Villainous Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 63: Price for survival

Chapter 63: Price for survival

Morning came, but it brought no comfort. The light filtering through the treetops did little to chase away the oppressive weight lingering in the air.

Leo was resting—for now. His breathing had steadied, his expression no longer twisted with pain. But I wasn’t fooled. The crystal was holding the remnant at bay, but it wasn’t a solution. It was a patch on a leaking dam.

"Professor."

Mira’s voice was quiet, but her tone carried a weight that pulled me out of my thoughts.

I turned to see her standing near the treeline, her expression tight. Julien stood beside her, his jaw clenched, eyes scanning the forest with sharp focus.

"Something’s wrong," she murmured.

"Define ’wrong,’" I said softly, already moving toward them.

"Quiet," Julien muttered, his grip tightening on his sword.

"Too quiet," Mira added, her fingers brushing the hilt of her dagger.

I frowned, stretching my senses outward.

They were right.

The forest was still.

No birds. No rustling leaves.

Nothing.

"Damn it," I muttered, my jaw tightening.

The pulse was faint—barely there. But it was still present, lurking beneath the surface.

It wasn’t gone.

It was waiting.

"Wallace?" I called softly, glancing back.

"Still holding," he murmured, his voice strained. He was leaning against a tree, the lines of exhaustion etched deep into his face. The crystal was in his lap, pulsing faintly, the containment rune stabilizing Leo’s condition.

But I could see it.

The strain.

Wallace was running on fumes.

"We need to move," I murmured, my voice low.

"Move where?" Julien asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Anywhere but here."

"We barely made it out of the cave alive," Mira said softly. "If that thing’s still connected to Leo..."

"Staying here isn’t an option," I murmured, my jaw clenched.

I didn’t trust this silence.

It felt... wrong.

"Julien."

"Yeah?"

"Scout ahead," I murmured. "We need a path—somewhere we can set up a stronger ward."

Julien nodded, his expression grim.

"On it."

He didn’t wait for further instructions, disappearing into the trees with practiced ease.

"Mira," I murmured softly.

"Perimeter?"

I nodded.

"Keep it tight."

"Got it."

She moved without hesitation, her steps silent as she circled the clearing.

That left...

"Felix."

"P-Professor?"

The poor kid looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. His hands were trembling slightly, his knuckles white as he gripped the hilt of his dagger.

"Stay with Leo," I murmured softly. "Don’t let him drift too far."

Felix swallowed hard but nodded.

"Okay..."

I crouched beside Wallace, my eyes scanning the runes etched into the crystal.

"How bad?" I murmured softly.

"Stable," he rasped, but I could hear the exhaustion in his voice. "But..."

"But not for long," I finished for him.

Wallace nodded, his jaw tight.

"The tether’s... weakening," he murmured. "But it’s not severed."

"Damn it," I muttered, running a hand through my hair.

I traced my fingers along the lines of the array, feeling the faint pulse of mana thrumming beneath the surface.

"Professor..." Wallace’s voice was barely a whisper.

"I know," I murmured softly.

We were running out of time.

Think.

I needed a permanent solution.

Something that could sever the tether completely—without killing Leo in the process.

But that kind of magic...

Old magic.

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath.

There was one possibility.

But it was dangerous.

And if I was wrong—

No.

I couldn’t afford to be wrong.

"Wallace," I murmured softly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember the Elder Seal?"

His eyes widened, his face going pale.

"Professor..."

"I know," I murmured softly. "But we don’t have a choice."

"The Elder Seal?" Mira’s voice was quiet, but I could hear the tension in her tone.

"Old magic," I murmured. "Pre-Aetherium era. Used to bind... things that couldn’t be destroyed."

"Things?" Felix’s voice was tight, his expression pale.

"Dark things," Wallace murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Things that don’t belong," I added softly.

"Professor," Wallace’s voice was strained. "That’s..."

"Dangerous," I murmured softly. "I know."

The Elder Seal wasn’t just dangerous.

It was forbidden.

But if it worked...

It would sever the tether.

For good.

"Can you draw it?" I murmured softly.

Wallace’s jaw clenched, his eyes filled with uncertainty.

"I..."

"Wallace," I murmured softly, my voice steady.

"We don’t have a choice."

For a moment, he didn’t move.

And then...

He nodded.

"I’ll need... time," he murmured.

"Take what you need," I said softly.

Because this was our only shot.

And I wasn’t going to let Leo die.

"Julien!"

My voice echoed through the clearing, and moments later, he reappeared, his expression tense.

"Path’s clear," he murmured. "But there’s something... off."

"Off how?" I murmured.

"Didn’t see anything," he muttered. "But I felt it."

A chill ran down my spine.

"Something’s watching us," Julien murmured softly.

I didn’t doubt it.

Because whatever was tethered to Leo?

It wasn’t done with us.

Not yet.

"Move out," I murmured softly, my voice firm.

"We’re running out of time."

And whatever was out there?

It was getting closer.

We moved fast. Faster than I liked. But staying put was no longer an option.

Julien led the way, his steps quick but measured. He didn’t speak, didn’t look back—but I knew he felt it.

We all did.

The presence.

It wasn’t just watching anymore.

It was following.

The pulse beneath my fingertips grew stronger with each step, a steady beat that echoed through the crystal. I could feel it—the tether clinging to Leo’s soul like a parasite. And whatever was on the other end of that tether...

It was closing in.

"Julien," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah," he muttered, not slowing his pace.

"Distance?"

"Not far." His jaw clenched. "Maybe a few hundred meters."

Damn.

We weren’t going to outrun this thing.

Not with Leo like this.

I glanced back.

Mira was keeping to the rear, her eyes scanning the forest with sharp precision. Felix was beside her, doing his best to look composed—but I could see the fear in his eyes.

Wallace was at the center, supporting Leo. The poor kid was barely conscious, his skin pale and clammy. The crystal in Wallace’s hand was still pulsing, but the glow was dimming.

The seal was holding.

For now.

"We’re not going to make it," Mira murmured softly, her voice just loud enough for me to hear.

"Not like this," I muttered.

"We need a plan."

"Working on it."

And I was.

But none of the options were good.

"Professor..." Wallace’s voice was strained.

I didn’t like the way he said that.

"Don’t say it," I muttered.

"I’m running out," he murmured, his grip tightening on the crystal.

"Don’t. Say it."

"The seal’s weakening," he whispered, his voice barely above a breath. "I don’t have enough mana left."

Damn it.

We’re out of time.

"Julien."

"Yeah?"

"Change of plans."

"Of course," he muttered. "Because that’s worked so well today."

"Don’t start," I murmured, moving up beside him.

"What’s the plan?" Mira asked softly.

I glanced at the trees.

Dense. Thick. But there was a clearing ahead. I could feel it.

"There’s an opening up ahead," I murmured.

"You sure?" Julien asked.

"I can feel it," I murmured, my senses brushing against the faint pulse of mana in the air.

Old magic.

"Wallace."

"Still here," he rasped.

"Can you hold for another five minutes?"

"Barely."

"That’s all I need."

"Professor..." Mira’s voice was tight. "What are you planning?"

"The Elder Seal."

Silence.

Even Julien stopped walking.

"Are you serious?" His voice was low, but the edge was impossible to miss.

"Do I look like I’m joking?"

"That’s forbidden magic," Mira murmured, her eyes narrowing.

"I’m aware."

"Professor..." Wallace’s voice was strained, his expression pale. "That’s not just dangerous—it’s—"

"I know."

My tone was sharper than I intended, but I didn’t have time for debates.

"If I don’t sever the tether now..." I glanced back at Leo. His breathing was shallow, his body barely responding.

"We lose him."

The silence was heavy.

But they understood.

"We’ll cover you," Julien murmured, his jaw clenched.

"Good."

I pushed forward, guiding the group toward the clearing.

The moment we stepped into the open space, I knew.

This is it.

The remnants of an old ritual site. The stones were cracked, worn down by time, but the mana...

The mana was still here.

"Set him down," I murmured, my voice softer now.

Wallace gently lowered Leo to the ground, his hands trembling as he pulled away.

"Felix," I murmured.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Stay with Leo. Don’t move him."

Felix nodded, dropping to his knees beside Leo, his eyes wide and filled with uncertainty.

"Julien. Mira."

"Perimeter?" Julien asked.

"Perimeter."

They moved without hesitation, taking positions on opposite sides of the clearing.

"Wallace."

"I’m ready." His voice was weak, but his hands were steady as he drew out his carving tools.

"Draw the seal," I murmured softly.

His eyes met mine.

"You’re sure?"

"No."

But I didn’t have a choice.

Wallace nodded, swallowing hard before kneeling beside Leo. His hands moved with practiced precision, carving ancient runes into the dirt.

I stood at the center, my cane pressed firmly into the ground.

Focus.

The Elder Seal wasn’t like normal runic arrays.

It didn’t bind.

It didn’t protect.

It banished.

Old magic.

Magic that should’ve been forgotten.

But I remembered.

Because the Sword of Radiance developers had been insane enough to include it in a hidden questline.

A questline that almost no one finished.

But I had.

"Wallace," I murmured softly. "Done?"

"Almost..."

Hurry.

The pulse was stronger now.

The thing on the other end of the tether knew.

And it was angry.

"Professor..." Mira’s voice was tight. "We’ve got company."

I didn’t look up.

"Hold them."

"Right," Julien muttered.

The shadows at the edge of the clearing thickened, coiling like serpents waiting to strike.

"Wallace," I murmured, my voice steady.

"Done," he rasped, his face pale.

The runes blazed to life, forming a circle around Leo’s body.

"Fall back," I murmured.

Wallace didn’t argue.

I knelt beside Leo, my hand hovering over his chest.

"Professor..." Felix’s voice was barely a whisper.

"It’s alright," I murmured softly. "I’ve got him."

Please let this work.

I pressed my palm against the runes.

The seal responded immediately.

Mana surged through the circle, ancient energy roaring to life.

The pulse from the tether grew stronger—angrier.

"Hold," I murmured softly.

The runes glowed brighter, the lines shifting as the magic took form.

Bind. Locate. Banish.

The tether resisted.

But I pushed harder.

"Come on," I murmured, my jaw clenched.

I could feel it—the thing trying to pull Leo back.

Not today.

"Break."

The runes flared—bright, blinding.

And then—

Snap.

The tether shattered.

A pulse of mana exploded outward, knocking me back.

"Professor!" Mira’s voice was distant, but I barely registered it.

The runes flickered, then died.

Silence.

I pushed myself up, blinking through the haze.

"Leo..."

He was still.

But the pulse was gone.

"Leo!" Felix’s voice was panicked, his hands shaking as he hovered over him.

"Give me space," I murmured, my voice tight.

Felix backed away, his eyes wide with fear.

I pressed my fingers against Leo’s neck.

Come on, kid...

A faint pulse.

Weak. But steady.

"He’s alive," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

Felix let out a shaky breath, his body sagging with relief.

But I wasn’t celebrating yet.

"Professor..." Wallace’s voice was weak.

"Stay down," I murmured, my eyes scanning the clearing.

The pulse was gone.

But the presence?

Still here.

"Julien," I murmured softly.

"Yeah?"

"Tell me you see it."

"I see it."

At the edge of the clearing...

The shadows shifted.

And something...

stepped through.

"Damn it," I muttered, my grip tightening on my cane.

Because whatever this was...

It wasn’t done with us.