0390 Perilous Voyage

There are no gentle breezes or light rains on the vast, unforgiving ocean - only fierce, howling winds that sweep everything in their merciless path and terrifying, mountainous waves that crash like deafening thunder. The sea, in its raw power and majesty, shows no mercy to those who dare to traverse its treacherous waters.

Nearly a month into their sea voyage, Bryan and Sirius had already encountered several harrowing bouts of severe weather. However, each time they had weathered the violent storms safely under the protective shield of Bryan's magic. So, when the once starry night sky rapidly disappeared behind ominous, roiling clouds and the sturdy ship began to tilt at increasingly steep and alarming angles, Sirius felt neither panic nor surprise, his nerves having been tempered by their previous close calls.

Bryan, on the other hand, stood rigidly at the cabin door, his expression grave and solemn as he gazed out at the howling, gloomy, and increasingly ominous world outside.

"What's wrong, Bryan?" Sirius asked with genuine concern, stumbling out of the cramped kitchen with a full glass of rich, red currant rum. He swayed unsteadily with the violent motion of the ship, struggling to maintain his balance on the tilting deck. As he approached, he noticed Bryan leaning heavily against the sturdy doorframe, his brows furrowed in deep concentration.

The storm clouds hung menacingly low in the sky, seeming almost within reach of the ship's creaking mast.

Bryan narrowed his eyes, which seemed to emit a faint purple glow in the oppressive darkness. He stared intently at the roiling black clouds that appeared close enough to touch, and at the rough forks of lightning snaking ominously between the layers of the turbulent sky. The veins on his hand, gripping the door frame with intensity, gradually bulged with the strain of maintaining their magical defenses.

"It's just a rainstorm, nothing to worry about," Sirius said with a forced shrug, trying to sound nonchalant as he came to stand beside Bryan. He noticed the deep concern etched in Bryan's eyes and tried to reassure him.

"It doesn't seem like it—" Bryan said cautiously, his voice barely audible over the howling wind. "The magical energy is fluctuating wildly with the changes in the natural environment. The flow doesn't seem unusual at first glance, but I have a terrible, gnawing feeling about this. Something is very wrong."

Those who knew Bryan well were well aware that he wasn't one to joke about serious matters or exaggerate dangers. Hearing the seriousness in his tone, Sirius slowly moved the glass away from his lips and wiped his wine-red mouth with the back of his hand. After a moment's tense contemplation, he looked out at the raging tempest and said hesitantly,

"You know, when I left the waters near Azkaban, I also encountered a storm. I only survived by going with the flow, letting the currents guide me."

"I've read in some ancient records that there are certain mystical defensive measures surrounding Azkaban—" Bryan said concisely, "These defenses are incredibly old, not left by the modern Ministry of Magic, but seem to have always been there, like naturally evolved, impenetrable barriers that cannot be easily crossed. That's precisely why the Ministry feels so confident in imprisoning those exceptionally dangerous criminals there. But how did the Ministry manage to cross that tough barrier in the first place, all those centuries ago?"

As Bryan pondered this perplexing question, the rain grew exponentially heavier, massive droplets wrapped in howling wind lashing against the sturdy deck, sounding like hundreds of angry fists pounding relentlessly on the cabin's exterior.

"Maybe you're overthinking it, Bryan," Sirius said, his face growing increasingly concerned despite his attempt at reassuring words. "Even if there is some ancient, powerful magic surrounding Azkaban, it can't be truly insurmountable. Otherwise, how in Merlin's name did I manage to escape? There must be weaknesses, gaps in the defenses."

As he spoke, Sirius's mood suddenly lifted, a spark of hope igniting in his eyes. He gazed eagerly at the towering waves that loomed menacingly above the ship, saying with a mixture of excitement and apprehension, "If we're really within the range of these legendary magical defenses, Bryan, doesn't that mean we're very close to Azkaban? And here I was worried we might have taken a wrong turn and gotten hopelessly lost in this vast expanse of ocean!"

"It's far too early to celebrate—" Bryan cautioned, gripping his wand tightly, his tone remaining solemn. "This storm isn't natural; it seems to have traces of human intervention, of immensely powerful magic at work. However, the gathering and dispersal of magical energy is eerily normal. There is a more powerful force resisting our approach. Just because you managed to escape from Azkaban doesn't mean we can simply invade from the outside, Sirius. Perhaps you were just incredibly lucky last time."

Sirius was about to reply when—

CRASH!

Their ship was suddenly pushed forward by a gale of terrible strength, and was struck broadside by a massive, towering wave. The impact lifted the entire vessel four or five stories high with tremendous force!

Bryan's expression changed dramatically, a mix of determination and barely concealed fear. With lightning-fast reflexes, he pointed his wand at the ship's exterior and a brilliant purple light screen flowed from the tip of his wand like liquid starlight. The screen quickly attached itself to the ship's battered wall and spread with astonishing rapidity.

In the blink of an eye, the whole ship was enveloped in a shimmering layer of protective purple energy. This magical barrier, pulsing with raw power, held the cabin suspended in mid-air, floating precariously above the frenzied, churning sea surface!

CRACK!

Perhaps angered that the giant wave had failed to break the cabin apart, the sea grew even more furious. The lightning dancing among the heavy dark clouds suddenly became more violent, more focused in its assault. As if wielded by the wrathful thunder god of ancient myths, bolts as thick as a man's wrist illuminated the world with blinding flashes before striking toward the ship's roof with despairing, earth-shattering power.

"Quick, dodge!" Sirius shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice hoarse with fear and adrenaline.

WHOOSH—

Bryan immediately twirled his wand in an intricate pattern. Responding to his will, the ship abruptly shifted its position with impossible agility, narrowly avoiding a series of devastating lightning strikes that would have surely spelled their doom.

The lightning plunged into the roiling sea with a deafening sizzle, seeming to transform the entire ocean into a vast, terrifying sea of electric lava. Countless small electric arcs darted about like schools of bioluminescent fish, dyeing the dark sea surface a mesmerizing, deadly cyan color.

The air crackled with ozone and raw magical energy.

Although they had narrowly avoided this immediate crisis, neither Bryan nor Sirius looked even remotely relieved.

In the stark, revealing light of the relentless lightning, Sirius finally saw clearly what they were truly facing, and the nightmarish sight defied everything he thought he knew about the sea and the limits of magic!

They seemed to be trapped in the midst of an endless, ethereal mountain range, with towering, sentient waves forming peaks and valleys beneath their feet!

The world around them trembled violently, the air was thick with an apocalyptic sense of impending doom. Cold sweat mixed with large, stinging raindrops streamed down Sirius's pale, haggard face as he shouted, his voice cracking with a mixture of awe and terror, "You've got to be bloody kidding me, Bryan! Did you actually foresee we'd encounter something like this?! This is beyond anything I've ever imagined!"

It wasn't just the occasional lightning bolt they failed to dodge, or the gale and torrential rain that battered relentlessly against the magical barrier protecting the fragile cabin. There was also a strange, suffocating force that Sirius couldn't quite sense, but Bryan, straining to maintain the weakening barrier, felt it deeply.

The area shrouded in fierce winds, pouring rain, and deadly lightning seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions. Sirius couldn't imagine any wizard, no matter how powerful, capable of creating such a terrifying spectacle—except perhaps the legendary Merlin!

"The worst is yet to come—" Bryan said, breathing heavily but still relatively calm.

The existence of Avalon, had shown Bryan the full extent of ancient wizards's power. Sirius was right—before embarking on this journey, Bryan had anticipated they might encounter some impressive, even frightening phenomena. But even so, the sheer scale and intensity of this storm astonished him beyond measure. What troubled him most, however, was the pervasive, suffocating force he sensed all around them—not just raw magical power, but something on a higher, more terrifying level entirely:

The overwhelming, crushing pressure of pure soul force!

Sirius was utterly dumbfounded, too shocked and overwhelmed to speak.

Bryan had already sensed it. He tried to steer the ship in one direction, but as they moved forward, the pressure on Bryan grew stronger. Fear began to grow uncontrollably in his heart. In a daze, Bryan seemed to see, hidden in the unknown darkness ahead, an ancient beast opening its ferocious, bloody maw, waiting for them to walk right into its trap!

"There's an old teapot on the table in my room. It's a Portkey—" Bryan said calmly, turning to look at the sweat-drenched Sirius.

Another bolt of lightning struck the deck hard, causing Bryan's barrier to shake violently, along with the creaking fishing boat beneath it.

"I made that Portkey when we were at Old John's place, as a precaution. It can take you back there."

"What in Merlin's name do you mean, Bryan?" Sirius was stunned for a moment before regaining his senses. His eyes burned with intensity as he frowned deeply. "You expect me to run away like a coward? To abandon you here? That's not my style, Bryan, and you bloody well know it!"

Bryan sighed inwardly, speaking calmly but firmly. "I brought you along just to guide me, Sirius. It seems we've reached our destination. What remains is my personal secret. I don't want anyone else involved, so—"

"Oh, spare me your pathetic lies!" Sirius interrupted loudly, his voice dripping with disgust and fierce determination. "You want to leave me behind and face this danger alone, don't you? Well, let me tell you something, my friend—not a chance in hell. Since I brought you here, I'm responsible for getting you back too!"

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