Whispers of Worlds Beyond: A Series - Chapter 83

Chapter 83: Water Fountain Chapter 83: Water Fountain The officiator’s speech dragged on, his voice continuing its unpredictable pattern of cracking at unfortunate moments.

Most of the students remained solemn, their gazes fixed on the small casket before them, some dabbing at their eyes, others bowing their heads in silence.

Aiden and Adrian, still struggling to regain their composure, kept their heads down, occasionally sneaking glances at each other.

But it seemed that, thankfully, no one else was paying them any attention.

Then, just as the officiator reached what seemed to be the most dramatic part of his speech, his voice wobbled violently, and he suddenly choked on his own words.

He coughed once.

Then twice.

Then he wheezed, holding his throat dramatically.

“I… I-” He coughed again, clearing his throat repeatedly.

His face turned a bit red, and he finally waved a desperate hand in the air.

“I beg you- does anyone have water?” The entire garden fell silent.

There was no water source nearby.

The officiator looked around as if expecting someone to produce a pitcher from thin air.

Professor Pippa, seated among the other faculty, quickly stood.

“I’ll return to the academy to fetch some drinking water,” she offered.

But the officiator raised a shaking hand.

“No… I need it now.” A murmur rippled through the students.

“Does anyone have water magic?” the officiator asked, his voice hoarse.

At once, several students turned their heads.

Right at Sevan.

Sevan, who had been sitting stiffly through the entire speech, blinked as multiple pairs of eyes landed on him.

He hesitated before raising his hand.

“Ah, wonderful!” The officiator sighed in relief.

“Please, help me, young man.” Sevan nodded and made a motion to stand.

“No, no!

Stay right there.” Sevan froze halfway out of his chair, confused.

“…Pardon?” “Just shoot the water into my mouth.” Silence.

Adrian’s head snapped up so fast it nearly gave him whiplash.

Aiden barely stifled a cough.

Sevan remained half-standing, his hand still braced against his chair.

“…Excuse me?” The officiator gestured vaguely, looking entirely serious.

“Your water magic.

Just…

send the water directly to my mouth.

I can’t wait any longer.” The students around them began exchanging incredulous looks.

Sevan, clearly unsure whether this was actually happening, hesitated.

“…Sir, I don’t think-” “Nonsense!” The officiator interrupted, patting his throat as if he were on the verge of collapse.

“You’re a capable young magi.

A little water stream will do.” Aiden bit the inside of his cheek.

Adrian buried his face in his hands.

Sevan looked like he wanted to disappear into the ground.

“You want me to-?” Sevan started, then cut himself off.

He swallowed back his laughter, pressing his lips together.

“…Are you sure, sir?” The officiator waved his hand dramatically.

“Yes!

Hurry!” Sevan looked around desperately, as if hoping someone-anyone- would intervene.

But all he was met with were expectant gazes from the officiator and hushed murmurs among the students.

No one was going to step in.

He swallowed down his disbelief, straightened in his seat, and lifted his hands, conjuring a small orb of water between his palms.

Aiden and Adrian leaned slightly closer, watching with thinly veiled amusement.

Sevan took a deep breath, flicked his fingers, and sent a thin stream of water toward the officiator.

The water arched through the air beautifully- And landed directly on the officiator’s forehead.

A sharp splat echoed in the otherwise silent ceremony.

The officiator jolted as the cold water splashed against his face, his glasses slipping down his nose.

His mouth parted slightly in shock, as if his brain had yet to process what had just happened.

Aiden’s hands shot up to cover his mouth.

His shoulders trembled violently.

Adrian hunched forward, pressing his face into his sleeve, his entire body shaking.

Sevan, horrified, immediately cut off the spell, his eyes wide in panic.

“I-!” “A bit lower, young man!” the officiator sputtered, blinking rapidly as he wiped at his face.

Aiden let out an undignified snort.

Adrian, who had barely been holding himself together, bent forward even further, face buried in his arms.

Sevan clenched his jaw, his face burning in humiliation.

He nodded stiffly, lifted his hands once more, and tried again.

This time, he aimed with more precision.

A small, controlled stream of water shot through the air- And smacked the officiator directly in the eye.

The officiator flinched, stumbling back a step.

“Not in my eyes!” Adrian outright gasped, gripping his seat for dear life.

Aiden pressed himself so hard against his chair that it creaked beneath him, his knuckles shoved into his mouth in a desperate attempt to muffle his laughter.

Sevan, looking as if he wanted nothing more than to evaporate on the spot, adjusted his aim once more.

His hands trembled slightly, but he steadied himself.

He would get this right.

The third attempt…surely this time…

The stream of water finally hit its target- the officiator’s open mouth.

With too much force.

The officiator gagged as the water shot straight into his throat, his head snapping back as if he’d been struck.

He stumbled back, hacking and waving his arms wildly.

A loud choking noise escaped from his mouth.

Adrian wheezed so hard he nearly slid off his chair.

Aiden doubled over, shoulders shaking violently.

He let out something between a strangled hiccup and a breathless gasp.

Sevan’s entire body had gone stiff.

His hands hovered in mid-air as if he was debating whether to try fixing the disaster or simply accept his fate and flee the region.

The officiator, meanwhile, was still coughing and staggering in place, his soaked robes clinging to him as he struggled to recover.

Sevan, utterly mortified, clapped his hands together, cutting the magic off entirely.

The officiator finally managed to clear his throat, blinking rapidly before straightening with a wheezing exhale.

His hair was dripping.

His ceremonial robes, meant to be dignified and pristine, were now drenched, sticking awkwardly to his form.

He looked as if he had just been caught in a freak rainstorm.

But he nodded once, patting his chest to steady his breath.

“Good… good enough.” Aiden, at this point, was red in the face, pressing his sleeve against his mouth to keep himself from outright howling.

Adrian was hunched over, his shoulders shaking violently.

He was shaking so hard, in fact, that he nearly fell out of his chair, catching himself at the last second.

Sevan, his face burning a furious shade of red, sank lower in his seat, staring straight ahead with the expression of someone who had just experienced a personal tragedy.

The officiator wiped his soaked face one last time, cleared his throat, and adjusted his dripping sleeves.

“Let us continue.” The audience, still largely solemn, barely reacted.

Some were too focused on their grief to notice the ordeal, while others simply chose to act as though it had never happened.

Adrian and Aiden, however, were barely holding on.

Sevan, utterly humiliated, slouched in his seat, his jaw clenched tight.

He vowed, then and there, to never, ever respond to a public request for his water magic again.