The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Amberine took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached into her robe pocket, feeling the crinkling of paper against her skin. She fumbled for a moment before pulling out a folded piece of parchment, slightly worn from being crammed inside her pocket for so long. She stared at it for a heartbeat, the memory of receiving it alongside her identification pass flashing in her mind. She had been too preoccupied to read it back then, too caught up in the excitement and anxiety of the symposium. Now, it felt like it might be her only hope.

With a gulp, she unfolded the paper, her eyes scanning the carefully written script. It listed rules and guidelines for navigating the halls of Aetherion. Amberine's heart sank as she read through them, each word filling her with a growing sense of dread.

Rule 1:

Do not enter areas marked with red runes, as they are restricted zones or dangerous spaces.

Rule 2:

Movement during the hours of "The Veil" (between the second and third moonrise, which is 18:00-01:00) is strictly prohibited. During this time, all individuals must remain in their assigned chambers to avoid encounters with roaming spirits or magical entities.

Rule 3:

Avoid isolated areas, especially those known to lack visible guards or administrative mages.

Rule 4:

Certain parts of the fortress contain traces of "Eternal Spirits." These areas must be approached only by authorized personnel, and only during specified times.

Rule 5:

If you feel the presence of spirits, do not engage them, and immediately exit the area.

A chill ran down Amberine's spine, and she swallowed hard. Each rule seemed more ominous than the last, painting a picture of Aetherion as not just a fortress, but a labyrinth of danger, full of lurking threats that moved in the shadows. She folded the parchment back up, her fingers feeling numb as she tucked it back into her pocket. The air around her felt thicker, heavier, as if the very walls were watching her. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to push away the fear creeping up her throat. She needed to think clearly. Panic would do her no good here.

Ignis's voice broke the silence, his flame flickering uneasily beneath her robe. "Amberine, I have to say… there's something wrong about this place," he said, his usual sarcasm absent, replaced by an edge of tension. "Ever since we got here, I've felt… off. My power is diminishing, bit by bit, like something's draining me. It's not just the magic here—it's something else. It's dense, filled with spirits—and not just any spirits—I think it's the spirits of the dead."

Amberine's pulse quickened, her hands clenching at her sides as she moved cautiously down the dimly lit passageway. The air was thick, almost suffocating, and every shadow seemed to stretch out towards her, whispering secrets she could not hear. "Stop it, Ignis," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "You're just trying to scare me."

Ignis's flames flickered, dimming briefly. "I'm not kidding, Amberine. We need to get out of here, and quickly. This place—it's wrong."

Amberine bit her lip, her eyes darting from side to side, searching for any sign of a way out. She took a deep breath, trying to push away the rising panic. "We'll be fine," she said, more to herself than to Ignis. "We just need to keep moving."

The passage stretched on, twisting and turning, the walls narrowing as if to close in on her. Her footsteps echoed, the only sound in the eerie silence. She reached the end of the narrow passage and took a left turn. Just as she did, the ground beneath her gave way. Amberine let out a startled cry, her body plummeting into darkness. The air rushed past her, her heart leaping into her throat, and for a terrifying moment, she was weightless, the world spinning around her.

Then, with a jarring thud, she landed. Pain shot through her legs, but it wasn't as bad as she had feared. She groaned, pushing herself up on her hands and knees, the world around her spinning for a moment before coming into focus. She blinked, looking around in confusion. She was no longer in the passage. Instead, she found herself in what appeared to be an ancient marketplace.

The area was bathed in a dim, flickering light, lanterns hung from crooked poles casting long, dancing shadows across the ground. The marketplace was filled with stalls, each one covered with strange items—fruits she'd never seen before, artifacts that glowed faintly, colorful garments that shimmered in the low light. The architecture was foreign, old, the stones worn and cracked, as if this place had existed untouched for centuries. There was an unsettling quietness, as if the world here had forgotten the concept of time.

Amberine brushed the dust from her robes, her eyes wide as she took in her surroundings. Despite the eeriness of the place, she couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity. She had stumbled into a piece of history—a place lost to time, hidden beneath the fortress of Aetherion. The unease that had gripped her moments before loosened its hold, replaced by a fascination that tugged her towards the stalls.
Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire

She wandered through the marketplace, her eyes darting from one strange item to the next. She passed a stall filled with small, glowing crystals, each one pulsating with a different color. Another stall had intricately carved figurines, their eyes seeming to follow her as she walked by. She paused in front of a stall selling food—pastries, their golden crusts glistening under the lantern light, the smell making her stomach growl. Amberine stepped closer, her mouth watering. She hadn't eaten since before the grand ceremony, and the pastries looked heavenly.

She reached into her bag, pulling out a few coins. The vendor, a hunched figure with a wrinkled face, eyed her curiously. He spoke, his voice low, the words unfamiliar. Amberine frowned, her eyes narrowing. The language was strange, the accent thick, as if it belonged to another time. She held out her coins, hoping they would suffice, but the vendor shook his head, his eyes widening slightly. He muttered something, his gaze never leaving her face.

Amberine's frown deepened, confusion knotting her brow. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice hesitant. The vendor's eyes widened further, and he muttered something under his breath. Slowly, the others in the marketplace began to turn towards her, their faces expressionless, their eyes hollow. They whispered amongst themselves, their voices growing louder, echoing off the stone walls, filling the air with an eerie chant.

One of them finally pointed at her, his voice rising above the others. "She's a living! A living!"

Amberine's blood ran cold, her heart skipping a beat as the realization hit her. The people around her—they weren't alive. Panic surged through her, her pulse pounding in her ears as the whispers grew louder, the figures closing in on her. Their eyes were hollow, glowing faintly, their movements jerky, unnatural.

Amberine turned, her feet moving before her mind caught up. She ran, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her heart pounding as she weaved between the stalls. The marketplace twisted around her, the exits shifting, moving, trapping her within. The figures followed, their hollow eyes fixated on her, their movements growing more erratic, more determined.

"Run!" Ignis shouted, his voice urgent, his flames flickering wildly. "Don't stop, Amberine!"

Amberine's feet pounded against the cobblestones, her eyes darting around frantically, searching for an escape. The world seemed to warp around her, the stalls shifting, the pathways narrowing, twisting. The whispers grew louder, the chant echoing in her ears, "Living, living, living…"

She spotted a mansion at the far end of the marketplace, its tall, dark silhouette standing out against the dim light. Ignis's voice rang out, "There! The mansion—go!"

Amberine didn't hesitate. She sprinted towards the mansion, her breath burning in her lungs, her muscles screaming in protest. She reached the heavy wooden door, throwing it open and stumbling inside. She slammed the door shut behind her, her chest heaving, her heart pounding so loudly she could barely hear anything else. She leaned against the door, her eyes wide, her body trembling.

The pounding of fists against the door echoed through the darkened mansion, the inhuman wails of the figures outside growing louder. Amberine pushed herself away from the door, her eyes darting around the dim interior. She had to find a place to hide—somewhere they couldn't reach her.

She stumbled through the mansion, her feet carrying her up a grand staircase, her hands brushing against the banister. The air was thick, heavy, the oppressive energy pressing down on her shoulders. She reached the top of the stairs, her eyes catching sight of a room at the far end of the hallway. She rushed towards it, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her vision blurring from exhaustion.

She pushed the door open, her eyes widening as she spotted a large fireplace against the far wall. The flames within burned a strange green color, the light casting eerie shadows across the room. The pounding from downstairs grew louder, the door splintering under the force of the spectres' attacks.

Amberine closed her eyes, her heart pounding in her ears.

She had no choice.

She had to take the risk.

She stepped towards the fireplace, her body trembling, her eyes squeezed shut.

She whispered a desperate prayer, her voice barely audible. "Please…"

She took a deep breath and leaped into the flames.

The sensation of teleportation hit her instantly—a pulling, twisting feeling that made her stomach lurch. The world around her blurred, the colors blending together, her vision going dark for a moment before the world shifted once again. She stumbled as she landed, her knees buckling, her hands hitting the cold stone floor.

Amberine blinked, her vision slowly clearing. She was in a grand hall, the ceiling high above her, the walls adorned with intricate carvings. The silence was almost deafening after the chaos of the marketplace, the sudden stillness making her ears ring. She pushed herself up, her body trembling, her breath coming in short gasps.

She turned, her eyes widening in horror as she saw them—the figures from the marketplace. They were no longer human. Their forms had changed, twisted, their hollow eyes glowing with an unnatural light. They were spectres now, their bodies floating just beyond the threshold of the teleportation gate, their eyes fixated on her.

Amberine's breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding as fear gripped her. She took a step back, her voice barely a whisper, the words slipping from her lips without thought. "Oh gods, please…"