“We’ll be doing training in a similar vein from now on,” said Gaius. The crowd groaned as his words echoed around the Duelling Grounds. “Of course, if you want your first experience in being outnumbered, encumbered and whatnot be in Heritage, you’re free not to come too. Today’s session was to get you used to combat when outnumbered, especially if you’re alone for some reason. I’m sure you will find today’s experience useful two days from now.”

With those ominous words, Gaius took a step back. Senator Alexandre smiled at him, and then took his place. “As beastfolk, we have honour in our blood. But honour isn’t everything, and snowpyres don’t even know that word.”

At least credit the latter half of that sentence to me. Gaius retorted inwardly. Nakama had woken up a few minutes ago, which fortunately meant that she hadn’t seen him trampling on other Harvesters. Or was it unfortunate? Gaius wasn’t all that keen in finding out.

“And therefore, I too do not want to hear of cases where, when a bunch of you outnumbered the enemy, you decided to hold one-on-one battles for the fun of it.” The senator’s face turned dark. “Death is the end. Do not stake your life when you don’t need to, which includes ganging up where possible. If I hear of such cases in Heritage, I’ll charge the ones involved with the crime of conspiring to murder another.”

These words were by far some of the most practical and sound advice that the senator had said, in Gaius’ mind. The young boy was never a fan of fair fights. Sure, they can help you to show off and gain prestige, but in a proper battle…well, Gaius wasn’t going to appear in a proper battle. Even if he had gotten his current position that way.

“But that goes against everything we stand for, senator Sir!” A wolfish beastfolk stepped forward, and after drawing a blank for three seconds, Gaius remembered his name.

Winston Chamberlain, the son of Warmaster Chamberlain. Gaius didn’t know what position his father had exactly in Ark City and in Heritage Basestation, but it didn’t seem to be low. Judging from the way he dared to step out, the Warmaster’s position was probably on par with that of a senator.

Cracking his knuckles, the Warmaster’s son continued, “Senator Alexandre, do not be influenced by …Lecturer Gaius’ ideology! Only humans fight without honour; we are beastfolk!”

The senator’s eyes narrowed, but before he could speak, Gaius walked towards him. “Honour, fairness and justice are terms used when two entities are equal. To treat a weaker person with honour can be said as acting justly. But to treat a monster, who knows not reciprocity, with honour is the height of foolishness.”

Gaius pointed at Winston. “As Harvesters, our goal is to extract resources and survive. Getting killed because you wanted to face off against other enemies in an honourable fashion runs counter to that. Which leads me to the next question: is the Congress’ goal more important, or your so-called honour?”

“Sophistry! These two aren’t mutually exclusive! We can meet the Congress’ goal even when fighting with honour!” The wolfish teenager bared his teeth. “Honour is what makes us, us!”

“So other Harvesters dying in your so-called honourable conduct is natural?”

“That’s why we’re in this class, to learn how to fight!”

Qi exploded out of Gaius’ palm. “WRONG! We conduct this class to teach everyone how to survive in Heritage! Fighting is the primary means to that, but do not presume fighting to be the main reason behind this class!”

The ground underneath Gaius shattered, and the class flinched. “Do you think a team of snowpyres will line up and fight you individually? Bow and wait while you prepare? Have you not seen the images?! Leave honour for facing those with honour; Heritage is a place of monsters!”

Gaius’ blood was boiling. Somehow, he’d experienced a familiar scene before, back on Earth. A student of his treated the art of assassination like a game — he would leave a calling card, and then, at the height of security, find his target and engage in a one-on-one fight. His modus operandi had worked three times, and then on the fourth, he was ambushed and killed.

A few years later after that youth was killed, a team of three went under Gaius’ tutelage. They were gifted; but during in a random barfight, when one of their number died when fighting a cage fighter one-on-one during a dispute. He had slipped on the wet floor. The other two, who were essentially bystanders, were a few seconds too late to save him. Gaius himself had arrived on the scene, but by that time, the only thing he’d managed to recover was his corpse and his last words. The black, glossy badge that he gave to all his students had vanished, presumably looted by the winners.

There was no honour in either of those cases, even if they had won. Gaius could still hear his student’s last words — a vow to take care of his teacher if they ever met again in another life — echoing in his ears. He’d drank himself silly for days after his death.

“If,” Gaius continued in a low, deadly voice, “I ever hear of a team letting only one of their members face off a lone monster, I will kill everyone in that team myself. Am I clear?”

Winston Chamberlain’s face paled, as he sensed a raging current underneath the forced calm on Gaius’ face. Even Senator Alexandre and Nakama took a step back. The class flinched as those words.

“I’ve…never seen brother this angry before.”

“Gaius…” The senator whispered. “Why are you so angry? What memories have you begun to recall?”

Senator Alexandre was partially right, if nothing else. His mind quickly concluded that someone close to Gaius had died in what apparently was a bout for honour, but the senator could never imagine that at least one of Gaius’ students had died in such a foolish pursuit.

“Let this be a warning to everyone present. Your goal in Heritage is to survive. I don’t care what goes on outside of Heritage, but…” Gaius stamped his foot once, and a spiderweb of cracks appeared around him. “No one should die for reasons like this in Heritage. The instigators of such deaths are murderers, and nothing else.”

Bits of stone fell around Gaius, the clattering sounds that each of them made accentuating his words. “Make no mistake. Your families will not be happy that you died with seeming honour. Even you, Winston Chamberlain. Warmaster Chamberlain will be devastated if you one day died, whether or not you died with honour.”

“You heard the lecturer, Harvesters.” Senator Alexandre stepped forward. “I hope that everyone would keep today’s lessons in mind for the Harvest this week. Dismissed.”

He lowered his volume. “Lecturer Gaius, a word, please.”