Fortnightly Writing Competition - Dark moon [WINNERS ANNOUNCED]

[WHAM]

Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Fortnightly Writing Competition!

The theme for the upcoming two weeks is "Dark Moon". The only guideline for the story is, that it must revolve around the moon, or rather the lack thereof, since almost exactly two weeks from now there will be a new moon. What would go through your mind if you one day realized the moon was not up there anymore, or that it was simply not visible anymore for some reason? Would you care? Would you be frightened? Would you be curious?

The competition starts right now, on the 26th of February, and ends at noon (GMT) on the 13th of March, after which the voting begins. Trophies will be made for the top 3 stories (and probably for all participants too).

[CaptainD]

Cool theme... will see if I can cobble something together.  I'm thinking that the moon disappearing would lead to a severe shortage of cheese...

[WHAM]

A truly critical mystery for Indiana Rodent, considering your previous entry?

[Sinitrena]

The only guideline for the story is, that it must revolve around the moon, or rather the lack thereof, since almost exactly two weeks from now there will be a new moon.

All right, my story isn't exactly about the lack of a moon, but it is about a new moon and about someone who wants to get rid of it. Other than that, I have no idea what I was thinking...

A Werewolf's Dream

You think it was bad for you when the second moon appeared? With the floods and the earthquakes and stuff? You have no idea what it was like for us! I mean, think about it: When one moon is new, the other is full and vice versa. Granted, that mixed up the environment pretty badly and I guess some women thought it mixed up their cycle and some of you thought they slept badly in more nights than before, but we, we …
Do you know what it‘s like to change twice a month? I mean, there‘s the screaming, the ripped clothes, the blood lust. And I‘m not even talking about the three days of the actual transformation, but the days before and after. It starts two days before and ends two days after. I mean, that was already a whole week per month before the second moon appeared and now it‘s two weeks. I‘m not myself for half a month! I don‘t even know anymore what part of me really is me!
And you're asking me why I don‘t want to howl at the moon, the moons, anymore? Yes, yes, I know. After a few years the floods stopped, the earthquakes weren‘t so bad anymore and all in all everyone was happy. Two moons! That‘s great, that‘s romantic, that is so cool. Oh, please!
You get used to everything, you say. Yeah, you try to get used to that! And don't you dare talk about your girlfriend! Just because she thinks she has her period twice as often doesn't make it true. And that she's always nagging and whining doesn't proof it either. It just means that she's a bitch. (And trust me, I know a bitch when I see one, I mean, I'm part wolf, after all.)
No, no. What I am talking about is real and stressful and just plain annoying. I'm a wolf for six days a month, I'm not myself for eight more and you ask me why I want to shoot this stupid thing out of the sky? Really? You? I know, I said you shouldn't talk about this girl of yours but maybe you should. Come on, let's get rid of this second moon and the girl might stop believing in this second period of hers and be normal again â€" that is, as normal as she ever was.
…
What was that? What do you mean, let's find a cure for my condition instead? You ever tried this? Yeah, not gonna happen; believe me.
No. I want this thing out of the sky, now! My voice is hoarse all the time from all this howling. I don't even sound like a real wolf anymore. That is bad. You have no idea.
So, again: Can I have the money or not?
...
What do you mean, no? Didn't you listen to what I said?
…
You did listen. Great. But you still say no?
…
What do you mean, you like this new moon? And your girlfriend isn't that bad? Really? Believe me, she is. But that's not really why we're talking. So why the hell do you like this thing?
…
Oh, great. Yeah, you're definitely the wrong person to ask. Didn't know you're one of them.

Stupid vampires always thinking about themselves. Yeah, it's great for them, this new moon. All these lovey-dovey couples out at night. And It's not like they would actually change. For them it's just easier to get their next meal!
Still don't understand why he's still together with this girl, though. I wonder if she really has her period twice a month now. Maybe he likes the smell of it...

[WHAM]

Interesting read, and I think it's acceptably close to the given guidelines, so no worries Sinitrena.
We have a starting point, people, let's see who has the courage to step up and challenge Sinitrena's entry!

[Sane Co.]

The sun was shining over the sea,
Shining with all it's might,
and this was plainly odd you see,
Because it was the middle of the night.

The moon was nary to be seen,
It's beautiful rays were gone,
If this was a sign what did it mean?
and would it appear at dawn?

The bats were high up in their cave,
Sleeping with all their might,
and darkness they would crave,
because it was the middle of the night.

The sea was sitting quietly,
Not a wave in sight,
This would become dastardly,
As many fish would become a blight.

Nobody could sleep today,
not a place to rest,
It was so horrible some might say,
They slept a few minutes at best.

Then someone stood up,
and took a deep breath,
he drank water from a cup,
His way of cheating death.

"Friends, Romans, countrymen,
Lend me your ears
We all know that I have lived ten,
or maybe more than twenty years."

"But I know the sun is hot,
we have not slept,
We can use what we've got,
To make sure that we will have slept."

The people rushed to their tents,
and took away firewood,
and the covers off vents
And their cars off their hood.

"We shall block the sun,
With all our trinkets,
No ray of light will come in, not one,
We will bind everything together with hair nets."

"What a great idea,"
Said the young man,
Get all your llamas of chia,
and throw them into the fan.

They took their chia llamas
and threw them into the fan,
this was of course with help from 'bama's
great big stimulus plan.

It created big dust clouds
and obscured the sun in every way,
Then they covered their mouths with shrouds,
And left as they didn't want to stay.

That night night they slept peaceful and calm,
The dust killed only a few,
and those who died they did embalm,
How the dust got through their mouths- nobody knew.

The sun was shining over the sea,
Shining with all it's might,
and this was plainly odd you see,
Because it was the middle of the night.

P.S. Not much rhymes with llamas

[CaptainD]

Okay, while I should have been sleeping, I came up with this...

Indiana Rodent and the Soundtrack of Doom

Indiana Rodent's sensitive nose alerted him to a disturbing change in the atmosphere.  It didn't take him long to work out what it was â€" the faint background smell of Mascarpone was gone.  In fact so was the distant aroma of camembert, the whiff of cheddar, the delicate fragrance of Edam, the pungent smell of Emmental â€" they were all shockingly absent.  Appalled by the prospect of all the cheese disappearing, Indy scrabbled around frantically, trying to find some sign, some reason for this abomination.  A world without cheese?  How could this possibly have happened?  What if the cheese never came back?!  He shuddered… this could just not happen, rodentia everywhere would panic and become anarchic, the whole world would become a fearsome place… the coming of the Blacker Death, prophesied by the great Guru Gerbil, would be upon them â€" it meant death and destruction to all, none would survive. 

Indy walked through the streets of Venice where his  most recent adventures, hunting for clues to the location of the fabled Holy Gorgonzola, had taken him.  He still hadn't found a secret entrance in that dratted library, even though apparently X marked the spot.  The eerie sounds of night-time gondoliers reached his ears, but didn't get through to his brain â€" he was too preoccupied.  He starred up at the sky.  He kept starring.  Of course!  The reason for the sudden disappearance of all the world's cheese… it was so obvious.  The moon had disappeared!  But… it was there yesterday, it was nearly Full Moon, and there was no eclipse planned…

There was no choice but to go and investigate, and to do that he had to team up with the three most irritating mice in the world â€" the Three Mousekateers; Amorous, Pathos and Arthur. 

“Well hello, rat boy!  How's the weather?” asked Amorous.
“I think, therefore I am, therefore I am hungry and there is no cheese which makes me very sad and when I am sad my brain does not function as well as usual and when this happens I have a complete breakdown in my ability to use any punctuation in my sentences because I do not need to pause for breath and in fact I can hold my breath for a very long time two minutes in fact which has served me well when I have needed to solve puzzles underwater and well that's it I'm going to finally shut up now” exclaimed Pathos, who then inhaled deeply.

“I sometimes think I'm invisible” said Arthur.  “Do you think I'm invisible?”

The rodent took a deep breath before saying:

“Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up!!”


Of course, the three annoying mousekateers didn't shut up.  But they did, for reasons which never were quite clear but seem to have something to do with their friendship with a woman called Elena who was in love with a dead (but walking) wizard of some kind (well it takes all sorts I guess), they had a small space rocket.  Well, small by human standards, but pretty darn big for mice, and not too small by rodent standards either.  So off they went, on a Journey to the Moon…

When they got there, they found that Pink Floyd was being played not just on the Dark Side of the Moon, but also the Light Side, which was now, of course, dark as well. 

“Fiendish!” cried Indiana.

“But of course, my dear Indiana…” purred a voice, “what else would you expect but feline cunning?”

“The Cat Lady!” exclaimed Indy, “I should have known!  Who else but you would do something this despicable?”

“I knew you'd come, Indiana.  That was the whole idea.   You are the only one that can stop me â€" now, I will eat you and the whole of planet earth's confused and panic-stricken, lactose-deprived rodent population will be mine for the taking.”

Without further ado TCL pounced â€" Indy, his instincts honed by years of dodging poison-tipped arrows, Nazis and killer ants, flung himself to one side just in time.  But the big cat would get him in the end, if it were just down to stamina â€" he couldn't outrun her, and in fact he had nowhere to run â€" the space rocket had been taken away by The Cat Lady's furry minions.  Frantically he evaded another attack, while out of the corner of his eye he saw the mousekateers practicing with their swords and yelling “One for all, and all for one, and the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one, and erm that's now a bit contradictory and we're confused as well as annoying”.  He ran towards them, rolling away from the cat's paw as it drew near, stopping to pick up his hat and wishing he had his trusty beetlewhip.  The mice drew their swords and he vaulted over them just as the cat's mouth was so close that he could smell the food that eight out of ten cats apparently preferred, although he knew for a fact that getting felines to actually complete consumer surveys was next to impossible.  The mice squealed in fright at being eaten; TCL screeched in pain at the three small swords that we now embedded into her palette.

Indy didn't look back, which was just as well because a kitten had just lobbed a huge pillar of salt at him.  This worked out in his favour however as all the surrounding felines went and started licking it instead of focusing their attention on him.  Suddenly he saw it â€" a CD player linked up to speakers all over the moon.  He raced towards it and unplugged it just in time, before Atomic Kitten could reach him.  The spell was broken, the moon started to reappear â€" but the Atomic Kitten threw an Eternal Flame at him.  Fortunately at the temporary sea that TCL had installed on the moon, The Tide Was High and Indy escaped by Walking On Water, saying “See Ya” to the kitty.  Kitty spontaneously combusted but then reappeared, and was Whole Again.  The atomic one flew after Indy.

It was a huge risk, but he had to take it; Indy doubled back towards the hub controlling the vast network of moonside speakers.  While that was still intact, it wouldn't take much for TCL to put everything back in place.     He stood right on top of it, and yelled to the approaching kitten “I Want Your Love!”.  Confused, AK said “No One Loves You Like I Do!” and readied to pounce.  “Wait!” said Indy, “Love Doesn't Have To Hurt!”.  Kitty shrugged â€" “Flame On!” she said and rocketed towards him.  Indy backed away just in time as the flaming kitten smashed into the hub and destroyed it, along with most of the surrounding area.  “So Hot…” admitted Indy. 

He found the rocket ship before the salt lick was finished, spraying some of his emergency supply of catnip at an approaching feline just in case.  The rocket sped away only seconds before The Cat Lady, injured but still dangerous, had recovered herself enough to sniff his whereabouts.

She gazed up at the departing rocket.  “You win, rodent… THIS TIME… but you haven't seen the last of me.”  With a slight smile, she gathered together her hoard of (now slightly more hypertensive and hypernatraemic) kittens. 

Indiana Rodent arrived to a hero's welcome, and a complimentary supply of Drunken Goat and Extra-Aged Appenzeller.  Live just didn't get much better than this…

[kconan]

February 1st, 2100 AD…Near Bio-Dome 23662-A on Earth
After enjoying a quiet moment watching the green night sky with his daughter, Craig Newhouser looked down and said, ”Naomi, Honey, please keep the carbon filter on when you talk”.  Naomi put the Soot-Away 2000 filter back on, glanced up at her father, and begged, “Please Daddy!  I'm 10 years old now!  I want to know how it happened.  Everyone at school makes fun of me because my classmates know you were up there.  They say you are bad, like a Death Star.” Craig sighed and lamented while pointing at his face, ”Back when I was a kid, these stupid masks were optional…and we at least had enough power to get through the day. “ Craig changed the direction of his finger-point towards where the Moon used to be visible (on the rare night when the sea of polluted green haze allowed it) and said, “Honey I promise, my â€" no OUR â€" intentions were noble.  We wanted clean power for you and the generations to come.  My group underestimated other companies that blatantly disregarded the Moon Treaty signed by their home countries and eventually resorted to dastardly and later deadly, tactics.” Naomi asked, “What does ‘dastardly' mean”. Craig looked at his daughter and said, “Evil, basically.  Look honey if I tell you about that day, do you promise to keep it a secret?” Naomi replied, “Yes!” while nodding enthusiastically.

December 18th, 2079 AD…Serenity Sea Base on the Moon
“Newhouser, get in here!”, barked the head of Serenity Base Security.   Sargent Craig Newhouser walked into Captain Jernegen's office and sat down directly in front of his boss's desk.  “Newhouser, the situation just went from bad to worse.  Thanks to that stupid fluke asteroid strike which was mistaken for an attack, we've now officially lost Outpost Tycho to Deepcrust Lunar Corporation. Craig nervously flicked the charge toggle on his hand laser back and forth.  When he studied geology back in college, he had no idea that learning how to shoot a gun would have been more useful as a career move.  He was always interested in Space, ever since his Dad first explained to him that looking at the Moon, planets, and stars was technically a window into the past.  So Craig jumped at the opportunity to combine his love for geology and Space by going to work for a non-profit which staked a few small claims on the Moon.  Shortly after management learned that he was an expert in hand-to-hand combat thanks to years of practicing a variety of martial arts, he was moved from the survey teams to security and trained on how to use a Vickers Direct Energy Autolaser.  There was no use mining for helium-3 and other valuable resources if staff couldn't be protected.

Captain Jernegen suddenly ordered, “Wake up from your daydream Sleeping Beauty!” Craig returned full attention to his boss, who went on, “The more immediate problem for us at Serenity Base is that new conglomerate formed from the remains of Happy Power and Green Hugs Electric.  Contrary to those sweet commercials they run back home, Green Hugs are the most sadistic bastards this side of Mister Sparkie Energy.” A shudder went through Craig's body as he thought about Mister Sparkie Energy and their claim that murderous plundering is simply a “hostile takeover” on the Moon, where apparently no international laws apply.  The “Green Hugs Thugs” were notorious as well, though at least Green Hugs Electric would take prisoners when “taking over” a mining settlement or outpost.  Captain Jernegen continued, “Happy Green Hugs Power, the new mother company, is expected to launch an attack on us very soon.  They claim, just like every other power company on this rock, that they made the first bid on all of the Helium-3 on the Moon and therefore have property rights.  Since we are the only non-profit company here, they think we are weak.” Jernegen lit up his smokeless electric cigar by pressing the butt-button, and said, “What they don't know is that we also have a stockpile of nuclear weapons sent  to us by the U.S., Russia, and China for disposal…”  Craig interrupted, “Boss!  I thought that they had been rendered inert and buried deep in the Plato crater?” Captain Jernegen warned, “Not all.  Look…I'd like to say that we will fight them with everything we've got, but it's not realistic considering half of our security force is made up of former scientists and miners. “

December 22nd, 2079 AD…Serenity Sea Base on the Moon
The Serenity Base security force was nearly wiped out from the surprise attack.  Laser turrets and man-traps were disabled with ease by the enemy, and the majority of those who resisted the onslaught were quickly dispatched.  The handful of remaining survivors retreated further into the base, Sargent Craig Newhouser was amongst them.

Hand laser at the ready, Craig stealthily crept towards the executive suites.  He couldn't believe how quickly the base defenses broke down.  The enemy promised to give severance packages and a trip home to those that surrendered, and many (including most of his squad) donned suits and walked out the front door believing this to be true.  Craig glanced through a corridor window and saw their bodies floating around outside, just as he bumped into a Green Hugs Thug who had apparently rounded a corner.  Craig grabbed the newfound opponent's gun and jerked it sideways while crushing his instep with a low kick.  The Green Hugs Thug went down on a knee, took a hard palm strike to the nose from Craig, and promptly passed out cold.  Craig was about to finish off his would-be attacker, but he heard some noises nearby and decided to make his way further down the corridor.

After walking for about a minute, he stopped to wave his hand over a door security scanner so the device could match his DNA.  He then carefully entered a small control room which he had never seen before.  He heard enemy soldiers approaching, and one of them said, “If our mole is right, this room controls the nuclear arms containment area.  Use that executive's hand to bypass security and see what you can figure out.  Watch out for that Sargent, he's the only one left that could be a threat.”  Craig ducked down behind a large desk, and could hear what sounded like three men enter the room.  He checked his gun's charge, and noticed it was so low that there was only enough juice left for one taze.  He could see two of the men wave a disembodied hand over a scanner, and one of them walked towards where he was crouching in an effort to secure the room.  The enemy just passed by Craig, his eyes fixed on a large panel covered with switches and buttons.

Craig struck.  He grabbed the man from behind in a half nelson with his left, and put the hand laser to the man's temple using his right.  Craig slowly turned to face the other two men, who were laughing at him.  One of the men said amidst chuckles, “I can see your charge meter from here.   You've barely got a jolt left. “ Craig nodded, and in the blink of an eye turned the gun on the man and shot him in the chest.  He then moved his left arm around his captive's neck, who began struggling furiously in a futile attempt to prevent from being choked.  The man Craig shot was writhing on the floor, and the remaining unharmed enemy rushed him.  While strangling with his left, Craig dropped his latest attacker with a vicious front kick to the jaw.   He let go of the now limp man who no longer had an adequate blood supply to his brain, and stomped the windpipe of the enemy who had attempted to rush him on the way to walking over to the man who had taunted him.  Craig took the enemy taunter's gun from its holster, looked down, and said, “That seemed to cure your case of the giggles.  You guys should have spent less time in the shooting range and more time in the dojo.”.  The man, still in pain from being shocked, slowly rose to his feet and said, ”After we merge with Mister Sparkie, we will control nearly all of the Moon's resources.  You might as well…” and was cut off by a point blank laser blast to the face by Captain Jernegen as he entered the control room.  Craig said, ”Boss, you're alive!” Captain Jernegen turned his gun on Craig and said, ”Get to an executive escape pod.  It's been updated to accept your DNA signature, so go…Now! “ Craig, with a confused look on his face, replied, ”Why do you have a gun on me?"  Captain Jernegen declared, ”Look kid, this rock has been nothing but trouble…” as he waved his non-gun hand over a scanner and continued ”…and now that those Green Hugs bastards are in control of it…” Craig's boss was now punching in a series of codes, ”…I say we leave them a Tsar Bomba style going away present.  This…” Captain Jernegen motioned towards his hand laser, ”…is to prevent you or anyone else from stopping me.”

Craig hurtled through Space in the obscenely posh executive escape pod towards home and his beautiful wife.  He wondered if this is what mankind is doomed to repeat on every object in space larger than an asteroid.  Craig had tried to reason with his friend and former boss…”What about the tides?  Or the Earth's rotational speed?  Or even the Man on the Moon?” He had just entered the Earth's thermosphere when he saw the explosion through the porthole window.  Craig shook his head slowly and wondered if Mars, or its moon Phobos, would be next.

February 1st, 2100 AD…Near Bio-Dome 23662-A on Earth
Craig thought back to all that was lost on the Moon, both in terms of lives and wasted resources that the human race now desperately needs.  Naomi asked, “Daddy, why are adults so silly?” Craig had tears forming in his eyes when he softly replied, “I don't know honey.” Naomi went on, ”They are like children, fighting over toys and breaking them on purpose.”

[WHAM]

Ooooh! Entries! And pretty nice ones, too.
I'll have to get busy making trophies over this weekend.

[Baron]

An Inky Shroud

Blackness.  Not the gloss-flecked black of chic garments or the light-pocked tapestry of the old sky, but true blackness.  Like in the furthest bowels of a coal mine, without a candle or even the pale glow of an ember to lighten the brutal nothingness.  Total blackness.
 
He turned his head upward, feeling a faint vertigo as he did so for there were no longer any landmarks for reference.  He felt disembodied, a phantom soul lost in the darkness.  Is this how the blind felt, reeling eyeless through a world of unseen dangers? 

The nausea passed, but the cloud of dark matter shrouding the planet did not.  During the day a feeble glow cast the world in a ghoulish twilight, but at night there was nothing.  Not the flickering sparkle of the vault of stars, nor the garish beacon of the moon's playhouse mirror.  Nothing. 
He'd never thought much of the moon, that second-chair fiddler in the galactic symphony.  It rarely bothered to put forth its full effort, paltry though even that was, and it never seemed to keep to any rational schedule.  It was something of a celestial loafer; the fat and wheezing idler of the night sky, showing up when it might be bothered to and doing a half-assed job.  When he yearned for even that boresome company, he knew he was in dire straits indeed.

Yet he did yearn for it now, despite its many inadequacies.  Like an outcast, he would now make common cause with anyone who showed him even the smallest kindness, even such a despicable lout as the moon; if only it would show him even a wink of regard in this, their hour of need.  Who knew if it were even still up there, in the great vacuum of blackness looming oppressively above?  But for the first time in his life he yearned for the comfort of its sallow presence.  Just a glint, a gleam, a half-imagined trace of its pallid circus.  Just a spark in the distance, fleeting and fragile in the tunnel of their darkest night.  Gazing upwards, where the heavens should be, his soul craved just a crumb of hope. 

[Chef!]

   Orloc stood to the left side of his prince bearing Toc Menace's heavy shield proudly.  The battle would soon begin but he looked up again to see the strange light streaking its way across the sky.  It had started a fortnight past as tiny as a grain of sand, barely discernible at night, now it dominated  most of the sky in broad daylight.   
   Orloc's brother Haut had just proclaimed yet again that it was a great omen.  Sirus was sailing out from the west leading the invasion against the enemy to the east.  Haut had not even bothered to preform the customary sacrifices so sure was he this was an omen of victory.
   Their prince Toc Menace had only snorted at Haut's words.  “Wars are won with blood and Iron, not preachy drivel.”  Toc Menace was a warrior trained since birth in the ways of battle and he felt nothing but contempt for priests, but he especially loathed Haut.   The prince had noticed Haut's longing eyes for the princess when she was just a child.  Toc Menace had personally refused him as a warrior, shaming him in public and driving him into the priesthood. 
   Horns blared and hounds burst forth from the enemy lines and the enemy charged began.  Toc Menace smiled and spit to the side then waved his skirmishers forward holding his own dogs in reserve.   The skirmishers fanned out and crouched down a few paces ahead.  The enemy dogs covered the ground quickly much faster than the wariors behind.  The skirmishers were getting squeamish but they held until the prince called the order. 
   The skirmishers stood and the great net came up as if from nowhere.  As the dogs leaped to attack they released the weighted net entangling all but the slowest dogs.  A few beasts jump past, but they were quickly dealt with.  Orloc stepped forward as one vicious bitch leaped for the princes throat.  He bashed the mutts face with the shield so hard that her neck snapped.  Then he crushed her throat with the base of his shield for good measure.
   The line of warriors and shield bearers had all moved forward to pacify the beasts entangled in the net.  The enemy charge had slowed momentarily upon seeing what had become of their dogs but now they resumed with new vigour closing the remaining gap quickly.
   Toc Menace gave his next command and his own dogs of war tore forward followed quickly by his warriors and shield bearers.  The gentle slope they had been defending wasn't much of a grade but with the dogs biting into the enemy before them it was enough to put momentum on their side.
   Orloc made sure he led the charge he went low and pressed forward and upward.  He smached  into the enemy line like a hammer driving a wedge.  Then he pushed left knowing his prince dealt out death on his right.  Shield and shield-bearer fought as one. All along the line the shields punched forward and to the left while the warriors hacked slashed and stabbed forward and to the right.
   The shock of that first contact never let up, there own dogs had never been dealt with and were still terrorizing the enemy from within making it easy for their own forces to push in deeper and deeper until the enemy finally broke and ran for the safety of the city walls.
   Toc Menace had planned for this too.  Before the battle the prince had ordered his skirmishers to strip the enemy corpses and take up their swords and shields as soon as they started falling.  When the enemy broke and ran for the city their own forces were already among them, killing the guards and leaving  the gates open for the rest of the army.
   It was a decisive victory Toc's forces pillaged the city throughout the day, the enemy was now either dead or enslaved.  The war was won it should have been cause for a month long celebration but as the moon rose its accent placed it directly in the path of Sirus' ship of burning light. An air of dread fell over the land. 
   Toc Menace stared up as the heavens began their battle.  Sirus' ship struck the moon with such force that fire radiated across the sky. His masters face gave nothing away of his inner thoughts, but Orloc could sense his masters pain.
   â€œWe leave at once,” Orloc new that the we implied only his master and himself. He understood that this was going to be a tireless trek back to the princess.  The princess was almost due to birth their first child. What had been a great omen mere moments before now spelled doom across the night sky for everything his master held dear.   For the princess Ari Armasi had been tied to the moon ever since birth.  She bore the moons mark on her palm and embodied the goddesses' beauty and loving nature.   With the moon under assualt, the prince had to return at once.
   The prince helped Orloc onto one of the sacred beasts. Orloc had never ridden one as only priests and royals were permitted.  His own beast had to be led by his master and they received odd looks from the warriors but the Prince paid them no mind. 
   Travelling through the night was made easy by the radiance of the godly battle above.  As they journeyed Toc Menace told him how these horses would one day not only be used for war but bread for it.. “as soon as men wake up and cast off their silly superstitions.”   
   As the words left the princes mouth balls of fire descended from the heavens smashing into the land around them.  The horses were spooked and the prince had to fight to control them.  The falling stars didn't subside and the prince was forced to dismount and tether the horsed to a near by tree.
   Toc Menace could read plainly what must have been written all over his face.  “You  think me a fool for denying the gods even as they do battle above us?”  The prince snorted and strode over to where a ball of fire had crashed down nearby.  With his dagger and a patch of hide he unearthed a fist-sized piece of molten rock which he shoved into Orloc's hands slightly burning him.  “Our gods are nothing but rocks in the sky my friend.”  Toc Menace ran his fists through his hair.  “I don't have all the answers but I suspect their only power lies in what the priests can get us to believe.”
   They had already travelled most of the night and already covered most of the distance back.  The horses couldn't be soothed as the rocks were still pounding around them with greater and greater intensity.  “Grab your gear Orloc we walk from here.”  To drive his point home or for some reason only the prince understood he cut the reins and watched as the horsed bolted.
   Orloc stared after them.   In a daze he glanced skyward through the streaks of fire he saw what was left of the moon.  A massive chunk was had been gouged from its side and it now appeared much smaller as if it were retreating from Sirus' surprise attack.  He had to shake his head in order to look away.  The Prince had already left and Orloc had to jog in order to catch up.  He couldn't say why but he kept the rock. The shield was heavy and he couldn't hold it aloft forever.  He was glad but somewhat shamed when the Prince shoved it from overhead.
   Dawn broke and the days heat was beginning to swelter as they made the cities' gate, and still the stones fell from the sky.  The moon was still discernible at the edge of the horizon but it seemed smaller to Orloc.  He was exhausted and had to force his legs forward as the Prince marched straight for the palace.  Had he not caught a glimpse of his brother's malicious face from atop the temple wall, Orloc would not have noticed the carnivorous looks the more devout people were giving them.
   The king met them just inside the palace gate.  Toc must have read his father's dire face for he headed for his chambers after only a moments embrace.  Bowing apologetically to the king Orloc followed his master quickly. He was not fast enough.  Just outside his masters chambers a howl of immense grief buffeted him to the ground and he knew at once that the princess was dead. 
   It was unthinkable, she was the heart and soul of two entire peoples.  Ari Armasi came to them as a child, she was both tribute and hostage in the name of peace to the west.  Then as she had grown, her beauty and love had conquered all and the marriage had turned two people into one.  Now she was dead, her life lost on the same night as her name-sake the moon goddess left them . 
   Orloc looked up at the sound.. a child!  Then all was not lost.  But this could not be mere coincidence. The girl with the name, beauty and nature of a goddess.. The girl with the birthmark of a moon in her right palm dying giving birth to her first child on the same night that the moon was assaulted in the heavens..
   Orloc was not a superstitious man, but he did believe in something, though he wasn't sure exactly what.  His brother Haut's vile disposition had long ago soured him to embracing that god.  So like many others Orloc had placed his faith on what seemed to be the only sure thing this life had to offer.   Prince Toc Menace was more noble, cunning and just than any god.  His prince was solid in the face of insurmountable danger and incorruptible in the presence of greed.  If his prince did not believe in the gods, Orloc decided,  it was because the gods did not live up to the standards that Toc Menace held himself accountable.      
   Orloc had passed out on the cold stone floor of the hallway, but he awakened immediately as doors burst open and the prince strode out from his chambers cradling his firstborn son.  His masters face was scarred with grief but he held his shoulders high as he bade Orloc to follow him.  The prince led him up and out onto the palace walls were he looked out on the mob bellow.  It was night time again and Orloc couldn't help but glance up to the sky above. Balls of fire still streaked the sky and fell periodically but with less intensity. The moon though still there was yet smaller still barley half the size of what it once was.   
   Orloc glanced down at the townsfolk who had begun to take notice of them.  He observed that much of the city had burned but noted that things could have been much worse.  Glancing over his shoulder he saw that parts of the palace had taken damage.  Something made him turn back and he saw his brother Haut work his way into the crowed.
   The prince didn't wait for Haut to get situated, he addressed his people with the voice of a husband in morning.  “Our beloved princess, Ari Armasi has died”  The words broke in the princes throat and Orloc could see that the people below were now sharing some of the princes pain.  “But her death was not in vain for her death has brought with it new life.”  Honest joy poured over the crowed as  Toc Menace proudly revealed his son and heir.  “I have named him Arma-” the crowed gasped at such a provocative name but the prince paid them no mind.  “In honour of his mother and the Moon goddess, and the mark that he himself bears in his palm.”  The prince held open the babies palm to the torchlight  for all to see.  The child started to fuss and his father passed him off to his wet nurse before continuing on more strongly.  “As long as this child lives and his line lives on after him then the moon will still be with us.  The gods have pushed her away for now but she has left us her child in her absence-.”
   â€œSACRILAGE!”  Haut's voice cut the air with its vehemence.   â€œYou pushed her away Toc Menace with your SACRILAGE!  You have always mocked the gods and now they punish us all for indulging, and even adoring you!  The moon goddess has been cast out because she was weakened when you defiled her daughter! Her most precious gift, her love and beauty incarnate, and you defiled her with SACRILAGE!” 
   The crowed was not nearly as shocked as himself or the prince. It was plain they had all heard it before, but not as boldly.  Some began looking away and retreating unsure of what they had gotten into.  The princes momentary shock had boiled over into anger.  “If your gods would punish the entire world for one mortals scepticism then those gods are petty and undeserving of worship!”
   â€œSACRILAGE! The prince must die and his demon-spawn brought to the alter!”  Haut cried out as he cast the first stone.  Many more followed.  Orloc drove his shield in front of his lord and pushed him down on instinct.  Reacting just in time to block the arrow.  Where were all the guards?
   The prince was thinking the same thing for he muttered “betrayal”  as he rushed to his feet and made for his chambers where Arma would be.  As he came to the palace, a guard stepped for forward drawing his sword.  The prince did not stop he but twisted around and under the slashing blade, pushing his dagger up under the guards chin. 
   Orloc closed the distance just in time to block a volley of arrows meant for the prince.  The Prince had no time for acknowledgement.  He was already through the door, hell bent on rescuing his child.  Orloc had just gotten into the keep as Toc Menace came rushing back, wet-nurse and child in toe.  Orloc pointed toward the back door but his lord shook his head and they made there way to the throne room instead where the King lay decapitated on the dais.  Haut stood in the main corridor backed by his loyal zealots. Some palace guards had fallen but most had embraced the fundamentalist revolution.
   The doors behind them were now blocked by another feverish horde and the trap was closed.  “Come face me yourself you baby slaying coward!”   Toc Menace had shouted but his words were barely discernible over the droll in the hall now full of murderers.   They were closing in with the palace guards as the innermost ring. 
   Orloc punched out with his shield coming in low then rising up hard and to the right as he had trained all his life to do. He spun back to back with the prince around and around the wet-nurse and babe blocking everything he could but they were only playing with them.  A spear finally tripped him and he fell exhausted “That ones to live,”  he heard his brother proclaim.  He struggled all the harder but the repeated blows to his head and body hammered him into the blessed darkness.
   Orloc did not see his great Prince die, but he was forced to watch as his new born son, Arma, last gift of the moon, was brought to the alter.  There before all the town as the moon almost imperceptible to the naked eye faded into the nothingness the child was killed.  He screamed as his throat was slit while His brother Haut chanted his priestly nonsense.
   And it was all for nought. Orloc laughed to himself as he sheltered by the fire in the cave. “The moon never came back.. why would she?”  He smiled to the frozen corpse beside him.  An older priest had helped him escape his brothers madness.
   â€œWe had killed her last child”  Orloc giggled again remembering the old priests words.  “So she spurned us all,” he had explained. “The moon was a daughter of the earth, born to keep her company. Now the earth looks for her child.  Spinning slower and tilting wildly up and down to better search the sky.  This is why the seasons change at will and the days grow longer and longer.  This is why the tides have stopped and the seas have flooded the lands and everything withers and dies.”
   Orloc laughed and picked up the rock his lord had given him in ages past so he could study it one last time.  “And men, men still worship their cruel and petty gods.. but soon they will stop.. because soon, we will all be dead and there will be nothing left but moon dust..”

[WHAM]

It's voting time, and holy moley there are a lot of entries this time around!

The participants are (in order of entry):

Sinitrena
Sane Co.
  CaptainD
   kconan
    Baron
     Chef!

Tell us who you think made the most of the theme (and if you feel like it, do elaborate how), and in a few days (noon on the 16th of March to be precise) we'll have a winner to congratulate!

-WHAM

[kconan]

Chef!  I like length, the Moon mythology, and orcs.

[Sinitrena]

A lot of entries and very different ones. I like them all, but my vote goes to kconan.

[Ponch]

Sane Co. Gotta respect a man who will try to rhyme "lama." (or so said my Mama)

[CaptainD]

I had a really tough time choosing between kconan and Chef!

In the end I plumped for Chef! due to his story having slightly superior atmosphere (though not having a line space between his paragraphs nearly turned me against him!  )

The quality of the entries overall was good, nice theme WHAM.

[Baron]

Man, we should have a Braveheart or Die Hard theme -so much graphic combat!  Bernard Cornwell would be pleased.  Or maybe one of you guys is Bernard Cornwell (this is the internet after all....)?  Perhaps it is Sinitrena; her feminine voice acting stints just a clever ruse to conceal her thick beard and receding hair line!  Or maybe it's kconan, trying to pull the wool over my eyes with his distractingly sexy avatar!  Or perhaps it is the reclusive WHAM himself, who not withstanding his elaborately staged You Tube video rebuttals is actually a bloodlustful sexogenarian of vivid historical imagination and prolific authoring hands!  Do you deny it, sir?  Who is the man who lurks behind the purple mask?

As for my vote, I'm going to have to go with CaptainD who made me laugh. 

[CaptainD]

It's not WHAM, unless he was wearing a really convincing face mask when I met him. 

[WHAM]

An hour and a half until voting closes, and for the record, I will place my vote on kconan.
(Organizers can vote, right?)

[Chef!]

I don't know if I can still vote, but Captain D gets mine, Its a pretty hard thing to do to write a cheerful story about a world with no moon and strategically it makes sense..  A three way tie, ha!.. Sorry Kconnan, but Wham tied things up between us and voting for you now would be like short story suicide.