Villainous Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 88: Hunted

Chapter 88: Hunted

"Move!" I barked, already pulling Felix by the collar.

"But—"

"Don’t argue!" I snapped. "Run!"

We bolted.

The ground trembled beneath us, each pulse growing stronger. Whatever was behind that illusion wasn’t fooled for long.

The alpha was coming.

Garrick surged ahead, his long strides carrying him like a damn battering ram. Cassandra moved with eerie grace, her footsteps barely making a sound.

And Felix?

Well, Felix was doing his best not to trip over his own feet.

"Faster!" I growled, keeping a tight grip on his collar to keep him from face-planting.

"Professor!" Garrick’s voice was sharp.

I looked up—

Shit.

A ridge.

Steep.

"Down!" I barked.

Garrick didn’t hesitate.

He dove, sliding down the slope like a damn avalanche.

Cassandra followed, her movements smooth and controlled.

"Felix!"

"I can’t—"

I didn’t wait.

I shoved him forward.

"AHHH!"

Felix tumbled down the slope, arms flailing, his screams echoing through the forest.

"Idiot," I muttered, then threw myself after him.

The ground blurred as I slid down, loose dirt and rocks kicking up around me.

"Brace!" I barked.

Impact.

We hit the bottom hard, but we were alive.

"Everyone up!" I snapped, pushing to my feet.

Garrick was already up, sword at the ready.

Cassandra was crouched low, her eyes sharp.

Felix...

"Ugh..."

Still face-first in the dirt.

"Felix!" I hissed, dragging him up.

"I hate this," he groaned.

"Good," I muttered. "Because it’s not over."

The ground trembled again—

And then—

A roar.

Deep.

Loud.

It shook the trees.

"Shit..." Garrick muttered, his grip tightening on his sword.

The alpha was here.

And it was pissed.

"Cassandra?" I asked, my voice tight.

"Too close," she murmured. "It’s tracking us."

"Figured as much."

We didn’t have time to run.

Not this time.

"Plan?" Garrick asked, his tone calm despite the tension in his jaw.

"Fight."

"Of course," Felix muttered. "Because running is never an option."

I ignored him.

"Cassandra," I murmured. "Disruption rune. Wide radius."

"On it."

Her fingers danced through the air, tracing intricate patterns.

"Garrick, stay close. Keep Felix alive."

"Great," Felix muttered. "I love being the liability."

I ignored him.

Time to focus.

The ground shook again—

Closer.

I drew my cane, mana surging through my veins.

"Lucian," Garrick murmured, his voice low.

"I know."

My eyes narrowed.

There.

The shadows shifted—

And the alpha emerged.

Massive.

Silver fur gleaming under the faint moonlight.

Eyes like molten gold, locked onto us with predatory focus.

Fast.

Powerful.

And pissed.

"Cassandra?"

"Done."

A rune flared beneath us, the ground pulsing with faint blue light.

Disruption field.

It wouldn’t stop the alpha.

But it would slow it down.

"Garrick," I murmured. "You’re up."

"Gladly."

He stepped forward, sword at the ready.

The alpha’s growl echoed through the clearing, its muscles tensing.

Ready to pounce.

"Steady..." I murmured, watching its movements carefully.

My mana was already pooling at the edge of my fingertips, ready to ignite.

"Felix, stay behind me."

"Gladly."

The alpha moved—

Fast.

"Now!"

Garrick met it head-on, his sword colliding with the beast’s claws in a shower of sparks.

Clang!

"Hold!" I barked, already moving.

Mana surged through my veins—

Fire.

I traced a quick rune, igniting a flame lance.

"Go!"

The lance flew, searing through the air—

Boom!

It hit the alpha’s flank, forcing it back—

But not for long.

"Cassandra!"

"Already on it!"

Her runes flared, tendrils of mana surging around the alpha’s legs.

Binding.

"Garrick!"

"Got it!"

He surged forward, blade flashing.

The alpha snarled, fighting against the bindings, but it was slowing—

For now.

"Felix, stay down!" I barked, already preparing the next spell.

"Wasn’t planning on standing up!"

"Good!"

The alpha’s eyes locked onto me—

And I knew.

It was done playing.

"Move!" I barked.

But it was too late.

Boom!

The alpha surged forward, breaking free of the bindings.

"Shit!"

I barely dodged, rolling to the side as its claws tore through the air where I had been.

Fast.

Too fast.

"Lucian!"

"Working on it!"

I hit the ground, rolling back to my feet, my cane already tracing the next rune.

Fire.

More.

Faster.

"Come on..." I muttered, pouring everything I had into the next spell.

The alpha turned, its molten gaze locking onto me.

Shit.

It was too close.

"Garrick!"

"On it!"

Garrick’s sword flashed—

But the alpha was faster.

Claws.

Teeth.

Fury.

I barely had time to brace before—

Impact.

My body hit the ground, pain exploding through my side.

"Professor!"

Felix’s voice echoed, but I couldn’t answer.

Not yet.

Move.

Now.

I gritted my teeth, forcing my body to respond.

"Lucian!" Garrick’s voice was sharp.

"I’m fine!" I lied, pushing myself up.

Blood dripped down my arm, but I ignored it.

"Cassandra!"

"Almost!"

Her runes flared, but the alpha wasn’t giving her the time she needed.

"Damn it," I muttered.

No choice.

One more shot.

Mana surged through my veins, the heat building—

"Lucian—"

"Cover me!"

I traced the rune, faster this time.

The air ignited—

Firestorm.

The flames roared to life, swirling around the alpha.

Containment.

The beast snarled, caught in the inferno—

But not for long.

"Move!" I barked.

Garrick grabbed Felix, pulling him back.

Cassandra followed, her runes flaring one last time.

Disruption.

The alpha’s movements slowed, but its eyes...

Still locked on us.

"Lucian..." Garrick murmured.

"I know," I muttered.

We had seconds.

"Fall back," I ordered, my voice tight.

"Where?" Felix hissed.

"Anywhere but here."

Because if this thing broke free...

We were dead.

"Move!" I barked, pushing Felix ahead.

Cassandra followed, her eyes sharp despite the fatigue weighing down her frame. Garrick stayed close, his sword still drawn, ready for another clash.

And the alpha...

It was furious.

The flames I’d conjured weren’t holding it back for long.

"Faster!" I hissed, feeling the heat of the fire licking at my back as we sprinted deeper into the forest.

"Where the hell are we going?" Felix panted, stumbling over roots.

"Anywhere but here!"

The bindings won’t last.

The moment that fire died down, the alpha would be on us again.

"Lucian..." Garrick’s voice was tight. "We can’t outrun it forever."

"I know!" I growled, forcing down the pain shooting through my body.

Blood was still dripping from the gash along my arm. The alpha’s claws had grazed me, but even a scratch from that monster hurt like hell.

"Cassandra!" I called out, my voice sharp.

"Here!"

She was keeping pace, her expression eerily calm despite the chaos around us.

"Any chance you’ve got a rune that can slow it down for good?"

"Not with the mana I’ve got left."

Damn it.

"Garrick?"

"Same," he muttered, his jaw clenched.

I cursed under my breath.

We weren’t going to make it.

Not like this.

"Lucian..." Cassandra murmured, her tone quiet.

"Spit it out," I snapped.

"There’s a ravine ahead," she said. "Sharp drop. We can use it."

I blinked.

"A ravine?"

"Steep. Deep. If we can get across..."

I didn’t need to hear the rest.

Perfect.

"Lead the way," I ordered.

Cassandra moved ahead, her steps precise and controlled despite the exhaustion weighing her down.

"Keep moving!" I barked at Felix, who was lagging again.

"I hate this..." he mumbled, but he didn’t stop.

"Join the club."

The ravine.

I saw it now—just ahead.

A narrow stretch of land... leading to a sheer drop.

"Garrick—"

"I see it."

"Cassandra?"

"Almost there."

We had seconds.

The fire behind us was already dying—

And the alpha’s growl echoed through the forest.

"MOVE!"

We hit the edge of the ravine.

"Jump!" Cassandra hissed, already leaping across.

Garrick followed, landing with a grunt on the other side.

"Felix!" I barked.

"I can’t—"

"Move, damn it!"

I grabbed his arm and threw him forward.

"AHHH!"

Felix barely made it, landing in a heap.

"Lucian!" Garrick called, urgency in his tone.

The alpha.

It was coming.

Fast.

"GO!" I barked, taking a few steps back.

"Lucian!" Cassandra’s voice was sharp.

Too late.

The alpha surged through the dying flames, its molten eyes locked on me.

"Shit."

I pushed off—

But not fast enough.

Impact.

The alpha’s claws grazed my back as I dove across the ravine.

Pain.

I hit the ground hard, rolling to absorb the impact—

But the pain was instant.

"Lucian!" Garrick was already there, pulling me to my feet.

"Go," I rasped, ignoring the fire burning across my back.

We weren’t safe.

Not yet.

The alpha stood on the other side of the ravine, pacing, its molten eyes locked on us.

"Is it... giving up?" Felix panted, his voice hopeful.

"No," I murmured, wiping the blood from my mouth.

It wasn’t giving up.

It was thinking.

The damn thing was smart.

"Professor..." Garrick’s tone was tight.

"I see it," I murmured, my eyes narrowing.

The alpha crouched—

Shit.

"It’s going to jump."

"Can it—?" Felix started.

"YES!"

"RUN!" I barked, shoving him forward.

We bolted again.

"Lucian, we can’t keep this up!" Garrick growled, his voice laced with frustration.

"I know!"

I had to end this.

"Cassandra!"

"Here!"

"Circle formation. Tight. Now."

She didn’t hesitate.

"Felix, stay in the damn center," I growled, positioning myself at the front.

Garrick took point beside me, his grip on his sword steady despite the fatigue weighing down his limbs.

Cassandra’s runes flared, creating a faint barrier around us.

Not much.

But enough.

"Lucian," Garrick murmured, his voice low.

"It’s not going to stop," I murmured. "Not unless we kill it."

"Then we kill it," he growled.

The alpha’s growl echoed through the trees—

And then—

It jumped.

"Hold!" I barked, mana already surging through my veins.

"Now!"

Fire.

More.

Faster.

I didn’t hold back this time.

The flames surged, igniting the air as I poured everything I had into a wall of fire.

Inferno.

The alpha hit the wall—

But it didn’t stop.

"Garrick!"

"On it!"

Garrick’s sword flashed, catching the alpha’s flank as it burst through the flames.

Clang!

The beast snarled, but it didn’t stop.

"Cassandra!"

"Disruption rune!"

Her runes flared, pulsing with energy—

But the alpha was already moving.

"Shit—"

The beast lunged—

"Felix, down!"

Felix hit the ground just as the alpha’s claws raked through the air where he’d been standing.

"Lucian!" Garrick shouted, his sword clashing against the alpha’s claws.

I didn’t answer.

Focus.

Fire.

I traced another rune, faster this time—

But the alpha was already on me.

Too fast.

"Lucian!"

I barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side as the alpha’s claws tore through the air.

Damn it.

I was running out of mana.

Fast.

"Cassandra!" I hissed, pushing myself up.

"Almost!"

Her runes flared, the disruption field sparking to life—

But it wasn’t enough.

Not this time.

"Lucian..." Garrick’s voice was tight.

I felt it too.

We weren’t winning this.

Not like this.

"Fall back!" I barked, gritting my teeth.

"Where?" Felix hissed.

"Just move!"

We couldn’t fight this thing head-on.

Not yet.

I needed a plan—

And I needed one now.

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