The Wizard's Guide to Timelords and Other Demons Book 1: The Forgotten War

Tears of Hope

It had started as a warm sensation on his face, and then quickly spread across his entire body, transforming rapidly into a sharp tingling. A soft, red glow seemed to permeate his closed eyelids. Is this what happens when you die? The Doctor asked himself?

Then suddenly, he began to hear breathing. It was rapid and heavy at first, as though someone's lungs were struggling to gulp in as much air as possible after having been denied it for several minutes. By the time the breathing had slowed to normal, the Doctor had made an alarming discovery: the breathing lungs belonged to him.

Eager to experience his first views of the afterlife, the Doctor slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry at first, but his eyes quickly gained focus until he could see the head of a large bird of prey with a beautiful, red crest staring down at him. There were tears welling up in the bird's eyes. The Doctor quickly moved aside and sat up to gaze upon the magnificent creature perched on the floor beside him. It had red feathers and a long luxurious tail.

"Fawkes?" He said, unsure if he were hallucinating. "You're alive?

The majestic bird lowered his neck in a bow and looked up at the Doctor admiringly, tilting his head to the side in an almost human gesture of concern.

"I don't understand. I'm pretty sure I died after the TARDIS lost power and..."

The Doctor passed his hand over his cheek, which felt moist to the touch. Tears? Phoenix tears?

He also noticed that the room was alive with a gentle red glow that seemed to emanate from the Phoenix itself. The Doctor reached out his hand and Fawkes stretched his neck out to meet it, then nuzzled his beak in the palm of the Time Lord's hand. The Doctor really didn't know what to think or say as he realized what had just happened. So, he said the only thing that came to mind.

"Thank you, Fawkes. Thank you for bringing me back. Dumbledore will be so pleased that your alive!"

The Doctor rose to his feet, a little shaky at first, but was soon able to balance himself. He glanced about the TARDIS. No power, no lights (except for what came from Fawkes), everything appeared to be dead. He had expected nothing more than this but still frowned in disappointment.

Since the ground was not shaking, however, he assumed that they had been successful in saving Elise and stopping the paradox. Well, one of them at least. But where was everyone now?

No sooner had Fawkes observed that the Doctor could stand on his own than he took to the air and began circling the TARDIS control room. The Doctor felt immediately uneasy. He knew exactly what was coming next.

"No, thank you, really Fawkes," he said, almost in a panic. The soaring Phoenix ignored the Doctor altogether and he began to swoop down on top of him.

"Wait, Fawkes! I really prefer to walk. Please...!"

There was a sudden flash of brilliant amber as Fawkes and the Doctor vanished into thin air, leaving the TARDIS behind in complete darkness.