章 391: 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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章 392: 0391 The Confrontation
Bryan rolled his eyes dramatically, finding himself utterly speechless in the face of Sirius's stubborn insistence.
"Think about Harry, Sirius, He's still waiting for you, counting on your return. At the very least, don't you think you owe it to him to stay alive until he comes of age? That's the bare minimum of what a godfather should do, isn't it?"
"I've already explained this—" Sirius gripped the doorframe and shouted, "Besides, I can't just leave you alone here to face whatever dangers lie ahead! Harry likes you, and if you were to die here while I snuck away like a coward, I wouldn't have the courage or the right to face Harry and Remus ever again! How could I look them in the eye knowing I'd abandoned you?"
Bryan opened his mouth, ready to counter Sirius's argument, but something in the air suddenly shifted. His expression changed in an instant, from frustration to alert concern. He only threw a quick "Stay put in the cabin" to Sirius before waving his wand to slam the cabin door shut. In the next instant, his form became ethereal, and he materialized on the deck.
Glancing up at the roiling clouds, Bryan exhaled heavily.
The scene before him was too exaggerated, surpassing anything Bryan had ever witnessed or imagined. Even though he had seen the floating island of Avalon high in the sky before, this apocalyptic scene left him utterly speechless. The sheer magnitude of power on display had completely transcended the limits of human capability, entering a realm so unfathomable it bordered on the divine.
The sea before him, once a tranquil expanse of blue, now boiled like a massive cauldron of oil set over an infernal flame. Illuminated by the near-constant flashes of lightning that split the sky, a terrifying new development unfolded before the ship's cabin, causing Bryan's face to darken.
The scattered hurricanes that had been raging across this world were gradually converging, drawn together by some strange, unseen force. They twisted and merged, forming massive tornadoes that reached from sea to sky. Simultaneously, whirlpools of epic proportions began to appear on the churning sea surface, each one resembling the legendary Charybdis from Greek mythology. These monstrous vortexes stretching for twenty to thirty miles in a row, erupted with astonishing suction power that constantly swallowed vast amounts of seawater and air.
Even the dark clouds in the sky were not immune to this overwhelming force. The dense, rain-heavy clouds were pulled downward, stretching and distorting until they connected with the whirlpools on the sea surface. Lightning, rather than striking randomly, now clung to these rapidly approaching pillars of water that bridged the gap between sea and sky, creating a terrifying matrix of elemental fury.
"It's really a bit too exaggerated—" Bryan murmured softly, his words nearly lost in the howling wind. The air around him had grown bitterly cold, his breath leaving trails of white mist that were quickly torn apart by the gale. His gray hair, usually neatly kempt, was tossed wildly by the fierce wind.
Despite the bone-chilling cold, Bryan's cheeks gradually flushed red, not from the biting wind, but from a rising excitement that he couldn't fully suppress. The illusionary magic that had been concealing his eyes suddenly shattered like glass, revealing orbs of the purest purple. The light within them grew increasingly intense, reflecting the magnificent and terrifying spectacle before him.
Bryan's mind raced with possibilities and theories. Who had left this awe-inspiring and deadly spectacle? Was it Merlin? Or perhaps it was the island's original owner? Regardless of who had created this defense, or the method of its creation—whether through intricate spellwork, ancient runes, or some combination of magical disciplines.
Here, across the long river of time, he found himself locked in combat with a wizard who could be considered unparalleled even in ancient times. For Bryan, who was constantly seeking to advance his magical prowess, how could he possibly pass up such an opportunity?
It was simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating, a chance to test the very limits of his abilities against magic that bordered on the realm of gods.
From his vantage point inside the cabin, Sirius pressed his cheek tightly against the cold glass of the window, his eyes wide with speechless shock. The sight of those colossal pillars of water, defying all-natural laws as they connected heaven and earth, left him dumbstruck. His expression was dazed, as if his mind couldn't fully process the impossible scene before him. For a moment, he even believed he must be dreaming.
"Voldemort," Sirius suddenly muttered for some reason, then immediately shook his head in silence.
Voldemort, the dark lord who had brought fear and nightmares to countless wizarding families, undoubtedly possessed power that Sirius could never hope to match in his lifetime. The very mention of his name was enough to send shivers down the spines of even the bravest witches and wizards. But even Voldemort, with all his terrible power and dark magic, what could he do in the face of such heavenly might? Compared to the raw, unbridled force of nature unleashed before them, anyone—even the most feared dark wizard of their time—would be utterly insignificant.
As this realization washed over him, Sirius felt the weight of his own insignificance pressing down upon him. In the grand scheme of things, in the face of such awesome power, what was he but a speck of dust in the wind? But he quickly snapped back to reality. Now was not the time to think about such irrelevant matters!
"How are you doing, Bryan?" Sirius called out; his voice tight with worry. Locked in the cabin as he was, he couldn't see Bryan's condition on the deck, and this uncertainty gnawed at him relentlessly.
"Come down quickly, Bryan!" he shouted, his voice growing more urgent with each passing second. "Let's use the Portkey to leave now, while we still can. Don't be reckless, no one can handle that! It's suicide to even try!"
In Sirius's eyes, Bryan was undoubtedly the most powerful wizard he had ever seen, aside from Dumbledore himself. The young man's magical prowess was awe-inspiring, often leaving Sirius speechless. But therein lay the problem—Bryan was still a young man, and young people, especially those of exceptional talent, are often driven by an insatiable competitive spirit. Sirius feared that Bryan's desire to prove himself, to push the boundaries of his abilities, had muddled his brain, making him believe he could withstand nature's wrath.
Sirius kept calling out warnings, his voice hoarse from shouting over the howling wind. But no matter how loudly he yelled, no response came. Just as Sirius was about to lose the last shreds of his patience and draw his wand to destroy the magical cage that kept him trapped in the cabin, a violent tremor shook the entire ship. The force of it threw Sirius to the ground, his body slamming against the cold, wet floor with bruising force.
Before he could even attempt to regain his footing, a sudden feeling of extreme heaviness descended upon him. His heart lurched in his chest, a mix of fear and anticipation coursing through his veins as he struggled to lift his head and peer out the window once more.
Many years later, when the world had finally returned to peace.
The Daily Prophet, in a special edition to celebrate the anniversary of that earth-shattering final battle, sent its most talented reporters to interview some of the surviving heroes who had participated in the war that had reshaped their world.
Sir Sirius Black, now a respected figure in the wizarding community and the esteemed Head of Gryffindor House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was of course among those chosen for these exclusive interviews. His role in the war, and his own remarkable story of redemption made him a figure of great interest to the public.
When the young, eager reporter found himself face to face with the legendary Sirius Black, he was practically vibrating with excitement. With quill shaking over parchment, he asked what he thought was a simple, straightforward question: "Professor Black, in all your years of adventure and heroism, what was the most thrilling, awe-inspiring scene you ever witnessed?"
The reporter, like many others, assumed that Professor Black would undoubtedly mention the final, climactic battle of the war. After all, it was a moment that had defined their generation, a clash of good and evil that had decided the fate of their world. But to his great surprise, the white-haired Professor Black just chuckled.
With a smile that seemed to shed years from his face, transporting him back to a time of youth and danger, Sirius and began to tell another little-known story—
The story of his adventure with Grand Magus Bryan Watson.
A deafening roar echoed through the void, a sound so primordial and powerful that it seemed to shake the very foundations of reality. It was a sound like the collective howl of gods and demons, a cacophony that suppressed even the never-ending flashing of lightning, the rolling thunder, and the howling wind and rain that ravaged heaven and earth!
Under a sky so dark it seemed to swallow all light, above a sea that raged with unnatural fury, a sight appeared that defied all reason and expectation. A winged fire serpent, its body so vast it seemed to touch the very limits of the sky, burst into existence. In an instant, this phantasmal beast set the already mad world ablaze with its presence.
The fishing boat that had carried Bryan and Sirius to this point now seemed laughably small, just positioned between the serpent's massive, fiery eyebrows and on the top of it stood Bryan. His body was surrounded by fire that flowed like living lava, dyeing his restored eyes golden. He gazed at the whirlpools and waterspouts that were rapidly closing in on him with clear intent, his gray hair wild, his gaze imperious!
Roar—
The sound waves, seemingly substantial, appeared to shatter the air into fragments. The fire serpent soared into the sky, raising waves of heart-pounding howls, illuminating the netherworld!
At the same time, an overwhelmingly strong force descended without any warning.
The suction power scattered by the whirlpools, like the entrance to hell, formed an extremely strong gravitational force. Inside the cabin, caught off guard, Sirius was pressed firmly against the floor by this gravity, unable to move even a finger.
As the gravitational force intensified, the fire serpent began to show signs of strain. The lifelike scales on its body, each one a masterpiece of magical conjuration, began to peel off under the immense pressure. But even as parts of it were stripped away, the Fiendfyre that composed the serpent's form showed its true, terrifying nature.
Known for its ability to burn anything in its path, the cursed fire ignited the surging sea itself. The deep, cold whirlpools that had seemed so threatening just moments before were transformed into fiery vortexes that looked even more like the gates of hell. The contrast of fire and water, two elements eternally at odds, created a scene of both beauty and terror.
Everything in sight, no matter where one looked, was burning with a violence that defied description. The world had become a canvas of flame and fury, a sight that seared itself into the memory of all who witnessed it.
Contrary to Sirius's worried assumptions, Bryan was not blinded by just the desire to win or prove himself. In fact, he was well aware of the vast gulf that still existed between his own considerable powers and the level of the person who had set up this defense. This clarity of mind, this ability to accurately assess the situation even in the midst of such chaos, was perhaps Bryan's greatest strength.
And indeed, the following events quickly proved the wisdom of Bryan's caution.
The serpent, in all its fiery majesty, finally flew into the encirclement created by several massive waterspouts. In that instant, an indescribable pressure fell upon Bryan.
The strong gravity continuously stripped away the Fiendfyre serpent that Bryan had conjured with such effort. Layer by layer, the magical construct was peeled apart, its essence scattered to the winds. But the true threat came from those pillar-like waterspouts, which proved to be far more than simple columns of water.
The strange power contained within them possessed an unimaginable might. Even the Fiendfyre, a curse that struck fear into the hearts of the most powerful wizards, did not display its usual overwhelming dominance when it came into contact with the waterspouts. Instead, like ordinary fire, it was extinguished in large quantities, hissing and steaming as it died.
Sizzle—
White steam wafted everywhere, creating a fog that obscured vision and added to the surreal nature of the battle. Through this veil of mist and mayhem, the fire serpent was rapidly stripped away, visibly weakening at a speed perceivable to the naked eye.
Bryan knew all too well the stakes of this confrontation. The road ahead had no visible end, but he understood with perfect clarity that once the protective serpent was completely dissipated, it would mark the moment of doom for both him and Sirius.
Enduring wave after wave of magical exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm his body and mind, Bryan roared in anger, and the frustrated fire serpent was immediately replenished somewhat. With a movement, its wings slashed horizontally through the air, severing two nearby waterspouts at their waists.
The result was as spectacular as it was short-lived. A truly enormous volume of seawater, suddenly freed from the magical forces that had lifted it skyward, fell from the heavens. It created a magnificent, terrifying waterfall that stretched across the horizon, the roar of its descent drowning out even the thunder for a brief moment.
But before Bryan could catch his breath or savor this small victory, the laws of nature reasserted themselves with vengeance. The seawater that had just fallen, defying all logic and gravity, reversed its course. As if pulled by some cosmic hand, it surged back towards the sky, reforming the waterspouts that Bryan had so momentarily disrupted.
At the same time, more whirlpools suddenly appeared ahead, rapidly forming into waterspouts, with the clear intention of not stopping until the intruders were annihilated!
Inside the cabin, Sirius, who could barely lift his head against the crushing gravitational force, watched the battle unfold with a mixture of awe and terror. Though this earth-shaking confrontation had nothing directly to do with him, it didn't mean that Sirius was blind to the dire nature of their situation. With growing dread, he realized that despite Bryan's incredible display of power, they were fighting a losing battle against forces that seemed truly limitless.
"Bryan!" Sirius shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice hoarse and strained as he fought against the pressure pinning him down. "Give it up, Bryan! We'll find another way in. Don't waste your life on this impossible fight!"
Outside, waves of magical exhaustion were crashing against Bryan's nerves with increasing intensity. Each spell, each moment of maintaining the massive fire serpent, drained more of his considerable reserves. He gritted his teeth to support himself, staring ahead, a sense of unwillingness continuously welled up from the bottom of his heart.
He knew, with the rational part of his mind, that Sirius was right. At this point, giving up was the only sensible option if they wanted to survive.
Bryan was breathing heavily. He pressed his lips tightly together, staring intently at those 'heavenly pillars' that never seemed to tire, as if trying to engrave this 'humiliation' into the very fabric of his soul.
'Give up,'
Bryan told himself this too. Just as he was about to dispel the fire serpent and quickly transfer out of here using the Portkey, he suddenly felt an unexpected heat blooming in his chest. He instinctively looked down, and his expression froze.
In this apocalyptic scene, two objects were emitting a strange light, rising slowly towards the sky under his astonished gaze!
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