688Please respect copyright.PENANA1z4w7xKT9a
688Please respect copyright.PENANA9IiFxzcMW0
'The voice?! Of course I688Please respect copyright.PENANATtWd208smb
can hear it, I embrace it, I follow it, I worship it for what it is! 688Please respect copyright.PENANA6ctdYTFiq3
The word of god! And I am a holy messenger! You all are heathens! 688Please respect copyright.PENANAk6div491nt
Believers in false gods! You hide from the true voice, you fear it, you 688Please respect copyright.PENANAOU3MaqqnOh
shun it, you deny it! My only crime is that I am no coward!'688Please respect copyright.PENANAe3GkAm0uRI
Extract from the trial 688Please respect copyright.PENANAx3kuq0kzd1
of Bloody Jack. Accused of murdering his whole village on the whims of 688Please respect copyright.PENANAbBdeWRuIj4
an ether being and sentenced to death.688Please respect copyright.PENANAqGRj6SRhZU
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------688Please respect copyright.PENANABsPiLMjvJP
688Please respect copyright.PENANA4AjAgavntt
"I don't get it, why don't we go to a different isle? The Imperialsh will have ush shurrounded in no time."688Please respect copyright.PENANAWIH6YEWe18
~And here we go again, simple minded people asking simple minded questions~688Please respect copyright.PENANAmvi1EvjbSn
"Too many people to move, they'll notice us."688Please respect copyright.PENANAaCEgEouHiw
"Never shtopped ush before." A pause as the old man spat to the side. "What about fighting then, too little of ush?"688Please respect copyright.PENANAEt94KotUcM
Gob shook his head, 688Please respect copyright.PENANA9pUEjCsfHK
tired. David could understand that, and he was annoyed he could 688Please respect copyright.PENANAvRxfsKJwNv
empathize with Gob. As per Gob's decision every time it was David's turn688Please respect copyright.PENANA7WIA1FeiGe
to go patrolling Gob accompanied him. At first David found this 688Please respect copyright.PENANAN7DGiRbsa9
insulting, he was the paragon of trust after all, but after a few of 688Please respect copyright.PENANAZxri76j5Sp
such patrols he just found it annoying. Ever patrol was usually 688Please respect copyright.PENANAonBex1vbrw
conducted with 3 or 4 people, usually with different people. There were a688Please respect copyright.PENANAqD2NhwNdtm
few constants in those groups though, the first was that David and Gob 688Please respect copyright.PENANACw36ApK4b5
were in them and the second was that someone always asked when they 688Please respect copyright.PENANAqZiHvfFyH9
would move.688Please respect copyright.PENANAPQfsIbBdRW
Now David has only been 688Please respect copyright.PENANAlS497hykH8
in the camp for a month now and managed to glean some information from 688Please respect copyright.PENANA2Sk4vtoQc9
the other rebels and just observations. There were three groups of 688Please respect copyright.PENANALWbiUYhW7T
rebels. Peasants, peasant-soldiers and soldiers, as David liked to call 688Please respect copyright.PENANA6dDk3ymRLL
them. Peasants and peasant-soldiers were the people with no, to only 688Please respect copyright.PENANAHkscOnL4co
basic, military training. Such as Denis and his ilk. The soldiers 688Please respect copyright.PENANAGPiBIPC4xk
weren't necessary from the military, but they had more experience. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAH5Jb8nTcnD
Experience wasn't the only difference, civilians and civilian soldiers 688Please respect copyright.PENANAzHuDAWHlgL
loved and trusted both Gob and Francesca. Soldiers only trusted Gob. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3cAuzkVNI
Which worked out nicely for David as he could use this discord and 688Please respect copyright.PENANAJcsO7eOjFG
divided loyalties.688Please respect copyright.PENANADSWvY0d0GG
Another important thing 688Please respect copyright.PENANAvZvRFDtJ3z
he managed to find out was that the rebels had stayed on the same isle 688Please respect copyright.PENANASh9EycPrOb
for three months. Many of the rebels were unhappy with the prolonged 688Please respect copyright.PENANACQCZfteNry
stay, especially the soldiers. This resulted in that question and Gob 688Please respect copyright.PENANAzfE2Cq9EoU
giving the same answer to anyone who asked. It was really riveting stuff688Please respect copyright.PENANAZn5AH5DzSg
for David, especially after hearing it for the twentieth third time. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAG2wbeNnJzK
Ol' Stevie asked it around two or three times over the past few days to 688Please respect copyright.PENANA59KICqnt8Z
their destination.688Please respect copyright.PENANAh5wRXpJx8l
Today they were out 688Please respect copyright.PENANAt0j0sguy9i
looking at the new imperial camp, turning into more of a makeshift fort,688Please respect copyright.PENANAT7MIzFfLec
being built around the wreckage of the 'Flying Fish'. It was a crude 688Please respect copyright.PENANAY1QhuxUacu
construction, something that could be easily taken apart. They were 688Please respect copyright.PENANAa8N1auT9hK
joined by Rock and another rebel, called old toothless Stevie, on 688Please respect copyright.PENANAy5qlLjBymL
account of him being old and having lost most of his teeth. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAHqIFt2LihJ
"Yes, now shut up and 688Please respect copyright.PENANA14UGq5fatr
remember everything you can about the imperials." Stevie shrugged at 688Please respect copyright.PENANAwkotKosFTY
that and continued looking through his binocular. David kept further 688Please respect copyright.PENANAEWKezVOADB
away from the pair, watching their backs with Rock, the youth did not 688Please respect copyright.PENANA9diPJ2tr6x
become any more talkative during Davids stay in the caves.688Please respect copyright.PENANARuEwT4755a
They were at their 688Please respect copyright.PENANAM9hP9Gwnxy
lookout spot for a few hours at this point and David was glad he didn't 688Please respect copyright.PENANAQ23dCbSPaX
feel any magical tugs coming from that direction, after discussing it 688Please respect copyright.PENANAhIGljO4F5x
with Francesca it turned out that what David felt was a magical tug, 688Please respect copyright.PENANARPIN7pZhbw
looked like the imperial soldier wasn't anywhere near it.688Please respect copyright.PENANANQACk884Yd
"Alright, that's enough.688Please respect copyright.PENANAkpqgyVvUo4
Let's head back." Gob proclaimed to the group and David sighted in 688Please respect copyright.PENANAOwIsiJDBQM
relief. Thankfully David was given new shoes, to help him walk, as well 688Please respect copyright.PENANAgU427iy2GS
as new clothes and even an eyepatch. The walk itself was silent and 688Please respect copyright.PENANAAHk7WMEqXG
brutal. Gob set a murderous pace and he didn't look back to check on any688Please respect copyright.PENANAIiGr97HZM4
of them except for Rock, who bore it with his usual silence.688Please respect copyright.PENANAmR19hHAJpe
David walked in silence 688Please respect copyright.PENANAeUe6y4ak50
as well. More to preserve his breathe, than anything else, as he felt 688Please respect copyright.PENANAj1DOfzDDFy
that he would fall to the ground if he even tried speaking. Toothless 688Please respect copyright.PENANAuLAHz2otqu
Stevie may have been old and not have teeth, but he had more stamina 688Please respect copyright.PENANAP3FV10PeHl
than David, farm work really built you up for long hours of activity.688Please respect copyright.PENANAKqD0m75wyH
A walk that would've 688Please respect copyright.PENANALmPX6elhbH
taken most of the day was managed in about half a day. David was so glad688Please respect copyright.PENANAbjlSBWq16H
to see the damp cave that he was ready to kiss the rocks when he came 688Please respect copyright.PENANAA7ruOpVdYk
inside. The camp itself did not change much over the past month and 688Please respect copyright.PENANA075vTK39eH
David was still the new guy. Though he made good strides in integrating 688Please respect copyright.PENANAgdBJnDlgiY
himself as most of rebels waved to him in greeting.688Please respect copyright.PENANAt4KWvEN4PP
"I'll go report to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAzERubUjXYF
Francesca. You can go relax." Gob passed David without a glance at him. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAePQ0KliGrM
The fact that Gob didn't glare or spit at David's direction must've 688Please respect copyright.PENANAL2b5TBvruZ
meant that he was finally warming up to him! At least it was more than 688Please respect copyright.PENANADZM6PzkyI5
David got over the past month, in fact he was ready to give up on ever 688Please respect copyright.PENANAUIBG1cEDiv
winning Gob over.688Please respect copyright.PENANAWzox6WcVgQ
Francesca on the other 688Please respect copyright.PENANAmRbG8LzM68
hand warmed up to him quite fast. As Denis summarized and David 688Please respect copyright.PENANAfZBVvm8Spp
confirmed she was a noble, a well read and knowledgeable noble but 688Please respect copyright.PENANAsUPYykYxYN
someone who hasn't left her estate a lot and has never traveled outside 688Please respect copyright.PENANAze8NDEFkJR
the empire. While David was the well-traveled dashing smuggler. He 688Please respect copyright.PENANAcSsY9Re9mH
managed to enthrall her with made up stories and adventures. To be fair 688Please respect copyright.PENANAYB2dPtubLe
to Francesca she wasn't the only one falling under David's charm. As 688Please respect copyright.PENANAcgCPLLYle5
most of the rebels found it hard to resist the dashing rogue act.688Please respect copyright.PENANACi1aYEpTlI
David just wished he 688Please respect copyright.PENANAEEQ9dseuCE
could win them over without going on patrols and risking his life. Oh 688Please respect copyright.PENANA1K4nsvcIEH
well no one said being a parasite was easy.688Please respect copyright.PENANAq4xv6dHAha
Further down the camps 688Please respect copyright.PENANArhnj9pqCAJ
he could see Twitch, the nervous brother of Denis. Over the past month 688Please respect copyright.PENANAib2fNKqh0x
he integrated himself with the siblings, becoming a part of their gang. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAFzDnze1ZQL
As the siblings were liked by the rebels in general this made them trust688Please respect copyright.PENANAHzNHq0biRj
David all the more. David decided to join Twitch so he snuck up behind 688Please respect copyright.PENANA6YNrHHG6oR
him. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAvRp9rshWEM
"What'cha doing?"688Please respect copyright.PENANAEcxk2b7JDB
Twitch practically jumped out of his own skin. "Agh! Oh D-david. Don't s-scare me l-l-like that."688Please respect copyright.PENANAIqZB2W7Evb
"Sorry, twitch." David said patting the boys shoulder. "Didn't mean to, you know I hate doing it." He loved it688Please respect copyright.PENANAb9uKaCj3Ti
Twitch nodded and stood beside David." 'S alright. I-I-I'm just easily sca-ar-ared."688Please respect copyright.PENANAXlOHoXf9KE
David nodded. The boy 688Please respect copyright.PENANA0P5pEYIEgF
was lucky to have any friends at all." Nothing wrong with being scared."688Please respect copyright.PENANA9FbNKNKpLY
He said with a comforting smile. "We all have our own strengths, like 688Please respect copyright.PENANAlblpknQYPs
you..." David paused for a bit racking his mind for something to say. "A688Please respect copyright.PENANAeMiPqHBqL2
poet! A man of dreams! How're your poems going anyway? I still want to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAgwmta2ESMi
read them someday."688Please respect copyright.PENANAjUvEwUFSwD
Twitch muttered 688Please respect copyright.PENANAMdhVZDThSW
something under his breathe. David motioned with his hand for him to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAKFFeqqc104
speak up. "...n-not poems. But son-so-songs."688Please respect copyright.PENANAX2PqEKBADx
David stopped himself from shrugging and smiled. "Songs, even better then! Why not create a song for the rebellion?"688Please respect copyright.PENANAjBTYvlL3SZ
Twitch started shaking 688Please respect copyright.PENANAOCq3yvI7fY
his head but before the words: 'No' formed on his mouth a voice 688Please respect copyright.PENANAmx5H6FQAS2
interrupted them. "A hymn truly sounds marvelous!" Francesca made Twitch688Please respect copyright.PENANA5aghkPxs0D
jump back even more than David did688Please respect copyright.PENANA59Z9Jz1sjL
"I-I-I" He continued in that vain for a while.688Please respect copyright.PENANAADp2eujQJ6
"Speak up soldier!" Gobs688Please respect copyright.PENANAfMgb84DXLl
voice resounded around the cave, making everyone glance at Twitch, 688Please respect copyright.PENANAxHA5jShtm5
which should've made his stuttering worse. But his fear of Gob took over688Please respect copyright.PENANA1cK95cBGfM
any instinct he had.688Please respect copyright.PENANAmnXhuqP5fj
"I'mnotgoodenough!" He 688Please respect copyright.PENANAAruMMYLYJ9
said as fast possible. David was astounded it was probably the first 688Please respect copyright.PENANAxSZ6eJGShB
time the boy didn't stutter. Not that he could understand what he said 688Please respect copyright.PENANAXXTQmXNmWX
now.688Please respect copyright.PENANAw5kj15QNaE
"Nonsense." Francesca 688Please respect copyright.PENANAUxPmHiDrPE
put her hand on Twitch's shoulder. She didn't seem to have any trouble 688Please respect copyright.PENANAdFP79FCicT
understanding him. "Write me a song when you can, and we will sing it, 688Please respect copyright.PENANAQte0ZGTTfD
all of us together." She projected her voice to others nearby which 688Please respect copyright.PENANAuVh4jOzpFL
raised a rugged cheer. That just made Twitch hide his face as it went 688Please respect copyright.PENANAM2akqqQU5X
dark red.688Please respect copyright.PENANAz9bSga0wZj
Francesca spared Twitch 688Please respect copyright.PENANAMoD33KaiOd
one last warm smile and turned to the rest of the rebels standing 688Please respect copyright.PENANAHwPRvahNzU
around. "It's time for your daily studies! Spread the message!" Both 688Please respect copyright.PENANAs1D8UE8vrf
children and adults listened to Francesca, without a hint of 688Please respect copyright.PENANArX24362rui
disobedience, and started moving in one line to the study cavern, as it 688Please respect copyright.PENANANAhwnX1TAs
was popularly called.688Please respect copyright.PENANA9tCNgQbtiY
The rebels not only 688Please respect copyright.PENANAQQErXHkVZo
respected Francesca for her leadership and attitude towards the 688Please respect copyright.PENANA5J6I8phaA4
peasantry, but also her attempts to educate them. Most of the rebels 688Please respect copyright.PENANA3oCK1VpPA7
didn't know how to read or basic math while Francesca was an educated 688Please respect copyright.PENANAh6TiTuCKeF
noble, thus she decided to teach everyone in the rebellion the basics. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAbWuOh7tt4z
No one was barred from the lessons and both young and old were invited 688Please respect copyright.PENANAWXuxgxLQaH
to them. 688Please respect copyright.PENANArDM3fdeIGx
David attended one of 688Please respect copyright.PENANA6dzWvFK9n2
those lessons but found himself too bored to continue. They were talking688Please respect copyright.PENANAB5disYeQrU
about letter and numbers and some researcher named Vesputti or 688Please respect copyright.PENANAvKFSwCr4CN
something similar. Thus, he skipped over on those lessons, he wasn't the688Please respect copyright.PENANAygRx0iMTzk
only one as most of the adults had decided that they were too old to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAuqUwQsTd89
learn anything new.688Please respect copyright.PENANAeeFog42a5s
Before leading her group688Please respect copyright.PENANAIta3Zp8rFp
to the secluded cavern, Francesca approached David. "I'd like if you'd 688Please respect copyright.PENANAnFXqVLOiKE
dine with me tonight, if it's to your liking?"688Please respect copyright.PENANAcrxbMuWEcE
"Of course, I'll see you688Please respect copyright.PENANAzL4q6QSGjg
later." Francesca did that sometimes, inviting David over. Chatting 688Please respect copyright.PENANAFrMKYtd5xl
about trivialities, like whether he had any more vision about The Five. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAPeh5Ys1OQ9
Thankfully Jester didn't deign to appear yet so David managed to sleep 688Please respect copyright.PENANAgaDZrwTOhM
peacefully, well not accounting the strange dreams about some boy crying688Please respect copyright.PENANATHUyWgvjhN
and calling for his mummy. Those dreams made David wake up in a foul 688Please respect copyright.PENANA8XgeMbceee
mood, he wasn't certain why but thought it could be because he didn't 688Please respect copyright.PENANAuU4Ebgbxvr
remember his parents or family.688Please respect copyright.PENANAT7yyFfpyDF
Francesca, unaware of 688Please respect copyright.PENANAeZxgIfsFIV
David's thoughts or dreams, nodded with a smile and led her group from 688Please respect copyright.PENANAZDbkS5W892
the main cavern. Twitch following her and joining his sibling to whom 688Please respect copyright.PENANADzJbTf9DuQ
David waved. Turning around he came face to face with Nook.688Please respect copyright.PENANA3QQyqME6cR
"I'm off duty now, got some guys looking for a game. You're in?"688Please respect copyright.PENANAU7xuedeecA
Nook was an interesting 688Please respect copyright.PENANApSyO6RrsC2
case, while he was definitely Gob's man he didn't seem to be as 688Please respect copyright.PENANA09tFsIFFMk
disciplined as the other soldiers. He was also one of the few soldiers 688Please respect copyright.PENANAcw8rpZenea
who was friendly with David instead of following Gob's lead and hating 688Please respect copyright.PENANAltENGPUqma
his guts. So they decided to have a card game here and there while 688Please respect copyright.PENANAT3zT8mP1kH
inviting other people, a card game in which David lost more often than 688Please respect copyright.PENANA2P0P85vHQa
not. While David hated losing in cards it was a good method of making 688Please respect copyright.PENANAytjcCvGUs5
friends and getting to know people. As well as a guarantee to keep 688Please respect copyright.PENANA6ZE8LYQPna
getting invited as long as you lost smart and graciously accepted it.688Please respect copyright.PENANAgyimys3VFN
"Aye, why not Nook. Maybe I'll clean house this time."688Please respect copyright.PENANAOHBXbNksX6
Nook grinned a 688Please respect copyright.PENANAXFNKboNLVH
predator's smile and led David towards a secluded table. While gambling 688Please respect copyright.PENANAmiTUErjN1h
wasn't banned or anything, as long as you were off duty, it was frowned 688Please respect copyright.PENANAqgFgHtdi98
upon by Gob. That and most rebels having limited resources. Having only 688Please respect copyright.PENANAAcBfLlmcWA
their clothes and weapons stolen from the empire or brought on their 688Please respect copyright.PENANACPHb2ldgSN
backs.688Please respect copyright.PENANATfO1OkUHjB
Thus any card games were688Please respect copyright.PENANAXqUqTruWac
just that, games to pass the time. At least until David proposed to bet688Please respect copyright.PENANAPutxIeSnxj
their rations. Everyone received the basic rations few times per day 688Please respect copyright.PENANA0T5YtzmW2a
and it was up to them how much of that they ate. It was barely enough to688Please respect copyright.PENANAwEmWdDmJZ2
feed a healthy adult. As they have been on this isle for a while it was688Please respect copyright.PENANA3zOrbjZrrh
harder to find fresh animals to hunt every day. A lot of the rebels 688Please respect copyright.PENANAydAQjUCuYk
were opposed to that idea as they'd loose on the last bits of food they 688Please respect copyright.PENANAApOtHsSfty
did have.688Please respect copyright.PENANAWIEBT2lNIr
Some did think it was a 688Please respect copyright.PENANAJ31A1MgMy5
brilliant idea and David was sitting down with a few of them right now. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAKReojn7WuL
Nook, he was confident in his card abilities. Apparently before joining 688Please respect copyright.PENANAqIzFB10Ds7
the rebellion he was a militiaman in his village and gambled a lot. As 688Please respect copyright.PENANAPctoRNZMRj
far as David could see he was more lucky than actually good. Old 688Please respect copyright.PENANAJOzXJJJVgd
toothless Stevie, he joked that if he did lose his rations that it would688Please respect copyright.PENANADvkY4vB9s1
save his last teeth. He also wasn't afraid to bet most of his rations 688Please respect copyright.PENANAjERL9Ok9tt
scaring the other players into folding, a good bluffer. Finally there 688Please respect copyright.PENANAQN3AbRr7jf
was Tiruk, a huge man who definitely needed more rations just to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAwPuoQ3efrO
survive. It surprised David anyone could keep that weight with tight the688Please respect copyright.PENANAebhSmRe554
food has been.688Please respect copyright.PENANACHqcTC6LIG
They were the four main 688Please respect copyright.PENANA7E3L3jRw5e
players who usually joined the gambling games. Sometimes others joined 688Please respect copyright.PENANAzWlkbniecD
but they usually stopped after going hungry for a day or two as they 688Please respect copyright.PENANAQ6FtRl6w9a
lost their rations. These four though didn't give up after losing, 688Please respect copyright.PENANAg1jBkq2AP6
because they knew that their chances of a feast were just around the 688Please respect copyright.PENANAQy0s3Gf5UA
corner. That fact created a sense of comradeship between the players. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAS7pAsSZ7aY
Even if they were playing against each other they understood the risks 688Please respect copyright.PENANAUyUIfrMhJo
and accepted them.688Please respect copyright.PENANAMlK41vJO49
"''Ello boys." David 688Please respect copyright.PENANA6mYJLq3udF
said sitting down at the table with Nook. There were nods all around the688Please respect copyright.PENANAb4tA1pGK8J
table and the cards were dealt. They were playing a card game called 688Please respect copyright.PENANAKG54Gl1jer
match 'n go. Most of the rebels had not heard of the game or at least 688Please respect copyright.PENANAwNdrQQJPMm
knew it under a different name but most of them caught on fast, it was 688Please respect copyright.PENANAWrf0psC8vp
often just played for fun. But the best games came from betting. As the 688Please respect copyright.PENANANwtBrGsT1A
risks went higher you tried to fool your opponent into thinking that you688Please respect copyright.PENANAuEnVCq1nuu
had the match or a higher card. David loved risk games like that, he 688Please respect copyright.PENANApW1WKosM78
loved reading the other player emotions and using it against them or at 688Please respect copyright.PENANAtYcNujZ0D5
least for his own benefit. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAs43ktCLD5x
Nook was the first to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAqKo16wmuPb
play. "I'm betting half of my rations on this. Gots a good deck, that I 688Please respect copyright.PENANAxckHqSIAu3
do." David could see the plastered smile on his face. At this point 688Please respect copyright.PENANAXWWcY5odsy
David could tell fake between real in a heartbeat. Nook was bluffing.688Please respect copyright.PENANAPxzzb0dI5Y
"Alright, I'll call that." David answered.688Please respect copyright.PENANABD4jzUAyMA
Tiruk, in answer, just 688Please respect copyright.PENANAdwHf16cSI2
shook his head and folded. He wasn't risking it. Stevenson with his 688Please respect copyright.PENANAdbeMVzviEq
gaped smile called it as well and cackled a bit.688Please respect copyright.PENANAQlXsFIPH9p
Next card revealed. A 3 688Please respect copyright.PENANAoMNrwDqOZK
for Davids two threes. He'd have to fold that game, too high chance of 688Please respect copyright.PENANAxDamjWkF7G
winning. So it went on and on, rations were won and lost. David won a 688Please respect copyright.PENANAtSy5R4DG6c
few games but then he bet everything and lost on purpose, made Stevie a 688Please respect copyright.PENANATCBV4SU7Ny
very happy, old, man.688Please respect copyright.PENANA8XRqf6xseD
Since David didn't have 688Please respect copyright.PENANAbVYrWKAHbv
anything to bet with anymore he made his excuses and left the table. He 688Please respect copyright.PENANAnTXQiHKFyo
took a look around for Gob and didn't see him anywhere so decided it 688Please respect copyright.PENANAVA58oiXD60
would be safe to take a walk.688Please respect copyright.PENANAhT9t8bUGEK
Another thing he took to688Please respect copyright.PENANAD8UiqtswHx
doing over the past two weeks was exploring, finding any secret spaces 688Please respect copyright.PENANAcQ8RI8cPwF
where he might hide. The rebels themselves only found one possible 688Please respect copyright.PENANAFIPuswMvuy
emergency exit while David found three. Of course the other two exits 688Please respect copyright.PENANApxOXlnalgz
only were wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. So it 688Please respect copyright.PENANA3XfuF4IwvB
could be that they just didn't consider them as such.688Please respect copyright.PENANAEq9tHUdrRi
He also found various 688Please respect copyright.PENANAxlkl8uRGjl
hiding spots, not only for him but for items he stole. Weapons, 688Please respect copyright.PENANAFaUK64O2AE
ammunition, food and the like. If only a small amount disappeared at a 688Please respect copyright.PENANAOFnKHWWzIY
time no one really noticed and attributed it to absentmindedness. Though688Please respect copyright.PENANAKzN0rKB6wo
David believed Gob was getting suspicious so he would need to start 688Please respect copyright.PENANAJCqsCfwzl8
being more careful.688Please respect copyright.PENANAL4V0xkYem4
The caves themselves 688Please respect copyright.PENANAOBcjs8ANeU
seemed to go through the whole isle, David didn't believe he explored 688Please respect copyright.PENANAgRZvTjnYjl
even half of it. Gob tried to send a few soldiers every day to explore 688Please respect copyright.PENANA0oClUOWDYa
further into the caves, but many were afraid of the dark, believing 688Please respect copyright.PENANA7Y4IlNTNNl
various beasts were residing in them. Refusing to go inside without Gob 688Please respect copyright.PENANANDTZvE4LRZ
and since Gob was usually busy either creating or being out on patrols 688Please respect copyright.PENANAXjgZRTsWR1
himself that limited their exploring time.688Please respect copyright.PENANACCCK5u3vMQ
That let David offer his688Please respect copyright.PENANAmxZJGR4aTk
services as an explorer. He would explore the further caves and would 688Please respect copyright.PENANAlG9kanGj8J
report on any worrying circumstances. Gob was reluctant to let him go 688Please respect copyright.PENANAhxiIK9M0tF
but was convinced by Francesca that it would be a grand idea as it would688Please respect copyright.PENANAF7LxLWEb3L
free more people for patrols and other duties.688Please respect copyright.PENANA8aze0q3aDX
This time though he had a688Please respect copyright.PENANAubLf6eCugx
destination in mind. A bit further into one of the pathways, about an 688Please respect copyright.PENANApiF7yCfkjC
hour from the main cavern, there was a small pathway where a thin person688Please respect copyright.PENANAR3IRwndLQY
could barely fit. Following that pathway, if you could survive the 688Please respect copyright.PENANAghG5dfXbU9
feeling of getting crushed by the walls, was a pool. David was surprised688Please respect copyright.PENANArdAZpAq7gp
when he found and astonished when he discovered the water was hot. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAstnVAGuGLy
That's where he was 688Please respect copyright.PENANAQyH6PTfYZD
going now; he needed a clear head for Francesca's meeting. No matter how688Please respect copyright.PENANAGrNIrEK5os
she acted she was a noble, they always sought the best deals for 688Please respect copyright.PENANAK5fbIl70u6
themselves, always trying to ledge a situation in their favour. David 688Please respect copyright.PENANAbdDltPjEbJ
would need to be on his toes. Or maybe he just wanted to actually relax 688Please respect copyright.PENANAdipwpw84oV
without anyone screaming or crying, he didn't decide which one sounded 688Please respect copyright.PENANAVRzdE5TcVd
better in his mind.688Please respect copyright.PENANAZR762jdFpe
Thus grabbing a torch as688Please respect copyright.PENANAtCEXzfnb1s
many of the pathways further down weren't lit, he began his, 688Please respect copyright.PENANAQFgtJCaCrO
uneventful, journey. Luckily he reached his destination in a timely 688Please respect copyright.PENANAzUWdgp14fv
manner, though he hated going through that cramped space. He gave a 688Please respect copyright.PENANAAa2iMdKVOs
satisfied sigh as he sat down in the pool, his muscles losing the 688Please respect copyright.PENANAHlGBFmontz
tension he gathered over the past few weeks, the water reached up to his688Please respect copyright.PENANA2psJYEmKLW
chest and he dunked his head under the water finally enjoying a proper 688Please respect copyright.PENANASqotXn2AiI
clean. He was careful to keep track of time but other than that he let 688Please respect copyright.PENANAXEimGu9DRM
his mind wander and just blanked out. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAk148riCoQJ
Before he even noticed, 688Please respect copyright.PENANAVK9R5nZsAa
to David's disappointment, it was time to leave. He was also saddened by688Please respect copyright.PENANAFjpwqb4Etd
the fact that the water ended up a bit darker after his bath, a way to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAuTyFA0c5vK
hit a guys confidence. With a sad sigh he put on his dirty and worn out 688Please respect copyright.PENANA2xuFGzw9wf
clothes and went back to the main cavern to the sound of activity and 688Please respect copyright.PENANA13zfwdEmfT
the smell of unwashed masses.688Please respect copyright.PENANA9YsKxFpV2Q
It did seem that David 688Please respect copyright.PENANAQGnfB7XJD7
came back just in time as people were gathered near the cooking pots to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAZEdVQD2vFO
gather their rations. David did the same and then found Stevie, sitting 688Please respect copyright.PENANAPyJnTgXfxP
with some other older rebels, and gave him his rations. Stevie nodded 688Please respect copyright.PENANAKKSw2XGvga
and had a sparkle in his eye. "Maybe nexsht time you can save me 688Please respect copyright.PENANAgun1uLDELn
teethsh." And he cackled at his joke. David managed a weak laugh that 688Please respect copyright.PENANAVT8nTbU0gl
seemed to satisfy Stevie.688Please respect copyright.PENANAr4xkX7mpaP
"Don't keep Francesca 688Please respect copyright.PENANA1HVy6yqOoV
waiting." Came a gruff voice from behind. David tried to hide his 688Please respect copyright.PENANA8BjWJn6RDn
annoyance at the fact that Gob managed to sneak up on him and scare him.688Please respect copyright.PENANAZSzRAoA1PM
Some people just had no sense of proper manners.688Please respect copyright.PENANAx1oXov8ANk
"Oh I wouldn't dare." 688Please respect copyright.PENANAijEfB3hloA
He gave a mock bow which seemed to infuriate Gob more. "I was just out 688Please respect copyright.PENANAUA0yZFZH38
exploring, nothing to report so far, sir Gob." Gob just grunted and 688Please respect copyright.PENANAX4rKeYINsO
walked away. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAHDjnFREoYg
David smiled and waved 688Please respect copyright.PENANAVfn2NGqRpz
after him, the guy really needed to unwind. With nothing else to do but 688Please respect copyright.PENANAuN7UFjEfOX
shrug at that thought David went towards Francesca's room. Even if 688Please respect copyright.PENANAj7I2tfJHj5
Francesca did pretend to be all for equality and the like she still had 688Please respect copyright.PENANAZj4l7JqWlI
her personal quarters, such as they were, as well as an actual bed, 688Please respect copyright.PENANAuu9XdKLAtq
table, chairs. They were shoddy work at best, crafted quickly by some of688Please respect copyright.PENANAzns30dahCG
the rebels, but they were more than anything any other rebel had. David688Please respect copyright.PENANAolVS4bfEJa
was impressed by how she had more and yet most still perceived her as 688Please respect copyright.PENANA9c0ASDjYPs
the paragon of virtue.688Please respect copyright.PENANA5mzerHGtz1
Her room, as per usual, 688Please respect copyright.PENANAIjBOs6JWch
was guarded. But the guard waved him on with a smile. David saw it as a 688Please respect copyright.PENANAjwmh4PWZxw
pointless precaution anyway, but what could you do. Francesca herself 688Please respect copyright.PENANA6AvN5kladu
was already seated, with a torch in the middle of the table, a pale 688Please respect copyright.PENANAn5QWkYqlgD
imitation of a candle. One thing the rebels had a lot of were torches, 688Please respect copyright.PENANAP6gQ0wSxjX
to light up all caverns and pathways. 688Please respect copyright.PENANAbC6jxvKQ3b
"Oh, David! Please sit" she gestured towards the second chair.688Please respect copyright.PENANAXwJ9fel5Dz
David sat down with a 688Please respect copyright.PENANAiWUj4WDMCE
nod and smile. They weren't eating anything extravagant, just what the 688Please respect copyright.PENANAZrqWHfTOcO
rest were. Dried meat, nuts, sometimes if they were lucky they could 688Please respect copyright.PENANAvXxfVN9MUu
even get rabbit or vegetable soup, but that more of a luxury nowadays. 688Please respect copyright.PENANA6cELZ9GEzE
This time it was some dried meat of unknown origin and some water found 688Please respect copyright.PENANAyXxtPIHsW4
in a stream. Delicious.688Please respect copyright.PENANAgXqZW7ZSpm
"So pleasantries first or business first?"688Please respect copyright.PENANAWhRmpSmxGF
"I found that going straight to business can ruin a healthy appetite."688Please respect copyright.PENANAJFECinPxLX
Francesca nodded and 688Please respect copyright.PENANAjiOimKJIuJ
began to cut her meat with her wooden utensils. While David had similar 688Please respect copyright.PENANA30Vk5duReJ
equipment he didn't really find much use of them and found it better to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAKcZPqXeSI8
eat with his own hands. Made it faster and when you're under cannon fire688Please respect copyright.PENANAdhKQQd6mQt
fast eating was paramount.688Please respect copyright.PENANAYtS8YmDPel
As expected David 688Please respect copyright.PENANABSjXiYBKTx
finished his portion first and ended up waiting for Francesca to finish 688Please respect copyright.PENANArOvkOXx5S3
hers, which took another 5 or 10 minutes. The girl was certainly a 688Please respect copyright.PENANAORvztT7iC5
deliberate eater.688Please respect copyright.PENANARmW1QJx3yl
"So on to business." She688Please respect copyright.PENANAWU1VwxqmNu
paused making sure David was ready, once he nodded she continued. "Tell688Please respect copyright.PENANApL5gr3ocEv
me, do you know who actually hired your services?"688Please respect copyright.PENANA8VTuIXCTHA
"No idea, captain was usually tight lipped about our clients. I just always assumed it was one of you guys."688Please respect copyright.PENANAWRUkQyDzpb
"In a way. It's someone 688Please respect copyright.PENANAAvWGgFPfeN
who's...interested in our cause. One of Gob's friends. He is able to get688Please respect copyright.PENANAlyw8L1p74U
in and out of the isles without arousing too much suspicion."688Please respect copyright.PENANARGow3Wl3ad
"Can't imagine you can tell me who it is?"688Please respect copyright.PENANAxs9ZyDdjPZ
"It's not for me to tell sadly, Gob was adamant that it's best kept as secret." Francesca smiled apologetically "apologies"688Please respect copyright.PENANAgnyny1xDER
David waved his hand in a playful manner. "No worries, I'm surprised you're telling me any of this in the first place."688Please respect copyright.PENANAyAiUCGfkCn
"Well, there is a 688Please respect copyright.PENANAT3QXOQnUcE
reason. Since the weapons we got previously are in the Empire's hands 688Please respect copyright.PENANAgg8pmAmdsp
and we can't fight them for it." Putting it lightly the rebels never 688Please respect copyright.PENANAk9J68UTK0v
really fought the empire in a straight on fight. Mostly raids and 688Please respect copyright.PENANAepwGhtLbmP
recruiting villagers with their possessions. Easy pickings. "Gob got in 688Please respect copyright.PENANAnzypovzvUi
touch with his friend again and luckily we managed to set up a meeting 688Please respect copyright.PENANA1hwlslnTVI
in a few days the edge of a different isle.688Please respect copyright.PENANAfeTKOhGn33
"We will also be moving 688Please respect copyright.PENANAMnSopEAXOV
our base" she continued, sadly. "I can't keep us here with the danger 688Please respect copyright.PENANAWn8Vr7ygHb
increasing, so we will move slowly, to an isle we were based in before 688Please respect copyright.PENANABcORTp2B87
so some will know where to go."688Please respect copyright.PENANAdwFTfsBJ2N
"That's good, why did 688Please respect copyright.PENANA8cvYTOROUd
you want to keep us here for this long anyway?" While he was annoyed at 688Please respect copyright.PENANAjIDjdiaLw3
hearing that question every time he went on patrols, he couldn't deny he688Please respect copyright.PENANAoiUfpDXeHY
was interested in the answer.688Please respect copyright.PENANAv1afH14DGo
"It...It has to do with one of The Five. I can't reveal more in fear that it might interfere with your objective. "688Please respect copyright.PENANAxdLNwKr7Jl
David nodded, not a full688Please respect copyright.PENANAX4nWUvHtvu
answer he wanted but to push might create a rift between them. Religion688Please respect copyright.PENANA4Awkns4uyP
was pretty important to Francesca "Don't worry; you don't have to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAOWty4ISbTm
reveal anything you don't want want to." He said in a soothing tone688Please respect copyright.PENANAIS7925L8z1
"Thank you." She said 688Please respect copyright.PENANALtl63b5RwF
gratefully. "Where was I? Oh, yes. We'll have groups with specified 688Please respect copyright.PENANAgONLzToYIn
leaders going back to that previous isle, they'll lead them and we'll 688Please respect copyright.PENANAtdWO6cGoqw
regroup at a specified point."688Please respect copyright.PENANAm6MM7irlNR
"How will you get 688Please respect copyright.PENANAEMIWtwXXKE
everyone over to the next isle?" Isles were divided by cracks, and while688Please respect copyright.PENANAjjICOC0mly
some you could jump over, others were so wide you could fit a full 688Please respect copyright.PENANAG7oAMMadwf
city.688Please respect copyright.PENANAcwfRPGOub1
"We have small sky 688Please respect copyright.PENANAUXcKGtt0lI
boats. Some of the groups will use it...Others...Others will need to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAxz2UZJ5KCm
find their own way" she said in bitter tones. "I don't like that, we're 688Please respect copyright.PENANA4bo8YHWRmZ
abandoning my people. But Gob said it's too dangerous traveling in a big688Please respect copyright.PENANAiZNnBjXrEH
group."688Please respect copyright.PENANAXFUcH1r26n
"You're a good leader on your own. You should trust your own instincts." Ah finally! An opportunity to create that rift688Please respect copyright.PENANA5JU7oRhZva
She gave him a sad smile688Please respect copyright.PENANANmzgTfKz1y
in response. "Thank you, but I do not a good head for tactics or 688Please respect copyright.PENANAqb0n6adyKC
military matters. I've had some education on it, but Gob is much better 688Please respect copyright.PENANAwg6BuuIKjU
at it." David still wasn't sure just what Gob did before the rebellion. 688Please respect copyright.PENANACtNTvvjh03
Francesca stated that the past did not matter and as long as they were 688Please respect copyright.PENANAGVCYEYknfe
willing to fight for the rebellions ideals they would be allowed to keep688Please respect copyright.PENANANMurhOxNom
their past in the past.688Please respect copyright.PENANALEYHeQxypP
"Now then, back to 688Please respect copyright.PENANA7I20iaQz3M
business." She said more cheerily. "Myself and Gob will be meeting that 688Please respect copyright.PENANAofaZPgEU9y
person in a few days. We will have guards but I'd also like for you to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAVvw1Otgmdz
come. You're well-traveled and met many people; your advice would be 688Please respect copyright.PENANAeRjZN0ijUI
valuable, especially since we'll only be bartering for them."688Please respect copyright.PENANAm536U1CmqV
"You'll have it. I'm 688Please respect copyright.PENANAR69SXWv45o
more than happy to join you." While he wasn't looking forward to 688Please respect copyright.PENANAF87cTJf28c
sleeping with all the insects again, it might help his back to not sleep688Please respect copyright.PENANAaTIEYAuI8T
on a rock hard surface.688Please respect copyright.PENANACeQmvGNLKH
"Perfect! I'll let Gob know and convince him as well." She laughed sheepishly. "I didn't really confirm this with him you see."688Please respect copyright.PENANAHSWGgjOUvy
"Oh, the guy loves me. It'll be easy." Francesca smiled at that, she knew just how much Gob hated David.688Please respect copyright.PENANAqe4qtyPEnX
A lull in the conversation and then a question David was dreading "Did you have any more visions? From the one who chose you?"688Please respect copyright.PENANAttwbHZwbo0
"Sadly no, I'm as 688Please respect copyright.PENANAJA1WS5h9nY
clueless as when I was born." This wasn't exactly true. He knew he had 688Please respect copyright.PENANAP1v8n9FjCn
to find something, and suspected Francesca was after it as well he 688Please respect copyright.PENANAqEgZE4Wd5j
suspected it was on this isle. Francesca seemed to know more, but she 688Please respect copyright.PENANArwXKT4mjxu
wasn't willing to reveal it. She might hide it under lofty ideals, but 688Please respect copyright.PENANADbA9NPaGya
she was concealing the truth from both David and the rebels.688Please respect copyright.PENANAiRtIcwJdRa
"Do not worry, I am 688Please respect copyright.PENANAexBVLK28VZ
su..." before she could continue their whole world rocked. As explosions688Please respect copyright.PENANAjc63Ow1Tlh
rang from outside and rubble started falling all around them., hitting 688Please respect copyright.PENANAosh0uTBDNL
the table and dislodging the torch, casting ominous shadows on the walls688Please respect copyright.PENANALRBDFS3VhP
"Wha..." before David could finish his thought a very worried Gob barged in. 688Please respect copyright.PENANA95x6IwiAHZ
"We're under attack, they found us."
688Please respect copyright.PENANA24IJqBvbxG
688Please respect copyright.PENANA4pLOCPk0UY