Opportunity Doesn't Knock

Chris felt himself snatched into the air by his legs, and his head cracked against the wood floor, leaving him in a daze. He barely noticed lights coming on, or the door on the other side of the room open. A figure with long white hair, a flowing white beard, and wearing a deep purple velvet robe entered. “What have you caught, Albegerion?”

    Chris regained his senses, but all he could see was the heavy oak desk he’d been investigating when something snatched him up. He tried to maneuver to see who held him up, but stilled when a low hissing reply followed the man’s query, rather than a voice. It was a chilling sound. It was right above him, and he didn’t care to look anymore.

    “Indeed, so it would seem.” Chris’s attention snapped to the robed man, and whoever–whatever–held his legs turned him to face the man. Dark eyes pinned Chris’s. “Tell me, sir, how did you come to be here?”

    This was it. They caught him, and he was going to jail. Chris closed his eyes and gulped. He did the only thing he could think to do. “Please, mister, I know it’s wrong for me to be here, but I was desperate! I haven’t worked in months. My family’s about to be homeless and we’re starving. I had to try something! Please! Just don’t call the cops! I’ll do anything!” Sometimes the truth was worth trying.

    The man in the purple robe pursed his lips and walked to the desk. Whatever held Chris turned him to ensure he was facing the man. Once behind the desk, the man in the purple robe settled into the large leather chair there and steepled his fingers in front of his mouth. He studied the dangling Chris, who for his part held his breath and hoped his plea had worked.

    The robed man lowered his fingers. “You misunderstand me. You should not be here. You are clearly not an initiate, so you should not even have noticed the house, much less gotten inside. It’s why I don’t bother locking the doors and windows, despite the neighborhood. No mundane person should realize it even exists.” He paused. “Even when noticed, the fence is enchanted to dissuade entry, and then there are the wards. Even another adept should have fled in terror.”

    Through the blood rushing to his head, Chris remembered how the fence had stabbed him as he crossed its spiked top, and how terrified he’d been as he crossed the lawn. He’d figured that was because of nerves from trying to rob the place. The robed man interrupted his musings, catching his attention again when he leaned toward him. “So again, the question is, how did you get into this house?”

    Chris gulped. “Well, I was terrified, but I had to try. I was desperate!” He paused and then finished in a rush. “I wasn’t half as scared as I am right now! I’m sorry I tried to rob you! If you let...”

    “Paugh!” The man cut Chris off with a sharp gesture. He leaned back. “Your motives for the intrusion are irrelevant. Who helped you through the wards?”

    “H-helped me? No one helped me,” Chris stammered. “Nobody knew what I was doing!”

    Again, the man steepled his fingers in front of his mouth and studied Chris. Then he smiled with a sinister gleam in his eyes and leaned forward. “I suppose we’ll find out, won’t we?” He stood and snapped, “Place him in the circle, Albegerion!”

    Chris found himself hoisted around the desk. Whatever still held his legs carried him to a pentagram and circle inlaid in ebony on the wood floor. He also got a look at what was holding him up: nothing! A nothing that made a rustling sound, as of scales scraping across the floor, as it carried him to the center of the pentagram and dumped him. Again, Chris’s head hit the floor. His vision faded to gray, from the blow and the blood rushing out of his head now that he was no longer dangling upside-down. Still, he heard rasping as something moved away, even if he couldn’t see it. His attention snapped to the robed man. “You will remain in the center of the circle or you will be restrained. That would not be pleasant.” The man chuckled softly. Chris decided he wouldn’t move if the room caught fire.

    Of course, the next moment, that’s what happened: the room caught fire. The circle and pentagram flashed with a white light as the robed man murmured and gesticulated. Chris stayed motionless and stared in wide-eyed terror at what was going on. He’d thought the old man a kook, but either he’d hit his head harder than he’d thought, or the man was working magic. Of course, there was also the possibility that he was losing his mind.

    The gesturing and murmuring went on for several minutes, then the light faded. The man in the purple robe stared at Chris with a puzzled expression. “You really did not receive any help in getting here.” There was wonder in his tone.

    “T-that’s what I tried to tell you. I was working alone. Nobody knew.” He hesitated. “May I please go now?”

    The robed man shook his head and made a disgusted sound. “The man waltzes into the demesne of an arch-magus, without training or adept help, and then asks if he can go!” He shook his head and walked to sit behind the desk. “No. No, you may not ‘just go.’” He then gestured for Chris to come to him.

    Chris hesitated, but heard scales on the wood again. He ran to the desk and opened his mouth to speak. The other man glared at him, and he clacked his jaw shut.

    The seated man grunted and nodded. “Good, you know some discipline, even when you are afraid and confused.” He rummaged in one of the desk’s drawers. “You and your family have not eaten because you have no work, yes?”

    “That-that’s right...sir,” Chris said.

    “And you’re in danger of being homeless?”

    “Yes, sir.” Chris didn’t know where this was going, but he would not interrupt. The wizard, for that’s all he could be, straightened and laid a pile of gold coins on the desk’s top.

    “I cannot have uninitiated roaming around my house, so I cannot have your family living in my home. You will take these somewhere and sell them for their gold content. Get as much as you are able.” He settled back again and pinned Chris with those dark eyes. “You will bring me some of the money you get for them tomorrow. It does not need to be much, so first you will pay your rent and buy food for your family. You work for me now as my apprentice.”

    “W-what?” stammered Chris nonbelieving. “I-I’m what? You want me to work for you?”

    “I do not enjoy repeating myself, as you will find out. Yes, you work for me now. You will be my apprentice and learn to use the talent you have demonstrated tonight.” He sighed and shook his head. “Without training, you walked into my home! Have you missed what I have been saying? That should not have happened. Noone but another arch-magus should have been able to do it. Now, do as I have instructed: sell those coins, pay your rent, buy food, and bring me some of the money so we will not have to deal in gold anymore and raise suspicions.” The man paused, then waved Chris away. “Come tomorrow. Do not make me send Albegerion out to find you.”

    Chris hesitated a moment, then nodded vigorously, scooped up the gold coins, and ran toward the window he’d entered through. Just as he was about to slip out, the arch-magus called out, “Tomorrow you will use the front door.” Chris fought back a laugh. Instead, he nodded and slipped out into the night.