402Please respect copyright.PENANAQSPCvqGmGK
402Please respect copyright.PENANA7cKnElPB7M
'The voice?! Of course I402Please respect copyright.PENANAak22meQMGM
can hear it, I embrace it, I follow it, I worship it for what it is! 402Please respect copyright.PENANAiGzfmhhZ7n
The word of god! And I am a holy messenger! You all are heathens! 402Please respect copyright.PENANAzhjeBgyV4e
Believers in false gods! You hide from the true voice, you fear it, you 402Please respect copyright.PENANA2tTeet2LyI
shun it, you deny it! My only crime is that I am no coward!'402Please respect copyright.PENANA3D7TfQ7rjF
Extract from the trial 402Please respect copyright.PENANA2U7Dw9YGoW
of Bloody Jack. Accused of murdering his whole village on the whims of 402Please respect copyright.PENANAxGwd1LDDu6
an ether being and sentenced to death.402Please respect copyright.PENANAeXeYJinWDG
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------402Please respect copyright.PENANAILP0X9JB1C
402Please respect copyright.PENANAvXjdL286Fj
"I don't get it, why don't we go to a different isle? The Imperialsh will have ush shurrounded in no time."402Please respect copyright.PENANAQfbaAjiOXi
~And here we go again, simple minded people asking simple minded questions~402Please respect copyright.PENANAeR8JIBQiws
"Too many people to move, they'll notice us."402Please respect copyright.PENANAEkXLccBQT7
"Never shtopped ush before." A pause as the old man spat to the side. "What about fighting then, too little of ush?"402Please respect copyright.PENANA59Sg5DaOnz
Gob shook his head, 402Please respect copyright.PENANAHg2XlXNjTe
tired. David could understand that, and he was annoyed he could 402Please respect copyright.PENANABeMwzjSlyg
empathize with Gob. As per Gob's decision every time it was David's turn402Please respect copyright.PENANAnhYQLwZuJN
to go patrolling Gob accompanied him. At first David found this 402Please respect copyright.PENANA0VVvsDFGEY
insulting, he was the paragon of trust after all, but after a few of 402Please respect copyright.PENANAmd2FlGajx1
such patrols he just found it annoying. Ever patrol was usually 402Please respect copyright.PENANA2O14s4iCGj
conducted with 3 or 4 people, usually with different people. There were a402Please respect copyright.PENANAW8GO6bWKaE
few constants in those groups though, the first was that David and Gob 402Please respect copyright.PENANAlCBO0lwvgL
were in them and the second was that someone always asked when they 402Please respect copyright.PENANAl81EMBAPth
would move.402Please respect copyright.PENANAaiiDnTvARE
Now David has only been 402Please respect copyright.PENANA5oSShIKuMe
in the camp for a month now and managed to glean some information from 402Please respect copyright.PENANA2B5p2x0j1R
the other rebels and just observations. There were three groups of 402Please respect copyright.PENANAMglSF2ajv5
rebels. Peasants, peasant-soldiers and soldiers, as David liked to call 402Please respect copyright.PENANANWcyhnNQNc
them. Peasants and peasant-soldiers were the people with no, to only 402Please respect copyright.PENANAX2wxiPWhjs
basic, military training. Such as Denis and his ilk. The soldiers 402Please respect copyright.PENANACYAOFi3bDA
weren't necessary from the military, but they had more experience. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAJuhx9X5ECK
Experience wasn't the only difference, civilians and civilian soldiers 402Please respect copyright.PENANAEDbCEYTs3k
loved and trusted both Gob and Francesca. Soldiers only trusted Gob. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAM77t5xfSY9
Which worked out nicely for David as he could use this discord and 402Please respect copyright.PENANACTMcKTenLe
divided loyalties.402Please respect copyright.PENANA6NWdvp2OBS
Another important thing 402Please respect copyright.PENANAA3wONNWYpY
he managed to find out was that the rebels had stayed on the same isle 402Please respect copyright.PENANAPUlV0hSy1P
for three months. Many of the rebels were unhappy with the prolonged 402Please respect copyright.PENANAG50H0lBAHG
stay, especially the soldiers. This resulted in that question and Gob 402Please respect copyright.PENANA0KBurzB9Cr
giving the same answer to anyone who asked. It was really riveting stuff402Please respect copyright.PENANArR8EuQkUbD
for David, especially after hearing it for the twentieth third time. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAPEmaxGMp3s
Ol' Stevie asked it around two or three times over the past few days to 402Please respect copyright.PENANAsvJJet2wnj
their destination.402Please respect copyright.PENANA6avm77vp3n
Today they were out 402Please respect copyright.PENANAmI51q7IpCJ
looking at the new imperial camp, turning into more of a makeshift fort,402Please respect copyright.PENANAUYunpZeZH8
being built around the wreckage of the 'Flying Fish'. It was a crude 402Please respect copyright.PENANAaFeg8faG0v
construction, something that could be easily taken apart. They were 402Please respect copyright.PENANAXj4dt9mhYx
joined by Rock and another rebel, called old toothless Stevie, on 402Please respect copyright.PENANACyz5Z7TIL9
account of him being old and having lost most of his teeth. 402Please respect copyright.PENANA3oCPBbpI49
"Yes, now shut up and 402Please respect copyright.PENANAm7TbYzVDNC
remember everything you can about the imperials." Stevie shrugged at 402Please respect copyright.PENANAKqfv7uYrE2
that and continued looking through his binocular. David kept further 402Please respect copyright.PENANALoDkvu0JQt
away from the pair, watching their backs with Rock, the youth did not 402Please respect copyright.PENANAK0NXtcmfdy
become any more talkative during Davids stay in the caves.402Please respect copyright.PENANAtzBnvXrlQ0
They were at their 402Please respect copyright.PENANAMj1ewUwZ3n
lookout spot for a few hours at this point and David was glad he didn't 402Please respect copyright.PENANADn4yjtmW21
feel any magical tugs coming from that direction, after discussing it 402Please respect copyright.PENANAQKiznIScMK
with Francesca it turned out that what David felt was a magical tug, 402Please respect copyright.PENANACD9DaEci0i
looked like the imperial soldier wasn't anywhere near it.402Please respect copyright.PENANAeEDAsE8Iyx
"Alright, that's enough.402Please respect copyright.PENANAFIzslSJRdG
Let's head back." Gob proclaimed to the group and David sighted in 402Please respect copyright.PENANAWqqwNusOos
relief. Thankfully David was given new shoes, to help him walk, as well 402Please respect copyright.PENANAbVptta3DZo
as new clothes and even an eyepatch. The walk itself was silent and 402Please respect copyright.PENANAehxqsvai86
brutal. Gob set a murderous pace and he didn't look back to check on any402Please respect copyright.PENANAbp0ntEUP3r
of them except for Rock, who bore it with his usual silence.402Please respect copyright.PENANAvbv6WZJsf0
David walked in silence 402Please respect copyright.PENANAZs1qCDMY1R
as well. More to preserve his breathe, than anything else, as he felt 402Please respect copyright.PENANAqMztoxAJgT
that he would fall to the ground if he even tried speaking. Toothless 402Please respect copyright.PENANASRhGSY5H2i
Stevie may have been old and not have teeth, but he had more stamina 402Please respect copyright.PENANAUFSSjXXFKQ
than David, farm work really built you up for long hours of activity.402Please respect copyright.PENANAJNx1WWKkKs
A walk that would've 402Please respect copyright.PENANA2qvH6SMUIE
taken most of the day was managed in about half a day. David was so glad402Please respect copyright.PENANAddudl7lVRK
to see the damp cave that he was ready to kiss the rocks when he came 402Please respect copyright.PENANAhW5cuCxkZX
inside. The camp itself did not change much over the past month and 402Please respect copyright.PENANAjrdnweYxuM
David was still the new guy. Though he made good strides in integrating 402Please respect copyright.PENANAxAerLpjJMv
himself as most of rebels waved to him in greeting.402Please respect copyright.PENANAmjK9ekWKUe
"I'll go report to 402Please respect copyright.PENANAN7ixG93u87
Francesca. You can go relax." Gob passed David without a glance at him. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAmlY9kilBm5
The fact that Gob didn't glare or spit at David's direction must've 402Please respect copyright.PENANAkRjHi5PCpv
meant that he was finally warming up to him! At least it was more than 402Please respect copyright.PENANAIyYBdXsnI7
David got over the past month, in fact he was ready to give up on ever 402Please respect copyright.PENANA6feinzNU5x
winning Gob over.402Please respect copyright.PENANAfdqpZbQsaG
Francesca on the other 402Please respect copyright.PENANA6VRmiEzdTB
hand warmed up to him quite fast. As Denis summarized and David 402Please respect copyright.PENANAtwP4Qf5lqT
confirmed she was a noble, a well read and knowledgeable noble but 402Please respect copyright.PENANA6vlNw984tK
someone who hasn't left her estate a lot and has never traveled outside 402Please respect copyright.PENANAG12fcnMKzm
the empire. While David was the well-traveled dashing smuggler. He 402Please respect copyright.PENANAo6HFzWZjTJ
managed to enthrall her with made up stories and adventures. To be fair 402Please respect copyright.PENANAWbQB5xzHPM
to Francesca she wasn't the only one falling under David's charm. As 402Please respect copyright.PENANA3GrrapR39T
most of the rebels found it hard to resist the dashing rogue act.402Please respect copyright.PENANAANRQ7qHziq
David just wished he 402Please respect copyright.PENANA5P4hbzyyhY
could win them over without going on patrols and risking his life. Oh 402Please respect copyright.PENANAHUgtWLGz5S
well no one said being a parasite was easy.402Please respect copyright.PENANAr9l8w1CxPb
Further down the camps 402Please respect copyright.PENANAitPu3HCKWo
he could see Twitch, the nervous brother of Denis. Over the past month 402Please respect copyright.PENANAumruS6bQxY
he integrated himself with the siblings, becoming a part of their gang. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAT8mwpYzVGm
As the siblings were liked by the rebels in general this made them trust402Please respect copyright.PENANAB5dyxHYEgo
David all the more. David decided to join Twitch so he snuck up behind 402Please respect copyright.PENANAOGIJigMkbM
him. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAGuXZrFvDml
"What'cha doing?"402Please respect copyright.PENANAPmWVVIjbOb
Twitch practically jumped out of his own skin. "Agh! Oh D-david. Don't s-scare me l-l-like that."402Please respect copyright.PENANAHuxDsgWwkH
"Sorry, twitch." David said patting the boys shoulder. "Didn't mean to, you know I hate doing it." He loved it402Please respect copyright.PENANAn1Tb1n3RT3
Twitch nodded and stood beside David." 'S alright. I-I-I'm just easily sca-ar-ared."402Please respect copyright.PENANA2NkDnX7xGI
David nodded. The boy 402Please respect copyright.PENANAMGjtxhyP1Q
was lucky to have any friends at all." Nothing wrong with being scared."402Please respect copyright.PENANAetQ3Ca91gh
He said with a comforting smile. "We all have our own strengths, like 402Please respect copyright.PENANAvyRWNLqOIu
you..." David paused for a bit racking his mind for something to say. "A402Please respect copyright.PENANAw3sEwftoJg
poet! A man of dreams! How're your poems going anyway? I still want to 402Please respect copyright.PENANAdnbWbKFiYG
read them someday."402Please respect copyright.PENANAYVCLli8Rkb
Twitch muttered 402Please respect copyright.PENANAaTPAxU5of7
something under his breathe. David motioned with his hand for him to 402Please respect copyright.PENANACu8WZxrIBD
speak up. "...n-not poems. But son-so-songs."402Please respect copyright.PENANA2hTTBPgCL4
David stopped himself from shrugging and smiled. "Songs, even better then! Why not create a song for the rebellion?"402Please respect copyright.PENANAidiIrd2aG1
Twitch started shaking 402Please respect copyright.PENANAUMCIfTsCaq
his head but before the words: 'No' formed on his mouth a voice 402Please respect copyright.PENANAXM5MVPjPgc
interrupted them. "A hymn truly sounds marvelous!" Francesca made Twitch402Please respect copyright.PENANAktwkdvFkuj
jump back even more than David did402Please respect copyright.PENANA33avtwGHQm
"I-I-I" He continued in that vain for a while.402Please respect copyright.PENANA2UNolOmGqw
"Speak up soldier!" Gobs402Please respect copyright.PENANA3i8ITq51Yx
voice resounded around the cave, making everyone glance at Twitch, 402Please respect copyright.PENANAHGEhAeXD31
which should've made his stuttering worse. But his fear of Gob took over402Please respect copyright.PENANAwKowa3QkmE
any instinct he had.402Please respect copyright.PENANADsxamvet0U
"I'mnotgoodenough!" He 402Please respect copyright.PENANAT4oHu9AHoK
said as fast possible. David was astounded it was probably the first 402Please respect copyright.PENANAqOHcLdqYH9
time the boy didn't stutter. Not that he could understand what he said 402Please respect copyright.PENANAPDvWEzyHiI
now.402Please respect copyright.PENANAkyI4qkAjAx
"Nonsense." Francesca 402Please respect copyright.PENANA19YEcpVH85
put her hand on Twitch's shoulder. She didn't seem to have any trouble 402Please respect copyright.PENANAdbHdf8GKFM
understanding him. "Write me a song when you can, and we will sing it, 402Please respect copyright.PENANA1AXipdKFDN
all of us together." She projected her voice to others nearby which 402Please respect copyright.PENANAo1kWxXZW8e
raised a rugged cheer. That just made Twitch hide his face as it went 402Please respect copyright.PENANAsXImhOar8F
dark red.402Please respect copyright.PENANAt0wPLKLYxY
Francesca spared Twitch 402Please respect copyright.PENANAfjNuWrRTX3
one last warm smile and turned to the rest of the rebels standing 402Please respect copyright.PENANAzFZMMPqV4C
around. "It's time for your daily studies! Spread the message!" Both 402Please respect copyright.PENANA3ubAKqM0od
children and adults listened to Francesca, without a hint of 402Please respect copyright.PENANApNVxOy587V
disobedience, and started moving in one line to the study cavern, as it 402Please respect copyright.PENANAKhqMjwELUn
was popularly called.402Please respect copyright.PENANAShkUmULqDw
The rebels not only 402Please respect copyright.PENANAwpocXptDne
respected Francesca for her leadership and attitude towards the 402Please respect copyright.PENANANgFlUYtojQ
peasantry, but also her attempts to educate them. Most of the rebels 402Please respect copyright.PENANAgNJLQ0wwcf
didn't know how to read or basic math while Francesca was an educated 402Please respect copyright.PENANAYLPOOofOmi
noble, thus she decided to teach everyone in the rebellion the basics. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAgAAc0Kblcn
No one was barred from the lessons and both young and old were invited 402Please respect copyright.PENANAc3iUWgB9IZ
to them. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAEddqeWONyc
David attended one of 402Please respect copyright.PENANAYHkUYHBNuq
those lessons but found himself too bored to continue. They were talking402Please respect copyright.PENANAfCA7J5ZJrA
about letter and numbers and some researcher named Vesputti or 402Please respect copyright.PENANAYxXgrWcyd7
something similar. Thus, he skipped over on those lessons, he wasn't the402Please respect copyright.PENANAgFhQlPM2w8
only one as most of the adults had decided that they were too old to 402Please respect copyright.PENANAuof9cvPGuj
learn anything new.402Please respect copyright.PENANAeXmWm4RCTE
Before leading her group402Please respect copyright.PENANA6UbRglY31a
to the secluded cavern, Francesca approached David. "I'd like if you'd 402Please respect copyright.PENANAmXBqwG5B4h
dine with me tonight, if it's to your liking?"402Please respect copyright.PENANAdlXHe02HXY
"Of course, I'll see you402Please respect copyright.PENANAYio35V3Lsq
later." Francesca did that sometimes, inviting David over. Chatting 402Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZkMdDyeZf
about trivialities, like whether he had any more vision about The Five. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAKnmwWLPWNP
Thankfully Jester didn't deign to appear yet so David managed to sleep 402Please respect copyright.PENANAmFxWJ9EKYk
peacefully, well not accounting the strange dreams about some boy crying402Please respect copyright.PENANAEmaUmW4nUW
and calling for his mummy. Those dreams made David wake up in a foul 402Please respect copyright.PENANAJIyiGhLLFS
mood, he wasn't certain why but thought it could be because he didn't 402Please respect copyright.PENANA5YAadfENoj
remember his parents or family.402Please respect copyright.PENANAuezXghgOl9
Francesca, unaware of 402Please respect copyright.PENANA1qqS6aJcmI
David's thoughts or dreams, nodded with a smile and led her group from 402Please respect copyright.PENANAej97XQUOCc
the main cavern. Twitch following her and joining his sibling to whom 402Please respect copyright.PENANA5ryGHd2j4m
David waved. Turning around he came face to face with Nook.402Please respect copyright.PENANAq8HEOtdKX4
"I'm off duty now, got some guys looking for a game. You're in?"402Please respect copyright.PENANAIkkGpVSw9m
Nook was an interesting 402Please respect copyright.PENANAQU24DASX2D
case, while he was definitely Gob's man he didn't seem to be as 402Please respect copyright.PENANA95taYVRMLJ
disciplined as the other soldiers. He was also one of the few soldiers 402Please respect copyright.PENANAXxNAHuh2Hf
who was friendly with David instead of following Gob's lead and hating 402Please respect copyright.PENANASeYP9LpLIo
his guts. So they decided to have a card game here and there while 402Please respect copyright.PENANAeY88Deenfj
inviting other people, a card game in which David lost more often than 402Please respect copyright.PENANAPFMI9bjx6p
not. While David hated losing in cards it was a good method of making 402Please respect copyright.PENANAYrTk7H0AEW
friends and getting to know people. As well as a guarantee to keep 402Please respect copyright.PENANAkgmZQyNwNU
getting invited as long as you lost smart and graciously accepted it.402Please respect copyright.PENANAPVVEwZiu5t
"Aye, why not Nook. Maybe I'll clean house this time."402Please respect copyright.PENANAxaYiArOoYp
Nook grinned a 402Please respect copyright.PENANAuqfiGbj0MQ
predator's smile and led David towards a secluded table. While gambling 402Please respect copyright.PENANAFhIftYWwaq
wasn't banned or anything, as long as you were off duty, it was frowned 402Please respect copyright.PENANAYcj6FiYWlj
upon by Gob. That and most rebels having limited resources. Having only 402Please respect copyright.PENANAksWP08fpLy
their clothes and weapons stolen from the empire or brought on their 402Please respect copyright.PENANAp0lOVTgyHB
backs.402Please respect copyright.PENANAIEC6PKkPJM
Thus any card games were402Please respect copyright.PENANAAuU4oDj2Vo
just that, games to pass the time. At least until David proposed to bet402Please respect copyright.PENANAhlT1AjB93i
their rations. Everyone received the basic rations few times per day 402Please respect copyright.PENANASN9oMxRxEG
and it was up to them how much of that they ate. It was barely enough to402Please respect copyright.PENANABA9ejYlrhP
feed a healthy adult. As they have been on this isle for a while it was402Please respect copyright.PENANAhgmyYCtPzK
harder to find fresh animals to hunt every day. A lot of the rebels 402Please respect copyright.PENANA33nAZZpW55
were opposed to that idea as they'd loose on the last bits of food they 402Please respect copyright.PENANAiu0XssWIk6
did have.402Please respect copyright.PENANA96i3elOt2H
Some did think it was a 402Please respect copyright.PENANADRTGRdado5
brilliant idea and David was sitting down with a few of them right now. 402Please respect copyright.PENANATDqunavJrs
Nook, he was confident in his card abilities. Apparently before joining 402Please respect copyright.PENANACSKmui3CEM
the rebellion he was a militiaman in his village and gambled a lot. As 402Please respect copyright.PENANAXMi0c1tC4U
far as David could see he was more lucky than actually good. Old 402Please respect copyright.PENANALbm6PQbbwC
toothless Stevie, he joked that if he did lose his rations that it would402Please respect copyright.PENANAHlau8U9IG4
save his last teeth. He also wasn't afraid to bet most of his rations 402Please respect copyright.PENANAnYSaer2Dii
scaring the other players into folding, a good bluffer. Finally there 402Please respect copyright.PENANAf3p3KOX6WH
was Tiruk, a huge man who definitely needed more rations just to 402Please respect copyright.PENANAsNXBnUW4I9
survive. It surprised David anyone could keep that weight with tight the402Please respect copyright.PENANAUWK4egRrW5
food has been.402Please respect copyright.PENANAvTF0dUeVsL
They were the four main 402Please respect copyright.PENANAGErlbLaIQv
players who usually joined the gambling games. Sometimes others joined 402Please respect copyright.PENANAGksBcKzAiA
but they usually stopped after going hungry for a day or two as they 402Please respect copyright.PENANAQS0g9Prra5
lost their rations. These four though didn't give up after losing, 402Please respect copyright.PENANAwHfKksAPEN
because they knew that their chances of a feast were just around the 402Please respect copyright.PENANA59kAyCt44U
corner. That fact created a sense of comradeship between the players. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAxEWSsUyRZj
Even if they were playing against each other they understood the risks 402Please respect copyright.PENANAkovJYJ5yGl
and accepted them.402Please respect copyright.PENANA8U8gXpZ2LR
"''Ello boys." David 402Please respect copyright.PENANA4nrZbhTbxB
said sitting down at the table with Nook. There were nods all around the402Please respect copyright.PENANAI29kTcukK1
table and the cards were dealt. They were playing a card game called 402Please respect copyright.PENANApkTUIsY6Q5
match 'n go. Most of the rebels had not heard of the game or at least 402Please respect copyright.PENANAvpNysJraMC
knew it under a different name but most of them caught on fast, it was 402Please respect copyright.PENANAGglBIAvdZR
often just played for fun. But the best games came from betting. As the 402Please respect copyright.PENANAtsrXp4lpa1
risks went higher you tried to fool your opponent into thinking that you402Please respect copyright.PENANALIHcxDHLjl
had the match or a higher card. David loved risk games like that, he 402Please respect copyright.PENANABWx50NWbmB
loved reading the other player emotions and using it against them or at 402Please respect copyright.PENANAyIZIE9gAn4
least for his own benefit. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAiLAloyen4j
Nook was the first to 402Please respect copyright.PENANAXUQ4CI93XT
play. "I'm betting half of my rations on this. Gots a good deck, that I 402Please respect copyright.PENANAc43HtM645m
do." David could see the plastered smile on his face. At this point 402Please respect copyright.PENANAh91LkiWiIW
David could tell fake between real in a heartbeat. Nook was bluffing.402Please respect copyright.PENANAHygiZe4p9O
"Alright, I'll call that." David answered.402Please respect copyright.PENANAjYWjkI0dqX
Tiruk, in answer, just 402Please respect copyright.PENANAtzP4HflQWc
shook his head and folded. He wasn't risking it. Stevenson with his 402Please respect copyright.PENANAOgw5Ge72Jd
gaped smile called it as well and cackled a bit.402Please respect copyright.PENANAyee5dvcktp
Next card revealed. A 3 402Please respect copyright.PENANAe2S0S5cyPT
for Davids two threes. He'd have to fold that game, too high chance of 402Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7ng9zjQss
winning. So it went on and on, rations were won and lost. David won a 402Please respect copyright.PENANAOH2W4hl5aT
few games but then he bet everything and lost on purpose, made Stevie a 402Please respect copyright.PENANAjypwMpszMe
very happy, old, man.402Please respect copyright.PENANAj57Pug9rHh
Since David didn't have 402Please respect copyright.PENANAin68wsTk6Y
anything to bet with anymore he made his excuses and left the table. He 402Please respect copyright.PENANA84pJKEtQcy
took a look around for Gob and didn't see him anywhere so decided it 402Please respect copyright.PENANA8koF4aEohh
would be safe to take a walk.402Please respect copyright.PENANAx2hhB59PIq
Another thing he took to402Please respect copyright.PENANA39KVH2MME1
doing over the past two weeks was exploring, finding any secret spaces 402Please respect copyright.PENANAafyKgQXdBO
where he might hide. The rebels themselves only found one possible 402Please respect copyright.PENANAaHYgdTySGZ
emergency exit while David found three. Of course the other two exits 402Please respect copyright.PENANA2AbqmixkR2
only were wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. So it 402Please respect copyright.PENANAS258bXlZDJ
could be that they just didn't consider them as such.402Please respect copyright.PENANANc2EXuV9AH
He also found various 402Please respect copyright.PENANAbhxAHJeaTD
hiding spots, not only for him but for items he stole. Weapons, 402Please respect copyright.PENANAv6TWKyRhFA
ammunition, food and the like. If only a small amount disappeared at a 402Please respect copyright.PENANApcRQUDHbfC
time no one really noticed and attributed it to absentmindedness. Though402Please respect copyright.PENANAC571W6X6WH
David believed Gob was getting suspicious so he would need to start 402Please respect copyright.PENANAkWEmYT9V2l
being more careful.402Please respect copyright.PENANAo5fwq5kZsq
The caves themselves 402Please respect copyright.PENANAlLKVjlENQt
seemed to go through the whole isle, David didn't believe he explored 402Please respect copyright.PENANApkJZEwV7Kq
even half of it. Gob tried to send a few soldiers every day to explore 402Please respect copyright.PENANAi4sWN0PvY7
further into the caves, but many were afraid of the dark, believing 402Please respect copyright.PENANALoHRZB1Efh
various beasts were residing in them. Refusing to go inside without Gob 402Please respect copyright.PENANAvde8h1vT1g
and since Gob was usually busy either creating or being out on patrols 402Please respect copyright.PENANAKWEcrMXDlp
himself that limited their exploring time.402Please respect copyright.PENANAIo2DIUel1a
That let David offer his402Please respect copyright.PENANAAeTdV7idip
services as an explorer. He would explore the further caves and would 402Please respect copyright.PENANALnK9XkVAwa
report on any worrying circumstances. Gob was reluctant to let him go 402Please respect copyright.PENANAEXlOW8bNlr
but was convinced by Francesca that it would be a grand idea as it would402Please respect copyright.PENANAdtlh9Hd0Nt
free more people for patrols and other duties.402Please respect copyright.PENANAuVyMMV2h4Z
This time though he had a402Please respect copyright.PENANAx1oyLh6BYT
destination in mind. A bit further into one of the pathways, about an 402Please respect copyright.PENANAlKvjsg8KMH
hour from the main cavern, there was a small pathway where a thin person402Please respect copyright.PENANAGI64H6HIHb
could barely fit. Following that pathway, if you could survive the 402Please respect copyright.PENANANh8c5EVoZz
feeling of getting crushed by the walls, was a pool. David was surprised402Please respect copyright.PENANA6IxTIqCQPG
when he found and astonished when he discovered the water was hot. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAImPpPlsYkX
That's where he was 402Please respect copyright.PENANADCRkjNTrUA
going now; he needed a clear head for Francesca's meeting. No matter how402Please respect copyright.PENANAW3GoYdJRIL
she acted she was a noble, they always sought the best deals for 402Please respect copyright.PENANAWeiuZlhfTU
themselves, always trying to ledge a situation in their favour. David 402Please respect copyright.PENANA0OdzMTeFzC
would need to be on his toes. Or maybe he just wanted to actually relax 402Please respect copyright.PENANA96lINcElXX
without anyone screaming or crying, he didn't decide which one sounded 402Please respect copyright.PENANAFaTHakN7Xz
better in his mind.402Please respect copyright.PENANAh4sn8KZPEf
Thus grabbing a torch as402Please respect copyright.PENANADnkOChQSK7
many of the pathways further down weren't lit, he began his, 402Please respect copyright.PENANAOQ8K0y1duD
uneventful, journey. Luckily he reached his destination in a timely 402Please respect copyright.PENANAEGzEgYKrNk
manner, though he hated going through that cramped space. He gave a 402Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0v5OzTg1K
satisfied sigh as he sat down in the pool, his muscles losing the 402Please respect copyright.PENANAl2R66HfBTn
tension he gathered over the past few weeks, the water reached up to his402Please respect copyright.PENANAS2s7S6v1Mc
chest and he dunked his head under the water finally enjoying a proper 402Please respect copyright.PENANA63FlhnQduF
clean. He was careful to keep track of time but other than that he let 402Please respect copyright.PENANA649ZmUtN8X
his mind wander and just blanked out. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAOvs7lkmPc3
Before he even noticed, 402Please respect copyright.PENANAv4xOcmMjAM
to David's disappointment, it was time to leave. He was also saddened by402Please respect copyright.PENANAfbUw7bl1dg
the fact that the water ended up a bit darker after his bath, a way to 402Please respect copyright.PENANAtqbXp4J78v
hit a guys confidence. With a sad sigh he put on his dirty and worn out 402Please respect copyright.PENANAyiLD7mCMFm
clothes and went back to the main cavern to the sound of activity and 402Please respect copyright.PENANAfhiJBv4mF5
the smell of unwashed masses.402Please respect copyright.PENANAdI3h6kpb3J
It did seem that David 402Please respect copyright.PENANAbUpgyMKMm5
came back just in time as people were gathered near the cooking pots to 402Please respect copyright.PENANARiLSDw3oAR
gather their rations. David did the same and then found Stevie, sitting 402Please respect copyright.PENANAP0nSK00zhD
with some other older rebels, and gave him his rations. Stevie nodded 402Please respect copyright.PENANAI7DZSh4P6z
and had a sparkle in his eye. "Maybe nexsht time you can save me 402Please respect copyright.PENANAilhCN32lKc
teethsh." And he cackled at his joke. David managed a weak laugh that 402Please respect copyright.PENANA2EFsTMkR9u
seemed to satisfy Stevie.402Please respect copyright.PENANAc7d4uoj0AH
"Don't keep Francesca 402Please respect copyright.PENANAOMGEZjM8RF
waiting." Came a gruff voice from behind. David tried to hide his 402Please respect copyright.PENANAmaonHVysT7
annoyance at the fact that Gob managed to sneak up on him and scare him.402Please respect copyright.PENANAmZx5Xnngx0
Some people just had no sense of proper manners.402Please respect copyright.PENANA7nWPatak59
"Oh I wouldn't dare." 402Please respect copyright.PENANAQmceV4eMsN
He gave a mock bow which seemed to infuriate Gob more. "I was just out 402Please respect copyright.PENANAC95aVLZObn
exploring, nothing to report so far, sir Gob." Gob just grunted and 402Please respect copyright.PENANAMMV4CfiRRr
walked away. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAb1G0J839Cf
David smiled and waved 402Please respect copyright.PENANA8KP2WG0Bg2
after him, the guy really needed to unwind. With nothing else to do but 402Please respect copyright.PENANAdz9u2yM8Az
shrug at that thought David went towards Francesca's room. Even if 402Please respect copyright.PENANAggbH0ASHLK
Francesca did pretend to be all for equality and the like she still had 402Please respect copyright.PENANA8cCcwx0bMN
her personal quarters, such as they were, as well as an actual bed, 402Please respect copyright.PENANAnB36lGjuIY
table, chairs. They were shoddy work at best, crafted quickly by some of402Please respect copyright.PENANATsHIS3kKgT
the rebels, but they were more than anything any other rebel had. David402Please respect copyright.PENANASVYxquS2cy
was impressed by how she had more and yet most still perceived her as 402Please respect copyright.PENANAkNDJmvUgcT
the paragon of virtue.402Please respect copyright.PENANAOVosDUst3F
Her room, as per usual, 402Please respect copyright.PENANAidiy9SA5HP
was guarded. But the guard waved him on with a smile. David saw it as a 402Please respect copyright.PENANAKHIaXMlFXO
pointless precaution anyway, but what could you do. Francesca herself 402Please respect copyright.PENANAH662OvEQCo
was already seated, with a torch in the middle of the table, a pale 402Please respect copyright.PENANAWnsl9jKGBo
imitation of a candle. One thing the rebels had a lot of were torches, 402Please respect copyright.PENANAGlS0Cpwjnp
to light up all caverns and pathways. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAaMiO6bS3eB
"Oh, David! Please sit" she gestured towards the second chair.402Please respect copyright.PENANAEGbzxLPvCl
David sat down with a 402Please respect copyright.PENANA8I63qCSIpy
nod and smile. They weren't eating anything extravagant, just what the 402Please respect copyright.PENANABC1RcT7xS4
rest were. Dried meat, nuts, sometimes if they were lucky they could 402Please respect copyright.PENANA9pvhLZ0cXk
even get rabbit or vegetable soup, but that more of a luxury nowadays. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAZYn3KgU67y
This time it was some dried meat of unknown origin and some water found 402Please respect copyright.PENANAlTy6MbBboM
in a stream. Delicious.402Please respect copyright.PENANAR8OjiOJuK8
"So pleasantries first or business first?"402Please respect copyright.PENANAGJhOyoozoC
"I found that going straight to business can ruin a healthy appetite."402Please respect copyright.PENANAtuqJh5cUAx
Francesca nodded and 402Please respect copyright.PENANARC29sWnVKf
began to cut her meat with her wooden utensils. While David had similar 402Please respect copyright.PENANAgOj9s8aUGZ
equipment he didn't really find much use of them and found it better to 402Please respect copyright.PENANA1ULa0XAQ9D
eat with his own hands. Made it faster and when you're under cannon fire402Please respect copyright.PENANAgJce1CwdkP
fast eating was paramount.402Please respect copyright.PENANA0EAsXXOf4I
As expected David 402Please respect copyright.PENANAHi7TzosDMZ
finished his portion first and ended up waiting for Francesca to finish 402Please respect copyright.PENANAFvAMMGTVot
hers, which took another 5 or 10 minutes. The girl was certainly a 402Please respect copyright.PENANAZEcVhBtQsy
deliberate eater.402Please respect copyright.PENANAQzx7WchoeY
"So on to business." She402Please respect copyright.PENANA8sVNeSza1T
paused making sure David was ready, once he nodded she continued. "Tell402Please respect copyright.PENANAQVZdYHDI71
me, do you know who actually hired your services?"402Please respect copyright.PENANAB0nV0xk8eg
"No idea, captain was usually tight lipped about our clients. I just always assumed it was one of you guys."402Please respect copyright.PENANAS1PmcJKOvU
"In a way. It's someone 402Please respect copyright.PENANAIJD7csl4BR
who's...interested in our cause. One of Gob's friends. He is able to get402Please respect copyright.PENANAqjVCmdGFdj
in and out of the isles without arousing too much suspicion."402Please respect copyright.PENANASwqqDD2ftj
"Can't imagine you can tell me who it is?"402Please respect copyright.PENANAIP9uI6SbZK
"It's not for me to tell sadly, Gob was adamant that it's best kept as secret." Francesca smiled apologetically "apologies"402Please respect copyright.PENANAvIespZASle
David waved his hand in a playful manner. "No worries, I'm surprised you're telling me any of this in the first place."402Please respect copyright.PENANA5uVKlyI7BT
"Well, there is a 402Please respect copyright.PENANAoRTEe0bzH4
reason. Since the weapons we got previously are in the Empire's hands 402Please respect copyright.PENANAujukvSuOgc
and we can't fight them for it." Putting it lightly the rebels never 402Please respect copyright.PENANAHLPEkKev5P
really fought the empire in a straight on fight. Mostly raids and 402Please respect copyright.PENANAyGjZ2yQuDh
recruiting villagers with their possessions. Easy pickings. "Gob got in 402Please respect copyright.PENANAjiHnwq8ZE9
touch with his friend again and luckily we managed to set up a meeting 402Please respect copyright.PENANASZ9FNFoy12
in a few days the edge of a different isle.402Please respect copyright.PENANAqPGnN11zzm
"We will also be moving 402Please respect copyright.PENANAMb3QmKi1gu
our base" she continued, sadly. "I can't keep us here with the danger 402Please respect copyright.PENANAjoJqZk5dgW
increasing, so we will move slowly, to an isle we were based in before 402Please respect copyright.PENANA8V8Sf7QFlg
so some will know where to go."402Please respect copyright.PENANAgiPRivZtZQ
"That's good, why did 402Please respect copyright.PENANAMDdVTQ6a5R
you want to keep us here for this long anyway?" While he was annoyed at 402Please respect copyright.PENANAwtdBGqoV63
hearing that question every time he went on patrols, he couldn't deny he402Please respect copyright.PENANAvSMkH8e6mg
was interested in the answer.402Please respect copyright.PENANAPgMkNf3PJa
"It...It has to do with one of The Five. I can't reveal more in fear that it might interfere with your objective. "402Please respect copyright.PENANAD6XKcCl0Li
David nodded, not a full402Please respect copyright.PENANAKXeCwMfn4z
answer he wanted but to push might create a rift between them. Religion402Please respect copyright.PENANAdg1xfxPI9X
was pretty important to Francesca "Don't worry; you don't have to 402Please respect copyright.PENANAHVP5Fxtqcj
reveal anything you don't want want to." He said in a soothing tone402Please respect copyright.PENANA06KtC6jlAG
"Thank you." She said 402Please respect copyright.PENANAkUCm9cVmQn
gratefully. "Where was I? Oh, yes. We'll have groups with specified 402Please respect copyright.PENANAos1xf3738E
leaders going back to that previous isle, they'll lead them and we'll 402Please respect copyright.PENANACcCapXg98m
regroup at a specified point."402Please respect copyright.PENANACVJrY0lzMP
"How will you get 402Please respect copyright.PENANA8HJD6ZinUR
everyone over to the next isle?" Isles were divided by cracks, and while402Please respect copyright.PENANALFCXjGyUHs
some you could jump over, others were so wide you could fit a full 402Please respect copyright.PENANAprFjc48J4h
city.402Please respect copyright.PENANAvqOqZ0RKK4
"We have small sky 402Please respect copyright.PENANAA7s4qVu8Ty
boats. Some of the groups will use it...Others...Others will need to 402Please respect copyright.PENANAPymomFF8IN
find their own way" she said in bitter tones. "I don't like that, we're 402Please respect copyright.PENANAsyDtZRItMK
abandoning my people. But Gob said it's too dangerous traveling in a big402Please respect copyright.PENANAuNhPSnBnU8
group."402Please respect copyright.PENANA6uHb9NmZoU
"You're a good leader on your own. You should trust your own instincts." Ah finally! An opportunity to create that rift402Please respect copyright.PENANADOS4jcUl09
She gave him a sad smile402Please respect copyright.PENANA34Rz8Resef
in response. "Thank you, but I do not a good head for tactics or 402Please respect copyright.PENANAGLDvQCloHw
military matters. I've had some education on it, but Gob is much better 402Please respect copyright.PENANAeYOeQyOBNq
at it." David still wasn't sure just what Gob did before the rebellion. 402Please respect copyright.PENANANpj1uk9Zqn
Francesca stated that the past did not matter and as long as they were 402Please respect copyright.PENANALBpbLmfe1P
willing to fight for the rebellions ideals they would be allowed to keep402Please respect copyright.PENANAyX0OfjcFQ9
their past in the past.402Please respect copyright.PENANAMGMNGMwzIy
"Now then, back to 402Please respect copyright.PENANAo2Z4tCuYVQ
business." She said more cheerily. "Myself and Gob will be meeting that 402Please respect copyright.PENANAevjHEGxAOy
person in a few days. We will have guards but I'd also like for you to 402Please respect copyright.PENANACLxaHAb38L
come. You're well-traveled and met many people; your advice would be 402Please respect copyright.PENANAn9QpUUwSPz
valuable, especially since we'll only be bartering for them."402Please respect copyright.PENANAqTJo4OjNYw
"You'll have it. I'm 402Please respect copyright.PENANA1rStLSiIKZ
more than happy to join you." While he wasn't looking forward to 402Please respect copyright.PENANAM7tojqKjfV
sleeping with all the insects again, it might help his back to not sleep402Please respect copyright.PENANAhaFPRJWc3Y
on a rock hard surface.402Please respect copyright.PENANAALSs6SupcR
"Perfect! I'll let Gob know and convince him as well." She laughed sheepishly. "I didn't really confirm this with him you see."402Please respect copyright.PENANAGpG22jp0qA
"Oh, the guy loves me. It'll be easy." Francesca smiled at that, she knew just how much Gob hated David.402Please respect copyright.PENANAEwFkjx3YpT
A lull in the conversation and then a question David was dreading "Did you have any more visions? From the one who chose you?"402Please respect copyright.PENANAWVe7oWPlZf
"Sadly no, I'm as 402Please respect copyright.PENANA2LCYtb4NBm
clueless as when I was born." This wasn't exactly true. He knew he had 402Please respect copyright.PENANAARjTKHEWAS
to find something, and suspected Francesca was after it as well he 402Please respect copyright.PENANAEHouUUeqgk
suspected it was on this isle. Francesca seemed to know more, but she 402Please respect copyright.PENANArumaBnX8q6
wasn't willing to reveal it. She might hide it under lofty ideals, but 402Please respect copyright.PENANAnPvHIEjQGt
she was concealing the truth from both David and the rebels.402Please respect copyright.PENANA7oe5v4G09A
"Do not worry, I am 402Please respect copyright.PENANAH1DrdFafEZ
su..." before she could continue their whole world rocked. As explosions402Please respect copyright.PENANAKTrlkh0r10
rang from outside and rubble started falling all around them., hitting 402Please respect copyright.PENANAV8W2g0Xzbp
the table and dislodging the torch, casting ominous shadows on the walls402Please respect copyright.PENANA5O59KUtm4E
"Wha..." before David could finish his thought a very worried Gob barged in. 402Please respect copyright.PENANAhS58qi1aUm
"We're under attack, they found us."
402Please respect copyright.PENANAjjQnVQ9UQB
402Please respect copyright.PENANAV8cx1QpxRu