Lightning Is the Only Way

The hall remained silent as everyone was waiting for the answer of the Guild Master. The Guild Master moved the steel balls in his hand around a bit, no longer trying to crush them. While he looked at Gravis, he seemed to be in deep thought.

"If you regret what you have done, why have you not come in for punishment? Why have you continued slaughtering my disciples?" the Guild Master said with a severe tone.

Gravis didn't falter. "I know that killing me would be just and fair. I have killed Gorn so I can only bring justice with my death, but is that the best? I trust in my strength, and I know that I can repay the whole Lightning Sect for every death when I reach sufficient strength. If I were to die now, how could I repay what I owe? Gorn's death would be not only tragic, but also useless. If I manage to repay the Lightning Guild, his death has, at least, meaning."

The elders and the Guild Master listened to Gravis and fell into thought. Was killing Gravis just? Yes, he obviously deserved to be punished for killing his Guild Master. It would be fair for everyone if Gravis were executed for his sins. Yet, what Gravis said would also be true. The guild would have acted just, but both deaths would be meaningless.

"You act like a gambler," said the Guild Master after some seconds. "You have already lost so much money, and yet you continue betting to hope to make up for all your losses. Do you not see that your path leads to nothing but destruction and pain?" he asked.

Gravis sighed but remained stalwart. "I realize that I am acting like a gambler, but there is a clear difference between a gambler trying to get his money back and me," said Gravis with shining eyes.

"And what is that?" asked the Guild Master, leaning back on his throne.

"A gambler has minimal control over the outcome of their bet while I have full control over my strength and what I do with it," said Gravis with shining eyes. "I have many reasons to become strong, and all of them drive me forward. It's impossible for me to fail on my way to strength because that would betray Gorn's expectations and the expectations of even more people. I can't fail!"

unamused laugh. "How very grand and arrogant of you," he said. "I could crush you with only one finger, and there are many more powerful people than

and I don't need to win against everyone to become strong," Gravis explained. "I don't need to think about winning against my enemies. I only need to survive,

the hall were discussing silently with each other. They had never been in this situation before. They did have very talented disciples in the past who committed a grave crime, yet those disciples either accepted their punishment or became enemies of the

Master again. "If we continue sending disciples after you, you will continue on your way,

repay my debt and to not betray Gorn's expectation. He

want to, all to reach

on my way to not

as you believe, Gravis," he said with a mix of amusement

by name, which meant that he was no longer looking at Gravis like he was an evil slaughterer. Gravis also hadn't considered Gorn's intentions. "What do

you to reach the next level in Magic Gathering," the Guild Master started explaining. "Disciples whose wills were too weak to compress their Energy have two decisions. They either go out to temper their will or decide to stop their path to

was part of the second category of disciples," the Guild Master said. "We sent him to be the Guild Master of a Proxy-Lightning Guild so he could help

believe that Gorn didn't know about the lightning's influence on your temperament when he allowed you to increase your strength further? Did you think he didn't notice your susceptibility to the lightning's influence?" the Guild Master

and looked down at himself. His hands on his knees balled into fists as his thoughts fell into chaos. Gravis thought for nearly half a minute until he looked back at the

as you give up your dream, you become a husk of a man. Your life loses meaning, and everything that drove you forward in the past vanishes until you

Gorn was your Guild Master," the Guild Master commented dryly. "I have given up my way forward, and now I am here," he pointed to the hall,