411Please respect copyright.PENANAWk7z5oUsaV
411Please respect copyright.PENANA8DlY5kK6wI
'The voice?! Of course I411Please respect copyright.PENANAQvS0nkb64J
can hear it, I embrace it, I follow it, I worship it for what it is! 411Please respect copyright.PENANAMbowq2AuA2
The word of god! And I am a holy messenger! You all are heathens! 411Please respect copyright.PENANAwtWTAwFaUV
Believers in false gods! You hide from the true voice, you fear it, you 411Please respect copyright.PENANAHuKQypZS2r
shun it, you deny it! My only crime is that I am no coward!'411Please respect copyright.PENANAwnMfnNwE7H
Extract from the trial 411Please respect copyright.PENANA1I5jvKiqEl
of Bloody Jack. Accused of murdering his whole village on the whims of 411Please respect copyright.PENANAJ2dquhwVVp
an ether being and sentenced to death.411Please respect copyright.PENANAkfkW49uS8V
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------411Please respect copyright.PENANAE5yiwKl1a5
411Please respect copyright.PENANADsnzcHGcIW
"I don't get it, why don't we go to a different isle? The Imperialsh will have ush shurrounded in no time."411Please respect copyright.PENANAM4uFYau5R7
~And here we go again, simple minded people asking simple minded questions~411Please respect copyright.PENANAohSoMmVZg2
"Too many people to move, they'll notice us."411Please respect copyright.PENANArecg5Q27vt
"Never shtopped ush before." A pause as the old man spat to the side. "What about fighting then, too little of ush?"411Please respect copyright.PENANAjqzaQdGeYa
Gob shook his head, 411Please respect copyright.PENANAhURJnW0e5i
tired. David could understand that, and he was annoyed he could 411Please respect copyright.PENANAgL7DpeF8xm
empathize with Gob. As per Gob's decision every time it was David's turn411Please respect copyright.PENANAjiItZaqkUR
to go patrolling Gob accompanied him. At first David found this 411Please respect copyright.PENANAkwczL4XyTl
insulting, he was the paragon of trust after all, but after a few of 411Please respect copyright.PENANAFtfOJH5SPn
such patrols he just found it annoying. Ever patrol was usually 411Please respect copyright.PENANA4e5gALeua7
conducted with 3 or 4 people, usually with different people. There were a411Please respect copyright.PENANAiEEJsNeuQK
few constants in those groups though, the first was that David and Gob 411Please respect copyright.PENANAdE1lk1m94B
were in them and the second was that someone always asked when they 411Please respect copyright.PENANAgF1yqujxN2
would move.411Please respect copyright.PENANAp2dGX85mrK
Now David has only been 411Please respect copyright.PENANA5WIz0Z2vg7
in the camp for a month now and managed to glean some information from 411Please respect copyright.PENANAO7GNqvYvrA
the other rebels and just observations. There were three groups of 411Please respect copyright.PENANAG1ab0llSfO
rebels. Peasants, peasant-soldiers and soldiers, as David liked to call 411Please respect copyright.PENANAob1m0AN7dp
them. Peasants and peasant-soldiers were the people with no, to only 411Please respect copyright.PENANAix9RKPWoQH
basic, military training. Such as Denis and his ilk. The soldiers 411Please respect copyright.PENANAE9TKxtVbQg
weren't necessary from the military, but they had more experience. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAaMuVvGEseS
Experience wasn't the only difference, civilians and civilian soldiers 411Please respect copyright.PENANApb84yr6PH3
loved and trusted both Gob and Francesca. Soldiers only trusted Gob. 411Please respect copyright.PENANA8RVRbRqcAS
Which worked out nicely for David as he could use this discord and 411Please respect copyright.PENANAK7tynL19TI
divided loyalties.411Please respect copyright.PENANAME0vorqoAh
Another important thing 411Please respect copyright.PENANAlPtRFZ6wOc
he managed to find out was that the rebels had stayed on the same isle 411Please respect copyright.PENANAQ4PwvpWh2n
for three months. Many of the rebels were unhappy with the prolonged 411Please respect copyright.PENANA5lv6hrS9rR
stay, especially the soldiers. This resulted in that question and Gob 411Please respect copyright.PENANAnPoRIpzUKZ
giving the same answer to anyone who asked. It was really riveting stuff411Please respect copyright.PENANAcmTgGvDeD6
for David, especially after hearing it for the twentieth third time. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAEzm7TGgJqO
Ol' Stevie asked it around two or three times over the past few days to 411Please respect copyright.PENANARuTOdVJ28w
their destination.411Please respect copyright.PENANA6IolQJwGby
Today they were out 411Please respect copyright.PENANAS33A8Svl7m
looking at the new imperial camp, turning into more of a makeshift fort,411Please respect copyright.PENANAdqJT1TB2cn
being built around the wreckage of the 'Flying Fish'. It was a crude 411Please respect copyright.PENANAp1tMuzHXae
construction, something that could be easily taken apart. They were 411Please respect copyright.PENANA8V5tzQD7Yg
joined by Rock and another rebel, called old toothless Stevie, on 411Please respect copyright.PENANA4wXHRvfRoU
account of him being old and having lost most of his teeth. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAV2CZScTLlX
"Yes, now shut up and 411Please respect copyright.PENANA4JR0MwXGJp
remember everything you can about the imperials." Stevie shrugged at 411Please respect copyright.PENANA0ygj5XwZU8
that and continued looking through his binocular. David kept further 411Please respect copyright.PENANAwhcekKEpLn
away from the pair, watching their backs with Rock, the youth did not 411Please respect copyright.PENANAes3dqAO6CV
become any more talkative during Davids stay in the caves.411Please respect copyright.PENANA2F5tCayEsb
They were at their 411Please respect copyright.PENANAse7UFWAfRK
lookout spot for a few hours at this point and David was glad he didn't 411Please respect copyright.PENANAMxwPLHLgxM
feel any magical tugs coming from that direction, after discussing it 411Please respect copyright.PENANA1RIKNVWYGJ
with Francesca it turned out that what David felt was a magical tug, 411Please respect copyright.PENANALMSVm925iu
looked like the imperial soldier wasn't anywhere near it.411Please respect copyright.PENANAytGqi85HJq
"Alright, that's enough.411Please respect copyright.PENANAzOl4ubVaiK
Let's head back." Gob proclaimed to the group and David sighted in 411Please respect copyright.PENANAOuvoyrqYtv
relief. Thankfully David was given new shoes, to help him walk, as well 411Please respect copyright.PENANAUvQ92yiGAS
as new clothes and even an eyepatch. The walk itself was silent and 411Please respect copyright.PENANAibxoiDaoiJ
brutal. Gob set a murderous pace and he didn't look back to check on any411Please respect copyright.PENANAPBAEAnBRcC
of them except for Rock, who bore it with his usual silence.411Please respect copyright.PENANAY557F32fHy
David walked in silence 411Please respect copyright.PENANAxDF4VTLL2n
as well. More to preserve his breathe, than anything else, as he felt 411Please respect copyright.PENANAJ54MgKyPAk
that he would fall to the ground if he even tried speaking. Toothless 411Please respect copyright.PENANA1BUaidrTJ8
Stevie may have been old and not have teeth, but he had more stamina 411Please respect copyright.PENANAj1ZK0z9s4j
than David, farm work really built you up for long hours of activity.411Please respect copyright.PENANARwmvJWrpig
A walk that would've 411Please respect copyright.PENANAYQSv0h2zcf
taken most of the day was managed in about half a day. David was so glad411Please respect copyright.PENANABmhcVHSS6S
to see the damp cave that he was ready to kiss the rocks when he came 411Please respect copyright.PENANA9FKSTTGAuT
inside. The camp itself did not change much over the past month and 411Please respect copyright.PENANAtO7PKrulXz
David was still the new guy. Though he made good strides in integrating 411Please respect copyright.PENANAWtGj2ZPSpp
himself as most of rebels waved to him in greeting.411Please respect copyright.PENANAS7x5yrYZwY
"I'll go report to 411Please respect copyright.PENANAnHUVWgyO1E
Francesca. You can go relax." Gob passed David without a glance at him. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0tMKbc6iJ
The fact that Gob didn't glare or spit at David's direction must've 411Please respect copyright.PENANAanjusEYscW
meant that he was finally warming up to him! At least it was more than 411Please respect copyright.PENANAb358l0ZRzA
David got over the past month, in fact he was ready to give up on ever 411Please respect copyright.PENANAZLSrrcOUvL
winning Gob over.411Please respect copyright.PENANAPzTJrYBzUL
Francesca on the other 411Please respect copyright.PENANAcqnVnvxwV8
hand warmed up to him quite fast. As Denis summarized and David 411Please respect copyright.PENANAXkkUz7qtvE
confirmed she was a noble, a well read and knowledgeable noble but 411Please respect copyright.PENANAoGWy8uxW5n
someone who hasn't left her estate a lot and has never traveled outside 411Please respect copyright.PENANAevphkk8g9s
the empire. While David was the well-traveled dashing smuggler. He 411Please respect copyright.PENANAYYLjhsu4jZ
managed to enthrall her with made up stories and adventures. To be fair 411Please respect copyright.PENANAVN6Th0YF0Y
to Francesca she wasn't the only one falling under David's charm. As 411Please respect copyright.PENANAZQKtbnjBPy
most of the rebels found it hard to resist the dashing rogue act.411Please respect copyright.PENANA5tEdNJ5TyL
David just wished he 411Please respect copyright.PENANAOXSODjEWt2
could win them over without going on patrols and risking his life. Oh 411Please respect copyright.PENANAtZNQ3MicOa
well no one said being a parasite was easy.411Please respect copyright.PENANAD42MbsgUfK
Further down the camps 411Please respect copyright.PENANAWSA1SDo77k
he could see Twitch, the nervous brother of Denis. Over the past month 411Please respect copyright.PENANAupG6qcno7P
he integrated himself with the siblings, becoming a part of their gang. 411Please respect copyright.PENANA1SiduWAtYp
As the siblings were liked by the rebels in general this made them trust411Please respect copyright.PENANAh5m27oqXrY
David all the more. David decided to join Twitch so he snuck up behind 411Please respect copyright.PENANAUXGoOtHVCn
him. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAjQvhryGRsW
"What'cha doing?"411Please respect copyright.PENANAcoAH6fTs33
Twitch practically jumped out of his own skin. "Agh! Oh D-david. Don't s-scare me l-l-like that."411Please respect copyright.PENANAJtcyaFicAe
"Sorry, twitch." David said patting the boys shoulder. "Didn't mean to, you know I hate doing it." He loved it411Please respect copyright.PENANA8gNePmpLHL
Twitch nodded and stood beside David." 'S alright. I-I-I'm just easily sca-ar-ared."411Please respect copyright.PENANAmW7Cf4DXkr
David nodded. The boy 411Please respect copyright.PENANAuJRHeG0gVV
was lucky to have any friends at all." Nothing wrong with being scared."411Please respect copyright.PENANAa0u2FvwImS
He said with a comforting smile. "We all have our own strengths, like 411Please respect copyright.PENANApaXDFWKBih
you..." David paused for a bit racking his mind for something to say. "A411Please respect copyright.PENANA9wVcvCbNuD
poet! A man of dreams! How're your poems going anyway? I still want to 411Please respect copyright.PENANAu05jHQyemS
read them someday."411Please respect copyright.PENANAkawYeJfUBB
Twitch muttered 411Please respect copyright.PENANAdtEPEVaYgW
something under his breathe. David motioned with his hand for him to 411Please respect copyright.PENANAoXrnhxTXDN
speak up. "...n-not poems. But son-so-songs."411Please respect copyright.PENANAMJJYZgLKPG
David stopped himself from shrugging and smiled. "Songs, even better then! Why not create a song for the rebellion?"411Please respect copyright.PENANAZJ7nHPuPmc
Twitch started shaking 411Please respect copyright.PENANAT5gbDdoOK2
his head but before the words: 'No' formed on his mouth a voice 411Please respect copyright.PENANAMKWcjuQo1z
interrupted them. "A hymn truly sounds marvelous!" Francesca made Twitch411Please respect copyright.PENANAJhAcej1OOp
jump back even more than David did411Please respect copyright.PENANAuH4urNRAbq
"I-I-I" He continued in that vain for a while.411Please respect copyright.PENANAPtSVOFVbPt
"Speak up soldier!" Gobs411Please respect copyright.PENANACtImYNOQRB
voice resounded around the cave, making everyone glance at Twitch, 411Please respect copyright.PENANAxDZwDjua6N
which should've made his stuttering worse. But his fear of Gob took over411Please respect copyright.PENANA2qUvFQuDwK
any instinct he had.411Please respect copyright.PENANAtKv1j5zqiP
"I'mnotgoodenough!" He 411Please respect copyright.PENANAcBBsiwuTF1
said as fast possible. David was astounded it was probably the first 411Please respect copyright.PENANAfVGqQsRCqQ
time the boy didn't stutter. Not that he could understand what he said 411Please respect copyright.PENANA7fAuGgd1Nt
now.411Please respect copyright.PENANAPgtImVX3We
"Nonsense." Francesca 411Please respect copyright.PENANA9JyIyY7UaU
put her hand on Twitch's shoulder. She didn't seem to have any trouble 411Please respect copyright.PENANA4yg7A4o2ud
understanding him. "Write me a song when you can, and we will sing it, 411Please respect copyright.PENANAhcNCpZG9Bx
all of us together." She projected her voice to others nearby which 411Please respect copyright.PENANAjS5gFXxMVs
raised a rugged cheer. That just made Twitch hide his face as it went 411Please respect copyright.PENANAqPGRHaGcIX
dark red.411Please respect copyright.PENANAW1wNdWx7Fs
Francesca spared Twitch 411Please respect copyright.PENANAShiSZIfPcF
one last warm smile and turned to the rest of the rebels standing 411Please respect copyright.PENANASn6Hzsc2SB
around. "It's time for your daily studies! Spread the message!" Both 411Please respect copyright.PENANAUKp2IiZ0V1
children and adults listened to Francesca, without a hint of 411Please respect copyright.PENANAwOyPYQcLnj
disobedience, and started moving in one line to the study cavern, as it 411Please respect copyright.PENANAZiQ43wgLaR
was popularly called.411Please respect copyright.PENANArPbdv6n29m
The rebels not only 411Please respect copyright.PENANA686LkkYahh
respected Francesca for her leadership and attitude towards the 411Please respect copyright.PENANAJlwzG5d4x1
peasantry, but also her attempts to educate them. Most of the rebels 411Please respect copyright.PENANA7ZjgiWcdvh
didn't know how to read or basic math while Francesca was an educated 411Please respect copyright.PENANAl4RHA6Xsux
noble, thus she decided to teach everyone in the rebellion the basics. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAikqWSM2JXN
No one was barred from the lessons and both young and old were invited 411Please respect copyright.PENANAqLzKjW2n67
to them. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAlyuDLFZPuj
David attended one of 411Please respect copyright.PENANA2kIKPOT1Bp
those lessons but found himself too bored to continue. They were talking411Please respect copyright.PENANA1JVVOTNVVg
about letter and numbers and some researcher named Vesputti or 411Please respect copyright.PENANAMDdVjkYJG4
something similar. Thus, he skipped over on those lessons, he wasn't the411Please respect copyright.PENANAQHROFJJFJl
only one as most of the adults had decided that they were too old to 411Please respect copyright.PENANAGXQLi4s8Ef
learn anything new.411Please respect copyright.PENANAsztYYVxAQY
Before leading her group411Please respect copyright.PENANAJUc6PBssGR
to the secluded cavern, Francesca approached David. "I'd like if you'd 411Please respect copyright.PENANA0yoRWH3xY5
dine with me tonight, if it's to your liking?"411Please respect copyright.PENANAEbpHUsgamb
"Of course, I'll see you411Please respect copyright.PENANAESpa9Xfu7s
later." Francesca did that sometimes, inviting David over. Chatting 411Please respect copyright.PENANA4O9T1kGvLw
about trivialities, like whether he had any more vision about The Five. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAsnTJYjAIds
Thankfully Jester didn't deign to appear yet so David managed to sleep 411Please respect copyright.PENANA7MAbEmmOCU
peacefully, well not accounting the strange dreams about some boy crying411Please respect copyright.PENANAleB1JKyTVC
and calling for his mummy. Those dreams made David wake up in a foul 411Please respect copyright.PENANALVZfLhwr2W
mood, he wasn't certain why but thought it could be because he didn't 411Please respect copyright.PENANAoDibX0l2eP
remember his parents or family.411Please respect copyright.PENANAjy5pmV1EVP
Francesca, unaware of 411Please respect copyright.PENANApdXns4WrjT
David's thoughts or dreams, nodded with a smile and led her group from 411Please respect copyright.PENANAN1FCTEy5jo
the main cavern. Twitch following her and joining his sibling to whom 411Please respect copyright.PENANA6CNxv52K5v
David waved. Turning around he came face to face with Nook.411Please respect copyright.PENANANfaQk6lzEa
"I'm off duty now, got some guys looking for a game. You're in?"411Please respect copyright.PENANA9AwEuPOjAi
Nook was an interesting 411Please respect copyright.PENANAE8Pfcq3Z1o
case, while he was definitely Gob's man he didn't seem to be as 411Please respect copyright.PENANA0L6udRUa6T
disciplined as the other soldiers. He was also one of the few soldiers 411Please respect copyright.PENANA5D0tbnyymp
who was friendly with David instead of following Gob's lead and hating 411Please respect copyright.PENANAewB3LYoeoz
his guts. So they decided to have a card game here and there while 411Please respect copyright.PENANAWhK6wDEXLX
inviting other people, a card game in which David lost more often than 411Please respect copyright.PENANAI1F88A46Hh
not. While David hated losing in cards it was a good method of making 411Please respect copyright.PENANA5AfqKHw5GR
friends and getting to know people. As well as a guarantee to keep 411Please respect copyright.PENANA0mGbndxPSf
getting invited as long as you lost smart and graciously accepted it.411Please respect copyright.PENANAbhG8RKQF0E
"Aye, why not Nook. Maybe I'll clean house this time."411Please respect copyright.PENANAHFBY5z17lO
Nook grinned a 411Please respect copyright.PENANA9AlsF7cI27
predator's smile and led David towards a secluded table. While gambling 411Please respect copyright.PENANAcgbBMiUddw
wasn't banned or anything, as long as you were off duty, it was frowned 411Please respect copyright.PENANAj1nfIcnx60
upon by Gob. That and most rebels having limited resources. Having only 411Please respect copyright.PENANAx6WMTChJ6L
their clothes and weapons stolen from the empire or brought on their 411Please respect copyright.PENANAx1XcOyzYxc
backs.411Please respect copyright.PENANAp8nMzAlRYM
Thus any card games were411Please respect copyright.PENANADQ3xCJ18E1
just that, games to pass the time. At least until David proposed to bet411Please respect copyright.PENANAVfWMK5spFy
their rations. Everyone received the basic rations few times per day 411Please respect copyright.PENANAq9e3bwHTj5
and it was up to them how much of that they ate. It was barely enough to411Please respect copyright.PENANAxPexaBu2WR
feed a healthy adult. As they have been on this isle for a while it was411Please respect copyright.PENANA3PJS4VKhay
harder to find fresh animals to hunt every day. A lot of the rebels 411Please respect copyright.PENANAtB4aj7Bk89
were opposed to that idea as they'd loose on the last bits of food they 411Please respect copyright.PENANAKXYieIgKQS
did have.411Please respect copyright.PENANAxdZdVvIX1S
Some did think it was a 411Please respect copyright.PENANAClzxriy6yh
brilliant idea and David was sitting down with a few of them right now. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAOkKx7wE8BN
Nook, he was confident in his card abilities. Apparently before joining 411Please respect copyright.PENANA40n2KdGDms
the rebellion he was a militiaman in his village and gambled a lot. As 411Please respect copyright.PENANAXEtqDCesmU
far as David could see he was more lucky than actually good. Old 411Please respect copyright.PENANA8TlWkKu4KI
toothless Stevie, he joked that if he did lose his rations that it would411Please respect copyright.PENANAl7NiESDSfj
save his last teeth. He also wasn't afraid to bet most of his rations 411Please respect copyright.PENANAJqyDLhnmv0
scaring the other players into folding, a good bluffer. Finally there 411Please respect copyright.PENANAYi4F2EiC1P
was Tiruk, a huge man who definitely needed more rations just to 411Please respect copyright.PENANAWa1T9eR2fn
survive. It surprised David anyone could keep that weight with tight the411Please respect copyright.PENANAsWYVOWvCK1
food has been.411Please respect copyright.PENANAvR9U17rkbi
They were the four main 411Please respect copyright.PENANAdOuBw568yQ
players who usually joined the gambling games. Sometimes others joined 411Please respect copyright.PENANAPwYcM7jowr
but they usually stopped after going hungry for a day or two as they 411Please respect copyright.PENANAiAMRC8p714
lost their rations. These four though didn't give up after losing, 411Please respect copyright.PENANAjUPZQFe8pn
because they knew that their chances of a feast were just around the 411Please respect copyright.PENANADVRVMIMHCd
corner. That fact created a sense of comradeship between the players. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAFHynNg5IaC
Even if they were playing against each other they understood the risks 411Please respect copyright.PENANAHU0UW6bHE5
and accepted them.411Please respect copyright.PENANA5lSnOltpGx
"''Ello boys." David 411Please respect copyright.PENANA8tcO9vavRH
said sitting down at the table with Nook. There were nods all around the411Please respect copyright.PENANAfh6BTGiMOE
table and the cards were dealt. They were playing a card game called 411Please respect copyright.PENANA7fKWWtQ0CK
match 'n go. Most of the rebels had not heard of the game or at least 411Please respect copyright.PENANAaZvhOEve5k
knew it under a different name but most of them caught on fast, it was 411Please respect copyright.PENANAFJ5UsakkPN
often just played for fun. But the best games came from betting. As the 411Please respect copyright.PENANA7GWTSr0PEJ
risks went higher you tried to fool your opponent into thinking that you411Please respect copyright.PENANAhcU5b5fAU3
had the match or a higher card. David loved risk games like that, he 411Please respect copyright.PENANAKxpVdcNHAu
loved reading the other player emotions and using it against them or at 411Please respect copyright.PENANAhZeMZ0cZXd
least for his own benefit. 411Please respect copyright.PENANA7tewFLxRJT
Nook was the first to 411Please respect copyright.PENANALSTKfzj5tn
play. "I'm betting half of my rations on this. Gots a good deck, that I 411Please respect copyright.PENANABwto3sKrdt
do." David could see the plastered smile on his face. At this point 411Please respect copyright.PENANAMozhftMfsW
David could tell fake between real in a heartbeat. Nook was bluffing.411Please respect copyright.PENANA80Fgsx71SM
"Alright, I'll call that." David answered.411Please respect copyright.PENANAzFN0WzeyHq
Tiruk, in answer, just 411Please respect copyright.PENANAaLxjMf0Sts
shook his head and folded. He wasn't risking it. Stevenson with his 411Please respect copyright.PENANAu2MgbGSpYq
gaped smile called it as well and cackled a bit.411Please respect copyright.PENANAqKgbZ9fYgn
Next card revealed. A 3 411Please respect copyright.PENANAoVvjuPt6Tm
for Davids two threes. He'd have to fold that game, too high chance of 411Please respect copyright.PENANAcewJzHZDWQ
winning. So it went on and on, rations were won and lost. David won a 411Please respect copyright.PENANAA822fwOurO
few games but then he bet everything and lost on purpose, made Stevie a 411Please respect copyright.PENANADEOcdz4OdV
very happy, old, man.411Please respect copyright.PENANAyW4eJh1pV8
Since David didn't have 411Please respect copyright.PENANALQXiw0Erw2
anything to bet with anymore he made his excuses and left the table. He 411Please respect copyright.PENANA7THVQozS3i
took a look around for Gob and didn't see him anywhere so decided it 411Please respect copyright.PENANAPIDFWS0h7z
would be safe to take a walk.411Please respect copyright.PENANAAsQk8AbNVI
Another thing he took to411Please respect copyright.PENANAE6xukxS5X8
doing over the past two weeks was exploring, finding any secret spaces 411Please respect copyright.PENANAx978CtEyET
where he might hide. The rebels themselves only found one possible 411Please respect copyright.PENANASzcLNmnnzR
emergency exit while David found three. Of course the other two exits 411Please respect copyright.PENANAnouhWxUPX8
only were wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. So it 411Please respect copyright.PENANAi7dltVWYDm
could be that they just didn't consider them as such.411Please respect copyright.PENANAH1QhqMO84Q
He also found various 411Please respect copyright.PENANAGUThamQrXy
hiding spots, not only for him but for items he stole. Weapons, 411Please respect copyright.PENANAjgGVhyGSwT
ammunition, food and the like. If only a small amount disappeared at a 411Please respect copyright.PENANAdqG5aHFPPo
time no one really noticed and attributed it to absentmindedness. Though411Please respect copyright.PENANAECa0GvDi9s
David believed Gob was getting suspicious so he would need to start 411Please respect copyright.PENANAG6Bun4g21W
being more careful.411Please respect copyright.PENANAwfUG0x4PMb
The caves themselves 411Please respect copyright.PENANAViYJJp6yII
seemed to go through the whole isle, David didn't believe he explored 411Please respect copyright.PENANA1vHkEZcsvI
even half of it. Gob tried to send a few soldiers every day to explore 411Please respect copyright.PENANAyEPtojn46K
further into the caves, but many were afraid of the dark, believing 411Please respect copyright.PENANARkpRUbNi8V
various beasts were residing in them. Refusing to go inside without Gob 411Please respect copyright.PENANAj2dJPOowin
and since Gob was usually busy either creating or being out on patrols 411Please respect copyright.PENANAnSgwUJdYkj
himself that limited their exploring time.411Please respect copyright.PENANAhCcv5YZUiH
That let David offer his411Please respect copyright.PENANAM4qt4XMIJ3
services as an explorer. He would explore the further caves and would 411Please respect copyright.PENANApBrnynrqPQ
report on any worrying circumstances. Gob was reluctant to let him go 411Please respect copyright.PENANADXZCwLBzGO
but was convinced by Francesca that it would be a grand idea as it would411Please respect copyright.PENANAHQkAcoIsfp
free more people for patrols and other duties.411Please respect copyright.PENANArmBFeqMeOZ
This time though he had a411Please respect copyright.PENANA8xLNXw8S3Z
destination in mind. A bit further into one of the pathways, about an 411Please respect copyright.PENANAoXWZLszg2o
hour from the main cavern, there was a small pathway where a thin person411Please respect copyright.PENANAebI7Uv9raq
could barely fit. Following that pathway, if you could survive the 411Please respect copyright.PENANA4AbF0xLoeR
feeling of getting crushed by the walls, was a pool. David was surprised411Please respect copyright.PENANAAzuYHY88sT
when he found and astonished when he discovered the water was hot. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAX2MI9ectJM
That's where he was 411Please respect copyright.PENANAepWwLkNlLL
going now; he needed a clear head for Francesca's meeting. No matter how411Please respect copyright.PENANATVJgcoMZNc
she acted she was a noble, they always sought the best deals for 411Please respect copyright.PENANAfLqqho51d9
themselves, always trying to ledge a situation in their favour. David 411Please respect copyright.PENANApdHC1dvov4
would need to be on his toes. Or maybe he just wanted to actually relax 411Please respect copyright.PENANAcV6qlTidcP
without anyone screaming or crying, he didn't decide which one sounded 411Please respect copyright.PENANAnhNZUos7tc
better in his mind.411Please respect copyright.PENANAokaoyRtobp
Thus grabbing a torch as411Please respect copyright.PENANA7GoGkz78AU
many of the pathways further down weren't lit, he began his, 411Please respect copyright.PENANAdLEXtLZ1f9
uneventful, journey. Luckily he reached his destination in a timely 411Please respect copyright.PENANA4lNUpVglec
manner, though he hated going through that cramped space. He gave a 411Please respect copyright.PENANADOBwFgUqjM
satisfied sigh as he sat down in the pool, his muscles losing the 411Please respect copyright.PENANA1oXLbYFyUi
tension he gathered over the past few weeks, the water reached up to his411Please respect copyright.PENANAnfs1jT7jOf
chest and he dunked his head under the water finally enjoying a proper 411Please respect copyright.PENANAqZGAdJOEoE
clean. He was careful to keep track of time but other than that he let 411Please respect copyright.PENANARFHRrt3Ogw
his mind wander and just blanked out. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAGf1yTDjM07
Before he even noticed, 411Please respect copyright.PENANAePKHf2s2ji
to David's disappointment, it was time to leave. He was also saddened by411Please respect copyright.PENANANCIGRZeyEX
the fact that the water ended up a bit darker after his bath, a way to 411Please respect copyright.PENANAy5m2SpkRni
hit a guys confidence. With a sad sigh he put on his dirty and worn out 411Please respect copyright.PENANA587sPT4edc
clothes and went back to the main cavern to the sound of activity and 411Please respect copyright.PENANAX4P7wBByFJ
the smell of unwashed masses.411Please respect copyright.PENANAmINPxG0Vt3
It did seem that David 411Please respect copyright.PENANAkfPV52EuPN
came back just in time as people were gathered near the cooking pots to 411Please respect copyright.PENANAe0hnRo8GnH
gather their rations. David did the same and then found Stevie, sitting 411Please respect copyright.PENANAJ83G1NDZ8x
with some other older rebels, and gave him his rations. Stevie nodded 411Please respect copyright.PENANAcXCN0zPzpW
and had a sparkle in his eye. "Maybe nexsht time you can save me 411Please respect copyright.PENANAgycqU21msv
teethsh." And he cackled at his joke. David managed a weak laugh that 411Please respect copyright.PENANAM9igdI1n9Z
seemed to satisfy Stevie.411Please respect copyright.PENANAA8zWP4Y7jS
"Don't keep Francesca 411Please respect copyright.PENANAVAATCHm6ta
waiting." Came a gruff voice from behind. David tried to hide his 411Please respect copyright.PENANAU4bYdVW1X9
annoyance at the fact that Gob managed to sneak up on him and scare him.411Please respect copyright.PENANAH6ptPIHo9T
Some people just had no sense of proper manners.411Please respect copyright.PENANAULjdEaH8J4
"Oh I wouldn't dare." 411Please respect copyright.PENANAa8nNZKySpE
He gave a mock bow which seemed to infuriate Gob more. "I was just out 411Please respect copyright.PENANAvuMMOewvGo
exploring, nothing to report so far, sir Gob." Gob just grunted and 411Please respect copyright.PENANAzvYX9q87WQ
walked away. 411Please respect copyright.PENANALifBtlfXDY
David smiled and waved 411Please respect copyright.PENANA3SExXiVhjl
after him, the guy really needed to unwind. With nothing else to do but 411Please respect copyright.PENANABxeRVed6OU
shrug at that thought David went towards Francesca's room. Even if 411Please respect copyright.PENANArJCeJvsPUW
Francesca did pretend to be all for equality and the like she still had 411Please respect copyright.PENANAbKaXh2ZGM7
her personal quarters, such as they were, as well as an actual bed, 411Please respect copyright.PENANAQw7vL93mfe
table, chairs. They were shoddy work at best, crafted quickly by some of411Please respect copyright.PENANAdidRhwfafz
the rebels, but they were more than anything any other rebel had. David411Please respect copyright.PENANAbPk8SbAO6M
was impressed by how she had more and yet most still perceived her as 411Please respect copyright.PENANANHB36vHyAd
the paragon of virtue.411Please respect copyright.PENANAPwvlQoSDeH
Her room, as per usual, 411Please respect copyright.PENANARkw4skt8CZ
was guarded. But the guard waved him on with a smile. David saw it as a 411Please respect copyright.PENANAIFyT97HUWe
pointless precaution anyway, but what could you do. Francesca herself 411Please respect copyright.PENANA5Bo1y6pGXJ
was already seated, with a torch in the middle of the table, a pale 411Please respect copyright.PENANAyswrkgleZM
imitation of a candle. One thing the rebels had a lot of were torches, 411Please respect copyright.PENANADm0duuR4nI
to light up all caverns and pathways. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAl1bjOeMlXE
"Oh, David! Please sit" she gestured towards the second chair.411Please respect copyright.PENANAOY76QhDZe5
David sat down with a 411Please respect copyright.PENANABpakwcD9mr
nod and smile. They weren't eating anything extravagant, just what the 411Please respect copyright.PENANAzJDXWWaDhP
rest were. Dried meat, nuts, sometimes if they were lucky they could 411Please respect copyright.PENANA31RsrZft1G
even get rabbit or vegetable soup, but that more of a luxury nowadays. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAefmyzrFF0s
This time it was some dried meat of unknown origin and some water found 411Please respect copyright.PENANAhwPmoKZ49p
in a stream. Delicious.411Please respect copyright.PENANAmVVILFLqaG
"So pleasantries first or business first?"411Please respect copyright.PENANA7MtsrlwBib
"I found that going straight to business can ruin a healthy appetite."411Please respect copyright.PENANAh1jBToSkDb
Francesca nodded and 411Please respect copyright.PENANAoPKLY66W8J
began to cut her meat with her wooden utensils. While David had similar 411Please respect copyright.PENANAcoBRXit2O5
equipment he didn't really find much use of them and found it better to 411Please respect copyright.PENANASVKdJ2bU7w
eat with his own hands. Made it faster and when you're under cannon fire411Please respect copyright.PENANAJ9O2NuBXux
fast eating was paramount.411Please respect copyright.PENANA5hz25ZDCDr
As expected David 411Please respect copyright.PENANAV2LC1SxzRx
finished his portion first and ended up waiting for Francesca to finish 411Please respect copyright.PENANAW2LOsh7Tw8
hers, which took another 5 or 10 minutes. The girl was certainly a 411Please respect copyright.PENANABw4hHMccOt
deliberate eater.411Please respect copyright.PENANAxbwmUBWDm9
"So on to business." She411Please respect copyright.PENANAx0AT93sEdS
paused making sure David was ready, once he nodded she continued. "Tell411Please respect copyright.PENANAVCBQdTBcGd
me, do you know who actually hired your services?"411Please respect copyright.PENANAxwSqA060LF
"No idea, captain was usually tight lipped about our clients. I just always assumed it was one of you guys."411Please respect copyright.PENANAEJpJGgO6It
"In a way. It's someone 411Please respect copyright.PENANA4W6g73Ipjj
who's...interested in our cause. One of Gob's friends. He is able to get411Please respect copyright.PENANA5oJZfCCdag
in and out of the isles without arousing too much suspicion."411Please respect copyright.PENANAcFRazK8aes
"Can't imagine you can tell me who it is?"411Please respect copyright.PENANAR8CjU9Hm4N
"It's not for me to tell sadly, Gob was adamant that it's best kept as secret." Francesca smiled apologetically "apologies"411Please respect copyright.PENANAN1OJ2pVy96
David waved his hand in a playful manner. "No worries, I'm surprised you're telling me any of this in the first place."411Please respect copyright.PENANAGj5zUZJyzT
"Well, there is a 411Please respect copyright.PENANAq2htrOE5uG
reason. Since the weapons we got previously are in the Empire's hands 411Please respect copyright.PENANA7Fb4eemXTZ
and we can't fight them for it." Putting it lightly the rebels never 411Please respect copyright.PENANAAYzrP4ySxA
really fought the empire in a straight on fight. Mostly raids and 411Please respect copyright.PENANA8gsmb9ZUD4
recruiting villagers with their possessions. Easy pickings. "Gob got in 411Please respect copyright.PENANAwBno4R1kaL
touch with his friend again and luckily we managed to set up a meeting 411Please respect copyright.PENANASYE4EvRNZk
in a few days the edge of a different isle.411Please respect copyright.PENANA0hpRV1fluZ
"We will also be moving 411Please respect copyright.PENANAefajyfo5Hb
our base" she continued, sadly. "I can't keep us here with the danger 411Please respect copyright.PENANAXbOjpuDvvv
increasing, so we will move slowly, to an isle we were based in before 411Please respect copyright.PENANAyXgtNA314o
so some will know where to go."411Please respect copyright.PENANASAXxqnffrF
"That's good, why did 411Please respect copyright.PENANAH7qTJx7jbW
you want to keep us here for this long anyway?" While he was annoyed at 411Please respect copyright.PENANAFgVYfGhfdu
hearing that question every time he went on patrols, he couldn't deny he411Please respect copyright.PENANAUJulvIBEjm
was interested in the answer.411Please respect copyright.PENANA1divjmPI9u
"It...It has to do with one of The Five. I can't reveal more in fear that it might interfere with your objective. "411Please respect copyright.PENANATa64N1n71t
David nodded, not a full411Please respect copyright.PENANAuiklXYVuBf
answer he wanted but to push might create a rift between them. Religion411Please respect copyright.PENANALpvqxJr2zN
was pretty important to Francesca "Don't worry; you don't have to 411Please respect copyright.PENANA69hXOEjnp6
reveal anything you don't want want to." He said in a soothing tone411Please respect copyright.PENANAJNT4SpIUOf
"Thank you." She said 411Please respect copyright.PENANA4MBQ0c5z8B
gratefully. "Where was I? Oh, yes. We'll have groups with specified 411Please respect copyright.PENANAGEo1Yqyzx2
leaders going back to that previous isle, they'll lead them and we'll 411Please respect copyright.PENANAZsVWsJetuL
regroup at a specified point."411Please respect copyright.PENANATmzy5gN0PI
"How will you get 411Please respect copyright.PENANAfZHD6U2gwI
everyone over to the next isle?" Isles were divided by cracks, and while411Please respect copyright.PENANADXr812oIEl
some you could jump over, others were so wide you could fit a full 411Please respect copyright.PENANAwtx4DtozG0
city.411Please respect copyright.PENANAMBS8Ax0CDh
"We have small sky 411Please respect copyright.PENANAxQaItdIEjC
boats. Some of the groups will use it...Others...Others will need to 411Please respect copyright.PENANA8W7aoZMwzF
find their own way" she said in bitter tones. "I don't like that, we're 411Please respect copyright.PENANAcvau1Mvl9X
abandoning my people. But Gob said it's too dangerous traveling in a big411Please respect copyright.PENANAzV3Bl9erfh
group."411Please respect copyright.PENANAA1c45HylA7
"You're a good leader on your own. You should trust your own instincts." Ah finally! An opportunity to create that rift411Please respect copyright.PENANAKsHAAWXyy5
She gave him a sad smile411Please respect copyright.PENANA9iohIlL9t4
in response. "Thank you, but I do not a good head for tactics or 411Please respect copyright.PENANAFf8WXof9HO
military matters. I've had some education on it, but Gob is much better 411Please respect copyright.PENANAE131PjBMcd
at it." David still wasn't sure just what Gob did before the rebellion. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAPAl4haBkfr
Francesca stated that the past did not matter and as long as they were 411Please respect copyright.PENANApd6XzKid5R
willing to fight for the rebellions ideals they would be allowed to keep411Please respect copyright.PENANAOLq4oeRflW
their past in the past.411Please respect copyright.PENANApuRlEOejV1
"Now then, back to 411Please respect copyright.PENANAcBYUbwwbpk
business." She said more cheerily. "Myself and Gob will be meeting that 411Please respect copyright.PENANA6yk5bGBpFl
person in a few days. We will have guards but I'd also like for you to 411Please respect copyright.PENANA6vR6ajFFPH
come. You're well-traveled and met many people; your advice would be 411Please respect copyright.PENANAHWeTlGGfeY
valuable, especially since we'll only be bartering for them."411Please respect copyright.PENANAcS4Ms3KfB1
"You'll have it. I'm 411Please respect copyright.PENANAHH8Yrh9Jvo
more than happy to join you." While he wasn't looking forward to 411Please respect copyright.PENANAuk4BuwW2xM
sleeping with all the insects again, it might help his back to not sleep411Please respect copyright.PENANADTWq95G3nC
on a rock hard surface.411Please respect copyright.PENANAogPIwE6Std
"Perfect! I'll let Gob know and convince him as well." She laughed sheepishly. "I didn't really confirm this with him you see."411Please respect copyright.PENANAmXpBEtMYWN
"Oh, the guy loves me. It'll be easy." Francesca smiled at that, she knew just how much Gob hated David.411Please respect copyright.PENANA8LfE1n9BUQ
A lull in the conversation and then a question David was dreading "Did you have any more visions? From the one who chose you?"411Please respect copyright.PENANAoEiaZuTCim
"Sadly no, I'm as 411Please respect copyright.PENANATNRPoF5n3o
clueless as when I was born." This wasn't exactly true. He knew he had 411Please respect copyright.PENANAT4ib6fa1Nm
to find something, and suspected Francesca was after it as well he 411Please respect copyright.PENANAXpzeFaDyj1
suspected it was on this isle. Francesca seemed to know more, but she 411Please respect copyright.PENANA1lumU65wk3
wasn't willing to reveal it. She might hide it under lofty ideals, but 411Please respect copyright.PENANA1Pu7xwNHJc
she was concealing the truth from both David and the rebels.411Please respect copyright.PENANA5WCnB7mMXi
"Do not worry, I am 411Please respect copyright.PENANAXIqiSmA7ZF
su..." before she could continue their whole world rocked. As explosions411Please respect copyright.PENANAF5ADSPRRah
rang from outside and rubble started falling all around them., hitting 411Please respect copyright.PENANAfnCGwcooaV
the table and dislodging the torch, casting ominous shadows on the walls411Please respect copyright.PENANA4uT74LUToG
"Wha..." before David could finish his thought a very worried Gob barged in. 411Please respect copyright.PENANAjJrsNXtWmM
"We're under attack, they found us."
411Please respect copyright.PENANAzTf0szhgRf
411Please respect copyright.PENANALQcLfCYHRe