Wyzett's heart was a tangle of hope and dread. He longed for another companion on this journey, yet the thought of exposing Luna to the dangers of Ancient Magic filled him with fear. It was only because he had gained so much that he now dreaded losing it.
"Læviasa!"
Luna's voice rose and faded, light as a dream. Nothing happened.
"This magic doesn't work for me, does it?" she asked softly.
Her voice was airy, almost like a distant song—yet there wasn't a hint of disappointment in it.
Wyzett let out a quiet breath, shook his head, and forced a smile. "It was just a spur-of-the-moment idea I had after seeing the ruins. You know about composite spells, right? I wanted to try combining the Levitation Charm with something else, to create a more useful spell… but it looks like it didn't work out."
"Is that so?" Luna met his gaze, her pale silver eyes shimmering with a clarity that seemed to pierce right through him.
Wyzett dropped his head, feeling his ears grow warm. He quickly looked away, rubbing at his earlobe.
"We've got plenty of time!" Luna beamed. "You can teach me something else later… The most important thing is, no matter what happens, we're family. That'll never change, alright?"
A lump rose in Wyzett's throat; his nose stung with emotion. He nodded firmly. "Of course!"
Between the two of them, no more words were needed. Understanding and acceptance flowed naturally.
...
Evening settled over Sweden, the long daylight now draped in a soft orange veil.
After a quick rest, Xenophilius sat in his room, carefully polishing the Crumple-Horned Snorkack horn. Though they hadn't found the creature itself, bringing back the horn was still a victory.
As he worked, Xenophilius asked, "Wyzett, do you know anything about Crumple-Horned Snorkacks?"
"I've heard a bit from Luna," Wyzett replied.
"Then let's talk about the horn today!" Xenophilius said cheerfully, admiring the twisted spiral. "Pandora once told me, if a Crumple-Horned Snorkack ever appeared, its horn would glow. People with a real openness to the unusual can touch the horn and call the Snorkack to them. But this horn's never glowed, which means there isn't one nearby." He tucked the horn into Luna's backpack. "Otherwise, with my Luna's gifts, I'm sure she could summon one!"
Outside, the village was growing livelier by the minute. Xenophilius finally stood, sweeping his hand grandly. "Let's be off! After the show, we'll get a good night's sleep and tomorrow, the hunt for the Snorkack continues!"
Under the dusky sky, the magical circus stood at the village center, its multicolored tent impossible to miss. Joyful, lilting music drifted through the air as the entrance curtains parted, spilling rainbow light across the crowd.
Wyzett and the others followed the flow of people into the tent, their eyes immediately drawn to the dazzling orbs of light floating overhead. The orbs shimmered and shifted colors, sometimes plummeting toward the audience before soaring back up, drawing bursts of laughter from all around.
For both Luna and Xenophilius, this was their first time at a circus. Their eyes sparkled with childlike wonder and excitement.
Wyzett was a bit more composed—he'd seen circus acts on TV in his previous life, but never experienced the thrill in person.
When the hunched ringmaster appeared, the show began in earnest. The orbs of light gathered at center stage, illuminating the acrobats as they took their places.
The acrobats soared and tumbled through the air, their movements impossibly graceful, aided by magic and enchanted props. They seemed to defy gravity itself, drawing gasps and applause with every daring leap.
Their bodies were astonishingly flexible—like sheets of parchment, they twisted and folded in midair, sometimes even bending so far their stomachs pressed against their heads. It was almost unbelievable.
They even choreographed "mistakes" into the act—suddenly dropping to the ground with a thunderous crash and a cloud of dust, only to bounce back up like springs, earning delighted laughter from the crowd.
Next, a flock of tiny dragons swooped onto the stage, trailed by three clowns. The dragons shrieked and spat orange-red flames at the clowns, who ran about in comic terror, their bodies wrapped in more and more flames. Suddenly, the flames gathered together, forming a huge, snarling dragon that chased the little dragons around the stage.
The audience erupted with laughter and applause, swept up in the spectacle.
As the dragons and clowns exited, a majestic Hippogriff swooped down from above, a clown clinging to its back. The clown was a bundle of nervous energy, hopping and slipping, nearly falling off—only to be caught at the last second by the Hippogriff.
One act followed another, and the sky outside darkened. Through the occasional gap in the curtain, the deepening night was visible beyond.
The grand finale arrived. The three clowns returned, leaping high into the air—instantly, three enormous sharks appeared, swimming through a giant bubble that enveloped the stage. The sharks darted and spun, scattering the orbs of light, then gliding back and forth across the stage like they were in a magical aquarium.
Thunderous applause filled the tent as the sharks transformed back into clowns, relief etched on their faces.
The ringmaster shuffled back onstage, leaning heavily on a spear-shaped cane. His condition seemed dire—he coughed violently, blood splattering the stage.
Wyzett's brow furrowed. A sense of foreboding prickled at his skin. He turned to Luna and the others. "Let's go. Now!"
Luna didn't hesitate. Trusting Wyzett completely, she stood and grabbed Xenophilius's wrist. "Dad, let's go!"
"Leave now?" Xenophilius was startled, but seeing the look on Wyzett's face, he nodded. "Alright!"
At that moment, the ringmaster erupted in a burst of silver-blue light. Grooves split open in the center of the stage, forming a spiraling cyclone pattern!
Wyzett, Luna, and Xenophilius were still a ways from the exit. The instant Wyzett saw the cyclone, he didn't hesitate—he pressed his palms together, fingers flying in a rapid sequence of hand signs.
A shimmering magical barrier flared to life, enveloping the three of them.
The cyclone pattern blazed with dazzling light, sweeping across the tent. Everyone touched by the light transformed—suddenly, the audience was a herd of startled reindeer.
As the light receded, Wyzett grabbed Luna and dashed for the exit.
Onstage, the clowns' faces twisted in resistance as they morphed back into sharks, swooping through the air to drive the panicked reindeer toward the stage, blocking any escape.
Whenever a reindeer resisted, the sharks lunged, snapping their jaws and hurling the poor creature onto the stage.
After several reindeer were dealt with this way, the rest could only tremble and edge closer to the stage, their eyes wide with terror and dread...
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