Ranju Curmantan – Sunday Photo Fiction

Written for Sunday Photo Fiction. A story, about a powerful magical word that must not be spoken, begins after the photo. Hey Al, I’ve gone rather long with this one. Sorry about that. I hope it’s not too much trouble.

Genre: Fantasy/Humor

Photo by: Alastair Forbes

Ranju Curmantan

The beach lay strewn with the bodies of hundreds of strange sea creatures. Many bore tentacles for grasping, many wore armored shells, and some were vaguely humanoid. Nearly all were massive things, warriors intent on invading the land once once more, but this time the great King Harry was ready for them. On a distant hillside overlooking the beach, he stood beside his horse and watched as the 24 stone golems crushed the last of the invading sea beasts into oblivion. The invasion to burn, pillage, and steal human women for unholy matings, was defeated.

King Harry walked to the cliff edge and stood beside his sorcerer. The skinny, twisted man gnawed on a strange bone. “Your stone men are powerful indeed, Aptivicus,” said Harry. “The Sea People have never before been defeated in all the memory of our people. Today is a great victory.”

“It was never in doubt. The golems cannot be destroyed.”

“What happens with them now?” The thirty-foot tall stone golems roamed the beach looking for something living to crush.

“I will remove their corporeal form. They are too dangerous to let wander. No weapon of man, not made of magic, can defeat them.”

“You will destroy them, then?”

“I cannot. These stones are now imbued with life that cannot be taken away. I can only remove their form so they no longer move.”

“Then do this now, I beseech you!” said Harry.

Aptivicus spoke arcane words of magic. “Now the creatures must be given a name,” he said, “For in names there is power. YOU must do this. Think of a name no one will ever again imagine.”

King Harry thought and said, “How about, Ranju Curmantan?”

Aptivicus’ shoulders sagged. “That’s it? That’s the best you can think of?”

Harry shrugged. “I thought it was rather good. A real tongue-twister.”

“If this name is ever spoken again, they will rise. Without me controlling them, they will destroy everything in their path!”

“I can think of another one,” placated Harry.

“Too late! The spell is complete.” The two watched as the golems collapsed into piles of stone upon the beach.

***

Many centuries later, Sean and Maggie danced amongst the curious stone piles on the beach. They took selfies with their cell phones, feeling giddy after a jolly good shag to consummate their new relationship.

Maggie plucked a rounded stone and handed it to Sean. “Keep it,” she said. “To remember our first time together.” Sean smiled and stuffed it in his pocket. “You’ve got to name it!” exclaimed Maggie.

“Okay, I’ll call it, ‘Bob.'”

“No! It’s got to be a special name. A magical one.”

“Okay. How about…oh…Ranju Curmantan?”

Maggie grinned approvingly, then stopped. “What’s that rumbling sound?”
_________________________________
This was playing in my head as I wrote this:

Each Sunday, Alastair Forbes presents one of his own photos as a writing prompt. Here’s this week’s writing prompt: http://sundayphotofictioner.wordpress.com/2014/03/30/sunday-photo-fiction-march-30th-2014/