720Please respect copyright.PENANAqANB5M5JBv
720Please respect copyright.PENANA85sk6gaCrG
'The voice?! Of course I720Please respect copyright.PENANA6XCetaty8y
can hear it, I embrace it, I follow it, I worship it for what it is! 720Please respect copyright.PENANAwieFZwrZ2H
The word of god! And I am a holy messenger! You all are heathens! 720Please respect copyright.PENANA9yds9DvdDW
Believers in false gods! You hide from the true voice, you fear it, you 720Please respect copyright.PENANACuzTLtjZiw
shun it, you deny it! My only crime is that I am no coward!'720Please respect copyright.PENANACmSGCVCbGz
Extract from the trial 720Please respect copyright.PENANAKt7ybc3JPM
of Bloody Jack. Accused of murdering his whole village on the whims of 720Please respect copyright.PENANAPsxgj1U9Kk
an ether being and sentenced to death.720Please respect copyright.PENANAeet4DqFQCh
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------720Please respect copyright.PENANAaUgR9CKdMs
720Please respect copyright.PENANA2Vc54jWxMs
"I don't get it, why don't we go to a different isle? The Imperialsh will have ush shurrounded in no time."720Please respect copyright.PENANAKlqNtRuCi4
~And here we go again, simple minded people asking simple minded questions~720Please respect copyright.PENANAMjvpfpS6gV
"Too many people to move, they'll notice us."720Please respect copyright.PENANA1fj8MGucxo
"Never shtopped ush before." A pause as the old man spat to the side. "What about fighting then, too little of ush?"720Please respect copyright.PENANAR1WHdbxaK8
Gob shook his head, 720Please respect copyright.PENANAHlOYqC5q8C
tired. David could understand that, and he was annoyed he could 720Please respect copyright.PENANAWOEJIKOXIG
empathize with Gob. As per Gob's decision every time it was David's turn720Please respect copyright.PENANAZCJG4woTSM
to go patrolling Gob accompanied him. At first David found this 720Please respect copyright.PENANAAUrLGonvDo
insulting, he was the paragon of trust after all, but after a few of 720Please respect copyright.PENANAqb2CA7s6wS
such patrols he just found it annoying. Ever patrol was usually 720Please respect copyright.PENANASCDuexANos
conducted with 3 or 4 people, usually with different people. There were a720Please respect copyright.PENANAfeCf5WzkFx
few constants in those groups though, the first was that David and Gob 720Please respect copyright.PENANAsdJ7QeZhno
were in them and the second was that someone always asked when they 720Please respect copyright.PENANALpPaTFEyhE
would move.720Please respect copyright.PENANAqx3mhuBafT
Now David has only been 720Please respect copyright.PENANAJdJjzjEEjq
in the camp for a month now and managed to glean some information from 720Please respect copyright.PENANAIPFH7GXeBu
the other rebels and just observations. There were three groups of 720Please respect copyright.PENANAto2cbvA3sj
rebels. Peasants, peasant-soldiers and soldiers, as David liked to call 720Please respect copyright.PENANAWCn9Y1yE1f
them. Peasants and peasant-soldiers were the people with no, to only 720Please respect copyright.PENANAEendhKBxwo
basic, military training. Such as Denis and his ilk. The soldiers 720Please respect copyright.PENANAI8Gb6Yp5Wk
weren't necessary from the military, but they had more experience. 720Please respect copyright.PENANAz153x4l49l
Experience wasn't the only difference, civilians and civilian soldiers 720Please respect copyright.PENANAS0DnM3CTsw
loved and trusted both Gob and Francesca. Soldiers only trusted Gob. 720Please respect copyright.PENANA7qNaRzwno0
Which worked out nicely for David as he could use this discord and 720Please respect copyright.PENANAcRt14vE1md
divided loyalties.720Please respect copyright.PENANACfK2YZ53fA
Another important thing 720Please respect copyright.PENANAyIeldAgS9w
he managed to find out was that the rebels had stayed on the same isle 720Please respect copyright.PENANAP30BCMrnnK
for three months. Many of the rebels were unhappy with the prolonged 720Please respect copyright.PENANAETPqkRXW2d
stay, especially the soldiers. This resulted in that question and Gob 720Please respect copyright.PENANAcozLxpS3bm
giving the same answer to anyone who asked. It was really riveting stuff720Please respect copyright.PENANAtP3zhZRa5I
for David, especially after hearing it for the twentieth third time. 720Please respect copyright.PENANAEsWHgmDPjc
Ol' Stevie asked it around two or three times over the past few days to 720Please respect copyright.PENANAZJ0kbVvbIP
their destination.720Please respect copyright.PENANAnJtsyVKGQ3
Today they were out 720Please respect copyright.PENANAfxNL2gQzTu
looking at the new imperial camp, turning into more of a makeshift fort,720Please respect copyright.PENANANX5AbG0TZm
being built around the wreckage of the 'Flying Fish'. It was a crude 720Please respect copyright.PENANA23XrsxfYDr
construction, something that could be easily taken apart. They were 720Please respect copyright.PENANAWFNXvVwcUM
joined by Rock and another rebel, called old toothless Stevie, on 720Please respect copyright.PENANAKDIsPyJEY0
account of him being old and having lost most of his teeth. 720Please respect copyright.PENANARaoKrgurSr
"Yes, now shut up and 720Please respect copyright.PENANAsgm971pvxL
remember everything you can about the imperials." Stevie shrugged at 720Please respect copyright.PENANAk90sBDrSWy
that and continued looking through his binocular. David kept further 720Please respect copyright.PENANAAIBnlxmHJY
away from the pair, watching their backs with Rock, the youth did not 720Please respect copyright.PENANA0aZigcxHt3
become any more talkative during Davids stay in the caves.720Please respect copyright.PENANAigllLZyfae
They were at their 720Please respect copyright.PENANAx5T49tWEpE
lookout spot for a few hours at this point and David was glad he didn't 720Please respect copyright.PENANA7Z0QuklcC3
feel any magical tugs coming from that direction, after discussing it 720Please respect copyright.PENANA9hg4P9xXKL
with Francesca it turned out that what David felt was a magical tug, 720Please respect copyright.PENANA6DePFYGWoM
looked like the imperial soldier wasn't anywhere near it.720Please respect copyright.PENANA71YdwBzWHQ
"Alright, that's enough.720Please respect copyright.PENANAbwanwwJO9i
Let's head back." Gob proclaimed to the group and David sighted in 720Please respect copyright.PENANA0zONXNonpN
relief. Thankfully David was given new shoes, to help him walk, as well 720Please respect copyright.PENANAC3Sea6NUv5
as new clothes and even an eyepatch. The walk itself was silent and 720Please respect copyright.PENANAg76ZpZ7kRM
brutal. Gob set a murderous pace and he didn't look back to check on any720Please respect copyright.PENANA582xs1Pj2t
of them except for Rock, who bore it with his usual silence.720Please respect copyright.PENANARbdQuqoEgz
David walked in silence 720Please respect copyright.PENANAtyLxOBYOXC
as well. More to preserve his breathe, than anything else, as he felt 720Please respect copyright.PENANACT9D5PMsJi
that he would fall to the ground if he even tried speaking. Toothless 720Please respect copyright.PENANAPSPZZm7Koh
Stevie may have been old and not have teeth, but he had more stamina 720Please respect copyright.PENANA8C9HcCbGYD
than David, farm work really built you up for long hours of activity.720Please respect copyright.PENANAmS6Azr38Ez
A walk that would've 720Please respect copyright.PENANA1DqEdVxVRK
taken most of the day was managed in about half a day. David was so glad720Please respect copyright.PENANA5rh3d3i8Eo
to see the damp cave that he was ready to kiss the rocks when he came 720Please respect copyright.PENANAshPJGxu27l
inside. The camp itself did not change much over the past month and 720Please respect copyright.PENANAms87hLpnFn
David was still the new guy. Though he made good strides in integrating 720Please respect copyright.PENANAxiEpQyWMdx
himself as most of rebels waved to him in greeting.720Please respect copyright.PENANA778Ok1ReJR
"I'll go report to 720Please respect copyright.PENANApu9MrhQPsO
Francesca. You can go relax." Gob passed David without a glance at him. 720Please respect copyright.PENANATSyFecAlWk
The fact that Gob didn't glare or spit at David's direction must've 720Please respect copyright.PENANAsxWjOIj3Kv
meant that he was finally warming up to him! At least it was more than 720Please respect copyright.PENANAzxrbchWAAe
David got over the past month, in fact he was ready to give up on ever 720Please respect copyright.PENANAIayXBYFlaD
winning Gob over.720Please respect copyright.PENANAHx3LDuYrUB
Francesca on the other 720Please respect copyright.PENANAh7EYSYJEWB
hand warmed up to him quite fast. As Denis summarized and David 720Please respect copyright.PENANA50BmoiSa2q
confirmed she was a noble, a well read and knowledgeable noble but 720Please respect copyright.PENANAckqCDkjNPM
someone who hasn't left her estate a lot and has never traveled outside 720Please respect copyright.PENANAtn8JJa7C1h
the empire. While David was the well-traveled dashing smuggler. He 720Please respect copyright.PENANA23XGeR2HRS
managed to enthrall her with made up stories and adventures. To be fair 720Please respect copyright.PENANA6rJWjOT7UN
to Francesca she wasn't the only one falling under David's charm. As 720Please respect copyright.PENANAtaqPKAzneH
most of the rebels found it hard to resist the dashing rogue act.720Please respect copyright.PENANANZgevlHSpP
David just wished he 720Please respect copyright.PENANA5So6PZ4rlF
could win them over without going on patrols and risking his life. Oh 720Please respect copyright.PENANAFpozUEou97
well no one said being a parasite was easy.720Please respect copyright.PENANA3zVdvplLUS
Further down the camps 720Please respect copyright.PENANA8driPxTNca
he could see Twitch, the nervous brother of Denis. Over the past month 720Please respect copyright.PENANAlsAESISMhf
he integrated himself with the siblings, becoming a part of their gang. 720Please respect copyright.PENANAVUjWZUCzMc
As the siblings were liked by the rebels in general this made them trust720Please respect copyright.PENANAWS7Blb0n3Z
David all the more. David decided to join Twitch so he snuck up behind 720Please respect copyright.PENANAGzv3SLK3iu
him. 720Please respect copyright.PENANA3Z12WCk1eB
"What'cha doing?"720Please respect copyright.PENANAZOA631zaCi
Twitch practically jumped out of his own skin. "Agh! Oh D-david. Don't s-scare me l-l-like that."720Please respect copyright.PENANA2MOTB9Aoc7
"Sorry, twitch." David said patting the boys shoulder. "Didn't mean to, you know I hate doing it." He loved it720Please respect copyright.PENANADtjBdE2Pbx
Twitch nodded and stood beside David." 'S alright. I-I-I'm just easily sca-ar-ared."720Please respect copyright.PENANAcmSp652vAN
David nodded. The boy 720Please respect copyright.PENANABzVXOVQ7r9
was lucky to have any friends at all." Nothing wrong with being scared."720Please respect copyright.PENANA5A4NtddApO
He said with a comforting smile. "We all have our own strengths, like 720Please respect copyright.PENANAfobzqY2iyf
you..." David paused for a bit racking his mind for something to say. "A720Please respect copyright.PENANAu1L93x4kOm
poet! A man of dreams! How're your poems going anyway? I still want to 720Please respect copyright.PENANAIxJutJWBDs
read them someday."720Please respect copyright.PENANAJD86fLUz94
Twitch muttered 720Please respect copyright.PENANATo290EbX5U
something under his breathe. David motioned with his hand for him to 720Please respect copyright.PENANAOjXeEy4Zo2
speak up. "...n-not poems. But son-so-songs."720Please respect copyright.PENANAbJUh3gwfpx
David stopped himself from shrugging and smiled. "Songs, even better then! Why not create a song for the rebellion?"720Please respect copyright.PENANA8lq9W8cvYi
Twitch started shaking 720Please respect copyright.PENANAh5JnhJSdsU
his head but before the words: 'No' formed on his mouth a voice 720Please respect copyright.PENANAmh3Hnx0idP
interrupted them. "A hymn truly sounds marvelous!" Francesca made Twitch720Please respect copyright.PENANABieVSCY7if
jump back even more than David did720Please respect copyright.PENANAX8ucGKqptd
"I-I-I" He continued in that vain for a while.720Please respect copyright.PENANARkHEdFSr4U
"Speak up soldier!" Gobs720Please respect copyright.PENANAR66GQsFgjC
voice resounded around the cave, making everyone glance at Twitch, 720Please respect copyright.PENANAtdkCEOyvSh
which should've made his stuttering worse. But his fear of Gob took over720Please respect copyright.PENANA4UZ7X8B7yh
any instinct he had.720Please respect copyright.PENANAlWY2QBQOIA
"I'mnotgoodenough!" He 720Please respect copyright.PENANAryef7FlwBo
said as fast possible. David was astounded it was probably the first 720Please respect copyright.PENANACijGGh8NNA
time the boy didn't stutter. Not that he could understand what he said 720Please respect copyright.PENANAakvL0lOwmJ
now.720Please respect copyright.PENANAk0rIQ5yz4g
"Nonsense." Francesca 720Please respect copyright.PENANAOuGIPtYTAr
put her hand on Twitch's shoulder. She didn't seem to have any trouble 720Please respect copyright.PENANA6WXycqtVDX
understanding him. "Write me a song when you can, and we will sing it, 720Please respect copyright.PENANA8qzLSVK8IK
all of us together." She projected her voice to others nearby which 720Please respect copyright.PENANAojX3Uals9X
raised a rugged cheer. That just made Twitch hide his face as it went 720Please respect copyright.PENANASIHHJJuGw8
dark red.720Please respect copyright.PENANAGhIYYe1Mkd
Francesca spared Twitch 720Please respect copyright.PENANA3WyHwTEaaS
one last warm smile and turned to the rest of the rebels standing 720Please respect copyright.PENANAZnGsrketj6
around. "It's time for your daily studies! Spread the message!" Both 720Please respect copyright.PENANAQWzlxp53G1
children and adults listened to Francesca, without a hint of 720Please respect copyright.PENANAcgVVLszi06
disobedience, and started moving in one line to the study cavern, as it 720Please respect copyright.PENANATg1YVUlsDi
was popularly called.720Please respect copyright.PENANAzRkpJtSOfp
The rebels not only 720Please respect copyright.PENANAmp0jxNqe5Q
respected Francesca for her leadership and attitude towards the 720Please respect copyright.PENANAer9x7qOL0B
peasantry, but also her attempts to educate them. Most of the rebels 720Please respect copyright.PENANAo2iVaJNtk4
didn't know how to read or basic math while Francesca was an educated 720Please respect copyright.PENANA4hGwEcxpAr
noble, thus she decided to teach everyone in the rebellion the basics. 720Please respect copyright.PENANALQweEVmz2b
No one was barred from the lessons and both young and old were invited 720Please respect copyright.PENANAgwN8WmENoU
to them. 720Please respect copyright.PENANANkHTtxNwXo
David attended one of 720Please respect copyright.PENANAhLpuizXbEw
those lessons but found himself too bored to continue. They were talking720Please respect copyright.PENANA5SWe8wQZtk
about letter and numbers and some researcher named Vesputti or 720Please respect copyright.PENANArtXBKIYqNk
something similar. Thus, he skipped over on those lessons, he wasn't the720Please respect copyright.PENANADgWdwVsL2H
only one as most of the adults had decided that they were too old to 720Please respect copyright.PENANAHfz0JZ3c8d
learn anything new.720Please respect copyright.PENANAeILnnimfxb
Before leading her group720Please respect copyright.PENANAEj30wALyu3
to the secluded cavern, Francesca approached David. "I'd like if you'd 720Please respect copyright.PENANAJYQu9sQsdA
dine with me tonight, if it's to your liking?"720Please respect copyright.PENANA5gkVJPpcXS
"Of course, I'll see you720Please respect copyright.PENANAWpxLf2pezd
later." Francesca did that sometimes, inviting David over. Chatting 720Please respect copyright.PENANAXVadokWpJe
about trivialities, like whether he had any more vision about The Five. 720Please respect copyright.PENANA9DcvKseEyS
Thankfully Jester didn't deign to appear yet so David managed to sleep 720Please respect copyright.PENANAko5YuCx3vz
peacefully, well not accounting the strange dreams about some boy crying720Please respect copyright.PENANAShjZDKzMHL
and calling for his mummy. Those dreams made David wake up in a foul 720Please respect copyright.PENANAS24uL5zhBP
mood, he wasn't certain why but thought it could be because he didn't 720Please respect copyright.PENANAReCbhmNOUO
remember his parents or family.720Please respect copyright.PENANA61wuzOOQEp
Francesca, unaware of 720Please respect copyright.PENANAIr9kvtGNsp
David's thoughts or dreams, nodded with a smile and led her group from 720Please respect copyright.PENANAHB2UOirxsE
the main cavern. Twitch following her and joining his sibling to whom 720Please respect copyright.PENANAsjxsqtWCVZ
David waved. Turning around he came face to face with Nook.720Please respect copyright.PENANAviTEOdhiUi
"I'm off duty now, got some guys looking for a game. You're in?"720Please respect copyright.PENANA0Q6VkuCDEA
Nook was an interesting 720Please respect copyright.PENANAf5tNnBgjVi
case, while he was definitely Gob's man he didn't seem to be as 720Please respect copyright.PENANA5RrNSpv810
disciplined as the other soldiers. He was also one of the few soldiers 720Please respect copyright.PENANAihgVJzaAEG
who was friendly with David instead of following Gob's lead and hating 720Please respect copyright.PENANAkT7XXZT7Pr
his guts. So they decided to have a card game here and there while 720Please respect copyright.PENANAOfSbunCM9z
inviting other people, a card game in which David lost more often than 720Please respect copyright.PENANAn7s6VXxv3N
not. While David hated losing in cards it was a good method of making 720Please respect copyright.PENANAbM2cxAE5K6
friends and getting to know people. As well as a guarantee to keep 720Please respect copyright.PENANAANSeZiDaMR
getting invited as long as you lost smart and graciously accepted it.720Please respect copyright.PENANAbuw2Dz6acE
"Aye, why not Nook. Maybe I'll clean house this time."720Please respect copyright.PENANArVSgKHq31m
Nook grinned a 720Please respect copyright.PENANAf90oc7MEU3
predator's smile and led David towards a secluded table. While gambling 720Please respect copyright.PENANA5XB170F89B
wasn't banned or anything, as long as you were off duty, it was frowned 720Please respect copyright.PENANAdRdtJL0aLj
upon by Gob. That and most rebels having limited resources. Having only 720Please respect copyright.PENANAoFN6MmkP1r
their clothes and weapons stolen from the empire or brought on their 720Please respect copyright.PENANAPY8hg16kaM
backs.720Please respect copyright.PENANAGRAbyKxNlM
Thus any card games were720Please respect copyright.PENANA09YzY7Q7S1
just that, games to pass the time. At least until David proposed to bet720Please respect copyright.PENANAe3M7v15Hzg
their rations. Everyone received the basic rations few times per day 720Please respect copyright.PENANA0lZobJUnfI
and it was up to them how much of that they ate. It was barely enough to720Please respect copyright.PENANAIDqDtNezec
feed a healthy adult. As they have been on this isle for a while it was720Please respect copyright.PENANAhIvoh0ZkDe
harder to find fresh animals to hunt every day. A lot of the rebels 720Please respect copyright.PENANAyELXJNfvdR
were opposed to that idea as they'd loose on the last bits of food they 720Please respect copyright.PENANA920iGv7ute
did have.720Please respect copyright.PENANAVZOM4anWVT
Some did think it was a 720Please respect copyright.PENANASYrkiMVYLs
brilliant idea and David was sitting down with a few of them right now. 720Please respect copyright.PENANAGdO3sDehTh
Nook, he was confident in his card abilities. Apparently before joining 720Please respect copyright.PENANAGbzPhmdEZp
the rebellion he was a militiaman in his village and gambled a lot. As 720Please respect copyright.PENANAO0FOEzS4x3
far as David could see he was more lucky than actually good. Old 720Please respect copyright.PENANAZ9wfkHTtWJ
toothless Stevie, he joked that if he did lose his rations that it would720Please respect copyright.PENANA74cuEcXZmn
save his last teeth. He also wasn't afraid to bet most of his rations 720Please respect copyright.PENANAPoe5cElXLJ
scaring the other players into folding, a good bluffer. Finally there 720Please respect copyright.PENANAx9Mn9iLUNL
was Tiruk, a huge man who definitely needed more rations just to 720Please respect copyright.PENANAIqAg7sdro5
survive. It surprised David anyone could keep that weight with tight the720Please respect copyright.PENANAZbBku2da6n
food has been.720Please respect copyright.PENANA2orv7kAw2c
They were the four main 720Please respect copyright.PENANAvRnXBaYkh3
players who usually joined the gambling games. Sometimes others joined 720Please respect copyright.PENANAD4WVdYsmYw
but they usually stopped after going hungry for a day or two as they 720Please respect copyright.PENANAiS9YuCzKi8
lost their rations. These four though didn't give up after losing, 720Please respect copyright.PENANA7B1qa5YvZI
because they knew that their chances of a feast were just around the 720Please respect copyright.PENANAjaULUFrFRE
corner. That fact created a sense of comradeship between the players. 720Please respect copyright.PENANAkd7uFlrzxP
Even if they were playing against each other they understood the risks 720Please respect copyright.PENANAnASw6pXGI0
and accepted them.720Please respect copyright.PENANAMXHKQ2Ccd2
"''Ello boys." David 720Please respect copyright.PENANAUKPpwXJuKh
said sitting down at the table with Nook. There were nods all around the720Please respect copyright.PENANAwhcOJVj0BM
table and the cards were dealt. They were playing a card game called 720Please respect copyright.PENANABNP9pHeoHs
match 'n go. Most of the rebels had not heard of the game or at least 720Please respect copyright.PENANATu95EKZNxT
knew it under a different name but most of them caught on fast, it was 720Please respect copyright.PENANAeMUJ2a7BrC
often just played for fun. But the best games came from betting. As the 720Please respect copyright.PENANADYuQZcP6jF
risks went higher you tried to fool your opponent into thinking that you720Please respect copyright.PENANAFYaz6PahhK
had the match or a higher card. David loved risk games like that, he 720Please respect copyright.PENANALRQ6dyO3h3
loved reading the other player emotions and using it against them or at 720Please respect copyright.PENANASi2Dh5rL92
least for his own benefit. 720Please respect copyright.PENANARwPLwma0a1
Nook was the first to 720Please respect copyright.PENANAHb8YSVd9uP
play. "I'm betting half of my rations on this. Gots a good deck, that I 720Please respect copyright.PENANAbwOvvTWveK
do." David could see the plastered smile on his face. At this point 720Please respect copyright.PENANAHL3iEmby9Q
David could tell fake between real in a heartbeat. Nook was bluffing.720Please respect copyright.PENANAQeffGdZlpI
"Alright, I'll call that." David answered.720Please respect copyright.PENANADYaBMbz2uD
Tiruk, in answer, just 720Please respect copyright.PENANAuhyTu458Kx
shook his head and folded. He wasn't risking it. Stevenson with his 720Please respect copyright.PENANARoSdNmpJnu
gaped smile called it as well and cackled a bit.720Please respect copyright.PENANATqkQtY7dFm
Next card revealed. A 3 720Please respect copyright.PENANAl340nmObhn
for Davids two threes. He'd have to fold that game, too high chance of 720Please respect copyright.PENANAikqj50Pqin
winning. So it went on and on, rations were won and lost. David won a 720Please respect copyright.PENANAoPChuBTKMQ
few games but then he bet everything and lost on purpose, made Stevie a 720Please respect copyright.PENANAXFYU1yNrxd
very happy, old, man.720Please respect copyright.PENANAHNf4VF4vTv
Since David didn't have 720Please respect copyright.PENANAmAkwjK02Wv
anything to bet with anymore he made his excuses and left the table. He 720Please respect copyright.PENANA9mbfr1WHT6
took a look around for Gob and didn't see him anywhere so decided it 720Please respect copyright.PENANAqZNYXYqgOL
would be safe to take a walk.720Please respect copyright.PENANARV8FeQ93tD
Another thing he took to720Please respect copyright.PENANApHlYW55VIn
doing over the past two weeks was exploring, finding any secret spaces 720Please respect copyright.PENANAv0CkIYDNNu
where he might hide. The rebels themselves only found one possible 720Please respect copyright.PENANA8zOnWBpr0o
emergency exit while David found three. Of course the other two exits 720Please respect copyright.PENANAOjPEYElMiS
only were wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. So it 720Please respect copyright.PENANAVVa4wsiJso
could be that they just didn't consider them as such.720Please respect copyright.PENANA9GrPI9Pejs
He also found various 720Please respect copyright.PENANAhZe4ICHimE
hiding spots, not only for him but for items he stole. Weapons, 720Please respect copyright.PENANAC56jAqD5iI
ammunition, food and the like. If only a small amount disappeared at a 720Please respect copyright.PENANAaZNx4qmpMc
time no one really noticed and attributed it to absentmindedness. Though720Please respect copyright.PENANAbbhzYbzKOE
David believed Gob was getting suspicious so he would need to start 720Please respect copyright.PENANAT0NZkHUJ9K
being more careful.720Please respect copyright.PENANAju0X31MrSb
The caves themselves 720Please respect copyright.PENANANCDZqrxhSx
seemed to go through the whole isle, David didn't believe he explored 720Please respect copyright.PENANAP2OdGIXHj0
even half of it. Gob tried to send a few soldiers every day to explore 720Please respect copyright.PENANAVMfzd47LyL
further into the caves, but many were afraid of the dark, believing 720Please respect copyright.PENANAHweuAVTxus
various beasts were residing in them. Refusing to go inside without Gob 720Please respect copyright.PENANA6vrpRp84Sd
and since Gob was usually busy either creating or being out on patrols 720Please respect copyright.PENANAicNGVVbZ7p
himself that limited their exploring time.720Please respect copyright.PENANA3yzrkOllQw
That let David offer his720Please respect copyright.PENANADQvpCH2AUe
services as an explorer. He would explore the further caves and would 720Please respect copyright.PENANAArDqbpLXVl
report on any worrying circumstances. Gob was reluctant to let him go 720Please respect copyright.PENANAGqngfCt2hr
but was convinced by Francesca that it would be a grand idea as it would720Please respect copyright.PENANASwsXNf3NFm
free more people for patrols and other duties.720Please respect copyright.PENANAJZBG1KGyqm
This time though he had a720Please respect copyright.PENANAlCqLjLQI4Y
destination in mind. A bit further into one of the pathways, about an 720Please respect copyright.PENANAGtI97He209
hour from the main cavern, there was a small pathway where a thin person720Please respect copyright.PENANAQsexreuTjY
could barely fit. Following that pathway, if you could survive the 720Please respect copyright.PENANA8V2uEGHRxm
feeling of getting crushed by the walls, was a pool. David was surprised720Please respect copyright.PENANA7BIFs0uVlO
when he found and astonished when he discovered the water was hot. 720Please respect copyright.PENANAdNbiD5M0Ue
That's where he was 720Please respect copyright.PENANAhCLZIQmJ2a
going now; he needed a clear head for Francesca's meeting. No matter how720Please respect copyright.PENANAS9XkWvEm1i
she acted she was a noble, they always sought the best deals for 720Please respect copyright.PENANABksPmExgyH
themselves, always trying to ledge a situation in their favour. David 720Please respect copyright.PENANARfkLsCKPYZ
would need to be on his toes. Or maybe he just wanted to actually relax 720Please respect copyright.PENANA15jhPLQjlT
without anyone screaming or crying, he didn't decide which one sounded 720Please respect copyright.PENANAgwckd4OAi0
better in his mind.720Please respect copyright.PENANAP6RiDwSs7X
Thus grabbing a torch as720Please respect copyright.PENANAeJWfE2H6pH
many of the pathways further down weren't lit, he began his, 720Please respect copyright.PENANASCoOtf3lkT
uneventful, journey. Luckily he reached his destination in a timely 720Please respect copyright.PENANAgEltchxyYV
manner, though he hated going through that cramped space. He gave a 720Please respect copyright.PENANA3dfUJ3HOj6
satisfied sigh as he sat down in the pool, his muscles losing the 720Please respect copyright.PENANAh8AhooSQcJ
tension he gathered over the past few weeks, the water reached up to his720Please respect copyright.PENANAOSol7QfLwt
chest and he dunked his head under the water finally enjoying a proper 720Please respect copyright.PENANA9K0WPL22d9
clean. He was careful to keep track of time but other than that he let 720Please respect copyright.PENANAnvXGOisuFg
his mind wander and just blanked out. 720Please respect copyright.PENANAKorxREaSBj
Before he even noticed, 720Please respect copyright.PENANAb70nk5Vvza
to David's disappointment, it was time to leave. He was also saddened by720Please respect copyright.PENANAfS1xyWcVdR
the fact that the water ended up a bit darker after his bath, a way to 720Please respect copyright.PENANA2rOUWO1t3w
hit a guys confidence. With a sad sigh he put on his dirty and worn out 720Please respect copyright.PENANARSaMRcOM99
clothes and went back to the main cavern to the sound of activity and 720Please respect copyright.PENANAjLhbnloyug
the smell of unwashed masses.720Please respect copyright.PENANARqebyEzb3b
It did seem that David 720Please respect copyright.PENANAO4GuIatgbk
came back just in time as people were gathered near the cooking pots to 720Please respect copyright.PENANAEW76OjvGKi
gather their rations. David did the same and then found Stevie, sitting 720Please respect copyright.PENANAdWjDCAroPS
with some other older rebels, and gave him his rations. Stevie nodded 720Please respect copyright.PENANAAbk1AUdmZr
and had a sparkle in his eye. "Maybe nexsht time you can save me 720Please respect copyright.PENANAIX7OaAzMMA
teethsh." And he cackled at his joke. David managed a weak laugh that 720Please respect copyright.PENANAHBgcPvKE7a
seemed to satisfy Stevie.720Please respect copyright.PENANARAR8eA745k
"Don't keep Francesca 720Please respect copyright.PENANAvP2q1ojWuv
waiting." Came a gruff voice from behind. David tried to hide his 720Please respect copyright.PENANAasa8A5uGPv
annoyance at the fact that Gob managed to sneak up on him and scare him.720Please respect copyright.PENANA3PfzhMZmRm
Some people just had no sense of proper manners.720Please respect copyright.PENANAuF6Ep0TzJo
"Oh I wouldn't dare." 720Please respect copyright.PENANAnpdWXuToeu
He gave a mock bow which seemed to infuriate Gob more. "I was just out 720Please respect copyright.PENANADRl5iCSjvw
exploring, nothing to report so far, sir Gob." Gob just grunted and 720Please respect copyright.PENANAznL0jEF6Sh
walked away. 720Please respect copyright.PENANALnR6Hm7JqR
David smiled and waved 720Please respect copyright.PENANAxECB46OgCX
after him, the guy really needed to unwind. With nothing else to do but 720Please respect copyright.PENANAGKAuuyWsWD
shrug at that thought David went towards Francesca's room. Even if 720Please respect copyright.PENANAhNQb0okfBD
Francesca did pretend to be all for equality and the like she still had 720Please respect copyright.PENANAGe7dTkjL0X
her personal quarters, such as they were, as well as an actual bed, 720Please respect copyright.PENANAIePcV2PaXE
table, chairs. They were shoddy work at best, crafted quickly by some of720Please respect copyright.PENANAyiAQ1ndmod
the rebels, but they were more than anything any other rebel had. David720Please respect copyright.PENANAEU31H4cMPl
was impressed by how she had more and yet most still perceived her as 720Please respect copyright.PENANArrT3L46Os1
the paragon of virtue.720Please respect copyright.PENANAljKRThNZDC
Her room, as per usual, 720Please respect copyright.PENANAUQBMA6XphZ
was guarded. But the guard waved him on with a smile. David saw it as a 720Please respect copyright.PENANARhPr48KObE
pointless precaution anyway, but what could you do. Francesca herself 720Please respect copyright.PENANArBUGYRABFp
was already seated, with a torch in the middle of the table, a pale 720Please respect copyright.PENANAWihP0p00dv
imitation of a candle. One thing the rebels had a lot of were torches, 720Please respect copyright.PENANANxjM6GLBUV
to light up all caverns and pathways. 720Please respect copyright.PENANAPIqwtjf7Zi
"Oh, David! Please sit" she gestured towards the second chair.720Please respect copyright.PENANANYH2m4RZfd
David sat down with a 720Please respect copyright.PENANAIl2MEGOXOh
nod and smile. They weren't eating anything extravagant, just what the 720Please respect copyright.PENANAGQr1NJT1wK
rest were. Dried meat, nuts, sometimes if they were lucky they could 720Please respect copyright.PENANAOpfMoaq9Hm
even get rabbit or vegetable soup, but that more of a luxury nowadays. 720Please respect copyright.PENANAIYtPG0p9EU
This time it was some dried meat of unknown origin and some water found 720Please respect copyright.PENANA8CPD1enhaH
in a stream. Delicious.720Please respect copyright.PENANAJkdR5c5ck2
"So pleasantries first or business first?"720Please respect copyright.PENANA7tFKgvpgL4
"I found that going straight to business can ruin a healthy appetite."720Please respect copyright.PENANA38GGldaOsD
Francesca nodded and 720Please respect copyright.PENANAWoBan9F8qG
began to cut her meat with her wooden utensils. While David had similar 720Please respect copyright.PENANAJQwuZYEfiA
equipment he didn't really find much use of them and found it better to 720Please respect copyright.PENANAYeqb74Ika8
eat with his own hands. Made it faster and when you're under cannon fire720Please respect copyright.PENANAvXlMYPFtVy
fast eating was paramount.720Please respect copyright.PENANA7aBW537RIN
As expected David 720Please respect copyright.PENANATyOAr3Nd8z
finished his portion first and ended up waiting for Francesca to finish 720Please respect copyright.PENANAq048Q4HdCz
hers, which took another 5 or 10 minutes. The girl was certainly a 720Please respect copyright.PENANAR2DGMVCcSa
deliberate eater.720Please respect copyright.PENANAdt13XbEA8h
"So on to business." She720Please respect copyright.PENANAKV6tYMNqfl
paused making sure David was ready, once he nodded she continued. "Tell720Please respect copyright.PENANAdfkzBdfIUS
me, do you know who actually hired your services?"720Please respect copyright.PENANAFslWrRwltj
"No idea, captain was usually tight lipped about our clients. I just always assumed it was one of you guys."720Please respect copyright.PENANAP9io2grqaG
"In a way. It's someone 720Please respect copyright.PENANAOMZ74ZFQRJ
who's...interested in our cause. One of Gob's friends. He is able to get720Please respect copyright.PENANA82xobhdpXM
in and out of the isles without arousing too much suspicion."720Please respect copyright.PENANAIDUQUyQc35
"Can't imagine you can tell me who it is?"720Please respect copyright.PENANAIFS78VFoun
"It's not for me to tell sadly, Gob was adamant that it's best kept as secret." Francesca smiled apologetically "apologies"720Please respect copyright.PENANAmnTzf5uGtA
David waved his hand in a playful manner. "No worries, I'm surprised you're telling me any of this in the first place."720Please respect copyright.PENANAx0n8caFtrK
"Well, there is a 720Please respect copyright.PENANAfK9IBArgO2
reason. Since the weapons we got previously are in the Empire's hands 720Please respect copyright.PENANAr6jLSFJEox
and we can't fight them for it." Putting it lightly the rebels never 720Please respect copyright.PENANAu1MBxI1kLc
really fought the empire in a straight on fight. Mostly raids and 720Please respect copyright.PENANAc77nIqNkFu
recruiting villagers with their possessions. Easy pickings. "Gob got in 720Please respect copyright.PENANA3DnaBqwaFY
touch with his friend again and luckily we managed to set up a meeting 720Please respect copyright.PENANAPoYmHRIEBE
in a few days the edge of a different isle.720Please respect copyright.PENANA7XqXxcfieU
"We will also be moving 720Please respect copyright.PENANAmDVfafb7Dv
our base" she continued, sadly. "I can't keep us here with the danger 720Please respect copyright.PENANAhWEraVakf9
increasing, so we will move slowly, to an isle we were based in before 720Please respect copyright.PENANAqCjll4vH1Y
so some will know where to go."720Please respect copyright.PENANAPHsAeuS0pP
"That's good, why did 720Please respect copyright.PENANAGIFNhoxuKz
you want to keep us here for this long anyway?" While he was annoyed at 720Please respect copyright.PENANAxcD7cDXFOx
hearing that question every time he went on patrols, he couldn't deny he720Please respect copyright.PENANA0JZVKNXX84
was interested in the answer.720Please respect copyright.PENANAk28RjrLtPT
"It...It has to do with one of The Five. I can't reveal more in fear that it might interfere with your objective. "720Please respect copyright.PENANA7v60wj0D0f
David nodded, not a full720Please respect copyright.PENANABZriK2LCs9
answer he wanted but to push might create a rift between them. Religion720Please respect copyright.PENANAXBHUSVIhHH
was pretty important to Francesca "Don't worry; you don't have to 720Please respect copyright.PENANAa0L3TBPzVq
reveal anything you don't want want to." He said in a soothing tone720Please respect copyright.PENANARYefuAvVRj
"Thank you." She said 720Please respect copyright.PENANAIQgsYaXxhH
gratefully. "Where was I? Oh, yes. We'll have groups with specified 720Please respect copyright.PENANAGjE1xvHEDO
leaders going back to that previous isle, they'll lead them and we'll 720Please respect copyright.PENANA93ZXrkP6dK
regroup at a specified point."720Please respect copyright.PENANA0YfKtZFzqt
"How will you get 720Please respect copyright.PENANAKNtM9xiDV3
everyone over to the next isle?" Isles were divided by cracks, and while720Please respect copyright.PENANAEwcsYxmGNg
some you could jump over, others were so wide you could fit a full 720Please respect copyright.PENANAXJHayqiTP8
city.720Please respect copyright.PENANAYy2kWqBSlE
"We have small sky 720Please respect copyright.PENANAwMOTZM1zAm
boats. Some of the groups will use it...Others...Others will need to 720Please respect copyright.PENANAKMafjTcLBf
find their own way" she said in bitter tones. "I don't like that, we're 720Please respect copyright.PENANA49rC3pYKfg
abandoning my people. But Gob said it's too dangerous traveling in a big720Please respect copyright.PENANAGmunDsVi7n
group."720Please respect copyright.PENANAbOqoEtTD0Z
"You're a good leader on your own. You should trust your own instincts." Ah finally! An opportunity to create that rift720Please respect copyright.PENANAGDwLo1Cg1W
She gave him a sad smile720Please respect copyright.PENANAZ80MYAemrK
in response. "Thank you, but I do not a good head for tactics or 720Please respect copyright.PENANArd2lFolWlr
military matters. I've had some education on it, but Gob is much better 720Please respect copyright.PENANAxDtsykEibN
at it." David still wasn't sure just what Gob did before the rebellion. 720Please respect copyright.PENANAX2hcJ7zLoJ
Francesca stated that the past did not matter and as long as they were 720Please respect copyright.PENANABzXLK086ig
willing to fight for the rebellions ideals they would be allowed to keep720Please respect copyright.PENANA5MHcVuskNX
their past in the past.720Please respect copyright.PENANABHWy3luGoL
"Now then, back to 720Please respect copyright.PENANAHfWfNGuZ9Q
business." She said more cheerily. "Myself and Gob will be meeting that 720Please respect copyright.PENANAJB09JhxN5j
person in a few days. We will have guards but I'd also like for you to 720Please respect copyright.PENANA4n573sW9Mc
come. You're well-traveled and met many people; your advice would be 720Please respect copyright.PENANAqFsGfnxg1Q
valuable, especially since we'll only be bartering for them."720Please respect copyright.PENANAmGXVGHuHRY
"You'll have it. I'm 720Please respect copyright.PENANAc8H1WqpZP0
more than happy to join you." While he wasn't looking forward to 720Please respect copyright.PENANAq1XgKz2eJy
sleeping with all the insects again, it might help his back to not sleep720Please respect copyright.PENANA6VxX6qIT0u
on a rock hard surface.720Please respect copyright.PENANAP8KdX6j7G3
"Perfect! I'll let Gob know and convince him as well." She laughed sheepishly. "I didn't really confirm this with him you see."720Please respect copyright.PENANA89fTK0U2xn
"Oh, the guy loves me. It'll be easy." Francesca smiled at that, she knew just how much Gob hated David.720Please respect copyright.PENANAH3t8i9CIjh
A lull in the conversation and then a question David was dreading "Did you have any more visions? From the one who chose you?"720Please respect copyright.PENANAhwL8ACVCiR
"Sadly no, I'm as 720Please respect copyright.PENANA5ZMFhUlpVk
clueless as when I was born." This wasn't exactly true. He knew he had 720Please respect copyright.PENANAO4dwMNLKaj
to find something, and suspected Francesca was after it as well he 720Please respect copyright.PENANAAO8dBlsvgC
suspected it was on this isle. Francesca seemed to know more, but she 720Please respect copyright.PENANANTIpl7kF7C
wasn't willing to reveal it. She might hide it under lofty ideals, but 720Please respect copyright.PENANA45p6lMyax0
she was concealing the truth from both David and the rebels.720Please respect copyright.PENANArATiuy8wre
"Do not worry, I am 720Please respect copyright.PENANA0sZiJ2WyKp
su..." before she could continue their whole world rocked. As explosions720Please respect copyright.PENANAE5x96wSZXW
rang from outside and rubble started falling all around them., hitting 720Please respect copyright.PENANAobpDZz1KfV
the table and dislodging the torch, casting ominous shadows on the walls720Please respect copyright.PENANAEuRLoiPKl5
"Wha..." before David could finish his thought a very worried Gob barged in. 720Please respect copyright.PENANAgEbLxRdYuI
"We're under attack, they found us."
720Please respect copyright.PENANAEO6JtQzAf7
720Please respect copyright.PENANA0Kv5WaY0kP