Ruby stepped through the dark portal and found herself inside a small chamber that reminded her somewhat of a small cathedral. She smiled as she noticed her cat sitting on the top of the central console, lying next to what appeared to be a shaving mirror. Tenderly, so as not to disturb Missy who was sleeping happily, Ruby stepped further into the chamber and looked around for the Doctor.

‘Doctor? You there?’ she called out softly.

A wooden door opened and the Doctor entered the room. He was no longer dressed in his black suit and frilly shirt, instead he wore his more usual blue overcoat and scarf. In his hand he carried a large wooden stake. He nodded at Ruby. ‘Hello, Ruby.’

‘What are you up to, Doctor?’

‘I’ve got to end this. Time to deal with the consequences, as Lethbridge-Stewart has so kindly pointed out to me.’ He walked over to the steps that led out of the TARDIS. He looked back at Ruby. ‘Nick is dead, and I will not allow that creature to carry on in his body.’

Ruby followed the Doctor out. Once she emerged from the TARDIS she found Alf standing in the canteen doorway, blocking the Doctor’s path.

‘Alf, out of my way.’

‘No. You can’t do it! You can’t kill Nick!’

‘Nick is dead, Alf!’ the Doctor shouted back. The pained look on Alf’s face was too much for the Doctor to bear. ‘I’m sorry. But it’s true. He is dead, and we can’t bring him back. But we can kill that creature before anyone else dies.’

Alf nodded. ‘You’re right. Then it’s up to me.’

‘No, Alf. This is my fight.’

‘No! It’s mine. Nick was my husband, and they took him from me before we had the chance to enjoy our marriage. I have to end this.’

‘But it was my fault that he ever met Bradley. If I had not brought him to 1986 in the first place none of this would have happened!’

Alf looked away, and for a moment the Doctor thought she was going to step aside. Instead Alf turned back and swung her fist, catching the Doctor clean on the chin. The Doctor staggered backwards and landed on the floor, dazed. Alf reached down and picked up the stake that had clattered on to the floor.

‘Sorry, Doctor. But this is my fight.’

With that Alf walked out of the canteen.

Nicholaus stood behind the altar and looked down at the unconscious human body lying on it. Finding a suitable host had been difficult. The human had put up a good fight, but the weapons he used were useless.

Nicholaus raised the sword and slammed it into the body of the human. The sword cut cleanly through the skin until it hit the stone beneath the body. Nicholaus raised his arms aloft.

‘Behold Ashgotoroth! Return to your Emissary!’

He tore open his wrist with his teeth and let the liquid time poor onto the blade of the sword. The liquid time was channelled into the human body. As the liquid time dripped out his arm Nicholaus felt his body weakening, but it was worth it.

Once enough had been given up, Nicholaus removed the sword from the body and returned it to the sheath that was attached to a wooden table behind the altar, and looked down at the vessel that now contained the essence of his creator. The liquid time that was his blood continued to drip from the tear in his arm but Nicholaus felt no pain. All he felt was jubilation, knowing that he was responsible for Ashgotoroth’s return in a way that Bradley could only dream about.

The opening of the far door interrupted his jubilation. Nicholaus looked up and across the worship hall. Someone stood in the dark shadows, just outside of the hall, safely in the vestibule. Nicholaus strained his eyes to make out whom it was, but his body was weakened by the loss of his lifeblood and he could not focus so far ahead.

‘Who’s there?’ he asked in an unconcerned manner. No interruption would make a difference now. Ashgotoroth was going to reign supreme.

‘Oh don’t pretend you don’t recognise me now,’ a female voice answered. ‘That would be such a disappointment.’

Nicholaus smiled. His jubilation was complete for he did indeed recognise the voice. It was the woman Alf – the wife of Nick. He remained where he was, behind the altar, and watched as Alf stepped across the threshold and into the worship hall. Thunder crashed in the skies outside and rain hammered on the old stained glass windows. In her hand Alf carried a wooden stake. Nicholaus spied it and felt a little twinge of concern. Normally such a weapon would not be enough to seriously wound him, despite Earth myths about vampires, but in his weakened state he was not so sure.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the hall, just as Alf started walking towards the stage. For the first time she noticed the unconscious form on the altar. ‘You bastard! Another one!’ She upped her pace. ‘Wasn’t that kid enough for you before?’

‘That was Bradley’s choice, not mine.’

‘And yet somehow that does not justify another life.’

Nicholaus looked away. ‘I don’t need justification.’ He pointed to the body on the altar. ‘Ashgotoroth is going to reign! What more do I need?’

‘This!’

Nicholaus stumbled backwards taken by the surprising turn of speed from Alf. Before he knew it she was on the stage and around the side of the altar. Before he could react she had thrust the stake into him. He clutched at the wood weapon poking out of his chest and hit the floor of the stage with a hard thud. He looked up at Alf. A shudder went down his back. In all the race memory of the Kuang-Shi he could not recall such rage in the eyes of a human.

‘You stole his body! I barely got the chance to know him…’ Alf bit her lower lip and took a deep breath. ‘You won’t make a mockery of him now he’s gone!’

It was as Alf moved towards him, still dressed in the dirty white wedding dress, that Nicholaus realised that his lifetime was going to be very short indeed.