Max found herself wrapped in nightmares of a red-haired demon burning the galaxy. There was no way to escape the flames, and no Doctor in sight. Just a constant loop of fire, burning, and cold laughter in the void.
A jolt through her body brought Max back to life. Every muscle flared with agony but nothing was broken or bound. She managed to stand, seeing things proved a bit more difficult since everything felt blinding. When her eyes adjusted, she wished they didn't.
"Zoe!" Max ran into an invisible wall with a solid thunk, she was now lucky nothing had been broken. Groaning, massaging sore spots on her shoulder and face, Max looked more closely and depression sank in. Zoe, one of her old comrades in the Rift Games, the former captain of their team, stood a few feet away as a cyborg. The players converted never took off their helmets, which made the horror of seeing Zoe's glazed over yes, clammy greyed flesh, and hints of exposed metal work around the collar of sleek combat armor even more hellish. She wasn't alone, in fact Max began to recognize almost everyone around her, all former players from every team that been taken away to become… this. Max couldn't find the urge to scream, shout, mourn, or dread the sea of dead. Not when she heard the laughter.
"So sorry, Max, I had assumed you'd wish to wake in familiar company. Pulling up your file, it was quite simple to make this little reunion happen."
The Rani's boot echoed among the dead, marching in from a distance and booming as she came into vision. Her red hair was done up into a braided ponytail worthy of a hangman's noose. Wearing a military uniform the shade of a reaper's shadow, the manic Time Lord approached Max with hands clasped behind. Watching the young gave the Rani a cruel twinkle to her eyes.
"What do you think, this is what it's all been leading to," the Rani gestured to the amassed horrors. "I'd love to hear your hands-on experience."
Max's hands slammed against the barrier. It shook but no bones were broken thankfully. The Rani was unimpressed.
"Is that banging meant to imply you want something?"
"Tell me why you did this, psycho!" Max screamed.
The Rani's lip twitched into a slight grimace.
"You won't survive."
"I can handle any twisted junk you want to spit!"
The Rani's eyebrows lifted up.
"Are your ears faltering," the Rani said. "I am telling you the truth. Max Lin, you will not survive my machinations. As for why this all came to be, well, that should be obvious."
She walked up to the container, her face inches away from Max's.
"The Doctor must suffer, now, before she grows even further beyond my reach. Being able to outplay Rassilon should have been impossible or direct suicide and yet he was bested. Almost every sentiment bit of scum learns to dread the arrival of the Doctor. I will not be reduced to some petty nuisance in the history of my friend's silly adventures, I WILL BE HER DEATH!"
A few strands of orange hair frizzled out play. That weakness made Max think of Arthur and grin. She widened it when the Rani's expression grew even more flustered.
"You didn't answer my question." Max.
The volcano behind those eyes shook the young companion but she would not flinch before this devil. When rage simmered to dull flame, the Rani spoke.
"I needed to get the Doctor's attention. Making a string of chaos for her to follow was the easiest thing to do. I even left things sporadic enough to guarantee one or more wretched fools would join the party, be a 'companion'. Just another means of reeling in my proper target."
Max's mind filled with images of Devil Leeches, shadowy parasites, and the Sponsors. Seeing so many souls mutilated, corrupted, and annihilated to nothing. Horror brought a vindictive gleam to the Rani's eyes.
"Oh yes, Max, what you dread to ask is correct; I am that nightmare made flesh who would sacrifice hundreds of thousands, threaten billions, all to call up an old friend for a chat."
She leaned in, her breath fogged up the barrier but cold gaze was unaffected.
"Imagine how little you mean to me and recognize that, yes, I can do far worse. Do not tempt me. Just play your part and wait for the Doctor."
A familiar roar boomed throughout the space. The hum of a Tardis. Max's dread contrasted with the Rani's glee. The Time Lord turned away, disappearing among the crowd.
"As for why your alive, I intend to study how a companion loses all hope. Now pay attention, Max Lin, you're going to see the Doctor's cruelest fall."
Her laughter was drowned out by the Tardis's arrival chime. Seeing the blue box made Max slam against the barrier. She couldn't do a thing, worse, the doors were directed at her. Max Lin could only watch as the Doctor arrived to her doom.