The Aurora Circus only appeared in the city once every ten years and only when the sky was so dark that the stars looked like scattered diamonds. It was different from all circuses - the arena was in a huge, glittering tent set up on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by old, twisted trees and a fog that never receded before dawn. When Lena, David and their friends saw the mysterious posters, they immediately knew they had to go there - if only for one evening. Even though they were now adults, they still felt a thrill of excitement at the thought of what might be waiting inside. Before entering the circus, they were greeted by a woman dressed in a long silver cloak. Her eyes glittered uneasily in the light of the lanterns. - 'Tonight you are in for an extraordinary experience,' she said quietly, handing them tickets embossed with stars. Inside the tent it was semi-darkness, the air smelled sweetly of candyfloss and something intangible, as if smelling of faraway places. The crowd of people whispered quietly and the lights in the arena slowly came on, illuminating the figures of the performers. In the middle grew a huge structure: a circus cage full of mirrors, from which strange sounds came. The first to perform was an acrobat who floated through the air without a rope, as if disregarding the laws of physics. This was followed by an illusionist who could turn ordinary objects into living animals, with lizards and tiny owls flying out of her hat. However, the biggest excitement came with the announcement of the final show - a number that no one knew yet. As the lights in the arena suddenly went out, the circus orchestra played an unsettling tune, and Lena and David felt the tension among the audience reach its zenith. Thin rays of light began to ooze from a cage in the centre of the tent, and the mirrors on its walls showed reflections that did not at all resemble the people sitting in the audience. Everyone froze. Suddenly, the door to the cage opened slowly and a figure they had never seen before emerged from within it. It seemed to be looking straight at them, although its face was partially obscured by a mask. Silence engulfed the whole tent - Lena held her breath, David felt his heart beating faster. Would the figure speak? Would it show something that would change their view of the world? At that moment, the stage lights trembled and a sound like the echo of distant thunder rang through the air....