When Hamza and Basil reached Chief Kyle's hut, they found him spreading an ancient map across the wooden table, studying it carefully.
The map was drawn on an aged animal hide, its edges faded by the passage of time, yet it still preserved the precision of its details.
The chief paused for a moment, then looked at them and said,
"This map was drawn more than a hundred years ago by one of the travelers who visited the island long ago… It carries old details, but it is still the most accurate of everything we have."
Hamza and Basil stepped closer, their eyes examining the map attentively.
The island was drawn in great detail, showing towering mountains, dense forests, and a long coastline surrounding it on three sides.
On the eastern side appeared an inhabited land, separated from the island by a long river, marked with symbols indicating the presence of a tribe living there.
Kyle placed his finger on the map and began explaining his plan to prepare for the coming war:
"If the fleet is coming as you told me, we must move quickly… There are strategic locations that must be secured before it is too late."
Then he pointed to several spots on the map and said:
"Here, at the northern entrance of the island, we will build watchtowers so we can see the approaching ships from afar.
As for this location on the high hill, it is the ideal place to station the archers so they can repel any attack before the enemy reaches us.
And at the edge of the forest, we will set up defensive barricades to prevent the enemies from advancing toward the village."
While Kyle was speaking, Hamza noticed something strange at the end of the river's course on the map — a mysterious mark indicating a place of importance.
He looked at the chief and asked curiously,
"And what is there?"
Kyle paused for a moment, then said in a low voice,
"That mark… indicates an ancient site, a place that no one has been able to reach easily."
Basil raised an eyebrow with interest and said,
"What do you mean by that?"
Kyle looked at the map again, then pointed to the area where the river meets the mountains and said,
"Behind these towering mountains, where the river ends, there is a hidden passage. It is said to be the only path that leads beyond the mountains."
Basil's eyes widened slightly in astonishment and he said,
"And what lies beyond the mountains?"
Kyle looked at them before saying,
"It is said that an ancient kingdom once flourished in that land — a great kingdom with an advanced civilization, said to have ruled a large part of this region before its traces disappeared."
Hamza looked at him intently and said,
"And what happened to it?"
Kyle nodded slightly before answering,
"It is said that it did not fall because of war, but because of something else — something no one was able to explain.
It is said that an unnatural catastrophe befell it, and that its people vanished suddenly without leaving a trace.
No one lives there anymore, not merely because it is abandoned, but because reaching it is almost impossible."
Hamza and Basil exchanged glances, a hidden certainty forming in their eyes.
Then Hamza said in a low voice filled with excitement,
"So… this island is what we were looking for."
Kyle looked at him in surprise and said,
"You are searching for this island? Why?"
Basil ran his hand over the map and said,
"We were looking for an island said to conceal an ancient secret… and this mark, this passage — everything matches what we were searching for."
Kyle looked at them with suspicion and said,
"If that is your goal, then you must be prepared… the path there is not easy, and everyone who tried to enter it never returned."
Hamza frowned and asked,
"Why is it so difficult to reach?"
Kyle pointed to the route leading there and said,
"Some tried to reach it through the hidden passage that follows the course of the river, but none of them returned…
It is said that there is a cave at its end, guarded by a mysterious force, and that whoever enters it never comes back."
A tense silence settled before he said,
"It is said that a terrifying beast dwells in the depths of the cave, and its voice can be heard echoing from within."
Basil looked at Hamza, then said in a voice carrying inner tension,
"If this passage is the only way beyond the mountains… then there must be others seeking to reach it as well."
Hamza stared intently at the map, then said,
"That explains everything… what lies beyond the mountains may be the real reason behind the fleet's arrival."
Kyle nodded slowly and said,
"If they know about the kingdom, that makes the matter even more dangerous."
Hamza looked at the map once more, focusing on its details, realizing that this island holds secrets yet to be revealed — and that time was running out.