685Please respect copyright.PENANAaemw3ubBpf
685Please respect copyright.PENANA3O496kJcUV
'The voice?! Of course I685Please respect copyright.PENANAeb57LOyqrT
can hear it, I embrace it, I follow it, I worship it for what it is! 685Please respect copyright.PENANAvkMRhzcK1Q
The word of god! And I am a holy messenger! You all are heathens! 685Please respect copyright.PENANAO59ZDFj0L7
Believers in false gods! You hide from the true voice, you fear it, you 685Please respect copyright.PENANAJv56La3nHH
shun it, you deny it! My only crime is that I am no coward!'685Please respect copyright.PENANA3Xtc3xAU51
Extract from the trial 685Please respect copyright.PENANArbSvJd5sy5
of Bloody Jack. Accused of murdering his whole village on the whims of 685Please respect copyright.PENANAetZ2BrvGqx
an ether being and sentenced to death.685Please respect copyright.PENANAs2w2BsofmX
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------685Please respect copyright.PENANAmUAyHPCdnG
685Please respect copyright.PENANA7toHkWtFhG
"I don't get it, why don't we go to a different isle? The Imperialsh will have ush shurrounded in no time."685Please respect copyright.PENANA30kqH96vcK
~And here we go again, simple minded people asking simple minded questions~685Please respect copyright.PENANAA74v5o43e8
"Too many people to move, they'll notice us."685Please respect copyright.PENANAdiDJPOPLka
"Never shtopped ush before." A pause as the old man spat to the side. "What about fighting then, too little of ush?"685Please respect copyright.PENANAlt3jdiQKJB
Gob shook his head, 685Please respect copyright.PENANAEIBSOAANbZ
tired. David could understand that, and he was annoyed he could 685Please respect copyright.PENANAyJZj51NBH4
empathize with Gob. As per Gob's decision every time it was David's turn685Please respect copyright.PENANAtUVYE7xAzd
to go patrolling Gob accompanied him. At first David found this 685Please respect copyright.PENANAn97KGl6eiX
insulting, he was the paragon of trust after all, but after a few of 685Please respect copyright.PENANAieKtjd96h3
such patrols he just found it annoying. Ever patrol was usually 685Please respect copyright.PENANAap12TEql1C
conducted with 3 or 4 people, usually with different people. There were a685Please respect copyright.PENANApwvSeJjhDY
few constants in those groups though, the first was that David and Gob 685Please respect copyright.PENANAonE1xij2aS
were in them and the second was that someone always asked when they 685Please respect copyright.PENANAIGaUjehoQZ
would move.685Please respect copyright.PENANAY5Xj3b9tuh
Now David has only been 685Please respect copyright.PENANAfb0QI8Sjdh
in the camp for a month now and managed to glean some information from 685Please respect copyright.PENANA1em9yxiKlc
the other rebels and just observations. There were three groups of 685Please respect copyright.PENANAxqL6kMEVRI
rebels. Peasants, peasant-soldiers and soldiers, as David liked to call 685Please respect copyright.PENANAwfe1MlduLW
them. Peasants and peasant-soldiers were the people with no, to only 685Please respect copyright.PENANAsKgfC6TJ1F
basic, military training. Such as Denis and his ilk. The soldiers 685Please respect copyright.PENANABjACG19SHm
weren't necessary from the military, but they had more experience. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAuxwdEGEevc
Experience wasn't the only difference, civilians and civilian soldiers 685Please respect copyright.PENANAtzP9MPeBaA
loved and trusted both Gob and Francesca. Soldiers only trusted Gob. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAhhPsEofI6m
Which worked out nicely for David as he could use this discord and 685Please respect copyright.PENANA91K0emw5Da
divided loyalties.685Please respect copyright.PENANAYwzH8rKITf
Another important thing 685Please respect copyright.PENANAqEMtsjYK52
he managed to find out was that the rebels had stayed on the same isle 685Please respect copyright.PENANAzhaiGsqI0K
for three months. Many of the rebels were unhappy with the prolonged 685Please respect copyright.PENANAoNT8NTTLNu
stay, especially the soldiers. This resulted in that question and Gob 685Please respect copyright.PENANAT3FeCqQlRM
giving the same answer to anyone who asked. It was really riveting stuff685Please respect copyright.PENANA7UBll2EQaY
for David, especially after hearing it for the twentieth third time. 685Please respect copyright.PENANATgAYlqSHMH
Ol' Stevie asked it around two or three times over the past few days to 685Please respect copyright.PENANA6FsAtzIIVB
their destination.685Please respect copyright.PENANAnTi5zH43R8
Today they were out 685Please respect copyright.PENANA66HcaXbk7g
looking at the new imperial camp, turning into more of a makeshift fort,685Please respect copyright.PENANAq0eTOKhTS9
being built around the wreckage of the 'Flying Fish'. It was a crude 685Please respect copyright.PENANABbVHYOD4lX
construction, something that could be easily taken apart. They were 685Please respect copyright.PENANA36zMHXccmy
joined by Rock and another rebel, called old toothless Stevie, on 685Please respect copyright.PENANA9Rql9Htm4f
account of him being old and having lost most of his teeth. 685Please respect copyright.PENANA2HOVjc1qG5
"Yes, now shut up and 685Please respect copyright.PENANA82Lo61xKu8
remember everything you can about the imperials." Stevie shrugged at 685Please respect copyright.PENANALwLfLihttG
that and continued looking through his binocular. David kept further 685Please respect copyright.PENANAWvc1OfvSHG
away from the pair, watching their backs with Rock, the youth did not 685Please respect copyright.PENANAuemHGUM1EW
become any more talkative during Davids stay in the caves.685Please respect copyright.PENANAytLKJJrIAZ
They were at their 685Please respect copyright.PENANArURqmynLnt
lookout spot for a few hours at this point and David was glad he didn't 685Please respect copyright.PENANADeaQ4T3iri
feel any magical tugs coming from that direction, after discussing it 685Please respect copyright.PENANAM67q0KMaLj
with Francesca it turned out that what David felt was a magical tug, 685Please respect copyright.PENANAoTaie3BOAm
looked like the imperial soldier wasn't anywhere near it.685Please respect copyright.PENANALakHwVGE3R
"Alright, that's enough.685Please respect copyright.PENANAwBQ4Xp2waN
Let's head back." Gob proclaimed to the group and David sighted in 685Please respect copyright.PENANACsd2bQj9PZ
relief. Thankfully David was given new shoes, to help him walk, as well 685Please respect copyright.PENANALPMI8jMdVG
as new clothes and even an eyepatch. The walk itself was silent and 685Please respect copyright.PENANASouL26Coid
brutal. Gob set a murderous pace and he didn't look back to check on any685Please respect copyright.PENANAlcN3Dh5mMN
of them except for Rock, who bore it with his usual silence.685Please respect copyright.PENANAb1pW9zjdSs
David walked in silence 685Please respect copyright.PENANApnkBzfMGPa
as well. More to preserve his breathe, than anything else, as he felt 685Please respect copyright.PENANAkw7cIRTJLM
that he would fall to the ground if he even tried speaking. Toothless 685Please respect copyright.PENANAyUHDDWKeYD
Stevie may have been old and not have teeth, but he had more stamina 685Please respect copyright.PENANAEf2OPf5zoD
than David, farm work really built you up for long hours of activity.685Please respect copyright.PENANAEJfoWRizZa
A walk that would've 685Please respect copyright.PENANAoPjBTghu2b
taken most of the day was managed in about half a day. David was so glad685Please respect copyright.PENANAA4niPdth1w
to see the damp cave that he was ready to kiss the rocks when he came 685Please respect copyright.PENANA77atbyapRX
inside. The camp itself did not change much over the past month and 685Please respect copyright.PENANADAYsrxWSOb
David was still the new guy. Though he made good strides in integrating 685Please respect copyright.PENANAsAZUUgUray
himself as most of rebels waved to him in greeting.685Please respect copyright.PENANAhR4YxCSais
"I'll go report to 685Please respect copyright.PENANA5EtlkHYZSN
Francesca. You can go relax." Gob passed David without a glance at him. 685Please respect copyright.PENANA3WHDkGMSf2
The fact that Gob didn't glare or spit at David's direction must've 685Please respect copyright.PENANAcyF61fKAkn
meant that he was finally warming up to him! At least it was more than 685Please respect copyright.PENANAddoHeCUYou
David got over the past month, in fact he was ready to give up on ever 685Please respect copyright.PENANATLqXUn21Yp
winning Gob over.685Please respect copyright.PENANAGDTMgP3WEs
Francesca on the other 685Please respect copyright.PENANAOQh1EHJtLK
hand warmed up to him quite fast. As Denis summarized and David 685Please respect copyright.PENANAiBVEXseKUM
confirmed she was a noble, a well read and knowledgeable noble but 685Please respect copyright.PENANAWOsOzMGOSu
someone who hasn't left her estate a lot and has never traveled outside 685Please respect copyright.PENANA1GmoTPhYaX
the empire. While David was the well-traveled dashing smuggler. He 685Please respect copyright.PENANAPeffzuw7d6
managed to enthrall her with made up stories and adventures. To be fair 685Please respect copyright.PENANALk5z5wMnPa
to Francesca she wasn't the only one falling under David's charm. As 685Please respect copyright.PENANAIRZyko5Swx
most of the rebels found it hard to resist the dashing rogue act.685Please respect copyright.PENANAYiCDYmn3XX
David just wished he 685Please respect copyright.PENANAi6K3TOVOlk
could win them over without going on patrols and risking his life. Oh 685Please respect copyright.PENANAVq7U3foGvG
well no one said being a parasite was easy.685Please respect copyright.PENANAYqePEUEmgF
Further down the camps 685Please respect copyright.PENANAO2FtnAl9FT
he could see Twitch, the nervous brother of Denis. Over the past month 685Please respect copyright.PENANAVyvcloUlnE
he integrated himself with the siblings, becoming a part of their gang. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAfqMbUbEE72
As the siblings were liked by the rebels in general this made them trust685Please respect copyright.PENANAh273keh9dh
David all the more. David decided to join Twitch so he snuck up behind 685Please respect copyright.PENANAZgHls0ELeB
him. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAvg3akgGoMc
"What'cha doing?"685Please respect copyright.PENANA76gSuJA93c
Twitch practically jumped out of his own skin. "Agh! Oh D-david. Don't s-scare me l-l-like that."685Please respect copyright.PENANAobEDTUhaoP
"Sorry, twitch." David said patting the boys shoulder. "Didn't mean to, you know I hate doing it." He loved it685Please respect copyright.PENANA9rq9un1IF3
Twitch nodded and stood beside David." 'S alright. I-I-I'm just easily sca-ar-ared."685Please respect copyright.PENANAGlshkG5tcK
David nodded. The boy 685Please respect copyright.PENANAUgHpwVvj1k
was lucky to have any friends at all." Nothing wrong with being scared."685Please respect copyright.PENANASkK1dsVxTo
He said with a comforting smile. "We all have our own strengths, like 685Please respect copyright.PENANAnHAtpl1HyN
you..." David paused for a bit racking his mind for something to say. "A685Please respect copyright.PENANAp7YJ6mOlpB
poet! A man of dreams! How're your poems going anyway? I still want to 685Please respect copyright.PENANAS4UK13qYEw
read them someday."685Please respect copyright.PENANAjuaeyPK0oE
Twitch muttered 685Please respect copyright.PENANAqfN2C13Ela
something under his breathe. David motioned with his hand for him to 685Please respect copyright.PENANATApjG6ShrO
speak up. "...n-not poems. But son-so-songs."685Please respect copyright.PENANAu9HdigolmF
David stopped himself from shrugging and smiled. "Songs, even better then! Why not create a song for the rebellion?"685Please respect copyright.PENANARnPj3YLt7l
Twitch started shaking 685Please respect copyright.PENANAImZODZr53w
his head but before the words: 'No' formed on his mouth a voice 685Please respect copyright.PENANA8vnTg9flv8
interrupted them. "A hymn truly sounds marvelous!" Francesca made Twitch685Please respect copyright.PENANAv1uyuBLuSh
jump back even more than David did685Please respect copyright.PENANAxFbYoGTKHv
"I-I-I" He continued in that vain for a while.685Please respect copyright.PENANAzl6sYeJxQo
"Speak up soldier!" Gobs685Please respect copyright.PENANAMvTvk8JrwA
voice resounded around the cave, making everyone glance at Twitch, 685Please respect copyright.PENANAfYuLTlRZtv
which should've made his stuttering worse. But his fear of Gob took over685Please respect copyright.PENANABAE0q2lSf3
any instinct he had.685Please respect copyright.PENANAK4K7BvQjNj
"I'mnotgoodenough!" He 685Please respect copyright.PENANAE19Vn24ENa
said as fast possible. David was astounded it was probably the first 685Please respect copyright.PENANA3duwf2jLeU
time the boy didn't stutter. Not that he could understand what he said 685Please respect copyright.PENANA6pGQNuvCgQ
now.685Please respect copyright.PENANAKrneYUzrra
"Nonsense." Francesca 685Please respect copyright.PENANA4T5cuyiACk
put her hand on Twitch's shoulder. She didn't seem to have any trouble 685Please respect copyright.PENANAHPgj5Gbw6j
understanding him. "Write me a song when you can, and we will sing it, 685Please respect copyright.PENANAB4nqODHxe2
all of us together." She projected her voice to others nearby which 685Please respect copyright.PENANAJGoUAr77HJ
raised a rugged cheer. That just made Twitch hide his face as it went 685Please respect copyright.PENANArAeVKlRJ81
dark red.685Please respect copyright.PENANACTBHP0lJEU
Francesca spared Twitch 685Please respect copyright.PENANAaeDmYWdbL0
one last warm smile and turned to the rest of the rebels standing 685Please respect copyright.PENANASHCJDTi9I7
around. "It's time for your daily studies! Spread the message!" Both 685Please respect copyright.PENANACmMXQ6R76P
children and adults listened to Francesca, without a hint of 685Please respect copyright.PENANAf8Koqz17Ep
disobedience, and started moving in one line to the study cavern, as it 685Please respect copyright.PENANA94fpMYfv3Q
was popularly called.685Please respect copyright.PENANArjZtP9pzzl
The rebels not only 685Please respect copyright.PENANAGwQqoki5Us
respected Francesca for her leadership and attitude towards the 685Please respect copyright.PENANAl6WdUvSc8g
peasantry, but also her attempts to educate them. Most of the rebels 685Please respect copyright.PENANAM90BdxRxXo
didn't know how to read or basic math while Francesca was an educated 685Please respect copyright.PENANAeDuTRUQ5DU
noble, thus she decided to teach everyone in the rebellion the basics. 685Please respect copyright.PENANA6wrEJFHkkG
No one was barred from the lessons and both young and old were invited 685Please respect copyright.PENANAaukrAbImUO
to them. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAYOnUEcO9Zc
David attended one of 685Please respect copyright.PENANATJGryNllfI
those lessons but found himself too bored to continue. They were talking685Please respect copyright.PENANAiMaQQ3Xkmv
about letter and numbers and some researcher named Vesputti or 685Please respect copyright.PENANA4A6NlqSnhH
something similar. Thus, he skipped over on those lessons, he wasn't the685Please respect copyright.PENANA5BY262drvI
only one as most of the adults had decided that they were too old to 685Please respect copyright.PENANASpcgLawnhq
learn anything new.685Please respect copyright.PENANA03ttQVX4Ps
Before leading her group685Please respect copyright.PENANAkqV5wU9lI4
to the secluded cavern, Francesca approached David. "I'd like if you'd 685Please respect copyright.PENANAatUDgzMlaw
dine with me tonight, if it's to your liking?"685Please respect copyright.PENANAGoLn5qiSrU
"Of course, I'll see you685Please respect copyright.PENANAjITMlsYUwt
later." Francesca did that sometimes, inviting David over. Chatting 685Please respect copyright.PENANAffHt6UfoLv
about trivialities, like whether he had any more vision about The Five. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAsJjJCB3Oly
Thankfully Jester didn't deign to appear yet so David managed to sleep 685Please respect copyright.PENANAjROnV7Gkes
peacefully, well not accounting the strange dreams about some boy crying685Please respect copyright.PENANALe82lUAgc0
and calling for his mummy. Those dreams made David wake up in a foul 685Please respect copyright.PENANALqXJ81BN8g
mood, he wasn't certain why but thought it could be because he didn't 685Please respect copyright.PENANAIUMrZ19a43
remember his parents or family.685Please respect copyright.PENANApFbtCWDKR3
Francesca, unaware of 685Please respect copyright.PENANAFOafg8XCJ8
David's thoughts or dreams, nodded with a smile and led her group from 685Please respect copyright.PENANA7qoikGYQgi
the main cavern. Twitch following her and joining his sibling to whom 685Please respect copyright.PENANAQGDDMQUy1F
David waved. Turning around he came face to face with Nook.685Please respect copyright.PENANAXKdjxHBlja
"I'm off duty now, got some guys looking for a game. You're in?"685Please respect copyright.PENANAs5HYvBKE59
Nook was an interesting 685Please respect copyright.PENANAjE38BcXXxw
case, while he was definitely Gob's man he didn't seem to be as 685Please respect copyright.PENANAD2FpOrhGE4
disciplined as the other soldiers. He was also one of the few soldiers 685Please respect copyright.PENANAhrSGD32Z2v
who was friendly with David instead of following Gob's lead and hating 685Please respect copyright.PENANA0ouC3DedWK
his guts. So they decided to have a card game here and there while 685Please respect copyright.PENANAMDBZIu49ct
inviting other people, a card game in which David lost more often than 685Please respect copyright.PENANA9UGJKs0PER
not. While David hated losing in cards it was a good method of making 685Please respect copyright.PENANAjYlugQPqYg
friends and getting to know people. As well as a guarantee to keep 685Please respect copyright.PENANA8JoNHy4QlE
getting invited as long as you lost smart and graciously accepted it.685Please respect copyright.PENANA8qsFuWfPG4
"Aye, why not Nook. Maybe I'll clean house this time."685Please respect copyright.PENANAB6sVSJyt4S
Nook grinned a 685Please respect copyright.PENANAZTDYABYR81
predator's smile and led David towards a secluded table. While gambling 685Please respect copyright.PENANABYPUfzLy8R
wasn't banned or anything, as long as you were off duty, it was frowned 685Please respect copyright.PENANARyl9lnFzoz
upon by Gob. That and most rebels having limited resources. Having only 685Please respect copyright.PENANAEOEWlA8cIs
their clothes and weapons stolen from the empire or brought on their 685Please respect copyright.PENANAEbuJCZ0JA9
backs.685Please respect copyright.PENANAPZUEisaUGL
Thus any card games were685Please respect copyright.PENANAp9QT6YxvBl
just that, games to pass the time. At least until David proposed to bet685Please respect copyright.PENANA7mXmjSb0H4
their rations. Everyone received the basic rations few times per day 685Please respect copyright.PENANARhZcMvAoG3
and it was up to them how much of that they ate. It was barely enough to685Please respect copyright.PENANAXQAkfZGv4b
feed a healthy adult. As they have been on this isle for a while it was685Please respect copyright.PENANAS96UWdUUKL
harder to find fresh animals to hunt every day. A lot of the rebels 685Please respect copyright.PENANA12jLlHyQQU
were opposed to that idea as they'd loose on the last bits of food they 685Please respect copyright.PENANAE7VWWvh2IO
did have.685Please respect copyright.PENANA0xQYDVTkas
Some did think it was a 685Please respect copyright.PENANAyvjTpALPiG
brilliant idea and David was sitting down with a few of them right now. 685Please respect copyright.PENANA1WzDwrjR5m
Nook, he was confident in his card abilities. Apparently before joining 685Please respect copyright.PENANAfRlkxTHreY
the rebellion he was a militiaman in his village and gambled a lot. As 685Please respect copyright.PENANAnPakHbgwuf
far as David could see he was more lucky than actually good. Old 685Please respect copyright.PENANAump7M1Dj7a
toothless Stevie, he joked that if he did lose his rations that it would685Please respect copyright.PENANATQ5C8IGoq1
save his last teeth. He also wasn't afraid to bet most of his rations 685Please respect copyright.PENANAl48Srow5cm
scaring the other players into folding, a good bluffer. Finally there 685Please respect copyright.PENANACBNf3piKpd
was Tiruk, a huge man who definitely needed more rations just to 685Please respect copyright.PENANADCfnfZ3boq
survive. It surprised David anyone could keep that weight with tight the685Please respect copyright.PENANAn8FnpSR7cC
food has been.685Please respect copyright.PENANAVCL2Khl1rA
They were the four main 685Please respect copyright.PENANA1KA9HzvTKc
players who usually joined the gambling games. Sometimes others joined 685Please respect copyright.PENANAlhDU1SeFtk
but they usually stopped after going hungry for a day or two as they 685Please respect copyright.PENANAhdoEHBqzCI
lost their rations. These four though didn't give up after losing, 685Please respect copyright.PENANAcLMLYyXWxC
because they knew that their chances of a feast were just around the 685Please respect copyright.PENANAqq60vDDypQ
corner. That fact created a sense of comradeship between the players. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAgK5w9oRMaR
Even if they were playing against each other they understood the risks 685Please respect copyright.PENANA1wY1qk1inO
and accepted them.685Please respect copyright.PENANAtSLD8nlGtU
"''Ello boys." David 685Please respect copyright.PENANABAJIlU7hgJ
said sitting down at the table with Nook. There were nods all around the685Please respect copyright.PENANACcqJBNTFpU
table and the cards were dealt. They were playing a card game called 685Please respect copyright.PENANAaiLfpZmG27
match 'n go. Most of the rebels had not heard of the game or at least 685Please respect copyright.PENANAJCavKPgE5Z
knew it under a different name but most of them caught on fast, it was 685Please respect copyright.PENANAvlwx1LKTlZ
often just played for fun. But the best games came from betting. As the 685Please respect copyright.PENANA1O9cFAZ7AJ
risks went higher you tried to fool your opponent into thinking that you685Please respect copyright.PENANA47cUji9JoB
had the match or a higher card. David loved risk games like that, he 685Please respect copyright.PENANA6DeIZ98ORz
loved reading the other player emotions and using it against them or at 685Please respect copyright.PENANA7PKL1wJsdk
least for his own benefit. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAP4kpBFS2pC
Nook was the first to 685Please respect copyright.PENANAlSyqHZ3tfp
play. "I'm betting half of my rations on this. Gots a good deck, that I 685Please respect copyright.PENANAZBhoCNEi89
do." David could see the plastered smile on his face. At this point 685Please respect copyright.PENANAvwt7ApCSYm
David could tell fake between real in a heartbeat. Nook was bluffing.685Please respect copyright.PENANAMwgTMBtsfn
"Alright, I'll call that." David answered.685Please respect copyright.PENANAeIg1pxdI8p
Tiruk, in answer, just 685Please respect copyright.PENANA2mqUYtsMo5
shook his head and folded. He wasn't risking it. Stevenson with his 685Please respect copyright.PENANAvtW0kjkW6W
gaped smile called it as well and cackled a bit.685Please respect copyright.PENANAqmB69xjkQS
Next card revealed. A 3 685Please respect copyright.PENANAzUp6XEVFGA
for Davids two threes. He'd have to fold that game, too high chance of 685Please respect copyright.PENANABYlpfylO2q
winning. So it went on and on, rations were won and lost. David won a 685Please respect copyright.PENANATYWi7c89GL
few games but then he bet everything and lost on purpose, made Stevie a 685Please respect copyright.PENANAcJ1hYx2fMS
very happy, old, man.685Please respect copyright.PENANAKcC6U7aXdU
Since David didn't have 685Please respect copyright.PENANAsuVZLVLjGT
anything to bet with anymore he made his excuses and left the table. He 685Please respect copyright.PENANAJ2nqZcd1p4
took a look around for Gob and didn't see him anywhere so decided it 685Please respect copyright.PENANAjOSYe2lQcQ
would be safe to take a walk.685Please respect copyright.PENANAtfxjRBqiht
Another thing he took to685Please respect copyright.PENANA9kaFjr40Ui
doing over the past two weeks was exploring, finding any secret spaces 685Please respect copyright.PENANATLfA05mmUX
where he might hide. The rebels themselves only found one possible 685Please respect copyright.PENANA5DI81aT68E
emergency exit while David found three. Of course the other two exits 685Please respect copyright.PENANAhNvYNvJ9nm
only were wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. So it 685Please respect copyright.PENANA2b9EyOfsjf
could be that they just didn't consider them as such.685Please respect copyright.PENANAaSj8e0KBPb
He also found various 685Please respect copyright.PENANAIWvYCGgh3O
hiding spots, not only for him but for items he stole. Weapons, 685Please respect copyright.PENANA7L2QK4ZiD5
ammunition, food and the like. If only a small amount disappeared at a 685Please respect copyright.PENANAMzm1FxFFZX
time no one really noticed and attributed it to absentmindedness. Though685Please respect copyright.PENANAhS6fVy6Jli
David believed Gob was getting suspicious so he would need to start 685Please respect copyright.PENANAtmGRDBKMls
being more careful.685Please respect copyright.PENANAqIFigmLbGD
The caves themselves 685Please respect copyright.PENANABC7mlIm67c
seemed to go through the whole isle, David didn't believe he explored 685Please respect copyright.PENANA5LdyGdCEYQ
even half of it. Gob tried to send a few soldiers every day to explore 685Please respect copyright.PENANAw0jdjBsWbK
further into the caves, but many were afraid of the dark, believing 685Please respect copyright.PENANAguI9HYIpx8
various beasts were residing in them. Refusing to go inside without Gob 685Please respect copyright.PENANALih9xMSh1U
and since Gob was usually busy either creating or being out on patrols 685Please respect copyright.PENANAlS7nMr6bW0
himself that limited their exploring time.685Please respect copyright.PENANAiGGfPxKOMR
That let David offer his685Please respect copyright.PENANATOroNPWc8F
services as an explorer. He would explore the further caves and would 685Please respect copyright.PENANAERncrgwtjv
report on any worrying circumstances. Gob was reluctant to let him go 685Please respect copyright.PENANAl5WoWZTHw6
but was convinced by Francesca that it would be a grand idea as it would685Please respect copyright.PENANAuDp8NhS3wY
free more people for patrols and other duties.685Please respect copyright.PENANAUea9pjqVSk
This time though he had a685Please respect copyright.PENANAxBfNk2Fd3k
destination in mind. A bit further into one of the pathways, about an 685Please respect copyright.PENANA9nY5exFuql
hour from the main cavern, there was a small pathway where a thin person685Please respect copyright.PENANA8xO1GcggxI
could barely fit. Following that pathway, if you could survive the 685Please respect copyright.PENANAalfdkqvxbg
feeling of getting crushed by the walls, was a pool. David was surprised685Please respect copyright.PENANAuWNXcPKvBP
when he found and astonished when he discovered the water was hot. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAW2rEnZI9Cu
That's where he was 685Please respect copyright.PENANAIddeXGxvFA
going now; he needed a clear head for Francesca's meeting. No matter how685Please respect copyright.PENANAiy5sfNcXpA
she acted she was a noble, they always sought the best deals for 685Please respect copyright.PENANA9P7CQ10hBo
themselves, always trying to ledge a situation in their favour. David 685Please respect copyright.PENANAZkN25YTXw1
would need to be on his toes. Or maybe he just wanted to actually relax 685Please respect copyright.PENANAeFTrZsRm7y
without anyone screaming or crying, he didn't decide which one sounded 685Please respect copyright.PENANABNyRDu6P4v
better in his mind.685Please respect copyright.PENANApnq8aLEPrc
Thus grabbing a torch as685Please respect copyright.PENANAjoGjEvMEy4
many of the pathways further down weren't lit, he began his, 685Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6AQfq5yUz
uneventful, journey. Luckily he reached his destination in a timely 685Please respect copyright.PENANAO9VlHAv4Oj
manner, though he hated going through that cramped space. He gave a 685Please respect copyright.PENANAjvyEQAAXCY
satisfied sigh as he sat down in the pool, his muscles losing the 685Please respect copyright.PENANAECxApK6Add
tension he gathered over the past few weeks, the water reached up to his685Please respect copyright.PENANAoDQnNPPBha
chest and he dunked his head under the water finally enjoying a proper 685Please respect copyright.PENANA7qAoH3jHKa
clean. He was careful to keep track of time but other than that he let 685Please respect copyright.PENANAEIY9THclxo
his mind wander and just blanked out. 685Please respect copyright.PENANA4QzTyAdYPG
Before he even noticed, 685Please respect copyright.PENANAf2mfZ45L28
to David's disappointment, it was time to leave. He was also saddened by685Please respect copyright.PENANAxidXuVZh8T
the fact that the water ended up a bit darker after his bath, a way to 685Please respect copyright.PENANAmXXhR1W22i
hit a guys confidence. With a sad sigh he put on his dirty and worn out 685Please respect copyright.PENANAQI7PxMO9l3
clothes and went back to the main cavern to the sound of activity and 685Please respect copyright.PENANAjkOVXlFfcJ
the smell of unwashed masses.685Please respect copyright.PENANAXoZjtqTKer
It did seem that David 685Please respect copyright.PENANAjIy6eBX8Rv
came back just in time as people were gathered near the cooking pots to 685Please respect copyright.PENANAIBs4baIfsk
gather their rations. David did the same and then found Stevie, sitting 685Please respect copyright.PENANAvzMUuLXFBq
with some other older rebels, and gave him his rations. Stevie nodded 685Please respect copyright.PENANA7tV0LHPO9b
and had a sparkle in his eye. "Maybe nexsht time you can save me 685Please respect copyright.PENANASK9MFqaxgw
teethsh." And he cackled at his joke. David managed a weak laugh that 685Please respect copyright.PENANARiMLYnIPLa
seemed to satisfy Stevie.685Please respect copyright.PENANAjUevyFp4a9
"Don't keep Francesca 685Please respect copyright.PENANAuTJFAeMaJT
waiting." Came a gruff voice from behind. David tried to hide his 685Please respect copyright.PENANAULn1CxdGom
annoyance at the fact that Gob managed to sneak up on him and scare him.685Please respect copyright.PENANAodUQjKN6n4
Some people just had no sense of proper manners.685Please respect copyright.PENANAxQ1tb6mf9H
"Oh I wouldn't dare." 685Please respect copyright.PENANAgiOnXCswvM
He gave a mock bow which seemed to infuriate Gob more. "I was just out 685Please respect copyright.PENANA8nCd22xSlG
exploring, nothing to report so far, sir Gob." Gob just grunted and 685Please respect copyright.PENANAY49HYnm4Zj
walked away. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAHS55chq3xi
David smiled and waved 685Please respect copyright.PENANAtKImXwKO3F
after him, the guy really needed to unwind. With nothing else to do but 685Please respect copyright.PENANAoQV3Rz2MAx
shrug at that thought David went towards Francesca's room. Even if 685Please respect copyright.PENANAQbcu9WJBMM
Francesca did pretend to be all for equality and the like she still had 685Please respect copyright.PENANAYEEsaJKZgK
her personal quarters, such as they were, as well as an actual bed, 685Please respect copyright.PENANAn6cpsq3wRZ
table, chairs. They were shoddy work at best, crafted quickly by some of685Please respect copyright.PENANAuC7wKAsy4G
the rebels, but they were more than anything any other rebel had. David685Please respect copyright.PENANAKhONNSaM9P
was impressed by how she had more and yet most still perceived her as 685Please respect copyright.PENANAdGHZC9s1VV
the paragon of virtue.685Please respect copyright.PENANA2rxmlh28Ig
Her room, as per usual, 685Please respect copyright.PENANATwJwbbS9Ii
was guarded. But the guard waved him on with a smile. David saw it as a 685Please respect copyright.PENANACNWRY8qWGT
pointless precaution anyway, but what could you do. Francesca herself 685Please respect copyright.PENANAd0YRSJ70DB
was already seated, with a torch in the middle of the table, a pale 685Please respect copyright.PENANAqQ1uYM8W9j
imitation of a candle. One thing the rebels had a lot of were torches, 685Please respect copyright.PENANA1whOBlS3QS
to light up all caverns and pathways. 685Please respect copyright.PENANADHyr3Mv8vP
"Oh, David! Please sit" she gestured towards the second chair.685Please respect copyright.PENANArXPuN8Swen
David sat down with a 685Please respect copyright.PENANAGoUNJUFo00
nod and smile. They weren't eating anything extravagant, just what the 685Please respect copyright.PENANA9zgTELwv22
rest were. Dried meat, nuts, sometimes if they were lucky they could 685Please respect copyright.PENANA6sLDTBdKE3
even get rabbit or vegetable soup, but that more of a luxury nowadays. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAz51JVPirqI
This time it was some dried meat of unknown origin and some water found 685Please respect copyright.PENANAv81yJgd5y2
in a stream. Delicious.685Please respect copyright.PENANAda1Iwk7nix
"So pleasantries first or business first?"685Please respect copyright.PENANAvXSN3SjaMg
"I found that going straight to business can ruin a healthy appetite."685Please respect copyright.PENANA6akNV9hN1X
Francesca nodded and 685Please respect copyright.PENANASxYampjh00
began to cut her meat with her wooden utensils. While David had similar 685Please respect copyright.PENANAU1gBdoNlOx
equipment he didn't really find much use of them and found it better to 685Please respect copyright.PENANApAZ8ejuxwf
eat with his own hands. Made it faster and when you're under cannon fire685Please respect copyright.PENANALtSSx7yanr
fast eating was paramount.685Please respect copyright.PENANAJgB8gSC681
As expected David 685Please respect copyright.PENANAj13w9EVqGL
finished his portion first and ended up waiting for Francesca to finish 685Please respect copyright.PENANAbRWN73I6dx
hers, which took another 5 or 10 minutes. The girl was certainly a 685Please respect copyright.PENANAXDfLi5xr96
deliberate eater.685Please respect copyright.PENANAPP5087llou
"So on to business." She685Please respect copyright.PENANAmGtwdKBiJp
paused making sure David was ready, once he nodded she continued. "Tell685Please respect copyright.PENANADlhsovXfAk
me, do you know who actually hired your services?"685Please respect copyright.PENANAgBfkTOiD9B
"No idea, captain was usually tight lipped about our clients. I just always assumed it was one of you guys."685Please respect copyright.PENANA5qL8m9RocX
"In a way. It's someone 685Please respect copyright.PENANAOpwZjagBJd
who's...interested in our cause. One of Gob's friends. He is able to get685Please respect copyright.PENANAoZkJ3GTgZD
in and out of the isles without arousing too much suspicion."685Please respect copyright.PENANAOrrQsxjhhW
"Can't imagine you can tell me who it is?"685Please respect copyright.PENANAWZM5MCJh8O
"It's not for me to tell sadly, Gob was adamant that it's best kept as secret." Francesca smiled apologetically "apologies"685Please respect copyright.PENANAVjAAsa0JFS
David waved his hand in a playful manner. "No worries, I'm surprised you're telling me any of this in the first place."685Please respect copyright.PENANAsvNHugYIBt
"Well, there is a 685Please respect copyright.PENANAJyVP8EXyOQ
reason. Since the weapons we got previously are in the Empire's hands 685Please respect copyright.PENANAnmytaxNGwF
and we can't fight them for it." Putting it lightly the rebels never 685Please respect copyright.PENANA1LMgnCCZW6
really fought the empire in a straight on fight. Mostly raids and 685Please respect copyright.PENANAXPmyZg4SEL
recruiting villagers with their possessions. Easy pickings. "Gob got in 685Please respect copyright.PENANA5b7OQPsQFA
touch with his friend again and luckily we managed to set up a meeting 685Please respect copyright.PENANAuuoq4LfD70
in a few days the edge of a different isle.685Please respect copyright.PENANApWYVQoRbTa
"We will also be moving 685Please respect copyright.PENANA36rwm7JaAQ
our base" she continued, sadly. "I can't keep us here with the danger 685Please respect copyright.PENANA2eKEtObYoC
increasing, so we will move slowly, to an isle we were based in before 685Please respect copyright.PENANAIe077aFYdA
so some will know where to go."685Please respect copyright.PENANAkJ13eF52KY
"That's good, why did 685Please respect copyright.PENANAsR0xUkbiNv
you want to keep us here for this long anyway?" While he was annoyed at 685Please respect copyright.PENANA8ztw5wX0HG
hearing that question every time he went on patrols, he couldn't deny he685Please respect copyright.PENANAcOUSUDUDlO
was interested in the answer.685Please respect copyright.PENANA7tA6wPskHS
"It...It has to do with one of The Five. I can't reveal more in fear that it might interfere with your objective. "685Please respect copyright.PENANA65Siqa8ImT
David nodded, not a full685Please respect copyright.PENANAfHgH1skyVU
answer he wanted but to push might create a rift between them. Religion685Please respect copyright.PENANA9MOUnTKxbY
was pretty important to Francesca "Don't worry; you don't have to 685Please respect copyright.PENANA8jr2AuVrnN
reveal anything you don't want want to." He said in a soothing tone685Please respect copyright.PENANAWdEcj7jCxM
"Thank you." She said 685Please respect copyright.PENANAfF1pPQVgnY
gratefully. "Where was I? Oh, yes. We'll have groups with specified 685Please respect copyright.PENANAVXKPEOXohz
leaders going back to that previous isle, they'll lead them and we'll 685Please respect copyright.PENANAT06Zl5Zf1G
regroup at a specified point."685Please respect copyright.PENANAJvhqqRHJvQ
"How will you get 685Please respect copyright.PENANAndq4ynQcuw
everyone over to the next isle?" Isles were divided by cracks, and while685Please respect copyright.PENANAACGsqPlaOY
some you could jump over, others were so wide you could fit a full 685Please respect copyright.PENANAsIsSgTpip0
city.685Please respect copyright.PENANApnSPqQAwdI
"We have small sky 685Please respect copyright.PENANACbBTE6IaMe
boats. Some of the groups will use it...Others...Others will need to 685Please respect copyright.PENANAR53X0BQGfw
find their own way" she said in bitter tones. "I don't like that, we're 685Please respect copyright.PENANAI9KZErW4x3
abandoning my people. But Gob said it's too dangerous traveling in a big685Please respect copyright.PENANAXCryNdNJdI
group."685Please respect copyright.PENANAKVUWbv2FkO
"You're a good leader on your own. You should trust your own instincts." Ah finally! An opportunity to create that rift685Please respect copyright.PENANAiexdtb0EBP
She gave him a sad smile685Please respect copyright.PENANAYzQlN9prHz
in response. "Thank you, but I do not a good head for tactics or 685Please respect copyright.PENANA0avejfKB7Q
military matters. I've had some education on it, but Gob is much better 685Please respect copyright.PENANAoTQ5f1ruk3
at it." David still wasn't sure just what Gob did before the rebellion. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAe1p7fSUN5a
Francesca stated that the past did not matter and as long as they were 685Please respect copyright.PENANAfoO5gqUvoo
willing to fight for the rebellions ideals they would be allowed to keep685Please respect copyright.PENANA3BXnz3Rkiw
their past in the past.685Please respect copyright.PENANALK7hYfFKtu
"Now then, back to 685Please respect copyright.PENANADmLtrRVTyx
business." She said more cheerily. "Myself and Gob will be meeting that 685Please respect copyright.PENANANHDs1MC2ie
person in a few days. We will have guards but I'd also like for you to 685Please respect copyright.PENANABRuaIiqvI9
come. You're well-traveled and met many people; your advice would be 685Please respect copyright.PENANASwK3gZzEub
valuable, especially since we'll only be bartering for them."685Please respect copyright.PENANAXQvBGbbFNT
"You'll have it. I'm 685Please respect copyright.PENANAvr1ula1WL1
more than happy to join you." While he wasn't looking forward to 685Please respect copyright.PENANAOJ85xDx5oH
sleeping with all the insects again, it might help his back to not sleep685Please respect copyright.PENANAlRiwvhkVKJ
on a rock hard surface.685Please respect copyright.PENANAf4YmzkpfIv
"Perfect! I'll let Gob know and convince him as well." She laughed sheepishly. "I didn't really confirm this with him you see."685Please respect copyright.PENANAiOO6LU3a2e
"Oh, the guy loves me. It'll be easy." Francesca smiled at that, she knew just how much Gob hated David.685Please respect copyright.PENANAxPUiAwaDeC
A lull in the conversation and then a question David was dreading "Did you have any more visions? From the one who chose you?"685Please respect copyright.PENANADL0OC1cJL8
"Sadly no, I'm as 685Please respect copyright.PENANAUjtp7JPrKp
clueless as when I was born." This wasn't exactly true. He knew he had 685Please respect copyright.PENANA4w56lbidXC
to find something, and suspected Francesca was after it as well he 685Please respect copyright.PENANAjj4Brn3Xzy
suspected it was on this isle. Francesca seemed to know more, but she 685Please respect copyright.PENANAj2heTK8js4
wasn't willing to reveal it. She might hide it under lofty ideals, but 685Please respect copyright.PENANAx12Zuwuf1c
she was concealing the truth from both David and the rebels.685Please respect copyright.PENANAQIvvsA0Cfq
"Do not worry, I am 685Please respect copyright.PENANArfu0OE1ruX
su..." before she could continue their whole world rocked. As explosions685Please respect copyright.PENANAwToIOtDAmT
rang from outside and rubble started falling all around them., hitting 685Please respect copyright.PENANAbDCRaDmz1E
the table and dislodging the torch, casting ominous shadows on the walls685Please respect copyright.PENANAUI62QFIjd2
"Wha..." before David could finish his thought a very worried Gob barged in. 685Please respect copyright.PENANAsP0bwEms1w
"We're under attack, they found us."
685Please respect copyright.PENANAohnw8QjFa0
685Please respect copyright.PENANAZfr5gebrgo