555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41IFFUeCXr
555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CXET9NoiN
"Mummy, look!" 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtYh5vpac5
Tap, tap. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuTQAlw9rV
"Mummy I will make you proud!" 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKaavMAiPM
Tap, tap.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBtlYkKR7p
"Mummy, save me."555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2EsQOqDUM
Tap, tap.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIcfzvgOq6
"Alright you better shut555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVffKthNjRG
it with the falling tapping!" David shouted as he opened his eyes and 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAeCB9LWS7
got up. Waking from his dream, for what else could it have been? 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybJ9eoQFru
David was about to 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRT2Ht9OFa8
complain more but then he remembered what happened, how he fell from the555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwz28cSnA4
ship, to his apparent death. But right now he was in the middle a city 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpEEMRy9h6Q
or at least a shallow imitation of one. With the buildings and the 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiHvwKVgzf
people just being shadowy reflections of the real world, but still 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDnmgn7e7Y
eerily lifelike.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVAWxz0w6i
Then it clicked, the 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTao5y4nbIR
ramshackle buildings, the crooked streets, dark alleyways guarded only 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHYhhdqaga
by footpads and thieves. Shadowy humans begging and fighting. Stumbling 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2YWiILupF
around drunk. David was back in the Havenport slums, his home. A home he555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AM3wtjm7S
left around 20 years ago when he boarded his first ship. Why was he 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmzEzVkZ8a
back? Was he dead after all? 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHgcDGZ1YF
All of those thoughts, 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPoiyJxPcL
and more, were racing through Davids mind. As he was trying to gather 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBgpmgRXOx
his wits, he heard laughter from...not behind exactly but everywhere.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9nDxhJ2KW
"Ah! Perfect you finally awoke!" David tried turning towards the voice but couldn't quite pinpoint where it was coming from.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7i0VC4aQD
"Ah, apologies. The ether world makes everything quite fuzzy." 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Gn0SjoPNt
David fell backwards out of fear as a figure appeared out of thin air in front of him. "Spirit! G..ghost! Demon!"555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6x7w1WkVML
"There, there. Get it 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJppltoXnrk
all out." The being said in an amused voice. Was it even amused? David, 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39RoylK6cr
again, could not pinpoint the exact tone of voice. It sounded as if it 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mIHf6u2Io
was echoing both in his mind and in this city. Hitting the walls making 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdS2BjgFCIH
the voice both louder and yet quieter. The voice had both male and 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SOdCgAus1
female aspects to it as some parts sounded quite high pitched while 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLS2YQmFwJ5
others sounded low pitched. Both happy and sad, amused and disappointed.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrWnsvcQQU
It was quite disconcerting. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4qWOlaz8u
"All done now?" The 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrkdc0VzKL
apparition asked, smiling. Or was it smiling? As David got back up he 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEJoIP572w
got a better look at his new friend. Or at least at the parts that he 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCCGIVAGNG
could see. Its face was covered in... something that looked like mist. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0C8OqK2ULI
David was unable to properly distinguish the features. Whether it was 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTJblbYTDd
smiling or crying David would never be able to tell.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcN90ZnsbTy
Its clothes were quite 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGveok1NNW2
weird as well. Wearing a top hat which seemed both as tall as the person555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uZDsmydzY
wearing it and as short as Davids own pinky. Its body was covered in a 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkD07WOjBc6
dark shroud going from the shoulders to feet and every time it moved it 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6oN2KIn4J
changed both color and shape.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRJ54yuDWf
The figure tilted its 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5EeHzM6rK
head and moved his hands as the tapping noise continued. Concentrating 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvU8ieEw9y
on the lower part of the body David could see a thin shape of an object 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuDZ4VIY4B
that looked like a stick. A cane? A walking stick? Who knew?555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcVkzOsXGz
"The tapping, was that you?" David said as the tapping noise surrounded them again echoing as if they were in a cave.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlwju1c4WX
"Indeed" 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vold39Dvj
Tap, tap, tap.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVirA7CQKN7
David flinched at the 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3PbsHSZW2
sound. He wanted to shout at the ghost to stop the tapping. To answer 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRGolR5EfN
where he was and what was happening. But there was a power dynamic here,555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNENVTTosV
as in everything else in life. During the years he learned that there 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4iSnjknNx
are three types of people: Leaders, followers and parasites (a handy 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlcLvH27jI
word he learned from a scholar, turned pirate, in his earlier forays 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUaQtV9cbV
into piracy)555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPODCTn8diU
Leaders and followers 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6mF86Vgpv
were self-explanatory. David, meanwhile, considered himself a parasite. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXstLEz3S3
Parasites attached themselves to either a leader or a follower. Making 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtrHMaEyzS
them believe you were on their side, that you were one of them. And then555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKu7MCtsQX3
when that person gives you everything you need you leave and attach 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhW307G4gXH
yourself to someone else.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKI58tIIwzs
This was not so 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCOmHsBzuD
different, David was the parasite and the person in front of him was the555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRwsq0nf19
leader. He was in charge of the situation so David had to attach 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvM7PbpKDun
himself to him or her. Had to make them believe he was on their side or 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuIeQlEVem
harmless or whatever the situation called for. After all no one is 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9r2oLq4vr
immune to flattery, be it gods or ghosts.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxplsbRqI2L
"I'm sure I'd have the pleasure of your acquaintance, if I knew your name?" He ventured slightly bobbing his head.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvcvUBuAKf
The figure gave a 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUv2F9bxNnM
chuckle, which sounded as if glass shattering. "Ah yes, you will suck up555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KjxqdCJqo
to me trying to win me over and then hopefully gain an advantage. I've 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfjODhBNta
been watching you, David Oxtorne, lying and never revealing your true 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDUQzaz9vR
self. Being a friend to some, an arrogant bastard to others whatever 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvKqSq33Pq
would get them to like or accept you." A pause and the figure looked to 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qThG9RQPA
the side. "I've no time for your games; otherwise I would've loved for 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHtEmtQ4tK
you to grovel and try to win favor. For now call me...Jester." Jester 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvWoRMKB6N
laughed, as if saying a grand joke that David wasn't part of.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54TEahWDC6
David looked at him 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KsktpKl43
puzzled adding his own awkward laugh to Jesters. This...Jester certainly555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpu62P9wGCL
liked to laugh a lot, although David was failing to find any funny 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JzW6RC6VZ
jokes. "Nice to meet you Jester." David was about to say more but he was555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFR8E6GfbYV
interrupted by a raised hand.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGrKN8Mv0L
"Yes, yes you're a slow 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyguHocnt0
learner aren't you? We will need to change that. You want to ask where 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxMmfjdUwk
you are and whatnot. So let me answer that for you. You're in the ether 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9md3oQRbE7
world. You're not dead because I saved you. Your body is laying asleep 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYoz1UtxrvU
so you're here only in your consciousness. Not a lot of giftless can do 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAZq8KaBkp
that, you should feel dead honored"555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EJNVDTAoN
David was having trouble555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuQnsMb7th
following jester. But one thing he understood was that you didn't save 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8cI939Y0W
someone's life unless you got something out of it."wha..."555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCw35qWLZQ
But David didn't get to 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtv3T53oXn
finish as jester continued." Not done yet was I? Your next question is, 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOt8Ds4hOi5
probably: 'what do you want in return for saving my life?' Which 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZflZa3ELu
honestly David hurts, just hurts. Don't you think I'm a generous soul?"555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRTfeYtayM
A pause, David was 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVSxeqRw03
unsure what to do and begun to answer but the figure kept on talking." 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiB8S4wnhqa
Of course I'm not. Suffice to say I will need you to find something. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0Mo3aOGy4
Can't tell you what yet but others will be hunting for it too" 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QqlrFMQhd
Jester made a clock 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yL1gmGKDw
appear in front and nodded...probably." Well that's all from me. We'll 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW12d96QO7g
meet again once you've met the other chosen ones. I'll explain more 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjfUOWYDDw
then, hopefully you'll be better company by then. Or else I've chosen 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkkezm3x1V
quite wrong, quite wrong indeed."555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpYvMtg5wP
David was about to ask 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBFzsP9EDV
more questions but then he heard a whisper. He looked at jester first 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ET5RlNYzA
but as far as David could tell it wasn't his doing, which didn't 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkSphSZ5uK
convince David at all.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhqk4TzJN8
"Hey I...body..." a voice echoed. Sounding human. 555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjTqWS49WC
And then his world shook, all the shadows dissipating, as if swept away by the wind.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVUBLOZ5Jm
"I am watching, my chosen. Make it interesting for me." Jesters voice resounded within Davids head as darkness fell again.
ns 15.158.61.12da2
