Guardians called them “unseen nightmares” or “nezmares,” which, I think, is the same thing. Nezmares are inhabitants of the upper astral plane, from whom dragons long ago borrowed their favorite type of magic.
– Unstable upper astral charms, – I nodded understandingly. – I see. But what makes these nezmares so dangerous? Honestly, I’ve never even heard of them.
– Because you should have read the Great One Bestiary! – the sorcerer sharply interrupted. – It should be described in great detail there!
– I just haven’t gotten around to it yet… – I sheepishly replied to his reproach. – Always no time, you know. But it’s stored at the headquarters.
– Which I most likely destroyed, – the dragon guiltily nodded. – Honestly, I don’t know much about nezmares. I remember they’re nearly elusive, even invisible. Normal charms don’t affect them, they can drive you mad, and feed on the energy of living beings. Ancient mages prepared the protective veil for almost a hundred years to expel these creatures. But all the specifics should be in the bestiary.
– So we need to return to the headquarters. I leaned back in my chair and pondered. Return to headquarters? How exactly… As far as I know, in an emergency, a full system of protective charms tied to an AI like Marfusha activates. And if this AI decides that the Guardians’ office has been attacked, it will weave such a web of security weavings that even an army of dragons won’t break through, let alone a lone mage.
But there was no other option, as there was no copy of the bestiary. The Complete Collection of Magical Creatures, written by the Great One, couldn’t be copied with spells, and no one bothered to manually photocopy it. Who knew access to the headquarters would be suddenly cut off? But I definitely didn’t want to face nezmares unprepared, so – we’ll have to sneak into headquarters.
I looked at the dragon and gave a conspiratorial smile. Well, things are getting more and more interesting, which means it’s time to gather a full-fledged team!
Chapter 2: At the Bottom
– So, we just have to enter your office and grab some old book from the library? – Asya clarified suspiciously after I finished narrating our immediate problems. – Then why do you need us?
I guess I should have delved deeper into the details. But why burden them with unnecessary knowledge? They might back out.
For about ten minutes, Asya and Zheka had been listening to my misadventures, but it was clear they didn’t understand their role in the upcoming escapade. Frankly, I wasn’t sure how they could help either, but it’s always more fun together. Plus, they might learn something useful.
– In essence, you got it right, – I replied after a pause, addressing my fiancée.
A couple of weeks ago, I had officially proposed to her, and she had accepted. How could she refuse, given our magical oath? But traditions are traditions. So, we decided to have the wedding next summer, after the end of the first year. Though, I still had to meet her parents – it wouldn’t look good otherwise.
– And where is this office located? – Zheka inquired, still sporting his green mohawk.
– You’ll like it, – I smirked slyly. – A very picturesque place…
Our rented yacht had been sailing the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean for several hours, guided by an old, worn compass I found on a shelf next to a rifle. Interestingly, I had never been hunting in my life, nor had I ever owned a gun. So how a real rifle ended up in my cupboard was beyond me. But the compass was given to me long ago when I was still a trainee Guardian. It was the only way to find the sole real entrance to the headquarters.
However, our expedition now felt more like a vacation for the well-off: Asya, in a rather revealing swimsuit, was sunbathing on the deck; Zheka stood at the bow, pompously sipping cocktails from the mini-bar found in the cabin; and the dragon and I were at the helm, checking our supplies.
– Canned meat, dried meat, sausage, a loaf of bread, fish cans, beans, four liters of water, and spare clothes, – the sorcerer whispered, listing our provisions. – Enough?
– I have about the same, – I nodded. – Should be enough. I hope we’ll manage in a couple of days.
Teleporting to the headquarters using spatial transition spells didn’t work. As expected, the protective enchantments activated, shielding the Guardian’s office from any external invasion attempts. This was the first such case in my memory, and honestly, it was a bit alarming.
Our main issue was that thousands of years had passed since the headquarters were established, and each generation of Guardians had tried to add something new to the main entrance’s protective spells. Even my own security designs were there! So, a long and perilous journey lay ahead.
Suddenly, the compass glowed a soft green, and its needle started spinning chaotically.
– We’ve arrived! – I shouted. – Drop anchor!
With a casual wave of his staff, the dragon let the anchor plunge into the sea with a loud splash.
– And where’s your office? – Asya stood up, looking around in confusion.
– Not far, – I beamed. – Right beneath us.
Asya slowly removed her sunglasses and started drilling me with her gaze.
– Right nearby? – Zheka coughed, almost choking on his cocktail.
– What do you mean ‘beneath us’? – the girl asked, almost hissing.
I must admit, I felt a bit frightened for a moment. But just for a moment.
– Literally, – I continued smiling. – But don’t worry! Altair Ivanovich will quickly get us down there, right? – I looked expectantly at the dragon.
– Why me? – the sorcerer was surprised. – I can’t even swim.
– But you’re a massive lizard, – it was my turn to be amazed. – Can’t you handle it?
– I’m a reptile, not an amphibian! – the dragon roared angrily at me.
I stepped back cautiously, concerned for my safety. He really didn’t get the joke.
– Can’t we just create some magical bubble, get inside, and go bubble-bubble-bubble… – Zheka chimed in.
He must have been drinking alcohol. How many cocktails had he had? About ten?
– Actually, that’s a good idea, – the sorcerer suddenly switched from anger to grace. – Maybe we’ll do just that.
– The main entrance is covered by a confusion dome, – I declared both sheepishly and proudly. – My experimental design. It scrambles all spell weavings inside the dome, except for artifact and ritual ones. Simple light spells could cause a local tsunami or a rainbow of slugs. The outcome is unpredictable…
– But those are your spells, so you can remove them, right? – Asya asked logically.
– Well… – I became even more embarrassed. – There’s a small flaw. To remove the dome, you have to apply spells, and the dome scrambles them… In short, neither I nor the other Guardians could remove it after installation.
– Why did you try to remove it? – the dragon inquired suspiciously.
He was beginning to grasp the magnitude of the problem.
– Because it altered all the protective spells laid before, – I confessed humbly. – Except for the artifact ones, of course.
– So, even if we manage to get down there, we’ll encounter a mess of unpredictable protective