Blind Fury (short story)

Blind Fury was a short story printed in Doctor Who The Official Annual 2011.

Summary
A tale from the Old Time on Gallifrey tells how Death sent his messenger to the village of Slothe in the foothold mountains of Outer Gallifrey, due to their laziness.

Three times, Death's Messenger came to the village, each time leaving dead loved ones in its wake. The Messenger went unseen, except for those in their dying moments. It sought out first the old and then the young, before returning for the remainder.

Surviving the slaughter was Presus, who was unconcerned by the deaths. Even when the villagers came to Presus to save them, he simply sent them away.

Bathing down by the river, Presus caught a glimpse of the creature in its reflection in the water and he was scared for his life. Hiding in his home, he was visited by the Seer that Presus had previously mocked. Before she died and Death Messenger had come a third time -stealing away Presus' own family, the Seer told him that he was chosen to send a message to Death, that Gallifrey would one day not yield to Death, and that one day the sons of Gallifrey would sleep no more. Presus suddenly understood his fate and taking a long sword from a wall in the Opticon, and covering his shield with the leaves of the ulanda tree, he hunted the monster to a cave in the foot of Mount Perition guided only by the reflection it cast in his shield. For three days and three nights Presus and Death's Messenger fought across the foothills of the Mountains of Solace and Solitude. Locked in battle, each side never rested. Blood was spilled on both sides and for the first time Presus the Indolent thought (and fought) for others. Finally Death's Messenger was slain and, still weary from his battle, he returned and built a funeral pyre for the dead that could be seen across the Continent of Wild Endeavour.

His work done, Presus rested and dreamed of the Seer and her words and her prophecy of holding back death. He is still dreaming... of a figure with an hourglass in one hand and a broken sword in the other.

Characters

 * Presus

Continuity
to be added