Volume 1: Chapter 3; What is a Man if not a Worm?  

(Thomas) “Good afternoon! It is a great joy for me to have the opportunity to speak to you today! Firstly, I would like to congratulate you for being accepted in this institution devoted to competition and learning. With your admittance into Cascade University, you have officially taken your first steps in the study of the Know. As such, with the entire freshman student body gathered here today, I would like to pose you some questions.”

Waving his hand, a blindingly bright light appears from thin air. The Know ethereal and incorruptible, flows from the origin of Lawyer Thomas’ hand heavenward until it illuminates the entirety of the hall. The light from above, blankets the students acting as a blazing star.

(Thomas) “Why did you come here!” 

Exclaiming with a vociferous vigor, the unruly student body remains flustered and unprepared. Eventually the voices of the students unite into one common chant. 

(Victor) “To follow the Know and to seek enlightenment.” 

(Harvey) “To follow the Know and to seek enlightenment!”

Visibly distressed, Lawyer Thomas twists his open palm downwards and the heavenly invocation of the Know disperses like mist. 

A deafening silence engulfs the hall, as the students squirm in obvious confusion.  

(Thomas) “Why do you seek enlightenment!” 

Even with the absence of the Know invocation, his message reverberates throughout the minds of the students.

(Thomas) “Why do you follow! Does enlightenment come from following a common path? If all you do is ‘follow’, you will never amount to much in your pathetic lives.” 

The students once doubtful of the foreign voice, now look with disdain towards the podium. Their faces exhibit obvious distrust while loud pockets of conversation arise within the crowd. By now many students are ignoring Lawyer Thomas completely and are occupied with their own musings. 

[This professor Thomas is quite the showman. He should have anticipated his insult would have elicited this reaction. A pity because his decorum was not bad.] 

Sensing Harvey shuffling closer to me, I lean backwards and dig my back into the pew. 

(Harvey) “To be honest, I don’t think this guy is wrong. He just didn’t present his argument very well.” 

(Victor) “Nah. If he wanted to get his message across he should have come in with a different speech. Maybe something more orthodox.” 

As if expecting such a reaction Lawyer Thomas waits piously at the podium like a saint in prayer. He than whispers tantalisingly to the crowd:

(Thomas) “What is Man if not a Worm?”

Instantly a profound resonance swallows the crowd as rare individuals proclaim in in admiration. The river of the Know faintly blurs into reality, as enlightenment is bestowed to those individuals. 

I glance to my side and see Harvey deep in contemplation. A crescent moon ignites his eyes as he caresses a tendril of the heavenly Know that almost seems to lick him.

(Thomas) “Now. Why is it that you seek enlightenment?” 

(Harvey) “It is to struggle! To struggle against our own complacency!”

The students nearby that did not reach enlightenment, glared jealousy at Harvey.

(Thomas) “Regardless of which level of the Know you have reached in a subject, whether you are a normal Citizen, a Student, a Lawyer, a Judge, or even a Founding Father, you will remain struggling against yourself. Do not simply follow. Instead struggle like a worm. For in this world, no matter how powerful you become, you will always find difficulty. I hope my speech has been helpful to you all.”

[I guess his reputation is well deserved.]

(Victor) “Hey Harvey have you finished daydreaming yet?” 

(Harvey) “Man! I wish I could hear that speech again! I was so close to establishing a new heavenly knowledge!”

[Yea right. You and I both know how hard that is to do.]

Seeing as Lawyer Thomas’ speech had ended, I dragged Harvey by the arm and left the hall while the rest of the students were still dazed.