The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Maris felt the pressure of the chamber bearing down on her, the air thick and heavy, as if it were trying to suffocate her resolve. She took a quick glance at Amberine, who stood beside her, fire already dancing along her fingertips. Even in the dim light of the chamber, Amberine's fiery determination burned bright. The eerie glow from the luminescent fungi clinging to the walls flickered in response to the advancing undead—skeletons clattering towards them, specters drifting through the air, their ghostly forms haunting and hollow.

Maris took a deep breath, closing her eyes for just a moment. She could almost hear Professor Draven's voice in her mind, calm and cold, his sharp gaze cutting into her as if assessing her worth. He'd always been able to analyze every situation with pinpoint accuracy.

"Fulminis," she whispered, the word feeling strange on her lips as she opened her eyes. It was the basic attack magic he'd taught them—a tool meant to buy them time, a way to fight even when their primary magic wasn't enough.

She focused, channeling her mana, feeling it gather at her fingertips and build until it was a throbbing pulse of energy. The spell felt foreign, her magic more accustomed to the art of illusions than the raw force of attack magic. But she had no choice—they had to survive this. She turned her head to Amberine, who was glaring ahead with her fiery temper practically radiating off her in waves.

"No holding back," Maris said, her voice steady despite the fear tightening her chest.

Amberine smirked, the fire in her eyes matching the flames in her hands. "As if I ever would," she shot back, her hands flaring with Ifrit's warmth, the flames twisting up her arms and illuminating the dark chamber. She drew a breath and with a fierce shout, let her magic flow. Fire blazed into existence, lighting up the chamber and casting a chaotic dance of shadows on the walls.

Maris couldn't help but feel reassured by Amberine's fiery determination. She took her own deep breath, aimed her wand, and released the built-up energy. Fulminis crackled to life—a lance of lightning that surged towards the advancing skeletons, striking one of them square in the chest. The creature shattered under the impact, its bones collapsing into a pile of ash with a sharp, satisfying crackle.

The undead swarmed, and the chamber was suddenly filled with the cacophony of clattering bones and hollow, otherworldly wails. Skeletons lunged at them, while the specters hovered in the air, their forms twisting like smoke in the dim light. Maris and Amberine stood side by side, their backs almost touching, facing down the swarm of the dead.

Maris cast her illusions, her magic shimmering as it took on the shape of multiple copies of herself and Amberine, spreading out across the chamber to confuse their spectral enemies. The specters wailed in frustration, their hollow voices echoing through the air as they lashed out at the illusions, their incorporeal hands sweeping through the empty images. It bought them time—precious seconds that Maris used to aim her wand once more.

The crackling of lightning filled the air again as she cast Fulminis, the bolts of electricity streaking towards the skeletons, tearing through their brittle bones and leaving them scattered across the stone floor. Amberine, beside her, took a step forward, her flames roaring in response to her emotions. She thrust her hands out, sending a torrent of fire straight into the advancing undead.

The skeletons, fragile and dry, erupted into flame, their bones cracking and disintegrating under the heat. The specters, though less susceptible to physical damage, still recoiled from the intense fire, their forms flickering and shifting, the ghostly wails growing louder as they were pushed back.@@novelbin@@

Maris felt a surge of hope. They were holding their own—for now. She took another deep breath, her eyes darting around the chamber as she looked for an opening, a way out of the seemingly endless tide of undead. Her mana reserves were already beginning to dwindle—she could feel the strain of maintaining her illusions, the exhaustion creeping into her limbs.

"Maris!" Amberine shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. Maris turned just in time to see Amberine unleash another burst of flames, the fire roaring to life and engulfing a group of skeletons that had managed to get too close. Amberine's face was flushed, her eyes narrowed in concentration, the sweat on her brow glistening in the firelight. "How many more of these guys are there?!" she yelled, her frustration evident.

Maris grit her teeth, shaking her head. "I don't know… they just keep coming!" She raised her wand, her hands trembling as she cast Fulminis again. The lightning struck a specter, causing it to shudder and dissipate into nothingness, but as soon as it vanished, another rose to take its place.

The battle raged on, the relentless undead pressing forward without end. For every skeleton they destroyed, more seemed to rise, their bones reassembling as if pulled by some dark, unseen force. Maris could feel her mana reserves draining, her body growing weaker with every spell she cast. Her illusions flickered, their forms less defined as her concentration wavered.

Amberine, too, was struggling. Her flames, once fierce and powerful, had started to weaken, the bursts of fire becoming smaller and less controlled. She was panting, her face flushed, her muscles aching as she continued to push herself, refusing to back down. Sweat dripped from her forehead, her breathing coming in ragged gasps as she fought to keep the flames alive.

"Maris, I'm… not sure… how much longer I can keep this up," Amberine admitted, her voice strained. She glanced at Maris, her eyes filled with a mix of determination and fear. "We need to end this… somehow."

Maris nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew Amberine was right—they couldn't keep this up forever. They had to find a way to end the fight, to escape the chamber before they were overwhelmed. But how?

She raised her wand, casting Fulminis once more, the lightning streaking through the air and striking a group of skeletons that were advancing on Amberine. The energy surged through them, shattering their bones, but even as they fell, more rose in their place.

Fifteen minutes into the battle, exhaustion had fully set in. Maris's illusions failed completely, the copies flickering out of existence as her mana reserves hit rock bottom. Her legs trembled, her breathing ragged as she struggled to stay on her feet. Amberine was no better—her flames sputtered, barely more than embers now, her face pale from the effort of maintaining her magic.

"We have to… finish this… now," Maris panted, her voice barely audible. She looked at Amberine, her friend's eyes meeting hers, both of them understanding what needed to be done. They had to put everything they had left into one final attack—one last effort to destroy the undead and escape with their lives.

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Amberine clenched her teeth, her eyes narrowing as she drew on every last bit of strength she had. She could feel Ifrit's warmth, the fire spirit's presence urging her on, giving her the power she needed. With a roar of determination, she thrust her hands forward, flames erupting from her palms, the fire roaring to life and engulfing the entire chamber.

The heat was intense, the flames blinding as they consumed everything in their path. Maris had to shield her face, the sheer power of Amberine's magic filling the chamber, the roar of the fire drowning out everything else. The skeletons were caught in the blaze, their bones crumbling to ash, while the specters screamed as they dissolved into nothingness.

For a brief moment, it seemed as if they had won. The undead were gone, the chamber silent save for the crackling of the dying flames. Amberine stood in the center of the room, her hands still glowing faintly, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath.

Maris looked around, her eyes wide, her heart still pounding. The room was littered with the charred remains of the undead, the air thick with the scent of smoke and ash. They had done it—they had survived. She let out a shaky breath, a tired smile tugging at her lips.

"See?" Amberine said, her voice hoarse but filled with pride. "I told you we could do it… Nothing stands a chance against the both of us."

Maris couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head. "Yeah, yeah… you're amazing, Amberine," she said, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "Just… don't let it get to your head."

Amberine grinned, her chest puffed out as she took a step forward, her legs wobbling slightly. "Too late for that," she said, her voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and triumph.

But before they could fully relax, a voice echoed through the chamber—smooth, amused, and undeniably sinister.

"Now this is interesting," the voice said, the sound reverberating through the dark stone walls. "Magic Tower University students roaming around the slums? How very rare… and how very foolish."

Maris's body tensed, her eyes darting around the room, searching for the source of the voice. Her heart, which had just begun to calm, now pounded harder than ever, a sense of dread washing over her. Amberine's triumphant expression faltered, her flames flickering out as she took an uneasy step closer to Maris.

"Who's there?" Amberine shouted, her voice wavering slightly.

The chamber was silent for a moment, the tension thick, the air almost suffocating. Then, from the shadows, a figure emerged, cloaked in darkness, their features obscured by the hood of their robe. The figure moved with an unsettling grace, their presence commanding, the air around them thick with menace.

"You really shouldn't be here," the figure said, their voice dripping with amusement. "But since you are… let's see how long you can last."

Maris felt her heart drop, her eyes widening in fear. The real fight, it seemed, was only just beginning.