The moment my hand touched the array, I felt it.
A pulse.
Not just from the crystal—something deeper.
The Swert was gone, sealed. But this… this was older. And it was angry.
Ancient echoes, I realized.
"Of course," I muttered through gritted teeth. "Because one mind-warping nightmare wasn't enough."
The crystal's glow pulsed in response, almost mocking me.
"Professor?" Wallace's voice was tight, his breathing labored. "You said destroy it… but—"
"I know what I said," I murmured, already channeling mana through my cane. "Just keep the damn barrier steady."
Wallace grimaced but nodded, reinforcing the runes with what little mana he had left.
The crystal pulsed again, but this time, I felt it—a pull.
Something was trying to get out.
Not on my watch.
I poured mana into the array, tracing the lines with precision. The runes flared, responding to my will. But instead of reinforcing the seal, I was reversing it.
Unraveling the bindings.
