At dawn, the sea was calm, and the sky was clear. It seemed as if the long night they had spent proclaiming the New Covenant had opened a new chapter for them. But the sea, as always, grants its calm only to test those who sail it.
Old Nikos stood on the prow of the ship, staring at the northern horizon. The air was unusually cold, and the sky was beginning to take on a dull gray. He said in a low voice, "This is no ordinary cloud... It's the North Wind."
Linus leaned closer and said firmly, "What is it?"
Nikos replied, "It's an icy wind. It blows suddenly, freezing sails and breaking bones. Few survive."
There was a brief silence, then Linus said, "We made a promise last night. We won't let any wind break it."
The wind gradually began to blow, first as a cool breeze, then as a sharp, ear-piercing whistle. The ship shuddered, and the sails began to sway violently.
Callias shouted, "Tighten the ropes! Secure the sails before they tear!"
The men moved quickly, but the cold was brutal. Their fingers were almost frozen, and the sweat on their foreheads turned to cold drops.
"It's as if the wind itself wants to tear us from the sea!" Darius said, trying to secure one of the ropes.
"The wind wants nothing... We are the ones who must hold it against it," Romulus replied, helping him.
The wind grew stronger, until it felt like a wall of ice battering the ship. The waves began to rise, but strangely, the water wasn't as rough as usual, but rather cold and heavy, as if it carried icicles.
"The sails are freezing!" one of the sailors shouted.
And indeed, a thin layer of ice began to form on the ends of the sails, making them heavy and difficult to move.
Linus quickly ordered:
"Light the fires in the metal vessels! Place them near the ropes to melt the ice!"
The men moved quickly, lighting small fires in the iron vessels and raising them near the sails and ropes. The scene was eerie: a blazing fire amidst an icy wind, men fighting the cold as if they were the enemy.
But the wind didn't let up. It battered the ship so hard that the mast nearly snapped.
Romulus shouted:
"We must heave the ship with the wind, not against it! Otherwise, we'll capsize!"
Linus nodded and gave the orders:
"Callias! Darius! Steer the oars with the wind! Nikos, hold the rudder steady!"
The men pushed with all their might, and the ship began to heave with the wind rather than against it. It was dangerous, but it was the only way to survive.
After hours of struggle, the wind gradually began to subside. It hadn't disappeared completely, but it wasn't as strong. The ice began to melt, and the men collapsed on the deck from exhaustion.
Callias sat up, panting:
"I thought the wind would break my bones."
Darius laughed despite his exhaustion:
"I almost turned into a statue of ice!"
Linus stood on the prow, watching the horizon, and said in a deep voice:
"The winds have tested us, as have the storms and the pirates. But we have held on. That is what the New Covenant means… to stand together against whatever the sea throws at us."
Romulus leaned closer and said with a small smile:
"Tonight we proved that your words were not just slogans. The crew fought with you, not behind you."
Linus nodded, his eyes shining with determination:
"And that is what will get us to Athens… no matter how long the road."