《Terra Flexibilis》 Prologue There was absolutely nothing special about the day that suggested tragedy was imminent. A cacophony of noise heralded the day, but it was of the usual sort. The sounds that accompanied the carving of space and time to expand the reaches of the known world could certainly be jarring to those unfamiliar with it, but not out of the ordinary for those that were accustomed to it. The Conductor, a young man newly appointed into the Guild, had just finished playing the starring role. Moments before his debut he would have counted himself amongst those unsettled by the noise of a work site, especially as someone newly in charge. But now that he had successfully completed the most difficult job of his day he felt himself becoming at ease, if not a little self-important. It was funny how quickly he forgot the nerves that had prickled at his mind right before he began his inaugural punch. It was a complicated business punching new tunnels. Only recognized persons were permitted by law to even touch the fabric of space and time, let alone perforate it. He stepped up to the identified location, marked by the gate that the Labourers had placed previously. A deferential silence had fallen over the crowd then, no one dared to speak as they watched him focus on things unseen by their eyes, his hand glowing gold. They were too busy staring in awe as the gate shimmered and shuddered to notice the bead of sweat nervously running down the back of his neck, or the smallest of tremors that rippled through his non-working hand. Moments later, however, where there had once been nothing except the gate, a pinprick of light appeared. The gate was a solid brick wall, a little larger than a man door. As the Conductor worked, the brick seemed to become fluid, stretching in towards the hole and taking on an inverted conical appearance. The pinprick slowly widened as the brick seemed to warp into it. The crowd, though used to the display, seemed to unilaterally decide to step backward, to give it space. It wasn¡¯t until the hole had widened to be just smaller than the size of the gate that the conductor lowered his hand. The gate had stopped warping, and now instead of a solid brick wall it formed the mouth of a brick lined tunnel, with light coming in from the opposite side. The punch had been a success. The hush of the crowd gave way to applause and cheerful hooting. The Conductor released a deep breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding, relief evident on his face. He was still too young to have developed the god complex the experienced Conductors all had. It was an inevitability, however; Conductors were preordained to believe themselves as greater than the general populace. The reverence of the crowds practically wrote their scripture. After the Conductor¡¯s work was complete the Labourers got to work. Newly punched tunnels on their own were fragile and impermanent, not to mention in need of polishing. The punch first tore the fabric of space through to the other, pre-identified, side. It was an energy intensive process; after the initial hole was formed the fabric stretched through to the other side, pulling the brick until it met with the opposite hole, creating a finite, three dimension tunnel. The gate was used to create a strong support; in theory solid rock, or mounds of dirt, could be used as a base, but the bricks were produced with magical properties that rendered them with considerable tensile strength. When the gate was placed the bricks appeared as a normal length and width, but after the punch they stretched to the internal distance of the tunnel, a seemingly impossible feat that could only be stabilized by the Labourers'' magic. They also performed some physical magic, smoothing out any sharp bits that may have been stretched out along the way. After the punch, the day progressed in an ordinary way. The Labourers were progressing through the tunnel and the Conductor, now relaxed that the bulk of his work was complete, was merely present as a formality to sign off on the completion of the reinforcement. It was when they were about midway through the tunnel that he felt the tremor. He stopped, eyes flickering towards the opening. No one appeared to have detected it, seemingly imperceptible to their untrained senses. It had been faint but unusual. He had never encountered this sensation as an apprentice, nor had he been taught about it. When nothing happened after a moment he returned to his paperwork, frowning. There was likely nothing to worry about, he reasoned with himself. Until he felt it again. Stronger. Again, no one reacted to it but he couldn¡¯t ignore it any longer. He was the person in charge of the situation, his duties were clear in that regard. He waved down the Labourer''s foreman. ¡°Did you feel that?¡± the Conductor asked, quietly. The foreman looked at him quizzically. ¡°Feel what?¡± ¡°There was a sensation, it felt like a tremor. I think it came from the new tunnel,¡± he explained, trying to avoid sounding concerned. The foreman frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a tremor coming from a tunnel, and I didn¡¯t feel anything. Are you sure it wasn¡¯t something else?¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The Conductor bristled at being questioned. ¡°I know what I felt,¡± he said somewhat snappishly, before regaining his composure. ¡°I¡¯d like to take a closer look. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s nothing to be concerned about.¡± The foreman shrugged, nonplussed. He was used to dealing with snobby Conductors. ¡°Suit yourself. I¡¯ll pull my people out and you can do what you need to do.¡± ¡°No. No need. I don¡¯t want to alarm anybody,¡± the Conductor said quickly. He made his way towards the tunnel, trying to appear unconcerned as if he was merely admiring his handiwork. He felt another small tremor as he approached the mouth, a worker just inside looked up at him, looking thoughtful. ¡°Did you feel that, sir?¡± she asked him as he peered inside. She seemed to be the only other person present to have felt it. He froze. A feeling of fear seeped into his veins. It was his first true assignment, it was supposed to go perfectly. Nothing should be going wrong, he did everything correctly and by the book! ¡°Nothing to worry about,¡± he murmured, after looking around for a moment. Upon a quick inspection, the tunnel appeared to be fine, nothing stood out to him as being structurally unsound. She looked unconvinced but returned to her work. He turned on his heels and made his way back to the foreman. ¡°Did you find out what you needed?¡± the foreman asked, sounding bored. ¡°Yes, I think it¡¯s fine, let¡¯s continue and end on time,¡± he said, feeling hesitant. The foreman frowned. ¡°You think? Care to explain what you found then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t answer to you,¡± the Conductor said, coldly. He was tired of being questioned, he was in charge of the situation and had deemed it to be under control. ¡°No you don¡¯t, but my people are in there and I answer to my Guild so I¡¯d like to know what makes you so sure it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary inside the tunnel and I haven¡¯t felt anything since the tremor,¡± he responded brusquely. Technically a lie, but he hadn¡¯t experienced anything worsening between the first and last one. The foreman seemed to silently scrutinize him, and the Conductor tried his best not to squirm under pressure. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re the boss,¡± the foreman conceded as he went back to his own paperwork, leaving the Conductor feeling conflicted. He began to walk back to his makeshift workspace when a fourth tremor hit, and it was much more powerful than the first three. This one was seemingly detected by all because everyone around him froze. He whipped around to make eye contact with the foreman again, who immediately jumped up. ¡°Get them out of there!¡± the foreman barked. The Conductor didn¡¯t pull rank and submissively obeyed, matching his stride as they hurried toward the tunnel. The woman who had been working closest to the entrance rushed towards them as she saw them. ¡°There¡¯s been a partial collapse in the tunnel!¡± she exclaimed fearfully, ¡°It''s like the middle pinched in on itself. There¡¯s people trapped on the other side but there''s still a small gap, we¡¯re trying to expand our way through to get them out.¡± ¡°Dammit!¡± The foreman swore. His worker bravely rushed back, grabbing an emergency kit. ¡°Do something you useless lump!¡± he barked, rounding on the Conductor. ¡°What do they teach you in that godforsaken apprenticeship anyways!¡± The Conductor stammered angrily. ¡°What am I supposed to do?! I can¡¯t punch through unstable material, and there are probably people and rubble in the way. Perhaps your people did this!¡± The foreman balled his hand into a fist and grabbed him by the collar. The Conductor flinched at a blow that never came. ¡°Figure it out,¡± he hissed dangerously, before turning to follow his worker. The Conductor ran through his training mentally, there was nothing in his education that had ever suggested a tunnel collapse was even possible. Injured workers were emerging, being helped by anyone able. Some were in rough shape, needing to be carried out on makeshift stretchers, while others walked of their own volition. They looked shocked; their eyes didn¡¯t seem to have processed what they witnessed. Cries rose from inside the tunnel and he once again strode to the entrance. He hesitated before heading inside. The internal distance stretched between the two points was typically only several hundred meters when walked from gate to gate, however the actual distance spanned by the tunnel could be exponentially greater. He only traversed about fifty meters before finding the collapse. There was indeed a gap to the other side, and he could hear cries for help from within, shaking him to his core. The interior of the tunnel narrowed unnaturally, and the brick surround the area appeared jagged and upheaved. Panic washed over him in waves. He didn''t feel well; all he could think about was the overwhelming need to get back to normal land. He hurried back out, fighting the sensation of wanting to be sick. Opposite to him, the Labourers were still rushing in, attempting to widen the gap. He had just reached the mouth of the gate when the fifth and final tremor shook the very ground at his feet. Thinking quickly he reached out a hand to grab the only person within his reach. It was the female Labourer from earlier, the one who asked him if he had felt the earlier tremor. He crossed the threshold and yanked her through the gate, just as a loud resonated through the air, knocking them both several feet backwards. The first thing he noticed was the terrible silence. He couldn¡¯t tell if the nothingness was worse than the chaos that had just been unraveling seconds prior. Shouts of horror slowly cut through the quiet as realization dawned on the now much smaller group of people. There had been nearly twenty people at the outset of the day, now only seven, including himself, remained. He fell to his knees, mouth agape in horror as he studied the former gate, now a pile of brick and rubble. A grave for the lost souls to the tunnel. Chapter 1: A Modest Request Olly Briggs Olly hated eavesdropping. The idea of someone listening to his personal conversations made him feel icky, therefore there was nothing more repulsive than getting involved in someone else¡¯s business. It could only bring trouble. He knew this from working in his uncle¡¯s games room, Hijinks. Olly¡¯s rule was to keep his head down and mind his own business, and as long as he followed it he always stayed out of trouble. This was important because Uncle Eli¡¯s businesses weren¡¯t always totally above ground, so he knew better than to get involved in something he had no business in. His uncle preferred to keep him out of the less-than-legal aspects, it was an unspoken understanding between the two of them. So every night he kept his head down and kept working. Not all of it was legal work per se, but he figured if he didn¡¯t ask questions he could maintain deniability. The fact that Tarry Bennett (in disguise of course), the elected leader of Occaigh, capital city of Flexibilis, and mayor-of-mayors of all towns and cities under Flexibilis, had visited Hijinks was certainly intriguing, but it wasn¡¯t entirely earth-shattering. There was the odd occasion when Tarry came down from high to do business with his uncle, so he tried to just put it out of his mind. Therefore it was truly regrettable, and entirely unavoidable, that when Olly walked past his uncle¡¯s office while in search of a broom to clean up the constellation of broken glass upstairs, he overheard something that forced him to break his own rule. ¡°Come on Tarry¡­ It¡¯s what his parents would have wanted,¡± he heard his uncle wheedling Tarry from behind the just slightly ajar door. He froze, ears pricked. He knew he should turn around and go back to work. He knew he should forget about it and pretend he didn¡¯t know who his uncle was talking about. And yet. He crept closer to the door, avoiding the creaky floorboards. He knew his uncle used them as a security measure to know if potentially unwanted company was eavesdropping on him, but Olly had them memorized. He waited for the response with bated breath. He heard a heavy sigh. ¡°Eli¡­ You know what kind of position this puts me in, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Sure do, but I need this. He needs this,¡± he heard Uncle Eli respond, sounding somewhat grave. His mind was screaming at him to turn around, and that he could always ask his uncle about it later, but his feet were firmly planted in place. Uncle Eli was never serious. About anything. He usually presented a youthful and easy-going demeanor. If he weren¡¯t the only parental figure Olly had in his life he would have considered him to be more of a friend than a guardian. There was a groan of wood as if someone had slumped backward into their chair. ¡°You¡¯ve read the news, yes? This is unusually disadvantageous of you. I¡¯m dealing with a shit storm, the Guildmasters are at each other¡¯s throats and mine. I can¡¯t imagine you having worse timing. Before I say yes, I have to ask, why specifically now?¡± ¡°Would my answer change your decision?¡± Olly could hear the return of a coy smile to his uncle¡¯s voice. ¡°Ah¡­ Well¡­ No. I do owe you a favour, though I¡¯m surprised you would choose something so foolhardy and outlandish. But you do realize this is akin to throwing it away? My sphere of influence only extends so far,¡± Tarry explained nervously. ¡°You do your thing, I¡¯ll worry about the rest. So is that a yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Well, yes, of course. I suppose I don¡¯t have a choice. But again, why now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just call it a hunch, I think the timing could work. And don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t publicly advertise your endorsement,¡± Uncle Eli responded smoothly, ¡°Or we¡¯ll call it outreach, it can be a feel-good story for you in the next election cycle.¡± ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing with whatever you¡¯ve got up your sleeve. I have never in all my years as mayor ever seen them turn on each other like this, it will surely bleed into selection day.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never given you any reason to doubt me before, Tarry. Trust me, I won¡¯t do anything to compromise our relationship. Besides, I have no doubt you¡¯ll come out on top.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me I¡¯m worried about Eli, it¡¯s him. Surely you know what you¡¯re putting the poor boy up to? The Guilds may never be what they once were. If he¡¯s successful it won¡¯t be like bygone days. Conductors won¡¯t be as revered as they used to be, certainly not after this.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want him to be a Conductor anyway. Too flashy, too visible,¡± Eli said noncommittally, and this seemed to shock Tarry as much as it did Olly. ¡°Not a Conductor¡­ Then what¡­?¡± ¡°A Cartographer.¡± ¡°A¡­ Cartographer¡­ Good lord, are you sure?¡± Tarry asked incredulously. ¡°Has he ever expressed interest in being a Cartographer? You know as well as I do how stuffy and pretentious their type is, Olly just¡­ isn¡¯t that. Their selection criteria are the highest of the Guilds, without a lot of dedication and, let''s be honest, pedigree, there just isn¡¯t a chance.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°He¡¯s interested, he just doesn¡¯t know it yet. Once he gets a bit of training and understands the career a bit better he¡¯ll see how perfect it would be for him. They need fresh blood, he¡¯s a smart kid. He can handle it, I have faith in him,¡± Eli said nonchalantly. ¡°I don¡¯t think blind faith is enough, unfortunately. But I wish you luck in this scheme, whatever it is. My advisors have little faith in most things these days, let alone the Guilds coming out of this unscathed.¡± Olly moved ever so slightly, just enough to peer through the crack of the door, obscured by shadows. He could see his uncle leaning back in his chair, staring at the ceiling with hands folded across his lap. The loud pattern of his suit clashed with Tarry¡¯s more somber navy blue. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take their word for it,¡± Eli stated matter-of-factly, placing a cigarette on his lips and reaching for his polished silver lighter, ¡°I always put stock in their vast and infinite knowledge.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no ruffling you, is there?¡± Eli took a drag and slowly exhaled. ¡°I¡¯ve been advising you a lot longer than those buffoons you call counsel. I guess you have to keep them around for show though.¡± He offered his box of cigarettes to Tarry who shook his head. ¡°Sometimes I think you should be in charge, you¡¯d be better suited for it,¡± Tarry said, sounding bemused, as he got up to take his leave. ¡°We both know I¡¯m better down here. So I¡¯ll see your endorsement on his application to join the Cartographer¡¯s Guild?¡± ¡°Of course, you have my word. Please wish him the best of luck, I hope this is what he wants. Can I take the discrete route through the back door, just in case there was anyone following me that I missed?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. Safe travels,¡± Eli said as he hit a switch, triggering a wall panel that opened into a dark, hidden hallway. Tarry disappeared into it moments later and Eli closed it behind him, facing toward the now-closed panel. Olly¡¯s heart was beating out of his chest, he turned quietly to flee before his uncle could turn back around and detect him. ¡°Leaving so soon?¡± Uncle Eli called. Fuck. He grimaced and turned shamefully to face his uncle. Eli hadn¡¯t even turned around. He always knew. How did the bastard always know? Olly entered the office, mentally cursing himself. His uncle turned to face him finally. He never quite could pull off serious, there was always a shadow of humour dancing behind his eyes, but he did appear to be giving it his best attempt with a furrowed brow. ¡°Sit,¡± Eli ordered, but not harshly. Olly obliged and took a seat, folding his hands in front of him and staring at them. ¡°How much did you hear?¡± Eli asked nonchalantly, pulling another cigarette out of his pouch and lighting it. ¡°What would my parents have wanted?¡± Olly responded with the question that had been burning in his mind. Eli cocked his head, appearing thoughtful as he pondered the question. He took a long drag and exhaled behind his shoulder before responding. ¡°A better life no doubt. Do you think they wanted this?¡± He gestured around him. Olly deflated slightly; his uncle had just been cajoling the mayor, he hadn¡¯t been speaking sincerely. And Olly wouldn¡¯t know, he hadn¡¯t known them. The idea of learning something about them was what drew him into eavesdropping in the first place. All he knew was living with Uncle Eli and working in the games room. Eli stubbed his cigarette into a nearby ashtray. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t have, in case that wasn¡¯t obvious. And I think you could do better. Tarry owed me a favour so I decided to cash it in. It¡¯s a lot to take in, I know. But I do believe you¡¯ll thank me one day. Becoming a Cartographer is a huge honour, you¡¯d be well taken care of.¡± Olly was confused. Uncle Eli never struck Olly as someone who valued the academic prestige a Cartographer demanded, nor had he ever indicated any prior desire to have Olly become one. Furthermore, for his uncle to go out on a limb and get a recommendation from the mayor to support this initiative with zero preparation was nothing short of unusual. Sure, he attended classes regularly with the other kids in the borough, but he had never been marked as someone destined for higher education. He assumed he¡¯d finish his senior classes at eighteen and begin full-time work with his uncle. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, why do you want me to become a Cartographer?¡± Olly questioned suspiciously. Eli shrugged. ¡°Is it wrong of me to want to invest in your future?¡± ¡°What are you playing at?¡± Olly asked suspiciously. ¡°Nothing! I just think you¡¯d be well suited for it.¡± Eli threw his hands up, innocently. ¡°I think you¡¯re lying, something is up and if you¡¯re going to gamble with my future I¡¯d like to know about it,¡± Olly challenged, pressing the matter. ¡°Think whatever you¡¯d like, the fact is that this is a grand opportunity for you, and if you don¡¯t get on board quickly you¡¯re going to see it evaporate before your eyes.¡± ¡°What about the aptitude test? Selection day is only a few months away. I¡¯m not exactly their type, as Tarry pointed out. If I don¡¯t get in, then what?¡± ¡°I believe in you, you¡¯ll find a way to succeed. You always do.¡± ¡°That seems a little like a threat,¡± Olly said suspiciously. Eli sighed, putting his palms face down on the table patiently. ¡°Look. I know you like it here, I just feel like there¡¯s more for you out there. You can do better than wasting away in a games room in the sixteenth borough.¡± His candor stunned Olly. He had never spoken disparagingly of his life here, or Hijinks. ¡°But what if I fail?¡± Olly insisted after a moment. ¡°Then you¡¯re always welcome back here.¡± His uncle¡¯s usual boyish mirth, though muted reappeared for a moment. ¡°But I won¡¯t accept anything less than your best shot. Do not waste this opportunity or the strings I¡¯ve pulled.¡± Chapter 2: Shut Out Olly Briggs Olly suspected that someone like the Mayor would no doubt wanted to keep his endorsement a secret from the general populace. So naturally, by the time the rumour took hold it spread like wildfire across the sixteenth and all of the regulars at Hijinks knew by the week¡¯s end. Olly was serving drinks the following Monday evening when he was called over to a table of some of his favourite customers. Eli¡¯s clientele were not well-to-do. They either worked hard labour jobs, but certainly not those represented by the Labourer¡¯s Guild, jobs more like resource collection or public works, or worked within the same grey area of business as Eli. A not-so-small subset were fully involved in illegal operations from what Olly could tell, but that wasn''t his business. To Olly, they felt like friends. In response to the recent news, they clapped him on the back and praised him for getting out of the sixteenth borough. Occaigh was divided into sixteen boroughs, and it was generally understood that the lower the borough the less well-to-do the residents were. Crime wasn¡¯t high in general, but the sixteenth was a little rougher and scrappier. Anyone from a middle to lower borough would feel uncomfortable in the vicinity. Upper-middle boroughs would avoid it unless they absolutely had to be there. Residents of the first or second boroughs wouldn¡¯t be caught dead there. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I want to leave though. Not to mention, I don¡¯t even know if I have what they¡¯re looking for,¡± he explained yet again, growing tired from receiving congratulations on something he hadn¡¯t even accomplished. Even some of his classmates seemed to have caught wind of it and began treating him differently, and generally not for the better. No one in his school came from affluent families or prestigious backgrounds. He lived, worked, and attended school in a very working-class neighbourhood. He had some classmates he was friendly with if they had to do schoolwork together, but otherwise apart from the regulars at Hijinks he had few people he¡¯d call a friend. ¡°You think you¡¯re better than us now that you¡¯re friends with the mayor?¡± one of the boys, Leroy, who was in the year above him drawled bitterly. Olly knew he was the son of a local grocer who often struggled with rent. Eli knew a lot about people in the neighbourhood, he made it his job and shared these details with Olly, where necessary. Olly could almost understand their mockery. A great source of his confusion was his own academic status. He was an average student at best, he certainly didn¡¯t think he was better than anyone. He didn¡¯t even know if he wanted this opportunity, particularly if everyone was going to treat him so differently. He returned home from school that day feeling despondent. It felt like a lose-lose situation. If he failed, some people would take joy at his loss whereas others would just feel pity. Neither of which particularly appealed to him, given that he wasn¡¯t even sure what he wanted out of this. If he succeeded at least a few people would be happy but he¡¯d be forever marked as someone who felt they were too good for their station in life. He was going to ask his uncle if he could defer to a future year. Maybe after he finished regular classes since it would give him two years to think about it further. However, as he turned to head upstairs he was interrupted by his uncle''s voice calling to him from the kitchen. ¡°Olly, this is your tutor, he¡¯s going to help you with everything you need for the aptitude test,¡± Eli informed him as he walked in. The tutor was an older man with greying hair and square reading glasses. He looked Olly up and down critically. ¡°You say he¡¯s a natural?¡± he asked Eli, speaking as if Olly wasn¡¯t there. His uncle flashed him a crooked grin and waved a check under his nose. ¡°Of course, he¡¯s been showing competency since he was a child.¡± The tutor looked unconvinced but pocketed the check nonetheless. ¡°I only take on serious cases who are willing to put the work in. Will that be you?¡± ¡°It will be, you have my word,¡± Eli assured him, talking over Olly. Olly felt his frustrations mounting. The next irritation came at breakfast the next morning. It was a weekend and that typically meant Olly and Eli had a half day off before working late into the night. Sometimes they would run errands together, but usually, after the work was done they¡¯d actually spend time together. The city was large but even it had its spacial limits; typically you had to leave Occaigh to find areas that could support recreational activities. Occaigh had the largest number of tunnels, and therefore the most direct connections to interesting destinations. Its tunnels connected it to other cities, big and small, but there were also tunnels connecting dense forests that permitted long walks under a tree cover that was unseen in the city, or to varying types of beaches, rocky or sandy depending on the location. Sometimes they went for hikes to escape the chaos of the cities, and Olly would marvel at the serenity of the areas. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. There were also points of interest that seemed to differentiate each destination. Sometimes there were man-made structures, such as the inverted tower of Aspir. Aspir was another major city within Flexibilis and its tower was a bit of an engineering marvel. It started as a narrow point at ground level that bellowed out with each story, until finally reaching its maximum height as a wide circular platform that tourists could walk about to see the best city views. Other places were more natural, with interesting rock formations or mountains. There was a cost associated with visiting some destinations, particularly those further away or with special attractions, so they usually kept their travel local. Each city had its own unique tunnels that were only accessible by using that city as a waypoint, so a longer visit allowed visitors to see areas inaccessible by their own cities. In either case, Flexibilis was a vast world with many areas connected by tunnels, and it seemed to grow each time a new tunnel was punched. It was fascinating to Olly how the world was so different but so connected through a seemingly simple means. He wondered if he had said something of the sort to his uncle on one of their travels that inspired his interest in Olly becoming a Cartographer. Apart from the times Olly was in classes, the two spent most of their waking hours together. They were largely each other¡¯s closest companions, therefore it was strange for Olly to be so blindsided by his uncle¡¯s apparent goals for him. To Olly, Eli never really spoke of wants or dreams. He never divulged how he was involved in his own business; game rooms were largely unlicensed and illegal, and the gambling portion of Hijinks was strictly contained behind a doorway monitored by a security guard who seemed to know exactly who should or should not be granted access. Therefore it was confusing as to why Eli wanted him to enter a rigid, rule-following profession. Perhaps he truly did want better for Olly, but his uncle definitely played his cards close to his heart and was difficult to read. Olly considered that having a familial connection to a respected profession could be a benefit to his uncle, but he also wondered if it would bring more scrutiny on him, being as private as he was. People would talk. People were talking. Not to mention, his uncle already had a strong connection to the mayor, enough to be able to call in such a favour anyways. Did he really need the further academic reach a Cartographer might bring? Olly couldn¡¯t say yet. One thing he did know of his uncle though was that he was restless. He never seemed fully at ease, always ready to burst forth to the next thing that caught his attention like a tightly coiled spring. He liked to roam, which is why their scant time off was usually dedicated to leaving the city. When they would travel Olly would sometimes watch his uncle¡¯s face for signs of fulfillment. But whenever they got to where they were going, the end of a long hike, entering a new city for the first time, or seeing a famous attraction, Olly could see that there was only a sense of unserved purpose. Like he hadn¡¯t found what he was looking for and needed to keep searching. He never seemed satisfied. Olly didn¡¯t understand, he liked being able to see new places, but he never seemed to search for more the way his uncle did. There was always something more, something unseen to everyone but Eli, like a finish line just out of reach. That day, Olly was eating, waiting to hear from his uncle what the plan would be. Plans were usually formed at the whim of Eli, but Olly was content to follow. ¡°I¡¯ve got to take a leave today, I have some urgent business on the other side of town to attend to,¡± Eli explained as he strode briskly into the kitchen. Olly let his fork drop with a clatter. ¡°Business? What kind of business?¡± Eli gave him a quizzical look. Olly rarely asked, and Eli rarely told. Generally, there was an unspoken understanding that not all of Eli¡¯s business endeavours were above board and he did keep Olly out of those. But they rarely overlapped outside of work hours. And Eli had been acting unilaterally where it concerned Olly just a bit too much lately for Olly to be amenable to it. ¡°Just meeting with an associate. It¡¯s the only time that worked. I¡¯ll be back for opening, but I¡¯ll need you to get the place in order,¡± Eli said curtly as he put a silver cufflink onto his sleeve, ¡°And your tutor will be coming by this afternoon so you can start your lessons.¡± Olly felt his blood boiling. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want a tutor?¡± he asked in a low voice. He knew he was being petulant but he didn¡¯t care. Eli raised an eyebrow. ¡°How would you know if you haven¡¯t even attended a lesson?¡± Olly slammed his hands down on the table. ¡°How would you know what I want when you haven¡¯t even asked me? All you¡¯ve been doing lately is making decisions for me as if I don¡¯t have a choice in them!¡± Eli folded his arms across his chest. ¡°Fine, what is it that you want? Tell me what your heart desires so that I can snap my fingers and make all your deepest desires come true,¡± he asked sarcastically in a way that made Olly feel his blood pressure rise. He opened his mouth to respond but fell short of hurling an insult at his uncle. He gnashed his jaw shut and turned away. He had no response. Eli cocked his head to the side, looking pointedly at him. ¡°No? Nothing?¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll work with the tutor, I¡¯ll study for the test,¡± Olly said in a subdued voice, turning to face him. His uncle seemed to be searching his face, but for what, Olly didn¡¯t know. His mask was unreadable at present. ¡°You are so young,¡± he said finally, and it almost sounded like a sigh, ¡°I know it¡¯s easy to feel like there¡¯s nothing in it for you right now, but find a reason. Find it and hold onto it. You¡¯ll need it to succeed.¡± With that, Eli checked his pocket watch. ¡°I¡¯m off, I¡¯ll see you later. Let me know how it goes with the tutor, if you don¡¯t like this one we can find someone else.¡± He strode out of the kitchen somewhat stiffly, leaving Olly feeling more conflicted than ever before. Chapter 3: Different from the Usual Caliber Olly Briggs Olly did not, in fact, like his tutor. He was rude, snobbish, and patronizing. He clearly did not believe in Olly the way Eli seemed to. Frustrated though he was, this did pique Olly¡¯s curiosity around this mystery further¡­. ¡°Pay attention boy!¡± The tutor snapped a ruler on the desk in front of him, breaking him out of his reverie. ¡­ and also increased his ire towards his uncle. Either this was misplaced faith or a farce. And either case, he was unamused. The lessons had started with a description of what the aptitude test would entail. To Olly¡¯s surprise, it would not contain complex metaphysical problems, these were apparently all things learned at the Elite Academy of Higher Principles. The aptitude test would instead consist of a series of situational questions to assess readiness for the stress of leadership. There would be elements of ethics and logic, things that could not be taught. There had to be existing intrinsic talent that could be improved upon, as the tutor bluntly informed him. ¡°If you don¡¯t already have a mind for it, I will not waste my time attempting to improve what is not there. It is not a learned skill, it is a skill so few are gifted with,¡± he said with a haughty sniff. Something told Olly that the tutor did not believe him to possess these skills. He explained that candidates would then move on to the next round where they would be subjected to a magic test in a very controlled setting. This was again another intrinsic talent that could not be taught. Either someone possessed the ability to wield magic, or they didn¡¯t. Few people did, and generally, the population would never know unless they were tested. It was not a skill that could be wielded effortlessly, and if you happened to have it, and go so far as testing into one of the Guilds that used it, you would still have to go through rigorous testing to appropriately unlock it. "Excuse me, um, sir?" Olly asked, trying to find an opening in the information being thrown at him. The tutor gave him a withering look that suggested he did not appreciate being interrupted. However, when he said nothing in response Olly decided to risk his question. "What about the other Guilds? What do they do?" he asked sheepishly. The tutor practically sneered. "Do you know anything about the Guilds or did you just wake up one day and decide you wanted to make a mockery of the most prestigious learning institution in the world? How can you claim to want to be a Cartographer if you know nothing about the tunnel process and the role we play in it?" Olly ground his teeth. He decided to hold his tongue and not argue back about how he hadn''t actually ever wanted to be a Cartographer. "I''m sorry sir, I actually don''t know much about the tunnel process." "Well, allow me to enlighten you then," the tutor spoke harshly, "The Cartographers provide the first, and most important, step in the tunnel process. We detect locations where tunnels are created. We do this through a deep understanding of ancient navigational tools and the ability to read maps in multiple dimensions. It all starts at the Academy. By imparting this knowledge on our students we can unlock the abilities identified in those who''ve shown promise." He spoke reverently when he spoke of Cartographers. Then his brow furrowed. "After that the yahoos come in. The Conductors use their magic to ¡°punch¡± through to the new area, creating a tunnel from ''Point A'' to ''Point B''. ''Point B'' then becomes permanently accessible by way of the tunnel. Following the punch are the Labourers, they don''t do too much except clean up after the Conductors. The Controllers are barely a Guild and don''t do much of anything, but they maintain access to the tunnels after their creation is complete." It sounded to Olly like his tutor was downplaying the importance of the other Guilds. "If I don''t make it as a Cartographer, would the other Guilds be an option?" Olly followed up hopefully. The tutor practically sneered. "All the Guilds use the aptitude to select their students but if you don''t believe that you''re good enough to be a Cartographer you shouldn''t have pledged for us. If you wanted to join a lesser Guild you should have aimed lower." "But if I could still get accepted into one of the other Guilds even if I didn''t pledge for them?" Olly asked. "Yes, but it would be embarrassing for you. Also, in case you didn''t know this, you can only take the test once." If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Olly suspected the tutor, a retired Cartographer himself, believed that if and when Olly failed, he would at least have been an easy cash grab. He didn¡¯t know how much the tutor was costing his uncle, but he suspected the check his uncle had written had been large enough that the tutor at least had to pretend to be invested. Once he grew tired of Olly''s questions he began the first lesson, logic puzzles. These began straightforward enough with some simple number-based patterns, but the tutor advised him these were merely the easiest of them, irking Olly to no end. As the lesson progressed he found himself tripping over problems that involved reading paragraphs and applying critical reasoning to determine the most correct response. The lack of black-and-white details was beyond what Olly normally had to apply in his day-to-day life. In real life he dealt with drunks and gamblers, logic didn¡¯t apply there. No one entered the establishment looking for a deeper meaning, they were there to forget about the dreariness of their daily life. He didn¡¯t need to look for hidden meanings or intentions, he just needed to bring the right drinks to the right table and empty ashtrays on a sufficient schedule. He needed to make sure the house always won, even if patrons made small gains here or there. Though his uncle shielded him from other parts of the business, Olly had no place for the ethics of the shady parts of the businesses he was exposed to currently. How could he be asked to put that aside and solve logic and ethics puzzles with a man who had no respect for him or desire for him to succeed? It was like asking a fish to climb a tree. "I know it¡¯s easy to feel like there¡¯s nothing in it for you right now but find a reason. Find it and hold onto it. You¡¯ll need it to succeed.¡± His uncle¡¯s earlier words rang in his mind. Olly ground his teeth, biting back a retort to his tutor calling him out for not paying attention. He didn¡¯t have a reason yet, but maybe proving this asshole wrong was a good place to start.
Later that night, Olly entered Hijinks in a huff. The first lesson was irritating, to say the least. The tutor had not quit on him, yet, but he had been clear that Olly needed to improve and fast before he embarrassed himself during the aptitude test. He wasn¡¯t expecting him to succeed, but he was concerned a poor showing would reflect poorly on himself and therefore would drop Olly as a client if he did not get up to an appropriately competent level of student. His mood had only degraded as he saw his uncle for the first time since the morning. He entered mid-shift and Olly watched as he strode rigidly towards his office, not stopping to acknowledge Olly when Olly was running tables. This further incensed Olly. It was bad enough that he was being forced into a situation he didn¡¯t understand, it was worse to feel like he was being iced out by the one person he thought would be in his corner. The next several tutoring sessions went about as well as the first. Olly felt like he was making small improvements to his practice test scores but they were still coming up far too short compared to the minimums. The tutor did little to encourage him, instead belittling him for not trying hard enough. Olly held his tongue until the tutor turned his sights on his uncle. ¡°You know, if your uncle wasn¡¯t paying me a considerable amount of money above my normal pay I wouldn¡¯t have even accepted this assignment. Not only are you far below my usual caliber of student, but your social standing is far below that which I would normally agree to be associated with. And believe me, I have many other far more deserving students who are putting in the work and effort needed to succeed. Taking this on was a grave risk to my reputation, and I¡¯m regretting it dearly.¡± ¡°Clearly you needed the money or else you wouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Olly growled, unable to hold back from the abuse any longer. The tutor, not expecting to be talked back to, recoiled back in shock. ¡°What did you say to me?¡± he snarled. ¡°I said, clearly you need the money more than your reputation. I am putting in the work but you¡¯ve done nothing but criticize me and let me fail. How do you expect me to improve if you don¡¯t intend to help me?!¡± Olly snapped back. ¡°And clearly you need to be put in your place for the sheer level of disrespect you show not only to me but to this profession. You¡¯re not worth my time or effort, and you would be an embarrassment to the Guild!¡± The tutor was turning red in the face from anger. ¡°I¡¯d bet you¡¯re not that highly thought of yourself if you¡¯re resorting to tutoring my kind,¡± Olly retorted fiercely. Two things happened at the same time. The first was that the tutor grabbed the wooden ruler he had left out on the table and raised it to strike Olly, while Olly raised his hands to protect his face and squeezed his eyes shut, desperately wanting to defend himself. The second was that a crack that sounded suspiciously like lightning resonated in his ears and the smell of ozone filled his nostrils. He braced for the strike that never came, and when he reopened his eyes he was rewarded with the sight of his tutor staring at him, wearing a stunned and terrified look on his face. Olly was vindicated for a moment, until he looked down to see that the ruler had splintered into two fragments, and a fractal pattern was now etched onto the table before him, smoking slightly. The tutor dropped the ruler pieces with a clatter and began throwing his personal effects into his bags. Olly called to stop him, but the tutor ignored him and rushed out the door, with books and pens threatening to fall out of his hastily packed bag. Olly stood there, mouth agape, heart pounding in horror. He didn¡¯t know what had happened as he looked down at his shaking, yet unblemished, hands. Had he caused this damage? How could that even be possible? He had been angry but wasn¡¯t trying to cause harm. He just didn¡¯t want this man to threaten and insult him and his uncle in their own home, let alone let him strike him. Finding his feet he rushed to the phone and dialed his uncle¡¯s office. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± he said hurriedly, ¡°Something¡¯s happened, I need help.¡± Chapter 4: Peculiar Olly Briggs Olly looked on fearfully as his uncle observed the damage, appearing deep in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, or how I did it, or if I did it,¡± Olly rambled on, panicking. His uncle placed a calming hand on his shoulder. ¡°Okay, deep breaths kid, walk me through it again, slowly.¡± He recounted the events, downplaying the argument that preceded it and instead claiming things got heated over his performance. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve been trying, but I¡¯m sure that I¡¯m never going to be good enough to pass the test. And now this happened, whatever it is!¡± He felt himself on the verge of tears. ¡°Olly, it¡¯s been five lessons, I¡¯m not expecting you to be some kind of savant, not compared to children who¡¯ve had lifelong tutoring.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if I pass the test, I really don¡¯t. I could live with that. But what do we do about this!¡± he gestured wildly at the table. "The table? Eh, don''t sweat it, it was due for replacement," Eli said nonchalantly as he picked up the ruler, examining it. ¡°I guess there¡¯s more than one way to show magical aptitude, most people just unlock it differently.¡± He seemed entirely unperturbed. ¡°That¡¯s it? That¡¯s all you have to say?!¡± Olly demanded while wrapping his arms around himself as a way of trying to soothe the storm that was raging within him. He felt off-kilter, unstable. Olly didn¡¯t understand it, how could his uncle be so calm about this new development and just gloss over the details? He seemed more concerned about a test Olly never asked to take. He lowered himself to the floor, letting emotion take over. Sobs wracked through his chest. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you w-want me to do,¡± he choked out, desperately looking up at Eli for any kind of comfort, ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel right. Things were normal a week ago, n-nothing has felt normal since t-then.¡± Eli looked troubled and let the hand holding the ruler fall to his side. As if letting a mask fall he looked towards the ceiling with a groan and closed his eyes. His eyes fluttered back open and he knelt down to Olly¡¯s level. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s deal with this first, then we can revisit the aptitude test if you¡¯re ready. I just¡­ I know it doesn¡¯t make sense right now but I need you to trust me. Please,¡± he said sincerely, Olly hiccuped, feeling the storm starting to subside. He did trust Eli, there was no one else he could trust quite like him, but he was scared. He didn¡¯t know what the end game was here, and if he had to learn in due time, fine, but he wasn¡¯t going to keep his discomfort to himself. Not after he lost control in anger not but an hour earlier. He needed answers on that at least. ¡°Okay,¡± Olly conceded, after a moment. Eli gave him a smile and ruffled his hair affectionately.
Olly found himself seated across from a woman, likely in her late fifties. After the incident in the kitchen, Eli had made some phone calls and brought him to see her. He called her a Reader. Olly had heard of Readers but only knew that they were mainly seen as pseudoscience. They claimed to be able to see and hear things others could not, be it a person¡¯s future, messages from beyond the grave, and the like. They offered services such as palm readings and seances for money, and while most people didn¡¯t believe they were legitimate, some people swore by them. Olly was surprised not only that his uncle believed enough to bring him here, but also that he seemed to know this woman. He grasped her outstretched hand in both of his and gave her a reverent kiss on the cheek. Many things his uncle did surprised him these days. Lola, as she introduced herself, was also a bit of a surprise. He would¡¯ve expected drapey fabrics with bold patterns, and a neck adorned with many strings of beaded necklaces. She had none of these, instead, she was stylishly dressed in what Olly would call normal clothes. In a slim-fitting black turtleneck and slacks, he would not have picked her out in a crowd. ¡°Lola, this is my nephew, Olly,¡± Eli introduced them, stepping aside and gesturing to Olly who had been standing partially behind him. ¡°Olly, so lovely to meet you,¡± she said warmly and ignored his outstretched hand, instead placing her hands on either of his shoulders. ¡°Eli didn¡¯t say much on the phone, just that you needed my services. But I can see that you¡¯re frightened. Something happened to you very recently that¡¯s causing conflict.¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong, though he wondered if he just wore a permanent look of alarm on his face these days. ¡°Olly has had some trouble recently,¡± Eli explained, ¡°We''re hoping you can take a peek and see what''s going on inside his head. Can you help us with that?¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± she said, scanning his eyes. Olly wanted to blink and look away but the way she stared at him was mesmerizing, as if she was looking into his very soul. ¡°What is it?¡± Olly asked nervously. ¡°Nothing, yet, but I need to prepare. I can tell this will be a special kind of reading. You¡¯re not like the usual type who would come in here, curious about magic and wondering if there¡¯s a chance at the aptitude test. You don¡¯t have that desperation. You felt secure in yourself and life until now. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Erm, yes,¡± he admitted. No point in telling lies for Eli¡¯s sake now. She let go of his hands and walked to a small table. He made eye contact with his uncle, who once again wore his typical unreadable and unreachable, all-business public persona. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. He also realized, that unless Eli had mentioned something to Lola beforehand, Olly hadn''t said anything to her about the aptitude test, or magic. ¡°Come, please,¡± she offered, gesturing to the seat across the table from her. He took it. Eli sat back on a couch she had to the side of her reading room, partially obscured in shadow. The whole room was dimly lit, or did it just feel that way suddenly? He couldn¡¯t remember. She lit a candle between them and patted her hands gently on the table. ¡°Palms up,¡± she instructed gently. He obeyed and she placed her hands above his, hovering so that they weren¡¯t quite touching. ¡°We¡¯ll start slow, and then I¡¯ll ask more probing questions. First, do you consent to me performing this reading, in present company, and not just because your uncle brought you here?¡± ¡°I need you to trust me. Please.¡± His uncle¡¯s earlier words came back to him. If this helped him get answers then he was okay with it. ¡°Yes,¡± he confirmed, wondering if he imagined a sigh of relief coming from Eli¡¯s corner. ¡°Good. Next, I detect that you feel like you¡¯re not in control right now. If I told you that you would have the ability to make several key choices for yourself, would that surprise you?¡± ¡°A bit, I don¡¯t feel like I have a lot of options right now.¡± ¡°That will change, in time. I¡¯m sensing several paths, each taking you down a different road in life. You have a lot of potential but it¡¯s very much unrealized right now. Which paths can you see?¡± He screwed his eyes shut. ¡°Um, not many. I see taking the test and failing and going back home.¡± ¡°Interesting¡­ I see other paths available to you, by your own choice. Tell me what you think of when you say ¡®home¡¯?¡± ¡°Hijinks, the bar my uncle owns, and the house we live in down the street from it. My uncle is the only family I¡¯ve ever known. And I know everyone at Hijinks, there¡¯s the regulars and they know me, they talk to me. I feel like I belong.¡± He was a little embarrassed by this confession but found the words came out readily, it was easy to confess to her. ¡°Do you feel like you don¡¯t have all the information you would like?¡± He almost snorted. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Study will help with that, education in any format will open doors and reveal information to you, but only you can provide the motivation needed to walk those paths. Can I speak of your potential?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said, warily. ¡°You have an undiscovered amount of potential. You have uncertainty of what you want, or why you should want it, but you are limiting yourself from reaching it. You will have to be comfortable with the discomfort should you want to see more paths available to you. May we speak of the source of your internal conflict?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very strong, something happened today, did it not?¡± ¡°It did.¡± ¡°What did you feel? What was your strongest emotion?¡± He paused, remembering how worthless the tutor made him feel. ¡°Shame. Anger.¡± ¡°What do you feel now?¡± ¡°Confusion, I¡¯m not sure why I¡¯ve been put in this situation.¡± ¡°Your confusion is leading to fear of the unknown. You must overcome this in order to learn and grow. Now, what happened when you experienced this shame and anger? I¡¯m sensing a strong reaction.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± He hesitated. ¡°Embrace it, you are blocking me from this, I cannot help you if you can¡¯t face your fears.¡± He took a deep breath and forced himself to relive the argument. ¡°I got angry. Very angry. The next thing I knew there was a bang and I had damaged some objects, without ever touching them.¡± ¡°Show me,¡± she demanded. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t. I won¡¯t do it again,¡± he stammered. ¡°You cannot hurt me. Find your courage.¡± At first, he didn¡¯t want to, but he let the negative thoughts of the last few days seep into his mind. The way he felt unheard by his uncle, the tutor¡¯s scathing remarks, the helplessness of having his future picked for him, all of it. Above all, he thought about how much he wanted the comfort and security of his old life to return to him. Perhaps if he followed along there was a chance he could obtain that again. He felt a surge up through his palms and he tried to fight it, however, something about having her hands hovering over his seemed to amplify the sensation. He opened his eyes to see what looked like golden energy flowing between their hands. She was intently concentrated on it and appeared to control the output, unlike during his earlier outburst when it seemed to explode forth from him in one short burst. Now that it was present he was unable to extinguish it. Eli was leaning forward, watching them intently, frowning. Good, Olly thought, you can deal with surprises for a change. ¡°This is¡­ Ah!¡± she cried as something akin to an electric shock zapped between their hands. She broke the connection and the magic fizzled out, to his great relief. ¡°I thought you said I couldn¡¯t hurt you?¡± he asked worriedly. She stared at his hands, which he now had clenched into fists that he held at his chest. ¡°You are different,¡± she finally said, looking perplexed, ¡°You do have magical ability, but you don¡¯t wish to use it. It¡¯s very peculiar, very odd.¡± ¡°Peculiar¡­ Odd¡­¡± he repeated in horror. ¡°Odd doesn¡¯t mean bad,¡± Eli chimed from the couch. Olly didn¡¯t ignore him per se, he just didn¡¯t want to speak with him at the moment. ¡°What does it mean though?¡± Olly pleaded, wondering how many surprises he could handle in one day. ¡°As I said, you will have choices, significant ones. You also seem to have two sides, equal and opposite to each other. I cannot describe it further, but I have not experienced that in a person in the way I¡¯m sensing it in you.¡± ¡°Like the internal conflict you mentioned?¡± ¡°Perhaps. In either case, it dictates your reactions to things strongly, though I can''t tell exactly how or why. Perhaps it''s to things you find distasteful or unwanted. You have not been faced with such problems before I take it?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± It¡¯s true. He had, up until recent events, enjoyed an easygoing existence. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°If it helps, this may also be an important part of growing up in learning to deal with discomfort. I think this is as far as I can take the reading today, unfortunately. We can always connect at a later date, if you have any questions or need to speak to me please don¡¯t hesitate to give me a call,¡± she said, standing up to grasp his hands, ¡°Take care young one, I hope if you¡¯re able to take away anything from our session today it is that you have options.¡± It sure doesn''t feel that way, Olly thought to himself grimly. Chapter 5: Bad for Business Olly Briggs ¡°Did you know about any of this? Anything about my magic?¡± Olly demanded of Eli as they traveled back home after Lola¡¯s reading. Now that the shock had worn off he was feeling downright irritable. ¡°I had suspicions, but no, I did not know about this,¡± Eli responded neutrally, ¡°And keep your voice down.¡± Olly ignored him and rounded on him, causing Eli to stop in his tracks and a look of annoyance to spread across his face. ¡°Suspicions are enough. Your suspicions are usually dead on. It might have helped me through this mess,¡± Olly challenged. Why can¡¯t I be more like you? Why can¡¯t I have your confidence and instincts? Why are you so good at trusting your feelings? What makes you so damn confident all the time? Olly thought desperately to himself. ¡°It¡¯s nothing more than the wisdom that comes with age,¡± Eli murmured, lighting a cigarette, ¡°That or I¡¯m believably faking it.¡± He sidestepped Olly and continued walking. ¡°You¡¯re not that old,¡± Olly grumbled, keeping pace and trying to maintain eye contact, ¡°Back to my question. If you knew about, or suspected, any of this, why now, and why the rush? Why are you putting me through this against my will if my resistance is making me apparently unteachable?¡± ¡°I couldn''t have known that you''d hate it so much, but this isn¡¯t supposed to be distressing. Since your old tutor is surely long gone with my money we¡¯ll get you one you like better. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re unteachable, and I do think you can find the motivation to find something in it for you. And if you¡¯re questioning my suspicions, what they¡¯re telling me right now is that we can make this timeline work.¡± ¡°But just¡­ why? Do you really want me to be one of them? Someone like that asshole tutor? It feels like you¡¯re trying to make me something I¡¯m not.¡± Eli was the one to stop this time, looking troubled. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be like that, I would never want that of you. But the longer you stay here, with me, the harder it¡¯s going to get for you. You could bring your perspective to a place like that and change it for the better; if you have a shot at getting in I¡¯d be selfish to keep you cooped up here,¡± he explained, gentler. Olly considered this in silence, unconvinced. Eli sighed and dropped his voice to a whisper. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the news, yes? There¡¯s chaos on the horizon, and I¡¯m worried about what¡¯s going to happen to a place like this. Shit rolls downhill, and places like this are always the first to descend into madness. They don¡¯t care about the lower boroughs. Not in Occaigh, not in any other city. You¡¯re just starting out your life, you¡¯ll need all the help you can get to eventually escape the sixteenth. This is the best chance for you to get above the fray.¡± Olly could see that there was worry in Eli¡¯s eyes, he wasn¡¯t lying to him. He bit his lip as he took it all in. ¡°What happens to you then?¡± he asked, worriedly. Eli shrugged, giving him a thin smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine kid, I always am. But I¡¯m not letting you jeopardize your future.¡± They resumed their trek home and remained silent for the rest of the journey. While Olly could accept his uncle¡¯s concerns, though he still held onto his own reservations. None of it sat well with him. It was then that it hit him, his motive. He was going to get in, and he was going to get them to teach him to control his magic so that he didn¡¯t have to worry about losing control again. And then, once he was confident in himself and his abilities, he was going to quit. Lola had told him that he had more choices than he thought, it was time that he started thinking about them more carefully. If there truly were bad times on the horizon then he wasn¡¯t going to remain impassive any longer. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
True to his word, Eli found him a new tutor who wasn¡¯t a horrible, pretentious prick. Eli pulled him aside before his first lesson with the new tutor and advised him not to disclose his ability to wield magic. It would be best to save that for the aptitude test, or at the very least much later in the lessons so that they could focus on the written component. "Less information is always safer", Eli had told him. Olly still bristled at the apparent secret nature of this process but acquiesced to maintain the peace. Besides, he had his own goals now so he felt less resistant to his uncle¡¯s plans for him. His tutor¡¯s name was Delilah and she was much softer in her approach than the last one. Come to think of it, Olly hadn¡¯t even been told his name, that¡¯s how little the tutor had wanted to do with him. Despite his better judgment, he decided he liked her. While he wondered if she were secretly judging him too, she at least had the sense to hide it better. One thing that he appreciated was that she didn¡¯t punish failure, and instead rewarded success. He found himself looking forward to their sessions. His uncle seemed pleased with this turn of events and the distance that Olly had felt coming between them seemed to be once again closing. One thing he didn¡¯t look forward to now was his regular school classes. Before this, he tolerated school well enough, but things had only gone from bad to worse since the initial discovery that he was writing the aptitude test. They still jeered at him for believing himself to be better than them. It was jealousy, his uncle had told him. He had hoped people would lose interest but, unfortunately, this was not to be the case when a few of his classmates cornered him after school one day. He eyed them warily. ¡°I have to go to work, get out of my way,¡± he instructed them, moving towards the exit. He tried to remain direct and confident, hoping that it gave the appearance that bothering him wouldn¡¯t be worth their while. ¡°Ah geez, what¡¯s the rush? We just want to have a word. What¡¯s it like thinking you¡¯re above everyone here?¡± Leroy, the same one who had mocked Olly early on, drawled menacingly. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t know, I¡¯m still here, aren¡¯t I?¡± Olly tried to diffuse the situation. He threw his bag over his shoulder and motioned to leave again, but the three boys stepped in his path yet again. He sighed and dropped his bag, knowing that they wouldn¡¯t give up so easily. ¡°Yeah, but you don¡¯t want to be, do you?¡± Leroy challenged, flanked by his friends. ¡°I think you¡¯ve got it wrong. I like it here, it¡¯s home to me,¡± Olly said with a shrug. This seemed to surprise them slightly, so Olly took his chance to walk away. They shuffled aside and he thought he was free of their harassment until Leroy called at his retreating back. ¡°Home, huh? Guess your shyster Uncle doesn¡¯t feel the same. Seems like he decided he was tired of carrying a useless orphan through life. Time for you to spread your wings and pay him back, huh?¡± Olly froze, fists clenching at his sides. The other boys guffawed and he felt their eyes piercing the back of his skull. ¡°At least my uncle doesn¡¯t lose money hand over fist in games rooms when he should be paying his fucking rent,¡± he muttered lowly. He turned around to see Leroy turning an ugly shade of red. Leroy strode up to him until they were almost nose to nose. ¡°Take that back you orphan bastard,¡± he hissed, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for scum like your uncle, good, hard-working people like my father wouldn¡¯t be struggling.¡± ¡°My uncle wouldn¡¯t let people like your dad three steps in the doorway, the stink of desperation is bad for business,¡± Olly spat back viciously. Leroy didn¡¯t wait to respond and decided to start the fight he was apparently looking for. Olly was tired of being submissive and met him in kind. Olly felt the first blow connect with his jaw, but he was quick to hit Leroy with an uppercut to the stomach at the same time, leaving him wheezing. That should have given him enough of an opening to flee but he was immediately mobbed by Leroy¡¯s other two friends who dragged him to the ground. He grunted and tried to fight them off, but they had him outnumbered and pinned. Leroy had regained his breath and raised his foot for a well-aimed kick, Olly closed his eyes, realizing how unprotected his head was. He tried to brace himself, tried to find any magic deep down inside that would respond to him and protect him before the kick connected with him, but found nothing. Damn it¡­ he thought desperately. What was the point of this, any of this, if it only got him into trouble and not out of it? The blow never came, and he heard Leroy give a startled cry and wondered if his magic had finally kicked in. Opening his eyes he found that one of their teachers had appeared, breaking up the fight and wrenching Leroy backwards off of him. ¡°He started it!¡± Leroy hollered. His lackeys nodded. Great¡­ Just great. Olly thought as he rolled his eyes up at the ceiling. Chapter 6: Something Brewing Olly Briggs Olly sat in his uncle¡¯s office later that night, icing his face while awaiting his return. His uncle had met him at the school and gave nothing away as he told Olly to go home and wait for him. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how his uncle would react in private, he¡¯d never really been in trouble before. Eli finally strode into the room wearing a perturbed look on his face. He gently removed the ice pack and tilted Olly¡¯s face around. ¡°Yikes. So what happened?¡± Eli asked, taking a seat, and putting his feet up on the desk. Olly explained as best he could. Eli¡¯s frown deepened as he listened, steepling his fingers in front of his face. After Olly finished, Eli gestured with his palms facing up. ¡°Look, the teacher said that it was a mutual disturbance, and you had started it by insulting Leroy''s father,¡± he began to explain, and when Olly began to protest he held up one hand and continued, ¡°To be clear, I don¡¯t believe that bullshit for a second. I raised you better than to start a fight with the odds stacked against you like that.¡± ¡°They think that I think I¡¯m better than them, and that you just want to use me to social climb,¡± Olly exclaimed, ¡°I did tell Leroy that his father was a loser though. That part was true.¡± ¡°He is a loser,¡± Eli agreed, rubbing his chin and looking at the ceiling thoughtfully, ¡°But you¡¯ve got to keep out of trouble. I know, I know, you didn¡¯t start it. You didn¡¯t want it to happen. But you need to keep your guard up and avoid these situations. Keep your nose clean and don¡¯t dawdle around after school. Come straight home. You have a target on your back now, and while Leroy may stop after I call on his father, maybe to threaten him with an unpaid debt or two, others may not.¡± Olly fell silent and Eli frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°He said you were just carrying me through until you could get rid of me. And this was how I could pay you back,¡± Olly confessed. Olly saw an unreadable emotion wash across his uncle¡¯s face for a split second before his face softened again. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t believe that,¡± Eli said softly. ¡°I don¡¯t. But I do need to know, if this works we¡¯ll still see each other, right?¡± Eli looked affronted. ¡°Of course! I know things will undoubtedly change, and you¡¯ll probably want to see less of me as you make new friends, but I¡¯m not abandoning you outright. God, these kids are cruel. I don¡¯t want you to be stuck here with the likes of them any longer than you need to be.¡± He shook his head in disbelief. Olly didn¡¯t need new friends, but he didn¡¯t say so. He¡¯d behaved petulantly enough already and had come around to the idea that this was happening one way or the other. However, he didn''t see making new friends as a priority here. He had friends; he considered the regulars at the bar room to be his friends, and he considered his uncle to be his closest friend. He didn¡¯t make friends at his old school and he didn¡¯t intend to start at a new school. He had a goal, and if his uncle didn¡¯t like the outcome he would have to deal with it. ¡°Let¡¯s do something this weekend. We can take a tunnel, get out of town, and forget about school and work for a bit. I have a busy week ahead of me. Tonight I have to pay a visit to our dear friend, Leroy¡¯s father, and then I have some other business to attend to later this week outside of Hijinks. However, I''ll keep the weekend clear and you can have my undivided attention. Sound good?¡± ¡°Works for me,¡± Olly smiled as he reapplied the ice pack to his face. Eli''s face dropped back to business. ¡°If asked, we¡¯re going to say that you¡¯re grounded. The teacher said all four of you are in detention, and I¡¯m not contesting it openly this time, but make it your job to stay out of their sights and wait for this to blow over.¡± Olly groaned. ¡°Detention? When I was attacked three against one?!¡± ¡°The world is unfair kid, but leave the rest to me.¡±
Following his uncle¡¯s advice, Olly left the school after detention as quickly and discreetly as he could to avoid negative attention. Leroy and his lackeys avoided him, and he ignored them in kind. He figured they weren¡¯t eager to get into more trouble either. His walk home was uneventful, apart from a brief distraction when he stopped by a television playing at a local bar. It displayed a protest taking place outside one of the main routes connecting Occaigh''s first borough to Donnol. There seemed to be two feuding factions of protestors; one side wielded signs with sayings like ¡°The end is near!¡± while the others featured labour rights slogans stating ¡°Protect our Workers¡±. Things had gotten ugly and the Controllers had been asked to step in as enforcement. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. He had never seen civil unrest like that, let alone in one of the more upper boroughs of Occaigh. It left him disconcerted. To make matters worse, his uncle wasn¡¯t at Hijinks when Olly started his shift, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Well, maybe not completely alone. Some of the regulars had brought up some of the protests. Olly remained quiet as he collected empty glasses, trying to listen to their perspectives and gain any insights that he could. They seemed to mostly fall on the side of the workers'' rights, but a few shared suspicions about the tunnels, stating they never fully trusted them. For the first time in a while, no one brought up Olly¡¯s upcoming aptitude test. He didn¡¯t know whether to feel relieved or concerned. When he saw his uncle again, it was much later in the evening than Olly was expecting. He stalked across the games room hurriedly, back hunched and moving far less fluidly than normal. It was the second time in a very short amount of time that Olly had felt like he was being avoided. He frowned; he thought they had worked past this. But Olly wasn¡¯t going to sit on his annoyance this time, instead choosing to address it head-on. He charged towards the back. As he approached his uncle¡¯s office, he stopped in his tracks when he heard a faint grunt of pain behind the slightly ajar door. ¡°Uncle Eli?¡± he called, concerned. He didn¡¯t wait for a response before throwing open the door, exposing Eli with his shirt half unbuttoned. Eli startled and roughly turned his body to face away from the door. ¡°Will you knock next time?¡± Eli grumbled. It was unusual to see him in a ruffled state, not to mention in any state of undress. Olly shrugged. ¡°Sorry. I thought I heard something, is everything alright?¡± he asked with concern. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll be right out in a moment,¡± Eli mumbled, still facing away from the door. Olly shrugged and turned to leave but then noticed that Eli¡¯s hand was crudely bandaged. ¡°What happened to you?¡± he asked, taken aback. An alarmed feeling rose in his chest. ¡°Nothing!¡± Eli exclaimed, drawing his hand in closer to himself, still angling his body away from Olly. On closer inspection, Olly noticed that his shirt seemed tattered and dirty, and, was that blood? Olly''s suspicion that something was wrong turned into reality when he realized that the strip of fabric wrapped around his hand seemed to have been ripped from his shirt. There was a clean shirt on the desk that he was attempting to change into. He fumbled with the buttons with his bandaged hand, attempting to do them back up. Heart sinking, Olly abandoned his exit and walked towards him. Eli rolled his eyes and let his hand fall with a sigh, realizing the charade was pointless. As Eli looked closer he noticed an angry purple bruise was forming across his abdomen. ¡°You look awful, where the hell did this happen?¡± he asked in a hushed voice. Eli heaved a tormented sigh. ¡°Olly. Please, not now.¡± ¡°Did Leroy¡¯s father do this?¡± Olly asked, feeling an indignant anger rising within. Eli shook his head. ¡°No, that fool would never dare.¡± ¡°Who then? Since when are you in the enforcement business?¡± he pushed, his anger replaced by concern, ¡°Were you ambushed?¡± Eli was silent for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°I suspected my business this evening could go poorly,¡± Eli confessed quietly. This was more background than Olly had been expecting, and he wasn¡¯t sure how far he could push his luck. ¡°What was it over?¡± Olly questioned. ¡°I had a disagreement with a business partner. It didn¡¯t go well, obviously, but it¡¯s sorted out now and we¡¯ve come to an understanding,¡± Eli said with a shrug, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible about it. However, it only further fuelled Olly''s concern. ¡°I see¡­ Are you okay?¡± He felt slightly guilty for feeling annoyed and jumping to the conclusion that his uncle was ignoring him earlier. Eli looked a little abashed. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, just don¡¯t worry about it, okay? I promise it¡¯s nothing.¡± Olly left the room, leaving his uncle with the arduous task of working buttons with an injured hand, feeling deeply conflicted about the day¡¯s events. He did his best to go back to work and put it out of his mind but there was little to salvage his mood for the day. He was already exhausted from the new challenge he would soon face, and now he was worried about things on the home front. It wasn¡¯t until later that his uncle left his office, once again wearing his clean clothes and sporting a much more discreetly bandaged hand. He mingled with the regulars and oversaw some games, generally attempting to appear normal. Nobody was sober enough to know the difference, but Olly could see the tiredness in Eli¡¯s eyes and the stiff way he carried himself. Olly wasn¡¯t sure what was going to come next, but he had a feeling something was brewing. Something that threatened to swallow them all whole. And try as he might, he couldn¡¯t get that feeling to pass. Chapter 7: The Grandmasters Quarrel Tarry Bennett Tarry Bennett watched the storm brewing in front of him with weary eyes. It was the end of a long day after what felt like an even longer few weeks. Meeting with the leaders of the four major Guilds was the absolute last thing he wanted to be doing, but his duty as mayor of Occaigh rarely cared about what he wanted. Duty was cold and unfeeling and didn¡¯t care about his comfort. It only cared about function and resolution. The arguing had been fervent ever since the collapse. Eleven were dead and all anyone could do was blame everyone else. He expected better, he knew he shouldn¡¯t have but he always stubbornly hoped that people were better than they were. The Guilds rarely got along, which was ironic because they were the biggest contributors to Flexibilis¡¯ economy. It was only through a highly orchestrated collaboration that they were able to do so. They all quietly, albeit reluctantly, acknowledged that cooperation was a necessary evil. Tunnels were a wonder, there was no denying it. Tunnels shortened vast distances into brief walks. They connected Occaigh and the twenty-three other major cities together. The cities were each their own free-floating spheroids in the aether. Without tunnels they disconnected; inaccessible by any other means. There were many smaller spheroids connected to the major cities similarly by tunnels, providing access to a great variety of locations and resources. They were even used within the cities themselves. He ran a hand through his slicked-back blonde hair. Whether or not tunnels kept the world running meant nothing to his home life. Francine¡¯s sympathies with his job were likely evaporating, and he wondered if coming home with a bouquet of flowers would be too half-hearted. ¡°No, I still have too much work to do, she¡¯ll be asleep by the time I¡¯m home anyways,¡± he thought glumly. The request Eli made of him also remained at the back of his mind. Did he really intend for Olly to pass the aptitude test and become a Cartographer? The odds were stacked against him in many ways. What was his angle? Why was he so insistent that Tarry¡¯s favour to him should be repaid in the form of a nomination? He still maintained that it was akin to throwing it away; it made no sense. ¡°Your boy was green! You sent a child to be in control of a highly dangerous process!¡± The Grandmaster of the Labourers¡¯ Guild, Oleg Shevchuk, roared at Abigail Garcia, the Conductors¡¯ Guild Grandmaster. The yelling interrupted Tarry¡¯s wandering mind. Oleg was once again falling back on the cornerstone of his argument. ¡°I will not discuss credentials with someone who runs a Guild without any,¡± Abigail said coolly, ¡°By our accounts, the Conductor behaved in a manner befitting his station and position and appeared to act heroically. He leaped into action and saved a Labourer before the collapse, pulling her from harm¡¯s way. He¡¯s devastated by all accounts and we¡¯re supporting him by giving him any time he needs. That said, there are less than savory depictions of the man put in charge of your people, and it seems he openly acted in ways that undermined our Conductor, who I might remind you again, was in charge of the site.¡± There had never been a problem with punching a new tunnel before and the Conductors¡¯ had gone on the defensive immediately, recognizing the most public backlash would undoubtedly point to them. They were the most visible Guild and their people were treated like local heroes. Anything that threatened this image was a huge hit to their credibility. Oleg slammed his fists on the table, causing the Cartographers¡¯ Guild Grandmaster, Franklin Byrne, to startle, muttering ¡°I say¡± under his breath. ¡°Do not speak ill of my people. I will remind you that every man and woman who died belonged to my Guild. You speak of devastation but you don¡¯t have an ounce of compassion. This loss is mine, and yet you¡¯re choosing to take your Guild¡¯s incompetence out on us. Not to mention, your boy¡¯s words ring hollow. I have more witnesses who were onsite to corroborate accounts.¡± Tarry struggled to hold his tongue. He knew that his intervention would only turn their ire onto him, but it was typical for Abigail to play into Oleg¡¯s inferiority complex. He suspected that Oleg was also highly sensitive to the fact that he had been the one to lose workers in the collapse and he could appreciate Oleg¡¯s fury. ¡°Abigail, we know the Labourer¡¯s Guild generally does good work. Is it possible the failure lies with the site itself? If so, I¡¯m worried about other existing sites,¡± Alzira chimed in, looking bored. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Oh no,¡± Tarry thought desperately, ¡°Now she¡¯s done it.¡± Alzira Silves was the Grandmaster of the Controllers'' Guild. The tactic, as her¡¯s usually did, worked to keep the attention off the Controllers. It renewed Oleg¡¯s defensiveness of the quality of his Guild¡¯s work and Abigail¡¯s efforts to undermine it. It also brought attention back to the Cartographers as the origin of the site, which set Franklin Byrne, the Cartographer¡¯s Grandmaster off again on a spiel of offended blusterings. Tarry knew why she did this, it frustrated him to no end because it usually kept conversations going needlessly past their natural end, but he did understand it. Hers was a Guild that started their work after all the others were completed. They were the most interactive with the general public, so keeping negative attention on the other three served her better. All in all, their personalities contributed very little towards the resolution of the current situation. They all had something to lose. They all had something to defend. Each of them believed they were the most important contributor. Egos flared regularly in times of peace, but now that tragedy had struck any thoughts of collaboration were thrown out the window. All they could manage to do was tear each other down. And so they were back where they started. The vicious shouting had been unrelenting and showed no sign of stopping. If more people knew of the infighting that took place Tarry was sure there would be pandemonium. But alas, he was in the unique role of mediating their quarrels and ensuring they all presented a united front to the broader public. Tomorrow he would have to speak to the press, and there was the added bonus of the Academy aptitude test in only four months'' time. Not only would they have to publicly get along over the coming months as the investigation into the disaster continued, they would also have to coordinate the usual aptitude test for would-be apprentices. Keeping up friendly pretences while infighting waged in the background would surely be the death of him. Tarry looked at his watch, despondent. It had been going on for four hours now without reprieve. Abigail and Oleg were red in the face. Franklin had threatened to leave six times already. He hadn¡¯t, of course; Tarry wouldn¡¯t put money on the seventh time being the charm. However, he had let them fight it out without getting any closer to reaching a resolution. He¡¯d had enough. Tarry cleared his throat loudly, and all four turned to him, three of them had murder written clearly on their faces. ¡°At this point, I¡¯m not sure we¡¯re going to come to an agreement today. In my powers, I will be calling for a public inquest, and I expect all four of you to cooperate in this process.¡± ¡°Tarry, my boy, do not overstep here,¡± Franklin said warningly. Nothing inspired cooperation quite like a mutual enemy with these four. And to them, sometimes he and his office could be. If they felt he was giving them direction they immediately bristled. ¡°I do not presume to tell any of you what to do, but I do feel the need to remind you that I am the elected official and I have people to protect. People that included the now eleven dead. I hope that I won¡¯t have to wait until the end of the inquest to implement safety procedures. I would also hope the four of you would perform your own unbiased approach to come up with solutions to ensure this does not happen again. There will be numerous statements and press releases coming up, my desire is that all five of us can work together and avoid open slander and blame. In private, fine, I have and will continue to listen to you all air your grievances but I expect a certain level of decorum and dignity in public,¡± he warned them sternly. His assistant knocked and let himself into the room, all eyes turned to him. ¡°So sorry for the interruption sir but you¡¯ve got an urgent call from Aspir. Highest priority line,¡± he said hurriedly. Tarry let his palms drop face down on the desk in front of him heavily. ¡°I¡¯m going to go take that, if anyone has anything productive to add upon my return I will be all ears. But if not I will be adjourning this meeting.¡± He strode out of the room. ¡°Highest priority line, eh?¡± he asked as he shut the door to the conference room behind him, feeling the growing suspicion that his night was only just beginning. ¡°Yes sir, it¡¯s coming in from Mayor Desmarais, she says it¡¯s a matter of national security,¡± his assistant responded in a low voice, patching through the call to the highest security line. Tarry leapt into the call, pulse quickening. ¡°Mayor Desmarais, how can I be of assistance?¡± he responded, keeping his voice even. ¡°Mayor Bennett, there was another tunnel problem.¡± Oh no. ¡°What kind of problem? Any casualties?¡± he inquired nervously. ¡°No, no casualties, thank goodness, but there¡¯s been another collapse. We¡¯ve got it under control and out of sight of the press and general public, for the time being.¡± He looked back to the room full of warring Grandmasters, dreading what was to come. ¡°Good, let me confer with my counsel and the Grandmasters on the next steps and we¡¯ll collaborate on the response. Appreciate the warning, I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± They hung up and he dragged a hand slowly down his face. Fuck. Chapter 8: Press Conference Tarry Bennett Tarry rubbed his forehead anxiously. The details were scarce at the moment, but what Mayor Desmarais had explained to him was that a small tunnel connecting to a fairly isolated recreational area had seemingly collapsed overnight. ¡°It¡¯s two tunnels displaced from the city, and it¡¯s lightly trafficked so we were able to close it off well before anyone could get a good look. The person who discovered it reported it to their local Controllers'' precinct immediately, who¡¯ve maintained close control over it,¡± he explained to the room, which now contained his counsel alongside the Grandmasters. ¡°So no one else knows? Just one citizen and a precinct, plus Mayor Desmarais and her staffers?¡± his lead counsel questioned. ¡°Seems to be the case. Though one citizen can quickly extrapolate,¡± Tarry cautioned. ¡°We¡¯ve already tracked down and spoken to the person who discovered the collapse; they¡¯re willing to sign an NDA. Furthermore, we¡¯re working closely with the local precinct to ensure it remains within their control,¡± one of the other counsel explained. He was a newer face, one recently hired by the lead counsel. Tarry frowned and opened his mouth to speak but Alzira beat him to the punch. ¡°On whose authority?¡± she demanded. ¡°Apologies Grandmaster Silves. No disrespect was intended, but once we received the information we had to work fast. It is well within our ability to work with your people in emergencies such as these, and we felt it was prudent to take immediate action,¡± he explained calmly. She whirled to face Tarry. ¡°Did you know about this prior to the phone call you received?¡± she asked, with her tone suggesting that she was not going to tolerate any nonsense in his response. ¡°Not at all," he responded with an apologetic tone, "And I will remind my counsel to ensure that both myself and the Grandmasters are kept informed. We are dealing with highly sensitive issues here. Any missteps will face increased public scrutiny and judgement,¡± he chastised. The counsel acquiesced with a nod. ¡°Noted, apologies Mayor, Grandmasters.¡± ¡°Sounds like you need better control over your Guild, Alzira,¡± Franklin chimed in scathingly from across the table, ¡°Nonetheless, it appears my Guild may be off the proverbial hook given that this happened within an existing tunnel this time.¡± Tarry held up his hand before Alzira could bite back with a response. ¡°We have an inquest to finish. I¡¯m withholding any and all judgement until I have answers. And believe me, I want answers as soon as possible. However, we need to get through tomorrow¡¯s press conference on the fatal collapse and we certainly don¡¯t need infighting disrupting that. Let¡¯s put this aside and accept that it¡¯s under control until we have more answers,¡± he suggested diplomatically. For once, the room was silent. They accepted this response in quiet agreement. Franklin looked displeased, but that was normal for him. Abigail and Oleg were now uncharacteristically quiet. Tarry wondered if they were just happy that for once they weren''t taking the heat. ¡°Alzira, given that your Guild has the best eyes on the ground, would you feel better if your Guild led an investigation of the current tunnels and assessed for any structural risks?¡± Tarry asked gently. She nodded. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m happy to assist in any way that protects the safety of the nation.¡± He gave her a grateful smile. "Can we also get some insight into what happened here? Is it the same type of collapse as the other, fatal collapse? That one had a rather explosive snap of energy if I remember the reports correctly. I''d like to understand if this one was similar." If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Mayor Bennett,¡± the newer counsel spoke up, ¡°If I may add, a quiet investigation would be prudent. The masses are becoming restless and protests are slowly creeping up. All of this is feeding into fears of a greater problem, and we can¡¯t afford to lose travel by the tunnels. It¡¯s possible it was an older tunnel, one that merely met the end of its useful life, and if that¡¯s the case widespread knowledge would only fear-monger and add to the growing conspiracy theories.¡± Tarry frowned as he considered this. He looked around at the Grandmasters and they looked around amongst themselves. None disputed the notion. He heaved a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m not comfortable acting in the shadows. However, I am cognizant of appearances. Alzira, I don¡¯t intend to overstep, but in the spirit of collaboration could you use this to inform your part of the inquest into current tunnels? That way it doesn''t obscure our actions, but it does hide them in plain sight as we would not be inclined to report on findings until after all investigations have concluded." ¡°I¡¯d agree to that,¡± she said neutrally. After that, the meeting quickly adjourned without fanfare. The group filed out to leave, with Tarry remaining behind with his counsel. As Alzira passed him, Tarry recognized the troubled look on her face. He knew it well, it was one he had worn increasingly often. However, before she left she gave him a parting sympathetic look. He didn¡¯t have a true ally amongst the Guildmasters but he did feel like the two of them were the most aligned on political issues. They understood the need for optics. Once they were alone, Tarry turned to the newer counsel who had spoken up during the meeting. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t believe we had met previously but I understand you were hired recently. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°James Colton, sir. Happy to help in any way I can.¡± ¡°Thanks, James. You have good political insight but make sure you maintain communication with the right people,¡± Tarry explained, ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go over the responses for tomorrow.¡± There was no chance of coming home at any reasonable time, and a very small chance that he would be able to sleep ahead of the press conference.
Tarry opened the press conference to recognize the fallen. He commended them as heroes and held a moment of silence. Once the question and answer period was opened, the questions ranged from concerns for the safety of Guild workers to the safety of tunnels as a whole. These were not unexpected, and he felt better having his cohort of mayors with him. They sat onstage behind where he stood at the podium, flanking him in solidarity. The mayors represented the twenty-four major cities of Flexibilis. One mayor was elected by the other mayors to represent Flexibilis as a whole. Tarry was elected to this position in his third term as mayor of Occaigh, and was currently serving his fifth term. He had maintained the support of the public and the mayors for reelection throughout the last three terms. He wondered if this situation would be his undoing. In this instance at least, he was certain the other mayors did not envy him. The four Grandmasters also sat on the stage, though offside the mayors. This was to present the appearance of being distinct and separate, but on the same footing. It was a delicate balance. The needs of Flexibilis guided their actions, but because there were so few options for collecting resources this gave them immense power. To cease activities was to cease life as Flexibilis knew it. Conversely, having elected officials separate from the Guilds ensured there was an equal and opposite reaction to any potential negative activities caused by or on behalf of the Guilds. However, the Guilds truly did thrive off the public¡¯s positive perception; it kept the Guilds relevant, and not to mention kept their coffers full. Tarry¡¯s advice to play nicely with each other was the best chance of getting out of this unscathed. It was in the best interest of everyone to present the united front he had suggested. ¡°Mayor Tarry, reporter for the Towaat Free Press, can you comment on safety measures being put into place?¡± Tarry turned to the Grandmasters, knowing they had prepared a response. Abigail rose to her feet and stepped up to the podium that sat in front of the Guildmasters. ¡°I¡¯ve discussed this with the other Grandmasters, we have interim solutions to put into place, checkpoints if you will, to verify and validate the safety of each and every tunnel. These will oversee both new punch sites and existing tunnels. We will cooperate to the fullest extent with Mayor Tarry and all elected officials during the inquest,¡± she stated primly. Another reporter. ¡°Mr. Mayor, are you concerned regarding the safety of current tunnels? Will you still continue to use them?¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate though he internally struggled with the next prepared response. They knew such a question would come up and with the latest news of the minor collapse he couldn¡¯t help but feel conflicted as he provided his canned response. ¡°I have full confidence in all existing tunnels and the Guild activities that maintain them. I see no reason for me, or anyone, to stop using them. I remind the press that there have been zero incidents related to tunnel safety up until this point.¡± The press seemed appeased, and for a moment he thought he might be able to finish on a relatively high note. However, the last question dashed that hope. ¡°Mayor Tarry, Pomebale Associated Press, what do you think happened to cause the collapse?¡± He gripped the podium tighter, feeling his pulse quicken. ¡°I can¡¯t comment on matters related to open investigations. I have no personal opinion on the question.¡± ¡°Understandable, but is there any credibility to claims from protestors suggesting the collapse is a symptom of a larger problem?¡± Sweat beaded on his forehead. ¡°As Grandmaster Abigail previously indicated, verifying the safety of all tunnels is paramount.¡± ¡°So there is a possibility that other tunnels are unsafe?¡± the journalist pressed further, ¡°What if this happens again?¡± A buzz seemed to rise from the press gallery. ¡°All measures and actions are being taken to ensure it does not happen again,¡± Tarry said firmly, trying to maintain his composure. He made eye contact with his assistant, signaling his readiness to end the conference; they had answered everything that they were able to at present. ¡°This concludes the press conference. Thank you for your questions, additional communications will be planned in the future as information is made available,¡± his assistant deftly took the podium, as the Mayors and Grandmasters followed Tarry¡¯s exit from the stage. The press gallery exploded in activity as they filed offstage, hurling questions in all directions and lighting up the emptying stage with blinding camera flashes. Chapter 9: Broken People Eli Briggs Eli watched a rerun of the press release from his office that evening, taking a heavy drag from his cigarette. He knew that his night was not ending anytime soon. As if on cue, the phone rang. ¡°Yes?¡± he answered, somewhat warily. ¡°He¡¯s spiraling,¡± the female voice on the other end said simply. ¡°I can see that,¡± Eli said knowingly, keeping his eyes on the now-muted television. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you do. It¡¯s worse than usual. Can you come over? The nightman can let you in through the back entrance, you¡¯d be undetected as long as you make sure you¡¯re not followed.¡± Eli knew this was coming and butted out his cigarette. ¡°I can be there in an hour,¡± he said simply. ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re a good friend,¡± Francine said before hanging up. Eli gave a mirthless laugh. He wondered, and not for the first time if he was the only real friend they had. That was a depressing thought; he ought not to share it with them, better not to make things worse. It was lonely at the top, he understood this. But for the first person you called in a crisis to be someone who lurked in the underbelly of society? That was surely a difficult pill to swallow. Perhaps they expected more honesty from him than people in their social and working circles. That was arguably even more depressing. He liked Francine well enough, just as he had liked the past two spouses before her. Being the third spouse seemed to impart a sense of wisdom that there were difficulties in being married to a public figure with a stressful job and that trying to take on the burden of that alone was not sustainable. She had learned from the mistakes of the ones that came before her. The part she got wrong was that she thought that she was somehow stronger than those before her and that she could fix him. Everyone seemed to carry the notion that they were somehow stronger, made of different stuff, when it came to being romantically entangled with troubled people. But they were all wrong. He had known Tarry Bennett for a long time, and he knew that he was just a broken man. A powerful man in the political sense of the word, but a broken man nonetheless. Like most broken people, Tarry attracted people who felt they could put him back together again. This would inevitably be their downfall when she eventually came to realize that even relying on Eli could not make Tarry whole again. ¡°I need to go out for a bit, business stuff,¡± he said discreetly to Olly as he passed him in the games room. Olly looked weary as he made eye contact with Eli, but merely gave a simple ¡°Sure¡± in response. He conceded without a fight, but Eli knew that he had been carrying a lot of worry lately. He was sure his leaving again on non-descript business matters would cause him to worry about his well-being, particularly after seeing the aftermath of Eli being on the receiving end of business gone wrong. Still, Eli clapped him on the shoulder in a way that he hoped conveyed his thanks and reassurance. Eli knew he had been absent of late and he hoped Olly wouldn¡¯t hold it against him, amongst other things. Eli nodded at the bar manager as he left, pulling the lapels of his coat high and his trilby low. He decided to take his chances between walking and using several connecting lines of tunnels. He could detect a follower much easier on foot and abandon his journey early if needed. However, it was a quiet night, and the closer he got to the first borough, the quieter it got. The lower boroughs were typically more lively at night in general, but the press conference seemed to have inspired a muted mood across all of Occaigh. His route was slightly meandering. Despite keeping an ear out for potential followers, he enjoyed seeing the changing architecture between boroughs. The sixteenth could be seedy in places, but the houses (locally known as Workers Cottages) were generally well maintained. They were small, quaint, and built closely together, but because people tended not to have a lot in the sixteenth, they showed pride in what they did have. Houses were colourful and gardens were well maintained. His house was less bright to avoid attracting unwanted attention, but he did pay someone in the neighbourhood to keep the yard neat. As he crossed a tunnel between the fourth and first boroughs, he observed how the architecture changed for the worse. The fourth borough is really where it started to look stately, with prim brownstones and expensive storefronts lining the streets. However, the first borough, the crown jewel of Occaigh as it was called, was downright ostentatious. The houses, if they could be truly called that, were so white that they looked nearly bleached. They were generally newer, as people with more money than taste had largely torn down anything old to put up their own eyesores. The neighbourhoods were all gated and he walked briskly past them. He didn''t need any reason to draw unwanted attention. He moved towards the downtown core where the enormous skyscrapers were found. This was also where the business center was, so anyone in any position of power or wealth typically wanted to remain close by. Getting to Tarry and Francine¡¯s penthouse was easy once you reached the epicenter of the borough, and access through the back meant entering through a doorway several streets before the actual street the building stood on. As Francine had said, the doorman was waiting for him and he opened the locked door to let him in. Despite Eli knowing the way, the doorman stubbornly insisted on accompanying him. The pathway led to a set of stairs that led underground to another tunnel. It was a real tunnel, not the usual magical monstrosities that marred Flexibilis. Eli felt comforted by real tunnels; it was a relief to be surrounded by actual, solid earth instead of putting blind trust into space and time bent into unnatural configurations. It was also refreshing to know that the distance you were walking was reflective of the true distance between two points, and he came up to the next staircase at the other end of the tunnel exactly when he expected to reach it. The distance of a magical tunnel in the metaphysical sense was nonsensical, but he supposed that was the job of the professionals to worry about. The staircase led to a private elevator, and the doorman followed him in and scanned him up. It was a silent ride; Tarry¡¯s security detail were people of few words. Finally, they reached the top; the doorman stood aside to let him enter the penthouse. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Francine stepped forward to greet him, she was wringing her hands in front of her and had frown lines etched into her forehead. He took her hands to try and calm her and found they were shaking. ¡°The usual spot?¡± Eli asked gently. She shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s in his office.¡± If she noticed his bandaged hand, she didn¡¯t ask about it. That was the best part of his ¡°friendship¡± with them, nobody wanted to know more than they needed to; information could be dangerous, so it was best just to leave things alone. He nodded and let go. He shrugged off his coat and removed his hat, placing them on the side bench. He followed her lead to the home office but she stepped back from the doorway, as if unable to continue. He entered through the doorway and saw no one at first, and wondered if Tarry had moved himself. But as he walked deeper into the room, he noticed a pair of legs sticking out from under the desk. "Don¡¯t make me crawl in there," he thought, knowing it was in vain. He made his way to the back of the desk and knelt down, wincing slightly from the bruise on his stomach. Tarry was clutching a bottle of a very difficult-to-procure scotch, one Eli had gifted him one year for his birthday. Half the bottle was missing, and while Eli suspected this wasn¡¯t enough to get him properly drunk, he noted that Tarry wore a horrified expression as he stared into nothingness. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t waste that if I were you, it¡¯s meant for celebrating,¡± Eli suggested, gently reaching forward to retrieve the bottle. Tarry¡¯s only response was to clutch it tighter to his chest. Eli sighed and let his shoulders fall. When he was in this state, only time worked in getting through to him. Eli''s hopes of being home at a reasonable hour were quickly evaporating. He carefully lowered himself to a seated position the ground and lit a cigarette. ¡°Long day, huh?¡± he asked casually, leaning his head back against the chair. He extended the cigarette and was moderately relieved to see Tarry focus in on it. He slowly reached forward and accepted the proffered cigarette with a shaking hand. He puffed on it deliberately, smoke rolling out his mouth as he lowered it from his lips. Eli took the chance to take the bottle back and recap it, placing it on the desk above them. ¡°Look, for what it¡¯s worth, you did well out there today,¡± Eli said with a shrug, taking the cigarette back for a drag, ¡°You held it together, nobody could say you didn¡¯t play your part well.¡± ¡°People died, and I¡¯m not allowed to do anything about it. I¡¯m not allowed to think anything for myself about it. What kind of hell is this?¡± Tarry asked aloud to no one in particular. His eyes were large and unseeing. Eli shrugged again. ¡°People don¡¯t look to you for that, that¡¯s not your job. You¡¯re supposed to remain calm and composed in public and fall apart in private, just like you¡¯re doing now. See, you¡¯re perfect for this job.¡± ¡°Counsel keeps telling me there¡¯s nothing to worry about, to ignore the rabble. They call it nonsense and to let the inquest do its job so that we can all move on with our lives. The Guilds keep fighting, and can¡¯t agree on anything, so working together privately is basically out of the question. And I just keep thinking, what if someone did cause it, on purpose? What then?¡± Tarry asked, beginning to focus on Eli. Eli didn¡¯t have an answer for him, at least not one that would help him feel better, but he decided that if Tarry was already spinning out he might as well get a worthwhile opinion on the way down. "Do you think it was an accident?" he asked carefully. "I... I don''t know. My counsel thinks it could be a coincidence," Tarry stammered out. ¡°Your counsel is full of shit,¡± Eli said with a sigh, "What do you think?" Tarry let his head fall backward, thudding gently against the wall of his desk. "I''m suspicious. But I have nothing to go off of. However, I don''t trust anyone around me up there. I can''t trust anyone around me up there," he confessed softly. "That''s the right idea, trust no one," Eli advised gravely. Tarry seemed to consider this as they passed the cigarette back and forth one more time. ¡°I think the Guild infighting is just a cover, it provides a nice camouflage for real issues. Someone will take the fall, the inquest will surely come up with something, a finger pointed at someone. And we don¡¯t need to be caught off guard when it gets ugly,¡± Tarry continued. For all Eli had to deal with in the sixteenth, he was glad he wasn''t in Tarry''s shoes. ¡°What if they think I had something to do with it?¡± Tarry asked quietly. Eli raised an eyebrow, almost smirking. ¡°Well, did you?¡± Anyone else would have been unnerved but Eli knew, above all else, that Tarry cared too much to have any part of this. Too much about appearances, too much about Occaigh, too much about this whole damn place and everyone in it. Eli shook his head fervently. ¡°Then do what you can to keep the heat off you. You can¡¯t afford that line of thinking right now. Look, you answered those questions as well as you could out there. You don¡¯t know anything more than the general public right now and it¡¯s not your job to figure it out. It¡¯s your job to remain calm and keep everyone else calm, and then when the inquest is done someone gets held accountable,¡± Eli said firmly but not unkindly. This seemed to placate Tarry. "A politician with a conscience," Eli thought wryly. It was almost unheard of. They sat like that for a long while in silence, and eventually Tarry began to focus on the real world again. Tarry looked at him curiously. ¡°Dare I ask how Olly¡¯s training is coming along for the aptitude test?¡± ¡°You can ask,¡± Eli said neutrally. This produced a real laugh from Tarry. ¡°That well huh? I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll tell me the actual reason you picked the Cartographers out of all the Guilds.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll trade you a secret for a secret. If you tell me why you think your counsel is downplaying this I¡¯ll share my rationale.¡± Tarry considered this. ¡°People are starting to get noisy, especially with the protests. The protests could just be the beginning, especially if the safety of the tunnels is being called into question. They are less worried about the collapse and more worried about the potential for people¡¯s beliefs to run rampant.¡± ¡°Interesting. I suppose fear is an effective motivator for action. Deep down we¡¯re all just frightened animals,¡± Eli said, shrugging. ¡°I shared my secret, now it¡¯s your turn. Why do you so desperately want Olly to be a Cartographer? What¡¯s your secret motive? ¡± Eli waited and lit a fresh cigarette before responding. ¡°I just gave it to you.¡± Chapter 10: Anatomy of a Tunnel Olly Briggs Olly considered his uncle as they hiked. Eli seemed determined to save face and not show signs of discomfort, but as Olly watched Eli''s footing slip on some loose ground, and saw the wince spread across his face, he knew that he was struggling. He felt a bit bad, but he did hold onto some resentment. It was frustrating that Olly had to go to detention for a fight he hadn¡¯t even started, and consequently was told to keep his nose clean by his uncle, who immediately turned around and got similarly messed up. He wondered how these ¡°business¡± trips went down. He always assumed his uncle had someone with him for a level of protection, but Olly had minimal exposure to anything that happened outside of the games room. Hopefully, it was a one-off, just a deal gone slightly awry. The general borough tended to show deference to his uncle. He knew that Eli could exact his own payback if he wanted to, and he would have support behind him, so he wasn''t overly worried, unless the tide had begun to turn. "Leroy hasn''t said anything to me since the incident," Olly said, half to himself. "Good, he shouldn''t be a problem any longer," Eli said casually. "What did his father say?" "Not much, he certainly didn''t push his son towards it. I reminded him that I''d been tolerant of him but that further slights could be seen as bordering on aggression. Threats against you are threats against me, and he''d do well to remember that," Eli said, smirking. This was a reassuring answer, but it did conflict with something else that had been weighing on his mind. He had been wondering about how the mayor¡¯s squeaky-clean image aligned with his uncle''s less legitimate forms of business. Olly could remember seeing the mayor, typically in disguise, as he was growing up. These types of visits had become less frequent as the mayor¡¯s political star rose, so he assumed there was a risk in getting the mayor involved with Olly''s aptitude test. He had become increasingly curious about why the mayor was willing to take the chance. And since his uncle was answering his questions... ¡°Is the mayor your friend?¡± Olly asked innocently. Eli stopped in his tracks and grimaced. ¡°No,¡± he said in derisive disbelief, ¡°What brought this on?¡± They were well and truly alone, no one had been seen on the trail for quite some time, and yet Eli''s eyes still darted around for eavesdroppers. ¡°He just seems like someone you¡¯d want to be friends with, given what you said to me about making new friends at the academy,¡± he explained with a shrug, ¡°If I get in.¡± Eli¡¯s mouth twisted distastefully, as if caught. ¡°We¡¯re not friends,¡± he sputtered out, ¡°We¡¯re business associates, at times, and I have on occasion provided an advisory role if needed. But we are not friends,¡± he said in a way that suggested finality. Olly threw up his hands. ¡°Okay, fine, sorry I asked.¡± Eli shook his head. ¡°Forget about the friendship side. Do you think the mayor could be friends with me? Just hanging out in the open like a couple of chums?¡± Olly felt a twinge of guilt. His uncle looked at him expectantly. ¡°I guess not,¡± Olly acquiesced. ¡°Right, so why would I willingly choose to be friends with someone like that? A friendship conditional and inorganic like that? No, it¡¯s not worth my energy,¡± Eli explained. Olly realized that he was keeping his voice even and neutral, but it seemed like it was far from effortless. ¡°I get it now, thanks,¡± he murmured, ¡°Sorry.¡± He felt a bit guilty. Eli ran his hand through his hair roughly. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, I get it. It¡¯s confusing. But rest assured, it will be different for you.¡± Olly was debating asking further questions but something caught his eye. He stared at a point just over his uncle¡¯s shoulder, a few hundred meters in the distance. Eli cocked his head, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Olly pointed. ¡°Do you see that?¡± The air seemed to shimmer at the point that had caught his eye. Eli turned to look. He squinted and turned back to Olly with a look of confusion on his face. ¡°No?¡± he responded, not understanding. ¡°I¡¯m going in for a closer look!¡± Olly exclaimed and ran in its direction. ¡°Olly wait!¡± Eli shouted at his retreating back. Olly stopped, remembering his uncle wasn¡¯t quite in one piece. He turned back to see his uncle walking briskly towards him, trying to keep up as best he could. The guilt pricked at Olly, and he waited on the spot for his uncle to catch up. He turned around to look for the spot again only to realize it had vanished. Panicking, he swept the landscape with his gaze, unable to find it again. Eli was upon him. ¡°What? What is it?¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s gone now though. The air sort of shimmered, like it wasn¡¯t really there. But I felt pulled towards it, as if I should go look at it¡± Eli looked quizzically at the area and resumed the trek over to the spot, Olly kept stride with him. ¡°It was more over here,¡± Olly described, motioning to one side of the small clearing where he had seen it appear. It did seem to be truly gone now. His shoulder slumped, feeling slightly stupid for his reaction. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°How¡¯s your tutoring going?¡± Eli asked out of the blue. Olly looked at him, confused. ¡°What I mean is, do you think your tutoring might have triggered some kind of inherent cartography skills? This, plus the magic, leads me to believe that my instincts about putting you in this stream were correct,¡± he explained, a small smile forming on his face. ¡°Just instinct huh?¡± Olly asked suspiciously, ¡°You still expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°What can I say? I have a good gut feeling for success,¡± Eli said with a shrug. ¡°Shall we?¡± He gestured back at the main trail. Olly pursed his lips, looking around at the air. Nothing here caught his attention any further. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go,¡± he agreed, feeling uncertain once again.
¡°It¡¯s an interesting theory, I¡¯ll give it that,¡± his tutor, Delilah, said as she chewed thoughtfully on the back of her pencil. ¡°So you think I could have seen something that a Cartographer might be looking for?¡± Olly pressed. It was the day after their hike and Eli¡¯s words continued to ring through his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t quite work like that, usually we don¡¯t do fieldwork to have to ¡®look¡¯ for a potential tunnel locus. And stumbling onto a locus at random would be statistically unlikely. But the shimmer is interesting. Usually, a shimmer doesn¡¯t happen until the fabric of the locus is manipulated by a force, such as by a Conductor. But we also haven¡¯t fully unraveled the mysteries of the universe yet, so I wouldn¡¯t rule out you having seen something by random chance,¡± she explained, looking intrigued by the idea. From what she had told Olly, she wasn¡¯t practicing as a Cartographer but instead was doing advanced research at the academy with the goal of eventually becoming a professor. Tutoring was a good way of gaining teaching experience, she had told him. He didn¡¯t fully understand if it was just an act, or if she just had more to gain by showing a successful candidate from the sixteenth borough, but he did find he wanted to work harder for her than his old tutor. Having someone actually treated him like a person and didn¡¯t shame him was a huge motivator. It made him believe his uncle¡¯s ambitions for Olly could be a reality, and that he could maybe fit into this world. Also, the more he learned about the Academy the more he realized that he had barely scratched the surface of what was out there. It was like a whole other world, and once you were allowed in, many doors seemed opened for you. The thought intrigued him, he had to admit. He hadn¡¯t even been admitted yet and his worldview was slowly but surely becoming bigger. ¡°What do you think about the tunnel collapse?¡± he ventured. He was a bit bored with the logic puzzles, so he figured keeping her talking about other topics gave him a break from the constant studying. Laypeople didn¡¯t usually bother themselves with the specifics of tunnels or how they were made, but lately, the rabble had been growing. He didn''t want to feel ignorant to it, and he figured he might as well talk to the expert while she was still available to him. ¡°It¡¯s perplexing. By all accounts, it really shouldn¡¯t have happened. But the inquest is ongoing, and we¡¯re researching it thoroughly. The prevailing theory is that something about the locus lent itself to being unstable, through a previously unknown factor to us, so we¡¯re trying to identify the cause behind that factor,¡± she explained. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t it have happened? Are tunnels really that safe?¡± he questioned. ¡°Extremely so. Despite people suddenly claiming to be experts and inserting their opinions into this situation, there¡¯s no evidence to suggest there are any safety concerns with tunnels. It¡¯s mainly due to their structure. You see, you can¡¯t create a tunnel without two loci. The first locus is visible, and the second locus is invisible, though both have known coordinates. The Cartographer determines the coordinates and the Conductor ¡®punches¡¯ the hole that connects them. What do you think happens during that ¡®punch¡¯ that makes it special?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Something to do with magic?¡± ¡°In a manner of speaking. The Conductor can apply a counter-force, this is the golden glow that appears at their hands. They''re effectively ''conducting'' negative energy. By applying this force they first puncture the fabric of space between the two points to connect them. Here, let me demonstrate.¡± Naively he thought she was going to show him actual magic and he became excited, but instead, she grabbed a piece of paper and folded it in half. Writing ¡°Point A - visible¡± and ¡°Point B - invisible¡± on either side. She grabbed a pencil and a straw from her bag. ¡°Watch the pencil,¡± she said as she poked it through Point A to Point B, ¡°This is the punch. The fabric is torn but because it doesn¡¯t like to be unstable it quickly knits itself back together.¡± She withdrew the pencil and placed the torn edges of the paper back into alignment. Then she poked the straw through the hole. ¡°To make this tunnel traversable they must stretch and expand the tunnel by exerting a greater negative force until it reaches the appropriate length and diameter,¡± she continued explaining. To continue demonstrating, she pulled the paper apart again so that Point A and Point B were two opposite sides, connected by the straw. ¡°Make more sense?¡± ¡°Uh, huh. But isn''t there a chance that the Conductor could make a mistake?¡± ¡°I suppose it¡¯s possible, it is an unstable tunnel until the Labourers are technically done. So if human error were the culprit it could belong to either of those groups. The Conductor¡¯s job is difficult because the fabric wants to push back and stitch itself back together, therefore it requires a lot of negative energy to counteract this force. The Conductor can provide enough negative energy to counterforce this effect which would last up to a few hours, but the Labourers are the ones who have to make it permanent. They bind, or cure, the Conductors¡¯ energy into a matrix which also binds to the stretched fabric. It almost acts like a plaster bandaid, very solid and sturdy once set. Though I still maintain it¡¯s unlikely. In order for there to be a failure on the Conductor¡¯s part, I¡¯d expect the failure to be in the punch. A tunnel that would collapse would likely never be able to be opened in the first place.¡± ¡°You keep saying energy, how does magic work then?¡± he asked, side-eyeing the paper demonstration. ¡°It may seem like magic, but it¡¯s very scientific and explainable, and you¡¯ll learn about it in far more detail at the Academy. But basically, nobody is creating anything, as magic as a concept might suggest. They¡¯re merely adapting what¡¯s already there. It''s even in our naming conventions. The Conductors ''conduct'' the negative energy. It''s disputed how we discovered the ability to do this, but it comes down to some people being more sensitive to these natural rules and energies. Personally, I don¡¯t subscribe to magic. There are many schools of thought, however, and others within the Guilds will disagree. In my opinion, calling it magic is only hurting the current state of things, and it¡¯s leading to fear of the unknown.¡± He found it to be a very unsatisfying answer but did not push it because he appreciated her simplified explanation. The magic, or energy, she was describing sounded so cold and logical, and unlike what he had experienced. It only drove his curiosity. He did see her point though with the concerns of calling in magic. Conspiracies were already forming, and he was already worried about how differently he had been treated for attempting to get into the Academy, now he was worried about growing hostility. After his fight, after his uncle¡¯s mystery fight, it was all getting too close to home and the potential connections scared him. ¡°But how does the magical part of the aptitude test work then? If it¡¯s something they test for they must believe in it,¡± he asked, frowning. ¡°It¡¯s actually quite a simple sensitivity test, and ingenious really. Through research, a mimic tunnel locus was created. It''s basically a panel within a wooden frame that is covered by a very unstable, but safe, space-time fabric. If you have a true sensitivity it should elicit a response in the matrix. Now, shall we get back to work or do you have further distractions to try and dissuade me from completing today¡¯s lesson,¡± she asked him wryly. He shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s it from me. Let¡¯s get back to it.¡± Chapter 11: The Night Before Tarry Bennett: Tarry had just barely exited the elevator up to his office when his assistant intercepted him. ¡°Sir! Apologies, I tried to ask her to make an appointment but she insisted she needed to meet with you!¡± he exclaimed, looking frantic, ¡°It¡¯s Alzira, she demanded a private audience and won''t take no for an answer.¡± ¡°She rarely does. Let¡¯s see what she has to say,¡± Tarry said, resigned to the fact that this day was already not going as planned. ¡°She¡¯s waiting for you in your meeting room. Call me if you need anything.¡± Tarry let himself in and opened his hands in a friendly gesture. ¡°Alzira, to what do I owe the pleasure of you dropping in here uninvited?¡± She smirked slightly but her overall demeanour was solemn. ¡°Sorry for the intrusion. I wanted to share some insights I had into the tunnel collapse.¡± ¡°To the point as ever, though I¡¯m afraid this could be a conflict of interest with the ongoing inquest. That is unless you¡¯re coming forward with information that is being openly shared with the investigators?¡± he asked, frowning slightly. ¡°It¡¯s not, and I think once you hear it you¡¯ll understand why. Though I should say that it¡¯s more of a personal suspicion rather than verified information,¡± she said, fiddling with a bracelet on her wrist. He leaned heavily against the back of his chair, letting the front legs rise off the ground. ¡°I¡¯d be remiss if I didn¡¯t remind you that I legally have to forward any information related to this investigation to the inquest team. If I held onto key details, even if rooted in suspicion, and I could be viewed as being obstructive.¡± ¡°I know, and it¡¯s dangerous enough for me to be here, but I needed to discuss it with someone I trust. Do with this information as you will.¡± ¡°Aww, you trust me?¡± he asked with a small smirk, trying to lighten the mood. ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, you¡¯re as close as I can get at least,¡± she said, rolling her eyes, ¡°Do you want to hear it or not?¡± He considered saying ''no'' for a moment, but he had known Alzira a long time. Normally she was confident and sure, and while outwardly she still displayed her usual characteristics he could see something was eating away at her. She picked at her fingernails absentmindedly, a habit that seemed twitchy and nervous compared to her usual calm and cool demeanour. He believed her when she said she needed to talk to someone. ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m all ears,¡± he conceded, hoping he wouldn''t live to regret it. She nodded gratefully. ¡°I think the tunnel collapse was intentional, both of them, that is. I don¡¯t know by whom exactly, but it certainly wasn¡¯t a natural occurrence. My Guild has overseen many tunnels, those ranging from very old to brand new; they are sturdy. Routine maintenance is needed on occasion but it doesn¡¯t make sense for a punch to go so wrong unless the locus was already tampered with. It also doesn''t make sense for a tunnel to simply give out. Those are two entirely separate processes, and I don''t think it could be a coincidence.¡± He steepled his fingers, considering this. ¡°All angles are being looked at as part of the inquest, not that I can give specifics away, but I have been briefed on progress to date. Certainly it¡¯s fair to say your suggestion is being given consideration already. But what of error? Do you see no chance of something having gone wrong in the process when the first tunnel was punched?¡± She shook her head. ¡°The boy was green, but I doubt even a new Conductor could cause something so catastrophic. Even still, when I was needling my fellow Grandmasters the last time we met, I was trying to look for inconsistencies in their stories. They didn¡¯t give anything away, but I don¡¯t think that absolves them, yet.¡± He saw the contentiousness of her concerns now. ¡°You suspect one of them may be behind it?¡± ¡°Or aided and abetted. I¡¯m not sure who, but whoever it is has to have something to gain by sowing chaos. That¡¯s what I¡¯m watching for now,¡± she explained, looking troubled. ¡°You mentioned you needed to tell someone you trusted, why not the investigation team?¡± he pressed, hoping that he could sway her to go directly to them. She looked uncomfortable, another very uncharacteristic look for her. ¡°I did. And I offered them any support I could think of. However, they have not followed up. I¡¯m worried that they may be compromised.¡± He groaned. This was a dilemma. ¡°Alright,¡± he said after a pause, ¡°I¡¯m not withholding information, but I will give this some consideration before I take action. In the meantime please keep participating with the investigators as much as possible. I don¡¯t want to know anything they don¡¯t know, deal?¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. She dipped her head. ¡°Deal.¡± She got up to leave but stopped at the door. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your interest in endorsing your friend¡¯s nephew¡¯s application to enter the academy?¡± she asked inquisitively, turning her head back to face him. ¡°Friend? What friend? Oh right, that. No, that¡¯s part of a new initiative to assist youth from under privileged backgrounds in accessing higher education and prestigious career paths,¡± he responded smoothly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call Elias under privileged.¡± ¡°I assure you, I don¡¯t know what you mean. I was talking about the boy,¡± Tarry said with a shrug, playing dumb. ¡°I assure you, you do. And I¡¯m not one to judge someone by their connections, nor am I criticizing you or him for that matter, but I am cautioning you that if the boy passes the aptitude test tomorrow, and especially if he starts making waves at the Academy, you¡¯re going to want to clean up your story a bit more.¡± Tarry¡¯s mouth twitched in annoyance. ¡°And if he doesn¡¯t get in? What concern do I have then? Optically I haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I suppose you should talk to your ¡®acquaintance¡¯ then about his motives. My understanding is that he has been putting effort into seeing the boy succeed. There¡¯s also rumours regarding a potential magical ability.¡± ¡°How do you know all this?¡± he questioned, feeling suspicious. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one with associates in lower boroughs. And, judging by the look on your face now, I assume you didn¡¯t think he was going to make it. I wouldn¡¯t bet against Elias, he¡¯s sharper than a dagger and twice as dangerous. I¡¯m surprised you would do so now after having known him for this long. He¡¯s an interesting one, even my people don¡¯t know that much about him, despite him basically running the sixteenth borough. He keeps it clean normally but he¡¯s been a bit sloppy lately, I think it¡¯s because the kid is involved." Tarry tried not to let his surprise show on his face. He kept Eli close, but didn''t keep tabs on what he did exactly. That knowledge was too dangerous to have; both Eli and Tarry knew it. But they also mutually benefited having the other around, and, not that Tarry could ever admit it, he liked having Eli around. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked, finally. "Consider it a sign of my gratitude to you for hearing me out," she said with a small smile, "He would¡¯ve made an excellent politician, but it sounds like he just never seemed interested in it. Interested enough in remaining in the wings, associating with you, but I get the impression there will come a point at which your usefulness to him will run out and at that point I would be cautious.¡± Tarry fell silent, and she gave him an almost sympathetic look. ¡°You know how the game goes, trust no one,¡± she chastised him, though it was lightened by the hint of amusement in her voice. He found himself smirking in spite of her warning. ¡°I trust you,¡± he said lightly, ¡°Sometimes.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t, but I appreciate it nonetheless. And believe me, there are very few people I¡¯d want to see sitting in your chair, so don¡¯t do anything stupid and keep your head about you. See you at the opening ceremonies for the aptitude test tomorrow."
Olly Briggs It was the day before the aptitude test and Olly couldn¡¯t sleep. His uncle had closed down Hijinks for the week leading up to the test so that Olly could remain focused and unburdened by work. Not having something to distract himself with almost made it worse, but at the same time Olly knew that the games room could also become a disastrous situation. The last night Hijinks was open a few of the regulars got into a heated debate about the safety of the tunnels. Before anyone knew it, the argument came to blows. If his uncle hadn¡¯t intervened and quickly broke them up it could have gotten really ugly. Neither Eli or Olly needed that type of attention on them right now, so it was an easy to decision to shut it down. Olly could recognize that there was a growing sense of distrust of everything around them. People in the sixteenth and other lower boroughs had been growing increasingly distrustful of the government, tunnels and Guilds. The most recent fight started when one regular suggested they needed to restrict movement in tunnels and become more self-reliant, and then another regular had called him an idiot and claimed he was trying to cut them all off from the outside world. It had been blown out of proportion and neither could accurately articulate their concerns in a way that didn¡¯t devolve into insults so they decided to settle it outside of words. Eli had told him that night that people were afraid of what they didn¡¯t understand, and that magic had always been poorly understood, so now that something had gone wrong they were panicking. He tried to put it out of his mind but found he could not. He tossed and turned and tried in vain to fall asleep. His tutor had told him he was as prepared as he could be, and that he needed to just relax and trust in himself. He wasn¡¯t so sure. He didn¡¯t feel his practice scores were consistently high enough over the benchmark, and if he didn¡¯t meet the minimum then he wouldn¡¯t be granted any offers. If he did meet the benchmark, but didn¡¯t score high enough for the Cartographers, then they wouldn¡¯t even look at him. He might catch the attention of the Conductors or Controllers if he was lucky, or the Labourers if it was lower still, but he still couldn¡¯t be sure. This all depended on his magic, however. That was the other issue. He hadn¡¯t experienced anything unusual since the day he saw the shimmer on the hike. And even then he had no idea if that had anything to do with him. The last time he actually had anything to do with magic was when he saw the Reader, but that was earlier still. He flopped over again. Worst case scenario, if he couldn''t produce any evidence of magical sensitivity, but he scored high enough, there was the added benefit of taking the aptitude test and receiving an offer from a non-magical Guild, such as the doctors, lawyers or engineers. He would similarly have to meet their benchmark, but at the very least he could have other options if he failed to be noticed by the magical guilds. It was a small consolation, though not his first choice. He realized through his tutoring that he did want to understand magic - his magic - more thoroughly. But it seemed that the harder he tried to control it, the less available it was to him. An uneasy sleep finally took him, far later than he had hoped, and he drifted off thinking about what the future might hold. Chapter 12: Aptitude Test - Part I Olly Briggs The aptitude test was finally upon him, everything he had worked for all came down to this moment. Olly nervously scanned the auditorium, finding similar anxieties reflected back at him in his competitors'' faces. This did not calm his nerves. There were perhaps five hundred or so people around his age, or slightly older, present, all awaiting the start of the test, all looking anxious. They were in the largest auditorium in Occaigh, where the aptitude test always took place. It was located in the second borough, which was known for its performing arts and education. As Olly took in the grandeur of the auditorium, noting its very old-world feel with its gilding and red velvet splendour, he wondered what the Academy looked like. The Elite Academy of Advanced Principles wasn¡¯t in Occaigh, it was in Donnol, so Olly wondered if it was even more impressive. He had recently researched some of the other academies in the area. Occaigh had its fair share of professional academies, and he wanted to have a back-up career in case the acceptance of the Cartographers'', or one of the other magical Guilds, didn¡¯t pan out. He had learned that many of them did use aptitude testing scores as well, and that was why Occaigh liked to be at the epicentre of the testing process. It was a smart strategy. It kept Occaigh competitive with a large population of professional designations by pooling talent. The Guild''s headquarters were also spread out, each claiming a major city for themselves, so Occaigh needed to maintain some competitiveness. The Cartographers belonged to Bilson; the Conductors to Donnol; the Controllers to Aspir; and the Labourers to Ghaburm. He similarly wondered if they each had a specific style. The distracting thoughts were welcome, but he came back to reality as he locked eyes with another candidate who looked to be near tears. On average, only about one hundred candidates were selected through the aptitude test to enter the Academy, between all four magical Guilds. Not everyone with magical ability scored high enough to pass the benchmark, and not everyone who scored higher than the benchmark had magical ability. Everyone only got one chance to succeed. The selections wouldn¡¯t actually come out for another week, after the exams were graded, so there would still be a painful waiting period. Even with that, Olly just wanted the test itself to be over. Either he passed or he didn¡¯t, but once he walked out of these doors at the end of the test it would be firmly outside his control. He could live with that after the last four months of cramming and worrying. Besides, these were steep odds, and he didn¡¯t like betting on underdogs. As if sensing his restlessness, Eli rested his hand on Olly¡¯s shoulder; Olly was grateful for the comfort. He felt like he had to suppress a shiver from a perceived chill in the air. The nervous energy was getting to him, and try as he might, he couldn¡¯t shake it. Suddenly, a poshly dressed man took the podium at the front of the room and a hush fell over the crowd. He was tall and clean shaven with sandy hair that was greying at the temples. He wore a brown tweed suit, with a pocket watch tucked into his inner vest pocket. ¡°Good evening candidates, parents, guardians and esteemed guests. Please allow me the honour and privilege of welcoming you all here today to the Elite Academy of Higher Principles¡¯ aptitude test. This is truly the most exciting day of the year, when we are able to witness firsthand the beginnings of our newest candidates. My name is Franklin Byrne, Grandmaster of the Cartographers¡¯ Guild and headmaster of the Academy for this academic year. Together with my colleagues Abigail Garcia, Alzira Silves and Oleg Shevchuk, we are thrilled to see this year¡¯s cohort, of which we intend to select the best and brightest,¡± he explained, conveying an air of haughtiness. Eli leaned in close to his left ear. ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to you,¡± he muttered. Olly knew what he meant, he was already intimidated by Franklin¡¯s apparent esteem of the potential Academy candidates. Or was it the inherent disdain for those who would not qualify? He couldn¡¯t tell, yet. Tarry Bennett took the stage next to address the crowd. ¡°While we will begin shortly, I would always like to remind each and every candidate that the results imparted here today do not reflect your value as a person or as a member of this society. These are ancient systems that play a valuable role in our society, but they are not the only means of contribution. Not everyone will display a magical aptitude, and that is by no means a character flaw. Everyone here today has an equal opportunity to play a fundamental role in our society, and just by virtue of attending this aptitude test you will have already caught the attention of other, equally important non-magical Guilds. I urge you to take your results lightly and to not presume to bear the weight of failure where there is none.¡± Olly appreciated his words, and he swore he saw a hint of discontent spread across Franklin¡¯s face. The disagreement between the two men was palpable. This did not endear him further to the Cartographers¡¯ Guild; their track record was not good. So far, of the three Cartographers he had encountered, only one, Delilah, was in his good books. After Tarry wished them good luck, he exited the stage and the head proctor addressed the crowd. ¡°The test will begin in 15 minutes. You will go to your assigned hall and find your assigned seat. The examination paper is face down on the desk and you may only flip it once the proctor in your room gives permission to do so. Anyone caught prematurely looking at the paper will be escorted out and their exam will be destroyed. Anyone caught cheating will similarly be escorted out with their exam destroyed. Once the written component is over you will proceed to the back of the room where you will be led by a proctor in small groups to take the magic sensitivity test. Once you have completed that assessment, your aptitude test will be complete and you may leave. As of right now, your fifteen minute warning has begun, please make your way to your assigned room.¡± Olly turned to Eli, feeling ill. The other candidates were similarly conversing with their accompanying guardians. ¡°Hey, good luck kid, you¡¯ll do fine. You¡¯ve worked hard for this,¡± Eli said confidently. Not for the first time, Olly wished he had his uncle¡¯s confidence. ¡°Thanks,¡± he mumbled. Eli clapped him on the shoulders and turned him around, pointing him in the direction of his room. With a deep breath, Olly made his way to the correct room, and found his seat as quickly as possible. There were about fifty chairs in the room, so he determined that there were ten other examination rooms. It was interesting how split up they were, and this was different from how Delilah had described it to him. She had said that they all wrote the test in the main auditorium together, not in smaller chambers. He clasped his hands on the desk in front of him, trying to control the tremble in them. He chanced a glance around him, taking in the competition around him. There was a very proper looking boy to his diagonal left taking a seat. He was wearing what looked like a crisp private school uniform and seemed to be looking around disdainfully. Olly avoided his eyes as they swept towards him, feeling cowardly about it as he did so, but he didn¡¯t need any additional negative feelings thrown his way. There was a girl seated to his immediate right that he made eye contact with in the process. She gave him a friendly wave and he couldn¡¯t help but wave back, feeling slightly uplifted. ¡°I¡¯m Sarah,¡± she offered, unprompted. ¡°Olly,¡± he responded, trying not to give away his nerves. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Nice to meet you Olly. Is that short for something?¡± she asked in a way that suggested familiarity. He paused. ¡°It might be, not sure actually,¡± he admitted. He wasn¡¯t sure why he felt comfortable sharing this with her but there was something about her that made him open up. She cocked her head and smiled in a way that suggested she was amused, but he didn¡¯t get the sense that it was at his expense. He found himself smiling in spite of the impending test. A proctor stood up at the front of the room. ¡°Your examination will commence in sixty seconds, please remain silent until that point. When the clock counts down to zero you may flip over your test booklet. Anyone caught turning it over even a second too soon will be promptly removed. You have been warned.¡± ¡°Good luck Olly,¡± she whispered. He was too jarred by the cold announcement to respond properly, and could only manage a garbled, incoherent noise. Before he could properly process the passage of time, the clock reached zero. The sound of hundreds of papers flipping broke him out of his reverie and he scrambled to open his booklet. The aptitude test had begun, there was no turning back now. He forced himself to concentrate, remembering the lessons Delilah had gone through with him. The test seemed suspiciously short compared to some of the practice exams they had worked through together; there were far fewer pages. He decided to take a look through the whole test before fully committing to answering them, as Delilah had taught him. The first couple pages of questions were pattern-based math problems, followed by a section of critical analysis of written passages with multiple choice questions. There seemed to be five short essays after the multiple choice. Very peculiar. She had taught him to expect one or two, but that the test would largely be structured with multiple choice. He wondered if she had led him astray, but from his peripherary he could see others hurriedly flipping through the booklet. Perhaps they had been all caught off guard. In either case, he began his multiple choice in earnest. He always felt his scores with math questions were sub-par, and these ones were no different. He could handle critical reasoning most of the time and felt that was the area where his scores had improved the most through tutoring. Some of the passages were fine, most were difficult. They were intended to make people display reason; there was one passage to read with four multiple choice responses, which all sounded like true answers at first glance. However, one was more correct compared to the others. Sometimes it took narrowing it down to two answers and guessing. It wasn¡¯t a perfect method but it left him with a fifty percent chance of getting the right answer. Any ones he got stuck on he circled to come back to afterwards. One in particular left his mind spinning. The people of Flexibilis are raised with a sentimental attachment to the tunnel system. They can hardly be blamed for taking the tunnel system for granted when it is a mainstay within the world. However, despite the fanciful notion of tunnels leading to widespread passivity, when the risk to free passage is presented, people respond in an uproarious fashion. The triumph of tunnels rendered old hardships obsolete, such that the current population cannot comprehend true hardship. Therefore perceived threats to the status quo awaken a disproportionately large negative response amongst contrarian members of the population. The idea of tunnels and the tunnels themselves are not equal. Tunnels provide an equalizing force that not only permits, but encourages, widespread opportunities for advancement and profit, both individually and as a society. However, the idea of tunnels can provide a dangerous battleground for untrained minds. Therefore, the open access nature of tunnels should be carefully considered to ensure that their use does not lead to their downfall. Which answer regarding the use of tunnels is most correct according to the passage¡¯s interpretation: a) Sentimental attachment to tunnels will lead to their downfall. b) If contrarian members of society are providing a large negative response, it is only in response to a threatened the status quo. c) If society poses a threat to tunnels, then the right to access tunnels may be reconsidered. d) The tunnel system¡¯s triumph over past hardship necessitates that tunnels should remain open access. He frowned. This topic was oddly on the nose. In practice, the passages had been far less focused on real world issues. He considered the answers carefully. He crossed out a) immediately, determining that it was a stretch. The answer provided in b) wasn¡¯t quite true either. Just because the passage was claiming that perceived threats awaken a negative response within contrarian members of society, it did not mean the opposite relationship was true. He crossed it out, less sure this time. That left c) or d). Both were considering the same concept just in opposing viewpoints, either that tunnels should remain open access, or control should be tightened. He re-read the passage again. If the idea could be dangerous, and society could control that idea, then the right to access could be at risk; c) was the answer. The passage did tout the benefits of tunnels but did not make promises regarding maintaining those benefits, therefore d) was out. He exhaled heavily. It felt wrong. Surely the Guilds, the very people charged with creating tunnels and maintaining tunnel access, would not mean to imply that regular tunnels should be closed off because people took them for granted. It certainly didn¡¯t make sense to be on their exam, unless it was a trick question, and yet he couldn¡¯t determine a better, answer, so he left it as c). The other questions were challenging but he finally made it through to the short essays. They were basically scenarios that had ethical concerns or obligations to be identified. A series of ¡°what would you do if¡± types of questions. The first one was fairly straightforward, almost out of a practice exam. ¡°What would you do if you caught someone stealing food to give to the less fortunate?¡± He wrote that entering a morally grey area in the name of performing a good deed did not grant moral superiority. He instead suggested alternative options such as offering them other, more sustainable, and legal, options to provide the necessary support. He didn¡¯t spend much time on it, knowing he hit most of the points. The next question gave him pause again; it another on the nose type of question. ¡°What would you do if approached by the press regarding a natural disaster that recently took place at your work site?¡± He ran through the steps in his head. Usually having honest conversations and referring people to the right resources were steps in the right answers. But this one he wasn¡¯t sure about. His uncle had never enforced an ¡°always tell the truth¡± type of environment, because the truth could be tricky. The truth could sometimes get you into more trouble, when instead staying silent, or in some cases, lying, could save your skin. Again, he didn¡¯t believe this to be the right answer and surely felt like he would flunk, but following the ¡°correct¡± formula felt too off here. He decided to answer opposite to how he might normally respond, despite it leaving an icky feeling in his gut. He wrote in his answer; he shouldn¡¯t speak to the press, and he should confirm with his supervisor, or at least, the current protocol in place, regarding information sharing. He even went a step further and suggested that there may be restrictions for press access that should also be confirmed, and if there were concerns with their presence they should be asked to leave. Olly sighed heavily as he finished the question and checked the clock, panic rising as he realized he only had thirty minutes to complete the remaining three essays. Two and a half hours had gone by in a flash. Nobody had left yet and everyone seemed to be scrambling. He was even less pleased with the quality of his remaining essays but when the buzzer went off he dropped his pen and flipped his booklet back over, immediately feeling a weight lifting from his shoulders. It was done. He never had to write an aptitude test again. The proctors were swift in collecting booklets, and if anyone was caught writing after the buzzer their exam was marked with a red ¡®X¡¯. Olly was shocked at the audacity, but suspected desperation was at play. Surely they knew it wasn¡¯t worth trying? However, that one mistake had cost at least a few people in the room their only shot at the academy. The proctor took the microphone once more. ¡°That concludes the written component of the aptitude test. You will now proceed to the magical testing room in a single file.¡± However, as the proctor went to open the doors, a rumble was heard through the hall. Olly could feel it under his feet and gasps and screams seemed to break out around him. He immediately went into survival mode and searched around for an exit. Before anyone could react, the ground around them seemed to be upheaved. Finally, the lights went out, shrouding them in absolute darkness, screams of terror ringing around him as he felt the ground give out underneath him. Chapter 13: Aptitude Test - Part II Olly Briggs Olly blinked desperately, trying to process what had just happened. He was still seated at his desk, finding it had remained mostly in place despite the tremors they had felt. As he gained vision in the low light, it seemed like the four walls of the exam room had turned to dirt, which surrounded them on all four sides. He observed that there was a faint golden glow to the walls themselves. He wasn¡¯t alone, to his relief. As he got to his feet he could make out at least several dozen other human-shaped forms around him. They stirred and got to their feet, one by one. Some cried out in fear, while others seemed shell-shocked. ¡°Olly!¡± a voice sharply called to him. It was Sarah. He extended a hand out to help her up, hoisting her gently to her feet. ¡°The proctor is injured!¡± someone exclaimed from somewhere near the front of the dimly lit chamber. Without wasting any time, Sarah rushed over with Olly in pursuit. They found the proctor propped up against the wall, a rivulet of blood trickling from his hairline. There was a nasty gash on his thigh, visible through the torn fabric of his pants. ¡°Go find something to wrap his wounds!¡± Sarah called to a bystander. They snapped into action and hustled off. This was enough to send Olly into action. ¡°You three,¡± he pointed at another huddled group, ¡°Go look for anyone else with injuries, report back here when you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Sir, what happened?¡± Sarah demanded, gently shaking his shoulders to get him to wake up. His eyes seemed slightly unfocused. ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± he mumbled weakly, ¡°We need to find a way out of here...¡± He trailed off, his head lolled to his chest. Sarah felt for his pulse. ¡°Still alive,¡± she said, relieved. ¡°What the hell happened to us?!¡± The boy with the private school uniform made his way over to them. He looked furious rather than afraid. Olly decided that he might be more useful than the people milling about. ¡°Well, the proctor says we need to find a way out, so we might as well get started if you want to help,¡± Olly suggested, ¡°I¡¯m Olly and this is Sarah. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Bowen. Ugh, this is a disaster. I didn¡¯t even want to be here, my father just wanted me to write this stupid test. If I die down here I bet he¡¯ll regret it!¡± A lump inadvertently formed in Olly¡¯s throat. He wondered if his uncle was worried. Worst yet, he wondered if his uncle had been part of the collapse. The thought immediately rocked him, and he felt an inherent urge to go lean into one of the walls for support. They could all be in danger, which meant they were totally cut off and didn¡¯t have a way to call for help. Before he could get too far down into his spiral one of three students came back. ¡°No one else is injured,¡± she confirmed. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± he said, trying to keep his voice steady, ¡°What about an exit? Did you see any?¡± She shook her head no. His heart sank. ¡°We could run out of oxygen down here. We don¡¯t know if anyone else is safe either or if help is coming.¡± ¡°So we better not panic then,¡± Bowen chimed in. He deftly maneuvered over to them, his anger apparently dissipating at the idea of potentially calling the shots. Sarah nodded, ¡°Good idea, I¡¯m going to see what sort of skills people have, or look and see if there¡¯s any types of tools we can use down here.¡± ¡°I can do crowd control,¡± Olly offered, ¡°I¡¯ve worked in a games room, things have been getting dicey lately,¡± he admitted. ¡°You work in a games room?¡± Bowen asked, there was surprise in his voice and, to Olly''s immediate displeasure, the hint that he found it distasteful. ¡°Is that going to be a problem?¡± Olly practically growled back in response. In the back of his mind, he knew that the people in the sixteenth borough calling him out for believing he was above them wouldn¡¯t be the worst of his problems. He knew that the mayor only backed him as a favour to his uncle, and he never would have given Olly a second glance otherwise. If he got into the Academy, he would have to face the prejudice of people who came from higher social backgrounds than him. He would have to be prepared to deal with it there, but he was not about to take it here. Not while they were underground in what could be their potential grave. Bowen froze, seemingly unsure of how to respond. Olly didn¡¯t know for sure, but if he had to guess he thought that Bowen probably never had many people talk back to him. ¡°If we die down here, there¡¯s no difference between you or me,¡± Olly said darkly. ¡°Bowen, why don¡¯t you go check for injured people?¡± Sarah suggested lightly, before either of them could escalate the situation. Bowen nodded and slipped off without another word. ¡°Are you still good for crowd control?¡± she asked gently. Olly relaxed his shoulders, realizing he was clenching his fists. ¡°Yeah, yeah I¡¯m good. What should we do once we¡¯ve gathered helpers and kept the room calm?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll need to start looking for weak spots for a potential way out. I suspect since we seemed to have fallen down, and the room is relatively intact, we might be able to go up.¡± ¡°Yeah, sounds likely.¡± He looked around. It was strange, he thought as he looked closer. The floor still had the same appearance as the original room. It even looked clean, if not for the desks and chairs scattered in a panic. The walls looked earthen and felt cool, as he reached out to touch one. He couldn¡¯t really see the ceiling in the low light. They parted and he went from group to group, asking people how they were and trying to see what kind of skills they had. Most had formed clumps of two or three, and when he found stragglers he ushered them into other groups, assuring them that help would be on the way and that they had a plan to get out. It was better for people to not be alone, and he tried to find the calmest people of each small group to keep everyone else''s minds off of the situation. A few people came forward offering help, and he sent them to Sarah. She was spearheading the stacking of desks and chairs towards the top of the ceiling in one spot. He had just finished his rounds, when Bowen intercepted him again. ¡°Look, I just want to tell you that I don¡¯t have a problem with you, sorry about that. I was just surprised, that''s all.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t expect someone from a games room to be taking the aptitude test?¡± Olly asked wryly. ¡°A bit, not that it¡¯s a bad thing!¡± he said hurriedly, trying hard to avoid a confrontation in a way that made Olly smirk, ¡°For my last year of schooling, I went to a prep school that specifically readied students for the Cartographers¡¯ Guild. They assessed your readiness to take the aptitude test and sponsored the registration fee if you met their expectations. If you didn¡¯t qualify at the school level, they didn¡¯t cover the fee or endorse you. They only wanted those who had a chance of success so that they could maintain a high acceptance rate claim. So if you got this far without any of that, I¡¯m impressed.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Olly frowned. ¡°Registration fee?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a bit astronomical. Most people and their families can¡¯t cover it themselves so they seek sponsors. Didn¡¯t you know about that?¡± Bowen looked confused. ¡°Sure, yeah, sorry. That detail slipped my mind,¡± Olly said dismissively. He hadn¡¯t known about that detail. It was another thing to ask his uncle if he ever got the chance. The thought once again caused his chest to constrict tightly. He hoped he was alright. For a brief minute, he thought he felt the embers of something igniting, deep within his mind. The whispers of something licked at his senses, fuelling a compulsion he couldn''t quite understand. "Are we good?¡± Bowen asked hopefully. ¡°Yeah, yeah, we¡¯re good,¡± Olly assured him, still deep in thought, reaching out a hand once more to touch one of the walls. He let his hand rest on the earth; it struck him as odd. It had the appearance of earth, but it was smooth to the touch, and he couldn¡¯t pick off flecks of dirt. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this look¡­ weird?¡± he asked Bowen cautiously, gesturing around, ¡°It feels weird, something about this doesn¡¯t seem normal. If this was a true cave-in I¡¯d expect the roof to cave in and for there to be dirt and debris everywhere. This just seems too clean.¡± The proctor was nearby and he seemed to stir, though when Olly looked over at him he stilled once more. Bowen frowned. ¡°Maybe it was a type of space-time collapse, like that fatal tunnel collapse? We studied them in school. They don¡¯t collapse like a hole in the ground would. And we did feel those tremors; it felt like I was freefalling for a moment.¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Olly acknowledged, but he remained skeptical, ¡°But there was no crash, no landing. We all were in our seats, weren¡¯t we? If we actually fell, wouldn¡¯t we be scattered about? Wouldn''t we expect more injuries?¡± ¡°I guess. Hey, wouldn¡¯t it be easy if we could just punch a tunnel out of here? I wonder if that¡¯s how they¡¯re going to find us?¡± Bowen suggested. The answer struck Olly right then and there. A tunnel! Yes. If this was a tunnel collapse, there would have to be a tunnel in the first place. ¡°This wasn¡¯t a collapse, it was a test!¡± Olly exclaimed, ¡°It must be the magical portion of the test. So that means there should be a way out.¡± He was sure that was the answer. The mental sensation he had experienced disappeared immediately with the thought. He was certain it was telling him he had found the answer to this puzzle. Bowen looked incredulous. ¡°They have never done a practical component of a test before, my tutors would''ve told me about that! They did everything they could to prepare us for the test so that there wouldn''t be surprises." ¡°First time for everything. Let¡¯s go back to Sarah, there¡¯s got to be a way out somewhere, so let''s find it.¡± They hurried their way over to the makeshift pile of desks and found Sarah at the top. ¡°I can hear something!¡± she exclaimed, the crowd around the pile of desks began shushing themselves as she strained to listen. Olly scrambled up to meet her. As he looked at the ceiling he realized it was just the exam room ceiling, though the gold glow didn¡¯t quite extend up far enough to illuminate it properly. ¡°Listen, this isn¡¯t what we think it is. There¡¯s a way out, they¡¯re testing us to figure out how.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± she wrinkled her nose distastefully, ¡°Seems shady, but I might believe you if not for this, listen. Can you hear that?¡± She pointed upwards. Olly strained his ears, he could just make out a voice. ¡°Is anybody down there? If so, help is on the way. We¡¯re going to begin rescue extraction efforts momentarily. Make your way over to the emergency tunnel site.¡± The voice kept repeating itself periodically. He frowned. It poked holes in his theory immediately. ¡°But... it feels wrong. How did you know to come up here? And what emergency tunnel site could they mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, it just felt like it made sense to me to go high. Like something told me I should be up here, so I just started stacking because this spot seemed as good as any.¡± Yes, that made sense to him. ¡°Okay, so you just knew that this was the right spot. You felt the pull. I experienced it, once, when I was out in the woods. It¡¯s like it called to me. Was it like that?¡± She seemed like she could be convinced. ¡°Yeah, that''s kind of what it was like. Okay, do you feel a pull now too?¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t, that¡¯s the thing.¡± Without warning, tears prickled at the corners of his eyes. He was so sure, he wanted so badly to be right. But he didn''t feel anything. No pull, certainly not one up here at all. ¡°Something seemed to react within me, earlier. It led me to reach out and touch the wall over there, but then nothing. I¡¯ve experienced magic, but I can¡¯t control it. It¡¯s so pointless.¡± She softened. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. One way or the other, we¡¯re getting out of here. Either it¡¯s a test and there''s nothing to worry about, or it¡¯s real and they¡¯re on their way right now.¡± Bowen made his way up to them. ¡°Any luck guys?¡± However, before they could respond he spun his head around wildly. ¡°Do you feel that?¡± he questioned, grabbing Olly¡¯s arm, hard. Olly knew what he was feeling. ¡°Bowen, you said you were in a prep school for potential Cartographers, right? Does anything around here stand out to you?¡± Olly probed, gesturing around. Bowen looked around, unsure. ¡°Yes, but I can¡¯t pinpoint it exactly. I think something¡¯s up there potentially.¡± He pointed at the furthest corner. It was shrouded entirely in darkness. Sarah scrambled down and immediately began giving directions. ¡°We need a new stack in that corner, but make it safe enough for everyone to be able to climb up it.¡± The crowd of helpers obliged and within minutes the makeshift scaffold of desks was in place. Sarah, Bowen, and Olly climbed up as a group. They had reached the top; squinting through the darkness, Sarah pointed at something beyond Olly¡¯s vision. ¡°There,¡± she said definitively, ¡°I can see the golden outline of a door. Do either of you see it?¡± Both Bowen and Olly shook their heads. Olly couldn¡¯t see or feel anything, but his heart rate quickened at the prospect of them potentially escaping. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re going to try it together first, and then we¡¯ll come back for you all if this works!¡± Sarah called down to the crowd. She extended her hands to the both of them, and they each took one. ¡°Okay, count of three. Three. Two. One.¡± They stepped forward, blindly trusting that some kind of doorway would open for them. As he felt his face collide with the wall, Olly thought it had failed. However, he realized quickly, as he opened his eyes, that it had only failed for him. Sarah and Bowen were gone and seemingly weren¡¯t coming back. He froze but then slammed his fists into the wall Sarah had declared an outline to exist. ¡°No. NO! Fuck!¡± he swore. He stepped back but caught himself before he could stumble off the stack of desks. That was it. Either it was a test, and he had failed, or they had been swallowed into an abyss of collapsed tunnel. He had pushed them into this, he had been so sure it was the right move. He wanted to vomit, he wanted to cry, but found he couldn¡¯t do much except walk away and run his hands through his hair. The other students looked equally horrified. No one seemed to be able to see what Sarah was referring to; some ran up to investigate the area, but none found the resolve to attempt to touch it. Wails cut through the room and panic began spreading around him. He tried to put aside his own fear and do more crowd control. ¡°H-hey, listen, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine. L-let¡¯s all just sit back and wait for rescuers to find us. We know they¡¯re coming now that Sarah and Bowen escaped,¡± he tried to soothe a group that had begun to sob. They didn¡¯t listen to him. Nobody was listening to anyone. The helplessness became stifling. He wished he was at home, dreaming of a lifetime where he hadn¡¯t gone down this pointless pathway. Through the darkness, his uncle came to his mind once more. But this time it wasn''t just the idea of Olly seeing him again, instead his voice rang through Olly''s mind. ¡°Come on kid, you can do it.¡± Olly opened his eyes. The helplessness in his chest was being emptied and replaced with resolve. He felt the pull, it took him away from the stack of desks and to a spot in the opposite corner of the room. The long-forgotten proctor was still in his spot, but instead of remaining unconscious Olly found that he was watching him intently. ¡°What are you doing?¡± the proctor asked, looking confused. Olly ignored him and squared up with the spot that called to him and put his hand in front of him. Digging deep within he felt the warm rush of magic to his fingertips and unleashed the power building behind it. There was a mighty crack as the wall before him seemed to morph and tear, revealing the very entrance they had entered into the original room. With another surge of magic he blasted the door apart, a golden fractal pattern striking brilliantly across it before it splintered into thousands of pieces, revealing the way out. The earthy-looking walls seemed to dissolve and reform back into the normal exam room walls. He felt his strength zapping quickly, and he lowered his hand, feeling vindicated. The way out that had always been there, just obscured from them. He turned to see his fellow exam takers, looking stunned beyond words. The proctor got to his feet, ¡°injuries¡± long forgotten. He saw the stack of desks at the far end and could indeed see a hole in the top, previously covered by a now tattered-looking piece of fabric. The last thing he saw before he passed out was the Grandmasters, Tarry Bennett, and his uncle rushing towards him, wearing stunned expressions on their faces. The world went black. Chapter 14: Interlude I Tarry Bennett The day had been proceeding as usual. After his address, and after the exam-takers entered their rooms, he made small talk with others in the crowd. He shook a few hands, mingled with some of the parents, and listened to their desires for their children¡¯s future. ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Mayor Bennett. Elias Briggs.¡± Eli walked up and introduced himself, a small smirk dancing on his face. He had located Tarry during a lull in the crowd. ¡°Please, call me Tarry. I¡¯m so happy that I could endorse your, uh, son was it?¡± ¡°My nephew. Sad story, he was orphaned at a very young age. I¡¯ve provided him the best I could through the years, but he just deserves this opportunity. He¡¯s worked so hard.¡± Tarry almost couldn¡¯t hold back an eye roll at Eli¡¯s fake, sickly-sweet simpering tone. It was unbecoming on him. They stood in the atrium of the auditorium. The Grandmasters milled about nearby with a small group of eager parents and guardians circling about them. No one gave the two of them any unwanted attention or suspicion. ¡°So, how do you think he¡¯s going to do?¡± Tarry asked in a low voice when he was sure they weren¡¯t being eavesdropped on. ¡°I have faith in the kid. I think he can go the distance,¡± Eli said with a shrug and a slightly coy smile that Tarry wasn¡¯t sure he liked. ¡°You seem confident, but it¡¯s largely up to chance, at least for the magical component,¡± Tarry insisted, hoping there would be some elaboration. Eli looked at him in a way that suggested he was appraising Tarry, thinking carefully about his next answer. Alzira¡¯s words still echoed in his mind from the night before, and he wasn¡¯t certain exactly where he stood with Eli on this issue. That concerned him more than Eli¡¯s non-committal actions and lack of serious response. It was the fact that he felt Eli was not just concealing information for Tarry¡¯s political safety, but that he was playing Tarry. And that bothered him, on more than just a professional level. He squashed down those feelings, trying not to dwell on it. No matter how far their partnership went back, Alzira¡¯s warning had been fair. Eli nodded at something behind Tarry, breaking him out of his thoughts. ¡°What do you suppose those are for?¡± Tarry spun around. He watched as several apprentices, Labourers based on their green school blazers, carried out brick gates in pairs. They arranged them in the atrium until there were twenty in total. Abigail led out several more apprentices, this time her own Conductors, who were wearing black. They each lined up with a gate and opened up a tunnel without much fanfare. Tarry frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never seen this before on test day¡­¡± he trailed off. Looking around he noticed Alzira was unoccupied and made his way over to her. Eli strolled a casual distance behind him, maintaining a politely inquisitive look on his face. ¡°Grandmaster. Would you indulge my curiosity about the gates that are being set up?¡± he inquired neutrally. She gave a knowing smile. ¡°Ah, ah, Mr. Mayor. You know better than to ask for our secrets of the aptitude test. But if you must know, they¡¯ll play a role in the magical sensitivity test.¡± He cocked his head, frowning. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware there would be major changes this year¡­,¡± Tarry was cut off by a harsh rumble in the distance, ¡°What was that?!¡± Alzira looked entirely unconcerned. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s just about starting.¡± He whipped towards the other Grandmasters who were equally unconcerned. However, some of the parents cried out in alarm. A few apprentice Controllers emerged and stood near the edge of the crowd, providing a watchful eye. ¡°No need to panic,¡± Franklin took the stage once more, ¡°The second part of the aptitude test is now underway. Everything is one hundred percent within our control.¡± It seemed to appease the crowd, but there was still a nervous energy in the room. As Franklin exited the stage, Tarry marched over to him, willing himself to walk with poise and remain as unruffled as possible. Alzira followed him while the other Grandmasters went on an intercept course. Eli sauntered behind, taking up the rear from a respectful, but still audible distance. They met just behind the stage. ¡°What was that?¡± Tarry hissed. ¡°We knew that we needed a shake-up from previous years¡¯ tests. With the concerns regarding tunnels, we figured we needed to test for emergency readiness. There¡¯s a proctor with each group, feigning an injury and maintaining an eye on the group. There¡¯s also a few planted, fake exam-takers in each room to help assess the response to the situation,¡± Franklin explained proudly. ¡°You¡¯re mad,¡± Tarry said in a hushed voice, recoiling in shock, ¡°In what world would you even think this is an acceptable testing method? Particularly with the current events. Parents are going to be furious. We¡¯ll all be sued! We could lose our jobs!¡± ¡°Everyone writing the test has signed strict non-disclosure agreements with specific clauses. Participants have never been permitted to share test methods openly. And not to mention there will be no injuries, the proctors are there to shut it all down in case anybody needs immediate assistance or if there¡¯s real crowd problems,¡± Oleg described casually. Tarry recoiled. Of all the things to agree on, it was this farce. He looked at Alzira, who did have the humility to look uncomfortable. ¡°Dare I ask, how did you manage to set this all up? On Occaigh soil, right under my nose, no less!¡± Abigail chimed in. ¡°Well, it took a lot of effort and trial and error, but we rigged each exam room and lined the four walls with a temporary space-time fabric. It cleverly simulates the visual appearance of a cave-in, and they all think they¡¯re underground right now. But in reality, nothing about the position of the room has changed. We used sound effects for realism, and the visual stimuli of abrupt lighting changes plus the activation of the fabric caused a visual vibration effect. All this to say, they have to get out within thirty minutes. To actually have the ability to exit the room is the test for magical aptitude because only students with sensitivity can actually find and use the means to escape. There are hints around the room of course. But, possibly more importantly, it¡¯s designed to test the ability to act under pressure.¡± Tarry¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°So they think they¡¯re in mortal danger and that they have no means of escape?" The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Yes, brilliant, isn¡¯t it? I came up with it myself,¡± Franklin boasted, ¡°You see, the original door is obscured by the temporary space-time fabric, so they can''t find it. However, a tunnel is hidden somewhere in the room, but with a difficult enough access point that they truly need to sense what they¡¯re looking for. Differing levels of sensitivity may come into play, so we won¡¯t entirely exclude people who don¡¯t make it out, but the tunnel will block people if they can¡¯t detect it correctly.¡± Oleg rolled his eyes behind his back. ¡°We helped, you pompous bastard,¡± he muttered, but Franklin ignored him. Tarry shook his head, eyes wide in horror. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ That¡¯s completely immoral.¡± ¡°It¡¯s genius,¡± Eli said in a hushed voice. He had made his way to the group silently. Tarry looked at him incredulously, not caring who was around to notice. Eli gave a small shrug as if to say ¡°what?¡±. ¡°See, at least one of your constituents understands, Tarry,¡± Abigail said with a shrug, ¡°It¡¯s all perfectly safe Tarry. We came up with it together, we will deal with the consequences together.¡± ¡°Bullshit,¡± Tarry hissed, ¡°You can¡¯t do anything together willingly. Why would you start with something this colossally stupid? Shut it down, now. Shut it all down while we can still strategize a response.¡± Tarry was beyond caring what anybody thought of him. ¡°Tarry, you do not call the shots here,¡± Oleg said warningly. ¡°You orchestrated this in the very area I was elected to serve, so you will find I very much have jurisdiction here. I will be responding to the fallout regardless so I am telling you that there better not be a single hair harmed on anyone¡¯s heads.¡± For once, they were silent. Alzira looked vaguely embarrassed though the rest were irritated. Tarry shook his head in disgust. ¡°If you won¡¯t take action, I will deal with my side of the backlash independently.¡± ¡°You¡¯re more than welcome to act in any way you see fit, but we¡¯re not shutting it down. We need candidates who are qualified to face the hazards and issues of the new world we¡¯re living in,¡± Abigail said, in a low, dangerous voice. Tarry recoiled. He opened his mouth to say something else but thought better of it. ¡°Fine. Fine! You¡¯re all on your own then.¡± He stormed off. Eli, who had vanished into the crowd during the argument, quickly found Tarry¡¯s side. ¡°Cool yourself,¡± he warned in a low voice, keeping stride, ¡°People will think something¡¯s up.¡± ¡°Something is up,¡± Tarry growled, ¡°They¡¯ve lost their goddamn minds.¡± ¡°Perhaps, but you¡¯re going to need to keep your wits about you and remain calm. Whether you agree with it or not, it is brilliant. But that¡¯s the point, they¡¯re showing you exactly how brilliant they are, so you need to stop playing into their hands.¡± A reaction rose from the crowd and they stopped to look. The first two candidates had emerged from one of the tunnels, a teenage boy and girl. They appeared scared and desperate. As Eli and Tarry moved forward to take a closer look, they were treated to the newly escaped candidates crying out about how everyone in the room was in danger and needed help. The isolated cheers from the crowd just seemed to confuse them. Proctors honed in on them, sweeping them away from the crowd and presumably bringing them somewhere quieter to get their names and explain the situation to them. A few more participants popped out from the other tunnels, with similar reactions. It made Tarry feel sick to his stomach. It went on until they were almost at time, and the participants coming through the portals had slowed. ¡°Come on kid, you can do it,¡± Eli muttered from beside Tarry. Tarry looked at him, feeling grim. Eli looked deflated as the final minute flashed on the countdown timer. Tarry was about to extend a hand to pat him on the shoulder when there was a mighty CRACK and a blinding flash of light from one of the rooms. Not from the newly formed temporary tunnels, from one of the actual doors to the room. The crowd immediately hushed and Eli perked up hopefully. The door to one of the rooms had splintered with a mighty force, and there, amongst the wreckage, stood Olly with the rest of his cohort standing behind him, looking frightened. Olly collapsed into a dead faint, while Eli rushed towards him. Tarry gave chase, with the other Grandmasters immediately dropping what they were doing to similarly hustle towards the commotion. Though Eli was shorter than Tarry, Tarry could not keep up. He could see that the people closest to the door had crowded around Olly, but Eli was the first to truly reach his side. Nobody seemed brave enough to touch him, seemingly afraid of what he had done to the door. Eli practically dove through the small crowd and threw himself down to kneel beside his nephew. Cradling his limp body, he placed an ear to his chest. As Tarry reached them, the crowd parting for him and the Grandmasters, he could see the relief etched on Eli''s face as he apparently detected a heartbeat. Sure enough, Tarry could see the rise and fall of Olly''s chest. "Still think this is brilliant?" Tarry thought to himself but immediately felt guilty about it at the scared look on Eli''s face. "Call for medical attention," Tarry barked in the Grandmasters'' direction, and Oleg nodded hurriedly before rushing off. "Alzira, crowd control is yours, give them space," he instructed gruffly, but slightly gentler. "You got it," she obliged, calling her apprentices into action to disperse the people who were milling about. He turned to Abigail and Franklin. Abigail was engrossed in the splintered door while Franklin seemed to struggle to find words, for once. "His name is Olly Briggs," Tarry ground out the words, trying to keep his temper under control, "I think you''ll want that piece of information for your assessment." Abigail looked up, a piece of splintered wood in her hand, and met his gaze with a smile.
Eli looked up from the bed to see Tarry walking into the hospital room. Eli could clearly see the abashed look on Tarry¡¯s face as his eyes flickered back down to Olly, who remained asleep. ¡°He hasn¡¯t woken up yet?¡± Tarry inquired in a low voice. Eli gave Olly¡¯s shoulder a gentle squeeze before leaning back on his chair with a sigh. ¡°Not yet, though they don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything other than exhaustion. He¡¯ll be fine,¡± Eli explained, trying to sound light. Tarry flopped down into a chair across the bed, opposite to him. ¡°I am truly sorry about this. I will undoubtedly need to make a public apology, but I wanted to speak to you personally before that. This was, well, entirely inappropriate doesn¡¯t even begin to cover it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t blame you, and I don¡¯t really blame them either. Clearly, they had a plan and it did not include this.¡± Eli gestured towards Olly¡¯s prone form on the bed. Tarry was silent for a moment and Eli could see that the grim look on his face went beyond the situation at hand. ¡°Did you... Did you know about this? His powers, that is.¡± Eli bit the inside of his cheek, there was no point in lying. ¡°Yes¡­ I knew there was something different going on, but I didn¡¯t know the full extent.¡± Tarry looked disappointed. ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± Eli tried to deflect with humour, forcing a smile on his face, disingenuine though it was. Tarry remained unamused. ¡°They could call for my resignation over this. Between the inquest and the aptitude test going totally awry within my own jurisdiction, I can¡¯t afford any more slip-ups. We used to work together. Whatever this is, I could have helped you had you kept me informed.¡± Eli felt the smile slide from his face. Tarry got up to leave. ¡°Well, he certainly has the attention of the Grandmasters now. For better or for worse. I just hope you¡¯re prepared for what comes next.¡± Eli felt his lip twitch. ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± he said, looking away. Once Tarry reached the doorway he froze before turning around once more. ¡°If there are any further surprises that you could help me avoid next time, please let me know. I¡¯m a lot more helpful when I¡¯m not caught off guard.¡± Eli looked down, rubbing his forehead. ¡°Sure thing,¡± he said in a low voice. Tarry was already gone by the time he looked back up. Eli wrinkled his nose and propped his steepled hands on his knees, pressing his mouth against them in deep thought. Chapter 15: Were a Family Olly Briggs Olly awoke dazed, confused, incredibly thirsty, and unsure of where he was. As he focused on his surroundings, the first thing he noticed was his uncle passed out in a chair beside the bed, head lolling uncomfortably on his chest. Olly immediately called out his name in a hoarse and raspy voice. Eli¡¯s head snapped up and the relief was palpable; he lurched forward to embrace Olly warmly. There were no pretenses or masking there, and for that Olly was grateful. And yet, the only thing he thought to ask was, ¡°Did I get in?¡± It felt shameful how desperate he was about the exam results, but all he remembered was the crushing sensation of being left behind in that room. He couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°Test results won¡¯t be out for possibly another week, but I think it¡¯s safe to say you left an impression on them,¡± Eli explained, a coy smile dancing on his face. The harsh white walls of the hospital room were stifling, but after what felt like a long night he was permitted to go home the next morning. That was a few days ago; at present, he was home alone, trying not to go stir-crazy. His efforts were in vain however, he couldn¡¯t stand the fact that he still hadn¡¯t heard anything back about the aptitude test. Remaining cooped up in the house was doing nothing for him except driving him mental. He needed a release, so he grabbed a light jacket and shoved his hands in his pockets, practically dashing from the house. Once he was outside he immediately felt like a hold had been released on him. He took a great gulp of air and exhaled, relishing the feeling of being outdoors. He passed Hijinks but didn¡¯t stop. His uncle had advised him to stay away given the increasing tension, and he didn¡¯t want Olly drawing unnecessary negativity onto himself. The regulars knew the aptitude test had taken place and surely would ask about it. And it might not be a productive conversation. He didn''t feel like defending himself to them, he scarcely felt like he knew them anymore. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was just his brain trying to bargain with him, but as he looked around the neighbourhood, he felt as though he could walk away from this. It was the only place he had ever known, that was true, but did it have to be all he would ever know? He took in the sights. The workers'' cottage-style homes used to seem vibrant and exciting to him, but now they all seemed bland. The ornate auditorium of the aptitude test had been so much more enticing than a slightly rundown neighbourhood. The thought of being in that world excited him rather than scared him now, he wanted to experience that sort of comfort and reverence firsthand. He knew he hated the feeling of being spoken down to, and he swore he would never be like Grandmaster Franklin. But the idea of being on equal footing with people like that, now that was enticing. He sighed, tempering himself. If he didn¡¯t get in with the Cartographers¡¯ Guild, or any of the magical Guilds, he figured he¡¯d at least land somewhere else. This didn¡¯t scare him any longer, because he didn¡¯t feel like he had a place here anymore. He¡¯d miss his uncle but he wasn¡¯t destined to work at Hijinks. Despite his uncle¡¯s questionable choice in pushing him down this road, Olly could see the merit in his plan now. His feet were wet, and there was an overwhelming pull to dive in. He just hoped he¡¯d be offered the chance. After what happened with his magic he was feeling unconfident. He had determined the way out technically, but didn¡¯t make it through the tunnel. He didn¡¯t actually pass their test, so that should mean he failed, right? Eli didn¡¯t seem to think so when they spoke about it, but Olly was managing his expectations. And given that he hadn¡¯t heard anything yet, it was becoming less and less likely by the day. As he was thinking about it, the words of the other boy in his exam room, Bowen, suddenly came back to him. ¡°I went to a prep school that specifically readied students for the Cartographers¡¯ Guild. They assessed your readiness to take the aptitude test and sponsored the registration fee if you met their expectations.¡± He had forgotten about the registration fee. He paused, his uncle had never mentioned a registration fee. He knew his uncle had cash to burn, but they weren¡¯t rich per se. Perhaps by the standards of the sixteenth borough they were, but they weren¡¯t, to Olly¡¯s knowledge anyway, first borough stock. Unless Eli¡¯s connections to the mayor were more lucrative than he thought, however, public service wasn¡¯t exactly known for its wealth. The perks that came with such positions were just temporary as long as someone was in office, Eli had told him once. So where was this apparently obscene amount of money coming from? Another mystery then. He wasn¡¯t sure how far he¡¯d get with any of them, but he was more determined to get a response on this one. He didn¡¯t have much time to ponder it any longer as he had circled back to their house. However, the porch was occupied by a tall woman with long auburn hair. He froze. ¡°Good morning Mr. Briggs,¡± Grandmaster Abigail Garcia said with a warm smile, ¡°Might I come inside to speak with you?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not often I make house calls, but I must say your performance was exceptional. Far beyond anything we might have expected.¡± She was seated across from him at the table. Somewhat ironically, it was the new table that had replaced the one he destroyed, back when he was resisting the idea of going through the process. ¡°It was?¡± he implored, leaning forward. He could scarcely believe that she was here in person. Let alone expressing that she was impressed by his performance. ¡°Indeed, and since you¡¯re probably dying for answers I¡¯ll cut to the chase. I¡¯d like to personally extend an offer to you to the Elite Academy of Higher Principles as a prospective apprentice of the Conductors¡¯ Guild.¡± He exhaled sharply, blinking in surprise and unable to form words. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he blurted out, mentally chastising himself. She smiled, looking amused. ¡°Quite sure. You passed the written exam. Not brilliantly, mind you, but no one can deny you on the basis of academics.¡± ¡°But the magic test, I didn¡¯t really pass it the way you wanted me to, did I?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe he was trying to talk her out of it, but he had to know. He had to understand how he had passed. ¡°You didn¡¯t fail. You didn¡¯t pass our parameters, but you made your own parameters. I respect that, kid. You knew you had magic and when it didn¡¯t respond the way you needed it to, you made it work for you. Not many people can say that about themselves. Also, the two people in your cohort who passed the traditional way vouched for your reasoning skills. You knew it was a test, and you never let a roadblock get in your way of finishing.¡± He remained silent, mulling this over. ¡°You know, you¡¯re going to get a written offer from all four Guilds, we all saw what you were capable of. I know there was something going on between your uncle and the mayor, and you were endorsed for the Cartographers¡¯ Guild. But I know that Franklin hasn¡¯t, and definitely won¡¯t, come make you an in-person offer. It¡¯s not his style, and to be honest, he is a conventionalist. You¡¯re not his normal stock, so should you accept that offer it will be an uphill battle for you.¡± She spoke candidly, folding her hands in front of her. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. He knew it was true, but it didn¡¯t sting any less. ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± he asked, feeling slightly defeated despite his standing offer. ¡°I¡¯ve seen many situations of kids forced into Guilds that their parents wanted, I know how it goes, but they¡¯re not the ones who have to go through with it. This is all about you. Who do you really want to serve? What do you want out of this life?¡± she asked pointedly, her voice lowering. He thought hard about his answer. ¡°I want to be able to control this,¡± he admitted, deciding he could trust her, ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is or what it means, nobody does. But the Cartographers do research, so I thought they could best help me?¡± ¡°Kid, we all do research. It¡¯s all the same school, we can help you. Choosing one Guild doesn¡¯t mean the others are totally closed off, and certainly not in your situation. We¡¯d be more than happy to help you and do a bit of cross-guild collaboration if it helped.¡± He leaned back, considering this. ¡°So, what do you say?¡± she asked, smiling widely, ¡°I think we could give you the future you¡¯ve always dreamed of, and then some. We¡¯re a family, and if you¡¯re one of us then our doors will always be open to you.¡± He considered her offer, staring at her pro-offered hand.
¡°You told her WHAT?¡± Eli demanded, disbelief written all over his face. Olly had entered his office to tell him the news, expecting a much warmer reception. Instead, his uncle was displaying stress through his wide-eyed stare while running one hand roughly through his hair. Olly did not find the reaction reassuring to his decision in any way. ¡°I told her I accepted,¡± he repeated, trying to stand his ground and remain firm in his decision. ¡°Look, kid,¡± Eli laughed nervously, ¡°We can wait for the official offers to come in before we make any hasty decisions.¡± ¡°You said you wanted me to get a better life for myself, a Conductor would be exactly that,¡± Olly insisted, getting agitated. ¡°Yes, but, I thought you were set on being a Cartographer!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t, YOU were! You ignored my concerns at every turn!¡± Olly felt his voice raising in spite of himself. Eli had the sense to look guilty, running his hand down his tie. He reached for a cigarette with a slight tremble in his hand. Olly continued to stare him down from the other side of the desk. For a moment neither of them spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re right, I didn¡¯t listen,¡± Eli confessed, somewhat morosely, looking at the lit end of his cigarette, he held one hand to his mouth. But Olly was already fired up and had no intention of backing down. ¡°What about the registration fee? Who paid for that? I¡¯m told normally sponsors have to get involved because it¡¯s so high. Did you really get the Mayor to sponsor me for an exorbitant sum of money, or did someone else do it?¡± Eli made a noise that was the cross between a groan and a whine. ¡°Why does it matter where it came from?¡± he asked weakly. ¡°It matters! It matters to me,¡± Olly insisted, ¡°I want to know if there¡¯s some mysterious benefactor out there for me. Am I going to owe anybody any favours?¡± Eli looked hurt. ¡°No! Of course not, how could you say that?¡± he shot back, standing up suddenly. He paced around his desk, looking like a caged animal. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ I would never¡­¡± Olly watched him warily. He believed him, but at the same time, it was a valid concern. ¡°Did you pay it, in its entirety?¡± Eli turned to face him, squaring his shoulders. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. But I paid a considerable amount. The rest came from a trust that was left to you for this exact purpose.¡± Olly felt his anger flare up again. ¡°A trust? Is this trust from the parents who ¡®would¡¯ve wanted this for me¡¯, by chance?¡± he challenged, remembering the line his uncle had used to sell it to the mayor. One that he had played off as a tactic when Olly questioned it. ¡°No, actually, I didn¡¯t lie to you about that! I haven¡¯t lied to you about anything, in fact!¡± Eli insisted, taking a desperate drag. ¡°But you haven¡¯t been truthful either!¡± Olly insisted hotly, ¡°You¡¯ve occluded the truth from me at all turns. How is that any better than lying?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s better because there are some things you don¡¯t need to know!¡± Eli shot back, sounding frayed, ¡°You want to know where the money came from? Fine! I paid half and the trust paid the rest, the trust will also pay your tuition fees. You had more family than just your parents, or me, but I assure you it¡¯s best you don¡¯t go down that path. Just accept it for what it is, and allow it to give you the boost up in life. You¡¯re going to need it, so why fight it? Why fight me? I can promise you, here and now, that I have never made a decision that wasn¡¯t in your best interest. Isn¡¯t that enough?!¡± Eli''s voice was thick with emotion and he was breathing heavily. He put both hands on the chair to steady himself. He momentarily hung his head before looking up to meet Olly¡¯s gaze, looking grim. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But please, tell me, how set on being a Conductor are you?¡± Olly softened slightly, but didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Are you going to tell me what this is really about?¡± Eli¡¯s lip twitched, regret evident on his face. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t,¡± he finally admitted. Olly¡¯s scowl deepened. ¡°Then I¡¯d say I¡¯m set in my choice.¡± He exited the office, leaving a despondent Eli behind.
Tarry Bennett Tarry had been eating dinner alone when the phone rang. Francine had gone out with friends. She¡¯d been going out with friends a lot lately. He didn¡¯t blame her, he¡¯d been down this road before, and witnessed the same signs. The stress of the inquest had been one thing, but he knew he had been absolutely miserable this week while waiting for the other shoe to drop on the aptitude test. It hadn''t, but he was on edge and working late without reprieve. He came home early tonight, hoping to surprise her, but ironically he wasn''t entirely surprised to see that she had made her own plans. Though he had gotten better through the years and marriages, try as he might, he still hadn¡¯t quite found the way to reverse the crash course once the car started veering off the road. Spending time away from him and the home was the passing bell in the marriage. Still, it never stopped him from feeling like absolute garbage when the bell began to toll. He answered the phone. ¡°Hello?¡± he asked, unsure who would be calling at this hour. The call had come into his personal line, one that was separate from work but secure nonetheless. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Eli¡¯s voice responded, sounding rougher than usual. ¡°I wondered. I don¡¯t get many social calls these days,¡± Tarry responded in a clipped voice. ¡°He got into the Academy. He¡¯s accepted an offer with the Conductors¡¯ Guild.¡± Eli sounded like he was delivering a bad piece of news. ¡°Why are you making this sound like a bad thing? Shouldn¡¯t congratulations be in order?¡± Tarry inquired politely at the disheartened tone on the other line. ¡°He¡¯s turned down the Cartographers! Snubbed them right in the face of your endorsement.¡± It was slightly melodramatic, even for Eli, and Tarry wasn¡¯t really in the mood for theatrics. ¡°I¡¯m sure Franklin can manage his disappointment like an adult,¡± he responded dully, "And I''m not sure why you''re so concerned about my feelings in the matter." Eli went silent and Tarry sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Do you need something from me? It¡¯s been a trying week and I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be much help. Do give my regards to Olly though.¡± ¡°No. No, I suppose not. I¡¯ll pass along your regards,¡± Eli said quietly. There was a pause. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry about the surprises.¡± This was... surprising. ¡°I¡­ Thank you,¡± Tarry said. And he meant it. Something about hearing it evaporated his crossness on the matter, because he certainly wasn¡¯t expecting it to hear it from Eli. ¡°Anyways, I shouldn¡¯t take any more of your time. Have a good night.¡± ¡°You too¡­ Hey, did you want to-,¡± Tarry began to ask but heard the click before he could finish, ¡°-swing by tonight?¡± He looked at the phone and pursed his lips moodily. That exchange made him feel even worse, and he wasn¡¯t sure how that was even possible. Chapter 16: Orientation Day - Part I Olly Briggs The four letters of acceptance did come in, and Abigail was right, there was no in-person visit from the Cartographers'' Guild Grandmaster Franklin Byrne. Neither Grandmasters Oleg or Alzira came either, but they did both call the house to let him know they were impressed with his performance. As Olly looked at his four options, he realized he hadn¡¯t wavered in his stance. He was going to be a Conductor because he wanted to go somewhere he could feel he belonged. He confirmed his acceptance almost immediately. On the flip side, things with his uncle had been awkward. They hadn¡¯t spoken in any great detail since their fight, and while Eli wasn¡¯t giving him the cold shoulder, he was doing a poor job at hiding his saturnine mood. Eli did offer congratulations, from both himself and the mayor, though the gesture was strained by the moroseness that had settled around him. Olly found it fell flat, and it did nothing to help his own mood, finding he was souring in tandem. Eli was working later than normal and, if he even came home at an early enough time for Olly to see him, he would quickly retreat to his bedroom. This went on for a week. Though he suspected his uncle was not punishing him, and was actually struggling with something unseen, Olly refused to be the one who caved first in this cold war. He had things to accomplish before life at the academy started. In fact, he only had a month before to prepare himself. There were textbooks and uniforms to acquire and pre-reading to complete. There was also an orientation day next week that he was expected to attend. Consoling his uncle over something Olly didn¡¯t understand, or rather, wasn¡¯t permitted to know, was not high on his priority list. Still, he needed his uncle¡¯s help, so he would have to swallow his pride and ask. If there were a trust, he would need access to it very shortly. So that evening, he waited to see if his uncle would come home, and when he didn¡¯t come home, Olly decided to go to Hijinks. He realized, as he walked in, that only about half the regulars were present. This was a bit shocking. He had been away from the action for long enough to notice the changes. The mood also seemed dour, and he wondered if it was contagious. Games were hardly being played, and people were mainly drinking. Nobody stopped him, to congratulate him or otherwise, which was also unusual. He paused outside his uncle¡¯s office. This was where it all began, back when he had eavesdropped and found out he was going down this path. Back then, he had felt like a boat without a sail, just adrift at sea. Now he felt purposeful, and like he had a direction. It might not have been what his uncle had envisioned, but it was arguably better because he chose it for himself. He gathered his nerve to knock, but his uncle opened the door abruptly right before his knuckles could make contact. Eli raised an eyebrow while Olly said, ¡°Erm, hi.¡± He opened the door wider and stood out of the way, allowing him to enter. ¡°Did you know I was coming?¡± Olly asked, taking a seat. ¡°No, but I called the house looking for you, I was going to come home when you didn¡¯t pick up,¡± Eli admitted, sitting opposite him. They fell into an awkward silence for a minute. ¡°So what did you want from me?¡± Olly asked. ¡°Ah, right, I have something for you.¡± He retrieved a file from his desk and passed it across the table. Olly looked at it, brow furling in curiosity. ¡°You can open it here, or at home, but it has everything you need. Any relevant paperwork, such as your birth certificate, information on your parents, trust access, anything of that nature. Do not lose it, I daresay it cannot be replaced,¡± he explained in a reserved voice. Olly didn¡¯t know what to say. He was stunned, slightly, but it was typical that Eli would be one step ahead of him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ever talk to me about my parents?¡± Olly asked timidly. He flipped through the file, and found it contained handwritten notes on who they were, what they were like, with a few photos. Eli twisted his mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how to bring it up,¡± he said thickly, ¡°I¡­ I lost a brother. The longer I went without talking about it, the harder it became to face any of it. I still haven¡¯t, but, at the very least, I think it¡¯s long overdue for you to have some of this.¡± Olly shut the file carefully, not knowing what to say. ¡°I¡­ Thank you,¡± was all he could manage. He felt too emotionally conflicted to know what to say anymore. Eli studied him carefully. ¡°I am proud of you. I hope you know that,¡± Eli said sincerely. Eli¡¯s shows of true affection were rare, so while Olly was mollified by his candidness, he was still feeling slightly aggrieved. Olly felt slightly self-conscious over how harshly he had judged his uncle, but while the anger was fading, the distance between them was still there. They didn¡¯t speak further until they were outside, walking in the direction of home. Eli was looking up at the sky, somewhat longingly. ¡°Do you ever feel like the sky is suffocating?¡± Olly looked up, a little confused at the question. It was the usual inky black sky, no more and no less. The magic in the atmosphere created the day-night cycle, and influenced season and weather patterns. There was nothing else to it, so he wasn¡¯t sure what Eli thought was missing. ¡°Is being a Conductor really so bad?¡± Olly asked, side-stepping the unusual question. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Eli looked back down and shook his head. ¡°No, not at all, usually it would be the biggest boon anyone here could receive. But I guess the only advice I can give you is to be careful out there. There¡¯s a tide turning, I¡¯ve tried to keep ahead of it but I don¡¯t trust what¡¯s coming. Find your allies and keep them close. And don¡¯t trust the Grandmasters, not one of them has your best interests at heart. They¡¯re all playing their own game, remember that.¡± Olly frowned. ¡°So what¡¯s the difference between being a Cartographer or a Conductor?¡± Eli pulled out a cigarette. ¡°Not much at all. But Franklin would have disregarded you, Abigail won¡¯t let you out of her sight.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s a bad thing?¡± Olly asked, not understanding. ¡°Depends entirely on what her game is. And because I don¡¯t know her game, as I said, be careful. Once you¡¯re out there, what little influence I have will not be enough. So just promise me you¡¯ll be careful and look out for yourself,¡± Eli said, looking around, as if afraid of being followed. Olly looked back up at the night¡¯s sky again. ¡°I promise.¡±
Eli accompanied Olly to orientation day; it was to take place at the Academy. Not only would this be the first time he would visit the Academy, it was also the first time he would visit Donnol, one of the other major cities of Flexibilis. As soon as they walked through the tunnel between Occaigh¡¯s first borough and Donnol¡¯s main tunnel station, he was awestruck. The first borough of Occaigh was already affluent, but Donnol was unlike anything he had ever seen before. It almost felt like he had gone back in time. The streets were cobblestoned and the buildings gleamed with white stucco. They walked slowly, allowing Olly to take in the sights. Prominent buildings stood proudly on the street side. Palatial constructs and flashy department stores; the architecture was unrivalled by anything Olly knew. It was incredible. To Olly, Eli still seemed slightly on edge, but hid it well under a reserved exterior. He was different here. Back at home he was, usually anyways, more jovial, more engaged. But here it was as if he wanted to blend into the crowd. ¡°Come on kid, you don¡¯t want to be late,¡± Eli called as Olly stopped to stare into a men¡¯s wear store featuring expensive looking tailcoats in the window. ¡°And please don¡¯t gawk, you¡¯ll be an easy target for pickpockets,¡± he muttered as Olly caught up with him. Olly could scarcely help it, but he did contain his excitement for the rest of the walk. They made their way to a wide open park, seemingly in the middle of the city. It was decorated with beautiful gardens and mapped with a cobbled walkway even finer than that of the main road. The cobblestones dazzled as they caught the daylight, as if inlaid with gemstones. It was gently hilly so Olly could hardly contain his excitement when they crested the largest hill and saw what lay before them. The Elite Academy of Higher Principles was easily the grandest building Olly had ever seen. Sprawling, imposing, and magnificent, it was crafted from sand coloured stone, polished to a fine gleam. From the front, Olly could see two wings spreading out from the central body of the building. Fine stone steps led up to the entrance, which consisted of archway supported by four columns. At either side of the steps was a statue. As they got closer, Olly could see that they resembled people, though they were much closer to perfection, in both attractiveness and physique, than any real human could hope to be. One appeared feminine and held a quadrant aloft, with the word ¡°Scientia¡± inscribed on her plaque. The other appeared masculine and held his left hand up before him, stone eyes apparently seeing beyond that of the normal mortal plain. His own inscription read ¡°Magicae¡±. The most resplendent feature was the massive domed roof atop the central part of the building. It was made of glass and appeared to have a bluish glow from the outside. There was something large and spherical rotating slowly within it, though he could not yet make it out. ¡°Wow,¡± Olly whispered. He felt very small, being here. The Academy was to be his home for the next two years, and it felt far too splendid for him. ¡°I think you have company,¡± Eli suggested. Olly turned to look, broken from his reverie, just in time to see Sarah barreling into him. ¡°You made it!¡± she exclaimed happily, ¡°I was so worried when I saw you collapse, but I didn¡¯t know how to get ahold of you later. I knew they couldn¡¯t deny you after that though! Which Guild did you accept?¡± Her excitement was infectious and Olly found himself smiling, equally glad to have a friend with him. ¡°The Conductors¡¯, you?¡± he asked hopefully. ¡°Same! I¡¯m so glad I have someone here that I know. Bowen, the other kid in our room to make it through, is also here. He got in as a Cartographer!¡± she explained excitedly, before turning to Eli, ¡°Is this your dad?¡± ¡°This is my uncle, he¡¯s my guardian. Uncle Eli, this is Sarah, she was in my exam room,¡± Olly stepped aside to introduce them. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure Sarah, and I do remember your performance, I believe you were the very first one out. Very impressive,¡± Eli said with a small smile, shaking her hand. Sarah blushed but practically jumped up. ¡°Oh, we should get going soon, they¡¯re going to be calling us in for our session!¡± Olly turned to Eli who assented with a nod. ¡°Go on, I¡¯ll catch up with you later.¡± Olly turned to Sarah with a grin and followed her lead as they set off to begin the orientation.
Eli Briggs Eli watched them practically run off together. He was feeling mildly hopeful in spite of himself. He had a good read on the new girl. She seemed lovely, and best of all bright, so he hoped if Olly kept responsible company he¡¯d be okay. He was suddenly aware of someone standing behind him, watching him, and he turned carefully to face them head-on. He found the Controllers¡¯ Guild Grandmaster, Alzira Silves, watching him intently. Her short, black hair was spiked up and she had a coy smile playing on her lips. ¡°Congratulations on his admission. Too bad you didn¡¯t quite get what you wanted though.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Apparently all it took was an in-person visit to convince him otherwise and derail a perfectly good plan. Also, I¡¯d introduce myself but I don¡¯t want to insult your intelligence,¡± he responded somewhat coldly. She grinned wider. ¡°I appreciate it. So what comes next, now that he¡¯s leaving the nest?¡± ¡°Hopefully he studies hard, gets a good job, and never has to step foot in the sixteenth borough again,¡± Eli said carefully. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, what comes next for you?¡± she emphasized. It was a mild surprise to hear her push back, albeit it was a somewhat lazy approach. ¡°Am I being detained for questioning? Don¡¯t you have anything more pressing to do? Like an inquest to finish?¡± he asked sardonically. Her smile dropped, and it gave him a hint of satisfaction. Generally, he was left alone. In the grand scheme of things, his business was typically uninteresting to anyone in law enforcement, or adjacent to it. Not to mention, it was in such a small, well-contained corner of Flexibilis that no one bothered him. Who cared what a dumpy borough did to stay alive? If she was just coming over to rankle him he wasn¡¯t in the mood to play. ¡°Oh Eli, I¡¯m not your enemy. I do think you could help me, but I won¡¯t force your hand. However, I do believe you know things and have helpful information, so if you ever wanted to collaborate, you know where to find me.¡± She walked away brusquely without another word, leaving him frowning at her retreating back. Chapter 17: Orientation Day - Part II Olly Briggs Olly obediently followed Sarah towards the front entrance. A small crowd of people their age appeared to be forming, so he suspected he was about to meet his classmates. Just as Sarah had said, Bowen was present in the crowd. Olly could see that he looked slightly anxious, but as he noticed them he seemed to cheer up and waved them over eagerly. ¡°Hey! I''m so glad you made it Olly. That was something else back at the aptitude test! How did you pull it off?¡± Before Olly could respond that he actually had no idea how his magic worked, they were interrupted by Franklin taking the stage. ¡°Welcome!¡± Franklin greeted them in the same pompous tone he had used to address the crowd before the aptitude test, ¡°I could not be more thrilled to welcome the 131st incoming class to the Elite Academy of Higher Principles. You sixty-five were alone in meeting our supreme standards, and in standing here today you have demonstrated why you stand a cut above the rest. It gives me no greater pleasure to see the newest cohort representing our world¡¯s best and brightest.¡± Olly didn¡¯t like Franklin¡¯s superiority complex back then, and he certainly didn¡¯t like it now, but even he had to admit that there was a small part of him that relished in being referred to as the best and brightest. ¡°Now, I want you all to take a good look around. Before you stands the highest institution in our lands. It represents the gifts of both science (he gestured at the feminine statue) and magic (he did the same for the masculine statue). Without these two tenets, the very cornerstone of our teachings, our society could not function. These hallowed halls have served Flexibilis for countless generations and it will no doubt continue to benefit from your presence,¡± he explained grandiosely, almost taking on a reverent tone. ¡°Now take a good look around at your fellows, these individuals will be your first family here. You will all take the same core first-year courses together. Do be warned, however, that while getting into the Academy is an impressive accomplishment, we do not tolerate layabouts. Anyone who cannot keep up will not find that they curry favor with the administration, and may be subject to disciplinary action, or removal from this Academy,¡± he finished his warning in a grave voice. Olly couldn¡¯t be sure, but as Franklin¡¯s eyes swept over the crowd he swore that they lingered on him for a fleeting moment. He blinked and slightly recoiled but Franklin had already moved along. He didn¡¯t have much time to think about it because four people, each roughly in their late twenties to early thirties, walked up behind Franklin. One of them, Olly was delighted to see, was Delilah, his second tutor. ¡°You¡¯ll now be provided a tour by a research fellow from your respective Guilds. These individuals are highly respected for their knowledge and skills, and hold research posts here at the Academy. You will find that they provide a wealth of knowledge and you may ask them any questions regarding life here. With that, I¡¯ll leave you to it!¡± he exclaimed jovially, before walking off without another word. It was an odd speech, and left Olly with a touch of whiplash. He didn''t have much time to dwell on it however, as the research fellows called out their respective Guild associations and the crowd began to disperse accordingly. He and Sarah bid goodbye to Bowen, and Olly watched almost enviously as he joined the Cartographers'' student gaggle. He couldn''t help but notice that by comparison, the Cartographers'' were the smallest group, with only five new students present. The Conductors had about fifteen people, the Controllers were slightly larger than the Conductors by a few more people, and the Labourers made up the bulk with the remainder. Before the Cartographers'' set off, Olly made eye contact with Delilah. She gave him a wide grin and a wave that seemed to promise she would catch up with him later. He felt a warmth spread across his cheeks but chalked it up to being nervous about being in an unfamiliar setting. He knew Delilah already and was comfortable with her, he trusted her. ¡°Do you know her?¡± Sarah asked curiously, having watched their interaction. ¡°Yeah, she was my tutor! My second tutor, anyways. The first was rubbish. She was great though, I knew she was smart but I didn¡¯t think she was quite so high up in the research world here. My uncle really wanted me to be a Cartographer, so I guess he went for the best of the best,¡± he explained as the Cartographers began to be led away by Delilah. ¡°A Cartographer? Interesting! But you chose Conductor, how come?¡± Sarah pressed. He had thought about it a lot. Conductors were almost revered in society. To be accepted into the Academy as a Conductor apprentice was a great source of pride and parents pushed these hopes onto their children eagerly, thus creating a neverending hero-worship cycle. But it was different for him. His uncle didn¡¯t push him anywhere near it, in fact pushing him had spectacularly backfired for Eli¡¯s plans, so there was no familial prestige or pressure. ¡°I just felt like, when I weighed my options, this was the best one. It felt right,¡± he said simply, looking back at her, ¡°You?¡± ¡°Well, no one in my family is a Conductor, but I felt like I could be the first. Nobody pushed me, but my sister really stood behind me. She helped coach me for the aptitude test, and it eventually became a reality,¡± she explained, also slightly guarded. Olly could tell there was more to this story, it was all over her face. She gave almost as non-commital an answer as he did. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°So, did no one in either of your families go here first?¡± one of the girls milling close to them asked aloud, butting into their conversation. They both turned to face her. ¡°No? Anyone can get in,¡± Sarah pointed out, politely but firmly, ¡°It¡¯s not like family status is a requirement.¡± The girl wore a haughty look on her face. ¡°No, it¡¯s not, but it¡¯s very rare that just anyone gets in.¡± ¡°We took the same test you did,¡± Olly said, feeling grated by the interaction already. ¡°Come on Olly, the tour is starting,¡± Sarah said, diverting them away from the girl, seemingly realizing that neither of them was going to enjoy that particular line of conversation very much. ¡°Ugh, to think that she¡¯s going to be in our class for the next two years,¡± he muttered under his breath with a groan. ¡°Worse, she''s going to be our peer for the rest of our careers. A lot of people here are going to think they¡¯re better than us, we¡¯re going to have to get used to it and prove them wrong,¡± Sarah said with a shrug. Olly was curious. She hadn¡¯t really told him anything about her family, but he was already under the impression that she was more alike to him than the others. That is, someone who didn¡¯t come from anywhere impressive. It was reassuring and made him feel less alone. In truth, he was worried about leaving the sixteenth borough and his uncle, he had been since the beginning. But while he had come to accept the aptitude test, and the Academy, could open doors that were previously shut to him, that fear had slowly morphed into a fear of loneliness once he got here. He could still benefit from coming here, but he was afraid of the potential for isolation during the time he spent at the Academy. He saw it when he stopped fitting in back home after his bid for the aptitude test got out, and he was worried about the same thing happening here; he''d be a child of two worlds, belonging to neither. With Sarah, that seemed like less of a possibility. He filed that away mentally as their tour seemed to be starting. Their research fellow turned tour guide, Brandon, was a very polished and articulate speaker, yet his eyes carried a sparkle that suggested he also had a hidden fun side. He described himself as a researcher who focused on techniques that could improve the efficiencies of tunnel punching. ¡°Right this way everyone,¡± he said smoothly, ¡°In a moment we¡¯re going to enter the atrium. We¡¯re going to let the Labourers go first and get ahead since they¡¯re a bigger group.¡± The girl from before scoffed. ¡°Ugh, Labourers, typical,¡± she said just loud enough for the small group around her, including Olly and Sarah, to hear. Olly was about to tell her to shut up, but Sarah bristled first and beat him to it. ¡°Take it back you insipid twat!¡± she hissed. Olly couldn''t help but smirk. The girl looked scandalized and there was a gasp from the others within earshot. ¡°How dare you?¡± the girl asked. ¡°Those are our peers and, like it or not, you¡¯re going to have to rely on them one day to actually do the hard work for you in your tunnels,¡± Sarah harshly whispered. Olly side-eyed the people around them, they were gathering a slight audience. ¡°Whatever, they¡¯re barely a Guild anyways. Everyone knows it,¡± the girl retorted hotly. ¡°Is there a problem over there?¡± Brandon asked, making his way over to them. Olly made eye contact with Sarah and shook his head, it was better not to make a scene. ¡°No sir,¡± she ground out. The other girl shook her head daintily, changing her demeanor immediately. "No sir," she said delicately. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Odette Roberts,¡± Brandon said with a warm smile, addressing the girl, ¡°Your father was my master when I was an apprentice, before I returned to academia. He¡¯s an excellent Conductor.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± she purred demurely, ¡°It runs in the family.¡± ¡°Well, we expect big things from you. Alright everyone, let¡¯s make our way inside.¡± He gestured for the group to turn and follow him. Olly tugged at Sarah¡¯s arm, pulling her back to the rear of the group. Odette gave them a superior look as she walked by, nose pointed up. ¡°Oh great idea,¡± he said sarcastically, ¡°You¡¯ve made enemies with the princess of the Conductors¡¯ Guild.¡± Sarah¡¯s jaw was still set with rage. ¡°The nerve of her! I was warned about these types of attitudes but it''s worse than I thought! My sister said they all have superiority complexes and think they¡¯re the defacto leader.¡± ¡°How does your sister know?¡± Olly asked curiously, as they began to file underneath the great marble columns. Sarah paused. ¡°She was a Labourer,¡± she said simply. ¡°Was?¡± he began to ask, but the question died in his mouth as they crossed the threshold. ¡°Whoa,¡± he said humbly, mouth falling open. The splendor of the outside was nothing compared to the inside. The floors were polished so thoroughly that they were practically mirrors. Every surface was made up of the same stone as the outside, but the inside displayed intricate carvings that ran the perimeter of the walls and were placed so high up that he couldn''t even make out the details. The dome that was visible from the outside was even more awe-inspiring from the inside. The blue glow that he saw through the window was actually a huge, slowly rotating sphere. It was translucent and nested just within the dome. However, its most interesting feature was the golden web that mapped its surface. Hundreds of points blotted the sphere, and they were interconnected in an intricate web-like pattern of golden threads. ¡°That¡¯s Flexiblis in its three-dimensional map,¡± Sarah explained in a hushed voice. He took a closer look. Yes, he could see several larger golden points that seemed to have a much greater number of threads connecting to and from them; those were clearly the major cities. Each was connected to the others and to many other smaller points. Those threads must represent the tunnel system, he thought. He noticed that some of the points joined a continuous sequences of threads, whereas others represented a dead-end. It was fascinating; he had never thought about how it all connected together, and now he had even more questions. How were they able to map so many points and locate them in space? And nothing appeared to be at the center of the sphere, was this just uncharted land, or something else entirely? ¡°Welcome to the Academy,¡± Brandon said warmly, gesturing up with his hands. Olly supposed he was going to find answers to his questions very soon. Chapter 18: Orientation Day - Part III Olly Briggs Even the students who were from this world seemed to be in awe of the sight before them. Something about seeing the tunnel network made him feel both very small and very prideful. It was a vast world and he had been given the chance to be apart of the exclusive group of people who could make such fast travel possible. It boggled his mind. The scale of the distance between the cities was enormous, and yet travelling through a tunnel felt like a short stroll. He could take a tunnel between boroughs in Occaigh and it would only be a minute walk at most. But more curiously, travelling a much greater distance, such as between Occaigh and Donnol, was hardly a minute more. Comprehending the scale seemed impossible, and yet he was going to be one of those responsible for linking points together. ¡°As you can see, our world is vast and diverse. It¡¯s made up of independent spheroids, linked forever through space and time through our tunnel system. And we''re still expanding and finding new spheroids by the day! Without tunnels, there would be no Flexibilis, and you all will play an important part of maintaining this legacy and building the future,¡± Brandon explained, beckoning them onwards, ¡°Follow me, I¡¯ll show you to the lecture rooms first.¡± He led them down one of the four hallways that joined the main atrium. From there, the hallway gave way to even more hallways. Olly didn¡¯t know how he was supposed to figure out his way around this place, and yet Brandon led them around with such confidence and ease. They reached the end of the hallway where several great wooden doors stood. ¡°This is where the majority of your first year classes will take place. You¡¯ll all be grouped together, barring a few Guild-specific courses. So you will get to know students from the other Guilds. This is to foster collaboration, which is a new process we¡¯ve implemented recently. Since you¡¯ll be working together in the field it¡¯s best to establish a connection early on.¡± ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s in response to the collapse?¡± Olly whispered. Sarah set her mouth in a thin line. ¡°Could be,¡± she half-heartedly agreed. He frowned to himself, his curiosity about her situation was growing. He didn''t have much time to dwell on it as they filed into the nearest lecture room. It matched the ambience of the parts of the Academy that he had seen so far; refined and polished. It was filled with gleaming wooden desks facing the front of the classroom where a podium stood. There were murals adorning the walls, containing imagery such as tunnels connecting diverse civilizations, schematics of a tunnel, and, the one that caught his interest the most, a more lively depiction of the people represented by the two statues outside. They were seated beneath a broad tree, and seemed to be having a high-spirited discussion to a small audience of people before them. ¡°Were they real people?¡± Olly asked Brandon, gesturing to the mural with the living human likenesses of the statues. He gave a light-hearted laugh, ¡°Real as in you and I? Not quite, but they represent the great scholars of our past. While they¡¯re not believed to have been real, living people, they do symbolize the collective of knowledge that we impart on students to this very day. They¡¯re very dear to us, even if they weren¡¯t real people per se.¡± ¡°I always liked the difference between them. The scientist seems so calculating, whereas the magician appears almost whimsical,¡± Sarah chimed in, ¡°I feel on their own they are only half of what they could be, but together they represent a whole.¡± ¡°You have a mind for symbolism!¡± Brandon exclaimed, ¡°You might be interested in taking mythology as an elective course. By studying the myths of the past, one can actually develop a classical way of thinking that translates into real world knowledge. I teach the first year course and I¡¯d invite you to sign up.¡± This seemed to perk up Sarah¡¯s mood, and Olly hoped her orientation day wasn¡¯t too dampened by the earlier exchange with the other girl. They made their way through the building. There was a large, open hall with food being served along one end. Brandon said this was the common hall and anyone could access it at any time to study, meet up with friends, and eat meals during meal times. He also explained that it served as a place where key addresses were delivered or for hosting large celebrations, such as convocations. At the front were four chairs. One was more ornate and bought forward from the other three. ¡°That¡¯s where the Headmaster sits when an address or event is in session. Currently, Grandmaster Franklin Byrne is the Headmaster, but the four Grandmasters rotate on two year terms,¡± Brandon explained. After that, he brought them to the library, which, like the atrium, left Olly in awe of it''s grandeur. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The library''s sheer scale, coupled with its architectural magnificence, created an environment that encapsulated the intellectual richness and heritage of the Academy. It''s imposing fa?ade displayed grand columns and a monumental entrance. The library''s interior was organized around a central nave, and was lined with book shelves stacked so high that rolling ladders were needed to reach the upper levels. The nave was adorned with an ornate wooden ceiling, featuring carvings of elements of science and magic, such as navigational tools and instruments and people wielding them. Long tables sprawled the length of the room, and older students were already present, studying and working in small clusters. A few of the students were looking at them curiously, and Olly felt very much on display. They left quietly so as not to disturb them, and, after a short walk, turned down a hallway and went up a flight of stairs. ¡°Finally, these are the dormitories. You¡¯ll each be assigned a single room. We do keep incoming classes grouped together by Guild, so that you can form close pods within your Guilds during non-study hours. There are upperclassmen on each floor to help you should you need assistance, but once you make it into the Academy you are treated like adults. So there is a reasonable expectation of decorum and discretion at all times. In short, don¡¯t do anything stupid or you may face consequences,¡± he said in his best serious tone. ¡°Now, with that said, we¡¯re going to go back to the main atrium where you¡¯ll complete your student registration, receive your purchase lists, be assigned to a dorm, and get to socialize with your peers and teachers,¡± he finished with a dazzling smile. As they walked back, Brandon stopped and greeted a passerby. ¡°Hello, Steven,¡± he said pleasantly. The passerby, Steven, practically jumped out of his skin, dropping all his books. What would have been a normal, forgettable interaction immediately made the poor man stick out like a sore thumb. Some of the group tittered as he scrambled to pick them up, while Brandon stooped down to help him. Olly noticed that Brandon seemed to whisper something quickly to him as he handed some of the fallen books over. ¡°S-sorry!¡± the other man, Steven, stammered, before rushing off. He was very plain, with a pale face and sandy hair, and would absolutely blend into a crowd if it weren¡¯t for his palpable nervous energy. Brandon apologized at his retreating back but he was already gone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him, he¡¯s just, ah, a bit flustered,¡± Brandon explained with a small smile, ¡°I¡¯ll catch up with him later to make sure he¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°What do you suppose that was about?¡± Olly asked to Sarah, but she too was trained on the direction that Steven had fled to with an unreadable expression on her face. ¡°You still there?¡± Olly asked playfully. ¡°Yeah, yeah, all good. And not a clue,¡± she murmured, snapping out of it. She tried to shake it off and appear normal once again. Once again, curious, but he supposed he¡¯d have lots of time to get her to open up. They made it to the atrium once more and she excitedly introduced him to her parents. ¡°Oh we¡¯re so glad Sarah has found a friend in this place, we didn¡¯t want her to be lonely,¡± her dad said kindly. He was very tall and gangly and would be intimidating if it weren¡¯t for the bright smile on his face. Her mom was equally kind. All in all it seemed like she came from a warm and happy family. They seemed normal too by comparison to seemingly all the other families. A lot of the other families appeared primly and properly dressed at best, and downright ostentatious at worst. One thing was for sure, they all clustered amongst people they knew and didn''t give anyone else a second glance. ¡°Didn''t she say she had a sister?¡± he thought to himself, but thought better of asking out loud. Based on earlier events, he wasn¡¯t too sure how sensitive that question might be. He wondered where his uncle had gone off to, as he didn¡¯t seem to be present in the crowd. After exchanging pleasantries, and expressing his excitement to start the school year with Sarah, he excused himself and decided to get through his registration. He was assigned a dorm, and given paperwork that indicated where he should buy things like books and uniforms. Most excitingly, he was provided with a golden badge. It was shaped like a hexagon and emblazoned with "CONDUCTORS'' GUILD" and ¡°STUDENT¡± underneath it. He pinned it proudly to his shirt, admiring the way it shined. It was the first mark he had received to show that he belonged here, and he couldn¡¯t help but glance down and look at it every couple of minutes, almost as if he needed to verify that it was in fact real. Even after all that, he still hadn¡¯t seen Eli. He decided to take his chances outside, and quickly found him leaning against one of the columns. Eli gave him a small smile. ¡°Hey kid. How¡¯d it go? Is there anything you need from me inside there?¡± he gestured to the large wooden doors that were open into the atrium. Olly shook his head, ¡°I think I¡¯ve done everything I needed to do inside.¡± ¡°Give me your shopping list then, I can get a head start before the crowd makes its way out,¡± he suggested, and when Olly gave him a curious look he pointed slightly down the path. ¡°I found someone who wanted to catch up with you.¡± Olly followed his directions to see Delilah reading a book on a marble bench. He did want to talk to her, that was true. Olly handed him the list and Eli scanned it quickly. ¡°Take your time. Meet me at the very front gates when you¡¯re done,¡± Eli said before practically vanishing down the path. He supposed his uncle was never going to feel comfortable here, which was all the more interesting to Olly that he pushed so hard for it. Nonetheless, he made his way over to Delilah who looked up at him and smiled. Chapter 19: Orientation Day - Part IV Olly Briggs ¡°Hey you,¡± Delilah called to him, putting her book down, ¡°I should think congratulations are in order!¡± ¡°Thanks, I couldn¡¯t have done it without you,¡± he smiled as he approached her. ¡°Oh nonsense, I just helped bring out that what was already there. Though you might have warned me first. You were the talk of the Academy after that display at the aptitude test, you know. Everyone was asking me what you were like as a student or if I knew you had that kind of magic in you.¡± ¡°Heh, yeah, sorry. I had a, erm, suspicion I was different but I was advised not to tell anyone,¡± he explained feebly, ¡°Also, you could have warned me about how bonkers that test was going to be!¡± She gave a slight laugh. ¡°Like the NDA that you had to sign, I was also sworn to secrecy. I couldn¡¯t advise any of my students on the new format and honestly even if I could I¡¯m not sure how well it would¡¯ve helped. At worst, it could have compromised the integrity of an entire room of people if someone let it slip in the middle of the test. But that aside, now that you¡¯re here what do you think?¡± ¡°Honestly,¡± he started, looking around, ¡°It¡¯s overwhelming. It¡¯s way more than I thought it would be, and that¡¯s saying something. I still can¡¯t believe this is going to be my home.¡± ¡°Yes, that is normal. One day it will pass and you¡¯ll see it as nothing special but until then enjoy the time spent in admiration. You look like you have a question,¡± she stated matter of factly, detecting the puzzled look on his face. ¡°Yeah, a few questions actually. The first, what¡¯s up with the Cartographers¡¯ Grandmaster? Every time I¡¯ve seen him he¡¯s given me a look as if I¡¯m dirt on the bottom of his shoe.¡± She gave him a sympathetic smile. ¡°Franklin Byrne is¡­ old-fashioned. Did you know that the Cartographers¡¯ Guild is the oldest of the four? He embodies that spirit. It was the first Guild to form in order to represent the growing group of people who could read the fabric of space and time. Traditionally there¡¯s been several old families that seem to carry on this lineage and he''s no exception. He¡¯s an academic, who comes from a line of academics, and he¡¯s proud of that fact.¡± He frowned. ¡°So he doesn¡¯t like that I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be certain, but if I had to guess it¡¯s more that he doesn¡¯t like that you upset the aptitude test in the way you did. He likes tradition; changing the test format was already a large roadblock for him to overcome, even if he did eventually come around to the idea. But then you showed up and obliterated it,¡± she placed her chin on her palm. ¡°So he¡¯s a snob. You don¡¯t seem like a snob though, why did you pick the Cartographers?¡± he joked. ¡°Well, we already spend the longest time studying, four years to be exact, at the Academy before we are permitted to become apprentices. By the time I was done I decided I didn''t want to leave. There¡¯s so many fascinating areas to research.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it,¡± he said, ¡°So next question, why do people look down upon the Labourers?¡± ¡°Ah, well, I think it¡¯s for the same reason you suspect Franklin of being unhappy with you. They¡¯re the newest Guild; the upstarts. They are a talented bunch, no question about it, and when they finally had taken enough disrespect from the other three Guilds it gave them the incentive they needed to become their own Guild. However, these types of disruptions to the social structure tend to upset people. And, they fundamentally do differ from the other three Guilds, so some people just never got behind it.¡± ¡°But we all go through the same schooling now. How can there still be that big of a difference?¡± he frowned. ¡°That¡¯s partially true. You will be in classes with them for the first year. The Labourer students are in the Academy for the shortest amount of time comparatively. Everyone learns the basics but they get to leave to begin their apprenticeship much earlier,¡± she explained. ¡°Gotcha. So they aren¡¯t seen as brainy as the Cartographers because they don''t lord over the others with their superior knowledge of how the world works, and they aren¡¯t as flashy or marketable as the Conductors or Controllers because they don''t bask in the spotlight at any opportunity? They needed their own place to fit in, is that right?¡± Olly smirked. ¡°Your words, not mine,¡± she shrugged, ¡°There¡¯s more to it though. Have you ever heard about the ¡®Guild Wars¡¯?¡± He shook his head no. "I¡¯m told it was ugly. I know the story from the academic realm but apparently it was a political bloodbath. But you¡¯d actually be in a better position than I would to figure that one out. Your uncle is in contact with the Mayor, yes? Why not just ask him? He¡¯s been around them long enough to have seen it all play out,¡± she suggested helpfully. Olly thought about it. It seemed laughable that a mere teenager, a student who hadn¡¯t even started his studies at the Academy, could just have unfettered access to the Mayor. But then again, he was feeling curious, and he liked talking with Delilah, so if it kept the conversation rolling he¡¯d have an excuse to see her again. They chatted lightly a bit longer and Olly checked his watch. He realized his uncle was probably finishing up the shopping so he bid her farewell, promising to let her know whatever he could find out. Sure enough, as he reached the front gates Eli was waiting for him, a few bags at his feet. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°All good?¡± Eli asked hopefully. ¡°Yeah, all good,¡± Olly said optimistically.
His chance to talk to the Mayor actually came sooner than he thought. The next day, as Olly walked into the house, he heard two male voices carrying on in a friendly manner. They rarely had visitors; Abigail had been the first person in a very long time. He walked into the kitchen to find his uncle and the Mayor. Eli in particular was in a far better mood than he had seen for quite some time. This may have been due to the empty bottle of wine sitting on the table with a second one well on its way to being finished. ¡°There he is!¡± Tarry cried out jovially, ¡°I just so happened to have business in the borough and I realized I should come to congratulate you in person. You weren¡¯t here so your uncle entertained me for a bit.¡± ¡°Well, you found me!¡± Olly said half-playing along. He didn¡¯t know why they bothered to be discreet when they met up. He had grown up seeing the Mayor, and while the visits had become increasingly less frequent as his political star rose, it wasn¡¯t exactly a surprise to see him. They clearly went back a long way. Oh right, they weren¡¯t friends though. His uncle had dramatically clarified that to him. Whatever they were, they were close enough to get drunk together. More importantly, he wondered if they were drunk enough to answer his questions. There was only one way to find out. ¡°So what can you tell me about the Guild Wars?¡± Olly asked, not beating around the bush. The effects were immediate. Eli, who was leaning back in his chair, had to pitch forward to stop himself from falling backwards. Tarry began to choke on the sip of drink he had just taken. Olly watched the scene impassively, something about watching powerful, cool men reduced to a state of shock entirely by his doing was a nice change of pace. Scrambling to recover his dignity, Tarry tried to recover his voice. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± he wheezed. Olly smirked. ¡°Curiosity mostly, but it came up in conversation that you kind of lived through it.¡± ¡°I did, but I was just a borough councillor at the time. It was before I was even elected as Mayor of Occaigh,¡± Tarry explained, seemingly sobering up. ¡°But surely you saw it firsthand, right?¡± Olly pressed. ¡°Kid, what brought this on?¡± Eli asked, floating his hand up questioningly. His eyes were narrowed slightly in suspicion. ¡°I just¡­ fine. There was a girl in our incoming class who was really snooty and made some unkind comments about the Labourers. She said they weren¡¯t a real Guild, and it upset my friend because her sister was a Labourer. And then I heard about the Guild Wars and what a mess that was, so I wanted to hear it for myself from someone who was around,¡± he explained. Eli and Tarry exchanged a glance. Tarry sighed. ¡°Yeah, that sounds right. That¡¯s a pervasive attitude, even today. And what you¡¯ve heard is probably right. It was downright ugly and we saw the worst parts of the Guilds come out in those days.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a good time for anyone, back then. Times were tough everywhere but life was pretty unsafe in this borough at the time,¡± Eli chimed in. ¡°For the record, and this is public record, but I always voted in favour of the Labourers,¡± Tarry added magnanimously. Eli rolled his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s great and all, but what was it about?¡± Olly pressed. Tarry sighed. ¡°When the Labourers decided to seek Guild status they were refused outright, practically laughed out of the room. This obviously didn¡¯t sit well with them and so they withdrew all activities. The other Guilds attempted to recruit new Labourers, or entice some of them back over, but the pre-Guild forcibly blocked these tactics by banding together and denouncing anyone who crossed the line. It was an ugly event that lasted for months but eventually when the safety and integrity of the new tunnels were called into question their demands for recognition were finally granted.¡± ¡°So there used to be safety concerns?¡± Olly asked, confused. ¡°I thought the recent collapse was the first time that came up?¡± ¡°Well, yes, that technically was the first and only time. Before that it was more a quality of training and work related concern. The tunnels weren¡¯t quite as polished as they are now, and the Conductors could hire just anyone they wanted without vetting them first. It basically made the Labourers look foolish and unqualified when the finished product wasn¡¯t up to snuff.¡± ¡°Got it. So when the Labourers weren¡¯t working nobody could go on without them?¡± Olly asked. ¡°Exactly. Between the Labourers¡¯ consistent pushing, and public and political pressure, the other three Guilds folded,¡± Tarry nodded. ¡°Good for them,¡± Olly said, but he felt underwhelmed. It didn¡¯t seem nearly as dramatic as Delilah made it out to be. ¡°But to your point, even today not everyone is fully onboard. However, it doesn¡¯t have any bearing on their intelligence, nor are they any less important than the others,¡± Tarry concluded decisively. The three of them fell silent. Olly almost felt bad for bringing down the mood. Tarry was the first to pick himself back up. ¡°Well, to end on a happier note, why don¡¯t we toast to your success as you navigate your new path in life. Are you old enough to drink?¡± Eli said ¡°No¡±, Olly said ¡°Yes¡±. They stared at each other in a stalemate until Eli rolled his eyes and made a noise of defeat. ¡°Fine, just this once,¡± Eli surrendered while Tarry looked pointedly at him. Tarry gave a small smile and poured Olly a glass of the wine they were close to finishing. ¡°To your success at the Academy!¡± Tarry proposed happily. They clinked glasses, and Olly felt pride bubbling up inside. The conversation continued, and neither of them suggested Olly was unwelcome in any way. And when Olly finally went to bed, later that night, he could still hear their mirthful conversation taking place. As he laid in bed, he felt underneath his pillow for his badge. The cool metal felt reassuring in his hand and he squeezed it tightly.
Much later that night, when only a few people were still lingering outside, a tunnel connecting the central tunnel station to the first borough snapped in the middle like a rubber band. Twin shockwaves generated from the snap ran in opposite directions down the lengths of the tunnel, instantly vapourizing all pedestrians who had the misfortune of walking through it at the time. The forceful decompression ejected the bricks that lined the tunnel openings out either end, leaving only a pile of rubble. The shockwaves continued several hundred metres from either end of the tunnel entrances, leaving a trail of wreckage in their wake. Ripped up trees and debris were thrown effortlessly across the surrounding streets. One parked car was flung several metres back, landing on its roof. A few unfortunate bystanders were blasted off their feet before they could process what had happened. All was silent as the shockwaves finally died out, and then the sirens began to whine. Chapter 20: Unannounced Eli Briggs Eli woke up early, nursing a hangover that threatened to turn his stomach. He collapsed on the couch heavily and let his head loll against the backrest. He rubbed his face with his hands, leaving them there for a moment to block out the light. Last night was unexpected. Tarry showing up at his front door unannounced with a bottle of wine had left Eli stunned, to say the least. Mostly because Eli didn¡¯t think he had that level of impulsiveness in him. He would be impressed if it weren''t so out of character. Once the initial shock had worn off Eli had invited him in, of course. Or rather, yanked him in to avoid potential gawkers. Staring at the ceiling, he thought back to the conversation that had taken place in his doorway last night. ¡°Good lord man, do your handlers know you¡¯re here?¡± Eli looked through the keyhole scanning for potential watchers. ¡°Nope, I gave them the slip today,¡± Tarry confessed with a grin. Eli was dumbfounded. He pinched his forehead while sighing. ¡°Why do I bother trying to protect your image?¡± But as he said it he immediately noticed the way Tarry¡¯s smile fell a fraction of an inch. ¡°Okay, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing! Can¡¯t I just pop in and say hello to an old friend?¡± Tarry asked innocently. ¡°No,¡± Eli said, deadpanned, ¡°Where were you really supposed to be today?¡± Tarry put a hand on his chest looking scandalized by the question. Eli gave him a withering stare until Tarry gave up his game with a sigh. ¡°I was supposed to be in Aspir for a meeting. I didn¡¯t want to go so I sent the organizer a message and decided to come here instead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered, really. But consider me suspicious of your motives,¡± Eli insisted. The bravado fell away and Tarry looked torn. ¡°What?¡± Eli asked, his suspicions beginning to drop. ¡°Francine is leaving me.¡± Eli felt a rush of guilt and softened. ¡°Shit. I¡¯m sorry,¡± he moved out of the way to let him in, ¡°Okay, now that you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you have a seat and we can talk about it.¡± As the wine loosened his lips Tarry talked about everything that was seemingly bothering him. Spouses who couldn¡¯t handle his schedule. Grandmasters who were seemingly playing their own games. The inquest findings were set to drop within the next month. Eli didn¡¯t press for details, it was already a dangerous game that Tarry was potentially playing in being here, but he did take mental notes. From the political and academic side, they didn¡¯t want to mar the new school year at the Academy with the findings, good or bad. Eli could respect that. Selfishly, he didn¡¯t want Olly¡¯s first experiences at the Academy to be sullied by the findings. Tarry hadn¡¯t provided any insights into the content and Eli didn¡¯t ask, but he did say that he was worried about the potential fallout. Eli could put two and two together to know that someone was going to take the fall. After Olly came home they abandoned that conversation. And after the slightly unexpected conversation about the Guild Wars, Olly went to bed and then they found themselves too drunk to talk about anything serious so they instead talked about their past. Of all the unusual things that had happened that night, that was the most unexpected part. They had never really been the type of reminisce together; neither were particularly nostalgic. In Tarry¡¯s case, it was likely because any connection to someone like Eli would be detrimental to his career. And yet Tarry couldn¡¯t seem to let go. It was curious to Eli how the man who was now losing spouse number three had insisted on keeping him in his life. If anything, Eli had willingly placed the distance between them, allowing Tarry the space to let his political ambitions grow. He was fine to let go, if anything it made his life less complicated by holding Tarry at an arm¡¯s distance. If something went wrong he wouldn¡¯t feel personally guilty. But last night Eli was reminded that underneath the polished political persona was a person who was quick witted and fun. The Tarry he used to know was the one who showed up on his doorstep that night. Those days seemed so long ago and yet, for an evening, it was like nothing had changed. Last night he saw the version of Tarry that had a sly streak to him and who could be conniving. The one who Eli had orchestrated his election wins by gaining voters on his behalf in the lower boroughs. It was true he had a lot to gain in helping him, but he did believe in Tarry. He wouldn¡¯t have backed someone who hadn¡¯t supported improvements to life in the sixteenth. His hangover was showing no sign of abating so he got to his feet and slunk to the kitchen for a glass of water. He turned on the television as a distraction from the pounding in his head. As he slowly sipped the water he was only half-aware of the content on the news. However, he did a double take as he saw footage of what appeared to be a recent disaster scene. ¡°The Mayor is still unaccounted for after the collapse. We are live on the scene -¡± the anchor stated sombrely. He dropped his glass and paid no attention when it shattered on the floor. He rushed back into the living room, the pain in his head forgotten, as he stared at the screen. The news was displaying a recent collapse in Occaigh. Just last night an intercity tunnel had collapsed and a few people had been reported missing, including the Mayor. ¡°Shit, shit, shit!¡± he hissed, ¡°Fuck!¡± He rushed upstairs and threw open the guest room door. He shook the snoring figure on the bed. ¡°Wake up!¡± he barked, jostling Tarry out of his slumber. ¡°Wha-?¡± Tarry was slow to rouse, looking around blearily. ¡°We¡¯ve got big problems!¡± Eli insisted emphatically. That seemed to awaken him a little more forcefully. ¡°What kind of problems?¡± Tarry demanded. ¡°Tunnel problems. Meet me downstairs, you need to see it for yourself.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before they stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the television, watching the news. Tarry held a hand to his mouth in shock. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening,¡± he said in a hushed voice, ¡°Not in my city.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to tell you what to do but you likely need to get out of here immediately so I don¡¯t suggest delaying in calling Francine. If no one has been able to get ahold of you I¡¯d suspect she''s the one who reported you missing. She could probably get in touch with your people to get you out of here,¡± Eli suggested. ¡°Perhaps. But I suspect there¡¯s many people trying to get ahold of me right now so it could have been anyone,¡± Tarry responded with a groan. ¡°Make that call then. There¡¯s little explanation that will look good but perhaps the relief of you being safe will at least distract from the reason you were unreachable all morning.¡± Tarry let out a shuddering breath and Eli caught him before his legs gave out. He grasped his arm and lowered Tarry into a chair. ¡°I¡­ I would¡¯ve taken that tunnel last night. I can¡¯t be entirely sure but if I had gone to Aspir for my meeting as planned the timing would have been close.¡± He seemed to buckle under the weight of that realization and Eli too felt winded by that piece of information. ¡°Listen, I can¡¯t promise much, but I can promise that I will immediately put out feelers and see what kind of insights I can find,¡± Eli promised. Tarry remained silent and still for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll go make that call,¡± was all he managed to say, and he excused himself from the room. Eli chewed his nail pensively as he waited, still watching the television flash to images of the scene of the collapse. It only took a few minutes and after it was done Tarry was ready to leave almost immediately. Eli didn''t ask what he plans to get back to the first were but he hoped he would be discreet. Tarry had one hand on the knob at the ready. ¡°Hey Tarry?¡± Eli asked. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Be careful out there and¡­ I¡¯m sorry for the upcoming days you¡¯re going to have,¡± Eli said. Even if he had nothing to do with Tarry¡¯s predicament, he meant it. Tarry nodded remorsefully. ¡°Thanks.¡± He pulled his hat down and collar high and turned to leave without another word. It had been an unexpected sort of evening in more ways than one, Eli thought morosely to himself, staring at the door for longer than he''d care to admit. 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Tarry Bennett Tarry hustled as fast as he could, keeping his gaze low. He just needed to make it to the fourth borough unnoticed. He had instructed his contact to meet him outside one of the main tunnels. At the very least if he was seen his movements would be less suspicious in that area of the city. Any borough lower than that would just open unwanted attention. He¡¯d have to deny his whereabouts from last night but he knew Eli would understand. There was just no reasonable excuse as to why he would¡¯ve been unresponsive and holding out in the sixteenth when his city needed him. He cursed himself. How could he have been so careless? He showed up, unannounced and undisguised on Eli¡¯s doorstep. He could understand Eli¡¯s confusion. It had been reckless and stupid. And yet, despite the hurt he had felt by his wife telling him she couldn¡¯t do it anymore, he couldn¡¯t think of anywhere else he wanted to be. He couldn¡¯t think of anyone else that wouldn¡¯t judge him or look down on him except for Eli. He was just about to cross the tunnel between the fifth to the fourth borough when Alzira intercepted him. He looked at her quizzically as she power walked towards him. This wasn¡¯t where he had told her to meet him. ¡°Found you,¡± she said hurriedly and grasped his arm, ¡°Walk with me.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± he asked as she pulled him away from the tunnel. ¡°The press are camping out on the other side of that tunnel. If you walk out of there looking as dishevelled as you currently do you¡¯re going to be ambushed by camera flashes and people shoving microphones in your face. I¡¯ve got Controllers set up around the major access points so it¡¯s at least diverting attention to those areas and I''ve got a car waiting for us nearby instead. It¡¯ll be far less conspicuous than walking.¡± He nodded and wordlessly allowed her to lead him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you coordinate with your staff to have someone pick you up at sixteenth?¡± she continued, ¡°Journeying back on foot was colossally stupid. But instead, you called me, insisting it was the only way. Are you avoiding your staff too along with Francine?¡± He went silent. ¡°I thought so,¡± she said simply. She wasn¡¯t rubbing it in at least. They reached the car. It was still early in the morning and the news was only just breaking but bystanders were gathering. He tried to avoid eye contact and hoped it would be enough. It wasn¡¯t until they ducked into the car that he felt the tension leave his body only to be replaced with a pitiful helplessness. Alzira appeared agitated. ¡°This is unlike you. What¡¯s going on with you? Why did you call me instead of your wife? She¡¯s beside herself by the way.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t feel like I have many allies right now,¡± he confessed. ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± she admitted, but looked slightly relieved, ¡°Though I am glad to hear you say it. It means I haven¡¯t lost you yet.¡± This moved him slightly out of the funk that had settled around him. He looked at her quizzically. ¡°Now that I feel like we¡¯re on the same page, I need to share my suspicions. You could be in danger and leaving for the sixteenth without telling anyone just may have saved your life. I¡¯m only telling you this because I trust you, but you need to play your part very, very carefully from this point forward. Consider me your only ally in the Grandmasters.¡± He gripped his arms as he took it all in. It hardly surprised him that his life could be threatened; his life had already been consumed by this position. There was nothing left for it to take if not for his last breaths. Since the initial shock of seeing the news, he had avoided thinking about the implications of this collapse. Selfishly and secretly, Tarry almost wanted to be caught by the press leaving the sixteenth. He wanted to be given a reason to stop caring. He left Eli¡¯s house in a rush, not really caring about who found him first. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was strong enough to deal with the implications. And yet, he couldn¡¯t just leave. The guilt of walking away would kill him. His city was bleeding and it needed him. ¡°Alright, seems like I¡¯ve got my work cut out for me.¡± He could feel himself snapping out of it as clarity returned to his mind. ¡°What do you suggest I do?¡± ¡°Firstly, get your story straight. If you appear weak it could be used against you. I suggest you work with the fact you and your wife are separating. Say you¡¯ve been living apart for awhile and you were staying at your new apartment in the fourth borough. And then actually follow through and get an apartment in the fourth borough, one that only you can access.¡± ¡°I never told you my wife was leaving me,¡± he rolled his eyes, ¡°But if you already knew, why bother asking me why I called you instead of her?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to, it was obvious. Also I wanted to see how you responded,¡± she said somewhat smugly. ¡°Fine, but that doesn¡¯t help my story.¡± ¡°No, but I do think there¡¯s another piece you could leverage. You¡¯ve never blown off a meeting before so they are suspicious. However, you could show your hand and say that intelligence suggested you were in danger if you left the city. Nobody in your camp had told the press anything about your whereabouts or your calendar, but they also didn¡¯t know where you were so you have already caught them off guard once. It would be the ultimate power move to tell them and let them spin the PR,¡± she instructed as they drove into the third borough. Tarry could see a crowd was forming outside one of the other tunnel stations. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s anyone in my camp working against me?¡± he questioned. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust anyone. And openly insisting you¡¯re worried about your safety would potentially help reveal any moles.¡± He took it all in, heart sinking. ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± ¡°More importantly, why should I trust you?¡± he thought to himself. ¡°Because¡­ While some would welcome it, removing you from power would be the worst turn of events for this city and the world. Flexibilis needs you Tarry and I¡¯m scared of what¡¯s to come.¡± He considered this. One thing he had been right about was that the first collapse was just the beginning. And while this was the second public collapse, there had already been a secret collapse in between that still hadn''t been picked up by the press. "Have you found anything out regarding the other collapse?" She looked pained. They had just reached the back entrance to his office, out of site of the crowd gathering at the front. "Yes, and we need to talk later about it, but you need to go sort this mess out now. I''ll join the other Grandmasters; my absence will definitely be noticed but I''ll continue to search for information from within." That was in no way a reassuring answer, but he exited the car and thanked her sincerely for all her help.
Eli Briggs Eli watched the Mayor¡¯s press release with Olly that evening. The news that the Mayor was safe was met with relief from some of the populace and derision from the rest. Tarry¡¯s speech was appropriately sombre and spoke to the deceased; five people were confirmed dead and another three were injured. He did not speak to his whereabouts and instead merely commented that he was away on other business by way of explaining his absence. He spoke of justice and ensuring tunnel safety, but Eli knew it was too late. This was the second collapse and it had taken place within a major city; it would not be brushed off so easily. The news was already showing protests and demonstrations outside tunnels and traffic had been reported as being significantly reduced. It was a mess and it was only going to get worse. He side eyed Olly, wondering if he was ready. When the first tunnel collapsed he knew that he had to set the path in motion to get him out of here, but even he hadn¡¯t expected a second collapse to happen so close to home. It shook him to his core. Tarry showing up on his doorstep right before such a public tragedy also was extraordinarily poor timing. However, the collapse of a tunnel that the Mayor was supposed to be using the very night was downright suspicious. Eli did intend to tap into his network but selfishly it wasn''t just for Tarry¡¯s safety anymore. A sudden crash jolted them both to their feet. Olly motioned to investigate the source of the noise but Eli held a hand to his chest and raised a finger to his lips. He slowly moved towards the front door while retrieving a blade that he kept in his inner jacket pocket. The source of the noise was quickly discovered. A brick was sitting in the front hallway, shattered glass glittering around it. A piece of paper was tied around it. With a steady hand, Eli avoided the glass and carefully untied the note. ¡°What does it say?¡± Olly had appeared behind him and Eli hated how small his voice sounded. ¡®Mayor¡¯s Pet¡¯ was scrawled hastily across the paper. Eli crushed it in his hand. This is why he wasn¡¯t friends with Tarry. This is why he couldn¡¯t be friends with Tarry. Because anytime shit went down it wasn¡¯t people like the Mayor who would have to suffer the consequences. Tarry was certainly fine with coming down here when he needed something, but he had likely given no thought to Eli or Olly¡¯s safety. Avoiding the rage that was growing within him, Eli did his best to board the window, pledging to get it fixed in the morning. He opted to sleep on the couch that night, keeping his blade close by. Despite it being a henceforth quiet night sleep never came. The sanctuary of the house felt tainted.
Tarry Bennett It was quite late when Tarry made it back to his penthouse that night. He wasn¡¯t certain as to what he would find but it certainly wasn¡¯t Francine throwing herself at him. She sobbed into his chest, immediately filling him with guilt for not coming home sooner. In truth, he hadn¡¯t rushed home because he assumed she might not be there. And the idea of coming back to an empty house after such a horrible day made his heart feel like it was breaking all over again. However, feeling her in his arms brought him the only spark of joy he had felt all day. And when he felt her lips pressed to his, any thoughts of letting her walk away instantly evaporated. As they lay in bed that night, cradled in each other¡¯s arms, he promised her that he would be taking the utmost precautions. He promised to not let his work come between them. He would have promised anything if it made her stay. To her credit, she also apologized for putting him in a position between choosing between his job and her. She knew that his job was important and that the city had never been more in need of a stable leader. She told him that when his counsel had reached out to tell her that he hadn¡¯t responded to any of their urgent calls she wished and hoped for any chance that he was alive. When it was confirmed that he had come back she had burst into tears and that''s when she knew that she couldn¡¯t lose him again. It warmed him to hear it and he held her tighter. She had asked him where he had been last night. There was no suspicion, just curiosity. He was happy to tell her, knowing that she also trusted Eli. She seemed pleased to hear that he had sought comfort in a friend and was relieved by the news. She promised to thank Eli for being there for him and he agreed to do the same. His conversation with Alzira resonated through his mind. He had so few people he could trust and Eli was one of only a handful. He wondered with Olly going away if there was a way to bring Eli up out of the sixteenth, perhaps as a staffer. He knew it would be risky but these were tough times, and he would need as many allies as possible. He made a mental note to ask him after Olly officially started, hoping some of the dust would settle by then. Chapter 21: Central Tunnel Station Olly Briggs ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°Yes, you are.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. I won¡¯t leave you here alone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not an option for you.¡± Olly grumbled. This had been an ongoing argument since the brick had sailed through their front window and shattered his ambitions of leaving. His uncle had it replaced quickly and there hadn¡¯t been any further issues, but despite this Olly was worried. Currently, his uncle was seated across from him at the table reading the newspaper with one leg casually crossed over the other. It was covering his face so Olly couldn¡¯t read his expression but his tone suggested there would be no swaying him. A page shuffled. ¡°Have you packed yet?¡± He inwardly groaned. They were due to travel to Donnol that afternoon so that Olly could begin his first term at the Academy. However, he had stubbornly refused to pack; once his belongings were contained within that suitcase there was no turning back. ¡°No,¡± he admitted. The paper lowered slightly, revealing an exasperated look in his uncle¡¯s eyes and a furrowed brow. ¡°You don¡¯t have much time, I suggest that you get a move on.¡± When Olly didn¡¯t move he sighed and lowered the paper to the table. ¡°I can see that you won¡¯t be so easily told what to do. So what can I do to make this easier for both of us?¡± Olly was disarmed. He knew he had been pressing buttons so he fully expected an argument. However, his uncle was seemingly determined to prevent one. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ The Mayor coming here clearly put you in a weird position. I¡¯m worried if I leave for the Academy now you¡¯re going to be even worse off for it.¡± Eli leaned back, folding his hands across his stomach. ¡°You¡¯re probably not wrong. I won¡¯t lie to you that dynamics are changing here but I did account for this. I knew this was a risk and I don¡¯t intend to stay here forever. But believe me, it¡¯s much better for you to be in the Academy than it is in the sixteenth.¡± ¡°Where would you go?¡± Olly asked hopefully, ¡°And what about Hijinks?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. Maybe Aspir, maybe somewhere else. And Hijinks is more than a building. The building is just a place where I buy and sell information, and I can do that anywhere. The business can be anything that suits the location.¡± Olly wasn''t shocked by this confession. He always knew it was more than just a bar and games room. His uncle often had other business to attend to elsewhere; with the time he spent away from Hijinks, there was no way it was just about liquor and games. ¡°Do you intend for me to supply you with information to sell?¡± Olly asked. It wasn¡¯t an interrogation, merely establishing facts. Eli smiled. ¡°No. I don¡¯t intend to dabble with the Grandmasters and their drama. My hope for you is that you use your new position to gain all the insights that you can and use them for yourself. I won''t lie though, you¡¯ll face an uphill battle with the visibility that you¡¯ve bought yourself. And despite the way you shattered my plans for you to remain shrouded in the shadows, I anticipate you will still find a way to use information to your advantage. You¡¯ve stubbornly insisted on carving your own path so you might as well make it yours but I hope something of me has rubbed off on you.¡± Olly still knew there was more to it. His uncle had told him as much when they had fought over his choice to become a Conductor instead of a Cartographer as originally planned. And yet he believed his motives. Eli rarely gave away his hand. On the few occasions that Olly had watched him play poker in the games room, he maintained the stoniest face in the room and rarely lost. He had no tells, but he always used other people¡¯s expressions against them. It seemed like only Olly had properly been able to out-maneuver him of late, and even then it was clear that they were still on the same side. There was still something that concerned Olly though. ¡°Are you worried about further retaliation?¡± ¡°Even if I was, how could you help me?¡± he countered. It wasn¡¯t intended as a slight, merely a fact. Olly said nothing, knowing there was nothing that would change his uncle¡¯s mind. ¡°I¡¯ll go pack,¡± he acquiesced. ¡°Good idea,¡± Eli reached for his paper again.
It was time to leave and Olly looked around the neighbourhood mournfully. He would miss the feeling of home. They were going to travel by car to the central tunnel station; there was too much to carry on foot and it was better to miss the tunnel systems right now. The car service hadn¡¯t arrived yet so Olly had decided to go for a final walk. The feeling was strange. This would always be his first home, for better or for worse. He wouldn¡¯t miss all of it certainly; in the last several months he had begun to see an uglier side of the sixteenth. But he also knew that coming from here would certainly be held as a weapon against him, so he maintained a strange sort of pride about coming from up the bottom. He had learned from the package about his parents that his uncle had given him that neither Eli nor his parents were originally from here. But Eli apparently had settled here sometime around the time of Olly''s parents dying and seemed to be a mainstay now. Most people from the sixteenth were born, raised, and died here, so he suspected that was part of the reason why Eli had designs for him to leave. ¡°Traitor.¡± A voice came from a nearby porch and he swivelled to face it. A few of the former regulars who had stopped coming to Hijinks were sitting on Leroy¡¯s fathers'' porch. They appeared to have been drinking heavily and smugly looked down on him on the sidewalk. He decided to ignore it, he had places to be and didn¡¯t need a fight on his hands. He turned without a word but they decided they weren¡¯t done. ¡°Figures, you¡¯re just like your uncle. Cowardly, and always thinking you¡¯re better than us. Go suck up to your new friends at your fancy school, maybe they''ll give you a second look one day.¡± He felt his jaw clenched and willed himself to keep walking. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Do you think the Mayor will run down to protect him when we -¡± Olly whirled around, feeling a surge of power rush through his arm. He found that while he couldn¡¯t stop it, he could aim it. He settled on the corner of the house and watched as one of the loose bricks disintegrated into dust. ¡°Finish that sentence!¡± he demanded. They had ducked for cover and were watching him walk towards them with fearful eyes. ¡°Just a joke -¡± one weakly began to say. ¡°If I hear even a hint of another ¡®joke¡¯ I will punch a tunnel straight from Donnol through your house. You will not threaten my home or my family,¡± he growled, ¡°Got it?¡± They continued to cower. ¡°Good,¡± he said coldly, turning on his heel before they could see the horror that had taken over his face. He willed himself to walk deliberately until he reached the corner. Once he was out of sight he ran home as fast as his legs could carry him. That was the first time he had some semblance of control of over power and while he hadn''t willed it to come to him, it did offer him a theory. Perhaps once he was at the Academy he could talk to someone about it. Just without telling them that he had used it to threaten someone else and cause property damage. On the plus side, it might force some of the people who meant his uncle harm to think twice before they did anything stupid. He was out of breath by the time he reached the house, and saw his uncle putting his bags into the car. ¡°Ready to leave?¡± Eli asked, looking curiously at Olly who was clutching a stitch in his side. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡± Eli didn¡¯t ask further questions and Olly didn¡¯t offer anything up.
The roads leading to their destination, the central tunnel station, occasionally intersected outside tunnel access points and when they did it was jarring to see the state of affairs. Protests were breaking out in full force. There didn¡¯t seem to be any signs of violence but Olly could detect numerous Controllers in their black uniforms milling around the entrances. While they were stopped at a light he took in the scene before him. They seemed to be making sure that the protests did not block access to the tunnels but the crowd seemed to be actively booing them. Strangely enough, it only got worse the closer they got to the first borough. Around the eighth borough, the protest numbers were in the dozens. By the fourth borough, there seemed to be over one hundred people. ¡°What could the Controllers do if people started acting out?¡± Olly turned to ask Eli. Eli had been looking out his own window at the display. ¡°Likely nothing, they don¡¯t carry weapons. Neither do most people for that matter, but they aren¡¯t used to civil unrest. Though I¡¯d hesitate to call it coordinated because it¡¯s mostly just people collectively becoming angrier.¡± ¡°What do you think is going to happen here?¡± Eli pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯m not sure but since this happened in the first borough and likely impacted people from the highest social standings I suspect there will be calls for action against the Guilds.¡± ¡°Good timing,¡± Olly said cynically. ¡°The Academy is far away enough, you¡¯ll be far removed from this, fortunately,¡± Eli went back to looking out his window. ¡°Have you talked to -¡± Olly began to ask but his uncle cut him off before he could finish the question. ¡°No.¡± ¡°How did you know what I was going to say?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to finish it, and I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t,¡± Eli looked annoyed. It was curious to Olly; he wondered if Eli blamed Tarry for the brick. He suspected he didn¡¯t blame the Mayor so much as he blamed himself though. He had steadfastly insisted to Olly previously that they were not friends and could never be friends, and Olly was beginning to see his point. They had a history, that much was true, but the history couldn''t bridge the gaps between their current worlds. Allowing the Mayor into their house to honour that history had been a bad move, compounded by even worse timing. When he woke up the morning after he found his uncle sitting on the couch alone, looking grim. It was then that Olly turned his attention to the news and noticed that the Mayor was considered missing. Before he could ask after his whereabouts, Eli had stated that he was fine in an unreadable tone. Olly put two and two together, realizing in horror that the Mayor had stayed the night while this was ongoing, and nobody had been able to find him because of it. They had watched the news together all day, enduring the play-by-play of events. First, the mayor was found, with the only explanation provided indicating he had been away on other business. Then people on the streets were interviewed. Most of them openly disparaged the safety of the tunnels and asked how this could happen in their borough. Once it was announced that the Mayor was safe, many called for accountability from him. So-called experts provided their opinions and theories; it was a mess. By the time the Mayor had taken the stage, there was little to do to salvage the situation. Olly wondered how it was even possible for him to be drinking at their house one night and then addressing the city the next. ¡°Will they close down the other tunnels?¡± he asked, wondering if using the central tunnel station was going to be a problem. ¡°They can¡¯t, at least not right now. It would shut down the city, not even the Mayor could make that call on his own even if he was under pressure.¡± They reached the central tunnel station and Olly was able to see the full scale of the aftermath. It was the largest crowd they had seen all day and it was several hundred people deep, surrounding the magnificent building. There were dozens of Controllers maintaining a boundary between the crowd and the front entrance so that people who needed to access the station could do so without facing the crowd head-on. He had been here the last time he traveled to Donnol, but to say that the collapse had changed the ambiance was an understatement. The intercity tunnel entrances were located on the outside. The collapse had taken place between the downtown of the first borough and the central tunnel station and the collapse entrance was entirely cordoned off. Olly could see authorities, mainly Guild personnel, moving in and out of a large tarped-off area. Something about it sent a shiver up his spine. Only tunnels leading outside of Occaigh were located within the building, which was where they were headed. Eli placed a guiding hand on his back and led him past the lineup of Controllers holding back the throngs of angry people. The crowd was shouting all around them. It wasn¡¯t entirely clear who was the subject or intended recipient of their calls but they were unfriendly. He wasn¡¯t quite sure why but Olly felt the inclination to keep his head down. They reached the colonnade that marked the entrance and found themselves in front of a temporary checkpoint. Two Controllers stood outside and they glowered down at them. ¡°State your business.¡± Olly gapped. Nobody had ever asked them about their movements before. ¡°We¡¯re citizens of Occaigh. I¡¯m escorting him to Donnol where he¡¯ll be starting at the Elite Academy of Higher Principles,¡± Eli responded matter-of-factly. They exchanged glances and Olly decided to dig out his badge from his pocket to expedite the process. As soon as they saw it, they motioned them to come forward, visibly relaxing. ¡°Good luck,¡± one of them called to him. That was the first time that Olly realized he was one of them now. He felt unsettled rather than proud; it felt like he was taking a side in a conflict that was not his own. He didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it further as they entered the grand building. It was a large, circular building and featured a gilded main concourse. A ticket booth was featured in the very center with a large, golden clock just behind it. The expansive space featured grand arched tunnel entrances, elegant chandeliers, and a marble floor featuring an intricate tunnel map. A large, spiral marble staircase led down to lower levels where other tunnels were located. As one traversed the staircase, each landing led to tunnel entrances which were manned by a Controller present to check tickets. In this station, there was one tunnel leading to each of the major cities as well as tunnels to some of the more well-traveled smaller cities and recreational areas. ¡°You ready?¡± Eli asked, and Olly unclenched his fist, releasing the tension that he had been unknowingly holding. ¡°Yeah, yeah I¡¯m ready.¡± They procured their tickets and began the short walk through the tunnel leading to Donnol. Chapter 22: The Academy Olly Briggs In comparison to Occaigh, Donnol was much calmer. Their central tunnel station had no protests or crowds. Nobody seemed tense or worried and Olly wondered if being home to the Academy meant that sentiments were more generally favourable to the Guilds. It gave him a sense of calm that he hadn¡¯t felt for some time. Once they exited the station he was surprised to find that a car was waiting for him. A porter was holding up a sign with his name on it. He saw a few other porters holding signs with names of classmates that he recognized. ¡°I think it¡¯s safe to say that you¡¯re going to have to get used to this treatment now,¡± Eli suggested beside him. As they flagged down his porter he immediately jumped forward to grasp Olly¡¯s belongings and packed them carefully in the car. The drive from Donnol¡¯s tunnel station to the Academy was short but this time they were treated to a meandering drive of the other parts of the grounds since they weren''t able to drive up the front walkway. They were as beautiful as Olly remembered however this time he was able to see even more. There was a large hedge maze and a statue garden, featuring even more mythological figures in a variety of poses. He only caught a glimpse but he swore he saw a statue that resembled a woman holding up a tablet that was broken into two pieces, cleaved with a lightning bolt pattern. He frowned but before he could get a better look it had already disappeared behind some trees. Before he knew it, they had followed the road that wrapped around to the front of the building. ¡°I¡¯ll take your bags to your room sir,¡± the porter instructed, ¡°You¡¯re expected inside where you¡¯ll be provided with your schedule for the evening.¡± They exited the car and Olly looked around. He was about to start his ascent up the stairs when he turned back to see Eli waiting at the bottom, wearing a small smile on his face. ¡°You¡¯re not coming inside?¡± he asked, feeling disappointment welling up within himself. Eli gave a small shrug, hands in his pockets. ¡°It¡¯s for the best that I don¡¯t, it''s not really my scene.¡± To his credit, other parents were accompanying their children in the cars but few appeared to be following them inside. This was it then, the place where they said their goodbyes. He just didn¡¯t feel ready. This was what he was actually dreading this morning, and he hadn¡¯t realized it until now. Leaving the sixteenth didn¡¯t mean much now, particularly after this morning''s experience, but he felt the desperate pain of this goodbye bubbling up in his chest. As if sensing his discomfort Eli stepped forward, arms open. ¡°It¡¯s not forever kid,¡± he said. Olly practically launched forward, gripping him tightly. ¡°When will I see you again?¡± he asked, voice muffled by his uncle¡¯s suit jacket. ¡°You can come home on the first break. Let me know when and I¡¯ll plan for it.¡± His arms wrapped around Olly. ¡°And don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be fine here. I believe in you.¡± Olly pulled away before he got emotional. ¡°I¡¯ll call you later, but trust me I don¡¯t expect you to remember me once you¡¯re beyond those doors,¡± Eli smirked, ¡°Go on kid, show them what you¡¯re made of.¡± Olly felt his resolve rising. ¡°Bye Uncle Eli,¡± he said softly. ¡°See you later kid.¡± Olly realized he was waiting for him to turn around first, so he gathered his courage and made the first step. He only faltered once to turn back and his uncle gave him an encouraging look and a small wave. It was the strength he needed to keep going so he turned around for good and didn¡¯t look back again. He released a breath as he made it inside and felt marginally less adrift as he collected his schedule from the volunteers in the atrium. It was only four in the afternoon and everyone had until five to arrive. The festivities were scheduled to take place in the common hall. First, there would be a welcome banquet, both for the new students and the returning students, and then there would be a reception for just his incoming class to interact with the Grandmasters and lecturers. He decided to find his room now that it had been assigned to him. As expected, his things had been carefully brought up and were neatly stacked against the wall. He hoped unpacking would take his mind off his concerns. He placed his normal clothes on one side of the closet and his formal school uniform on the other side. It made for an interesting contrast. They were permitted to wear normal, or civilian clothes, on evenings and weekends, though he suspected his classmates would have much finer clothes. His were almost entirely casual because he hadn¡¯t ever required formal clothes up until this point. He was grateful to have the uniforms though as something that would help him to fit in. The normal classroom attire was a white dress shirt, black slacks, and black shoes. However, for formal occasions, each Guild had a blazer styled in their own colour for their students to wear. As a Conductor student, his blazer was black. It was high-necked, lacking a proper lapel. Though it had a shiny silver zipper running to the top of the neck, it was adorned with a row of five silver buttons running vertically down either side of his chest. Each pair was connected by a black strip of fabric lined with silver stitching. The epaulets featured the Conductors¡¯ Guild crest, a sewing needle at the forefront of an interlocking brick wall, its thread weaving behind it. He was expected to wear it tonight. He tried it on and immediately liked the way it made him feel. Something about it was highly authoritative. And yet when he looked in the mirror he could scarcely recognize himself. It made him look more severe than he was used to seeing himself by emphasizing his dark hair and eyes. He placed his student badge on his chest to finish the look. Before he could preen any further there was a knock at the door. ¡°Helloooo,¡± Sarah called as he opened it, letting herself in around him. He smiled, immediately grateful for the company. She was also wearing her uniform. There were no differences between their uniforms, other than fit, so having someone else around wearing the same style made it feel more normal. ¡°How¡¯s the new digs?¡± she asked, flopping down onto his chair and looking around. ¡°Still unpacking, but good! Where¡¯s your room?¡± ¡°Just down the hall. We¡¯re basically neighbours. Although that girl we had the pleasure of meeting on Orientation Day, Odette Roberts, is also right across from me,¡± she rolled her eyes. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll be best friends by the end of it?¡± he smirked. ¡°Absolutely not. That¡¯s why you¡¯re here, buddy. You¡¯re officially my Academy best friend. They want us down for dinner soon, by the way, so you should probably finish getting dressed.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll meet you outside,¡± he grumbled, showing her the door dramatically. As he changed into his dress shirt and slacks he thought back to the time when he said he wasn¡¯t going to make friends here. He had never been happier to be wrong.
The banquet contained more food than he had ever seen in his life. He had never gone hungry, but he had also never witnessed such a massive selection at once. They had assigned seating within their classes and Guilds and he was grateful that he had been placed next to Sarah. She was trying to engage him in conversation in between him shoveling food in his mouth. ¡°So where are you from?¡± she asked, cutting her food far more deliberately than he was. ¡°Occaigh, you?¡± His answers were short and to the point. ¡°Towaat. Occaigh, huh? Wasn¡¯t there just another tunnel collapse there recently? Pretty scary stuff.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Odette was sitting close to them. ¡°I¡¯m from Aspir,¡± she interjected, sitting further away from her group of friends than she clearly would¡¯ve liked. Neither of them responded to her and she rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, it was an intercity tunnel,¡± he managed to choke out. ¡°Do you always eat like that?¡± Odette asked. ¡°Do you always butt into other people¡¯s conversations?¡± Sarah gave her a pointed look before turning back to Olly. ¡°So anyways, what¡¯s going on over there?¡± He swallowed thickly, deciding he was done with looking like a glutton. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not great. There was a huge protest when we traveled to Donnol today. People are furious.¡± ¡°It happened right in the first borough, didn¡¯t it? That¡¯s where all the important people in the city live, right?¡± Odette chimed in once again. ¡°It depends on your definition of important,¡± he responded. She opened her mouth to say something no doubt infuriating when Franklin Byrne stood up from his table. The four Grandmasters were eating at the front of the room together. As Franklin went to take the podium Olly turned to Sarah and muttered, ¡°Oh no, here we go.¡± She stifled a giggle as he began his latest long-winded speech. It wasn¡¯t much different than his other ones, and he similarly praised them for being the best of the best and wished them well into their new school year. However this time he asked the students of the incoming class to stand up. Feeling slightly self-conscious, Olly stood up with his cohort, joined by the new students sitting at the other Guilds'' tables. All eyes were on them and he felt his cheeks burning. ¡°These are the newest students of the Academy. For the mature students, be sure to be a beacon for them as they navigate these new waters. For the new students, look to your seniors for advice. These are your peers for the rest of your careers, you must look out for each other.¡± That was a new part of the speech. Franklin instructed them to sit down. ¡°As we may one day find ourselves entering challenging times, it¡¯s important to remember who your allies are. Everyone in this room is your ally, and it would do you all well to remember that.¡± He concluded his speech by telling them the reception would start promptly in fifteen minutes. ¡°That was different,¡± he murmured to Sarah under his breath. ¡°Do you think it has something to do with the collapse?¡± she asked, frowning slightly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised¡­¡± he trailed off, remembering his uncle¡¯s concern that there would be calls for action against the Guilds. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was just him but the tone seemed muted after that. The food was cleared away and the senior students began to exit, some of them clapping the new students on the shoulders and offering their greetings. They watched as the tables were pushed to the side and then, awkwardly, they were left alone in the room with just the Grandmasters and lecturers. Franklin seemed to laugh as he took in the sight of them. ¡°Ah, new students, you look the exact same every year and yet here I am growing older. You always seem to act the exact same too, gaggling around each other like prey animals trying to avoid a threat.¡± They all looked around and realized he was right. Not one new student had left the safety of the group. Slowly but surely they began to untangle themselves and the lecturers and Grandmasters dispersed themselves out amongst them. Sarah was chatting with the Labourers¡¯ Guild Grandmaster, Oleg Shevchuk, so Olly looked awkwardly around for someone to talk to instead. He noticed Delilah and she gave him a friendly wave. He was about to go greet her when Abigail intercepted him. ¡°Olly! There you are. I can¡¯t tell you how happy I was to see that you had accepted my offer.¡± She threw her arm around him in a way that suggested familiarity. Olly immediately could tell that he had gained his peers'' interest, not least of all Odette¡¯s who was watching him with wide eyes. She steered him right towards Franklin and he felt his panic rising. Something about Franklin seemed to shut off his brain. He could listen to his boring speeches but being in his vicinity made him feel very small. ¡°Franklin, you remember Olly Briggs, don¡¯t you? He¡¯s the one who absolutely obliterated the aptitude test. He was pledging for your Guild when he wrote it but I helped him see the light.¡± She basically shoved him in between them. Franklin looked at him with an unreadable expression before breaking into a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. ¡°Of course, how could I forget? So good to meet you in person, son,¡± he said, shaking Olly¡¯s hand with an uncomfortably and surprisingly strong grip, ¡°I have no doubt you¡¯ll be a valuable member of the Conductors¡¯ Guild, and this Academy.¡± ¡°Th-thank you, sir,¡± he stammered out. ¡°We¡¯ll certainly be expecting big things from you after that display. You certainly wield a different sort of magic than what I¡¯ve seen before, I¡¯ll be interested to see where it takes you,¡± Franklin suggested in a way that Olly did not find reassuring. ¡°Oh we are very interested in his talents, he will shine with us,¡± Abigail insisted. He felt like he was an unwilling participant in a competition he hadn¡¯t signed up for. ¡°I¡¯m sure he will,¡± Franklin conceded, ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse me. It was very nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Let me introduce you to some people,¡± Abigail said after Franklin had left, once again leading Olly around the room. He felt very much on parade and getting back to his room at the end of the night was extraordinarily relieving. He had come back to see a red voicemail light flashing on his phone. He listened to his uncle''s voice wishing him a happy first day and felt tears prick at his eyes. It was both comforting and made him deeply homesick. As he lay in his new bed in an unfamiliar place, he found himself unable to fall asleep. The entire day had been such a whirlwind that he felt like the morning had happened in a different lifetime. In some ways he supposed it had been. It was a long time before sleep took him that night, his mind was spinning with possibilities of what the future held for him here.
Eli Briggs Earlier that evening... Eli chose to walk back not wanting to be stuck in another car ride. He always felt more visible in a vehicle, particularly since most people walked and took tunnels. Besides, he was good at fading into a crowd, and when he got back to Occaigh and had to navigate them again he easily slipped into the swarms of protestors. It was also a good way to pick up some details he had missed from the journey to Donnol. There were plenty of people calling for the Mayor to resign; this was not something the news was openly indicating in their coverage. Many were demanding justice from the Guilds. Others were decrying tunnels and calling for their immediate closure. Despite the rabble, his trek home was uneventful. Something about coming back to an empty house was lonely in a way he hadn¡¯t anticipated. It would no doubt make leaving this place far easier, but for the first time in a very long time, he was in a position where absolutely no one would know or care about his comings and goings. The phone rang. Well, almost no one anyway. He picked it up. It would be far too early for Olly to call unless he was desperately homesick, but Eli suspected it was someone else. Someone he didn''t particularly want to talk to at the moment. ¡°Hello?¡± he answered cautiously. ¡°Hey¡­ It¡¯s me.¡± Eli felt his jaw clench. ¡°I see. What can I do for you now?¡± ¡°Nothing, I just wanted to apologize for the other night. It was foolish, I shouldn¡¯t have come around to your place.¡± ¡°Well, I shouldn¡¯t have let you in so let¡¯s call ourselves even,¡± Eli said coldly. There was a pause. ¡°I have an offer for you. Now that Olly has left, would you consider coming to work for me?¡± Eli blinked in disbelief. ¡°You still there?¡± ¡°Working for you how exactly?¡± Eli asked dangerously. ¡°I¡¯d like to bring you on as one of my staffers. I¡¯m going to need people I can trust. You¡¯d likely be able to leave the sixteenth, and we could no doubt come up with something believable about your backstory. Now that you have a nephew in the Academy you could also probably use that to your advantage,¡± Tarry suggested happily. Eli¡¯s knuckles were white from gripping the phone. ¡°Are you out of your fucking mind?¡± Another pause. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°In what world do you think I¡¯d want to work for you? All you do is take what you need, and when you''re satisfied you leave the rest of us to fend for ourselves when the other shoe drops. This isn¡¯t a fucking game Tarry. And I don¡¯t need you to save me from the sixteenth!¡± ¡°Eli, I need you. I need you here as my friend,¡± Tarry said sadly, after a moment of letting Eli¡¯s words sink in. Eli¡¯s blood was downright boiling. ¡°Well, you¡¯re certainly not my friend. And before you start declaring yourself anybody¡¯s friend I suggest you start thinking about what other people need for a change,¡± he spat bitterly before slamming the phone back down on the receiver. He held his hand to the phone, teeth gritted and blood rushing through his ears. ¡°Fuck him,¡± he thought, ¡°Fuck that selfish asshole.¡± He finally let go, letting himself fall heavily into a chair, rubbing a hand over his face. He didn¡¯t need him. He knew that Tarry wasn¡¯t lying about needing him but Eli did not need him. And yet, he couldn¡¯t help but feel even lonelier than he did before the phone call. At least he wasn¡¯t likely to see him around here anymore. And there would probably be fewer bricks thrown through his window to show for it. Chapter 23: First Day - Part I Olly Briggs As the night draped its mysterious cloak over the world, I stood in the heart of a dense stand of trees in the woods. The forest, though familiar, felt different tonight. The air was thick with an unseen presence and yet I was totally and utterly alone. ¡°Olly¡­¡± A disembodied voice whispered through the darkness. As if beckoned by the voice, my body was called to follow the path that twisted and turned through the trees. ¡°I¡¯ve been here before,¡± I thought to myself as my legs moved forward of their own accord. In the distance, a shimmering mirage stood atop a hill amidst a clearing, and the need to go investigate it overpowered my senses. As I drew closer, the mirage slowly dissolved into a cascade of shimmering dust, revealing a plain-looking door sitting at the top of a hill. The wind rustling through the trees seemed to scream at me ¡°Go, go forth!¡± I hesitated, hand outstretched towards the knob. ¡°Olly, come find me¡­¡± That voice again. I couldn¡¯t tell who its owner was but there was an urgency behind it. They needed my help. I gathered my resolve and placed my hand on the knob. As soon as I did the door melted away to reveal a dark, gaping tunnel. There was no light, just a black hole before me. I stumbled back but several hands connected to shadowy arms burst forward. They grabbed me roughly by the shoulder, the collar, and the neck and dragged me into the nothingness. "You belong with us Olly," a cacophony of several voices cackled around me from all directions. I tried to scream but no sound came out. The last thing I saw was the way my fingernails left deep grooves in the dirt before all light was removed from my world. Spiraling away from me until it was a mere pinprick in the distance before finally fizzling out.
Olly awoke the next morning with a jolt to his alarm blaring beside him. He looked sleepily around the room, not immediately recognizing his surroundings. ¡°Oh right,¡± he thought to himself, remembering the whirlwind day that was yesterday. He got to his feet with a groan. It was finally his first day at the Academy. It still didn¡¯t feel real that he was here. After getting dressed in his uniform he grabbed his schedule. In the first year, there were four core courses that every student was expected to take. These were Geography, Magical Science, Emergency Response, and World History. There was also a magical practicum that took place once per week in a laboratory. On top of that, Conductors and Labourers took a mandatory course, Tunnel Structure, together. Finally, Olly was expected to select three electives. He had more or less decided to join Sarah in taking Mythology but was torn on a few others. Atmospheric Forces seemed like an interesting choice because it spoke to weather patterns and day-night cycles. His uncle¡¯s previous comment on the night sky had jogged his memory and piqued his interest when he read the description. He was entirely stuck on the last course but he would have to fill his schedule somehow. He had until the end of the first week to officially pick out his electives so there was time at least. For his first day, he had World History at 8:30 sharp, followed by his first practicum. Then Geography and Magical Sciences took place in the afternoon. After cleaning up, he exited his room. He was about to knock on Sarah¡¯s door when Odette burst out of her room. ¡°Olly! Hi!¡± she cheerfully called to him. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Hi?¡± ¡°I wanted to ask, how did you get to know the Grandmaster so well?¡± she inquired innocently. Ah, right. He remembered the attention he received last night. ¡°You mean she¡¯s not like that with everyone?¡± he asked, faking a certain naivety, ¡°I¡¯m quite literally a nobody.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯re a nobody, not with her support. She practically flaunted you in front of Grandmaster Franklin!¡± That was technically true and it had been unexpected even to him. Sarah exited her room, looking between them quizzically. ¡°Ready to go to breakfast?¡± she asked. He nodded, before turning to Odette. She looked expectant and he realized her previous gaggle of friends was nowhere to be found. He made eye contact with Sarah who seemed to read his mind. ¡°Do you want to join us?¡± Sarah asked politely. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Odette brightened up. ¡°Of course!¡± They walked in relative silence. They still didn¡¯t quite know their way around so they took a couple of wrong turns before finding their way to the common hall for breakfast. Unlike last night¡¯s feast the food was served buffet-style along the far wall and while the selection was still leagues beyond what Olly was used to it didn¡¯t have quite as much fanfare. Bowen met up with them in the buffet line. ¡°Hey guys! Mind if I join you?¡± They happily greeted him and allowed him to cut in front as they served themselves. Olly looked around the room and could see that the table at the front had been elongated and various faculty members were seated up there, with Franklin¡¯s vacant headmaster chair in the middle. ¡°So what¡¯s your connection to this place?¡± Olly asked Odette once they were sitting down at one of the long tables. ¡°My father is a Conductor and my Grandfather before him was a Conductor. I¡¯m the third generation in my family,¡± she explained proudly. ¡°Is there a genetic component to magic? It seems like a lot of people here had family members who also attended the Academy and work for the Guilds,¡± he asked quizzically, digging into his eggs. Bowen spoke up, ¡°My preparatory school suggested there could be. But it doesn¡¯t really explain how some people come out of nowhere with crazy magical powers.¡± He looked pointedly at Olly. Olly felt his face burning. ¡°Not sure what you¡¯re talking about,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Oh that¡¯s right, the Grandmaster mentioned that. I wasn¡¯t close enough to see it happen but you were the one who figured out the test and blasted your way through the door, weren¡¯t you?¡± Odette asked. ¡°I mean, yeah, that was me. I¡¯m still not sure what it means though,¡± he admitted. ¡°Have you always wielded magic like that?¡± Bowen asked curiously. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t even until recently that I experienced it. I couldn¡¯t understand it when it first happened so my uncle took me to a Reader who, I don¡¯t know, got into my head a bit to try and understand it,¡± he explained. ¡°A Reader! They¡¯re just a bunch of fakes though, aren¡¯t they?¡± Odette asked, frowning. ¡°She seemed real enough and she had her own type of magic. It was strange,¡± Olly said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to a Reader but the main Guilds tend to denounce them,¡± Bowen said thoughtfully, ¡°I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s because, as far as the Guilds are concerned, even though we wield magic and they claim to wield magic, ours is rooted in validated truths and processes.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s a bit silly, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sarah asked, ¡°Apart from the very few people who seem to wield magic, it¡¯s still just nonsense to the general population. Who''s to say our brand of magic is more or less real than a Reader''s magic?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good point, but nobody can deny the tangible evidence of the work that our Guilds do; we''ve built tunnels between vastly different locations. Readers just claim to be able to see things normal people can''t. They do have their own Guild but it doesn¡¯t get a seat at the same table as ours because their work is just a lot less verifiable,¡± Bowen explained. ¡°Fine, so we¡¯re not agreeing on Readers today, but I think it¡¯s safe to say that the way Olly wields magic could teach us a lot about the way magic works," Sarah suggested. He could agree to that. He didn¡¯t want to tell them all openly, perhaps he¡¯d talk to Sarah alone later, but he had a theory. He just wasn¡¯t sure who could help him with it in the meantime. Just then he noticed that Grandmaster Abigail had entered the hall with Grandmaster Franklin. They seemed to be having an intense conversation as they walked to the front of the room. While Franklin reached his seat he sat down, but she did not appear to be staying. She exited the room immediately after their conversation. ¡°Hey, does anyone know if the Grandmasters stay here year round?¡± he asked. Odette shook her head. ¡°Only whoever is acting as Headmaster will remain living onsite full time. The rest have other Guild business and live closer to their Guild headquarters. They only come here for special occasions. Why?¡± He avoided the question, looking in the direction that Abigail had exited. ¡°I¡¯ll see you guys in class. Save me a seat, would you?¡± He left before they could respond and he walked away briskly. The main hallway from the common hall contained offshoots to smaller hallways that led to areas he wasn¡¯t familiar with, so he avoided those, hoping she hadn¡¯t ducked down one of them. It eventually connected with the atrium which was when he saw her again. He picked up his pace as she walked towards the front entrance. ¡°Excuse me, Grandmaster!¡± he called after her. She stopped and looked behind her, looking slightly annoyed at first. However, her face broke out into a grin as she saw him. ¡°Ah, Olly, don¡¯t you have to run along to your first class soon?¡± He looked at his watch; he only had fifteen minutes so he¡¯d have to make this quick and hope that he could find his way to class on time. ¡°Yes, but I wanted to ask you something. If you have time of course.¡± ¡°I do, what can I help you with?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°My magic, it¡¯s different than everybody else¡¯s, isn¡¯t it?¡± She cocked her head. ¡°It¡¯s certainly unlike what we normally see here. Whether it¡¯s entirely unique remains to be seen, but I am curious about it. No doubt you are as well.¡± ¡°I am, and I want to learn more about it. However, the last time we spoke, when you came to give me my offer in person, I told you I didn¡¯t know how to control it. However, before I arrived at the school there was a, uh, small incident when I felt I could control it. I didn¡¯t call it, it came to me, but I was able to direct it where I wanted it to go,¡± he explained. He felt like he could trust her, she seemed to want to actually help him. She brightened up in excitement. ¡°You did? That¡¯s incredible. What do you think changed?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if anything has changed really. Or rather, everything has been changing so it¡¯s hard to pinpoint exactly. I¡¯ve changed in the process of going through the aptitude test and getting accepted. The world seems to be changing in the wake of these collapses. My life was always consistent and now it just¡­ isn¡¯t,¡± he concluded, feeling slightly glum in saying it out loud. ¡°Olly that is perfectly understandable and I appreciate your honesty and worldview. Have you noticed your magic comes to you at specific times?¡± she inquired further. He hesitated but she looked so invested that he couldn¡¯t help but open up to her. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s inconsistent but it does seem to come when someone I care about is threatened. Or if I¡¯m worried that they¡¯re in danger.¡± ¡°Very interesting, I wondered if there was an emotional component here but that is a very helpful piece of insight. I did say that we perform significant research here, and I think we can work together to help you better understand it and eventually control it. You met Brandon on Orientation Day, correct? He¡¯s always been one of our brightest researchers so I¡¯m going to have him get in contact with you so that he can do a more in-depth assessment.¡± He immediately felt a sense of relief wash over him. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± he said happily. ¡°Now you should no doubt run off to class now. Until next time Olly!¡± She bid him farewell and turned to leave once more. He dashed off to his lecture hall with a renewed sense of excitement for the day. Chapter 24: First Day - Part II Olly Briggs He jumped into the seat Sarah had saved for him in World History with a minute to spare. ¡°Cutting it close on your first class,¡± she playfully teased him. He had no time to respond as the lecturer walked in. He immediately began to project the content onto a white screen. ¡°Twenty-three independent, isolated, free-floating spheroids. Each bearing human life and resources. That was our beginning. Though there are theorems behind the beginning of our existence, this course will focus on the ingenuity of the people who came before us and whose contributions to science have brought us to where we stand today,¡± the lecturer read aloud. Olly was intrigued. At his old school they never delved into history. They mainly stuck to the basics, such as math and writing, because these were the main skills people needed to live in the real world. Scarcely anybody in the sixteenth would know or care about frivolities like history when they really just needed to go to work to put food on the table each night. He suspected some of his classmates would have received a more formal education that included this subject though. Confirming his suspicions, as he looked around he could see that Bowen looked bored and Odette was doodling on her notebook. ¡°Does anyone know how the first step towards contact between our civilizations was made?¡± the lecturer asked the class. Bowen raised his hand, as Olly thought he might. ¡°It started in Bilson, right sir? Someone suspected that there were other potential locations to grow food when the city was falling into a famine.¡± ¡°Correct, but he wasn¡¯t just someone. That person is known as the father of Cartography because he was the first one to study the existence of other spheroids. His true name was lost to time, but we do know that he was a scholar. When the city officials came to him asking for help in solving the city-wide famine he studied the different areas of the city. He knew that one section had fertile land but it couldn¡¯t keep up with the population growth. The city was on the brink of collapse. Picture it, a primitive civilization overburdened by its population, threatening to overtake a relatively tiny rock floating in space and time.¡± He had captured the attention of the class and he knew it. Even those who came from more prestigious backgrounds seemed interested. ¡°But this man hadn¡¯t come out of nowhere. He had been doing research of this nature for quite some time but had been branded as a fool. Until of course, he was needed. But this problem actually gave him the means to solve his own research problem. Before the issue of the famine had come up, he had been studying a compound called ¡®astraium¡¯. Does anyone know what that is?¡± ¡°A rare earth element, it forms the basis of tunnels,¡± Odette answered without raising her hand. ¡°Yes, in part. And this may be the first time it¡¯s mentioned in your studies in the Academy, but it is far from the last. I daresay you¡¯ll be sick of hearing about it by the time you¡¯re done here,¡± he smiled, ¡°Nonetheless, the father of Cartography had managed to isolate a small quantity of naturally occurring astraium after he had noticed how it caused a rock face to shimmer as if he was looking at a mirage.¡± Olly perked up. That tickled at the back of his mind as he remembered his dream from the night before. He shivered as the more haunting elements came into focus in his mind¡¯s eye. But more than that, it reminded him of the time he saw something just as the lecturer had described. He willed himself to pay attention, squashing down the feelings of unease he was experiencing. ¡°This scholar had found astraium extremely interesting but had little way to find a practical application for it. It wasn¡¯t until he was called to help solve the city¡¯s problem that an idea struck. He never believed that the city was alone, never believed that it was the limit of the world. So he began in earnest to find ways of using astraium to solve two problems at once. His first breakthrough was found at the end of a farmer¡¯s field. He applied a small amount of pure astraium against a rock face. He was able to see through the rock to an entirely different area, somewhere entirely separate from Bilson. There was an abundance of wide open fields. Frustratingly though, he was unable to access it. At best, it was like looking into a window, which unfortunately closed up after only a few minutes.¡± ¡°It strengthened his resolve. But he needed help. A rival scholar had been studying a different element, chrononium. In its stable form, it was found in rock faces as blue veins, but it could not be removed without entering an unstable form, disintegrating almost immediately upon attempts to isolate it. However, for the brief moment that someone was exposed to the unstable version, time around them would slow. This scholar was banned from studying it due to the city¡¯s fears of misuse, but he continued to do so in secret.¡± ¡°The father of Cartography knew that this scholar was still manipulating chrononium and effectively blackmailed him into joining his study, claiming that he would share credit but if he didn¡¯t join him he would reveal his research secrets. And so together, the two scholars ran experiments until they came up with a stable combination of the two elements. A yellow powder which, when spread across a carefully selected solid face, could cover a much larger surface area and remain stable until the powder was worn away. This helped to solve a short-term problem, but there were several unknowns that complicated the longevity of the experiment. Does anyone know what these are? Yes, you please,¡± he called on Sarah. ¡°They had to be reasonably sure there was another location on the other side or else the window wouldn''t reveal anything. And since it was just a ''window'' there had to be the application of energy to break through the space-time fabric.¡± ¡°Correct again! They lacked the means to perform the punch as we know it today. In fact, the city, now invested in the research, spent a considerable amount of resources trying to come up with a way to break through the barrier. All hope seemed lost when nobody had the means to do so. If developing a tunnel with one loci was beyond their means, perhaps if they could find a second loci that was in a similar state of readiness they could form a tunnel. And so, the father of Cartography had an idea. Since he had found one free-floating entity then he was sure there were more. So he took to the sky. Looking at the sky had fascinated scholars but there was nothing visible to the naked eye, so he developed a telescope with a glass lens imbued with astraium. For one person, scanning the sky for objects would take a lifetime, but he had a sense of determining locations. This is now understood to be the intuition Cartographers of today have when they are looking for a location.¡± ¡°In this case, his instincts told him to select a spot in the heart of the city and look up. What he found was a large bluish glowing spheroid suspended in the distance. He was able to measure the angle between the horizon of Bilson and this unknown object using a primitive version of the tools we use today and decided to test a theory. His theory was that if someone on his city couldn¡¯t punch through, the potential for a two-way communication could be their only hope.¡± ¡°He was lucky, very, very lucky. He decided to try one last experiment. He brought in a slab of rock to the location, applied the powder to it, and waited. At first, a window began to appear, but to his surprise and excitement, there was a person looking in from the other side. The scholar, no doubt waited with bated breath, but then the person on the other side, known as the first Conductor, touched the screen and it dissolved between them. For a moment, neither one spoke but then the other person by written accounts said ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you¡±.¡± Olly felt humbled. There was so much luck in this story. Even if it was half myth, half reality, a few risks and a lot of chances had led to contact. ¡°From there, we¡¯ll certainly get more into the cascade of events that led to the age of discovery and the advances that resulted, but for today we¡¯ll leave it on the note that this meeting led to the creation of the Cartographers¡¯ Guild in Bilson and then shortly afterward the Conductors¡¯ Guild in Donnol.¡± The homework assigned was to complete some readings and write an essay on a topic of each student¡¯s choosing regarding a specific Guild policy and a time it had been historically invoked, referencing any consequences. It was due by next week¡¯s class. Afterward, they went to their first practicum. This took place in what looked to Olly to be a magical laboratory, rather than a lecture hall like the other classes. A theatre of benches circled a central platform where the lecturer stood. Like the giant globe in the atrium, this room had a faint bluish glow, but in here it seemed to be coming from the walls. The distinction was that the floor was the darkest, most opaque, black Olly had ever seen. It seemed to suck the light from the very room, leaving him feeling slightly uneasy. There was a variety of equipment on display. Flasks and stands, bunsen burners, and navigational equipment such as sextants and compasses. Two people stood at each bench, and each bench was set up with a wooden panel. The panels were about a square foot in surface area and had a golden shimmering sheet stretched across them. Brandon was the lecturer in this class, which was welcome to Olly. ¡°Welcome all to your first practicum!¡± Brandon said cheerily. ¡°Today we¡¯re going to demonstrate the simple tool that has been traditionally used to test for magic. You saw an advanced version of this during the aptitude test but we need to break it down to the basics and show you how it works so that you can fundamentally understand what you¡¯ll be doing out there in the Guilds.¡± ¡°In pairs, you¡¯re going to perform a series of experiments on each other to assess for simple magical aptitude. As the practicum advances, we will add additional test criteria and run some other experiments. For today, we want to measure your aptitude across three dimensions; two horizontal axes and a third axis representing depth. Place your screen between you and your partner.¡± Olly was partnered with Sarah, who lined it up between them. He could only see his side of the screen. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Brandon came around and handed out a pair of stones to each bench. ¡°Alright, so, we¡¯re going to run this experiment ten times each. This is a really helpful device that we¡¯ve developed. Up until this year, we used something very similar for the aptitude test. Obviously, you all remember your test so you can all tell me how differently it went,¡± he said with a smirk, ¡°But this is still a very helpful way for us to measure everyone¡¯s baseline once they¡¯re here.¡± He explained that the panel was made up of a special blend of astraium and chrononium, woven into a fabric. The person who was running the test could place the stone anywhere within a cubic foot on their side of the panel and it would remain suspended in air. The force of the fabric kept it in place. The person being tested was expected to place their stone in the mirror position. If the person was exact with their placement, the fabric would disappear. If they were close, it would range from near-transparent to translucent. If they were off, it would remain opaque. Because this was performed in three dimensions it was difficult to repeatedly get the test right by guessing, and by running multiple iterations they could get a truer baseline. ¡°Nobody gets kicked out of class on the first day, so don¡¯t be anxious! But I also know you¡¯re all a bunch of old pros since you passed the aptitude test,¡± Brandon said cheerfully once all the stones were passed out. ¡°Can you go first?¡± Olly asked, feeling nervous. Sarah nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do brilliantly,¡± she said, sounding reassuring. He gave her a thin-lipped smile. He appreciated that she understood his concerns though. He placed the stone, not really believing it would float, but was amazed when it remained in place unassisted by his hand. She seemed to think hard about it, staring through the screen. After a moment she very decisively placed the stone. Immediately the screen turned almost transparent. He was impressed. They reset it and tried again. Her next three attempts yielded translucent results, the three after that were almost transparent again and the last three went clear. ¡°Well done,¡± he said, feeling his stomach flipping. ¡°Thanks! Now it¡¯s your turn.¡± She reset it for him and placed her stone. He stared at the panel, wishing it would give up its secrets. When it didn¡¯t tell him anything he decided to lift his stone and move it around the board, hoping it would reveal something to him. ¡°I think you have to let go for it to work,¡± she suggested, eyes peering over the top of the board. He took a deep breath and placed it. Nothing happened. She bit her lip. ¡°Sorry buddy, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Is it at least close?¡± he asked hopefully. She pursed her lips. ¡°No.¡± He cursed mentally. They reset it and tried again. Still nothing. When his fifth attempt yielded no results he placed his stone down in frustration. ¡°What do you feel when you do it?¡± he asked, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck. ¡°I guess it¡¯s like a pull in my gut that gets stronger the closer I think I get. Maybe you¡¯re trying too hard? Just take a breath and relax, you look super tense.¡± He followed her advice and closed his eyes, trying to see if he sensed anything. He willed his mind to go blank but still no feeling came to him. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is working,¡± he said gloomily. He opened his eyes and she looked interested rather than pitiful. ¡°The way you wield magic has always been a bit different though, hasn¡¯t it? Maybe you¡¯re not meant to do it my way.¡± He found this reassuring. ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°So what do you think about when it happens?¡± she asked. He bit the inside of his cheek. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ It¡¯s never happened under normal circumstances. Any time I¡¯ve used it I¡¯ve been under stress, or feeling threatened. But even then, I¡¯ve been threatened at times where it didn¡¯t happen as a result either.¡± ¡°I could yell at you if you¡¯d like?¡± she suggested helpfully. ¡°Ha! Probably not, it was a bit different than just being yelled at.¡± They tried again. This time he tried to put himself back to the time the first tutor had raised the ruler against him. He thought he might have felt a slight¡­ something. Like an instinct that was previously undiscovered. It was fleeting though and when he placed the stone it didn¡¯t yield any better results. Neither did his remaining attempts. Sarah looked across at him sympathetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Olly, it¡¯s just the first day. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get it next week.¡± He felt wholly disappointed. ¡°Yeah, maybe.¡± They handed in their results. The large zero beside his name made his heart sink in his chest. He didn¡¯t have to suffer that result for long; the class was dismissed and it was lunch. ¡°Did you make it explode?¡± Bowen asked, walking up to them. From the corner of his eye, he saw Sarah shake her head urgently. ¡°No but I wish I had,¡± he murmured, ¡°I¡¯m going to go get some air, I¡¯ll catch up with you both by the next class.¡± He swept away without another word, not wanting to let his bad mood spoil their afternoons. He stalked the grounds and let the crisp air wash over him. It was difficult; he knew coming to the Academy would be hard but he had been reminded that he was surrounded by very clever people who had leagues more education than him and who had a much better grasp of magic. Did he even deserve a spot? If it weren¡¯t for his unusual showing of magic at the aptitude test it¡¯s unlikely he would¡¯ve been given an offer. He appreciated Sarah¡¯s suggestion to think about magic in ways that made sense to him, but it clearly wasn¡¯t working. Still, he supposed Abigail seemed to think highly of him though he wondered if she would rescind that after his poor showing on his first day. He found himself in the statue garden. It was silent here and he appreciated it. He sank into a nearby bench. There were about a dozen carved marble statues in a variety of poses and he looked around at them. They all seemed to look self-assured, powerful, and intelligent. He didn¡¯t feel like he possessed any of those traits right now. He remembered the one that caught his eye on the drive in; the one with the broken tablet. He got to his feet, feeling like he needed to see it. It seemed to call to him. It wasn¡¯t long before he stood before it. She was different from the other statues; the others all seemed to bear coy smiles and all-knowing gazes. However, she had fire in her eyes and the tension was carved in deep lines in her face. The expression she wore was more akin to a snarl and she gripped the two pieces of her broken tablet as if she had wrenched them apart with her bare hands. ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t she?¡± a voice called behind him. He whirled around to find Brandon standing just off to the side. ¡°Hope you don¡¯t mind mate, I saw you walking off after class and wanted to catch up with you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ of course, no problem,¡± Olly responded. Brandon put his hands in his pockets and walked forward. ¡°I saw your scores. I hope you know it¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of at all, it¡¯s just your first day.¡± ¡°Yeah, but how many others got a score of zero?¡± Olly asked. Brandon remained silent and Olly had his answer. He sighed. ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, one thing to keep in mind is that it¡¯s not a competition. Your cohorts are not your rivals.¡± This time Olly didn¡¯t respond. He looked at the ground. ¡°The Grandmaster told me about your situation and asked me to help you out. I¡¯d be happy to do that assessment she wanted. Why don¡¯t you come by my lab tomorrow after your last class and we could run a few tests?¡± Olly considered his offer. ¡°Do you think you can help me figure out what this is and control it?¡± ¡°I¡¯d bet my wages on it. You¡¯re in the right place for it mate!¡± he smiled warmly and Olly couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly more optimistic. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯m all in,¡± Olly agreed. ¡°Perfect! Let me know if there¡¯s anything you ever need guidance on. Have you decided on your electives yet?¡± Brandon asked. ¡°So far I¡¯d like to take Mythology and Atmospheric Forces. I¡¯m still stuck on the last one though.¡± ¡°Good choices. Might I suggest our Leadership course? It¡¯s aimed at those who wish to take on eventual roles in leadership but it¡¯s always a good choice for Conductors because we are the natural leaders onsite. It could set you up nicely for teaching opportunities too.¡± ¡°Thanks for the suggestion! I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Olly said. He looked back to the statue, still intrigued. ¡°Can you tell me a bit about her?¡± Brandon grinned widely. ¡°Of course. That¡¯s one of the famous mythological figures. She was a bit of a dark horse. You¡¯ll learn about them more in your class but there were thirteen followers of the Scientist and the Magician. There were twelve that were ardent followers but she was the thirteenth who broke from their teachings. She¡¯s known as the false prophet; as the myth goes she believed that the teachings were preventing the advancement of society and that the restrictions surrounding magic were limiting the wielders.¡± ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Olly said. He pulled his eyes away from her. ¡°Anyways, I should be off now but I¡¯m looking forward to tomorrow. See you around!¡± Olly decided he should grab a bite to eat before class, and maybe show some face with his friends so that they didn¡¯t think he was planning on quitting the Academy before the end of the day. They seemed grateful to see him make an appearance. The buffet was being packed away but Sarah handed him a wrapped sandwich. ¡°Thanks, and sorry for dashing off,¡± he gratefully accepted it. ¡°No worries, it¡¯s a lot to take in. For what it¡¯s worth I¡¯m not worried. It¡¯s just day one, and we¡¯ve seen what you¡¯re capable of, so as easy as it is for me to say it I hope you know it too.¡± The rest of the classes went off mercifully smooth and before he knew it he was lying in his dorm once more. ¡°How did it go today?¡± his uncle asked when he called him that evening after dinner. ¡°It was¡­ different. I still don¡¯t know how I fit in here but people are making an effort. I feel behind already.¡± Eli chuckled slightly on the other end. ¡°Well, don¡¯t beat yourself up too much. It¡¯s only day one, there¡¯s time to catch up.¡± They bid each other goodnight and Olly stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. He hadn¡¯t mentioned the tests that Brandon was going to put him through tomorrow. No point in worrying his uncle prematurely. He fell into a much easier, and mercifully dreamless, sleep that night. Chapter 25: Revelations Olly Briggs They had a spare the next morning so Olly grabbed Sarah and headed to the library to get a head start on some of their assignments. However, they quickly became sidetracked by chatting. ¡°What type of schooling did you have before you came here?¡± he asked. ¡°Hmmm, it was fairly basic. My family couldn¡¯t afford to put me or my sister in any fancy prep schools. But there¡¯s a few Labourers in my family so I guess a bit of knowledge just got passed along down to me.¡± ¡°You said your sister was one, right?¡± he hazarded a guess. ¡°Yup, she was,¡± she responded neutrally. He wanted to ask. He wanted to ask so badly. He knew it was in poor taste but the curiosity was killing him. If she wasn¡¯t a Labourer anymore, where was she? He cocked his head. ¡°Why did you want to become a Conductor?¡± he switched tactics slightly but he was genuinely curious. ¡°Good question! I felt like it would put me in a better position to achieve some of my goals compared to being a Labourer. No disrespect ever intended to them, I love my Labourer family,¡± she explained. ¡°I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t hold it against you,¡± he smirked. ¡°I mean, my dad was actually pretty against it, but my sister was all for it,¡± she admitted. ¡°Why was he against it?¡± he asked, feeling like he was getting somewhere. ¡°Well, after the first collapse, he felt like the level of disrespect that the Conductors were showing the Labourers was inexcusable. And it was, they have been secretly blaming the Labourers for the collapse when in reality they had a useless lump of a Conductor onsite. But I guess I just wanted to start showing that Conductors could be better. There''s so much room for improvement and for starters, I wouldn¡¯t look down on people around me,¡± she frowned, chewing on her pencil thoughtfully. ¡°Okay, so on that note,¡± he dropped his voice, looking around, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s beyond weird that not one person here has mentioned either collapse? A tunnel quite literally collapsed in my home city a week before I came here and it¡¯s less than an afterthought here. Nobody seems bothered at all, it''s so strange. I also haven¡¯t noticed any news coverage whatsoever.¡± She nodded. ¡°You¡¯re not alone, it bothers me too. They keep touting collaboration but they¡¯re acting as if they¡¯re not the biggest offenders. Not to mention, all they did after the first collapse was protect that idiot Conductor by hiding him here.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± he did a double take. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t say, it might get someone into trouble if I¡¯m wrong,¡± she shrugged. ¡°Ugh, come on. You can¡¯t dangle that in front of me and leave it,¡± he whined. She smirked. ¡°I just did. And don¡¯t worry about it, if I learn anything interesting I¡¯ll let you know.¡±
Tunnel Construction was their first class of the afternoon. His World History lecturer wasn¡¯t wrong, they were hearing a lot about astraium and chrononium. The yellow bricks that formed the tunnel gates were a very stable combination of astraium and chrononium. It gave the Conductors a stable surface to punch through, and since the Conductors could provide the energy needed to actually break through the space-time fabric the bricks stretched to form the second loci without any person being required to see it first. To his chagrin, they already had a quiz coming up on the composition of the bricks in their next scheduled class. He added it to his ever-growing list of schoolwork to catch up on. At the very least, it was starting to come together for Olly. There were obviously mechanics still beyond his understanding, but he could at least see how history had brought them to this point. He was particularly excited for his Mythology class. He was looking forward to seeing how it tied into the real world. He exited the classroom with Sarah. ¡°Did you want to go to dinner now?¡± she asked. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve got to run to Brandon¡¯s lab, he¡¯s going to run some tests on me. Grandmaster¡¯s orders,¡± he said with a small smile, shrugging. ¡°Gotcha, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll catch up with you later. Unless they just turn you into a test subject, in which case you¡¯re on your own,¡± she said with a flick of her hair. ¡°Thanks buddy,¡± he said sardonically. They parted ways and he made his way to the lab alone. The door was ajar but he heard voices coming from within so he waited outside. He didn¡¯t intend to eavesdrop this time but as the conversation became increasingly heated it was hard to ignore their words amongst the subsequent rise in volume. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°You¡¯ve got to drop it, Steven, no one wants to hear it!" Brandon hissed at Steven, apparently. ¡°But I need to tell the Headmaster. At the very least, Grandmaster Abigail would want to know!¡± Steven said, panic evident in his voice. ¡°Enough. They put you in my lab so you will follow my directions, and I¡¯m telling you to drop it.¡± Brandon ordered. ¡°But the collapse¡­¡± Steven whined. ¡°Forget about the collapses!¡± Brandon barked. Olly felt like he shouldn¡¯t be there. He got as far as around the corner in the hallway when he heard the door slam. Willing his heart to stop pounding he turned back around and walked back, pretending as if he was only just walking up to the lab. As he turned the corner once again he passed Steven. He was the same nervous man that they had encountered on Orientation Day. Only he looked beyond flustered now, like he was on the verge of tears. Olly felt like something was wrong and the way Brandon warmly greeted him as if he hadn¡¯t just been brow-beating someone right beforehand didn¡¯t sit well with him. ¡°Hey mate, come on in!¡± he opened the door widely. Olly accepted his invitation but had reservations. He sat down on a lab stool, inviting Olly to do the same. ¡°Here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do. We want to get to the bottom of every time you¡¯ve wielded magic to try and sort out some patterns, and then we can run a few tests that are more appropriate for what might work for you.¡± Olly felt nervous after the scene he had just witnessed, but Brandon already would have heard Olly¡¯s situation from the Grandmaster so he had no option but to be truthful now. ¡°Alright, what do you want to know?¡± he asked hesitantly. ¡°What happened the first time you experienced magic?¡± Brandon looked expectantly at him. Olly realized how little he wanted to talk about it but forced himself onwards. ¡°I was threatened by my first tutor, he was going to strike me.¡± Brandon scarcely reacted ¡°And where were you? What did you feel?¡± ¡°I was at home, he was telling me how I wouldn¡¯t amount to anything. I guess I felt small, like he was threatening not just me but insulting me and my home as well.¡± ¡°Okay, what about the next time?¡± Olly shook his head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until the Aptitude Test, and I assume you know how that went. I guess I felt desperate but there was a pull to action. I pictured someone calling to me from the other side and I couldn¡¯t stop the rush of magic.¡± He withheld the fact that it was his uncle¡¯s voice that called to him, something told him it was better to keep him out of this. Brandon took fervent notes. ¡°Okay, any other times?¡± Olly paused. ¡°I passed a group of neighbours who threatened to cause harm while I was away. They, I suspect it was them anyway, had thrown a brick through our front door a few nights prior and they suggested they¡¯d do it again once I was gone. I never had any magic come to me when the brick went through our window but when they taunted me the second time I felt furious. I could actually feel the magic come on; I was able to aim it so I made a brick on their house explode.¡± He felt the fury coming clearly back to him as he recounted the story. Brandon stared at his notes. ¡°Wow, Olly, I¡¯m so sorry you¡¯ve gone through all that.¡± He placed a hand on his mouth, looking thoughtful. ¡°I have some theories, but I may need to sit on them for a bit and make my own connections.¡± ¡°I can always come back if that¡¯s easier,¡± Olly offered. ¡°There¡¯s one we can do tonight. You said you made a brick explode. And during the aptitude test you obliterated a door. What happened the first time?¡± ¡°I¡­ I broke the ruler in half. And left a fractal pattern on the table,¡± he confessed. He had tried to avoid thinking about how destructive his magic was, and speaking about it out loud gave it a power that he didn¡¯t want to acknowledge. ¡°Very curious,¡± Brandon said, ¡°Give me a minute!¡± He left and came back with one of the small stones from yesterday¡¯s practicum experiment. ¡°Place this in your palm and keep your hand open and face up,¡± he instructed. Olly obeyed, wondering where this was going. ¡°Picture someone getting between you and someone you care deeply about. They have a weapon pointed at you and tell you that you have a choice between them attacking you or the person you care about. How do you respond?¡± he asked. That was a horrifying question. ¡°Me,¡± Olly immediately answered. There was no question. ¡°They turn the weapon on the person you care about and kill them, what do you -¡± Before he could finish the statement the stone exploded into dust in Olly''s hand. ¡°Fascinating,¡± he said simply.
Olly was returning to his dorm, thoroughly shaken up, when Sarah intercepted him. As she saw the expression on his face she pulled him into her room. ¡°How did it go?¡± she asked, sounding concerned. He relayed the experiment. She nodded, looking as troubled as he felt. ¡°Man, I¡¯m sorry. That doesn¡¯t sound great. I hope he can at least help you out after all that.¡± ¡°Not only that, but it was also really weird. Right before I went in I overheard him arguing with that Steven guy. He was telling him off for wanting to tell the Grandmasters something about the collapse.¡± She seemed to pull back. ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯re certain?¡± ¡°Yeah, why? What¡¯s up?¡± he asked, feeling his panic rising. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. ¡°Olly¡­ That guy, Steven, he¡¯s the Conductor who was there for the first collapse. My sister was one of the Labourers onsite that day. He pulled her from the tunnel right before it happened, so she''s alive but... unwell. I¡¯m not here because I have a passion for being a Conductor, I¡¯m here to get even with him.¡± A long pause hung between them. ¡°Oh fuck,¡± was all Olly could manage to say. Chapter 26: Constantine Eli Briggs Eli was reviewing documents in his office in Hijinks when she arrived. He kept his gaze reverted to his paperwork for a few moments longer than would be considered polite before looking up at her with an expectant look. She met him with that damnable coy smirk, mocking him. ¡°You called for me?¡± she asked, seated across from him. He put down his pen and forced a smile to his face. ¡°I suppose I did.¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯d heard of your games room but never stepped foot in here until now. The way it¡¯s spoken of I assumed it was some great lounge where the most powerful members of society gathered in disguise. Imagine my surprise to find a small venue with a small population of drunks and its proprietor hiding in a dingy basement.¡± ¡°Apologies, the drama from above has been bad for business,¡± he gestured his head upwards, ¡°But I won¡¯t deny that Hijinks may seem understated. However, I assure you it¡¯s been a reliable meeting spot for as long as I¡¯ve been here.¡± ¡°I believe you. Now I don¡¯t believe you called me here to exchange barbs, so perhaps you can fill me in on why you requested a meeting. I don¡¯t usually come calling to just anyone but I continued to be intrigued by you Elias. May I call you Eli?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what my friends call me,¡± he shrugged. ¡°So would you say that I¡¯m your friend?¡± she asked. ¡°No,¡± he said simply, ¡°But I will get to the point, I have no doubt you¡¯re busy, Grandmaster.¡± Alzira smiled once more. If she was growing impatient she hid it well, but Eli supposed she was used to the other Grandmasters and was well-practiced at keeping her cool. She waited for him to continue. ¡°I called you because you previously said I could help you. Care to elaborate? Or has your first impression of Hijinks sullied that line of thinking?¡± Her smile fell a fraction of an inch and he decided that was a small victory. ¡°Your connections, Elias. They¡¯ve long been rumored to connect to someone powerful. Someone who has eluded me through the years. I know she¡¯s heavily guarded and well obscured, but I require an audience.¡± He quirked an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t know whom you speak, please jog my memory.¡± Her lip curled in frustration, finally cracking. ¡°I assure you that you do. The fugitive has eluded me for some time so I don¡¯t doubt that she would be apprehensive about a meeting, but it is a matter of grave importance and I assure you that she would be given diplomatic immunity.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not a matter of her crimes, what would you need to speak with her about?¡± he inquired politely. ¡°I need to speak with her regarding the fate of our world,¡± she said in a hushed voice. ¡°What could one person know about the fate of the entire world?¡± he leaned back and put his feet up on his desk. ¡°That¡¯s what I wish to find out.¡± ¡°And what do I stand to gain in return? It seems like I would be placing myself in great personal danger if the other party was disagreeable or didn¡¯t like your terms.¡± ¡°In exchange, I can offer an opportunity for protection for both yourself, your nephew, and the Mayor,¡± she explained. The corners of his lips quirked up. ¡°Why would I care about the Mayor¡¯s protection?¡± ¡°Because I think despite your cold exterior there is a warmth for him.¡± He frowned. ¡°You likely know that the man recently came to my house unannounced and undisguised; the reward for my hospitality was invoking the ire of my borough. You understand that I have no inclination to grant him any favours, despite the proclaimed warmth between us.¡± ¡°I do understand. However, I think you will find that his protection and you and your nephew¡¯s protection are one and the same,¡± she leaned forward. ¡°Forgive me for not seeing the connection. I will admit I¡¯ve enjoyed a certain level of benefit from political affiliation over the years. And I¡¯ll even admit that getting my nephew into the Academy was driven by a desire for his protection. However, if the Mayor has lost his status it is no longer any concern of mine,¡± he explained coldly, despite the conflicting feelings he felt rising in his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t necessarily believe that, but I don¡¯t care to challenge your motives Elias so here¡¯s my proposition. Grant me the audience I need and I will personally see that your nephew is protected at all times, especially at the Academy. That is why you fundamentally called me here, is it not? You don¡¯t trust Abigail, and Olly pledging for her Guild disrupted something for you. Do I have that right?¡± Eli raised his eyebrows. ¡°You are astute. But what if I¡¯m unsuccessful in granting you an audience?¡± ¡°If I might suggest it further, you should consider Tarry¡¯s offer to join his team. I think you¡¯ll find that the political motive is worth your while,¡± she said coyly, ¡°Until next time Elias.¡± She pulled her disguise back up and swept out of his office. He placed his hands thoughtfully behind his head.
The next day, as he moved to fulfill Alzira¡¯s request, Eli was nervous. He was in the tenth borough currently. He had gone to a somewhat rival bar however this one catered to slightly more upscale clientele, those who had their fingers in things they shouldn¡¯t but wanted to maintain a cleaner image. At first glance it was just a bar; anyone could enter the premises and be served their drink of choice. However, if you knew the right people, or rather the right things to ask for, it was a very different kind of establishment. There generally weren¡¯t major conflicts between boroughs in Occaigh, and he was certainly thought highly enough amongst the underside of society to feel secure in most situations. But this wasn¡¯t a simple territorial dispute or a misunderstanding to smooth over between businessmen, this was a request and it was going to come with a cost. Still, he quashed those feelings, looking afraid or out of place is what got people in trouble. And he needed confidence if this was going to go well. He was seated at a fairly discrete table near the back of the bar and when the bartender came by to take his order Eli provided the order he was told about many years ago. ¡°I¡¯ll take the Italian beef sandwich, hot, dipped not dry,¡± he recited. The bartender, who had scarcely been paying attention up until that moment, froze in place. Eli looked up at him expectantly. ¡°Are¡­ are you sure?¡± ¡°Positive,¡± Eli said, leaning back in his chair, balancing on the back two legs. ¡°You attempted to order this same, uh, meal several months ago and I recall it ended poorly for you. I¡¯ll ask you again, are you certain that this is the order you¡¯ve selected?¡± ¡°It is.¡± The bartender looked concerned for a moment but then went behind the bar to make a call. Eli watched him carefully; he seemed to be convincing the person on the other end of the line. After a few minutes of what appeared to be a slightly heated back and forth the bartender returned. ¡°Right this way,¡± he said gruffly and led Eli through a door inconspicuously marked as ¡®Emergency Exit Only¡¯. No turning back now, Eli thought grimly. The door gave way to a long hallway that was lined with private booths. Some were closed off with heavy velvet curtains; while he could hear low muttering behind them there was enough soundproofing to block out any level of detail. He knew that this meeting was too important to take place in a mere booth, and was unsurprised when he was instead led to another exit. This one actually brought him to the outside this time. He half expected to be kicked out unceremoniously this time and told never to come back. He knew that his request was not a usual one and to make it twice was more than questionable. It was very clear they were entirely uncomfortable with fulfilling it so reaching another dead end wouldn¡¯t have been unexpected to him at this point. ¡°Wait here,¡± the bartender instructed and went back inside immediately, leaving Eli standing in the cold, dreary alleyway. The door quickly slammed shut. He scarcely had finished turning away from the door before he heard a car rumbling down the alley, reversing before coming to a stop a mere foot from him. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Don¡¯t show fear,¡± he mentally recited his mantra, trying to remain cool. The rear doors opened and two very large men stepped out. ¡°Elias Briggs?¡± one asked, his voice low and gravelly. ¡°Yes,¡± he confirmed, very cognizant of the fact that he hadn¡¯t provided any name to the bartender. ¡°Get in,¡± was all he said, standing aside. Eli stepped into the car, maintaining an external air of calm as he was flanked by the two men. ¡°Drive,¡± the other one instructed to a driver hidden behind a privacy screen. This was farther than he had gotten last time. And that time he had been left with some bruised ribs and a sprained hand for his trouble. To others, it would certainly be taken as a warning to never return. But to him, it had read like a warning not to come back without a meaningful purpose. She was testing his mettle. The windows were suspiciously tinted and no one looking from the outside looking in would see anything. Eli maintained his gaze forward, palms face down on his knees. There could be no sudden movements or suspicious behaviour from this point onwards. He was not playing on his terms and the less reactive he was the better his odds were for success. As they reached the end of the borough limits and began to enter the ninth borough one of the men procured a thick burlap sack. Eli¡¯s heart rate quickened but he remained composed and gave little reaction to the man roughly pulling it over his head. Clearly, the location was to remain a secret but he tried to keep track of time in his head and the relative time between turns. It wasn¡¯t a lot of information to go off of but he suspected that they had crossed into the seventh borough. However, he also suspected they were taking extra turns to keep him off their course. After what felt like a painstaking twenty-five minutes the car finally came to a stop. He was roughly led down a slick staircase, one guard on either side of him with a meaty hand clamped down on each shoulder. He obediently let them lead him down the stairs and into a building. After a short walk, he was sat down in a hard chair and the bag was removed from his head. He blinked, adjusting to the lighting in the room. It was dimly lit, windowless, and seemingly underground. Apart from the chair he was on, the furniture was plush and he watched as one guard took a seat on a very expensive-looking red velvet couch. The desk that he was sitting in front of was a rich, deep red-brown and the high-backed, red velvet armchair across from him remained empty but he admired the craftsmanship. The gold trim provided a very regal appearance; it reminded him of an antique chair that may have once adorned the personal office within a palace of long-dead aristocracy. Knowing its owner, it very well may have been. A door situated behind the chair opened and a willowy woman with long dark hair sauntered into the room before taking her seat across from him. She was about fifty years old, fifteen years older than he had last seen her, and the only thing that gave away the passing of time were the lines pressed into her forehead and around her mouth as she looked at him distastefully. ¡°Constantine, I¡¯m honoured you agreed to see me,¡± he said reverently. She rolled her eyes and scoffed quietly. ¡°The last time I saw you I believe I made my feelings clear regarding ever seeing you darken my doorstep again. And your last attempt to reach me should have served as a warning. What do you want?¡± ¡°I come with an olive branch, and a mutually beneficial offer.¡± He lowered his voice as he spoke, still feeling uncomfortable by the presence of multiple people in the room. ¡°I offered you my help years ago and you explicitly turned me down. Why should I listen to you plead your case now?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re the only person I can turn to right now. And your help will be highly important to ensuring my nephew¡¯s safety. Please, if not for me, or for him, do it for his mother,¡± he pleaded, letting a desperate edge tint his voice. ¡°Don¡¯t twist my affection for my niece against me. She¡¯s just as culpable as you are, she brought this blight on us. Both her and your idiot brother. But in any case, they¡¯re both dead now and I remain to clean up their messes. If I knew saying yes to her all those years ago meant having to deal with your personal problems now I¡¯d have put her out on the street. I was soft then, but no longer,¡± she said coldly. He bristled slightly but tried to keep his voice even. ¡°I assure you that helping him could only open opportunities up for you. Would you at least care to hear my offer?¡± ¡°I offered you my help with him once, but that offer has long dried up. I no longer care to help a child that I¡¯ve never met. Particularly one that has only gained from my legacy, the very one you helped to destroy!¡± She slammed her fist down on the table. The silence was deafening and after a long pause he spoke up, ¡°What if I could make amends,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t possibly see how,¡± she hissed. ¡°I have the favour of a Grandmaster who wishes to speak with you, and I have a friend in the Mayor. You¡¯ve lived in the dark for so long. I know your span of control amongst the shadows is immense but you cannot walk in the daylight due to the past,¡± he said solemnly, ¡°I could set you up to rise in society once more. If you do this one thing for me.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him in an appraising way. ¡°I need it reopened. You¡¯re the only person who can do it. If you help me, I¡¯ll leave you with a repaired legacy and powerful friends. What do you say?¡± ¡°I¡¯d say you¡¯re out of your mind. You know that¡¯s attention I can¡¯t risk bringing onto myself.¡± She shook her head mockingly and leaned back into her chair so that her face was obscured by shadows. ¡°The tunnel collapses¡­ they¡¯re no coincidence. We always knew that they¡¯d come back. And Grandmaster Alzira is suspicious about what the other Grandmasters are doing. She wishes to speak with you and if you help her make connections I¡¯m sure you could name your reward.¡± ¡°It was no accident, of that I¡¯m sure, but I think you¡¯re growing paranoid if you think it has to do with the ghosts of the past, or that it impacts your nephew¡¯s safety,¡± she said with a shrug, ¡°There¡¯s plenty of people I could think of being behind those collapses, and I have enough connections to sustain me through any and all crises. I don¡¯t need hers.¡± ¡°If you helped uncover potential corruption in the Guilds, particularly during a time of political turmoil, your reputation would be cleared and you¡¯d be free to build power as you were doing before,¡± he insisted urgently. ¡°Speaking of building power, I heard rumors recently that there were some developments regarding an interesting magical ability coming out of the sixteenth borough.¡± She looked at him pointedly. ¡°Which is when I first attempted to contact you, and you rebuked my request for an audience violently I recall,¡± he rescinded grimly, rubbing at his hand absentmindedly. She waved her hand. ¡°Admittedly, I didn¡¯t want to give you the satisfaction of jumping to answer your call. And I wanted to be sure there was something of interest. When I heard about the aptitude test and his acceptance, well, that confirmed it. He¡¯s like his mother then?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he admitted quietly. ¡°So why not wait for him to come into his full certification and ask for his assistance in your request? Why now?¡± He faltered, he knew it could be a deadly mistake but he was already here, playing his hand. Holding back didn¡¯t change anything. ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t send him there for my gain, nor is he undergoing training that would assist me in this case.¡± She cocked her head, seemingly interested in this development. ¡°What Guild did he pledge for?¡± ¡°The Conductors.¡± She laughed viciously. ¡°You think you¡¯re protecting him but in reality you¡¯re sending him into the lion¡¯s den. He won¡¯t be accepted as one of them, and your span of control will be limited once he¡¯s no longer under your wing.¡± ¡°So you do have reservations about the other Grandmasters then?¡± he challenged. Her face twisted. ¡°I suggest that you don¡¯t look too deeply into my words.¡± ¡°But if you don''t have concerns with Alzira, your help would surely be appreciated and rewarded. Constantine, I believe that you want out of here. We''re both stuck, this could be our only opportunity out. I think you know that just as well as I do that helping each other might be the only way forward.¡± ¡°Believe what you¡¯d like. This scheme is even more ridiculous than I thought you would be capable of, but now that you¡¯ve proved me wrong and we¡¯re discussing it as if it¡¯s a viable option, I must say I¡¯m a little surprised. Given the nature of your request I don¡¯t know why you didn¡¯t push him towards becoming a Controller, you could¡¯ve avoided all this but I guess you¡¯re an idiot so I won¡¯t fault you too much.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never liked me so insults to my intelligence scarcely matter to me, though you would be a fool to avoid this opportunity.¡± The guards had motioned towards him menacingly but she halted them with a raise of her hand. ¡°This was almost entertaining, I¡¯ll give it to you that you¡¯ve amused me tonight. Because I don¡¯t trust you to handle this situation without muddying it up beyond salvage, I will consider your request.¡± He sighed deeply. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s all I can ask for. Thank you for your consideration, Constantine.¡± She rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers. The guards stood up, one had the burlap bag prepared in his hands. ¡°Oh, and Elias,¡± she said just as the bag was about to be lowered on his head. ¡°Yes?¡± he asked, heart rate quickening. ¡°Don¡¯t ever call me a fool again,¡± she said in a dangerously low voice. He was about to respond affirmatively but found himself doubled over from a wicked punch to the solar plexus delivered from the guard beside him. He stumbled, wheezing as he fell to his knees. He gasped and sputtered, barely aware of her walking around to hover over him. One hand clutched to his stomach, he tried to use the other to brace him but a guard held a knee against his back, pinning him to the ground. She knelt down before him and yanked him by his hair to force him to look her in the eyes. She held a thin dagger to his cheek and he could feel a drop of warm blood trickling down his cheek. ¡°If I grant Grandmaster Alzira an audience I want you to know that if I don¡¯t like what I see I will intervene in the manner that I see fit and that you will be a dead man,¡± she hissed coolly, "Do you understand?" She let go and the guard released his weight from Eli¡¯s back. "I understand," he wheezed as he got to his feet unsteadily. "Good." She turned and left without a look back and he felt the burlap bag get roughly pulled down his head once more. He scarcely remembered the ride back, adrenaline and fear were coursing through his body. It wasn¡¯t as bad as last time, though he had hoped to avoid injury this time. The burlap sack was hardly needed as he wasn¡¯t paying close attention to time or direction but he did recognize that he was in the car for much longer than the initial trip. Finally, the car screeched to a stop and he found himself roughly manhandled as they yanked the burlap sack off with needless force and carelessly tossed him out of the car and into a new alleyway. The car peeled off, leaving him alone and shaking. He scooted backwards until his back reached a wall and he took heaving breaths until he felt himself slowly calming down. Finally, he got up, using the wall as a brace, and got his bearings. He realized that was only a few blocks away from Hijinks and could try to discreetly enter through the back, hidden door. It could have gone better, and yet despite the pain he couldn¡¯t hide a small smile from having accomplished what he needed.
Much later on that night, as he iced his abdomen once again, he decided to make a phone call. ¡°It¡¯s me. I¡¯m sorry for my overreaction the other day. Do you mind if we talk? If your offer still stands I may have reconsidered.¡± Chapter 27: Alliances Tarry Bennett The aftermath of the Occaigh tunnel collapse hung over Tarry like a dark cloud. Even with Francine back by his side, he struggled to find joy in life. Ever since Alzira warned him about where he stood with the Grandmasters he had become increasingly paranoid, struggling to find sleep hours after he had crawled into bed. And ever since Eli told him off, well¡­ He certainly had been reflecting, which occupied his mind when sleep eluded him. At first, he thought that the growing divide between them might have started when he offered Eli a chance to work with him, but he knew there had to be something more. However, he did have to be honest with himself that he had been using Eli as needed, rather than as a trusted confidant, the farther he got into his political career. He had admittedly been selfish and he didn¡¯t know how to make amends amidst the growing pressures he was facing. He turned off the television in his office with a sigh, trying in vain to pretend that he was hardened to the comments that now accompanied his name. Until now he had always enjoyed positive press. He was a media darling, at least in Occaigh anyway. But now the crowds that used to cheer for him were calling for his resignation or worse. It was now exceedingly bad timing that he had to hear the final inquest findings from the original tunnel collapse, present them, and find a way forward with the fatal collapse from his own backyard. Not to mention, the still unreleased collapse from Aspir hung over their heads. He made his way into the conference room to start his first meeting of the day. He rubbed his hands over his bloodshot eyes and hoped she wouldn''t let him down. ¡°Grandmaster Alzira for you,¡± his assistant called from the door. ¡°Let her in.¡± She strode in only a minute later. ¡°You look like shit,¡± she commented. ¡°I have no doubt about that,¡± he conceded and gestured to the seat beside him. She accepted it and he swivelled his chair around to face her better. He could see that she too wore bags under her eyes. ¡°So, is there anything I need to know ahead of this?¡± he asked. She didn¡¯t respond immediately and had a faraway look on her face. ¡°Alzira?¡± He was concerned by her silence. ¡°They¡¯re going to suggest environmental factors are behind the collapse.¡± He peered down his nose at her. ¡°The first one?¡± ¡°All of them,¡± she confirmed. ¡°That¡¯s a non-answer,¡± he said, feeling his hands trembling with a rage that had been simmering under the surface for some time, ¡°That¡¯s not a response that anybody is going to accept, least of all the citizens I represent.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°And it won¡¯t lessen anybody¡¯s concerns now that they¡¯re been two collapses under entirely different circumstances. Technically three,¡± his voice began to rise. ¡°I know. It¡¯s because they want you to react poorly. The less agreeable you are to what they say, the more ammo they have against you. They want you to give them a reason to pull away,¡± she explained grimly. He forced himself to pause and took several deep breaths. ¡°So what¡¯s your suggestion?¡± he asked. ¡°I think you should accept the inquest findings. You will take the fall in the eyes of the press but it will keep you safer, longer. And there¡¯s still time to recover your reputation as we get to the bottom of this.¡± He steepled his hands in front of his face. ¡°Alzira, you¡¯ve told me recently that you have reason to believe my life is in danger. Are they actively plotting something? You¡¯ve been vague on the details and, forgive me for being suspicious of your motives, I¡¯m not sure what you stand to gain by telling me things that they¡¯ve discussed.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much information directly from them. I have the inquest report we¡¯re submitting and I¡¯ve signed off on it to remain outside their suspicions. I am speculating on motives but while I don¡¯t have a clear picture of who may or may not have taken action against you, I have cause to believe that they want you removed.¡± He sighed. ¡°Who is ¡®they¡¯? Is it Abigail and Franklin? All three? They scarcely stop fighting long enough to come up with a coherent plan of action under normal circumstances.¡± He felt exasperated. There were so few details available he was ready to chalk up his near miss to just a coincidence. A coincidence that killed innocent citizens but a coincidence nonetheless. She looked away. ¡°I don¡¯t know to what extent Oleg is involved, but they might have made him heel. I¡¯ve never seen them co-existing so peacefully before. I believe they suspect that I¡¯m not fully on their side because they don¡¯t include me in a lot of closed-door meetings, though I suspect they want me on their side due to my control over the existing tunnels.¡± ¡°So if they¡¯re claiming environmental factors are behind the collapses, what do you think the real causes are?¡± He dreaded the answer but asked the question anyway. ¡°I¡¯m investigating that avenue through my sources but I mainly don¡¯t trust Franklin. His Guild possesses the most research capabilities and he¡¯s the current Headmaster of the Academy. I don¡¯t know what exactly he stands to gain but he seems to be angling to restrict tunnel access as a means of increasing the power of his Guild.¡± He took this in, feeling deeply disturbed. ¡°You¡¯ve brought me more questions than answers,¡± he said gravely, ¡°So your advice is for me to roll over and let them get away with this?¡± ¡°My advice is for you to appear to work with them while I collect more information,¡± she corrected, ¡°I understand your misgivings, but if you¡¯re putting your trust in me I need you to understand I¡¯m telling you all I know.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll hear what they have to say and I¡¯ll make an assessment.¡± He felt like he was walking into a no-win scenario. ¡°That¡¯s all I can ask for.¡±
Later that day, the full complement of Grandmasters sat before him, staring at him in a way that suggested he was a sacrificial lamb for slaughter. His counsel sat flanked on either side of him. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Grandmasters, I thank you for your diligent work through this process. I have no doubt that this has been a distressing investigation. I trust that your findings will assist me in assuaging public fears of further collapses, particularly in the face of a new collapse on Occaigh soil,¡± he began, hating how grim he sounded. Franklin was tasked with responding on behalf of the group. ¡°Mayor Tarry, we thank you for the time you¡¯ve allowed us to perform this investigation and respond to your inquest. Unfortunately, I wish we had more conclusive data. However, we performed a series of rigorous tests, both at the old site and then again at the two new sites to test a theory. Ultimately the sum of our findings is that the collapses were environmental. All three sites had abnormal readings where we detected high concentrations of a highly abnormal and previously unseen element at both sites.¡± Tarry sighed heavily, taking this in. ¡°Has the element been identified?¡± ¡°It has not, though we now can effectively measure for it and determine where any future incidences may occur. We have some measures in place that we¡¯d like to suggest to you,¡± Franklin suggested cautiously. Tarry leaned back in his chair and waved him on. It was a small pleasure to see Franklin looking confused by his lack of reaction. He watched as Franklin exchanged a look with Abigail and mentally thanked Alzira for her advance warning. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for your suggestions Grandmaster. Is there a problem?¡± Tarry asked darkly. ¡°Ah, no Mayor Tarry, apologies. Our suggested measures are to implement a Controller at every major artery for round-the-clock monitoring. They would be present to measure for concerning levels of the identified element and initiate evacuation procedures if needed," Franklin suggested, all the while studying Tarry carefully, "They could also implement enhanced security measures to increase the safety of pedestrians using the tunnels." Tarry crossed one leg over the other and leaned over to his counsel, exchanging a wordless look. The Grandmasters appeared to wait on him with bated breath. ¡°I¡¯d be remiss to not follow the advice of the Grandmasters of the four major Guilds,¡± Tarry finally said, keeping his voice neutral. ¡°Mayor Tarry,¡± his newer counsel, James, spoke up, ¡°I believe we may have concerns regarding the delivery of these findings to the population.¡± Tarry nodded. ¡°Grandmaster Franklin, what say you? How do you think the population would react to these findings?¡± Franklin seemed taken off guard by the question. ¡°Well, I daresay I¡¯m not sure, I¡¯m not a politician.¡± ¡°Grandmaster Abigail? How about you? You¡¯ve been uncharacteristically quiet. In early meetings both you and Grandmaster Oleg were at each others¡¯ throats, am I to take your silence as an endorsement of the findings? There¡¯s no blame to be found on any individual?¡± ¡°Yes sir, that¡¯s correct. I was wrong to imply the Labourers, or any Guild, had anything to do about the collapse,¡± she said stiffly. ¡°Whatever happened to the Conductor who was onsite at the first collapse? He was a new lad, was he not?¡± Tarry asked curiously. ¡°Yes Mayor Tarry, he was young. He¡¯s been working in academia under my Guild¡¯s research labs. He has rededicated his life to preventing such a tragedy from occurring ever again,¡± Abigail responded politely, "We have no reason to believe he had anything to do with the collapse either nor would we seek to discipline him for merely witnessing a tragic and disturbing event." ¡°Truly noble, wouldn¡¯t you say counsel?¡± He turned to James. ¡°I believe I can work something into my address that will ensure public satisfaction.¡± ¡°Do you have any questions for us?¡± Franklin asked, slightly suspiciously. ¡°How do your research goals plan to address the issue long term? Surely it isn¡¯t the intention of the findings to suggest that a Controller is stationed at every major access point at all times indefinitely?¡± Tarry looked at Alzira as he asked his question. ¡°Certainly not Mayor Tarry,¡± she said quietly. Almost imperceptibly he saw Abigail¡¯s glance flicker towards her. ¡°The research will be ongoing, I assure you that our goal is to develop findings that will improve Guild-public relations and address overall long-term safety,¡± Abigail said simply. Tarry shrugged in a friendly manner. ¡°Then I would be amenable to holding an address that presents the findings and suggestions. Please present me with the final and signed copy and I will give a comprehensive review. Otherwise, if there are no further concerns I¡¯d like to discuss the next steps with my counsel.¡± They looked slightly incredulously at him as they were dismissed. He forced a small smile to his face and watched as they exited. ¡°Sir,¡± his seniormost counsel said after they were alone, ¡°With all due respect, the public will flay you for these findings.¡± ¡°I know, which is why I don¡¯t intend to present those findings. Push the press conference out by a week, I need time to prepare.¡±
Sitting in his home office, Tarry stayed up well after Francine went to bed scanning through the inquest findings. It was thorough, he couldn¡¯t fault them, but there were other suggestions that were not openly shared in his meeting. Items such as ¡°increase research spending¡± and ¡°expand Guild roles within society¡±. There was even a reference to potentially explore the option of handing over the decision-making process for punching new tunnels to be solely within the Guilds¡¯ purview. The enhanced security measure that Franklin mentioned was perhaps the most alarming and understated recommendation of all. The suggestion was to eventually look into a control measure to have all pedestrians identify themselves and their final destination to controllers stationed at the entrances. Pedestrians had never had to declare their comings and goings. While petty crime could be a problem in some regions, it wasn''t restricted to tunnel use specifically. Tarry rubbed his forehead. This was not what he had hoped for or expected. Alzira had been right to tip him off but even she had downplayed the findings. Perhaps the warning had bought him more time and an opportunity to strategize but now he was suspicious of her motives. Apart from research, which was squarely in Franklin and Abigail¡¯s respective wheelhouses, she stood to gain the most if all recommendations were considered and implemented. The warning against his life still soured his mood. However, if there was truly a political motivation behind the collapse he could potentially work this to his advantage, if he was careful. The phone rang, drawing him out of his thoughts. ¡°Yes?¡± he answered plainly. ¡°It¡¯s me. I¡¯m sorry for my overreaction the other day. Do you mind if we talk? If your offer still stands I may have reconsidered,¡± Eli¡¯s voice came through the earpiece, brightening the early hours of the morning more than he cared to admit. ¡°No, I¡¯m the one who should be apologizing to you. It was a short-sighted offer and I didn¡¯t think of the consequences. Though I am pleased to hear that you¡¯ve reconsidered. May I ask what changed?¡± he asked warmly, setting the document off to the side of his desk. ¡°I feel like we work better together than we do separately, and while I am still worried about the state of the sixteenth borough I think I can help people here more if I¡¯m working with you in an official capacity,¡± Eli responded smoothly. Despite the differences between them, Tarry felt that Eli was one of the more reliable people in his life. It was reassuring to know that he hadn¡¯t irreparably damaged the friendliness between them, even if Eli had declared that they were not friends. ¡°That¡¯s excellent news because I do need your help. I¡¯ve received the official inquest findings accompanied by some very concerning advice. I don¡¯t think anyone in Occaigh or the rest of the world stands to gain much from what the Guilds are recommending.¡± Eli fell silent for a moment and Tarry was worried he had offended him somehow. ¡°Listen. I know I haven¡¯t been perfect and I know I haven¡¯t been a good friend, but I need you,¡± he pleaded in a hushed voice, ¡°Please. I have no one else I can trust.¡± Eli sighed deeply on the other end. ¡°I have helped you many times in the past. I have stood by you in the shadows and advised you wherever possible. Pulled strings for you. I still believe you are the best thing for Flexibilis. I will continue to do so, but only so far as Olly is not put at risk.¡± ¡°I am truly glad to hear from you and I¡¯m flattered that you think so highly of me. I will actively ensure that he isn¡¯t caught in the crossfire, I did endorse him after all,¡± Tarry responded. ¡°Perfect. So if you can set something official up, I¡¯ll start making the trek up to the first borough without issue. We¡¯ll come up with something to address those findings.¡± ¡°I look forward to it,¡± Tarry said. And he genuinely meant it. Chapter 28: Pursuit Olly Briggs ¡°So what does ''getting even'' mean? Are you here to take him out?¡± Olly asked at breakfast the next morning. He was only half-joking and also wondering if his eavesdropping was ever going to stop getting him into trouble. ¡°Oh goodness, no. But he needs to be held accountable for what he did and for how he behaved. Did you know that his account said he did everything right? The Conductors¡¯ Guild has protected him and insisted that they¡¯ve done nothing wrong,¡± she said, scandalized. ¡°So what happened then?¡± he asked, ¡°How did it actually go down?¡± She fell silent for a moment. ¡°My sister doesn¡¯t talk much about it. She¡¯s been interviewed a whole bunch of times so I¡¯ve only overheard part of it. She said he was arrogant and thought he knew better than everyone onsite. Apparently, he fought with the Labourer foreman. The foreman was a mentor to my sister and she was devastated that he died. The foreman tried to question the Conductor but that coward knew something was up and refused to do anything about it until it was already too late,¡± she sneered. It sounded awful, it truly did, but Olly recognized he was only hearing a small, third-hand account. ¡°Okay, so what do you plan to do about it?¡± Olly pressed. ¡°I want to question him but it¡¯s going to take time. I doubt he¡¯d be forthcoming about his role,¡± she said thoughtfully. ¡°Of course he won¡¯t. Not to mention, he seems like he¡¯s under Brandon¡¯s thumb,¡± Olly said in between bites of food. ¡°You mentioned. You also said he worked in Brandon¡¯s lab, yes? Maybe you going there for magical research is the ¡®in¡¯ we need!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°We?¡± He felt his eyebrows raise. She sighed. ¡°Do you really want to work for an organization that covers up the actions of bad people? Because I don¡¯t. But if you¡¯re not with me I¡¯ll find some other way.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m in, but I¡¯m not going in hot. I¡¯ve already got a lot on my plate with this magical stuff before I start attempting clandestine operations on your behalf.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to do anything you¡¯re uncomfortable with, don¡¯t worry,¡± she pulled back slightly, ¡°All I¡¯m asking you is to keep an eye out for now.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. I can do that.¡± He nervously pulled out his planner. Between his coursework, homework, and now the lab work, it had already filled up significantly. He hadn¡¯t even finished his first week and he already wasn¡¯t sure how he was supposed to find time for it all. As if reading his mind she smiled warmly. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here to help. Bowen¡¯s here to help. We won¡¯t let you fall behind.¡± ¡°Thanks, I appreciate it. I just don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m at the same level as anyone here. I don¡¯t have as much of a background on any of the academics, all I really had was intensive tutoring for the aptitude test, not what comes after it,¡± he said glumly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk to your tutor? She might be able to help point you in the right direction. She helped you get in, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯d help you stay in,¡± Sarah pointed out helpfully. He hadn¡¯t thought of that. ¡°True! I¡¯ll reach out, thanks!¡± They had signed up for Mythology together as an elective and walked together to their first class. Olly was busy admiring some of the mythical-themed tapestries that adorned the walls when Sarah gave his foot a nudge under the desk. He looked up to see the lecturer walking in. It was him. Steven. The Conductor who caused the collapse. Olly took a quick glance at Sarah¡¯s face to try and get a read on her but she now wore a stony expression and was staring down the man at the front of the room. If Steven noticed Sarah¡¯s glare he gave no indication. In fact, Olly noted that he scarcely made eye contact with anyone. He rounded his shoulders and mumbled through an awkward introduction. Looking around the lecture hall, Olly could see unsure looks reflecting back at him on everyone¡¯s faces, seemingly confused as to how the content could be delivered by such an uninspiring lecturer. This was supposed to be an exciting class, daresay even a fun class, and it was not off to a good start. The lesson, if it could be called that, was scarcely more than an overview of the curriculum and a far more boring overview of the twelve followers that Brandon had previously given him. For the remainder of the class, he tried his best to remain engaged but it was a struggle. The rest of the class looked as listless as he felt, save for Sarah who scarcely even blinked. She kept her eyes trained on Steven as if she were afraid to miss something. Olly didn¡¯t see anything of interest but she seemed to keep stock of his every move as if waiting for him to give something away. Knowing what he knew now just added an extra layer to his own curiosity. This man was a far cry from the picture of arrogance that Sarah had painted for him. He didn¡¯t want to doubt her but it wasn¡¯t adding up. Her efforts appeared to be unfruitful; at the end of class Steven jolted at the bell and practically ran from the room. Their classmates broke out in incredulous mutterings as they collected their belongings. Olly turned to Sarah. ¡°That was strange!¡± She shook her head. ¡°I really don¡¯t give a shit about the content anymore. If this gives me a chance to watch him I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find something to use against him.¡± He didn¡¯t fully buy into her obsession but it was her prerogative. ¡°Just don¡¯t lose sight of your other classes. Remember, I need you to help me pass,¡± he said, half-jokingly. They had a spare period and went to the library to meet up with Bowen to study. As they walked into the grandiose room they found he was already there. He waved them over to the table he had snagged. ¡°Hey guys!¡± he whispered excitedly as they took a seat. ¡°How¡¯s the first week going?¡± ¡°Ehhhhhhh, could be better, could be worse,¡± Olly shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s our job to make sure Olly stays in school,¡± Sarah said, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s only the first week, you can¡¯t be that far behind. Besides, are they even allowed to kick you out after the aptitude test? You blew their scheme right out of the water!¡± Bowen joked. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Olly froze. ¡°Olly? It was just a joke. Of course, I¡¯m here to help you!¡± Bowen said worriedly. Olly shook it off. ¡°No, no, I get it. No worries Bowen!¡± he forced himself into giving a very unconvincing laugh, ¡°I just remembered I had to go meet someone. Sorry guys!¡± He dashed off before they could follow. Once he had put several corridors between them he glanced back over his shoulder and was relieved that neither had followed. Sarah was distracted in her own right today, and he wouldn¡¯t expect Bowen to know how much his off-the-cuff comment shook him. What if the magic he performed at the aptitude test was the only reason he was here? Sure, Abigail had said that he had met the benchmark score. However, he was already falling behind his cohort and it was only the first week. His excuse to go talk to someone wasn¡¯t exactly a lie because he had discussed it with Sarah that very morning, and soon enough he found himself outside Delilah¡¯s office. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. She answered wearing a politely confused expression on her face but brightened when she saw him. ¡°Hello Olly, nice to see you! What brings you here?¡± ¡°Do you have a second? Something is bothering me and I need to talk to someone I can trust,¡± he confided in a low voice. ¡°Of course. I have thirty minutes until office hours start, and I presume you have your next class around the same time, so why don¡¯t you come inside now and we can chat until then?¡± She stood aside to open the door for him. Her office was warm but slightly disorganized. Papers were strewn about and books were stacked high all around her desk. She moved a stack of books off her guest chair and gestured for him to take a seat. She always seemed so neat and tidy so it was almost endearing to him to see how she worked. ¡°So what¡¯s bothering you?¡± she asked warmly. He sighed. ¡°Why am I here?¡± he asked weakly. She gave him a quizzical look. ¡°Because you scored high enough on the aptitude test and showed an ability to wield magic. Why else would you be?¡± ¡°But my magic is strange¡­ And while the Grandmaster has offered me a lot of help in figuring it out, is it possible that I¡¯m here because they want to keep an eye on me?¡± He hated the way it sounded but it was bothering him. Even before Bowen had verbalized it he was feeling ill at ease and it wasn''t a feeling that was going away. ¡°Oh, Olly. No, we don¡¯t do that here.¡± She shook her head gently, a bemused expression on her face. ¡°Did someone suggest that we would do such a thing?¡± He decided to lie about Bowen being his source. ¡°No, not exactly. It just seems strange to me. There¡¯s a lot of effort being spent on me when I¡¯m probably at the bottom of my academic classes. I guess I just don¡¯t believe it¡¯s for my own benefit.¡± She gave him a sympathetic look. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want or need pity, but I have spent enough time with you in your environment to get some insight. Is it fair to say that where you grew up is making you feel like you¡¯re not worth it?¡± He looked down and didn¡¯t respond. ¡°If that¡¯s what the voice in your head is telling you, please don¡¯t believe it. You are suspicious of everyone and everything, I can see it. But you¡¯re not in the sixteenth anymore. You don¡¯t work in a games room. You do have the ability to succeed here. Stop worrying about wielding magic, it doesn¡¯t come perfectly to everyone immediately. Just knowing that the ability is there is enough,¡± she said sternly but not unkindly. ¡°Alright. I trust you,¡± he said thickly. She smiled. ¡°Good! And I don¡¯t take that lightly. I can tell it¡¯s a big deal for you to put your trust in someone. If you ever need help with anything my office is always open. You don¡¯t need to struggle alone.¡± ¡°I guess not,¡± he said somewhat timidly, ¡°Is Brandon trustworthy?¡± She dipped her head in affirmation. ¡°He¡¯s one of Grandmaster Abigail¡¯s best researchers. He¡¯s very skilled and I do believe you¡¯re in the best hands possible. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?¡± ¡°Well¡­ There is one more thing, but it doesn¡¯t really have to do anything with me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°The recent tunnel collapse in Occaigh... Why is nobody talking about it? Even mention of the tunnel collapse from a few months ago is rarely talked about. It¡¯s bizarre that we¡¯re the people that handle tunnels but no one ever mentions how two have gone wrong within the year!¡± It was her turn to sigh. ¡°I know. It is strange but I would caution you not to discuss it openly here. We are the authority on tunnels, that¡¯s true. But the collapses have been such a political mess that the Grandmasters have strictly tried to keep us out of it. In the Academy, at the very least, we¡¯re researchers. Our expertise may be called upon but it¡¯s not our job to speculate to the press.¡± He frowned. ¡°But doesn¡¯t it impact our work? What about our purpose?¡± ¡°It might one day perhaps. But until our roles change it is for the best that we stay out of it. It¡¯s a dangerous game to get involved in and you need to focus on yourself,¡± she explained somewhat gravely. ¡°Okay, I get it. I¡¯ll drop it,¡± he agreed, ¡°Thanks again for your help.¡±
It wasn¡¯t until after dinner that he properly caught up with Sarah again. They were doing homework together in her room. ¡°So if Steven works in Brandon¡¯s lab, and you have to go to Brandon¡¯s lab, I think you have the clearest line of sight on him,¡± she explained. She seemed to be repeating the idea and he was starting to get slightly annoyed. ¡°What exactly am I looking for?¡± he asked, chewing on his pen as he tried to decipher a calculus problem. ¡°Anything you think is helpful information!¡± He sighed and looked up from his work. ¡°I do have other reasons for being in that lab,¡± he reminded her. She huffed but said nothing. He frowned and looked back down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I know this isn¡¯t your vendetta,¡± she finally said. ¡°Look, I¡¯ll promise to do what I can,¡± he offered gently. ¡°I appreciate it, a lot, sorry to be pushy.¡± ¡°No worries, you¡¯re here to help me pass after all,¡± he said, smiling once more, ¡°Now can you give me the answer to question five?¡±
The forest surrounded me once more. It was shrouded in an eerie silence. Pinpricks of light seemed to filter from the sky, casting an otherworldly glow upon the tangled undergrowth. This time, when I saw the air shimmer in the distance, I knew I had to run. I dashed through the forest; the wind whipped through my hair and my breaths were labored and panicked. Leaves rustled beneath my feet as I darted between gnarled trees, their branches reaching out like twisted fingers. I heard something in a fast and relentless pursuit behind me. I dared not look behind me as a cold sensation licked at the back of my neck. I could see it catching up to me in my periphery; its form was indistinct, an ever-shifting silhouette that danced at the edge of my vision, a chilling reminder of my ensnarement the last time I was in this place. I pressed onwards, determined to outrun it. Heart pounding, I quickened my pace, but the forest seemed to conspire against my escape. Roots snaked across the forest floor, threatening to trip me with each frenzied step. The darkness around me thickened, swallowing the faint glimmers of pinpricks of light filtering through the canopy. Every rustle, every whisper of the wind seemed to magnify the presence of the pursuing shadow, sending shivers down my spine. Desperation seized me, urging me to find refuge, yet the labyrinthine woods offered no respite. I came up to an abrupt drop-off and skidded to a halt. My breath hitched in terror, a silent scream clawing at my throat, as I realized there was no escape from this haunting pursuit. I was forced with no option but to turn around and face the darkness that rushed to engulf me. Olly jolted awake, drenched in a cold sweat, the lingering echoes of the forest and the relentless pursuit of the shadow dissipating into the realm of dreams. It felt like a long time before he was able to fall back asleep. Chapter 29: Motives Tarry Bennett Tarry managed to convince his counsel to add Eli as a staffer. They questioned him and his motives and while he understood their concerns Tarry told them that he needed someone in his camp with Eli''s background. They knew who Eli was of course, which is largely what drove their apprehension, but they did acquiesce to allow him to come on board. Tarry suspected that they only allowed it because they knew they were on the verge of entering troubled times. And troubled times called for more drastic measures. Eli was now on his payroll and while he wasn¡¯t visibly attending any meetings he was officially conducting business in the lower boroughs on behalf of Tarry. This included gathering current feelings from citizens and collecting information that could support him and hopefully turn the tide. Eli had done this before. He had done it quite well in fact. And after being elected to Mayor of Occaigh he ensured that the lower boroughs had received the improvements to infrastructure and businesses that they needed. After the report that the Grandmasters had presented to him Tarry suspected the Guilds were colluding in this. He didn¡¯t fully believe the report and he intended to call them out on it. He was suspicious of all their motives, including Alzira¡¯s. Eli had promised to help him here as well but reminded Tarry that he had a promise to keep. He couldn¡¯t risk Olly¡¯s position at the Academy, Tarry fully agreed, but he did have an entire city, nay, world to serve. However, to help mitigate this Eli suggested to him that there was a chance that having Olly at the Academy would be a valuable connection to maintain. He left that suggestion and its outcomes in Eli¡¯s hands but genuinely promised to do whatever he could to protect him. He just hoped that being Olly¡¯s sponsor wouldn¡¯t put a target on the young man¡¯s back. Today, Tarry had to address the world regarding the findings. It was an outdoor, televised event and he picked the Central Tunnel Station as his backdrop. It was risky and his counsel hated the idea; the crowd was already at risk of becoming unruly due to the numerous protests that had taken place at this location. But there had been a collapse on his home soil and therefore he wanted to make a point. He took the stage self-consciously. It was a cool day and he wrapped his jacket around himself, shivering slightly as a breeze whipped around. He stood outside city hall and there was a crowd of several hundred people before him. Television crews trained their cameras on him. It was eerily quiet. ¡°Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen of Occaigh. I stand before you with a grave purpose that brings me no joy. The inquest committee, consisting of the four Grandmasters of the Cartographers'', Conductors'', Labourers'', and Controllers'' Guilds, made a determination regarding the tunnel collapse six months ago. They have indicated to me that the cause was due to currently unknown environmental factors and they have consequently asked me to provide my support of these findings.¡± Boos sounded from the crowd. He took a deep breath. ¡°However, these findings are deeply unsatisfactory to me. Simply put, I have no intentions of providing any support to their report,¡± Tarry said decisively. The crowd had stopped jeering and fell silent. ¡°The Grandmasters have not provided a fulsome report of the collapse. Their rationale is weak and their suggestions are suspect to the dismantling of the freedoms that we enjoy. I intend to hold them to a more comprehensive report back.¡± Scattered applause echoed around him now and a few cheers sounded from the crowd. ¡°The latest collapse took place in our backyard and three citizens lost their lives. I feel your pain. I bleed with you,¡± he said throatily, ¡°And if you¡¯ll let me I will not falter in my duty until justice is served.¡± At last, the cheers returned to the crowd in full. Tarry basked in it, feeling the warmth of the populace return to him. However, he knew that there would be a lot more to be said behind closed doors. He hoped he would find enough strength in the will of the crowd to carry him through those conversations.
He convened a meeting with the Grandmasters later that day. As he suspected, they were furious. Alzira looked at him contemptfully. Abigail and Oleg wore twin looks of fury. Franklin was fuming silently. ¡°I will remind you Mayor that we offered a solution that was intended to improve the relationship between the public and the Guilds,¡± Franklin said dangerously, ¡°What you have done is akin to a declaration of war between our camps.¡± ¡°You offered me nothing but a way for you all to escape any accountability, solely at the jeopardy of my role,¡± he shot back, ¡°Furthermore, this would be a gross misuse of my position to assure the public of the perception of safety when there is none.¡± ¡°Mayor, I think you¡¯ll find that the Guilds add a considerable element of safety to the tunnels,¡± Alzira suggested in a low voice, ¡°The continued absence of the controls that we¡¯ve proposed does nothing to help the public.¡± ¡°The controls you¡¯ve proposed would be in place to control the public not protect them!¡± Tarry responded heatedly. ¡°The public perception of safety in having additional Controllers in place would be the perfect cover for our own enhanced safety protocols. It was a perfect method to avoid public panic at the sight of active tunnel monitoring while they were in use,¡± Abigail said coolly, ¡°We know it¡¯s a theatre but if you raise suspicions about the safety of the tunnels our very economy would be at risk.¡± Tarry seethed. ¡°Don¡¯t speak to me of the economy. I know what¡¯s at risk here. The fact is that the public wouldn¡¯t accept your proposal nor do I intend to let you use me as your mouthpiece. I am not elected to serve you, I am elected to serve them! They deserve not only to feel safe but be safe. Tell me, have you found any other tunnels that appear to be on the verge of collapse? You identified a mysterious element and a means to identify it, so if you¡¯re withholding information regarding the safety of any other tunnels I should like to know about it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other tunnels we¡¯ve identified as being at risk,¡± Franklin said stonily. ¡°So was it a coincidence that a tunnel I was supposed to walk through collapsed?¡± Tarry thought darkly to himself. He didn¡¯t dare ask it out loud. Instead, he turned to Oleg. ¡°Grandmaster, you¡¯ve been uncharacteristically quiet of late. You¡¯ve always been pro-safety and as someone who faced the greatest losses from the collapses, I would expect more honesty from you. Normally I count on you to speak your mind, occluding is unbecoming of you.¡± Oleg looked rather uncomfortable and turned a dark shade of puce. ¡°That¡¯s out of order Mayor. As Grandmasters, we¡¯ve come together in this time of tragedy to improve our relationships. How dare you try and undermine our collaboration!¡± Abigail bit back, not waiting for Oleg¡¯s response. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Tarry decided to let that simmer with them. ¡°So how do we move forward? I¡¯m not letting you put me into an unwinnable position and no doubt you will further your agenda with or without my agreement,¡± Tarry suggested. They looked collectively venomous. ¡°You¡¯ve barely stopped short of accusing us of negligence and we do not appreciate the public inference. We do not wish to remain under poor public perception. Do you understand that tunnel traffic has suffered since the first collapse and only decreased since the latest one? What do we stand to gain from a reduction of use in the systems that financially drive our Guilds?¡± Abigail asked coldly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure but I would certainly like to know the answer to that,¡± Tarry suggested, ¡°And need I remind you that you¡¯ve scarcely done anything to improve your public perception. I can only do so much and when I start seeing evidence that you¡¯re only using a tragedy to improve your power in the world I have to intervene.¡± ¡°I think this has been a highly unproductive, inflammatory, and accusatory meeting,¡± Franklin sniped, getting to his feet, ¡°I¡¯m adjourning until you¡¯re willing to meet us like adults.¡± The other three followed suit but Tarry and his counsel remained seated. The Grandmasters didn¡¯t leave immediately. ¡°So what do you intend to do with the tunnels in the meantime?¡± Tarry asked, holding his hands out open in front of him. ¡°We will implement our proposed safety measures of monitoring the tunnels for the previously unknown element. We will hold back from implementing tunnel access control at this time, but I promise you Mayor Tarry that if our people experience any abuse or untoward behaviour from the general public we will immediately implement equal and comparative processes,¡± Alzira said warningly. Tarry raised his eyebrows. He hadn¡¯t expected her to become combative but she did have the most individuals on the ground and interacting with the general public. The Controllers determined the level of sensitivity and clearance needed for each tunnel. They also monitored all tunnels and notified the Labourers'' Guild when repairs were needed. They were the de facto security of the tunnels already. They could close and reopen tunnels as needed. He knew all this and the reminder seemed to confirm a suspicion that had already been forming in his mind. He hid his suspicions and gave them a polite dip of his head. ¡°Until next time Grandmasters.¡± They said nothing in response and filed out. ¡°Well done sir,¡± his seniormost counsel said, ¡°They need to know that they¡¯re being watched. They¡¯ve been permitted to act without oversight for too long.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a risk, we¡¯ll see if it puts them back in line,¡± Tarry said carefully, steepling his hands in front of him.
Eli Briggs ¡°I¡¯ve heard back from my source. They¡¯ll be in contact to set up a meeting. I do want you to know that you take this step at your own risk. There¡¯s no promise of your safety,¡± Eli warned Alzira. She sat in his office once more. Shortly after Tarry''s public address, he received a message via a proxy that Constantine was willing to grant an audience to Alzira. ¡°I do. However, I must say that I am disappointed by the Mayor''s recent decision. He doesn¡¯t realize how difficult he just made life for himself. I can¡¯t be seen as helping him, though if he had just followed my advice he would have bought himself time for me to work on the other Grandmasters. Now they¡¯re openly working to undermine him.¡± No longer did she wear her usual coy smile. ¡°Trust is in short supply these days. And before you ask, I didn¡¯t sway him in any direction. But speaking of trust, could you let me in on a secret? Was the recent tunnel collapse anything but a coincidence? I¡¯m suspicious of your motives for telling him about his life being targeted.¡± She faltered just enough for him to know the answer. ¡°It was an educated guess.¡± ¡°It was an attempt to bring him to heel,¡± Eli corrected her. ¡°Believe whatever you like. I personally have no reason for the Mayor to come to harm, I can¡¯t say the same for other people,¡± she said haughtily. ¡°I will also remind you that you made a promise to protect my nephew and the Mayor if I agreed to help you,¡± Eli said, lighting up a cigarette. ¡°I did, yes. And I can promise Olly¡¯s safety. My span of control over the Mayor¡¯s safety reduces by the day but I will do what I can.¡± ¡°Fine. I suppose that¡¯s all I can ask,¡± he said with a shrug. In truth, he was slightly less worried about Tarry¡¯s security as he had already ensured that it was being ramped up accordingly. He didn¡¯t trust the safety of the Mayor in the Grandmasters¡¯ hands right now, but Olly was a student of the Academy and they were very protective of their own, even if that student had dubious connections. Or rather, especially if that student had dubious connections. He still didn¡¯t love Olly being under Abigail¡¯s wing but he did know she was smart enough to understand when she had a coveted connection. He just hoped she was dumb enough to not know how to leverage it properly. Their conversation was short and Alzira did thank him for securing her audience before she left. Several days after he met with Alzira he received another message via a proxy for Constantine. ¡°I gave her the audience you requested. I¡¯m feeling generous and will grant your other request. I¡¯ll be in contact regarding timing but it will be short notice,¡± was the message relayed by the man who had entered Hijinks one night. He left shortly after that. That meant that the conversation must¡¯ve been successful. He lit a cigarette and brought it thoughtfully to his mouth. He knew he should feel glad but he always maintained a high level of caution around her. It could be a trap, Constantine hated him after all, but it could also be the real thing. And he would risk just about anything for that.
Eli met Tarry in his office later that week. ¡°How did it go with the Grandmasters?¡± he asked carefully. ¡°About as well as expected. I think they¡¯ve made their motives clear,¡± Tarry said, tossing a pen onto his desk absentmindedly, ¡°And confirmed that I have no allies amongst them.¡± ¡°I daresay you don¡¯t,¡± Eli agreed. ¡°Any news from the lower boroughs?¡± Tarry asked, leaning back and folding his hands across his stomach, fixing his gaze on the ceiling. ¡°Some. Generally speaking, there¡¯s been a positive response regarding your address, however, they largely conflate you and the Grandmasters. To them, you¡¯re all fat cats,¡± Eli shrugged unapologetically. ¡°What do you suggest that I do?¡± Tarry leveled his gaze back on Eli. ¡°You¡¯ll need to put some effort and it¡¯s advantageous to do so given that we¡¯re well before your next election cycle. It¡¯ll appear more genuine. Bursary programs, targeted business incentives, and the like.¡± "Fine, yes. All good suggestions," Tarry nodded, taking notes. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± Eli slowly said. ¡°Which is?¡± Tarry asked curiously. ¡°You could do an educational reform and use Olly as your poster child. Right now, he¡¯s a total outlier. A random kid from the sixteenth getting into the Academy with your sponsorship looks strange. I know we always knew how it looked optically and I thank you for trusting me. But I also think you have an excellent opportunity to uplift the education system in the lower boroughs. There¡¯s no promise any kid can just get into the Academy but a better education would promote the lower boroughs, lift the people within them, and win you considerable public support.¡± ¡°Would they even want that?¡± Tarry questioned, ¡°I thought most kids only stayed in school as long as it took for them to be able to work. And Olly was different. He had you.¡± ¡°You want my honest opinion, here it is. You are equally guilty of looking down on the underprivileged and believing it all to be a choice. The same as the Grandmasters. The same as everyone in the first borough,¡± Eli said firmly. He watched as Tarry bristled, but then seemed to relieve tension with a sigh. ¡°Is this really where you¡¯d suggest that I start or is there another motive?¡± he asked tiredly. ¡°No other motives. A more educated population is only a good thing for the city.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll think about it and see what kind of budgets I can put together,¡± Tarry agreed. ¡°Thank you,¡± Eli said gratefully. Chapter 30: Progress Olly Briggs The rest of the first week was uneventful, as was the second week. He trudged through the volume of homework as best he could but the assignments and quizzes kept piling up. And regrettably, so did the lackluster grades. He wasn¡¯t failing yet per se but he was off to a bad start. It was the last day of his third week. He had gotten up early to try and find some extra time to study before Sarah and Bowen joined him. They had been extraordinarily helpful and patient with him but he didn¡¯t want to come into every session feeling behind so he at least attempted to solve the problems on his own before he brought anything to them. Olly ate his breakfast slowly, rubbing his tired eyes. Between staying up late doing homework and persistent recurring nightmares, the bags under his eyes seemed to have found a permanent home. He had little downtime. Outside of classes his spare time was absorbed by studying or attending Brandon¡¯s lab. The lab sessions had been fruitless since the first one. Brandon¡¯s cheeriness and optimism never wavered but Olly was growing increasingly despondent over it. Not to mention, his non-performance in the practicums was becoming increasingly obvious to those in his cohort. Sarah never failed to stick up for him if she overheard anything untoward said about him but that meant people just got better at hiding their ridicule. He still heard them tittering just within earshot; Odette had gone back to ignoring him despite her earlier interest in his powers. He knew he should stand up for himself but he decided to instead try and focus on his studies as best he could. He ran a nervous hand through his hair as he reviewed his notes for today¡¯s quiz on Tunnel Construction. The content was currently focusing on the excitement state of electrons; something he had never been taught in school. In fact, he had never been taught about chemistry at all so it meant that he had to catch up on the basics before he could even attempt the material in the course. Sarah helped him select some beginner-friendly materials from the library so that he could learn about the periodic table of elements and how to read it, as well as the composition of the atom and how atoms formed elements. It helped him to understand astraium and chrononium, both categorized as rare magical elements within the table, but by the time he felt comfortable in that, the course had already moved on to chemical bonds, and from there it went quickly into wave functions. He was about to turn the page when he noticed that someone had stopped in front of his table. ¡°Olly Briggs?¡± Olly looked up to see a primly dressed man looking down at him. ¡°Yes?¡± Olly asked. ¡°I¡¯m the Headmaster¡¯s assistant. He has requested to see you ahead of your first class. Please follow me.¡± It wasn¡¯t a request. Olly felt his heart plummet. As soon as his belongings were packed up the assistant wordlessly began to walk out of the common hall. Olly trudged down the winding corridors as he followed him toward the headmaster''s office, the weight of his impending meeting pressing down on his shoulders. The assistant led him to an ornately decorated room. He took a seat behind a very polished wooden desk that sat just outside an imposing oak door marked ¡®Headmaster¡¯s Office - Franklin Byrne.¡¯ ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you,¡± the assistant said in a clipped voice and immediately busied himself with his work, his unconcerned demeanor greatly contrasted Olly¡¯s feelings of being a nervous wreck. Still, he pressed onwards and tried to look unruffled as he gently knocked before pushing the door open and entering the spacious office. The headmaster sat behind an expansive mahogany desk, peering over spectacles with an air of disapproval. The room felt suffocating, the heavy red velvet curtains were drawn tight, which cast a somber shadow over the already tense atmosphere. "Mr. Briggs, do have a seat," the headmaster said in a stern voice, gesturing toward the chair opposite his desk. Olly lowered himself into it, feeling very small under the weight of the headmaster''s disapproving gaze. "I''m deeply concerned about your academic performance," the headmaster began, though his voice projected more displeasure than it did concern, "It¡¯s only the beginning of the term and your first reported grades have been exceedingly lackluster. Your teachers have expressed their worries about your lack of effort and focus." Olly felt his mouth drop open. He had been trying. He had been trying so hard. He shifted uncomfortably and broke away from the headmaster¡¯s gaze before tears began to prickle at the corners of his eyes. "I understand that the content is challenging but this level of performance is unacceptable at any stage of your time at the Academy," the headmaster continued, his tone unwavering. "Your future is at stake here. We expect better from our students, especially from someone who caught the eyes of the other Grandmasters so dramatically during the aptitude test." The weight of the headmaster''s words hung in the air, punctuated by a heavy silence. Olly felt a lump form in his throat, the weight of his inadequacies pressing down on him. He wanted to explain that he had been trying to just keep his head above water but the words caught in his throat. Franklin leaned forward, looking down his nose at Olly. ¡°And believe me Mr. Briggs, I am interested in how you performed during the aptitude test. Grandmaster Abigail may believe that you are something special but forgive my skepticism on how someone from your background could have performed as you did. Delilah is a talented Cartographer and researcher but I don¡¯t believe that even she could have molded something from nothing.¡± His tone suggested what Olly had always known to be true. He would never be accepted as one of them. He wondered what would have happened if he had pledged for the Cartographers¡¯ Guild and how Franklin would have treated him. "I¡¯m also interested in your connection to the Mayor. Believe me, if something foul is afoot I will get to the bottom of it. Consider this a warning that you are on academic probation," the headmaster concluded coldly, "If you made it here on your own merit then you have the ability to excel, but it''s time to demonstrate that. I would consider you to take this term very seriously because I expect to see a drastic improvement in your grades by the end of this term, or else you can consider this to be your last term." ¡°I¡­ Yes sir,¡± Olly managed to choke out. Franklin nodded. ¡°You may go,¡± he gestured to the door, dismissing him without another word. Olly excused himself as quickly as he could and dashed past the assistant. He didn¡¯t even look up from his desk and Olly was almost grateful for it since he couldn¡¯t see the tears that were spilling down his face. As Olly left the office, the weight of disappointment settled on his shoulders. He didn¡¯t have time to cry so he let himself lean against a wall until his breathing settled. He swiped the tears away from his eyes and made his way to his class. He avoided eye contact with everyone and attempted his quiz the best he could despite the nagging feeling that it was for naught.
He felt like he was in a fugue state for the remainder of the day. Sarah asked him what was wrong but he feigned feeling unwell. He could tell she didn¡¯t believe him but she didn¡¯t press the matter. He was grateful because he still had to get through a lab session with Brandon and didn¡¯t have time to dwell on what Franklin said that morning. Somewhat surprisingly Brandon wasn¡¯t in the lab that evening. Olly wondered if he knew about Franklin¡¯s meeting with Olly. Worse yet, Olly wondered if he had informed Franklin of Olly''s performance in his practicum or lab ahead of that meeting. He waited at the usual spot at the bench but no one seemed to be coming. After ten minutes he was about to leave when the door opened. He looked up expecting to see Brandon but found a slightly breathless Steven. ¡°S-sorry! Brandon wanted me to tell you he got called away urgently on Guild business. He asked that I lead today¡¯s session,¡± he stammered. Olly shrugged. Why not. What was there to lose? After the first session where Brandon had elicited an emotional response that triggered his magic, they hadn¡¯t come up with anything further. Brandon hadn¡¯t pushed anything emotionally driven since then and instead focused on standard testing methods. Steven set up the testing panels between them but removed the shimmering golden sheet from the pane so that Olly could see directly through the panels. He frowned in confusion. Wouldn¡¯t that defeat the purpose of the test? ¡°I¡¯m going to try something new if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Steven suggested, his voice seemed a lot more even as he focused on the panels. He offered Olly one of the stones and held up the one in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing a little bit of research on loci. Sometimes we focus too much on the tunnel and not enough on the start and end points. Before you can punch you need to be able to see the end point clearly. There¡¯s no guessing during a punch; the Cartographers map out a three-dimensional spot in space and you connect two known points together. The regular test is testing a connection between a known and an unknown point; it¡¯s different,¡± he explained. He placed his stone in a location at random. Olly could see it floating in space. ¡°Place your stone opposite to mine, but don¡¯t release it.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°But doesn¡¯t that defeat the purpose if I can see it?¡± Olly asked, still not understanding. ¡°Do you want to be confident in what you know? Or what you don¡¯t know?¡± Steven responded eyebrows raised expectantly. Olly sighed at the riddle but obediently placed his stone opposite to Steven¡¯s, letting his fingers rest lightly against it even though he knew it could free-float on its own. He looked back at Steven waiting for his next instructions. ¡°What do you feel?¡± Steven asked. Olly stared at the stone in his hand. ¡°It feels slightly cold,¡± he responded. ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s not active. You need to think about it as an extension of yourself. Once you do you¡¯ll feel the connection that it has to its twin. You¡¯re so focused on the physical stone that you¡¯re losing sight of the bigger picture. One location does not make a tunnel.¡± Olly tried to look away from his stone and instead focused on the opposite one. He didn¡¯t feel anything different. He tried looking between them; hoping to see some sort of visual connection but that didn¡¯t produce anything meaningful either. He was about to let go in frustration when Steven told him to wait. ¡°Keep your hand where it is and close your eyes,¡± he instructed. Olly didn¡¯t understand how this would be better but he obeyed nonetheless. ¡°The stone in your hand and its twin are intended to become a single closed system. The system can¡¯t be opened or closed without energy and you need to provide that energy. Your hand is the conduit so think about the stone as a part of you.¡± His fingertips slightly brushed over the smooth surface of the stone. It was still cold to the touch in fact, it felt like it was drawing heat from his skin. He furrowed his brow. It felt foreign in his hands because no matter how long he held it there was no change in temperature. ¡°Picture the stone in your hand in your mind¡¯s eye,¡± Steven said. He tried to ignore the creeping cooling sensation up his fingertips and thought about how it looked. He pictured his arm floating in space with the stone in his fingers, however, as he did he was shocked to see it glowing gold. Something changed abruptly. It suddenly felt warm and as he continued to focus on it mentally he could see a golden thread growing from it. It headed towards something through the darkness and all of a sudden he could see another glowing point in the distance. It was the other stone! As the thread extended it eventually touched the other point. He opened his eyes and looked between the two. In real life, they didn¡¯t look any different but he could feel the warmth spreading back into his fingertips. The stone¡¯s temperature and the temperature of his hand were in equilibrium. He let go cautiously and looked at Steven. ¡°You felt them connect, yes? What did you picture?¡± he asked curiously. ¡°Like there was a thread connecting them. And the stone suddenly gave off heat,¡± Olly explained. ¡°Good. So what you did was identify the two points mentally. I¡¯m going to try something else, close your eyes again and lightly hold the stone once more.¡± Olly obeyed once more, heart pounding excitedly in his chest. He visualized the two connected stones once more. ¡°What do you see if I do this?¡± Steven asked. Olly was about to ask what ¡®this¡¯ meant but all of a sudden the thread curved to the left. He could feel it flicker slightly, weakening. He instinctively followed it with his hand and the strength of the thread seemed to be restored. ¡°Open your eyes,¡± Steven instructed simply and as Olly did he gasped. Steven had moved the stone to another quadrant and Olly had moved his stone to meet it. ¡°So I can do it? I¡¯m not bad at magic?¡± he asked hopefully. Steven shrugged. ¡°No one is good or bad at magic, but yes you were able to activate the connection and sense changes. With practice, you should be able to intrinsically visualize it without closing your eyes.¡± Olly was dumbfounded. After his horrible morning, this felt like his first true win at the Academy. ¡°So does that mean I can do it with the panel? I know you said that method tests the unknown instead of the known so can I just extrapolate?¡± he asked hopefully. ¡°Likely with practice. The screen acts like a barrier so it will appear different in your mind. We can try a few and see what happens. Brandon did want to use it today so I don¡¯t want to disappoint him.¡± Olly saw a nervous tic form in Steven¡¯s jaw as he said it. He remembered back to the time he overheard Brandon yelling at Steven so he suspected Steven was fearful of going renegade. Steven set up the panel as normal and picked up the other stone. Olly could not see where he placed it and felt a bit nervous. This was the test he technically failed during the aptitude test and the test he continued to fail since he had joined the Academy. And yet, Steven had gotten him farther in the process than anyone else had. He felt an odd sort of reassurance that maybe it wasn¡¯t outside his realm of possibility. ¡°Okay. Your stone is still active, yes? Close your eyes and tell me what you feel and see.¡± It was chaos. With the last test, there was just one thread. In this version he was suddenly disoriented by countless threads, seemingly refracting in all directions off of an infinitely large barrier that expanded throughout the recess of his mind. He wavered, feeling entirely cut off and unsure where to go. He hesitantly moved his hand and Steven cleared his throat disapprovingly. ¡°Hesitation leads to mistakes and you can¡¯t afford mistakes,¡± he said softly. Olly froze. ¡°So what should I do? I can¡¯t see past this wall and there¡¯s so many threads.¡± The stone began to feel uncomfortably hot in his hand. ¡°Focus on your stone. It¡¯s an extension of you, remember? You need to control the energy you''re supplying it.¡± Olly was on the verge of letting go at the risk of burning himself. He thought back to how cold it had felt before and tried to will that sensation back. It worked¡­ somewhat. He felt the temperature reversing slightly and as he did so some of the threads began to disappear. Suddenly some seemed brighter than others. ¡°I think I¡¯ve narrowed down some choices¡­¡± Olly suggested, still unsure. ¡°Good, now think about the other stone. You can¡¯t see it when your eyes are open, but think about what¡¯s on the other side of that barrier.¡± He scrunched up his eyes but the barrier still took over his mind¡¯s eye. ¡°Think about it like a window. It¡¯s shut now so you need to open it.¡± Olly relaxed his shoulders. Okay, a window. That didn¡¯t mean anything to him right now but another thought occurred to him. He thought about something back from his aptitude test studying days. The logic problems always had him lay out what facts he did know and use those to extrapolate the correct answer. He knew that in real life there was a screen with two twin stones on either side of it. He knew the location of the stone in his hand but not the stone on the other side of the screen. However, the stone in his hand was supposed to help him conduct magic to detect the other one. In his mind¡¯s eye, there was still a mess of threads, but maybe the threads weren¡¯t important right now. He focused on the stone in his hand and pictured it as nothing more than an extension. The temperature continued to cool until it was in equilibrium once more. As he did so, there were no threads left but he could see a faint glow coming from the other side of the barrier. Heart pounding, he slowly but deliberately moved his stone to mirror it in depth and location. One single thread grew from his stone once more and connected the two stones. He opened his eyes. The screen was transparent and the stones were in perfect alignment. Steven, despite his nervous personality, wore the first real smile Olly had seen on him. ¡°I did it!¡± Olly exclaimed. A slow clap came from the doorway. They both jerked their heads to find Brandon smiling widely from the now-open door. Neither had heard him come in. ¡°Well done mate, I knew you could do it. And Steven, incredible. I was hoping you¡¯d have some unorthodox method you¡¯d use to help him get there.¡± Steven seemed to retreat into himself almost immediately and Olly felt immediately bad. ¡°Good job Olly, see you in class,¡± he said hurriedly before rushing off. Olly frowned and turned to face Brandon. Brandon seemed nonplussed. ¡°He¡¯s smart but a strange fellow. No matter though, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re pleased with yourself!¡± ¡°I am, yeah. Will you be telling the Headmaster about this?¡± Olly asked curiously. Brandon frowned in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Now it was Olly¡¯s turn to feel confused. ¡°The Headmaster called me into his office today. He said I was on academic probation because of the reports he¡¯d be hearing from my teachers.¡± Brandon immediately looked furious. ¡°He did what now?¡± Olly shrunk back slightly, having previously seen Brandon¡¯s temper. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him anything?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No, and rest assured I will be telling Grandmaster Abigail immediately about this. This is unacceptable.¡± He sank heavily down into a lab stool and deflated slightly. ¡°Okay mate, you did great today. Don¡¯t worry about the Headmaster, leave that with me. Why don¡¯t you run along for the evening? I¡¯ll see how Abigail feels about us reducing some of these sessions so that you can focus on your studies. Sound good?¡± Olly couldn¡¯t help but give a small smile. ¡°Sounds great!¡± It was the most optimistic he felt all day! Still, he had questions. He didn¡¯t feel like Steven was the monster he was made out to be, so Sarah would probably be blown away that he was the first person who helped him get his magic where it needed to be. He also wondered what the Headmaster intended for him and if it was truly just a social issue. As he got to his room he decided to put on the television. His mind was spinning too fast to sleep and he felt out of the loop with the rest of the world. He flipped to the Occaigh news and saw it was playing re-runs of the inquest report by the Mayor. His heart sank as he heard the Mayor¡¯s words. ¡°And if you¡¯ll let me I will not falter in my duty until justice is served.¡± Chapter 31: Headquarters Olly Briggs ¡°You sound a lot better today. I¡¯ve been worried about you kid.¡± Eli and Olly had spoken over the phone almost every other day and Olly had excitedly called him the morning after his lab session to share his progress. He realized that in looking back at last week''s worth of calls his tone had been faltering and the content had been increasingly sparing. He felt a pang of guilt for having let his uncle worry about him. ¡°Well, it was almost a bad day, I¡¯ll give it that,¡± Olly launched into an explanation of the conversation with Franklin, the threat of being on academic probation, and how Brandon was going to talk to Abigail. The other line fell silent. ¡°You still there?¡± Olly asked. ¡°Yeah sorry, just taking that in. So it sounds like Abigail and Franklin don¡¯t exactly agree where you¡¯re concerned?¡± Eli asked. ¡°No, not at all. Also, I can¡¯t imagine how Franklin would have reacted if I were his Guild¡¯s student. He¡¯d probably put me right out on the street before I could tarnish his reputation,¡± Olly said, half-jokingly. ¡°Well¡­ Not quite. I understand that the Cartographers have never had anyone fail out and it would be a huge blow to their reputation to have someone be the first. I think Franklin would quietly support you, even if he didn¡¯t agree with you being there,¡± Eli said carefully. This was a shock to Olly. ¡°So when you said Franklin would have disregarded me, is that what you meant? He just would¡¯ve silently let me pass through and paid me no mind?¡± ¡°I suspect it would be something like that. Abigail however has taken a liking to you, as I knew she would, and Franklin doesn¡¯t like that. So I do suggest that you step very carefully where Franklin is involved and try not to get too far into Abigail¡¯s debt in the meantime. You don¡¯t want to be in a position where she one day calls in a favour.¡± Olly felt his mood sinking. He hadn¡¯t considered that there could be a debt to pay. As if sensing his shift in tone Eli sighed and spoke up again. ¡°Look, it¡¯s not all bad, you had a huge win yesterday and that¡¯s a great thing. All I¡¯m saying is to exercise caution and try not to trust blindly.¡± Olly nodded. ¡°I¡­I know. I won¡¯t. By the way, what the Mayor said at his address¡­ That means he¡¯s speaking out against the Guilds, right?¡± he asked. He didn¡¯t fully understand the implications but it had been concerning him. ¡°Yes. Unfortunately, there¡¯s going to be a lot of political posturing coming up. This is also why I¡¯d suggest you keep your head down as much as possible.¡± ¡°Do you think Abigail will stop helping me because of the Mayor¡¯s stance? Franklin mentioned how he was interested in the Mayor¡¯s sponsorship and suggested there was something more behind it that he intended to find out. I¡¯m worried that Abigail might feel the same,¡± he confided. ¡°It was a profoundly stupid move for Franklin to state something like that openly. The Mayor can handle his own channels, and if Franklin wants to openly challenge a candidate from an underprivileged position who made it into the Academy fairly then that will be at his peril. Your position is fine and if I hear anything otherwise I will warn you,¡± Eli said, sounding exasperated, ¡°But for what it¡¯s worth I am sorry you¡¯re in this position.¡± ¡°As if I¡¯m not here because you wanted me to be,¡± Olly said, a smirk forming on his lips despite himself. ¡°Well, I apologize for some of it anyway. So what¡¯s on the agenda this week?¡± ¡°We have a field trip midweek to our Guild Headquarters. Other than that, still studying my ass off just to barely scrape by.¡± Eli laughed lightly. ¡°It will get easier, I promise. You¡¯re putting in the work and it will pay off.¡± ¡°Thanks for always believing in me,¡± Olly said, feeling a slight rush of homesickness. ¡°Always,¡± Eli confirmed.
The week started rather well. While he wouldn¡¯t call his grades stellar, he received several quizzes back that weren¡¯t failures and received a modest ¡®B¡¯ on an essay. He also relished in stunning Sarah during their next scheduled practicum. ¡°What changed?¡± she asked incredulously as he passed the panel test perfectly for the first time, ¡°You were practically despondent yesterday but today you¡¯re a whole new person!¡± ¡°My lab session yesterday paid off,¡± he said smugly. ¡°I¡¯m so happy for you!¡± she exclaimed joyfully. He felt slightly guilty and yet withheld the fact that Steven had been the one to help him. He would tell her, eventually, but for now he just wanted to bask in the glow of success. One downside he found was that he was quite slow at the panel test. He relied on closing his eyes to activate the stone and locate the right location. And while he was now scoring perfectly it took him almost twice as long as his cohorts. He did note that while everyone finished before him almost all of them were scoring below perfect. Apart from Sarah, who managed perfect or near-perfect scores consistently, most students were only scoring with a combination of transparent and translucent panels. A translucent panel was still considered a hit but a perfect score could only be achieved by producing entirely transparent panels for all of the test iterations. Brandon seemed pleased and gave him a knowing nod when his scores were submitted at the end of the practicum. ¡°Abigail is fine with reducing our sessions to give you more time,¡± he said quietly as he pulled Olly aside at the end of class, ¡°And we agreed to turn over some of the sessions to Steven since he seems to have ideas that could help you.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me!¡± Olly agreed. ¡°I think this may be mutually beneficial. That was the calmest I¡¯ve seen Steven since, well, I shouldn¡¯t speak openly of it, but since he experienced a grave trauma. He is talented though and if you could help bring him out of his shell it would be a benefit to the Academy,¡± Brandon suggested. Olly knew what trauma he was referring to but decided not to overplay his hand. He wondered if this was one of those debts that Eli had advised him about getting into, however, it seemed innocuous enough. Technically if Steven helping him also helped Steven then it was technically a one-for-one type of arrangement. ¡°For sure, I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± Olly agreed. ¡°Good! And if I don¡¯t see you, enjoy your field trip later this week!¡± Brandon bade him farewell.
The Conductors¡¯ Guild was located right in Donnol. Olly was slightly jealous of the other Guilds¡¯ students. Their Headquarters were all located in further away cities and they would get to see new sights. While Olly wasn¡¯t entirely familiar with Donnol he had wanted to be able to see a new city. However, he couldn¡¯t deny the eclectic charm of the city. It was a mix of history and modernity, the old meets the new. Towering ancient stone marvels stood as silent witnesses to the city''s rich past, while contemporary skyscrapers reached for the skies. There were labyrinthine alleys, playing host to a colourful cast of performers and artists, and cobblestone streets that brought a regal magnificence to the city. There was a palpable sense of history lingering in the air and it was intoxicating to him. As they navigated the streets towards their destination he realized he could spend a lifetime here and still not unearth all the secrets of the city. Finally, they were upon the Conductors¡¯ Guild Headquarters. Aesthetically it fit in perfectly with the city of Donnol. It was a sprawling complex that consisted of a central building with magnificent stonework and grand, imposing columns, attached to several additions that seemed to reflect the time period for which they were added. There should have been a greater juxtaposition against the original structure, which was reminiscent of a bygone era, but the complex as a whole served as a historic architectural timeline and felt much more linear by comparison. The most recent addition was a towering modern building, constructed of sleek glass panels and situated just behind the older central building. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. They were led into a grand atrium adorned with soaring ceilings and yet the modernity of the space was evident in the minimalist decor, sleek lines, and state-of-the-art technology seamlessly integrated into the design. The tour began with describing the history of the building and how the first Conductor had lived in a long-removed, modest building that once stood on the very footprint of the current structure. The building of tunnels had clearly paid handsomely since then because the opulent interior spoke of considerable wealth. Several Conductors walked around in their crisp black uniforms; the very image of professionalism. Olly wondered if he would one day inspire the same appearance. For now, he felt too young, too immature to truly belong alongside the Conductors. But seeing them did provide a drive to keep working hard. The tour took them deeper within the building, where the hallways provided a captivating narrative, revealing winding offshoots to a variety of chambers and corridors adorned with intricate mosaics, stained glass windows, and ornamental arches. Finally, at the center, they were shown the central courtyard. It bathed in natural light streaming through a magnificent glass dome, which echoed the grandeur of the Academy. Looking up through the skylight Olly could see the tower spanning above them like a watchtower. It was here that Grandmaster Abigail met them. She smiled warmly at them as she rose from one of the benches. ¡°My students, it¡¯s so good to see you here. While the Academy is your home for now, this will be your home base in a few short years. When you¡¯ve completed your studies you will come here as an apprentice to be placed under the tutelage of a master Conductor. This is when you will begin your hands-on training.¡± She took over the tour and explained some of the Guild''s history. It wasn¡¯t different from the material taught at the Academy, but she painted the Conductors in a much higher light. ¡°We are the heart of Flexibilis. We pump the lifeblood through the veins of all the cities and independent spheroids. Without us, there are no tunnels,¡± she said solemnly, ¡°Our Guild was formed to counter the Cartographers. Technically they came first, but they needed us and we needed to show them that we would not be treated as anything except equals.¡± ¡°The Controllers were originally a part of our Guild. But when the skillsets diverged we decided to amicably split into separate Guilds. There¡¯s no hard feelings there, we see them as our cousins,¡± she said with a light smile. She led them to a reception that took place in a chamber just off the main atrium. She introduced them to several masters and key staff and figures including the Mayor of Donnol. Abigail seemed to know everyone by name, and her students were no exception. As she introduced them to people she would state their names and a little bit about where they came from. Most students came from upper-class families and they were already known to some of the figures in the room, likely through their family names. However, Abigail didn¡¯t treat them any differently than Olly or Sarah, who came from much more modest backgrounds by comparison. She didn¡¯t quite flaunt Olly around as she did with Franklin during the first night at the Academy, but she neither shied away from nor overstated his upbringing, which made him feel a lot more comfortable with it. It felt like he wasn¡¯t just a prop or an accessory to show how progressive the Academy was for having accepted him. She emphasized that his accomplishments during the aptitude test were nothing short of amazing and that she had high hopes for his future. Sarah received similar accolades. She was the first to pass the aptitude test and also scored extraordinarily high on the written component. Abigail also bragged slightly that she had stolen her away from the Labourers but similarly praised them in a way that made Sarah smile easily. It was fascinating to see someone with so much power operate with so much charisma. Abigail could work an entire room of people and leave them all feeling personally charmed and valued. His uncle¡¯s words still rang in his mind that he should exercise caution around her but it was difficult to pay it much attention because her presence was such a bright, burning light. Everyone gravitated towards her like moths to a flame. He eventually found himself quietly sitting and sipping on punch, recharging from the activity around him. Abigail found him once again. ¡°I hope you¡¯re having a nice time Olly,¡± she said kindly, ¡°I¡¯m wondering if I might borrow you for a moment.¡± ¡°Oh, uh, of course, Grandmaster,¡± he responded, stammering slightly. He had forgotten about his interaction with Franklin earlier that week and his heart skipped a beat at the thought of having to discuss it with her. ¡°Wonderful,¡± she said good-naturedly. He followed her out of the room and down a hallway. It led to a much more modern part of the building where the walls were replaced with blueish glass that allowed him to see outside. They went up a sleek elevator where she scanned a pass and pressed the button for the penthouse. He realized that they were heading up the tower attached to the complex. It was a smooth ride and as they reached the top he was treated to a view of a massive, open office surrounded by glass walls. She had an assistant sitting outside just outside the elevator who bowed her head as they entered. ¡°Grandmaster,¡± she said reverently. Abigail smiled in response. Olly looked around, awestruck. Her office afforded him a 360-degree view of Donnol and, while it wasn¡¯t the tallest building in the skyline, it rivalled most of the other towers in the sky. ¡°Welcome to my office Olly! Please, have a seat.¡± He expected her to lead him to her desk, a stately, glass and metal construct in the very center of the room. Instead, she walked over to a pair of armchairs off to one side. Without being asked, her assistant showed up with a tray of tea and Abigail poured him a cup. In comparison to his meeting with Franklin, he felt much calmer and welcomed. Abigail met him on equal footing rather than sneering at him from across the desk. And once again, despite his uncle¡¯s reservations he felt validated in his choice of Guild. ¡°I just wanted to say how sorry I am for my colleague¡¯s behaviour towards you. It was highly inappropriate for the Headmaster to speak to you without consulting me first. I assure you I had nothing to do with his actions but you are not on academic probation nor are you at risk of not coming back at the end of term,¡± she said empathetically. He felt a tension release from his body that he didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d been holding. ¡°Thank you, Grandmaster, I¡­ appreciate that.¡± She smiled once more. ¡°Franklin is both the Headmaster and Grandmaster of his Guild, however, that does not mean he has unilateral decision-making power for the other Guilds¡¯ students at the Academy. He forgets himself on occasion and I have to remind him from time to time.¡± He didn¡¯t know how to respond and instead took a sip from his cup. ¡°It¡¯s not for you to concern yourself with but I did want to make sure you were okay. I¡¯m glad you have a trusting relationship with Brandon and feel comfortable sharing your concerns with him. I hope that we also have a similar relationship. You don¡¯t have to suffer alone and I have some suggestions for upperclassmen who can help you to succeed academically. There are always those who are interested in teaching or research and want the tutoring experience. I¡¯ll reach out to a few of them if you¡¯re okay with that approach,¡± she offered, taking a sip from her cup. ¡°I would like that, thank you. I¡¯ve been studying to catch up in my spare time but I feel like I¡¯ve missed a lot of the basics,¡± he confessed despite himself. She looked at him with such sympathy that it made him feel slightly self-conscious. ¡°I know, you have an uphill battle. Though I recognize that you¡¯ve been working very hard since you began this journey. It¡¯s truly admirable how far you¡¯ve come. I intend to help you go the distance.¡± ¡°Thank you, Grandmaster,¡± he said softly. ¡°Anytime. Now, was there anything you wanted to talk about or ask of me before we rejoin the group?¡± He knew he shouldn¡¯t, he knew his uncle would hate this question, but Olly knew how Abigail operated and he felt that maintaining a slightly naive persona seemed to work for her. She seemed endeared to his background so maybe he could leverage that. ¡°Franklin mentioned how the Mayor¡¯s endorsement was something he was interested in. I don¡¯t know much about politics but I do know that there¡¯s some tension there. I don''t know how his endorsement impacts my future at the Academy but I am a bit nervous,¡± he confessed. It was half-true. ¡°Oh Olly, I¡¯m not worried about that. You¡¯re our student now and the Academy is non-partisan. Lots of students leverage political connections to receive an endorsement for the aptitude test. Why should you be barred from doing the same? It¡¯s a formality in either case. The aptitude test endorsement is merely a rubberstamp and it¡¯s occupation-based. Politicians serving in office are common endorsers.¡± He was dumbfounded. That¡¯s it? That¡¯s all that was? It felt so dramatic and like it was such a big deal when he eavesdropped on his uncle and the Mayor all those months ago. The way Franklin spoke of it made his potential association with the Mayor sound dirty. ¡°In any case, you needn¡¯t worry about Franklin¡¯s posturing. But if you do have any further problems please feel free to go to Brandon with them and he will be sure to pass them along to me.¡± She rose to her feet and he stood as well, noting that she was nearly as tall as he was. ¡°Thank you for this Grandmaster, I feel considerably better,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯m glad, now shall we -¡± She was cut off by a distant rumble that shook the very tower. ¡°What was that?¡± she asked sharply. Her assistant was already on the phone but Abigail was taking long strides for the elevator with Olly hot on her heels. ¡°Mam, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s safe down there!¡± she exclaimed, holding the receiver to her chest, ¡°They¡¯re saying there¡¯s been an explosion!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t shy away from danger. My people are down there!¡± Abigail said hotly. Olly took her side in the elevator. ¡°You should stay up here,¡± she suggested, letting her finger hover over the ground floor button. He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡± She gave him a faint smile and jabbed the button. The ride down was both excruciatingly slow and yet all too fast. Finally, when the doors opened, they were greeted with a hellish scene. Chapter 32: The Attack of the Shadow Fellowship Olly Briggs Alarms screamed all around them and flashing lights lining the floors of the hallways were illuminating a path through the dimness. Smoke was billowing through the halls; it immediately assaulted their lungs and they both began to cough. Procuring a knife from inside her sleeve Abigail grabbed a nearby tapestry and cut two ragged strips of fabric from it. She handed one to Olly and tied the other around her mouth and nose. He followed suit and began to breathe slightly easier. Evacuate immediately. Follow the illuminated path on the floor to the nearest emergency exit. This is not a drill¡­ Evacuate immediately. Follow the illuminated path on the floor to the nearest emergency exit. This is not a drill¡­ Evacuate immediately. Follow the illuminated path on the floor to the nearest emergency exit. This is not a drill¡­ A mechanical voice was playing on repeat over an intercom system. Abigail looked around. The corridors were currently vacant. ¡°Follow me,¡± she instructed, her voice muffled by the makeshift mask. She took long strides and her long auburn hair fanned out behind her, providing a beacon for Olly to follow. As they came up to the first major junction she held up her hand. He stopped right behind her. He looked out the large paned windows and saw a heavy emergency presence outside. However, there was no discernable crowd of evacuees. ¡°Something¡¯s not right¡­¡± she said darkly. As if on cue, another loud BOOM sounded from a nearby corridor. Bits of debris rained down from overhead from the ceiling. He braced for a cave-in but none came, fortunately. Muffled screams could be heard from another side of the building. ¡°We have to get to the others and make sure they¡¯re okay,¡± she exclaimed, ¡°I won¡¯t place you in danger so if you¡¯re not comfortable tell me now and I will guide you to an emergency exit.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not leaving you!¡± he retorted. He also needed to know that the others were okay. Sarah was in there. His other classmates were in there. Hell, even the thought of something happening to someone like Odette made him feel weak. If someone was injured or worse and he did nothing to help he¡¯d be devastated. ¡°Then stay close and listen to me, got it?¡± she said not unkindly, but she looked at him expectantly. She was all business now and he immediately understood why she was the Grandmaster. Sure she was kind and charismatic under normal circumstances, but these were not normal circumstances and currently she was oozing pure leadership energy. She was accountable to the lives of everyone in here and he knew that if he followed her into battle he had to obey orders. ¡°Got it,¡± he confirmed. She nodded and began her trek again. She took a hallway that led away from the main atrium. ¡°It¡¯s too open, I don¡¯t trust it,¡± she explained as they walked, ¡°We need to remain undetected and appraise the situation. I¡¯m taking us through the back way.¡± He said nothing but wordlessly obeyed her. Eventually, they crossed the entrance of a chamber. They were set to breeze right past it when he heard a muffled cry from the other side. ¡°Grandmaster!¡± he hissed to get her attention. She looked back and he pointed at the door. She turned back and gently knocked. ¡°It¡¯s me, is everyone alright?¡± she said quietly. Nothing happened immediately but after a brief moment, he heard a latch turn and the door opened. A woman¡¯s tear-streaked face looked out at them. She broke into a relieved expression and began weeping. Abigail and Olly entered the room and shut the door behind them. Several other people were huddled in the chamber. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Abigail asked gently. ¡°We¡¯re under attack,¡± she said tearfully, ¡°Several masked individuals stormed the front doors and blocked the entrance. They had this device that seemed to cause explosions when they aimed it at things. They targeted major hallways and any tunnels leading into the atrium. We can¡¯t evacuate so we hid here but we don¡¯t know what to do!¡± ¡°Dammit,¡± Abigail sighed in frustration, ¡°Where were they heading?¡± ¡°Towards the courtyard. They may have split up but they were heading that way.¡± Abigail furrowed her brow, looking thoughtful. ¡°Why¡­¡± she asked, mostly to herself before snapping back to the girl, ¡°Do we have any external comms?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure but I¡¯m doubtful. They¡¯ve cut the main power source. We only have the emergency backup lights and system running.¡± Abigail nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going back out there. I¡¯ll see what they want once and for all. Stay here and blockade the door. Don¡¯t open it for anyone else.¡± She nodded fearfully and grasped Abigail¡¯s arm. ¡°Be safe out there Grandmaster!¡± Abigail gave her a small, reassuring smile. ¡°I will Diya.¡± Olly motioned to follow her but she turned around. ¡°I can¡¯t in good conscience let you come with me. Stay here where it¡¯s safe,¡± she instructed. He was going to protest but she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not up for debate. Keep these people calm, that¡¯s an order from your Grandmaster.¡± ¡°I¡­ Yes Grandmaster,¡± he conceded. She clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Good lad. I¡¯ll see you once this is over. I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said reassuringly and swept out of the room without a second look. He stood there for a moment, feeling useless. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get the door barricaded,¡± he suggested, feeling more concerned for her safety than he thought he would.
Sarah Weldon When the first explosion boomed the walls shook. Several people screamed and took cover while others immediately moved to take action. Interestingly enough, it was mostly students who were quick to react and get to their feet. Older Conductors and politicians were the ones who looked around incredulously or in terror. Sarah and Odette were closest to the door and made eye contact. Odette¡¯s face reflected how Sarah felt. Something was wrong. Sarah quietly moved towards the door but instead of opening it, she held the back of her hand to the knob. It was still cold so there was no immediate risk of fire. She pressed an ear to it and listened intently. ¡°What do you think that was?¡± The Mayor of Donnol spoke up. Odette shushed him and Sarah inwardly grinned. The audacity of the girl could be refreshing at times. ¡°Not sure,¡± Sarah said quietly, ¡°Does anyone have a mirror?¡± Someone procured one and handed it over wordlessly. Sarah slid it partially under the crack of the door and wiggled it around as best she could, trying to get a vantage point. She didn¡¯t see anyone or anything and she leaned back on her heels. They had two options, leave and risk running into the source of the explosion, or remain quiet and risk getting trapped. There was only one exit out of the room. She turned to the Mayor, knowing he was the senior-most person present in a decision-making capacity. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m not sure what happened out there, but we have a decision to make. The coast is clear for now but this is a large group and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s waiting for us. Alternatively, this room seems safe and secure and if we can remain quiet and stay put we could wait for someone to retrieve us.¡± The room buzzed with whispers and the Mayor frowned. ¡°Where does this corridor go?¡± ¡°The way we came heads towards the atrium, which I think is the source of the explosion,¡± an older Conductor chimed in, ¡°But if we follow it in the opposite direction it will lead us towards the courtyard and at least one emergency exit.¡± Suddenly, several more explosions rocked the room. They sounded like they were getting closer. The Mayor sighed heavily. ¡°We can¡¯t risk getting entombed here, let¡¯s move on.¡± Sarah checked the mirror once more. There still weren¡¯t any signs of people but she could see smoke billowing from the direction of the atrium. She nodded and one of the Conductors opened the door. An alarm had begun to sound and the power flickered around them, before going out altogether. Floor lighting provided the only source of light. The smoke was getting thicker and people started to panic. She pulled Odette aside and whispered in her ear. ¡°Let¡¯s try and keep people calm. I assume you know people here?¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Odette nodded. ¡°Yup, I can go to the people I know if you want to take the others.¡± ¡°Will do,¡± Sarah agreed and they split up to try and keep spirits up. It was just like the aptitude test; they hadn¡¯t known it was fake then so they might as well apply the same techniques here. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem fake though,¡± Sarah thought grimly to herself, ¡°They wouldn¡¯t employ the same tactics twice.¡± As they followed the Conductor further down the corridor they heard several more explosions behind them. Yelps sounded all around them. Sarah made her way to the front, giving words of encouragement to people as she passed them, and caught up to the senior Conductor who was leading the group. The Mayor of Donnol kept pace with him. They were following the illuminated lighting on the floor and she breathed a sigh of relief that an exit route was established. They came upon a window-lined corridor that wrapped around the courtyard but before they could take more than a few steps she gasped, grasping at the Conductor¡¯s arm. ¡°Sir. There¡¯s someone across the way!¡± she exclaimed as she pulled him back away from the window. He held up a hand and the group stopped behind him. ¡°Where¡¯s that mirror?¡± he asked and Sarah handed it to him. He used it to look into the courtyard. Sarah watched over his shoulder and saw that there was indeed someone standing vigil within the courtyard. He was dressed in all black and his face was obscured by a simple wooden mask. It had gashes for eye holes and a mouth. She shivered. ¡°What is it?¡± the Mayor asked. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± the Conductor confessed, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone dressed like that around here.¡± Another boom sounded behind them and someone in the crowd screamed. Through the mirror, Sarah and the Conductor watched as the man¡¯s masked face turned toward the direction of the noise. Echoing footsteps pounded from down the corridor behind them. ¡°Shit,¡± the Conductor exclaimed, ¡°Okay, we need to make a break for it!¡± The group took off and Sarah stole a glance at the man in the courtyard. He didn¡¯t react but merely watched them as they ran past the windows. ¡°Keep going, there¡¯s an emergency exit up ahead!¡± the Conductor shouted, following the illuminated path as a guide. Two men stepped into their path and pandemonium broke out. Everyone at the front attempted to come to an abrupt stop, however, the people at the rear couldn''t see what was going on and collided into them. Bodies crashed into each other as the momentum from the people at the back slammed into the people closer to the front, catching them in a crush. Sarah gasped for air as she was shoved into the window. She was quickly pinned and unable to move. ¡°They¡¯re coming!¡± she heard someone shout from behind her. Just as she reached the verge of passing out she found herself freed from the mass. However, someone roughly tied her hands behind her back. She was dizzy and disoriented; screams and cries echoed all around her. A glass panel shattered beside her and she looked up, trying to focus amidst the chaos unfolding around them. She felt warm blood dripping from the corner of her mouth and she looked up to see a wooden mask glowering down at her. The man wearing it leaned down to reach for her and she felt herself rising off the ground but someone else threw themselves at the aggressor. She dropped to the ground once more somewhat limply as she watched Odette thrash at the man long enough to drive him off. However, Odette soon found herself staring down a dagger pointed at her face by another man. ¡°Odette¡­¡± Sarah said weakly, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± Odette practically growled as her own hands were bound behind her back and she was led away. Sarah was once again dragged to her feet and made to follow in the same direction. She didn¡¯t fight. They didn¡¯t kill them immediately so they were likely being held hostage. They needed to remain calm if they wanted to get out of it. One by one the group was led towards another chamber. Everyone except the Mayor was seated on the floor. He had one man assigned to him, holding the edge of a blade to his throat. Another man strode through the room, holding a camera in one hand and a peculiar device in the other. He seemed to be in charge. ¡°So what¡¯s going to happen here is that you¡¯re all going to remain cooperative and quiet. If you don¡¯t, the Mayor is going to die first and then from there we are going to kill you one by one,¡± he spoke with a distorted voice. She shut her eyes, willing herself to remain calm. A horrified hush had fallen over the crowd. ¡°Can I please ask what your demands are?¡± the Mayor questioned, voice quivering, ¡°I will personally ensure that they¡¯re met if you let these innocent people go.¡± ¡°Innocent is a curious turn of phrase for people complicit with murder but, no Mr. Mayor, you¡¯re in no position to answer our demands. We will wait for the Grandmaster and then we will take our pound of flesh.¡± He hit a button on the camera and a red light began blinking. Another individual, this time a woman, held a microphone to his face. ¡°Flexibilis. This is a live broadcast from the Shadow Fellowship. We have taken the Conductors¡¯ Guild Headquarters and have the Mayor of Donnol and several unnamed Conductors under our control. If the Grandmaster doesn¡¯t surrender herself to us within the hour we will kill each hostage one-by-one, every fifteen minutes thereafter.¡± He clicked the camera off. She looked around discreetly and tried to gain as much identifying information as she could. ¡°I hope you¡¯re somewhere safe Olly,¡± she thought desperately, ¡°Don¡¯t get involved in this mess.¡±
Olly kept his ears peeled for any signs of activity on the other side of the door but he couldn¡¯t hear anything except for the odd whimper from others in the room with him. It was frustrating and nerve-wracking not knowing if anyone else was safe. The situation appeared grim. Would the Grandmaster be able to salvage the situation alone? How many people were behind this? He was seated against a wall. Sighing heavily, he let his head knock backward into it. More than once he wondered if he should just unbarricade the room and go after her. Or to go look for help. But the Grandmaster''s last orders rang through his head and he didn¡¯t want to risk getting her into more trouble. Word would surely have spread to the outside by now so someone had to be organizing help. The emergency message that had been playing over the intercom relentlessly suddenly stopped. There was a crackle and a heavily distorted voice began to speak. ¡°Hello, Grandmaster. We have your beloved students, Conductors and the Mayor of Donnol. Wouldn¡¯t you like to see them returned safely to their families? If so I suggest you immediately surrender yourself to us in the courtyard. Stop hiding and face the music.¡± ¡°Fuck,¡± he swore. A few others whimpered in response. The temperature of the room seemed to drop around him and he shivered to keep warm. He closed his eyes and in his mind¡¯s eye involuntarily saw his outstretched hand in front of a golden barrier. As he focused on it the warmth began to return to him, slowly spreading up his arm. ¡°What is going on?¡± he wondered. It was oddly reminiscent of the lab practice he had with Steven. He could hear voices beyond the barrier in his mind. ¡°Alright, you have me,¡± Abigail said, ¡°Release my people and the Mayor at once!¡± ¡°No!¡± he thought desperately. ¡°We need a few things from you before we do that. First, you¡¯re going to go on camera and take full accountability on behalf of all the Guilds for the collapses. Then you¡¯re going to punch a tunnel to specific coordinates and, finally, you¡¯re going to accompany us there as our prisoner.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do no such thing!¡± she insisted hotly. A loud slap resonated through his mind and he heard a body collapse to the floor. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll have to start culling hostages early. Bring me one of the younger ones.¡± Olly¡¯s eyes flew open. He found himself surrounded by the other room occupants; they were looking at him with a mix of concern and horror. ¡°You were mumbling something under your breath. It was like you were in a trance,¡± Diya said. ¡°I have to do something,¡± he said urgently, getting to his feet. ¡°Where are you going? She told us to stay here!¡± one of the other people spoke up. ¡°Well, things have changed,¡± he insisted, standing and facing the wall. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed to picture that barrier again. It wasn''t coming to mind so he desperately thought back to what triggered it. ¡°I was leaning against this wall over here,¡± he thought. Frowning in thought, he extended a hand to touch the same wall. It was cool to the touch but as he closed his eyes he could picture the barrier again. ¡°This is my starting point, show me my endpoint,¡± he pleaded. He felt the wall reach an equilibrium with his hand and a thread seemed to form to a fixed point on the other side of the barrier. As if lifting a curtain, the barrier melted away and he could see the courtyard. Abigail was being held back by two of the larger men while another one dragged a thrashing girl before her. It was Odette. ¡°Leave her alone!¡± Abigail screamed. ¡°I warned you,¡± the man said, and he was about to hit a button on a camera. Another man readied a knife and moved threateningly towards Odette. ¡°No hesitation,¡± Olly thought to himself as he felt the rush of energy forming behind his hand. The stone wall quaked and shifted, rapidly folding in on itself. He felt the energy punching through layers of rock and wood and glass until it found its exit. A blast of energy resonated through the courtyard, knocking everyone down. He found himself standing in front of his makeshift tunnel, staring them down. ¡°Leave the girl, we¡¯re retreating!¡± the man in charge said, recovering quickly. He used the device in his hand to blast a hole through the wall opposite Olly¡¯s tunnel. It shattered the glass effortlessly and all the people dressed in black immediately clamored out of it. There was silence. Olly helped the Grandmaster to her feet as blood trickled from beneath her hairline. "I''m so sorry Grandmaster," he said as he looked around at the destruction around them. ¡°You saved us,¡± she said breathlessly, taking in the makeshift tunnel he had formed in awe. She didn''t seem to pay any mind to the damage. Rivelets of blood were leaving trails through the ash and soot smeared on her skin. ¡°What about them?¡± he asked worriedly, gesturing to the hole they had escaped from. She shook her head. ¡°I was able to make contact with the outside before they began calling for my surrender. They¡¯ll be caught. Help should be surrounding us.¡± Sure enough, Oleg strode through Olly¡¯s tunnel, escorted by several civilian guards and Controllers. ¡°Oleg, what the hell is going on out there?!¡± she demanded as he rushed over to her. He looked ashen-faced. ¡°I came here as soon as I could. There were coordinated attacks on all four major Guild Headquarters.¡± She groaned and put her head in her hands. ¡°Status updates?¡± she asked darkly. ¡°We were able to detect our threat before it happened and subdued the aggressor. The Cartographers were able to evacuate to a safe room and wait out the attack,¡± he paused, looking grim, ¡°But the Controllers received heavy losses.¡± She looked up at him worriedly. ¡°How heavy?¡± she asked, dreading the answer. He paused, looking pained. ¡°Grandmaster Alzira has been killed in action along with eight other Controllers.¡± She looked stricken. Closing her eyes she hung her head to her chest as a mournful sound escaped from her. Chapter 33: Interlude II Tarry Bennett The news had been a relentless stream of chaotic imagery. It had switched between Donnol, Bilson, Aspir, and Ghaburm in an attempt to keep the public appraised of the most up-to-date situation. Everyone in the world had surely seen the news by now but there was one person in particular whose reaction Tarry was most worried about. He hadn¡¯t made successful contact yet; Eli wasn¡¯t responding to any phone calls on any line so Tarry publicly called an emergency meeting to try and bring him out to the open. The rational reason for this approach was that it gave Tarry, his counsel, and staffers a chance to formulate potential responses to predicted outcomes. However, his actual reason was that he could better keep an eye on his friend. At first, he didn¡¯t think it had worked because Eli hadn¡¯t responded to his call out. Everyone else on his payroll was accounted for; either having made it into his conference room or having sent a backup if they were away attending other business. Unfortunately, Tarry couldn¡¯t go down to the sixteenth himself and drag Eli up to the first borough at this point. He had to be present and prepared as updates became available. However, he was growing increasingly concerned as time dragged on. He instructed his assistant to keep trying to reach him and he knew to warn Tarry if Eli was going to make an appearance. Finally, when the separate hostage situations appeared to be reaching a pinnacle, his assistant beckoned him into the hallway. ¡°He¡¯s on his way up now, sir,¡± he advised. Tarry¡¯s long legs carried him to the elevator and when the doors opened he saw the fire behind Eli''s eyes. Eli was about to charge up to him but Tarry held up a hand to Eli¡¯s chest and gently pushed him back in all the while pressing the ''close door'' button. ¡°How can you even think of dragging me up here at a time like this?¡± Eli demanded, looking stricken, ¡°Your assistant has been calling me nonstop. I only came here to tell you to knock it off. Every time the phone rang my heart skipped a beat because I thought I was getting news about my nephew, only to find out it was just your royal summons. Do you know what that feels like? No, of course you don''t. So what could you possibly want from me right now that the rest of your staff can¡¯t handle?¡± Tarry felt a pang of guilt. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to handle anything. What I want is for you to remain within my sight so that I can make sure you¡¯re okay,¡± Tarry said in a low voice. ¡°Oh so I¡¯m here for your benefit, not mine,¡± Eli snapped. The usual carefully placed cool veneer was long forgotten. ¡°Perhaps. If you wish to blame it on my selfishness that¡¯s your prerogative but I intend to set you up in a private boardroom so that you can hear any news, good or bad, directly from me. Holing up in your office and gluing yourself to the media isn¡¯t going to give you any more control over the situation. I know this is difficult to hear right now but there¡¯s nothing you can do except wait and let the experts take care of it,¡± Tarry insisted forcefully but not unkindly. For a moment Eli looked like he was going to punch him, but then his face crumbled and he turned away, sheltering his forehead with one hand. Tarry pulled him into a fierce hug and let him sob into his chest. Eli stood about a half foot shorter than him, something that Tarry was more aware of now that he was in his arms. ¡°He¡¯s just a child,¡± Eli gasped through his tears. ¡°I know. And for what it''s worth I don¡¯t think students are being targeted. This is a coordinated attack to be sure but our internal reports have indicated that the attackers have been calling for the Grandmasters directly to turn themselves in,¡± he explained calmly. Eli took several shuddering breaths. ¡°Why did they pick the day that all the new students would be visiting the headquarters then?¡± he asked weakly. Tarry¡¯s mouth twitched. It was a good question and while he didn''t have the answer he had to admit that he was concerned about the timing. ¡°We don¡¯t know yet. But we do know that no one has been reported as having been killed.¡± Eli rubbed at his reddened eyes. ¡°He¡¯s in this mess because of me. This is my fault.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t have predicted this,¡± Tarry insisted, ¡°And I know you never would have put him intentionally in harm''s way. The world going crazy is not something that¡¯s within your control.¡± Eli said nothing but tried to make himself more presentable by wiping away his tears and squaring his shoulders. ¡°Do you need me in there?¡± Tarry shook his head gently. ¡°No. But if you wish to join me, you can. And if not you can have a quiet spot to yourself. You can even have our guest room tonight but I just think the last thing you need right now is to be alone.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that boardroom for now,¡± he responded quietly, ¡°Thanks.¡± Tarry released his hold on the button and the doors smoothly slid open. He showed Eli to the boardroom. It was a small room that only fit about six people comfortably but its floor to ceiling windows made it look more spacious than it was. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. "Do you need anything?" Tarry asked gently. Eli walked over to the window and looked out at the city. "Just to know that he''s safe." Tarry hoped with all his might that he was. "I''ll do everything in my power to make sure he is," he promised and turned to leave. He had just reached the doorway when he heard Eli call out to him once more. "Tarry?" Tarry placed a hand on the door frame as he looked back. "Yes?" "Thank you," he said simply. Tarry smiled weakly before exiting and making his way back to the main boardroom. ¡°Any status updates?¡± he asked his lead counsel calmly. ¡°The Cartographers managed to retreat to a safe room and the attackers have fled. The Labourers were able to defend themselves and hold off the attack. Both Headquarters are now secure. We¡¯re awaiting reports from the Conductors and Controllers. The Mayor of Donnol is also being held within the Conductors¡¯ Guild so it¡¯s fairly high profile.¡± That wasn¡¯t good. A hostage of that level could be a big bargaining chip. ¡°Have any of the attackers been detained?¡± Tarry asked, frowning. ¡°Only one, sir. The Labourers apprehended one person and they¡¯ve been taken into custody. They''ll be subjected to questioning soon enough. All of the other attackers escaped, as did everyone who was sieging the Cartographers¡¯ Guild.¡± Tarry frowned. ¡°How could they escape? Weren¡¯t they surrounded?" he asked incredulously, "They weren¡¯t exactly discreet in their operations.¡± ¡°We¡¯re unsure. We expect those details to become better known as the investigation is carried out.¡± Tarry bit his lip. Half of the Guilds were safe and the other half were still under siege. There were no clear motives; there was only a group of organized vigilantes calling themselves the Shadow Fellowship. He shook his head. Ever since the first collapse life seemed to become more outrageous by the day. He didn¡¯t have to wait much longer for further updates. ¡°Sir, there¡¯s been a report from the Controllers¡¯ Guild,¡± his counsel, James, said carefully. ¡°Have the attackers been stopped?¡± Tarry asked, heart sinking. ¡°Well, yes. They¡¯ve ceased their attacks and fled, but there¡¯s bad news. Several individuals lost their lives in the struggle. The deceased include Grandmaster Alzira.¡± Tarry felt like the air was forced from his lungs. ¡°Shit,¡± he hissed, ¡°And the Conductors¡¯?¡± he asked weakly. James looked grim. ¡°Nothing yet, but the task forces have been able to gain entry. We should have answers soon.¡± Tarry sank heavily into his chair. Fuck¡­ Alzira. He may not have agreed with her position on the inquest report but despite their recent conflict she had been one of the few people who made an effort to speak with him. She had risked her own reputation to warn him about the attack and the report and yet he had been unable to help her in kind. He closed his eyes and rubbed his face in his hands. ¡°Sir, we have good news! The Conductors¡¯ Headquarters is under control,¡± his senior counsel exclaimed. ¡°Any casualties?¡± Tarry asked delicately, dread creeping into his heart. ¡°None. As with the others, unfortunately, the attackers have fled. However, the Grandmaster and all staff and guests are accounted for. There was one curious detail. We¡¯re hearing reports of a student who punched a, well, I struggle to call it a tunnel in the usual sense but he punched through solid walls to reach the Grandmaster. I¡¯ll have more details shortly.¡± Tarry looked down, pursing his lips. He knew exactly to whom the counsel was referring. It was a small consolation that he didn¡¯t have to present bad news at least. But there was nothing to celebrate in the aftermath of this tragedy. ¡°Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he excused himself. He had committed to delivering news directly and felt only marginally heartened by the outcome. He found Eli still staring out the window of the boardroom, hands clasped behind his back. His head swivelled as Tarry walked in. His eyes bore a desperate plea for good news and they seemed to scan Tarry''s face for a hint of a sign. ¡°He¡¯s okay,¡± Tarry said quickly and he watched as Eli released a breath. His shoulders sagged in relief and he gripped the back of a chair to remain upright. ¡°But there is other news. He seems to have used his powers again. It sounds like it saved the day but I suspect that¡¯s not going to be good news for you.¡± Eli sucked in a deep breath and looked up, tension lining his features. ¡°Everyone is going to know about him, aren¡¯t they?¡± Tarry nodded grimly. ¡°I presume it¡¯s something you wanted to keep under wraps?¡± ¡°In these times? Yes. He doesn¡¯t need media attention,¡± Eli sighed and stood up straight. ¡°I can see what I can do to keep them quiet. Call it unethical, but I feel like there¡¯s national security matters at stake and we don¡¯t need anyone standing out unnecessarily right now,¡± Tarry offered. Eli tipped his head. ¡°I appreciate it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± Tarry sighed. ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°Alzira was killed in the attack on her Guild.¡± Saying it out loud made it feel real and Tarry felt a pang of guilt over his last interaction with her. Something akin to horror flashed over Eli''s face. ¡°You¡¯re certain?¡± He looked shaken by the news. ¡°I believe my reports to be factual. I¡¯ll go confirm it myself.¡± A shiver went up his spine at the thought. Eli clamped his jaw shut. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I know you were friendly with her.¡± ¡°I was. Though I have considerable concerns for what comes next,¡± Tarry confessed. Eli wore an unreadable expression and turned to look out the window once more.¡°Yes,¡± he said in a low voice, ¡°So do I.¡± Chapter 34: In Memorium Olly Briggs Olly lay in his dorm room staring at the ceiling and reflecting on the events of the last day. When they had been rescued they had all been sent to the hospital to be checked over. No one from the Conductors¡¯ Headquarters had received anything more than minor injuries. He had been deeply relieved to see Sarah walk out of the chamber where everyone had been held though he was very upset to see the way she winced as she walked. She mirrored that relief in kind when she saw him. ¡°Oh thank goodness!¡± she said breathlessly, holding onto a seemingly injured side. He let her lean on him as they were escorted out of the building. They noticed Odette was being consoled by one of the full-fledged Conductors and let out twin sighs of ease. ¡°She did brilliantly,¡± Sarah confessed as they walked. ¡°She was ready to fight to the death by the time I made it over,¡± he admitted. Impressed though he was, he was still horrified by how close to death she had come. And how close that he was to witnessing it. After receiving medical attention they were called into individual questioning. This was being taken very seriously as far as Olly could tell and he couldn¡¯t help but feel intimidated as they grilled him on what he saw, where he was, and what he did. They were particularly interested in his actions near the end and he saw no reason to lie. There had been witnesses who would undoubtedly give their side of the story so he told them exactly what he experienced. He worried that he may be on the hook for the damages to the building, but this was without a doubt not the time to ask those questions. When there were no further follow-up questions they had been escorted back to the Academy and he gratefully collapsed onto his bed. He had come back to several missed calls and with a pang of guilt he remembered that his uncle was no doubt waiting on the edge of his sanity to hear back from him. Admittedly, in the chaos, Olly had scarcely thought of his uncle. Knowing that he was likely safe had probably been enough to keep Olly focused on the task at hand. However, now that he was back to relative safety he craved the comfort of family. He dialled the familiar number and Eli picked up before the end of the first ring. ¡°Hello?¡± Eli¡¯s voice demanded desperately. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Olly said, feeling like a weight was lifted off his chest as he heard his uncle''s voice. Eli seemed to let out a ragged sigh. ¡°I¡­ Are you okay? I was told that everyone made it out but... I needed to hear from you myself.¡± Olly swallowed thickly. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said softly, ¡°I¡¯ll be okay.¡± Classes were canceled for the remainder of the week and a memorial for Alzira and her fallen Guild members was to take place tomorrow morning. Following that, they would be permitted to go home. A car was booked for him tomorrow morning. The Academy did not want to risk their students mingling with the general public in the wake of the attacks on the Guilds therefore unchaperoned travel was out of the question.
The mourners gathered in solemn silence in the common hall of the Academy. The long tables that ran the length of the room had been removed and replaced with rows of smaller benches. Visiting dignitaries and politicians filled in the first several rows, while guild members and students, all clad in full uniform, filled in the remaining space. At the front of the hall stood Grandmaster Abigail Garcia. She cut a striking and dignified figure. Her eyes, usually bright with determination, now glistened with unshed tears as she stood at the podium to honor the memory of her fallen fellow Grandmaster. Franklin and Oleg sat behind her; one vacant seat represented where Alzira would have sat. Her picture had been carefully placed on the throne-like chair that was now adorned with flowers. "Esteemed friends, fellow guild members, and citizens," Abigail¡¯s voice resonated through the hall, commanding attention without effort. "Today, we gather not only to mourn the loss of a great leader but to celebrate the enduring legacy left by a soul extinguished far too soon. We also pay our respects to our fallen fellows who gave the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the lives of others." She spoke with heartfelt sincerity, and Olly couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional at the speech. He wasn¡¯t the only one in the room who felt that way; sniffles and sobs were breaking out all around him. He hadn¡¯t known Alzira or the other deceased personally but his feelings went beyond just empathizing with those who knew her. After seeing Abigail during the attack on the Conductors¡¯ Guild Headquarters he knew Alzira would¡¯ve behaved the same way. They were both people who stood ready to defend their guild fellows to the very end. "Alzira stood as a beacon of unity in a time of division, a champion of justice in an era riddled with political turmoil. She was dedicated to her Guild and stood with them until the very end, ensuring that as many souls were evacuated as possible before succumbing to her injuries." The Controllers that he could see in the crowd looked devastated. It appeared that she had been a very popular Guild leader and that losing her would be a huge blow to their morale. Abigail paused, her gaze sweeping over the faces before her. He felt her make brief eye contact with him before moving on. "Let us not forget the sacrifices made for our cause. It speaks volumes about the resilience of our Guilds. Though cowardly forces sought to silence us, they failed to extinguish the flame of passion so well-worn by our departed friends." "I knew Alzira personally after working alongside her for so many years. She leaves behind a legacy that transcends political boundaries and petty disputes," Abigail continued, her voice thick with emotion. "However, her death should strengthen our resolve to do what is right, not what is easy. It should emphasize that the Guilds are a family and that we need to protect our own." As the echoes of her words lingered in the hall, Abigail bowed her head in a moment of silent tribute. The attendees followed suit, a collective gesture of respect and remembrance for the fallen Grandmaster and guild members. With quiet determination, Abigail concluded, "My dear friend¡¯s spirit shall endure in our collective resolve to forge a better future. Let us stand united, guided by the principles she held dear, and together, let us continue the noble pursuit for which she so valiantly fought. As we move forward into the future we will empower the next leader to continue her ideals and motivations, however today we merely stand to remember her. To the family and friends of the other fallen, we stand with you in your grief. This senseless act of violence will not be forgotten, nor will it go unpunished." Olly couldn¡¯t help but feel bad for the incoming Grandmaster, whoever they would end up being. Replacing someone like Alzira in times of conflict would undoubtedly be a daunting task. They were released at the end of the memorial and he walked with Sarah and Odette in a companionable silence back to their dorms to pack.
After an eventful several weeks away at the prestigious Academy, it was jarring for Olly to return to his home in the sixteenth borough. As he stepped out of the car he couldn''t help but feel a pang of nostalgia mixed with apprehension. The streets seemed narrower, the houses smaller, and the once-familiar faces passing by felt like strangers in a distant memory. He ascended the steps to his childhood home and let himself in. Despite himself, he couldn''t shake the sensation of being an outsider in his own home. Hearing the door open, Eli dashed down the stairs. ¡°Welcome back, kid!¡± he greeted warmly, wrapping Olly in a fatherly embrace. Olly returned it gratefully. Dinner that night was filled with eager inquiries about Academy life. Olly¡¯s recent experiences made it feel like they were living in two different worlds, however, one thing they could both agree on was the horror of the terror attacks on the Guilds. ¡°How are you doing?¡± Eli asked seriously and the conversation took on a sombre tone. Olly shrugged. He was okay enough, shaken up but otherwise unharmed. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just scary how the people are turning on us.¡± Eli sighed. ¡°What¡¯s the sense at the Academy? Have there been any changes?¡± ¡°Yes, they are going to instate a new Grandmaster for the Controllers¡¯ Guild. And they¡¯re increasing security around the Academy and the Guild Headquarters.¡± Eli frowned and fell silent. He looked somewhat pained. ¡°I am¡­ sorry,¡± he finally said, ¡°I fear for what comes next." ¡°What does this mean for the rest of the world?¡± Olly asked concernedly, ¡°I feel like my place in it keeps being called into question.¡± Eli looked away. ¡°The political realm and the Guilds are machines. They put the institution first and the people second. But the public is always its own beast and I am concerned about the response. The Guilds will use this to try and strengthen their position and the political side will reciprocate in kind. It¡¯s going to get ugly. I had hoped to squirrel you away somewhere safe but I fear I¡¯ve delivered you to the wolves.¡± Olly frowned. ¡°So you don¡¯t believe the Academy is safe?¡± Eli didn¡¯t respond immediately. He rubbed at his jaw as if deliberating his next words very carefully. ¡°What?¡± Olly asked suspiciously. ¡°I think you should withdraw from the Academy,¡± he confessed quietly. Olly looked at him incredulously. ¡°Withdraw? Are you serious?¡± Eli looked at him. ¡°I am, I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s a safe place for you.¡± Olly shook his head in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. I¡¯m not running away from what happened to me!¡± ¡°Listen, I was wrong. I was wrong, kid. I shouldn¡¯t have pushed you to this point. It¡¯s not running away, we can start over somewhere new.¡± ¡°Just¡­ no. I¡¯m not doing that,¡± Olly said dismissively, ignoring the fury that was creeping into his heart. ¡°Could you please just listen to me?¡± Eli pleaded. ¡°No!¡± Olly shot back, ¡°I¡¯ve listened to you for the better part of the year and it brought me here, and now you want me to listen to you again just so that you can undo it all. It¡¯s not happening!¡± Eli sighed heavily and seemed to deflate on himself. ¡°Fine¡­ fine. I have to go to Hijinks,¡± he got up suddenly and Olly realized that Eli knew he had lost control of the narrative. ¡°Alright,¡± Olly shrugged, not wanting to give him anything. ¡°It¡¯s, uh, not much these days but you¡¯re welcome to swing by if you¡¯d like. Just don¡¯t be too surprised by it all,¡± Eli said in a small voice. He left without another word, leaving Olly behind to seethe at the conversation. As the door shut behind his uncle Olly grabbed the glass that he had been drinking from and hurled it as hard as he could at the opposite wall. Chest heaving, he wrestled with conflicting feelings; guilt, anger, sorrow. They all flooded his mind and clouded his senses. He mindlessly cleaned up the mess he made and afterwards decided to go for a walk to try and clear his thoughts. Olly didn¡¯t immediately go to Hijinks and instead strolled down the familiar streets, noticing some subtle changes; a popular grocery store was undergoing renovations to update its facade, and a new park was being built. However, the faces of neighbors he once knew so well were now unfamiliar. He even encountered Leroy, coming face to face with him on the street. Olly may have once walked quickly by him and attempted to avoid conflict but instead found he felt nothing towards the young man. Leroy instead eyed him warily but merely gave him a curt nod and said, ¡°Briggs,¡± before walking away. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Olly looked at Leroy''s retreating back and realized he had evolved in ways that distanced him from the community. With a tinge of bittersweet nostalgia, he accepted that he had outgrown the comfortable confines of familiarity and needed to navigate a new path, one that embraced the changes he underwent at the Academy, even if it meant feeling like an outsider in a place he once called home. He found himself in front of Hijinks, and after taking a deep breath to steady himself, he entered the games room. It was a place where he used to spend countless hours, and despite his uncle¡¯s warning he still expected a sense of belonging. Instead, he found himself nodding politely at the barman, and feeling immediately out of place. Olly walked down to the basement and stopped outside his uncle¡¯s office. ¡°Enter,¡± he heard Eli say before he even knocked at the door. He let himself in and looked around. The office was the only thing that didn¡¯t feel different and that brought him a small amount of comfort. Eli looked up at him with an unreadable expression on his face as he walked in. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said that to you,¡± Eli admitted, butting out the last of a cigarette. ¡°I know you just want to keep me safe,¡± Olly conceded with a sigh. ¡°Even still, it was short-sighted and needlessly upsetting,¡± Eli shrugged. ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Olly asked simply. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of you getting hurt because of me.¡± It was slightly cryptic but Olly didn¡¯t look too far into the meaning. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to put myself in danger. And I don¡¯t think either of us can control what¡¯s happening out there,¡± Olly said quietly. ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s true, but I need you to stay as far away from the fray as possible. Just understand there may come a time when I have to pull you away. Please trust me when that time comes.¡± Olly didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°I do trust you,¡± he whispered finally. ¡°Good. And just remember, Abigail is in your debt and you have something that¡¯s of interest to her. Don¡¯t sacrifice that kind of power,¡± he advised. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Olly agreed quietly, wrestling with conflicted feelings. Eli looked as conflicted as Olly felt. "I hope that what little influence I have may provide any protection it can afford.¡±
Later that evening, they watched as the Mayor gave his public address in response to the attacks. ¡°Today, we stand united in grief and disbelief as we mourn the tragic loss of a remarkable leader. Grandmaster Alzira Silves¡¯ untimely departure from this world is not just a loss to her Guild but a blow to the very essence of our shared humanity.¡± Olly stole a glance at Eli as he watched the address intently. He never did ask what became of their friendship after the unannounced visit. ¡°Alzira and I did not always find ourselves in alignment, however, that does not mean that we didn¡¯t enjoy a constructive and respectful relationship. While we occasionally disagreed on political matters it should never be forgotten that she always had my utmost respect. We shared a bond founded on mutual esteem, understanding, and a common goal to serve our people and to better our society.¡± ¡°The condemnable act of senseless violence that took Alzira from us was an assault on our brothers and sisters of the four major Guilds. Alzira''s legacy cannot be tarnished by the cowardly act of a few who seek to sow discord and division among us. Instead, let us honor her memory by reaffirming our commitment to unity, tolerance, and peaceful discourse. Let us rise above the petty squabbles of partisanship and stand together, hand in hand, in solidarity against such senseless violence.¡± Olly frowned. While the Mayor did appear to be speaking sincerely, it did carry the same message as Abigail¡¯s memorial speech. Both spoke of political turmoil. However, his uncle¡¯s most recent warning of things getting ugly weighed heavily on his mind. Did they intend to bury the hatchet and work together? He hoped so based on the way they were speaking. But it seemed like his uncle didn¡¯t think it was the case. ¡°As we grieve, let us also seek justice. Let the perpetrators of this abhorrent act know that we will not cower in the face of their violence. We will work tirelessly to ensure that justice prevails, and that those responsible are held accountable for their actions. Rest assured that we will find them and they will be brought to justice. I will personally be lending my support to the Controllers¡¯ Guild as they seek to move forward from this senseless act of violence. I will also be providing my support to the other three Guilds and their Grandmasters, should they wish to accept it.¡± ¡°In closing, I urge us to move forward together as a society. We cannot stand divided as a world and we must take immediate actions to repair the gaps between us.¡± Eli turned off the television. ¡°That seemed pointed,¡± Olly noted. ¡°It was,¡± Eli confirmed. ¡°By the way, did anything else happen after the brick? There''s been no other attacks here, right?¡± Olly wondered if his uncle had heard about his little ¡®episode¡¯ right before he left for the Academy. If he had, he didn¡¯t let anything on. ¡°No, nothing.¡±
The remainder of his time was spent relaxing and lightly studying. He didn¡¯t leave the house much at all and slowly began to feel at home again. His uncle didn¡¯t press not returning to the Academy and Olly was grateful for that, though it left him feeling conflicted as ever before. It was only two days before he was set to return when a thought occurred to him while he was lounging on the couch studying. He remembered back when he had his first magical outburst that his uncle had brought him to the Reader, Lola. She had spoken then of an internal conflict and confusion around his magical abilities. It seemed like more than ever before his life was riddled with conflicts and inconsistencies. Perhaps talking to a neutral third party would help clarify things. He immediately got up and grabbed his coat. Eli was at Hijinks and he didn¡¯t feel the need to drag him into this one. It felt like something he needed to do on his own. He knew he didn¡¯t have to ask permission to leave the house, though he was very aware the Academy would not want him to take risks. Still, he was compelled to try and assuage some of his growing fears. He didn¡¯t know how to contact her but he did remember the way. Hopefully, a drop-in would be acceptable. Using a few tunnels it wasn¡¯t a far walk and before long he found himself standing outside her office. It was located in an inconspicuous row of businesses making up the lower level of an older apartment building. It didn¡¯t look particularly open but the door was unlocked and he let himself inside. There was a small unoccupied waiting room and a vacant front desk. ¡°Hello?¡± he asked. It was possible she already had a client and he was disturbing them. He took a seat, feeling slightly embarrassed about his plan. The front door opened and he whirled around to see her enter. She gave him a coquettish smile. ¡°I felt that I might have an unexpected visitor today. Something¡¯s troubling you.¡± It was a statement, not a question. ¡°Yes, erm, sorry to disturb you and drop in like this. I was home from school and thought that I should come talk to you,¡± he confessed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one ever plans to talk to me, it just happens. Why don¡¯t you come inside with me?¡± She led him to the same office he had visited months earlier with his uncle. He was once again surprised at how minimalist her aesthetic was. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring your uncle with you this time,¡± she stated. ¡°No, I¡¯m here for me.¡± He took a seat on the cream pouf that was placed at the same low table he had sat at before. ¡°I adore your uncle but I do prefer solo readings. It¡¯s more intimate and freeing.¡± She sat on the pouf opposite him. ¡°Oh, I, uh, have money. I¡¯m paying this time,¡± he offered awkwardly. She smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell him.¡± He was relieved that she got his meaning. ¡°Now, first things first. How are you feeling about your choices?¡± she asked, getting right into it. ¡°Honestly I¡¯ve never felt more secure in my choices, it¡¯s everything else that seems crazy these days,¡± he grimaced. ¡°There have been several large disruptions, it¡¯s true. The world feels like it¡¯s slowly unraveling,¡± she spoke so casually as if she was discussing the weather. His heart thumped. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a good thing.¡± ¡°Disruptions can be good or bad but they are often necessary for growth. How do you feel about the Academy?¡± He wondered how she knew. Maybe someone told her, maybe she ¡®read¡¯ it off him, but he felt no need to hide it. ¡°It¡¯s hard. Sometimes I feel like I¡¯m fitting in and other times I feel like an outsider. The same thing that makes me different either causes people to bend over backwards to help me or causes them to reject me. And then I come back here and realize it¡¯s the same thing. I don¡¯t belong here or anywhere,¡± he felt slightly embarrassed to hear himself confessing his concerns. ¡°Do you want to belong to the status quo?¡± she asked sagely. He thought of people like Franklin. ¡°Honestly, not really. I want to be accepted for who I am now.¡± ¡°I remember last time that your magic was a source of conflict for you. May I see it again?¡± she asked kindly. He hesitated. ¡°Last time you said I wouldn¡¯t hurt you and I did.¡± ¡°Barely. But I sense that your control has grown slightly.¡± She placed her palm face down and he lifted his face up to hover just beneath hers. Her hand began to faintly glow golden and he closed his eyes. He could see it clearly in his mind¡¯s eye. It was disembodied and the glow was much stronger. He focused on his hand and felt it get warmer as it too came to life with a golden glow. Tiny threads of gold sparked between their hands as if exchanging information. ¡°Fascinating, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked, though he was shocked to realize he was hearing it in his mind. ¡°What is it exactly?¡± he asked out loud, eyes still closed. She chuckled in his head. ¡°It¡¯s in the atmosphere and all around us. Everyone interacts with it without even knowing but not everyone gets the chance to awaken this power. Right now we¡¯ve just established a connection that lets me see more clearly into the source of your discord. You¡¯re not fighting me this time, which is nice to see, but ethically I should tell you that you can close the connection at any time.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± he said, feeling slightly nervous. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Now, I see you have worries about trust and how you should place that trust. You need to follow your gut and go with what you feel is right. As long as you listen you won¡¯t be led astray.¡± ¡°Easier said than done,¡± he said wryly. ¡°Yes, it is," she agreed, "Though I think you''re good at standing your ground and asking the right questions. Nobody can guarantee that they won''t ever be fooled but at the same time it''s a valued skill to learn to trust yourself." He frowned but didn''t have anything further to say. "From the first time we spoke I could tell there was something different about you, and it¡¯s still there. You are unique in ways I can¡¯t fully articulate. Several people are interested in this and not all of them are your friends,¡± she warned. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you can tell me who?¡± he asked worriedly. ¡°I cannot. They¡¯re not here for me to assess one-by-one but I want to impress on you that you need to be mindful of how you show your abilities. You may not have a choice at times, but there are some who would use you for their own gain.¡± This concerned him. Though he didn¡¯t know anyone''s motives he wondered for a split second if his uncle was onto something about not returning to the Academy. ¡°I do want to emphasize that you need to establish your own path,¡± she confirmed as if reading his thoughts. He breathed a sigh of relief. In a lot of ways, she wasn¡¯t telling him anything different than his uncle¡¯s warning to be careful. ¡°Not everyone is a friend, right?¡± he asked cautiously. ¡°No, and you need to pay careful attention to who those people might be. I¡¯m not there to do it for you so you need to maintain mindfulness and awareness. Do you have any questions for me now?¡± He paused. ¡°Do I have a future as a Conductor?¡± She remained silent and he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. ¡°No,¡± she said finally and he felt his heart sink, ¡°But your future will be something entirely of your own making. This is a gift.¡±
He walked home slowly, considering everything they had discussed. He wasn¡¯t any clearer on anything but he did see a lot of value in what she said. It was getting late and while he knew he wouldn¡¯t beat his uncle home, he did want to avoid roaming in the dark for much longer. Heeding an earlier warning that the sixteenth had changed since he left, he picked up his pace. From the corner of his eye, he thought he saw someone lurking in the shadows. Calmly, he looked over his shoulder, attempting to look unafraid. He saw no one and casually turned to look ahead once more. Not wanting to appear jumpy, he didn¡¯t break his stride or rush his gait. He merely continued his trek through the last tunnel of his walk. No one followed and no one was on the other side so he decided he had been seeing things. However, as he passed an alleyway he saw a figure from the corner of his eye. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he suddenly had the sensation of being watched. He was too close to home to feel comfortable running because they would know where his uncle lived. Instead, he removed his hands from his pockets and flexed them, preparing to fight. He continued to walk and was aware of two sets of footsteps keeping pace behind him. Olly felt the tug deep inside him that told him his body was ready to wield magic. His hands began to feel warm and he knew they were beginning to bear a faint golden glow. Lola¡¯s earlier words rang in his mind. She had cautioned him on showing his abilities. ¡°Dammit,¡± he thought to himself, gritting his teeth. He stopped in his tracks and whirled around, and the two figures tailing him also stopped. He couldn¡¯t see them from this distance and their faces were obscured by nightfall. He let them see his hands but did nothing except shout, ¡°Leave me ALONE!¡± They exchanged a glance and for a moment no one moved. However, without another word, they turned on their heels and walked away. He stood in place, heart threatening to beat out of his chest, as he watched them disappear into the night. When he was certain he was alone he broke out into a run. He reached his house and slammed the door behind him, locking it and drawing the blinds to obscure any views of inside the house. When he was satisfied no one could see him he dove for the couch; feeling his whole body shaking violently. He didn¡¯t move until his uncle came home much later that night and when questioned he merely said he fell asleep on the couch waiting up for him. Chapter 35: The False Prophet Olly Briggs As he crossed the atrium upon his return to the Academy, Olly felt a wave of apprehension wash over him. It had only been a few days and yet it seemed much longer than that. Going home felt a bit like entering a black hole; the depth of the conversations that had taken place gave him the sense that it had been much longer than it actually had. However, the second he entered the school he was reminded of the unfathomable tragedy that had only taken place less than a week prior. The atmosphere seemed different; a heavy silence hung in the air replacing the usual lively conversations with subdued murmurs. All tapestries and curtains had been replaced from their usual colourful states with black velvet; a sure sign of the mourning that continued to take place. As he ventured towards the dorms the memories of the distressing event came right back to him. The chaos, the anguish, and the collective loss had left an indelible mark on the entire community. Faces that were once filled with warmth and familiarity now bore expressions etched with sorrow and grief, a testament to the pain they had endured together. However, the feeling of solidarity was also very present. Amidst the overwhelming sorrow, a glimmer of resilience emerged. Despite the palpable grief, there was an underlying determination among students, teachers, and guild fellows to navigate through the pain together. Classmates clung tightly to each other and lecturers were milling about and asking students how they were coping. Olly made eye contact with Brandon who gave him a knowing nod. Olly gave him a thin-lipped smile. ¡°How are you doing mate?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°Ah, well, you know. Fine, I suppose. We were lucky,¡± Olly said simply. Brandon looked slightly incredulous. ¡°I think you¡¯re being humble mate. I¡¯d suggest that it was the Conductors who were lucky that you were there!¡± Olly blushed. ¡°I mean, I wouldn¡¯t go that far. I practically leveled a side of the building. I don''t think that was something anyone wanted.¡± Brandon clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°You saved the Grandmaster,¡± he said seriously, ¡°Not to mention everyone else who was captured, including the Mayor of Donnol I might add. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going too far and I do think you can reasonably expect to be rewarded.¡± ¡°Uhhhhh, sure. I guess,¡± Olly said bashfully, "But I don''t need or want anything, honestly." ¡°Look I know it¡¯s not the right time, and I know you¡¯re too polite, but seriously, you might want to expect to be treated differently around here. You¡¯ve more than earned it.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose we¡¯ll see!¡± Olly was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable. He didn¡¯t want accolades, all he did was what anyone else was trying to do. Stop the attackers and prevent loss; it was everyone¡¯s goal. He wasn¡¯t better than anyone because of his magic, it just happened to work out for him and, by extension, everyone else. ¡°Why don¡¯t you run along to your dorm and get settled back in? If you¡¯re feeling up to it I¡¯d love to pick your brain over a lab session later this week. No pressure though,¡± he offered. Olly gave him a small smile. ¡°Sure, I can do that. How about after classes on the second day?¡± ¡°Sounds perfect, see you then!¡± They bid each other farewell and Olly continued his trek to the dorms. As he entered the common area right before the hallways to the bedrooms he was greeted with raucous applause. He was caught entirely off guard and stood stunned in the doorway as his classmates loudly cheered. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for you to come back!¡± Odette exclaimed. ¡°I can see that,¡± Olly said, still shell-shocked. They clamored around him asking how he was and what it felt like. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure how to answer but tried as best he could to field the questions. Yes, he was fine. No, it didn¡¯t hurt. No, he didn¡¯t pass out this time. Yes, he was aware of where he was punching through to. No, he wasn¡¯t guessing. He looked around desperately and saw Sarah hanging off to the side wearing a half grin. He silently pleaded with her to save him and she moved forward. ¡°Alright guys, let¡¯s give him space,¡± she suggested. They listened and stepped back slightly but still chattered away. ¡°I¡¯m going to unpack now, I¡¯ll see you guys in class tomorrow,¡± he promised them, slowly extricating himself from the crowd. He was starting to get overwhelmed. Fortunately, they seemed satisfied and let him go without much issue. He made eye contact with Sarah and gently jerked his head for her to join him. They escaped up to his room and he threw his bag on the floor before letting himself topple face down on his bed with a groan. She closed the door and sat on his chair. ¡°They seem surprisingly untraumatized,¡± he mumbled into the bed. ¡°Surprisingly, yes,¡± she agreed, ¡°But technically they didn¡¯t see anyone die or get badly injured so I suppose they bounced back quickly. Also basically all of them come from old Conductor families so there¡¯s no way their families wouldn¡¯t impart maintaining a stiff upper lip at all times on them.¡± He pushed himself up and flipped over into a seated position. ¡°My uncle didn¡¯t want me to come back,¡± he confessed. She was quiet for a moment. ¡°Neither did my parents.¡± He felt strangely better hearing her say that. ¡°He said that he¡¯s worried about what comes next.¡± ¡°They said they¡¯re worried about what it means for the future of the Guilds,¡± she said simply, folding her hands behind her head and leaning backward. ¡°So what do you think?¡± he asked. ¡°I think I need to be here to face whatever happens. There¡¯s some fucked up shit going on but I don¡¯t want to feign ignorance and do nothing,¡± she said fiercely, "Not when I can help make things better." He felt the first genuine smile he had experienced since returning come back to his face. ¡°Agreed. I¡¯m here for that.¡±
Classes resumed at the start of the week. They were told that all deadlines and quizzes were pushed back by a week so that they didn¡¯t have to worry about missing class. Olly felt relieved. Though he had used the time off to relax, it had given him a good opportunity to catch up on a lot of the basics he had been missing. He came into the week¡¯s classes not feeling behind for once, which was refreshing. Not only that but he found that he could follow along with his classmates which also gave him a huge confidence boost. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. He met up with Bowen and Sarah in the common hall for lunch. Bowen congratulated him the same way his Conductor cohort had and he shook his head in a shocked way. ¡°Does everyone know?¡± he asked incredulously. ¡°Dude, yes. Everyone has heard about what you did. A first-year student pulled some special magic to save the Grandmaster and the day. Of course, everyone is talking about it!¡± Olly felt his stomach turn and he was almost put off from eating his lunch. Almost. ¡°Listen, it¡¯s better than what we did,¡± Bowen said in a hushed voice. They leaned in to hear him. ¡°What happened at the Cartographers¡¯ Guild?¡± Sarah asked, frowning, ¡°I heard you guys all managed to get to safety before anything went down.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Kind of. Franklin actually left us all behind and evacuated himself through a hidden access point. Our headquarters are basically within an old castle and I guess there are lots of secret passageways. Also, the attackers were a bit slowed down in reaching us because it''s strongly fortified on its own. So he fled, and we were alerted quickly enough to get to a stronghold within the headquarters, which meant the attackers had little opportunity to do much of anything except some cosmetic damage. They escaped and we were fine,¡± Bowen said conspiratorially. ¡°Wow, what a fearless leader,¡± she said sarcastically. Olly snorted. Something about Franklin turning tail and running away was vindicating. It further made him feel better about his choice to not choose the Cartographers. Not to mention, he also couldn¡¯t see himself being inspired to get to the point of using magic to save someone like Franklin. ¡°It is too bad about Alzira though,¡± Sarah said somewhat wistfully, ¡°And the people who died with her. It¡¯s crazy how different each Guilds¡¯ experiences were. I thought ours was bad but I haven¡¯t spoken to any of the Controllers. They¡¯re downright traumatized.¡± ¡°Yeah, we got lucky for sure,¡± Bowen agreed. ¡°What about the attacker who was captured? Has anyone heard anything about that?¡± Olly asked curiously. Bowen frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, they¡¯ve been keeping it fairly hush-hush.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Olly said thoughtfully. So many had escaped, it was horrifying to think where they were and what they were plotting. He thought back to when he was followed coming home the other night and shuddered. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯re safe in here. They¡¯re increasing security on the premises,¡± Sarah chimed in. ¡°They¡¯d have to if they wanted Franklin to come back to work,¡± Bowen snickered.
Mythology class hadn¡¯t gotten any more interesting, unfortunately. Steven¡¯s delivery was showing no signs of improvement and self-teaching the content only carried Olly¡¯s interest so far. In today''s lesson, the class was once again listless. Steven droned on and on. Even Sarah had long given up the one-sided staring grudge match today. They were learning about the followers of the Magician and the Scientist. The first several, very dry, lessons had focused on the two mythological figures that stood vigil at the entrance of the Academy. However, they each had their own companions and retainers that formed the broader group of followers. The Scientist''s followers were scholars, thinkers, and artisans, drawn to the pursuit of knowledge and the exploration of the natural world. Meanwhile, the Magician''s disciples consisted of sorcerers, enchanters, and mystics, captivated by the allure of magic and the unseen forces that permeated the early Flexibilis of myth. ¡°Excuse me, sir, what about the false prophet?¡± Sarah raised her hand and called out innocently. This perked up Olly¡¯s interest. In fact, it seemed to stir up excitement in the class. No one was expecting anything to shake up Steven¡¯s monotonous delivery. Least of all Steven, who appeared highly frazzled by the disruption. It was clear all he wanted to do was drone on through the content as quickly as possible. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry?¡± he spluttered. ¡°The false prophet,¡± she explained, slowly, ¡°The one whose scheming was said to have almost broken up the duo?¡± ¡°Yes, well, we¡¯re not quite at that stage¡­¡± he trailed off, flipping desperately through his notes. There seemed to be a collective groan in the class and he snapped his book shut. Steven pinched the bridge of his nose with a defeated sigh. ¡°Fine. What do you want to know?¡± he asked. Sarah smirked. ¡°Why did she turn on them? Was she unhappy with their teachings?¡± It was clear the last thing Steven wanted to do was have a conversational approach to teaching but he knew when he had been beaten. Having worked with him beyond this class it was fascinating to watch because Olly knew he wasn¡¯t as meek as he appeared. He suspected he might have been a good lecturer at one point. ¡°Well, according to legend, because this is all just made up, she followed them at first. She was the one who brought them together, having observed that their teachings could be harmonious rather than in opposition to each other. However, as they became closer the false prophet felt side-lined. She had wanted to advance some of her own more controversial teachings through them but they had no desire to be her mouthpiece,¡± he explained. ¡°What were her teachings?¡± someone else asked. ¡°Well, she believed in the superiority of those who could wield magic and she saw science as an explanation as to why those people were dominant to those who couldn''t,¡± he explained, ¡°As the legend goes, the Scientist and the Magician recognized the danger posed by the false prophet''s machinations. When she didn¡¯t get her way she twisted their teachings, sowing discord and chaos among the other followers and exploited the delicate balance between science and magic.¡± ¡°So what happened to her?¡± Olly chimed in. ¡°She was banished. To where, I¡¯m not sure. Again, these are all just metaphorical stories and cautionary tales. Her¡¯s in particular is supposed to show why we¡¯re not supposed to see ourselves as superior to the general populace,¡± he finished explaining. He grabbed his lecture book and began to flip back to the page he had left off, signaling that he was finished with this impromptu lesson. ¡°But¡­ A lot of people still believe that, don¡¯t they?¡± Sarah asked casually. He flicked his eyes up at her from over his book. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± The rest of the class similarly stared at her like she had grown a second head. ¡°I¡¯m suggesting that it¡¯s a real problem that we should be fixing with our image,¡± Sarah continued, ¡°There¡¯s nothing that makes us inherently better than anyone else, and believing that to be true could lead to disastrous consequences, could it not?¡± Knowing what he knew, even Olly hadn¡¯t seen her laying that trap. Some of the other students shifted uncomfortably. Steven seemed to be looking at her under a new light. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked quietly, eyes darting all around as he studied her face. ¡°Sarah Weldon,¡± she responded. Her eyes carried a challenge. Olly watched as recognition washed over Steven¡¯s face, quickly replaced with horror and finally shame. ¡°Class dismissed,¡± he said simply and packed up his things without a second glance back. ¡°You broke him,¡± Olly said simply as they walked out together. A few of the other students seemed to be discussing how peculiar that class had been. Olly heard one suggest that it was the best class yet. ¡°He deserves much more than that, I assure you,¡± she shrugged, ¡°Have you had many interactions with him in the lab?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Olly lied. ¡°Ah, well, better luck next time. Let¡¯s go grab a spot in the library.¡±
After everyone had gone to bed, Olly''s curiosity inspired him to further read up on the false prophet. He had never heard someone be described as having violent magical outbursts. He flipped through his textbook, searching for any hint of something that stood out to him. Finally, he found an artist¡¯s rendition of the false prophet, depicted as a woman with long dark hair, standing with her arms spread wide and a vicious look on her face. Stood facing a small crowd of people, several of which appeared to be ducking from her wrath, while several stones from a cobblestone bridge appeared to be exploding. Dust and debris rained down on the crowd. He froze. Surely not. Surely this wasn¡¯t something unique to her. He flipped through his book, more desperately this time, as he scanned for any other signs of magic use. But alas, every reference was used to show times of peace. People performing charitable deeds, teaching crowds of gatherers, and helping to build up society. He felt an ache forming in his stomach. He knew he was different, but was it possible for him to be different... like her? He flopped onto his bed and stared at the ceiling for a long time before falling asleep. His nightmares returned that night. Chapter 36: Side With Me Blindly Tarry Bennett Tarry knew he didn¡¯t have to, in fact his counsel had advised him against it. His address was enough; it was too risky to be seen supporting a Grandmaster so intimately, particularly after the recent conflicts. But he felt like he should. He was sitting in the morgue in Aspir where she had been taken after the attacks, waiting for the mortuary technician to return to let him into the viewing room. He half expected to see Alzira burst out from behind the crash doors. He could see it clearly even. She would laugh and ask what took him so long, telling him that it was all part of her master plan. But that didn¡¯t happen. He nervously fumbled with the brim of his bowler cap. The mortuary technician came back and told him in a low voice that she was ready for viewing. He rose to his feet, feeling dread deep in the pit of his stomach. But he followed the technician into the room nonetheless. She lay on the gurney with a sheet covering her up to the top of her head. Her blue-grey feet poked out the other side of the sheet; a tag tied to one big toe was the only identifying item on her body. He was struck by how still she was and felt himself take a sharp inhale of breath. He took a few steps closer and bent over slightly at the waist. The mortuary technician asked if he was ready to see her. He said he was but as the sheet was respectfully pulled back to just below her neck he realized that couldn¡¯t have been farther from the truth. Her mouth was parted and her eyelids were open a crack. The grey tinged skin was the worst part of all. It gave the appearance of a poor imitation of what she looked like. In life she was vivacious. She liked to observe the situations and watch them unfold around her but was always ready with a quip or a jab. In death he could scarcely reconcile that this vessel could¡¯ve been such a lively person. And yet, it was her, there was no doubt about it. He stood back up rigidly and nodded. The mortuary technician pulled the sheet back up to cover her head. She walked him out and he didn¡¯t spare a second glance back at the corpse on the gurney. It was her, and yet not her. He exited the building in utter silence, not wanting to say a word to anyone. His car on the Aspir side was waiting for him out back and he wordlessly slid into the back seat. His driver began their journey back to the tunnel and Tarry stared out the window. The image of her face was burned into his mind and he tried to replace it in vain with memories of her while she was alive. They hadn¡¯t been friends per se, their positions were far too oppositional for something like that to be appropriate, but he did appreciate her. He would miss seeing her at the table. As much as she could drive him crazy with her ability to stir the pot she was clever and by far the most reasonable Grandmaster to deal with. He did have an ally in her despite the more recent drama that had unfolded before her untimely death. He leaned his head against the backrest. ¡°What had she known?¡± he thought to himself. It haunted him that her death carried so many secrets. He could not and would not believe that she had died for no reason. She had provided him with warnings, albeit cryptic ones, about his own life. Was his destiny to end up rigid and refrigerated in a locker in the morgue? Killed as a byproduct of a growing political conflict at the hands of enemies he hadn¡¯t seen coming? He went cold at the thought. Since her death he could feel himself growing paranoid. He saw enemies in every shadow and in the faces of every stranger he passed. He never had issues walking to and from his office and used to love to speak with constituents on the street. However, lately he¡¯d been relying on security to move with him. He tended to leave the office on a variable schedule to limit the ability for someone to track his movements or predict his whereabouts. His security was waiting for him at the tunnel and they escorted him through to the other side at the Central Tunnel Station in Occaigh. He kept his head down as he walked to the car waiting for him to complete the final leg of his journey. Crowds of protesters had largely dispersed since the attacks on the Guilds but he could never be certain if any large gatherings bore him ill will these days. Fortunately, he made it to his penthouse without incident and for the first time that day he felt like he could breathe. ¡°Francine?¡± he called. The only response he got was silence. His mood further soured. Things had not been easy between them lately. She had been pulling away again. He couldn¡¯t blame her; he had been around less than before. Even when he was home he struggled to connect with her. He went to his office and poured himself a scotch. It was the one that Eli had pried from his hands a few short months ago when he was in the midst of a spiral. He gave a mirthless smirk and threw back his glass before pouring another. He knew he should thank him for saving it but yet again it was looking like the vintage would be wasted on him. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. He wondered if drinking would help him forget the image of Alzira¡¯s lifeless face that was seared in his brain. Somehow he doubted it. Tarry sat down at his desk and lit a cigarette. Groaning, he pressed his other palm to his forehead. His little adventure was not just ill-advised for the optics; he had a significant amount of work to catch up on. What was it for? Closure? Confirmation? He wasn¡¯t sure anymore but he might come to regret it. ¡°Tarry,¡± a soft voice called from the doorway. He lowered his hand to see his wife forlornly staring at him. His heart gave a clench; he knew that look. ¡°Hey,¡± he responded softly, ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you come in.¡± ¡°I was home the whole time,¡± she said simply. ¡°Oh¡­ Well, I called for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you did,¡± she said, bitterness creeping into her voice. For a moment, neither one of them spoke. He took a swig of his drink, swilling it in front of him. ¡°You¡¯re disappointed with me.¡± It was a statement, not a question. He knew he hadn¡¯t been a good partner but he didn¡¯t have time or capacity to hash it out now. She closed her eyes and exhaled sharply. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to fight,¡± a sharp edge rose to her voice. ¡°Then is there something you need?¡± he offered. He tried to sound amenable but knew he was failing. ¡°I suppose not,¡± she shrugged and turned to leave. He watched her walk away and heaved a frustrated sigh and threw back the rest of his drink. Few of their interactions these days brought him any satisfaction. What were they even doing anymore? If every interaction just served to make each other miserable what was the point? He picked up the phone and dialled a familiar number. ¡°Could you meet me at the office?¡± he asked, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, ¡°I¡¯ll be upstairs on the patio.¡±
¡°I know that look,¡± Eli suggested as he made his way onto the rooftop where Tarry was waiting. Tarry shook his head, feeling aggrieved. He had his arms folded casually on the railing, a lit cigarette dangling from one hand. ¡°I couldn¡¯t stay there anymore. She doesn¡¯t want anything to do with me but she doesn¡¯t seem to want to leave,¡± he complained bitterly. Eli stood beside him, surveying the skyline before them. ¡°Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?¡± he asked, looking bemused. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be on my side at the very least,¡± Tarry grumbled. ¡°Well I¡¯m not,¡± Eli said matter-of-factly, plucking the cigarette from Tarry¡¯s fingers and taking a drag, ¡°You¡¯re acting like a child.¡± ¡°Is there one person in my life who isn¡¯t going to get on my back about something today?¡± ¡°Let me guess, she came at you with demands for your attention or something equally egregious?¡± Eli rolled his eyes and passed the cigarette back. ¡°No, she came to my office to start a fight,¡± Tarry said glumly. ¡°Oh do tell,¡± Eli waved him on. Tarry thought back to the interaction and felt foolish. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Never mind, you¡¯d have to be there. I knew it was coming.¡± Eli shook his head with a smirk. ¡°What?¡± Tarry asked warningly. ¡°You¡¯re a shitty husband Tarry, but you hate being alone more than anything. Have you considered letting her off the hook?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to end things!¡± Tarry snapped, feeling deeply scandalized. ¡°Right, right. So she¡¯s the problem because she can¡¯t accept you as you are, faults and all,¡± Eli shrugged. ¡°I called you here because I was hoping you¡¯d make me feel better, not tell me how terrible of a person I am,¡± Tarry muttered, finishing the last of his cigarette. ¡°You didn¡¯t come here to feel better, you came here to run away from your problems, like you always do,¡± Eli clarified, ¡°And I didn¡¯t say you were a terrible person.¡± Tarry fell silent, biting the inside of his cheek. ¡°I just¡­ If she wanted to stay and work on it I¡¯d be happy. But I know I have too much on the go right now that I can¡¯t be the person she needs. I have a thousand and one tasks to take care of. There are problems of a global scale I can scarcely comprehend. I don¡¯t have time to fix problems in my personal life right now. If she can¡¯t accept that then there¡¯s no future for us.¡± ¡°But you are putting the burden of ending the relationship squarely on her?¡± Eli clarified. Tarry rubbed his face with his hands. ¡°She¡¯s the one who wanted to get back together in the first place. Nothing changed from my end.¡± ¡°No I daresay it never has,¡± Eli said simply, ¡°You¡¯re nothing if not consistent. It makes you a good politician. But I can¡¯t imagine much has changed in the time Francine has been married to you. Or from the time you were married to Patrick. Or before him when you were married to Laura.¡± Tarry said nothing. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve known you for a long time,¡± Eli looked down the railing at him, ¡°You didn¡¯t bring me here to side with you blindly. If you want my advice the best thing you could do for your relationship right now is to take control and end it. She¡¯d probably respect you more for it and you can end on good terms for once.¡± Tarry sighed and looked down to the street below. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ve always been a serial monogamist but I¡¯m a mess. All I want is comfort without the work.¡± Eli clapped him on the back. ¡°And admitting it is half the struggle. Just promise me before you jump into bed with spouse number four, maybe get yourself into a better place first.¡± Tarry felt a small smile forming on his face, the first true smile he had felt all day. ¡°Yeah, I promise.¡± Chapter 37: Interesting Weather We’re Having Tarry Bennett He was still mulling over his conversation with Eli from earlier that day when his assistant rushed into his office. ¡°Urgent report for you, sir,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s from one of the satellite agricultural spheroids off of the ninth borough.¡± Tarry looked up. ¡°What seems to be the issue?¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯ve been having unusual weather,¡± his assistant responded, almost sounding embarrassed. Tarry rubbed his forehead. It had been a long enough day as it was and he struggled to fight the urge to respond with ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Unusual¡­ weather?¡± was what he managed to ask instead. ¡°Yes sir. Local meteorologists had been tracking it to see if it was something they could handle but, unfortunately, they''ve sounded the alarm that it''s outside of their abilities to control. It seems like it¡¯s steadily become hazardous.¡± He fought the urge to groan. On top of everything else unprecedented weather was the last thing he needed to worry about. ¡°And the Meteorology Guild cannot handle it themselves?¡± he clarified. ¡°No sir. They said that they¡¯d exhausted their efforts to try and curb it. It seems like it¡¯s behaving in ways that they cannot control and they¡¯re concerned about what it means for local food supplies. They''re requesting the help of the Conductors'' Guild.¡± ¡°Shit. I suppose there¡¯s only one way out of this,¡± he conceded with a sigh. He picked up the phone with a sigh and dialed Abigail¡¯s direct line to her office. Loath though he was to engage with the Grandmasters right now some things were unavoidable. Operational needs took precedence and Occaigh was his responsibility; it was up to him to be the one to ask for assistance. "Perhaps working on a mutual goal unrelated to the collapses might be helpful for the strained relationships of late," his assistant offered hopefully. It was a nice thought but somehow he doubted it.
Olly Briggs ¡°I told you Atmospheric Forces wasn¡¯t going to be boring!¡± Sarah gloated as they left the classroom. Olly only half-agreed. The subject matter was dreadfully boring in his mind. He didn¡¯t really care about the magic that drove weather science or day-night cycles. As far as he was concerned the magic was there, it was controlled, and it was none of his business. However, he needed a final elective, and Sarah¡¯s convincing for him to take this class with her won out in the end. Both she and Bowen were taking it and Olly would be remiss to avoid taking a class with his ''Academy Support System''. They had started referring to themselves as such as in the last week. He was onboard until Odette pointed out that it abbreviated to A.S.S. He tried to dissuade them from using it but that only led to them doubling down harder and referring to themselves as ''his A.S.S.'' He usually met them with a stony-faced look that sent them into raucous laughter. They loved that joke. ¡°I still think it¡¯s boring. And besides, how can we help? The Meteorologists have their own Guild so why are they coming to us?¡± he responded doubtfully. ¡°Dunno. Maybe they found something of interest to the Guilds,¡± Sarah shrugged. At the beginning of that day''s class, Grandmaster Abigail was waiting in the classroom to everyone¡¯s surprise. She was there to introduce what she called a valuable learning opportunity in the field. They would be permitted to leave the Academy to attend an onsite investigation into some unusual weather patterns taking place in a spheroid just off of Occaigh. The excursion was in two days and he mentally took stock of all his activities. He had a lab session tonight, several quizzes tomorrow, and an essay due by week¡¯s end. He almost excused himself from going given that it wasn¡¯t mandatory until Abigail mentioned that it would give participants extra credit that they could apply as a bonus to their final grades. Olly was not in a position to turn down extra credit. Besides, going back to see Occaigh was always welcome in his mind. Both Sarah and Bowen were also in. Odette didn¡¯t immediately sign up and instead opted to think about it. Olly could see her perspective; she had been much closer to the face of danger and he didn¡¯t blame her one bit. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. He was admittedly somewhat apprehensive. And seemingly so were some of his classmates. Things at the Academy still didn¡¯t feel normal, nor did he expect them to so quickly after the tragedy, and they were all still reeling from the trauma. Leaving the perception of safety that the Academy provided was not high on most students¡¯ lists at the moment. Abigail had pitched it as the opportunity to reclaim a bit of normalcy and suggested it might be helpful to everyone¡¯s healing. She also emphasized they were taking the utmost safety precautions and that no harm would come to anyone. ¡°We do learn about weather patterns and how it impacts civilizations so it¡¯s not entirely out of our wheelhouse,¡± Bowen chimed in, ¡°And it¡¯s helpful to be able to predict what local weather is like when we¡¯re mapping out new loci.¡± Olly grumbled in begrudging agreement. ¡°You don¡¯t have to come if you don¡¯t think it¡¯s interesting,¡± Sarah said in a sing-songy voice. ¡°No, I¡¯m coming. I need the credit. But I withhold the right to find it boring!¡± he stubbornly insisted.
When he walked into the lab that evening he was somewhat surprised to find it a lot fuller than normal. Usually, he¡¯d enter and see either Brandon or Steven waiting for him. Sometimes neither were present and he¡¯d alone wait until one of them arrived. Today he was startled to see both Grandmasters Abigail and Franklin, Brandon, and Steven. They were in conversation but stopped as he walked in. He wondered if he should apologize and leave but Abigail waved him inside. ¡°Olly, come on in,¡± she said warmly. ¡°Should I come back at another time?¡± he asked awkwardly. ¡°No, no, sorry for the surprise but we were waiting for you,¡± she explained and pulled up a lab stool beside her. He took the seat and looked around. Everyone looked exactly as they normally did. Franklin carried his usual look of being distinctly unimpressed, although it seemed slightly muted this time. Brandon was as affable as ever. Steven looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here but that was par for the course when he was in crowds. Olly felt slightly uncomfortable as they watched him. He wondered if he had done something wrong because they seemed slightly expectant. ¡°I didn¡¯t have anything prepared. Is this a test?¡± he asked half-jokingly. Abigail and Brandon laughed. ¡°Sorry mate, we didn¡¯t mean to put you on the spot. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re a bit of an enigma. I promise we won¡¯t make too much of a lab rat out of you.¡± Olly didn¡¯t know what that meant but didn''t love the way it sounded. ¡°I was just admiring how you¡¯ve matured since you¡¯ve come here. You seem more sure of yourself. I also wanted to check in and see how you were doing since the attack,¡± Abigail said sincerely. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I really only came in at the end,¡± he said. All things considered he wasn¡¯t someone who faced that much trauma. He hoped people who experienced worse parts of the attack were offered the same courtesy. ¡°Don¡¯t be so modest. It was a far greater gesture than turning tail and fleeing,¡± Abigail said coyly. Franklin took the bait. ¡°I made an assessment that was in the best interest of our Academy and the Guilds. The students were safe and handing myself over to meet who-knows-what kind of harm would have been exceedingly foolish!¡± he said hotly. ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯m not here to exchange barbs, Franklin,¡± she said a little dismissively as if she wasn''t the one who started it, ¡°Though you are probably wondering why we¡¯re all here, Olly. Apart from wanting to make sure you were alright, I did want to run something by you. As Brandon said, you¡¯re an enigma. You have an interesting set of abilities and I have seen firsthand how valuable they are. You have the makings to be great and I want to help you reach that greatness. To do that, with Franklin¡¯s permission, I¡¯ve engaged Brandon and Steven to continue helping you on a more frequent basis. I think you¡¯ll find that the lab tests will include more advanced magic-wielding abilities than you''re exposed to in your practicum but I have no doubt you can handle it. In exchange, Franklin has agreed to be more lenient with your coursework. You will need to maintain the basics, of course, but I believe your abilities more than speak for themselves.¡± Olly was stunned and before he could formulate a response Franklin chimed in. ¡°I should impress upon you that I am skeptical of the idea of savants. However, I am willing to indulge in Grandmaster Abigail¡¯s schemes while I am serving as Headmaster if there are greater gains to be found that will support this institution and our Guilds. I still expect you to continue putting effort into your coursework, however. Is that understood?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ sir,¡± he said weakly. ¡°Good. Then I will only say that I expect great things from you. If you are as skilled as Abigail says then I suppose I have no choice but to offer you the chance to prove my skepticism wrong.¡± It was as close as Olly would get to any sort of approval from Franklin. ¡°So it¡¯s settled. Olly, you¡¯re going to be an incredible Conductor. I expect to see you rising in ranks very quickly,¡± Abigail gushed before getting up, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it. You¡¯re coming out to the field trip to investigate weather patterns, yes?¡± ¡°Yes Grandmaster,¡± he agreed. ¡°Excellent,¡± she smiled widely, ¡°Come along, Franklin. Let''s get some of that boring official business out of the way while I''m here.¡± Brandon shook his head after they left. ¡°It¡¯s clear whose really in charge. Alright, mate, Steven and I are going to plan your ongoing extra-curricular lab sessions. We won¡¯t do anything tonight so just take it as a freebie. From here on out the sessions will become more rigorous but we¡¯re here with you every step of the way. Any questions?¡± Olly felt like his head was spinning. ¡°No¡­ I think I¡¯ve got it.¡± ¡°Perfect, then we¡¯ll see you on the field trip! We¡¯ll be there to conduct some tests so don¡¯t be a stranger. It¡¯ll be fun, you¡¯ll see!¡± Olly exchanged a glance with Steven. It was imperceptible but Olly swore that there was some conflict behind his expression. He looked away quickly and Olly let that thought die. He weakly bid them goodbye and then made his way back to his dorm. He realized, upon reflection, that he hadn¡¯t actually been provided a choice in the matter. Chapter 38: Growing Lenient Eli Briggs With eyes already wide open Eli reached over and silenced his alarm. Despite the fact that it was only four in the morning it was increasingly rare that his alarm brought him to wakefulness. Most mornings he awoke before his alarm but tried to will himself into finding slivers of sleep before it broke him from his reverie. Unfortunately, these efforts were typically in vain. If he ever actually found sleep in the first place he would find himself in a semi-awake state at best for most of the night, usually tossing and turning without reprieve. Worst of all were the nights where sleep eluded him altogether. Unfortunately, last night was the latter type of night. He got up with a groan and stretched his back out. A cacophony of pops and creaks met his ears. As he made his way to the bathroom he was greeted by two deeply bloodshot eyes staring back at him. ¡°Ugh,¡± he thought with disgust. Setting his alarming visage aside he tried to focus on his schedule. His mornings had become increasingly early in order to cram everything he needed to accomplish into one day. Unfortunately, working for Tarry and managing activities in the sixteenth were jobs that operated on very different schedules. On the flip side, some of that work did have overlap that he could exploit if he was savvy. And despite his ghoulish appearance he did consider himself savvy. He went down to the kitchen and put the coffee pot on. He was determined to shake the weariness in his bones and get back into reading and committing to memory some recent intel that he had been tasked with looking into. If he was efficient with his time he might even be able to catch a quick midday nap. Sipping his coffee he slowly looked around his home. It was small. It had always been small. His kitchen had scarcely had space for the basic appliances and a tiny table with four chairs. He wondered how had they managed when there were two of them living in the house. But despite now living alone it felt increasingly smaller as if the mounting pressures from his life were collapsing the very walls in on himself. ¡°Why do you stay here? Why not find a bigger place for you and Olly?¡± Tarry had asked these questions more than once. Eli could picture a composite of all the times they''d spent in his house in the early days before Tarry had been elected for his first term. He could almost picture the politely inquisitive but definitively drunk expression on his face. Eli would''ve given some response about how living frugally suited his style and being closer to the action was better for business. And Tarry would¡¯ve snorted into his drink but not pressed the issue further. They were both flashy, in their own ways and circles, but Tarry was short sighted enough to chalk it up to sentimentalism where Eli was concerned. Eli dashed the daydream from his and, willing wakefulness to his mind, flipped open the report booklets. Tarry relied on him to understand the lower boroughs and report back on what he was seeing. His sources had been coming back and saying that certain areas were rabble rousing and he had asked Eli to look into it. Twelfth district. He had his own rabble rousing contact he could look into. He could kill two birds with one stone if he played his cards right. He drained his coffee and firmly shut the book.
The man across from him, the proprietor of the establishment, took a deep gulp of whiskey and tapped on the table, signalling a passing waiter for a refill. His glass was immediately topped up. They were seated in a semi-circle booth near the back of a jazz room in the twelfth district. The venue itself suggested a higher scale establishment than the district would normally provide but everything from the plush upholstery to the shine of the bar top to the noise muffling curtains hanging around the privacy booths was a cheap imitation of the real jazz clubs in the upper districts. There was a veneer that covered up the dingy bones of the place. This establishment and its proprietor, Jayson, tried to mimic the rich feel of such places but in Eli¡¯s opinion that was a bitter irony. The more upscale establishments brought no authenticity. They only served to give wealthier clientele a chance at pretending to experience the real thing. Those clientele would never be caught dead in a dingy, underground jazz bar. But that was where the real magic happened. Performing in the clubs in the lower districts may not be glamourous but it''s where the trade was learned and where the best jazz musicians were born. In trying to pretend to be one of those upscale places this place ironically lost any charm it hoped to have. Jayson, as always, tried too hard and lost sight of what was important. Today he looked nervous. Eli knew he had been vocalizing his displeasure lately and some of it was targeted at Eli. He had heard the rumblings but it wasn''t worth his time to follow up, until today. "So what can I help you with today?" he asked nervously. Jayson never directly confronted anyone, least of all Eli, so by showing up on his doorstep Eli was forcing his hand. "I was in the neighbourhood and figured I''d stop in and check out the joint," he responded, smiling widely. "Good, good. Well, you never need a reason to drop in of course. My doors are always open to you," he offered with a smile but avoided Eli''s eyes. Eli let them lapse into an uneasy silence. "What''s the matter Jayson?" he asked after a moment too long to be considered comfortable. "Nothing at all! What makes you ask?" Jayson was practically sweating. Eli frowned and let a concerned look come to his face. "Are you alright?" "Look, Eli, it''s... nothing. Forget it," he drained his second glass. Eli flagged down the waiter. When he came back for another refill Eli reached for the bottle and poured the third glass himself. "It doesn''t seem like nothing. I''ve heard that you haven''t been too pleased lately," he suggested kindly. "Aw Eli, it''s not like that. I''m fine. But I can''t lie to you, a few of the others aren''t too happy with how things are looking," he confessed. "How so?" Eli pressed amiably. "Well, it''s not very flattering, I''ll admit. And I would never intend to insult you..." "I''m rather difficult to insult. I have thick skin. Please, if you have concerns I am all ears." Jayson seemed to wrestle with the next words. ¡°They say you¡¯re growing soft," he mumbled. Eli politely sipped on his beer. ¡°Is that so? And do you believe these claims?¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Perhaps it was the third drink that granted him courage because he opened up quickly. ¡°Come on Eli, it''s not like that. I''m a little concerned too. We¡¯ve done business together for a long time. Heck, you put me up here. But I know how you tick. You¡¯ve been acting differently lately, you can¡¯t deny it.¡± ¡°I disagree. I¡¯ve made a few changes to my activities of late but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve changed,¡± he shrugged. Jayson lowered his voice to a whisper despite the music drowning out their conversation from those around them. ¡°It''s just... I¡¯ve heard rumblings that you let some payments slide.¡± ¡°So? Everyone needs a break once in a while.¡± ¡°Eli¡­¡± he sighed, ¡°Not from above. And not when you''ve switch sides so abruptly.¡± ¡°Pray tell,¡± Eli encouraged, a cold smile spread across his features. Jayson froze. ¡°Look, Eli, I don¡¯t mean any disrespect,¡± he stammered. ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that, but please continue with your assessment.¡± He sputtered and stumbled over his next words. ¡°You¡­ ever since you came onto the scene you always took care of us. All of us, the little guys. And nobody can argue against that. So I mean this in the most loving way but when we see you chumming up to the people at the top so openly we get scared. Worse yet, and I fully respect the connections you''ve maintained, but they say you''ve turned into his lap dog." Eli leaned back and looked thoughtfully at the ceiling as if considering this. Jayson seemed to be slowly reddening as if under pressure. Eli let him stew before responding. ¡°You know I would never act in a way that would jeopardize what I¡¯ve accomplished,¡± he chose his words carefully. Jayson practically sighed in relief while nodding fervently. ¡°Of course, but the others, you know how it is.¡± ¡°They say I¡¯m getting soft. Lenient,¡± he offered gently, "They see me cutting favours to the people at the top and they think it''s favouritism. They see me leveraging my connections without a specific monetary gain and think it''s a betrayal." Jayson bit the inside of his cheek. ¡°Well¡­¡± he began but Eli cut him off with a raised hand. ¡°No need to say it, I can see it on your face,¡± he said magnanimously. Eli had him hooked. ¡°No, please let me explain. It¡¯s nobody¡¯s fault, you see-¡± ¡°I would never blame anyone! Of course, I could always arrange to speak to everyone. Show them how serious about business I still am,¡± he shrugged nonchalantly. Jayson¡¯s eyes flashed with fear. ¡°That¡¯s quite all right!¡± he exclaimed, "Nobody is actually upset!" Eli cocked his head innocently. ¡°So what¡¯s the problem? I¡¯m struggling to understand the issue.¡± ¡°Well¡­ you see¡­ we¡¯re all just concerned for you. With the non-payments and now being on the Mayor¡¯s payroll¡­ Is money tight? We¡¯d all understand if it is. And you¡¯re putting the kid through that fancy school now so we were worried some of your streams were drying up. That¡¯s all, none of us meant any disrespect.¡± Eli let him stammer through it. ¡°Oh Jayson, is that all?¡± he laughed. Jayson gave a small nervous laugh in response. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d need to spell it out for anyone, but no, money is fine. I do have more expenses now but that¡¯s under control. And if you¡¯re afraid for my personal streams of income all I need to say is, don¡¯t be. I make adjustments from time to time as the climate requires it. Turn off certain taps if you will. I may be taking a small, legitimate salary now but it keeps eyes off of what matters. As you said, my nephew is in a prestigious career stream. Having clean hands is important if people are looking for dirt.¡± It was Jayson¡¯s turn to look thoughtful and then relief washed over him as he registered Eli''s meaning. ¡°Ohhhhhh. I mean, yeah, that makes sense,¡± he laughed nervously. ¡°Good. Now I expect you¡¯ll inform anyone with future concerns that all is well?¡± ¡°Of course, you can always count on me.¡± Eli gave a thin lipped smile. ¡°I have no doubt.¡± Jayson laughed again. ¡°I knew you¡¯d never sell out Eli, you¡¯ve got a good thing going on. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll collect with interest. You put those bums up there, they owe you.¡± Eli forced a laugh. ¡°I¡¯m sure. Now, you¡¯re all going to be happy? No more concerns about my business?¡± ¡°None whatsoever.¡± ¡°Good. Then perhaps you can help me with something. I need to know what¡¯s going on up here. I¡¯m hearing reports of people getting feisty. The sixteenth is the sixteenth, people there don¡¯t move around a whole lot, but is there anything I should be concerned about in these middle districts?¡± Jayson shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the same as it ever was. The government doesn¡¯t take care of us and now with the tunnel collapses nobody wants to use them. People who work in the other districts, or worse need to travel through multiple tunnels just to get to their job sites, don¡¯t want to go.¡± Eli knew this from the reports. They were afraid, it wasn¡¯t a surprise. He sipped his beer. ¡°So, what, they¡¯re just finding work locally?¡± ¡°Well, no, no one can afford to do nothing. But they¡¯re unhappy. They see the protests in the higher districts and it seems like the elites have the time and energy to protest when it affects them, but they¡¯re not the ones who have to leave every day to be able to survive. The government doesn¡¯t care about us. That¡¯s why we were worried you were switching over.¡± The disparity and perception. It always came down to it. He rubbed his jaw. ¡°Now they¡¯re saying that there¡¯s weird weather in parts. Especially those who work in agriculture. Nobody is telling us anything but now those good for nothing Guilds, no disrespect to the boy, are starting to nose around,¡± he went on. ¡°I got it. Yeah, I hear you,¡± Eli said sympathetically, making a mental note of the weather. Olly might know something about that; he¡¯d have to follow up with him later after he spoke to Tarry. ¡°You always look out for us Eli. Thanks for listening,¡± Jayson said gratefully. ¡°No worries. I should get going but if you have any concerns don¡¯t hesitate to reach out. Let¡¯s not wait until things become a big deal, yeah?¡± ¡°Of course. And hey, listen, the drink¡¯s on the house. Come by anytime,¡± Jayson bade him farewell as he pulled on his jacket, but Eli was already deep in thought.
Much later that night he sat in his office while wondering who to call first. Interesting weather wasn¡¯t what Tarry asked him to look into and yet it had the gears in his mind spinning since Jayson mentioned it to him. Olly would likely know something but if he started asking questions too early it might just lead to suspicions. He could frame it as a concern for Olly¡¯s safety, which wasn¡¯t an untruth, but if it wasn¡¯t going to lead to a fruitful discussion perhaps the timing was wrong. He made up his mind and reached for the phone to dial Tarry¡¯s number to share what he had learned but as his fingers brushed the handset the phone began to ring. He let it go for two rings before picking it up. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Elias,¡± the voice on the other end said coldly. His blood turned to ice. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting your call so soon,¡± he willed his voice even. Constantine chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s surprising given recent developments. I¡¯m calling to see how you intend to keep up your end of the bargain, particularly since the contact you gave me has met an unfortunate end.¡± He bit the inside of his cheek. ¡°Did you end up meeting with her?¡± he ventured. ¡°Not in person, no. We had a rather insightful chat though. She seemed like a bright young woman and seemed willing to make a deal which makes it all the more shame that she died,¡± Constantine said casually as if attacks on Guild headquarters were everyday occurrences, ¡°I had nothing to do with it, before you ask.¡± ¡°Do you know who might have? I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t grant you a new audience until I know the risks,¡± he ran his free hand through his hair. ¡°You¡¯re looking to me for all the answers? Typical. Figure out what the Shadow Fellowship wants and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find what you¡¯re looking for. In the meantime, I can¡¯t exactly help you until you give me what I want so hopefully that¡¯s incentive enough,¡± she said coldly. The other line clicked as she hung up and he was left alone with his thoughts and the phone pressed to his ear as a desperate lifeline. Slowly he replaced the handset into the cradle. He twisted his mouth in displeasure. He had been so close. After the news of Alzira¡¯s death he threw himself into his other work to stop him from wallowing at the fact that he had come so close to getting what he had spent the last eighteen years wanting. That ended here and now. He had no time for side distractions and needed to see this through once and for all. Chapter 39: Conversations Olly Briggs Olly awoke that morning with the uneasiness that had dogged him for the past several days. As he sat up in bed, memories of his recurring dreams spun through his mind. Ah. So that was why he felt so poorly rested. Though he knew the specifics would fade as the day progressed, something about the images were deeply unsettling. He always woke with the feeling that he was being pursued and that someone was desperately seeking him for something. And the location¡­. Where was he seeing himself again? The backdrop seemed familiar though it was typically the first thing to fade from his mind¡¯s eye and he could never recall it properly. He wanted to speak with someone about it but every avenue he explored was embarrassing in its own way. Who could he talk to about it and preserve his dignity? His uncle perhaps but the thought felt shameful. He was nearly an adult; the days of running to his uncle to soothe his fears over a nightmare were long over. Olly wouldn¡¯t want to bother him with a trivial concern. Besides, his uncle seemed worried enough these days - why bother adding to that stress? The Grandmaster had said her door was always open but that idea was even more laughable. The idea of wasting her time was distasteful and not one Olly wanted to entertain. She had made it repeatedly clear that she expected great things from him and he didn''t want to risk that respect by telling her about something so trivial as his dreams. His friends? They were an option but they were already helping him with his schoolwork and he didn¡¯t want to increase his burden on them. He appreciated them beyond words. Unfortunately that left Olly with very limited options. He swung himself out of bed and was determined to put the ideas of his dreams firmly away if only for a few hours. It was the day of the field trip and, while he couldn¡¯t bring himself to feel the same level of excitement that his friends¡¯ and classmates¡¯ seemed to hold, he needed to focus if he wanted to receive the extra credit. Both Abigail and Franklin had offered him leniency with his coursework but he didn¡¯t want to fall behind. He had found his way into the Academy and he was determined to exit it of his own merit. Olly had just finished brushing his teeth when his phone rang. He cocked his head in curiosity as he answered. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hey kid,¡± his uncle responded. Olly frowned. Uncle Eli only called in the evenings after classes. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on?¡± he asked lightly. ¡°Not much. Sorry I¡¯ve been busy lately but I figured I¡¯d try and catch you before you head out.¡± It was only then that Olly realized that it had been awhile since they¡¯d spoken. He felt slightly guilty for not calling his uncle directly and instead waiting for his call. But wait¡­ before he headed out? His guilt was forgotten as quickly as his dreams and was replaced with confusion. ¡°Oh, how did you know about that?¡± he asked curiously. ¡°I heard about it from an associate first actually and then I poked around a bit further,¡± Eli explained simply. ¡°And you knew I¡¯d be there?¡± Olly wasn¡¯t annoyed per se but he was a bit suspicious. ¡°I had a hunch. How are you feeling about going out again after what happened?¡± There was concern in his voice which alleviated any misgivings that may have been forming. ¡°Ah. Not really, no. They¡¯ve done a lot to ensure our safety and security. Most people seem pretty excited overall. I don¡¯t think they want the Shadow Fellowship, or whoever they were, to feel like they¡¯ve won.¡± Eli seemed to consider this for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it. Just stay safe out there, will you?¡± Olly nodded and closed his eyes. ¡°I will,¡± he promised. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re looking for?¡± his uncle asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. I¡¯m still learning about how weather even works. It¡¯s boring to learn about but I have to admit that the concept is crazy. Coming here was the first time I learned that weather was controlled by magic. I always thought it just¡­ was. I can¡¯t believe I went through school my whole life and they never mentioned it once! I guess I never thought to ask but still I¡¯m surprised it didn''t come up,¡± Olly exclaimed as a small smile formed on his face. He couldn¡¯t admit it to his friends after being so disparaging but maybe there was a small part of the weather that was objectively cool. The other line fell silent and the smile slowly slipped away. ¡°You still there?¡± ¡°Wait, you didn¡¯t learn about weather in school? It never once came up?¡± Eli clarified, seemingly caught off guard. Olly was equally caught off guard. ¡°No? Why would we? It¡¯s not like it helped anybody down in the sixteenth to know about how the weather worked. Just like it didn¡¯t help anybody to know or care about tunnels or the Guilds. They were just there and it didn¡¯t affect us one way or the other. None of it was ever more than part of the scenery before I started down this path.¡± This answer didn''t seem to do much for Eli. ¡°So what did you learn in school before the Academy?¡± Olly wasn¡¯t mad though he could feel himself growing frustrated. ¡°Math, reading, and writing mostly. Those were the basics and all anybody would ever need. I thought you knew this.¡± ¡°I guess I just didn¡¯t realize how bad it was,¡± Eli also sounded frustrated, ¡°What about subjects like history?¡± Olly paused. ¡°I hadn¡¯t encountered either until I got here. I¡¯ve only just started mythology and world history but history sounds like a myth and mythology seems to refer to real people. I can''t imagine either having any use in the sixteenth.¡± With Eli asking about topics of study that were more specialized Olly began wonder why he knew about them and why he was seemingly so concerned. If Eli was aware of these subjects maybe he could help Olly work through his other problems. He felt the urge to explain what was happening to him at the Academy with his magic and to tell him about Abigail''s change in his personal curriculum. If Eli could help him understand his magic and what it could mean for him that would feel much less embarrassing than asking for his help about understanding his weird dreams. ¡°Mythology is different from history,¡± Eli insisted, ¡°Was no one ever curious about where they came from? Or why?¡± Olly frowned. The urge to ask for help quickly evaporated. He realized his assessment was wrong and that he wouldn¡¯t get the answers he was looking for from Eli. ¡°I suppose. I¡¯m just telling you how it¡¯s being taught to me,¡± he willed himself to sound nonchalant. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Forget it, sorry. I didn¡¯t realize how few subjects your old school taught.¡± Eli sounded a touch distressed. This puzzled Olly. ¡°So did you set me on the Academy track on a whim? If you ever had an inkling that I could come here then why didn¡¯t you ever look into my schooling?¡± Olly kept his voice low and steady but was deliberate in his questioning. This conversation had surpassed surprising and become downright strange. When Eli didn¡¯t immediately respond Olly pressed on. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you went to school or what you learned there to make those assumptions but do you know how difficult it¡¯s been for me to keep up with my studies here? I¡¯m barely keeping my head above water. I knew nothing when I came here. People here have been studying their whole lives. They¡¯ve trained for this. Tutoring helped me pass the test but it didn¡¯t prepare me for the Academy.¡± He didn¡¯t realize how hard his heart was beating until after the words spilled forth from his mouth. He didn''t feel angry but suddenly realized how much he blamed his uncle where the Academy was concerned. He had stifled it and tried to cope by studying his way through it but all it did was put him in a position where he was allowed to coast through school at the cost of all eyes being on him. None of his fellow students who had parents that knew anything about the Academy had to deal with what Olly was going through. None of them had to become lab rats. If his uncle''s background knowledge or influence could have prevented any of Olly''s recent experiences in any way then Olly held him accountable. Olly was beginning to realize just how deep his resentment ran. ¡°I¡­ I am sorry,¡± Eli recovered quickly, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. I should have been more informed. Is there anything I can help with?¡± Olly knew the apology and offer were sincere but they rang hollow. He sighed. ¡°No. It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve got it under control. Look, I¡¯ve got to go. I¡¯ll call you later.¡± ¡°Sure thing. If you ever want to talk I¡¯m here.¡± They hung up and Olly let his hand slide limply from the receiver. As usual, he knew that Eli knew more than he was letting on. It was a tactic he used to get information; he was good at it. But what was troubling to Olly was that he was fully aware that his uncle was using it on him. Chapter 40: Fieldtrip Olly Briggs They met in the atrium of the Academy to begin their field trip. Looking up, Olly was once again struck by the sheer size of the three dimensional map of Flexibilis. It projected a soft golden glow onto them as it rotated slowly above their heads. He tried to visually locate the spheroid that they were going to visit but only got as far as finding Occaigh. The myriad of threads peeling away from the single spot on the map made him feel quite small; this world of theirs was vast and complex. Travelling to the spheroid was the most involved process Olly had experienced to date. To his surprise, they did not take vehicles to get from the Academy to the Donnol central tunnel station. He thought that vehicles would¡¯ve been necessary for safety but he understood once he saw their numbers. There were nearly a dozen students, several lecturers and researchers, and almost as many Controllers walking alongside them. Between their combined numbers, and the security perimeter of the Controllers, they created an impressive convoy on foot. Vehicles would have slowed them down and they had considerable safety in their numbers. Grandmaster Abigail walked at the head of the group. Olly watched as she carried herself with the same intention and poise here as she did at headquarters in the face of the attack. She didn¡¯t appear afraid and that inspired confidence in him regarding their safety. He didn¡¯t get the impression she intended to lead them into an unsafe situation again. The travel experience went mostly without a hitch. However, when they entered Occaigh''s ninth borough they were met with a small protest. The group was about twenty people in size and they carried signs that bore slogans like ''Tunnels? More like death traps!''. Despite the unsettling subject matter, they maintained a respectful distance but the Controllers kept a wary eye on them nonetheless. Abigail breezed past them and scarcely spared them a second glance as she continued on to the tunnel that would bring them to the satellite agricultural spheroid. Though he hadn¡¯t seen that many Controllers before his time at the Academy, Olly could tell that the ones that accompanied them were more serious than usual. They wore austere expressions on their faces and, unlike Abigail, glowered slightly at the protesters. A few of the protesters seemed to take a step back out of intimidation. He was suddenly reminded that they had suffered the most losses in the attacks and they were still likely reeling from the death of their Grandmaster. They weren''t going to respond kindly to any further threats to the safety of the Guilds. He noticed that the Controllers were carrying some kind of device on their hips that he hadn¡¯t seen before. It was long and cylindrical with a large black handle on one end and a hollow tip on the other. ¡°Hey, what is that?¡± he nudged Sarah. She was walking beside him and had Bowen on her other side. She seemed moderately uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ but do you remember the weapons that the Shadow Fellowship had?¡± Realization dawned on him. ¡°Oh¡­ do you think they created something similar in response?¡± ¡°It would¡¯ve been a bit fast for them to reverse engineer one,¡± she speculated uncomfortably. The thought didn¡¯t sit well with Olly. Weapons were rare in Flexibilis. Knives were as bad as it got before the Shadow Fellowship publicly revealed their mystery weapon. But as unsettling as it was, it was also naive to think that the major Guilds wouldn¡¯t have something in reserve. Perhaps they just hadn''t seen the need to arm themselves until a threat was made present. They made it to the spheroid; Olly emerged from the final tunnel and took a good look around. He had visited agricultural biomes a scant number of times growing up but this was by far the largest he had seen. There were fields as far as the eye could see, all growing different crops. The fields were accompanied by packing houses and agricultural equipment that would be used to pick the produce. Most notably however, each field had a spinning metal device that looked like the size and shape of a lantern hovering about ten meters above it. What made the scene unusual was that each field seemed to have its own distinct and turbulent weather cell. There seemed to be an intensely dry heat radiating over one field scorching the crops below it. And the field beside it had a thunderstorm raging onto its poor waterlogged plants. In another section, gale force winds were gusting over a field. Another had snow falling lightly onto it, blanketing the ground below it in white. ¡°Welcome to the agricultural hub of Occaigh!¡± a middle aged man with a brown goatee greeted them. He was friendly enough but the message came across rather ironically amidst the chaos surrounding them. Abigail walked forward to shake his hand. ¡°Students, this is the Grandmaster of the Meteorologists Guild. As you may know, they have their own Academy and they too accept students who excel in the aptitude test. Magic and science are very much a part of the weather and they¡¯re the ones responsible for overseeing it,¡± Abigail explained. ¡°Yes and usually it¡¯s not an issue. But as you can see here we¡¯ve had some entirely unpredictable weather. Our Meteorologists can¡¯t figure it out so we were hoping our other Guild colleagues might have some suggestions,¡± he lamented. ¡°I¡¯m going to gather my researchers to speak with yours,¡± Abigail reassured him, ¡°Did you have someone able to take the students and show them around?¡± ¡°Yes of course! Students please head over to the control center where you¡¯ll meet one of my lecturers who will provide you with your lesson.¡± He pointed at a small building just beyond the first set of fields. Abigail beckoned her researchers, Steven and Brandon included, over to her and left the students wordlessly. They obediently walked over to a lady wearing a lab coat just outside the control center. She waved at them as they neared and gestured for them to gather around the door. ¡°Good morning! We¡¯re so happy to have you today, I¡¯ll be giving you a brief demonstration and answering your weather related questions,¡± she said cheerfully, if not a little harried, ¡°Come on inside!¡± Just before entering the building Olly watched curiously as the Controllers hung back around the mouth of the tunnel. He filed that away and followed his classmates inside. The lecturer led them inside where they found an enormous control panel. Hundreds of buttons containing a large variety of labels stood between them. He supposed they went through rigorous training to be able to understand what they all meant and did. ¡°This is where the magic, pun intended, happens!¡± she began, gesturing over the blinking lights on the panel, ¡°Each spheroid with controlled weather has one of these but they''re typically much simpler in design. The control center in this spheroid is one of our more complex systems since we have to manage not only the broader spheroid but also multiple microclimates within it. You saw the floating machines outside, yes?¡± They nodded silently. ¡°We control those from inside here. The Meteorology Guild uses magic and technology to control various elements, like humidity and temperature, to create special microclimates that are tailored to the needs of the spheroid. We use those devices to take it a step further and isolate smaller areas. Unlike your Guilds we don¡¯t use magic directly, we need machines to help us channel it properly, but we do need to have at least a minimum sensitivity to magic. Any questions so far?¡± None came. ¡°What exactly are you controlling with them?¡± Olly ventured. ¡°Great question. Our Academy trains us to use these devices to identify and conduct energy, usually in the form of the additional or removal of heat, to the atmosphere using these devices. We can adjust the excitement state of the atoms in the atmosphere which either adds or removes heat. We also want to control atmospheric moisture. However, we can¡¯t create what isn¡¯t there so we do need to ensure there¡¯s a water source nearby in order to add moisture.¡± ¡°So how does adjusting heat and moisture create weather patterns?¡± Olly asked somewhat lamely. Through that explanation he could see the others nodding along as if they understood but after that morning¡¯s phone call with his uncle he was determined to not be embarrassed at what he didn¡¯t know. ¡°There are many combinations of temperature and humidity. Cool and warm, wet and dry; we can dial them in to create things like the right growing conditions, the perfect day at the beach, or ideal living conditions in cities. We look at the natural conditions of spheroids with unique extreme atmospheres, such as snowy landscapes or deserts, and study them to create optimal conditions where we need them. There¡¯s no need for habitable areas to suffer the malaffects of weather, or for us not to use our knowledge to ensure food production is sufficient to support growing populations.¡± It made sense to Olly though he supposed he¡¯d have to do some catch up reading on what those combinations were. ¡°Does your Guild have anything to do with day-night cycles?¡± Sarah asked. He wasn¡¯t sure if she was asking questions in solidarity or if she was genuinely curious but he was grateful not to be the only one speaking up. The lecturer shook her head. ¡°No, those are very much a natural feature. All the spheroids are synced up into perfect day and night cycles which is very handy for the major cities to be temporally aligned. It''s a consistent eight in the evening no matter where you are, be it Occaigh or Donnol or Aspir or any other spheroid.¡± ¡°What¡¯s¡­ beyond the spheroid? Beyond the atmospheres, I mean,¡± Olly asked tentatively. He thought back to the three dimensional map and how each spheroid was represented by a dot that, apart from tunnels, seemed to be a single free-floating point. ¡°The vacuum of space - so that is to say, nothing! The atmosphere is just a combination of gases that allow us to survive down here and it effectively forms a protective bubble around each spheroid. We couldn¡¯t survive out in space but we do need to maintain safe connections across spheroids which is why it¡¯s exceedingly handy that we have people with the ability to punch through it without collapsing everything around us.¡± It was a good response but it made Olly feel a little uneasy. There were collapses though, and they had happened quite recently. That¡¯s why they were here, wasn¡¯t it? He would assume that they were interested in preventing any further collapses but the Guilds rarely seemed to acknowledge them. He exchanged a look with Sarah who seemed to mirror his concerns. They couldn¡¯t dwell on it further because Abigail rejoined the group. The lecturer deferentially nodded at Abigail as she entered as if to turn the stage over to her. ¡°Once you¡¯re done here we¡¯re going to run a demonstration of performing atmospheric tests and we want you all to see it. Come over to where Brandon is getting set up and we¡¯ll watch him test for unusual atmospheric particles,¡± Abigail instructed seriously but not unkindly. She was more down to business today than Olly had previously seen her. The lecturer looked around. ¡°Any further questions?¡± she asked. When there were none she bid them farewell and thanked them for listening. They thanked her in kind and exited the building. They followed Abigail over to where Brandon was standing, just beside the field with the intense heat. In front of him was a metal box that was about a cubic foot in size and had a panel containing several dials on the top. From one other side of the box he unrolled five wire strands, each several feet in length, and seemed to place them deliberately and meticulously at points around him. He turned his attention to the dials and began to calibrate the machine. Once he was done he looked up at Abigail. ¡°On your command, Grandmaster,¡± he offered respectfully. She visually inspected his work before nodding once. ¡°Go for it.¡± He started up the device by slowly turning a large red dial. The machine began to whir and several lights blinked. Anticlimactically, the box finished its test with a gentle hum that started loud and quickly decreased in volume. A sheet of paper printed out one side of the device and Brandon picked it up to examine the readings. He shrugged as if puzzled. ¡°Anything interesting?¡± Abigail asked pointedly. ¡°There''s nothing unusual about these results,¡± he concluded and offered her the print out. She frowned as she read it over. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s interesting in itself given,¡± she gestured vaguely to the fields with fritzing weather patterns, ¡°this.¡± ¡°Indeed. Perhaps we need to look into the Meteorologist¡¯s equipment and rule out atmospheric problems at this point?¡± he suggested. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Let me speak with the Grandmaster about next steps. You can put your equipment away,¡± she instructed Brandon before turning to the group. ¡°The rest of you can mingle and think about the weather related topic that you¡¯ll write about for the three page essay that you¡¯re going to turn in for extra credit.¡± A collective groan resounded from the group but she had already moved on. Olly, Sarah and Bowen began to slowly walk away. ¡°I''m going to go talk to the lecturer to learn more about the control devices that the Meteorologists use so that I can get a head start on my essay. I¡¯ll catch up with you guys in a bit,¡± Bowen said before pulling his notepad from his bag and heading towards the control center. ¡°He¡¯s eager,¡± Olly said in a somewhat amused voice as he turned to face Sarah. She was frowning deeply. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± she said slowly while looking around. ¡°What do you mean?¡± his heart rate quickened. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel it?¡± The panicked look on her face made his stomach sink. He was suddenly reminded why she had been the first to pass the second part of the aptitude test. Her sensitivity to magic was the strongest out of everyone in the test, not just their room. When she said something was wrong he believed her. Sarah grabbed his arm and nodded with her head. ¡°Look, see! What do you suppose is going on over there?¡± He whirled around and wondered if she was seeing some kind of anomaly but he only saw Brandon and Steven. He frowned at first and wondered what she meant but he quickly realized that they seemed to be having a disagreement. Rather, as much of a disagreement as Steven was capable of having. Olly tried to be discreet as he watched them; Steven was nervously trying to get Brandon¡¯s attention but Brandon seemed to be scolding him in return. Brandon was trying to put away his testing device but it seemed like Steven was trying to prevent him from doing so. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get a closer look,¡± she suggested. He followed her lead as she walked around inconspicuously. She moved as close as she could get without the other two noticing and pretended to inspect one of the weather meters floating above their head. ¡°I have to insist that you stop!¡± Steven said in a hurried voice. ¡°I¡¯m the researcher in charge here, not you!¡± Brandon barked back. His abruptness made Olly recoil slightly. He remembered the time he overheard their disagreement in the lab and wondered if this was a similar disagreement. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to tell the Grandmaster. We¡¯ve missed something, it feels unstable!¡± ¡°Instability is exactly what this device is designed to test for and, in case you¡¯ve forgotten, it didn¡¯t show any unusual results,¡± Brandon responded with a coolness that didn¡¯t suit his usual boisterous persona. ¡°I¡¯m not replicating the test on the basis of paranoia.¡± Steven shook his head. ¡°If you won¡¯t, then I will. I have another device, a prototype I¡¯ve been developing, that I think would be better suited for this type of test. It¡¯s safer and more precise in detecting potential leaks. I designed it after-¡± Steven rambled on and began to pull something out of his knapsack but Brandon cut him off by grabbing the strap out of Steven¡¯s hands. He let it drop to the ground unceremoniously while Steven gasped protectively. ¡°I¡¯ve put up with your insubordination as a favour to the Grandmaster but I will not let your trauma get in the way of my research. What happened that day is your shit to deal with, not mine. So stop making it my problem.¡± They were very nearly face to face and Sarah and Olly had stopped pretending to be discreet out of shock. It was then that Brandon noticed them. He straightened up and the stormy expression gradually fell from his face but the coldness never fully left his eyes. Before he could say anything the Grandmaster approached the group. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± she asked happily, entirely unaware of the prior drama. She seemed to address Olly more than the other three and something about her tone seemed expectant of something that he wasn¡¯t sure he could provide. ¡°It¡¯s been¡­ interesting,¡± he said lamely. Her face fell almost imperceptibly and he felt very under scrutiny. ¡°We¡¯ve learned a lot about the weather systems Grandmaster,¡± Sarah chimed in. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to hear it,¡± Abigail responded smoothly, turning her attention onto Sarah as if she had just noticed she was there. ¡°Although, I have to say that I¡¯m concerned. I feel something. It¡¯s almost as if there¡¯s a distant buzzing that¡¯s gnawing at my senses. I think something isn¡¯t right,¡± Sarah confessed. Olly was impressed at her candor. Even without the conversation they had overheard it was one thing to tell the Grandmaster that something felt wrong. However, her quick thinking forced the issue to be addressed by Brandon and Steven as well. Abigail looked between her two researchers. ¡°As I recall, the readings didn¡¯t show instability, correct?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Brandon replied smoothly but the corners of his mouth were downturned into a frown. ¡°I feel it too Headmaster,¡± Steven spoke up, adding his voice to Sarah¡¯s. This seemed to surprise Sarah slightly because Olly watched as her eyebrows raised in response. Abigail looked between the four of them and deliberated. ¡°Can you re-run the test?¡± she asked Brandon. ¡°I¡­ can,¡± he said hesitantly. ¡°See to it. Get set up immediately and see what you can find out,¡± she instructed and he dipped his head into a nod and once again began to set up his device. Steven seemed hesitant. He clenched and unclenched his hands into fists several times. Abigail observed him before sighing in apparent exasperation, ¡°Yes, Steven?¡± ¡°Grandmaster, I¡¯m concerned,¡± he confessed after seemingly wrestling with the words. ¡°How so?¡± she too seemed irritated with him. ¡°I believe the chosen device to take the readings will further destabilize the environment. It¡¯s a good tool when an environment is stable but there¡¯s a real risk of disrupting any weak points in the space-time fabric. If I may suggest a different approach¡­¡± he trailed off and looked at his backpack. She sighed. ¡°Steven. I trust Brandon implicitly. I want you to know that I think you¡¯re a skilled researcher and that I respect your ideas but I would like you to stand down on this one. Okay?¡± Steven stood before her looking deeply conflicted but with a soft grunt he nodded. ¡°Good,¡± she said with a small smile, ¡°Brandon, start the device at your own discretion.¡± Sarah, Olly and Steven watched with bated breath as Brandon once again began to run his test. His brow furrowed as he read the newly printed report. ¡°Hmmm. Normal levels of atmospheric elements, however we are now seeing the unidentified element,¡± he said. Abigail released a heavy breath. ¡°Okay, keep taking readings and then we can follow the regular protocol for containment. I need to go speak with the Meteorology Guild Grandmaster again about these developments.¡± She excused herself from the group yet again. Steven also grabbed his bag and stalked off looking deeply embarrassed. Sarah and Olly were left standing with Brandon and his machine; they exchanged an awkward look. Brandon was immersed in his work and paid them no mind so they too walked out of earshot. ¡°Well that was strange,¡± Olly said to break the tension. ¡°Yes. But the instability is still here. It almost feels¡­ worse? A little bit at least,¡± she murmured. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of that element they mentioned. The unidentified one?¡± He thought back to what Abigail had said. ¡°Maybe,¡± she agreed but looked distant, ¡°I still can¡¯t shake the feeling that something is wrong.¡± ¡°Well, at least the device didn¡¯t rip the fabric of space and time like Steven was worried about,¡± Olly shrugged. It was the wrong thing to say. A sudden tremor made them brace against each other. ¡°What was that?!¡± he asked. Sarah looked horrified. ¡°It¡¯s coming from over there¡­ and there!¡± She pointed at one location and then the other. At first he couldn¡¯t see anything but a sudden shimmer made his eyes widen. The air seemed to warp and ripple before their eyes. A few more tremors hit and students and meteorologists alike scattered. Some ran towards the tunnel but Abigail shouted ¡°NO!¡± from her vantage point and motioned towards the Controllers who snapped into action and closed it. ¡°Don¡¯t go into the tunnel!¡± she shouted authoritatively, ¡°We can¡¯t be sure of its safety. Everyone just stay calm. Come to me for further instruction.¡± The group that attempted to leave slowly approached her while others were more enthusiastic about making themselves available to help. Brandon had shut down his machine. He too made his way over and Olly watched as he pocketed the latest print out. ¡°We should go,¡± Olly suggested. Sarah shook her head and walked towards the direction Steven went in. He was out of earshot but clearly aware of the situation. ¡°Sarah!¡± Olly hissed. He looked back towards Abigail but she paid them no mind and was currently instructing the masses. ¡°Ugh, damnit!¡± he muttered and ran after her. He caught up to her just as she was upon Steven. He looked lost and slightly dazed. ¡°Hey! Snap out of it,¡± she said in a commanding voice, ¡°Something¡¯s going on here and I think you and I are the only ones who felt it.¡± His mouth opened and closed a few times without sound coming out for a moment. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about it. I warned them not to do it but they did it anyways and now everything is going wrong!¡± He seemed unfocused and spoke in a borderline delirious tone. She stepped into his viewpoint and forced him to look at her. ¡°You felt it too. I know you did,¡± she was firm but reassuring, ¡°You¡¯re a researcher and you were brought here to fix a problem. Didn''t you say you had something that could help?¡± He met her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not in charge here,¡± he said lamely. Sarah¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°You¡¯re a Conductor, aren¡¯t you? If you have the solution to getting us out of here safely then why don¡¯t you take charge? People could be in danger and if we do nothing then we¡¯re complicit.¡± Something seemed to change behind his eyes. Almost as if she had lit the embers of a fire that had long gone out. He eyed his backpack cautiously. ¡°I have a prototype I¡¯ve been working on,¡± he began to explain, ¡°Something in my spare time to prevent¡­ future issues.¡± ¡°So tell us what you need us to do,¡± she instructed not unkindly. He pulled out several metal stakes with a stone fastened to the top. It somewhat resembled the stones they used during the practicum. He also pulled out a metal box not dissimilar to Brandon¡¯s. ¡°Take these,¡± he handed them each a set of two, ¡°We¡¯ll need one on either side of the weak spots. I¡¯ll set up my device and as soon as you¡¯ve got them in position it¡¯ll be ready to go.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Sarah acknowledged. ¡°Be careful,¡± he said seriously and they began to move in the direction of the warped spots. ¡°Sarah¡­¡± Olly whispered. ¡°Are you sure we should be doing this?¡± ¡°No but I think he¡¯s the best shot we have right now,¡± she insisted. He didn¡¯t fight her on that one. They were almost upon the group and it seemed that Abigail and Brandon plus a few of the seemingly more experienced Controllers and Meteorologists were inspecting one of the warped locations from a distance. The rest of the group, made up of students and less experienced personnel, were clustered further away. ¡°I¡¯ll take that one,¡± Olly said and nodded towards the location under the most scrutiny. He was reasonably certain he could talk his way into making this plan work. As he came upon the group Brandon put his arm out. ¡°Where are you going, mate?¡± he questioned somewhat suspiciously while looking at the stakes in Olly¡¯s arms. ¡°Olly! Get back to the main group for safety!¡± Abigail ordered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Grandmaster but I¡¯ve got a way to help and I need you to let me do this!¡± he insisted. She frowned. He wasn''t sure if it was in response to him disobeying her or if she was considering what he was saying. Brandon spoke up. ¡°Grandmaster, this is highly improper. We can¡¯t allow a student to use untested devices in such a delicate location.¡± ¡°We don''t have time to go through this!¡± Olly exclaimed with growing frustration, ¡°Steven claims this device can fix this problem but I just need you to let me set up it up. He¡¯s had the suspicion that something wasn¡¯t right all along and he came prepared with a solution. Sarah knew it too. Please let them prove themselves right!¡± ¡°Steven is a paranoid wreck and we¡¯ve allowed him too long of a leash. It¡¯s time to reign him in,¡± Brandon grumbled. ¡°Steven has experience in this and has been working to prevent future tragedies,¡± Olly shot back. ¡°Olly, everything is in position, we need to do it now!¡± Sarah shouted as she and Steven ran up to meet the group. The stakes were in position at the other location, however a crackling noise was beginning to emit from behind the warped locations. They wobbled dangerously and the group took an involuntary step back. ¡°Enough! All of you. We will discuss this back at the Academy. And believe me when I say we will get back to the Academy safely,¡± Abigail grumbled, ¡°But I will place them. I would like to avoid students throwing themselves down on the frontline.¡± She outstretched her hands and Olly handed her the stakes. He felt nervous for her and watched as a wind began to pick up the closer she got to the weak spot. Her hair whipped around her face but she worked quickly and deliberately as she mirrored the placement at the other location. ¡°We have to do it now!¡± Steven shouted over the growing roar coming from the spots. ¡°Go!¡± Abigail shouted as she jostled backwards. Steven cranked the dial and fractals of light crackled from the stones and danced between the pairs of stakes. It seemed to lick at the spots and each contact point seemed to still the shimmer in the air. Olly shielded his eyes from the glow. He couldn¡¯t tell if it was working or not but the noise had reached a decibel that sounded like rushing water all around him. After one final CRACK all was silent. The weak spots no longer appeared warped and the air at the former weak spots was motionless again. The stones atop the stakes had dulled and were smoking slightly. Apart from a metallic smell there was no further indication that there had been anything wrong. Abigail gave a sweeping look between Brandon, Steven, Olly and Sarah. ¡°Well done,¡± she said with a defeated sigh, ¡°But I want the four of you to meet me in the Headmaster¡¯s Office as soon as we¡¯re done here.¡± Chapter 41: Consequences Olly Briggs ¡°The sheer humiliation of these antics cannot be abided by,¡± Abigail said firmly. She was sitting in Franklin¡¯s chair and wore a look of cold fury that shook Olly to his core. He had seen her angry before but never directed at him. He decided he hated it. Franklin stood behind her looking surprisingly unsettled. Though their usual interactions were fraught and typically included an exchange of barbs even Franklin looked like he didn¡¯t dare talk back to her in this moment. Olly, Sarah, Steven and Brandon sat before her looking mollified. Well, three of them did at least. Brandon looked uninterested in a way that suggested that he didn¡¯t believe he was the intended recipient of the message. ¡°I will not tolerate my Guild members undermining each other AND my orders. Especially in public in front of other non-major Guilds. We were there to assist the Meteorologists and instead we mucked about and fought each other openly. The optics of this incident are horrendous!¡± she looked disgusted at the prospect. For a while, no one spoke. Then Brandon chimed in. ¡°Grandmaster, I believe I speak for us both when I say that the behaviour witnessed today was inappropriate-¡± ¡°Oh do be quiet, Brandon, you don¡¯t speak for me,¡± she snapped, ¡°You¡¯re just as complicit. You don¡¯t get to unilaterally make decisions regarding the activities of Guild students. Particularly while I am present. If anyone ever approaches you expressing any concern you should come to me directly!¡± His mouth opened but he shut it firmly and quickly as if reconsidering his retort. Still, he looked stormy and Olly suspected his would-be response was begrudgingly bitten back. She returned her focus to the general group. ¡°All of you need to carefully consider what it means to be a part of this Guild. Discretion and acuity are key. We do not act out of turn or behave rashly. Safety is paramount, yes, but we must act with level heads. Keeping up good appearances on behalf of this Guild, the other three major Guilds, and the Academy is critical, especially now. You saw the protests; they¡¯re growing louder by the day. Mismanagement of a simple exercise and displays of inner-Guild conflict are a surefire way to gain media attention.¡± This time nobody, not even Brandon, spoke. He seemed to have remembered the humility to look chastised. Olly understood; he had to try very hard to avoid looking away in shame. ¡°You may not understand it yet but a large part of my job is to maintain an image. Threats to that image are extremely serious,¡± she leaned back and pinched the bridge of her nose, ¡°Optically we have a problem so where do we go from here?¡± Again, nobody spoke. Franklin cleared his throat carefully and she looked up as if just realizing he was still there. ¡°Franklin?¡± she asked, sounding despondent. ¡°If I may suggest perhaps there should be some sort of punishment?¡± ¡°Like what?¡± she sighed. ¡°Either the removal of privileges or some remediation work.¡± Olly had to fight to control his expression. He knew he was the intended recipient of that message. She steepled her fingers as she considered these options before finally shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯ll mull it over. The consequences need to be appropriate for the situation and the hierarchy,¡± she swept her gaze over the four of them once more, ¡°You¡¯re dismissed for now. I¡¯ll be in touch later.¡±
The walk back to the dorms with Sarah was largely spent in silence. They followed the ornate and slightly meandering hallways back to the atrium. Olly stole a glance at the ever present floating map of Flexibilis. ¡°That¡¯s some bullshit,¡± she broke the silence as they crossed the threshold of the atrium. They began to follow the hallway back to the Conductor dorms. He exhaled heavily. ¡°I suppose.¡± He didn¡¯t feel aggrieved; he felt embarrassed. He had spoken back to the Grandmaster in front of her subordinates and peers; in hindsight he saw a hundred better ways he could have dealt with the situation. ¡°We weren¡¯t wrong,¡± she insisted. ¡°We weren¡¯t right either,¡± he responded. She stopped in her tracks. ¡°Oh for the¡­ Olly! Listen, you need to think about this a little harder. For everything they said about safety all it comes down to is appearances for them. All of these people were in positions of power when that first tunnel collapsed. I expect better of them than whatever that was." A fire was blazing in her eyes. He was sympathetic to her but wasn¡¯t convinced. He looked around; the hallways were empty but he was paranoid of having this conversation in the open. "Can we please get back to the dorm?" If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. She sighed and resumed her walk back. Lowering her voice she resumed her rant. "All I''m saying is that we potentially saved lives today and they¡¯re mad we didn¡¯t run it by them the correct way. How could we possibly trust them to do what''s right? What does this say about past incidents? And, more troubling, what happens if something goes wrong again?¡± "Steven listened to us,¡± Olly pointed out. "This one moment doesn''t erase the past. He never faced justice for his role in the first tragedy. He is being sheltered by this organization in spite of his past fatal mistakes," she insisted. "I don''t know how we would know that. And you know what, this is a bit besides the point. There''s clearly going to be consequences for what happened today and I think that says they''re taking it seriously." Sarah looked scandalized. She shook her head and picked up her pace. "Consequences for us perhaps, but not real ones for the people that actually deserve them." ¡°Sarah¡­¡± he said gently and began to walk briskly to keep up with her, ¡°I get that it¡¯s more personal for you and I¡¯m on your side. Your actions lead to a solution that probably saved us all from something much worse and you should be very proud of that... But I also don¡¯t want the Grandmaster to think that she can¡¯t trust me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it. What happened today was a very near miss. I know through my sister what happened and I saw how it affected her. Meanwhile they act like it never happened and care more about ''optics'' than safety. She¡¯s changed and will never be the same. People never returned home. Something like that can''t be allowed to happen again," she insisted forcefully. ¡°I get it. But Steven came prepared with the solution in case something went wrong. That''s progress, isn''t it? You don¡¯t think he wouldn¡¯t be changed by what happened that day too?¡± She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. They had made it to the steps leading up to their respective rooms; the common area was mercifully empty. ¡°Innocent people died from his inaction,¡± she said coolly, "I''d hope, out of everyone, he would be forever changed. That''s the bare minimum I''d expect for him." ¡°And there''s no merit in what he¡¯s doing with his research to prevent this tragedy from happening again? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit, I don¡¯t know, close minded to assume the only form of justice is a public admission of guilt?¡± Her scowl deepened. ¡°Why are you defending him? I''m here to fix a broken system. You know what this means to me.¡± ¡°And you know what being here at all means to me!¡± he felt his voice rising in spite of himself, ¡°I didn''t always know it but I didn''t have a lot of alternatives for what my life could have been. People have sacrificed a lot to get me here. I can''t let them down.¡± They stood off against each other but lapsed into silence. She was the first to break eye contact. ¡°See you in class tomorrow,¡± she said emotionlessly and turned and walked to her room. She closed the door behind her gently and yet to Olly she might as well as slammed it. He stared at the closed door for longer than he cared to admit before entering his own room and closing the door with a measured silence. He didn''t want her to know that he had still been out there alone.
Alone and afraid, I stood sentry amongst the trees. A ferocious wind whipped through the forest, creating an otherworldly sound. The gusts were unrelenting and threatening; a far cry from the usual weather. Gentle breezes on the beach with the warmth of the sky washing over my face, or stronger gusts over grassy knolls entertaining kite fliers¡ªthose were the normal atmospheric conditions I had come to appreciate. But this? This was angry. It was angry in the way branches snapped and fell to the ground. It was angry in the way it blew in dark clouds that obscured all light in the sky. The sick greenish color of the sky told me that I had to run for cover though there was little shelter to be found. The winds continued their screams, forcing the trees to bend and buckle until all but the tallest and strongest were forced to kiss the ground. I could only look elsewhere; leaving the tree line was my only option. As I clambered up a hill, I suddenly saw a clearing in the distance. I was struck with d¨¦j¨¤ vu as a shimmering tunnel loomed in the middle of the clearing. This was familiar; I had seen this tunnel before. It was once again open and, despite its dark entrance, it seemed oddly inviting amidst the raging tempest around me. ¡°Olly¡­¡± it beckoned to me as I got closer. Something moved in the dark beyond its entrance. I paused in doubt. Something had grabbed me last time; I remembered this too. ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked. There was no response. The wind was unrelenting, and I looked around for any other sort of refuge. Finding none, I turned back to the inky blackness in the tunnel. A loud from above cut me off before I could make up my mind.
Olly woke up abruptly as he had done so many times of late. The last thing he saw before he jolted awake was a tree branch falling towards him. However, this time he remembered what preceded it. His clock told him that it was just after four in the morning; a full two hours before his alarm was set to go off. It was early enough to go back to sleep but after an unfruitful fifteen minutes of tossing and turning he found that his mind was too unsettled. He reached over to turn on his light and let it illuminate the small dorm room. Slowly his heart rate returned to normal. He was safe here; he wasn¡¯t in a dark and dangerous forest with a mysterious tunnel. He was just safe in his new home. Olly got up out of bed, sat at his desk and pulled out a journal. He was once told that writing things down was the best way to remember fine details and the vivid picture of his dream was slowly starting to fade. Without hesitation he scribbled out all the details of what he saw and how it made him feel. Only ten minutes had passed by the time Olly had finished writing. Unfortunately, he was too wired to go back to sleep. Breakfast wouldn¡¯t start being served for over another hour yet so that left him with little to do in the meantime. He side-eyed his bed and wondered if he could return to it and allow himself the luxury of feeling sorry for himself. But dammit he was tired of wallowing. He made up his mind and with a sudden determination decided to get ready for the day early. Olly grabbed his book bag with the intention of going to the library to study. As he exited his room he paused outside Sarah¡¯s door once more and debated waking her up. Their fight from the previous night made him think better of it. Asking her for help might help with reparations but he didn¡¯t want their reconciliation to stem from his own neediness so he continued onwards by himself. Chapter 42: Deal Olly Briggs It was quiet but not devoid of people when Olly entered the library. Despite the early hour he wasn¡¯t too surprised that other students were taking advantage of the quiet of the morning. Olly looked around to see if he knew anybody. Unsurprisingly, most of the people were Cartographers though he saw a few upper year Conductors in the mix. He took up a vacant spot near where he usually studied with Sarah and Bowen. Despite missing them, particularly Sarah, he was relieved that he didn¡¯t see anyone he knew by name. He wasn¡¯t here to work on his core classes. He knew he really should but his latest dream had reminded him of his other concerns. The False Prophet. Olly hadn¡¯t opened his mythology book apart from when he needed it for class. He wasn''t able to face the fear that there was some kind of connection between the two of them. However, with his weird powers suddenly manifesting, the strange phenomenon in the forest with his uncle many months ago, and the dreams that had plagued him since coming to the Academy, he couldn¡¯t ignore it any longer. His list of questions was growing and it was time to find the answers. The assigned textbook for his mythology class had little more to say of the False Prophet so the library was his next best bet. In consulting the catalogue he quickly realized most mythology books were firmly in the fictional category. There was only one book in the library, a rather old tome by the description of it, that was classified as non-fiction. However, it was labelled within the catalogue as being restricted. He frowned. He didn¡¯t know how to get permission to access it but it was curious to him that a book on mythology would be restricted in the first place. It wasn¡¯t promising but he filed it away mentally to look into later. In the meantime he collected a few of the fictional mythology books but quickly realized that none were particularly helpful. He had selected books that seemed to focus on characters but the stories contained within were borderline childish. They tended to focus on heroic deeds performed by the Magician and Scientist; how they always seemed to swoop in to save the problem-of-the-day that some back water village was facing. The False Prophet was conspicuously absent despite the other prophets coming up as semi-frequent cameos. The few times he did find a reference to the False Prophet she was only mentioned as a footnote. The only thing of interest that he found was that anytime she was mentioned the restricted tome was cited as a source. Legends of Olde. It was promising but thoroughly frustrating. It further drove his need to get his hands on that book. ¡°Is this seat taken?¡± He looked up at the familiar voice and felt his forehead release its tension involuntarily. He hadn¡¯t even realized he was frowning so deeply. ¡°Not at all! Have a seat, Bowen.¡± He swept aside his stack of books and made space for his friend. His research was going nowhere as it was; he might as well enjoy someone¡¯s company this morning. Bowen looked curiously at the stack. ¡°Mythology homework? Seems a bit intense for you to be here so early over an elective course.¡± Olly laughed gently. ¡°No, just a bit of a side project. I should probably focus on something more relevant though.¡± It was true. The time had evaporated quickly and he did want to focus his attention on real work. Bowen shrugged. ¡°Nothing wrong with a passion project.¡± They lapsed into a bit of an awkward silence. ¡°Look, about yesterday,¡± Olly began, ¡°Are you okay? I¡¯m sorry we didn¡¯t check in with you.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. It was more confusing than anything from where I was standing. It¡¯s clear you and Sarah have a tendency to get caught in the thick of things. Must be a Conductor trait.¡± He said it lightly but Olly could tell that he wasn¡¯t unserious either. Olly wondered for the first time if them being in different Guilds was contributing to the distance that had been forming between them. He usually spent more time with Sarah, with them having more classes together and living in the same dorms, but he was beginning to wonder if it was driving a wedge between them and Bowen. ¡°Must be. I¡¯m trying to keep my head down but things seem to keep following me.¡± ¡°Where is Sarah by the way? Don''t you usually study together?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep and decided to come down and be productive. I didn¡¯t want to wake her up needlessly.¡± Olly kept his response light and hoped Bowen didn¡¯t pick up on his dispirit. It wasn¡¯t a lie, but it wasn¡¯t quite the truth. Bowen would pick up on any distance between them at breakfast or mutual classes soon enough. The thought of being so visibly alone made his stomach clench painfully. Even though he was getting along better with his classmates there was no doubt that he was different. Sarah didn¡¯t care about his oddities but no one else had shown interest in becoming anything more than acquaintances. Perhaps the constant antics that seemed to follow him were off-putting. But suddenly it crashed down on him that the idea of openly having lost the one friend in his Guild would be unbearable. ¡°So what happened out there?¡± Bowen said, seemingly oblivious to Olly''s distress, ¡°All I could see was that there was some kind of device malfunction and you and Sarah were caught up with the Grandmaster and the two researchers trying to repair it.¡± He tried to recover. ¡°Well¡­ We were mainly there by chance when the weak spots cropped up. I didn¡¯t do much but Sarah and Steven figured out something was wrong really quickly. So they¡¯re really the ones to thank for saving the day.¡± Bowen looked puzzled. ¡°But one of the machines caused it, right?¡± Olly looked at him curiously. ¡°No? The weak points formed spontaneously. Well, one did. Brandon''s machine might have indirectly caused the other one but Sarah picked up on the first one before it was even visible.¡± ¡°But I thought Brandon¡¯s device opened them both up and that''s what the commotion was about.¡± Olly¡¯s breathing hitched in his throat. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, he ran that demonstration for us and it was in that spot that the first anomaly occurred, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Bowen asked curiously. He thought back to the day. Brandon had run a test and the machine had shown no signs of instability. And the one weak spot was close to that location if memory served. Shortly after that was when Sarah and Steven had felt the first signs of instability. But¡­ Oh no. ¡°He re-ran the test and a second spot opened up,¡± Olly said in a hushed voice, ¡°We were right in the thick of it and didn¡¯t put two and two together.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought I saw. Nobody said anything about the machine afterwards?¡± Bowen asked with a frown. ¡°Nothing at all. Ugh, how could I be so stupid to not notice?¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t. You just needed a different perspective,¡± Bowen said with a gentle smile but then his eyes widened, ¡°Wait¡­ Does this mean I¡¯m getting drawn into your drama?¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Do you want to be?¡± Olly asked, ¡°Because I¡¯ve got to tell at least two people and if you don¡¯t want to become a pariah like me you better let me know now.¡± ¡°I suppose it was inevitable. I did ask to sit here,¡± Bowen said with a faux resigned sigh. ¡°Well, welcome to the shit show. I need a favour though.¡±
Olly tried not to look harried as he made his way down the hallway to the laboratories. He didn¡¯t quite know which office was Steven¡¯s but was also determined to seem as if he knew where he was going and belonged here. If someone happened to see him he did not want to appear anything but calm and collected. He didn¡¯t need anyone questioning his presence, particularly Brandon. Fortunately, he saw no sign of anybody and, at the very dead end of the corridor, found an office with Steven¡¯s name plate on it. He knocked deliberately and hoped his thudding heart wouldn¡¯t betray his anxiety. It was still early but he hoped that Steven might be a morning person. The door opened a mere crack and one of Steven¡¯s eyes was revealed. It widened and Olly wondered if Steven was considering slamming it in his face. ¡°Can I help you?¡± he finally asked in a suspicious voice. ¡°I have questions about my mythology homework,¡± Olly said confidently. Steven paused for a moment and Olly wondered if he was going to tell him to go away. ¡°Alright,¡± he finally said. The door reluctantly opened and Steven disappeared behind it. Olly quickly entered and shut it firmly behind him. Looking around he could see immediately that the office was neat and orderly. There were very few personal effects and the only things in any state of disorder were an open notebook and several very advanced textbooks laid particularly around it. Steven sat behind his desk and closed his notebook with an almost inaudible sigh. ¡°Is this really about mythology?¡± ¡°Actually, yes. I need your help with some extra credit work. And I can make it worth your while if you¡¯re willing to help me.¡± Steven looked moderately concerned and bit his lip. ¡°Look, we¡¯re all in quite enough trouble and I¡¯m under a strict enough watch as it is¡­¡± ¡°Do you think Brandon is suspicious?¡± Olly cut him off mid-sentence. Steven eyed him warily. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°I overheard him yelling at you in the lab one day. He was silencing you. The same way he silenced you on the meteorology field trip. You¡¯ve been trying to improve safety mechanisms, haven¡¯t you? So why would he stand in your way?¡± Steven bit the inside of his cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t see how this is relevant, nor do I see how it¡¯s any concern of yours.¡± ¡°It is my concern when his activities are noticed by others and he¡¯s made active attempts at sabotaging the safety of my peers.¡± Olly forced eye contact until Steven broke and looked away, appearing deeply uncomfortable. ¡°What do you want?¡± he finally asked. ¡°How does someone borrow a restricted book from the library?¡± Olly decided to start small. Steven shook his head. ¡°Only graduates can take out restricted books. No students are permitted to do so.¡± ¡°What if a graduate borrowed a book and lent it to me?¡± Olly pressed, ¡°There¡¯s no harm in that, is there?¡± Steven looked at the wall uncomfortably. ¡°Why would they risk their reputation to do that?¡± ¡°If I had information to bolster their reputation I suspect they might.¡± ¡°What information do you think you have? I¡¯m not going to agree to something damaging unless it¡¯s real,¡± Steven lowered his voice but there was a slight edge to it. Steven was interested but he was growing impatient. Olly had to reel him in and fast. Olly leaned forward, resting his palms on the desk in front of him. ¡°On the field trip Brandon used his device twice. Both times triggered an anomaly. After the first time, you told him that you felt something was wrong and he brushed you off. When Sarah and I brought it to the Grandmaster¡¯s attention and she asked him to re-run, but it he didn¡¯t really want to, did he? I don¡¯t think he intended to run it twice because he knew it was more damaging than even you suspected.¡± Steven went silent. ¡°You knew it was going to be potentially destabilizing. But could it, under normal conditions, have caused such a dramatic weakening of the space-time fabric?¡± Olly asked further. It was a gamble and for a moment Olly wondered if he had overplayed his hand. If Steven called his bluff, or if he was outright wrong, then Olly had little to offer. However, finally, Steven shook his head. Almost imperceptibly. Olly wanted to jump up in victory. Instead he willed himself to remain calm and pressed onwards. ¡°I think in the chaos he was able to get away with most people not putting two and two together. I think you¡¯ve been on to him for awhile now but have been unable to get anything concrete. It sounds like you could use someone to help feel things out from another angle. Someone who, oh I don¡¯t know, has been of interest to Brandon?¡± Olly suggested. Steven gave him an evaluating look. ¡°What book do you need?¡± he ventured cautiously. And that¡¯s when Olly knew he had him. ¡°Legends of Olde,¡± he offered casually. Steven gave no indication that the book was particularly damaging or controversial. Olly took this to be a good sign. ¡°Give me a week to borrow it. I want a bit of a buffer before I take it out. However, I will want a bit more information before I hand it over.¡± His uncle had once told Olly that anyone who made a bargain without stating what they wanted out of it couldn¡¯t be trusted. ¡°Done,¡± he agreed and offered his hand. They shook on it.
Bowen had delivered on the favour and Olly met Sarah in Bowen¡¯s dorm room before their first class of the day together. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have used Bowen to apologize for you.¡± She sounded unimpressed. ¡°I know but there was something I needed to take care of before I talked to you and I was running out of time.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Fine. What did you want to say to me? Bowen filled me in on what happened at the field trip with Brandon. He also said that you were sorry and believed me, but that you needed me to stay quiet until we could talk in private. What more could you possibly have to say to me? All it proves was that I¡¯m right about this place being corrupt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, it is. And I wanted to get that information to you without delay and trusted that you wouldn¡¯t do anything rash, so thank you for meeting with me first. For what it¡¯s worth, my apology is more sincere than what I wanted Bowen to relay. I am very sorry that I brushed off your goals yesterday and I don¡¯t want the fact that we have different motivations for being here to come between us. There¡¯s a lot going on behind the scenes here and I need you as a friend and an ally.¡± She remained skeptical. ¡°So you¡¯re sorry because you don¡¯t want to lose my help?¡± He shook his head fervently. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry because I can¡¯t stand to lose you as a friend. And to be blunt I think it¡¯s mutual. What¡¯s also mutual is that if you want to be successful with your goals you¡¯re going to need my help.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to have to explain your logic a bit better.¡± She hadn¡¯t fully given in but she had softened. ¡°Look, you¡¯re honestly awful at hiding your true intentions. If you want to get close to any type of change you¡¯re going to have to get a whole lot better at concealing your feelings. If you don¡¯t, you¡¯re going to be found out and kicked out of here well before you have a chance of doing anything meaningful. And if you leave here it would make this place entirely unbearable.¡± She looked moderately offended but seemed to consider his words. ¡°So you want to help me to get better at hiding because you want me to stick around. Not because you want me to achieve my goals?¡± she pressed. ¡°I believe in your goals, I do. Bowen unintentionally helped me see it this morning. You¡¯re not wrong, Sarah. Things are corrupt and I don¡¯t know to what extent. But I also need to be able to stay here to figure out what the hell is happening with me. I think our goals are connected but I need time to figure it out. However, since I can¡¯t ask you to trust me blindly and put your goals aside forever I could leverage some of my connections to find out more information that could help you in the long run,¡± he explained. ¡°Like what?¡± she asked curiously. She clearly wasn¡¯t used to the tit-for-tat he was proposing. ¡°I have Steven in my pocket now. I¡¯ll keep you in the loop with whatever dirt I can find through him. I can also help you stay under the radar. All I¡¯m asking you in return is to trust me and try not to make too much noise. We''ll work out the rest together as it comes up. Does that sound like a good deal for now?¡± She searched his eyes for deception. Finally, when she was confident she found none, her shoulders fell with a heavy sigh. ¡°It¡¯s so hard being here and knowing what happened. I think you¡¯re the only person I can trust right now,¡± she admitted, ¡°Fine. I¡¯m in with whatever you have planned. Just promise me you won¡¯t keep me in the dark?¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Chapter 43: Destabilizing Olly Briggs Olly and Sarah kept their heads down for the rest of the school week. Neither Abigail nor Franklin had followed up with them regarding their punishment so they focused on their homework to keep their minds off of it. There certainly was enough of a backlog to work through so it was a welcome distraction. Beyond the sheer volume however, Olly was more than okay to focus on his homework. In spite of his recent extracurriculars he was pleased with his current grades. He had received several quizzes back with perfectly acceptable B levels. Of course Sarah was scoring well into the A levels, and Bowen had them both beat with near perfect scores, but Olly still embraced the pride of having earned his grades. He was with Sarah in their final class of the week. It was ten minutes to the end of class and he was confident that they wouldn¡¯t hear anything until the beginning of next week. He was already planning on spending the evening researching his Physical Science essay. It was due early next week but with today as a head start it would be an easy task for the weekend. Therefore it was both disappointing and surprising when an administrative assistant popped into with a note for him right before the bell. He opened it curiously. Sarah hadn¡¯t received one; she peered over at it with a morbid curiosity. He opened it up enough for her to see it and they both recoiled with a grimace. It was a request for a lab session. A lab session with Brandon tonight after dinner. He didn¡¯t feel as nervous as he perhaps ought to be. However, he was slightly irritated to be caught off guard. Not to mention losing his evening and with it his ambitions of getting ahead of his work. ¡°Are you going?¡± Sarah asked in a low voice. Class was wrapping up around them and their classmates were all loitering amongst each other¡¯s desks and chatting excitedly about the weekend. Nobody paid any attention to the two of them and the excitement around them was a frustrating contrast to his now sunken mood. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can turn him down. I¡¯m supposed to be going through more rigorous lab sessions now so this may just be routine business. Besides, I shouldn¡¯t give him any reason to be suspicious,¡± he said resignedly. She didn¡¯t look overly convinced. He gave her a weak smile. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be careful. I can try and get a better read on him while I¡¯m there at least.¡± ¡°Alright, but if you run into trouble just leave and come right to me. I¡¯ll be waiting up for you to get back and if you haven¡¯t returned in a reasonable time I¡¯m going to burn the place down looking for you,¡± she shrugged as they began to pack up their things. Even though she was joking Olly didn¡¯t doubt her. And he was flattered enough that he didn¡¯t bother to remind her that this would ruin his plans.
Later, when Olly arrived at the lab he found Brandon seated at a lab bench waiting for him. Olly noticed that Brandon was slightly too tall for the standard stools that all the labs seemed to have. He had a relaxed demeanour about him; his legs were casually splayed out before him while he read over some reports. Olly wondered if they were from the field trip and suddenly he was was deadly curious about the subject matter. He wondered if this meeting would be an opportunity to learn more about Brandon and his work. It would certainly be a consolation for losing his evening. Olly suddenly felt more confident that he could work this situation to his advantage. There was insight to collect. He just had to be smart about it. ¡°Right on time!¡± Brandon exclaimed brightly as he saw him. Olly forced a smile to his face. "Be calm, don¡¯t give yourself away," he thought to himself. ¡°Hi Brandon, how¡¯s it going?¡± he matched the energy Brandon was giving. Brandon gave an affable shrug. ¡°Oh you know, work on work. I''m curious to see what the Grandmaster comes up with to further fill my plate as a punishment. But no matter, let¡¯s talk about you. What did you make of the field trip?¡± It was a little unnerving how casually he brought up the field trip. But Olly remembered his flippant attitude after the fact and felt like he shouldn¡¯t be surprised. ¡°It was¡­ unexpected. I didn¡¯t feel the weakness and it caught me off guard.¡± ¡°No, I daresay you wouldn¡¯t have felt it,¡± Brandon said simply. It didn¡¯t feel like an insult but Olly couldn¡¯t help frowning slightly. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± he asked in spite of himself. ¡°You¡¯ve never really demonstrated a strong sensitivity. It¡¯s not where your strengths lie. You¡¯re inquisitive and shrewd enough to know when to ask questions, and you certainly channel magic effectively when you¡¯re certain about it, but you don¡¯t catch the finer points intuitively. It¡¯s why I suspect your early lab results were minimal.¡± Olly raised an eyebrow. It was blunt but entirely true. ¡°Are we working on my sensitivity next then?¡± he asked. Brandon smiled slightly. ¡°We could, but I think it¡¯s worth looking deeper into your strengths instead of your weaknesses. For example, you can break through solids without forming a tunnel. Do you know how rare that is?¡± Olly thought back to the false prophet but quickly shook his head. He tried to look as outwardly politely interested in the hopes that Brandon would continue. ¡°There¡¯s no one else on record that I can find as having that kind of ability,¡± as he said it Brandon¡¯s eyes seemed to bore into his. Olly felt unnerved and knew it had to show on his face. He was losing control here. Brandon was reading him like a book and he didn¡¯t know how to stop it. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be different,¡± he blurted out, sounding as self-assured as he could manage, ¡°I just want to be a Conductor.¡± It was weak but it was all he could think to say to get Brandon as far away from the connection to the False Prophet as possible. Brandon visibly relaxed. Olly willed himself to release any tension he was holding. ¡°I can and will show you how to be a Conductor but I think you may find your skills are better suited to other avenues,¡± Brandon suggested in a reassuring way. ¡°What other avenues?¡± Olly asked. ¡°Well, research, for one,¡± Brandon made a casual gesture with his hands as he said it, ¡°But I promise there¡¯s many potential avenues within research. Despite our titles, nobody is just a researcher. We all have fields of specialization.¡± Olly resented how unadulterated his interest in this conversation was becoming. ¡°What do you think mine would be?¡± Brandon looked at him thoughtfully. ¡°Since you seem to have an interesting way of interacting with the physical world around you, I¡¯m sure you could have a successful career in material science. Perhaps even tying in some engineering. But I could see you studying the physical and chemical properties of materials and how they can better serve the Conductors¡¯ Guild.¡± Olly shook his head in disbelief as he thought of how boring his Physical Sciences course had been so far. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m as academically inclined as you think I am. Besides, my coursework hasn¡¯t exactly been the top priority to the Academy.¡± Brandon shrugged and looked slightly regretful. ¡°No, it hasn¡¯t been. And admittedly I¡¯ve disagreed with the Grandmaster on that approach. But she¡¯s in charge here, not me.¡± ¡°So do you research material science?¡± Olly asked. He wondered if this was a way for Brandon to bring him more under his wing. Brandon chuckled lightly. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m familiar with it certainly but it¡¯s not my expertise. I prefer to deal with the type of science that we can¡¯t see. I study how to better manipulate the fabric of space and time so that we can more efficiently find new places to create tunnels.¡± Olly was puzzled. ¡°Isn¡¯t that more what a Cartographer would do?¡± ¡°On the surface, yes, but that¡¯s the beauty of academics. We may have Guild affiliations but the lines are less strict. I work very closely with Delilah for example. I remember her telling me that she tutored you specifically to become a Cartographer. And yet despite your focus on that Guild, here you are studying to be a Conductor. It¡¯s all very transferable once you open your mind to it.¡± It was interesting how much sense it made. He would have to chew on that a bit more later. He wondered what Sarah and Bowen would think about it. They knew how much he struggled academically to produce mediocre grades. They would definitely be able to ground him after this conversation. Brandon continued. ¡°Selfishly, having you as a close colleague in a related but different field would be my ideal state but I fear I am competing with the Grandmaster for your attention. Nonetheless, consider this my pitch for academia as a career path. I think you¡¯d do very well.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Thanks Brandon, I¡¯ll give it more thought,¡± was all Olly could manage to say. He''d have to unpack this conversation with Sarah later. His mind was already spinning and he''d only just arrived. ¡°Cheers mate, that¡¯s all I can ask for. Anyways, I did have a small exercise to run through tonight. As much as I¡¯d love to continue this heart to heart I should keep myself honest to the Grandmaster¡¯s expectations.¡± Brandon got up and disappeared inside a nearby supply closet. He came back a minute later wheeling out an opaque sheet of fabric stretched into a very large frame. It was roughly seven by seven feet. He took great care to place it in the center of the room, effectively sectioning it into two, and finally beckoned Olly over. Brandon stood on one side and Olly stood parallel to the panel, checking it over carefully. ¡°It¡¯s similar in nature to the panel test but I tweaked the material of the fabric slightly. I want to try something slightly new,¡± he explained and handed Olly a testing stone. He kept its twin in his hand. ¡°Is it the same test, just on a larger scale?¡± Olly inquired as he looked around both sides of the fabric. ¡°Sort of. It''s the same set up but I¡¯m looking for a slightly different result. You''re going to place your stone first and with the stone in my hand and I¡¯m going to use it to find you. Like in the tests you''ve seen, my side of the fabric will turn translucent or transparent according to how close I am, and I daresay I will be close, but we''re going to see what happens on your end.¡± Olly was confused. ¡°Wouldn''t my side turn transparent as well?¡± Brandon smiled. ¡°Not with this fabric. Each side has independent requirements for turning translucent. Mine is finding your stone. Yours is going to be slightly different. But before I spoil it I want to see how you do first. That¡¯s the experimental part. Now, kindly stand on the other side and position your rock anywhere you would like,¡± he instructed. Olly somewhat reluctantly followed his instructions and moved to the other side of the sheet. He could not see Brandon; the fabric was big enough to entirely obscure him. He set his stone to hover at chest level and off to the right, and waited. ¡°All set?¡± Brandon asked from the other side of the sheet. ¡°Yes,¡± Olly confirmed. ¡°Alright¡­ and I¡¯ve got it,¡± he heard Brandon say triumphantly after a few short seconds, ¡°Now, I¡¯d like for you to finish the connection. Do whatever instinctually comes to mind to figure out what that means for you.¡± Olly grimaced but began working through the problem at hand. Given that they both knew where the stones were located there seemed to be fewer unknowns. He knew where Brandon¡¯s stone was in space because he knew where his own stone was. But what was he supposed to solve to make his own side turn transparent? A few minutes of staring at the stone passed and Brandon offered no hints from the other side of the fabric. Olly poked at the stone, frowning. The contact did not reveal any connection. He wrapped his fingers around the stone. It felt slightly warm to the touch, and was therefore active, but otherwise offered nothing. He closed his eyes and went through the exercise Steven had previously taught him. He pictured the stone in his hand and its twin across the barrier. They were clear in his mind but there was no golden thread connecting them. At least, not on Olly¡¯s side of the fabric. He could see a thread on Brandon¡¯s side but it ended abruptly at the fabric. The fabric acted as a barrier and instead of the mess of golden threads that Olly was expecting to see on his side he could only see a dark void between his stone and the fabric. Olly opened his eyes in frustration as he let go of the stone. He stared at the fabric itself. It was a shimmery dark purple and looked like it scarcely weighed anything at all. It had been adapted somehow. Brandon had said so. So if Olly had to finish the connection, whatever that meant, he would have to get through the fabric. ¡°Get through?¡± he muttered under his breath as a thought occurred to him. He looked between the floating stone and the fabric. There was so much more he still had to learn about being a Conductor but there was one very simple fact that they had been taught very early on. Conductor¡¯s punched tunnels and tunnels were a short, straight line between two long distance points. If the stones were the start and end points then perhaps the fabric was supposed to shorten the distance between them. ¡°I¡¯ve never created a tunnel before,¡± Olly mused aloud as he looked through the fabric to where he assumed Brandon was standing. ¡°I¡¯m curious as to why you say that,¡± Brandon responded from the other side, ¡°What do you call your ability to break through solid materials?¡± The imagery of the False Prophet flashed through his mind. ¡°Not punching tunnels,¡± he said stubbornly. ¡°Why not? Or rather, why couldn¡¯t it be? I think you fight yourself too much about whether something is correct or normal. Just let yourself do what comes naturally and you¡¯ll probably have greater success,¡± Brandon suggested. Olly looked back at the stone. ¡°Just do what comes to you naturally,¡± Brandon repeated. He was annoyed that Brandon was the one being helpful when Olly had been determined to use this session to gain information to his advantage. All he had accomplished was Brandon getting a good read on him and now he was effectively running an experiment on him. The thought didn¡¯t sit well with him. But fine. He could try. Olly closed his eyes again and took a deep, calming breathe as he pictured the two stones separated by the fabric, with the golden thread on the other side. At first he wondered if creating his own thread was the answer. But thinking about it didn¡¯t yield anything; it was probably too advanced anyways. ¡°How can I make these connect?¡± he thought to himself. But as soon as the thought materialized he felt something. It was like a tug on his wrist. He watched as the fabric rippled in his mind and something clicked. ¡°Come to my stone,¡± he mentally willed at the fabric. It seemed to respond and tugged forward, lengthening the golden thread as it moved. Both his stone and Brandon¡¯s stone remained fixed in space in his mind; only the fabric was in motion. He opened his eyes but tried not to disrupt his thought pattern. The fabric was indeed pulling forward in plain sight and was straining in its frame. It was so close to connecting to the stone that he had placed. His heartbeat quickened. Surely he had done it. He was about to pass this test of his own accord¡­ RIIIPPPPP The second the fabric made contact with his stone it violently tore down the middle. Both stones dropped to the floor with a clatter. Olly blinked and stood in a stunned silence. Brandon looked through the fabric and waved a hand through it before stepping through. ¡°I take it that wasn¡¯t supposed to happen?¡± Olly failed to contain his disappointment. Brandon looked rather pleased. ¡°Well, in practice, no. But I was testing a theory and I think you¡¯ve helped me figure out something.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°You were trying to create a tunnel, which is the correct approach to the problem presented, so good job for taking that risk. But what was different this time? Rather, what makes a tunnel, well, a tunnel?¡± Olly felt stupid for having to think so hard about it. It took him a few moments but the simplest answer won out. ¡°It¡¯s a shortcut through space and time between two points?¡± ¡°Yes! So when a Conductor makes a connection, they need to think about bringing two far away points closer together. What did you see when you pictured the stones in your mind?¡± ¡°The line between them¡­ it got longer as I tried to close the gap,¡± he said, feeling rather dense. How could he have thought it made sense to create a longer distance? ¡°Yes, and the fabric buckled towards you instead of pinching in on itself. Which, I hypothesize, also explains the destruction of solid objects. You¡¯re destabilizing the connection instead of stabalizing it.¡± Olly sighed. ¡°So is this something that can be fixed? I can''t imagine there''s any use for a Conductor who breaks things because they do things backwards.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d love to run more tests obviously but I think it is correctable. That said, I think there¡¯s so much research potential here that you have no idea of how great your full potential as a Conductor even is right now!¡± Olly wanted to believe him. He tried to remind himself that he hadn¡¯t come here to be vulnerable but Brandon had given him more answers than he¡¯d had in what felt like a long time. Brandon clapped him on the back in a friendly manner. ¡°Look, we¡¯re done for tonight and I promise to go easy on you next time. Perhaps Steven can manage running a few sessions, if he can listen to my instructions. I might be occupied for the next little while and I want to take these findings away to look into this further.¡± At least he could feel relief at the fact that Steven still had a role to play. He didn''t need to make excuses to see him and pick his brain. ¡°Thanks Brandon. Have a good night,¡± he said, suddenly feeling exhausted. Olly turned to leave. ¡°Oh and Olly, one more thing. About Steven.¡± Olly turned once more to face Brandon. ¡°He¡¯s a good person, if not a touch awkward and misguided, but he¡¯s haunted by his own demons. Don¡¯t let him or anyone steer you from your own greatness. If he behaves out of turn like he did during the field trip please let me know immediately.¡± It was delivered innocently enough but Olly could read between the lines. There was a warning there and Olly didn¡¯t like the sound of it. But he couldn¡¯t share that. He had shared enough with Brandon tonight. ¡°Of course. Thanks for everything, Brandon.¡± Brandon gave him a bright smile before bidding him goodnight.
It was nearly eleven by the time he got back to the dorms. He realized that Sarah was probably either passed out or panicking and when he didn¡¯t see her in the common area he quickened his pace to her dorm room. He knocked urgently and he heard her rapid footfall towards the door. She cracked the door open and he could see a sliver of her face looking tensely out at him. She visibly relaxed when she recognized him and pulled him inside. "Are you okay?" she asked hurriedly. "I''m alive," he said dryly as he collapsed into her chair. But he frowned as she looked around outside before closing the door. "Is something wrong?" he asked worriedly. She looked on edge and with a sinking feeling he realized it likely wasn''t from waiting up for him. "We''ve received our punishment," she said grimly as she sat heavily on her bed. "Oh?" he leaned forward. No one had come to bring either him nor Brandon any news during his session. "Yes. The Grandmaster dropped by this evening. She said she''d talk to you as well but I take it that you haven''t heard anything?" He shook his head. "Nothing. So what is it?" Her mouth was pursed into a fine line. "Better that you hear it from me. She wants us to go on a media tour." Chapter 44: Tension Olly Briggs He was sure he would have been afflicted by his strange dreams last night if he had managed to sleep. But as it stood he was scarcely able to close his eyes, let alone welcome sleep. Still, despite his exhaustion, he hastened his pace through the halls of the Academy. A media tour. More like a media circus. This wasn¡¯t going to be good. Not when there were unexplained anomalies happening. Not while he was figuring out how different he was. And now he¡¯d have to highlight it to the world? Fuck. It was going to blow his ability to privately research his abilities wide open. At best, he wouldn¡¯t have time to do his research. At worst, he would become a spectacle. He needed to speak with Abigail. Surely, surely she wasn¡¯t actually planning something so public for him. But Sarah wasn¡¯t one to embellish,and her concern was enough to shake him to his core. Speaking of. ¡°Olly, wait!¡± He turned to look over his shoulder but only slowed his pace. ¡°I have to speak with her,¡± he insisted. ¡°I know you do but please let me come with you.¡± She almost walked in lockstep with him as he charged ahead. "We''re already in enough trouble. You don''t have to put yourself further in her bad books for me," he muttered in a low voice. ¡°That''s not important. I already am in her bad books. Besides, would you really want to be alone with her right now? You''re going into this already worked up so it might be better to have someone there who can confirm exactly what was said.¡± A witness. He tilted his head to the side. She had a good point. ¡°Good idea," he sighed, "It''s weird she saved me for last. She knew I wouldn''t take it well and yet she hasn''t even attempted to reach out. It feels like she wanted me to hear it second hand." His suspicions made him feel overly paranoid and yet he couldn''t shake the feeling that he was being played. "All the better that I come with you then," she agreed. They made it to her Academy office. Her administrative assistant took his time in finishing whatever task he was doing before he even glanced their way. ¡°I need to speak to the Grandmaster!¡± Olly insisted before he could even open his mouth. ¡°She¡¯s busy at the moment,¡± he said primly. ¡°I think she had better make time to discuss the decision that she made on my behalf!¡± Olly retorted rather hotly. Her assistant opened his mouth to respond when Abigail¡¯s office door swung open and she popped her head outside. ¡°Ah I thought I heard you, Olly. Both of you please come inside. I¡¯m sure you want to chat,¡± she said casually. She left the door open as she disappeared back into her office. Olly exchanged a reproachful glance with the assistant as he entered. ¡°So I take it that Sarah has filled you in on the plan? I would have met with you personally but I found out that Brandon had monopolized you yesterday evening,¡± she said smoothly. So perhaps she had tried to speak with him. Still, his suspicions of her intentions were not alleviated. Her voice didn¡¯t give away whether she was displeased about his meeting with Brandon but her eyes were rather inquisitive. He wondered if this was intentional on Brandon¡¯s behalf. He felt incensed all over again. ¡°She did, but I still have questions,¡± he responded. He decided to ignore the bit about Brandon. He didn¡¯t like feeling like a pawn between them. ¡°Well I have a little bit of time before I have to return to the Conductors¡¯ Guild headquarters. As you can imagine, there''s still a considerable amount of work to do after the attacks. But I will answer your questions. Before you start I will say that I believe it¡¯s a reasonable consequence. I do think you¡¯ll be pleasantly surprised to learn it¡¯s not much of a punishment, but an opportunity.¡± She gave him a wide smile. A salesperson¡¯s smile. Mistrustful though he was right now, Olly still hadn''t fully bought into the idea that she was the bad person that Sarah made her out to be. But his belief in Sarah¡¯s cause for concern was growing by the day. ¡°What kind of opportunity? The way I see it, everyone is suspicious of the Guilds right now. But now you want us to be the face of them.¡± ¡°We have an image problem, this is true. But I think we could use the two of you to help improve that. We want to show that the Academy has a wide array of students from a variety of backgrounds. This is something that may shift public opinion.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Variety of backgrounds¡­ Meaning that we¡¯re not rich or have a family legacy?¡± Sarah asked. ¡°It¡¯s true that you don¡¯t fit the profile of our usual backgrounds. But you¡¯ve also proven to be some of the most successful and talented candidates of this incoming year. We¡¯ve been trying to think about ways to broaden our reach because imagine if we¡¯ve been missing this kind of talent? This antiquated model may have been alienating a wide percentage of the population and that''s not something I can adhere to as I look to build the future of the Guild.¡± On the surface it sounded¡­ fine. Perhaps it even had the potential to do good under normal circumstances. But there was too much at stake here. Sarah was uncharacteristically silent as she took this in. ¡°What would we be expected to do?¡± Olly asked carefully. ¡°We were thinking of doing a roadshow of sorts. You could be featured prominently in the media, answer questions, go speak to schools. That sort of thing.¡± Olly felt a pit forming in his stomach. ¡°And what about our school work? I have a reduced workload, but Sarah doesn¡¯t. Not to mention my lab sessions. How are we supposed to make this work? I can¡¯t do less and still responsibly be a Conductor. I won¡¯t accept qualifying with even lower standards. It¡¯s irresponsible.¡± ¡°Olly, I¡¯ve been through this with you. We help our own. Everything I¡¯ve done for you has been for your benefit. Why can¡¯t you believe that this is as well?¡± He remembered that night he went to see Lola. ¡°Do I have a future as a Conductor?¡± ¡°No. But your future will be something entirely of your own making. This is a gift.¡± Brandon had pitched the idea of becoming a researcher to him the night before. Abigail was strong-arming him into becoming a Guild celebrity. As much as he wanted the normalcy and stability that being a Conductor would bring, he was realizing how far away from becoming one that he was. There were so many roadblocks. So many people were trying to manipulate his actions. And not to mention the feeling he had of being followed after he left Lola''s business. Or the brazen attacks directly on the Guilds. His blood ran cold. ¡°But what about the Shadow Fellowship?¡± he tentatively asked. Abigail¡¯s face held a sympathetic look. If she was acting it was convincing. ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t want any of our students to feel frightened. The senseless tragedy and resulting fear that they¡¯ve invoked has not been forgotten. However, we feel that it is in the best interest to persevere. We need to forge ahead. I cannot let the sacrifice that my dear friend Alzira made have been in vain.¡± He knew he shouldn¡¯t ask but he had to know. ¡°Is there any connection between the Shadow Fellowship and the anomalies?¡± Her smile fell a fraction of an inch. ¡°We¡¯re going to likely be asked a variety of questions if we¡¯re appearing publicly. You may not be able to control that,¡± he pointed out. ¡°We will prepare answers for you for any case you might encounter,¡± she said neutrally. ¡°So you¡¯ve got a plan to protect our safety?¡± Sarah pressed, ¡°My family is already wary about me being here. We¡¯ve been impacted by the anomalies enough that I can¡¯t imagine they¡¯ll agree to this.¡± ¡°We do. You will never be anywhere unescorted, and we will be vetting the security of each event heavily beforehand. Your family need not worry.¡± Silence fell between them. Sarah didn¡¯t seem convinced. His mouth twisted thoughtfully. ¡°Do I need my uncle¡¯s permission? This may come as a surprise if he randomly sees me in the news.¡± ¡°Neither of you require parental or guardian permission to do anything on behalf of the Academy. One of the Academy¡¯s privileges is that its students are viewed as de facto adults upon admission. You do not require guardian permission to do anything while you are a student. This allows our older and younger students to be considered equal peers,¡± she said before pausing thoughtfully, ¡°That being said, I don''t have any qualms about you speaking to your respective families. But, Olly, if you would like to speak to your uncle I would actually request that the Mayor finds out first and then we can navigate how to inform your uncle. Given your uncle¡¯s position in Mayor Bennett¡¯s confidence as an advisor it would be improper for him to hear of the incident and resulting media show after one of his staff.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure which piece of information he should be more surprised about. ¡°Did you not know?¡± Abigail asked with one eyebrow raised. He decided to play coy. ¡°About not requiring guardian permission? No, I was not aware.¡± A small smile danced on her face but she did not press the matter further. He mentally cursed, already feeling like he had lost the advantage of the conversation. ¡°Any further questions?¡± ¡°When will this start?¡± Sarah asked. ¡°After exams. In two weeks time we will begin.¡± ¡°I agree to your terms of speaking to the Mayor first but I would like the opportunity to speak with my uncle. I want him to hear it from me,¡± he insisted. His uncle had once told him that Abigail was in his debt. He didn¡¯t need to be pushed around. ¡°Of course. I will request an urgent briefing with the Mayor and we can have you meet with your uncle at the same time. Would that suffice?¡± He nodded. ¡°And Sarah, would you like the opportunity to go home imminently to discuss this with your family?¡± She nodded. ¡°Good. Then kindly await further instructions from me today. I¡¯ll prioritize this.¡±
With Sarah off to see her parents, and Olly waiting for word from the Grandmaster on when they would be leaving, he could only aimlessly roam the halls. He spared a bemused thought for his essay and realized how forgotten it now was. There was no chance of productivity now. It was incredible how much hope he previously had for the weekend just for it to vanish in an instant. One thought did occur to him though. It had been about a week since his conversation with Steven. Maybe, just maybe, he would have that book so that Olly could conduct his research to distract himself. He made his way to Steven¡¯s office and practically ran headlong into him in the hallway as he turned a corner. ¡°I have a mythology question!¡± he blurted out, panicking in case someone had overheard. Steven grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into his office. ¡°Did you get the book?¡± Olly asked, without giving him a chance to speak. ¡°I did not. There¡¯s been a complication,¡± Steven confessed. Olly deflated. ¡°I¡¯ll say, I have to go on a media tour! Is that the reason why you can''t get my book?¡± ¡°No. They would not put me into the spotlight," he said carefully, "In my case I¡¯m losing access to some of my projects.¡± Olly remembered his history, even if Steven didn¡¯t know that he knew, and he felt bad for bringing it up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that doesn¡¯t sound pleasant either. So what¡¯s the deal with the book?¡± he pressed. ¡°It¡¯s checked out now." ¡°By who?¡± ¡°Brandon. His name was on the check out list and didn''t dare place a hold. It would raise too much suspicion.¡± Olly deflated. Great. As if he needed more bad news today. Chapter 45: Bargaining Olly Briggs The Grandmaster, accompanied by two Controllers as guards, collected him later that afternoon. They made their way in an uncharacteristic silence through the Academy. A car was waiting for them out front, destined for what Olly assumed would be the central tunnel station. However, he was surprised to see them drive right past it. He normally wouldn''t have cause to be nervous but the Grandmaster was much stonier today compared to any other previous interaction he''d had with her. He gripped the fabric of his pants as he turned to watch the grand building disappear from view. "We''re heading to a more secure tunnel network. Only specific people and accompanied guests have access to it," she explained simply as if reading his mind. He released the tension in his hands and hoped she hadn''t noticed. He was glad she told him. If anything, it showed that she was giving weight to his and Sarah''s concerns for safety. "That makes sense," he said as he chanced a glance at her. She met his eyes and gave him a thin lipped smile. He felt the urge to fill the silence with small talk but before he could think of anything to say the car stopped in front of a mundane looking building. They got out and he looked around. It was grey and blocky with a tall chain-link fenced perimeter that was topped with barbed wire. Several Controllers were stationed inside the fencing around the building. A single gate seemed to serve as the only access point and it was flanked by two rather stern-looking Controllers. It was unremarkable in the sense of it being somewhat ugly and unassuming, unlike the stately Guild Headquarters, but the heavy security presence gave away it''s importance. Abigail lead him through the gate with ease; neither Controller asked any questions of her. They merely nodded as she approached and opened the gate for them to proceed. Once they were inside she was greeted by a woman who was waiting for them outside what appeared to be a locked tunnel inside the atrium. Olly speculated that she was not a Guild member based on the sharp two-piece suit that she wore. "Hello Grandmaster, I''m here to accompany you and your student to the Mayor''s office today. Please follow me," she stated primly. Definitely not a Guild member. One of the Mayor''s people. Abigail nodded at her and a nearby Controller approached the tunnel. Though he had been exposed through his studies, Olly had never seen a locked tunnel in person. The entire gateway was blocked off with glowing gold bars, such as those of a cell door, spaced far too close together for anyone to squeeze through. In the very center of the bars was something that resembled a lock. Strangely, instead of a keyhole, it only had an indent the size of an index finger. "Authorizing access for Grandmaster Abigail on behalf of Mayor Tarry''s office," the woman announced to the Controller and procured a document that she presented to him. "Access granted," the Controller responded, "We''ll await your return Grandmaster." Olly watched in awe as the Controller placed his index finger onto the indent. After a brief moment the lock glowed and the bars melted from the outside towards the lock until just the lock remained hovering in place. After a few seconds it turned from bright gold to a dull yellow. At that point the Controller grasped the lock in his hand, removed it, and stood to the side. Now free to access the tunnel, the Mayor''s office staff member led them through. It was a short walk that ended in a similar building in what he knew to be Occaigh''s first district. From there, a short walk outside led them to the Mayor''s office building. Though he recognized the grand foyer with the marble floors and wood panelling, Olly realized he had never been to the Mayor''s office in person. He had seen press conferences take place here on television but it looked even more stately in person. They were accompanied up an elevator that featured sound-muting, plush velvet walls, and when they finally reached the top floor a red velvet carpet led the way into the Mayor''s office suite. The space that the elevator opened into was large and open. Several assistants had very pristine looking desks in the open concept space but several smaller offices also lined the walls.The far side of the room separated into hallways that seemed to lead to two wings. The assistant turned to them. "Grandmaster, I will accompany you to the Mayor''s office. Mr. Olly Briggs will be escorted to a private room to speak with Mr. Eli Briggs." Abigail nodded and another similarly professionally dressed assistant appeared near Olly. "I''ll see you shortly, Olly," she said before following the assistant once more. "Right this way, Mr. Briggs," Olly''s assistant offered and led him down the opposite wing that Abigail was walking down. Olly looked over his shoulder to see where she was going. She did not look back at him. He allowed himself to be led into a small, but no less dignified, meeting room. He took a seat in a comfortable chair at the long, gleaming table. It was only a moment before the door opened once more. Eli entered the room hurriedly with a frown on his face. Olly noted how out of place his uncle looked despite apparently working here. His clothing, while sharp and well tailored, didn''t have the same pristine political gleam. It was brighter and flashier. In a place like the sixteenth, dressing to stand out was reserved only for people who felt safe to do so. Up here, it was borderline improper. He was caught off guard by how relieved he was to see his uncle. It also brought him no shortage of comfort to realize his uncle hadn''t changed. Whatever work he was allegedly doing for the Mayor hadn''t changed him. Olly had felt changed enough for the both of them. ¡°Olly? What are you doing here? What¡¯s wrong¡± Eli asked worriedly. There was a very mild satisfaction in catching his uncle off guard. He knew his uncle kept secrets from him. He knew he kept tabs on him. But despite all of that he just wanted the comfort of someone who he believed at least acted in his best interest. Before he realized it, Olly had already gotten to his feet and crashed into him for a hug. For a moment Eli seemed too stunned to react and kept his arms up. However, he relaxed and wrapped his arms around Olly''s shoulders. ¡°Is everything okay? What do you need?¡± he asked without hesitation. ¡°The briefing with the Mayor. It¡¯s about me,¡± Olly confessed as he pulled away, and recounted the events of the field trip while his uncle stood in a sympathetic silence. ¡°As punishment, we¡¯ve been selected for a media tour,¡± he finished lamely. Eli grimaced. ¡°So a dog and pony show?¡± he sighed heavily. There was worry there and it wasn¡¯t reassuring. ¡°Abigail''s in with the Mayor right now telling him the same thing. I told her I needed to be the one to tell you," Olly said, "It¡¯s not good, I know. But I don¡¯t know what to do. I need help.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay. Just let me think for a second,¡± Eli ran his hand through his hair and leaned heavily against the table. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You once told me that she owed me a favour. Is now the time to cash it in?¡± Olly asked somewhat desperately. Eli exhaled and steepled his fingers. He pressed them to his mouth thoughtfully. Finally, he dropped his hands and looked down at his feet. ¡°If you try and call it in now, I don¡¯t think you will have a career as a Conductor. Or in any Guild for that matter," he said carefully in a low voice, "I will support you no matter what, and I know I asked you to withdraw previously, but I fear the repercussions of using the favour like this. I fear she may have been waiting for an excuse to ask this of you. She won''t take backing out of it kindly.¡± Olly breathed heavily. ... your future will be something entirely of your own making. This is a gift. Could this be what Lola meant? Eli looked up at him with a heaviness Olly hadn¡¯t seen before on his face. It aged him far beyond his years. It wasn¡¯t the right time. They both knew it. Withdrawing from the Academy when he had her goodwill may have been a valid option. But using the favour to deny her the media tour would likely lead to a withdrawal on much worse terms. Eli was right, this would not end well. Not to mention, he still needed the resources the Academy offered. Now more than ever. ¡°I think I have to stay,¡± he tried to sound brave as he said it. Eli gave him a grim, thin-lipped smile and clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°I trust your judgment. I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re in this predicament. It was never my intention that you would end up on her radar,¡± he said sincerely. Olly thought about the time they had argued about his decision to become a Conductor, instead of Eli¡¯s intended path for him as a Cartographer. But there was no gloating here. Eli truly did not carry the satisfaction of having been right. Eli¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. ¡°That said, I fully intend to speak to her. Come with me.¡± Without a further word, Eli led him through to the other wing and straight into the mayor¡¯s briefing room. Olly wondered how long he had been working for the Mayor. He seemed extraordinarily comfortable leading the way and the Mayor¡¯s assistant did not make any move to stop him from entering the room unannounced. They found the two seated across the desk from each other. Tarry looked troubled whereas Abigail looked as confident as ever. ¡°We¡¯re just about wrapped up here. Ready to go, Olly?¡± Abigail asked cordially as she looked up at them. ¡°Not so fast,¡± Eli snapped so quickly Olly had to do a double take. He never rose his voice. He could usually command a room with his ability to quietly manipulate situations. Abigail raised one eyebrow and the Mayor looked unsure for only moment. Eli made sharp eye contact with him and Tarry nodded with wordless permission to proceed. ¡°What are you going to do to assure their safety?¡± he demanded. ¡°As I¡¯ve informed Mayor Bennett, we have updated our security protocols significantly. They will be protected the same way as any Guild member travelling for business would be,¡± she said matter-of-factly. But Olly could see in the way her lip curled that she did not feel like he was entitled to this information. ¡°You know what you¡¯re asking them is above what is reasonable. Why them, and why now?¡± he further questioned. ¡°Mr. Briggs I daresay you know why,¡± she looked moderately smug. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear it directly from you, if you would be so kind,¡± he said bitterly. Her expression appeared to storm over and she sniffed angrily. ¡°I don¡¯t have to explain myself to you but since we have a mutual interest in protecting Olly I will oblige. He has a very unique set of skills and comes from a much less privileged background. This is inspirational and should not be kept hidden away from the masses. The Mayor agrees with me in that we have an optics problem that needs solving and that this would be a mutually beneficial solution.¡± ¡°Now I didn¡¯t say it like that-¡± Tarry began but Eli cut him off decisively. ¡°Not to the detriment of his safety. Have you considered that someone coming from his background leaves him more vulnerable to criticism and danger? If you were serious about this you might consider including your students from more privileged backgrounds,¡± Eli insisted forcefully. ¡°Their families would-¡± she began. ¡°Never allow it? I can hardly think of why,¡± he said sarcastically, ¡°It¡¯s certainly not lost on me that you picked two of the most outlier students of this incoming year to be your poster children.¡± Fury radiated off of her. ¡°What do you want Eli?¡± she asked in a low voice. ¡°What I want is for you to have some assurance that the threat of the Fellowship of the Shadows is under control. If it isn¡¯t, they¡¯re going to be all over this. I did not send him to your school to be a political pawn and I certainly didn¡¯t send him there to be bait for one of the biggest threats to our world.¡± ¡°We will not hide from terrorists!¡± she hissed back angrily. ¡°And yet you are okay with letting children be your shields! Both from political blowback and the danger of the group that means to do you harm. The one you continually fail to control and contain," he barked back. She straightened up. ¡°I don¡¯t expect someone of your station to understand the intricacies of my position but I assure you that we aren¡¯t sitting on our hands doing nothing.¡± ¡°Perhaps you ought to do more,¡± he challenged. ¡°Perhaps YOU ought to reign in the scoundrels you deal with. The dissenting in the lower boroughs in all of Flexibilis'' societies are going to be the real test of this work.¡± "Abigail I would caution you to show restraint," Tarry said warningly, "This is inappropriate and the boroughs are not your concern or jurisdiction." Abigail looked affronted. ¡°Mayor, I apologize but we do not exist in a vacuum. If Mr. Briggs wants to ensure his nephew''s safety he would do well to pull his own strings.¡± ¡°I fully intend to. I want to know that you would do the same,¡± Eli said seriously, ¡°How do you propose to perform this feat with your callous and pretentious attitude towards those you theoretically would like to broaden your recruitment to?¡± For a moment nobody spoke. She seemed to wrestle with something internally but finally broke first. ¡°The affection and esteem I have for your nephew does not extend to you," she said with pure venom in her voice, "That said, I will recruit a few volunteers from the more typical backgrounds." ¡°Good. In return, I will ensure that the Fellowship of the Shadows are not only unmasked but further contained. And I will do it with or without your help, and if only for him and his friend. The rest of you can be damned,¡± he said bitterly. They stood across from each other as if sizing the other up. Finally, and mirrored to the point where Olly could not tell who made the first move, they shook hands. Olly and the Mayor briefly made eye contact as if mutually wondering what had just happened. ¡°Meet me outside when you¡¯re ready Olly,¡± Abigail instructed before sweeping out of the room. Eli took a deep breath and with an unreadable expression on his face turned back to Olly. He clasped his hands on either of Olly''s shoulders. ¡°Trust no one but your friend and take care to protect her too. You need all the allies you can get over there and I fear she has less value than you to the Grandmaster. Having someone expendable may be what makes bringing you into the public eye an acceptable risk,¡± he explained darkly, ¡°Do you understand?¡± Olly felt his chest clench. ¡°Yes,¡± he said breathlessly. Eli softened. ¡°Be smart, be aware, and above all, stay alive.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Olly promised. Chapter 46: The Guest Room Tarry Bennett It was dark by the time Tarry finished his workday. He rubbed his eyes with a tired sigh. There had been no time to do anything but remain chained to his desk. Meeting after meeting had jammed his calendar. Ironically, he had been unable to connect with Eli since the urgent briefing with Abigail took place, despite that being the biggest bombshell of the day. He didn''t know where Eli had disappeared to but knew he needed to reach him before he did something rash. With renewed energy, he exited his office and found his assistant still seated at his desk, working furiously. He scarcely noticed Tarry which both made him feel badly and momentarily distracted him from his mission. ¡°What are you still doing here at this hour? Go home son, spend time with your family,¡± he chided gently. It was well-meaning advice but he felt the bitter irony of him dispensing it to anybody. He hadn''t been home before dinner for much longer than he cared to admit. Long enough that Francine had stopped commenting on it. His assistant looked up. ¡°Of course sir, just wrapping a few things up. It¡¯s been a busy month.¡± Tarry nodded sympathetically. It had been a busy month. And one that showed no sign of stopping at that. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Let¡¯s discuss your workload in the morning and see what we can do,¡± he said kindly, ¡°Are you the last one here?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen Mr. Briggs leave yet. Would you like me to page him?¡± ¡°Thank you but that won¡¯t be necessary. Please don¡¯t stay longer than you need to tonight.¡± The fact that Eli remained onsite brought no end of relief. But after bidding his assistant good night and strolling around the office his anxiety once again began to grow. None of the boardrooms were occupied and neither was the office that held Eli¡¯s name plate, despite never being used. Frowning, he made his way to the stairs. Tarry found him in the last place left to check, chain smoking on the rooftop. Eli was staring over Occaigh at night; one hand was bearing most of his weight as he loomed over the skyline while the other held a lit cigarette that he occasionally brought up to his lips. His eyes did not appear to focus on anything in particular and his lips were slightly parted in a deep pout. He was too deep in thought to notice Tarry. ¡°This is my favourite time of day to be up here,¡± Tarry said gently as he walked up beside him and leaned his arms casually on the railing. Eli didn''t react. He didn''t even blink at Tarry''s presence. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said those things earlier,¡± was all he responded. The words were empty though. They both knew he meant it all. ¡°No, you shouldn¡¯t have,¡± Tarry agreed with a shrug, ¡°If my counsel had heard it first hand they would¡¯ve had a field day.¡± He plucked the cigarette from Eli and brought it to his mouth to take a drag. ¡°What did they say when you told them?¡± Eli asked with a sidelong glance. ¡°I haven¡¯t told them anything yet,¡± Tarry said simply. Eli turned to look back over the city. ¡°That¡¯s wise I suppose. Needless to say, I¡¯ll tender my resignation immediately.¡± Tarry shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ll do no such thing.¡± Eli¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°I can¡¯t operate out of your office. Not for this. Not the way I want to.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll allow myself to be judged for your methods after the fact but even I have to admit that taking down the Shadow Fellowship would be a win for public safety. I promised the world that I would get to the bottom of this mess when I rejected the initial inquest findings. I¡¯ve gotten nowhere on that. Just like I¡¯ve gotten nowhere on the potential threats against my life. It¡¯s all connected, Eli, and we both know it.¡± ¡°You know that keeping him safe is my priority right now. What if I can¡¯t do it all?¡± Eli asked pointedly and turned to face him. Tarry leaned onto his elbow as he mirrored Eli. ¡°If something happens to him I know your devastation would be endless. I don¡¯t have children, nor anyone under my guardianship, but I¡¯ve known you a long time. I¡¯ve known him a long time. He¡¯s the last piece of your brother that exists, right?¡± Eli set his jaw slightly. ¡°I believe what you¡¯re getting at is that it¡¯s better to keep me around on my terms than not at all.¡± ¡°My point is that, selfishly, I would, at the risk of public criticism, let you use my office and its resources for this if it makes you happy and helps you reach your goals. I think your goal is fundamentally selfless and if I can help you in keeping Olly safe I think we can in turn improve the safety of the general population. As such, I¡¯ll let you create a task force from my staff but in return I expect you to make and keep the same promise that you demanded of Olly. Stay alive.¡± Eli¡¯s expression was unreadable. He reached for the cigarette back. ¡°I will try,¡± he promised. Tarry shrugged. ¡°I suppose that will have to be enough.¡± They fell silent. ¡°So how do you intend to unmask the Shadow Fellowship? I¡¯d like to think that you haven¡¯t been sitting on ideas for apprehending them this whole time,¡± Tarry asked lightly. An unexpected laugh escaped Eli. ¡°Starting with the easy questions. That¡¯s the thing, I don¡¯t have any ideas. In my intelligence gathering they¡¯re scarcely mentioned. I had hoped that I might learn something passively about them through my normal channels but there has been absolutely nothing of note.¡± Tarry frowned in confusion. ¡°People aren¡¯t concerned about them?¡± he asked. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°There¡¯s growing discontent but what happens at the Guilds is hardly the concern of the middle to lower boroughs of Occaigh. It¡¯s also possible that the Fellowship isn¡¯t overly interested in Occaigh with their focus being on the Guilds,¡± Eli shrugged, ¡°Or they¡¯re largely operating outside of Occaigh.¡± ¡°Well, even if they¡¯re outside of Occaigh I do have a duty to protect the other cities. I can¡¯t sit on my hands and do nothing,¡± Tarry said as he considered this, ¡°There¡¯s nobody I trust more than you to handle Occaigh but do you think we need people in other areas? I could contact the other Mayors¡¯ offices discreetly.¡± ¡°Let me see what I can find first. If we can narrow it down and then solicit help from fewer sources I think we¡¯ll have a better chance of having the upper hand,¡± Eli said thoughtfully, ¡°I¡¯ll have to start probing my network, for starters. The other option to consider is that it¡¯s possible that they¡¯re lying in wait until someone starts to ask about them.¡± Tarry frowned. ¡°You think they want to be found?¡± Eli shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a theory. One I haven¡¯t had a chance to test yet. I¡¯ll have to handle the situation delicately regardless. People will want to avoid the trouble the Fellowship could bring.¡± ¡°Just like they don¡¯t want to get involved with the Guilds¡¯ troubles?¡± Tarry confirmed. ¡°Yes, unless it starts impacting their day to day life they generally don¡¯t need to care. I have to be careful to avoid introducing new problems for them to worry about. Nothing shuts down a source faster than making them feel like you¡¯re adding new troubles onto their plate.¡± ¡°Do I need to reiterate that I¡¯d like you to be careful?¡± ¡°No but I suspect you will several more times.¡± ¡°Be careful, Eli.¡± They stood shoulder to shoulder and looked over the skyline of Occaigh in a companionable silence. They were high up enough that the curvature of the spheroid on which Occaigh stood was observable. Tall buildings stood all around them with their lights illuminating the horizon. Not for the first time, Tarry wondered what the sixteenth looked like at night these days. ¡°It¡¯s late. Do you need a place to stay for the night? The guest room is free.¡± Eli shook his head. ¡°I appreciate it but no, I¡¯m okay. I need to get back for some early morning reconnaissance. On that note,¡± he trailed off as he looked towards the door to the rooftop. ¡°Right, well, have an uneventful trip home,¡± he said carefully. If Eli wasn¡¯t worried, Tarry would try not to be either. But he silently vowed to pay more attention, and if he were made aware of things regressing then the offer would be accompanied with more pressure. Eli gave him a small, slightly strained smile and with a parting nod left Tarry alone on the rooftop. He stood alone and in silence for awhile before beginning his own, slow journey home. ¡ª The apartment, despite being occupied, was silent to the point that it may as well have been empty. He shrugged his overcoat off and hung it up. As he knelt down to put his shoes away in the closet he stopped for a moment to stare at them, and the other pairs alongside them. Francine¡¯s shiny pumps and sharp stilettos were placed in rows that seemed more like an expensive sentry than footwear. He shook his head and realized he was just stalling. With Eli declining the invitation to stay over he knew there was nothing standing between him and what he knew in his heart he needed to do. He got up and wandered around, trying to ignore the anxiety that cramped in his stomach. In what felt like bitter moment of d¨¦j¨¤ vu he searched around the apartment; the kitchen, living room, dining room, and offices were all vacant. Heaving a sigh, he pushed open the bedroom door to find Francine reading in bed. She looked at him and he could see the puzzled disappointment in her eyes regarding his late return. But nonetheless she said nothing. She had stopped saying anything for awhile now. ¡°Hey,¡± he said gently. ¡°Hey,¡± she said back and placed the book to her side. She looked expectantly up at him. She knew. They both knew. ¡°It¡¯s not getting better. I don¡¯t think it ever will,¡± he began. She looked away for a moment before turning back. ¡°I¡¯ve come to terms with that.¡± ¡°What if I told you it was going to get much worse?¡± he pressed, "My job is about to become much harder. I can''t keep pretending like this is working." ¡°I can handle it. I had my chance to leave and I came back,¡± anger was edging into her voice, ¡°We worked it out.¡± He shook his head. ¡°We didn¡¯t work anything out. We stopped fighting and instead started treating each other with indifference.¡± She swung her legs to the side and padded out of bed. She gathered a nightgown around her shoulders and walked out of the bedroom. He steeled himself but followed her out to his office where she poured herself a snifter of his finest whiskey with shaking hands. He noted it was the one Eli had gifted him. ¡°I am sorry,¡± he offered weakly. She threw it back. ¡°You¡¯re not. You¡¯ve done this too many times before to know how to be sorry,¡± she said icily. He sighed and moved to pour himself his own glass. ¡°I mean it all the same. You deserved better.¡± She laughed bitterly and tilted her glass back towards him. He refilled hers. ¡°To divorce number three, then. May the next one be different,¡± she said as she raised a glass to him. He grimaced but met her glass with his. ¡°I¡¯ll take the guest room.¡±
Eli Briggs Back in his home and seated at his desk, Eli wrote with a feverish intensity well into the night. It was nearly three in the morning before he finished and he grimly realized he was due to be up in a few short hours. ¡°Witching hour,¡± he grimly thought to himself. Eli had once implored Tarry to use Olly as a poster child for educational reform. He had to snort about how derisively stupid that had been. That was well before the Shadow Fellowship was known to the world but there was no hope for educational reform even before them. Not then and certainly not now. The Guilds enjoyed a shallow existence and had no intention of changing. They lived for the prestige, for the exclusivity. The Shadow Fellowship¡­ What made them tick? Constantine had told him that he had to find out what they wanted. They had already been on his radar but he had, admittedly, placed limited effort into finding out much about them. His work with the Mayor''s office had distracted him and his own goals had been waylaid with Alzira¡¯s death. What he did know is that they didn¡¯t appear to push any betterment of the world. They had publicly made very few demands. He would pour over the reports for any hint of a motive but all they had really demanded was the Guilds take accountability for the tunnel collapses. That did little to explain why they wanted the Guilds to take accountability. Or better yet, why they felt the Guilds should take accountability. He couldn¡¯t afford to be passive any longer. Not with Olly taking the spotlight. He twisted his mouth in distaste. Olly was now effectively being used as his bait to lure them out into the open. However, if he could lure them into the open first, he could find out what they wanted. If he somehow managed to neutralize the threat, then perhaps he could bargain a new deal for Constantine. And then¡­ Well¡­ His hope was dwindling but there was a chance he could still make it to the other side of that long locked door. He ran a hand through his hair. But first, he had to protect the kid. After all, everything still hinged on him. Chapter 47: Back to Business Eli Briggs Bodies entangled on the bed spoke in hushed voices. ¡°We could find our own place. Just for us,¡± he said softly. Caressing his lover''s face with a gentle hand. His partner smiled up at him, softly and serenely and pulled him down for a kiss. It was a short lived moment of bliss. The door was thrown open so violently that the top hinge separated from the frame. He hadn¡¯t heard the footsteps. He hadn¡¯t heard him coming. They scrambled from the bed to hastily throw on clothing but there was no preserving dignity. Or preventing the reckoning that was coming. Eli awoke with a gasp as he sat up and fumbled around his nightstand under the dark of night. He wrapped his hand around the pull switch of the lamp and yanked it down so hard he nearly pulled it off the table. Heart racing, he looked at the door. It was firmly shut, just as he¡¯d left it. He let himself flop backwards in relief but the pounding in his chest betrayed his sense of safety. Still, he pulled the blanket up to his head and hoped he would find sleep.
Later that morning, he was sitting on a bench adjacent to a moderately well travelled tunnel junction in the thirteenth borough. The staircase was marked by a large letter ¡®T¡¯ emblazoned atop a sign post, indicating access to the tunnels located underground. He sipped on his coffee as he watched. The sunglasses were doubly effective in obscuring his tired eyes and the way they darted around from person to person. He watched the way they descended down the steps to access whichever tunnel would bring them to their destinations. And so he sat through the majority of rush hour and just observed. A part of him felt antsy that nothing about this morning¡¯s work was appreciably bringing him any closer to the Shadow Fellowship but he tried to exercise patience. It was a slightly mundane task so it gave him time to think. It was certainly helpful to have a measure of normalcy. How busy a given tunnel access point was at a given time was valuable information to the right people. And if he wanted to find them, he would have to thoroughly check for anything abnormal. When he had decided that he¡¯d seen enough from the outside he got up and pitched his empty cup into a garbage can at risk of overflowing before walking intently towards the brightly lit sign. As he descended the stairs he looked at the framed advertisements along the walls. They had seen better days; clearly nobody had been keeping them current. One in particular caught his eye. The original advertised a popular chain store in the lower boroughs that sold work clothing for those who worked in agricultural sectors but plastered over top of it was a new poster that read as a manifesto of why tunnels were the sign of end times. He tore it down and glanced at it for a moment before pocketing it. The bottom of the stairs led him to a hallway that was lined with several tunnel openings, each bearing its own golden placard that indicated the intersection or landmark, the borough, if in Occaigh, and the spheroid name. Several tunnels at this junction led to other spheroids; this was where most of the workers were heading. Instead, he continued on his path until he reached the tunnel that would lead to the business center of the thirteenth. One thing was for certain was that this would be a job bigger than one person could manage.
¡°Who are you coming here today as, ey? Are you Eli Briggs or the Mayor¡¯s lap dog?¡± Eli politely smiled and leaned back. ¡°You know I don¡¯t like labels, Councillor.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. I take it you don¡¯t have good news for me today?¡± the larger man said gruffly as he lit a cigar. Eli sat in the office of the councillor of the thirteenth borough. Eli liked him; though he could be stubborn he was one of the few who didn¡¯t typically use a proxy to meet with Eli. That hadn¡¯t changed since he began working directly for the Mayor¡¯s office. If anything, it made him more open to negotiations Eli shook his head. ¡°I have some things of note. Unfortunately, not all of them are good, Councillor. But I do have some free advice for you.¡± He grumbled and sat back in his chair. ¡°Ha! Your advice is anything but free. But fine, lay it on me. What¡¯s going on in my borough?¡± ¡°Oh Councillor, you know I always take care of you,¡± Eli said charmingly, ¡°You¡¯re my favourite politician in Occaigh.¡± ¡°Ha! Don¡¯t try to flatter me. We both know who you really answer to. Just give me what you know.¡± Eli gave a good natured shrug. ¡°No idea who you¡¯re talking about. But since you¡¯re being so impatient I would say the most alarming thing to note is that the usual crowds have diminished by over half since my last visit,¡± he began to explain. ¡°So what? That ties in with all the complaints from businesses that positions are going unfilled. It¡¯s not news that people aren¡¯t showing up to work,¡± he said bluntly while sitting back in his chair. Eli shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not just workers who aren¡¯t using it. This location should be bustling with not only blue collar workers but also parents ushering young children along for childcare drop offs. Or students heading to school. I didn¡¯t see a single child today, nor anyone who appeared to be running domestic errands. What I did see was the odd worker passing through as hurriedly as possible. Do you see the problem here?¡± ¡°Yeah, the problem is that people need to toughen up. Everyone has become soft after these collapses. I have half a mind to start ruling people back to work.¡± ¡°You could, if you want your constituents calling for your early retirement,¡± Eli shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re from the sixteenth. You know how people tick. We¡¯re not like the pansies in the upper boroughs.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Eli conceded with a roll of his eyes, ¡°But the cascade effect down through the boroughs means that the sixteenth feels the pressures more acutely. I can confidently say that your borough is the cause of the cascade. The twelfth isn¡¯t experiencing the same decrease in productivity that you are, so let me be direct in saying that you need to clean up your act.¡± He leaned forward in his chair and rested a meaty arm on the desk. ¡°Eli, I know you didn¡¯t intend to threaten me,¡± he said warningly. Eli held his gaze. ¡°If I wanted to threaten you I wouldn¡¯t have bothered doing your work for you,¡± he said coldly, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve forgotten how many times I¡¯ve scratched your back for you. Don¡¯t insult me by mistaking my generosity as pure good will.¡± They sat in silence for a moment but the councillor was the first to break eye contact. ¡°Ugh, fine, I¡¯ve never been able to rattle you, Eli. It¡¯s why I like you. Alright, you¡¯ve told me about my problems, let¡¯s hear some solutions.¡± ¡°Well, people are afraid. They need to feel safe as an incentive. If you can attract families back to using the tunnels I think you¡¯ll be in a better position. So here¡¯s my first question, how do you feel about adding a Controller checkpoint into junctions like this one?¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± he balked. ¡°I know, I know. But do you know what I¡¯ve noticed? The lower boroughs don¡¯t have nearly as many Controller checkpoints as the upper boroughs. Tunnel travel is down in the upper boroughs too but not by nearly as much and they¡¯re the ones who have actually had a collapse,¡± Eli explained. ¡°We don¡¯t want those types down here. No offence meant to your boy but they just bring trouble. Besides, there¡¯s no operationally feasible way to have them man every tunnel.¡± ¡°The Guilds are facing their own threats, I agree, but right now we¡¯re vulnerable to it by not having any oversight. They don¡¯t need to man every tunnel, just the main arteries like they do in the upper boroughs. Someone, somewhere, has deemed the lower income areas as lower priority. Doesn¡¯t that bother you?¡± Eli pressed. ¡°This is something that I¡¯ve always complained to Tarry about. Not about tunnel security, though,¡± he said with a sigh, ¡°Nobody cares about us down here. But without us they stand to lose everything. They need us more than we need them. That said, I am firmly against bringing in the Guilds to our tunnel junctions.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Avoiding a brewing class war wasn¡¯t exactly something Eli had capacity for but he might as well throw it on the pile. ¡°I could put a bug in his ear about priorities but this may be something you will need to yield on eventually. But, since I knew this would be unpopular for you, I also think there¡¯s a lot of our own security we could be doing as a start,¡± he said as he pulled out the poster from earlier and slid it across the desk, ¡°I found this today.¡± The councillor scanned it and frowned in concern. ¡°Do you think this is keeping people away?¡± ¡°Not on its own but we¡¯re letting things fester so that it can take root. The junction looks like shit. Why would anybody want their working partners to take it? People need income but they won¡¯t risk losing their breadwinners. Furthermore, why would anybody want to use it to travel with their children? I¡¯d suggest putting a bit of money into cleaning things up.¡± The councillor considered this. ¡°Do people really care about that sort of thing? It¡¯s not like I need people hanging out in tunnel junctions as a solution to my problems.¡± Eli pulled out his notebook, ¡°By my observations the middle boroughs have cleaner areas and nicer facilities. Where people feel comfortable taking their families is where they want to live and work. Do you want to be remembered as the councillor who oversaw a decline to dilapidation or the one who rose above and made the thirteenth a viable place to live on a single or limited income?¡± ¡°And I suppose you have a few people in mind for some government contracts?¡± ¡°What can I say, the sixteenth has some people in need of work. You help me put them to work and you will start seeing your own unemployment rate falling and your popularity in the polls will appreciably increase in time for the next election cycle.¡± ¡°And what do you get in return?¡± ¡°Well I¡¯ll take my usual modest cut off the top of awarded contracts but what I really need is better eyes on the ground. I¡¯m on the lookout for any new or emerging threats. I can¡¯t be everywhere at once so I need the boroughs to start watching their tunnel systems better. I¡¯ve given you years of information and it¡¯s time for me to ask the same in return.¡± The councillor frowned. ¡°So you¡¯ll need me to get some resources lined up? Eli nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get your tunnel junctions cleaned up and then, yes, I will need you to find people who can report to me.¡± He looked at Eli with measured scrutiny before sighing. ¡°Fine, but I¡¯ll want credit for this clean-up project though, not Tarry. He¡¯s always stealing my thunder for everything good that happens down here.¡± Eli let a small smile flicker to his face. ¡°Just continue to publicly endorse him and we¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s all eyes on you.¡± ¡°Alright, Eli, you¡¯ve got yourself a deal.¡± They shook on it.
He spent his time musing while travelling to the twelfth. Things did look much cleaner here but he still needed people on both sides at the ready. He strode through the front door of Jayson¡¯s jazz room but was intercepted before he even made it three steps into the premises. ¡°It¡¯s not a good time, Eli,¡± Jayson said brusquely. Eli raised one eyebrow and scanned his surroundings as quickly and discreetly as he could. Nobody seemed to be suspicious of them or carefully monitoring them. A few patrons closer to them looked on with curiosity but not scrutiny. ¡°Is there a problem, Jayson?¡± he inquired politely but firmly. ¡°No, no problems,¡± Jayson responded hurriedly. Eli studied his face. His brows were furrowed deeply and his eyes were darting outside. Eli looked around and found nothing of note outside. No one was hanging around or peering inside. And yet, this was beyond his usual nervous energy; the fear was evident on his face. Eli dropped his voice in a comforting way. ¡°Is there anything I can help with?¡± Jayson seemed to teeter the edge of panic and relief. Finally something cracked and he let out a breath he didn¡¯t seem aware that he was holding in. ¡°Fine. My office, if you please,¡± he stammered quietly. Eli allowed him to lead him to the back. He stood in the doorway to his office and ushered Eli in past him, looking around conspicuously before shutting it behind him. Eli sat down but followed him with his eyes as he paced behind his desk, wringing his hands as he walked. ¡°Jayson, my friend, what is upsetting you?¡± Eli asked pleasantly. ¡°Eli, it¡¯s not good,¡± he began. Eli frowned. ¡°What¡¯s not good?¡± ¡°It started slow, you see, I noticed that they were new but I didn¡¯t pay them any mind. We¡¯re always getting new people checking the place out, seeing what we¡¯re about. But they¡¯re different. I started trying to chat with them, see if they liked the music, what they wanted. But I got nothing; they were like brick walls. I thought it was, you know, strange but figured they¡¯d eventually lose interest and stop showing up. Instead they started coming once a week. Then a few times a week. And now almost every day.¡± Eli leaned back and nodded slowly. ¡°So what do ¡®they¡¯ do?¡± ¡°Not much, really. They make people uncomfortable though. They just seem to watch. Always watching. They¡¯ll buy drinks but scarcely touch them,¡± he was starting to sound frantic. Eli cocked his head to the side. It might be nothing. Jayson wasn¡¯t known for his shrewdness. But then again, it might be something. ¡°I¡¯d like to see them,¡± he said definitively. ¡°No, Eli-¡± Jayson began. ¡°Jayson,¡± Eli sharply cut him off with a pointed stare. Jayson flinched but said nothing further in protest. ¡°If you have a problem here, I will fix it. But I will not have valuable information such as this kept from me. I will be the judge of what is a concern and what¡¯s not,¡± Eli levelled a stern glare at Jayson. ¡°Ye-es,¡± Jayson said hesitantly, ¡°There is something you should know though.¡± Eli gave him a thoroughly unimpressed look. ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°They asked about you,¡± he said in a way that suggested he thought he was being helpful. Eli felt his lip twitch before he got up and slammed both palms on the desk in front of him. Jayson jumped. Eli levelled a finger at him. ¡°That is not helpful!¡± he barked. Jayson shirked back with his hands up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought I was protecting you by keeping you out of here!¡± Eli¡¯s eyes flashed in anger. ¡°Do you not think this would¡¯ve been constituted as valuable information to know before I walked in today?¡± ¡°In hindsight, definitely,¡± Jayson nodded furiously. Eli fell back into the chair with a growl. ¡°Tell me everything you know. What they look like. How many there are. Are they here right now?¡± ¡°No, no. I haven¡¯t seen them yet today! But it¡¯s two people, a guy and a girl. He¡¯s kind of pale with dark hair and she¡¯s a blonde.¡± ¡°Young? Old? Anything distinguishing? How do they dress?¡± he fired back. ¡°Okay, okay. Both are probably younger than you. They dress normally. Nothing out of the ordinary but the guy has what looks like a burn mark across the top of his left hand and wrist.¡± Eli mentally filed this away and hung his head for a second to compose himself before taking a deep breath. ¡°Alright. Thank you,¡± he said in a much calmer voice, ¡°If anything happens, and I mean anything at all, do not hesitate to call me in the future.¡± Jayson at least had the decency to look ashamed. ¡°You got it. I¡¯m sorry, Eli. Do you want me to see if they¡¯re out there now? I can sneak you out the back door.¡± Eli rubbed his forehead with one hand in disbelief and was about to wave him along but paused. ¡°No. I have nothing to fear from two unknowns with sloppy workmanship. I¡¯ll take my chances walking out without looking like a snivelling child,¡± he said in exasperation. He looked up to gauge Jayson¡¯s reaction and found only poorly disguised anxiety at the idea. ¡°Will that be a problem?¡± he asked pointedly despite already knowing the answer. ¡°Well¡­ uh¡­ I suppose not,¡± he said haltingly. ¡°Jayson,¡± he said with a sigh, ¡°There are only two things you need to do the next time they come around asking after me. Firstly, you tell them where to find me. Secondly, you call me immediately. I am not asking you to interfere on behalf of me and I will not allow your business to be harassed by people who can¡¯t even make their intentions known.¡± This seemed to placate him. ¡°Yes. Yes, of course!¡± he nodded fervently. ¡°Good!¡± he sprung to his feet, ¡°Now if you¡¯ll be so kind as to lead me out, I need to continue my business.¡± Jayson only hesitated for a moment. ¡°Hey Eli, I don¡¯t mean to be paranoid, but what if these people are the same as the ones that were on the news a while back? You know, the ones who held up the guilds.¡± Eli paused once more. He wasn¡¯t surprised by the potential for connection, he was just surprised it was something Jayson came up with. But then again, accustomed though he was to Jayson¡¯s high-strung nature, he couldn¡¯t deny the general worry that seemed to have settled over Occaigh and he felt sympathy towards his circumstances. ¡°Well, even if that¡¯s what they end up being, it doesn¡¯t change what I told you. If they do anything out of the ordinary, or you collect any information at all about them, even if you don¡¯t think it¡¯s noteworthy, you know how to reach me.¡± He clapped Jayson on the shoulder and allowed himself to be led out into the bar. A discreet scan of premises revealed no one who met the description Jayson provided. A disappointment to be sure; he was hoping for something to work with. It wasn¡¯t until he was back on the street and about to orient himself to head back to the sixteenth that something caught his interest. A blonde woman stood with a brunette man on the nearest street corner. They seemed to be speaking in a heated manner. He used his peripheral to keep her in his sights but kept his eyes straight forward as he neared their position. On the other hand, she visibly jolted and she did a double take at him as he approached and impulsively hit the arm of her male partner. He turned just as Eli swept past them and they both openly stared at him. He didn¡¯t even give them a glance and instead of turning towards the tunnel junction that would, eventually, lead him to the sixteenth, he turned fluidly towards the junction that would lead to the upper boroughs. ¡°Fucking amateurs,¡± he thought as a crooked smile formed on his face. He hoped they¡¯d give chase; it had been a while since he had seen some action. Chapter 48: Clean as a Whistle Eli Briggs It was a calculated risk in choosing the tunnel to the upper boroughs. He was risking having the upper hand if they were hoping to intercept him in a lower borough; they might deem him unworthy of the pursuit for the time being. On the other hand, there was more security in the upper boroughs which meant he could test a theory or two along the way if they gave chase. He descended the steps calmly and maintained a steady pace as he approached the underground Controller run security check-point. It was the first he had encountered all day. He flashed his ID badge that indicated he worked for the Mayor¡¯s office and was readily waved through without question. Most people wouldn¡¯t expect too much trouble in one of the few lower borough checkpoints but avoiding Controller scrutiny was always helpful. Eli frowned in disappointment and wondered if they were tailing him or if he was merely engaging in a self-inflicted goose chase. He was just beginning to think about how to best look over his shoulder discreetly when he heard the heavy footfall coming down the stone steps just behind him. He smirked. Good. Like he suspected, they didn¡¯t receive any pushback so he slowed his pace only slightly to give them a second to catch up. The footsteps fell into a steady pace just behind him. Now that he had them hooked it was time to play with them a bit. He quickened his step slightly and beelined for the tunnel towards the fourth borough. When he heard them speed up accordingly he decided to stop abruptly to check out a newspaper stand. Like a car attempting to avoid a collision he could hear the squeal of rubber sole on brick pathway. The ensuing chaos was a valid reason to look around. Best to make it look realistic, after all. He lifted his head to see the blonde woman sharply changing course to veer around the other side of the stand. He politely maintained eye contact and noted how she seemed to recoil at being noticed. That meant the man must''ve taken the path behind him. However, now that they were ahead of him, he bent over and rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he perused the publications for sale before selecting a paper and paying for it. He tucked it under his arm and resumed his walk towards the tunnel that would lead to the fourth. As he did so, he noticed they had reconvened and were hanging off the side, desperately avoiding his eyes. It was a short walk across to the fourth but he relished it nonetheless. As he emerged on the other side he quickly gained his bearings and turned towards the next tunnel junction. It was two blocks over so he hastened his pace but only to a brisk walk. He didn¡¯t want to lose them but he also needed a lead. This is where he would be able to test his theory. He once again descended underground and as he approached the checkpoint, badge in hand, the Controllers remained relatively relaxed. They were about to wave him through when one of them stood up in alarm at the apparent commotion brewing behind him. ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s the big rush?¡± the Controller said, but it wasn¡¯t directed at him. He turned around to find that the two had tried to rush on through behind him. The Controller who had viewed his badge looked at Eli and asked, ¡°Friends of yours?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Never seen them before in my life.¡± The Controller waved him through and he passed the checkpoint without effort. ¡°We need to get through here, now!¡± the man¡¯s voice ordered. Eli ducked around the nearest corner and found a sheltered alcove. He made a show of untying and retying up his shoelaces so that he could just peer behind the edge and listen. ¡°Not until we see some IDs,¡± a frantic rustling followed, ¡°Donnol? What brings you to these parts?¡± ¡°Listen, we¡¯re just here visiting and we need to get through,¡± the female voice piped up. ¡°Where are you going?¡± the Controller pressed. ¡°To the, uh, the University library?¡± she improvised weakly. ¡°And you¡¯re in a rush because¡­?¡± ¡°We have an appointment. Look, I know we shouldn¡¯t have ran up to your gate but it is rather urgent that we get there on time!¡± the man elaborated. The back and forth continued for several minutes as the Controllers attempted to get them to show something that supported their claims while they introduced several contradictory statements, like switching library to museum, and then instead stating they were tourists who had tickets for an exhibit which they clearly couldn¡¯t produce. Idiots. Tourists visiting the first borough weren¡¯t cause for alarm but it was on higher alert in general. Their frantic energy may have better flown under the radar in a lower borough but not up here. He quickly grew bored and decided didn¡¯t need to see the resolution; he had collected enough insights. He made a mental note to check in with Jayson to see if they showed up again but if they got detained it was of no consequence to him right now. A third Controller passed by his alcove and something about the way he presented himself gave Eli pause. He was young, likely a recent graduate, and he looked worriedly at the two amateurs still floundering at the checkpoint. He trusted his gut and watched curiously as the new Controller approached the group. His two would-be followers fell silent at his approach. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Hey. I¡¯ve seen these two around. They¡¯re fine, just a bit nervous,¡± he said in a way that ironically sounded nervous. Eli took immediate note of him. He had reddish brown hair and freckles and only stood about a few inches taller than Eli. ¡°Oh, are you sure, Ted?¡± one of the other Controllers carefully asked. He nodded. ¡°Yes, positive, I¡¯ve checked their IDs myself.¡± The first two Controllers exchanged shrugs. Their IDs were handed back. ¡°Don¡¯t make such a scene next time,¡± one of the Controllers warned. ¡°Yes, absolutely, thank you!¡± the woman said wildly before grabbing the man¡¯s arm and dragging him through. Eli slunk as far back into the shadows as he could but he suspected they wouldn¡¯t take notice of him in their current nervous states. As they passed him he decided to follow just within earshot range. ¡°We lost him,¡± the man said bitterly. ¡°We may need to go down lower. That idiot at the jazz bar didn¡¯t tell us anything of use,¡± the woman said. ¡°But then we¡¯d be in his turf,¡± the man grumbled. Eli considered what this meant. Presumably the twelfth was about as low as they were willing to go up until now. They knew enough about him certainly but there were limitations to their willingness. They began to bicker about where to go next and he decided their usefulness had once again run out. He slowed right down until they were out of sight and then resumed a pathway that would take him right back down to his turf. That Controller though¡­ That was slightly more interesting. He had been winding his home-based operations down but it looked like it was time to open up the games room once more.
Hijinks had been practically closed to the public for so long that the crowds did not hesitate to appear in droves. He hadn''t given much notice, only two days, but he had a full house nonetheless. Eli may have once felt shocked by the showing but times had been tough. Wheeling and dealing was a great way to find work even if under the guise of gambling money away. As Eli made his rounds through the tables it seemed to elicit an excitement in the crowd; he had his pick of the litter tonight. He grabbed a few of his regulars, people he had worked with in the past, and pulled them into his office. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few general labour jobs lined up in the thirteenth. Put together some teams of reliable people and I¡¯ll draft the government contracts on your behalf,¡± he instructed. They gleefully accepted and as he re-entered the main room he could see them recruiting from the crowd. "That ought to brighten up some spirits tonight," he thought to himself as he walked to the bar. His bartender wordlessly handed him a double of top shelf whiskey and he tipped his glass in thanks. Nursing his drink, he lounged on his bar stool with his back to the bar and began to scan the crowds. He needed a few very specific types. His eyes landed on a few contenders. ¡°I need a few people,¡± he said as he leaned backwards to quietly speak with his bartender. ¡°What for, boss?¡± Eli turned to whisper his request so that it was inaudible to anyone around them. The bartender raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°No shit. Who?¡± he asked. ¡°Not important. But it¡¯s a temporary arrangement; no follow-up needed. How about those ones?¡± Eli pointed out a few faces in the crowd. The bartender scanned his picks and offered a few suggestions to narrow down the list to four people. Eli rubbed his face. ¡°And they¡¯re clean?¡± ¡°As a whistle. They¡¯ll do a thorough job.¡± Eli gave a shrug of acceptance. His word had always been good enough for Eli. ¡°Your usual finder¡¯s fee?¡± he asked as he spun around to face him. He gave a coy smile. ¡°Sorry boss, times are tough, I''ll need to add a twenty-five percent mark-up for each successful connection if I want to put food on the table and protect my interests.¡± Eli scanned the choices again. ¡°Make it a fifty percent mark up but I¡¯ll give you half upfront for each person you tell me to approach. I''ll pay the remainder after a successful job.¡± ¡°Usually you pay in full up front,¡± the bartender complained, "And they might not all say yes to you." Eli shook his head. ¡°My stakes are a bit higher this time. If it''s not a ''yes'' they''re not stepping foot in my office. I¡¯d suggest that you¡¯re absolutely sure about them,¡± he said casually, sipping his beer, "This isn''t something I want being advertised." The bartender rolled his eyes but he looked into the crowd once more. ¡°Okay, fine, half up front is fine. Skip that one guy near the blackjack table and bring in the remaining three. Tell them I vouched for them, and if they have any issues I''ll sort it out. They¡¯ll come through, I promise,¡± he grumbled. Eli pulled out his money clip and counted out the deposit before sliding it across the bar. The bartender accepted it and Eli gave him a friendly tap on the hand before throwing back the rest of his drink and departing. He manoeuvred the room gracefully and tapped each on the shoulder, beckoning them to follow as they looked up. A large man. A very large man. And a small woman. Once he had them in his office he shut the door and sat on the edge of his desk. ¡°So what¡¯s your going rate for kidnapping?¡± he asked casually as he withdrew a bundle of hundreds and flicked his thumb over it.
? He left his shift from the fourth borough well after dark. The Guilds had always been touted as offering the most respected professions but managing checkpoints wasn¡¯t exactly what he had in mind. Nor was working the late shift. And it didn¡¯t quite pay first borough money. Not yet anyways; the pay wasn¡¯t overly incredible for those on the lower end of the salary scale. The Guilds hadn¡¯t been fully transparent on that front. He had expected a more lavish lifestyle waiting for him right out of school. But instead, just for now anyways, he had settled into a modest place in the sixth borough that allowed him to save up funds for his grander ambitions. He walked past a wooded park beside the road that would take him home. It was late and he had scarcely encountered anyone since leaving the tunnel junction. A few cars lined the streets but it was otherwise devoid of life. ¡°Ted? Is that you?¡± a female voice called from behind him. Well, almost. He startled slightly. ¡°Y-yes?¡± He turned around and saw a petite woman walking towards him. She, like him, was alone. It was too dark to see her face from this distance but he didn¡¯t recognize her voice. ¡°Oh Ted! It¡¯s been so long!¡± she said as she walked closer towards him. ¡°Have we m-¡± he began to ask but was abruptly cut off by something catching him between his teeth and flattening his tongue to his lower jaw. He tried to scream but only choking grunts filled his ears. He tried to escape but his hands were roughly tied behind his back and he found he was held in place by several strong hands belonging to assailants just outside his vision. The woman continued her approach but before he could make out her face a canvas bag was thrown over his head from behind. Shivering in fear he was stuffed into the back seat of a car. ¡°Drive!¡± he heard a man bark and so began his nightmare. Chapter 49: Happy Trails Eli Briggs Eli curiously observed the figure bound in the chair as leaned against the edge of his desk. He folded his arms casually across his chest. The burlap sack over his head prevented Eli from seeing his expression but based on the way he was surreptitiously fidgeting underneath it Eli suspected he was terrified. A lit cigarette dangled between Eli¡¯s fingers. He placed it in between his lips and pulled the bag off the boy¡¯s head, leaving him wincing and blinking as the sudden light flooded his senses. He looked even younger when seen up close. Something about him in his Controller¡¯s uniform, his eyes and nose streaming, bound and gagged in Eli¡¯s dingy office gave him pause. For a moment he pictured Olly¡¯s frightened face instead and his heart gave a painful clench. He kept it off his face though. There was no room for that here. The boy¡¯s wild eyes looked around wildly and he frantically made muffled noises through the gag. Eli beckoned lightly to the closer of the two masked men flanking the boy. He stepped forward to remove the gag. ¡°Let me go!¡± the boy immediately shouted before yelling indiscernibly. Eli took a light drag and began to pace in front of him. ¡°You¡¯re okay,¡± he said softly, ¡°I should warn you though that there¡¯s no one here to hear you. You might as well listen to what I have to say before you lose your voice.¡± It did little to calm the panicking boy in front of him. He continued to shout for help. Eli brought his fingers to the side of his temples to stave off the headache he would undoubtedly suffer from afterwards. His patience began to wane and he nodded his head towards the masked man again. The man slapped the boy upside the head which, apart from a yelp, shocked him into a stunned silence. He hung his head in fear. Eli bent over at the waist to make eye contact. When the boy avoided his gaze Eli grabbed him under the chin and forced him to look him in the eyes. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Eli asked curiously, cocking his head. The boy shook his head fervently. The fear was genuine, and the confusion in his eyes was convincing, but it wasn¡¯t quite enough to inspire belief. Eli frowned and scrutinized him further. The boy¡¯s cheeks squished together beneath his fingers made him look juvenile in a way that Eli had to tamp down deep inside him, far away from the judgment of his conscience. "No," he thought to himself. He had nothing to feel guilty over. Young though he was, this was a grown man who was old enough to get himself into this kind of trouble. Eli would not be held emotionally responsible for a situation of this Controller¡¯s own making. The Controller had made his own decisions and chosen his fate; now he would have to live with the consequences. ¡°They¡¯ll be looking for me! I¡¯m a Controller!¡± he tried to sound brave but the waver in his voice gave him away. Eli smiled. So he didn¡¯t know who he was. Good. He let go of his chin and gave him a fatherly pat on the cheek before sitting himself back on the edge of his desk. He reached behind him to procure two photos and held them up in front of the Controller''s face. ¡°Do you know who these people are?¡± Eli asked lightly. The Controller shook his head and looked away. ¡°Ted, Ted, Ted. I think you¡¯re lying to me. Go on, take a closer look,¡± he suggested more forcefully, ¡°Things will go a whole lot easier for you if you don¡¯t insult my intelligence.¡± He looked up at Eli venomously but flickered his eyes down to the photos again. ¡°How do you know my name?¡± he spat. ¡°Because you were sloppy and you trusted the wrong people,¡± Eli shrugged, ¡°And believe me, they¡¯re not worth protecting. If they were, they wouldn¡¯t have gotten you into this mess with their shoddy practices.¡± Ted¡¯s lip curled in defiance but as he looked between the large masked men flanking him he seemed to deflate. ¡°Fine. Have it your way. Yeah I know them but I don''t know who they are or what they want.¡± ¡°But you have interacted with them,¡± Eli clarified, looking down his nose, ¡°I wish to know what you¡¯ve discussed.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ted trailed off. ¡°Yes?¡± Eli pressed. He mumbled something inaudibly. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to speak up,¡± Eli took a long drag to soothe his irritation. ¡°They asked me to help them,¡± he mumbled, looking away. Eli had reached the end of his patience. He shot forward and grabbed him around the back of the neck, pulling him so that he was forced into making eye contact once more. His pupils were blown out and fear was written on every inch of his face. ¡°Asked you? Is that all they did?!¡± he barked, tightening his grip as Ted tried to wrench his head backwards, ¡°Seems like a rather convenient thing to do, doesn¡¯t it? Just ask the Controllers to let you through! That¡¯s all you''re there for, helpfully letting people access the tunnels to get where they need to go! Isn¡¯t that right?!¡± ¡°FINE!¡± he shouted back, ¡°They paid me, alright?! I was paid by them to help give them access to tunnels without hassle. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Eli let go of his neck and whirled around while Ted wheezed in rage and fear on the chair behind him. Eli brought his hand to his mouth thoughtfully. ¡°Not a big deal? Haven¡¯t you been paying attention, Ted? Your very own Guild has decided that security is a big deal. Do you not think that people bribing you for special access would be, oh I don¡¯t know, a security concern?¡± he turned back around and looked down at him pointedly. He shuffled uncomfortably under Eli¡¯s gaze. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a bribe,¡± he insisted stubbornly. ¡°So Controllers can receive money privately to provide specialized access to random people? Is that what you¡¯re implying?¡± ¡°Where security is concerned I¡¯m permitted to exercise my discretion as the person in control of the access point. You¡¯re not in a Guild, obviously. You wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± Ted retorted angrily. ¡°No, obviously, I¡¯m not,¡± Eli shook his head with a small, cold grin, ¡°But if this isn¡¯t a problem you wouldn¡¯t have any issues if I asked your supervisor about the new Controllers¡¯ Guild access policy? Or if I went all the way up to the top, perhaps?¡± He coyly reached one hand behind him towards his phone. ¡°NO! No¡­ Don¡¯t do that. Please. This is my job, I worked hard for it! I need this!¡± he began to plead. Tears spilled down his face. Eli retracted his hand and took a drag before blowing smoke over his shoulder. Eli cocked his head. ¡°Did they pay off more of you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ted said, sounding defeated. ¡°You¡¯re just one Controller. Surely you can¡¯t be everywhere they need you to be?¡± Eli pressed him further. ¡°I guess not, maybe?¡± Ted was beginning to grasp at straws. Maybe he was telling the truth, maybe he wasn¡¯t, but Eli knew that probably wasn¡¯t going to get anything further out of him on that front. He knelt in front of him and lowered his voice. ¡°Listen. You¡¯re young and have your whole life and career ahead of you. I can keep a secret if you can,¡± he said gently before standing up and retrieving something from his desk, ¡°But in case you feel that you can¡¯t, here¡¯s a little encouragement.¡± He procured a tightly rolled wad of bills and removed the elastic band around it. The man¡¯s eyes lit up as Eli shuffled through it and counted it, before folding it in half and placing it in the Controller¡¯s front breast pocket with a pat. ¡°I think you¡¯ll find that¡¯s more than enough to incentivize you to let this meeting go unreported,¡± Eli said as he walked behind his desk and took a seat, ¡°I would particularly caution you to think twice about mentioning this to those other two.¡± ¡°Wait? You¡¯re just letting me go?¡± Ted asked suspiciously. Eli raised his eyebrows. ¡°Yes. Is that a problem?¡± ¡°No, uh, no. No, I thought that you were going to kill me, not let me walk out of here alive,¡± he said hurriedly. Eli frowned. ¡°Why on earth would I kill you? That seems counterproductive to this little arrangement.¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°What arrangement?¡± Ted frowned. Eli leaned back and folded one leg over the other on his desk. ¡°Well, consider this a one time payment for your silence but I would be willing to pay well on a continued basis for updated information about their comings and goings. More importantly, if you come to learn of any other Controllers they¡¯ve made agreements with,¡± Eli said as he began nonchalantly doing his bookkeeping. Ted¡¯s mouth dropped. ¡°So now I have to pretend that I¡¯m working for them but I¡¯m actually working for you? You¡¯re going to get me caught!¡± Eli looked up and put down his pen. Amusement danced across his face and he rested his chin on his palm. ¡°You got caught today, you just got lucky that it was by me. A very simple strategy would¡¯ve been to not accept bribes in the first place. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.¡± ¡°I had my reasons! I¡¯m not crooked, I just got caught up in something I didn¡¯t fully understand! I¡¯m not like¡­ like you!¡± ¡°So few people are,¡± Eli said regrettably with a dramatic sigh. He finished up his calculations and grabbed a piece of paper. He wrote a string of digits on it and handed it to one of the men who placed it in Ted¡¯s pocket with the money. ¡°This is where you can reach one of my associates if you feel so inclined to provide me with information. In a show of goodwill I won¡¯t have anyone harass you at your place of work or follow-up with you. The ball is in your court,¡± he looked at him darkly from across the desk, ¡°But if I catch even a hint of you crossing me not even your Guild will be able to shield you from me.¡± Ted audibly gulped and Eli brightened up. ¡°So we understand each other!¡± Eli said in a chipper voice and got up once more. ¡°Yes sir,¡± he said glumly. Eli snapped his fingers and the bag was once again forced over his head. Ted grumbled in surprise. ¡°Oh, and of course I¡¯m not letting you ¡®just walk out of here¡¯. You will be dropped off at your residence by my good friends. I''m feeling charitable enough to allow you to avoid the gag this time and escape with your dignity intact. Happy trails!¡± A muffled groan was the only response he was given as Ted was led back out. Their departure left Eli alone in his office once again. He propped his elbows on his desk and interlaced his fingers in front of his face.
¡°Excuse me, you have WHAT?¡± The weekly all-hands meeting took place the day after his meeting with Ted. Eli was exhausted and just wanted to get it over with but Tarry¡¯s senior most counsel, who was seated across the boardroom from Eli, was not taking his update particularly well. ¡°I have an informant within the Controller¡¯s Guild,¡± Eli explained casually, ¡°I have it on good authority that the Controllers are becoming compromised.¡± ¡°Whose authority would that be?¡± the senior counsel asked incredulously. ¡°Mine. I¡¯ve identified one and have eyes looking for others,¡± Eli confirmed with a smirk. ¡°Mayor, we need to address this with the Guilds imminently,¡± the senior counsel said, looking deeply scandalized. Eli looked up sternly from across the table. ¡°You¡¯ll do no such thing. I won¡¯t have you undoing my work. He is, at least for now, under my sphere of influence but I will need time to identify others. If we alert the Guilds we will lose all progress and hand everything over to them.¡± ¡°Mayor, you cannot be serious about letting this shyster oversee such delicate matters of national security!¡± he boomed. Tarry squeezed his eyes shut while rubbing his temples. Eli wondered if not telling him in private first was a mistake. Or if telling him at all was the mistake. ¡°Counsel. I respect your advice as always, but I do think there¡¯s value in letting Mr. Briggs continue with his current methods. As always, I will evaluate and determine if we need to pull the plug,¡± he said decisively. ¡°This is absurd!¡± the counsel sputtered. ¡°And these are absurd and uncertain times. I expect you to work together for this common goal,¡± Tarry turned his eyes to Eli sharply, ¡°As for you, keep it clean. If the Guilds find out we¡¯re hiding this from them we will lose arguably more than we stand to gain. Let me be the judge of the progress and inform me of anything noteworthy.¡± Eli nodded reverently. The senior counsel looked furious. ¡°Ladies, gentlemen, I have to run for my next meeting with the Mayors of Donnol and Aspir. Try to stay civil. Give me a report back of action items. Mr. Briggs will be selecting a team to work under him on the issue of tunnel security as it pertains to the Shadow Fellowship, please speak with him with any concerns or interest.¡± Tarry exited without another word or backwards glance. Eli began to wonder if he had put enough thought into damage control. However, it would have to wait. With Tarry now gone the boardroom was more like a stand off than a meeting. Tarry¡¯s senior counsel¡¯s lip curled. ¡°You will be his undoing, you know that? What do you expect will happen to you if he¡¯s no longer in power?¡± Eli gave him an innocent look. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know, but I hope it''s fun.¡± ¡°You treat this as a game,¡± he hissed, ¡°You¡¯ll make a mockery of our sacred democratic institutions just as you¡¯ve made a mockery of the Guilds''.¡± Anger flashed across Eli¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will not hear a word against my nephew,¡± he said warningly, ¡°He is innocent and has every right to be in the Academy.¡± ¡°Whatever you say. Go ahead and play your little games, plans your little schemes, but mark my words I will be watching you and any and every misstep will go straight to the Mayor¡¯s ears,¡± he threatened. ¡°I have no doubt it will,¡± Eli responded smoothly. This was, apparently, the incorrect response because the counsel looked like he wanted to hit him. ¡°Sir, perhaps we should adjourn if there¡¯s no further discussion,¡± one of the younger counsel spoke up. Eli¡¯s eyes shifted to the owner of the voice. James Colton. Tarry had indicated to him when he started that James was one of the newer counsel on the team. Eli didn¡¯t interact much with him outside of meetings so it was unexpected of him to stand up to his boss on Eli''s apparent behalf. ¡°Fine,¡± he hissed, ¡°Watch yourself, Briggs. I won¡¯t let you ruin him.¡± He stormed out without another word and the remaining staff awkwardly filed out one by one. ¡°Ruin him?¡± Eli thought with a roll of his eyes. The melodrama of politics never failed to frustrate him. Eli looked up to find he was alone with Colton who was looking thoughtfully at him. ¡°Mr. Briggs?¡± he asked politely, ¡°I¡¯d like to join your team if you¡¯d allow it.¡± There was an earnestness about him. He was probably at least five years Eli¡¯s junior, broad shouldered and athletic in a way that deviated from the usual counsel type. His blonde hair was messily pushed back in a way that suggested he ran his hands through it too many times per day. Eli chuckled lightly as realization dawned on him. ¡°Oh yeah? Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s a matter of grave importance,¡± he began to explain, ¡°Unlike my boss, I think your methods are necessary to keep ahead of the threat. Everyone plays it so safe, we don¡¯t have time for it.¡± Eli smiled. ¡°Listen, Colton, I hate to tell you this but the team is just for show. I¡¯ll put your name down, you can put it on your resume and get your glory, but I work alone.¡± Eli got up to leave. ¡°But, Mr. Briggs, I know you¡¯re rather busy and could use the help. Did you not reopen your own place of business recently?¡± Eli froze in the doorway and turned around to face him. He gave an amused smirk. ¡°Is your astuteness supposed to impress me?¡± Colton gave him a knowing smile. ¡°No, but can you deny that you could probably use an extra set of eyes to watch for threats?¡± Eli shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of being watched. Lots of people watch me. If you think that your ability to keep tabs on what I do in my other business is supposed to overwhelm me with gratitude then I think you should stick to your legal files.¡± ¡°And how many of those people watching you are doing so because of your association to this office?¡± Colton pressed. ¡°Worried about my safety?¡± Eli said with a mocking smirk, ¡°I work for a public figure now. It comes with the territory.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me who¡¯s worried about your safety,¡± Colton checked his nails casually, ¡°And I¡¯ve heard enough about your methods to have full confidence you can take care of yourself.¡± Eli clenched his jaw. He was starting to become annoyed. ¡°Then I don¡¯t see the point of this conversation any longer.¡± He turned to leave once more and waved lightly as he left. ¡°Does Tarry know about those two people who have been following you around?¡± Eli turned around fully this time. He levelled a glare at Colton but only received a well practiced poker face in return. ¡°If I tell Tarry everything going on in my world I am inherently putting him at risk. He doesn¡¯t need to worry about the details.¡± ¡°You mean he doesn¡¯t need to worry about you. And yet, he does. You know how to play the game in the lower boroughs but you are operating in the dark up here. And now that you''ve insisted on taking on a terrorist organization you¡¯re going to need someone to watch your back in the upper boroughs. I can help you with that.¡± If he was irritated before, Eli was positively bristling now. ¡°I don¡¯t recall asking for advice on how to handle threats to my personal security.¡± ¡°Personal security?" Colton asked in amusement, "How do you figure they¡¯re not an issue of national security? Clearly you felt threatened enough to investigate the Controllers after they entered your radar.¡± A silence fell between them. Eli studied Colton more closely. Eli realized he had underestimated him; he wouldn¡¯t make that mistake again. ¡°What is it you want from me?¡± he asked suspiciously. ¡°It¡¯s not about what I want. It¡¯s about protecting the state. I don¡¯t disagree with your methods, in fact I support them because we need a shake up around here. But working solo is going to create a security gap. If you continue to treat all threats against you as being personal threats you are going to create a national security issue if you attempt to shoulder them all solo.¡± ¡°And you think you¡¯re somehow in a position to help me?¡± Eli asked pointedly. ¡°Simply, yes. I think you¡¯re the only one with the skillset needed to suss out and neutralize the threat at hand but I think you need an ally. It¡¯s a twofold benefit to Tarry to keep you safe because it both stops him from worrying as much and helps to protects him by preventing him from doing something rash. And it¡¯s a benefit to you because you¡¯re rubbish at feeding information up to him and you need someone who can speak the right language at the table.¡± Eli scrutinized him. ¡°Fine,¡± he said finally, ¡°But don¡¯t interfere in my work.¡± ¡°I have no intention of doing so. And to your earlier point I¡¯m not interested in recognition or glory. I just want to see things set right.¡± ¡°Whatever you say,¡± Eli huffed, ¡°I¡¯ll let you know the next time I hear something of interest. I¡¯m going to be gathering intelligence on the upcoming media tour next. I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve given any thoughts of strategy towards that?¡± ¡°It starts in one week, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Colton leaned back in his chair looking thoughtfully at the ceiling. Eli crossed his arms. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I imagine you already have insight from your nephew so let me see what my connections can find out about it. We can keep tabs on where they¡¯re going to be and maintain our own security detail,¡± he suggested. ¡°Okay, good,¡± Eli pursed his lips, ¡°I¡¯ll connect with you before the tour commences.¡± ¡°I look forward to it. Thanks for hearing me out,¡± Colton said as he gave him a friendly smile. Eli only curtly nodded in response before walking out for good this time. He had to admit it sounded helpful but he had never placed any trust in altruism. Information always came at a cost. And he was going to have to figure out the price for this service before it too took him by surprise.