Army Of Darkness - Part 1

This is the first part of Army Of Darkness.

## Summary

Lucilla and Johnny are sent on a quest to retrieve the Necronomicon, a dark tome with the power to send them home. They encounter the mysterious evil in the woods, hold up in a windmill where they face tiny replica's of Johnny, and eventually head back to the woods only to find not one but three Necronomicons.

## Plot

### Previously...

The dwarfs of Stonebridge have lost their war-hammer. Rumour has it that the King of another village sent an eagle to Stonebridge to steal the hammer, which it managed to do but dropped it as it flew back over Darkwood. The hammer's head and the handle are believed to have been separated.

Finding themselves in an unknown land, Lucilla and Johnny are soon embroiled in the quest to find the Warhammer and take it to the King of Stonebridge. They find the two parts of the Stonebridge War-hammer and take them to Stonebridge and meet King Gillibran. King Gillibran tells Lucilla and Johnny that there is 1000 gold coins waiting for them in a joint account at the Stonebridge bank. King Gillibran also tells them that whilst they are within Stonebridge one of them may wield the Warhammer. Lucilla and Johnny decide that Johnny should wield the Warhammer.

The following morning, Lucilla and Johnny meet with the castle's wiseman, a Dwarf called Mystic Gimmiyinn - a small Dwarf with a long grey beard and a strong lisp, which Lucilla briefly mocks by answering a question with "Yeth". The dwarf doesn't seem sure whether she was taking the piss out of him or not. He tells them there is a way back home.

Mystic: Only the Necronomicon hath the power. An unholy book whith rethyth in the mithty foreth. Legend hath it that within ith pageth are pathageth that can thend you back to your world. Beyond that we know nothing muth about it.

Gimmiyinn advises against going straight away and says that the "mithy foreth containth an anthient and powerful forth. Only the braveth venthure there. Or the most foolith. There ith a whatthur in the wooth, a foul malevolent being of immenth power. Bethd be prepared before you thet fourth."

Lucilla leaves to get some items.

Mystic: I hear you are thumthing of a thorceror, Johnny. I've heard that thumb of your thpells haven't gone quite ath planned. I thought I would give you thumb advithe. If your thpellth are failing it may be because of theveral different thingth. It could be that the thpell ith too powerful, or that you have catht a thpell rethently and need thumb hourth to recover. Don't give up though, magith can be a powerful ally.

Many days later, a trial is held for a dwarf, Rusten Bellwick. He was found the previous day, trying to sneak through the village to steal the Warhammer. Lucilla is defence, Johnny is prosecution. At the end of it, a young dwarf girl is appointed the representative of the jury and comes forward.

The jury finds Rusten Bellwick to be morally innocent. They suggest that he should remain in Stonebridge. In time he will be free to roam the castle, and then the entirety of Stonebridge. They shall name him as Shallowvalley's ambassador. Meanwhile they will also choose a dwarf to visit Shallowvalley to become their ambassador, and to tell them about what has happened to Rusten. They hope to smooth things over between their peoples and that they can come to some decision over the warhammer. In the meantime however, it will remain within Stonebridge. Additionally, they would like to, at some point in the near future, discuss a change to property laws. This will hopefully help in the negotiations.

The dwarf steps down from the podium as the jury applauds. The trial is over, and Lucilla and Johnny can soon look forward to getting on with their quest and then getting back home.

### Now...

Time passes. Mystic Gimmiyinn still says that Johnny is not as yet fully healed. He advises against going on the quest just yet. Lucilla however is fully healed and enjoys her time within Stonebridge (even though her nightmares of a man striding through flames still assail her every so often). She doesn't tell Johnny, she wants to keep it to herself. Johnny continues to try to stay off cigarettes and is suceeding, possibly the fresh unpolluted air is helping, he's not sure.

Day 17

Mystic Gimmiyinn comes to check on Johnny, and confirms that he is 100% healed. He tells Johnny to go pick out some of his items to take on his quest to look for the Necronomicon in the "mithty foreth". He goes to tell Lucilla to do the same.

As they both collect together their items, King Gillibran comes to have a private word with the both of them. He tells them that a week or so ago, Mystic Gimmiyinn told him that he had been deeply offended by something that Lucilla had said. He tells Lucilla and Johnny to try to avoid making fun of Gimmiyinn's very pronounced lisp as he has said that he will refuse to help if this is ever mocked again.

With all their items collected, Lucilla and Johnny soon head out towards the Misty Forest. Lucilla rides, Johnny holds on. With them go Mystic Gimmiyinn, and three Dwarf knights.

One of the Knights encourages everyone to slow their horses as they approach a path that leads into the forest. This is where Lucilla and Johnny must go on alone.

Mystic: Thith path will leth you to an unholy plathe. A themetery. There the Necronomicon awaith. When thou retrieveth the book from ith cradle you muth rethite the worth: Thpingle Thpangle Thpoogle.

Johnny: Thank you, mystic, we will return with the Necronomicon once we have retrieved it. May your travels be safe.

Lucilla takes the horse off towards the misty forest at a gallop. Johnny clings on tightly.
Lucilla slows the horse as she enters the forest. Mists float through the forest in front of them, blotting out some of the sunlight. Suddenly their horse rears up. Something has it spooked. Whilst Lucilla tries to keep control of the horse, Johnny see's something deeper into the forest. At first he thinks it's just more rolling mist, but this is thicker and moving very fast towards them.

They thunder off away from the mist, uncertain of which direction they are going, as trees crack apart behind them, and the mist gets closer and closer.
Soon they are leaving the forest and back into the sunlight. They see something large up ahead. A windmill.
On arriving they both leap down from the horse, and straight into the windmill. There was no time to get any of their items that were attached to the horse, or to attach the horse to a post outside (if that was even a good idea). The horse gallops away terrified.
Now both inside the windmill they don't even get a chance to have a proper look around...
THUD!
The thing outside is trying to break down the door!

Lucilla pushes against the door.

Lucilla: Now might be a good time to use your Magical Barrier spell.

Johnny: Okay I'll try but I have a bad feeling about this.

THUD!
Johnny slings his bag onto the floor.
THUD!
Johnny opens his bag and routes around for the book.
THUD! crraaaaccckkkk
Johnny pulls out the book and turns to his notes at the back.
THUD!
He checks what he'll need. He needs to draw a symbol on the floor, and then light some candles around it and say some words...this looks like it'll take too long. The thing is breaking down the door!
THUD! rattle rattle rattle
He uses his sword to quickly carve the symbol into the floorboards.
THUD!
He hunts through his bag for some candles.
He sets them up and then notices that the thudding has stopped.
He casts a glance over to Lucilla who looks pensive.
Then they both see the manic grin of the shadowy figure standing right next to her!

Johnny: Who are you?

Johnny puts his hand on his sword, ready to strike if needed.

The figure continues grinning, and places a hand on the hilt of his sword.

Johnny decides to try to cast the magical barrier spell to protect him and Lucilla while Lucilla watches the figure but realises that he actually needs to create fire to light the candles first. Looking around he see's a fireplace but no way of starting a fire...unless he uses his fireball spell.

He casts the fireball spell into the fireplace and uses a separate candle to bring the flame to the fireplace.

Lucilla see's that the being next to her has walked away and faded.

Johnny lights the first candle.

Johnny: "Aoelus, ruler of the winds,"

Johnny lights the second.

Johnny: "Strengthen your resolve,"

Johnny lights the third.

Johnny: "Harden the very air,"

Johnny lights the fourth.

Johnny: "Protect, Defend, Secure."

All the while Johnny has been focused on putting the wall in front of the door.

The candles suddenly snuff out and there's a strange almost electrical sound as the wall forms outside. Hopefully nothing can get in now, but where did that strange guy go?

Johnny: Lucilla, where did that guy go?

Johnny walks forward as he says it, and Lucilla notices that the figure walks forward too.

It's a reflection. There's a mirror hanging on the wall...however this isn't a normal reflection. The other-Johnny has an evil looking face.

Lucilla: Does your reflection always look that evil?!

Johnny: No, this is new. What does it mean?

As Lucilla moves forward to touch the mirror, she see's her own evil reflection come into view. She ignores the freakish evil grin and reaches out and touches the mirror. At first nothing happens, it's just a normal mirror it seems, but as she moves her hand back, it comes loose from the wall and shatters on the ground.

Lucilla and Johnny both peer over it and, as they gaze at you their tiny reflections, something shocking happens.

The tiny evil reflections start stepping out of the mirror!
There are 8 in total, four tiny Lucilla's, four tiny Johnny's!

The tiny Lucilla and Johnny's scram quickly. They jabber to each other manically as they run.
The four Johnny's run over heft up Johnny's sword from the floor, laying it over their shoulders.
Little Johnnys: RAMMING SPEED!
They run towards Johnny, stabbing the point of the sword into his ankle.
He screams out in pain and crouches down, grabbing at his ankle.
Whilst three of the Johnny's roll about on the floor laughing, one of them takes a running jump, straight into Johnny's open mouth.
He swallows it.

The little Lucilla's run scrambling around Lucilla's feet. She delivers a quick kick at one, who goes flying into the fire. The creatures shrill bloodcurdling screams fill the air until there is a sharp 'POP!' and her head bursts like popcorn.

Johnny is still crouched down and yelping. He lashes out at one of the little Johnny's, only to receive a sharp pain as a nail is jabbed into his palm. The little Johnny drops the nail and runs away giggling.

Lucilla picks up the spellbook from the floor and chases her little clones around the room, slamming the book down hard on any she catches. Soon she has kill them all. She runs over to help Johnny.

Johnny clutches at his hand as Lucilla approaches.

Lucilla: Hold still. There's one climbing up your back.

Johnny feels it grip the back of his head.

Little Johnny: Uh OH!

He quickly lets go and slides off down Johnny's back. Lucky for him. Not so lucky for Johnny, as Lucilla swings the book directly at the back of Johnny's skull!

The three little Johnny's burst out laughing and run over to pull faces and Johnny and Lucilla and heckle them.

Quick as a flash, Lucilla stamps her boot down onto one of the laughing Johnnys.

As Johnny falls forward following his smack round the head with a spellbook, he lands with his head in something very hot. He screams as he leaps aways, finding his hair on fire. He'd landed with his head in the fireplace. He quickly rushes off to find something to put it out.

There's only two left now. Lucilla spots one on the floor, drops the book and grabs the little Johnny. She squeeeeeezes it until it's eyes pop out. She drops it and looks around for the last little Johnny.

Johnny pours a saucepan of cold water over his head and puts out the flames.
Johnny is angry. He's been stabbed, beaten, and burned. There's only one of the little fuckers left now and he's determined to kill it.
Then he see's it, sneaking over to Johnny's spell book whilst Lucilla is looking in the opposite direction. He flips through the book.

Little Johnny: Aha!

He's about to say something else, but suddenly the book is closed over him. Crushing him flat!

As Johnny looks around he idly scratches his right shoulder. It's started to itch.

Johnny: Lucilla, is something on my right shoulder? It feels itchy.

Lucilla: Looks fine.

Now it's starting to really itch badly.

Johnny: I think it's infected or something it feels really bad.

It's actually starting to really hurt now.

Johnny: Lucilla, I think somethings inside me, it really doesn't feel good.

Lucilla: (gives an exasperated sigh) If you're that bothered why don't you have a look at it.

Johnny removes his upper clothing and has a look at his shoulder. There's an eye looking back at him!

Johnny: What the hell ahhhh get it off me!

Another eye and a nose squeezes in.

As Johnny writhes in pain, a whole head putrids from his shoulder...it looks just like him.

Johnny: Ahh what the hell is happening to me?

The pain causes Johnny to collapse to the floor. Next an arm starts to grow out of him, then a leg, then a whole torso. Soon, standing beside him, dresssed in identical clothing, is a complete copy of Johnnny, laughing maniacally.

Lucilla swings her sword at the clone's head, he tries to duck but it strikes the tops of his head, taking with it a slab of flesh. He collapses to the ground bleeding heavily.

Lucilla tries to decapitate him but slips on some blood and misses.

She tries again.

SLOCK! One beheaded Johnny.

There's a electrical buzzing sound as the magical barrier outside fails.

Lucilla: Do you think it's safe outside now?

Johnny: Let's go and see.

Lucilla looks out of the window. It's very dark outside (which is odd because the sun was shining when you entered the windmill) but it looks safe outside. No sign of the mist.
They both wonder if perhaps they should get back to the forest to find the cemetary that contains the Necronomicon.

Johnny: Let's try to go back to the Necronomicon.

They both collect their things together, Johnny gets dressed, and they both head outside to find their horse has returned and is eating at a clump of grass.

Johnny: Well that's lucky. Lets go before anything else strange happens.

Soon they are both riding through the forest. Eventually they are both stood in front of the cemetery gate. The cemetery is dark and foreboding. Beyond the many gravestones, on a small hill, sits a stone altar. Perhaps the book is up there.

As they open the gate it's creaks with a sound that starts faintly and almost sounds like someone crying. As they both approach the altar, they begin to notice just how quiet it is. There is no sound except for the creaking of trees, the rustle of leaves, and their footsteps.
They reach the altar to find something completely unexpected: There is more than one book.
3 books lay on the altar, each identical. A strange and evil looking face glares back from the front of each cover...almost as if they are bound in human flesh.
The problem is, which one is the Necronomicon? And what were those words again? And then they have another question: even assuming they pick the right book, when are they supposed to say the words, before or after picking it up?

Lucilla: Thpingle Thpangle Thpoogle.

Lucilla picks up the book on the right.

As Lucilla picks up the book, lightning streaks across the sky and the grounds starts to shake.

They both wonder if the words were wrong...or maybe the book...

They don't have long to think on this though...as the grounds shakes more and more, then all of a sudden gravestones are flying out of the ground all around them and shooting into the air on clouds of white smoke. More and more come careering into the skies, and the lightning flashes with more frequency as the thunder booms all around them.

Johnny: Try another book, Lucilla. I think that was the wrong one.

Lucilla: Thpingle Thpangle Thpoogle.

Lucilla picks up the second book as chaos continues to rage all about her.
It hasn't made a difference and they are running out of time. Looking around she can see that hands are pushing their way up out of the graves.

Johnny: Try the last book, Lucilla.

Lucilla puts down the book.

Lucilla: Thpingle Thpangle Thpoogle.

Lucilla reaches out to touch the first book...which bites her and tightly grips onto her hand. The dead are still clawing their way out of their graves all around them. They don't have time for this!

Lucilla waves her hand about desperately trying to rid herself of it. Johnny grabs hold of it and together they manage to send it hurtling off into the air.

It hovers momentarily before flapping straight back towards Lucilla. She swings a punch at it but it swiftly dives out of the way.

Lucilla and Johnny both draw their swords as the book flies towards Lucilla. She swings her sword at it but again it dodges her. It doesn't manage to dodge Johnny though, who slices his sword through the air towards the book. Pieces of pages drift to the ground as the book is knocked backwards, landing back on the table.

In front of them lie the three books. One of them attacked is the one that attacked them, the other two seem identical. All around Lucilla and Johnny the dead continue to rise from their graves.

Lucilla runs a sword through the first book she picked up.

Nothing happens.

Lucilla picks up the first two books (not the third book which tried to kill her) and runs for the gate.

Johnny follows her.

Lucilla stows the books in her rucksack and she and Johnny mount their horse and ride as fast as they can through the night, back to the castle. After a long ride they are back inside the castle grounds, surrounded by cheers of "They've got the Necronomicon!".
They both head to the tower containing Mystic Gimmiyinn's quarters. Once there, Gimmiyinn approaches them with a worried look on his face.

Gimmiyinn: The Necronomicon, quicklth. Did you bringth the Necronomicon?

Lucilla gets the books out.

Lucilla: Which one is it?

Gimmiyinn: Oh no no no. There'th only thuppothed to be one book. Let me thee.

He opens one of the books and Lucilla, Johnny and Gimmiyinn all feel a powerful force pulling them towards the book...there's a portal inside the book, a whirling vortex!

Gimmiyinn is the first to fall foul of the book, seemingly shrinking as he shoots off into the book, next goes Johnny.

Lucilla reaches out to attempt to close the book but is sucked into the book. She clings to the edge of the book.

Lucilla manages to heave herself out and close the book.

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