The Headmaster's office was a vast, circular chamber, usually a sanctuary of quiet authority, but now it was thick with tension and the low rumble of frustrated voices. Hamdal sat behind a massive desk carved from dark, petrified wood.

His posture was deceptively relaxed, his iconic gauntlets resting on the surface, but his sharp eyes missed nothing as he listened to the argument unfolding before him.

Standing opposite him were three of the Academy's most senior professors: Zarnak, Thorgar, still looking slightly shell-shocked from the battlefield and the close call and Rowena, the vice headmaster.

"It is utterly unforgivable!" Zarnak hissed, slapping a thick, bound ledger of Academy records onto the desk.

"Flint was under our noses for decades! His research into aura manipulation and dimensional ruptures was monitored, peer-reviewed, and signed off by all of us! How could we have missed his alliance with the Eclipse Beasts?"

"Easy, Zarnak," Rowena countered, crossing her arms tightly.

"Flint was a master of misdirection. His aura signature was always stable, his academic rigor unquestionable. He used his position as the professor, precisely to hide his work. His loyalty wasn't just faked, it was layered with powerful concealing magic."

Thorgar rubbed his temples wearily. "The sheer scale of the deception... he must have been a deep-cover operative of the cinder cult for years. The invasion, this was clearly his opening. Theybhad probably planned this for months."

"But that is the point!" Zarnak exploded, gesturing wildly at the walls of scrolls. "Flint was right here! In this very office, discussing the containment protocols for potential beast incursions! He was advocating for the very measures he intended to circumvent! We were blinded by his credentials."

Hamdal finally spoke, his deep voice cutting through the squabbling like a blade. "Flint succeeded because we allowed trust to replace vigilance. He didn't just use his position; he used our sense of security against us. The time for recrimination is over."

He lifted one of his heavy gauntlets, inspecting the intricate etchings. "The outcome is all that matters. Flint is gone, thier mission of probably abducting student Elena was unsuccessful , and the worst of the invasion is contained. That outcome was achieved by a single, exhausted student who should have been overwhelmed a hundred times over."

Hamdal looked up, his expression suddenly stern. "Focus on the defenses, Thorgar. Rowena, organize the recovery effort and track any lingering beasts. Zarnak, cross-reference every theory Flint ever published. Find out what he was truly trying to achieve beyond simple destruction. He was after something more than chaos."

He paused, then added, his voice soft but weighted with significance, his expression clouded with concern.

"The mood of the Academy is not good right now," Hamdal said in a worried tone.

"All the students, as well as the professors, are fearful. Though we didn't lose any student, the invasion has left quite the trauma in them. Especially the first years."

"This is the reason we don't allow them to engage with the Eclipse Beasts in their early years," Rowena added, her arms still crossed.

"They simply aren't spiritually or mentally hardened for that level of terror."

Thorgar, however, saw a different angle. "But if we look at the positive side, they get to experience this horror firsthand, making their wills strong and preparing them for their next confrontation. It breeds true resilience."

"That's true," Zarnak conceded, nodding slowly as Rowena and Hamdal did too.

"But if this fear imprints in their minds, it will have far more detrimental effects rather than constructive," Zarnak added, tempering his agreement.

"It can cripple their ability to use aura or freeze them entirely in a real combat situation."

"We can't let this dread fester," Rowena stated firmly.

"We need to somehow pull them out of it. Uplift their moods. Restore a sense of normalcy and confidence."

"What do you have in mind, then?" Hamdal asked, looking around the room.

Silence met his question. The sheer effort of restoring morale after an invasion of this scale was daunting.

"What about a festival then?" Thorgar suddenly exclaimed, snapping his fingers.

Zarnak was genuinely surprised. "A festival? But the Academy Festival has not been done since the Great Eclipse Fall! You want to bring that back?"

"Well... it's not like it's the first time," Thorgar said, a nostalgic smile spreading across his face.

"We had it in our time in the Academy, didn't we? It was the most fun time of the year in the Academy. Three days of fun and activities, away from the hectic academic life."

"But we'll require the majority consensus of the Elders Council then," Rowena stated, bringing the practicality of the situation back into focus.

The three professors then looked at Hamdal expectantly.

Hamdal's face grew serious, deep in contemplation for a moment.

He suddenly moved his head up, a wide smile replacing his seriousness.

"That's a good idea, Thorgar. A great one," Hamdal said, standing up.

"Zarnak and Rowena, since you two are in the council, we already have two votes in favour. We'll just need four more, including the Grand Elders, don't we?"

"You know the Council, Headmaster," Zarnak said, a touch of uncertainty in his tone. "Getting two more is not a problem, but the Grand Elders... they don't bend easy."

"Those f-ckers just kept watching, hiding inside their lavish shells while our young students fought with their lives! They shouldn't even get a say in this!" Thorgar said furiously, his anger over the Elders' inaction boiling over.

The other three made no move to berate him, as they clearly felt the same sense of righteous indignation.

"We'll never know unless we try," Hamdal stated, decisively.

"The Council meeting is to be held soon, so let's present this there. Zarnak, you put this up.You being from the orc race, it'll be taken more favourably than if I proposed it."

"I-I understand, Headmaster," Zarnak acquiesced, though still looking uncertain about the Grand Elders.

Just then, there was a sharp rap on the office door.

"Come in," Hamdal called.

A man in a professor's uniform entered. "The Council meeting is to begin shortly, Headmaster. It is time to move."

"Oh, I almost forgot. Haha!" Hamdal nodded at Rowena and Zarnak, his determination renewed.

He smoothed down his tunic and gave them a final, encouraging look.

"Let's move then."

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