Chapter 553: The Caesar Has Come
The Venetians stormed the island later that night.
Those survivors who did not follow Abraham’s lead are of course, captured by the Venetians with ease, in fact they did not even resist when the Venetians came towards them. Although they still have weapons tied to their belts, but those metals became like nothing more than twigs when its master has lost the confidence and spirit to wield it again.
Abraham and the rest fifty plus survivors on the high ground greeted the Venetians with rocks and timbers when they came after them, shining their blade in the darkness reflecting the moonlight, indicating to the Venetians that they would not be easily dealt with as compared to those people stranded on the shore.
The Venetians retreated back to their ships, not because of the show of force by Abraham and his survivors, but because their commander, a petty nobleman who came from a merchant’s family in Trieste, ordered his men to retreat. Too many Venetians have already spilt their blood and bones in the sea because of this damned war, way too many for the Venetian senate to handle, every single further jump in the death toll makes it harder for the Serene Doge to explain to the Venetian people.
Actually, considering the death of thousands of men, inclusive of merchants, nobles, craftsmen, and all the others that form the core of the Venetian population and economic growth, there are destined to be a political and civil turmoil in the main island after this.
It might even directly cause the current Serene Doge and his government to be overthrown.
The night soon passed, and now Abraham and his group of men had to face another serious question: There are no food on this island.
By all means, they can use their usual sailor’s knowledge and methods to acquire fresh water, but there is simply no food available, they might pluck out some grass to throw into their mouth, but in just three days’ even all the grass has been eaten up. They can try to hunt for some fish with rocks risking the possible Venetian bolts coming at them, but soon nature proved them that trying to catch fish in the Mediterranean winters can be harder than it seems even though it is relatively warm and considering the winter wind it might not seem that wise too. Soon men began to fall ill due to cold, which is one of the deadliest illnesses in the entire course of human history.
Of course, the Venetians are not that humane to provide the stranded enemies with medications, so the few dudes who caught the cold from their last fishing trip died soon in the arms of their pals.
It has already been five days since Abraham and his men have been stranded on this island, with no more food supply, little amount of water, and definitely no medication. For some reason even sea gulls do not land that frequently on this island due to the lack of food, but somehow flies are attracted here to the rotting flesh and infected burnt wounds on the survivors, harassing them in every single second until their victims run out of energy to chase them away, then start having a feast right under the eyes of the victim.
Not everyone can endure this kind of torture, and these sailors decided to take their easy way out. Their pals carried the wounded friends all the way to the beach on their back, then threw them into the ocean.
A sailor got to return to the seas where he grew up.
A tiny mass was held for these men, held by Abraham himself.
The Venetians did not interrupt, perhaps they have already neglected the existence of these poor souls. For a moment Abraham and his men almost felt that they are nothing but a bunch of wild creatures in these people’s eyes, left here to be observed upon everyday by curious eyes wandering when they will die or submit from starvation. In fact, even Abraham has shaken his mind too, thinking that since there won’t be any more reinforcement coming for them, why can’t they just surrender and get out of this island.
Later that night, after that mass, Abraham lied lifelessly on the rocky beach staring towards the now blockaded city of Vlore. They are so near to a loyal city that belongs to the Romans, but yet separated by a channel of the Mediterranean. The city did send a few boats for their rescue two days ago, but never again after these boats are rammed into the water and the people on the ships being taken as captives.
One might ask what about the Roman navy?
Well, they are the Roman navy, all thirty plus of them here, that is all what the Roman navy have for now.
Abraham looked into the dodgy eyes of his pals; he knows that these men are thinking the exact same thing as him.
"If no reinforcement arrives by the end of tomorrow, then we shall surrender, together." Abraham paused for a moment. "This is an order; all responsibility is on me."
No one replied.
These men tried their best to fall asleep in preparation for the next day, but that too proved to be a mission impossible, as their stomachs twisted violently while the acidic fluid inside starts to digest the inner organ causing an immense amount of pain. But the only thing they can do is to dig up some dirt and stuff it into their mouth, telling themselves repeatedly that it is food.
It seems like tonight shall just become another night without dreams.
The next morning.
Abraham did not sleep at all, staring onto the only bit of light coming from the direction of Avlonya.
The Venetians too apparently got bored of the long wait, as they have lost their interest in these dying people, some of them even started fishing while staying still on the water.
"We surrender tonight." Abraham whined lifelessly.
The sun slowly rose up behind the city of Avlonya, casting the light of a new day onto the already frail faces of the men onto the beach. Light is supposed to bring hope to people, but in the eyes of Abraham now, it just seems like they are getting baked to death by the sun while they are unable to do anything, not even move to a place with shades.
A member of them, Alexei, who is a sailor from the Scandinavians, suddenly raised his head and pointed towards a direction, shouting out with all of his strength. "Look!"
"What is it, Alexei... Are you hallucinating again?" The others mumbled impatiently towards Alexei’s direction, It is not the first time that this guy has saw something already, previously he claimed to have seen things like whales, but immediately got laughed at as there are definitely no whales in the Mediterranean. Then he claimed to have seen ships coming towards them which got everyone spurred up in excitedness, but soon people realised that it is nothing but two boulders near the beach that showed themselves because of the tidal ebb. No one knows whether he did this intentional or its simply because he is way too famished.
But it does not seem that simple this time round, as Alexei, who have not eaten anything except for dirt in the last three days, suddenly sprung up from the ground and jumped into the sea!
"What are you doing Alexei!" Abraham cried out. "You are gonna die like..."
Only now did Abraham and the rest truly saw what Alexei was talking about just now.
There is a flag up there on the shores opposite to Abraham less than half a mile away erected on the beach. A flag that Abraham is so familiar with that he would never forget in his life, the white flag of the red lion and the Roman laurel wreath. "The Caesar has come to save us!" Abraham cried out, shivering in joy. "Wake up! The Caesar has come for our rescue!".
The rest of the men too bolted up from the sandy beach and stared towards the distance Abraham is pointing, some too leapt in joy, some just froze there with their jaws dropped to the ground, while some has already leapt into the cold seas swimming towards the flag, totally forgetting the fact that they have not ate anything for the past three days except for dirt.
Abraham too followed the trails of Alexei, leapt into the sea, and began swimming towards the opposite side of the channel. It is obvious that if they can see the flag, the Venetians can see it as well, and in a very short period of time the tight Venetian patrols will be back again tightening the blockade, preventing any form of contact between the survivors and the rescuers.
What lies in the other side of the seas, is something called hope and freedom.
