Oh yes they were. Nora nodded to herself with a smile.

Nora paced around the ring with Dragon Jr. behind her. She said, "Are you sure you don't want your son to come back out Dragon? I think a few children still have their innocence intact." Her words this time met the ears of the crowd. A few laughs, a few nods, and a few parents hugging their children. She smiled and gave a shrug to the Dragon.

Dragon spat back, "After being subjected to Hypate and Tarit, I doubt Jackal's swords can scar them any deeper."

Nora said, "Well actually.." She then paused. Actually that was a fair point. Not that she was going to tell him that. With a shrug she said, "It wasn't the swords that scarred them, it was his likeness to you." Cheap of a shot as it was she was going to take it.

"Right? How about something softer." She walked next to Dragon with Dragon Jr. still forever at her side. With a point to her counterpart she said, "A song?" As though the idea had just dawned on her.

Spotlights in the circles started to move around crazily before settling right where Atla would be making her entrance. Nora whispered to Dragon, "Did you bring tissues? This song always brings a tear to my eye."

Dragon's expression turned poisonous and dark. He did not utter a word. All he did was press the blunt side of his axe into Nora to push her away. Knowing her boundaries she took a step back and rolled her eyes.

Nora for the second to last time tonight raised her voice and said, "Ladies, Gentlemen, children of all ages, and everything in-between! I am incredibly pleased to show to you our final act for tonight. A song so sweet and soulful some say it has made even Dragon shed a single tear." Nora stroked a finger down her cheek for emphasis. "A song masterfully accompanied by an act performed by my son Kendict and grandson Adir. I give to you my beloved granddaughter Atla!"

The heavy heart shaking music that had been played the entire show was now replaced by a slow melody. The music did not come from any sort of instrument but was pure magic. Soft hums played as the spotlights centered on where Atla and her family would make their entrance.

But no one came.

At least from where they were supposed to. A man came running from the opposite side of the ring. He was dressed in robes and scarves of different colors and was a bit taller than Nora. His face was shrouded from the crowd by the dim lighting and a hood he wore. An effect he always refused to get rid of.

It was Kendict.

If Nora's eyes could have shot out of her sockets they would have. Her face scrunched up in annoyance and anger. She was about to yell at her foolish son but stopped when she noticed his worried expression.

Kendict came up to Nora breathless and whispered, "We cannot find Atla. She is missing."

Nora stood still and wordless as she processed the information. She opened her mouth to give some sort of order. But she instead stuttered and found herself opening and closing her mouth like a moronic fish. An annoying buzzing in the back of her mind reminded her of the watching crowd. She turned back around to face them and gave a nervous laugh.

"HOWEVER!" She said. "Before our grand finale how about an encore performance?"

The crowd gave a slow confused clap in response.

Nora quickly turned around and gave her hushed orders to Kendict. The son then ran back behind stage right to the dressing area.

"Atla is missing! Anyone still in costume in the ring now performing. Everyone else get looking for her now." He said. Kendict then rushed off to one of the other tents giving little room for arguing.

The music again started blaring in the main tent, waiting for performers to fill the ring for the improvised grand finale. The confused murmur of the audience was getting louder the longer the ring stood empty.

Atla, the star act, had vanished. The last time anyone had seen her was earlier in the day, when she and Jackal had been seen screaming at one another at lunch.

Dragon stomped backstage with his axe and scanned the faces there with a menacing odd-eyed glare. "Someone took Atla," he snarled. "Come with me if you're up for some skull-splitting." He stormed off down the corridor, never for a moment able to consider that his grandson, Jackal, could possibly have anything to do with this.