A loud voice rang from a street corner in the Desert Village, echoing across it. The sun blazed down on the village that day with a strange fervor. Many people walked around, sweat furrowing their brow and their uncomfort clear. A small crowd seemed to be gather around the voice, which constantly sang out invitations to join it. Standing on a streetcorner next to a building, a young man directed the crowds, a warm smile on his face as he called out to them. He didn't seem bothered much by the unusual heat, despite his heavy clothing, instead painting himself as the picture of calm and collected. There was a small table covered with various objects next to him. Most of the crowd seemed confused by his actions, uncertain what he was up to. Eli knew exactly what he was doing however; this was a routine he had practiced many times before. Once he felt enough people were gathered, he turned away from the crowd, relaxing his shoulders and himself briefly.
Turning back around, he met the impromptu audience with a grand gesture, raising his arms high above himself. He clear his throat loudly, bringing the small chatter amongst the crowd to a silence, all waiting for his next word. He smiled. "Thank you, thank you, ladies and gentleman. I am very pleased to be before you today. I am Eli, a wandering entertainer here for your enjoyment. Today I hope to fill you with wonder through some simple tricks and help alleviate your struggles with today's terrible heat. But to do this, I need a volunteer." He walked back towards his table, grabbing two objects off it; a small bucket and a deck of playing cards. He placed the bucket before him, obviously to collect some small change for his efforts, and began shuffling the deck. Looking out into the crowd, he gave a warm smile. "Do I have any volunteers?"