Sorry, you guys! I had finals coming up and there was no time to upload. I've finally picked it up again, thank goodness! Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Chapter 8

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Merlin asked as he watched the Doctor don the spacesuit.

"No. I think it's completely insane, but we have no other choice if we want any sort of chance of getting back," the Doctor answered. Merlin nodded apprehensively. He wanted very much to get back to Earth and help clean up his mess, but he was still hesitant to send his friend out into the most evil place ever to exist. The Doctor tied the rope around his waist, secured the helmet, then triple knotted his boots for good measure.

The Doctor straightened, tugged at the rope to be sure of its security, and stood at the open doors of the TARDIS. Merlin took hold of the rope, and braced himself against the console. The Doctor rested a hand against the doorframe, and looked back to Merlin, a glint of fear shining in his eyes.

"Are you sure you can hold me?" he asked, a slight shake to his voice. Merlin smiled.

"I'm stronger than I look." The Doctor nodded slightly, and gazed into the Empty a moment more before launching himself into the the velvety blackness. The first thing he felt was warmth. This confused him. How could there be warmth in a sinister, silent, menacing place such as this? But, there it was. Warmth that seeped in through his suit, slipped through his veins, sunk into his bones, encircled his heart. The darkness wrapped around his limp body like a blanket, inviting him to sleep. To escape the torments that accompanied the light of day, escape the noise of his constant thoughts, escape the pain. Oh, how sweet was the release offered. Silence encroached upon his thoughts, quieting them, one by one. His heartbeat slowed as his body grew completely still.

The Doctor was about to succumb to his all-consuming exhaustion when he felt something. Blowing through the imminent stillness of the Empty was a breeze. A breeze that buffeted his body slightly, back and forth, back and forth, shaking him from his trance. The Doctor could feel a rising frustration from deep within the Empty, as though it were a sentient being. He could feel the darkness attempt to claim him once more, and struggled with it for control of his conscious. As the altercation continued, noise replaced the heavy silence surrounding him, echoing screams of discomfort and anger.

The Doctor yanked at the rope on his waist, imploring Merlin to pull him back to the safety of the TARDIS, desperately trying to force the darkness from his mind. For a moment, he struggled alone, thinking that perhaps, Merlin had lost his hold on his lifeline. Then, he was yanked back in the direction of the TARDIS, the rope digging into his ribs.

As he was yanked back toward asylum, the warmth around him steadily turned to wintery cold, piercing his skin. It appeared that the entity that craved his unconsciousness would take it, whether he be dead or alive. Bitter chills raced up and though his extremities, climbing steadily toward his heart. And before he knew what was happening, the Doctor began to freeze. Snow took place of sweat, the saliva in his mouth turned to icicles, ice crystallized in his very blood. The pain in his veins numbed as his vision blurred, and soon, he was fading amid clouds of his own silvery breath.

Merlin pulled frantically on the rope as the tugging from the Doctor grew more desperate. He couldn't see the Doctor at all, which was strange, for the rope they chose for the Doctor's venture had only been 15 feet long. As he tugged, and time trudged on, he grew more and more afraid for his friend's welfare. For as he pulled, something seemed to be retaliating, pulling the Doctor away as Merlin drew him closer. Gradually, the yanking on the rope weakened, and as it weakened, Merlin pulled faster. But the thing reflecting his actions pulled stronger also, so the rope left red burns on his hands. But he kept pulling.

After what seemed like hours of the vicious tug-of-war, something broke in Merlin, and he let out a shrill scream of frustration, amplified several times by the magic bubbling to the surface. Something on the other side of the rope seemed to recoil, and the lack of pressure on the other side caused the Doctor to shoot into the TARDIS at high velocity, bowling Merlin over. Merlin lay there for a moment, shaking from exhaustion, and looked over at the Doctor. He was obviously unconscious, and quite literally frozen solid.

Merlin began to stand and tend to his companion, but before he could even sit up, an all- consuming force took advantage of his weakened state, plunging into his mind, and his vision went dark. He was still awake, and in control of his extremities, though, so he stood and started to stumble around in confusion. That's when an eerie voice filled his head.

You woke me.

The voice was ancient, deep, terrifying, and, though Merlin thought he must be imagining it, groggy.

With your talk and your noise. With your AWAKEDNESS.

Anger filled Merlin's head as the Empty roared in his ears. There was more than just annoyance there. There was pain. Their very consciousness caused this great entity pain. Merlin stumbled in his confused wandering, and collided with something. He felt around, touching toggles and buttons. The console. He reckoned he could find his way to the door from there. He began taking careful steps as the Empty attempted to take over his mind, to force him into sleep.

Merlin blinked the sleep from his eyes as his fingertips met the doorframe. He fumbled around until his hand met open air. He waved his fingers around until he found the door, flapping out into the darkness. He braced himself against the wall, and tugged with all his might, pulling the door closed. All at once, the presence lifted its influence from Merlin's mind, and there was silence once more. Merlin lingered for a moment, drawing in the cool air in great gasps. Until his eyes found the Doctor.

The Doctor lay prostrate on the ground, his eyes closed, jaw hanging ajar. His lips looked bruised. Tiny snowflakes dusted his hair, aging him thirty years. There was no fear coloring his features, only peaceful acceptance. This sight was haunting, and for a moment, Merlin feared the worst.

Merlin knelt by the Doctor's side hands hovering over the still body, steeling himself. He then wrapped his arms around the Doctor, the cold from his skin penetrating his clothing and burning his skin. He then gritted his teeth and hoisted the immobile body off the ground. Merlin carried him out of the control room, through twisting corridors, checking rooms as he went. After a few minutes of searching he found a room that he supposed was the Doctor's There was scientific equipment scattered everywhere, and there were pictures and diagrams of different planets. There was one picture over the headboard of the bed, and it was by far the most magnificent.

Crystallized, opaline towers soared toward the shining, periwinkle sky, grasping the wispy, silver clouds, which curled around the razor sharp tops of the towers, as though in greeting. Light from the double suns slicked the towers like waterfalls, and the refracted light made the scene almost heavenly. There was a forest of lilac trees, whose flowers resembled rose diamonds, which soaked up the light from the towers, adding an ethereal, rosy glow. The whole scene seemed to sing.

Merlin set the Doctor on the bed. He pulled up a chair, and sat beside him, rubbing his hands together. He set both hands on the Doctor's forehead.

"Dêman hæte, flôwan duguð gicel," he murmured. He lifted his hands, and watched with bated breath. Where his hands had touched, the ice became a bit less opaque, but did not completely melt. Confused, Merlin decided to actually check the Doctor's physical state. He set his hands on his forehead again.

"Mæg, tîðian me êower wærc." At once, everything the Doctor felt was translated through Merlin's fingers and into his body. Merlin felt ice covering every surface in his body, even seep into his blood. It was only when Merlin felt the frigid sensation close around his heard that he let go.

The Doctor was dying. And Merlin didn't know if he was going to be fast enough to save him.