Villainous Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 61: Borrowed time

Chapter 61: Borrowed time

"Move!"

I didn’t wait for questions. I grabbed Leo by the arm and pulled, dragging him toward the treeline.

"Julien! Cover the rear!"

"On it!" Julien’s sword flared as he pivoted, slashing through a tendril of shadow that lashed toward us.

"Mira, Felix! Get Wallace out of here!"

"Come on, Gremlin," Mira gritted out, looping Wallace’s arm over her shoulder. Felix hovered beside them, his wide eyes darting everywhere, but at least his legs were moving.

"But—" Felix started.

"Shut up and move!" Mira snapped, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Wallace was barely conscious, his face pale and drenched with sweat. His mana was gone. If he collapsed now...

I shoved that thought aside.

"Keep going!" I barked, dragging Leo along as his steps lagged behind.

His body felt sluggish, his movements uncoordinated—like he was fighting something I couldn’t see.

"Leo," I murmured, keeping my voice steady. "Stay with me."

"I... I can still hear it..." His voice was distant, barely above a whisper.

"Don’t listen," I said softly, tightening my grip. "Focus on my voice."

His eyes flickered, hazy and unfocused. But he was trying.

Good enough.

"Professor!" Julien’s voice was sharp, strained. "They’re not slowing down!"

I glanced back.

The shadows weren’t receding.

If anything... they were speeding up.

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath.

They weren’t mindless.

They were tracking us.

"The clearing," I murmured, eyes scanning ahead. "Get to the clearing!"

We weren’t far.

But far enough for things to go wrong.

"Felix!" I barked.

"Y-Yeah?!"

"Keep Leo with you!" I shoved Leo toward him, forcing myself to let go.

Felix’s arms flailed but he caught Leo, steadying him.

"Got him!"

"Good."

Because I had something else to deal with.

"Mira!"

"Here!"

"Take point. Get them to the clearing!"

Mira didn’t hesitate. "On it."

She adjusted her grip on Wallace and pushed forward, her steps steady despite the extra weight.

Julien stayed at the rear, his blade flashing as he cut down another tendril.

But...

They were learning.

The shadows weren’t blindly attacking anymore.

They were probing.

Testing our defenses.

"Julien," I murmured, falling back slightly to cover him.

"Yeah?" His voice was tight, his breathing labored.

"They’re adapting."

"I can see that," he grunted, slicing through another shadow that tried to flank us.

"Fall back," I murmured. "We’re almost there."

"Got it."

He didn’t argue.

Good.

The clearing was just ahead.

If we could make it—

Pulse.

My steps faltered.

"Professor?" Mira’s voice was tight, her eyes darting back.

"I feel it," I murmured.

The pulse was faint...

But closer.

Too close.

We weren’t going to make it in time.

Not like this.

"Julien," I murmured softly.

"Yeah?"

"Take them."

His steps faltered. "What?"

"Take them and go," I said, my voice calm.

"Professor—"

"Now."

"Not happening," Julien snapped, his jaw clenched.

"Julien," I murmured, my tone low. "This isn’t up for debate."

"We’re not leaving you," Mira hissed, her eyes flashing.

"You’re not—"

"Lucian."

I froze.

Mira never called me that.

Not unless she was serious.

Her eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment...

I saw it.

Determination.

"Don’t do this," she murmured. "Not alone."

My jaw clenched.

Damn it.

"Professor," Julien’s voice was quieter now. "We’re not leaving you."

Stubborn idiots.

But...

They weren’t wrong.

"Fine," I muttered, gripping my cane tighter.

Julien’s smirk was faint but there. "Thought so."

"Don’t make me regret it," I grumbled, moving back into position.

"Wouldn’t dream of it."

"Professor!"

Mira’s voice was sharp.

I looked up—

Too late.

The pulse slammed into me like a hammer.

My vision blurred, the world tilting dangerously.

No.

Not now.

Not here.

I staggered, knees threatening to buckle.

"Professor!"

"Stay back!" I barked, forcing myself to stay upright.

The pulse...

It’s stronger.

"Wallace..." I murmured.

"Here..." His voice was barely above a whisper.

"The array..."

"I... I can’t..."

His mana was gone.

We were out of time.

Think.

"Professor!" Julien’s voice was strained.

The shadows surged—

Faster.

"Get ready!" I barked, raising my cane.

Julien’s sword flared beside me, his stance steady despite the exhaustion.

Mira’s dagger was a blur, her movements sharp and controlled.

Felix hovered protectively near Leo and Wallace, his eyes darting everywhere.

But...

It wasn’t enough.

The pulse was building.

Stronger.

"Professor..." Mira’s voice was barely above a whisper.

She felt it too.

My jaw clenched.

Think.

We couldn’t outrun it.

And fighting...

Not an option.

Which left...

One choice.

"Wallace," I murmured, my voice steady.

"P-Professor?"

"Can you hold the array for... five seconds?"

"I..."

"Can you do it?"

A pause.

"...Yes."

"Good."

Because that’s all I needed.

"Everyone," I murmured, my eyes narrowing. "When I say move—"

"Move where?" Julien snapped.

"Just trust me."

I felt it.

The pulse.

It was almost ready.

"Wallace."

"Here..."

"Now."

Wallace’s hands moved sluggishly, but the array flared to life one last time.

The pulse...

It pushed back.

"Move!" I barked, grabbing Leo and pulling him forward.

Everyone followed.

No questions.

No hesitation.

Good.

The array held—

For three seconds.

But that was all I needed.

"Go!" I snapped, shoving Leo toward the treeline.

Mira and Julien were already ahead, dragging Wallace and Felix along.

I stayed back.

Just long enough—

To feel it.

The pulse shattered the array.

But I was ready.

Almost.

"Lucian!"

Mira’s voice echoed through the trees—

But I was already moving.

My mana flared, the runes on my cane igniting.

The pulse slammed into me, but this time—

I channeled it.

Redirected it.

Away from them.

Away from my students.

The shadows recoiled—

And for a moment...

Silence.

I staggered, my vision swimming.

But I was still standing.

Barely.

"Lucian!" Mira’s voice was closer now.

"Keep moving," I rasped, forcing my legs to move.

I stumbled forward, following the distant glow of Julien’s sword.

We weren’t safe.

Not yet.

But...

We were alive.

For now.

Borrowed time.

The air was thick with tension as we stumbled deeper into the forest, putting as much distance as possible between us and whatever nightmare was lurking back there.

But I could still feel it.

That pulse.

Faint now, but there.

"Keep moving," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. My legs felt like lead, but I forced them to keep going.

"Professor..." Julien’s voice was tight, his steps slowing. "We’re not gonna last much longer like this."

He wasn’t wrong.

Wallace was barely conscious, slumped against Mira’s side. Leo was moving, but his steps were uneven—like he wasn’t entirely sure where he was. Felix kept glancing back, his face pale and drenched with sweat.

Even Julien’s sword arm was shaking.

We were running on fumes.

"Just a little more," I murmured, scanning ahead.

There.

A small ridge just beyond the treeline. Elevated. Defensible.

"We’ll stop there," I said, voice firm.

"Thank the gods," Felix muttered, his pace picking up just a bit.

We reached the ridge in minutes, but it felt like hours.

"Set Wallace down," I murmured, gesturing toward the base of a large tree. Mira eased him down gently, her face tight with concern.

Leo collapsed beside him, his breathing heavy but steady.

"Julien," I called softly.

"Yeah?" He was still standing, sword raised, eyes scanning the forest.

"Perimeter," I murmured. "Just in case."

He didn’t argue. "On it."

Felix dropped beside Leo, his back against the tree, his eyes darting toward the shadows.

"Felix," I murmured.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Breathe."

He blinked, then sucked in a shaky breath.

"Better."

I knelt beside Wallace, pressing two fingers against his neck.

His pulse was weak.

Mana exhaustion.

"Wallace?" I murmured softly.

His eyes fluttered open.

"Professor..." His voice was barely a whisper.

"Stay with me," I said quietly, channeling a small pulse of mana into him. It wasn’t much—I didn’t have much left—but it was enough to keep him stable.

"For now."

"Did..." Wallace’s voice trembled. "Did we... stop it?"

I didn’t answer.

Because I wasn’t sure.

"Rest," I murmured, keeping my tone steady. "We’ll talk later."

His eyes slipped shut again, his breathing evening out.

Good.

"Professor," Mira’s voice was low, but sharp.

I looked up.

Her eyes weren’t on me.

They were on Leo.

I followed her gaze—

And my stomach dropped.

Leo’s hands were clenched tight, his jaw locked. His eyes were wide, staring at something none of us could see.

"Leo," I murmured, my voice calm.

No response.

"Leo."

Still nothing.

Damn it.

I moved closer, kneeling beside him.

"Leo," I murmured again, softer this time. "Look at me."

Slowly...

His head turned.

But his eyes—

They weren’t his.

Not completely.

A faint glow pulsed behind them, barely noticeable—

But it was there.

The tether.

"Shit," I whispered under my breath.

"Professor?" Mira’s voice was tight.

I met her eyes.

She knew.

They all knew.

"Leo," I murmured softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

The moment I touched him—

Cold.

Not physical.

Mana.

"Leo..." I murmured, keeping my tone steady.

His lips moved—

But no sound came out.

"Stay with me," I murmured, pushing a steady pulse of mana into him.

A flicker.

Just a flicker.

But I saw it.

Him.

"Professor..." His voice was weak, barely audible.

"I’m here," I murmured softly. "You’re okay."

His jaw clenched.

"I... I can’t..."

"Yes, you can."

I pushed a bit more mana through the connection, anchoring him.

"You’re stronger than this, Leo."

For a moment...

Just a moment...

I felt it.

Resistance.

He was fighting.

Good.

"Professor..."

His voice was clearer now, but his eyes...

The glow was still there.

Damn it.

"It’s still in him," Mira murmured, her voice tight.

"I know," I muttered.

Whatever had latched onto him—

It wasn’t letting go.

"Professor..." Felix’s voice was quiet, hesitant.

I glanced up.

He was staring at Leo.

At the faint glow in his eyes.

"Is... is he gonna..."

"Not if I can help it," I murmured, my jaw clenched.

But this wasn’t going to be easy.

Not by a long shot.

"We don’t have the resources to purge something like this," Wallace murmured weakly, his eyes barely open.

"I know."

"Then..." Mira’s voice trailed off.

There was only one other option.

And I hated it.

"We’ll have to contain it," I murmured softly.

Mira’s eyes narrowed. "Contain it?"

"I can suppress it," I said quietly, my mind already working through the details. "But not for long."

"How long?"

"Days."

Maybe.

"If we’re lucky."

The glow in Leo’s eyes pulsed faintly—

And my jaw clenched.

"Professor," Julien murmured, his tone unusually serious.

"We can’t take him back like this."

"No," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

If the Academy saw this—

If they felt it—

Leo wouldn’t make it out alive.

"We’re not going back," I murmured, my jaw set.

Mira’s eyes sharpened. "What?"

"We’re not going back," I repeated, my tone firmer this time.

"Not yet."

Julien’s brow furrowed. "You’re serious."

"Do I look like I’m joking?"

"Not even a little," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"We can’t go back until I figure out what’s inside him," I said softly.

"Until I know how to get rid of it."

Mira’s jaw tightened. "And if you can’t?"

My eyes locked onto Leo’s.

"I will."

I had to.

Because if I didn’t...

Leo wouldn’t survive.

"Wallace," I murmured softly.

"Here..." His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Can you stabilize a containment ward?"

"Not... for long," he murmured, his eyes fluttering open. "But... I can try."

"That’s all I need."

For now.

"Julien," I murmured.

"Yeah?"

"Set the perimeter. Double-layer it."

"On it."

"Felix," I murmured softly.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Stay with Leo."

Felix blinked, his eyes widening.

"Me?"

"You," I said firmly. "Don’t let him drift."

Felix swallowed hard but nodded.

"Okay..."

I stood slowly, my body protesting every movement.

"We’re not out of this yet," I murmured softly.

"But we’re alive."

For now.

And that was enough.

For now.