After a short while of running, the trio stopped. "No sign of them. Nice little bit of allons-y. I think we're all right"
"But his arm, Doctor. Is that what's happening to Evelina?" Quintus asked.
"Yes", Alyssa replied "but I promise you Quintus we're going to help your sister". Quintus opened his mouth to say something when a deep, loud bang sounded.
"What was that?" the Doctor asked.
The noise sounded again. This time the ground shook causing a set of crates to fall over. "The mountain?" Quintus questioned looking up and over in its direction.
It happened again this time a lot closer than before. "No, it's closer. Footsteps…" the Doctor stated watching more items falling over as the noise sounded again and again making the ground shake.
"It can't be", Quintus said in disbelief.
"Footsteps underground", the Doctor repeated as it grew even closer. It was coming for them. The Time Lord grabbed Alyssa's hand and they ran. They hurry down the street, grills flying off hypocaust vents as they pass. When they reached the villa, everyone was gathered in the main area. "Caecilius? All of you, get out", the Doctor ordered as the entire room was shaking.
"Doctor, Ali what is it?" Donna asked coming over to them.
"I think we're being followed", Alyssa told her. Before Donna could ask her by what, the hypocaust grill in the villa flies off. Everyone watches as a large rock like creature emerges.
"The gods are with us", Evelina breathed in awe of the large being.
"Water!" the Doctor shouted seeing that the creature held together internally by magma "We need water. Quintus. All of you, get water. Donna! Ali!" immediately Alyssa, Donna, Quintus and a servant ran to grab containers for water.
Thankfully Donna and Alyssa found a couple of buckets just sitting in a corner. They snatched them up and hurried back to the main room. But before they could help, the pair were grabbed by the Sibylline Sisters and dragged away, their calls for help muffled by the hands over their mouths.
Completely unaware of the fact that both his girlfriend and companion had been kidnapped, the Doctor tried to talk with the creature "Talk to me! I'm the Doctor. Just tell me who you are".
The creature opened its mouth to breathe fire once more but this time it was stopped by Quintus who tossed water at it. They all watched as its fire went out causing it to solidify. Then it started cracking, pieces of it falling to the floor before it collapsed completely.
"What was it?" Caecilius asked.
"Carapace of stone, held together by internal magma", the Doctor explained "Not too difficult to stop, but I reckon that's just the foot soldier".
"Doctor, or whatever your name is, you bring bad luck on this house", Metella said giving him a look. She was sure that this man, his wife and sister-in-law was to blame for what was happening.
"I thought your son was brilliant", the Doctor informed her "Aren't you going to thank him?"
Both Metella and Caecilius look at their son in amazement before pulling him into a hug. The Doctor turned back to look at the pile of rock that was the creature "if there are aliens at work in Pompeii, it's a good thing we stayed", he muttered. The Doctor glanced around looking for Alyssa and Donna so they could discuss what to do next. But they weren't there. "Ali? Donna?" he called. There was no answer. Trying not to panic, he looked around again. This time he caught Evelina's eyes. She quickly looked away but there was no mistaking the look on her face. Guilt.
The Doctor walked over to her "where are they?" he demanded.
"The Sibylline Sisters took them", Evelina replied quietly.
"You saw Donna and Ali get taken and you didn't stop them?" the Doctor asked.
"I'm sorry", Evelina murmured.
"You better hope they haven't hurt Ali and Donna, because if they have I won't be held responsible for my own actions", the Doctor threatened. Evelina watched him go rather afraid of what he might do if he discovered that the women had been hurt.
"Ugh I really hate being knocked out", Alyssa mumbled before she slowly opened her eyes. She frowned at the blurry figure standing above her but when she blinked a couple of times her vision cleared to show that it was one of the soothsayers. And she was holding a dagger. Immediately Alyssa tried to move but found she couldn't. She'd been tied down to something cold and hard by her wrists and ankles. "You've got to be kidding me", she said realising that she was on an altar of some sort and was about to be sacrificed.
"The false prophets will surrender both their blood and their breath", the woman declared.
"I won't be surrendering anything to you", Alyssa informed her trying to not let on how scared she was at the moment. Which was quite a bit. Who could blame her? She was tied down to an altar going to be sacrificed. Maybe she could use her powers….
"I wouldn't think about using your gifts if I were you", the priestess told her "or your friend will die first" Alyssa looked in the direction the soothsayer indicated and saw Donna gagged and tied to a pillar. Alyssa moved her head to look back at the priestess above her. Play for time she thought keep her talking.
"What's your name?" she asked trying to stay calm.
"Spurrina"
"Listen to me Spurrina. The Doctor will be coming for us, and he won't be happy. So it would be in your best interest to let us go, right now", Alyssa said.
"You will be silent!" Spurrina ordered bringing her dagger close to Alyssa's face.
"No I won't. Please I'm trying to help you. If the Doctor sees this, I don't know what he'll do" Alyssa was very aware of the Oncoming Storm. And the kind of things the Doctor would do when he was like that. "So please just let us go".
"This prattling will cease forever!" Spurrina declared.
"No please!" Alyssa cried as Spurrina raised the blade….
When an arm grabbed Spurrina's and roughly yanked her backwards. She was pushed up against a pillar by a very angry Doctor "stay were you are!" he shouted at the other soothsayers who moved to help their sister. "If you've hurt her I will kill you", the Doctor threatened. Spurrina could tell he was very serious by the look on his face. The Time Lord stepped back giving her one last look that told her to stay put.
"You alright?" the Doctor asked Alyssa when he came up to the altar.
"I am now", she replied honestly. The Doctor got out his sonic and used it on the ropes around her wrists.
"Do you know, I met the Sibyl once" he told her "hell of a woman. Blimey, she could dance the Tarantella. Nice teeth" he moved around to the other end to get the ropes around Alyssa's ankles "she actually had a thing for me" the Doctor helped Alyssa sit up "but she told me it wouldn't last, couldn't even begin. She must've seen that I was going to meet a beautiful, brilliant red head and fall completely in love with her". The Doctor placed a hand on her cheek and Alyssa closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. Now that he was there, she felt completely safe despite that fact that she was almost killed moments ago.
"Donna", Alyssa said opening her eyes when she'd remembered that the ginger was still tied to the pillar. The Doctor watched the soothsayers as Alyssa freed Donna. "Sorry about that", she apologised.
"It's alright. Just don't forget me next time", Donna said.
"I won't", Alyssa promised. She stepped up to stand beside the Doctor who put his arm around her waist. Donna stood one the red head's other side.
"Let me tell you about the Sibyl, the founder of this religion. She would be ashamed of you", the Doctor said scolding the soothsayers "All her wisdom and insight turned sour. Is that how you spread the word, hey? On the blade of a knife?"
"Yes, a knife that now welcomes you!" Spurrina said lifting the knife that she'd picked up while the Doctor and Alyssa had been distracted.
"Show me this man!" a rasping voice called before Spurrina could lunge at the Doctor. All the priestesses turn towards the voice and kneel down with the exception of Spurrina.
"High Priestess, the stranger would defile us", the priestess protested.
"Let me see. This one is different. He carries starlight in his wake", the High Priestess remarked.
The Doctor, Alyssa and Donna step towards the red curtain where the voice was coming from "Oh, very perceptive. Where do these words of wisdom come from?" the Doctor asked.
"The gods whisper to me", the High Priestess replied.
"They've done far more than that. Might I beg audience? Look upon the High Priestess?" the Doctor requested.
Two priestesses drew the curtains aside to reveal the High Priestess completely covered by stone "Oh, my God. What's happened to you?" Donna asked shocked by her appearance.
"The heavens have blessed me", the High Priestess told her.
"If I might…" the High Priestess held out her hand for the Doctor to touch "Does it hurt?"
"It is necessary" the woman answered.
"Who told you that?" the Doctor asked.
"The voices", the High Priestess replied.
"Is that what's going to happen to Evelina? Is this what's going to happen to all of you?" Spurrina showed Donna her arm which was like Evelina's only there was much more stone.
"The blessings are manifold", Spurrina said sounding rather proud about her arm turning to stone.
Alyssa shook her head "that's no blessing Spurrina", she told her.
"The people of Pompeii are turning to stone before the volcano erupts", the Doctor said "But why?"
"This word, this image in your mind. This volcano. What is that?" the High Priestess asked.
"More to the point, why don't you know about it? Who are you?" the Doctor questioned.
"High Priestess of the Sibylline", the High Priestess replied.
"That's not what he meant. He meant whatever alien thing that's inside you turning you into a living statue", Alyssa spoke up.
"Your knowledge is impossible", the High Priestess stated.
"You can read my mind. You know what gifts I have so you know I'm telling the truth. Tell us what you are", Alyssa said.
"We…are…awakening", the High Priestess said, her voice echoing with another's.
"The voice of the gods", Spurrina gasped.
"Words of wisdom, words of power", the priestesses started chanting.
"Name yourself! Planet of origin. Galactic coordinates. Species designation according to the universal ratification of the Shadow Proclamation", the Doctor demanded over the chanting of the priestesses.
"We…are…rising"
"Tell me your name!" the Doctor ordered.
"Pyrovile!" the High Priestess wailed. The priestesses chanting changed to 'Pyrovile'.
"What's a Pyrovile?" Donna asked.
"Well, that's a Pyrovile, growing inside her. She's a halfway stage", the Doctor explained.
"That's the half way stage?!" Alyssa exclaimed.
"Yes", the Doctor said "That thing in the villa was an adult Pyrovile".
"And the breath of a Pyrovile will incinerate you, Doctor", the High Priestess rasped "and you lover". The Doctor was fine with threats being made against him. But Alyssa? Never.
"I warn you…. I'm armed" the Doctor told the High Priestess pulling out a yellow water pistol from his jacket pocket much to the surprise of Donna and Alyssa. "Donna, Ali, get that grill open"
"What for?" Donna asked.
"Come on", Alyssa said taking her arm and pulling her over to the grill.
"Just. What are the Pyrovile doing here?" the Doctor asked moving around the bed to stand in front of the women, keeping the water pistol trained on the High Priestess.
"We fell from the heavens. We fell so far and so fast, we were rendered into dust", the High Priestess explained.
"Right, creatures of stone shattered on impact. When was that, seventeen years ago?"
"We have slept beneath for thousands of years", the High Priestess said.
"Okay, so seventeen years ago woke you up, and now you're using human bodies to reconstitute yourselves. But why the psychic powers?"
"We opened their minds and found such gifts", the High Priestess replied "just like your lover".
"Okay, that's fine. So you force yourself inside a human brain, use the latent psychic talent to bond", the Doctor said "I get that, I get that, yeah. But seeing the future? That is way beyond psychic. You can see through time. Where does the gift of prophecy come from?"
"Got it!" Alyssa called when she and Donna finally managed to pull up the grill.
"Now get down", the Doctor told them.
"What, down there? Donna asked.
"Yes, down there" neither women made a move to jump down into the hole "Why can't this lot predict a volcano? Why is it being hidden?"
"Sisters, I see into his mind. The weapon is harmless", Spurrina said.
"Yeah, but it's got to sting" the Doctor sprayed the High Priestess with water who shrieked in pain. "Get down there!" he said to Alyssa and Donna. This time they did do what he said.
"You fought her off with a water pistol", Donna stated after they landed in the hypocaust "I bloody love you!"
"Now you know how I feel", Alyssa said pressing a kiss to the Doctor's cheek.
"I thought you weren't going to do that for a week?" the Doctor asked her.
"I wasn't but you saved both me and Donna. Plus I was rather impressed with the way you used that water pistol on the High Priestess", Alyssa replied.
"Enough to take me off the ban?" the Doctor asked hopeful.
"It's down to three days", Alyssa said.
The Doctor was rather happy about that. She'd taken four days off just for using a water pistol against an alien. It was going to be rather easy to get her to shorten the ban even more. He glanced down a tunnel "This way"
"Where are we going now?" Donna asked.
"Into the volcano", the Doctor said.
"No way"
"Yes, way", the Doctor spun the water pistol "Appian way".
"But if it's aliens setting off the volcano, doesn't that make it all right for you to stop it?" Donna asked as they walked through the tunnel.
"Still part of history"
"But I'm history to you and so is Ali. Why is that different?" Donna asked.
"Some things are fixed, some things are in flux. Pompeii is fixed", the Doctor said.
"How do you know which is which?" Donna questioned.
The Doctor stopped walking and turned to Donna "Because that's how I see the universe", he explained "Every waking second, I can see what is, what was, what could be, what must not. That's the burden of a Time Lord, Donna. And I'm the only one left"
Alyssa took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze to remind him that he wasn't alone any more. And he never would be for as long as she was around. "How many people died?"
"Donna stop it", she said knowing it was hard enough for the Doctor to be here.
"Doctor, how many people died?" Donna repeated.
"20,000", the Doctor replied quietly.
"Is that what you can see, Doctor? All twenty thousand? And you think that's all right, do you?" Donna asked.
Before the Doctor could answer, a loud roar sounded. "They know we're here. Come on", the Doctor said pulling Alyssa along. Donna quickly following after them. It didn't take them long to reach a large cavern. "It's the heart of Vesuvius. We're right in the heart of the mountain", the Doctor told Alyssa and Donna.
"There's tons of them", Alyssa remarked seeing several large Pyroviles wandering around the large space.
"What's that thing?" the Doctor asked noticing a round object in the middle on the cavern. He took out a telescope and used it to take a better look at the object.
"Doctor a Pyrovile is coming over", Alyssa told him seeing the large rock creature head in their direction.
"That's how they arrived", the Doctor said seemingly ignoring what Alyssa had just said "Or what's left of it. Escape pod? Prison ship? Gene bank?"
"But why do they need a volcano? Maybe it erupts, and they launch themselves back into space or something?" Donna suggested.
"Oh, it's worse than that", the Doctor said collapsing the telescope and putting it back into his pocket.
"How could it be worse?" Donna asked at the same time Alyssa said
"The Pyrovile's getting closer"
"Heathens! Defile us!" Lucius suddenly shouted. The trio saw him appear on the far side of the cavern "They would desecrate your temple, my lord gods!"
"Come on!" the Doctor grabbed Alyssa's hand, the red head taking hold of Donna's hand and they all ran towards the middle of the cavern.
"We can't go in", Donna said.
"Well, we can't exactly go back Donna", Alyssa told her.
"Crush them! Burn them!" Lucius shouted. A Pyrovile steps in front of them but the Doctor quickly used the water pistol on the creature causing it to move away from the water.
"There is nowhere to run, Doctor, daughter of London and daughter of two mothers", Lucius called as they ran to the pod.
What is it with the two mother's thing? Alyssa thought. "Now then, Lucius. My lords Pyrovillian, don't get yourselves in a lather. In a lava?" he looked at Donna and Alyssa, neither of whom looked that impressed with his joke. "But if I might beg the wisdom of the gods before we perish. Once this new race of creatures is complete, then what?"
"My masters will follow the example of Rome itself. An almighty empire, bestriding the whole of civilisation", Lucius declared.
"But if you've crashed, and you've got all this technology, why don't you just go home?" Donna asked.
"The Heaven of Pyrovillia is gone"
"What do you mean, gone? Where's it gone?" Alyssa questioned. First the Adipose Planet is 'lost', now the Pyrovile Planet is 'gone'? That's some coincidence.
"It was taken. Pyrovillia is lost. But there is heat enough in this world for a new species to rise", Lucius said.
"Yeah, I should warn you, it's seventy percent water out there", the Doctor informed him.
"Water can boil. And everything will burn, Doctor", Lucius said.
"Then the whole planet is at stake. Thank you. That's all I needed to know. Donna, Ali" the trio ducked inside the pod and the Doctor closed the door with his sonic.
"Could we be any more trapped?" Donna asked taking a look around the cramped space.
"I don't think we can", Alyssa replied. Suddenly the pod got a little hotter.
"Little bit hot", Donna remarked.
"It's no hotter than being in a spaceship that was set on a collision course with a living sun", Alyssa said fanning her face. Donna stared at her wondering if she was being serious. "You said this was an energy converter back at Lucius' place. What exactly does it do?" she asked the Doctor nodding to the complete marble circuit in front of them.
"What do you think it does?"
"I don't know that's why I'm asking", Alyssa said.
"Why don't you just tell us?" Donna asked thinking that now wasn't really the best time to get Alyssa to try and figure it out.
"You can do this", the Doctor said.
Alyssa stared at the circuit, her mind going over everything "they want to take over the world, create a new Pyrovillia. And this is how they're going to do it. The energy converter coupled with the power of the volcano… they can convert millions of people into Pyroviles"
"Couldn't have said it better myself", the Doctor said proudly.
"But can't you change it with these controls?" Donna asked.
"Of course I can, but don't you see? That's why the soothsayers can't see the volcano. There is no volcano. Vesuvius is never going to erupt", the Doctor said.
"But …you can change it back?" Donna asked carefully.
"I can invert the system, set off the volcano, and blow them up, yes. But, that's the choice. It's Pompeii or the world"
"Oh, my God", Donna said shocked.
"If Pompeii is destroyed then it's not just history, it's me. I make it happen", the Doctor said with horrible realisation.
"Doctor, the Pyrovile are made of rocks", Donna pointed out "Maybe they can't be blown up".
"Vesuvius explodes with the force of twenty four nuclear bombs" the Doctor explained setting the controls "Nothing can survive it", he looked at the two women sadly "Certainly not us".
"Never mind us", Donna said.
The Doctor puts his hands on a lever "Push this lever and its over. 20,000 people" the Time Lord hesitated. He knew he had to do it, it was a fixed point. But he'd be killing all those people not to mention himself along with Donna and Alyssa. Alyssa placed her hands over his, Donna immediately followed suit. They exchanged glances and pulled the lever down together.
All hell broke loose.
The Doctor, Donna and Alyssa stumble out of the pod when it landed with crash outside of town. The trio waste no time hurrying back into Pompeii where chaos has erupted in the streets. On the way back to the villa, Donna tried to help people, shouting at them to head for the hills but no one listened. As she ran, Alyssa saw people rushing about, screaming absolutely terrified. Not only did she see it, she could feel it. All of it. And it was too much.
Alyssa stopped in her tracks and with tears in her eyes, she dropped to her knees. "Doctor something's wrong", Donna told him having looked back to see that the red head was no longer following them.
"I can feel it. All of it", Alyssa said quietly as the Doctor approached her. She looked up at him with a tear stained face "it's too much".
"I know" the Doctor helped her to her feet "we've got to get back to the TARDIS. Can you run?" he asked fully prepared to carry her the rest of the way if he had to.
Alyssa nodded "yes I can". He held out his hand which she took and grabbed Donna's hand with her free one. The three of them ran hand in hand towards Caecilius' villa. When they entered, they found the family cowering in a corner. Seeing this, Alyssa pulled her hand out of the Doctor's. The Time Lord didn't notice as he was too busy making his way to the TARDIS. "Donna go into the TARDIS", Alyssa said.
"Why?" Donna asked.
"Just go, I'll be right behind you" Donna didn't wait for Alyssa to tell her a third time. She hurried into the TARDIS where the Doctor was preparing to leave.
"Come with me", Alyssa said to Caecilius holding out her hand. The older man wasted no time grabbing her hand and getting to his feet. They were going to live!
Caecilius and his family watched from the hillside as ash covered Pompeii. "It's never forgotten, Caecilius", the Doctor assured him "Oh, time will pass, men'll move on, and stories will fade. But one day, Pompeii will be found again. In thousands of years. And everyone will remember you"
"What about you, Evelina? Can you see anything?" Donna asked Evelina.
"The visions have gone", Evelina replied although she glanced at Alyssa with a look that told her that may not be quite true.
"The explosion was so powerful it cracked open a rift in time, just for a second. That's what gave you the gift of prophecy. It echoed back into the Pyrovillian alternative", the Doctor explained not having seeing the look Evelina gave Alyssa "But not anymore. You're free".
"But tell me. Who are you, Doctor? With your words, and your temple containing such size within?" Metella questioned.
"Oh, I was never here. Don't tell anyone", the Doctor said.
"The great god Vulcan must be enraged. It's so volcanic. It's like some sort of…volcano. All those people" Metella hugged her husband, tears slipping down her face as she grieved for all those who lost their lives.
The Doctor and Donna slipped away leaving the family to their grief. Alyssa took Evelina aside so her family wouldn't overhear them "you had another vision didn't you?" she asked.
"I did. It came to me while we were in that temple of yours", Evelina replied.
"What did you see?" Alyssa asked.
"It wasn't really clear what was going on", Evelina replied "but it left me with this bad feeling about you".
"Me?"
Evelina nodded "yes. Please promise me that you'll be careful", she said.
"I will. Take care Evelina", Alyssa said and then left. "Sorry I took so long. I was talking to Evelina", Alyssa informed the Doctor and Donna when she stepped into the TARDIS and closed the door.
"That's alright. Where do you two want to go next?" the Doctor asked the women.
"I don't know about you but I want to freshen up and change clothes", Donna replied.
"That sounds nice but there's somewhere I need to go first", Alyssa said.
"Where?" the Doctor asked.
"My past", Alyssa replied.
Next chapter: Ali discovers who the stranger in the graveyard is.
