The Four Doctors
Chapter Seven: The Eye of Infinity
The four TARDIS' made their triumphant return to the Eye of Orion, their passengers quickly disembarking.
"So, how did it go?" Eight asked of his counterparts, holding his key piece aloft.
"Not bad." said Nine, holding up his own piece. "Ran into a bit of trouble along the way, though..."
"Mind you, what's new?" Rose interjected.
"So, now what?" inquired Ten. "Where's the White Guardian?"
"Yeah." said Donna. "We got all the pieces to this key thing. The least he can do is show up to congratulate us."
"While we're waiting, let's put this thing together." said Eleven. "Don't want to lose any of the pieces now, after we've gone to all the trouble of finding them."
"You remind me of my aunt." said Amy. "She always keeps everything together. Even her jigsaw puzzles go into the box in one piece!"
The four Doctors slotted the pieces together, forming a golden ornate key, which immediately began to glow brightly.
"Now, that's impressive." mused Eleven.
"More beautiful then the golden lava pools of Akon Four." said Eight.
"I couldn't agree more!" came a voice from inside Eight's TARDIS. As the Doctors turned, they saw the Meddling Monk disembark, carrying a large laser cannon.
"How did you..." asked Eight, bewildered.
"Did you really think I would concede defeat so easily?" sneered the Monk. "I just came up with a new plan: stowing away on your TARDIS and snatching the whole key when I had the chance. Speaking of which," he continued, pointing his cannon at Rose, Donna and Amy. "Hand it over, or your friends are fried."
The Doctors realised they had no choice. Eleven stepped forward with the key.
"Don't do it, Doctor!" shouted Amy. "We're not worth it!"
"Oh, Amy..." smiled Eleven. "You are so worth it... all of you."
Taking the key, the Monk smiled in triumph. "No matter what face you wear, your sentimentality is always yours greatest weakness, Doctors." He took a small crystal out of his robes and held it up high. "And now the entire universe will suffer for your weakness!" The crystal emitted a blinding flash, and the Monk vanished.
"This is all my fault." moaned Eight. "Why didn't I realise the Monk had stowed away?"
"It's not your fault." said Nine. "You couldn't detect the Monk for the same reason we couldn't detect the others; The Black Guardian must have done something to shield them from us."
"Are you actually being nice to him?" asked Rose.
"Don't get used to it." snarled Nine.
"Now what?" asked Donna. Aren't we going to go after him?"
"You shall." spoke an ertheral voice.
The White Guardian appeared, his image weak, almost see-through.
"You must stop the Black Guardian." said the White Guardian. "If he is allowed to activate the Eye of Eternity, chaos will overwhelm the universe, and I will cease to exist."
"But we don't know where the eye is." said Ten.
"I have communed with your TARDIS'." replied the White Guardian. "They will take you where you need to go. Now, hurry!"
The White Guardian then vanished once again, and the Doctors and their companions rushed to their TARDIS', taking off immediately.
Meanwhile, the Monk had materialised in the middle of a large stone temple, similar to that of the Earth Aztecs, which the Black guardian had been using as his base of operations. Striding towards his master, the Monk presented him the key.
"Excellent." chuckled the Black Guardian. You have served me well."
"Thank you, master." bowed the monk.
"But as for the rest of you..." snarled the Black Guardian, rounding on the other renegade Time Lords, "You have failed me miserabley, and I do not forgive failure!"
"What are you going to do?" asked the War Chief fearfully. "Kill us?"
"No." hissed the Black Guardian. "I will put you back where I found - instants before death! Why should I go to the trouble of ending your pathetic lives when there are other forces that can do the job for me?"
"You can't do this to us!" screeched the Rani.
"You promised me the Doctor's regenerations!" howled the Valeyard.
"That, my dear Valeyard, was a lie." declared the Black Guardian. "I want all the Doctor's incarnations to watch as the universe they worked so hard to defend falls into chaos. Now... goodbye!"
With a wave of his hand, the Black Guardian sent the three Time Lords back where they belonged.
"Now that I have dealt with the failures, I can set in motion my final triumph!" declared the Black Guardian, holding the key aloft.
Some distance away from the temple, the four TARDISes materialised, and their passengers stepped out.
"Alright then." said Eleven. "I say we go in two ways: Through the front door, and over the top." He pointed to his prior incarnation. "You and me are going over the top, spike."
"Lead the way, Fabio." said Ten.
"That leaves you and me going in the front." Eight told Nine.
"Oh, that ought to be fun." groaned Nine.
"Oi spacemen, what about us?" asked Donna.
"You stay here." said Ten.
"Oh, come on!" shouted Rose.
"You can't be serious!" yelled Amy.
"We're deadly serious." said Ten.
"The Black Guardian is a deadlier force then you've ever seen before." said Eleven.
"We're not going to let you risk your lives against him." said Nine. "He plays for keeps."
"You will all stay here." declared Eight. "For your own safety."
And with that, the four Doctors set off.
Amy look at her fellow companions.
"You really gonna stay here?" she asked them.
"Nope." said Donna.
"Not a chance." said Rose.
"Right." smiled Amy. "Just making sure."
And with that, the three companions followed Eight and Nine's path.
As Eight and Nine approached the temple's vast archway entrance, they were accosted by a voice from behind.
"Don't move." said the Monk, pointing his laser cannon at the two.
"Really should have seen that coming." mused Eight.
"So, where are your fellow flunkies?" inquired Nine.
"Back where they belong." replied the Monk. "They failed, while I succeeded, and the Black Guardian will reward me greatly for my success! Although... knowing that I managed to outwit the great Doctor is almost reward enough."
"Oh, wise up!" snarled Eight "As soon as the Black Guardian has no more use for you, he'll send you packing too!
"Perhaps, perhaps not." said the Monk, cocking his weapon. "In any case, you won't be around to see it."
Just as he was about to pull the trigger, the Monk's cannon was knocked out of his hand by a rock, thrown by Rose, and he then found his arms pinned to his sides by Donna and Amy.
"Nice try, Friar Tuck." said Donna.
"Too bad for you, it's ladies ginger tag-team night!" quipped Amy.
"Nicely done, ladies!" beamed Eight, picking up the Monk's weapon.
"I thought we told you to stay back?" asked Nine.
"Be honest, though." said Eight. Did you really expect them to listen?"
"No, not really." admitted Nine, turning to Rose. "Where'd you learn to throw like that?"
"Years of practice." replied Rose. "Used to play rounders all the time back in school."
"Well then." sighed Eight. "Since you're here, we may as well press on ahead."
"What about 'His not-so-holiness'?" asked Donna, tightening her grip on the Monk.
"We'll take him in with us." declared Nine. "He might come in useful."
As the four intrepid travellers and their prisoner passed through the archway, Ten and Eleven had completed their climb to the top of the temple. As they reached the peak, they saw the Eye of Eternity poking through the middle of the empty space where the roof should have been, like a massive stone telescope in an ancient observatory. And right next to the Eye was the Black Guardian, the key in hand, ready to activate the ultimate weapon.
"You ready for this?" inquired Eleven, securing the makeship grappling hooks they had fashioned out of vines and branches.
"As I'll ever be." replied Ten, his feet braced against the inside wall.
As one, the two rappelled down.
"ALONS-YYYYY!" cried Ten.
"GERONIMOOOOO!" hooted Eleven.
They landed right in from of the Black Guardian, just as their compatriots reached him.
"Ah, Doctors." sneered the Black Guardian. "Right on time."
"Alright, Blackie." said Eight. "How about we do a little trade: Your flunky for the key?"
"I think not." spat the Black Guardian. "His usefulness to me has ended."
With a wave of his hand the Black Guardian sent the Monk back to the location of space and time as he was before he was summoned, the Monk screaming indignantly as he vanished.
"Really should have seen that coming." sighed Nine.
"Still worth a try, though." shrugged Eight.
"Now, Doctors, you may bear witness to the end." hissed the Black Guardian, as the Eye of Eternity started to glow an unearthly blue. "You and your human pets."
"'Pets?'" repeated Donna. "Did he just call us their pets?"
"Of course." the Black Guardian chuckled. "What else could you be? Or did you primitive fools really think they considered you equal to them?"
"Leave them alone!" barked Ten.
"Your fight is with us!" declared Eleven.
"'Fight'?" the Black Guardian smiled condescendedly. "You dare to imagine that you could challenge me? My power is many times greater then all of yours combined!"
"Then you won't mind proving that then." rebutted Eleven.
"With pleasure." spat the Black Guardian.
The four Doctors seemed to gaze intently at the Black Guardian, who returned the gaze. That was what it would seem like to the casual observer, but in actuality, they were locked in a mental battle of wills. The Doctors were concentrating all their psychic energies toward the Black Guardian, who was matching them effortlessly.
"What are they doing?" asked Rose, utterly confused.
"Who cares?" said Amy. "This is our chance to grab that key thing!"
The three companions raced towards the Eye of Eternity, seeking to remove the key from it's slot, but the Black Guardian raised his hand, and they froze in their tracks, barely having made three steps toward it. All the while, the Black Guardian was relentlessly overpowering the Doctors, bringing them to their knees, their very minds burning in agony.
"You have failed, Doctors." said the Black Guardian with relish. "Now witness, as all you have sought to protect falls into chaos!
The Black Guardian walked towards the Eye, intending to witness his ultimate plan come to fruition. As he did, the Doctors forced themselves upright, shared a meaningful look, then drew their Sonic Screwdrivers. As one, they pointed their devices directly at the key, and activated them, bombarding it with sonic waves.
Overcome with gratification, the Black Guardian did not notice the high-pitching noises of the Screwdrivers until it was too late, and the key shattered into pieces.
"Noooo!" screamed the Black Guardian, as the Eye's energies started to turn inward. Turning to face the Doctors, he raised his hand and screeched "You'll die for this, Doctors!"
Just before he could finish off the Doctors, the Eye of Eternity glowed a brighter blue then ever, and exploded, the coflagration swallowing up the Black Guardian, who screamed once more in fury and frustration.
In that instant, the Doctors' companions unfroze, freed from the Black Guardian's influence.
"So, is that it, then?" asked Donna. "Is Blackie gone for good?"
"I'm afraid not, my dear?" answered the White Guardian, as he materialised in the ruined temple. "For as long as there is chaos in the universe, the Black Guardian shall exist."
"But he's gone for now though, right?"
"Indeed." confirmed the White Guardian. "It will take time for him to gather strength for another attack. Now, let leave this place,"
The White Guardian waved his hands, and a blinding flash light up the temple. When the light faded, the Doctors and their companions found themselves back on the Eye of Orion, with their TARDISes waiting for them.
"The time has come to say goodbye." declared the White Guardian. "For causality's sake, I am afraid I must remove this incident from the minds of the earlier Doctors and their companions when I return them to their proper places in space and time. You may say your goodbyes."
"Well, as always, it was a pleasure to make my acquaintance." smiled Eleven.
"Same here." agreed Ten. it's good to see I'll be taken care of in my twilight years."
"Not that I'll remember them, but do you have any pointers for the future?" Eight asked Nine.
"Only that you have... trials ahead." said Nine sadly. "You'll have the most difficult choices to make, and you're going to have to live with the consequences."
"It's been great working with you." Rose told Donna and Amy.
"Same here." agreed Donna. "Shame we won't remember any of this."
"Don't worry." Amy reassured them. "I'll do enough remembering for the three of us!"
The time has come." said the White Guardian. "Please enter your respective TARDISes."
The past Doctors and their companions entered their TARDISes, and, with a wave of his hand, the White Guardian activated them, sending them back to their proper spatial-temporal position. He then turned, smiling, to Eleven.
"Once again, Doctor, you have proven yourself exemplary at holding back the tide of chaos." the White Guardian declared.
"Don't mention it, old friend." Eleven smiled back. "Anytime."
"Until we meet again, Doctor." beamed the White Guardian, as he vanished into nothingness.
"So, Doctor." said Amy, holding an invisible microphone to Eleven's face. "You've just saved the entire universe. What are you going to do now?"
"I'm going to go fishing." said Eleven.
"Fishing?" repeated Amy.
"Yep." Eleven replied. "Nice, relaxing bit of fishing. That's just what I need, after the day I've had, and if memory serves, there's an excellent fishing spot, not too far from here."
"Fishing." Amy repeated again.
"I used to be quite the accomplished fisherman, you know." bragged Eleven. "Then I went through that whole 'vegetarian' phase, and just lost interest. Can't remember the last time I had a good angling. I hope the gumblejack are biting today!"
As Eleven jogged towards the local fishing hole, Amy unenthusiastically followed, barely able to comprehend that the man who had just saved the entire universe could get so excited about something as mundane, as ordinary, as fishing.
The End
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