The Headmaster continued, his voice like the wind over a long lost world.
"Many thoughts hath been set before us—proposals, pleas, paths to tread—and though our time groweth thin, we shall tend to them all. Yet, I ask once more: doth any among you carry a burden still unspoken? Now is the hour to lay it bare."
The hall remained still. A few masters, with bowed heads, murmured, "No, Headmaster."
So he went on:
"Then let us turn to the first matter set upon our path: what shall we do in the days that draw near? Three courses lie before us, each with its own cost, each with its own end.
The first—take up arms. Train in greater vigor in the arts of battle and the ways of survival. If the tide o'er taketh us, then we shall flee, scattered but not broken.
The second—remain as we are. Let life flow as it hath, and trust the Guardians who come to bear the fight in our stead.
And the third—go down as one. We remain, we train, and if the fall be ours, then let us meet it standing—not as cowards, but as those who knew what came and did not flinch."
The Headmaster's voice rose again, calm but etched with the sorrow of foresight:
"Let us first weigh the path which, by measure of logic, seemeth most sound. Should we take this course, then on the morrow, all disciples—be they yet in training or long accomplished—shall be bound to learn the art of combat.
None shall be exempt. We shall call for escape vessels to remain near, ready to carry us forth should the storm break upon us too soon. By this, we may hold the line, yet preserve our strength should the tide prove too great.
Know this, however—such a course shall be ill-regarded by the Covenant. They may see in it fear, or worse, desertion."
He paused, the silence stretching like the dusk between stars, then continued:
"The second path is one of stillness. Let us continue as we have. Let not fear of our foe rule our minds, but rather, let us carry fear itself upon our shoulders and walk through it. If we are to be disturbed, so be it. There is, in truth, little now that may be altered. And if these days be our last, let them be rich—made fruitful for the Hereafter, and worthy of remembrance. Let them be lived."
A deeper stillness fell over the room before he spoke again, more grave than before:
"The final path is the harshest, and closest to the bone. Like the first, we prepare—we train. Yet no vessels shall be summoned. We shall demand the planet be sealed, cut off from all flight. Once they enter, none shall leave—not they, nor we.
If we are to perish, let it be in flame and glory, the school as our pyre, our deaths as a testament. But if we endure… if we should triumph… then let us rise anew, bathed in the fire not of ruin, but of wisdom won—another light preserved against the dark that seeks to undo the law, peace and order we have upheld for centuries."
The disciples began discussing the situation with their respective masters for a considerable amount of time. Li looked toward Master Zhang as the other three disciples began to speak.
"The first option is the best," one said. "We fight to the best of our ability, but in the worst-case scenario, we retreat—preserving the knowledge here and allowing its spread to continue."
Another disciple disagreed.
"I agree that we must fight, but escape is not an option. What would the masses, who observe our operations daily, think if they saw us fleeing in the face of an adversary?
We must fight until we burn. It's not even certain that we will perish. The masters have systems in place, we're all armed, and the Forest Brigade is here. At the very least, we must forbid retreat to send a message to the rest of the universe. They are watching."
A third disciple responded sharply.
"Who do we think we are? The universe is vast, and yet we only have two S-tiers. The Anti-Covenant can deploy fifteen S-tiers on a single target.
Only a few star systems are even paying attention to us. And don't forget who's funding us—the Vault controls the media. Our defeat won't mean much in the grand scheme. But if we escape, we have a chance to rebuild. Look at how much knowledge is stored here!"
The first disciple replied respectfully.
"Fellow disciple, I humbly disagree, but I respect your honest perspective. I understand your reasoning, and it's true that this is a treasured location of the Covenant. If we simply allow the Anti-Covenant to take it, word will spread. So, I will set aside my ideals for the greater good."
Master Zhang nodded and smiled. Even in a time of crisis, the disciples remembered their teachings—etiquette, composure, and the ability to compromise.
"Master Zhang," Li said, "since we've agreed to defend, we should begin formulating our strongest arguments for this case."
The disciple who had compromised looked up.
"Upon deeper thought, I realize that by banning escape, we demonstrate our resolve to fight, especially among our elders, who have centuries of experience.
Even those without advanced systems can contribute by preserving the archives and protecting them. And psychologically, if our only option is to fight, we will likely fight with greater conviction—because there is no alternative."
The other disciples agreed.
"Of the three options, fighting without the option of escape will push us to perform at our highest level and truly test our limits. Even if only one of us survives, it will still be a testament to our commitment to justice. But suppose another group argues for staying while leaving the door open for escape—what might their arguments be?"
Li responded,
"We possess unique artifacts on this world, and we may not be able to evacuate them all in time. Even if we begin preparations now and proceed with utmost care, we'll be working right up to the day the attack is expected. We can't outright ban all transport."
Master Zhang replied briefly,
"The conscious mind is vulnerable under pressure. If escape remains an option, some may falter and flee—perhaps even before the battle begins.
To ensure total focus, that temptation must be removed. None of us, not even the masters, are beyond weakness. Eliminating that choice removes distraction and fear."
"And what if a group—perhaps those from the materialist school of thought—argues that we should do nothing, because we've already established enough strength here?"
To this, Master Zhang responded immediately,
"We tell them this: throughout history, inaction has led to some of the greatest tragedies.
We are not only defending our own disciples—we are standing for order across all who dwell in this universe. This is not just a message to our enemies, but a promise to the innocent: that we will not collapse at the first sign of danger.
We are a central force committed to preserving harmony and stability. We are not a national militia—we are the strongest defense for those who cannot defend themselves, and we must not fall."