to know how much longer we have to dive?
That overgrown lizard! He’s even sarcastic!
– About forty minutes, – I estimated. – Tuzik isn’t very fast, and the depth is over eight kilometers.
– How much?! – Asya and the spellcaster exclaimed in unison. Even Zheka seemed to twitch.
– Trust me, I’m a professional! – I smiled reassuringly at Asya and winked at the dragon unnoticed.
The main thing now was that we were finally approaching our goal. We’d deal with minor issues like immense pressure as they arose. That’s always been my approach. And it always works. After all, I’m a Guardian!
***
It turns out, sinking in a magic-protected yacht is quite dull. Even Zheka, who had come to his senses, was no longer panicking. In fact, no one else was expressing fear. Perhaps my grandiose speech had calmed everyone, or maybe they were just tired of being scared. After all, we’d been descending for forty minutes and nothing terrifying had happened yet.
The dragon proposed doubling our protection by adding his own air bubble spell, but I forbade it. Yes, double protection is good, but only until the shields start morphing into something unimaginable. The spellcaster, taught by bitter experience of reckless magic use, didn’t argue. A pity. It would have been nice to have someone to blame if things went awry.
Asya remained seated, legs on the armchair, thoughtfully staring at the opposite wall. Zheka was quietly conversing with the professor, while I, comfortably seated on the floor, pondered deeply. What awaited us ahead? Could we make it to the headquarters? Where had the other Guardians disappeared to? When would the invasion of the Nizmors begin? Where did the rifle in my closet come from? Too many questions whirled in my head, yet I had no answers to any of them.
Suddenly, the yacht jolted as if we had hit the bottom. And why ‘as if’? Most likely, we had indeed finally reached the bottom. A loud crack sounded, and the entire cabin shook.
– What’s happening?! – Asya exclaimed, a hint of fear in her voice.
Both the dragon and Zheka looked to me for an explanation.
– We’ve reached the bottom, – I explained calmly. – Now Tuzik will drag us to the main entrance, and the air bubble spell will vanish. From this moment on, any magic you use will function improperly, so be cautious.
No sooner had I reminded my companions of the dangers of using magic inside the dome of confusion than my air bubble burst with a soft pop. Dark orange, sticky sludge, smelling like the contents of a cesspool, poured in from all sides.
– Yuck! – it seemed we said it in unison.
My eyes teared up from the acrid stench, and I barely suppressed the urge to vomit. What was this filth? I recalled no spell with such an effect… But it didn’t matter! We had to get out of here fast!
I opened the airtight cabin door and stumbled onto the deck, hoping to escape the smell. Not much of the deck, or the yacht itself, remained. Basically, only our cabin, protected by the air bubble, a few deck planks, and part of the mast were left. A pity for the little vessel, but at least we were alive.
– What is this filth? – Asya shouted, following me out.
– This appears to be a vivid demonstration of the dome of confusion, – the spellcaster explained calmly. – Quite an intriguing weave. Will you teach me?
I nodded silently. Why not teach a good person? Even if he’s not exactly human.
– Where are we? – Zheka was the first to address our surroundings.
Tuzik had dragged the remains of our yacht into a large cave, dimly lit by magical torches. Its vaults disappeared into darkness, and far in the depths, a tiny bright red dot was visible.
– This is the entrance hall, – I said uncertainly. – I’ve never been here, but I roughly know what we need to do. My office building is in the center of this system of underwater caves. During construction, the Guardians walled off all other approaches to the headquarters, leaving only the central one.
– Why aren’t we being flooded? – Asya asked apprehensively.
– Magic, – the dragon smiled, and I nodded in agreement.
– Everything here is indeed protected by fundamental-artifact magic. That’s when the building itself is the artifact, – I explained, seeing the puzzled looks of the students. – The most unshakeable and reliable magic. That’s why the cave wasn’t flooded even when I cast the dome of confusion. The lighting and ventilation also operate on artifact spells, by the way.
– So we’ll always have air and light? – the dragon clarified.
I nodded, confirming his theory.
– At least that’s a relief.
– What do you mean ‘always’? – Asya suspiciously glanced at the professor. – How long, may I ask, did you plan this excursion for?
– A couple of days, – I shrugged. – I did mention it. – You said we’d spend a few days in Bermuda! – the girl yelled at me. – You didn’t specify that it would be at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean! I don’t even have spare clothes with me! – she pointedly looked at her rather immodest swimsuit. – I didn’t even grab my sundress from the deck when I was hiding from your pet!
– Don’t worry, – I smiled gently. – I’ve brought everything necessary. Spare clothes for you, and even a change of underwear. Luckily, I remember your sizes well…
My fiancée turned beet red. Was it embarrassment or anger? I really didn’t want to find out. I returned to the cabin, grabbed the backpack soiled with stinking slime, and pulled out three sets of spare clothes: for myself, Asya, and Zheka. After all, we are responsible for those we bring on a journey.
The girl snatched her set from my hands and pushed me out of the room. Well, the better. Changing in the fresh air is much more pleasant than in a cabin drenched in stinky substance. Apparently, Zheka and Altair came to the same conclusion, swiftly getting rid of their dirty clothes.
However, just as I managed to remove my shorts, the cabin door flung open, releasing a girl ruffled with anger.
– Vsevolod! I won’t go anywhere in this! – she exclaimed. – Are you mocking me?!
And what didn’t she like? It was fine to sunbathe in a swimsuit made of a few strings, but as soon as a dress is a bit shorter than decent, she gets angry. I just don’t understand these girls…
– What’s wrong? – I decided to play dumb. It usually works.
– What’s wrong?! Your shorts are longer than this dress! – Asya pointedly nodded at my boxers.
Well, she had a point.
– Alright, – I agreed dejectedly. – Look in the backpack. There
