I dragged my friend down the trail, the sound of the music getting louder as we went. "Faster, Adeena," I said, laughing as our feet stumbled on the path. Adeena squealed gleefully as I guided her through the forest.

Her foot caught a root but I was prepared. She gripped my arm tight while pulled her up, hardly even slowing down.

The sound of drums and flutes bounces off the trees and wrapped us in its beat and excitement.

"Do you see anything yet?" Adeena said, her unseeing eyes blue and wide.

"Nothing yet," I said, looking past the trees. There was a sudden burst of light and I cried, "We're here!"

The trail turned downward and we kept running, down into the valley with the music, tents, and magicians, casting spells for all of the young children. Their hands formed light and fire, wrapping the spectators in sparks and magic.

"I can smell something," Adeena said.

"That's probably the wassail," I said, filling my lungs with the sweet smell. "I heard they were making some for the children this year, without the ale."

"Mmm, I'm excited!" Adeena said. She pulled my arm. "Let's go!" We came closer to all of the magic. In our land, we didn't have many sorcerers. Our country was founded by Havens, a people who dealt with potions and plants instead of magic. I knew many droughts for many things. A centaur ailing from the River Curse? I could help my mother and father prepare a special cordial for him and almost always cure him.

But Sorcerers and Magicians? They had it all. Who wouldn't want to make a dog appear out of thin air? Most of the Havens argued that Sorcerers never used their powers for good, only pleasure. Adeena and I had to sneak away to come to the festival. Our parents would never approve of our meddling with magic.

"Do you think they could fix my eyes?" Adeena said, trying to sound offhand. I squeezed her hand and gazed into the vast crowd. "We'll try to find someone," I said.

We strolled down the worn paths, laughing and experiencing the world of magic. As we were stopped watching one magician grow a tree in a matter of seconds, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned and saw Nicolaus, a neighbor, and a friend of my parents.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"We just wanted to see," I said hastily. Adeena whirled around. "Nic?" she said. "Why are you here?"

Nic smiled and said, "Same as you. Curious." He turned and walked to another attraction.

"He's gone," I said, heart beginning to slow.

We wandered over to one tent with a huge crowd. "Gather 'round!" a man called out. "Come witness the impossible! 20 spells in one minute!"

Adeena gasped. "That's a lot," she said.

"It is?"

"Most can only get off 8 or 9 in a minute," she said. "We have to go watch."

Pushing our way through the crowd, we finally made it to the front, crawling the last little bit.

"Witness the extraordinary Speedcaster!" the man on the stage said. He bowed out and a man came out in a bolt of lightning. I jumped and then joined in the clapping of the crowd.

"Welcome!" he said. "I am honored by your presence."

"What does he look like?" Adeena said in my ear.

I cocked my head and examined him. "He doesn't look like a regular Sorcerer," I said. "He wears a type of leggings."

"Just leggings?" Adeena said, scrunching her nose.

"And a plain doublet," I said. "Very plain." I giggled. "It looks a bit like my brother's pajamas."

"Get on with the show!" a woman called from the back. The crowd laughed. The Speedcaster raised his hands and nodded. "Of course. Morri, strike up some music!"

A short man in front of a group of musicians nodded and began to lead his band in a very strange sort of music. There were a lot of drums and the lute had a very simple tune.

The Speedcaster took a deep breath and began to speak, slowly at first and then picking up speed. Things began to appear in front of him and he disappeared and reappeared in the back of the room. The crowd gasped and he appeared back at the front of the tent, perched at the end of the stage. With a final burst of words that made me feel like my brain was receiving information at the rate of a snail, plums rained down on everyone and he disappeared, a gold pedestal where he used to be.

No one said anything for a moment and then... cheers and applause that made my ears ache. "He's gone! I nearly screamed into Adeena's ear. She gasped and cried out, "He can do it. He can fix my eyes!"

There was the sound of an explosion from outside the tent and screams began to replace the applause. "What's happening?" Adeena said, clutching my hand tight. "I don't know," I said, beginning to through the crowd again. An edge of the tent caught fire and flames erupted around. The flames reflected in Adeena's eyes and we fell backward, covering our heads to avoid being trampled by the fleeing crowd.

Someone stepped on my hand and I cried out in pain. I drew back my arm instinctively from Adeena and she screamed. "Where are you?!"

"I'm here, I'm here," I panted, crawling towards her. I looked up and my eye caught another's: the Speedcaster. He was on the stage again, staring into the chaos. "Help us!" I screamed. He shook himself out of his trance and yelled out a spell. In a flash of light, we were in the trees again.

"What happened?" Adeena said.

"We're out," I said. "The Speedcaster-"

"You're safe now." We both whirled around and saw the Sorcerer sitting on a mossy log. "I think this might have been my fault."

"What do you mean?" Adeena asked. I stood and looked back towards the carnival. It was covered in flames and dark shapes flitted about through it. "Who are they?" I asked.

"They're looking for me," the Sorcerer said. "I don't belong here."

"What do you mean?" Adeena repeated. The Speedcaster sighed and said, "There are five worlds that host life. Each one lacks just one of the five elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Magic." He shrugged. "Mine doesn't have magic, yours doesn't have water."

"I've heard of water," I said. "Something that keeps everything alive? Impossible. Life isn't that basic."

"I guess," the Speedcaster said. "Anyway, I found out how to get here, your world, and found I had a knack for magic. Not only that, but I could also impress those around me with my speed. I thought it was silly. There are a whole bunch of what you call, 'Speedcasters," in my world."

"Really?" Adeena said. "You're the fastest I've ever heard. There's a spell to fix blind eyes but you have to say the certain words in a certain amount of time. People haven't been able to accomplish it in centuries."

"Really? Do you have the words?"

Adeena reached into the pocket on her apron and handed the man a piece of wrinkled paper she had been carrying around for years. He examined it and blew out a puff of air. "This is even a lot for me. The other rappers in my world- the Speedcasters- could do this easily. Let me try." He began to mutter the words, head bobbing to some unknown beat.

"Let's give it a go," he said, taking a big breath.

"Haec-oculis-universi-rursus-sine-vitio-vel-culpa-tantum-perfectionis-puritatem."

He blinked and looked at Adeena. "Did it work?"

"I-"

"SPEEDCASTER!"

"Crap," he said. "Gotta go. Good luck." He said, "Proxima vigilia ad te relinquo," and disappeared.

The dark shapes appeared next to Adeena and me and morphed into people with dark hoods. "Where is the Speedcaster?"

I shrugged. They turned to each other shook their heads, turning back into smoke and searching the forest once again.

I turned to Adeena and watched her pale blue eyes clear and turn a light green. She smiled. "I see you," she said quietly.

"Really?" I said, gripping her hands. "What color is my frock?"

She laughed and said, "Blue, like the sky right now."

Looking up into the darkening sky peppered with stars, I nodded. "You're right."

She sighed and hung her head.

"What?" I said, lifting her chin. "Is everything all right?"

"I didn't get to thank him."

I took her hand and we walked back to the trail to begin our journey home.