Chapter 57.
(Harry POV)
When I landed. I headed out and there was nothing as Revan came out.
"What is it? What's wrong," Revan said.
"No idea," I said. "Hold on,"
"Where are we?" Revan said.
"Ancient Rome," I said.
"Why did that go then," Revan said.
"No idea it brought us here why," I said. "Come on, Well to them right not this is Brand New Rome,"
"Wow, This is brilliant," Revan said. "What that sign is in English,"
"No, it's the Tardis, It translates so it look English to us, Even hear to them we are speaking Latin," I said.
"Seriously," Revan said.
"Come on there are places to see the Colosseum, the Pantheon, The Circus Maximus, They should be looming right now, So where is everything," I said. "This way come on,"
"How many hills have Rome got," Revan said.
"7," I said. "Why,"
"What's that," Revan said.
"That's only one, No," I said. Then there was a deep rumbling. "Oh No, That's no mountain, That's a Volcano, And we're in Pompeii,"
"And that's bad why," Revan said.
"We're in Pompeii and it's Volcano Day," I said.
"What does that mean," Revan said.
"We got to go now," I said. As I ran back to the Tardis with Revan on me.
But when I got there it wasn't there. "What? Where's My Tardis,"
"Where is it," Revan said.
"Gone," I said. "Excuse me there was a box, Big blue box wooden box over there where is it?"
"I sold it, Didn't I," He said.
"What It wasn't yours to sell," I said.
"It was on my patch weren't it, I got 15 sesterce for it Lovely jubbly," He said.
"Who did you sell it to," I said.
"Old Caecilius look, If you want to Argue, Why don't you take it out with him," He said. "He's on Foss Street, Big Villa , Can't miss it,"
"Thanks," I said. Taking off that way. "Hold on What did he but a big blue wooden box for?"
"He just said Art," He said.
As I took off again.
"There," I said as we went over.
"Why are we leaving," Revan said.
"It's Pompeii and Volcano day meaning one thing, Everyone is going to die," I said.
"Why," Revan said.
"That's the way History told it, 79AD 23 August, Tomorrow it erupts," I said.
"But can't we not get people out," Revan said.
"Yes, But we can't." I said.
"But you save people," Revan said.
"Not this time, Pompeii is a fixed point in Time and History, What happens, happens. There is no stopping it," I said.
"Says who," Revan said.
"Me," I said.
"What and you're in charge," Revan said.
"It's not only me, That's what my Dad always said don't screw around with fixed points in time, And I'm not going to screw around with this one," I said. "Come on, We got to go,"
"You really have to explain that to me some day," Revan said.
"Fine, but not now," I said. Then we went in as another rumbling happen and something was about to fall and I stopped it. "Whoa, There you go,"
"Thank you, Kind sir," He said. "I'm afraid business is closed for the day, I'm expecting a visitor,"
"That's me, I'm a visitor, Hello," I said.
"Who are you," He said.
"Harry Tyler," I said.
"Revan," Revan said.
"Mr and Mrs Tyler," He said.
"Yeah," I said.
"I'm sorry but I'm not open for trading," He said.
"And that Trade would be," I said.
"Marble, Lobus Caecilius, Mining polishing and design thereof, If you want marble, I'm your man," Lobus said.
"That's good, Cos, I'm the Marble inspector," I said using my Physic Paper.
"This is my good wife, Metella, I confess we're not prepared," Lobus said.
"Don't worry. I'm sure you've nothing to hide, Although frankly that object looks rather like wood to me," I said As I saw the Tardis. As I went over.
"I only bought it today," Lobus said.
"Ah well, Caveat Emptor," I said.
"Oh, you're Celtic, There's lovely," Lobus said.
"I'm sure it's ok, but I might have to take it off your hands for a proper inspection," I said.
"Harry," Revan said.
"Yeah," I said.
"Do they not know about," Revan said.
"No, They don't know what it is, Vesuvius is just a mountain to them, the top hasn't blown off yet," I whispered back. "The Romans haven't even got a word for volcano. Not until tomorrow,"
"So they can learn a new word as they die," Revan whispered.
"Stop," I whispered.
"That boy how old is he, 16," Revan whispered. "And tomorrow he burns to death,"
"And that's my fault," I whispered. "I can't do anything,"
"Announcing Lucius Petrus Dextrus Chief Augur of the City Government," Someone said.
"Lucius, My Pleasure as always," Lobus said.
"Quintus stand up," Metella said.
"A rare and great honour sir, for you to come to my house," Lobus said.
"The Birds are flying North and the wind is in the west," Lucius said.
"Quite, Absolutely, That's good, is it," Lobus said.
"Only the grain of wheat knows where it grow," Lucius said.
"There now, Metella, Have you ever heard Such wisdom," Lobus said.
"Never, it's an honour," Metella said.
"Pardon me, Sir, I have guest this is Harry and Revan Tyler," Lobus said.
"A name is but a cloud upon a summer wind," Lucius said.
"But the wind is felt most keenly in the dark," I said.
"Ah bit what is the dark other than an omen of the sun," Lucius said.
"I concede that every sun must set," I said.
"Ha," Lucius said.
"And yet the son of the father must also rise," I said.
"Damn," Lucius said. "Very clever sir, Evidently a man of learning,"
"Oh Yes, Got that part from my Father, Don't want to disturb the status quo," I said.
"He's Celtic," Lobus said.
"We'll be off in a minute," I said.
"And here it is, exactly as you've specified, It pleases you sir," Lobus said.
"As the rain pleases the soil," Lucius said.
"Wow, That's different, Who designed this," I said.
"My lord was very specific," Lobus said.
"Where the pattern," I said.
"On the Rain and mist and wind," Lucius said.
"But that looks like a circuit," Revan said.
"Made of stone," I said
"D'you mean you just dreamt that thing up," Revan said.
"That is my job, As City Augur," Lucius said.
"What's that then," Revan whispered.
"They're laughing at us," Someone said. "Those 2 use words like tricksters, They're mocking us,"
"No, no, no, Meant no offence," I said.
"I'm sorry, My Daughter's been consuming the vapours," Metella said. "She's been promised to the Sibylline Sisterhood they say she has remarkable visions,"
"The Prophecies of Women are limited and dull, only the menfolk have the capacity for true perception," Lucius said.
"Consuming the vapours, you said," I said.
"They gave me strength," She said.
"It doesn't look like it to me," I said.
"Is that your opinion, as a Doctor," She said.
"What," I said.
"Doctor is your father," She said.
"How did you know that," I said.
"Now then Evelina, Don't be rude," Metella said.
"No, No, Let her talk," I said.
"You both come from so far away," Evelina said.
"The Female soothsayer is inclined to invent all sorts of vagaries," Lucius said.
"Oh Not this time, Lucius No, I reckon you've been out soothsayed," I said.
"Is that so, Man From Gallifrey," Lucius said.
"What," I said.
"Wait, What," Revan said.
"The Strangest of images, Your home is lost in fire is it not," Lucius said.
"Harry, What are they doing," Revan said.
"And you, from a far away Galaxy," Lucius said.
"How does he know that?" Revan said.
"This is the gift of Pompeii," Lucius said. "Every single oracle tells the truth,"
"That's impossible," Revan said.
"Just unlikely," I said.
"Harry, She is returning," Lucius said.
"Who is, Who's she?" I said.
"And you, Coruscant, Something is coming," Lucius said.
"What does that mean," Revan said.
"Even the Word Doctor is false, His real name is hidden, It burns in the stars, in the cascade of Medusa Herself, And you are a lord, Sir, A lord of time," Evelina said then was about to fall as I catched her.
XXX
"She didn't mean to be rude," Metella said. "She's ever such a good girl, But when the gods speak through her,"
"What's with her arm," I said.
"An Irritation of the skin," Metella said. "She never complains, bless her, We bathe it in olive oil every night,"
"What is it," I said.
"Evelina said you come from far away," Metella said. "Please have you seen anything like it,"
As I went and felt it.
"That's stone," I said. Then I went back into the main room where I got a vent off. "There we got different sort of hypocaust,"
"Oh yes, we're very advanced in Pompeii," Lobus said. "In Rome, they're still using the old wood burning furnaces, But we've got hot springs leading from Vesuvius itself,"
"Who thought of that," I said.
"The Soothsayers," Lobus said. "After the great earthquake 17 years ago, an awful of damage, But we rebuilt,"
"Didn't you think of moving away, No then again, San Francisco," I said
"That's in Naples isn't it," Lobus said.
"What's that noise," I said hearing a echoing howl.
"Don't know, Happens all the time," Lobus said. "They say the gods of underworld are stirring,"
"But after the Earth quake, is that when the Soothsayers started making sense," I said.
"Oh yes very much so," Lobus said. "I mean, they'd always been shall we say imprecise, But then the Soothsayers the Augurs, the Haruspex, all of them they saw the truth, again and again, It's quite amazing, They predict Crops and rainfall with absolute precision,"
"Have they said anything about tomorrow," I said.
"No why should they, Why D'you ask," Lobus said.
"No. No, Reason," I said. "Just asking, But the Soothsayers they all consume the vapours, Yeah,"
"That how they see," Lobus said.
"Ipso facto," I said.
"Look you," Lobus said.
"They're all consuming this," I said.
"Dust," Lobus said.
"Tiny particles of Rock, They're breathing in Vesuvius, But how does that concern your Daughter's arm turned partly to stone," I said.
"Any clue," Lobus said.
"Not yet," I said Heading off and found Quintus. "Quintus old chap, This Lucius Petrus Dextrus where does he live,"
"It's nothing to do with me," Quintus said.
"Let me try again, This Lucius Petrus Dextrus, Where does he live," I said. Which made him show me.
"Don't tell my dad," Quintus said.
"Only if you don't tell mine Or Jenny, Damn she would have loved this," I said.
As I opened it and went in. "Pass me the torch," I said.
Then Started looking as Quintus got in them saw something. "Here," I said passing the torch back as I moved the Curtain.
"The Lair, He told my father it was the only one," Quintus said.
"Well plenty of Marble merchants in this town, Tell them all the same, get all the components from different Places, So no one can see what it is," I said.
"Which is want," Quintus said.
"Some sort of Circuit," I said.
"The Future, Harry," Lucius said. "We are building the future, as dictated by the gods,"
"Well hold on," I said started sorting them out. "Put this one there, This one there, eh Keep that one upside down, what have you got,"
"Enlighten me," Lucius said.
"What the Soothsayer doesn't know," I said.
"A Seed may float on the breeze in any direction," Lucius said.
"Yeah, I know you would say that, but it's an energy Converter," I said.
"An energy converter of what," Lucius said.
"I don't know," I said. "Isn't that brilliant? I love not knowing, Keeps me on my toes, It must be awful being a prophet waking up every morning is it raining, yes I said so, Takes all the fun out of life, But who designed this, Lucius hm? Who gave you these instructions?"
"I think you've babbled enough," Lucius said.
"Lucius tell me honestly I'm on your side, I can help," I said.
"You insult the gods, there can be only one sentence, At Arms," Lucius said.
"Oh, Morituri te salutant," I said.
"Celtic prayers won't help you now," Lucius said.
"But sir he made me do it, Mr Dextrus please don't," Quintus said.
"Come on Now, Quintus, Dignity in Death," I said. " I respect your victory Lucius, Shake on it, Come on, Dying man's wish," As I went and got stone and pulled it off.
"Ah," Lucius, said.
"But he's," Quintus said.
"Show me," I said.
"The Work of the gods," Lucius said.
"He's stone," Quintus said.
"Armless enough, though, whoops," I said. Threw it. "Quintus," As we ran got out. "Run," As we ran. "No sign of them, Nice little bit of Allonsy, I think we're all right,"
"But his arm, Harry," Quintus said. "Is that happening to Evelina,"
"Maybe," I said. Then there was a rhythmic crashing. "What was that?"
"the Mountain," Quintus said.
"No It's closer," I said. "Footsteps,
"It can't be," Quintus said.
"Footsteps underground," I said.
"What is it? What is it?" Quintus said.
"Run," I said as we ran again back to the House. "Caecilius, All of you, Get out,"
"Harry what is it?" Revan said.
"I think we're being followed," I said.
Then there was a growling as the vent hatch came off.
"Just get out," I said.
As the Vent floor was breaking Then Something came out.
"The Gods are with us," Evelina said.
"Water, We need water," I said.
"Quintus all of you, get water, Revan," I said.
"Bless are we to see the gods," he said as he got burned into nothing.
"Wait, Talk to me, That's all I want," I said. "Talk to me, Just tell me who are you, Don't hurt these people. Talk to me, I'm Harry, Just tell me who you are,"
"Harry," Quintus said. throwing some at it. As It break apart and died.
"What was it," Lobus said.
"Carapace of stone, Held together by internal Magma," I said. "Not too difficult to stop, But I reckon that's just the foot soldier,"
"Harry, or Whatever your name is, you bring bad luck on this house," Metella said.
"I thought your son was brilliant aren't you going to thank him," I said. "Still if there are aliens at work in Pompeii it's a good thing we stayed, Revan, Revan, REVAN!"
Then I found a way to stop this and I grabbed my Water pistol and full it with Water and Went to find her, Good thing is She still had her Lightsabre which meant I can scan for it and found it and got to the building and went into it.
"This prattling voice will cease forever," She said.
"Oh that'll be the day," I said.
"No man is allowed to enter the Temple of Sibyl," She said.
"Well that's all right, just us girls, do you know I met the Sibyl once, hell of a woman, Blimey she could dance the Tarantella, Nice teeth Truth be told I think she had a bit of a thing for me, I said it would never last. She said, I know, Well she would, you ok there," I said.
"Oh never better," Revan said.
"I like the Toga," I said.
"Thank you, and the ropes," Revan said.
"Yeah not so much," I said.
"What magic is this," She said.
"Let me tell you about sibyl, the founder of this religion, She would be ashamed of you, All her wisdom and insight gone sour, is that how you spread the word on the blade of a knife," I said.
"Yes a Knife that now welcomes you," She said.
"Oh Really," I said soniced it out of her hand.
"Show me this man," Some one said.
"High Priestess, the stranger would defile us," She said.
"Let me see, This one is different, He carries starlight in his wake," She said.
"Oh very preceptive, where do these words of wisdom come from?" I said.
"The Gods whisper to me," She said.
"They've done far more than that," I said. "Might I beg audience, Look upon the High Priestess,"
"Oh my god," Revan said. "What's happened to you?"
"The Heavens have blessed me," She said.
"If I might," I said. "Does it hurt,"
"It is necessary," She said.
"Who told you that," I said.
"The Voices," She said.
"Is that what's gonna happen to Evelina," Revan said. "Is this what's gonna happen to all of you,"
"The blessing are manifold," She said.
"They're stone," Revan said.
"Exactly," I said. "The People of Pompeii are turning to stone before the volcano erupts But why?"
"This word, this image, in your mind this volcano, What is that?" She said.
"More to the point why don't you know about it Who are you?" I said.
"High Priestess of the Sibylline," She said.
"No, no, no, no, no I'm talking to the Creature inside you," I said. "The thing seeding itself into the human body, In the dust, in the lungs taking over the flesh and turning it into What,"
"Your knowledge is impossible," She said.
"Oh but you can read my mind you know it's not," I said. "I demand you tell me who you are,"
"We are awakening," It said.
"The Voice of the gods," She said.
"Name yourself, Planet of Origin Galactic coordinates, Species Designation according to the Ratification of the Shadow Proclamation," I said.
"We are rising," it said.
"Tell me your name," I said.
"Pyrovile," It said.
"What's a Pyrovile?" Revan said.
"That growing inside her, She's the halfway stage," I said.
"And that turns into," Revan said.
"That thing in the Villa was an adult Pyrovile," I said.
"And the Breath of a Pyrovile will incinerate you, Harry," It said.
"I warm you I'm armed," I said. "Revan get that grille open," As I pulled out my Water pistol.
"What for," Revan said.
"Just," I said. "What are the Pyrovile doing here?"
"We fell from the heavens, We fell so far and so fast, We were Rendered into dust," It said.
"Right, Creatures of stone, shattered on impact when was that, 17 years ago," I said.
"We have slept beneath for thousands of years," It said.
"Ok so 17 years ago woke you up and now your using human bodies to reconstitute yourselves but why the psychic powers?" I said.
"We opened their minds and found such gifts," It said.
"Ok so you force yourself inside a human brain, Use the latent psychic talent to bond I get that, But seeing the future, that is way beyond psychic you can see through time," I said "Where does the gift of prophecy come from?"
"Got it," Revan said.
"Now get down," I said.
"What down there," Revan said.
"Yes, Down," I said. "Why can't they predict a volcano why is it being hidden,"
"Sisters I see into his mind, The weapon is harmless," She said.
"Yeah but it will sting," I said shooting at her and then jumped down into it. "You ok,"
"Yeah, you fought her off with a water pistol," Revan said. "Why didn't you use your other one,"
"Had to get them a choice," I said. "This way,"
"Where are we going now," Revan said.
"Into the Volcano," I said.
"No way," Revan said.
"Yes, Way," I said. as I did a trick with my 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," Revan said.
"Still part of history," I said.
"You saved me, back in my Time, Why's that different," Revan said.
"Because If I stop this, I won't exist, I'm not born yet, Like I said some things are fixed some things are in flux, Pompeii is fixed," I said.
"How do you know which is which," Revan said.
"Because that's how I see the universe when I read it's history, My Dad sees it every waken second he can see what is, what was, what could be what must not, That's the burden of the Time Lord, Revan, What he has. Dad and I are the only 2 left," I said.
"How many people died," Revan said.
"Stop it," I said.
"Harry, how many people died," Revan said.
"20,000," I said.
"Is that what you see, all 20,000, and you think that's all right, do you," Revan said.
"I can't change history, Now the history I know, Revan If I could change this, I would, But Dad said never to mess with a fixed point ever," I said. "And I'm not doing that,"
As the was Growling next.
"They know we're here, Come on," I said.
"Where are we," Revan said.
"It's the heart of Vesuvius, We're right inside the mountain," I said.
"There's tons of them," Revan said.
"What's that thing," I said.
"Hurry up, and think of something Rocky 4's on it's way," Revan said.
"That's how they arrived, or what's left of it, Escape pod, Prison ship, Gene Bank," I said.
"But why do they need a volcano," Revan said. "Maybe it erupts and they launch themselves back into space or something,"
"Oh it's worse than that," I said.
"How can it be worse," Revan said. "Harry it's getting closer,"
"Heathens, Defile us," Lucius said. "They would desecrate your temple my lord gods,"
"Come on," I said.
"We can't go in," Revan said.
"Well we can't go back," I said.
"Crush them, Burn them," Lucius said.
Then one showed up as I spray water on it.
As we ran for the pod.
"There is no where to Run, Harry and Coruscant," Lucius said.
"Now then Lucius, My lord Pyrovillian, Don't get yourselves in a lava," I said. "In a Lava, no,"
"No," Revan said.
"But if I might beg the wisdom of the gods before we perish, Once this new race of creatures is complete then what?" I said.
"My Masters will follow the example of Rome itself, An almighty empire Bestriding the whole of Civilisation," Lucius said.
"But if you've crashed and you've got all this technology, Why don't you just go home," Revan said.
"The Heaven of Pyrovilla is gone," Lucius said.
"What do you mean gone, Where's it gone," I said.
"It was taken," Lucius said. "Pyrovilla is lost, But there is heat enough in this world for a new species to rise,"
"Yeah I should warn you it's 70% Water out there," I said.
"Water can boil," Lucius said. "And everything will burn, Harry,"
"Then the whole planet is at stake," I said. "Thank you That's all I needed to know, Revan," As I got us in and sealed it.
"Could we be any more trapped," Revan said. "Bit hot,"
"See, the energy convertor takes the lava uses the power to create a fusion matrix which welds Pyrovile to human, It's complete they can convert millions," I said.
"Can't you change it," Revan said. "With these controls,"
"Course I can," I said Calling Martha.
"Harry," Martha said.
"Listen, Martha, I kind of have a choice to make here a real big one. One I don't ever think I can do," I said.
"Listen do whatever you have to do then Come to me, Talk to me, We figure it out together," Martha said.
"What the hell did I do to get someone like you," I said.
"Same here, Love you," Martha said.
"Love you too, Martha," I said hanging up.
"What is it?" Revan said.
"Don't you see, That why the Soothsayer can't see the volcano, There is no Volcano, Vesuvius is never going to erupt, The Pyrovile are stealing all it's power, they'll use it to take over the world," I said.
"But you can change it back," Revan said.
"I can invert the system set off the volcano and blow them up, yes but That's the choice Revan, What I was talking to Martha, It's Pompeii or the world," I said.
"Oh my god," Revan said.
"If Pompeii is destroyed then it's not just history, It's me, I make this happen," I said.
As I set it up.
"But the Pyrovile are rock maybe they can't be blown up," Revan said.
"Vesuvius explodes with the force of 24 nuclear Bombs, Nothing can survive it, Certainly not us," I said. "Push this lever and it's over,"
"Harry, If we don't make it out. I wouldn't mind making that official," Revan said.
"What," I said.
"Us, Married," Revan said.
"Same," I said. "But 20,000 people, Can I really do that,"
"Not alone," Revan said. Putting her hands over mine. "I'll do it with you,"
"You know if we go back and tell anyone about this, they will call you what was it," I said.
"A Sith," Revan said. "And I don't care, I don't have to do this alone," Then Kissed me.
Then we pushed it down. As it fired up and threw us out of the Volcano as it erupts. Where we were till we landed and I used the Sonic to get us out.
"Tardis now," I said. As we got out and started running for the City and the Tardis. We made it to the City and kept going through.
"Where now," Revan said.
"This way come on," I said as we got back to the Villa.
"God saves us Harry," Lobus said. But I went for the Tardis and went in getting her Ready for launch.
"No, Harry, You can't," Revan said. As I had it set up as I started the engines as Revan came in. "You can't just leave them,
"Don't you think I've done enough, History's back in place. Everyone dies," I said.
"You've got to go back, Harry, It's not fair," Revan said.
"No It's not," I said.
"But your own planet," Revan said. "It Burned,"
"That's just it, Don't you see Revan, Can't you understand, If I could go back and save them then we would have done, But we can't, I can never go back, I can't, I just Can't, None of us can," I said.
"Just someone," Revan said. "Please, Not the whole town, just save someone,"
Then I set us back for there right in front of them and landed. Heading over to the Door.
"Come with me if you want to live," I said. As I Got hold on Quintus, Metella, Evelina and Lobus. Then Got us out of onto the hill above Pompeii and Landed before headed out. Just to watch the Town get Burned and destroyed.
"It's never forgotten, Caecilius, Oh Time will pass, men will move on, and stories will fade, but one day, Pompeii will be found again, In thousands of years, And everyone will remember you," I said.
"What about you Evelina can you see anything," Revan said.
"The Visions have gone," Evelina said.
"The Explosion was so powerful it cracked open a rift in time just for a second, That what gave you the gift of prophecy, It echoed back into the Pyrovillian Alternative, But not any more, You're free, And that should disappear, Oh," I said pulled out a bottle of oil. "Use that, Should get rid of it for you," Passing her it.
"But tell me, Who are you, Harry," Metella said. "With your words and your temple containing such size within,"
"Oh I was never here, Don't tell anyone," I said. "But One thing I can really promise is Pompeii will never be forgotten,"
"Thank you," Evelina said.
"The Great god Vulcan must be enraged," Caecilius said. "It's so Volcanic, it's like some sort of Volcano, All those people,"
As I went back into the Tardis and set the coordinates for home.
"Thank you," Revan said.
"Yeah, Let's go," I said. As We took off again.
That's all for this chapter.
More to follow.
Stay tuned and safe.
Love Y'all
PEACE!