Villainous Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 62: Temporary

Chapter 62: Temporary

Dawn was a distant promise when I finally let myself breathe. The sky was still a deep shade of indigo, with the faintest hint of light creeping along the horizon. The forest was unnervingly quiet—too quiet.

Never trust the silence.

Julien stood near the edge of the clearing, his sword resting against his shoulder. His eyes scanned the treeline, sharp and unwavering, but I could see the exhaustion in his posture. He hadn’t rested.

None of us had.

Mira knelt beside Wallace, carefully adjusting the crude ward we’d set up to keep whatever was inside Leo from spreading. Her hands moved with practiced precision, but I didn’t miss the slight tremor in her fingers.

Wallace was barely conscious, his face pale and drenched with sweat. Mana exhaustion was a cruel thing. He wouldn’t recover fully without proper rest and a steady flow of mana—two things we didn’t have right now.

And Leo...

Leo sat at the base of the tree, knees pulled to his chest. His eyes were open but distant, locked on something none of us could see.

"Professor..."

Felix’s voice was quiet, hesitant. He was sitting beside Leo, his back against the same tree, but he hadn’t moved in hours.

"Yeah?" I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Is... he gonna be okay?"

I didn’t answer immediately.

Because I didn’t know.

"He’s still with us," I said softly. "That’s what matters right now."

Felix’s lips pressed into a thin line, but he nodded.

"Okay..."

He wasn’t convinced. Neither was I.

"Professor," Mira called softly, her tone tight.

I stood, ignoring the protest from my body, and moved toward her.

"How bad?" I murmured, crouching beside Wallace.

"Stable," she said quietly, her expression grim. "But just barely. I’ve reinforced the ward, but..."

"But it won’t hold forever," I finished for her.

Mira’s jaw tightened. "No."

I placed a hand against the edge of the array, feeling the faint pulse of mana keeping the tether contained. It was holding—for now.

But I could feel the strain.

"Wallace?" I murmured softly.

His eyes fluttered open, unfocused and heavy with exhaustion.

"Professor..."

"Rest," I said softly. "You did good."

A weak smile tugged at his lips before his eyes slid shut again.

"How long do we have?" Mira asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Hours," I murmured, my jaw clenched. "Maybe less."

Mira’s eyes narrowed. "That’s not enough time."

"No," I said softly. "It’s not."

We needed a solution.

Fast.

"What about the Academy?" Julien’s voice drifted from the perimeter, but he didn’t look away from the forest.

I shook my head.

"Too risky," I murmured. "If they sense what’s inside Leo..."

"They’ll kill him," Mira finished, her voice cold.

"Exactly."

I wasn’t about to let that happen.

"Then what’s the plan, Professor?" Julien asked, finally turning toward me. His face was grim, his exhaustion hidden behind a layer of cold focus.

"I need time to analyze the tether," I murmured, my mind already working through possibilities. "To figure out what’s keeping it latched onto Leo."

"And if we can’t?"

I didn’t answer.

Because we had to.

"We’ll figure it out," I said instead, my voice firmer than I felt.

Julien didn’t look convinced.

"Until then," I murmured, "we keep him stable. We don’t let the tether strengthen."

"Wallace can’t keep reinforcing the ward," Mira said quietly.

"I know."

I needed a backup.

And there was only one thing that could hold something like this.

Runes.

My eyes drifted to the pack at my side, where my carving tools were tucked away.

Runes could hold mana. They could trap it, contain it.

But this wasn’t just mana.

This was... something else.

Something I didn’t fully understand.

And carving a containment rune strong enough to hold it?

I wasn’t sure I had the strength.

But I had to try.

"Professor?" Mira’s voice was quiet, but I could feel the unspoken question.

"Give me an hour," I murmured, standing slowly. "I need to work."

"An hour?" Julien muttered. "We don’t have an hour."

"We don’t have a choice," I said softly, my jaw clenched.

Julien’s lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn’t argue.

"Watch the perimeter," I murmured. "I need focus."

"On it."

Mira moved to take Julien’s place, her stance low and ready.

Felix stayed by Leo’s side, his expression a mixture of fear and uncertainty.

"Felix," I murmured softly.

His head snapped up.

"Don’t let him drift," I said quietly.

Felix swallowed hard but nodded.

"Okay..."

I knelt beside my pack, pulling out my carving tools and a spare mana crystal.

"Alright," I murmured softly, running a hand through my hair.

Containment.

The rune had to be precise.

Strong.

Any mistake—

And I’d lose Leo.

"Focus," I whispered, my jaw tight.

The world faded as I began.

Each line, each curve—I etched them carefully, pouring what little mana I had left into the crystal.

The runes hummed softly, responding to my intent.

Contain. Suppress. Bind.

The crystal pulsed faintly, the lines glowing with a soft cyan light.

Good.

But it wasn’t enough.

Not yet.

I needed something more.

Something... stronger.

My mind raced through possibilities—

And then it hit me.

Blood.

I grimaced.

Blood runes were dangerous. Unstable.

But they were powerful.

And right now?

I needed power.

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath.

I pulled a small blade from my belt, pressing it against my palm.

"Professor..."

Mira’s voice was tight, but I didn’t look up.

"I’ve got it," I murmured.

"Are you sure about this?"

"No."

But I didn’t have a choice.

The blade bit into my skin, a thin line of crimson trailing down my palm.

I pressed my hand against the crystal, the blood soaking into the etched runes.

The glow intensified, the runes pulsing with raw energy.

The crystal hummed.

"Come on..." I murmured softly.

The lines of the rune shifted, adapting to the new power source.

Bind.

The glow steadied.

Suppress.

The hum deepened.

Contain.

A pulse echoed through the clearing.

"Done," I murmured softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

I felt the strain hit me immediately.

Mana exhaustion.

But I didn’t let go.

Not yet.

"Professor?" Mira’s voice was softer this time.

I exhaled slowly, my hand trembling as I pulled away.

The crystal pulsed faintly, the runes stabilized.

Good enough.

For now.

"Wallace..." I murmured softly.

"Here..." His voice was weak, but he was awake.

"I need you to link this to the containment ward," I murmured, holding out the crystal.

His eyes widened. "Professor... that’s..."

"I know," I said softly. "Do it."

Wallace’s jaw clenched, but he nodded.

"I’ll... try."

Mira helped him sit up, her eyes darting between me and the crystal.

"Is that going to hold?" she murmured, her voice low.

"For a while," I said quietly.

"How long?"

"Long enough."

I hoped.

Wallace’s fingers trembled as he placed the crystal against the array, his mana weaving the connection.

The moment the link snapped into place—

The air shifted.

The glow in Leo’s eyes dimmed.

Not gone.

But weaker.

"Professor..."

Leo’s voice was faint, but clearer than before.

"I’m here," I murmured softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

His body sagged, the tension draining.

"Did... did it work?"

"For now," I murmured softly.

But this was only temporary.

I could feel the pulse...

Still there.

Still waiting.

"Get some rest," I murmured softly. "We’ll figure this out."

Leo’s eyes slipped shut, his breathing steadying.

But I wasn’t fooled.

This wasn’t over.

Not even close.

"We bought ourselves time," I murmured softly, my eyes narrowing as I stood.

"But not much."

Mira’s gaze was steady, but I could see the unspoken question in her eyes.

What now?

I didn’t have an answer.

Not yet.

But I’d find one.

Because if I didn’t—

Leo wouldn’t survive.

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