The Grand Cascade

A mega event that happens once every 5 years in the city of Mythrails, which is the capital of StoneHollow. Thousands of people from all over the country come to this event excitedly with their families.

The event allows various talented individuals in various fields like Music, Dancing, Acting, Magic etc.

…

The theatre looked very royal and elegant. The velvet-colored screen on the stage was shut. The audience which covered the whole stadium was waiting excitedly for the next performance. Just now they witnessed an extraordinary play about two brothers.

The backstage was also filled with nervous performers.

“Mr Jayden…Mr Jayden” a theatre worker shouted, trying to find the person among the sea of performers.

“Here…I'm here” a young, cheerful voice shouted as he pushed through the crowd and appeared before the theatre worker.

“You're up next” the worker announced. He looked at the young man with curiosity.

The man wore a typical magician’s mask with a coat and white gloves, he was also wearing a mask that covered just his face. His eyes showed confidence and excitement but also a little nervousness.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the next performance is going to be the best magic show you've ever seen in your life. Let's welcome, Jayden the Magician” the announcer announced loudly.

The curtains opened, revealing Jayden, standing calmly with a smirk.

‘All those sleepless nights were for this very moment. I'm gonna blow these people's minds’ Jayden composed himself. His emotions were reaching a peak seeing the sea of audience awaiting his show. He vaguely felt that he could perform any trick in the world.

Jayden suddenly felt a sharp pain in his eye. He clutched one side of his head in pain.

‘Argh, not now’ Jayden frowned.

Jayden ignored the pain, composed himself and stepped into the limelight.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome. I'm not gonna waste my time with words and move on to the first trick” Jayden laughed as he swiped the air in front of him.

Immediately out of nowhere, five cards appeared in his hands. It was A, Q, J, K, and Joker. The audience shouted in amazement.

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Jayden just smirked and threw the five cards toward the audience. To their amazement and stupefaction, the five cards turned into 25 cards.

Midway through the air, the cards turned into paper decorations and fell on top of the audience. Some people in the audience picked up those decorations and threw them in the air, clapping and shouting in amazement.

“Woah, this guy is good” a man said excitedly. His female partner nodded in agreement.

“Hold your horses, I'm just starting” Jayden laughed in confidence.

“Now, for my second trick” Just as Jayden’s voice echoed throughout the theatre his figure shattered like a mirror. There were just pieces of mirror where Jayden was standing previously.

“Omg…what happened?? How did he do that??” the audience shouted in bewilderment. They have never seen something like that.

Jayden appeared from the side, clutching his head in pain. His face showed a pained smile. The audience shouted wildly in joy.

‘What’s happening? There is no way I could pull off something like that. Also, the pain is unbearable’ Jayden thought to himself in panic. He was barely struggling to maintain his composure.

Without anyone noticing, his pupils transformed into an inward spiral. A mysterious grey aura swirled around him. But it was not visible to the audience.

“For my third trick, I’m gonna go home, haha” Jayden laughed awkwardly as he threw a red cloth in the air. As the cloth touched his magician’s hat, he instantly vanished.

The crowd was confused for a second, but after a few moments everyone stood up and applauded loudly, but Jayden wasn’t there to witness them.

…

Jayden found himself once again on the stage of the cascade theatre, but there was no sea of audience.

‘What’s happening? Aren't I supposed to be in the underground compartment?’ Jayden thought with a frown. The pain in his eyes subsided momentarily.

“Hello” Jayden shouted, but all he could hear was his echo.

As he was about to get down the stage, he once again felt the sharp pain in his eyes. But this time, the reaction was more intense than the previous times.

“Arggghh” Jayden shouted in pain as he got down to one knee. He felt like dying. He opened his eyes in pain. Both the empty world and the real world overlapped.

“Heyy…hey, over here” Jayden shouted in pain as he noticed the sea of people, but no one seemed to notice him.

‘Am I going to die?’ Jayden thought as he noticed blood dripping onto the floor. It was to his horror that he noticed blood was dripping down from both his eyes.

Jayden passed out in shock, fear and pain.

After a while, Jayden opened his eyes groggily. The pain came back, but it was substantially less. Jayden noticed an old man standing in front of him with a smile.

“Grandpa Joe?” Jayden asked in confusion. The old man in front of him was Grandpa Joe, his grandfather, who raised him single-handedly.

“Hey Jayden, what are you doing? Get back on your feet” Grandpa Joe said with a smile.

“Grandpa Joe, please help” Jayden extended his hand in relief when he suddenly remembered something.

“Wait….how are you alive? Didn't you die 3 years ago” Jayden shouted in horror and panic as he instantly distanced himself from ‘Grandpa Joe’.

“Kid, why are you acting this way? Did you forget who taught you everything and made you who you are today? Don't I at least deserve a hug?” Grandpa Joe smirked as he neared Jayden.

Hearing Grandpa Joe’s words and his state of confusion, Jayden didn't move and let Grandpa Joe hug him.

But Grandpa Joe passed right through him.

“Ahhhh….a ghost, help meee” Jayden shouted in horror as he started to run away from the theatre. He left the grounds of the Grand Cascade and kept on running without looking back.

Eventually, he reached a bar situated at the end of a street.

“Drown” Jayden muttered as he saw the board’s sign.