The New Kamar-Taj (I)

All the sorcerers looked at one another. This wasn't something they could easily accept. They had spent most of their lives being taught to uphold strict discipline, maintain high moral standards, and respect the laws of nature. Yet today, their leader was telling them they had to abandon some of the ideals and principles that some of them had upheld for decades.

"I know this is hard to accept," Ian continued. "So you have three days to decide. If you find this unacceptable, you can leave Kamar-Taj and return to an ordinary life. Kamar-Taj will still be your home and family; if you ever need help, you can come back for support."

"If you can't accept this but still want to continue fulfilling your duties, you can choose the second path. You'll become noncombat personnel and be assigned to more support roles."

"As for the rest of you, if you choose to stay, understand that things will change. You should be prepared to sacrifice everything for this work."

The ceremony fell quiet for a moment. Then a sorcerer raised his hand. "Sorcerer Supreme, I respect you for telling us the truth, but I've always believed that how we win matters more than winning itself. So I can't accept sacrificing others for our own survival or committing countless atrocities. I choose to leave."

"That's reasonable," Ian said with a nod. "Sorcerer Andreas, I salute you for your service over the years." After Ian saluted him, Andreas returned the gesture. Soon afterward, more than ten sorcerers chose the same path. The others hadn't made up their minds yet, and the gathering came to an end.

After the meeting, Ian rested in his room. He knew the sorcerers would surely go to Ancient One for more information and to hear her thoughts. They