The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Chapter 369 Pursued (5) The Liches

Maris stood in the dim chamber, her eyes locked on the robed figure who had confronted them. The room was unnaturally quiet, save for the faint crackling of the luminescent fungi that faintly lit the chamber's walls. Her heart pounded, her breaths short and shallow. She stole a glance at Amberine beside her. Amberine's fists were clenched, the embers of Ifrit's fire dancing along her fingertips, barely illuminating her expression of controlled fury.

Maris didn't need to say it; they both knew it. They needed a plan—a way to escape this nightmare—but the air was so heavy, like the very walls were pressing down on them, squeezing out all clarity from her thoughts. The pressure was more than physical; it was mental, emotional, as though the air itself had become a malicious entity, intent on clouding their judgment and overwhelming their senses.

A low chuckle broke through the suffocating silence, the cloaked figure taking a deliberate step forward, his presence exuding both menace and control. "Run?" he said, his voice dripping with amusement, reverberating through the chamber. "You have nowhere to go." His words were a dagger of reality, cutting through whatever fleeting hope Maris had held. The chill that ran down her spine was all too real, and she found herself momentarily frozen, her hand tightening around her wand.

With a single clap of his hands, the room seemed to reverberate with a low, echoing pulse. Shadows seemed to writhe in response, condensing and taking form beside him. Maris's breath caught in her throat as she saw the skeletal figures appear, their bodies covered in tattered robes, their faces hollow, illuminated by an eerie blue glow. She knew what they were instantly, and the realization made her heart drop.

"Liches," she whispered, her voice barely audible, her eyes widening in horror. Undead mages, far more dangerous than the mere skeletons they had faced before. The liches were creatures of both intelligence and malice, wielders of dark magic that transcended death.

Amberine's eyes widened as well, her gaze darting from one lich to the other. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me," she muttered, her fiery temper flaring despite the situation. Her hands clenched tighter, Ifrit's flames sparking to life along her fingertips, the light flickering with her unsteady breath. "We can't take them on… not like this." Stay updated with empire

The cloaked man took another step forward, a leisurely smile playing across his lips, as though he were simply enjoying the show. "Now then, shall we play a little game? Punishment game level one," he said, his voice dripping with sinister delight. His gaze traveled over the room, the corners of his mouth turning down in mock disapproval. "But this room… it's far too small for a proper game."

Maris barely had time to react as the cloaked man snapped his fingers. In an instant, the chamber shifted. The very ground beneath them seemed to tremble, the walls moving outward as though being pushed by invisible hands. The ceiling lifted higher, the once cramped chamber now transforming into a vast, arena-like space. Maris stumbled slightly, her eyes widening in disbelief as she watched the stone walls rearrange themselves, the air shifting with an unsettling energy.

The chamber was no longer the small, enclosed room it had once been—it was now a sprawling space, vast and echoing, the ceiling high above them, the walls stretching out, creating a battlefield. The glowing fungi still clung to the stone, but the light seemed even dimmer now, swallowed by the sheer size of the new arena. It felt like a stage—a place made specifically for their torment.

"What is this?" Amberine whispered, her voice trembling despite the attempt to hide her fear.

Maris shook her head, swallowing hard, her grip tightening around her wand. This wasn't just a trap—it was a spectacle, and they were the entertainment. The fear that gnawed at her stomach twisted deeper, a sense of dread seeping into her very bones. They were being set up to fight, and this time there was no way out.

The cloaked man gestured lazily towards the liches, an almost careless smile on his lips. "You two will face them. Let's see what you're capable of," he said, his tone almost bored, as though the outcome was already decided.

The liches moved forward, their skeletal figures gliding across the stone floor with an unnatural ease. Their hollow eye sockets glowed with an eerie blue light, and Maris felt the temperature in the room drop, the chill seeping into her skin, her very bones trembling at the sight.

She stole a glance at Amberine, her friend standing rigid, her eyes fixed on the approaching liches. Despite the fear that lingered there, Amberine's gaze was unwavering, her expression fierce. She clenched her fists, Ifrit's warmth flaring up once more, the flames sparking at her fingertips. "There's nothing to be afraid of," Amberine said, her voice trembling slightly but carrying a strength that Maris couldn't help but admire. "We'll get through this. We have to."

Maris could see it—Amberine's legs were shaking, her body betraying the fear that her voice refused to acknowledge. But even then, Amberine's courage, however shaky, was real, and it sparked something within Maris. She straightened her back, her heart pounding as she recalled Lady Sophie's teachings. In moments like this, Sophie had told her, fear can paralyze you, but you must stay calm. Follow the flow, stay focused, and look for the opportunity to strike or escape.

Maris took a deep breath, her grip on her wand tightening, her resolve hardening. They had to be smart. They had to survive.

The cloaked figure's gleeful smirk widened as he clapped his hands once more. "Alright then! Battle… start!"

The liches moved first. One raised a bony hand, and the air around them seemed to shimmer, dark energy radiating outward. The ground beneath Maris and Amberine began to crack, skeletal hands emerging from the earth, their fingers reaching out to grab at their ankles. Maris reacted swiftly, her instincts kicking in as she raised her wand, her magic flowing through her.

"Illusio!" she whispered, her voice filled with urgency. Her illusion magic burst to life, multiple copies of herself and Amberine appearing throughout the arena, each one moving in a different direction, spreading out to confuse their enemies.

The liches hesitated, their hollow eyes flickering as they tried to determine which of the figures were real. Maris used the momentary distraction to her advantage, her heart pounding as she cast another spell. "Fulminis!" she shouted, her wand crackling with energy as a bolt of lightning shot towards the skeletal hands, shattering them before they could reach her. The air smelled of ozone, the sharp tang of electricity filling her senses as the skeletal limbs crumbled to dust.

Amberine let out a fierce shout, her flames roaring to life, bright and fierce as they danced along her arms. She directed a burst of fire towards the remaining skeletal hands, incinerating them before they could get a hold of her. Her eyes blazed with determination, her face flushed with the effort of maintaining her magic.

The first lich retaliated, raising its hand once more. Dark energy gathered around it, coalescing into a swarm of ghostly projectiles that shot outwards, each one aimed at a different Maris and Amberine. The illusions began to flicker, the ghostly projectiles piercing through them, each one disappearing in a burst of light as the real Maris and Amberine barely managed to dodge out of harm's way.

Maris's heart pounded, her body moving on instinct as she ducked and rolled, the projectiles barely missing her. She could feel the drain on her mana, her illusions fading faster now, her energy dwindling with each passing moment. She cast another bolt of Fulminis, the lightning striking one of the liches, causing it to stagger back, the blue glow in its eyes flickering for a moment before reigniting.

Amberine, beside her, was relentless. She thrust her hands forward, her flames roaring to life once more, bright and fierce. She let out a shout, her voice filled with both fear and determination as she directed the fire towards the liches, the flames swirling around them, trying to burn away the dark magic that held them together.

But the liches were strong. They moved with a fluidity that belied their skeletal forms, their dark magic pulsing with an unnatural energy. One of the liches raised its hand, the shadows around it condensing, forming into a dark, swirling mass that shot towards Amberine. She barely managed to dodge, the dark energy grazing her arm, a sharp pain shooting through her as she stumbled, her flames flickering.

"Amberine!" Maris shouted, her voice filled with panic as she watched her friend stumble. She raised her wand, casting another illusion to try and buy them time, but her mana was nearly depleted, the magic weak, the illusions barely taking form before flickering out.

Amberine gritted her teeth, pushing herself back to her feet, her eyes blazing with determination despite the pain. "I'm fine!" she shouted back, her voice strained but strong. She thrust her hands forward once more, the flames roaring to life, brighter this time.

"I won't lose!"