The Trickster’s Hat

'HUMANS—'

'Creatures that yearn for absolute perfection, be it feasible or not.' The introduced figure intriguingly stroked his hat as he flipped through the pages of his thoughts.

'They crave for the inviting warmth of the sun during the winter. But yet the same criticize it for its scorching presence at summer.'

He slowly stepped forward, inviting great reverence and honour the crowd bestowed in the form of welcoming chants.

'It's almost like it should be ever changing to their individual longings, perfect even, if one might add. Isn't it?' He spread his arms, basking in the glory of their praise.

'Even so—such are the rules guiding every act on stage.'

'Especially those…'

'Of a Trickster.' The showman continued to relish in their outpour of applause all the while still surfing a wave of thoughts.

'Our calling lies open on stage, our duty being to make even the impossible seem simply possible.' 

The Trickster stared into the blinding lights that hung above him, it's rays radiating so brightly that everyone down to the farthest of the audience could visibly behold the splendor of the showman.

'But alas, no man is perfect in their craft.' He smirked lugubriously before turning his attention back to the crowd.

'And sadly the same goes for Tricksters as well—' The man's doleful grin was slowly transformed into one of mirthful exuberance.

'With me being the only exception that is.' He slowly brought his hand inside his sleeve.

'I alone stand perfect in the arts of tricks…'

'AS!—' His light purple eyes gleamed radiantly in pure ecstasy.

'THE GREATEST SHOWMAN OF ALL'

'ASTRAVAN THE MACHIAVELLIAN TRICKSTER!'

He stopped the ruffling under his sleeve pulling out a few dozen cards before swiftly sending them flying into the air. The ends of his dark purple suit billowed behind him slightly as he swiftly dropped his arms after the throw.

"Laws, you can call them ordinances that control our every action." Astravan audibly voiced as he moved around a single point on stage, before cutting his movements short.

He stood still in wait of the cards, being so motionless that even his ash lengthy hair remained stagnant. 

The cards slowly fluttered in the air, their height getting lower and lower until it hovered before the showman, then—

WHOOSH

In a flash he swayed his right hand before them, causing dozens of cards to vanish completely out of sight without a single trace.

The crowd sat flabbergasted at the vanished props, some even leaning over their seats to get a better view of where the cards must have gone.

"They orchestrate our feelings, motives and quite shockingly guide natural phenomena." Astravan continued, lifting up the mystifying top hat that sat atop his head.

He then proceeded to show his signature black coloured hat, which was charmingly designed with a stunning otherworldly pattern and a bright red strap of fabric that went beautifully across the headwear.

Slowly he presented the red colored innards of the hat to them, convincing all of its emptiness before flipping the hat over and letting go of it. 

The crowd let out a loud gasp of shock as everyone observed in bewilderment, the bizarre hat that now floated in mid air without any physical contact whatsoever.

With a cunning smirk he then proceeded to ruffle through the hat which stood afloat in the air, but when he retracted his hands the crowd's curiosity grew even greater.

In his hands were the same cards he had earlier made vanish and just like before, he threw them above once more, the cards fluttering shakily over the gaze of everyone.

Astravan then rubbed his palms together as both his pure white gloves swabbed against one another.

"But what if we ignored the very concept of the laws that guide the world?" Astravan swiftly swiped his signature hat, placing it back atop his head.

Below the blinding spotlights, something of greater radiance began to gleam with such a thick glow that even the white hue of the lights were bathe in that very thing's purple glow.

That very thing was the fabled "TRICKSTER'S HAT" that he now donned as his trusty head wear.

The cards began their descent, fluttering downwards towards the spot of the great showman.

"The most basic law of gravity states, what goes up must surely come down." Astravan's face took a duplicitous look, the cards being inches away from falling on the stage's floor.

"BUT—" The cards immediately paused, adopting a completely motionless state as purple surges of energy streamed across their sharp edges.

"WHAT IF THEY DIDN'T COME DOWN?" The crowd immediately erupted in loud cheers, as the once fluttering cards were brought to a steady halt.

"What if we could break the very laws that guide these strange phenomena?" The cards immediately shook violently, racing speedily around Astravan.

Dozens of playing cards enveloped with a mystical aura began to swirl rapidly around the very much elated trickster.

In an instant, he then caught one glowing card from among the dozens, beginning to contort its shape into that of a paper bird.

The master showman then crushed the paper bird within his palms as he rubbed them together, seemeingly trying to create something much more exciting.

The crowd watched even closer, both their concentration and excitement for the trick soaring to new heights. 

"We could perhaps attempt to conjure life from lifelessness."

Astravan then threw what lied under the grasps of his two palms into the air, but it wasn't a paper bird anymore…

Exclaimed cheers and applauds of satisfaction erupted from amongst the crowd as they all witnessed a live dove flutter its wings, swiftly flying away from the Trickster's arms.

He stroked his well kept beards as he moved casually around the stage.

"Or summon life—" His eyes once more adopted an bright glow as his face stretched to form an ecstatic grin.

"From nothing." The room was immediately thrust into a noiseless silence. The quiet being so prominent that the ruffling of the showman's clothes echoed across the theatre.

"Summon life out of nothing?" Trick's innate curiosity took form as a bright crimson glow gleamed through his bewildered eyes.

"What are you thinking Master?" The boy clenched unto his uniform, inches away from falling off his seat.

The entirety of the theatre began to quake heavily as Astravan slowly removed his mystical hat from his head, letting it float before him, while he in turn put his arms above it mumbling inaudible words.

The hat then glowed with a blinding purple radiance one so bright and powerful that even the before elated crowd began to sink into their seats in awe.

"Come forth from your resting place!" Astravan's commands resonated across the entire stadium. Causing billowing winds to heavily blow over the audience at short intervals.

"Arise from your slumber and bless us with your presence!—"Streams of purple energy fired from the hat, casting a weighted pressure upon everyone in the theatre house.

"ATHANASIOS, THE GREAT AND MIGHTY!"