Chapter Eight

The Doctor looked straight ahead when he started walking and Sir Didymus and Ambrosius were to his left. They kept walking when the ground started shaking and the Doctor turned around. A large dust cloud came closer then stopped when he looked at what was in front of him and it looked like Suda.

"Who are you?" the Doctor asked.

"I am Sudak Estralka," Sudak said.

"Any relation to Suda?"

"He is my litter mate. He sent me after you."

"Why?" the Doctor asked when Ludo slid off Sudak's back and walked closer. "Oh!"

"Thanks," Ludo grumbled and Sudak turned and ran off. Ludo walked to them as the Doctor smiled and they walked onward. The Doctor looked around when something moved in the distance and he took the sonic screwdriver out. The dust cloud came closer when they heard the loud whistles and hoots and Ludo growled.

"What is it?" Sir Didymus asked as he and Ambrosius hid behind Ludo and the Doctor recognized what was coming closer.

"Skull Riders," the Doctor said and his eyes grew dark.

Rose was stunned.

"Nol?" Rose asked.

"Yes?" Nol asked, titling his head to one side.

"No, I mean I met Nol. He's the one that put me in here," Rose said as she looked at the door and Nol shook.

"So Mirror DID send you here to hurt me!" Nol shouted as he ran into the shadows and Zeeni looked at her.

"I thought you were nice!" Zeeni said as she ran after Nol and Rose frowned.

"I am nice," Rose said when she followed them and heard Nol's voice.

"Where is it?" Nol whispered over and over as he looked around and was on his knees. He reached into the shadows when Rose came closer and looked at him.

"Nol?" Rose asked and he glared at her.

"Where is it?" Nol shouted and scampered around the floor.

"What are you looking for?"

"No, won't tell you! If I tell you then you'll tell...OW!" Nol shouted when he sliced his hand on a sharp rock and sat on the floor, holding his bleeding hand to his chest. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Let me see," Rose said in a soft tone and he slowly held his hand out. Rose could just see the blood when she looked at Zeeni and Nol whimpered. "Zeeni, can you find me a clean cloth and some water?"

Zeeni nodded when she ran into the shadows then came back with a clean cloth and a bowl of water. Rose took the clean cloth as she placed it in the water then rung it out. Nol watched as she gently touched the cut and he hissed.

"It's alright," Rose whispered as she cleaned the blood away and he watched her. "I need a new cloth."

Zeeni ran into the shadows when she came back with a clean cloth and Rose wrapped it around Nol's hand. She tied it tightly as he looked at her and she wiped the tears from his eyes.

"There, all better," Rose said and Nol smiled. "What were you looking for?"

"I was looking for my magic stick. I tossed it somewhere the last time Mirror came to hurt me," Nol said as he scampered around on his knees and looked around. He felt something in his hand when he smiled and looked at Rose. "Found it!"

The dust cloud came closer while the Doctor stood in front of Ludo, Sir Didymus and Ambrosius and held the sonic screwdriver in his hand. The dust settled while the Doctor looked at the Skull Riders and his eyes were dark. The Skull Riders were different heights and builds, but all were skeletons dressed in black leather armor, boots and black cowboy hats. One or two were missing limbs and all rode on the back of black horses with leathery bat wings.

"Who are you?" Kenmek the leader of the Skull Riders asked.

"I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said with his eyes in slits and Kenmek looked at him with red eyes shimmering in the sockets.

"Well, I am Kenmek," Kenmek said and arched the tattered cowboy hat up.

"Let us pass."

"Where are you headed, Doctor?"

"Have you heard of Nol?"

"Yes."

"Well, I have business with him at his castle."

"Can't let you do that," Kenmek said and the others laughed an eerie laugh.

"THIS says that I can!" the Doctor said, pointing the sonic screwdriver at Kenmek.

"You think you can defeat us with a stick?" Kenmek asked and the others laughed again.

"This is no ordinary stick!" the Doctor said as he pointed the sonic screwdriver at a stone and fired. The stone exploded as he smiled then looked at them.

"Well, tell you what. You defeat me in a draw and I'll give you Thunderstone," Kenmek said, patting his black leathery winged horse.

"If I lose?"

"You go back to where you came from. After you give me..." Kenmek said as he looked the Doctor over. "THAT!"

The Doctor looked where Kenmek was pointing and blinked. Kenmek was pointing at his converse sneakers.

"My sneakers?" the Doctor asked.

"Yep, what do you say?" Kenmek asked and the Doctor sighed.

"Fine!" the Doctor said and the eerie laughter echoed around him.

Nol smiled when he got up and walked to the cot. They followed when he sat on the cot and twirled something in his fingers. Rose sat next to him when she gently touched his sticky hair and he looked at her.

"This is my magic stick!" Nol said and Rose could just see the chalk in his hand. "Want to see how it works?"

"Sure!" Rose said as Nol got up and walked to the wall. He touched the wall when he knelt down and drew a line on the wall. He stood up when he drew a straight line across the wall then down and they looked at it.

"Now, um, how do I open it?" Nol asked then paced back and forth.

"You told me that you have to push on it," Zeeni said and he looked at her.

"Oh. Yeah. Right!" Nol said when he placed his hand on the stone and pushed. The stone moaned then moved as he smiled and looked at them. "I did it!"

"Not so loud!" Rose said as she looked into the hallway but didn't see anyone. She took Zeeni's hand as they walked into the hallway and Nol shook. Rose looked around when they walked to the left and Nol whimpered. "Nol. Come on. It's alright."

"I don't think so," Nol said when he pointed to Mirror standing at the end of the hallway and Mirror crossed his arms.

"And here I was coming to get you for dinner," Mirror said and Rose looked at him.

"Mirror," Nol whispered and hid behind Rose.

"Let us go!" Rose shouted and Mirror laughed.

"I don't think so! " Mirror said when he clapped his hands and four stone guards appeared out of the walls. They grabbed Zeeni, Rose and Nol as they tried to get loose and Mirror smiled a crazy smile. "Bring them!"