A.N: Hi to everyone who reads this! This'll be my first real attempt at writing and sticking to a story, so I hope it's a good start into what I hope will become a full, completed story at some point. As is always the case, I don't own anything except the plot and my own characters. Thanks for reading, please leave a review so I can get some idea what people think about my writing. Much love, Rana.
Prologue: Welcome to the circus of Illusions.
The thrill of excitement that ran through the crowd was contagious. Following the announcement of the next act, the roars and chants shook the thin fabric roof, leaving wide grins plastered across the faces of both the master and the act herself. Taking a last moment to adjust her trailing coat and roll up her too long sleeves once more, the young girl stepped grandly between the parted material acting as a door into the main tent, raising her short arms above her head, making small gestures with her hands that sought to further encourage the spectators in the stands.
Up above, hanging from various ropes and silks, dangled the rest of her entourage, gymnasts all and talented at their craft. When the beat of drums began behind her, echoing ominously to the high tented ceiling, the girl swept her arms down, a shower of sparks erupting behind her as a giant reared up from the shadows, made entirely of shifting white light. To the gasps and cries of the audience, the girl spun expertly creating a spectacle of being afraid and scampering towards one of the lowest resting gymnasts. The man in question reached down with one hand, hanging upside down on his silken rope as he hauled the young girl into the air with the rest of the group, her shocking white hair streaming behind her banner-like.
As she experienced the brief weightlessness of being airborne, the girl flipped to face the giant which was lumbering awkwardly after her through the tent, just as the creature let out a deafening roar throwing its massive head back and stomping heavily on the hard-packed earth. The next second, another pair of arms caught her around the middle, hoisting her further into the air towards the fabric roof, and towards a separate hanging rope. Catching it tightly in one hand, the girl twisted her legs around the rope, allowing her to be suspended without needing her arms. With a large smile, she swung in dizzying patterns around her fellow acrobats as the giant shambled beneath them, lifting heavy arms to bat at the performers.
Watching carefully in the glass panels placed strategically around the tent, so that all the spectators as well as the performers were granted an exceptional view of the happenings, the girl subtly directed the giant to lumber over to a section of the crowd nearest the large opening flap that served as the main entrance. The creature roared in their faces, causing many screams of both fear and excitement, spittle in the form of small white sparks flickered harmlessly against their skin. Just as the girl was about to lower herself into the giant's large hand, it having moved to hover beneath her, the feared shout rose from the entrance: "Mage!"
Immediately the giant vanished into sparks, the master moving into the main ring to waylay the encroaching templars, offering explanations of mirrors and Antivan spark throwers while the gymnasts carefully disentangled themselves from their positions and made for solid ground. Attendants were hurrying members of the audience, out of the area, while many gave nasty looks to both the girl and the templars, mistrust of magic and their previous enjoyment being interrupted warring for dominance within their minds. The young girl herself attempted to slip surreptitiously back into the patrician reserved for performers, slinking between shadowed folds in the material walls.
Opening the parted fabric and cautiously peering inside, the girl spotted two men outfitted in gleaming Silverite, bearing the flaming sword on their breastplates. Too late, she tried to reverse back into the arena, only to bump into the third templar who had come up behind her, incredibly stealthily for someone of his height of over six feet, and wearing full heavy armour. The templar gripped her shoulders roughly as she squirmed in his arms, attempting to slip his hold, to no avail. With head hanging in surrender, she was escorted between the three men past her friends and fellow performers alike, the master reached out a hand to her, helpless as they dragged his star away. Her last glance of her life before was of confused guests and torn fabric hanging over the entrance of a great tented arena.