Act I

It was impossible for her to continue this train of thought as the festival caught up to her other senses. The smell of the candles and perfume was overwhelming, and the constant noise just added another layer to her distraction. No matter how strange it felt to be here alone, at the end of the day, it wasn't like anyone else around her would care much. By the time she had decided to just have fun, the crowd she was being pushed along in had entered the city square propper. A stage in the middle was the only real light outside of a few building's with their windows still open.

Even in the soft light of the moon above, it was easy to tell what was going on. It felt as if everyone had gathered around this area, all for one moment of common gathering. Although Elyon wasn't completely sure what was going on, it was easy enough to pick up on the low murmurs and whispers around her. The winter season was rolling over, and the city itself had to join the sun in slowly rising. The whole thing made very little sense to someone like her, but then again she had just been reading a book that claimed there was a dead God under the most heavily populated mountain on the continent. Who was she to judge the town's festival? 

"Kings, Queens, hooligans, my friend Grete, and my common man, welcome to Garley Keep's 184th annual lighting festival! I'll be your host, Amber Blackstone!"

The crowd went silent, the only noise being people trying to move slightly for a better view as a single lantern now lit up the stage. The speaker waved it slightly in their hand, castling long shadows across the crowd as she showed off the huge grin. Elyon was impressed by both the echoing voice, and the way she held herself. This was a showlady, through and through.

"I'm sure many of you have been to all 184 of these before"

A few chuckles rippled through the crowd, each member glancing at each other to roll their eyes.

"But for those of you who may be new, or may have just wandered out of the rock you live under, the plan is pretty simple. We make enough noise and the heavens above will open up to us and bless us with good weather in the oncoming months, and an even better harvest! So, let me hear those voices!"

The crowd took a few seconds before a few shouts rose above the silence. The lady on the stage nodded as her lantern grew a little more, the fire inside seemingly reacted to the noise. The shouts and echos grew more and more as cheers filled the air, the general mood of growing chaos becoming impossible to escape. Soon enough, the crowd itself was making enough noise that it cascaded off the walls, only doubling the stomping and growing fire. 

"I ask you one more time, who wants to have a good harvest and drink themselves into the spring!"

With one final thrust, Blackstone threw the crowd over the edge of their own excitement. Even Elyon found herself cheering and jumping up and down, the mood becoming impossible to ignore as the fire in Blackstone's lantern broke forth, cascading upwards into a brilliant pillar of flame. 

"I welcome you all to Garley Keep 184th festival!"

With one last declaration that rose even above the noise of the crowd, the fire split four directions and coiled overhead, igniting every street lamp and casting the entire city into the light. 

So THIS is how they do festivals in big cities. Elyon couldn't help but laugh and let the last of her worries slip away as the crowd continued its cheer. Somewhere nearby, a band broke out into music and the entire area seemed to dance together into a mass of coiling bodies. Before Elyon was whisked away, she got one last glance at the stage where Blackstone was sitting on the edge, a huge grin across her face as she watched the chaos she had created down below. There seemed to be a hint of smugness in it, but she disappeared from view before any more judgements could be made.