Read Doctor Who: Planet of Fire for Free Online

smiled. ‘The Outsider will protect us. He will bring an abundance of good things. There will be food and many rich gifts...’
    ‘No!’
    The citizens turned from Timanov to the steps leading up to the columned hall from the street. Amyand and Roskal stood in the entrance. They were breathless and covered with black pumice dust. They were triumphant. ‘It is a lie!’ cried Amyand. ‘There is no Logar!’
    ‘Heretic! Unbeliever!’ howled Timanov.
    ‘We have climbed the mountain,’ boasted the young man.
     
    The crowd gasped and the Elders grew pale.
    ‘It is death to trespass on the Mountain of Fire,’
    whispered Timanov.
    ‘We have climbed and we live!’ declared Amyand. ‘For generations our people have been the slaves of fear. No more.’
    Several of the crowd cheered. Amyand pushed his way through the excited citizens until he stood at the base of the stone dias. He stared straight at the Chief Elder. ‘We have seen with our own eyes.’ He turned again to the people. ‘There is no Logar!’ he cried.
    There was more applause. The Elders were losing control.
    ‘If we are to survive on Sarn,’ continued the young Unbeliever, ‘we must learn to believe in ourselves and conquer the power of the Fire Mountain.’
    Timanov strode angrily to the edge of the platform.
    ‘Heretic!’ he thundered at Amyand. ‘You will burn for this!’ But none of the guards moved. There was far too much sympathy for the Unbelievers.
    ‘We will all burn unless we go to the shelters,’ shouted Roskal from the centre of the assembly, to be answered by a roar of agreement.
    ‘Citizens!’ cried out Timanov, again. ‘You cannot escape Logar’s anger. He will pour his fire into your hiding places...’
    Amyand jumped up to the dais, pushing the Chief Elder roughly aside. ‘The old order is finished,’ he jeered. ‘Now we will live by reason and common sense.’
    The Elders looked nervously from one to another, powerless to enforce their authority. Timanov looked around for the boy, but Malkon had reheated to the far end of the platform. It seemed they were lost. For their pride and disobedience, the city would be consumed in the flames that had destroyed all the other habitations. He tinned to the Mountain, raised both arms in supplication and cried in a great voice. ‘Oh, Logar! Send us a sign!’
     
    There was silence throughout the Hall of Fire which was broken by a sudden roar. Flames began to burn behind Timanov’s head. The Elders turned to the cave in the rock wall behind the raised platform. guarded by a rough iron grille. The grotto was filled with a raging fire. As the Elders staggered back from the heat, the ground began to shake, stones clattered hunt the walls and the distant mountain thundered. The mood of the crowd was changed irr an instant.
    Timanov looked into the fire and bowed his head.
    ‘Logar. I thank you,’ he whispered in profound gratitude.
    Once more the Chief Elder addressed the people. ‘Citizens, I called to Logar and the Fire Lord has answered.’
    The mountain roared again and the whole city trembled. Many of the citizens were on their knees.
    Timanov raised an accusing finger. ‘To the burning with all Unbelievers!’
    This time the guards did not hesitate. Amyand jumped from the platform, but the perfidious crowd blocked his escape. Together with Roskal and Sorasta he was dragged up the steps of the platform. One of the Elders flung open the gate of the cave. The three petrified Unbelievers recoiled from the heat of the flames that had turned the cavity into a furnace.
    ‘Stop!’ Amyand, struggling with the guards, made one last appeal. ‘Only a Chosen One can order a burning.’
    All eyes turned on Malkon.
    ‘Well, Malkon?’ pleaded Amyand.
    Malkon stared at Amyand, uncertain and afraid. ‘Coyne.
    boy,’ said Timanov sternly. ‘Be strong. For the good of the people.’
    ‘I don’t know,’ stammered the miserable child.
    ‘Burn them! Burn them!’ shouted the