Jack fought down the pain and took in a deep breath and willed his muscles and nerves to stay in place as invisible claws tried to rip them to shreds.
With a searing hot lance of pain he came back to himself and the horror of the situation flooded back...the Doctor had done the unthinkable and now he had to try and stop him before he committed murder.
His vision cleared and Ianto's concerned features swam into focus along with the awful sounds of battle from below.
"Jack, what happened?" Into said.
Before he had chance to reply, Ninlil who had been supported by Doctor Stoneleigh grabbed hold of Jack's arm.
"We have to stop him, if he kills Zu then reality won't just split apart...the whole of Time itself will implode. It will be like the Time War all over again!"
Jack didn't question how she knew about the Time War. "I'll get to him."
Doctor Stoneleigh let out a laugh. "And how do you suggest we get through two armies that are tearing each other apart?"
"We'll do what we always do."
The smell of blood and sweat filled the air and the sounds of men and horses struggling to stay alive echoed around the battle field.
But within the melee, there was a group of riders that were cutting their way through the enemy ranks, its leader intent on reaching only one target.
A lone rider charged at the group but never got near as horse and rider stumbled as the horse's legs crumbled and within second there was nothing but a pile of dust.
However the group's way was blocked by hundreds more.
"Enough of this," the lead rider snarled.
He cleared a path and the group raced away, kicking up human and animal dust and headed for the cliffs.
They only reined in when they reached the top.
He looked down on the battle and saw his target.
"Zu!" he roared.
Zu had been fighting his own battles and had killed so many that his sword was stained blood red and his horses' skin was flecked with it.
Then he heard Enlil roar his name and he looked up and saw him silhouetted against the darkening skies.
He spurred his horse forward, cutting a swathe through the heaving mass of man and horse.
If he wanted a hand to hand fight, then he would get it.
Jack led the others down the incline and towards the battle.
There were no soldiers to stop them; only the dead or the dying were left.
Jack was sure that it was good thing that none of them were disturbed by the sight; he supposed their life hardened them to it.
They had managed to find four horses and were about to mount when Ninlil stopped Jack and pulled him away from the others.
"You cannot send your companions against him or Zu, they are only human."
"That's their choice, it'll need all of us to bring the Doctor to heel."
"Then I am sorry for what I am about to do."
She raised her palm and blew what looked like dust in the air.
Jack whirled round when he heard the sound of bodies falling to the floor. Ianto and Doctor Stoneleigh had crashed to the floor.
He then began to feel the effects of whatever the dust was. "Ninlil, what have you...?"
He never finished the question as he sank to the floor.
"I'm sorry, you may be immortal Jack Harkness but even you cannot take on a god and live. You have many things to do yet and I have had my time."
She shooed the other horses away and rode off towards the battle, knowing exactly where she was going and what she was about to do.
What was now the Oncoming Storm looked down at the battlefield and saw a lone rider careering towards the cliff.
"Zu," he snarled and wheeled his mount and began descending.
He failed to see the other rider heading directly for Zu.
Zu only had eyes for the figure that had now disappeared from the cliff top, so he was unprepared for the rider that slewed to a front only yards in front of him.
He pulled on his mounts reins sharply and slid to a halt and when he saw who the rider was, he laughed.
"Ninlil," he growled. "Have you come to stop me?"
"No, I've come to kill you," she replied and drew the sword she'd taken from a dead soldier.
Zu laughed and then drew his own sword and spurred his horse forward.
Jack groaned back into consciousness and as memory flooded back he shot up. He looked round and saw the still out of it Ianto and Doctor Stoneleigh, but there was no sign of Ninlil.
"Dammit!" he swore and got to his feet.
In the distance he could see one of the horses and ran over and managed to catch it. He snatched up a fallen sword and galloped towards the rapidly receding battle.
He knew with a sick feeling what Ninlil was going to try and do and he had to stop it before something tragic happened.
As he approached he could see two riders whirling around each other and then with horror he saw one of the horses falter and stumble.
With increasing panic he urged his mount on, but he knew he was never going to reach them in time.
The sound he heard next was the one he didn't want to hear...it was women's cry of pain.
But that was nothing compared to the roar of anger that came from farther away.
Another rider had slewed to a halt only metres away and Jack actually flinched in fear.
This wasn't an angry Time Lord nor an angry ancient god...this was a god with the power of the Vortex running through his body and it was like looking into hell.
A crack of thunder rolled ear-splittingly close to the riders and the ground actually trembled like it was in fear.
"Zu!"
Jack could only watch as what was once the Doctor dismount and move towards Zu and the now injured Ninlil.
Energy was crackling over the Doctor's body and the ground around him caught fire and the heat was so intense that the sand was turning to glass.
Jack shook himself and knew that he had to try and stop the Doctor. He knew that he may actually die and that fear almost stopped him.
But he had to try and if he had to face an all powerful god, then he would.
Taking a deep breath he pushed his horse forward.
