As the sun set behind heavy clouds, the Black Beach sank into thick darkness. There was no moon, only a fog that grew thicker as the night wore on. The crew of the White Ship sat around a small fire they had lit among the rocks, trying to ward off the cold and damp.
"This place is suffocating me," Darius said, staring into the fire. "It's as if the air itself doesn't want us to breathe."
"You're more afraid of the shadow than the sword," Callias replied, sharpening his dagger.
"A shadow can hide a sword, Callias."
Romulus approached Linus and said in a low voice, "Are we going to stay here long?"
"Yes," Linus replied, watching the fog. "The island won't reveal its secrets in one night. We must be patient."
"But the men are nervous. Some say they hear voices."
"Voices?"
"Whispers…as if coming from the trees."
"I heard it too," said Nikos, the old sailor, raising his head. "Not wind, but footsteps."
Darius laughed sarcastically. "Footsteps? On a deserted island?"
Nikos replied seriously. "Deserted doesn't mean empty. There's a difference."
"Enough," said Linus, getting up. "We won't let fear take over. We'll divide the men into groups. One group stays by the fire, and one group explores the camp's surroundings."
"And I'll go with you on the exploration," said Callias.
"Me too," said Darius. "I don't want to leave you alone in this darkness."
The group moved through the blackened trees. The branches were twisted, like arms trying to grab them.
"Look… footprints," whispered Callias.
Linus bent down to examine them.
"Human… but ancient. Perhaps from days ago."
Darius said, "Then we weren't the first to set foot on this land." Linus replied, "Nor the last to leave."
Suddenly, they heard a distant sound, like a muffled scream.
"Did you hear that?" said Callias, raising his dagger.
"Yes. From the direction of the rocks."
"Let's approach with caution," said Linus.
At the edge of a cliff, they found the remains of an old encampment: an extinguished fire, broken pots, and a tattered banner bearing a strange motto.
"This is not Trunks's… nor Lucini's," said Callias, raising the banner.
"Then a third force was here," replied Linus.
"Or it is still here."
They returned to the main camp on the shore, where the men were gathered around a fire.
Romulus asked, "Did you find anything?"
Linus replied, "We found ruins... and an ancient camp. The island is not empty."
Nikos shook his head, "I told you... the island takes whoever enters it."
Darius said angrily, "Stop saying those words! We are not children."
Linus replied firmly, "Enough. We will not allow fear to separate us. We will stay here tonight, and tomorrow we will go deeper."
When everyone had calmed down, Linus sat by the fire, writing in his notebook:
"Every step on this island reveals a secret... but it sows greater fear. Men are tense, and the darkness grows heavier. But I sense that this island hides something greater than mere ruins."
Romulus approached him and said, "Linus... Do you feel that the island is testing us?"
"Yes," Linus replied, staring into the fire. "It's as if to say: 'He who is impatient… will never know.'"