Chapter 76 - The Ceremony Of Five

After Alaric declared the ceremony open, the hall shifted from tension to lively activity. Performers entered almost immediately, filling the space with movement and noise. Clowns juggled and made exaggerated facial expressions that pulled laughter from guests. A group of circus acrobats leaped across the polished floor, flipping and catching each other with practiced ease. A burst of colored sparks sprang up as a group of magic users displayed small illusions, harmless projections of animals running across the walls, shapes dissolving into light, and simple fire tricks that looked controlled enough not to start trouble.