Hey! Look, I'm at the top. -looks down- A far way up I think :) Hey guys, thanks for coming back for a long and another perilous chapter...Well, you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't enjoy it...-frowns at own comment- Well, I'd better leave you all to it! And hello to the new people, who I hope, have started reading the story and have gotten this far! Well done!
Ok, I'll shut up and you can read!
TheNextTitan PS. I'm just that tad bit hyper...Sorry
Chapter 12: The King
The ground was hot, boiling in the two suns that sat above in the red sky. The sand hissed with steam and the heat loving animals bathed happily.
The great Empire's perimeter was the only thing on the planet Garfreyas, that didn't cool. The Empire was protected by cooling energy, coated over the land like a great cloak. The Garthes lived peacefully in the King's world, though the King seemed to be turning evil and bitter, more so than normal, at every sunrise and sun fall. He had already killed three servants by snapping their necks, slaughtered three hundred warriors with the end of his spear and caused grief and pain among his people. Those who saw wrong and said something against the King were whisked away, to be killed as the whispers said. Officials said that they were being turned into warriors themselves, but in their minds, they had seen the great chamber.
The great chamber was indeed a chamber of sorts, but some of the King's assistants and workers had already given it the name of 'Kark'n Goyf'ts', meaning Blood Room. The walls were almost painted crimson and skulls hung from the rafters that supported the ceilings and a few other bodies. It was said that great jars held the eyes, the hearts and the brains of the many that had been tortured and slaughtered there. All the Garthes thought none of this however and just kept themselves from being slaughtered. Why say something that won't get heard, except from the Patrol that would come and whisk you away, so that perhaps your eyes, heart and brain could join them? It was a lesson to be learnt.
The Blood Room was a major haunting of the Castle. None would enter, thinking that the spirits that had been killed there would leap into their bodies once more and walk the planet's surface once more, seeking out the living. Others thought, yet again, this to only be a fairy tale. It was wrong to think such things.
The King sat at his throne. His tangled black mane fell around his shoulders, making his crimson red skin deepen in colour. His emerald green eyes blazed as his hooves clacked against the marble of his stone chair. Claws pinched out of his fingertips, which tapped on his hollow chest.
His tail flicked with annoyance as he listened to the messenger. The messenger, a thin and weak young Garthes, shook with pure fear as his stared up at his master and relayed the news.
"Their ship l-lost contact, and w-we can't track it..." He trailed off and winced as the King moved his paws down to the arms of his throne. He smirked at the messenger's fear. That was what he wanted. This power that made them think of his name in terror. Ultimate control is what he thought of it.
"Where were they heading?"
"Sire, they have been there for years, we lost them."
"Why don't we know of their mission?" The messenger twisted his hands and pawed the ground with a hoof.
"They thought it not necessary to inform us of their travel." He murmured, now his voice quaking. The King suddenly snarled; smoke sliding out from his mouth. He pounded the arm of the throne with his boulder like fist.
"Traitors..." He hissed menacingly, stepping up to his full size. The messenger whined silently, taking small steps backwards.
"Please sire, we are tracking them now." He said, in a high pitched voice. The King roared. The sound seemed to boom around the throne room, shaking dust from it hiding place among the pillars. Each of his yellow fangs were bared for a moment, like sabres, they sliced through the air with a small whistle.
"Boren!" Came a sharp voice. The King stopped abruptly, whirling around to face a tall female Garthes.
She was as tall as Boren, with great powerful arms. Her own horns curled tightly in, spiralling round and round until finally stopping right in the middle. Her long, black hair was wavy and shined in the dim fire light of the room. Her feet were pawed and clawed, each black nail tapping on the marble floor as she padded towards him, her gold eyes glowing with anger.
Boren stared at his mate with distasted and flicked his tail with annoyance, snorting yet more curls of black smoke.
"What is it now, Garella?" He growled. She arched an eyebrow at him, crossing her arms over her chest, her lion like face turning oddly sour.
"You." She said.
"What about me?" Boren snapped.
"You wanted to know where they were, the messenger is telling you, so listen." She stated, nodding towards the trembling messenger. Boren gave a low snarl again towards her, stomping at her with rage.
"Don't tell me how to be King, Garella." He hissed at her, pushing her against a wall. She seemed unafraid of this and just glared into his eyes. "You're just the Queen. There is nothing here for you. Be gone, before I make sure you never come back."
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Rose suddenly snapped awake. Her eyes blinked furiously, stinging in the light. She was stiff all over, her legs almost creaking as she tried to shift them. Her arms felt like dead weights, pinning her to the bed. However, she was aware of something on top of her hand. She peered over and saw the Doctor. His hand was laid upon hers as the rest of him was resting on the side of the bed. A small smile flickered at her lips. Her hero.
She slowly sat up and gently prised her hand from his. Rose tried to move him up onto the bed, but she was too weak. So she carefully pushed him back in the chair and took the duvet off her bed, draping it over him. He didn't make a sound or move. But Rose couldn't see the pale skin of his face nor feel the cold of his hand. She was still drowsy, but she staggered out of her room and out into the TARDIS corridors.
She couldn't remember how she had got into the TARDIS or what had happened, well fully. She certainly remembered the Garthes well enough, but not all of it. Most of it had become blank.
Rose made her way up the stairs and into the Control Room. She looked round and saw Tess. She was huddled up on the floor, propped up against the wall, her forehead pressed against it. Rose bent down and prodded her awake. She jumped and almost cried out. She looked round and focused on Rose.
"You're up." She muttered, staring in awe at Rose, who looked back with mild confusion. Tess face broke out in a broad, beaming smile.
"It worked!" She said, leaping up and punching the air. "You're ok! Wait, you are alright aren't you? Not feeling odd or anything?" She suddenly said, her face flashing from pure relief to stern concern.
"Yeah, great thanks." Rose replied. Tess beamed and hugged her hard. She leapt back, not even feeling the slightest bit embarrassed, grinning from ear to ear still.
"Is the Doctor ok?" Rose asked. Tess frowned.
"He should be." She replied, her grin fading slightly. She raised her hand to her head. "He was there."
"What do you mean?"
"He was looking around...in here." Tess murmured, tapping her head and placing a hand on the wall.
"Wait. He only does that when he reads minds." Rose said. "Tess, what...what happened to me?"
Tess looked round.
"Your life essence was taken. You practically died." She replied in a low tone. Rose's eyes were like dinner plates.
"I-I died?" She asked again, her voice high and she was trembling again. Tess shook her head.
"Your body still remained alive. Well, it kind of did, but you, Rose, not 'the body' of Rose, weren't alive."
"Did that happen to the Doctor?" Tess remained silent at this.
"Tess, is the Doctor..." She trailed off, tear trickling down her tracks, making the tell-tale tracks of black from her mascara.
"No." Tess replied. She looked sadder than ever. "No, he isn't dead. But it's worse. If we don't get his life essence back into him soon...His body will die." Rose drew her hands up to her face. She wiped away the first tear, but more began to leak out of her eyes.
"Come on...think." Tess muttered to herself, leaning against the wall of the TARDIS.
I know it's simple. But why can't I say it?, she thought bitterly. I know what to do, but why can't I do anything! She nearly punched the wall in frustration. To feel so helpless and useless to someone, it made you stop, grieve and suddenly hate yourself and being. You suddenly turn away inside. Tess leant against the wall, searching with her mind. She was never going to be free, never be normal again, only to look upon those who live their lives without all this knowledge, this brain power and the heart-wrenching memories.
Tess looked over at Rose with dark eyes. She was staring vacantly at the floor, as though she had frozen. The TARDIS hummed all around them. Rose looked round, tears still blotching her eyes.
"Where...is his...?" She murmured.
"In the TARDIS." Tess replied, staring at the wall. She walked over to Rose and pulled her slowly towards the wall. She guided her hand and placed it on the cool surface.
"Close your eyes," Tess said quietly, watching as her eyelids fluttered down, "And call him." Rose frowned, but her eyes remained closed and her face set.
"Stay here." Tess ordered and she ran off into the TARDIS. Rose stayed there, not moving muscle, hardly breathing as she pressed her fingertips hard on the wall. Her mind was calling and there seemed to be an echo. She felt cold and alone.
Meanwhile, Tess was in Rose's room, looking at the Doctor's pale face. She carefully lifted off the duvet and pressed a hand against his cheek. It was cold. She immediately put her fingers on his neck. There was barely a pulse. She hung there, just feeling the faint bumps going past her fingers, a wave of shock cascading over her. She dived into action. She hooked her arms under his arms again and dragged him over to the wall. She carefully propped him there, making sure his head was resting there.
Come on...
Back up in the control room, Rose had suddenly felt a warm sensation spread through her from the tips of her fingers to the end of her toes. Yellow flashed in her eyes and voice replied, with a certain wondrous tone:
Hello, this is the Doctor speaking, how can I be of service, Miss Tyler? Rose burst out laughing, tears flooding down her cheeks.
I hope you have a mop. The TARDIS won't clean itself.