KITG: here we go, another chapter. Think it's coming to an end soon maybe 2 to 3 more chapters. The follow on from this will be called "Guardians Return"

Chapter 9

He was hauled down into the bowls of the castle. He was bound tight to the floor, the chains holding him. They poured the liquid compound to keep him in line. He coughed and gagged as he tried to get free. But he could do nothing, the poison running through his veins.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" Galen growled.

"Oh how the mighty fall" came the slick voice again

"What do you think you're doing Balthazar?"

"Following the will of our king brother nothing more"

"Don't make me laugh, this isn't fathers will. This is your own grasp at power."

"Now, now brother. I must admit I am enjoying this." He turned to the guards as they came in with he brander, it would brand traitors with a mark that can never be removed. "Now, lets get to business" he came forward with the brander. Galen heard the snap hiss, as the great shield of Rassilon was turned on. And the Time Lords were left to their fate………

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He lost all passage of time, from the torture at the hands of his brother. The screams and calls in his mind becoming stronger, but he could not reply, only listen as one by one, Time Lords he knew fell. Rassilon was calling him, knowing his predicament, but demanding that he had to fulfill his oath. Two voices became the strongest as he knew the end was nearing. Rassilon, and the Doctors. Oh his old friend, how he hated to hear the Doctors voice, filled with desperation, and the taint of betrayal.

He pulled at the chains as tears fell from his eyes. Rassilon was showing him, showing him the Dalek's around Gallifrey, waiting to wipe the Time Lords from existence.
Then he saw the plan in the Doctors mind; take them all out in one go. No….he would not let this come to pass; he was a Guardian, the chosen of Rassilon and the Time-vortex. He writhed and growled, his eyes becoming gold as the Vortex tried to help him….

"Brother?" came a female voice he had longed to hear. But it sounded older.

"Inada?.." was that his voice? Cracked and broken. He saw her come round the corner and she gasped at the sight of him, tears flowing from her eyes as her talon went to her mouth.

"Oh by Rassilon….what have they done to you?" she sobbed, rubbing her head against his.

"You look older Inada"

"You've been gone 30 years…" his eyes widened in shock……that long. "They said you alone had gone to help the Time Lords. But I knew something was wrong. Those who wanted to leave and help the Time Lords ended up going missing. Then I found a transmission from Gallifrey, begging for help."

"They are nearing the end…get me free" she moved unlocking him; he got shakily to his feet, walking to the exit.

"We have some on our side, they are waiting for my signal."

"I have no time to get to Gallifrey, they would be dead by the time I got there."

"What can we do?"

"There may be something…..use the shield to move Gallifrey outside time for a while…then we all will have to deal with the Dalek's." he mused to himself.

They walked from the chambers, to be met with the followers she had spoken of. They nodded to him; they revered him as the chosen one.

"You have grown little sister," he saw Kain standing protectively beside her "yes….you have grown. Been taking care of her I trust"

"Of course chosen one" Kain bowed to him. Almost in fear as would any other before an older brother.

"No need to bow to me Kain" Galen said, placing his taloned hand on Kain's shoulder. "I could ask for no better for my sister. And I would be glad to call you brother. Now we have work to do. We must got to the shield tower, I must use the power of the Vortex for what I plan."

"We will give you time" Kain replied

They climbed the tower with little resistance, just a few guards. He walked into the chamber of the shield. Inada came with him while Kain and the others kept watch on the door.

He went over to the controls, and started making the system ready for doing such a mammoth task.

"I believe in you brother"

"Thanks" they both turned at the sound of fighting.

"Kain!" Inada shouted.

"Inada…wait" Galen went in front of her, to stop her passage.

"I have to Galen….let me go and do my bit for the Time Lords" she kissed him on the cheek and ran from the room. Galen watched her a moment then went back to the control system. He was just about to activate the system when he heard Inada scream. He ran from the room into the light, the air assaulting him, to be met with the form of his sister, unmoving, eyes unseeing as blood flowed from her. Standing over her was Balthazar smiling, and his father to one side, looking down at her as if she was some kind of pest.

"YOU KILLED HER!" he shouted, lunging at them both. He fought with them tooth and claw. But then the call of Rassilon became a scream. He pushed his brother from the tower and rushed back to the control room and bolting the door. He pressed the final button to start up the system. The shield fell and its power was scent to Gallifrey. But he had not known his father was in the room. He pushed Galen from the control and started trying to stop it. He pressed a sequence he thought would shut it down….but he was wrong.

Galen knew, he tried to get back to the controls, to set things right. But his father would not let him. The next few moments would never be clear in his mind…but they ended just the same. With his father dead at his feet, and his blood on his lips.

A flash to the horizon caught his eye…..and he knew then it was too late. He walked from the room to hold his sister as he cried. He saw his brother flee with his wife. The fire spread forward, his people screaming as his home world was destroyed.

"So be it," he thought. He was so tired; he had done his duty and could finally rest. But again this was not to be. He felt the tug of the Vortex and heard Rassilon's voice.

"Your work is not yet done my Guardian"

"Let me die, leave me. You are safe"

"You have not finished….you have saved us in a way yes. But we are stuck in time. You need to restore us"

"But my world is dying, I don't know how"

"You must come to my tower"

"But I cannot travel outside time….only a TARDIS can do that"

"You must, and so you must live" the last thing he saw before the Vortex ripped him from his home world. Was the sea of blood and fire.

He awoke to a gray sky, the rain falling….was this Earth? No the gravity felt wrong. The air was full of toxins not found on earth also. As he tried to figure out where he was but he was interrupted by pain. He was tired and weak beyond belief. But now people were swarming round him. Tying him to the ground. He roared and flapped his wings, trying to escape…..but then he felt one last pain and darkness claimed him.

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"The rest I am sure you can figure out," he finished his tale, eyes closing as his body cried out for sleep.

The Doctor lay there in Galen's wings with Rose. She could see his wide-eyed stare as he suddenly realized exactly what Galen had gone through to keep his oath.

"By Rassilon…..Galen….I'm sorry….I Didn't…."

"It's ok old friend….how could you have known?" Galen replied sadly. He felt the Doctor place his hand on his hide.

"Can you forgive me old friend?"

"Nothing to forgive. I must admit I blamed you for a while…..but it's not your fault. It was my brothers and my fathers…..no one else's." He replied a weight he had carried was lifted slightly.

"One thing I don't understand" Jack decided to add, "why have you stayed here?"

"I told you my brother escaped. Seems he blames me,….like the Time Lords, I could sense my people. He knows I live, he's been sending all his hatred down the link at me. He wants to kill me. Now you must understand Jack…. I do not fear death. I long for it in fact. But Rassilon and the Vortex will not let me die until I finish bringing Gallifrey back. I don't want to meet them…." Galen couldn't finish that thought. But Jack finished it for him.

"Your afraid you'll kill them"

"Yes. They can have me after I finish this. Then they can have children and my race will not truly die."

"Will you come with us Galen?" Rose asked. Galen stayed quiet for a while.

"Yes…I have no choice really. Get some rest. When morning comes we will leave."

"We can't leave just yet. We have a so called master to deal with."

"Yeah, we have to help Mizariah" Rose added, her voice sleepy.

"We will Rose," the Doctor added in his dark tone.

Galen heard the two humans fall asleep. The Doctor was still awake; he could feel his mind was active.

"Still the oncoming storm to those before you old friend?" Galen asked.

"Some would say so."

" Though I think the Dalek's would fear the Bad Wolf more now"

"That might be true…..Galen"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you…..for all you have done. For Gallifrey, for Rose"

"You're welcome……but Doctor. Have you thought what will happen to Rose? When Gallifrey returns?" Galen asked.

"Nothing will happen"

"Come now old friend, you know what happened to your second self. And with Rose having carried the Vortex? They will open her up, to see how she ticks"

"They will not!" his voice like a knife-edge.

"They will try…..after all no Time Lord has held the Vortex. They will be rather put out that a primitive ape, held it. Let alone wielded it, destroyed the Dalek's and survived."

"They will do nothing"

"Whatever you say old friend" Galen made himself comfortable, eyes closing, in his weakened state….he did not sense their arrival….

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Galen woke to find the Doctor standing before him with his back to him. He felt the warmth of the two humans still in his wings. The collar around his neck, and the cuffs round his hands and feet were gone, lying in a pile on the stone floor.

"Ready to go?" he asked, turning to Galen in the darkness. Galen's night vision making him able to see everything.

"More than ready" he felt the Doctor climb back up. He prodded Jack, making the human jump a mile. With Rose it was a soft voice and hand.

They climbed down, and Galen turned to his human form, he weaved on his feet a moment, and the Doctor grabbed him to steady him. Then Rose passed him the large robe. He covered himself, his black trousers having appeared as normal as he changed. They heard the clank of chains as he put the robe on.

"Doctor, couldn't you take the ones round his ribs out" Rose asked, sounding concerned.

"Not here no, they have been melded into his ribs as they have grown. I will take them out once we get back to the TARDIS" he replied as they moved to the barred entrance, the sonic screwdriver buzzing as he over-ride the control. The bars went up with a clang. They walked out of the place that had been his home for at least 12 years.

As they neared the cave mouth, they suddenly realized….there was no sounds of digging…but sounds of screaming. They ran out into the dull sunlight. To see the fields of wild flowers on fire. Blackened bodies lay all around. In the center of all this were some survivors, the Governor, the master, Mizariah and all the orphans.

"Hello Brother dear……."

TBC...

KITG: eeeeeeeeeeeeeep...pleae R&R hehehehe