722Please respect copyright.PENANAqF6LmIG1sw
722Please respect copyright.PENANAEnS114ec85
'The voice?! Of course I722Please respect copyright.PENANAgD3dEl1mp6
can hear it, I embrace it, I follow it, I worship it for what it is! 722Please respect copyright.PENANAN69lazuALU
The word of god! And I am a holy messenger! You all are heathens! 722Please respect copyright.PENANAsZfkvpA9vl
Believers in false gods! You hide from the true voice, you fear it, you 722Please respect copyright.PENANANJT27s1yzw
shun it, you deny it! My only crime is that I am no coward!'722Please respect copyright.PENANA8sygErFZkr
Extract from the trial 722Please respect copyright.PENANAf4JcBb18Wh
of Bloody Jack. Accused of murdering his whole village on the whims of 722Please respect copyright.PENANAQt5SdwQDBT
an ether being and sentenced to death.722Please respect copyright.PENANAR9ixRXTQWE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------722Please respect copyright.PENANAm2U9Z0Bdbi
722Please respect copyright.PENANAA1TDetO52p
"I don't get it, why don't we go to a different isle? The Imperialsh will have ush shurrounded in no time."722Please respect copyright.PENANAeIn45gGdGf
~And here we go again, simple minded people asking simple minded questions~722Please respect copyright.PENANAxb5snosrW1
"Too many people to move, they'll notice us."722Please respect copyright.PENANAcwUCHACAiM
"Never shtopped ush before." A pause as the old man spat to the side. "What about fighting then, too little of ush?"722Please respect copyright.PENANAPYwumnNgti
Gob shook his head, 722Please respect copyright.PENANALzqcAyid7g
tired. David could understand that, and he was annoyed he could 722Please respect copyright.PENANAQqlK27KTac
empathize with Gob. As per Gob's decision every time it was David's turn722Please respect copyright.PENANA7Lrx67ZuEl
to go patrolling Gob accompanied him. At first David found this 722Please respect copyright.PENANA8AHmfZ5FBM
insulting, he was the paragon of trust after all, but after a few of 722Please respect copyright.PENANAGjGoJArVoV
such patrols he just found it annoying. Ever patrol was usually 722Please respect copyright.PENANAGpTpusWk0q
conducted with 3 or 4 people, usually with different people. There were a722Please respect copyright.PENANAX28DTVGcXi
few constants in those groups though, the first was that David and Gob 722Please respect copyright.PENANA1wPxWks1Pv
were in them and the second was that someone always asked when they 722Please respect copyright.PENANAD5Y9ae2yIa
would move.722Please respect copyright.PENANAbGBfmGy2ha
Now David has only been 722Please respect copyright.PENANAGEcALdntmd
in the camp for a month now and managed to glean some information from 722Please respect copyright.PENANAXADhj05J5r
the other rebels and just observations. There were three groups of 722Please respect copyright.PENANAHXHnI0O2mW
rebels. Peasants, peasant-soldiers and soldiers, as David liked to call 722Please respect copyright.PENANAFtv1aiqeHS
them. Peasants and peasant-soldiers were the people with no, to only 722Please respect copyright.PENANAgshkWonbiN
basic, military training. Such as Denis and his ilk. The soldiers 722Please respect copyright.PENANAkVhdb4lsQl
weren't necessary from the military, but they had more experience. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAJKCHx7asUX
Experience wasn't the only difference, civilians and civilian soldiers 722Please respect copyright.PENANAiCQpInjaAz
loved and trusted both Gob and Francesca. Soldiers only trusted Gob. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAdSKbZqHbUs
Which worked out nicely for David as he could use this discord and 722Please respect copyright.PENANAGqo7jSvk9j
divided loyalties.722Please respect copyright.PENANAkxxh8x5S7w
Another important thing 722Please respect copyright.PENANAdR4qZ9dRfl
he managed to find out was that the rebels had stayed on the same isle 722Please respect copyright.PENANABjIodC3LNI
for three months. Many of the rebels were unhappy with the prolonged 722Please respect copyright.PENANAKx1vjqDMSk
stay, especially the soldiers. This resulted in that question and Gob 722Please respect copyright.PENANAPmo6tohym8
giving the same answer to anyone who asked. It was really riveting stuff722Please respect copyright.PENANASVzgc48m3w
for David, especially after hearing it for the twentieth third time. 722Please respect copyright.PENANASq5Ov6A6s1
Ol' Stevie asked it around two or three times over the past few days to 722Please respect copyright.PENANAdCu3s3dJk8
their destination.722Please respect copyright.PENANAlTyJe1q22g
Today they were out 722Please respect copyright.PENANA2pIG8zMv5h
looking at the new imperial camp, turning into more of a makeshift fort,722Please respect copyright.PENANAVHeu5jeKfj
being built around the wreckage of the 'Flying Fish'. It was a crude 722Please respect copyright.PENANAQu1goY4Idg
construction, something that could be easily taken apart. They were 722Please respect copyright.PENANAxnPxVlZK17
joined by Rock and another rebel, called old toothless Stevie, on 722Please respect copyright.PENANA2eB6Em3Mu3
account of him being old and having lost most of his teeth. 722Please respect copyright.PENANABbIcRrDdYZ
"Yes, now shut up and 722Please respect copyright.PENANA9ADEVcJRZj
remember everything you can about the imperials." Stevie shrugged at 722Please respect copyright.PENANAuHdMKafCC9
that and continued looking through his binocular. David kept further 722Please respect copyright.PENANA9q65bwipJx
away from the pair, watching their backs with Rock, the youth did not 722Please respect copyright.PENANAfejLmiLpMD
become any more talkative during Davids stay in the caves.722Please respect copyright.PENANAzdkqeMZKar
They were at their 722Please respect copyright.PENANAHHVgnp9fHa
lookout spot for a few hours at this point and David was glad he didn't 722Please respect copyright.PENANAelSOjyinhx
feel any magical tugs coming from that direction, after discussing it 722Please respect copyright.PENANASkEaeLbT2f
with Francesca it turned out that what David felt was a magical tug, 722Please respect copyright.PENANAqBTK6Kk3To
looked like the imperial soldier wasn't anywhere near it.722Please respect copyright.PENANAMynX9VP8FN
"Alright, that's enough.722Please respect copyright.PENANAt0rcIxmVnj
Let's head back." Gob proclaimed to the group and David sighted in 722Please respect copyright.PENANAX0biPa4ZvL
relief. Thankfully David was given new shoes, to help him walk, as well 722Please respect copyright.PENANA3ISb0KlT7Q
as new clothes and even an eyepatch. The walk itself was silent and 722Please respect copyright.PENANAzEI6v7uLk3
brutal. Gob set a murderous pace and he didn't look back to check on any722Please respect copyright.PENANAfmc05Z8RuV
of them except for Rock, who bore it with his usual silence.722Please respect copyright.PENANAyxSw2VRK4T
David walked in silence 722Please respect copyright.PENANApnrTs0VDAF
as well. More to preserve his breathe, than anything else, as he felt 722Please respect copyright.PENANAfkasDPmRo8
that he would fall to the ground if he even tried speaking. Toothless 722Please respect copyright.PENANA7EgQVzPISP
Stevie may have been old and not have teeth, but he had more stamina 722Please respect copyright.PENANAJX4rOyFyLs
than David, farm work really built you up for long hours of activity.722Please respect copyright.PENANAKiWk7D85B6
A walk that would've 722Please respect copyright.PENANAeyZxQlabHm
taken most of the day was managed in about half a day. David was so glad722Please respect copyright.PENANANAAyLLlnRv
to see the damp cave that he was ready to kiss the rocks when he came 722Please respect copyright.PENANAftKMPgT5v6
inside. The camp itself did not change much over the past month and 722Please respect copyright.PENANAqdHvsD5fe6
David was still the new guy. Though he made good strides in integrating 722Please respect copyright.PENANAQVafwuxOmZ
himself as most of rebels waved to him in greeting.722Please respect copyright.PENANAkaah9cUve1
"I'll go report to 722Please respect copyright.PENANABKikxQ257p
Francesca. You can go relax." Gob passed David without a glance at him. 722Please respect copyright.PENANA0OoB8WFYRq
The fact that Gob didn't glare or spit at David's direction must've 722Please respect copyright.PENANAJBkiRgZ64x
meant that he was finally warming up to him! At least it was more than 722Please respect copyright.PENANAoilffxQlJl
David got over the past month, in fact he was ready to give up on ever 722Please respect copyright.PENANADPUyZGZ9AW
winning Gob over.722Please respect copyright.PENANAUtqxTdWLjc
Francesca on the other 722Please respect copyright.PENANAmBe21d1bf0
hand warmed up to him quite fast. As Denis summarized and David 722Please respect copyright.PENANAr54Job2dbf
confirmed she was a noble, a well read and knowledgeable noble but 722Please respect copyright.PENANAhZpLpyExse
someone who hasn't left her estate a lot and has never traveled outside 722Please respect copyright.PENANAbIMx1Alyb1
the empire. While David was the well-traveled dashing smuggler. He 722Please respect copyright.PENANAzKvRPbhhHT
managed to enthrall her with made up stories and adventures. To be fair 722Please respect copyright.PENANArbYnRgf2ut
to Francesca she wasn't the only one falling under David's charm. As 722Please respect copyright.PENANARz7fQmwT7S
most of the rebels found it hard to resist the dashing rogue act.722Please respect copyright.PENANAGggVMvzsoe
David just wished he 722Please respect copyright.PENANAGFBc11u50E
could win them over without going on patrols and risking his life. Oh 722Please respect copyright.PENANAW9nemVZ5w3
well no one said being a parasite was easy.722Please respect copyright.PENANAfPa9JQlGxv
Further down the camps 722Please respect copyright.PENANAQv8WAXnU1y
he could see Twitch, the nervous brother of Denis. Over the past month 722Please respect copyright.PENANA3e33xzZZLU
he integrated himself with the siblings, becoming a part of their gang. 722Please respect copyright.PENANARK5LZLKqiV
As the siblings were liked by the rebels in general this made them trust722Please respect copyright.PENANAcha686Eo7j
David all the more. David decided to join Twitch so he snuck up behind 722Please respect copyright.PENANACB0jBfhMNs
him. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAo6aTiQ1sr2
"What'cha doing?"722Please respect copyright.PENANAHleSznIxpe
Twitch practically jumped out of his own skin. "Agh! Oh D-david. Don't s-scare me l-l-like that."722Please respect copyright.PENANAFaiapfUBFz
"Sorry, twitch." David said patting the boys shoulder. "Didn't mean to, you know I hate doing it." He loved it722Please respect copyright.PENANAOvg64igKxU
Twitch nodded and stood beside David." 'S alright. I-I-I'm just easily sca-ar-ared."722Please respect copyright.PENANAtlbEomY2eT
David nodded. The boy 722Please respect copyright.PENANALfFChVTj6q
was lucky to have any friends at all." Nothing wrong with being scared."722Please respect copyright.PENANALpuxZ2uKh6
He said with a comforting smile. "We all have our own strengths, like 722Please respect copyright.PENANAhytcGf00pL
you..." David paused for a bit racking his mind for something to say. "A722Please respect copyright.PENANALUvdWhEEm6
poet! A man of dreams! How're your poems going anyway? I still want to 722Please respect copyright.PENANA9AlttdACAV
read them someday."722Please respect copyright.PENANA59nwkrkY8B
Twitch muttered 722Please respect copyright.PENANAgwCvZcVQWc
something under his breathe. David motioned with his hand for him to 722Please respect copyright.PENANAxKH2b1nULz
speak up. "...n-not poems. But son-so-songs."722Please respect copyright.PENANAY5NZzE8dXH
David stopped himself from shrugging and smiled. "Songs, even better then! Why not create a song for the rebellion?"722Please respect copyright.PENANAkSuv36VkoM
Twitch started shaking 722Please respect copyright.PENANAY6OZNoEDOV
his head but before the words: 'No' formed on his mouth a voice 722Please respect copyright.PENANApqn9ZOsG41
interrupted them. "A hymn truly sounds marvelous!" Francesca made Twitch722Please respect copyright.PENANALiUFLS2HBp
jump back even more than David did722Please respect copyright.PENANAs0WpjUVYGS
"I-I-I" He continued in that vain for a while.722Please respect copyright.PENANAw4xWAScvb3
"Speak up soldier!" Gobs722Please respect copyright.PENANAo5aeirVxqc
voice resounded around the cave, making everyone glance at Twitch, 722Please respect copyright.PENANAoNqWzggw2L
which should've made his stuttering worse. But his fear of Gob took over722Please respect copyright.PENANAyBbwPbMfbT
any instinct he had.722Please respect copyright.PENANAnrKaaN6nsz
"I'mnotgoodenough!" He 722Please respect copyright.PENANAiyriUE82p7
said as fast possible. David was astounded it was probably the first 722Please respect copyright.PENANA1I1TKqrnh5
time the boy didn't stutter. Not that he could understand what he said 722Please respect copyright.PENANAuoevovZwFP
now.722Please respect copyright.PENANA4hdskPbCZ9
"Nonsense." Francesca 722Please respect copyright.PENANAGwMTjgXRw8
put her hand on Twitch's shoulder. She didn't seem to have any trouble 722Please respect copyright.PENANANBLkzmKBqE
understanding him. "Write me a song when you can, and we will sing it, 722Please respect copyright.PENANArfzByxzw1k
all of us together." She projected her voice to others nearby which 722Please respect copyright.PENANAhPqZaWvfqC
raised a rugged cheer. That just made Twitch hide his face as it went 722Please respect copyright.PENANA5k0A17pIKI
dark red.722Please respect copyright.PENANAArHFawNR1e
Francesca spared Twitch 722Please respect copyright.PENANAs9QY8IGQ2l
one last warm smile and turned to the rest of the rebels standing 722Please respect copyright.PENANAlEGmI8oyfo
around. "It's time for your daily studies! Spread the message!" Both 722Please respect copyright.PENANA3hkOtl5zH5
children and adults listened to Francesca, without a hint of 722Please respect copyright.PENANAuX74ivMTEv
disobedience, and started moving in one line to the study cavern, as it 722Please respect copyright.PENANAvuyGjjQgi9
was popularly called.722Please respect copyright.PENANAz8lprLiRR0
The rebels not only 722Please respect copyright.PENANAUaos6LGsFK
respected Francesca for her leadership and attitude towards the 722Please respect copyright.PENANA8scXyKntu9
peasantry, but also her attempts to educate them. Most of the rebels 722Please respect copyright.PENANAfu941trtYW
didn't know how to read or basic math while Francesca was an educated 722Please respect copyright.PENANAxZHzDcO2uc
noble, thus she decided to teach everyone in the rebellion the basics. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAr1xfHh9BPi
No one was barred from the lessons and both young and old were invited 722Please respect copyright.PENANAXZ3uPjVgJ8
to them. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAELFcguyVpl
David attended one of 722Please respect copyright.PENANAlRoIWRKeEz
those lessons but found himself too bored to continue. They were talking722Please respect copyright.PENANAjdz8YKhL2P
about letter and numbers and some researcher named Vesputti or 722Please respect copyright.PENANABj5u3jJLn2
something similar. Thus, he skipped over on those lessons, he wasn't the722Please respect copyright.PENANALa2ty0OCP0
only one as most of the adults had decided that they were too old to 722Please respect copyright.PENANA5kFhfDBKrO
learn anything new.722Please respect copyright.PENANA2vuCMESvES
Before leading her group722Please respect copyright.PENANA9hqmdAFKui
to the secluded cavern, Francesca approached David. "I'd like if you'd 722Please respect copyright.PENANAIzsct6LPEh
dine with me tonight, if it's to your liking?"722Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0zN5cfgaP
"Of course, I'll see you722Please respect copyright.PENANAnAFprm541w
later." Francesca did that sometimes, inviting David over. Chatting 722Please respect copyright.PENANAWe7Kdn2gc8
about trivialities, like whether he had any more vision about The Five. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAiaiqS82iZz
Thankfully Jester didn't deign to appear yet so David managed to sleep 722Please respect copyright.PENANAXpArLpwXP6
peacefully, well not accounting the strange dreams about some boy crying722Please respect copyright.PENANAj2UA6RWCyF
and calling for his mummy. Those dreams made David wake up in a foul 722Please respect copyright.PENANAe9AFLK4xPQ
mood, he wasn't certain why but thought it could be because he didn't 722Please respect copyright.PENANAgk2K5esdgw
remember his parents or family.722Please respect copyright.PENANAx3zwogOGIL
Francesca, unaware of 722Please respect copyright.PENANAvwrdYTDoWA
David's thoughts or dreams, nodded with a smile and led her group from 722Please respect copyright.PENANAYOSi6NLjeT
the main cavern. Twitch following her and joining his sibling to whom 722Please respect copyright.PENANA2UKkFnItzG
David waved. Turning around he came face to face with Nook.722Please respect copyright.PENANAwootxDS3Sl
"I'm off duty now, got some guys looking for a game. You're in?"722Please respect copyright.PENANAS4RRQVojm7
Nook was an interesting 722Please respect copyright.PENANAfjMDTsqD5W
case, while he was definitely Gob's man he didn't seem to be as 722Please respect copyright.PENANA0qmBJXu4mb
disciplined as the other soldiers. He was also one of the few soldiers 722Please respect copyright.PENANAwlTP4pi4QN
who was friendly with David instead of following Gob's lead and hating 722Please respect copyright.PENANAvMaKtnZkTQ
his guts. So they decided to have a card game here and there while 722Please respect copyright.PENANAaFx1BP0cgr
inviting other people, a card game in which David lost more often than 722Please respect copyright.PENANA2BBytpeHL8
not. While David hated losing in cards it was a good method of making 722Please respect copyright.PENANA13cyhJfEKA
friends and getting to know people. As well as a guarantee to keep 722Please respect copyright.PENANAnUmXBCluQy
getting invited as long as you lost smart and graciously accepted it.722Please respect copyright.PENANAUCzLd6Bcf5
"Aye, why not Nook. Maybe I'll clean house this time."722Please respect copyright.PENANAeX29lYWXGI
Nook grinned a 722Please respect copyright.PENANAawTB21FeOq
predator's smile and led David towards a secluded table. While gambling 722Please respect copyright.PENANAYC4qbcJlHG
wasn't banned or anything, as long as you were off duty, it was frowned 722Please respect copyright.PENANAnQxa2PZyRS
upon by Gob. That and most rebels having limited resources. Having only 722Please respect copyright.PENANA1yikzA3VC2
their clothes and weapons stolen from the empire or brought on their 722Please respect copyright.PENANAAKfpGLbTEF
backs.722Please respect copyright.PENANADz1i0tbJqU
Thus any card games were722Please respect copyright.PENANA835ejM68yX
just that, games to pass the time. At least until David proposed to bet722Please respect copyright.PENANApTzEy4Y9kz
their rations. Everyone received the basic rations few times per day 722Please respect copyright.PENANATfBRYI8gdB
and it was up to them how much of that they ate. It was barely enough to722Please respect copyright.PENANAf8FMxIYeBd
feed a healthy adult. As they have been on this isle for a while it was722Please respect copyright.PENANAme0KQeN3Rz
harder to find fresh animals to hunt every day. A lot of the rebels 722Please respect copyright.PENANAZLQWb67ZMj
were opposed to that idea as they'd loose on the last bits of food they 722Please respect copyright.PENANASWzkQGmoWk
did have.722Please respect copyright.PENANAGmNQfbdaDX
Some did think it was a 722Please respect copyright.PENANA7kNcD2ASe8
brilliant idea and David was sitting down with a few of them right now. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAlkDL33fCHQ
Nook, he was confident in his card abilities. Apparently before joining 722Please respect copyright.PENANAhFbgQJlESv
the rebellion he was a militiaman in his village and gambled a lot. As 722Please respect copyright.PENANAPxtJa2eWmI
far as David could see he was more lucky than actually good. Old 722Please respect copyright.PENANAfx40ETgX3Z
toothless Stevie, he joked that if he did lose his rations that it would722Please respect copyright.PENANA8NgJ5HqoL4
save his last teeth. He also wasn't afraid to bet most of his rations 722Please respect copyright.PENANA6nJQIjswF3
scaring the other players into folding, a good bluffer. Finally there 722Please respect copyright.PENANAWcGbloS1Nt
was Tiruk, a huge man who definitely needed more rations just to 722Please respect copyright.PENANA8EpTtJpJNd
survive. It surprised David anyone could keep that weight with tight the722Please respect copyright.PENANAi7S5KtUYm4
food has been.722Please respect copyright.PENANAHq3CRfeKZV
They were the four main 722Please respect copyright.PENANAWdcoBKojmD
players who usually joined the gambling games. Sometimes others joined 722Please respect copyright.PENANABMjXoyPflH
but they usually stopped after going hungry for a day or two as they 722Please respect copyright.PENANA00xXGghxPY
lost their rations. These four though didn't give up after losing, 722Please respect copyright.PENANA1wJOUmo43Q
because they knew that their chances of a feast were just around the 722Please respect copyright.PENANAJzjiNwg7DO
corner. That fact created a sense of comradeship between the players. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAPAJ4FfBlo8
Even if they were playing against each other they understood the risks 722Please respect copyright.PENANADfLf8KFTD4
and accepted them.722Please respect copyright.PENANALx3Ors97YT
"''Ello boys." David 722Please respect copyright.PENANA0yIH83liSt
said sitting down at the table with Nook. There were nods all around the722Please respect copyright.PENANACAdbbqWriF
table and the cards were dealt. They were playing a card game called 722Please respect copyright.PENANANzUBd0crQj
match 'n go. Most of the rebels had not heard of the game or at least 722Please respect copyright.PENANANuwWoFE6jQ
knew it under a different name but most of them caught on fast, it was 722Please respect copyright.PENANAuX2CAOktAQ
often just played for fun. But the best games came from betting. As the 722Please respect copyright.PENANAoZnCfxtctw
risks went higher you tried to fool your opponent into thinking that you722Please respect copyright.PENANAZD9YNYiKIn
had the match or a higher card. David loved risk games like that, he 722Please respect copyright.PENANAPwFfLKjFrc
loved reading the other player emotions and using it against them or at 722Please respect copyright.PENANAdOwa1BIBSG
least for his own benefit. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAHghFgg9FAL
Nook was the first to 722Please respect copyright.PENANAt346ZfkCyO
play. "I'm betting half of my rations on this. Gots a good deck, that I 722Please respect copyright.PENANAGdbj3rxm5a
do." David could see the plastered smile on his face. At this point 722Please respect copyright.PENANAbdXPkUNBxw
David could tell fake between real in a heartbeat. Nook was bluffing.722Please respect copyright.PENANAKskJ7RM2ZL
"Alright, I'll call that." David answered.722Please respect copyright.PENANAN1H3s1j54x
Tiruk, in answer, just 722Please respect copyright.PENANA0VYL6VVKKz
shook his head and folded. He wasn't risking it. Stevenson with his 722Please respect copyright.PENANAlra1WcU2DS
gaped smile called it as well and cackled a bit.722Please respect copyright.PENANASxspDzMt43
Next card revealed. A 3 722Please respect copyright.PENANA5khQbQ69Wk
for Davids two threes. He'd have to fold that game, too high chance of 722Please respect copyright.PENANAYs1fMKAYiG
winning. So it went on and on, rations were won and lost. David won a 722Please respect copyright.PENANAheQRxZTvs1
few games but then he bet everything and lost on purpose, made Stevie a 722Please respect copyright.PENANAgjBlTENc7P
very happy, old, man.722Please respect copyright.PENANAQsb9lItqH3
Since David didn't have 722Please respect copyright.PENANAemF3EQ2D0L
anything to bet with anymore he made his excuses and left the table. He 722Please respect copyright.PENANA6JyGWLVHox
took a look around for Gob and didn't see him anywhere so decided it 722Please respect copyright.PENANA8m2ug8Kr7y
would be safe to take a walk.722Please respect copyright.PENANAzowGjXNG2V
Another thing he took to722Please respect copyright.PENANATMrhTH6NZI
doing over the past two weeks was exploring, finding any secret spaces 722Please respect copyright.PENANANzbtXnAIhQ
where he might hide. The rebels themselves only found one possible 722Please respect copyright.PENANAMjqs0PrrP9
emergency exit while David found three. Of course the other two exits 722Please respect copyright.PENANAgbZqWgM1Ak
only were wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. So it 722Please respect copyright.PENANAZraNbwyuiP
could be that they just didn't consider them as such.722Please respect copyright.PENANAF1XgZN7EsH
He also found various 722Please respect copyright.PENANAADfXgrB5CU
hiding spots, not only for him but for items he stole. Weapons, 722Please respect copyright.PENANA2l4uXDwOXz
ammunition, food and the like. If only a small amount disappeared at a 722Please respect copyright.PENANAsiMDMJOkO3
time no one really noticed and attributed it to absentmindedness. Though722Please respect copyright.PENANAmOpdcyzsJ3
David believed Gob was getting suspicious so he would need to start 722Please respect copyright.PENANAL8yfY05OTi
being more careful.722Please respect copyright.PENANAc1azenEivh
The caves themselves 722Please respect copyright.PENANADkgz2xsnja
seemed to go through the whole isle, David didn't believe he explored 722Please respect copyright.PENANAyolgkCyBxo
even half of it. Gob tried to send a few soldiers every day to explore 722Please respect copyright.PENANAFVAGiDtTOW
further into the caves, but many were afraid of the dark, believing 722Please respect copyright.PENANAJTxHzuG0mR
various beasts were residing in them. Refusing to go inside without Gob 722Please respect copyright.PENANATGfChForoI
and since Gob was usually busy either creating or being out on patrols 722Please respect copyright.PENANAEoT1zKVkdQ
himself that limited their exploring time.722Please respect copyright.PENANAzLytC5BDj5
That let David offer his722Please respect copyright.PENANATROoT5TpXs
services as an explorer. He would explore the further caves and would 722Please respect copyright.PENANAVtLuyyQedS
report on any worrying circumstances. Gob was reluctant to let him go 722Please respect copyright.PENANAci5VCIgQBJ
but was convinced by Francesca that it would be a grand idea as it would722Please respect copyright.PENANAWDTZbR5vB2
free more people for patrols and other duties.722Please respect copyright.PENANA1L8nTmLc0O
This time though he had a722Please respect copyright.PENANAPSRuxhaTi6
destination in mind. A bit further into one of the pathways, about an 722Please respect copyright.PENANArzlxNtysQT
hour from the main cavern, there was a small pathway where a thin person722Please respect copyright.PENANAE1YAjF14TW
could barely fit. Following that pathway, if you could survive the 722Please respect copyright.PENANA8DErntjOjH
feeling of getting crushed by the walls, was a pool. David was surprised722Please respect copyright.PENANAatt7AzBOvd
when he found and astonished when he discovered the water was hot. 722Please respect copyright.PENANA0ofIDFnsAm
That's where he was 722Please respect copyright.PENANAFnCTazcNPD
going now; he needed a clear head for Francesca's meeting. No matter how722Please respect copyright.PENANATJa3Q4XApV
she acted she was a noble, they always sought the best deals for 722Please respect copyright.PENANASbcXmdUeWt
themselves, always trying to ledge a situation in their favour. David 722Please respect copyright.PENANAnXYvYgr5oi
would need to be on his toes. Or maybe he just wanted to actually relax 722Please respect copyright.PENANAWVnxOdp7Au
without anyone screaming or crying, he didn't decide which one sounded 722Please respect copyright.PENANACjz4tvlGdF
better in his mind.722Please respect copyright.PENANAMA6V8gW38s
Thus grabbing a torch as722Please respect copyright.PENANAcOJO9Knisf
many of the pathways further down weren't lit, he began his, 722Please respect copyright.PENANAGryUDbyaEd
uneventful, journey. Luckily he reached his destination in a timely 722Please respect copyright.PENANAiZYpabEW97
manner, though he hated going through that cramped space. He gave a 722Please respect copyright.PENANAQxYpktq35P
satisfied sigh as he sat down in the pool, his muscles losing the 722Please respect copyright.PENANAX7D3H6FKkG
tension he gathered over the past few weeks, the water reached up to his722Please respect copyright.PENANAGQL9xUuHux
chest and he dunked his head under the water finally enjoying a proper 722Please respect copyright.PENANAyHdE0AB05W
clean. He was careful to keep track of time but other than that he let 722Please respect copyright.PENANAEbKfNjb9OP
his mind wander and just blanked out. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAJ7dIs6RUWr
Before he even noticed, 722Please respect copyright.PENANAEyJckkGhsO
to David's disappointment, it was time to leave. He was also saddened by722Please respect copyright.PENANAPJddpB6jqq
the fact that the water ended up a bit darker after his bath, a way to 722Please respect copyright.PENANAnpBdy446qI
hit a guys confidence. With a sad sigh he put on his dirty and worn out 722Please respect copyright.PENANAMhnNuLcZBy
clothes and went back to the main cavern to the sound of activity and 722Please respect copyright.PENANA8rVoSyNfMV
the smell of unwashed masses.722Please respect copyright.PENANAx3LRfyg6MK
It did seem that David 722Please respect copyright.PENANA4oxRnCUJNA
came back just in time as people were gathered near the cooking pots to 722Please respect copyright.PENANAs7o5lITZ78
gather their rations. David did the same and then found Stevie, sitting 722Please respect copyright.PENANAHXkyzZIhyC
with some other older rebels, and gave him his rations. Stevie nodded 722Please respect copyright.PENANAjyAafsKKyE
and had a sparkle in his eye. "Maybe nexsht time you can save me 722Please respect copyright.PENANAyVFwTXmlRk
teethsh." And he cackled at his joke. David managed a weak laugh that 722Please respect copyright.PENANAuQiEstbJdi
seemed to satisfy Stevie.722Please respect copyright.PENANAcpF0cOSiJm
"Don't keep Francesca 722Please respect copyright.PENANAqDfHuR7sYT
waiting." Came a gruff voice from behind. David tried to hide his 722Please respect copyright.PENANAHOeWg1JhcI
annoyance at the fact that Gob managed to sneak up on him and scare him.722Please respect copyright.PENANAoEelncUs5M
Some people just had no sense of proper manners.722Please respect copyright.PENANAEBp1Fvmh0k
"Oh I wouldn't dare." 722Please respect copyright.PENANAXn2XhuA3nr
He gave a mock bow which seemed to infuriate Gob more. "I was just out 722Please respect copyright.PENANAIdvPVWNOi4
exploring, nothing to report so far, sir Gob." Gob just grunted and 722Please respect copyright.PENANA4yI2dcOmWj
walked away. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAj9qAvH68sQ
David smiled and waved 722Please respect copyright.PENANAZPZcnj5GmC
after him, the guy really needed to unwind. With nothing else to do but 722Please respect copyright.PENANApeUmCp5Cz6
shrug at that thought David went towards Francesca's room. Even if 722Please respect copyright.PENANA2qDsmIBIJQ
Francesca did pretend to be all for equality and the like she still had 722Please respect copyright.PENANAz6EwvCWOmf
her personal quarters, such as they were, as well as an actual bed, 722Please respect copyright.PENANAdY6Xl1nbQg
table, chairs. They were shoddy work at best, crafted quickly by some of722Please respect copyright.PENANA7WY5TCkFDE
the rebels, but they were more than anything any other rebel had. David722Please respect copyright.PENANAHtrXxTR1WC
was impressed by how she had more and yet most still perceived her as 722Please respect copyright.PENANAs5VUoUMBVq
the paragon of virtue.722Please respect copyright.PENANAFhcBgHSO6S
Her room, as per usual, 722Please respect copyright.PENANASNCsFeYLzt
was guarded. But the guard waved him on with a smile. David saw it as a 722Please respect copyright.PENANA9fI661xPBc
pointless precaution anyway, but what could you do. Francesca herself 722Please respect copyright.PENANALwxCfkJPfS
was already seated, with a torch in the middle of the table, a pale 722Please respect copyright.PENANAyoMfOx1cR8
imitation of a candle. One thing the rebels had a lot of were torches, 722Please respect copyright.PENANACXQUX0mECU
to light up all caverns and pathways. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAHMOhuRQdW6
"Oh, David! Please sit" she gestured towards the second chair.722Please respect copyright.PENANAxlvhOaEpXa
David sat down with a 722Please respect copyright.PENANAZnSyQ4KUma
nod and smile. They weren't eating anything extravagant, just what the 722Please respect copyright.PENANApddvQudQdV
rest were. Dried meat, nuts, sometimes if they were lucky they could 722Please respect copyright.PENANAj59iAXaf7v
even get rabbit or vegetable soup, but that more of a luxury nowadays. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAmXiVX7FG1N
This time it was some dried meat of unknown origin and some water found 722Please respect copyright.PENANANA9cCO2H6J
in a stream. Delicious.722Please respect copyright.PENANA3WUFQsgr6c
"So pleasantries first or business first?"722Please respect copyright.PENANAPq6g8BFkwt
"I found that going straight to business can ruin a healthy appetite."722Please respect copyright.PENANApIzb2K6d4I
Francesca nodded and 722Please respect copyright.PENANAKKcH66mN3k
began to cut her meat with her wooden utensils. While David had similar 722Please respect copyright.PENANAh8FFWZGr3W
equipment he didn't really find much use of them and found it better to 722Please respect copyright.PENANAePqCKPgz8I
eat with his own hands. Made it faster and when you're under cannon fire722Please respect copyright.PENANAxOouL1Bm4g
fast eating was paramount.722Please respect copyright.PENANA20FfLen3pM
As expected David 722Please respect copyright.PENANAgPJvbHeLFS
finished his portion first and ended up waiting for Francesca to finish 722Please respect copyright.PENANAOJlHS8d5oe
hers, which took another 5 or 10 minutes. The girl was certainly a 722Please respect copyright.PENANAZvQ5RUwQX6
deliberate eater.722Please respect copyright.PENANAWbZn6gLIsX
"So on to business." She722Please respect copyright.PENANAuqW0KFyu10
paused making sure David was ready, once he nodded she continued. "Tell722Please respect copyright.PENANAiZ7vei60kt
me, do you know who actually hired your services?"722Please respect copyright.PENANATX32Zk3WPz
"No idea, captain was usually tight lipped about our clients. I just always assumed it was one of you guys."722Please respect copyright.PENANAQmX9MTtG53
"In a way. It's someone 722Please respect copyright.PENANAUcjtK3zNCO
who's...interested in our cause. One of Gob's friends. He is able to get722Please respect copyright.PENANAGvPr7FWzi5
in and out of the isles without arousing too much suspicion."722Please respect copyright.PENANAPUHdTtQT3i
"Can't imagine you can tell me who it is?"722Please respect copyright.PENANAITwrcRNeKx
"It's not for me to tell sadly, Gob was adamant that it's best kept as secret." Francesca smiled apologetically "apologies"722Please respect copyright.PENANAXbYx6LwDqJ
David waved his hand in a playful manner. "No worries, I'm surprised you're telling me any of this in the first place."722Please respect copyright.PENANAQYhocut0oh
"Well, there is a 722Please respect copyright.PENANAbI4dieOulo
reason. Since the weapons we got previously are in the Empire's hands 722Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4fFAssvWx
and we can't fight them for it." Putting it lightly the rebels never 722Please respect copyright.PENANA9cAFJxgsN2
really fought the empire in a straight on fight. Mostly raids and 722Please respect copyright.PENANATt39GGrBwH
recruiting villagers with their possessions. Easy pickings. "Gob got in 722Please respect copyright.PENANAqCU9qp09B3
touch with his friend again and luckily we managed to set up a meeting 722Please respect copyright.PENANAVcgGg2wide
in a few days the edge of a different isle.722Please respect copyright.PENANAfxGLCgg8q9
"We will also be moving 722Please respect copyright.PENANA6qUTzpHmM6
our base" she continued, sadly. "I can't keep us here with the danger 722Please respect copyright.PENANAyetsjw7niB
increasing, so we will move slowly, to an isle we were based in before 722Please respect copyright.PENANAGkjafFF222
so some will know where to go."722Please respect copyright.PENANAB4WbCM8430
"That's good, why did 722Please respect copyright.PENANAZkWG5PIqwg
you want to keep us here for this long anyway?" While he was annoyed at 722Please respect copyright.PENANAEHA2ArVuFg
hearing that question every time he went on patrols, he couldn't deny he722Please respect copyright.PENANAPT7jIIHqPD
was interested in the answer.722Please respect copyright.PENANAaNLgLTTbdn
"It...It has to do with one of The Five. I can't reveal more in fear that it might interfere with your objective. "722Please respect copyright.PENANAiJUa2fJxwh
David nodded, not a full722Please respect copyright.PENANA11kj7RuYuo
answer he wanted but to push might create a rift between them. Religion722Please respect copyright.PENANAEm6wqbLoSz
was pretty important to Francesca "Don't worry; you don't have to 722Please respect copyright.PENANADTZp5mVgaf
reveal anything you don't want want to." He said in a soothing tone722Please respect copyright.PENANAgHFkv0louM
"Thank you." She said 722Please respect copyright.PENANAf7vo8fjHdZ
gratefully. "Where was I? Oh, yes. We'll have groups with specified 722Please respect copyright.PENANAwGKwGY9vFU
leaders going back to that previous isle, they'll lead them and we'll 722Please respect copyright.PENANA70fl68vMHh
regroup at a specified point."722Please respect copyright.PENANAUz8qPEw7BT
"How will you get 722Please respect copyright.PENANAcZf48vJLkt
everyone over to the next isle?" Isles were divided by cracks, and while722Please respect copyright.PENANAsmRO8Wp1as
some you could jump over, others were so wide you could fit a full 722Please respect copyright.PENANA1b4oNxRcpy
city.722Please respect copyright.PENANAm2GmNehSgv
"We have small sky 722Please respect copyright.PENANAD9r4oItq4a
boats. Some of the groups will use it...Others...Others will need to 722Please respect copyright.PENANAndrK9kig24
find their own way" she said in bitter tones. "I don't like that, we're 722Please respect copyright.PENANAENQDDiDbmG
abandoning my people. But Gob said it's too dangerous traveling in a big722Please respect copyright.PENANArhYTQ5VgLt
group."722Please respect copyright.PENANAV38C17hp01
"You're a good leader on your own. You should trust your own instincts." Ah finally! An opportunity to create that rift722Please respect copyright.PENANAq9JtADNUX5
She gave him a sad smile722Please respect copyright.PENANAoCVoQhCRtU
in response. "Thank you, but I do not a good head for tactics or 722Please respect copyright.PENANAp7wz9Pjgot
military matters. I've had some education on it, but Gob is much better 722Please respect copyright.PENANA07tW9yFRRa
at it." David still wasn't sure just what Gob did before the rebellion. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAQtUlQowFAw
Francesca stated that the past did not matter and as long as they were 722Please respect copyright.PENANA8xfauhZ64j
willing to fight for the rebellions ideals they would be allowed to keep722Please respect copyright.PENANA1JOFvJkpL9
their past in the past.722Please respect copyright.PENANA3HqpDKUYBb
"Now then, back to 722Please respect copyright.PENANAlBVDSZyADW
business." She said more cheerily. "Myself and Gob will be meeting that 722Please respect copyright.PENANARPZUjSRVSj
person in a few days. We will have guards but I'd also like for you to 722Please respect copyright.PENANAjuqsLS3KD8
come. You're well-traveled and met many people; your advice would be 722Please respect copyright.PENANABArqNnNayh
valuable, especially since we'll only be bartering for them."722Please respect copyright.PENANATzPwknwbAW
"You'll have it. I'm 722Please respect copyright.PENANA3srZQ7ROCq
more than happy to join you." While he wasn't looking forward to 722Please respect copyright.PENANAHxuCoCu9UK
sleeping with all the insects again, it might help his back to not sleep722Please respect copyright.PENANAF02USNLZFV
on a rock hard surface.722Please respect copyright.PENANAs3bCsYZf71
"Perfect! I'll let Gob know and convince him as well." She laughed sheepishly. "I didn't really confirm this with him you see."722Please respect copyright.PENANAwnWu68702d
"Oh, the guy loves me. It'll be easy." Francesca smiled at that, she knew just how much Gob hated David.722Please respect copyright.PENANAjjpSEydZMP
A lull in the conversation and then a question David was dreading "Did you have any more visions? From the one who chose you?"722Please respect copyright.PENANAidyFcvGKU5
"Sadly no, I'm as 722Please respect copyright.PENANABwyAdXwmZ0
clueless as when I was born." This wasn't exactly true. He knew he had 722Please respect copyright.PENANAZXHodokKR9
to find something, and suspected Francesca was after it as well he 722Please respect copyright.PENANA1LjsT4W8ko
suspected it was on this isle. Francesca seemed to know more, but she 722Please respect copyright.PENANA13wigRcGL6
wasn't willing to reveal it. She might hide it under lofty ideals, but 722Please respect copyright.PENANAq5sCeCZvma
she was concealing the truth from both David and the rebels.722Please respect copyright.PENANAZqEi0hVYFN
"Do not worry, I am 722Please respect copyright.PENANAN3O7l4rsWP
su..." before she could continue their whole world rocked. As explosions722Please respect copyright.PENANA76kjnuSxMn
rang from outside and rubble started falling all around them., hitting 722Please respect copyright.PENANAc4AybhFMCe
the table and dislodging the torch, casting ominous shadows on the walls722Please respect copyright.PENANAcfsaSs8eHG
"Wha..." before David could finish his thought a very worried Gob barged in. 722Please respect copyright.PENANAcqv0krMCAN
"We're under attack, they found us."
722Please respect copyright.PENANAuPF4KLUHgq
722Please respect copyright.PENANA88gfewfhEA