Doctor Who_ Battlefield - Marc Platt [64]
‘That was uncalled for,’ yelled the Doctor.
He made a run for Excalibur, his hand ignoring the spells in which the sword was bound.
Morgaine’s hand reached the hilt first. She snatched the sword to her and met his eyes across the power web of the octogrammaton. ‘Your move, Merlin,’ she sneered.
Merlin and Morgaine. Ancient immortal enemies as the tales tell. Their battle joined once more.
The Doctor held up his umbrella like a sword. But when Morgaine raised Excalibur to parry his attack, he simply slid his brolly teasingly along the length of the sword. It cut the material to ribbons, but it enraged the Battle Queen into the bargain.
‘You haven’t won the game yet,’ he declared.
He slowly began to circle the octogrammaton, forcing her round to maintain her opposition.
‘I could always defeat you at chess, Merlin,’ she warned.
He stopped, for Morgaine now had her back to the open portal of the vortex. Behind him, he heard the Destroyer laughing to itself. ‘Who said anything about playing chess?’ said the Doctor. ‘I’m playing poker!’
Ace hurtled out of the vortex with a whoosh and collided with the Queen. The sword flew from her grasp, spinning through the air until its hilt dropped homeward into its maker’s open hand. ‘And I had an Ace up my sleeve,’ he cried, brandishing Excalibur.
The vortex slammed shut.
‘Very funny,’ complained Ace as she scrambled to her feet.
Morgaine turned in rage to the demon. ‘Destroy him!’
she yelled.
The creature stepped forward and raised its chained arms. Release me.’
Its demand was too eager. Morgaine’s actions faltered.
‘Which is it to be, Morgaine?’ goaded the Doctor. ‘Who do you fear more?’
‘This is no threat, Merlin,’ she cried. ‘Return Excalibur or I shall unleash the Destroyer upon this world.’
‘Stuff and nonsense,’ snapped the Doctor.
Morgaine’s eyes blazed. She turned upon the demon and flung wide her arms in a gesture of release.
The links of wrought silver fell apart and the manacles splintered. With a smile that grew from a snarl to a roar, the Destroyer raised its hands in triumph.
Its shape altered and grew. The tailored suit split as great thorns spiked out across its body like the armour of all Hell’s legions.
Its head lost all human features; its skin hardened into scales of metallic blue; its goat horns twisted and blackened in thick murderous spires. As it rose up, its eyes narrowed and darkened into green pits of burning evil.
Ace clung to the Doctor. ‘Nice work,’ she said.
He stared up at the towering abomination. ‘I thought she was bluffing,’ he said lamely.
The Brigadier lay in the long grass outside the priory wall where he had been thrown. His head was awash with disparate thoughts and memories... or were they just his fancy?
Doris was patting down the soil around the apple tree.
On Radio 4, the newsreader was saying:
‘The General Secretary of the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, Mrs Eva Carlshorst, has again denied reports of casualties amongst UNIT personnel operating in the south-west of England...’
Doris was reaching for the portable phone.
‘I want to speak to Brigadier Alastair Lethbridge-Stewart.’ Her hair caught the sunlight through the french windows and glistened. ‘Well, where is he?’
A gloved hand seized the Brigadier’s collar and yanked him up into reality.
Mordred’s face was barely inches from his own.
‘Where is she?’ he demanded.
The Brigadier swallowed wearily. ‘To whom are you referring?’
The Prince swore and pushed him back to the ground, before stalking angrily towards the priory door.
‘Free!’ roared the Destroyer. ‘Free!’
The demon slavered as its brutal frame grew still more immense; its arms raised, already pressing against the skeletal beams of the roof. It gave off a stench of putrefaction.
‘You fool, Morgaine,’ accused the Doctor. ‘Do you think this’ll solve anything?’
He stepped back in awe of the monster, and before he knew it, Morgaine had again snatched Excalibur from his hands.