The protagonist, Captain Michalis, a fierce and indomitable warrior, has sworn to be black-clad, unshaven and unsmiling until Crete is liberated.

His wound heals, but the damage is irreversible and he kills himself, unable to bear the scorn and pity of Emine (who has meanwhile become Captain Polixigis' lover) for his impotence.

The news of his death adds to the already tense atmosphere in Megalo Kastro, where daily reports of skirmishes and riots between Greeks and Turks arrive throughout the island.

A little later, Kosmas, son of Costaros and nephew of Captain Michalis, arrives in Crete, bringing the message of capitulation to the rebels.

Kosmas goes to his lair to convince him to hand over his weapons, but in the end he stays as well, as Crete and his father Costaros wake up inside him.

Freedom or Death was added as a subtitle to the second edition in Greek released by Difros publishers in Athens in 1955 and was the preferred English (US) title.