Ws6TK
Sadly event the best 580Please respect copyright.PENANAmTdEqyxhQ9
plans sometimes fall apart and it was the case here, as he couldn't fall580Please respect copyright.PENANAGTBaVNIWpK
asleep. There was something akin to ringing in his head, a feeling that580Please respect copyright.PENANA1JGNBWHGxX
something was close, similar to something he feels when he's near 580Please respect copyright.PENANABBQTdCcrA6
Francesca. Soon enough David heard the sound of doors moving and he 580Please respect copyright.PENANAJqkgB9kUYt
opened one, the only one that was working, eye. Through his eye he could580Please respect copyright.PENANAP63utlvAjk
see two guards carrying...something big, leaving a trail of blood. Now 580Please respect copyright.PENANAzOv0wzSb66
while David didn't get a good look that did seem to eerily look like Gob580Please respect copyright.PENANANzNXu2TXgN
or at least what David wished Gob would look like. Either way that was 580Please respect copyright.PENANA5GHjBtK9H0
enough to get his attention and he stood up, as the guards locked the 580Please respect copyright.PENANALhbSZMXeuG
cell next door.580Please respect copyright.PENANAHYxoX9HJCm
Another soldier came up 580Please respect copyright.PENANAm2d20FPzcB
to David's cell, and David recognized him as the one who was trying to 580Please respect copyright.PENANAd6gt2gHZ24
talk Gob down. The officer gestured at the soldiers and they quickly 580Please respect copyright.PENANAybk9s3plRL
unlocked David's cell, who promptly presented his hands in submission. 580Please respect copyright.PENANAgqVMOhoddZ
Sadly the guard didn't seem to care as one of them punched David in the 580Please respect copyright.PENANA2QK070M1Iv
gut and the other handcuffed his hands, putting them behind David's 580Please respect copyright.PENANAsAx9QAAPCP
back.580Please respect copyright.PENANAIQKuv38kNt
While David would've 580Please respect copyright.PENANAWGQwiMFGjT
preferred everyone to be civil, his mind was too preoccupied with one 580Please respect copyright.PENANASM5z3hrfMt
fact, the tug was definitely stronger when closer to the officer. It 580Please respect copyright.PENANAroUm5FsHjM
seemed he was the other chosen, David was hoping there were more as 580Please respect copyright.PENANADFu2NkOWzP
Jesters words came back to him. 580Please respect copyright.PENANA3PIbZahYSH
The walk itself didn't 580Please respect copyright.PENANA39U9Rvvpt1
last long as they arrived in a room with a table and two chairs, on 580Please respect copyright.PENANArhams2o5tQ
opposite sides. It was downright friendly if you ignored the blood 580Please respect copyright.PENANADYsk6oDWYT
splatters all around the room.580Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2pB5JPc1l
David was put into the 580Please respect copyright.PENANASVsOPMnNZw
chair further away from the door and his hands attached to the handles. 580Please respect copyright.PENANAeOuxI6dTYE
The officer motioned for the guards to leave them and took a sit at the 580Please respect copyright.PENANANesXZLFGhl
other chair, staring into David's soul.580Please respect copyright.PENANA6utsQdCPHE
"Who are you?" So the questioning has started.580Please respect copyright.PENANAATciXUux2c
"I'm David, the rebels 580Please respect copyright.PENANAgNUkQ4221M
have caught me and took me hostage. I would like to..." before he could 580Please respect copyright.PENANANTndV9szNF
finish the interrogator held his hand out to stop David.580Please respect copyright.PENANAiw5JbsAxq9
"Where are you from?"580Please respect copyright.PENANANqFsAbB2bf
"The Isle Commonwealth, Capital isle. I was..." again the hand came out. And notes were made.580Please respect copyright.PENANAigxTPzT66e
"Why were you meeting with the trade union?"580Please respect copyright.PENANAHP1R9GGPSB
"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 nodded580Please respect copyright.PENANAuVjIQGe6em
"Where did the rebels move?"580Please respect copyright.PENANACGImJltTbP
"Gods, we're not getting580Please respect copyright.PENANA4NAa7f2xKN
anywhere here. I'm not a rebel. I was just captured by them if you want580Please respect copyright.PENANAc7iLecY9cN
to know names I'll give you them! I owe them no loyalty."580Please respect copyright.PENANAn7ZlnhnHDU
"We know the rebellion 580Please respect copyright.PENANA9UamcDsWnk
is led by Francesca Horrikh. He second in command is Gob D'Fortez. With 580Please respect copyright.PENANAzE88ozSbSU
the help of officers chosen by them they lead the rebellion..."580Please respect copyright.PENANA0SyQh2CRQM
"Well if you know all 580Please respect copyright.PENANAqZij8Z8BNl
that then why are you asking me? Go ask Gob you have him here!" David 580Please respect copyright.PENANAiMlels9fEU
interrupted the officer, acting more agitated and scared. Act clueless 580Please respect copyright.PENANAiMBEKQiGIG
make them doubt themselves. Sadly that tactic didn't seem to be working 580Please respect copyright.PENANAouDnxziw8u
on the imperial soldier.580Please respect copyright.PENANALapXol50GO
"I wanted to make this 580Please respect copyright.PENANAtfmLEOnmx9
civilized, sadly you don't seem to want to answer my questions and I've 580Please respect copyright.PENANABxRi8WUajN
no time. If you truly are but a simple hostage then you have my 580Please respect copyright.PENANAFIgikFmIOv
apologies. My name is Fernand Schumah and if you so wish you can curse 580Please respect copyright.PENANA8BXK5TfcnX
my name in the afterlife." Fernand gathered his notes, got up and was 580Please respect copyright.PENANA4CKMgpJcpT
about to leave the room. David had an idea of what was about to happen 580Please respect copyright.PENANASC8sGyDAOg
but judging by the blood on the floor he wanted no part of it.580Please respect copyright.PENANAYzMaGodjXg
"Wait wait!" Fernand 580Please respect copyright.PENANABxKncY4tcz
paused. "I've heard them mentioning moving to a different isle, one of 580Please respect copyright.PENANAZIe2Vm1pTT
their previous hiding spots. I don't know where exactly...or how."580Please respect copyright.PENANAPSPyflDm2i
Fernand was shaking his 580Please respect copyright.PENANAax8IYRhEIo
head. "Useless, we guessed they would move to a different isle, we can't580Please respect copyright.PENANA70Wb05m1YF
keep guessing where." Fernand paused "We can't risk you knowing where 580Please respect copyright.PENANA6PzYPGxTDv
they went, my apologies." For what it was worth Fernand seemed genuinely580Please respect copyright.PENANAZPjtihb1SI
sorry. But David was close to panicking now. Torturers were sadists by 580Please respect copyright.PENANAOEvCcrDZ86
nature, they wouldn't care about anything but the screams they elicit. 580Please respect copyright.PENANA5UJVIWfFiu
"Did you have any strange dreams? Someone telling you to do, or find, something?"580Please respect copyright.PENANAipaYPQvFkx
That made Ferdinand 580Please respect copyright.PENANASru3njkpv2
pause and sit back; David could finally see a flicker of emotion on the 580Please respect copyright.PENANAJ2tQyRqkK1
man's face. "Why would you know about that?"580Please respect copyright.PENANAZwvCB6fwtj
Fernand wasn't denying 580Please respect copyright.PENANA5BDdf8lFuQ
it, David was glad of that. "I had a dream like that as well, and so did580Please respect copyright.PENANAFd7NoVo6RY
the rebellion leader, Francesca. Apparently they're The Five trying to 580Please respect copyright.PENANAqWg6dBaMcn
get us do something." 580Please respect copyright.PENANAOHT70PjLNl
"Blasphemy, he 580Please respect copyright.PENANAOZAycwxzwU
introduced himself as such but is most likely a demon. A noble should 580Please respect copyright.PENANAAnjCFLxAmC
know better." Fernand dismissed, but didn't immediately stand up.580Please respect copyright.PENANA9ExBpFJdw9
"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" 580Please respect copyright.PENANAtEo3bFVZzO
"Demons tend to plan 580Please respect copyright.PENANApOQh2J6uPd
elaborately for their objectives." Fernand paused and sighted. "But 580Please respect copyright.PENANAaEUU2V8qnz
let's say it's true, what did your vision ask of you?"580Please respect copyright.PENANAaMaqc4CaB4
"To find something, he 580Please respect copyright.PENANAGOvVBho4jV
wasn't specific." David was afraid of that, Francesca's vision seemed to580Please respect copyright.PENANAQgDWE8fgif
be pretty clear on what she had to do and David was sure it was the 580Please respect copyright.PENANA3KL587Qqwi
same for Fernand.580Please respect copyright.PENANAz1sCboMCBd
Fernand was about to say580Please respect copyright.PENANAJzDGx80n42
more but shook his head. "All this just makes you more suspicious. You 580Please respect copyright.PENANATNrSOvnd88
knew of Francesca's visions, which means she trusted you enough to 580Please respect copyright.PENANAbev2SPYlYV
reveal that. Unless you know of a way of how I can feel Francesca as I 580Please respect copyright.PENANA9jh3zZnDwv
feel you from a distance, the apparitions and their orders are useless."580Please respect copyright.PENANAFmHj4OLeBf
David quickly rummaged 580Please respect copyright.PENANAHQ2M2wUCX3
his brain on what else he could use to hook the soldier. "She'll be back580Please respect copyright.PENANAlV3beA1KHO
to the last isle, the one you just attacked. She seemed keen to find 580Please respect copyright.PENANAYPdZTYcrSj
something on it. If you manage to find that something first you'd be 580Please respect copyright.PENANAVUTO8lmMVU
able to trap her."580Please respect copyright.PENANAxI9IRk3NeF
"And you know what it was or where I can find it?" 580Please respect copyright.PENANABPxXeWyz7h
"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.580Please respect copyright.PENANArbMtLdudiU
"And how will you do 580Please respect copyright.PENANAROad1VGINa
that? That isle has an expansive underground system.. It was lucky we've580Please respect copyright.PENANAubzjJdSBFr
managed to find you in the first place." Shaking his head Fernand got 580Please respect copyright.PENANA6Vkxxyia39
up. "Enough delays, you seem to know more than you're telling me this 580Please respect copyright.PENANAtGpwvYKGIG
little chat proved it beyond a doubt."580Please respect copyright.PENANABPmVpU5Yox
"But I don't! I really 580Please respect copyright.PENANAHK0deRcAPW
don't! I told you everything I know!" David was shouting, the whole act 580Please respect copyright.PENANARpF3ByTDdE
gone, torturing isn't something one came back fully from.580Please respect copyright.PENANA6Vz9cXYzWq
"Ah captain Schumah, a 580Please respect copyright.PENANATvOP7pq7Dx
pleasure as always." Came a jolly voice from the outside as Fernand 580Please respect copyright.PENANAeMzc9HOo8d
opened the door and left the room. A tall man came in shortly. Wearing a580Please respect copyright.PENANA23vGoZ3x7s
mask to hide his identity but still revealing his teeth, half of them 580Please respect copyright.PENANA6UkxFAn9lh
black. 580Please respect copyright.PENANAH3cseVI59G
"Well, well. What do we 580Please respect copyright.PENANAstzDhAFnGP
have here?" The man asked as he deposited a bag on the table. Coming 580Please respect copyright.PENANAriPAs25zNT
closer to David and investigating his burn scars.580Please respect copyright.PENANABjCLNiPDUh
"Look, I swear to all 580Please respect copyright.PENANAZrYCwb1tUj
gods. I don't know anymore. I'm..." his jaw was shut violently, causing 580Please respect copyright.PENANA8kUQTXm4sI
his teeth to hurt and gums to bleed. 580Please respect copyright.PENANAoH2sfjo9bm
"We will find out if you580Please respect copyright.PENANA2aYRnPcbBA
do or not. Everyone is honest in front of the almighty god of pain." He580Please respect copyright.PENANAtX2N8xePil
cackled at that. But then gave David a dissatisfied look. "Cheer up; by580Please respect copyright.PENANAdigyaEiYrd
the time we're done here, we'll be good friends."580Please respect copyright.PENANAnh7wspqcNq
David struggled against 580Please respect copyright.PENANAb8PerSTR26
his bonds. But it was of no use, both his arms were attached to the 580Please respect copyright.PENANAayRdAvk0oA
chair with metal bonds, while the chair itself was fastened to the 580Please respect copyright.PENANA3Jrjl5PLlb
floor. No matter how much he tried to buckle it didn't move an inch580Please respect copyright.PENANAA17BJUWIHo
"Now how should we 580Please respect copyright.PENANArfNHox3GSJ
start? With this?" The torturer took out a saw but then shook his head. 580Please respect copyright.PENANAEy2djvuPhQ
"No too early, need to warm up first." He rummaged in his bag for a 580Please respect copyright.PENANA0dS9ygoBmy
while longer but then stopped and looked at David. "You know, I was 580Please respect copyright.PENANA8S9VuXEZAc
supposed to get three bodies. One was already dead so I couldn't have my580Please respect copyright.PENANARjdYudfO2M
fun, the other one barely made any sound while I was having my fun, 580Please respect copyright.PENANAkgv1emAMD4
such a bore. So you my friend, I will definitely need to take my time, 580Please respect copyright.PENANAU6O3NrL60o
with you. Make sure to scream for me." He gave David a crooked smile, as580Please respect copyright.PENANAXxI9cjf7Wr
he pointed a long finger straight at David's chest.580Please respect copyright.PENANATPyiGowXxI
Before David could reply580Please respect copyright.PENANAR6PFJzlWZH
he smelt something burning under his nose, without registering the 580Please respect copyright.PENANAmziwmEL6b9
pain fully he saw smoke coming from the finger, then the pain hit him, 580Please respect copyright.PENANAVFRH0wq5fG
and he screamed.580Please respect copyright.PENANAn02KIJ0JSu
The torturer 580Please respect copyright.PENANAbieldESOs5
clapped."Perfect!" He was practically jumping with glee. "Magic! How 580Please respect copyright.PENANAku6zZ0c1rc
could I forget, you must forgive me, I should've just started off with 580Please respect copyright.PENANAsu2ndJHKaC
this."580Please respect copyright.PENANAxifL04br3z
The torturer moved his 580Please respect copyright.PENANAK1f20j00bZ
finger away from David's chest, but the pain didn't fade. Before David 580Please respect copyright.PENANARjBmIXc6IK
could catch his breath, the burning finger was jabbed into his forehead 580Please respect copyright.PENANAYO7HtViUlc
and he screamed again. "Hahahah! And they say magic can't affect 580Please respect copyright.PENANAeBuGHvLk0q
humans. Even if you can't control the mind or heal wounds directly with 580Please respect copyright.PENANArOVM07t9c0
magic, you can easily control or brake with the power of magic, don't 580Please respect copyright.PENANAkhq9H0PwOZ
you agree?"580Please respect copyright.PENANA36wvpgkpD6
The torturer stopped his580Please respect copyright.PENANANQyHj4n4lT
smile and coked his head. "Oh, that reminds me, I should ask you 580Please respect copyright.PENANA0l1W9kA64G
questions. Now what should I ask, I believe the good captain left me a 580Please respect copyright.PENANAkA7Pcsi5Fb
list?" He took out some papers from his bag and gave them a quick glance580Please respect copyright.PENANAEmH4QSYEea
before discarding them on the floor. "Ah yes. Where did the rebellion 580Please respect copyright.PENANAVYz24V9WVt
go?" 580Please respect copyright.PENANABDA1kA78WC
David was trying to 580Please respect copyright.PENANAKFAKHUHRYo
formulate an answer, a lie, a scathing rebuke, anything but his mind was580Please respect copyright.PENANAlGtoMGhgSN
too muddled to think of anything. The torturer nodded. Smiling "Now I 580Please respect copyright.PENANA7V5v7gCbbY
guess saying you can't heal directly with magic is a lie, you can 580Please respect copyright.PENANA84xyJ1Ccuj
cauterize your wounds! For example..." The torturer waved his hand and 580Please respect copyright.PENANA92QlBXwaJ1
David felt pain coming from his right arm, as he looked down he could 580Please respect copyright.PENANA2kg6ORYIbW
see three of his fingers crushed, bone protruding. David couldn't even 580Please respect copyright.PENANA89po8hkAN4
let out a scream before fire overtook his hand, burning it to a crisp.580Please respect copyright.PENANApnIy9VVD36
"See, the bleeding stopped!" The torturer loved and David added his scream to this symphony of horror.580Please respect copyright.PENANAuGMI2tSAZj
Then suddenly David was 580Please respect copyright.PENANASSRML8Ootz
his with a force of cold water strong enough to brake his nose as it 580Please respect copyright.PENANAkiO8p7Q9Sn
made contact with his face. "Where are the rebels?" The torturers voice 580Please respect copyright.PENANA2vhJeucTz5
changed, becoming more matter of fact. That mad glean from his eyes 580Please respect copyright.PENANATtgj4QczSU
gone, David almost believed that the whole thing was an act. "I...I 580Please respect copyright.PENANAS2foUjWq8F
don't know."580Please respect copyright.PENANAOQdK1VKtoG
The torturer nodded and smiled again, the glean coming back. "Good."580Please respect copyright.PENANA98yMPTTlya
"Now, while magic is 580Please respect copyright.PENANAUsXVh6LEjv
amazing, variety is important as well. Wouldn't want you getting bored 580Please respect copyright.PENANAQM2qVWAPh2
in your seat there." The torturer gave David a smile and pulled out some580Please respect copyright.PENANA6Y6xmdmELD
pliers out of his bag. "Nails are pretty useless, aren't they?" He 580Please respect copyright.PENANAqOyXCvWPIr
tapped Davids fingernails with the pliers. "See it as me doing you a 580Please respect copyright.PENANAg8bR8dyMAs
favour." The first nail was ripped, it was a weird feeling for David as 580Please respect copyright.PENANAQd6SkC2s2q
he didn't feel pain at first, but then as the open skin was exposed pain580Please respect copyright.PENANAvFIkW5pnra
came and David screamed for someone to help580Please respect copyright.PENANAqGzmvNuR2V
~no one will come.~580Please respect copyright.PENANAS6kb7K7Uus
After pulling out all 580Please respect copyright.PENANAmgGaYb8srb
the nails, David could hear the pliers hitting the table. His vision was580Please respect copyright.PENANApTSWYW1JtT
blurry he couldn't see or hear anything, only pain existed. "ull out 580Please respect copyright.PENANAt0VZLi3RAm
teeth, but that's what everyone does. A hammer...." David could only 580Please respect copyright.PENANAD5Sov0PL4x
hear bits and pieces of what the torturer said. He then felt his mouth 580Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2NdATXZCf
being opened. David tried to resist, he truly did, but he didn't have 580Please respect copyright.PENANAiRbbEtT3Nk
the strength nor the will to do anything substantial. David then sensed 580Please respect copyright.PENANAOrQ4HaqKRr
something metal and cold in his mouth, touching one of his back teeth 580Please respect copyright.PENANAsHjblttjoD
and then pain and the taste of blood on his tongue, slowly filling his 580Please respect copyright.PENANAfWyspLQrDL
mouth and dribbling on the floor. The scream came soon after, as David 580Please respect copyright.PENANAqfuiIHmu5e
could only think of the pain, with only a small part hoping that someone580Please respect copyright.PENANAGbKhRFAtzX
would rescue him.580Please respect copyright.PENANA2iFh9flV11
~no one cares.~580Please respect copyright.PENANA5bixSqpWyS
Next few moments were a 580Please respect copyright.PENANAHvqz1jGLlK
blur, David was sure the torturer did something else, but he had no idea580Please respect copyright.PENANA3ra0cQL9Pc
what. Until finally the pain was too much and David lost consciousness.580Please respect copyright.PENANAp7PQW7z14G
Thoughts that no one came and cared ringing in his mind as a constant 580Please respect copyright.PENANAvBtRfM2Ckg
companion in the darkness.
580Please respect copyright.PENANAT9HRmCUJEe
580Please respect copyright.PENANAcIVh50OCkB