The night was unusually quiet. The sea was still, and the stars shone with rare clarity. The crew sat on the deck of the white ship, some singing, others mending ropes. It seemed as if the sea had decided to give them a short respite after all they had been through.
But Linus wasn't reassured. He watched the horizon with vigilant eyes. He said to Romulus, "This quiet... I don't like it. The sea only falls silent to hide something."
Minutes passed before they glimpsed something strange on the horizon: a huge black ship, moving silently, as if gliding over the water. There was no sound of oars, no creaking of wood, just a black shadow slowly approaching.
"What is this?" Darius swallowed. "A ship without a sound?"
Old Nikos answered with a trembling voice. "It's... the Ship of Shadows. I've heard of it in sailor's tales. No one knows who pilots it, nor how it moves. They say it only appears to test the commanders."
The ship drew closer, until it was within sight. On its prow stood a tall man, wearing a black cloak, his face half-covered by a metal mask, his eyes shining a strange silver.
He raised his voice, his voice deep as if it came from the depths of the sea:
"I am Nero, captain of the Shadow Ship. I have come not to rob you, but to test you."
A heavy silence fell.
"A test? We are not students in the school of the sea. We are men fighting to reach Athens."
Nero smiled coldly:
"All who aspire to the throne must be tested. The sea grants glory only to those who deserve it."
*
Suddenly, the Shadow Ship released its grapples, but these were not ordinary iron, but black ropes as if made of congealed smoke. They attached themselves to Linus's ship, and Nero's men—fighters in dark armor—began to leap onto the deck.
A fierce battle erupted. Callias, with his axe, parries two attacks simultaneously. Darius swiftly fires his arrows. Romulus fights with calm expertise. But these men were different: their movements silent, their faces expressionless, like ghosts.
"They don't scream… they don't suffer!" gasped Callias. "They are trained to be shadows, not human beings," replied Romulus.
*
As for Linus, he faced Nero himself. The mysterious leader stood before him, his long sword gleaming in the moonlight.
"Show me if you deserve to be called leader," said Nero.
A fight broke out between them. Swift blows, precise movements, sparks flying with each impact. Nero was a skilled fighter, attacking not violently, but with deadly coolness, as if he were truly testing Linus.
Linus said, parrying a powerful blow:
"Why are you testing me? Who sent you?"
Nero replied coldly:
"No one sent me. I test those who dare to brave the sea. If you survive, you will know that your journey has not yet begun."
*
At a crucial moment, Linus managed to push Nero back with a powerful blow, sending his sword crashing to the deck. But Nero didn't get angry. Instead, he smiled behind his mask and said:
"Good… you have enough to stand. But do you have enough to lead?"
Then he gave a short whistle, and his men suddenly recoiled, leaping back to their ship like vanishing smoke.
The Shadow Ship slowly moved away, as silently as it had arrived.
Darius shouted:
"They have escaped!"
But Romulus said solemnly:
"They have not escaped… they have finished their test."
*
Linus stood on the prow of the ship, watching the shadow move away, and said in a deep voice:
"Nero… I don't know who you are, nor why you chose me. But I will reach Athens, whether you bless me or curse me."
Nikos approached and said:
"Remember, Linus… the sea doesn't send tests in vain. The appearance of the Shadow Ship means that your journey is no longer just a journey, but destiny."
*
That night, the crew sat around the small fire on the deck. They were exhausted, but their eyes were filled with questions.
"Will we see him again?" said Callias.
"Yes," Linus replied, staring into the distance. "And then it won't be just a test. It will be a real battle."