Chapter 20 – From the Ashes
The scent of charred wood still lingered in the airas a small skiff gently approached the northern shores of Rhodes.The muted murmurs of the waves sounded like mourning left over from the night.
Inside the skiff, one figure was hunched forward —Balibey.Torn across the shoulders, exhaustion clouded his eyes,yet his posture remained upright, resolute.
Beside him, dragging his right leg slightly but walking with unwavering determination,was another silhouette:Cafer.The wound left by the wooden shard in his leg was still fresh,but his steps did not falter.
The skiff scraped against the shore, the wood groaning against the sand,and both men leapt ashore in a single, fluid movement.
Balibey swiftly scanned the surroundings:a small fishing village, barely waking from the night.The sun was just beginning to rise;the sea shimmered softly under the first light.
Cafer slowed his steps, a visible worry creeping into his voice:"Do you think… our Sultan and Kasım are alive?We searched the waters but found no trace..."
Balibey walked in silence for a few paces.The wind swept through his hair.Then, with a rare certainty etched on his face, he said simply:"They are alive."
Cafer looked at him, searching for assurance.Balibey continued:"We didn't find their bodies, did we?Then they are alive."
Cafer slowed further, pressing:"Where would they be?"
Balibey tilted his head slightly:"Kritinia.While planning the journey, I had mentioned where we would stay to Kasım here
The Black Swan Inn."
He paused, his eyes locking onto the misty horizon:"They'll be there.And so will we."
Cafer narrowed his gaze.The sky was brightening, but the weight of darkness still lingered in their hearts.Their journey had begun anew.
Balibey's words brought a flicker of relief to Cafer's battered spirit,but an unease still stirred within him.The sky was growing lighter;the masts of fishing boats bobbed gently in the soft morning breeze.A few fishermen were already hauling in their nets.The mist hanging over the harbor made everything look like a memory from a dream.
Balibey pointed toward a path leading inland:"The journey isn't long.But we must move swiftly.The shadows… have started to shift."
Cafer forced his injured leg to move,determination setting his eyes ablaze once more."If the bearer of the sword lives,the darkness is doomed to lose."
Balibey smiled faintly."And we are sworn to stand in the shadow of that light."
Leaving the docks behind, they climbed upward into the heart of the village.Ahead stretched an old stone road, winding into the inner lands of Rhodes.At their sides were the bleats of goats, the distant toll of bells,and the warm scent of baking bread drifting from the narrow stone houses.
But the peace of the countryside did not touch their eyes or their stride.They moved silently, alert, determined.
At one point, Cafer lagged.The pain in his leg grew sharper, but he said nothing.
Balibey turned, meeting his gaze.He did not ask, "Shall we slow down?"He did not ask, "Can you endure?"Their eyes spoke the language of warriors —an unspoken pact.
Cafer lowered his head slightly and pressed forward.
They walked another hour.Finally, the dirt road led them through an arched stone gateway.Beyond it opened a wide square, and towering above —the massive stone walls of a fortress.
The marks of time, war, and victory were carved into its stones:Kritinia Castle.
The road branched into a path winding down toward the town's inns and shops.
Balibey halted.He placed his right hand on his chest and narrowed his eyes:"We've arrived."
Cafer pointed toward a large building casting its shadow beneath the castle."The Black Swan Inn..."
The wooden sign swayed gently in the breeze,bearing the humble silhouette of a black swan.But iron bars reinforced the windows,and two heavy locks secured the thick wooden door —a modest but guarded place.
It was closed,yet something stirred behind its walls.A presence, a breath.
The wind suddenly howled through the square.The shadows that clung between the stones recoiled in silence.
Without a word, the two men advanced toward the door,their steps slow but relentless.