Doctor Who_ St. Anthony's Fire - Mark Gatiss [39]
‘So it’s the end of the world as you know it?’
Thoss shrugged philosophically. ‘It happens. There is no sense in fighting it when it comes.’
The Doctor put a hand on the old man’s shoulder. ‘That’s where you’re wrong, my friend. There’s always something to fight for.’
‘That’s easy for you to say,’ mumbled Thoss. ‘I’m an old man. I’m tired. Things seem a lot less complicated at my age.’
‘Believe it or not,’ said the Doctor, turning to look at the shrine, ‘I know how you feel.’
He craned his neck and gazed at the tall marble structure which extended upwards into the darkened ceiling of the Temple.
‘That stone at the top.’
Thoss glanced towards the shrine. ‘The Keth‐stone, Doctor. Most precious of all.’
‘Seems a bit out of place, though. Amongst all those rubies and diamonds.’
‘Another secret of the Temple, I’m afraid,’ murmured Thoss. ‘When the shrines were built, they all had the Kethstone set into the top.’
The Doctor peered into the gloom at the dull stone surrounded by glinting gems. ‘All the shrines are from the same date then?’
‘For the most part. This… construction of the army’s is built around an old temple. I was brought here to give spiritual succour to the men. But they seem to have little use for religion these days.’
The Doctor put his hands in his pockets and tut‐tutted thoughtfully.
‘Well, back to the matter in hand, Thoss. I don’t know whether it has anything to do with the return of the Keth but your ideas about the end of the world –’
Thoss held up his claw. The Doctor’s ears pricked at the unmistakable sound of the outer door opening.
‘Someone’s coming!’ hissed Thoss.
He dashed across the flagstones with surprising speed. ‘Quickly, Doctor. In here!’
The Doctor followed him, looking around in puzzlement.
Thoss pressed one of the jewels in the shrine. There was a low grumbling sound.
‘In where?’ quizzed the Doctor.
Thoss pushed him in the small of the back and the Doctor suddenly saw a flight of stone steps which had appeared in the floor. They wound down beneath the shrine into ever more stygian darkness.
The Doctor shot one last glance at Thoss and then half‐stumbled, half‐fell down the steps. Thoss pressed the shrine with a skeletal digit and, with the same grinding protest, the floor resealed.
He placed a couple of candlesticks atop the stone just as Ran and two soldiers emerged from the top stairs.
Thoss held up a candle and gave his sweetest smile. ‘Why, Portrone, what an unexpected pleasure. It’s a long time since we’ve seen you in Temple.’
Ran’s face twitched into an embarrassed and faintly guilty smile.
* * *
The three dirigibles in the Ismetch fleet finally passed over Porsim, in silence save for the constant drone of the motors. Each of the crew stood at their posts, gazing in horror at the devastation below.
The beautiful city, jewel of their race, was an inferno. Scarcely a structure was not consumed by enormous, wind‐fed flames.
Bernice had seen fire‐storms before, conflagrations so intense that the very air itself seemed to catch light. But she had never seen anything so terrible as this.
Shattered, blackened skeletons of once‐proud houses, vast civic buildings reduced to ashes, trees and parks like miniature bush‐fires, erupting into crimson life. Above it all snaked the column of greasy black smoke, like an evil genie revelling in its freedom.
Bernice sat very still in the corner of the ship, aware that any false move on her part might incur the wrath of these justifiably angry people.
She resisted every impulse to say ‘sorry’ and merely gnawed at her knuckles in agitation. Having remembered about Massatoris, it was imperative that she told the Doctor and they went back for Ace before… well, before the inevitable happened. She only hoped she had got her dates mixed up or something and that Ace was fit and relaxed and having a good time. If she was wrong…
Liso scanned the ruins of his birthplace with gloved claws clenched tightly behind his back.
The thick, oily