The Alchemist

The Festival

Hasenburg, England

April 24th, 1900

    Night had fallen over the town of Hasenburg. There a warm Spring breeze cut through the bustling streets were the sounds of chatter, and music overwhelmed its usual whistle. Among the bright shop lights that beamed onto the crowds, street lamps were soon lit to push the night's darkness afar; Merchant stalls were also prepared to fight the evening by selling festive lanterns, and even jars of local fireflies. Meanwhile, music rang out from all directions, often a mingle of different melodies from different parties, with the Tavern's array of singing being the loudest. Excited conversation molded into the tunes, always breaking into ripples of laughter, as the festival kept pressing into the night.

    Lian was among those laughing, while she joined a small circle of delighted people. Within the middle two, obviously drunk men had begun dancing to the sounds of drunken singing from the nearby tavern. Her hands began clapping together with the other spectators, as people cheered, and even joined in. There was no method to the madness, as the dancers moved about in silly ways, attempting to dance in their altered states of being. Some fell, others kept going, but all were in bliss.

    But, it wasn't long before she caught sight of a crowd growing around a display a short distance away from the dancing. Without a second thought, she wiggled out the growing circle to abide by her curiosity. She dashed through moving groups, her white cloak flapping behind her as she went, and almost getting caught on a stall in her rush. Though, she paid little mind.

    Once at the chattering crowd, she tried her best to see what the fuss was about. Being on the short side, she found herself having to stand on the tip of her toes to see over a few shoulders, but eventually settling on squeezing past several people till she found a decent view.

    A foreign man was standing upon a beautiful, large purple rug, with several more hanging behind him on display. But to the people of the small European town, he looked as exotic as the rugs he brought. He wore a maroon Achkan jacket that reached past his knees, with white fitting pants under; on top his head he was wearing a navy blue turban that Lian knew meant he was a veteran of some kind. Foreigners weren't too common in Hasenburg, making him feel all the odder looking. Though, it was what was in his hands that really shocked people- a long python.

    The creature slither across his fingers as though it were made of the finest silk; with each movement it bunched its narrow body for brief moments just before thrusting, allowing it to move about his outstretched hands. More often than most would have wanted, it would expose its split tongue that wiggled, causing some people to cringe in awe at the strange, yet beautiful reptile. But it was the python's beady eyes that stuck out the most. Despite it being frighteningly gorgeous, it was its eyes that rendered it sort of cute.

    "Does it do any tricks?" A small boy from his father's shoulders.

    Another child piped in, "Reckon it would! Being it hadn't killed em yet."

    Muttering emerged from the crowd, as they all debated the nature of the snake. Lian continued to watch intently, beginning to wonder if there was more to the snake charmer and his pet than he let on...

    The man merely smiled and used the confusion to reel them in with his next move. Raising his arm where most of the snake resided, he allowed it to dangle its upper body long enough to get gasps from his audience. He then made a loud kissing noise that signaled the creature to perform its next trick. With grace, it descended to the ground before the man's feet and began to slither within the weaved basket till it was out of sight. Anticipation filled the air, as he held up his finger to let the crowd know he wasn't quite finished yet. Bending down, he tapped the basket a few times, before he lifted it, and without warning thrust the contents of the basket at the spectators.