The stage went dark as Jin disappeared behind it. Silence fell over the plaza, complete and absolute. Then the stage began to glow gently, a low, shifting light spreading across the floor like dawn breaking over sand.
Jin's voice emerged, deep and resonant, almost as if the wind itself were speaking.
"In the beginning, there was only the desert."
Cardboard waves of sand surged upward from the bottom of the stage, violent and fast, crashing into one another as if driven by unseen storms. Jin's voice returned, heavier now.
"There was only calamity and disaster."
From the churning sands, something began to rise.
A demon emerged.
It was a massive puppet, moving without visible strings, a detail that immediately amazed most of the civilians and nearly all the children present. Gasps rippled through the crowd as the creature fully revealed itself. The demon's face was painted a deep red, its eyes huge and furious, its cheeks thick and swollen. Its fingers twitched constantly, almost uncontrollably, as if barely restrained by the form they were given.
I focused chakra into my eyes, careful to angle my head so my falling hair concealed the glow. What I saw only deepened my awe.
Elastic chakra threads stretched from the demon's limbs, flexible and responsive, attached at multiple points across the puppet's body. The more threads there were, the greater the control. The movement was smooth, unnervingly so, every twitch deliberate, every shift weighted with intent.
The demon opened its mouth.
A thunderous roar echoed across the plaza.
Several children shrieked. A few clutched at their parents. Even some adults stiffened. I was amazed, not just by the spectacle, but by Jin's voice itself, how it carried such raw emotion and force without breaking the illusion for even a heartbeat.
The demon moved slowly now, slamming its massive fists into the stage. Each impact sent the sands rising higher, sand-painted layers above and molten-hued depths exposed beneath. Jin's voice followed, steady and absolute.
"It was a force of nature, uncontrollable and untamed. It resembled the land it ruled."
The demon lowered itself gradually, curling as if surrendering to exhaustion. It lay upon the sands and slowly sank beneath them. The stage grew still, the sand shifting gently as it returned to its calm state.
The desert slept.
The lights dimmed again.
When Jin spoke next, his voice was gentler, quieter, like a story being told beside a dying fire.
"Just before the domain of the desert began was where the warrior lived."
Light ignited once more, revealing a beautifully crafted puppet. The warrior had flowing hair that moved erratically, mirroring the restless nature of sand itself. His eyes were sharp, his face youthful, painted green in sweeping patterns. As he flexed his arms, exaggerated muscles bulged and jumped, drawing loud laughter from the children and amused reactions from several adults.
I couldn't look away.
The level of control required for movements that small was staggering. I had always believed my chakra control was advanced, but what I was witnessing here was something else entirely. Whoever controlled these puppets had devoted their entire time and effort to perfecting this art. It was a discipline all its own, demanding absolute commitment.
The warrior began to walk across the stage in a comical, almost showy manner, stretching his muscles and waving the sword in his hand dramatically. As he moved, he approached another puppet.
An old woman.
She was frail, her movements slow and shaky, a stark contrast to the warrior's fiery and powerful motions. Her eyes were nearly closed, deep wrinkles etched across her painted face as she sat upon the stage, still and weary.
The warrior came closer and sat beside her.
Jin's voice spoke again.
"The warrior asked Eizan, the oracle of his village, what troubled her."
The old woman lifted her head slightly.
"She answered with finality. She had seen the future. The desert would soon consume their land, and the village would be forced to flee to survive."
The warrior rose abruptly.
He raised his sword high into the air. Above it, lightning appeared, crafted from painted cardboard, brilliant white against the darkened stage.
"The warrior refused that fate," Jin declared. "He would not lead his people away only to retreat again in the future. Instead, he chose to take his fate, and the fate of his village, into his own hands."
The stage went dark once more.
"The warrior walked into the desert," Jin's voice echoed through the silence. "For days he traveled, through the burning heat of the day and the freezing cold of the night. He did not sleep. He did not rest. His village's fate weighed heavily upon him."
Waves of sand rose around the warrior as he moved forward, relentless and unyielding. Yet he pressed on, unshaken. Children cheered loudly, impressed by his resolve, while even the adults murmured in admiration at his determination.
Then the lights ignited again.
The demon erupted from beneath the sands, arms flailing in fury.
"The demon awoke," Jin intoned. "Angered by the one who disturbed its slumber. The once silent desert was stirred by the warrior's resolve, and the demon sensed it. Furious that someone had trespassed upon its domain."
A roar thundered across the plaza, louder and more violent than before. Fire flared beneath the rising sand waves. People flinched, some instinctively leaning back in their seats.
"The warrior did not retreat," Jin continued. "He declared that he had come to defend his people's fate, and that he would slay the demon to safeguard their future."
The demon seized a massive wooden rock from the side of the stage and hurled it forward. The warrior reacted instantly, slashing his sword through it. The rock split cleanly in two. One half crashed onto the stage. The other, still guided by chakra threads, flew outward and struck the side of a spectator's table.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
The demon continued its assault, throwing rocks, slamming its fists into the ground. Each impact sent sand surging upward. Each time, the warrior either deflected the blows, retreated just enough to endure, then charged back in to strike again.
Every time the warrior's sword struck the demon, purple stained paint spilled across the stage, seeping into the sands beneath and darkening them visibly.
"The demon's blood was poison," Jin's voice carried, heavy and solemn. "The more of it that was spilled, the more the land became uninhabitable. Yet driven by concern for his people, the warrior continued to strike."
For three days, they fought.
The lights dimmed.
When they returned, the warrior was on his knees, his sword discarded upon the ground. His posture sagged, his limbs trembling, pain evident in every deliberate motion.
"The warrior had been poisoned by the demon's blood."
Light shifted to the demon, lying on the ground, writhing and roaring in anguish and rage.
"The warrior looked upon the battlefield," Jin said softly. "And he saw the truth. The land was dying. The desert itself was withering from the demon's blood."
The warrior slowly raised his head.
"And then he understood. The demon could not be killed. It was part of the desert itself."
Silence gripped the plaza.
"He chose the only path left to him."
The warrior rose, his movements slow, his hand trembling as it reached toward the demon. Despite the pain, it moved with purpose. He pressed his hand against the roaring, furious creature.
"The warrior found the only solution."
The sands surged upward, covering the stage in a blinding glow that imitated fire. Light engulfed everything.
When it faded, the warrior stood alone once more. His colors had returned to normal, but a marking now lay upon his stomach.
"The warrior sealed the demon within himself."
The sands settled.
"By doing so, he safeguarded both the desert and his people in one final act. He chose to remain within the desert, becoming its warden, its ruler, and its guide. Through his vigilance, new lands were opened, and his people's future was secured."
"Forever."
Applause exploded across the plaza.
Children jumped to their feet, cheering loudly, delighted by the warrior's victory. Adults joined in more slowly, their expressions thoughtful, moved by the weight of what had been shown.
I felt a genuine smile spread across my face.
I clapped along with the crowd, grateful to have witnessed something so unique in this life. Not just the story itself, but the incredible talent that brought it to life, and the infectious atmosphere surrounding us all.