The Depths of Despair by Justin Richards

Author:Justin Richards [Richards, Justin]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Juvenile Fiction, General
Published: 2012-08-03T04:18:00+00:00

The Dreadbringers

Standing on the ice, braced and supported by

enormous metal struts that stuck out like legs

from its side, was what looked like a cathedral.

It was made of stone so pale it looked like bone. The

shape was almost lost against the snow and ice. A

central tower rose high into the cold air. Windows

of toughened glass, braced with metal were dark

against the stonework.

'What is it?' Gisella asked.

'Trouble,' the Doctor said quietly.

At the front of the structure was a huge door.

As the Doctor and Gisella watched it swing down,

crashing on to the ice. Moments later, a line of

figures emerged. They marched from the cathedral-

like spaceship in a well-disciplined line. They were

tall, broad-shouldered figures wearing dark cloaks

over their battle armour. The leading figure had the

hood of his cloak pushed back, to reveal the black,

angular helmet that covered his head. He held a

long staff, and the breastplate of his armour was

emblazoned with a crimson shield struck through

with a dark flame.

'What are they?' Gisella said. 'What are they

doing here?'

As she spoke, the leading figure turned slowly

towards them, looking out across the icy landscape

to where the Doctor and Gisella were standing just

inside the capsule.

'They're Dreadbringers,' the Doctor said. And

they're here for me.'

The leading Dreadbringer raised the staff he was

holding, and pointed it at the Doctor and Gisella.

Even at a distance, the Doctor could see the end of

the staff glow a livid red.

He pushed Gisella to one side. A moment later

the back of the capsule behind them exploded.

The smoke cleared, leaving a black stain across

the metal.

'Time we were going,' the Doctor said, stabbing

at the control buttons with his index finger.

The doors closed agonisingly slowly. Another bolt

of energy hammered into them before they were

fully shut, the sound echoing round the capsule.

The last thing the Doctor saw before the doors

came together was another line of Dreadbringers

marching from their stone ship.

'We'll be safe in the base,' Gisella said. Then she

saw the Doctor's expression. 'Won't we? I mean,

they can't get down through the water.'

'They got down through the atmosphere,' the

Doctor said. 'Not that I think they'll bring their

whole great big stone spaceship down through

the water.'

As he spoke he was working with the sonic

screwdriver, aiming it at the small screen that

showed the position of the capsule as it dropped

slowly back towards the base. The image flickered

and several more yellow blobs appeared. They were

above the capsule, but dropping more quickly.

'They've brought their own pressure capsules,'

Gisella realized.

The Doctor nodded. 'The question is, who's

going to get down to the base first — us or them?

We're in the lead, but they're going faster.'

He worked the sonic screwdriver again, and the

speed and distances appeared next to their own

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