Champions' Last Stand

"What on Earth is he going on about?" said human Fred. "I don't think I'd understand a word he's saying even without that accent."

"How interesting!" said the Doctor. "It's actually quite simple, young man. Apparently, Minestus has actually physically imbibed energy of temporal potential and become some sort of time elemental!"

"That makes even less sense now," said Astra.

"Admittedly, it is very difficult for people less-developed worlds to understand," said the Doctor. He turned to the frogman. "So is there any way we can tell where in time Josh has been sent, my good fellow?"

"Unfortunately, eet eez not ze case," said the frogman.

"Wait!" said Demifox Fred. "Just before Minestus sent Josh off, he said he'd let him play the same game as the Doctor. [36848] That didn't make any sense to me because I thought you were still here, but--"

"Of course!" ejaculated the Doctor. "When I arrived on Gallifrey, I sensed that my possible future self was there. Perhaps he was sent to the very Death Zone I originally came to! If we could find a way to go there, I could find him and deliver the letter to Rassilon as well!"

"How are we going to leave this timeline, though?"

"Not far from here, there is an undairground stream of temporal energy that leads to ze Rivair of Time," said the frogman. "Howevair, eet is very difficult to travel to any precise destination unless you are one with the watairs like Minestus."

"I'm a Time Lord, so it might be possible for me," said the Doctor. "Let's get going!"

As Susan bore down on him, the Doctor didn't even break a sweat. He narrowly ducked her inhumanly strong and fast blows and locked her arm in his, flinging her to the ground with elegant speed." "Do you really think you can defeat me that easily?" snarled said the Doctor. "I happen to be my universe's greatest master of Venusian aikido. I've defeated mad gods from ancient Gallifrey in single combat. Even whatever you've put into her can't stop me."

Susan, meanwhile, was fighting every moment to regain control of her body from the evil thing that was coursing within her. It jerked and spasmed, giving the Doctor something of an advantage, but even now she couldn't gain full control and was far stronger and faster than she had been. She felt sick with mute horror as in spite of herself her hands lashed out at the Doctor. Inquirer wanted to join the combat but didn't dare to risk killing the Doctor's beloved granddaughter, and the elves followed her lead. The spells that Sigin, Betty, and Ragan were throwing at her didn't even slow her down. Agent Strange didn't take part in the fight but simply stood on the sidelines, smirking with unholy glee.

"THIS IS BORING!" he shouted. "Let's mix things up a bit!" As he clapped his hands, thinies sliced through the room, spewing forth an indescribable myriad of demonic monsters. Warped by the thinies, Sigin, Betty, and Ragan's spells turned into pustule-covered purple Pac-Man-like monsters and tried to attack them. "NOW THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!" shrieked Agent Strange.

The Doctor, meanwhile, was intent on finding some way to save Susan. "Susan! No!" he shouted as he ducked his blows, more and more slowly every time as he became fatigued. "You can fight it! I know you're stronger than this!" Susan had been trying all this time to regain control of her body, but she was weakening every moment but the thing wasn't. She felt more certain every second that she would slip away and lose control, but she had to fight back for her grandfather. She threw all the psychic strength she had at the thing in her, stopping it in its tracks for a moment--long enough for the Doctor to strike all her vital chi points at once. Susan felt the thing seeping out of her and collapsed into the Doctor's arms.

"Thank God you're safe," said the Doctor, stroking Susan's hair. But it didn't look as if anyone else would be safe for much longer. The demons were pouring in by the hundreds, more than it seemed like the room could possibly contain, and the Doctor's companions were being pushed farther back against the wall every moment. None of them were closer to getting at Strange or the device. Before long, the Doctor suspected, it would be too late and the universe would be engulfed by chaos.

But as the Doctor wondered how to strike at Agent Strange while simultaneously keeping Susan safe, he realized that Mike and Little Mikey had maneuvered their way through the crowd of demons and were near Agent Strange. But was there anything they, or anyone, could do that would be of use against a being as powerful as Agent Strange?

Meanwhile, Michael almost swore an oath that would have caused even Inquirer with her military background to be shocked, but held himself back when he realized that Little Mikey was just in front of him. "I'll get you somehow," he muttered to himself as he saw the leering monstrosity Agent Strange had become looming ahead of him. But how could he fight him? He didn't have any weapons, and while he'd made it through the horde of demons because they were concentrating on the Champions rather than him, but he'd still recieved many cuts from demonic swords and claws. He wasn't sure there was any way he could win a fight with a being like Agent Strange. But then he felt something almost burningly hot in one of his pocket. He pulled it out, and saw that it was a small key made out of purple crystal. It was glowing slightly.

"What is that, Mike-mommy?" whispered Little Mikey.

"That? That's the Key of Seven Tomorrows, the most sacred artifact of the Azure Empire of Earth-473. They gave it to me in gratitude after I'd helped them fight off an invasion from an antimatter universe." Actually, that wasn't strictly true--the bastards hadn't been the least bit grateful for him fighting off the antimatter aliens, so he'd stolen the key. He'd carried it with him ever since for good luck, although should he ever return to the Azure Empire it wouldn't be too lucky. He realized that as he drew closer to Agent Strange, the key began to grow brighter and hotter. "Well, it's worth a try," he said as he lunged for Agent Strange.

Agent Strange realized, too late, that Mike was behind him. He'd made the mistake of underestimating his human dupe. He flailed his tentacles at Mike, but it was too late--Mike stabbed him through the chest with the now burning hot and blindingly bright key. Before he let it go, Mike managed to turn the key in Agent Strange's chest. Agent Strange felt a whirlpool of strnage energy churn in his chest, sucking in him, Mike, Little Mikey, the Doctor, and Susan before draining away into nothingness.

1. Follow the First Doctor and his group as they travel the treacherous rivers of time!
2. Follow the Third Doctor's group as they try to make it through the demonic hordes and shut down the device before it's too late!
3. Follow the Third Doctor, Susan, Mike, Little Mikey, and Agent Strange, wherever the heck they are!

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