Haimon was second to the last of Kirke's sons, while also the first raised without a father as her husband, a fisher, died at sea prior to his birth. Once achieving the ripe age Haimon took to his maiden voyage among a crew including an elder brother. Two significant events in Haimon's life occurred amidst this expedition, whose desination was the desert coasts of southern lands. His brother was slain when dark-skinned citizens of one settlement they assualted fought off their advance. The other was the companionship he forged with another of the voyage's youths. Thought slightly younger, Damon was previously experienced as a mariner and a combatant, skilled gained from the relationship he held to the excursion's captain. After three months spent prowling the southern coastlines Haimon returned to Gavdos with Damon at his side. During this absence his younger brother had succumbed to disease in mid-childhood.

As Damon rounded the hillside and came into full view of the harbor he was taken aback by the scene laid out before him. In addition to his own command and the two large vessels he had witnessed approaching the docks, four other raider vessels congested the small harbor. Were this sight not shock enough, as Damon neared the minute village he was dazed by the swelled population. Nine families, as well as those alike Damon's who resided in the nearby hills, gathered to form this hamlet, secluded on the northwest tip of Gavdos. This was the smallest of the island's five such communes, and piracy here was reduced exclusively to Damon and his crew.

Yet Damon estimated near two hundred bodies had come upon the village, their numbers spread between the docks, the dwelling nearest to the harbor, and the tavern, called fondly by all "Xinka's". Reaching the tavern first, Damon was received warmly and noted familiar faces from the other communities. A neighbor came forward to urge Damon toward the harbor-side dwelling, that of Xinka, the tavern mistress, and her husband Timon, a fisher. Their homestead was the community's largest and lushest, agknowledgement of their family's status as the original settlers and frequent leaders, a role presently shared between Timon, old Laerters, his marital father, and Kirke. Damon was again received warmly at the dwelling, encountering more neighbors and persons who dwelt elsewhere upon Gavdos. Of more interest to Damon, however, was the presence of four marauding captains like Damon himself. Though cooperative with one another, rarely had the marauders reason to gather, especially at such an obscure corner of Gavdos.

Timon appeared before Damon, the former had likely overheard shouts of greeting for the latter and come to retrieve him. Welcoming Damon to his home, he hurriedly parted the crowds so they might reach an isolated room, which they entered. Inside was a dim room with the sole distinguishing feature being a table on which a body was extended. The air stung Damon's nose once inside, someone had supposed burned sap might compensate for the smell emitting from the body, but the overall effect served to further displease. Timon moved aside so that Damon might approach the table freely, which he did.

The person extend across the table's surface shared Haimon's height, yet that was the extent of the similarities. The face was obscured beneath swelling of both cheeks, and the skin was a mess of blue, violet, and yellow bruising. A portion of hair and skin was removed from the skull as the result of a rotten gash running across the left side, likely provided by a long, blunt object. Moving downward, an abrasive red discoloration covered the throat while cuts and bruises spotted his arms and chest. An infected incision, unmistakably that of a blade, had been made into his right abdominals. Sporadic cuts continued down his legs, though the absence of skin on the knees made for a particularly heinous sight. One more wound caught Damon's attention, a large welt in the right thigh covered by yellow skin.

Injuries were familiar to Damon, and he perceived that those of Haimon were stale, excepting the abuse on the neck. Pleasantly he noted the body had been cleansed and fresh linen had been wrapped tenderly about Haimon's pelvis. Later Damon would wonder at his impassivity while viewing Haimon. Never had he seen the living suffer such torture, and perhaps this thought barred Damon from recognizing this deceivingly lifeless form was, in fact, breathing.

Timon interrupted Damon after a short period, announcing that they were to dress the wounds. At this time Damon became aware of others residing in the room as approached Haimon.

"Those outside can give you his account to this point," urged Timon, attempting to clear Damon who was not needed for tending to Haimon. Damon passively submitted and removed himself from the ersatz infirmary.