709Please respect copyright.PENANA0sIHs9WLSk
709Please respect copyright.PENANAoMv9jJNrx9
'The voice?! Of course I709Please respect copyright.PENANAbeJwRjdjC9
can hear it, I embrace it, I follow it, I worship it for what it is! 709Please respect copyright.PENANAtHChwpNONI
The word of god! And I am a holy messenger! You all are heathens! 709Please respect copyright.PENANACPPDYxh1mw
Believers in false gods! You hide from the true voice, you fear it, you 709Please respect copyright.PENANADNjhYvRg5b
shun it, you deny it! My only crime is that I am no coward!'709Please respect copyright.PENANA7peu3RufsE
Extract from the trial 709Please respect copyright.PENANADUAikkCr0N
of Bloody Jack. Accused of murdering his whole village on the whims of 709Please respect copyright.PENANAPVBoojXadg
an ether being and sentenced to death.709Please respect copyright.PENANAGWcCAJyKgq
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------709Please respect copyright.PENANAXMOAbiKqKo
709Please respect copyright.PENANA6yH34SDSQd
"I don't get it, why don't we go to a different isle? The Imperialsh will have ush shurrounded in no time."709Please respect copyright.PENANA4r0sGkYA3D
~And here we go again, simple minded people asking simple minded questions~709Please respect copyright.PENANAKwsLYeM2K2
"Too many people to move, they'll notice us."709Please respect copyright.PENANArdO6ff6Nbv
"Never shtopped ush before." A pause as the old man spat to the side. "What about fighting then, too little of ush?"709Please respect copyright.PENANAhUnUa2BqPn
Gob shook his head, 709Please respect copyright.PENANAX5odQAov6j
tired. David could understand that, and he was annoyed he could 709Please respect copyright.PENANAHBOVxiB8TP
empathize with Gob. As per Gob's decision every time it was David's turn709Please respect copyright.PENANAgUX2j2VnGr
to go patrolling Gob accompanied him. At first David found this 709Please respect copyright.PENANAlVT3gLViY8
insulting, he was the paragon of trust after all, but after a few of 709Please respect copyright.PENANA6MT0NUZsTe
such patrols he just found it annoying. Ever patrol was usually 709Please respect copyright.PENANASMpk99Yxcm
conducted with 3 or 4 people, usually with different people. There were a709Please respect copyright.PENANA32JXVXAR92
few constants in those groups though, the first was that David and Gob 709Please respect copyright.PENANAYVzHjNK1H5
were in them and the second was that someone always asked when they 709Please respect copyright.PENANALAs8cUbhoG
would move.709Please respect copyright.PENANA6Py5tBLtbx
Now David has only been 709Please respect copyright.PENANA7ibc1SCSCB
in the camp for a month now and managed to glean some information from 709Please respect copyright.PENANAMFwF6yQRlN
the other rebels and just observations. There were three groups of 709Please respect copyright.PENANALTZrqm4Li5
rebels. Peasants, peasant-soldiers and soldiers, as David liked to call 709Please respect copyright.PENANAqECn96K9iO
them. Peasants and peasant-soldiers were the people with no, to only 709Please respect copyright.PENANAXkZgceBtxk
basic, military training. Such as Denis and his ilk. The soldiers 709Please respect copyright.PENANApz7aH3didy
weren't necessary from the military, but they had more experience. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAscKrtGzoUb
Experience wasn't the only difference, civilians and civilian soldiers 709Please respect copyright.PENANA0tetwUlXRN
loved and trusted both Gob and Francesca. Soldiers only trusted Gob. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAcWnBayLKw4
Which worked out nicely for David as he could use this discord and 709Please respect copyright.PENANA1riqNMzxIe
divided loyalties.709Please respect copyright.PENANA71YcxxCWOy
Another important thing 709Please respect copyright.PENANAas27PJcujg
he managed to find out was that the rebels had stayed on the same isle 709Please respect copyright.PENANATIjf2ABTC5
for three months. Many of the rebels were unhappy with the prolonged 709Please respect copyright.PENANA7kVFzxfcvW
stay, especially the soldiers. This resulted in that question and Gob 709Please respect copyright.PENANAVrLC7D2NZf
giving the same answer to anyone who asked. It was really riveting stuff709Please respect copyright.PENANA12dtAwRR4a
for David, especially after hearing it for the twentieth third time. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAztu8tAKnHp
Ol' Stevie asked it around two or three times over the past few days to 709Please respect copyright.PENANAnu05XMJbFW
their destination.709Please respect copyright.PENANAyBn5A8iiyA
Today they were out 709Please respect copyright.PENANAv9HQD2cBll
looking at the new imperial camp, turning into more of a makeshift fort,709Please respect copyright.PENANAduWRkD1COr
being built around the wreckage of the 'Flying Fish'. It was a crude 709Please respect copyright.PENANACcmwKkYi0b
construction, something that could be easily taken apart. They were 709Please respect copyright.PENANAFyFJTVyjNP
joined by Rock and another rebel, called old toothless Stevie, on 709Please respect copyright.PENANAMJvpoU0330
account of him being old and having lost most of his teeth. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAXkqQQiwNRD
"Yes, now shut up and 709Please respect copyright.PENANAT6nPlAWZLU
remember everything you can about the imperials." Stevie shrugged at 709Please respect copyright.PENANAXXwY3Puy3q
that and continued looking through his binocular. David kept further 709Please respect copyright.PENANAKAYmFUObtl
away from the pair, watching their backs with Rock, the youth did not 709Please respect copyright.PENANAvlboEkL699
become any more talkative during Davids stay in the caves.709Please respect copyright.PENANAZu9rlIijW3
They were at their 709Please respect copyright.PENANA0TT4yC3rPG
lookout spot for a few hours at this point and David was glad he didn't 709Please respect copyright.PENANALwKMuvbOOw
feel any magical tugs coming from that direction, after discussing it 709Please respect copyright.PENANAezJIgmQrLA
with Francesca it turned out that what David felt was a magical tug, 709Please respect copyright.PENANAayDY3BvH6B
looked like the imperial soldier wasn't anywhere near it.709Please respect copyright.PENANAOpgNYstndO
"Alright, that's enough.709Please respect copyright.PENANAk5APcEC0YS
Let's head back." Gob proclaimed to the group and David sighted in 709Please respect copyright.PENANAsF8YpCqTIp
relief. Thankfully David was given new shoes, to help him walk, as well 709Please respect copyright.PENANAzja0MFdS9Q
as new clothes and even an eyepatch. The walk itself was silent and 709Please respect copyright.PENANABg45BLoOcR
brutal. Gob set a murderous pace and he didn't look back to check on any709Please respect copyright.PENANAWwBEqaGqvv
of them except for Rock, who bore it with his usual silence.709Please respect copyright.PENANAIrlSikgAwB
David walked in silence 709Please respect copyright.PENANAoCp21TTjm8
as well. More to preserve his breathe, than anything else, as he felt 709Please respect copyright.PENANAN1bUuFv08a
that he would fall to the ground if he even tried speaking. Toothless 709Please respect copyright.PENANAcjg46v5Kcn
Stevie may have been old and not have teeth, but he had more stamina 709Please respect copyright.PENANAynGSpXpHnl
than David, farm work really built you up for long hours of activity.709Please respect copyright.PENANAvA6JeAnN3T
A walk that would've 709Please respect copyright.PENANARIj6HfmFNy
taken most of the day was managed in about half a day. David was so glad709Please respect copyright.PENANAknaeOtKlWU
to see the damp cave that he was ready to kiss the rocks when he came 709Please respect copyright.PENANAyOUKfF8ILV
inside. The camp itself did not change much over the past month and 709Please respect copyright.PENANAFF2eFqzHVU
David was still the new guy. Though he made good strides in integrating 709Please respect copyright.PENANAtJDU30oE60
himself as most of rebels waved to him in greeting.709Please respect copyright.PENANARSpGmNXkCz
"I'll go report to 709Please respect copyright.PENANALxyPoydW9d
Francesca. You can go relax." Gob passed David without a glance at him. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAy5NzKG8g5k
The fact that Gob didn't glare or spit at David's direction must've 709Please respect copyright.PENANAWeG6IqaHjo
meant that he was finally warming up to him! At least it was more than 709Please respect copyright.PENANAG6OQgilpeN
David got over the past month, in fact he was ready to give up on ever 709Please respect copyright.PENANAYt4C2AX2Aj
winning Gob over.709Please respect copyright.PENANAkcIz8h58r5
Francesca on the other 709Please respect copyright.PENANAvsPmUXLO8C
hand warmed up to him quite fast. As Denis summarized and David 709Please respect copyright.PENANARaSAHn27YF
confirmed she was a noble, a well read and knowledgeable noble but 709Please respect copyright.PENANANys9YDMgqX
someone who hasn't left her estate a lot and has never traveled outside 709Please respect copyright.PENANAmPvTmKNxtn
the empire. While David was the well-traveled dashing smuggler. He 709Please respect copyright.PENANAZ5JKLuqjPA
managed to enthrall her with made up stories and adventures. To be fair 709Please respect copyright.PENANAJoSXv5Fugw
to Francesca she wasn't the only one falling under David's charm. As 709Please respect copyright.PENANAzfHsRpF9ql
most of the rebels found it hard to resist the dashing rogue act.709Please respect copyright.PENANACcFc57b9Fz
David just wished he 709Please respect copyright.PENANAFOGe1rUbyu
could win them over without going on patrols and risking his life. Oh 709Please respect copyright.PENANAoASQpcNebZ
well no one said being a parasite was easy.709Please respect copyright.PENANA1Bt34xp2YD
Further down the camps 709Please respect copyright.PENANALw9Ya7Q1sp
he could see Twitch, the nervous brother of Denis. Over the past month 709Please respect copyright.PENANApvFmerDSLd
he integrated himself with the siblings, becoming a part of their gang. 709Please respect copyright.PENANA3iaoa7nTCN
As the siblings were liked by the rebels in general this made them trust709Please respect copyright.PENANAVUMEqxh6f0
David all the more. David decided to join Twitch so he snuck up behind 709Please respect copyright.PENANAx3TRno9AZM
him. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAMrrrwvs9FW
"What'cha doing?"709Please respect copyright.PENANAzdxxIJkeNI
Twitch practically jumped out of his own skin. "Agh! Oh D-david. Don't s-scare me l-l-like that."709Please respect copyright.PENANADQqloNLmTx
"Sorry, twitch." David said patting the boys shoulder. "Didn't mean to, you know I hate doing it." He loved it709Please respect copyright.PENANA3WurDeAw5V
Twitch nodded and stood beside David." 'S alright. I-I-I'm just easily sca-ar-ared."709Please respect copyright.PENANA6UqWPQVfUl
David nodded. The boy 709Please respect copyright.PENANA0Wukw5Cbs7
was lucky to have any friends at all." Nothing wrong with being scared."709Please respect copyright.PENANA6Fxlael2Qs
He said with a comforting smile. "We all have our own strengths, like 709Please respect copyright.PENANAfhoAMoHeE4
you..." David paused for a bit racking his mind for something to say. "A709Please respect copyright.PENANAbAtDy1xIw2
poet! A man of dreams! How're your poems going anyway? I still want to 709Please respect copyright.PENANAbzr6HIyVbS
read them someday."709Please respect copyright.PENANA0oD9F134mX
Twitch muttered 709Please respect copyright.PENANACKjpzh4CWv
something under his breathe. David motioned with his hand for him to 709Please respect copyright.PENANAZu4eMQWmS8
speak up. "...n-not poems. But son-so-songs."709Please respect copyright.PENANA7KNtRrBbwN
David stopped himself from shrugging and smiled. "Songs, even better then! Why not create a song for the rebellion?"709Please respect copyright.PENANA4UAbQqfEAv
Twitch started shaking 709Please respect copyright.PENANAlT5yA3uCjb
his head but before the words: 'No' formed on his mouth a voice 709Please respect copyright.PENANABhQHDD2xTp
interrupted them. "A hymn truly sounds marvelous!" Francesca made Twitch709Please respect copyright.PENANAZIE9LYcXDA
jump back even more than David did709Please respect copyright.PENANAX22bPEpfWf
"I-I-I" He continued in that vain for a while.709Please respect copyright.PENANAHRyvRG7XEY
"Speak up soldier!" Gobs709Please respect copyright.PENANAbSCv6rNH7Q
voice resounded around the cave, making everyone glance at Twitch, 709Please respect copyright.PENANAC338oIPqMc
which should've made his stuttering worse. But his fear of Gob took over709Please respect copyright.PENANA2hVK8wvKX8
any instinct he had.709Please respect copyright.PENANADQydx3jmRt
"I'mnotgoodenough!" He 709Please respect copyright.PENANALeXrncjl7T
said as fast possible. David was astounded it was probably the first 709Please respect copyright.PENANAQepv4vif2J
time the boy didn't stutter. Not that he could understand what he said 709Please respect copyright.PENANAOcRBHLAVfD
now.709Please respect copyright.PENANAWwKVZhUXEu
"Nonsense." Francesca 709Please respect copyright.PENANA6zTbTICg5t
put her hand on Twitch's shoulder. She didn't seem to have any trouble 709Please respect copyright.PENANA1qO7cOZUtO
understanding him. "Write me a song when you can, and we will sing it, 709Please respect copyright.PENANAqOfpt11OGa
all of us together." She projected her voice to others nearby which 709Please respect copyright.PENANAQOILhP1PDD
raised a rugged cheer. That just made Twitch hide his face as it went 709Please respect copyright.PENANAA8iQsXHADM
dark red.709Please respect copyright.PENANA4JnQBfMmOm
Francesca spared Twitch 709Please respect copyright.PENANAKycc0KMHud
one last warm smile and turned to the rest of the rebels standing 709Please respect copyright.PENANALDnqS6RRXB
around. "It's time for your daily studies! Spread the message!" Both 709Please respect copyright.PENANAx5pkCLoVLY
children and adults listened to Francesca, without a hint of 709Please respect copyright.PENANATVxKDq90ee
disobedience, and started moving in one line to the study cavern, as it 709Please respect copyright.PENANABpHQiDpLxT
was popularly called.709Please respect copyright.PENANAUChbNux0N7
The rebels not only 709Please respect copyright.PENANAcWFasZMzuD
respected Francesca for her leadership and attitude towards the 709Please respect copyright.PENANAAjuwgSrKhf
peasantry, but also her attempts to educate them. Most of the rebels 709Please respect copyright.PENANA6U66F7IHjW
didn't know how to read or basic math while Francesca was an educated 709Please respect copyright.PENANAUCeCdW184f
noble, thus she decided to teach everyone in the rebellion the basics. 709Please respect copyright.PENANA9hx7J70cYN
No one was barred from the lessons and both young and old were invited 709Please respect copyright.PENANAuVb34Xi18f
to them. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAr14D4lYE1B
David attended one of 709Please respect copyright.PENANAyLqGZbueNG
those lessons but found himself too bored to continue. They were talking709Please respect copyright.PENANAK3Zbsxtp6h
about letter and numbers and some researcher named Vesputti or 709Please respect copyright.PENANAf6hXgm6K02
something similar. Thus, he skipped over on those lessons, he wasn't the709Please respect copyright.PENANAkzGu3I7VaJ
only one as most of the adults had decided that they were too old to 709Please respect copyright.PENANALBDnoSbO1F
learn anything new.709Please respect copyright.PENANAd7Ymfp6JpF
Before leading her group709Please respect copyright.PENANAU7nTCfSsh3
to the secluded cavern, Francesca approached David. "I'd like if you'd 709Please respect copyright.PENANAPYWpmh6E5A
dine with me tonight, if it's to your liking?"709Please respect copyright.PENANA4CJrqn0Wvw
"Of course, I'll see you709Please respect copyright.PENANALeZfSfwPIO
later." Francesca did that sometimes, inviting David over. Chatting 709Please respect copyright.PENANAGRoz7Y4LaD
about trivialities, like whether he had any more vision about The Five. 709Please respect copyright.PENANA9FR14xyLH7
Thankfully Jester didn't deign to appear yet so David managed to sleep 709Please respect copyright.PENANAnlJtdSyYl0
peacefully, well not accounting the strange dreams about some boy crying709Please respect copyright.PENANA4zznSYsiko
and calling for his mummy. Those dreams made David wake up in a foul 709Please respect copyright.PENANA6kDxwK48nC
mood, he wasn't certain why but thought it could be because he didn't 709Please respect copyright.PENANAHCs0iTSzkW
remember his parents or family.709Please respect copyright.PENANAEG0nL9xcZe
Francesca, unaware of 709Please respect copyright.PENANATEeecYoG9p
David's thoughts or dreams, nodded with a smile and led her group from 709Please respect copyright.PENANA9yS7WAEMO4
the main cavern. Twitch following her and joining his sibling to whom 709Please respect copyright.PENANAImGu5VbARw
David waved. Turning around he came face to face with Nook.709Please respect copyright.PENANAJkan0I7ToD
"I'm off duty now, got some guys looking for a game. You're in?"709Please respect copyright.PENANAu1iGMEfGia
Nook was an interesting 709Please respect copyright.PENANAwXFylpcKSH
case, while he was definitely Gob's man he didn't seem to be as 709Please respect copyright.PENANAwreXEemyzy
disciplined as the other soldiers. He was also one of the few soldiers 709Please respect copyright.PENANAdtOObnDU2A
who was friendly with David instead of following Gob's lead and hating 709Please respect copyright.PENANAYygPYYxfEX
his guts. So they decided to have a card game here and there while 709Please respect copyright.PENANADJcDQi8gt3
inviting other people, a card game in which David lost more often than 709Please respect copyright.PENANAs9GaNUGaGx
not. While David hated losing in cards it was a good method of making 709Please respect copyright.PENANATsWTccNtFb
friends and getting to know people. As well as a guarantee to keep 709Please respect copyright.PENANAZID4DlYhOV
getting invited as long as you lost smart and graciously accepted it.709Please respect copyright.PENANAYyoKmy0mF3
"Aye, why not Nook. Maybe I'll clean house this time."709Please respect copyright.PENANA2LQ15UsBtT
Nook grinned a 709Please respect copyright.PENANA9pVE0nG6kR
predator's smile and led David towards a secluded table. While gambling 709Please respect copyright.PENANA7BGkpAnXab
wasn't banned or anything, as long as you were off duty, it was frowned 709Please respect copyright.PENANAiugVm0gZ2Q
upon by Gob. That and most rebels having limited resources. Having only 709Please respect copyright.PENANAupcbqPTmdr
their clothes and weapons stolen from the empire or brought on their 709Please respect copyright.PENANAWHT09RTgnY
backs.709Please respect copyright.PENANAjX2PNHI1sy
Thus any card games were709Please respect copyright.PENANAvjCrhnlY4r
just that, games to pass the time. At least until David proposed to bet709Please respect copyright.PENANAVkdsb9S7oY
their rations. Everyone received the basic rations few times per day 709Please respect copyright.PENANAfygxaTNMnd
and it was up to them how much of that they ate. It was barely enough to709Please respect copyright.PENANAZUYQKDlLJ8
feed a healthy adult. As they have been on this isle for a while it was709Please respect copyright.PENANAXxqQbP4R5i
harder to find fresh animals to hunt every day. A lot of the rebels 709Please respect copyright.PENANAJckTNuK8F7
were opposed to that idea as they'd loose on the last bits of food they 709Please respect copyright.PENANAo5oI6dXg7t
did have.709Please respect copyright.PENANAo8XDgGu67t
Some did think it was a 709Please respect copyright.PENANAMopyxJmkh0
brilliant idea and David was sitting down with a few of them right now. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAmltRpWBhyU
Nook, he was confident in his card abilities. Apparently before joining 709Please respect copyright.PENANADEsiM7McBH
the rebellion he was a militiaman in his village and gambled a lot. As 709Please respect copyright.PENANA0otmgGvRbX
far as David could see he was more lucky than actually good. Old 709Please respect copyright.PENANA0LPzoHaBea
toothless Stevie, he joked that if he did lose his rations that it would709Please respect copyright.PENANAcMCuGWRoQ5
save his last teeth. He also wasn't afraid to bet most of his rations 709Please respect copyright.PENANAQHEaa8wv2j
scaring the other players into folding, a good bluffer. Finally there 709Please respect copyright.PENANAHUwQztBorn
was Tiruk, a huge man who definitely needed more rations just to 709Please respect copyright.PENANAJYNmAwIYiQ
survive. It surprised David anyone could keep that weight with tight the709Please respect copyright.PENANAFx0RNRQ02I
food has been.709Please respect copyright.PENANAsjG9UwRSwI
They were the four main 709Please respect copyright.PENANAipaEIRpzZZ
players who usually joined the gambling games. Sometimes others joined 709Please respect copyright.PENANAL710WzOUwQ
but they usually stopped after going hungry for a day or two as they 709Please respect copyright.PENANAJGO7hYMxL1
lost their rations. These four though didn't give up after losing, 709Please respect copyright.PENANAcdm1GydEDP
because they knew that their chances of a feast were just around the 709Please respect copyright.PENANA1PWivwOJyu
corner. That fact created a sense of comradeship between the players. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1snNCCaJL
Even if they were playing against each other they understood the risks 709Please respect copyright.PENANAYqEATDqw0N
and accepted them.709Please respect copyright.PENANAkdXWEUBYzB
"''Ello boys." David 709Please respect copyright.PENANAnq3zv50CDF
said sitting down at the table with Nook. There were nods all around the709Please respect copyright.PENANAyuJ6bqEPr3
table and the cards were dealt. They were playing a card game called 709Please respect copyright.PENANAWHipp3AtDj
match 'n go. Most of the rebels had not heard of the game or at least 709Please respect copyright.PENANA2GOenMGhPD
knew it under a different name but most of them caught on fast, it was 709Please respect copyright.PENANAkc4hucKauS
often just played for fun. But the best games came from betting. As the 709Please respect copyright.PENANAA1Bv3eI64d
risks went higher you tried to fool your opponent into thinking that you709Please respect copyright.PENANA43DSke2HEl
had the match or a higher card. David loved risk games like that, he 709Please respect copyright.PENANAFSq2UBeazQ
loved reading the other player emotions and using it against them or at 709Please respect copyright.PENANA8mvx9o1tX2
least for his own benefit. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAKXwTA5BudG
Nook was the first to 709Please respect copyright.PENANAeleF5OHMev
play. "I'm betting half of my rations on this. Gots a good deck, that I 709Please respect copyright.PENANA31c2XWboDZ
do." David could see the plastered smile on his face. At this point 709Please respect copyright.PENANAhX7gdyTSgm
David could tell fake between real in a heartbeat. Nook was bluffing.709Please respect copyright.PENANAA2DWqgmVIP
"Alright, I'll call that." David answered.709Please respect copyright.PENANApP3JKC728e
Tiruk, in answer, just 709Please respect copyright.PENANAbfW2dKOyVS
shook his head and folded. He wasn't risking it. Stevenson with his 709Please respect copyright.PENANAuLVfFLK8OK
gaped smile called it as well and cackled a bit.709Please respect copyright.PENANA2G3Gsc4uqX
Next card revealed. A 3 709Please respect copyright.PENANAIB7sBsDZ14
for Davids two threes. He'd have to fold that game, too high chance of 709Please respect copyright.PENANAlPMB89IjDC
winning. So it went on and on, rations were won and lost. David won a 709Please respect copyright.PENANAKII3wGPFG4
few games but then he bet everything and lost on purpose, made Stevie a 709Please respect copyright.PENANAKEYqry2dnX
very happy, old, man.709Please respect copyright.PENANAv64HuFGCLT
Since David didn't have 709Please respect copyright.PENANArTHfeplrOZ
anything to bet with anymore he made his excuses and left the table. He 709Please respect copyright.PENANAh3IQdTyh3q
took a look around for Gob and didn't see him anywhere so decided it 709Please respect copyright.PENANAHdoXgQWVuw
would be safe to take a walk.709Please respect copyright.PENANAxUvTXDtt7D
Another thing he took to709Please respect copyright.PENANAfEXD0g0xOL
doing over the past two weeks was exploring, finding any secret spaces 709Please respect copyright.PENANAUBIRwClHAH
where he might hide. The rebels themselves only found one possible 709Please respect copyright.PENANAKDWlOSMqAj
emergency exit while David found three. Of course the other two exits 709Please respect copyright.PENANALLHgmqYMe5
only were wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. So it 709Please respect copyright.PENANAxqGobIJGaj
could be that they just didn't consider them as such.709Please respect copyright.PENANA8no2tgFPXw
He also found various 709Please respect copyright.PENANAzIHu9WV6YH
hiding spots, not only for him but for items he stole. Weapons, 709Please respect copyright.PENANA62bm4VuH23
ammunition, food and the like. If only a small amount disappeared at a 709Please respect copyright.PENANAH9aD6yEtu1
time no one really noticed and attributed it to absentmindedness. Though709Please respect copyright.PENANAJKBELGHrQe
David believed Gob was getting suspicious so he would need to start 709Please respect copyright.PENANA2zuhjIocMm
being more careful.709Please respect copyright.PENANA4YrsjmdlHO
The caves themselves 709Please respect copyright.PENANAw5o4api6vz
seemed to go through the whole isle, David didn't believe he explored 709Please respect copyright.PENANA45mf2I4Zsg
even half of it. Gob tried to send a few soldiers every day to explore 709Please respect copyright.PENANAiybx8GVefy
further into the caves, but many were afraid of the dark, believing 709Please respect copyright.PENANAKY6nacdjxj
various beasts were residing in them. Refusing to go inside without Gob 709Please respect copyright.PENANAyaO7dtQzW7
and since Gob was usually busy either creating or being out on patrols 709Please respect copyright.PENANA2RRULENChT
himself that limited their exploring time.709Please respect copyright.PENANAyVwphgwXCF
That let David offer his709Please respect copyright.PENANAO1xwTTi9MN
services as an explorer. He would explore the further caves and would 709Please respect copyright.PENANA80FrJFUL69
report on any worrying circumstances. Gob was reluctant to let him go 709Please respect copyright.PENANAEnxFkFcg8V
but was convinced by Francesca that it would be a grand idea as it would709Please respect copyright.PENANARF43QnA5G8
free more people for patrols and other duties.709Please respect copyright.PENANASqWUQkvVri
This time though he had a709Please respect copyright.PENANArUPWs7Zqmu
destination in mind. A bit further into one of the pathways, about an 709Please respect copyright.PENANAaNLgvjYzaG
hour from the main cavern, there was a small pathway where a thin person709Please respect copyright.PENANA1N4Tv0NO0C
could barely fit. Following that pathway, if you could survive the 709Please respect copyright.PENANAtON8RuU7dI
feeling of getting crushed by the walls, was a pool. David was surprised709Please respect copyright.PENANA3F25t1mFy9
when he found and astonished when he discovered the water was hot. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAQpbBCOzUXW
That's where he was 709Please respect copyright.PENANAvMDrNtUryw
going now; he needed a clear head for Francesca's meeting. No matter how709Please respect copyright.PENANAO1wfYDAUG9
she acted she was a noble, they always sought the best deals for 709Please respect copyright.PENANAkmjzZvv0Lm
themselves, always trying to ledge a situation in their favour. David 709Please respect copyright.PENANAl43UGHdNQx
would need to be on his toes. Or maybe he just wanted to actually relax 709Please respect copyright.PENANA7IhFItX84o
without anyone screaming or crying, he didn't decide which one sounded 709Please respect copyright.PENANAgyNQrO6Aiz
better in his mind.709Please respect copyright.PENANAbkv8FOct7s
Thus grabbing a torch as709Please respect copyright.PENANA5QbNov4QKB
many of the pathways further down weren't lit, he began his, 709Please respect copyright.PENANAmmW9KqbWGv
uneventful, journey. Luckily he reached his destination in a timely 709Please respect copyright.PENANAYmTBGzHgYK
manner, though he hated going through that cramped space. He gave a 709Please respect copyright.PENANAMmyX1XBi7u
satisfied sigh as he sat down in the pool, his muscles losing the 709Please respect copyright.PENANAX5okG9HMii
tension he gathered over the past few weeks, the water reached up to his709Please respect copyright.PENANAIRJaTEJco2
chest and he dunked his head under the water finally enjoying a proper 709Please respect copyright.PENANAKrxSVTEPsQ
clean. He was careful to keep track of time but other than that he let 709Please respect copyright.PENANA3tlTOi6LSN
his mind wander and just blanked out. 709Please respect copyright.PENANA4H5FXLJfi2
Before he even noticed, 709Please respect copyright.PENANApURWkyZ8Gb
to David's disappointment, it was time to leave. He was also saddened by709Please respect copyright.PENANAeDeejAVUAJ
the fact that the water ended up a bit darker after his bath, a way to 709Please respect copyright.PENANAK8h1Fgs5ys
hit a guys confidence. With a sad sigh he put on his dirty and worn out 709Please respect copyright.PENANAfzHk1Squyp
clothes and went back to the main cavern to the sound of activity and 709Please respect copyright.PENANAaC4CDXXWzj
the smell of unwashed masses.709Please respect copyright.PENANA8GUXPs84wY
It did seem that David 709Please respect copyright.PENANACTmvcuWugH
came back just in time as people were gathered near the cooking pots to 709Please respect copyright.PENANAOHVgHEHFg8
gather their rations. David did the same and then found Stevie, sitting 709Please respect copyright.PENANAATMLrTqj8b
with some other older rebels, and gave him his rations. Stevie nodded 709Please respect copyright.PENANAsH7jUFCJAO
and had a sparkle in his eye. "Maybe nexsht time you can save me 709Please respect copyright.PENANAbHaeCR93so
teethsh." And he cackled at his joke. David managed a weak laugh that 709Please respect copyright.PENANA64zBWbTsYP
seemed to satisfy Stevie.709Please respect copyright.PENANAYcjrhPe0vT
"Don't keep Francesca 709Please respect copyright.PENANAjjNzwg0Rxq
waiting." Came a gruff voice from behind. David tried to hide his 709Please respect copyright.PENANADY9Fh8Gl5h
annoyance at the fact that Gob managed to sneak up on him and scare him.709Please respect copyright.PENANA2VySJ39jIR
Some people just had no sense of proper manners.709Please respect copyright.PENANAYVIDyKPikq
"Oh I wouldn't dare." 709Please respect copyright.PENANAlVEVNnmdTM
He gave a mock bow which seemed to infuriate Gob more. "I was just out 709Please respect copyright.PENANAilLQzcPX1T
exploring, nothing to report so far, sir Gob." Gob just grunted and 709Please respect copyright.PENANAia7L08isUH
walked away. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAJQ9iHXUVVb
David smiled and waved 709Please respect copyright.PENANAZgNdd7MGTZ
after him, the guy really needed to unwind. With nothing else to do but 709Please respect copyright.PENANAZ49vKlDKBV
shrug at that thought David went towards Francesca's room. Even if 709Please respect copyright.PENANAl7YrGV3t6E
Francesca did pretend to be all for equality and the like she still had 709Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5yvnVE3n7
her personal quarters, such as they were, as well as an actual bed, 709Please respect copyright.PENANAi3Xk7Kdjs4
table, chairs. They were shoddy work at best, crafted quickly by some of709Please respect copyright.PENANAJGxUpz2QJb
the rebels, but they were more than anything any other rebel had. David709Please respect copyright.PENANAlEhygnzxvz
was impressed by how she had more and yet most still perceived her as 709Please respect copyright.PENANAwlzsP76Wvl
the paragon of virtue.709Please respect copyright.PENANAwi2Oi8hGHe
Her room, as per usual, 709Please respect copyright.PENANARjrpKMza0O
was guarded. But the guard waved him on with a smile. David saw it as a 709Please respect copyright.PENANALlnDLsjzd6
pointless precaution anyway, but what could you do. Francesca herself 709Please respect copyright.PENANA1Ah77BMXr0
was already seated, with a torch in the middle of the table, a pale 709Please respect copyright.PENANA6fQtFKGxtg
imitation of a candle. One thing the rebels had a lot of were torches, 709Please respect copyright.PENANAHobSN1Sh0w
to light up all caverns and pathways. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAkbJKDBSmdJ
"Oh, David! Please sit" she gestured towards the second chair.709Please respect copyright.PENANAM3Xc56OqsB
David sat down with a 709Please respect copyright.PENANAkxRErvgHOH
nod and smile. They weren't eating anything extravagant, just what the 709Please respect copyright.PENANA22hXTwo27t
rest were. Dried meat, nuts, sometimes if they were lucky they could 709Please respect copyright.PENANArHyyZ6rFSA
even get rabbit or vegetable soup, but that more of a luxury nowadays. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAernvFTkhMK
This time it was some dried meat of unknown origin and some water found 709Please respect copyright.PENANAe9zpHUafNb
in a stream. Delicious.709Please respect copyright.PENANAflJ6oaYMC0
"So pleasantries first or business first?"709Please respect copyright.PENANAVLUqEtdGTy
"I found that going straight to business can ruin a healthy appetite."709Please respect copyright.PENANA9hGy49LFKm
Francesca nodded and 709Please respect copyright.PENANAURlXYtR0Y4
began to cut her meat with her wooden utensils. While David had similar 709Please respect copyright.PENANAG17cMxkNDo
equipment he didn't really find much use of them and found it better to 709Please respect copyright.PENANAGWDOQgTQWm
eat with his own hands. Made it faster and when you're under cannon fire709Please respect copyright.PENANAJgOhpwyZAx
fast eating was paramount.709Please respect copyright.PENANA2Ehp4aFBf7
As expected David 709Please respect copyright.PENANAEcxydyPxzq
finished his portion first and ended up waiting for Francesca to finish 709Please respect copyright.PENANAKGLUINSxnM
hers, which took another 5 or 10 minutes. The girl was certainly a 709Please respect copyright.PENANAdU93IrIoyn
deliberate eater.709Please respect copyright.PENANAoiUp0kFguG
"So on to business." She709Please respect copyright.PENANAtl0BbXXVRX
paused making sure David was ready, once he nodded she continued. "Tell709Please respect copyright.PENANAVRjzoWQW5m
me, do you know who actually hired your services?"709Please respect copyright.PENANAkdJbp6ZHLT
"No idea, captain was usually tight lipped about our clients. I just always assumed it was one of you guys."709Please respect copyright.PENANAkmewNQDLNI
"In a way. It's someone 709Please respect copyright.PENANApllb5v2BR2
who's...interested in our cause. One of Gob's friends. He is able to get709Please respect copyright.PENANAs7sMfvSgzW
in and out of the isles without arousing too much suspicion."709Please respect copyright.PENANAuJGLJ6lzkW
"Can't imagine you can tell me who it is?"709Please respect copyright.PENANAZktqyxwqoX
"It's not for me to tell sadly, Gob was adamant that it's best kept as secret." Francesca smiled apologetically "apologies"709Please respect copyright.PENANAYXZNT8MpgO
David waved his hand in a playful manner. "No worries, I'm surprised you're telling me any of this in the first place."709Please respect copyright.PENANA0YPWdIcTUq
"Well, there is a 709Please respect copyright.PENANASCEn8cQiJy
reason. Since the weapons we got previously are in the Empire's hands 709Please respect copyright.PENANAlzQPTHd65K
and we can't fight them for it." Putting it lightly the rebels never 709Please respect copyright.PENANA5gcrEdoaTD
really fought the empire in a straight on fight. Mostly raids and 709Please respect copyright.PENANASvkt8orzO5
recruiting villagers with their possessions. Easy pickings. "Gob got in 709Please respect copyright.PENANALtQSHDUuub
touch with his friend again and luckily we managed to set up a meeting 709Please respect copyright.PENANAh8haowXOqZ
in a few days the edge of a different isle.709Please respect copyright.PENANApwAZeOMQzf
"We will also be moving 709Please respect copyright.PENANAiKA45slXP5
our base" she continued, sadly. "I can't keep us here with the danger 709Please respect copyright.PENANAod9CJc7j66
increasing, so we will move slowly, to an isle we were based in before 709Please respect copyright.PENANACcwkJKxnAm
so some will know where to go."709Please respect copyright.PENANADRFmMhdJSW
"That's good, why did 709Please respect copyright.PENANAfCe3z1nMun
you want to keep us here for this long anyway?" While he was annoyed at 709Please respect copyright.PENANAbO6m0G6eZg
hearing that question every time he went on patrols, he couldn't deny he709Please respect copyright.PENANAFJccNq1cEf
was interested in the answer.709Please respect copyright.PENANAzyNDKO0CpP
"It...It has to do with one of The Five. I can't reveal more in fear that it might interfere with your objective. "709Please respect copyright.PENANA8ODHzQmcV7
David nodded, not a full709Please respect copyright.PENANACiXNpHutfC
answer he wanted but to push might create a rift between them. Religion709Please respect copyright.PENANACXL7OegVj5
was pretty important to Francesca "Don't worry; you don't have to 709Please respect copyright.PENANA7tfYLtP7Or
reveal anything you don't want want to." He said in a soothing tone709Please respect copyright.PENANAME9IlI6MYb
"Thank you." She said 709Please respect copyright.PENANAPBHtSVpMu8
gratefully. "Where was I? Oh, yes. We'll have groups with specified 709Please respect copyright.PENANAhQGp6SpEn2
leaders going back to that previous isle, they'll lead them and we'll 709Please respect copyright.PENANAA7wjuBJDb3
regroup at a specified point."709Please respect copyright.PENANA2y2uUqEtPn
"How will you get 709Please respect copyright.PENANAaDVVjpNM2n
everyone over to the next isle?" Isles were divided by cracks, and while709Please respect copyright.PENANArMNOP1M310
some you could jump over, others were so wide you could fit a full 709Please respect copyright.PENANAgE18mGPxVU
city.709Please respect copyright.PENANAjozgzlY5ei
"We have small sky 709Please respect copyright.PENANASaPxdHwTeD
boats. Some of the groups will use it...Others...Others will need to 709Please respect copyright.PENANAAUviXkf5AS
find their own way" she said in bitter tones. "I don't like that, we're 709Please respect copyright.PENANAcSOxLsIZT7
abandoning my people. But Gob said it's too dangerous traveling in a big709Please respect copyright.PENANALKt4EGpToe
group."709Please respect copyright.PENANAv1tjB0wR2l
"You're a good leader on your own. You should trust your own instincts." Ah finally! An opportunity to create that rift709Please respect copyright.PENANAtmQLq24J6c
She gave him a sad smile709Please respect copyright.PENANAQG6TuQrxOk
in response. "Thank you, but I do not a good head for tactics or 709Please respect copyright.PENANAiLnMDB5C88
military matters. I've had some education on it, but Gob is much better 709Please respect copyright.PENANAAr2mqjcizO
at it." David still wasn't sure just what Gob did before the rebellion. 709Please respect copyright.PENANAtdCuBraab0
Francesca stated that the past did not matter and as long as they were 709Please respect copyright.PENANAMLN2glch6t
willing to fight for the rebellions ideals they would be allowed to keep709Please respect copyright.PENANApCYLqEJYPz
their past in the past.709Please respect copyright.PENANALQs0GbaAqb
"Now then, back to 709Please respect copyright.PENANA2ksWxtabRj
business." She said more cheerily. "Myself and Gob will be meeting that 709Please respect copyright.PENANA4wKEZ7SaUJ
person in a few days. We will have guards but I'd also like for you to 709Please respect copyright.PENANAyIN379Y5U6
come. You're well-traveled and met many people; your advice would be 709Please respect copyright.PENANAxtZ1Zco6HP
valuable, especially since we'll only be bartering for them."709Please respect copyright.PENANA1KCCk8k7cL
"You'll have it. I'm 709Please respect copyright.PENANAjQQVDlNLHD
more than happy to join you." While he wasn't looking forward to 709Please respect copyright.PENANAHfZm76CEys
sleeping with all the insects again, it might help his back to not sleep709Please respect copyright.PENANA92SoQZbaVu
on a rock hard surface.709Please respect copyright.PENANApy6SNfh8Ry
"Perfect! I'll let Gob know and convince him as well." She laughed sheepishly. "I didn't really confirm this with him you see."709Please respect copyright.PENANAeEgy4ZQeHM
"Oh, the guy loves me. It'll be easy." Francesca smiled at that, she knew just how much Gob hated David.709Please respect copyright.PENANAGlN6z2Z3Ix
A lull in the conversation and then a question David was dreading "Did you have any more visions? From the one who chose you?"709Please respect copyright.PENANA5b6sIqI5Cq
"Sadly no, I'm as 709Please respect copyright.PENANA6mTDJ1OWk9
clueless as when I was born." This wasn't exactly true. He knew he had 709Please respect copyright.PENANAI32uNdLgLO
to find something, and suspected Francesca was after it as well he 709Please respect copyright.PENANAykdHKWdkbi
suspected it was on this isle. Francesca seemed to know more, but she 709Please respect copyright.PENANAJblQ7rCkeS
wasn't willing to reveal it. She might hide it under lofty ideals, but 709Please respect copyright.PENANAnYzEvxolZA
she was concealing the truth from both David and the rebels.709Please respect copyright.PENANAz7cI7Y20iJ
"Do not worry, I am 709Please respect copyright.PENANAbZBokGsfIz
su..." before she could continue their whole world rocked. As explosions709Please respect copyright.PENANAsCi9mSbw1Q
rang from outside and rubble started falling all around them., hitting 709Please respect copyright.PENANAY3YiA8dLf9
the table and dislodging the torch, casting ominous shadows on the walls709Please respect copyright.PENANA6jslns4IDr
"Wha..." before David could finish his thought a very worried Gob barged in. 709Please respect copyright.PENANATRVbTlg3Ta
"We're under attack, they found us."
709Please respect copyright.PENANA6T0Z5dhNw4
709Please respect copyright.PENANADWUVbPhIdL