Chapter 138: 138: The Shipwreck

"Stupefy!" Nolan's reflexes were razor-sharp. His own Stunning Spell shot forward at the exact same moment. The two spells collided in midair, erupting in a blinding explosion of magical sparks, disintegrating into nothing. "Expelliarmus!" Nolan cast a Disarming Charm, but the wizard was quick—he darted across the room, evading the spell with practiced agility. A flash of red. The Disarming Charm struck the wooden bedpost, sending splinters flying in every direction as raw magical force shattered the wood. The wizard didn't slow down. He weaved through the confined space, dodging Nolan's relentless spells while counterattacking. "Confringo!" Nolan snapped his fingers. A shimmering silver shield materialized around him—Protego Maxima! The Blasting Curse collided with the shield, detonating into a cloud of thick, acrid smoke. Through the haze, the wizard emerged—fast, aggressive, and utterly fearless. "Knight's Manifestation!" With a swift flick of his wand, a longsword materialized in his left hand, solidifying from thin air. Nolan's pupils contracted. He recognized that spell. It all clicked into place. One year ago, three men had ambushed him in Diagon Alley. The middle-aged wizard was already dead. The golden-haired elf? Standing right beside him. Which left only one. The swordsman. It was him. The wizard swung his sword. Nolan blocked with his dagger—but the moment the two weapons clashed, a powerful shockwave blasted his arm backward. The wizard's gaze sharpened as he stepped back, assuming a defensive stance with his longsword raised. But the counterattack he was expecting... never came. Instead— "Expelliarmus!" A flash of red streaked toward the wizard. But he was fast. His sword moved in a blur. "Infantry's Last Stand!" The steel blade slashed straight through the Disarming Charm—shattering the spell into harmless fragments. Nolan's eyes narrowed. "He cut through it...?" No time to waste. "Confringo!" "Confringo!" Both wizards cast the Blasting Curse at the same time. The two spells met in midair—BOOM!—erupting into an explosion of fire and force. Smoke filled the cabin. Through the haze, Nolan's leg lashed out in a vicious kick. The wizard slashed downward, aiming to cleave through Nolan's limb—only to find his blade unable to pierce Nolan's skin. Tch. Nolan already knew the sword was unusual—its enchantments allowed it to sever spells with ease. But could it cut him? Not a chance. With that knowledge secured, he shifted his strategy. He pressed forward, body twisting to entangle the wizard's sword in close-quarters combat, locking the blade down while unleashing a relentless barrage of spells at point-blank range. The wizard, however, was no ordinary spellcaster. His physical prowess far exceeded that of most wizards—he kept up with Nolan's brutal tempo, parrying, dodging, and countering with impressive speed. And his spellwork? Just as fast. Their wands clashed midair like dueling sabers, the room filling with the rapid-fire exchange of magic and steel. "Expelliarmus!" "Impedimenta!" "Confringo!" "Petrificus Totalus!" "Reducio!" Multicolored spells flew in every direction, tearing through furniture, walls, and anything unlucky enough to be caught in the crossfire. "Stop fighting, lads! Let's all just sit down, have a nice cup of tea, maybe some macarons, and talk this out!" The werewolf was scrambling around the room, barely dodging stray spells. But fate was cruel. Nolan's Blasting Curse had been deflected by the swordsman's Impedimenta, and the redirected spell slammed into the werewolf's chest. BOOM! The poor fool let out a strangled howl before crumpling to the floor, twitching slightly. Ligeitoli was screaming, hands clamped over her ears, curled up in a corner for dear life. And then— "Fierce Edge!" The swordsman's next spell was one Nolan had never seen before. With a single sweep of his blade, he unleashed a series of razor-sharp wind slashes—each one howling toward Nolan with lethal intent. Nolan reacted instantly. "Wingardium Leviosa!" A chair lifted into the air, taking the brunt of the slicing winds. The force of the magical slashes shredded the chair into splinters. But the remaining wind blades still howled toward him— Snap! Nolan flicked his fingers. "Protego!" A shimmering barrier materialized, absorbing the last remnants of the attack before dissipating. But it was a feint. The wizard had already closed the distance. His sword thrust forward—straight for Nolan's heart. Instead of dodging, Nolan smirked. He dropped his dagger. His left hand morphed, veins darkening, fingers elongating into something monstrous. With supernatural speed, he snatched the blade mid-thrust, gripping the sword's edge with his bare hand. "Got you, rat." His voice was calm, cold. The wizard's eyes narrowed. "Nolan Von Draugr... Slytherin's prodigy. I must admit, I didn't expect you to be a vampire." "You should have," Nolan replied, his voice a low whisper. "Ever since you and that fool elf ambushed me last year." The wizard's jaw tightened. Nolan's gaze turned sharp. "You want the Philosopher's Stone." The wizard didn't bother denying it. "Exactly as you suspect, Nolan Von Draugr..." He hesitated, then spoke carefully. "Perhaps we could strike a deal?" Nolan laughed. "A deal? After you lured that stupid elf into attacking me? After sneaking into my room to steal the Stone?" His voice dripped with scorn. "Listen well, wizard—I despise thieves." He tightened his grip on the sword, his fingers digging into the steel. "There will be no deal. From this moment on, you're my prisoner. I don't care what you want with the Stone. I don't care about your grand ambitions. What I do care about is that you keep making a nuisance of yourself." His crimson eyes gleamed. "I think it's about time you learned that pissing off a vampire is a very, very bad idea." The wizard... smiled. "I agree. Being overpowered in my own specialty is unpleasant." Then he took two steps back. And his wand aimed downward. "You might have forgotten, vampire... but we're on a ship." Nolan's expression darkened. "Bombarda Maxima!" The wizard's wand erupted with power. A chain of Blasting Curses exploded against the wooden floor— BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Wood splintered. The ship's bottom hull shattered open. Freezing ocean water gushed into the ship like a living beast, swallowing everything in its path. The entire vessel shuddered violently, tilting under the sudden breach. Panic erupted in the distance. Screams echoed through the corridors as passengers realized what had happened. "The ship's sinking! Lower the lifeboats!" Chaos descended. But the wizard was unfazed. He stepped backward, smiling. "Good luck, vampire. Oh—" His lips curled into something unreadable. "And thank you for bringing the Philosopher's Stone to Ireland. You may truly be the elves' savior, whether you realize it or not. They will thank you. I will, too." "Come back here, you bastard—!" Nolan fired three spells in rapid succession— But it was too late. CRACK! The wizard vanished. Gone. Nolan's hands clenched into fists. His fangs bared in frustration. The ship groaned ominously. Water surged across the floor. Passengers screamed, their frantic footsteps pounding above deck. The vessel rocked, tilting further as seawater rushed in at an alarming rate. Nolan exhaled, his mood absolutely foul. He turned sharply toward Ligeitoli. She had curled into a corner, trembling. Nolan grabbed her by the chin, forcing her to look at him. "Half-blood elf, you'd better tell me who that wizard is. Now." Ligeitoli flinched. "This isn't the time for this, you idiot!" she yelped, pointing at the rising waterline. "We need to get out of here! Unlike merfolk, elves aren't good at breathing underwater—can we talk after we escape?!" Nolan glared. Then, with terrifying calmness, he pressed the tip of his Unicorn Wand against her cheek. "Don't ever hide things from me again, elf." His voice was a soft whisper—dangerous, venomous. "Next time? I'll let you experience the Cruciatus Curse. Maybe you'll enjoy it as much as you do junk food. Who knows?"