The two armies met in a clash of bodies and steel; this was a battle of ancient times...no bullets or advanced weaponry; it was hand to hand bloody combat and in the middle of it were three Time Lords, trying to fight their way to each other...but only one wanted to save lives.
Ashena fought desperately to reach her parents, her first full on battle was becoming a baptism in blood; these things maybe tall and armoured but they still died like anything else.
She chanced a look in the direction of her parents and could see both of them cutting a swathe through her and the human's army, the bodies in their wake were gruesome trophies in the melee.
For a fleeting second the thought that she might have to injure if not kill one or both her parents made her hesitate but it was washed away when another of the creatures came at her, its face set in a feral snarl, it's bloody blade raised.
The other two were not in charge of their bodies; a perverse trait of this creation meant they could trap their host consciousness and torture it at their leisure.
The Master's rage was boiling like lava at the lack of control over his own body and his own cowardice at not being able to deliver the killer blow that would have prevented all of this...but he hadn't. He wouldn't hesitate if there was a next time...not if the Doctor was going through the same hell as himself.
The Doctor had struggled against the creature that called itself Sorsha...it had a name, they were never meant to have names; they shouldn't even be alive. They should have died along with every other corrupted and defiled creation when he unleashed the moment.
He'd tried to rid himself of it back in the machine room; the Master had known it was the only way, but he had failed to finish it and he tried even whilst dying to reach the machine and close the breach, but even that had failed.
The he saw victory coming as he died under the rubble of the building and he welcomed oblivion and for a while he'd had it...and then he was ripped away from the peace of death and into hell.
Now he was watching his own body cutting a bloody swathe through the human army and heading straight for his daughter and he couldn't stop it.
Jack watched the two armies clash but kept one eye on the two creatures guarding him and the others. He could see they were getting distracted and were itching to join the battle. He looked over at Ianto and Gwen and an almost imperceptible nod and seconds later they exploded into action.
They couldn't show any mercy and Jack didn't as he slide the creatures own blade between the joins in its armour and whirled away to aid the others.
The creature was down but they were struggling to keep it so.
Jack threw himself at the creature's head and wrapped his hands around its neck and started to twist...hoping that its anatomy was similar to humans.
It bellowed when it felt Jack putting pressure on its neck and tried to claw at him, but Ianto and Gwen were using all their weight to hold them down and then came that ominous snap as bone broke and the creature fell still.
All three stood up, still wary of it not being dead, but it didn't move. But there was no time to relax and they turned from the dead creature and towards the battle.
Jack was searching the creature he'd killed and found what he was looking for; a small wooden box.
"Is that?" Ianto said.
Jack nodded and took out the single object and held it in his hand.
"There's only one way to stop this...I've worked it out, those things need a live host."
Gwen looked at him. "But there's only enough for one person...but you can't."
Jack looked at the object in his hand and then told him his plan.
Ashena fought her way clear of the Horde and up ahead she saw not her mother but her father heading straight for her.
They both pulled their mounts up but Ashena could see no recognition on his features...only raw hatred.
"Time Lord," he snarled and spurred the creature he was riding into action and Ashena was frozen with an emotion she'd never felt before...fear.
Sorsha cut down another soldier; they were just an irritant, getting in the way of his target...the Time Lord's child. He'd told Jack Harkness that they would be hosts; but that was a lie...he wanted revenge and killing the Time Lord's child would be the perfect torture as he would see everything.
He chanced a look over at where he'd seen her last and what he saw made him snarl in anger...Sisai and he was heading straight for her.
"No...she's mine," he snarled and dragged his mount round and spurred it forwards.
He'd only gone a few paces when it let out an awful screech and stumbled and Sorsha had no chance and was thrown clear as it fell to the ground a huge hole in its head.
He managed to roll away from the heavy beast and using the agility of the Time Lord's body was on his feet in seconds but he didn't have time to react to whatever had downed his mount when he was bulldozed by someone and it felt like Jack Harkness.
He heard Harkness shout something and as he snarled and gathered his wits he felt a sharp pain and then he was on fire and as he burnt he heard a laugh...it was the Time Lord.
Jack had to time this right, knowing that Gwen wouldn't miss with her shot; she couldn't, they only had one round.
He began running as soon as he saw Sorsha wheel his mount round and for once his timing was perfect as the beast stumbled bellowed and fell and Sorsha was rocketed out of the saddle.
He expected him to be up quickly, the Doctor's was always athletic and he timed his tackle perfectly and brought Sorsha to the ground.
"Now!" he yelled and felt and heard more than saw Ianto and then he was holding down a convulsing Sorsha.
The battle still raged around them but it might as well been a hundred miles away; his only focus the person he was now holding down. He hoped he'd judged the dose right...just enough to fool Sorsha into thinking that the Doctor was dying but not enough to kill him...he hoped.
"Come on...come on," he said as the convulsions continued and then they suddenly stopped as light flared in the Doctor's eyes and he let go of the Doctor and scuttled back as light began pouring from the Doctor's mouth and eyes and the heat was enough to redden Jack's skin and then there was a stillness that was at odds with the bloodshed around them and the seconds between the stillness and the Doctor drawing in a huge breath seemed to stretch for an eternity.
The first words he heard the Doctor say was his daughter's name and when he staggered to his feet he grabbed him to stop him heading into a fight he couldn't possibly be fit for.
He was expecting the arrogant rebuke of the person he'd become but what he got was what sounded like the Doctor of old; even if the words were snarled at him...could it be, was his Doctor back?
Then the Doctor looked him in the eyes and what he saw wasn't his Doctor but he saw what the Dalek's must have seen or the countless enemies since.
He let go and the Doctor moved away from him and all he could do was follow.
The first words the Doctor said as he rushed back into his own mind was "Ashena!" and then he was up on unsteady feet and being grabbed by someone.
"Easy Doctor," the person said, it sounded like Jack Harkness, but he shrugged the person off or tried to but their grip was strong.
"Let me go, Jack," he snarled and looked him in the eyes.
He could feel the fury building in him and he knew what was bubbling to the surface...knew what was clamouring...no screaming to break free and he was going to let, if Jack would let him.
He no longer cared about ruling a planet or a universe...all he cared about was the fact that his daughter was about to face someone who was no longer her father and he wasn't about to lose another child.
With a snarl he downed one of the creatures and took its sword and caught a loose horse and headed like an arrow for the two persons he cared about.
He pushed the horse hard as he could see the distance between his daughter and the thing that had taken over the Master...his bond-mate...his love.
He pushed the horse to even greater speed and drove it between the two and as the one called Sisai slewed to a halt he roared.
"Sisai...esha segra!"
The creature that inhabited the Master let out an answering roar and snarled. "Ti ses Sorsha!"
esha segra- fight me
Ti ses- then die