The Nightmare Wizard
Chapter 84: hapter 84: Chaos at Sea

Chapter 84: hapter 84: Chaos at Sea

As William chatted with Captain Thenerev and the sailors, eager to reach the academy quickly, Angel’s voice sliced into his mind like a blade:

"Extreme danger. Large quantities of mana concentrating two kilometers away..."

Not even two seconds after the warning, her voice returned with an urgent, desperate tone:

"Lethal danger! Twelve Level 2 mages approaching. Each one is accumulating massive amounts of energy. Imminent danger."

William looked up at the sky at the same moment the sailors dropped whatever they were holding and followed his gaze. Twelve figures floated above them, their cloaks undulating like living shadows, their bodies surrounded by pulsating rings of energy. The sky lit up with flashes of magical light, vibrating as if it were about to explode.

"Surrender the Kraken’s Life Jewel or you will be exterminated!" one of the mages roared, amplifying his voice with mana.

Silence was their only response; despite being so close, they had been caught. Then, the ship roared like a beast, shooting forward, doubling its speed in an instant. Thenerev had activated the Legacy’s emergency ability, clutching the helm tightly as he yelled over the gale:

"Just a little more! We must make it! Sailors, to your posts!"

William noticed the glimmer in the captain’s eyes, a desperate hope barely holding on. He moved closer as best he could amidst the swaying and asked:

"Where do we need to get to?"

"There’s a barrier around every school! If we enter it, no matter how much they attack, they won’t be able to finish us."

"Angel, can you see anything?"

"Sharing view."

William’s eyes blurred for a second, then a clear image opened before him: a colossal dome made of pure, iridescent, shimmering energy, rising a few kilometers away. A sanctuary in the middle of hell; the dome was getting closer and closer; they only needed a few precious seconds to enter.

But before he could feel relieved, Angel spoke again:

"Impact in 3... 2... 1..."

A flicker. A rain of elemental orbs descended from the sky: fire, ice, lightning, darkness... A synchronized attack, with no intention of leaving survivors, mercilessly rained down on the ship.

Four mages emerged, launching themselves against the descending attacks from the sky with a burst of mana. Led by Agis, they launched a desperate counterattack. The clash was brutal. A deafening explosion shook the heavens. The ship trembled, groaned, and creaked as if it were about to split apart. The shockwave lifted dozens of people into the air. Some were thrown overboard, others slammed against masts or railings.

William, without thinking, threw himself over Lía. He wrapped his arms around her and plunged his sword into the deck, holding on with all his might as the ship violently bucked. His mana shield activated instantly, and though it protected him, every jolt broke something inside him. He felt the bone in his right shoulder give way with a dry snap. Then one of his ribs. But he never let go of Lía.

Chaos reigned. Sailors shouted orders, others sobbed. Some, bloodied and with broken legs, crawled between the planks to tie themselves with ropes to any surface. One of them screamed his son’s name over and over, with no one answering him. The sky spat fire and death. Thenerev, covered in blood, maneuvered through the explosions with inhuman mastery; his years of experience showed as he seemed to surf the waves trying to capsize them.

"Prepare for impact!" he shouted, seeing a gigantic fireball descend, a burning moon falling from above.

The impact was devastating.

A magical barrier emerged from the hull, absorbing the attack... but the resulting explosion lifted the ship into the air. The Legacy spun like a leaf in a hurricane, slamming against the sea again and again, until finally crashing into the port with a ripping sound.

The hull groaned. Timbers shot out. The main mast was ripped from its base. The ship split in two, and hundreds of bodies were thrown into the sea.

In the port, academy members rushed to help. Many threw themselves into the water without a second thought. Others recited healing spells relentlessly, with tears in their eyes. The chaos was total. The panic alarm blared throughout the port. Smoke, screams, blood staining the waves. Bodies crawling, some trembling hands trying to grab ropes or planks to survive, while others simply floated face down.

The knight aspirants had suffered the worst. Trapped inside the ship, the impact had lashed them mercilessly. Some lay unconscious, others with bones protruding from their skin, crawling on their elbows, their teeth clenched to keep from screaming. Among them, Dixon, who had survived, desperately dragged Theo out of the sea while Cedric and Thom cleared a path for him. Air was running out, and they had only one chance before the ship sank further and became their tomb.

William emerged from the wreckage, clinging to a shattered plank, with Lía still in his arms. His mana shield, reinforced with dark energy, had saved their lives... but at a high cost.

He felt his broken bones like blades inside his body. His left arm hung useless. His chest ached with every breath. But he didn’t let go of Lía. He never let her go.

She had only scratches. Her body, protected, slept in William’s arms as if the devastation had not touched her.

With his last ounce of strength, William kicked the water, propelling himself toward the shore. Each movement ripped a choked groan from him. A young mage dove into the water and helped him out. Other sailors pulled the injured, wrapping them in blankets. Bodies were everywhere. Death had arrived with fury.

And then, an explosion shook the sky.

A figure appeared among the clouds like lightning incarnate. An elder dressed in a sky-blue robe descended, floating. His face was expressionless, but his mere presence seemed to crush the air around him.

The attackers, who were still lingering over the port, froze instantly.

"Damn it...! Didn’t they say the director was somewhere else, you idiotic informants?!" one shouted in despair.

"Run! It’s the director! We can’t stand against him!"

As if they had seen Death itself, the mages scattered like frightened rats. But the elder did not move. He simply watched them.