413Please respect copyright.PENANAnvjsE6N85W
413Please respect copyright.PENANAypx4zZ9yke
'The voice?! Of course I413Please respect copyright.PENANAeWFVZI7HmK
can hear it, I embrace it, I follow it, I worship it for what it is! 413Please respect copyright.PENANAdwfiwNqlGH
The word of god! And I am a holy messenger! You all are heathens! 413Please respect copyright.PENANAGdPAsSOsPz
Believers in false gods! You hide from the true voice, you fear it, you 413Please respect copyright.PENANAUNrMJRFX3Y
shun it, you deny it! My only crime is that I am no coward!'413Please respect copyright.PENANAwRwhW2jXVu
Extract from the trial 413Please respect copyright.PENANAAhcY67WINN
of Bloody Jack. Accused of murdering his whole village on the whims of 413Please respect copyright.PENANADEQwKNEznk
an ether being and sentenced to death.413Please respect copyright.PENANAIe75HXFnSh
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------413Please respect copyright.PENANAvoyNJreyUu
413Please respect copyright.PENANAr8EyePov6I
"I don't get it, why don't we go to a different isle? The Imperialsh will have ush shurrounded in no time."413Please respect copyright.PENANAHv45zLkvP3
~And here we go again, simple minded people asking simple minded questions~413Please respect copyright.PENANANvrHOHMS5v
"Too many people to move, they'll notice us."413Please respect copyright.PENANAMwPBFveXev
"Never shtopped ush before." A pause as the old man spat to the side. "What about fighting then, too little of ush?"413Please respect copyright.PENANA9hK81cK7LF
Gob shook his head, 413Please respect copyright.PENANA0BQOSYVJ1I
tired. David could understand that, and he was annoyed he could 413Please respect copyright.PENANAH0jQiD8BGt
empathize with Gob. As per Gob's decision every time it was David's turn413Please respect copyright.PENANA1wFVO9W62A
to go patrolling Gob accompanied him. At first David found this 413Please respect copyright.PENANAPpVwAieXhq
insulting, he was the paragon of trust after all, but after a few of 413Please respect copyright.PENANAHYTdNWPZlo
such patrols he just found it annoying. Ever patrol was usually 413Please respect copyright.PENANAO5Xf6tilY0
conducted with 3 or 4 people, usually with different people. There were a413Please respect copyright.PENANAkxYNU2xGdD
few constants in those groups though, the first was that David and Gob 413Please respect copyright.PENANA49MeFkL6Kx
were in them and the second was that someone always asked when they 413Please respect copyright.PENANAkLcVJr5GSy
would move.413Please respect copyright.PENANAAd7bW9JhcF
Now David has only been 413Please respect copyright.PENANAr1A48ndMWe
in the camp for a month now and managed to glean some information from 413Please respect copyright.PENANAxKnl1fAAAt
the other rebels and just observations. There were three groups of 413Please respect copyright.PENANApvSeZG2fsv
rebels. Peasants, peasant-soldiers and soldiers, as David liked to call 413Please respect copyright.PENANAJGHYnQek0v
them. Peasants and peasant-soldiers were the people with no, to only 413Please respect copyright.PENANAR8gZkKRTl1
basic, military training. Such as Denis and his ilk. The soldiers 413Please respect copyright.PENANAdLCkt4UJf9
weren't necessary from the military, but they had more experience. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAuKhQ3dtbri
Experience wasn't the only difference, civilians and civilian soldiers 413Please respect copyright.PENANAAn8xnfcnW7
loved and trusted both Gob and Francesca. Soldiers only trusted Gob. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAS9kUKXDSPM
Which worked out nicely for David as he could use this discord and 413Please respect copyright.PENANAxevatFfzxA
divided loyalties.413Please respect copyright.PENANA5UyDEha5BY
Another important thing 413Please respect copyright.PENANA2077SVq7UG
he managed to find out was that the rebels had stayed on the same isle 413Please respect copyright.PENANAdKwCGsE3F6
for three months. Many of the rebels were unhappy with the prolonged 413Please respect copyright.PENANAdsd0iFGWjo
stay, especially the soldiers. This resulted in that question and Gob 413Please respect copyright.PENANA4d7IIoNYtf
giving the same answer to anyone who asked. It was really riveting stuff413Please respect copyright.PENANAeRvBGQKajP
for David, especially after hearing it for the twentieth third time. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAxcZSqNJjtt
Ol' Stevie asked it around two or three times over the past few days to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAlRidV6TIpy
their destination.413Please respect copyright.PENANAfadUQODefe
Today they were out 413Please respect copyright.PENANANSfXgJVivM
looking at the new imperial camp, turning into more of a makeshift fort,413Please respect copyright.PENANAeZy8LWG4b1
being built around the wreckage of the 'Flying Fish'. It was a crude 413Please respect copyright.PENANAl1WntJX4II
construction, something that could be easily taken apart. They were 413Please respect copyright.PENANABxvbVAisDA
joined by Rock and another rebel, called old toothless Stevie, on 413Please respect copyright.PENANA5q2716UmFs
account of him being old and having lost most of his teeth. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAjPaMOvJlxP
"Yes, now shut up and 413Please respect copyright.PENANAmtokVxOg9J
remember everything you can about the imperials." Stevie shrugged at 413Please respect copyright.PENANAROlk8McnXA
that and continued looking through his binocular. David kept further 413Please respect copyright.PENANA5tZdTgomun
away from the pair, watching their backs with Rock, the youth did not 413Please respect copyright.PENANArjdYOpXif2
become any more talkative during Davids stay in the caves.413Please respect copyright.PENANAU3UaFZOPBe
They were at their 413Please respect copyright.PENANABS1TTG6hyM
lookout spot for a few hours at this point and David was glad he didn't 413Please respect copyright.PENANAZoCNeXGJje
feel any magical tugs coming from that direction, after discussing it 413Please respect copyright.PENANA4necPJObr2
with Francesca it turned out that what David felt was a magical tug, 413Please respect copyright.PENANARcmzcEdFeb
looked like the imperial soldier wasn't anywhere near it.413Please respect copyright.PENANA0GaC4gupE6
"Alright, that's enough.413Please respect copyright.PENANAVYNgRku6NL
Let's head back." Gob proclaimed to the group and David sighted in 413Please respect copyright.PENANA7uyb8k59tC
relief. Thankfully David was given new shoes, to help him walk, as well 413Please respect copyright.PENANAgkujfiu29j
as new clothes and even an eyepatch. The walk itself was silent and 413Please respect copyright.PENANAPXRGJJIvqP
brutal. Gob set a murderous pace and he didn't look back to check on any413Please respect copyright.PENANACzTWit7AhY
of them except for Rock, who bore it with his usual silence.413Please respect copyright.PENANAmUEcTe4mxX
David walked in silence 413Please respect copyright.PENANAxd3b1MCofX
as well. More to preserve his breathe, than anything else, as he felt 413Please respect copyright.PENANAEPswpAWGWS
that he would fall to the ground if he even tried speaking. Toothless 413Please respect copyright.PENANAfOaQmVdWEe
Stevie may have been old and not have teeth, but he had more stamina 413Please respect copyright.PENANA6ESqVSOw2Q
than David, farm work really built you up for long hours of activity.413Please respect copyright.PENANAPhyTdvdVGh
A walk that would've 413Please respect copyright.PENANAj7kF2KEtjh
taken most of the day was managed in about half a day. David was so glad413Please respect copyright.PENANAMcZRrmdmIq
to see the damp cave that he was ready to kiss the rocks when he came 413Please respect copyright.PENANARc5Y8Y7Mwk
inside. The camp itself did not change much over the past month and 413Please respect copyright.PENANAFAV4j1GgXs
David was still the new guy. Though he made good strides in integrating 413Please respect copyright.PENANAAGCNXnabpz
himself as most of rebels waved to him in greeting.413Please respect copyright.PENANAanGEF4y6V5
"I'll go report to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAtY9ajHXGsS
Francesca. You can go relax." Gob passed David without a glance at him. 413Please respect copyright.PENANALUKyKNbZpV
The fact that Gob didn't glare or spit at David's direction must've 413Please respect copyright.PENANAlxZuf3buaV
meant that he was finally warming up to him! At least it was more than 413Please respect copyright.PENANAxh3jDeiyWA
David got over the past month, in fact he was ready to give up on ever 413Please respect copyright.PENANAPHTSh1silA
winning Gob over.413Please respect copyright.PENANAnLGpa6cbn3
Francesca on the other 413Please respect copyright.PENANApw5fktmOse
hand warmed up to him quite fast. As Denis summarized and David 413Please respect copyright.PENANAzW5iNQ5Ju4
confirmed she was a noble, a well read and knowledgeable noble but 413Please respect copyright.PENANAX8LScpPDAN
someone who hasn't left her estate a lot and has never traveled outside 413Please respect copyright.PENANA6UQe591LdT
the empire. While David was the well-traveled dashing smuggler. He 413Please respect copyright.PENANAxFAy5mq0J6
managed to enthrall her with made up stories and adventures. To be fair 413Please respect copyright.PENANAJvS7odeGCn
to Francesca she wasn't the only one falling under David's charm. As 413Please respect copyright.PENANAoTEkI6ahJr
most of the rebels found it hard to resist the dashing rogue act.413Please respect copyright.PENANAcA2C5XPfSp
David just wished he 413Please respect copyright.PENANAKC3KcEk3CO
could win them over without going on patrols and risking his life. Oh 413Please respect copyright.PENANANxteYbNt2c
well no one said being a parasite was easy.413Please respect copyright.PENANAe8la4JlYZO
Further down the camps 413Please respect copyright.PENANAIb9pgX3WCW
he could see Twitch, the nervous brother of Denis. Over the past month 413Please respect copyright.PENANAsN0aypzaIz
he integrated himself with the siblings, becoming a part of their gang. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAGYfBV06UCA
As the siblings were liked by the rebels in general this made them trust413Please respect copyright.PENANA0awyDOsSAF
David all the more. David decided to join Twitch so he snuck up behind 413Please respect copyright.PENANAFZg5OENHIm
him. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAcwx8J3BGYz
"What'cha doing?"413Please respect copyright.PENANA9VlUaVGpyi
Twitch practically jumped out of his own skin. "Agh! Oh D-david. Don't s-scare me l-l-like that."413Please respect copyright.PENANA3IYKIDZNnF
"Sorry, twitch." David said patting the boys shoulder. "Didn't mean to, you know I hate doing it." He loved it413Please respect copyright.PENANAvqjpGjmzF6
Twitch nodded and stood beside David." 'S alright. I-I-I'm just easily sca-ar-ared."413Please respect copyright.PENANAuc6HeVlTTj
David nodded. The boy 413Please respect copyright.PENANAznyJ5WCD8t
was lucky to have any friends at all." Nothing wrong with being scared."413Please respect copyright.PENANAS42iV3KPnP
He said with a comforting smile. "We all have our own strengths, like 413Please respect copyright.PENANAAw0sPUjPGO
you..." David paused for a bit racking his mind for something to say. "A413Please respect copyright.PENANAT9zRaU0AZq
poet! A man of dreams! How're your poems going anyway? I still want to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAYXFCFzUQuN
read them someday."413Please respect copyright.PENANAZwhvAQGdgY
Twitch muttered 413Please respect copyright.PENANAOQ6nwbDhGm
something under his breathe. David motioned with his hand for him to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAc42jpXVqYl
speak up. "...n-not poems. But son-so-songs."413Please respect copyright.PENANA0qVgO5C4Y8
David stopped himself from shrugging and smiled. "Songs, even better then! Why not create a song for the rebellion?"413Please respect copyright.PENANAmaKF2bm2uC
Twitch started shaking 413Please respect copyright.PENANABPDafTRpDB
his head but before the words: 'No' formed on his mouth a voice 413Please respect copyright.PENANA0OFmD2HpQX
interrupted them. "A hymn truly sounds marvelous!" Francesca made Twitch413Please respect copyright.PENANAby7ZYMlQpZ
jump back even more than David did413Please respect copyright.PENANAdNQY0LHTsK
"I-I-I" He continued in that vain for a while.413Please respect copyright.PENANAVcPGz4zZSu
"Speak up soldier!" Gobs413Please respect copyright.PENANA2FFwTJhQK8
voice resounded around the cave, making everyone glance at Twitch, 413Please respect copyright.PENANA3dmeLrV7kQ
which should've made his stuttering worse. But his fear of Gob took over413Please respect copyright.PENANAk8Jy5yAEOP
any instinct he had.413Please respect copyright.PENANAo0Dyno34NA
"I'mnotgoodenough!" He 413Please respect copyright.PENANAItaZ4XnUHy
said as fast possible. David was astounded it was probably the first 413Please respect copyright.PENANAtYrWf4O537
time the boy didn't stutter. Not that he could understand what he said 413Please respect copyright.PENANAeZXtF558zH
now.413Please respect copyright.PENANAFhnOy5Ns9T
"Nonsense." Francesca 413Please respect copyright.PENANAglY4RnytQy
put her hand on Twitch's shoulder. She didn't seem to have any trouble 413Please respect copyright.PENANAyfLMJtrtlW
understanding him. "Write me a song when you can, and we will sing it, 413Please respect copyright.PENANASxyT69TgfN
all of us together." She projected her voice to others nearby which 413Please respect copyright.PENANAlHlHxPjqkb
raised a rugged cheer. That just made Twitch hide his face as it went 413Please respect copyright.PENANAcj18fv4oO7
dark red.413Please respect copyright.PENANAhN0T4TcfZs
Francesca spared Twitch 413Please respect copyright.PENANADKwtLSEhD5
one last warm smile and turned to the rest of the rebels standing 413Please respect copyright.PENANAbtEj4Ebg6Y
around. "It's time for your daily studies! Spread the message!" Both 413Please respect copyright.PENANAuhQ56E6DcL
children and adults listened to Francesca, without a hint of 413Please respect copyright.PENANA1t2vcBQkXN
disobedience, and started moving in one line to the study cavern, as it 413Please respect copyright.PENANAFyHnmt8zZy
was popularly called.413Please respect copyright.PENANAFpcOrVFEYi
The rebels not only 413Please respect copyright.PENANAErA7S213Mp
respected Francesca for her leadership and attitude towards the 413Please respect copyright.PENANASXqflzAfwV
peasantry, but also her attempts to educate them. Most of the rebels 413Please respect copyright.PENANAWiS6GpV4bC
didn't know how to read or basic math while Francesca was an educated 413Please respect copyright.PENANAv0NIOF4pcd
noble, thus she decided to teach everyone in the rebellion the basics. 413Please respect copyright.PENANADLJN2qzTn4
No one was barred from the lessons and both young and old were invited 413Please respect copyright.PENANAASJhmKSTzB
to them. 413Please respect copyright.PENANARP1JdOTwXy
David attended one of 413Please respect copyright.PENANAsAIxzG1qYF
those lessons but found himself too bored to continue. They were talking413Please respect copyright.PENANAFUONlIrHLm
about letter and numbers and some researcher named Vesputti or 413Please respect copyright.PENANAmFSCIHNMqy
something similar. Thus, he skipped over on those lessons, he wasn't the413Please respect copyright.PENANAAso2XPmsa6
only one as most of the adults had decided that they were too old to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAlaFpgWKvSa
learn anything new.413Please respect copyright.PENANAD7d22ACwGP
Before leading her group413Please respect copyright.PENANAOBHIV2FH1b
to the secluded cavern, Francesca approached David. "I'd like if you'd 413Please respect copyright.PENANAyiBPINBdSY
dine with me tonight, if it's to your liking?"413Please respect copyright.PENANA8DbK3j9fgF
"Of course, I'll see you413Please respect copyright.PENANACxuCu7cAdh
later." Francesca did that sometimes, inviting David over. Chatting 413Please respect copyright.PENANArVg9k2TDG8
about trivialities, like whether he had any more vision about The Five. 413Please respect copyright.PENANArdJ6RdacVS
Thankfully Jester didn't deign to appear yet so David managed to sleep 413Please respect copyright.PENANAoL8xB3w6X2
peacefully, well not accounting the strange dreams about some boy crying413Please respect copyright.PENANAQuofnJSgXX
and calling for his mummy. Those dreams made David wake up in a foul 413Please respect copyright.PENANAVWGba0Pdt6
mood, he wasn't certain why but thought it could be because he didn't 413Please respect copyright.PENANAAMrvnNdupM
remember his parents or family.413Please respect copyright.PENANArHxNAl9vmQ
Francesca, unaware of 413Please respect copyright.PENANAjco35wa75j
David's thoughts or dreams, nodded with a smile and led her group from 413Please respect copyright.PENANA4dm11GvLRQ
the main cavern. Twitch following her and joining his sibling to whom 413Please respect copyright.PENANAUmrrPoaMoG
David waved. Turning around he came face to face with Nook.413Please respect copyright.PENANA3ZfNGUj17A
"I'm off duty now, got some guys looking for a game. You're in?"413Please respect copyright.PENANAyFby3WfkY8
Nook was an interesting 413Please respect copyright.PENANAtv0aamaCcL
case, while he was definitely Gob's man he didn't seem to be as 413Please respect copyright.PENANAQRq7j3tvns
disciplined as the other soldiers. He was also one of the few soldiers 413Please respect copyright.PENANAFgi61YU7Q8
who was friendly with David instead of following Gob's lead and hating 413Please respect copyright.PENANAJ1jJXCdsdN
his guts. So they decided to have a card game here and there while 413Please respect copyright.PENANASB1ToxzBFE
inviting other people, a card game in which David lost more often than 413Please respect copyright.PENANAASFejlyXPo
not. While David hated losing in cards it was a good method of making 413Please respect copyright.PENANAwCRdYCPuWx
friends and getting to know people. As well as a guarantee to keep 413Please respect copyright.PENANAQFNbUgHuAv
getting invited as long as you lost smart and graciously accepted it.413Please respect copyright.PENANAUgfycjmbJt
"Aye, why not Nook. Maybe I'll clean house this time."413Please respect copyright.PENANAeqIOfaGPYG
Nook grinned a 413Please respect copyright.PENANAYpC5tICwN5
predator's smile and led David towards a secluded table. While gambling 413Please respect copyright.PENANAkbQf91Irl9
wasn't banned or anything, as long as you were off duty, it was frowned 413Please respect copyright.PENANA37ZoqXCcha
upon by Gob. That and most rebels having limited resources. Having only 413Please respect copyright.PENANA0bsgYHN9AG
their clothes and weapons stolen from the empire or brought on their 413Please respect copyright.PENANAGEVRTKOluX
backs.413Please respect copyright.PENANAcb0HV2mHjB
Thus any card games were413Please respect copyright.PENANAbDK6i52EAF
just that, games to pass the time. At least until David proposed to bet413Please respect copyright.PENANACs5Yl6tJNI
their rations. Everyone received the basic rations few times per day 413Please respect copyright.PENANAq6rFYij3Bq
and it was up to them how much of that they ate. It was barely enough to413Please respect copyright.PENANAgIbkOqN9kp
feed a healthy adult. As they have been on this isle for a while it was413Please respect copyright.PENANAAdggoM2XES
harder to find fresh animals to hunt every day. A lot of the rebels 413Please respect copyright.PENANA5exyYPgvoi
were opposed to that idea as they'd loose on the last bits of food they 413Please respect copyright.PENANAyTQolvTtZv
did have.413Please respect copyright.PENANAFkd0O33WwZ
Some did think it was a 413Please respect copyright.PENANAAp6lzaP5ZC
brilliant idea and David was sitting down with a few of them right now. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAVICeSpi718
Nook, he was confident in his card abilities. Apparently before joining 413Please respect copyright.PENANAVLNwFcgBDr
the rebellion he was a militiaman in his village and gambled a lot. As 413Please respect copyright.PENANAnq5u6hdK1n
far as David could see he was more lucky than actually good. Old 413Please respect copyright.PENANAZNsurih0WS
toothless Stevie, he joked that if he did lose his rations that it would413Please respect copyright.PENANAs5k0PB1Ng9
save his last teeth. He also wasn't afraid to bet most of his rations 413Please respect copyright.PENANAep4zWn0GqC
scaring the other players into folding, a good bluffer. Finally there 413Please respect copyright.PENANAxdT4I2sht9
was Tiruk, a huge man who definitely needed more rations just to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAo0aJ9AApIr
survive. It surprised David anyone could keep that weight with tight the413Please respect copyright.PENANANcepCUyZu2
food has been.413Please respect copyright.PENANAHuv79J5XeP
They were the four main 413Please respect copyright.PENANAsirDJG44Ym
players who usually joined the gambling games. Sometimes others joined 413Please respect copyright.PENANAK6NCytEt1S
but they usually stopped after going hungry for a day or two as they 413Please respect copyright.PENANAIebwbWjTqy
lost their rations. These four though didn't give up after losing, 413Please respect copyright.PENANAvatuSeRPOs
because they knew that their chances of a feast were just around the 413Please respect copyright.PENANAF9vq2zFZUA
corner. That fact created a sense of comradeship between the players. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAQiMf5oxlTx
Even if they were playing against each other they understood the risks 413Please respect copyright.PENANAXzLCAk56nC
and accepted them.413Please respect copyright.PENANAXeqKFHjfS8
"''Ello boys." David 413Please respect copyright.PENANANyxxMZonyQ
said sitting down at the table with Nook. There were nods all around the413Please respect copyright.PENANAiw59CVQSBD
table and the cards were dealt. They were playing a card game called 413Please respect copyright.PENANAqwkkk38Lrc
match 'n go. Most of the rebels had not heard of the game or at least 413Please respect copyright.PENANAf6hJLmFTKc
knew it under a different name but most of them caught on fast, it was 413Please respect copyright.PENANAVM17RKPcsc
often just played for fun. But the best games came from betting. As the 413Please respect copyright.PENANATMIM0ErNk9
risks went higher you tried to fool your opponent into thinking that you413Please respect copyright.PENANAzsync90pcj
had the match or a higher card. David loved risk games like that, he 413Please respect copyright.PENANAkNYPUtrn5k
loved reading the other player emotions and using it against them or at 413Please respect copyright.PENANAuDixDXPFhN
least for his own benefit. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAroolq4CxhA
Nook was the first to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAFaPomhfHal
play. "I'm betting half of my rations on this. Gots a good deck, that I 413Please respect copyright.PENANAEOJUWVSJ2n
do." David could see the plastered smile on his face. At this point 413Please respect copyright.PENANApYlc6J48wb
David could tell fake between real in a heartbeat. Nook was bluffing.413Please respect copyright.PENANAPvbehZg9DY
"Alright, I'll call that." David answered.413Please respect copyright.PENANA9vRqS4YYGp
Tiruk, in answer, just 413Please respect copyright.PENANA5NA77qIITQ
shook his head and folded. He wasn't risking it. Stevenson with his 413Please respect copyright.PENANAaCEphXCMeH
gaped smile called it as well and cackled a bit.413Please respect copyright.PENANA511AivGvdn
Next card revealed. A 3 413Please respect copyright.PENANA4Psm7bkvfP
for Davids two threes. He'd have to fold that game, too high chance of 413Please respect copyright.PENANAyoIGdzM0O2
winning. So it went on and on, rations were won and lost. David won a 413Please respect copyright.PENANARLvd4vVpVy
few games but then he bet everything and lost on purpose, made Stevie a 413Please respect copyright.PENANAuAtSS8W7OY
very happy, old, man.413Please respect copyright.PENANAL3gRvsury8
Since David didn't have 413Please respect copyright.PENANAV7TxzvLsm7
anything to bet with anymore he made his excuses and left the table. He 413Please respect copyright.PENANAwSqx0uu220
took a look around for Gob and didn't see him anywhere so decided it 413Please respect copyright.PENANAY6sE5BTVmL
would be safe to take a walk.413Please respect copyright.PENANAqXMWiUG6oc
Another thing he took to413Please respect copyright.PENANATcdtIl75Hb
doing over the past two weeks was exploring, finding any secret spaces 413Please respect copyright.PENANAjenxsXttQb
where he might hide. The rebels themselves only found one possible 413Please respect copyright.PENANA9cuQk15Yn0
emergency exit while David found three. Of course the other two exits 413Please respect copyright.PENANALhcLdlq02s
only were wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. So it 413Please respect copyright.PENANAIluq7GLB9W
could be that they just didn't consider them as such.413Please respect copyright.PENANAQCbm2wwFUO
He also found various 413Please respect copyright.PENANALDi01pGiEy
hiding spots, not only for him but for items he stole. Weapons, 413Please respect copyright.PENANAiS0HvZCDa4
ammunition, food and the like. If only a small amount disappeared at a 413Please respect copyright.PENANAHwY4FdRG1D
time no one really noticed and attributed it to absentmindedness. Though413Please respect copyright.PENANAlTZinOHUOP
David believed Gob was getting suspicious so he would need to start 413Please respect copyright.PENANAm6sxu5SuR0
being more careful.413Please respect copyright.PENANAYpCMNC8kae
The caves themselves 413Please respect copyright.PENANAEp3lWYYrAd
seemed to go through the whole isle, David didn't believe he explored 413Please respect copyright.PENANAGTY9yU5itG
even half of it. Gob tried to send a few soldiers every day to explore 413Please respect copyright.PENANAgvklPEG4oO
further into the caves, but many were afraid of the dark, believing 413Please respect copyright.PENANAyN28xwFzTP
various beasts were residing in them. Refusing to go inside without Gob 413Please respect copyright.PENANApmg3xixuDU
and since Gob was usually busy either creating or being out on patrols 413Please respect copyright.PENANAr2uVIeSHWE
himself that limited their exploring time.413Please respect copyright.PENANAbI60Y5H40e
That let David offer his413Please respect copyright.PENANAdzjEbDA3Q4
services as an explorer. He would explore the further caves and would 413Please respect copyright.PENANAlAry41OpdG
report on any worrying circumstances. Gob was reluctant to let him go 413Please respect copyright.PENANAS3wScFtEG4
but was convinced by Francesca that it would be a grand idea as it would413Please respect copyright.PENANA75CdjICAJT
free more people for patrols and other duties.413Please respect copyright.PENANAvwHh6PUGv9
This time though he had a413Please respect copyright.PENANAjM25o9Lyrz
destination in mind. A bit further into one of the pathways, about an 413Please respect copyright.PENANAHGYd5inM4Y
hour from the main cavern, there was a small pathway where a thin person413Please respect copyright.PENANAG5Ic7MbhPW
could barely fit. Following that pathway, if you could survive the 413Please respect copyright.PENANA5fx3MDweDk
feeling of getting crushed by the walls, was a pool. David was surprised413Please respect copyright.PENANALMNzi0EfMK
when he found and astonished when he discovered the water was hot. 413Please respect copyright.PENANA7V1OlRsIy1
That's where he was 413Please respect copyright.PENANAiMAMjXeGFg
going now; he needed a clear head for Francesca's meeting. No matter how413Please respect copyright.PENANA6nSOwn1Zaw
she acted she was a noble, they always sought the best deals for 413Please respect copyright.PENANAxzLPe8CMla
themselves, always trying to ledge a situation in their favour. David 413Please respect copyright.PENANAUNntlvyQ76
would need to be on his toes. Or maybe he just wanted to actually relax 413Please respect copyright.PENANAZrcNKkPij2
without anyone screaming or crying, he didn't decide which one sounded 413Please respect copyright.PENANAxgbiqZhSPP
better in his mind.413Please respect copyright.PENANAhiHOlxrj2t
Thus grabbing a torch as413Please respect copyright.PENANAf5QpyO7APl
many of the pathways further down weren't lit, he began his, 413Please respect copyright.PENANA1wOgKQuOR1
uneventful, journey. Luckily he reached his destination in a timely 413Please respect copyright.PENANA6XK3UuZDBI
manner, though he hated going through that cramped space. He gave a 413Please respect copyright.PENANAi5bW6d3mm3
satisfied sigh as he sat down in the pool, his muscles losing the 413Please respect copyright.PENANAsXlTHJKxRO
tension he gathered over the past few weeks, the water reached up to his413Please respect copyright.PENANAC6hKHvKvpf
chest and he dunked his head under the water finally enjoying a proper 413Please respect copyright.PENANAHKKyQ37gpd
clean. He was careful to keep track of time but other than that he let 413Please respect copyright.PENANArutzQ2PMsN
his mind wander and just blanked out. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAb11Npp1sVr
Before he even noticed, 413Please respect copyright.PENANADVziqA6Qvd
to David's disappointment, it was time to leave. He was also saddened by413Please respect copyright.PENANABHsJTVvkTT
the fact that the water ended up a bit darker after his bath, a way to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAKLQNzjWWC9
hit a guys confidence. With a sad sigh he put on his dirty and worn out 413Please respect copyright.PENANAVHUAeJG3Sn
clothes and went back to the main cavern to the sound of activity and 413Please respect copyright.PENANA6vnIqb2Wqv
the smell of unwashed masses.413Please respect copyright.PENANA9KCeKtRcgZ
It did seem that David 413Please respect copyright.PENANA8oltYCqCPI
came back just in time as people were gathered near the cooking pots to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAMT3KNEyR0e
gather their rations. David did the same and then found Stevie, sitting 413Please respect copyright.PENANAJJoEGfrSCF
with some other older rebels, and gave him his rations. Stevie nodded 413Please respect copyright.PENANA6RlCvvfhhW
and had a sparkle in his eye. "Maybe nexsht time you can save me 413Please respect copyright.PENANAngYfERLkBC
teethsh." And he cackled at his joke. David managed a weak laugh that 413Please respect copyright.PENANALRIgY0iiHI
seemed to satisfy Stevie.413Please respect copyright.PENANAlPRwpTSWRB
"Don't keep Francesca 413Please respect copyright.PENANAtQYFLR68wp
waiting." Came a gruff voice from behind. David tried to hide his 413Please respect copyright.PENANA1aUQRgHxHi
annoyance at the fact that Gob managed to sneak up on him and scare him.413Please respect copyright.PENANANVIg2YdXdu
Some people just had no sense of proper manners.413Please respect copyright.PENANAxM5osT9nCP
"Oh I wouldn't dare." 413Please respect copyright.PENANADinD2EBp4r
He gave a mock bow which seemed to infuriate Gob more. "I was just out 413Please respect copyright.PENANAIZa3CKzQE8
exploring, nothing to report so far, sir Gob." Gob just grunted and 413Please respect copyright.PENANAuUlYrLQ5au
walked away. 413Please respect copyright.PENANATGnFYHzXng
David smiled and waved 413Please respect copyright.PENANAqxxbTjyRiS
after him, the guy really needed to unwind. With nothing else to do but 413Please respect copyright.PENANAhA9TY9FXpj
shrug at that thought David went towards Francesca's room. Even if 413Please respect copyright.PENANAm6VNQfpRGt
Francesca did pretend to be all for equality and the like she still had 413Please respect copyright.PENANAyWLZCc5G6s
her personal quarters, such as they were, as well as an actual bed, 413Please respect copyright.PENANA8UhDdGU9pK
table, chairs. They were shoddy work at best, crafted quickly by some of413Please respect copyright.PENANAazJlFQYQ6L
the rebels, but they were more than anything any other rebel had. David413Please respect copyright.PENANAXR3mJ7WL8p
was impressed by how she had more and yet most still perceived her as 413Please respect copyright.PENANAPFTPHaMRJi
the paragon of virtue.413Please respect copyright.PENANAqRpxbInPjb
Her room, as per usual, 413Please respect copyright.PENANAvDr3q7NqV0
was guarded. But the guard waved him on with a smile. David saw it as a 413Please respect copyright.PENANAvbL9tdj85j
pointless precaution anyway, but what could you do. Francesca herself 413Please respect copyright.PENANAvRKlncn0d5
was already seated, with a torch in the middle of the table, a pale 413Please respect copyright.PENANACCX9sGn0F0
imitation of a candle. One thing the rebels had a lot of were torches, 413Please respect copyright.PENANAfBTaxBFTjM
to light up all caverns and pathways. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAO1v7Psy3Bp
"Oh, David! Please sit" she gestured towards the second chair.413Please respect copyright.PENANAUais7C2Viz
David sat down with a 413Please respect copyright.PENANA5nbtsKf3pR
nod and smile. They weren't eating anything extravagant, just what the 413Please respect copyright.PENANAgyGGx3WkT6
rest were. Dried meat, nuts, sometimes if they were lucky they could 413Please respect copyright.PENANA2nuMDrBrkd
even get rabbit or vegetable soup, but that more of a luxury nowadays. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAhUN1dregxK
This time it was some dried meat of unknown origin and some water found 413Please respect copyright.PENANAQ9fwQlRKYL
in a stream. Delicious.413Please respect copyright.PENANAHQXvTp0Mdv
"So pleasantries first or business first?"413Please respect copyright.PENANAWXesLiwoLo
"I found that going straight to business can ruin a healthy appetite."413Please respect copyright.PENANAEAPH9XupS4
Francesca nodded and 413Please respect copyright.PENANAXn2KWBE7i9
began to cut her meat with her wooden utensils. While David had similar 413Please respect copyright.PENANA7afmyRAKzz
equipment he didn't really find much use of them and found it better to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAWCDThgLbil
eat with his own hands. Made it faster and when you're under cannon fire413Please respect copyright.PENANAIDpAyurvG1
fast eating was paramount.413Please respect copyright.PENANAPmlgqjXUMr
As expected David 413Please respect copyright.PENANA9sEZnqXwwn
finished his portion first and ended up waiting for Francesca to finish 413Please respect copyright.PENANAGn5RlJQTll
hers, which took another 5 or 10 minutes. The girl was certainly a 413Please respect copyright.PENANAlnb2I3RIDf
deliberate eater.413Please respect copyright.PENANA5o2gXOw5I3
"So on to business." She413Please respect copyright.PENANAkegV6TbC3E
paused making sure David was ready, once he nodded she continued. "Tell413Please respect copyright.PENANADudnkP30Ge
me, do you know who actually hired your services?"413Please respect copyright.PENANA997tP5DyL9
"No idea, captain was usually tight lipped about our clients. I just always assumed it was one of you guys."413Please respect copyright.PENANAAl7aXHZsWS
"In a way. It's someone 413Please respect copyright.PENANAdTbC2mMnt7
who's...interested in our cause. One of Gob's friends. He is able to get413Please respect copyright.PENANAI7blZu7Agj
in and out of the isles without arousing too much suspicion."413Please respect copyright.PENANASTLTEhUMew
"Can't imagine you can tell me who it is?"413Please respect copyright.PENANAvfQL5JWltB
"It's not for me to tell sadly, Gob was adamant that it's best kept as secret." Francesca smiled apologetically "apologies"413Please respect copyright.PENANAAcfPt7mBz9
David waved his hand in a playful manner. "No worries, I'm surprised you're telling me any of this in the first place."413Please respect copyright.PENANACJJPRuwjch
"Well, there is a 413Please respect copyright.PENANAT7nfuNHgSy
reason. Since the weapons we got previously are in the Empire's hands 413Please respect copyright.PENANAi3pujzMJka
and we can't fight them for it." Putting it lightly the rebels never 413Please respect copyright.PENANATylbAGnKLv
really fought the empire in a straight on fight. Mostly raids and 413Please respect copyright.PENANAh4tKbv05JV
recruiting villagers with their possessions. Easy pickings. "Gob got in 413Please respect copyright.PENANAcJsmgHC5bE
touch with his friend again and luckily we managed to set up a meeting 413Please respect copyright.PENANAA3xLQNFYd5
in a few days the edge of a different isle.413Please respect copyright.PENANASZkuTUBnzc
"We will also be moving 413Please respect copyright.PENANAzp6DnDJ0sG
our base" she continued, sadly. "I can't keep us here with the danger 413Please respect copyright.PENANALGSI6R00RH
increasing, so we will move slowly, to an isle we were based in before 413Please respect copyright.PENANASOMcBanBYf
so some will know where to go."413Please respect copyright.PENANAkbW0rCphWA
"That's good, why did 413Please respect copyright.PENANAcQmD2B2s2B
you want to keep us here for this long anyway?" While he was annoyed at 413Please respect copyright.PENANAxvJkgkcSuf
hearing that question every time he went on patrols, he couldn't deny he413Please respect copyright.PENANAfg6CLJIiOv
was interested in the answer.413Please respect copyright.PENANAaLLdAZTcrn
"It...It has to do with one of The Five. I can't reveal more in fear that it might interfere with your objective. "413Please respect copyright.PENANAkPUiEzmmQS
David nodded, not a full413Please respect copyright.PENANA0JIHVUSrsX
answer he wanted but to push might create a rift between them. Religion413Please respect copyright.PENANAHMRhYaou39
was pretty important to Francesca "Don't worry; you don't have to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAeN0uS0pvQc
reveal anything you don't want want to." He said in a soothing tone413Please respect copyright.PENANAfBWx1iJL2M
"Thank you." She said 413Please respect copyright.PENANAmAmtKqm1fH
gratefully. "Where was I? Oh, yes. We'll have groups with specified 413Please respect copyright.PENANA5p7IpulUU7
leaders going back to that previous isle, they'll lead them and we'll 413Please respect copyright.PENANAqx69VdD4hH
regroup at a specified point."413Please respect copyright.PENANAH9hDFOm4RT
"How will you get 413Please respect copyright.PENANAyCwm42hZ6x
everyone over to the next isle?" Isles were divided by cracks, and while413Please respect copyright.PENANAHqOsQU8jji
some you could jump over, others were so wide you could fit a full 413Please respect copyright.PENANAGtmCKGyjUN
city.413Please respect copyright.PENANA4at5OSiJQq
"We have small sky 413Please respect copyright.PENANAAutOHKGM8k
boats. Some of the groups will use it...Others...Others will need to 413Please respect copyright.PENANASZ209iKWuL
find their own way" she said in bitter tones. "I don't like that, we're 413Please respect copyright.PENANAlieZN8Zddp
abandoning my people. But Gob said it's too dangerous traveling in a big413Please respect copyright.PENANAsuUZVsMd3d
group."413Please respect copyright.PENANAtyo3mJxUOr
"You're a good leader on your own. You should trust your own instincts." Ah finally! An opportunity to create that rift413Please respect copyright.PENANAXmv0Db7x5t
She gave him a sad smile413Please respect copyright.PENANAbx4BuI91dm
in response. "Thank you, but I do not a good head for tactics or 413Please respect copyright.PENANA7FeNLpQjcb
military matters. I've had some education on it, but Gob is much better 413Please respect copyright.PENANArGx7AArYsN
at it." David still wasn't sure just what Gob did before the rebellion. 413Please respect copyright.PENANA0tNzqYMbsp
Francesca stated that the past did not matter and as long as they were 413Please respect copyright.PENANAHzwg0ZyRRe
willing to fight for the rebellions ideals they would be allowed to keep413Please respect copyright.PENANAu8gQNaIIL3
their past in the past.413Please respect copyright.PENANAIbp2vs6oev
"Now then, back to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAlBrtmulTgD
business." She said more cheerily. "Myself and Gob will be meeting that 413Please respect copyright.PENANA0qLtzzm6Xe
person in a few days. We will have guards but I'd also like for you to 413Please respect copyright.PENANAc51QVkKUGT
come. You're well-traveled and met many people; your advice would be 413Please respect copyright.PENANAvsD450xZkD
valuable, especially since we'll only be bartering for them."413Please respect copyright.PENANAljkXGvrC4P
"You'll have it. I'm 413Please respect copyright.PENANAJ2IKV6Y7MT
more than happy to join you." While he wasn't looking forward to 413Please respect copyright.PENANA4jXU1E70FP
sleeping with all the insects again, it might help his back to not sleep413Please respect copyright.PENANA6Rty3iLr9f
on a rock hard surface.413Please respect copyright.PENANAXnpbfqypgD
"Perfect! I'll let Gob know and convince him as well." She laughed sheepishly. "I didn't really confirm this with him you see."413Please respect copyright.PENANApZABxy6gqo
"Oh, the guy loves me. It'll be easy." Francesca smiled at that, she knew just how much Gob hated David.413Please respect copyright.PENANAS0YplNSm1r
A lull in the conversation and then a question David was dreading "Did you have any more visions? From the one who chose you?"413Please respect copyright.PENANAmRUPIJXwXt
"Sadly no, I'm as 413Please respect copyright.PENANAM0ixgJOOc2
clueless as when I was born." This wasn't exactly true. He knew he had 413Please respect copyright.PENANAXxB0LmfhOO
to find something, and suspected Francesca was after it as well he 413Please respect copyright.PENANADr20ve57Oq
suspected it was on this isle. Francesca seemed to know more, but she 413Please respect copyright.PENANAVKCOExtb1v
wasn't willing to reveal it. She might hide it under lofty ideals, but 413Please respect copyright.PENANAPkKvVydegI
she was concealing the truth from both David and the rebels.413Please respect copyright.PENANAjdVv9OYn52
"Do not worry, I am 413Please respect copyright.PENANAVmB9OE8bPC
su..." before she could continue their whole world rocked. As explosions413Please respect copyright.PENANAoLMlo98d8l
rang from outside and rubble started falling all around them., hitting 413Please respect copyright.PENANAGRCxe9SdMt
the table and dislodging the torch, casting ominous shadows on the walls413Please respect copyright.PENANAhAVso7dtf9
"Wha..." before David could finish his thought a very worried Gob barged in. 413Please respect copyright.PENANAP9M0wOLj7z
"We're under attack, they found us."
413Please respect copyright.PENANA23bQeTimxT
413Please respect copyright.PENANAWkMPafrVsz