The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Draven's cold, sharp gaze never wavered, and he let out a breath, his expression as unreadable as ever. "You think your size will save you?" he murmured, his voice barely audible. Then louder, with that same chilling intensity, "Come, face me."

The orc hesitated, its massive form shivering with rage, but it couldn't ignore the command. It charged at Draven, its enormous axe raised high, the red runes blazing with power. Each step it took seemed to shake the very ground beneath them, a weight that threatened to crush anything in its path.

Draven didn't flinch. Instead, he moved towards the orc, his body fluid, his twin blades held at the ready. He darted to the side as the orc brought its axe down, the impact sending shards of stone flying in all directions. Draven moved with deadly precision, his blades cutting through the tendrils of dark magic that radiated from the creature's armor.

The orc growled, its movements slow and cumbersome, but Draven was relentless. He was everywhere at once, his blades flashing, slicing through the armor at its joints, weakening it with every precise strike. He was like a specter, slipping between the creature's attacks, his cold, analytical mind predicting every move before it happened.

Sophie could hear the clash behind her, the sounds of the battle echoing through the chamber. She dared a glance back, her eyes catching a glimpse of Draven—his figure darting around the orc, his blades cutting through the dark energy with an almost effortless grace. Blood still dripped from his wounded shoulder, but he moved as if he felt no pain, his focus absolute.

There was something both terrifying and awe-inspiring about him, a cold efficiency that seemed almost otherworldly.

"Focus, Captain Sophie," Theo's voice snapped her back to the task at hand, his shield blocking a strike from a shadow creature that had gotten too close. He grunted, his muscles straining as he pushed back. "We need to close that portal!"

Sophie shook herself, nodding quickly. She couldn't afford to be distracted, not now. She turned her attention back to the convergence point, her frosted blade glowing brightly as she brought it down again, the ice spreading, cracking through the dark energy. She could feel it weakening, the energy flickering, struggling to maintain its hold.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Sharon fought fiercely, her swings wild yet powerful, her voice carrying over the din of battle. "Don't you dare come any closer to My Lady!" she roared, her broadsword cleaving through a shadow creature that lunged at her. She looked over her shoulder, her eyes wide with determination. "Sylvanna, more arrows, now!"

Sylvanna responded immediately, her fingers moving with practiced speed as she drew and released another arrow. It struck true, piercing the shoulder of an approaching orc, causing it to stagger back. Her eyes narrowed, her lips set in a thin line as she kept firing, her gaze never leaving her targets.

Draven moved in closer to the last corrupted orc, his sharp eyes finding the weakness in its armor. He spun, his blade slicing through the gap between the plates, cutting deep. The creature roared in pain, stumbling backward, its dark eyes widening as it realized its end was near.

Draven took no pleasure in it—no satisfaction, no triumph. He moved with the cold precision of someone doing a necessary task, his mind already calculating his next move, his focus already on the next threat. He brought his blade up, plunging it into the orc's chest, the crimson glow in its eyes flickering before dying out entirely.

The massive creature crumpled, the dark energy that had held it together dissipating into the air, leaving behind only a hollow shell. Draven stepped back, his breathing steady, his sharp gaze flicking towards the portal. It was still open, still pulsing with dark energy, but he could see it—he could see the weakening of the connection, the way the energy was beginning to unravel.

"Sophie!" he called, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Now is the time—strike it down!"

Sophie looked up, her eyes locking onto Draven's. There was something in his gaze—something that held a fierce intensity, a belief that cut through the fear that gripped her heart. She nodded, her breath catching in her throat as she turned back to the convergence point.

The frost swirled around her blade, the cold magic building until it was almost blinding. She could feel it—the point of weakness, the place where all the dark energy converged. She raised her blade, her heart pounding, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fade away—the battle, the roars, the fear. There was only this, only the convergence point and the power she needed to end it.

With a shout, she brought her blade down, the frost erupting from her sword, colliding with the convergence point. The dark energy shuddered, the tendrils snapping as the connection broke. The portal flickered, the shimmering surface destabilizing, and the figures within began to fade.

A deep rumble echoed through the chamber, the ground trembling as the portal began to collapse in on itself. The dark energy twisted, pulling back, the crimson light dimming until it was nothing more than a faint glow. And then, with a final shudder, the portal vanished, leaving behind only silence and the lingering echoes of their heavy breathing.

Sophie let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, her body sagging with exhaustion. She looked up, her eyes scanning the chamber, taking in the sight of her knights—tired, battered, but alive. Her gaze shifted to Draven, who stood amidst the fallen orcs, his blades lowered, his eyes cold and unreadable.

For a moment, there was only silence, the weight of what they had just faced pressing down on them. And then, slowly, Sharon let out a triumphant shout, her voice echoing off the walls. "We did it! My Lady, we did it!"

Theo nodded, his shield lowering as he let out a breath, a tired smile crossing his face. "The portal's gone. We actually did it."

Sylvanna leaped down from her vantage point, her bow still in her hand, her eyes locked on Draven. She gave a low whistle, her lips curling into a faint smirk. "Not bad, Dravis. Didn't know you had that in you."

Draven didn't respond, his gaze still fixed on the spot where the portal had been, his expression unreadable. There was no pride in his eyes, no satisfaction—only the cold, calculating look of someone who understood the gravity of what had just happened.

Sophie stepped towards him, her eyes softening as she took in the sight of his wounded shoulder, the blood still dripping down his armor. "Dravis, you're hurt," she said, her voice filled with concern.

Draven finally turned his gaze to her, his eyes sharp but with a hint of something softer, something almost resigned. "It's nothing," he said, his tone dismissive. "The wound is superficial. Focus on your knights, Captain. They need you."

Sophie frowned, her gaze lingering on his wound. She wanted to argue, to insist that he needed help, but there was something in his eyes that stopped her—a coldness that told her he wasn't interested in her concern, that he didn't want it. She nodded, swallowing her words. "Alright. But we're not done here, Dravis. We'll see to your injuries once we've regrouped."

He gave her the faintest of nods, his eyes already shifting away, scanning the chamber, taking in every detail. Sophie turned back to her knights, her heart swelling with a mixture of pride and relief. They had done it—they had closed the portal, defeated the corrupted orcs. It wasn't over—not by a long shot—but they had won this battle, and for now, that was enough.

"Everyone, gather up!" Sophie called, her voice carrying over the chamber. "We need to check for injuries and regroup. We're not out of danger yet."

Sharon moved to her side, her face flushed with both exertion and excitement. "My Lady, that was incredible! You were incredible!" she said, her eyes shining with admiration.

Sophie smiled, her heart warming at Sharon's words. "Thank you, Sharon. But it was a team effort. We all did this together."

Rhea approached, her daggers still in her hands, her eyes scanning the chamber warily. "We should move quickly, Captain. We don't know if there are more of those things waiting."

Theo nodded in agreement, his shield still at the ready. "She's right. We need to get out of here, regroup, and report back. This was bigger than anything we expected."

Sylvanna stood a little ways off, her gaze flicking between Draven and Sophie, her lips curving into a faint smirk. "Well, at least we know Dravis isn't just for show. Maybe he really is worth keeping around."

Draven gave her a cold, sidelong glance but said nothing. He sheathed his blades, his eyes still scanning the chamber, ever vigilant.