Cirque Periculum

Chapter 5.2

The sun dipped down, casting orange light on the crowd of performers. A chair was placed near the door of the tower. Connor was ushered to it. He sat down and Amanda came out of the building to stand in front of him.

"Don't be afraid," she whispered to him. It didn't really help his thumping heartbeat or sweaty palms. He looked up at her to find her eyes glowing white.

"I see a single person divided in half, conflicted. One side is wild and warm while the other is cool and free. The two sides are struggling to take over one another. If the wild and warm side wins the person will see happiness, but at the price of another. If the cool and free side wins the person will- will hurt another. He will turn to anger, and that will be his demise."

Connor looked up at her in astonishment. How could the gift of flight lead to that? He looked up at her expecting she was done, but her eyes still glowed brightly. When she spoke again, her voice was raspier.

"There is someone in this camp with darker goals than what they first appear to have. They will betray the camp. Fear the alchemist."

After she said this her shoulders slumped and her eyes closed. Everything was quiet until a voice shouted out from the crowd.

"It's him! He's going to betray us!" it shouted. This caused an eruption of voices trying to talk over each other. Connor noticed a lot of glares directed towards him, but said nothing. He noticed Adam and Riley in the crowd, arguing with a man twice their size. Everyone seemed to be fighting each other.

Suddenly a vine broke out of the mass of people and hit Connor across the cheek. He immediately felt a trickle of blood run down the side of his face. More elements and flashes of light exploded from the crowd.

Connor watched as Mr. Summertin and Mr. Barge pushed their way to Connor. He got to his feet as they approached and Mr. Summertin climbed onto the chair.

"ENOUGH!" he yelled. It was followed by a blue pulse from Mr. Barge. The crowd was pushed back with the force from the pulse, but everyone quieted.

"Amanda has given us information that we must use. Nobody ever said that the traitor was Connor. Just because it followed his fortune does not mean it is him!"

Connor shrunk away from Mr. Summertin. The man was intimidating without the extra height of the chair, but this was ten times worse. His face was red and his hands were balled into fists.

Who would have darker goals? Connor thought as he watched the writhing body of people. His eyes found Mr. Salem. He could be part of it.

"I want everybody in their tents for the night. There is nothing to discuss. Just be on high alert and inform me if you find anything suspicious. Good night to everyone."

The crowd dispersed on command, but the uneasy feeling in Connor's stomach didn't go away. Nobody talked to him, and Adam pretended to be asleep when he went in the tent. As he sat on his bed, one line of Amanda's prophecy ran through his head, sending chills down his spine. He didn't understand what it meant, and he didn't want to.

Fear the alchemist.

***

Wow, how would you like to have a prophecy like that given to you? Make sure to vote and/or comment if you enjoyed or have some advice for me. Thank you!