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?”
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“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.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
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.
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“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.
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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.