The Glitched Mage-Chapter 61: The Duke’s Nightmare Part 1

The last remnants of his nightmare clung to Riven's skin like a lingering shadow. His breath evened, his heartbeat settling into its steady, controlled rhythm. The weight of the mausoleum returned—stone, dust, and silence. His generals stood at the edges of the chamber, waiting.

"Good, you're awake," Nyx said, arms crossed, her dark eyes flicking over him. "Are you alright?"

Riven rubbed his neck, the phantom weight of the nightmare still pressing against his skin. The skill had latched onto his subconscious like a leech, pulling forth memories he had buried long ago. Abyssal Nightmare was powerful—far stronger than he had anticipated.

"I'm fine." Riven sighed after a moment. "At least I know now that it works… perhaps a little too well."

Nyx reached down and pulled Riven to his feet with ease, her grip firm yet careful. Before he could fully regain his bearings, Aria was already at his side, a delicate handkerchief—embroidered with fine silver thread—materializing in her grasp as if summoned from thin air. Without hesitation, she dabbed away the sweat clinging to his skin, her movements smooth and practiced.

Riven arched a brow at her. Where does she even keep these things?

"That's great news, my liege," Krux said, flashing a sharp grin. "While you were wrestling with that nightmare, we were working out the finer details of how to get you out of the academy unseen and how we're breaking into the Duke's estate."

Riven took the cool crystal cup Aria handed him—filled with refreshingly chilled water, of course—and took a slow sip. The moment the cold liquid touched his tongue, he cast a sidelong glance at her.

"…And where exactly are you getting all of this?"

Aria merely smiled, sipping from her own delicate teacup as if that answered everything.

Nyx chuckled. "Don't question it. Just accept it."

Riven shook his head, setting the cup down before fixing his gaze on them. "Alright, and did you actually come up with a working plan?"

Nyx's smirk widened. "Of course. Everything is in place."

"Alright," he said, his voice regaining its usual sharpness. "Let's hear it."

Nyx leaned against the stone table, arms folded. "The academy's wards are strong, but not impenetrable. Sana found a weak point near the eastern wall—a section where the enchantments are old and fraying. It's the perfect exit."

Sana stepped forward, her voice as smooth as ever. "The library is close to that section, and it's training rooms are open all night. If you send a shadow clone there to make it seem like you're training, no one will question it."

"Simple misdirection," Aria added, setting her teacup down with a quiet clink. "Your presence will be accounted for, and if anyone does happen to check, they'll find your clone hard at work."

Krux grinned. "And while your little illusion keeps the academy busy, we slip out through the weakened ward and make our way to the Duke's estate. Quick, clean, and no one even knows you're gone."

Riven nodded, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Not bad." His gaze flicked to Sana. "And the security in the capital? What are we dealing with?"

She tilted her head slightly. "The city gates won't be an issue. The academy's insignia allows free movement for students, and my sources confirm that tonight's guard shift is particularly lax. Once you're inside, Deveroux's estate will be the only challenge."

Nyx tapped a map she had unrolled on the table. "The Duke's mansion is well-guarded, but nothing we can't handle. His security detail is standard—mercenaries mixed with a few low mana circle guards. The biggest problem is the enchanted barriers around his personal quarters."

Aria traced a finger over the map's markings. "They're strong but not complex. Given enough time, I can disable them."

Krux cracked his knuckles. "Or I can just smash through."

Nyx shot him a deadpan look. "Yes, because breaking into the Duke's estate by brute force won't make him suspicious at all."

Krux grinned. "Just saying, if subtlety fails, we have options."

Riven chuckled. "Let's keep that as Plan B."

His mind raced through the strategy, weighing each detail. The plan was solid. Nyx says Deveroux is known for his pragmatism—he wouldn't listen to empty promises, but he would listen to power. That's where Abyssal Nightmare came in.

If the Duke doubted him, he'd make sure the man had no choice but to believe.

Riven exhaled, his decision made. "Alright. Let's move."

—x—

They moved through the academy grounds like ghosts, slipping between the shadows cast by the towering buildings. The night was their cover, the dim torchlight flickering across the stone walls failing to catch their silent movements.

Only once Riven reached the concealed corner near the library entrance did he raise his hand. The inky darkness coiled at his fingertips before unfurling like a living entity, seeping from his palm and taking shape.

A perfect replica of himself emerged, its features identical, but its posture reeked of that insufferable arrogance his shadow clones always seemed to have. It tilted its head, eyes gleaming with faint amusement before rolling its eyes, feigning disinterest.

Riven barely resisted the urge to punch it.

Instead, he clenched his fist and exhaled through his nose. Not worth the mana waste. His clone gave him one last lazy glance before striding into the library without hesitation.

Reaching out through their connection, Riven tapped into the clone's vision. His senses flickered, shifting as he observed through its eyes. The moment it stepped inside, heads turned—students, scholars, and mages-in-training casting curious glances.

Nothing unusual. He was used to the stares.

The clone moved with deliberate ease, its every action a careful mimicry of Riven's usual behavior. It strode up to the guards, brushing its talisman across their plaques. A brief shimmer of runic light passed over before granting access.

With practiced nonchalance, the clone ascended the staircase, its gaze drifting over the bookshelves as if searching for something. Then, after pausing just long enough to avoid suspicion, it veered toward the higher-level training rooms.

Inside, it made a show of flipping through a few spell tomes before settling into a corner, its posture relaxed but purposeful.

Only once Riven confirmed the clone was in place did he sever the link, his breath leaving him in a slow exhale. The drain on his mana remained steady, but with the clone stationary, the depletion would remain manageable.

Sana slipped into the library soon after, her movements fluid and silent, gliding through the aisles like a wraith. She drifted past students and scholars unnoticed, her presence a mere whisper in the grand halls. With her senses sharpened, she monitored the space, searching for the slightest disturbance.

Finding none, she sent a quiet pulse through their mental link. "All is well, Master."

Riven acknowledged her with the faintest nod before turning on his heel. His Generals followed without a word, their pace swift and calculated as they turned and slipped deeper into the forests that lined the academy.

They moved with purpose, navigating the maze of trees and concealed pathways until they reached their destination—the weak point in the academy's outer wall.

Before them stood an imposing barrier of thick grey stone, its surface pulsing with ancient runes and intricate magic circles. The wards glowed faintly in the darkness, a silent warning to any who dared attempt an escape.

Aria stepped forward without hesitation, her gaze sweeping over the runes with practiced precision. She had done this countless times before—breaking in, breaking out, slipping through cracks in defenses that others never even noticed.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

She pressed her palm lightly against the wall, fingers ghosting over the worn-out enchantments. "The academy's wards are sophisticated," she murmured, more to herself than the others. "But they've been layered over each other for centuries. Some of the old magic is interfering with the newer protections… which gives us an opening."

Riven crossed his arms, watching as Aria pulled out a small dagger, its blade etched with faint sigils. With a flick of her wrist, she cut a shallow line across her palm, and a thin stream of blood welled up before she pressed it against the runes.

The magic pulsed in response, flickering erratically like a candle struggling against the wind.

"This will take a moment," she muttered, kneeling down to trace her free hand along the lower edge of the wall. Her movements were quick and precise, the careful dismantling of a lock rather than the brute force of breaking through.

Krux crouched beside her, watching with barely concealed impatience. "You sure you don't want me to just—"

"Shut up, Krux," Nyx interrupted, rolling her eyes. "Let the professional work."

Aria didn't even acknowledge the exchange. Her lips moved in a silent chant, the energy in the air shifting as the runes began to unravel. The glow dimmed, then flickered once more before finally dying out.

With a soft click, the magic sealing the section of the wall fractured, leaving nothing but inert stone behind.

She stood, wiping the blood from her palm with an effortless grace. "It's open," she announced simply, stepping back.

Riven nodded, placing a hand against the cold stone. Without the runes reinforcing it, the weakened section of the wall began to crack and crumble beneath his touch. Small fractures spread across the surface, and with a few careful tugs, they were able to pull away several loose stones, widening the gap.

Dust and debris fell at their feet, but soon, the opening was just large enough for them to slip through. One by one, they passed to the other side, vanishing into the darkness beyond.

The cold night air greeted them as they emerged on the other side of the academy wall, the towering structure now behind them. A heavy silence settled over the group, the weight of the mission ahead pressing upon them.

Riven took a steadying breath before gesturing forward. "Stay in the shadows. We don't engage unless necessary."

Nyx nodded, her gaze scanning the dimly lit streets ahead. The capital was alive, even at this hour. Lanterns flickered along the cobblestone roads, the faint hum of distant conversations and laughter drifting from the more populated areas. But here, in the quieter parts, their presence would stand out if they weren't careful.

They moved like wraiths, hugging the alleyways and keeping to the darkest corners, avoiding the main thoroughfares where patrolling guards roamed. The capital was vast, its streets winding and sprawling, but they had memorized the layout beforehand. Every turn was calculated, every step measured.

Aria took the lead, her senses sharper than most. With each turn, she subtly signaled when to stop and when to move. Pedestrians still roamed the streets—some civilians, others dressed in cloaks that marked them as merchants or travelers. But there were a few whose presence burned like beacons against Riven's own senses.

Mana users.

Likely mages, guards, or nobles with mana hearts —ones that would definitely detect their presence if they got too close.

"We take the long way," Nyx murmured, her tone clipped. "Too much risk of detection."

Riven gave a short nod, following her lead. The longer route took them through a winding series of alleyways, past the backs of shops and smaller estates. There were no enchanted lamps here, only the moon's pale glow casting elongated shadows across the walls.

A sudden burst of laughter echoed from a nearby street, forcing them all to freeze.

Riven narrowed his eyes, signaling for the others to stay low as a trio of drunken noblemen stumbled past, a single escort trailing behind them. The man's mana was weak, barely more than a flicker, but they waited until the group had disappeared before pressing forward.

Minutes bled into what felt like an hour, but soon, the noble district came into view. Unlike the tightly packed streets of the capital, this area was vast, designed to showcase wealth and power. Each estate was grand, their towering gates and sprawling gardens a stark contrast to the rest of the city. But among them, one structure loomed above the rest.

Calling it a mansion would be an insult. It was a fortress of opulence, more akin to a castle than a noble's residence. Its sprawling grounds stretched across a vast portion of the district, enclosed by a towering blackstone wall reinforced with layers of protective magic. At its heart, the main estate stood like a monument of wealth and influence, its white marble façade gleaming even beneath the moonlight, its numerous towers and spires piercing into the sky like the fingers of some ancient giant.

Massive iron gates sealed off the entrance, their elaborate design laced with golden runes that shimmered with layered enchantments. Beyond them, the estate grounds unfolded like a royal palace, with statues carved from obsidian and jade, manicured gardens sprawling with exotic flowers, and fountains made of enchanted crystal, their water glowing faintly in the dark.

Even from this distance, Riven could sense it—the weight of wealth, of power, of a kingdom within a kingdom.

He smirked. Let's see how unshakable Deveroux really is.