|
|
  
The Doctor removed the bandage from his hand. The wound had taken far too long to heal, and the Doctor had no idea why. His regenerative powers should have closed the wound days ago, but instead it had taken a week for the wound to seal. He looked around his hut, his home for the last six months. Six months of leading the people of Larkhowl against the Kuang-Shi. The Time Amulet was lying on top of his blue coat. The Amulet had several primitive devices attached to it. For six months he has been stuck on Styria. Every single day that had passed had been difficult for him. After spending over a year stuck in one time period the Doctor had no intention of being stranded on another single planet for any length of time. But his guilt had played a part. He had to stay and help the people of Larkhowl - he simply could not leave them to the bloodthirsty vampires. No portal had appeared in those six months, and he had spent most of those months adapting the Amulet to locate one. He removed the devices and lifted the Amulet up and closed his eyes. ‘Soon,’ he said softly. The Amulet hummed in his hands, its unique properties communicating with the Doctor’s own unique mind. Satisfied that the Amulet was ready, he placed it around his neck once more and pulled his coat on. The Doctor opened the door of his hut and took one last look at the small space. Without another glance back he walked out of the hut and closed the door. *** The Doctor had barely been out of his hut for ten minutes when he was joined by Ephan. There was very little sign of the boy he had met six months ago. Now Ephan was a hardened, some might say bitter, fighter. His blonde hair was long (reminding the Doctor of Nick) and dirty. A long scar ran up his left arm. Around his torso Ephan wore a belt to which was hooked several sharp stakes and a sword. The Doctor nodded. ‘Doctor, why are you dressed like that?’ The Doctor looked down at his attire. ‘Why shouldn’t I be, they are my clothes.’ ‘But you have been dressed like the people of Larkhowl for months now. I thought you had decided to remain with us forever.’ The Doctor looked in Ephan’s eyes. That was the worst change as far as the Doctor was concerned. Ephan’s eyes were cold most of the time, the cold eyes of a zealot. The Doctor understood that the loss of Jayms had hit Ephan hard, but it was not enough to account for the change. ‘Wrong, Ephan. As I have told you many times before I have friends who need my help.’ Ephan did not understand. ‘But those friends were in trouble from Bradley and Nicholas. It has been six months, Doctor, the Two would have finished your friends off by now.’ The Doctor narrowed his eyes and grabbed Ephan roughly by the arm. ‘You don’t know Nick and Alf!’ He let Ephan go, realising he didn’t much care for the company. ‘I will help them. First of all, though, I intend to rectify a mistake I made some time ago.’ The Doctor turned and walked off. Ephan rubbed his arm, and smiled. *** The last time Nick had been here was when the Millennium People had told the Doctor about the Master. He stood in the Centre of the Garden of Moderation. The fifteen Moderators stood around him in a circle. Nick was perplexed to see that he only recognised a few of them. Much had changed since he had been away. The Senior Goddess stepped forward. ‘Do you understand what your choice is?’ She stepped back into her place. Nick took a deep breath. ‘Yes, I do. It’s quite simple, to be human or be a god. To be Chaos itself.’ The Goddess of Cheek stepped forward. ‘Simple? What is simple about that?’ She retuned to her place in the circle. Nick smiled. ‘I was trying to make a joke. I have been human for a while, and humans tend to make light of what is beyond them. Sometimes it is the only way they can cope, you know.’ There was no answer. Nick mentally shrugged. ‘It is a big decision, though, you have to admit. And just when did the Millennium People become Chaos?’ The Boss stepped forward and presented Nick with a smile. The Boss was just as Nick remembered him. Dressed in long black robes, his hair brushed forward, and a neat goatee around his mouth. ‘After you were lost to us. Our evolution was not as complete as we first thought, Bloke. We are much more than simply the Lords of Time. We are the benevolent aspect of chaos. Growth, creation, mutation, change. It is chaos that leads to the evolution of this Universe.’ ‘Why would I want to be a part of that?’ The Boss waved his arms open. ‘That is for you to decide.’ ‘If what you say is true, then all you do is effect the evolution of this Universe from afar. I want to get involved.’ The Boss stepped back and the Innocent stepped forward. As usual he was smiling. ‘We effect things when we want to. We created those portals that are a gateway to different dimensions. We created them to bring forth chaos, to attract your attention.’ There were mutters of disapproval throughout the circle. Nick could not help but get the feeling that he was not meant to be told that. ***
|
