POV : GRAND THEATRE
As the lights dimmed for intermission, Marlo leaned back in his seat, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. The sounds of laughter and applause filled the grand theatre, and he turned to his council members, who were still buzzing with energy.
“Let’s go grab some popcorn from the concession.”
The group did in a happy mood.
“Okay, I have to admit, this is way better than I thought it would be,” one council member, Talia, said, clapping her hands excitedly. “Who knew skeletons could dance so well?”
Marlo chuckled. “Right? And the costumes are top-notch! Those plastic swords are so… realistic.”
Kieran, the most skeptical of the bunch, crossed his arms, trying to keep his cool. “Yeah, yeah, but it’s just a show. Doesn’t change the fact that we’re better off on our own.”
“Come on, Kieran,” Marlo nudged him. “Even you have to admit it’s fun. Plus, look at the crowd! They’re eating it up! We could use a little of that energy in Windspear.”
Talia chimed in, bouncing in her seat. “And think of the benefits! If we joined Fort Bone, we could have our own play like this! The Victory Song of Windspear!”
Kieran rolled his eyes but couldn’t help but smile. “Okay, okay, but let’s not get carried away. Just because they can make us laugh doesn’t mean they can keep us safe.”
Marlo leaned in, lowering his voice dramatically. “But what if we could have our own fake demon dog domination show? I mean, come on, who wouldn’t want that?”
A shared chuckle erupted among the council members, the tension beginning to dissolve.
“Fine, I’ll give it a shot,” Kieran said, finally relenting. “But only if we get to choose the fake demon dogs we use. No one wants to fight a mutt!”
Talia laughed, clapping him on the back. “Deal! Let’s see how the second act goes first. Who knows? We might be ready to sign up by the end!”
Marlo grinned, confidence surging. “That’s the spirit! Let’s enjoy the show!”
The lights flickered back to life as they settled into their seats, laughter echoing as the curtain began to rise again.
‘‘‘
The crowd cheered as the actors launched into a verse. The ones playing skeletons shuffled out, dragging their feet in a comically slow manner as the fake Atlas slashed at them with dramatic flair.
They all sang, their voices brimming with over-the-top emotion,
“We watched in fear as the Skeleton Horde drew near!
Our army worked hard, facing down the dread fear!
They steered the Hordes away so we could live another day!
But the Skeleton General was fierce, oh so near!”
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The Skeleton General stepped forward with an exaggerated stomp, throwing his arms wide, “I AM THE FIERCE GENERAL, FEAR MY WRATH—”
Atlas laughed heartily, his hands on his hips, “Ha! I fear no skeleton!”
The General paused, looking unsure for a moment before yelling dramatically, “FEAR ME, I SAID!”
Will had taken very liberal views of the actual actions, and having the skeletons talk was definitely one of them.
The audience burst into laughter, some clapping along as the chorus began again. Atlas leaped in front of the General, lifting his sword high and making wild, heroic gestures.
The actors all joined in, singing loudly,
“Yes, the Skeleton General attacked!
Yes, the Skeleton General attacked!
Atlas came to our rescue!
He was brave through and through!
With Portilla and Crushir right there, too!”
On cue, two actors dressed as Portilla and Crushir popped out from either side of the stage, doing awkward lunges while holding foam weapons. Portilla gave an exaggerated wink to the audience, swinging her foam club dramatically.
“Fear not, civilians! For I, Portilla, am always here to save the day… even if my brother’s a bit slow!” she announced with a grin.
Crushir slammed his foam club into the ground with a growl, “Me hit skeletons good!”
The crowd erupted into laughter as the song continued. The skeleton actors pretended to get hit in slow motion, flying off the stage one by one.
The Narrator stepped forward again, making a grand sweeping motion with his arm,
“With swords held high, the battle was fierce!
But Atlas and his friends? They would persevere!
The Skeleton General, now no more,
Fell to the ground with a mighty roar!”
The Skeleton General spun dramatically, clutching his chest like he’d been mortally wounded, then collapsed in slow motion, wailing all the while.
“Curse you, Atlas! My reign of terror… is… over!” he groaned dramatically as he “died.”
Atlas planted his foot on the General’s chest, striking a victorious pose, “Fear not, Fort Bone! I, Atlas, have saved the day!”
The chorus picked up again, louder and more energetic this time. The actors strutted around the stage, playing to the cheering crowd,
“Yes, the Skeleton General attacked!
Yes, the Skeleton General attacked!
Atlas came to our rescue!
He was brave through and through!
With Portilla and Crushir right there, too!”
As the final verse came to a close, the actors started stomping their feet rhythmically, joining together for the dramatic outro.
“This is our victory song!
STOMP STOMP
it won’t be long!
This is our victory song!
CLAP CLAP
we sing it strong!
With Atlas leading the way, we celebrate today!”
The audience erupted into applause as the actors struck exaggerated poses, pretending to be victorious warriors. The Atlas actor flexed one more time for good measure before they all bowed with sweeping gestures, clearly loving every second of it.
“Bravo! Encore!” shouted a loud audience member, and cheers erupted around the theater.
By the time the final act rolled in, something had shifted. The play had a way of showing how even in a chaotic world, unity and strength could be found in coming together—how standing alone could mean being left behind in a world that was rapidly changing.
When the lights came up, the opposition leaders were silent. Marlo waited, holding his breath, wondering if they’d been moved enough to reconsider.
One of the leaders, an older woman named Gerta, sighed deeply and finally spoke, “You know, Marlo… maybe we’ve been holding on too tight. Independence doesn’t mean much if we don’t have the resources to survive.”
Another leader nodded, still staring at the stage. “I’d rather be part of something bigger… something with a future.”
Marlo felt a wave of relief wash over him. ‘Hearts and minds, he thought, that’s how you win.‘
After seeing the play, they made the decision together—yes, Windspear would join the Fort Bone Empire. Standing alone didn’t seem as noble anymore when the world was offering a brighter path forward.
https://suno.com/song/f52b6c87-522c-40f5-a21a-02b74bad209e
‘‘‘
Olivia was surprised when Marlo and his council arrived at the castle, and she laughed to herself when she heard that it was Act 3 of the Skeleton Horde that had finally convinced them. ‘Of all the things, she thought, a play.‘
It was a good day. With another settlement under her belt and no battle necessary, not a single drop of blood had been shed. Only stubborn thoughts had stood in their way. She smirked, ‘And we didn’t even have to use real swords. A skeleton costume and a plastic sword were all it took to conquer a settlement.‘
‘‘‘‘
