Apologies if this chapter, in anyway, upsets any readers


Duel

Zeeka shrieked piercing the air as she watched in horror as her friend sunk to his knees in the snow staining the white floor a ghastly shade of red. The Doctor followed clutching at Vince's arms with a look of fear on his face; the leader simply laughed and retreated to join the battle behind him.

The traveller tore at the zip on the mod's jacket then pulled back his t-shirt to reveal two gashes bleeding heavily on his stomach in the shape of a 'v'.

"It's ok, it's not deep!" He assured trying to sound comforting.

"But Doctor, the poison." Zeeka whispered just out of earshot of Vince, she watched as an awful shade of black seeped through the mod's veins highlighting a pattern on his skin.

"Doctor, I am the faster rider. I must get him to Tia." Bella offered when she approached quickly, to him it sounded more like an order and quickly he whipped off his long brown coat and draped it over Vince's shoulders.

"Take him, take Zeeka with you." Bella nodded and lifted the child onto her horse; the Doctor picked up Vince and passed him up as the warrior took her place on Sadie. He sat him in front of Bella and ordered Zeeka to grip at Bella's cloak and to never let go "Hurry!" He demanded with a hint of anger in his voice. Sadie galloped away down the snowy mountain at an alarmingly fast speed, the Doctor turned to face the slaughter.


Many soldiers were wounded but more of the Assassins had fallen, he starred at the chaos and drew in a deep breath.

"Enough!" He ordered, his voice echoed through the cave, it was louder than any of the soldiers or Assassins had ever heard in their lives, they ceased immediately and the leader took a step forward "This is madness!" He lowered his voice a touch "Leave this town."

"Do you challenge me?" The leader looked him up and down and sneered while twirling a blood stained dagger in his hand "Do you wish revenge?" He smiled evilly and wiped at the blood with a rag from his belt "Such a shame it didn't plunge deeper. He wouldn't have suffered otherwise."

"He will survive." The Doctor threatened pushing his face into the leaders "I challenge you." The Assassin took several steps back and ordered two of his men to hand over their swords, one of which he passed to the traveller.

"If I win, we take over the town." The Doctor paused to think then glanced at the soldiers, all of whom looked worried.

"Done, and if I win?"

"Name your prize."

"If I win you leave this town, this ship…Forever and you never return. You take your people somewhere else."

"Very well." The leader agreed after a while of hushed silence and bowed as he tossed his dagger aside. He raised the sword in his hand and the Doctor copied his actions.


They jumped into action, swords touching together, each pushing against the other. They battled, the Doctor ran, swung the sword up to block the hack of the Assassin. He never once tried to slash at the leader, he simply blocked the attacks "You fight well." The Assassin complimented but the Doctor ignored the man and swung the sword making the leader duck. He tripped him quickly and tangled his sword with the other forcing it from the Assassin's hands and casting it into the trees. He pointed the sword down at his neck and lifted his chin to make eye contact.

"I win." The traveller muttered "Now leave this town and I will spare your life and all your people's." The leader sniffed loudly and rose to his feet.

"Very well." He glanced darkly at the soldiers surrounding his men and ordered them back into the cave. The Doctor cast the sword aside and left it for the snow to devour it then watched as the most absurd thing happened, a metal door slid down over the entrance of the tunnel in the cave followed by shudders from the earth.

"What's happening?" One soldier bellowed over the noise of engines.

"The cave was their ship." The Doctor smiled "Oh that is brilliant!"

"Will they ever return?"

"No. I can make this ship un-dockable. Is that even a word? Anyway, where can I find a lady named Tia?"