November / December 100 Word Anonymous Challenge

[elvet]

This is the thread for the stories.

Theme: Dance

Genre: Sword and Sorcery Fantasy

I (elvet) will be accepting entries until midnight (my time) on Monday the 16th of December (aka 5am GMT on the 17th of December). I will post a poll the next day, and voting will continue until midnight (my time) on Sunday the 22nd of December (aka 5am GMT on the 23rd of December). Please give your entry a title, otherwise it's quite complicated distinguishing between them when it comes to voting.

Please do not post replies here. PM Your entries to @elvet.
Any discussion may be continued in this thread.

 

[elvet]

Songs of Experience

Kha and Volen watched a dancing boy, as slender and graceful as a reed, perform before an audience of women drunk on sour wine. He neared one of the ladies with a grin. Kha tossed a dagger at the boy's feet, barely missing his toes. He hissed, spat green venom, and moved away.

"How did you know he was a serpent?" Volen sipped his mineral water.

"He's too pretty to be human," Kha replied. "Besides, once you've had your heart broken, you learn to recognize the predator and the prey." She threw a coin to the boy with a sigh.

 

[elvet]

Exit in the Flash Mob

Barbarian rolled over in the mud in agonizing pain. Gushing blood, he staggered to rise. Looking for the mage, he rushed to the body down the forest trail. ‘NO!’ He snatched the scalding amulet from his neck. ‘The name!’ World started spinning...crushing his insides. He hit a grey floor.

*Just beat it, beat it!

-Hey!
-Dude, watch it!

Rising his blade, he roared through the synchronized dancing crowd:

-MARRAGBAS!

A young girl turned with a compelling pull. The evil glint in her eyes vanished as she slumped down with a blade in her throat.

Barbarian collapsed in peace.

 

[elvet]

Roz & Gill

Gill woke to the hack and scrape of sword on scaly hide arising from beneath his window.

In the courtyard, he found Roz sparring with her demons. The deadly ritual paused as he arrived, his daughter breathing hard, her creatures bearing fangs. It flew on the moment he sat down to watch.

As each winged harpy fell, bound again to the ancient blade, the weapon accelerated, its lethality intensified.

Having harnessed her demons, Roz left to patrol the Citadel.

Gill remained, lost in reverie, recalling the days they stood together to recharge the family sword.

She always loved to dance.

 

[elvet]

Hip-Hop?

“Rescue the girl,” they'd said in the village. At his age!

The dragon approached, breathing fire.

Visor down, sword in hand, a nervous left foot forward – a terrible twinge from his lumbago. Onto his right – searing pain from his bunion. Left – lumbago. Right – bunion. Back and forth.

Belches of fire went astray – again and again. Bellowing in frustration the dragon lunged. With limited vision and half deafened our would be rescuer waived his arms aloft in desperate self defence – and sliced off the dragon's head.

“My hero! And you can dance as well!” she said, swooning into his arms.

 

[elvet]

A Reluctant Alliance​

The couple was as beautiful as their kingdoms were powerful. The handsome Prince led the lovely Princess to the ballroom, surrounded by a crowd of courtiers.

* * * * * *​

“I can smell your stink through that transformation spell, Boros,” hissed the Princess.

The Prince stared at his partner, “Is that you, Krea? Two disguised assassins can’t be a coincidence. That treacherous toad of a Mage betrayed us both! Our royal targets must have fled. Now what?”

Krea glanced at their charmed audience as the music started.
“We’ll make our exit when the enchantment wears off. For now, shut up and dance!”

 

[elvet]

Pavian

From hammer blows, the folding, the beating heat of the forge, the weapon bloomed.

The woodcarver draws singing face from sounding box.

A hunter dedicates his finest antler, cut down to sword-hilt, carved and smoothed to hero's hand.

More metal, as wires extrude for harp strings.

No birth without death, nor yin without yang, balance is philosophy.

The dance recedes to furthest oral history, advances toward future incomprehensibility, seamless, only partners changing over generations.

Stability within fluidity, continuity in change. Flame brands and disco balls illuminate the intimacies, voices scream in agony, sing dirge or murmur lust, and nothing changes.

 

[elvet]

Desert Duelling

The sands shifted beneath them as they circled each other the way mated birds do. But this was no mating rite. Marcus slid the tip of his sword on the sand in an arc and Darron mirrored. Then came the waltz, for one fights for his principles whilst the other fights for revenge.

Their blades leapt towards each other and met with a ring, and the shadows were set dancing to the singing of the swords. Relentless; their strokes fell like hail. Dodging, twisting, and parrying to the rhythm of their thundering hearts - pressing back with a resolve unwavering.

 

[elvet]

Only one chance.


"You've got to get this dancing done properly," said Charlotte, "you will not get a second chance."

"I'll do it," I said emphatically, "you will have to be patient."

However I was way ahead of her, ever since I had been told I would have to dance, I was going to do something sneaky.

I had one chance of using a spell, so I enchanted it quietly under my breath.

There was a bright flash.

So the big day came and no one was any the wiser that I cheated. Or did I?

 

[elvet]

Screed Dating


The Chick in Chainmail burst into the Tavern.

"Which one of you besotted excuses for manhood dare to face a Maiden of Circe? Ye dawgs lie slavering in your cups; I have come to seek livelier pastime!"

A Barbarian rose and unlimbered his broadsword. "I refuse to be threatened by a frail, waif of a wench!"

The clash of blades rang out.

Pinned against the wall, she cast an amulet to the floor. An explosion drove him back.

Smack to his wrist; she disarmed him.

Sword tip at his throat; she said, "Can you dance without treading on my toes?"

 

[elvet]

Dancing with the stars

She loved to dance. Always in secret for only the stars to see. Tomorrow everyone would see her dance. The city, the kingdom and even the gods. But today she danced for herself – and the stars watched.
Slowly one by one they joined her. The stars themselves. Glowing figures of light. Smiling at her, dancing her dance.
One young star offered her his hand and she took it. And they spun around each other full of mirth thus he took her to the sky. Where she would dance around him until the end of time. His love. His own Venus.

 

[elvet]

Watch the Dance!

The street dancers were special. The complex but elegant moves on an outlandish tune apparently struck a chord. A growing crowd watched enthralled.

Spellbound, Ylantos thought. The city-wizard sniffed the air. Yes, definitely magic. Watching more closely soon revealed three men moving among the captivated people, picking pockets left and right. The rogues got craftier by the day!

He formulated a spell and flung it at the dancers. They faltered, then music and dance changed dramatically. The crowd quickly dispersed.

Ylantos grinned smugly, “Nice move!”.

Within the city-walls the dancers could now only manage the Chicken Dance.

 

[elvet]

KONAK the BARBARIAN in "Lost in Time"

"Great. You're here.", said the choreographer.

"Where is here?", asked Konak.

"Finifugal Dance Studio."

"I am Konak, conqueror of kingdoms and demon slayer. Sorcerer Maax, enchanted me with a time spell into this realm. I swear by Crom, Maax will burn in the fires of hell."

"Fascinating. Where this tutu and start mincing."

"What?"

"Listen, gargantua. Get with it. Chop-chop!"

"Chop-chop?"

Choreographer points at dancers, "Chop-chop."

"Your words are strange, but the tone is familiar. Konak, will vanquish."

Be sure to be with us next time for................"Minced Meat Mincers" or "Mind if I Cut In"

 

[elvet]

Strictly Come Dancing - The Hyborian Episode

"So, we've a tie in the dance-off voting. Over to you, Kull, for the decisive vote."

"Well the contemporary dance from Conan and Red Sonja was exquisite if unexpected, as were the flaming scimitars. I'm sure the singers will heal soon and condolences to the musical director's family.

"Moving to Thoth-Amon and Thulsa Doom, the choice of waltz was inspired and performed beautifully. The matching sequinned, purple, organza ball gowns were simply, dare I say it, magical.

"Both couples were almost perfect, leaving a difficult decision but, due to fewer casualties, my vote goes to couple number two."