Prologue
The three Dalek saucers swept over the surface of the planet, quickly gaining altitude. A beam of deadly energy shot from the lead saucer and struck one of the areas in the city below it, reducing the buildings to ash and rubble and sterilising the area of all life.
Commander Tavalak shielded his eyes from the glare of the distant blast before getting to his feet. He beckoned the remainder of his troops, their red and white body armour now muddy and dented, to break cover and fall in behind him.
He glanced up at the Dalek saucers again, now small discs against the red sky.
Then the sky rippled, and in a flash of blue and white energy the Gallifreyan time-ship 'Omega's Glory' emerged from the vortex. The enormous dart-shaped cruiser banked in pursuit of the Dalek ships.
Tavalak's troops cheered as a white beam of artron energy erupted from the Glory's cannons and struck the trailing Dalek saucer, vaporising it instantly.
Tavalak smiled grimly and nodded. They had won the battle here and the Daleks had been pushed back. But he knew that the aerial battle wasn't the only one that Gallifrey had fought this day. When the Timelords had colonised this planet, they had done so to protect the universe. The Dalek invasion had upset the equilibrium. If it had escaped, the Daleks would have gained a powerful ally in their quest for destruction, even though that ally would not have cared about or distinguished between any forms of life.
Tavalak pushed a button on his wrist communicator. "Has the breach been sealed?"
As if in answer, the ground trembled beneath his feet.
"Come on!" Tavalak beckoned his men onwards as they sprinted towards the chasm.
As they approached the jagged crack in the ground, the earthquake became more violent. A terrible keening wail burst from the chasm before them. Tavalak peered over the edge and instantly squinted to protect his eyes from the brilliant glare of white energy.
Something huge twisted and turned in the energy as it fell into the chasm. Tavalak glimpsed enormous bat wings and a long pointed tail before the creature was lost from view.
The earthquake subsided and there was a deafening silence broken only by soft footsteps walking towards them. Tavalak raised his staser but then relaxed as he recognised the figure that approached them.
The man wore a green velvet frock-coat, now torn and blackened. A silver cravat hung loosely from the open wing collar shirt and his long, dark, curly hair was matted with sweat and dirt. Blood dripped from a long gash on the cheek of his handsome face, but somehow he managed a wry smile. "I really must get some more suitable clothes."
Tavalak shook his head, amazed at the newcomer's bizarre humour. "Will it hold Doctor?" he asked.
The Doctor nodded. "Today perhaps, but not forever. It's not over yet!"
1.
The ruins of the city spread out in all directions as far as the eye could see. Broken and cracked buildings, all made from steel and glass, reached into a threatening red sky. Between the decayed structures, some little more than a skeleton of girders and pipes, weaved the crumbling remains of a road and monorail system. Various vehicles – cars, lorries and trains – had been left abandoned and stripped of anything that could be salvaged. None had moved for centuries.
There was a low rumble like thunder and suddenly the air was rent with a myriad of colour and light as a swirling vortex appeared from nowhere.
The Doctor and Ionay, still holding hands, ran from the Schism Portal and onto the dirty, cracked pavement.
The Doctor bent his neck to one side and stretched his jaw. "Whoa, I hate using those things!" He gingerly tested his teeth with his fingers. "It always sets my teeth on edge." Rubbing his tongue around his mouth, the Doctor looked at Ionay. "Are you alright?"
Ionay felt as if her ears were going to explode and her stomach churned, but she was determined not to show it. "I think so," she replied with a nod.
Behind them, the Schism Portal convulsed, crackled and then seemed to suddenly implode into nothing.
"What's happened?" asked Ionay. "Where are the Priests – I thought they were following us?"
The Doctor's eyes widened. "They were." He glanced warily around him. "Something's happened. I think we have to be even more careful."
Ionay watched him as he drew a slender metal wand from his the pocket of his brown jacket. He twisted it around and then pointed it at the air where the Portal had vanished. To her surprise, there was a high-pitched whine and the tip of the wand gave off a bright blue glow.
"Hmm," he muttered and wiped a hand thoughtfully across his mouth. "Interference – something's set up a psychic barrier." The Doctor put his sonic screwdriver away and took Ionay's hand again. "Come on, let's get back to the TARDIS and see if we can establish the link again. I don't like the idea of wandering around here without backup."
Ionay glanced around at the hellish landscape of ruins and decay. "Where are we?" she asked. "What is this terrible place?"
The Doctor looked down before meeting her gaze. "A battleground Ionay. A place where my people were victorious - but at a terrible cost." He sighed. "This is Arcadia."
2.
The cavern was enormous.
It was at least two hundred feet across and another one hundred high. Pathways and ledges snaked across the walls of the dark, almost obsidian-black rock, and each disappeared into gloomy tunnels.
On the rough floor of the cavern was a jagged pit of fire that roared with power. Huge fifty foot flames crackled with the intense heat of an inferno.
Around the pit stood a dozen Vola, their fiery bodies absorbing the energy from the natural furnace.
Another group of Vola suddenly strode from one of the dark tunnels, down a short pathway and onto the floor of the cavern. The Vola at the head of the group seemed larger and more powerful than the others and the fire burnt around its body brighter, almost incandescent.
One of the Vola beside the pit turned to face the new group. "It is done." The voice was bass but with a hiss and crackle of coal burning in an open grate. "The Brotherhood has been confined."
The larger Vola inclined its head. "Good – show me." The voice sounded the same, but deeper.
The first Vola turned back to the circle of other Vola that stood around the pit. Flames shot from all of their outstretched arms making a circle of fire between them.
A swirling vortex of light suddenly appeared floating high in the cavern. Inside the vortex, their scarlet robes billowing as if in a howling gale, were the priests. Their mouths were open in a silent scream as they whirled in their strange and terrifying prison.
The Vola leader shook and crackled in what could only be cruel amusement. Then it turned back to the circle of other Vola. "What was the cost?"
The first Vola broke the circle of fire again and the vortex containing the trapped brotherhood faded and vanished. "The Vola life-force was diminished by three."
"And the Time Lord?"
"He and another of the Brotherhood escaped the Portal before we could trap them. They are in the city."
"Then he must be captured." The Vola leader turned to those behind it. "Find the Doctor," it ordered. "Bring him here – kill the other."
As the Vola patrol marched back into one of the tunnels that led from the cavern, the Vola leader looked upwards and to part of the cavern that was in total shadow.
From the darkness issued a harsh, cruel chuckle.
3.
The Doctor led Ionay carefully along the crumbling pavement. Even though a weak sun hung in the sky, it was often obscured by deep black clouds. With the ruins of the tall skyscrapers either side of the roads, the walkways were overcast by long, murky shadows.
Ionay shivered and wished she still possessed the heavy woollen cloak Owain had given to her. She watched carefully around them for any sign of movement, but the city seemed completely deserted. The Doctor had been quiet since they had started walking and to Ionay seemed lost in thought.
"What kind of battle could cause all this?" she asked him eventually.
The Doctor frowned. "The Time War – a terrible war between my people and a race called Daleks."
"Did you win?"
"Nobody won Ionay," the Doctor whispered, coming to a halt. "The Time Lords – my people – saved the Universe from the tyrannical rule of the Daleks but at………..at a dear cost." He stared into the past, dark memories flickering past his eyes.
"And were you here, on," she thought back for the name the Doctor had used, "…. Arcadia?"
"Oh yes," the Doctor replied quietly. "I was here, although it seems so long ago now." He took a breath. "Come on, let's keep moving. I'm sure the underground system starts somewhere around here."
Ionay followed him as he started off. But she finally was getting some answers and there was no way she was going to stop now. "So if this Time War started so long ago, why are you back here now?"
"Because I picked up the alarm signal."
Ionay felt she was losing track again. "What alarm signal?"
"Arcadia is a very special place Ionay." The Doctor smiled grimly. "It holds a dark secret. That's why we Timelords colonised it."
"Are the Vola from here?"
The Doctor's smile changed to a grin. "Yes, very good, well done. Well, not directly from 'here', but we'll come to that later. But as I told you, they're just the servants of Astaroth." He broke off as they reached a flight of steps that led down. "Brilliant – the underground monorail system. I knew there was a station nearby. We can get to the TARDIS from here." He grabbed Ionay's hand and started down the steps.
Ionay bit her lip. It was difficult to hold back with so many questions burning through her mind. She took a first step down the stairs and then suddenly reeled back with a gasp.
"What is it?" The Doctor ran back up the stairs, full of concern.
Ionay blinked several times and could feel her heart pounding. "The Vola – they're waiting for us down there!"
4.
The Doctor looked carefully into Ionay's eyes. "How do you know?"
"I…….saw them," she stammered. "Like a picture in my mind."
"Has this happened before?"
"Only once, when I was looking for my brother." Ionay realised with a shock that it was less than two days ago. Her old life seemed like a distant memory. "But this was so much clearer."
The Doctor nodded. "You're closer to the Rift now – your powers are getting stronger."
Ionay just stared at the Doctor. "My powers………..?"
"You're part of the Scarlet Brotherhood Ionay. And that makes you special."
"In what way? What kind of powers?" More questions, all the time more questions.
Suddenly an explosion of heat sped past the Doctor and Ionay and scorched the wall behind them. At the foot of the steps stood a Vola, its arm outstretched. More Vola stood behind the first creature.
The Doctor grabbed Ionay's hand. "Run!"
They sprinted back onto the street and across the road, dodging past the abandoned cars and trucks.
The Vola strode up the steps and onto the pavement. Three of them raised their arms and shot lethal bolts of fire after the two fleeing figures. The bolts struck the ground or the motionless vehicles, but miraculously missed the Doctor and Ionay.
"There should be another station around the corner," yelled the Doctor, "we can get underground that way!"
They reached the other side of the road and were about to dodge around the side of a ruined building when the advancing Vola loosed their fireballs again.
Ionay ducked as the bolts passed inches from her head and exploded against the wall of the building in front of them. Bricks and mortar were hurled in all directions and then came an ominous rumble.
Ionay stared in shock as the wall in front of her began to collapse. Then the Doctor shoved her backwards before he was buried in a pile of rubble.
"Doctor!" Ionay screamed.
Dust billowed everywhere and she risked a look over her shoulder. The Vola were striding towards them. She looked back at the debris and saw with horror the top half of the Doctor's body sticking out from a large pile of masonry and bricks. His legs and feet were completely buried.
She crouched down next to him. "Doctor, you've got to get up!" she yelled.
His eyes fluttered open. "Get away," he muttered. "Get to the TARDIS."
Ionay's blue eyes flashed with anger. "I can't leave you! I can stop them!"
"No you can't," the Doctor shook his head. "They're much stronger here – you'll be killed." He reached into his pocket and fished out a small gold key. "Find the TARDIS – a blue box – she'll know what to do!"
5.
Ionay took the key from the Doctor as his eyes closed and his head lolled backwards into unconsciousness.
She got to her feet, glancing over her shoulder at the marching Vola. Then without hesitation she dashed off around what remained of the corner of the building.
The Doctor was right. Ahead of her there was another small, battered arch with a flight of steps leading down under the pavement. She ran across to them and then paused. What if the Vola were waiting down there for her? She closed her eyes and clutched at the pendant around her neck, willing some kind of picture to jump into her mind, but nothing came.
Ionay opened her eyes, took a breath, and then headed down the stairs and to the darkness below.
The stairs led onto a long platform that was about twenty feet wide. To the left of her was a wall with crumbling brickwork and then on the right side of the platform, a short drop of around ten feet. A thick metal track in the drop ran next to the platform, emerging from one tunnel next to her and then disappearing into another at the far end.
Ionay paused as her eyes got used to the darkness. Then she saw something sitting at the other end of the platform. It was a large blue box.
Ionay licked her lips nervously as she walked towards the box. The gold key the Doctor had given her was gripped tightly in her hand. She stopped to look at the sign above the door and wondered what a 'Police Box' was. The Doctor had called it the 'TARDIS'?
She took a deep breath, then inserted the key into the lock, twisted it and pushed the door open.
Ionay was staggered by the immense golden chamber beyond, but took a brave few steps inside. She walked slowly up the metal-grilled ramp and towards the circular column with the pillar of glass above it.
She stopped in front of the console and gazed at the complex myriad of switches, dials and controls. What could she do in here? Ionay looked around at the twisting coral that snaked towards the high ceiling and listened to the background hum of the TARDIS as it pulsed with a gentle heartbeat.
Ionay reached out a tentative hand and touched a green spherical orb on the console.
Immediately there was a reaction and she heard a hum that rose in pitch until something crackled into life on a narrow gantry across from the console.
It was the Doctor.
6.
Ionay realised at once that it wasn't really the Doctor that stood on the balcony with his hands in his pockets, but some kind of transparent image of him that was surrounded by a halo of light.
To her surprise, the image suddenly spoke to her.
"This capsule recognises compatible DNA and has activated Emergency Protocol Seven." The image grinned and winked. "Good number, seven." It became serious again. "Please state the nature of the current problem."
Ionay hesitated, her mouth hanging open. How could she put this? "My friends have been trapped behind a ….psychic barrier…..I think……"
The image of the Doctor frowned. "This capsule does not – oh, I hate all the 'this capsule' stuff. Can't you just be more specific?"
Ionay put her hands on her hips. "I'm trying – it's difficult talking to a…. a ghost!" She thought for a moment. "I need to break the barrier."
The image smiled. "Projecting a standing wave at interference frequencies." It raised a hand and Ionay jumped as dials on the central console began to move by themselves.
As a throbbing hum filled the chamber, a ball of twisting light began to form in the air.
*********************
The Doctor had been freed from the pile of rubble that had trapped him and was now being escorted along a dark underground tunnel by several Vola. Rather than the artificial underground tunnels used by the old monorail system of the city, this tunnel was roughly hewn from bare rock and sloped steeply downwards.
The Doctor was still limping a little. His left leg ached where it had been hit by the falling masonry but he still looked around him with interest. "I'm sure this bit's not on the underground tour." He glanced at the Vola. "Unless it's that new line – you know, 'Paddington', 'Edgware Road', next stop 'Infernal Halt'. No?"
The Vola leader hissed - the sound of a boiling, bubbling kettle. "Be silent Time Lord!"
The Doctor just smiled innocently but then his eyes widened as the tunnel ended and opened out onto a ledge of the enormous underground cavern. Several Vola still stood around the edge of the fiery pit in its centre.
"Oh now this is impressive," cried the Doctor with a low whistle.
His Vola escorts said nothing but herded him down the sloping ledge to the floor of the cavern.
"I like what you're trying to achieve with the décor though – that modern kind of 'sacrifice me here' look."
"Your appearance has changed Time Lord, but still you prattle endlessly!"
The voice was deep and melodic and came from nowhere, yet filled the cavern.
The Doctor's eyes narrowed, all frivolity gone. "Why don't you just show yourself Astaroth?"
There was a long, cruel laugh and then a huge shape began to form in the shadows of a high ledge.