The Ancient Witnesses

52 • The Ancient Witnesses: A Journey to Discover Our Sacred Roots

should return to look for him, there was a noise at the far end of the room. Then a door opened, and a man entered the hall and walked quickly toward us. As he emerged from the shadows I recognized him as my rescuer! “I expected five of you,” he said, “where is the other man?” This was confusing since the man who had rescued me spoke in a way I did not understand. The four of us looked at one another, with no idea who the lost man might be. “You told him about us?” asked Cesar. “No,” I said, “there was no time.” “How did you know Ari was not alone?” he asked the man. “Ari?” said the man, “so, you are Ariel?” “Dang,” said Preacher, “he knows your name.” Just to make sure, I asked the man if he was the one who had rescued me, which he confirmed with a broad smile. Then I asked about what had happened after I fell asleep. He explained that he had been expecting the arrival of five men in a boat from a place he called Kios . Having found me in the lake, he feared our boat had sunk and the others were drowned. While I slept, he waded into lake again to look for them, and when he returned I had gone. “But we are not from Kios,” I said. “I know,” he said, “you are from beyond Kios.” I agreed, not sure what else to say. 13 13 Kios is an ancient port city on the coast of the Sea of Marmara, whose modern name is Gemlik. Ancient travelers to Nicaea might indeed arrive at the Port of Kios, travel overland to the western shore of Lake Izkin and then take a boat across to Nicaea.