Jack blinked, unsure of what he was seeing.
Emerging from the huge crater were soldiers, but they were like no soldiers he'd seen...they weren't even human. In fact, they looked exactly like the statue he'd fallen against inside the temple.
He moved behind a wall, not wanting to be discovered and watched as whatever they were began swarming out of the crater.
They were at least seven foot and their multiple arms carried weapons of a design he didn't recognise and he was pretty sure those teeth could do anything serious damage.
He was so engrossed in watching the growing numbers that the crack of thunder caused him to jump. He looked up and stopped breathing...the Vortex; it was right above the city.
What came next chilled his blood as the air was filled with a familiar and unwelcome screeching. He had to clamp his hands over his ears as a deafening howl came from the massed ranks of warriors on the ground.
His heart quickened despite the fear that was coursing through him...war was coming and the soldier part of him was thrilled and the more human side of him was horrified. He pushed the soldier side of him down...he had to find the others.
He moved away from the wall and turned down a side street. In doing so he missed the figure that rose into the air and the howls and cries of the two armies masked the challenge that came from the figure.
His only concern was to find the others and then find Ianto; he could only pray that the Doctor was still the Doctor and not the Darkness.
Gwen watched the Darkness rise into the air. Her hand instinctively went to her sidearm...she could do it now, whilst he was distracted, end it now.
The Darkness maybe immortal but its host wasn't...a well aimed bullet, right in the middle of the chest would shatter the Doctor's hearts; a death there was no coming back from.
Could she do it? Could she risk losing Jack as her friend, if she killed the one thing he loved more than anything?
Then the image of the ruined body of Rhys came into her mind and the way the Darkness had laughed at her distress. Her mouth tightened and drew her sidearm and raised her arm...only to be stopped.
Martha had come to when the ground had begun to shake and it had taken her some time to clear the muzziness from her head. When she did, she saw two things...the Darkness rising into the air and Gwen aiming her gun at him.
With supreme effort she pulled herself up and clamped a hand on Gwen's arm. She spoke softly, unable to raise her voice.
"No Gwen, you can't, it's not your choice to make. I know you want to, but it's the thing inside that's caused all the pain, all the heartbreak, not the Doctor. Killing him may make it stop but it won't make it better...Gwen please, put the gun down."