Part 13 (2/2)

'Fear . . .' repeated the Doctor. 'Fear is 'the poison . . .'

'Ask your question.'

Somehow the Doctor managed to force the words from his lips. 'How . .

. how can I. . . must save Tegan. My fault . . . my fault. How can the Mara ... be destroyed?. . .' His voiced faded and he swayed dizzily.

'Steady your mind,' commanded the voice. 'Attach to nothing. Let go of your fear.'

The Doctor strove to obey. The spinning stopped, the mists cleared, and suddenly the Doctor was looking at Dojjen's face, blurred but perfectly recognisable. It was as if the rising tide of poison in his blood had halted, begun to recede.

The Doctor moistened his lips and whispered, 'What is the Snakedance?'

'This is. Here and now. The dance goes On. It is all the dance, everywhere and always. So you must find the still point. Only then can the Mara be defeated.'

The Doctor frowned in concentration. 'Still point? A point of safety?

Somewhere in the Chamber?'

'No! The still point is within yourself, nowhere else.

To destroy the Mara you must find the still point . . . point. . . point. . .'

The voice echoed and faded away, and the Doctor was swallowed up in darkness.

In the Chamber of the Mara, chairs had been arranged on a raised dais, set up beneath the carving of the Great Snake. There were three larger, throne-like chairs in front of the others. The little group of dignitaries stood waiting in a murmuring group.

Ambril bustled in, carrying the chest that held the Great Crystal, and went up to Lady Tanha. 'My Lady, the Ceremonial Snake is approaching.

We should take our places.'

'Certainly,' said Lady Tanha graciously. She sat on one of the three central chairs, and the dignitaries moved to their places.

Ambril went up to Lon. My Lord, the Great Crystal-' 'I will tell you when,' said Lon tensely. Ambril bowed. 'Very well, my Lord. We must take our places.'

A roar of excitement went up from the crowd as the great Ceremonial Snake writhed its way along the lane and began climbing the steps to the Cave of the Snake. Bells jangled, cymbals clashed, horns wailed, and once again the red-robed Voice of the Mara bellowed the ritual threats.

'Follow the path of the Great Snake! Submit! Abandon yourself, and follow the path of the Great Snake!'

As the Snake climbed the steps and disappeared into the Cave, the excited crowd surged after it.

The Doctor heard a voice, calling to him in the darkness.

'Doctor! Doctor wake up.' It was a voice that he recognised. It was Nyssa. He opened his eyes, and saw her worried face. The Doctor managed a smile . . . 'h.e.l.lo, Nyssa . . .'

'Thank goodness! I thought for a moment. . .'

'Thought what?' The Doctor felt a faint soreness on his arm. He looked down at the two faint puncture marks.

The snake venom had been deadly, the Doctor was sure of that. Yet he felt perfectly well. The Snakedancers must have learned to neutralise the venom, the mind controlling the body completely. Somehow Dojjen had managed to transmit the power.

The Doctor smiled, and looked at Dojjen, who sat placidly, cross-legged, staring into s.p.a.ce.

'I'm perfectly all right. I've - survived.'

'But how?'

'I don't know. Somehow Dojjen saw me through.'

Distant sounds of noise and excitement floated up to the hill top.

'We must hurry,' said Chela.

The Doctor jumped to his feet. 'Yes, of course. The ceremony.'

'But did you find out what you needed to know?' asked Nyssa.

'Yes, I think I did. We'll just have to see. Come on!'

The Doctor turned to hurry away, but Chela put a hand on his arm, and frowned warningly. The Doctor watched as Chela folded his arms across his chest and bowed low to Dojjen. Copying the gesture, the Doctor did the same. So did Nyssa.

With the Doctor leading the way, they scrambled down the steep path to the Cave of the Snake.

'Doctor, what are we going to do?' asked Chela. 'Stop the ceremony. I only hope we're not too late!'

12.

The Becoming of the Mara

Ambril stood in the centre of the little group of dignitaries, Lady Tanha on his left, Lon on his right.

The Snake made its way into the Chamber of the Mara and came to a halt before the dais. There was a gla.s.s jewel in its jaws. The crowd pressed into the great Chamber, leaving a respectful s.p.a.ce around the dais and the Ceremonial Snake. There was a hushed, expectant silence.

The Voice of the Mara stepped forward, bellowing through his megaphone, 'I speak here for the Mara! The Great Snake! The Father of Lies!'

There was a ceremonial rattling of castanets like the sound of angry rattlesnakes.

The Voice of the Mara bowed his head in mock grief. 'The thoughts of the Mara are black in my mind. Its words are bitter on my tongue. But I am too weak to resist.'

More clacking of castanets and a ritual moan of a.s.sent from the crowd.

'We are all too weak to resist!' boomed the Voice. 'The Mara has brought darkness to our hearts. It shows us death!'

More moans of grief and despair.

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