Demons in the Smoke

by dragoncymru

The rock golems are intent on destroying the Cherokee tribe. But can the Doctor stop the Winago before it engulfs the enitre world? This story concludes 'Avatars of Stone' and is another in my series of 'TARDIS Adventures' for the Tenth Doctor.

Adventure 10: Demons in the Smoke

Prologue

His mind drifted amongst the infinite reaches of eternity.

Hamas'kalu had long since mastered the disciplines of travelling beyond the mortal boundaries. He could let his mind wander freely, seeking wisdom and knowledge to help his people. But he had not been prepared for the dangers in this ethereal realm.

The Winago was an ancient entity that had been created at the same time as the Universe. Some legends believe that it originated from another Universe entirely and was exiled into ours by some even higher power. It had hovered through the dimensions with no physical form, just a vast burning intelligence that wanted above anything else, to gain physical form and consume; to consume anything – life, energy and matter.

Hamas'kalu had encountered the Winago and it had almost consumed his mind instantly, as a whale would consume a single fish. But then it sensed something and a plan had formed; a plan that would feed the Winago for much longer than a single mind.

The old Indian chief was now weary of the Spirit that had invaded his consciousness, but could not shake its terrible dominion. He wanted rest; he wanted peace; not the horrific images that played through his mind like the worst of nightmares. The final preparations were drawing near and Hamas'kalu wondered, with the tiny part of his mind that was still his own, whether he would survive.

But his own survival was of no importance. He cared only for the Cherokee under his guidance. His people had lost so much since Hamas'kalu had been a boy so long ago. He wondered if the bargain he had made had been foolish. The Winago promised so much with a honeyed tongue when it spoke to him in that sibilant voice of a woman, but it was the voice of a serpent; he knew that now only too well.

The Winago would soon consume the mountain and all around it. Hamas'kalu knew that his people must leave their camp. But they were proud and brave; they would not leave out of fear. They would have to be driven.

A single tear rolled down his sunken, wrinkled cheek.

So much death…..

1.

Katherine and Megan backed away from the golem as it towered over them and gave a roar of fury.

Terror overtook the two girls and they ran from the tepee screaming for help.

Selu was walking through the camp intent on meeting their two guests when she heard the screams and saw Katherine and Megan running towards her. Then she heard the roar of the golem as it tore its way out through the tepee, smashing the wooden supports with massive stone fists as if they were match wood. The material of the tepee slowly started to collapse as the creature emerged into the morning sunlight.

The Indian woman didn't hesitate and shouted for warriors to help the two women and defend the camp against the demonic invader.

An Indian youth was too close to the tepee and tried vainly to hold it back with a spear, but the golem was too strong and brushed him aside like a desert fly.

Other warriors, led by Jadib, rushed to Selu's side, all holding weapons. They gazed at the golem in fear. Twice before they had fought the golem and twice they had lost some of their tribe.

Breathless, Megan and Katherine reached Selu and the warriors. "Keep back and let it go," gasped Megan, "don't try to stop it!"

Katherine nodded at Jadib who held up his hand and the Indian warriors took up defensive positions but did not advance towards the creature.

The golem roared defiantly, but Megan was right. It didn't attack but turned and strode from the camp, heading out onto the prairie.

"It's heading back to the mountain!" explained Katherine.

Selu nodded. "And the Doctor and Kana'ti." She turned on the two girls angrily. "You have brought nothing but death and destruction to the Cherokee!"

Jadib nodded in agreement, his spear raised aggressively. "How did that thing walk again? We killed it. How can it rise from the dead?" He advanced towards the girls who shrank back in fear. Their status as guests seemed to have waned now that the Doctor or Kana'ti had left.

"It had a crystal," stammered Megan. "We don't know how it got there!"

Jadib's was furious. "And you were there also!" He turned to the other Indians. "Could it be that our enemy are within us?"

Katherine and Megan were trapped in a circle of angry Indian warriors.

2.

The Doctor and Kana'ti rode their horses slowly up the winding and treacherous mountain path. The Doctor reined the horse and looked around. "Something terrible is happening here Kana'ti."

The Indian came to a halt besides the Doctor. "My people are in danger?"

The Doctor nodded. "I'm sorry." He sighed and looked around again. "I'm surprised we haven't encountered any more of those creatures yet. It'll happen soon but where are they?" He nudged his horse forward again.

Kana'ti offered a prayer to the Spirits and then, full of foreboding, followed the Doctor up the path.

It was only a few minutes longer before they reached the small plateau that led to the mine entrance. Both men dismounted and tied their horses to a small, rotten tree stump. They crept carefully around the boulders and peered out. Standing motionless in front of the mine entrance was a golem.

The Doctor nodded in satisfaction. "Thought so," he whispered.

Kana'ti regarded the golem with superstitious fear. "What does it wait for?" he said quietly.

"A signal, just like the others we saw." The Doctor bit his lip in thought. "Question is, what's the signal?" He paused for a second and then, flashing a wild grin at Kana'ti, picked up a rock and hurled it at the golem.

The rock sailed through the air and hit the golem squarely on the chest. The golem did not move.

The Doctor leapt from his hiding place with a cry and his hands in the air. "Howzat!" He turned back to a wide-eyed Kana'ti with a smile. "I used to be fantastic at cricket. It just goes to show the old skills never fade!" He started to walk boldly up to the golem. "Don't worry I think it'll be alright." He reached the towering creature and whistled softly. "Incredible design; a pure elemental force!"

Kana'ti approached with care. "It is an evil Spirit! We should destroy it!"

The Doctor shook his head as he got out his sonic screwdriver from his pocket. "It's no Spirit, and I don't think we could destroy it, but," he pointed the device at the crystal on the golem's forehead. "We can do this!"

There was a high-pitched whine and the crystal dropped into the Doctor's outstretched palm. "There, now you keep hold of this carefully," he instructed, handing it to the amazed Kana'ti.

He peered into the darkness of the mine. "Now then, shall we?"

3.

Joe Clancy watched from his hiding place behind some rocks as the Doctor and the Indian tied their horses to the tree stump and started up the path towards the mine. Clancy knew what was up there. He had seen the terrifying golem on guard when he had reached the mine earlier that morning. Joe paused, considering what to do next. He wasn't a brave man at heart, but he was as stubborn as a mule, and the thought of someone else getting his hands on his gold galvanised him into action. Besides, the Doctor seemed to be a man who knew a trick or two, and he had the Indian as muscle too.

Coming to a decision, Clancy spat at the ground and started to carefully follow the Doctor and Kana'ti. But he had hardly left his niche in the rocks when he heard heavy footsteps approaching. Ducking back into his hiding place, Clancy watched as an ancient Indian appeared flanked by three stone golems. Clancy's eyes widened as he saw the large black crystal that the Indian carried – it must've been worth a fortune! The crystal glowed eerily with an unearthly light and Joe knew immediately that it was powerful and dangerous.

The wizened Indian walked slowly up the mountain path with the golem creatures as escorts. They turned the corner in the path and as Clancy moved forward to watch, passed by the original golem that stood guard at the mine entrance and walked into the tunnel.

Clancy swallowed nervously and waited for a few minutes. "This hand's getting worse all the time," he muttered eventually. He edged forwards clutching his rifle in both hands and ready to shoot. Still the golem didn't move. Was it asleep, or dead? Joe summoned up all his courage and took another step closer. The golem was like a statue. Clancy peered past it into the gloom but could see no movement from within the mine.

Taking a deep breath, Clancy broke from his cover and ran as fast as his old legs would carry him. He ran past the immobile golem and into the darkness of the mine tunnel.

After a few seconds, Joe realised that the golem hadn't followed him and came to a halt. Panting, he crouched down to light his old lantern and then he noticed something glowing in the tunnel ahead of him.

4.

The Doctor knelt by the pattern of crystals in the mine floor that he and Joe had discovered on their first venture into the mine. Kana'ti stood next to him, looking nervously up and down the dark tunnels. The Doctor put on his glasses and studied the crystals. There should have been a gap in the circle after he had taken one before, but the circle of crystals was complete again. And was it his imagination or had the crystals actually got bigger?

He tentatively put out his hand to touch one and pulled it back quickly. The crystal was scalding hot. He peered closer and saw that they were all pulsing with some kind of unearthly energy.

"This is interesting Kana'ti," the Doctor whispered, "worryingly interesting perhaps!"

Kana'ti glanced down at the crystal circle. "It is the work of evil Spirits that stalk the Cherokee!" he muttered.

The Doctor shook his head as he drew his sonic screwdriver. "I keep telling you it's not a Spirit, but I think you're right about the 'evil' bit!" He pointed the sonic screwdriver at one of the crystals and gave it a burst of power. After the whine of the screwdriver had subsided, the Doctor reached down to pull the crystal out like he had done before but he snatched his hand back again. The crystal wouldn't move.

"That didn't work!" he muttered. "The internal energy must have increased……….."

Suddenly, Kana'ti grabbed his shoulder. "There are creatures approaching!" he hissed.

The Doctor glanced up and saw three massive figures, clearly golems even in the near pitch black of the mine tunnel. The golems flanked another, smaller figure. With his finger to his lips, the Doctor pulled Kana'ti deeper down the tunnel and into the mine. They flattened themselves against the wall as the Doctor risked a peek backwards to see what was happening.

As the Doctor watched, the smaller figure bent down and put something about the size of a football in the circle of crystals. Suddenly, the glow surrounding the crystals increased in intensity and the Doctor caught a brief glimpse of a wizened face in the eerie light.

Then there began a humming or throbbing sound, and the Doctor saw that the 'football' was in fact a large black crystal. As the humming increased in pitch, he could see something inside the crystal. Then the crystal suddenly cracked open and dense, green smoke began to billow out.

5.

The smoke completely surrounded the old figure that had carried the large crystal and for just a second, the Doctor thought he saw something like a huge serpent, twisting and writhing, in the smoke. A sibilant, hissing female laugh started to echo through the mine.

The Doctor glanced back at Kana'ti and could see that he was terrified beyond all comprehension. The Doctor grabbed his arm. "Come on, time we were getting out of here!"

The Indian turned to face the Doctor, his eyes wide with fear, but he just about managed a small nod.

Pushing Kana'ti before him, the Doctor ran down the tunnel as the smoke billowed from the cracked crystal. They edged past the three golems that stood motionless around the crystal circle and towards the mine entrance, scrabbling over the fallen rocks that the Doctor had trapped a golem under. The Doctor risked a look backwards and realised that the small figure within the column of smoke had now vanished completely.

Kana'ti pulled up short just before the mine entrance as another figure came into view. It was Joe Clancy who shakily clutched his rifle as staggered towards them

"What in damnation's happening in my mine?" Clancy growled.

The Doctor hardly paused for breath. "No time to explain Joe – we've just got to get out of here. There are three golems behind us who will just about be switching on right now!" He pushed Kana'ti and a protesting Clancy ahead of him and could just see the daylight beyond the mine entrance ahead of them.

Suddenly Kana'ti gave a cry of pain and threw something to the ground. It was the crystal from the golem that the Doctor had removed earlier. "It's scalding hot!" Kana'ti gasped.

To the amazement of all three men, the crystal rose from the ground and started to float towards the mine entrance.

The Doctor's eyes widened as he realised its destination. "It'll try to get back to the golem, come on!"

The three of them rushed towards the mine entrance just as the crystal floated into the forehead of the immobile golem that suddenly came to life with a roar.

6.

With Kana'ti away from the camp, Jadib had taken charge of the Indian warriors and respectfully entered the tepee of Hamas'kalu to seek advice. To his surprise, the tent was empty and the old Indian nowhere in sight. Jadib turned to leave but heard something behind him. His eyes widened in superstitious fear as a whirling vortex of green smoke suddenly appeared in the tepee. As the vortex of smoke died away, the figure of Hamas'kalu stepped from it.

Jadib's mouth opened but Hamas'kalu raised his open palm and touched the Indian warrior gently on the forehead. Jadib's cry died in his throat and his eyes glazed over.

Hamas'kalu regarded Jadib with affection. "The Cherokee are in great danger Jadib," he whispered. "You must lead the tribe from the camp or be destroyed!"

Jadib nodded slowly. "I obey you, wise one."

"Then go and see it is done."

Jadib nodded again and strode from the tepee. As he got outside, he shook his head. Then he realised the impending danger – he must lead the tribe away!"

Katherine and Megan had been placed under 'house arrest' and told to stay in a tepee until it had been decided what the Cherokee would do with them. But after several hours and still no sign of the Doctor, the patience of both girls had worn thin. Megan had discovered a loose flap of hide in the tepee and after only a short debate, they had decided to sneak out and try to find him themselves.

But their luck held for little under a minute before Selu spotted them. The Indian woman shouted the alarm and the two girls ran for it.

Katherine didn't realise that Megan was no longer with her as she ducked into a tepee to hide from the pursuing Indians. She peeked out of the flap and saw with relief the Indians running past her hiding place. She tried to catch her breath and then heard something behind her that made her blood run cold.

It was a sibilant, malevolent laugh.

Katherine turned to see the small figure of an old Indian man who was wreathed in billowing green smoke. But as she stared, the face of the Indian seemed to fall away to reveal a wizened and decrepit man that was centuries old - the face of a living corpse.

7.

Katherine opened her mouth to scream at the terrifying figure before her but Hamas'kalu raised his hand like before and the scream never came.

"Hush child," hissed a woman's voice that was filled with hate. Then the creature's terrifying features seemed to swim before her eyes and in mere seconds it wore the gentle face of an old Indian. "I am Hamas'kalu," the old man said, his voice kind and normal. "You must be one of Kana'ti's friends?"

Katherine found it in herself to just nod slowly.

Hamas'kalu smiled warmly. "Such a pity you choose to visit the Cherokee at such a time. You would have been so welcome." His voice became sad and wistful and then he took a deep, shuddering breath, his eyes widening as if he had suddenly seen something.

"Bring them here!" Hamas'kalu's mouth moved but the voice was the woman's.

The old Indian smiled at Katherine as he walked slowly over to the crude map that had been scratched into the ground. He picked up three small black stones and moved them towards the Indian camp.

Katherine suddenly realised what the map represented. "It's you," she gasped. "You're controlling the stone creatures!"

Hamas'kalu nodded sadly. "I must do what I am compelled to do."

In the mine, the three stone golems that stood around the crystal pattern suddenly came to life and began to stride towards the mine entrance.

Then his face twisted in hate again and he raised his hand. His eyes fixed on Katherine's, and she felt a terrible force within her mind before everything went dark. "You will serve my purpose!" Hamas'kalu hissed as Katherine's eyes glazed over and she went rigid. He looked down at the map with satisfaction. "Fear will grip the Cherokee and soon the camp will be deserted!"

"Will it soon be at an end?" Hamas'kalu asked his tormentor.

"You will continue to serve the Winago!" the voice hissed. "The Doctor will not be so easily convinced to leave here. We will have to use his companion to aid our cause!" Hamas'kalu twisted his head to face Katherine and smiled a terrible smile, his eyes glittering with evil.

8.

The Doctor, Kana'ti and Clancy tore down the mountain path pursued by the golem that had sprung to life outside the mine. The stone creature roared in fury as it strode after them, but fortunately its speed was only moderate and the three men began to increase the distance.

They reached the tree stump where they had tethered their horses and quickly untied the spooked mounts. Kana'ti swung up easily into the saddle and the Doctor pulled Clancy up behind him.

As the golem marched across the small plateau where Clancy had camped, the Doctor and Kana'ti spurred their mounts and galloped away down the mountain path.

Suddenly, Kana'ti reined his horse in as he spotted two golems, one carrying a black crystal, heading up the mountain path towards them. He turned back to the Doctor. "What do we do?"

"Reckon they got us caught like rats in a trap!" muttered Clancy.

The Doctor could still hear the other golem thundering down the path behind them. His eyes narrowed with concentration. "Ride through those two. Don't touch them and I don't think they'll hurt us."

"You're crazy!" cried Clancy. "You'll get us killed!"

"They've got other orders to get that crystal up there. We have to risk it!" The Doctor spurred his horse and galloped down the path straight towards the two golems.

With a silent prayer to the Spirits, Kana'ti followed him.

The two horses tore past the two golems who, just as the Doctor suspected, didn't react as they passed.

With a whoop, the Doctor grinned at Kana'ti as they galloped down the mountainside and into the canyon that led to the Indian camp.

Their jubilation didn't last very long however, as after only a few minutes, the Doctor recognised a figure that was running towards them. "It's Megan!" he muttered. "Something's happened!" He spurred his horse forward into a gallop again until he reached her.

He jumped off the horse as she almost fell into his arms. "Megan, what's wrong?" the Doctor asked urgently. "Where's Katherine?"

Megan looked worried at almost at the point of tears. "I don't know. We got separated. I think she got caught by the Indians again. Doctor, things have got ugly back there!"

9.

Jadib had gathered the rest of the Cherokee tribe and told them of Hamas'kalu's wisdom and the evil that they would face if they remained here. There were many stunned faces and a lot of confused, frightened and angry muttering when Jadib told them that Hamas'kalu had instructed him to lead the Cherokee from their camp before the evil Spirits consumed them.

Bara'cu, the warrior that had accompanied Kana'ti and Jadib up the mountain, spoke up. "Is there no other way Jadib? I do not want to run. Can we not fight this evil?"

Jadib shook his head, the message Hamas'kalu had given him was clear. "If we stay my brother we will die!"

Selu looked up ay Jadib and Bara'cu with her large, dark eyes. "We have no choice. We must protect our children and the elders of the tribe. They cannot fight Bara'cu."

Bara'cu nodded after a moment. "What about the strangers?"

Jadib shrugged. "We owe them nothing, but if the women are found to be here, we will take them with us. We are not savages to leave them to be killed."

Selu sighed. "Then we must make preparations."

Suddenly there was a shout from some of the Indians on the outskirts of the crowd around Jadib and Selu. The Indians gasped, expecting to see the monstrous golems, but instead two horses were galloping across the prairie towards them.

Selu's face changed from fear to joy in an instant as she saw who was riding one of the horses. "Kana'ti!" she cried, and pushed her way through the Indians.

Kana'ti, who rode with Clancy behind him, pulled his horse to a halt and jumped off, running into Selu's arms and hugged her tightly. Even Clancy, tough as he liked to think he was, was touched by the joyful reunion.

The other horse that carried the Doctor and Megan cantered up. The Doctor glanced around. "Going somewhere are we?" he asked carefully, trying to gauge the situation and the clear tension in the tribe.

Jadib strode towards them and put his hand on Kana'ti's shoulder. "It is good to see you return to us Kana'ti, but we have been told to leave this place?"

"Told by whom?" asked the Doctor slowly, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Before Jadib could answer, there was another gasp from the Indian crowd.

Stepping from a large tepee was Katherine, her eyes glazed and vacant. "By me!"

10.

The voice that issued from Katherine's lips was not hers, but that of an old man. "The Cherokee are in great danger here. You must leave the camp!"

There were more gasps of awe and fear from the Indians. "It is the voice of Hama'kalu!" whispered Kana'ti to the Doctor. "He speaks through the mouth of the woman!"

The Doctor nodded slowly, went to say something, and then thought better of it. He watched Katherine carefully, his eyes full of worry.

"The strangers bear the Cherokee no malice," continued Katherine in the old Indian's voice. "But there is no defence against the creatures of stone. You will take them with you to safety!" Katherine then gave a sudden gasp. Her eyes rolled up in her head and she went limp.

Megan and the Doctor were at her side instantly and caught her before she collapsed. The Doctor stroked her face gently. "Easy Katherine, you're safe now," he breathed.

Jadib nodded towards Kana'ti. "You see, we must make preparations to leave!"

Kana'ti looked back at the Doctor and then down at Selu. After a long moment, he nodded. "We will take the tribe to safety!"

Jadib smiled grimly and grasped Kana'ti's shoulder "I will start preparations."

The Doctor looked up. "You're making a mistake Kana'ti," he said quietly. "It just wants you out of the way."

But before Kana'ti could reply, Katherine groaned and stirred. "Doctor?" she whispered.

"Yes Katherine, I'm here."

Katherine's eyes opened wide with fear. "Doctor, we're in great danger! You must take me away!" Her voice verged on hysteria. "Take me away!" Then as abruptly as the hysteria had begun, Katherine fell silent, her yes staring blankly.

Megan looked worriedly between Katherine and the Doctor. "What's happened to her?"

Kana'ti took a step away from Katherine. "She is under some trance!" he whispered superstitiously.

The Doctor nodded grimly. "Yes, I think so."

Suddenly Katherine started again, this time even more hysterical. "Doctor, we're in great danger! You must take me away! Take me away!" Then she fell silent again.

The Doctor looked down at Katherine and then at a very worried Megan. He put a finger to his lips and then whispered in Megan's ear. "I'm going to speak to Hamas'kalu, their leader. Take care of her!"

The Doctor got to his feet and, with a look at Kana'ti, stepped into the tepee of the Indian elder.

11.

As soon as the Doctor stepped into the tent, he realised immediately that he had crossed through a dimensional gateway. He had stepped into a white, smoky landscape of swirling, billowing mist. It felt cold and there was a strange, pungent smell in the air. The Doctor peered through the mist curiously. He knew something was here with him. There seemed to be a light ahead of him so he took a step towards it.

Out of the light, and walking towards him through the smoke was an old Indian man. The man smiled kindly at the Doctor, his arms outstretched. "Welcome Doctor!"

The Doctor stuck his hands in his pockets and raised an eyebrow. "Hamas'kalu I presume?"

The old Indian nodded, his eyes twinkling. "I am he. I help my people when I can. The Cherokee need much help, as do all my kind." His eyes filled with sadness. "You know that is true Doctor."

After a slight pause, the Doctor nodded. "Yes, I'm sorry."

Hamas'kalu suddenly stiffened as if listening. "I have done all that you have commanded," he whispered to some unseen force. "Now you can help my people?"

The Doctor took a step closer. "Hamas'kalu, what has happened here?"

The old Indian's eyes met his. "I have travelled within the smoke Doctor, beyond this frail old body of mine. I made contact with the Winago. It was formless Doctor, without a home, just like my people will soon be! It wanted a place to become real once more."

The Doctor's mind raced. The Winago was a name from old Indian myth, but it could just as well be an ancient force from before Time! "You did what it asked didn't you?" he said quietly.

Hamas'kalu nodded. "I laboured for an age, harvesting the Tears of the Winago."

"The black crystals, of course."

The old man breathed out. "And still it won't let me rest!"

The Doctor shook his head. "Listen to me Hamas'kalu," he said urgently. "This is all a trick. The Winago will use you and all the Cherokee!"

Suddenly, the smoke began to billow with greater force and something large began to form within it. It was a huge hooded cobra, its eyes glittering with malice, a forked tongue flickering from its mouth.

Hamas'kalu stiffened and a woman's sibilant voice chuckled from his lips. "Nothing can stop the Winago!"

12.

A tear trickled down Hamas'kalu's cheek and his voice suddenly returned to normal. "It is evil, but I cannot resist it!" He staggered and fell to the ground. "Help me Doctor! Help the Cherokee!"

The Doctor cradled the old man in his hands as the huge cobra loomed over him. "I promise!"

Hamas'kalu's eyes flickered weakly. "I have brought about the end of the world!" he whispered and then went limp, his last breath expelled from his lips.

The mist shrouded domain echoed with evil, malevolent laughter and the cobra reared up as if to strike.

The Doctor turned and ran, not knowing where he should go. He knew that if he remained here, the Winago would destroy him.

Suddenly, the body of Hamas'kalu jerked to life like a puppet with its strings being pulled. His eyes glowed with an evil light and his voice was that of the Winago. "Run Doctor, but you will soon die! My great plan will soon be complete and this planet shall be consumed!"

The flap of the tepee opened and the Doctor staggered out, gasping for breath.

Megan immediately ran up to him and held his arm. "Doctor, are you alright? What happened in there?"

The Doctor took a lungful of air before replying to her, his expression serious. "I just met our enemy Megan. It calls itself 'the Winago'." He looked over to Kana'ti. "We're all in terrible danger!"

But at the sound of the Doctor's voice, Katherine, her eyes still glazed and vacant, started again. "Doctor, we're in great danger! You must take me away! Take me away!" She fell silent again, but the hysteria in her voice was marked.

"She's getting worse," gasped Megan. "Doctor, you've got to do something or she'll go mad!"

The Doctor nodded and gently held Katherine's head between his hands. He closed his eyes and seemed to relax. "Katherine," he said gently after a moment, "listen to me." Amazingly, this time the sound of the Doctor's voice didn't set Katherine off. "You're not at the Indian camp any more, but in the TARDIS. You're safe and there is no danger. Do you understand?"

Katherine nodded silently, her eyes still closed.

"Good," the Doctor continued. "Now you've been asleep and are just waking up. Now," he took his hands away from her face. "Wake up!"

Katherine's eyes suddenly opened and she smiled up at the Doctor.

"Right," the Doctor rubbed his hands together. "We've got work to do!"

13.

Megan broke into a grin and hugged the slightly bemused Katherine to her.

Joe Clancy put folded his arms and squinted suspiciously at the Doctor. "What kind of work sonny?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Well, now I know you're not controlling the stone creatures…."

"Me!" spluttered Clancy indignantly. "I was just protecting my gold mine!"

"As I was saying," continued the Doctor unabashed, "we have to get the tribe to safety and stop this Winago from attaining material existence!"

"And how the heck are we going to do that?" Clancy argued. "Those stone things are pretty ornery!"

Katherine piped up suddenly. "And they're coming here!" She faltered a little, looking confused. "I saw him move them on a map…." She trailed off again and Megan gave her a reassuring smile.

The Doctor nodded. "It wouldn't surprise me one bit. It's gearing up for the final battle all right!" He glanced over to Kana'ti. "And I don't want your people to get needlessly slaughtered."

Megan struggled to keep up. "But you said that moving the tribe was what this thing wanted all along?"

The Doctor nodded quickly. "I know, I know. It still is, but there would be so much bloodshed if they stayed. I can't have that on my conscience. I'd rather tackle the problem at the source!"

Megan understood. "The source; you mean the mountain don't you?"

"I'm afraid so. I have to destroy that crystal lattice in the mine. The Winago must be channelling its power through it."

Kana'ti had been silent since the Doctor had returned from Hamas'kalu's tent. Now he took a step towards it, his spear held tightly in his grip. "I will destroy this evil Spirit for the Cherokee!"

But the Doctor caught him by the shoulder and even though Kana'ti struggled, held him firmly. "No, my friend," said the Doctor, looking at the Indian intently. "If you go in there you're a dead man!"

Kana'ti broke away. "Then what can I do?" he cried in frustration.

"Come with me to the mountain?"

Kana'ti paused and then nodded resolutely, gripping the Doctor's forearm with his as a sign of a bond.

In the mine, the smoke has grown denser and has billowed up and around the crystal lattice much further than before. It now covers the entire cave floor, oozing and flowing through the tunnels and expanding outwards on to the mountainside.

14.

Megan put her hands on her hips. "Well if you're going up the mountain, then so am I!"

Katherine, who was still feeling a little weak, nodded. "And me!"

The Doctor looked between the two resolute faces of his companions and smiled proudly. There was no point in trying to change their minds so he just nodded. "Alright, but you know it'll be dangerous?" He turned to Clancy. "Joe, we might need you in the mine. You know the tunnels. I don't want to get trapped."

Clancy spat on the ground. "Yeah I guess so; no statue's gonna get my gold off me!"

"Then all we need is some horses and we're set," said the Doctor.

Kana'ti nodded. "I will fetch them once I am sure my people are safe!" He moved away, a worried expression on his face.

Katherine looked up at the Doctor. "He's worried about Selu and his son."

"Oh Katherine, there's so much more at stake," replied the Doctor. "But I know, a man's family is his first priority when there's danger." His eyes misted a little as he remembered other times and other places, then he rubbed his hands through his hair. "But, we'd better be quick or old stony features are going to come rocking!"

All around them, the Indians ran about like termites as they collected everything that was precious to them and prepared to move out. Women gathered their children, the elders huddled together, frightened and confused, whilst the warriors led by Jadib, organised the departure.

Selu held her husband so tightly he thought his back would break. He gently pulled away from her and held her face gently in his hands. "I will come back, I promise!" He reached over to the papoose on her back that held his son. "You're going to be as bright as a coyote little one. I won't miss that!"

Jadib and Bara'cu approached both of them leading two horses. "We will take care of the Cherokee and your family Kana'ti," Jadib said, "I swear it before the Spirits!"

Kana'ti nodded and smiled, but suddenly there was a shout from Megan who had been watching the prairie.

"The stone golems! Three of them!"

15.

The Doctor watched the golems approach. "Kana'ti, we need to leave now!" he shouted. "Why?" he muttered to himself. "Why does the Winago want the golems here? It would be better to protect the mine?" Suddenly realisation struck him. "Of course!" He whirled around to look at Hamas'kalu's tent. "It's the gateway – it wants to protect the gateway!"

The Doctor became a whirl of action. "Right, let's get out of here before those things arrive!" Followed by Megan, Katherine and Clancy, he ran across to Kana'ti and the other Indians. "Get your people away from here before it's too late!"

Kana'ti nodded and with a last lingering look at Selu, grabbed the horses from Jadib and Bara'cu.

Jadib pulled Selu away with him whilst Bara'cu ran back to the other side of the camp where the tribe had begun to evacuate the area.

"The Cherokee on the move again," said the Doctor quietly as he jumped into the saddle of one of the horses.

"My people are always losing what is theirs by right," replied Kana'ti bitterly.

The Doctor didn't reply as the Indian swung up effortlessly into the saddle of another horse. How could he tell the proud Indian warrior what would happen to the Cherokee over the next hundred years?

Katherine took the reins of another horse and Megan jumped up behind her. "I'll let you drive!" she smiled.

Clancy took the last horse. "You'd better not be a crazy mule now y'hear?" he muttered to the mount.

The golems were now at the edge of the Indian encampment and would reach them in only a few precious seconds. Their deep roars of fury were terrifying to hear and the ground seemed to shake as they approached.

The Doctor checked that the tribe were at a safe distance. He was fairly certain that the golems would just guard the tent that led to the Winago's dimensional portal, but he wanted to make sure.

He pulled the reins of his horse around and then dug his heels into its flank. The horse bolted forwards and following the Doctor's lead, the other horses carrying Kana'ti, Megan, Katherine and Clancy, all galloped away from the camp and towards the canyon that led to the mountain.

16.

The shadows were long as the horses trotted through the canyon. It was getting late in the afternoon now, but it wasn't the shadows or the cold wind that blew through the rocks that was the most eerie. As the Doctor and his friends looked up at the mountain above them, they could see the strange, unnatural smoke that swirled and billowed around the peak, shrouding the top of the mountain in a fog of evil.

"We need to be prepared for anything the Winago throws at us," warned the Doctor grimly as they left the canyon and started up the mountain path.

Clancy tried to guide his horse behind the Doctor, but the animal whinnied and tossed. "This mule is spooked already!" Clancy grunted.

"They sense the Spirit in the air," explained Kana'ti. "It would be better if we left them here."

The Doctor nodded and they all dismounted, tying the skittish horses to a withered tree at the base of the mountain. Katherine patted her horse gently on the flank as she tied it. She had ridden horses all her life and hated the thought of them being killed by the golems or anything worse

Megan swallowed nervously as they started climbing up the path, holding onto Katherine for balance. "Will we meet any of those stone creatures, Doctor?" she asked.

The Doctor smiled back at her. "Oh, almost definitely! The Winago has bound to have left guards. We just have to keep a careful eye and ear open!"

As they walked higher up the path it started to get colder and darker and soon they entered the billowing smoke that now totally covered the top of the mountain.

Katherine shivered. "All this is coming from the mine?"

"Yup, and with every minute it pours out, the Winago gains a greater foothold in this dimension. Soon it'll have enough mass here to pull it though the dimensional gateway back in Hamas'kalu's tent!" explained the Doctor

The group reached the plateau where Clancy had set his camp.

"We're close now. Keep quiet!" the Doctor told them as they crept around the rocks and boulders that led to the mine entrance.

Suddenly the huge figure of a stone golem loomed out of the mist with a roar and bore down on them.

17.

The golem lunged forward swinging a massive stone fist crashing down where Kana'ti stood. The Indian dived to one side just in time and the fist struck the ground with a bone-shattering thud.

"Split up," yelled the Doctor. "Head for the mine entrance and wait for me there!"

"What are you going to do?" screamed Katherine.

But the Doctor took no notice of her as he threw off his long brown coat and waved it at the golem like a flag. "Hey, big fella? Over here!"

The Doctor backed away as the golem advanced towards him with an angry roar.

Kana'ti got to his feet and although he looked over his shoulder in wonder at the Doctor, grabbed Megan's hand and pulled her forward towards the mine entrance.

Clancy grabbed Katherine's hand. "Come along missy. You heard what he said." Katherine tore her worried eyes away from the Doctor and nodded, allowing herself to be guided away.

The Doctor continued to retreat, heading slowly but surely to the edge of the plateau. The smoke was dense here; he hoped his calculations were correct. Suddenly, as he got to the edge, his foot skidded on a patch of gravel and he stumbled backwards to the ground, the breath knocked from his lungs. He glanced down through the smoke to the deadly rocks hundreds of feet below.

The golem towered above him and with a ferocious roar, lunged forward with both fists.

At the last moment, the Doctor rolled to the right.

The golem's fist struck where the Doctor had been only moments before and splintered the rock beneath it. But the momentum of the lunge carried the golem forward and with a terrible roar, it tumbled from the cracked edge of the plateau and fell from sight.

The Doctor only heard the thunderous smash as the golem hit the rocks below a few seconds later. He picked himself up, his hair blowing in the wind and shrugged. "Rock and roll!"

He ran quickly back to where his friends were waiting for him at the entrance to the mine and gave both Megan and Katherine a reassuring grin. Then he rubbed his hands together and looked into the mine tunnel.

"And here's where it gets really scary!"

18.

Smoke billowed from the mine tunnel as Kana'ti and Clancy struggled to light some lanterns they had brought with them.

The Doctor turned to Katherine and Megan. "You need to stay here."

Megan put her hands on her hips. "Now hang on a minute…."

"No, no. Listen," he continued, "I don't want anything sneaking up behind us when we're in there. Please?"

Katherine nodded. "Alright. Be careful won't you?"

The Doctor grinned and nodded. "Always!" He turned to Kana'ti and Clancy who had managed to get two lanterns lit, their wicks flickering in the smoke. "Come on!" he said grimly, giving one lantern to Megan and then picking up the other and walking slowly into the mine tunnel.

Clancy gripped his rifle, Kana'ti a spear and together they followed the Doctor into the darkness.

Almost immediately, the sibilant hissing voice of the Winago filled the tunnel. "You should have left when you had the chance, fools!"

"What are you?" challenged the Doctor. "What do you want with Earth?"

Suddenly the smoke billowed and twisted into the shape of a giant cobra's head, its eyes glittering with malice.

Kana'ti and Clancy gasped in fear, shrinking back, but the Doctor laughed. "Oh come on, enough of these tricks and illusions!"

He started forward again but suddenly cried out in pain, clutching at his head as the Winago turned its full mental power to attack him.

The Winago laughed cruelly. "I warned you Doctor! Now feel my wrath!"

But the Doctor had opened his eyes and was starting to stand up straight again. His face was set but his mind had started to contain the Winago's assault. "Oh, you'll have to do better than that!" he muttered grimly. He glanced backwards to Kana'ti and Clancy. "Get through there; smash any crystals that you find!"

The Winago screamed in rage as the two men ran forward and through the smoky image of the huge snake in front of them. "Help me, my avatars, come to me!"

At the entrance to the mine, Katherine walked about, hugging her arms around her to ward off the cold. "Did you hear something?" she asked Megan.

Megan held up the lantern as she saw movement through the smoke. "Look!"

Two stone golems were marching relentlessly towards them.

19.

Katherine turned to Megan. "Quick, we've got to warn the Doctor!" she screamed. She bent down and picked up some stones and flung them at the creatures as they got closer. "Hey," she cried, "over here you brutes!"

But the golems ignored the attack and strode towards the mine.

Megan nodded to her friend and headed into the mine tunnel, her lantern held in front of her like a shield. "Doctor!" she yelled. "There are two of the stone monsters coming!"

The Doctor turned his head slightly as Megan approached. But as his concentration was disturbed, the Winago pressed its mental attack and his face creased in pain. He screamed in agony, clutching at his head.

"I will conquer you Doctor – you're weakening!" the Winago hissed triumphantly.

"Hurry, you must smash all the crystals!" he cried.

Ahead of him, Kana'ti and Clancy had reached the crystal lattice in the tunnel. To their amazement, it had grown significantly since they had last saw it, covering the tunnel floor and spewing thick smoke from it. A large crystal sat in the centre of the lattice like a bloated spider in its web and was throbbing with raw power, glowing in the dark tunnel.

Megan screamed as the golems smashed their way into the mine, bearing down on the Doctor and Megan, just as Kana'ti smashed his spear down on some of the black crystals.

The effect on the golems was instant and spectacular.

The black crystals embedded in the golems' foreheads exploded. Without a sound they toppled to the ground. Cracks appeared all over their bodies and then they splintered and broke up becoming piles of inanimate rocks and boulders.

Then Clancy fired both rounds of his Winchester rifle at point blank range into the large crystal that sat in the centre of the lattice.

The Winago shrieked in agony and the giant face of the cobra in the smoke twisted and writhed.

Suddenly, the smoke that billowed from the crystal lattice and filled the mine tunnel started to flow backwards back into the smashed crystal at incredible speed. The crystal lattice glowed red hot and throbbed more quickly, urgently. A roaring sound began to build in pitch.

The mental assault on the Doctor ceased instantly and he shook his head to clear it, his eyes watering. "We have to get out of here!"

20.

"Quickly!" the Doctor shouted to the others. "The lattice is going to explode!" He grabbed Megan's arm and pulled her towards the mine entrance, stumbling over the rock debris that was once the stone golems.

Clancy and Kana'ti didn't need to be told twice, and turned and ran as fast as they could, following the Doctor and Megan, their hearts pounding in their chests.

Behind them, the lattice glowed with incandescent, brilliant light.

The smoke roaring past her and into the tunnel, Katherine watched with concern from just outside the mine as the Doctor and Megan shot out. "Run!" ordered the Doctor, grabbing her arm as he passed. Kana'ti and Clancy were only moments behind.

The five of them pelted down the mountain path as fast as they could. They could now all hear the throbbing roar that now sounded like an unearthly death scream.

They passed the plateau and managed to get behind some large boulders as there was a sudden enormous explosion that threw them off their feet.

The Doctor picked himself up and scratched his head and let out a long breath. "That was the lattice exploding. Positive feedback – very nasty!" He grinned at the others. "We've won!"

Sometime afterwards, the Doctor, Megan and Katherine watched as the Cheroke tribe returned to their camp. There was a large smoking hole where Hamas'kalu's tent had been, and it was surrounded by several piles of boulders – the remains of destroyed stone golems.

Megan smiled and tried to hold back the tears as Kana'ti hugged Selu to him and picked up his baby son to cradle him proudly in his arms.

"Happily ever after!" smiled Katherine, her arm linked with the Doctor's. "Isn't it?"

The Doctor looked down at her and smiled sadly. "Today yes; but not for the Cherokee. It'll be a hard few years for them yet I'm afraid!"

"And for me too!" complained Clancy trudging towards them. "I don't know if you recall sonny, but that was my mine you blew up!" He spat on the ground. "What am I gonna do for ma living now?"

The Doctor frowned and pulled out his sonic screwdriver and altered the setting. He swept it around him like a Geiger counter for a few seconds. "Try looking in those mountains over there," he pointed. "I think you'll find the odd deposit or two."

Clancy looked at the Doctor with open-mouthed amazement as both Katherine and Megan burst into fits of giggles.

The Doctor frowned but then smiled and put his finger to his lips. "Sssh!"

Next Time: The Doctor, Katherine and Megan return to London and a very unhappy reunion in 'The Pharayus Deal'.

Demons in the Smoke – Confidential

I deliberately wanted to make this two-part story a rollicking adventure, with lots of excitement and incident, buts it's amazing how quickly the story flies by - even with a doubling of the word count from a usual single part adventure. There's certainly not much time for any real character development or introspection here with the Winago's plan to consume the world and the stone golems attacking at every opportunity!

There were a lot of characters to juggle around and make sure everyone gets something to do. This means that the characters of the Indians become functional rather than rounded and it is only the noble Kana'ti that gains any real background. I had intended to add more to the characters of Selu and Jadib, but there just wasn't enough time! Hamas'kalu gains some scenes, but only as a minion of the Winago. Having a minion in this way is a great writer's device for explaining the plot to the audience without it seeming too forced.

'Avatars of Stone' and 'Demons in the Smoke' is a very traditional Doctor Who adventure and it harkens back to the 1960's stories in many ways with a 'base' (this time an Indian encampment0 under siege by an alien threat. I wanted to see if I could write a story that would have been a 6 part 25 minute adventure back then, and increase the pace and widen the scope for a modern audience. I hope I succeeded although there could be a no-prize for anyone who guesses the original source. I think it's fairly obvious (and there are two or three dead giveaways too), but no-one has pointed it out yet, so I may just about have gotten away with it………

The first two-part story in the season was set in the present, this one was in the past, so it should come as no surprise that the third will be set in the future, and I promise a big epic story to finish!

But I'm getting ahead of things. We have episode eleven first and although much smaller in scale, it's a very important story indeed for one of the TARDIS crew………