Chapter Nine. Internal Battles

As the Doctor and Nyssa were coming to terms on how the Mara came to be as well as getting help from Chela when no one else would as Chela learned, albeit doesn't know the Mara possessed the heir to the federation just yet, that the so called legend was indeed true upon the mention of a portal opening that would bring the Mara back to their world as Ambril dismissed as superstition.

Along the way, the Doctor appeared to be calm in spite of everything that was happening as Nyssa was worried that the Mara could not only destroy Tegan, but the Mara could also destroy Adric too. The Doctor, Nyssa and Chela barely escaped execution as Lon, influenced by the Mara, convinced the guards and the director that they were trying to assassinate him and it caused the Time Lord to realize that Lon was possessed by the Mara, insisting to know where Tegan and Adric were.

Mara!Lon did his part to keep Ambril quiet from what he saw, as the director was now influenced by the Mara as well.

As Chela had mentioned, they had a few hours before the ceremony would begin as first the Great Snake would be taken in procession before going up to the cave and that was when the ceremony would begin. The Doctor, Nyssa and Chela would head over to find the ruins where Dojjen would end up being found at.

"Doctor!" Nyssa exclaimed as the small crystal was glowing blue and a skinny old man with white hair suddenly appeared, "Dojjen!"

Dojjen walked to where the Doctor was sitting and sat in front of him as they were both now sitting Indian style. The old Manussan man got out a small snake that was moving around from his bag.

The Time Lord noticed as the old man allowed the snake to bite his arm and he didn't make a sound, didn't react.

Then Dojjen handed the snake to the Doctor.

"Doctor, no," Nyssa objected, "what are you doing?"

"I'm afraid we have no other choice," the Doctor replied, "if we are to have any hope of saving Tegan or Adric."

"His bite could be deadly!" the Trakenite insisted.

"Yes," the Time Lord replied, "I do know."

The Doctor faced Dojjen before allowing the snake to bite his arm as well.

No! Dojjen sent the Doctor a telepathic message, Look into my eyes. You have come this far. You must not now give in to fear.

The Doctor faced the elderly Manussan man.

Look! Dojjen continued sending his telepathic message to the Time Lord.

It's the poison, the Doctor stated seeing a strange vision while looking at the old man, The effect of the poison.

Fear is only the poison.

Fear is...

Ask your question.

How...how can I...I must save my friends. Adric and Tegan. It was my fault! Fault...so how can...Destroy it...How can the Mara...It was my fault!

Steady your mind. Attach to nothing. Let go of your fear.

What is the snakedance?

This is. Here and now. The dance goes on. It is all the dance. Everywhere and always. So, find the still point. Only then, can the Mara be defeated.

The still point? The point of safety? A place in the chamber somewhere? Where?

No. The still point is within yourself. Nowhere else. To destroy the Mara, you must find the still point. Point, point, point.

Nyssa knelt to the Doctor to see if the Time Lord was okay, "Doctor?"

The Doctor came to. The Trakenite sighed with relief, "Oh, thank goodness! I thought for a moment..."

"Thought what?" the Doctor asked before looking at his hand, "No. I survived."

"But how?" Nyssa asked.

"I don't know." the Doctor answered, "Somehow, he saw me through."

"We must hurry." Chela insisted as he met with the Time Lord and the Trakenite.

"Yes of course!" the Doctor replied as he, Nyssa and Chela all stood up, "to the ceremony."

"Did you find out what you needed to know?" Nyssa asked.

"I think I did." the Doctor answered, "We'll have to see. I just hope we're not too late."

The Doctor, Nyssa and Chela bowed before the Dojjen before they went to the cave where the ceremony would take place.

-Doctor-Who-

Meanwhile, Adric was having struggles of his own as he tried to regain control over the Mara that was now possessing him as the snake in Tegan's arm was starting to grow and emerge out of the possessed woman's arm.

The Alzarian looked over to Hawker, who only stared on in a trance.

"Do something, please!" Adric pleaded, "Help me!"

"He can do nothing." Mara!Tegan told the helpless boy, "He is under my power. Just as you are."

"No." Adric only groaned in denial, followed by a yell, "No!"

"Try all you might, boy." Mara!Tegan spoke in assurance, "Even with your powers, you soon won't resist the power of the Mara! You will give in to me just as your friend has."

"We shall see about that!" Adric replied as he continued his fight against the Mara from within as he was not intending to give in to what the Mara wanted him to do without a fight.

Mara!Tegan glanced at Hawker before proceeding to taunt him, "Well, showman. Do you still dream of my success? Perhaps you do. After all, you have no choice. You have got to look."

Hawker looked in fear as the snake hissed as it was on Tegan's arms, with its mouth open and venom dripping from its mouth.

"That goes for you too, boy." Mara!Tegan went to taunt Adric, "Look at me."

Adric simply refused as he turned away.

"Come on." Mara!Tegan insisted with assertion in her voice, "Look at me!"

"No!" Adric replied again.

"Why not?"

The Alzarian boy heard hissing again and by that cause, he let his guard down and ended up looking at Mara!Tegan, who was now holding what looked like a real life snake. Then the possessed woman chuckled again.

"That's right. Look at me." Mara!Tegan faced the helpless boy, taunting him with the snake in her hand, "Look at me. Look at me."

Adric whimpered as the last of his resistance started to fade.

"Puzzling, isn't it?" Mara!Tegan asked.

"How?" Adric weakly asked as if he was almost in a trance, "How can...how can this...be happening?"

"Ah yes." Mara!Tegan chided, "Can you believe your eyes?"

She placed the snake first in front of the Hawker and then at Adric as the latter ended up falling to the floor.

"No!" Adric shouted, "I will not open the portal to free you! Never!"

"You will, stubborn boy!" Mara!Tegan faced the helpless boy, "You have no choice. You will end up rendered a vegetable if you continue to resist me. Just try."

"Resist." Adric groaned with the last of his resistance, "Must resist. Must fight it. Must fight. I...Doctor."

Finally, the Mara completely took over Adric once again.

"At last." Mara!Tegan smiled with satisfaction, "The boy is ready to do his part."

Mara!Adric stood up slowly and looked around.

"I take it you are ready for your part in the ceremony?" Mara!Tegan asked.

"I am indeed." Mara!Adric answered, "Just a matter of waiting on the ceremony."

"Of course. The ceremony will begin soon enough."

"I cannot wait for the fun to begin."