Eighth Man Bound
"DeRoosifa , tell us what you saw, please," Arkhew begged.
"As long as you don't tell Innocet," DeRoosifa held a finger to his lips. "You know she would not approve. In her mind, Eighth Man Bound is a frivolous waste."
"We won't. How did you start?"
"Ah, that would be telling, wouldn't it? DeRoosifa winked. "I won't tell you everything, but it begins with everyone repeating your name, over and over to induce a severe identity crisis."
Arkhew whistled. "Just think what Innocet would say,"
"If you tell Innocet—" DeRoosifa pressed his face against the boy's. "You will need to use one of your regenerations prematurely."
Arkhew gulped.
"I entered a state of extreme uncertainty—rather like staring through Untempered Schism, as a matter of fact. I saw four regenerations into my future, all the way to my fifth self. "
"What did you see?"
"Only to my fifth self—and then I saw…" DeRoosifa paused, staring into his memories. "Darkness. Utter darkness and despair, so much death that never ended."
"What about yourself—what did you look like in the future?"
DeRoosifa looked down at the boy. "Firm cheekbones, sharp nose, and red hair."
"Red hair?" Thete grinned. "When I'm old enough to play, I hope I see a future self with red hair."
Author's Note:
Eighth Man Bound is a Gallifreyan game referenced in Lungbarrow. A young Time Lord would attempt to trigger and hold off regeneration in an attempt to see his future lives.