The Blood of Azrael (comic story)

 was a comic story published in the 470th issue of Doctor Who Magazine.

Part One: The Blood of Azrael
In a flashback, a young Danny Fisher and his dad are attacked by a lizard creature that speaks in an alien language. He is then brought back to reality in their base in Cornucopia (COMIC: The Cornucopia Caper, Hunters of the Burning Stone) by Annabel Lake speaking to him. Patrick Lake enters and talks to them about the aftermath of the Obsidian Mainframe Incident (COMIC: Pay the Piper) and how it is important not to reveal that Earth or humans were involved. He is then interrupted by a TV broadcast showing Amy Johnson (a famous pilot who supposedly died in World War 2, rescued by the Doctor and Clara) (COMIC- A Wing and A Prayer) being interviewed about the upcoming Lifesong Carnival to celebrate Cornucopia's history. Patrick suspects the Doctor's involvement. He sends Annabel and Danny undercover as their respective counterparts, Ms Ghost and Londi, to interview Amy about her rescue. However, she is out flying and while doing so is hijacked by Brothers Progg and Hanka that have been hired to eliminate her. She is rescued by Horatio Lynk. They realise they are both linked by their meetings with the Doctor.

Meanwhile, in Cornucopia's airport, the Doctor and Clara, after losing the Tardis in the events of Pay the Piper, are travelling through customs. The Doctor is a state of depression at losing his beloved time machine. At the front a girl, Keli, is being harassed by security guards for not having the necessary papers to enter Cornucopia. She is distraught and pops a pill into her mouth. The Doctor and Clara look at what's going on. Keli begins to scream and holds her hand up to the world. It bears a strange triangular symbol. She dissolves while the Doctor and Clara look on in horror.

Part Two: The Architect of Despair
On Cornucopia, all the species and people are preparing for the Lifesong Carnival. Meanwhile, Amy and Clara are talking about what happened to them at the airport and Keli. The Doctor is still depressed and walks put. Clara tells Amy about the situation.

At the same time, Annabel and Danny are spying on the Doctor and they realise that they caused the Doctor to lose his Tardis. Lynk calls Amy and tells her he's found Progg and Hanka, dead. Clara drags the Doctor to a clinic where they meet Lynk and other children and aliens. Lynk is revealed to be helping them and the Doctor helps cure a young kid, who hugs him and tells him he's a good doctor.

Suddenly the Doctor springs back to his old self and runs out. Lynk takes them all to the Renath Archive, an old library in the heart of Cornucopia, where they meet Albert, a blind alien and Matildus, the librarian. The Doctor shows her the symbol on Keli's hand. She takes several guesses at what it is before coming to a stern conclusion. It is the mark of Azrael...

As told to the Doctor, Clara, Amy and Lynk, the story of Azrael...

"He was the first Necrotist, a man who inspired a black stream of madness that flows through the universe to this day. A Necrotist is an artist who believes that murder is the only true form of creativity: that life must bestolen in order for art to blossom. Where a Necrotist walks, tragedy follows. Azrael was a genius who came from a world where death had been conquered, where immortality was fact. His brilliance turned his people's science against him. They perished in a flood of measureless agony. It was his first "statement". Many more soon followed. Some said his face was so terrible that to merely look upon it would summon death. Others claimed it was beautiful it would drive the beholder mad. Whatever the truth, Azrael chose to wear a mask carved from the skull of the last Magellan Emperor. His supposed masterpiece was the Wasting Wall, a structure built out of the bodies of an entire species- a monument to genocide. If it ever truly existed it has been lost to myth. But history records in harrowing detail a slaughter that spanned three centuries and countless worlds. Azrael lived and died ten thousand years ago. When he was finally captured, he sttod calmly upon his execution block and spoke four words, "Death is my ally." He was the Sculptor of Grief. The Peot of Corruption. The Architect of Despair."

After the story has been told, they hear a scream. Horatio and Amy set off in search of Albert. They find him, crystallized. Clara and the Doctor follow. They then find the Tardis. The Doctor is overjoyed. But then the door opens and Azrael steps out. He tells the Doctor that time belongs to him and that he should take solace in the fact that the universe is now his canvas before the Tardis dematerialises...

Part 3: The Mercy
to be added

Characters

 * Eleventh Doctor
 * Clara Oswald
 * Amy Johnson
 * Horatio Lynk
 * Annabel Lake/Ms Ghost
 * Danny Fisher/Londi
 * Azrael
 * Patrick Lake

Continuity
to be added