All of Space and Time

Witch Trial

"Keep running!" The Doctor called as we caught up with the others. She past them and then lead the charge away from the mud creatures. "This clearing, through here." She called running towards it.

"I don't think they're following." Yaz said.

"If there not following, what are they doing?" The Doctor asked coming to a stop.

"You want us to go and look?" Ryan asked.

"We escaped from Satan and you wish to go directly back into battle?" King James asked in disbelief.

"We need to know what they're up to." Ryan replied. "Make sure no one else is in danger."

"I'll go too." Graham said. "And keep an eye on my underlings."

"Very well." King James said and they bolted as soon as he did. Yaz joined them on there hunt as well leaving the Doctor and I here with King James and the others.

"I'll stay here with Willa." The Doctor said. "Be careful!" She called after them.

"As will I." I added. "Your majesty, I have something for you." I said and he turned to me. I offered him Alfonso's equipment. "I took them from Alfonso's body, so they wouldn't be used against us."

"Very brave, and very clever of you." He said. "They are yours now to do with as you wish." He told me and I put them on.

The Doctor gave me looks of disapproval. "What? I'm not going to carry them around all day, and I'm not gonna leave them in the middle of the forest." I explained and she seemed to ease up on me a little.

"What were those aberrations?" The King asked.

"It is the work of Satan!" Becka exclaimed.

"It wasn't Satan." The Doctor corrected her. "Or witches, or Willa's granny. Those creatures were being controlled by something in the mud. Something not of this earth. Something beyond your understanding."

"Something from Hell?" The king asked.

"More like from the Heavens. It chose to kill Alfonso when he was a threat. But other circumstances, it fills the bodies and used them as vessels." The Doctor explained. "I don't know why. Maybe only when they're dead." I could see Becka get a little startled. Something bad was about to happen.

"No. It attacked me, too." Willa added.

"And why today? Because this is my problem. I can buy that this is the biggest ever witch hunt in England, or I can buy it's an alien mud invasion." The Doctor said. "But both in the same day? I can't buy that!"

"Why does the lassie speak of commerce?" King James asked.

"Figure of speech." I said supplied still keeping my eyes on Becka. "What if there connected?" I asked her.

"That maybe it." The Doctor said turning to Becka. "Your witch hunt's been going on for a while now. So there is no way that mud has just rocked up today." The Doctor said and I could tell that Becka was frighted. Like an animal being cornered. "What do you know, Becka? What's going on here in Bilehurst Cragg? A woman who keeps an axe by her bed. What have you seen?"

The thing about cornered animals, is they always lash out. "I've seen you with your wand, raising your kin from the dead."

"Yes." The king agreed.

"What? No!" The Doctor exclaimed. "Hold on a sec."

"You're no Witchfinder's assistant." Becka said. "You are Satan's acolyte!"

"Am not!"

"That's why it's happening today, because you are here." Becka accused.

"Will all of you stop. If she's the witch, then why have you been on a witch hunt since before we got here?" I asked to bring some sanity back to the group.