397Please respect copyright.PENANAbQ2yMRWMYL
397Please respect copyright.PENANAHB2jVX7V8x
'The voice?! Of course I397Please respect copyright.PENANAj7uirVufCQ
can hear it, I embrace it, I follow it, I worship it for what it is! 397Please respect copyright.PENANAQvGw2Gy3Dj
The word of god! And I am a holy messenger! You all are heathens! 397Please respect copyright.PENANAwao2MyhoYy
Believers in false gods! You hide from the true voice, you fear it, you 397Please respect copyright.PENANANSEv2HLhBr
shun it, you deny it! My only crime is that I am no coward!'397Please respect copyright.PENANAT8pfLUtuU4
Extract from the trial 397Please respect copyright.PENANAbYwSXoLdfZ
of Bloody Jack. Accused of murdering his whole village on the whims of 397Please respect copyright.PENANApwaxYAJZ2R
an ether being and sentenced to death.397Please respect copyright.PENANAsFcN9kCyOg
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------397Please respect copyright.PENANAmmLs89AT0J
397Please respect copyright.PENANAqE5DF4yLe2
"I don't get it, why don't we go to a different isle? The Imperialsh will have ush shurrounded in no time."397Please respect copyright.PENANAzxgQ7SdC3f
~And here we go again, simple minded people asking simple minded questions~397Please respect copyright.PENANAbk5hoqLzZe
"Too many people to move, they'll notice us."397Please respect copyright.PENANARq9lsSUvmC
"Never shtopped ush before." A pause as the old man spat to the side. "What about fighting then, too little of ush?"397Please respect copyright.PENANAEXZquiEJ5n
Gob shook his head, 397Please respect copyright.PENANAc5VRiTnzNj
tired. David could understand that, and he was annoyed he could 397Please respect copyright.PENANA9i5N3qAfxv
empathize with Gob. As per Gob's decision every time it was David's turn397Please respect copyright.PENANAoGagxC20qW
to go patrolling Gob accompanied him. At first David found this 397Please respect copyright.PENANAA7WYQIozdf
insulting, he was the paragon of trust after all, but after a few of 397Please respect copyright.PENANAvLaL9slpmG
such patrols he just found it annoying. Ever patrol was usually 397Please respect copyright.PENANArJmify1lua
conducted with 3 or 4 people, usually with different people. There were a397Please respect copyright.PENANACBWIBQNuql
few constants in those groups though, the first was that David and Gob 397Please respect copyright.PENANArARnbnxKFb
were in them and the second was that someone always asked when they 397Please respect copyright.PENANAv9qHzcpHTu
would move.397Please respect copyright.PENANAn4ZxasDZdW
Now David has only been 397Please respect copyright.PENANAkKx6IObmD2
in the camp for a month now and managed to glean some information from 397Please respect copyright.PENANAxzM41NGCNK
the other rebels and just observations. There were three groups of 397Please respect copyright.PENANAg4LgxR6zA4
rebels. Peasants, peasant-soldiers and soldiers, as David liked to call 397Please respect copyright.PENANATkOHPNoNdR
them. Peasants and peasant-soldiers were the people with no, to only 397Please respect copyright.PENANAIvui6QT6B1
basic, military training. Such as Denis and his ilk. The soldiers 397Please respect copyright.PENANALPQb74tJGw
weren't necessary from the military, but they had more experience. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAVgXQdMHYK7
Experience wasn't the only difference, civilians and civilian soldiers 397Please respect copyright.PENANA3XMNrRVxkB
loved and trusted both Gob and Francesca. Soldiers only trusted Gob. 397Please respect copyright.PENANArYnDcXLIHN
Which worked out nicely for David as he could use this discord and 397Please respect copyright.PENANAYZyeIhpHTE
divided loyalties.397Please respect copyright.PENANAWtbrmENLvc
Another important thing 397Please respect copyright.PENANA6x5CUOjixu
he managed to find out was that the rebels had stayed on the same isle 397Please respect copyright.PENANAbbck4gzgBN
for three months. Many of the rebels were unhappy with the prolonged 397Please respect copyright.PENANAFD3P2KyW3o
stay, especially the soldiers. This resulted in that question and Gob 397Please respect copyright.PENANAUfR7JSzV9l
giving the same answer to anyone who asked. It was really riveting stuff397Please respect copyright.PENANAjnmyGdSWwr
for David, especially after hearing it for the twentieth third time. 397Please respect copyright.PENANADtC3i1VcI6
Ol' Stevie asked it around two or three times over the past few days to 397Please respect copyright.PENANAECsVNyvIDC
their destination.397Please respect copyright.PENANAhWZepZRiBP
Today they were out 397Please respect copyright.PENANAuhYbMXWrkh
looking at the new imperial camp, turning into more of a makeshift fort,397Please respect copyright.PENANAhzoY1c1qch
being built around the wreckage of the 'Flying Fish'. It was a crude 397Please respect copyright.PENANALYPZdxPAsW
construction, something that could be easily taken apart. They were 397Please respect copyright.PENANAjXNpO2C2KC
joined by Rock and another rebel, called old toothless Stevie, on 397Please respect copyright.PENANAqCiWl2DF9v
account of him being old and having lost most of his teeth. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAR7RxQxOa5T
"Yes, now shut up and 397Please respect copyright.PENANAhwpyDkNtvQ
remember everything you can about the imperials." Stevie shrugged at 397Please respect copyright.PENANAwX9tBihdRf
that and continued looking through his binocular. David kept further 397Please respect copyright.PENANASzD8Bah6MW
away from the pair, watching their backs with Rock, the youth did not 397Please respect copyright.PENANA1Q1HiSOyoM
become any more talkative during Davids stay in the caves.397Please respect copyright.PENANA9eIRj2jFMB
They were at their 397Please respect copyright.PENANAARTW9ojbMU
lookout spot for a few hours at this point and David was glad he didn't 397Please respect copyright.PENANA5NKdqEFc0Y
feel any magical tugs coming from that direction, after discussing it 397Please respect copyright.PENANA7sMmBAI9uw
with Francesca it turned out that what David felt was a magical tug, 397Please respect copyright.PENANAVMGVZf54WR
looked like the imperial soldier wasn't anywhere near it.397Please respect copyright.PENANAHGgYgKz5ti
"Alright, that's enough.397Please respect copyright.PENANAbP1nvwYr5N
Let's head back." Gob proclaimed to the group and David sighted in 397Please respect copyright.PENANAKPqUjcjMFv
relief. Thankfully David was given new shoes, to help him walk, as well 397Please respect copyright.PENANAE8GbOgppaf
as new clothes and even an eyepatch. The walk itself was silent and 397Please respect copyright.PENANADSOl23YXKA
brutal. Gob set a murderous pace and he didn't look back to check on any397Please respect copyright.PENANAvsVPKnq6bv
of them except for Rock, who bore it with his usual silence.397Please respect copyright.PENANAawqyVUmP9D
David walked in silence 397Please respect copyright.PENANApKASgLrgwH
as well. More to preserve his breathe, than anything else, as he felt 397Please respect copyright.PENANAYiVVA5gsA1
that he would fall to the ground if he even tried speaking. Toothless 397Please respect copyright.PENANADeUsPCGbn0
Stevie may have been old and not have teeth, but he had more stamina 397Please respect copyright.PENANArSeoBSdifQ
than David, farm work really built you up for long hours of activity.397Please respect copyright.PENANApCdtSVWkkz
A walk that would've 397Please respect copyright.PENANA1DMfpkuLKi
taken most of the day was managed in about half a day. David was so glad397Please respect copyright.PENANA3wahWYunw4
to see the damp cave that he was ready to kiss the rocks when he came 397Please respect copyright.PENANAPKHEQ2pxCR
inside. The camp itself did not change much over the past month and 397Please respect copyright.PENANA3K9QRCLqe2
David was still the new guy. Though he made good strides in integrating 397Please respect copyright.PENANA5qH9MiFEPC
himself as most of rebels waved to him in greeting.397Please respect copyright.PENANAeORKPaNY5Z
"I'll go report to 397Please respect copyright.PENANABB6KuQo6v1
Francesca. You can go relax." Gob passed David without a glance at him. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAma9nCgUnHI
The fact that Gob didn't glare or spit at David's direction must've 397Please respect copyright.PENANA5K04cKkOzv
meant that he was finally warming up to him! At least it was more than 397Please respect copyright.PENANALDhhM6StKJ
David got over the past month, in fact he was ready to give up on ever 397Please respect copyright.PENANAzKe2fuErkK
winning Gob over.397Please respect copyright.PENANAQh47sKK35F
Francesca on the other 397Please respect copyright.PENANApotLvqEV0h
hand warmed up to him quite fast. As Denis summarized and David 397Please respect copyright.PENANAE6tYSoaOqo
confirmed she was a noble, a well read and knowledgeable noble but 397Please respect copyright.PENANA1RawcPucXO
someone who hasn't left her estate a lot and has never traveled outside 397Please respect copyright.PENANAuCa71EodPQ
the empire. While David was the well-traveled dashing smuggler. He 397Please respect copyright.PENANARbaUSgDmr9
managed to enthrall her with made up stories and adventures. To be fair 397Please respect copyright.PENANAma99Pw5wfJ
to Francesca she wasn't the only one falling under David's charm. As 397Please respect copyright.PENANAvmjpZI42Hg
most of the rebels found it hard to resist the dashing rogue act.397Please respect copyright.PENANAfajwCTnsyy
David just wished he 397Please respect copyright.PENANAMKCCpuUxBw
could win them over without going on patrols and risking his life. Oh 397Please respect copyright.PENANAYiwrPuMGly
well no one said being a parasite was easy.397Please respect copyright.PENANA1Hd0wXDzyI
Further down the camps 397Please respect copyright.PENANAvdcHT76r5L
he could see Twitch, the nervous brother of Denis. Over the past month 397Please respect copyright.PENANAs616vz9bfp
he integrated himself with the siblings, becoming a part of their gang. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAtyK3bDNv0K
As the siblings were liked by the rebels in general this made them trust397Please respect copyright.PENANA8N34GBMzUP
David all the more. David decided to join Twitch so he snuck up behind 397Please respect copyright.PENANAs4OOHs1CDa
him. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAXZRwlfC3yX
"What'cha doing?"397Please respect copyright.PENANAeOP8huyvO7
Twitch practically jumped out of his own skin. "Agh! Oh D-david. Don't s-scare me l-l-like that."397Please respect copyright.PENANAci4rqHog5U
"Sorry, twitch." David said patting the boys shoulder. "Didn't mean to, you know I hate doing it." He loved it397Please respect copyright.PENANA0f4HPyz0Li
Twitch nodded and stood beside David." 'S alright. I-I-I'm just easily sca-ar-ared."397Please respect copyright.PENANANUV7q7XFAL
David nodded. The boy 397Please respect copyright.PENANAKU1HLxFMoC
was lucky to have any friends at all." Nothing wrong with being scared."397Please respect copyright.PENANAVZRd9CVB0v
He said with a comforting smile. "We all have our own strengths, like 397Please respect copyright.PENANAa13765GwFP
you..." David paused for a bit racking his mind for something to say. "A397Please respect copyright.PENANAKBRzjR9JVm
poet! A man of dreams! How're your poems going anyway? I still want to 397Please respect copyright.PENANAhWlEB7VBNY
read them someday."397Please respect copyright.PENANAYCTI1VeJR6
Twitch muttered 397Please respect copyright.PENANA6hPEwIsCYW
something under his breathe. David motioned with his hand for him to 397Please respect copyright.PENANAV1WTnZsWOp
speak up. "...n-not poems. But son-so-songs."397Please respect copyright.PENANAcu0Fdihdqt
David stopped himself from shrugging and smiled. "Songs, even better then! Why not create a song for the rebellion?"397Please respect copyright.PENANANyjCYe8OjI
Twitch started shaking 397Please respect copyright.PENANA8YSsNw3Jzs
his head but before the words: 'No' formed on his mouth a voice 397Please respect copyright.PENANAWOkDYFseMB
interrupted them. "A hymn truly sounds marvelous!" Francesca made Twitch397Please respect copyright.PENANA89aBXGS2by
jump back even more than David did397Please respect copyright.PENANApFDBx6dw6C
"I-I-I" He continued in that vain for a while.397Please respect copyright.PENANArKtYHIsef3
"Speak up soldier!" Gobs397Please respect copyright.PENANAvgvRZT72sM
voice resounded around the cave, making everyone glance at Twitch, 397Please respect copyright.PENANAqxAOvz2QkZ
which should've made his stuttering worse. But his fear of Gob took over397Please respect copyright.PENANAlxxSu1X5fW
any instinct he had.397Please respect copyright.PENANAuNoSPm7Hc3
"I'mnotgoodenough!" He 397Please respect copyright.PENANAQSSa0xBQVs
said as fast possible. David was astounded it was probably the first 397Please respect copyright.PENANA45Jrn7AoDm
time the boy didn't stutter. Not that he could understand what he said 397Please respect copyright.PENANAPi7jzXLgUf
now.397Please respect copyright.PENANAyb4ddDoqgJ
"Nonsense." Francesca 397Please respect copyright.PENANAOdCMtWKRZV
put her hand on Twitch's shoulder. She didn't seem to have any trouble 397Please respect copyright.PENANAw2K9TN6Ve5
understanding him. "Write me a song when you can, and we will sing it, 397Please respect copyright.PENANAjwy2Q6XuoE
all of us together." She projected her voice to others nearby which 397Please respect copyright.PENANA7TyfmRSjS6
raised a rugged cheer. That just made Twitch hide his face as it went 397Please respect copyright.PENANAbfaTcdnmMt
dark red.397Please respect copyright.PENANAm8RYMrNS1d
Francesca spared Twitch 397Please respect copyright.PENANAraR6O1whiG
one last warm smile and turned to the rest of the rebels standing 397Please respect copyright.PENANA8OjxbG2Awo
around. "It's time for your daily studies! Spread the message!" Both 397Please respect copyright.PENANAd21MmrFMHw
children and adults listened to Francesca, without a hint of 397Please respect copyright.PENANAxjeLa3tPYo
disobedience, and started moving in one line to the study cavern, as it 397Please respect copyright.PENANA49iVNCOaah
was popularly called.397Please respect copyright.PENANAL50q7OtmOr
The rebels not only 397Please respect copyright.PENANABxSVNT9X5d
respected Francesca for her leadership and attitude towards the 397Please respect copyright.PENANAJWwkDft7j5
peasantry, but also her attempts to educate them. Most of the rebels 397Please respect copyright.PENANABV0Ca7Ibzd
didn't know how to read or basic math while Francesca was an educated 397Please respect copyright.PENANAAXWBCCli6D
noble, thus she decided to teach everyone in the rebellion the basics. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAnCZKXsDVbE
No one was barred from the lessons and both young and old were invited 397Please respect copyright.PENANASp2WomGOSU
to them. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAWw7CVAWaDX
David attended one of 397Please respect copyright.PENANAJpFaaqqEvb
those lessons but found himself too bored to continue. They were talking397Please respect copyright.PENANAvTxR48djgb
about letter and numbers and some researcher named Vesputti or 397Please respect copyright.PENANAVu3uPTAudW
something similar. Thus, he skipped over on those lessons, he wasn't the397Please respect copyright.PENANA9V2n6F0n0D
only one as most of the adults had decided that they were too old to 397Please respect copyright.PENANAqJMgEH8lB3
learn anything new.397Please respect copyright.PENANAEyvbHN8Ca8
Before leading her group397Please respect copyright.PENANAECYA1YtGl2
to the secluded cavern, Francesca approached David. "I'd like if you'd 397Please respect copyright.PENANA9LsTbPpDdv
dine with me tonight, if it's to your liking?"397Please respect copyright.PENANAsZKjTWEpAE
"Of course, I'll see you397Please respect copyright.PENANAjTUEefYDjC
later." Francesca did that sometimes, inviting David over. Chatting 397Please respect copyright.PENANAkRAvTnmhIX
about trivialities, like whether he had any more vision about The Five. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAfLUNKgNAUy
Thankfully Jester didn't deign to appear yet so David managed to sleep 397Please respect copyright.PENANAWUDz7TSCSH
peacefully, well not accounting the strange dreams about some boy crying397Please respect copyright.PENANAZE1blScbKe
and calling for his mummy. Those dreams made David wake up in a foul 397Please respect copyright.PENANAfeiT8bABgx
mood, he wasn't certain why but thought it could be because he didn't 397Please respect copyright.PENANAXA7mmjcSXO
remember his parents or family.397Please respect copyright.PENANARaiycnr1Sz
Francesca, unaware of 397Please respect copyright.PENANAP0WZyQndUb
David's thoughts or dreams, nodded with a smile and led her group from 397Please respect copyright.PENANAs74ilGvKoi
the main cavern. Twitch following her and joining his sibling to whom 397Please respect copyright.PENANAOoaZyDOeE2
David waved. Turning around he came face to face with Nook.397Please respect copyright.PENANAYRH5L6mYd7
"I'm off duty now, got some guys looking for a game. You're in?"397Please respect copyright.PENANAZevGgP25OZ
Nook was an interesting 397Please respect copyright.PENANAhi7p9ap6cU
case, while he was definitely Gob's man he didn't seem to be as 397Please respect copyright.PENANA8b0YwdWZxF
disciplined as the other soldiers. He was also one of the few soldiers 397Please respect copyright.PENANA5Ze8BJarF9
who was friendly with David instead of following Gob's lead and hating 397Please respect copyright.PENANA0Ruj8TeqzD
his guts. So they decided to have a card game here and there while 397Please respect copyright.PENANAucron39E09
inviting other people, a card game in which David lost more often than 397Please respect copyright.PENANAWR3yy6pqkH
not. While David hated losing in cards it was a good method of making 397Please respect copyright.PENANAxOM5Odw5YR
friends and getting to know people. As well as a guarantee to keep 397Please respect copyright.PENANAExN7eqJfmZ
getting invited as long as you lost smart and graciously accepted it.397Please respect copyright.PENANACJ32V1hChE
"Aye, why not Nook. Maybe I'll clean house this time."397Please respect copyright.PENANAuX9BY2zPOg
Nook grinned a 397Please respect copyright.PENANAxZchOmrubV
predator's smile and led David towards a secluded table. While gambling 397Please respect copyright.PENANAnwlQZqQ9mf
wasn't banned or anything, as long as you were off duty, it was frowned 397Please respect copyright.PENANAsPG1qdCs1i
upon by Gob. That and most rebels having limited resources. Having only 397Please respect copyright.PENANAg0RNy6m0GX
their clothes and weapons stolen from the empire or brought on their 397Please respect copyright.PENANA21gfzrSxGK
backs.397Please respect copyright.PENANANfRqnbBGqe
Thus any card games were397Please respect copyright.PENANAbiHlcHUA4x
just that, games to pass the time. At least until David proposed to bet397Please respect copyright.PENANAQTmqG7OiK5
their rations. Everyone received the basic rations few times per day 397Please respect copyright.PENANAgTQW95j8qN
and it was up to them how much of that they ate. It was barely enough to397Please respect copyright.PENANA4SLnkLFls4
feed a healthy adult. As they have been on this isle for a while it was397Please respect copyright.PENANAAlElcrNCbr
harder to find fresh animals to hunt every day. A lot of the rebels 397Please respect copyright.PENANAc8PA9JuPPO
were opposed to that idea as they'd loose on the last bits of food they 397Please respect copyright.PENANAsEyBWKvqB0
did have.397Please respect copyright.PENANADncYgpYtBL
Some did think it was a 397Please respect copyright.PENANAAzU0XZzcoN
brilliant idea and David was sitting down with a few of them right now. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAQN1Njpeap6
Nook, he was confident in his card abilities. Apparently before joining 397Please respect copyright.PENANAY653VwUSeS
the rebellion he was a militiaman in his village and gambled a lot. As 397Please respect copyright.PENANAvgPcRYZLVe
far as David could see he was more lucky than actually good. Old 397Please respect copyright.PENANAReSKJuJbkY
toothless Stevie, he joked that if he did lose his rations that it would397Please respect copyright.PENANA97P72pqL5D
save his last teeth. He also wasn't afraid to bet most of his rations 397Please respect copyright.PENANAu08GrKQauQ
scaring the other players into folding, a good bluffer. Finally there 397Please respect copyright.PENANAzDKYaajbRV
was Tiruk, a huge man who definitely needed more rations just to 397Please respect copyright.PENANAlYTOs50aRX
survive. It surprised David anyone could keep that weight with tight the397Please respect copyright.PENANAmWeHdN8m2w
food has been.397Please respect copyright.PENANAv4vJxOXRmD
They were the four main 397Please respect copyright.PENANANZ0uKslplH
players who usually joined the gambling games. Sometimes others joined 397Please respect copyright.PENANAAy8ssnCGVm
but they usually stopped after going hungry for a day or two as they 397Please respect copyright.PENANAcVGwZfwXuA
lost their rations. These four though didn't give up after losing, 397Please respect copyright.PENANAYzXl28v5Ny
because they knew that their chances of a feast were just around the 397Please respect copyright.PENANAEQylyOr489
corner. That fact created a sense of comradeship between the players. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAkZVeUGIH56
Even if they were playing against each other they understood the risks 397Please respect copyright.PENANApQaY6mppRt
and accepted them.397Please respect copyright.PENANARZtodtMAp8
"''Ello boys." David 397Please respect copyright.PENANAsNOaONRmci
said sitting down at the table with Nook. There were nods all around the397Please respect copyright.PENANAUmExOGYIgH
table and the cards were dealt. They were playing a card game called 397Please respect copyright.PENANAN2KDaTWveo
match 'n go. Most of the rebels had not heard of the game or at least 397Please respect copyright.PENANAkpyMnJGTaU
knew it under a different name but most of them caught on fast, it was 397Please respect copyright.PENANARq6iSnvuPH
often just played for fun. But the best games came from betting. As the 397Please respect copyright.PENANAcG2wvCESAN
risks went higher you tried to fool your opponent into thinking that you397Please respect copyright.PENANAJ78yzxOeSC
had the match or a higher card. David loved risk games like that, he 397Please respect copyright.PENANAPpOAoMDzFW
loved reading the other player emotions and using it against them or at 397Please respect copyright.PENANAXseSFVxp3i
least for his own benefit. 397Please respect copyright.PENANA4vPb0vegUn
Nook was the first to 397Please respect copyright.PENANAt4PQk6Htfn
play. "I'm betting half of my rations on this. Gots a good deck, that I 397Please respect copyright.PENANAurpnB1aPz0
do." David could see the plastered smile on his face. At this point 397Please respect copyright.PENANAJ84soLih6e
David could tell fake between real in a heartbeat. Nook was bluffing.397Please respect copyright.PENANAt1VhAGWdRd
"Alright, I'll call that." David answered.397Please respect copyright.PENANAuiOi49wmet
Tiruk, in answer, just 397Please respect copyright.PENANAjVmJ6pl3Lx
shook his head and folded. He wasn't risking it. Stevenson with his 397Please respect copyright.PENANACHH2VMQQrK
gaped smile called it as well and cackled a bit.397Please respect copyright.PENANALxG3ME8PRc
Next card revealed. A 3 397Please respect copyright.PENANAeXHB9XtCEm
for Davids two threes. He'd have to fold that game, too high chance of 397Please respect copyright.PENANA2ehRJUgt8D
winning. So it went on and on, rations were won and lost. David won a 397Please respect copyright.PENANA125ZmLbtgA
few games but then he bet everything and lost on purpose, made Stevie a 397Please respect copyright.PENANACHtz7CT8bo
very happy, old, man.397Please respect copyright.PENANAxy96oyniZQ
Since David didn't have 397Please respect copyright.PENANAXBMr5MvnD3
anything to bet with anymore he made his excuses and left the table. He 397Please respect copyright.PENANA9fosb1dihO
took a look around for Gob and didn't see him anywhere so decided it 397Please respect copyright.PENANAed3qYT78h6
would be safe to take a walk.397Please respect copyright.PENANABuLt1lHLiV
Another thing he took to397Please respect copyright.PENANAm2eB6CtYqe
doing over the past two weeks was exploring, finding any secret spaces 397Please respect copyright.PENANADqPK3d03q8
where he might hide. The rebels themselves only found one possible 397Please respect copyright.PENANAxVfjETGPRv
emergency exit while David found three. Of course the other two exits 397Please respect copyright.PENANAZ12v6OrHpj
only were wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. So it 397Please respect copyright.PENANATwTTquh4tZ
could be that they just didn't consider them as such.397Please respect copyright.PENANAFAzFtCoII2
He also found various 397Please respect copyright.PENANAgwTYUysuH9
hiding spots, not only for him but for items he stole. Weapons, 397Please respect copyright.PENANAHAWYugIWfo
ammunition, food and the like. If only a small amount disappeared at a 397Please respect copyright.PENANAjivRYEXiOj
time no one really noticed and attributed it to absentmindedness. Though397Please respect copyright.PENANAUfiFLtVOf6
David believed Gob was getting suspicious so he would need to start 397Please respect copyright.PENANAN0R16pT5Dw
being more careful.397Please respect copyright.PENANAT0kv2TbfVK
The caves themselves 397Please respect copyright.PENANA6Wo6qSEPU5
seemed to go through the whole isle, David didn't believe he explored 397Please respect copyright.PENANA0DzpZAlOxv
even half of it. Gob tried to send a few soldiers every day to explore 397Please respect copyright.PENANARtRJEvyYdW
further into the caves, but many were afraid of the dark, believing 397Please respect copyright.PENANAXPjvBw72hN
various beasts were residing in them. Refusing to go inside without Gob 397Please respect copyright.PENANATA8Mg6FlAo
and since Gob was usually busy either creating or being out on patrols 397Please respect copyright.PENANA7pg0IoKpp7
himself that limited their exploring time.397Please respect copyright.PENANAlnZ1JMAfmv
That let David offer his397Please respect copyright.PENANAYGzv4hJfxv
services as an explorer. He would explore the further caves and would 397Please respect copyright.PENANA9xfrtGrb8c
report on any worrying circumstances. Gob was reluctant to let him go 397Please respect copyright.PENANAK4PZaqZ61S
but was convinced by Francesca that it would be a grand idea as it would397Please respect copyright.PENANALFqFe91MTz
free more people for patrols and other duties.397Please respect copyright.PENANAXf5SuPjOVx
This time though he had a397Please respect copyright.PENANAgSj0Pp0x31
destination in mind. A bit further into one of the pathways, about an 397Please respect copyright.PENANA8eUQoqZYbi
hour from the main cavern, there was a small pathway where a thin person397Please respect copyright.PENANA5HPlxgu4Ft
could barely fit. Following that pathway, if you could survive the 397Please respect copyright.PENANAVS0mvNrkJI
feeling of getting crushed by the walls, was a pool. David was surprised397Please respect copyright.PENANAQKZydmSGKb
when he found and astonished when he discovered the water was hot. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAjfDUyYAY9A
That's where he was 397Please respect copyright.PENANAF5Qs9mQxM2
going now; he needed a clear head for Francesca's meeting. No matter how397Please respect copyright.PENANAhdCUvCXZ4i
she acted she was a noble, they always sought the best deals for 397Please respect copyright.PENANAtaFq86Dh0N
themselves, always trying to ledge a situation in their favour. David 397Please respect copyright.PENANAcLUFsCLF6L
would need to be on his toes. Or maybe he just wanted to actually relax 397Please respect copyright.PENANApNzQ9dji6h
without anyone screaming or crying, he didn't decide which one sounded 397Please respect copyright.PENANA1x3PGmCEgr
better in his mind.397Please respect copyright.PENANATZOBkocPET
Thus grabbing a torch as397Please respect copyright.PENANAPtpA5sKAfm
many of the pathways further down weren't lit, he began his, 397Please respect copyright.PENANAa1oRBXYLOO
uneventful, journey. Luckily he reached his destination in a timely 397Please respect copyright.PENANA2kTlXB8ASY
manner, though he hated going through that cramped space. He gave a 397Please respect copyright.PENANAp7DrkTiEaq
satisfied sigh as he sat down in the pool, his muscles losing the 397Please respect copyright.PENANAmlx2vAHaxN
tension he gathered over the past few weeks, the water reached up to his397Please respect copyright.PENANAN7NzMaDYAn
chest and he dunked his head under the water finally enjoying a proper 397Please respect copyright.PENANAIm1JLrDSxK
clean. He was careful to keep track of time but other than that he let 397Please respect copyright.PENANAdyTWkCrSwO
his mind wander and just blanked out. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAOC2DaPNLvX
Before he even noticed, 397Please respect copyright.PENANAcxdt8Tbo3b
to David's disappointment, it was time to leave. He was also saddened by397Please respect copyright.PENANANsBr1BldcW
the fact that the water ended up a bit darker after his bath, a way to 397Please respect copyright.PENANAyUCG4BmoQH
hit a guys confidence. With a sad sigh he put on his dirty and worn out 397Please respect copyright.PENANAug1U7C3gHz
clothes and went back to the main cavern to the sound of activity and 397Please respect copyright.PENANAmV77xOuqEI
the smell of unwashed masses.397Please respect copyright.PENANAnIzlQ8CAhC
It did seem that David 397Please respect copyright.PENANAPFuAhqkoUl
came back just in time as people were gathered near the cooking pots to 397Please respect copyright.PENANA4k3AKxw0NI
gather their rations. David did the same and then found Stevie, sitting 397Please respect copyright.PENANAmiuleBdB1X
with some other older rebels, and gave him his rations. Stevie nodded 397Please respect copyright.PENANAvkB4r7pgrg
and had a sparkle in his eye. "Maybe nexsht time you can save me 397Please respect copyright.PENANAUGCL3pCbXp
teethsh." And he cackled at his joke. David managed a weak laugh that 397Please respect copyright.PENANAgFItY2nxUI
seemed to satisfy Stevie.397Please respect copyright.PENANAvKdGAG2JZl
"Don't keep Francesca 397Please respect copyright.PENANAQXhjcr5yIf
waiting." Came a gruff voice from behind. David tried to hide his 397Please respect copyright.PENANAmzbZf29H7h
annoyance at the fact that Gob managed to sneak up on him and scare him.397Please respect copyright.PENANAK8CTTTiKut
Some people just had no sense of proper manners.397Please respect copyright.PENANA3gvcQooMwG
"Oh I wouldn't dare." 397Please respect copyright.PENANAOKnTtgccm1
He gave a mock bow which seemed to infuriate Gob more. "I was just out 397Please respect copyright.PENANAtqWlLeh1iB
exploring, nothing to report so far, sir Gob." Gob just grunted and 397Please respect copyright.PENANAiO7TyXvgKU
walked away. 397Please respect copyright.PENANA50WO4DeAXn
David smiled and waved 397Please respect copyright.PENANAGWQPdCtMuE
after him, the guy really needed to unwind. With nothing else to do but 397Please respect copyright.PENANAbGYcxFDruu
shrug at that thought David went towards Francesca's room. Even if 397Please respect copyright.PENANAbRdDpPEIBS
Francesca did pretend to be all for equality and the like she still had 397Please respect copyright.PENANAQq1KHUKBgl
her personal quarters, such as they were, as well as an actual bed, 397Please respect copyright.PENANAQRHHOKoXyx
table, chairs. They were shoddy work at best, crafted quickly by some of397Please respect copyright.PENANAXSs8dBgqqu
the rebels, but they were more than anything any other rebel had. David397Please respect copyright.PENANAxcU0eg1n5d
was impressed by how she had more and yet most still perceived her as 397Please respect copyright.PENANAqPHtVAYknL
the paragon of virtue.397Please respect copyright.PENANAps2eClo7QG
Her room, as per usual, 397Please respect copyright.PENANAU1lPP77swe
was guarded. But the guard waved him on with a smile. David saw it as a 397Please respect copyright.PENANA6fpHDEN07R
pointless precaution anyway, but what could you do. Francesca herself 397Please respect copyright.PENANA2hMfymVdyy
was already seated, with a torch in the middle of the table, a pale 397Please respect copyright.PENANAyeSiEavgbv
imitation of a candle. One thing the rebels had a lot of were torches, 397Please respect copyright.PENANAWuBfoCwuSg
to light up all caverns and pathways. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAPLkKjsm7OK
"Oh, David! Please sit" she gestured towards the second chair.397Please respect copyright.PENANABAdpnrin6z
David sat down with a 397Please respect copyright.PENANAWlM7NvrDBM
nod and smile. They weren't eating anything extravagant, just what the 397Please respect copyright.PENANAaSYnOE6f79
rest were. Dried meat, nuts, sometimes if they were lucky they could 397Please respect copyright.PENANAm4yvw7P3zY
even get rabbit or vegetable soup, but that more of a luxury nowadays. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAYRZtc5bYqC
This time it was some dried meat of unknown origin and some water found 397Please respect copyright.PENANAb9AZcRuDjG
in a stream. Delicious.397Please respect copyright.PENANAdyUfoyCwTT
"So pleasantries first or business first?"397Please respect copyright.PENANAK2f4mlGnL6
"I found that going straight to business can ruin a healthy appetite."397Please respect copyright.PENANA1mhlCNnZX9
Francesca nodded and 397Please respect copyright.PENANA8h585iuhv3
began to cut her meat with her wooden utensils. While David had similar 397Please respect copyright.PENANAiEXkWEqy1k
equipment he didn't really find much use of them and found it better to 397Please respect copyright.PENANAVs8zNFlGGm
eat with his own hands. Made it faster and when you're under cannon fire397Please respect copyright.PENANA5d2CCGJlU7
fast eating was paramount.397Please respect copyright.PENANANP5O9tej3Z
As expected David 397Please respect copyright.PENANAd4ssoOva8L
finished his portion first and ended up waiting for Francesca to finish 397Please respect copyright.PENANARNSudkF4ow
hers, which took another 5 or 10 minutes. The girl was certainly a 397Please respect copyright.PENANAjjVW9BW7vg
deliberate eater.397Please respect copyright.PENANA7bUvJ7cQWE
"So on to business." She397Please respect copyright.PENANAqkkDAywlZJ
paused making sure David was ready, once he nodded she continued. "Tell397Please respect copyright.PENANAIJBmxTFPby
me, do you know who actually hired your services?"397Please respect copyright.PENANA2QaZfHsYwo
"No idea, captain was usually tight lipped about our clients. I just always assumed it was one of you guys."397Please respect copyright.PENANAuX7Ig3xYmH
"In a way. It's someone 397Please respect copyright.PENANA6NxXJ3GWnZ
who's...interested in our cause. One of Gob's friends. He is able to get397Please respect copyright.PENANA3ImWxpZ1N8
in and out of the isles without arousing too much suspicion."397Please respect copyright.PENANA1YgPShU741
"Can't imagine you can tell me who it is?"397Please respect copyright.PENANAYUWsP6LjOW
"It's not for me to tell sadly, Gob was adamant that it's best kept as secret." Francesca smiled apologetically "apologies"397Please respect copyright.PENANAdOxaTawUOP
David waved his hand in a playful manner. "No worries, I'm surprised you're telling me any of this in the first place."397Please respect copyright.PENANAJ7mmWBPdYg
"Well, there is a 397Please respect copyright.PENANAzIRbsdci4x
reason. Since the weapons we got previously are in the Empire's hands 397Please respect copyright.PENANAzwbJvn5ap0
and we can't fight them for it." Putting it lightly the rebels never 397Please respect copyright.PENANAAhxtQmhptt
really fought the empire in a straight on fight. Mostly raids and 397Please respect copyright.PENANAYxTvak6b19
recruiting villagers with their possessions. Easy pickings. "Gob got in 397Please respect copyright.PENANARd5HJjCyaE
touch with his friend again and luckily we managed to set up a meeting 397Please respect copyright.PENANAlihC94u3lt
in a few days the edge of a different isle.397Please respect copyright.PENANAWb995TvaQj
"We will also be moving 397Please respect copyright.PENANA69soCBSvkK
our base" she continued, sadly. "I can't keep us here with the danger 397Please respect copyright.PENANABWhcUS6ZnA
increasing, so we will move slowly, to an isle we were based in before 397Please respect copyright.PENANAvqJGLYGt9M
so some will know where to go."397Please respect copyright.PENANAbTh0vqVipK
"That's good, why did 397Please respect copyright.PENANAkEYfBJtRyC
you want to keep us here for this long anyway?" While he was annoyed at 397Please respect copyright.PENANANz2nDMmg5i
hearing that question every time he went on patrols, he couldn't deny he397Please respect copyright.PENANAPnZxUS48Lt
was interested in the answer.397Please respect copyright.PENANA5e9iBjhbfL
"It...It has to do with one of The Five. I can't reveal more in fear that it might interfere with your objective. "397Please respect copyright.PENANAaKjRK73Bva
David nodded, not a full397Please respect copyright.PENANA4to3CSPEAv
answer he wanted but to push might create a rift between them. Religion397Please respect copyright.PENANArb7SLQ6C0U
was pretty important to Francesca "Don't worry; you don't have to 397Please respect copyright.PENANAznHVuiRQ18
reveal anything you don't want want to." He said in a soothing tone397Please respect copyright.PENANAzP6sVqh11U
"Thank you." She said 397Please respect copyright.PENANAIHIh6I4Rfj
gratefully. "Where was I? Oh, yes. We'll have groups with specified 397Please respect copyright.PENANAjncw0AY866
leaders going back to that previous isle, they'll lead them and we'll 397Please respect copyright.PENANA8ycuimGjt2
regroup at a specified point."397Please respect copyright.PENANAU5hn3BIDRV
"How will you get 397Please respect copyright.PENANApmvORx3Ruu
everyone over to the next isle?" Isles were divided by cracks, and while397Please respect copyright.PENANA1L9DAQb0XL
some you could jump over, others were so wide you could fit a full 397Please respect copyright.PENANAKn0Hu5V9Ws
city.397Please respect copyright.PENANA72ZubnERkS
"We have small sky 397Please respect copyright.PENANAdzHUqtQgqd
boats. Some of the groups will use it...Others...Others will need to 397Please respect copyright.PENANAzVQJDEtvAy
find their own way" she said in bitter tones. "I don't like that, we're 397Please respect copyright.PENANAwJ4JC2CO5F
abandoning my people. But Gob said it's too dangerous traveling in a big397Please respect copyright.PENANAAKmAa6dWmo
group."397Please respect copyright.PENANAUWwW7k6zYU
"You're a good leader on your own. You should trust your own instincts." Ah finally! An opportunity to create that rift397Please respect copyright.PENANAZlZkTnDIBF
She gave him a sad smile397Please respect copyright.PENANA4Pg3XYg6BF
in response. "Thank you, but I do not a good head for tactics or 397Please respect copyright.PENANAdRADPSMtdH
military matters. I've had some education on it, but Gob is much better 397Please respect copyright.PENANAIzyM16ryvw
at it." David still wasn't sure just what Gob did before the rebellion. 397Please respect copyright.PENANAxCgmwChb1I
Francesca stated that the past did not matter and as long as they were 397Please respect copyright.PENANAmq1ULEesTy
willing to fight for the rebellions ideals they would be allowed to keep397Please respect copyright.PENANAK16y2eBBU4
their past in the past.397Please respect copyright.PENANA2JwR2CKk0m
"Now then, back to 397Please respect copyright.PENANAllh0k4jq3i
business." She said more cheerily. "Myself and Gob will be meeting that 397Please respect copyright.PENANA3hQxbhtkb9
person in a few days. We will have guards but I'd also like for you to 397Please respect copyright.PENANALxvTwHBCak
come. You're well-traveled and met many people; your advice would be 397Please respect copyright.PENANA1VSTSMfZCG
valuable, especially since we'll only be bartering for them."397Please respect copyright.PENANAGORDlEHZpZ
"You'll have it. I'm 397Please respect copyright.PENANANEuQ1CNNHS
more than happy to join you." While he wasn't looking forward to 397Please respect copyright.PENANAOWL0YpPwSO
sleeping with all the insects again, it might help his back to not sleep397Please respect copyright.PENANA2Jy4tR6s87
on a rock hard surface.397Please respect copyright.PENANA9bsANjLHY1
"Perfect! I'll let Gob know and convince him as well." She laughed sheepishly. "I didn't really confirm this with him you see."397Please respect copyright.PENANA548QTKTu69
"Oh, the guy loves me. It'll be easy." Francesca smiled at that, she knew just how much Gob hated David.397Please respect copyright.PENANAPqGZQNBI5U
A lull in the conversation and then a question David was dreading "Did you have any more visions? From the one who chose you?"397Please respect copyright.PENANAbZ2Y2W62sW
"Sadly no, I'm as 397Please respect copyright.PENANAgvwU1VoUbh
clueless as when I was born." This wasn't exactly true. He knew he had 397Please respect copyright.PENANAxhso67iIwl
to find something, and suspected Francesca was after it as well he 397Please respect copyright.PENANAvGiaKn7eGp
suspected it was on this isle. Francesca seemed to know more, but she 397Please respect copyright.PENANAcdChRPg1is
wasn't willing to reveal it. She might hide it under lofty ideals, but 397Please respect copyright.PENANAElf52F7AS5
she was concealing the truth from both David and the rebels.397Please respect copyright.PENANA8esGGAw4xL
"Do not worry, I am 397Please respect copyright.PENANA4Q7B2v76y2
su..." before she could continue their whole world rocked. As explosions397Please respect copyright.PENANAPWBw3clSdc
rang from outside and rubble started falling all around them., hitting 397Please respect copyright.PENANA4NbUY94oLe
the table and dislodging the torch, casting ominous shadows on the walls397Please respect copyright.PENANABoGOGEHnJP
"Wha..." before David could finish his thought a very worried Gob barged in. 397Please respect copyright.PENANArvQd6gRwG1
"We're under attack, they found us."
397Please respect copyright.PENANAoRIb7W8q1a
397Please respect copyright.PENANA6kK0a6pp79