Nix surveyed the deck. A dwarf sat slumped against a barrel, snoring softly, with a bright orange starfish clinging to his long grey beard. Nearby, a few passengers were already showing off their magic, conjuring small flames and sparks, while another group huddled nervously, uncertain about the journey ahead. Nix wandered quietly, observing the others, but not paying attention to where he was going.

He collided with something solid—a broad chest clad in armor. Stumbling back, Nix looked up to see a tall, muscular soldier gazing down at him with a bemused expression. “A simple hello would’ve worked—you didn’t need to throw yourself at me,” the man teased, a smirk tugging at his lips. He had golden blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that gleamed with amusement.

Nix flushed, realizing he had been staring for too long. “I’m... I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention,” he muttered, embarrassed.

The soldier chuckled. “It’s alright. I’m Ambrose. And you are?”

“Nix,” he answered, still a bit flustered. “I’m headed to the Magic Academy.”

“Nice to meet you, Nix,” Ambrose replied with a warm, genuine smile. “Just a word of advice—keep your head up. You’re going to a new place, and you never know what’s waiting around the corner. Always watch your back.” With that, Ambrose gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder and walked off to join a group of soldiers playing cards.

Nix exhaled, only then realizing he had been holding his breath. What’s wrong with me? he thought, shaking his head. Getting all flustered by a soldier? Determined to shake off the strange feeling, he made his way below deck to check out his quarters.

“This is your room,” a shipmate said as he led Nix to a small cabin. “You’ll be sharing with Hamford the Dwarf. There was an odd number of students traveling to the Academy, so we couldn’t pair you with another sorcerer.”

“That’s fine,” Nix replied. “Is Hamford the one sleeping on the deck?”

The shipmate grinned. “That’s him. Spends most of his time up top, so you shouldn’t have much trouble.”

Nix thanked the shipmate and set his bag down on the bottom bunk. The gentle rocking of the ship soon lulled him into drowsiness, and with at least two days before they reached the Northern Kingdom, he decided to take a nap.

His sleep, however, was anything but restful.

Nix found himself deep underwater, far from the surface. Sunlight barely pierced through the depths, casting faint rays in the vast ocean. Yet despite the distance and darkness, Nix felt strangely calm. He was breathing effortlessly, floating peacefully as schools of fish darted by and kelp swayed in the current. A massive whale glided past, its shadowy form adding to the surreal serenity.

He swam lazily, marveling at the underwater world, when a sudden tug on his arm startled him. Nix turned to see a mermaid, her green-scaled skin shimmering. She looked panicked, her wide eyes filled with fear. She screamed, pointing frantically upward, but when Nix tried to speak, only bubbles escaped his mouth.

Suddenly, the peacefulness vanished. Nix’s chest tightened—he couldn’t breathe. The once-calm water felt suffocating, heavy. He was drowning.

Panic seized him as he kicked desperately toward the surface, but the mermaid grabbed his arm again. This time, she shot upward, her powerful tail propelling them through the water at terrifying speed. Nix’s vision blurred, and before he could reach the surface, everything went black.

He woke with a start, his heart racing, back in the cabin. The dream had felt so real, but something else was wrong—he could hear screams from above.

The acrid smell of smoke filled the air. Nix bolted upright, rushing to the deck.

Chaos awaited him. A violent storm raged overhead, lightning illuminating the sky in jagged streaks while deafening thunderclaps echoed across the sea. The ship rocked dangerously in the turbulent waters, its main mast ablaze, struck by lightning. Crew members scrambled frantically, trying to put out the fire as the rain poured down in torrents.

“Can’t any of you sorcerers do something about this?!” the captain bellowed from the helm, his voice barely audible over the storm.

Nix stood frozen, the nightmare still echoing in his mind. The calm ocean from his dream was now a roaring tempest, and it seemed his journey had only just begun.