The Lords of Ancrazar

The Lords of Ancrazar

part 1

Ben has been visiting London in order to consult with Professor Dixby Leam of Royal Holloway on some archaeological finds he has discovered. Sitting in his hotel room that night he decides to check out the area's gay club , the Pink Dragon, which he'd discovered via the internet before making the trip.
Leaving the hotel, Ben is walking through the dark London side-streets when he is confronted by three hoodies with knives who push him against a wall:
"Wallet"
One of the hoodies mumbles in a mono-syllabic way. Ben is infuriated:
"No, I'm not giving you my wallet. And if I were you I'd put those knives away and shove off."
The hoodies snigger:
"Dude thinks he's clever yeah. How bout we cut 'im?"
"Yeah man . Slash 'is pretty face up"

However Ben leaps forward and makes some clever judo moves, knocking knives out of their hands and decking one of them. One hoodie pushes back at Ben and they both crash into a door, smashing it open and falling through. Looking up, Ben sees that they have fallen into a room full of men dressed in strange robes and hats, with long-flowing gowns. Incense is burning and there is an altar with chanting men kneeling beside it.The other hoodies run off as Ben and his attacker are surrounded by the figures in the room, who seem to hold Ben in awe. They close the broken door.
"It is Johannan. He has returned from the dead".
One shouts,
"No. But the resemblance is almost perfect" another says.The hoodie rubs his head as Ben gets up and and asks who they are:
"We are the exiled knights of Lord Johannan of Ancrazar. Our planet is being ruled by the usurper King Ansol , cousin of Johannan. When we came to this planet, our teleport machine malfunctioned and Johannan was killed. However we can now return to Ancrazar and free our world from the tyrant."
"Er how exactly?" Ben asks bemused:
"Because you well make a perfect substitute Johannan. We have repaired the teleport and can return and prepare for battle. We offer you the chance to be King of Ancrazar. And your associate can become a Lord of the Round Table.
The hoodie groans and says he wants to "naff off arht of 'ere".
"And what if we refuse your 'offer'?"
Ben asks:"We would have no choice but to cut your throats"
the medieval garbed alien replies coldly.

Ben is angry but conceals this and has a Fox's Glacier Mint to calm down. He offers one to the disconcerted hoodie who snatches it and shoves it in his mouth. The hoodie feels the room start to swirl and a strange sensation of floating bliss sweep over him.

- to be continued