How Master meet someone and I nearly lost my soul (part4)

“What`s the matter”, I was just trying to say, as the fog disappeared and I saw Master and me standing before us a skyhigh building. 

A giant, grey with so many black windows, I couldn`t believe it.

It got a entry door, very small for such a huge building, I was surprised. 

“What is that supposed to be?” “Like you said, Tardiscleaner, that is hell!” Masters voice was filled with satisfaction.

 “HELL? Oh god, I mean, what? And you wanted us to visit hell?”

 “Sure”, Master smirked. I shook my head. “Why didn`t you told me. It would had save us some nerves, especial me!” “I couldn`t, it would have been against the rules of this place. We had to go and see what you created in your mind and to endure some adventures until the place took us as worthy.” 

“Worthy, blimey!” “Indeed, the right word, now let us enter.”

I opened the door, no smell of brimstone, only a little smell of some cheap floor cleaner. Seemed that the devil had no great taste for good cleaning. Moneyproblems in hell? Anyway..

There were two lifts and a desk. Behind it was a man sitting and reading a newspaper. 

Master went to him. “We like to speak with his highness.” He said very polite. 

The man looked up, I am not able to tell you, what face he had, strange as it sounds, he HAD a face but the moment I looked at him I could not see his face, it was like there and not there.

“Left lift, good Sir. He is expecting you two. Have a good day in hell!”

His voice was so strange, like a million different voices put together. Not a nice one, I can tell you.

So we went to the lift, it opened and showed only one red button. Master pushed it and the lift went down, down? Down! Well, what did I expect from hell, surely down!

“So you want to speak with the devil?” “Hm”, Master was in no mood to speak, I know him, when he is in such a temper, better don`t ask again. After all, he is Master!

The lift stopped, we stepped out and stood instantly before a door. 

A typical office door, grey and not framed with flames or another nice decoration, boring, if you ask me.

“Don`t knock, get in”, was written on a sign. “So we do!” 

Master opened the door and I followed. 

We stepped into a bureau, grey walls, what wonder. Here another man was sitting behind a grey desk.

He looked at us with a kind smile, his teeth were very white.

I don`t know what I had expected to see. 

He was an older gentleman, with grey hair and a grey beard, with grey eyes, wearing a grey suit. 

“Welcome, take a seat, please.” ”Thanks”, Master pushed me to a chair and took the other one. 

The man clasped his hands. “So and what can I do for you? You must know, I am a busy man, so much to do this days.” “I came to you to ask you a favour.” 

The old man nodded. “That is not unexpected, my dear. Most people, who come to visit me got something like that in their mind. So what`s your offer!” 

Master said: “I always heard the devil likes a good game. What about a poker game, just between you and me.” The devil raised his hand and grasped into his beard. I swear I heard something sizzle. 

I felt a cold hand grasping my backbone.

“And what is supposed to be the prize if I win?” “The soul of my Tardiscleaner here!

I was unable to say one word. I was so startled that my mouth was like a piece of unmovabel stone. 

“That is a little problem, my dear Lord Master. Normaly the one who pledges a favour from me offers his own soul!” Master looked at me. “Agree please. I win, I swear it and you will get the finest, most beautiful broom in the whole universe!”

I found my mouth back. “You swear?” Master smiled. “Certainly, by my two hearts!” 

“Agreed”, I said. I never could resist such an offer! And after all Master had a lucky hand with cards, so I was told by him some times ago. And if someone was supposed to have a poker face, then him. 

“The cards then, Tardiscleaner!” “Oh, yes, the cards, poker cards please.” A deck of cards was on the table, wrapped in a shinning foil. 

“Five card drew!” The Master said, the devil nodded. “Fine with me.” 

“Open the cards, mix them, and give five to each of us, the other cards lay aside!” 

Masters orders, I did what he wanted, trying to not spill them over ther table. 

“Now give each of us five cards and put the other in the middle of the desk, right between him and me!” Master ordered and I obeyed. 

“Then let`s start.” 

They took the cards and looked at them and I looked at THEM but the devil had his polite smile and the Master his emotionless face, that he is wearing when having big thoughts. 

Great. What`s now? 

“I take one!” Master put one card beside the tower of cards and picked one and placed her to the four he had. The devil looked at him, his smile changed. “I took two!” 

Great, that sounds great, he needed two, had to be a good sign! And now? I never played poker, I only saw it in western movies, when the game always ended in some violent shootings. 

“Show!” Master laid his cards on the table. “Straight flush,”, I heard a smile in his face. It was a set of hearts. “Oh”, the devils eyebrows raised and my hope to get that shinning new brooms raised too! 

But then the devil layed down his cards with a filthy giggling. “Sorry Timelord, mine is a royal one!” 

I saw aces black as the night. Master said nothing. He did not need to. 

Great, he lost. I never thought he would, but he did. 

“You know what they used to say on eaerth, the devils luck! Well, so it will be. Tardiscleaner, your soul is mine now.” I heard Masters voice somber wispering: “I am sorry.” 

“Me too, “ I said. “Seems to be boring to live in hell but Mister devil, I like to play with you too?” 

“YOU?” The devils eyes widened, then he begun to laugh. I don`t want to descripe you the sound of his laughter, well, it was…devilish, believe me. 

“And may I ask, what you can give me? I had your soul!” “Yes, I know that certainly but what`s about my body. As far as I know, they are different things after all, so we can play about my body. I can be very useful with a body. I can clean your hell, after all I am a good, a very good cleaner, either Master wouldn`t have taken me with him!” I took a firm stand on this. 

“Cleaning up my hell”, the devil raised his hand and touched his beard, again I heard this strange sizzling. “Why not, sounds like a good idea. I agree and what kind of play do you suggest?” 

“Nine Men's Morris!” Master gave me a strange look of disbelief. Devil too. 

The cards disappeared in a puff of smoke, a little smell of brimstone remained. And my favourite play was on the table.   

“You see”, I said. “If you like such a childish game”, the devil sighed. “I do, so it’s a bargain, I win, I got my soul back, I loose, you got my body too. So let’s get started. You may begin!” 

“You let him start?” Masters voice was sad. I smiled. 

“So let’s begin, I take the black ones.” As I didn’t expected that. So we started. 

I let him have his first mill, I always used them have them theirs first. 

I placed some stones here and there and then, I got my double mill, as expected. And not long the second one.  

“Won, Mister devil!” He gave my some infernal look, I tell you. 

And in the next moment the room began to twist around as, as if we were in the centre of a whirlwind, the walls disappeared and we found us standing before the doors of the Tardis.

Master opened the door. He gave me a side glance. “Hope you are not too mad at me?”

“Mad at you? Why? Come let us go in, I put the kettle on. A nice cup of tea will be good now!”

I put a bowl with cookies between us and helped me to one of my favourites. 

He stirred a long time with the spoon in his cup.

I thought of rising his spirit. “I know, loosing is a nasty thing, but there are not many, who can beat the devil.” He looked up. “After all, you did it!” 

I laughed. “Because I am just a little idiot, Master. God loves the fools, don’t you know that. But one thing!” “Yes?” Something in his eyes touched me, I don’t know why and what.

“You owe me something!”

And at least here I am, having the most splendid broom in the whole universe!

How Master meet someone and I nearly lost my soul (part3))

Moments later we found us back on our own feet again, the horses had disappeared as quick as the came. “Same fog, hm. I wonder, can`t see anything. Wish I could clean it up like the dust of a mirror!”

The fog turned into a curtain, with two sides, turned aside by big red drawstrings.

We looked into an old fashioned furnitured room. A huge chair stood before a fireplace, above it hung a great mirror blind with dust. 

“Victorian earth”, Master said. “I think I knew it”, I pointed at the mirror. 

“I tell you, it`s from an illustration from “Through the looking glass, the second book about the adventures of Alice.” I reached into my backpack and put out a rag and cleaning-spray. 

“And that mirror needs intensive cleaning. Looks like centuries of dust.” 

I reached out with my hand and touched the mirror but there was no glass, something was pulling me inside. “Master quick”, I felt his hand in mine and together we went through the looking glass, like Alice.

A very strange sight awaited us.

This time the day was gone and night filled the sky, big clouds covered the stars, only the moon was shining in a very pale manner. We saw the black silhouette of a huge castle. 

Montains surrounded us, overgrown with trees. 

“Oh, something I said?” “I think so.” 

Then we heard something,.Something frightning, even moore frightning then the whole place, the sound of howling animals. And it seems not to be very far from us. 

“Wolves”, Master stated. “And near by”, I murmured. “Then the only way is to the castle, away from the woods.” “Great, I got a bad feeling about it.” “As I told you, quick.”

We run, again. The howling grows louder, we run quicker and reached the castle. 

Then we stood before a huge door, very, very old and wooden, no bell to see. 

Master began to hammer at it.“Hello, open up. Guest has arrived.” “Hope they love to have guest.” 

Only a moment later the door opened without the slightest sound and a voice said: “Come in on your own will!”

The howling was near enough to raise my hair. “Glad to know that, we are coming, we are coming.”

 I stepped forward, trough the door, Master next to me.

Before as, in a large yard, stood a huge man, a black cloak was wrapped around him, his face was not to be seen, to dark. 

“Good evening”, I said with a friendly voice. “Nice to let us in, there are some unfriendly beasts outside."

The man laughed. “The children of the night.” He turned around. “Please follow me and be my guests.”

Master grapped me at the shoulder und whispered into my ear. “I am sure, you know, who HE is!” 

I hesitated. “The Lord of the castle?” “It`s the count, Tardiscleaner.” “Count?”

I saw the man walking, something in his movement was strange. Then my mind told me what count the Master meant and I gulped. 

May be the wolves would ne a nicer choice but now the door was closed, we are inside Draculas castle and I was not willing to loose my cold blood!

Following the count we came into a great hall, a huge table with chairs around him stood in the middle, a open fireplace with a big fire inside filled the room with some heat. 

Torches and silver candleholders gave light. Our host turned around.

In the shimmer of the light I saw his face clear now. A long white face with impressive eyes, very impressive, I must say. His hair was black as the night but his lips very red. 

He smiled and I saw his theeth, especially the ones, who were very sharp. 

“We are honoured to be your guest”, Master said. “As I said”, the count replied, “you are welcome. Take a seat and have a glas of red wine. It`s the best wine you can get.” 

So we took seat and he gave us wine in beautiful carved cristall glasses, they were glittering in the lights around us but no stronger then the eyes of the count.

Master took a sip. “Inded, that is a very fine one.” “I told you”, the count nooded. He certainly wasn`t drinking. 

I wondered if it would help if I call out for Van Helsing but the problem would be, that it was night and the count could only be killed when he slept. I was sure that here the night was bound to stay, as we, if Master doesn`t get any brilliant idea. He seems to enjoy himself, great. 

I tasted the wine, it was okay to me.

“I don`t have guest here often, I must say. The roads are dangerous to travel and the places around are filled with very superstitious people.” 

“Ah, the typical common herd!” Master smiled. “They are always filled with fear about things they don`t understand.” “Indeed, you understand it perfectly.” The count nooded. His eyes went to me. 

“And what are you thinking?” “Me?” I drank another sip. 

“Don`t mind him, he is just a servant”, Master said in a harsh voice. “Not much brain to think!” 

“Hm, he looks clever to me.” I bursted out: “I am clever, I am a cleaner, you know and I am proud to be. If you need a little cleaning around here?” The counts face showed astonishment. “Cleaning?”

“As I told you”, Master sighted.

I yawned. “Please don`t mind me, but I am very tired. Can you show me a sleeping room?” 

Master gave me a look and a short smile run over his face. “He is right, we had a long yourney.” 

The count arose. “That is no problem, there is room enough. If you follow me, I will get to to your rooms.” He took a candlelighter from the table and moved to a staircase, which wounded up at the end of the hall. 

I grasped in my backpack and found what I think would be helpful, after all I hoped very dearly that it will do it`s job. I broke it up in two halves and gave one piece to the Master. 

“Rub your neck with it”, I whispered.

After the count left me in my room I fall down on the huge bed. It smelled after dust. 

Cleaning needed, as I thought! I used the thing from the backpack as thick as I could.Then the sleep overcame me like a cloak. I couldn`t resist it.

I awoke from a cry. 

I opened my eyes, to see the count bending over me, his mouth filled with foam. 

His face was not a nice thing to see. He cried again in anger and rubbed his lips but the cleaning soap was to much for him. After all this soap was made to clean the heaviest of dirt and it smelled awful not to mention the taste. As he bite me, he must have got a huge piece from it. 

I aways believe in using more cleaner is best!

The count howled like a beast, better even than the wolves. 

He twisted around, his cloak waving like the wings of a bat, then he turned himself into one and flew away.

I jumped up and run to the door, opened it and cried as loud as I could after Master. 

The next moment the world turned foggy again.

“Master? “I am beside you!” His voice was calm and my heart stopped running like a crazy horse. 

The fog around as was so thick, I couldn`t even see him. 

“What now?” I asked and hear a little trembling in my voice. 

“Thank you for the soap”, I heard that he was smiling. 

“Even if it stinks like…” “Like?” I waited and thought to end it…

”Like hell?” “YES”, he cried excited.

How Master meet someone and I nearly lost my soul (part2)

We stood before a nice sight, like a summer day on earth, meadows with cows, little cottages in the distance and a huge inn behind a bridge over a small river. The air was full of the scent of flowers, in the grass grasshoppers were chirping.

“What was in your mind…when you said that about epees?” Masters voice was harsh.

“Oh,” I scratched my head. “Now, that you ask, I thought about the three musketeers, from the book from Dumas, d`Artagnan and the three other, you know?” “Damned, you and your adventure book reading!”

“Oh, come on”, I looked at the inn. “It’s such a nice place, so peaceful.”

In that moment came from the inn the bursting laughter of some men.

“See”, I laughed. “Nothing to fear, seems there are people in very good mood, let’s go and get us something to drink. I want to have a imagination beer and after all, may be, the one you are looking for is there to be find or someone could us give a hint!”

Master grumbled. “Even it is looking peaceful, I told you this place is dangerous. And I don’t think that I will find the one I seek there.”

“After all, you never know”, I walked across the bridge. In the water fishes were jumping to catch flies. What a nice place, certainly it could not mean any harm.

I looked at the sign of the inn, it showed a fat man with a red face, who sat on a very huge barrel, holding up a jug of beer and having a great day!

I opened the wooden door and entered the room. Another outburst of laughter awaited me.

Smell of roasting pork, chicken and red wine came straight to me.

I stood in a narrow room, there was a huge fireplace, were a young boy was turning a piglet and several chicken over a fire.

Behind a huge wooden bar stood a fat man, with a very red face. That had to be the landlord and as it seems he was his best guest.

He was just filling a huge jug but stopped seeing me. And another thing had stopped, the laughter.

I looked around, to see four men sitting around a table.

And what men, they got hats with proud feasters, long curling hair was falling on shinning, opulent clothes in bursting colours. I recognized them at once.

The famous three musketeers and the young man had to be  d`Artagnan. Gosh, what a dashing young fellow with his beard and all.

I reached at my head to tip of my had, and there it was, a nice had to lift. I bowed at them. 

They gave me a long look. I turned round and went to the landlord.

I thought about what to order. Certainly NOT diet coke like Sam Tyler does way back in 1973, no.

I looked straight into the fat mans eyes, smiled and said: “Hello, nice day, isnt it? I have a glas fine red whine, please!” After all in those days the whine had to be greast, no ingredients from the industry. 

He nooded and filled a huge thick glas and gave it to me.

I took it and turned around, only to see the Master standing in the door, his face a mask.

Oh, oh, I didn`t followed his command and I knew how he hated that but after all, you have to take the opportunity to get some fun, if you can get it!

“Come and join me”, I said and rised the glass of whine, realising that I had no money in my pocket. 

But after all, he always had one, he would not let me down and after all I am a very quick runner! 

And I think Master too!

Master went straight to me. “I told you, not to go inside”, he hissed.

“But why?” I took a sip of the whine, it tasted very good. "When had someone the opportunity to meet the famous musketeers . Look at them, sitting in all their glory at the table.”

“Yeah, yeah”, Master gave a deep sigh. “What do you expect in this land, you will meet stranger things.” “Oh, for me it`s enough to see some of my childhood heroes. The famous four fighters, one for all and all for one, a fine brotherhood!”

Master looked over his shoulder. “And this brotherhood is looking at us with something in the eyes I don`t like, Tardiscleaner!”

“What do you mean? I, I mean we are here standing, me having a wonderful whine, just enjoying the day, what might be wrong with that? “

“Gentlemen, how is the cardinal doing?”

A cold shiver ran down my spine. I know it was the voice of Porthos, the deep voice of a huge man. 

And I knew if he was asking us about some cardinal, he only could meant Richelieu, their archenemy.

I was about to turned around, but felt Masters hand on my arm. “Keep calm. We are in trouble but let`s pretend we don`t knew anything.”

I smiled and turned around. “What you are asking me, my good man? I don`t no cardinal, I am just a traveller.”

The four men stand up slowly. I saw the shinning weapons at their side. They are the worlds best fighters, great.

Aramis waved back his hair. He smiled ironical. “Don`t tell us you drop here just by incident. We know men of the cardinal, if we saw them!”

“Run to the door”, Master whispered, I obeyed, a discussion was not a bright idea.

We reached the door, went trough. Master got out the screwdriver and gave it a shot.

“May be sealed for some moments”. “Porthos is strong as a bear”, I mumbled.

“And he is not alone. Shall we run?” “We run!”

We run to the bridge, only moments later I heard the door cracking.

As we crossed the bridge, I stopped, grapped into my backpack and put out a bottle of washing up-liquid and spread it wide to the ground, giving the stone of the bridge a nice green shimmer.

“What?” Master looked at me. “That will give us some time.”

Meanwhile the four men were coming after as like bats out of hell.

We ran and then I heard screaming of rage. I couldn`t resist to look back.

The four were on the bridge, trying to get back on their feet, the liquid had done it`s duty.

Too bad, I thought, after all they are such nice fellows.

“Will you be standing here and waiting until they use us as dummies?” Masters voice got me back instantly. “Oh, no, I am coming.”

“Damned, if we only had horses.” A quick thought crossed my mind.

“If wishes were horses then beggars would ride!” I yelled it into the warm air.

And what do you say, they were two horses appearing out of the blur. Ready with saddles. 

Master laughed and mounted up.

“Great, come one, that will do!” I shook my head. “Sorry, I just realised I can`t ride.”

“Oh idiot, you are in fantasy land, you can do here, what you wish. Get up!”

I looked at the horse, behind us I heard the sound of four very angry men.

“Okayyyy”, before I knew I was up and on and riding beside my Master. Great, I always wished to ride.

The horses took as through the landscape.

“Why can`t you imagine things too?” I cried to Master. “Because I am a Timelord and my mind is immune to the powers.” “Oh, that was the reason you took me with you”, I murmured. And I thought about who HE wanted to meet here and how he would arrange it, to let us find him. But after all, he was Master and always knew what he is doing.

Then before us the fog rises again and we rode inside.

How Master meet someone and I nearly lost my soul (part1)

It was one of these days, you know, always cleaning the endless rooms of the Tardis.

I just came back to get me a nice hot cup of tea with milk and sugar and some cookies from the huge biscuit tin. Only to find Master in kitchen sitting at the table, staring into a very fare distance.

I thought: “Keep calm and put the kettle on” and said: “Care for a cup of tea too?”

His eyes turned back from the far, far away and rested on me, like I was something, that came from under a stone and was not very nice to look at. I sighted.

“It’s the broomstick, you know! Its too old and shabby now. Need a new one, a funny one!”

“A FUNNY ONE?!” His voice was so icy, I swear the tea in my cup caught a cold.

I took a deep seep.

“Yes, I think something charming, a pink one would be nice. Tea?”

His mouth opened, then he closed it and nodded. I gave him a cup of tea in his favourite bone china cup.

I opened the tin and put some biscuits on a plate, some with chocolate, icing, some with strawberry filling and glumieds, my favourites. You get them in huge packets of planet of Odd.

I put them between us and took seat.

“Did you ever wonder why the Tardis is so huge?” Master asked with his special smile.

The one I like and NOT the one you see and want to run and hide in the cupboard.

I shook my head. “I am a cleaner, you know, never ask, never tell, like you said.”

”Fine bye me”, he laughed silent and took a slip of tea and took a cookie, one with choc.

He hold it between his fingers and let it twist.

“Good thing you don’t get the choc on your fingers doing that”, I said and get me a gloomy one.

“It went back to a time Time Lords love to forget, Tardiscleaner. It was in what we used to call the old days, the time before the great Timelord Rasillon took control. Great, indeed”, he grinned and took the cake into his mouth.

”Oh, that guy, Rasillon, you mentioned him sometimes. I thought he was a pain in the ass, did try to kill you, the Doctor Who and the rest of the universe?”

”Indeed, that was his purpose but way back, in the old days before he was the great ruler the Time lords used to catch beings from all over the universe, store them as captives in the Tardis and then”, he tipped at his cup and I filled it again, burning with interest to hear more. It was not often Master was in such a mood of talking about things.

“Then they put them in a place on my home planet, our homeplanet Gallifrey, in a place named the danger zone. There they has to fight for their live against enemies from their own race or other beings, the choose was very wide ranging. Like the game they used on the planet Earth in the times of the roman empire.”

I put down my cookie. “They did? Never thought that. That’s evil!”

Master smiled. “Indeed, evil. But then Rasillon took command of the high counsel and forbid the games. After his death his tomb was placed in the middle of the now forbidden ground.” “Tomb, but I thought..” He raised his hand. “Yes, they were always rumours that he was still living, inside his tomb, inside the so called tower of Rasillon.

I once was there, with the Doctor, no”, he hesitated for a moment, “with nearly ALL of the doctors. Someone had collected them like toys, to resolve the riddle inside the tower, the idle of Rasillon. So we learned that he was still alive, more ghost then Time Lord but not dead and that his power was still very great. In the end the collector got what he wanted, immortality. He ended as a figure at Rasillons tomb.

I must admit, I nearly fell for the riddle and if the Doctors hadn’t stopped me, it would have me whose face would decorate the tomb. And therefore a Tardis is so large.”

“I would either think she is so huge to collect nice things, like I do in my room.”

He turned his eyes around. “Oh I know. Each time we set foot on a planet you always found something you want to take with you. Think about all that Christmas stuff from earth.”

I shrank. “Yes but you must admit the Christmas tree WAS nice to look at, all those shining balls and ornaments, even a little Christmas dalek!”

Master made a face. My smile froze and I stood up. “Okay, time to start cleaning!” 

"I just was thinking about our next stop", Master said in a strange voice.

“Yes?” “It will be a place the Doctor told me about, that he discovered by accident, a place between the threads of space and time. A place strange things are waiting. You can call it a place like the danger zone I told you about” Master eyes begun to shimmer.

I placed my hand around the broomstick. “Oh that sounds enterprising!”

“The only problem is, it is not easy to find but I think I just try. Meet me soon in the control room!” “I will!”

I went to my room and scratched my head. Danger means that it would be a good idea to bring some things with me.

I put several things in my backpack and went to meet Master.

Suddenly the Tardis seems to turn upside down. I swear I had the absolute strange feeling as if my feet were where my head had to be and that everything around me went twirling.

“Seems we are on our way”, I thought.

Then everything was normal again and I run to the control desk, Master was already standing at the door.

“Let’s take a look”. He opened the door, I behind him, only to stare at a wall of fog.

“Great, looks like we have landed in a boring foggy land”, I muttered.

“Silence”, Master hissed. “Did you don’t felt the Tardis behaving strange! I am sure, I have found the right place.”

“Okayyyy…” I took a deep breath and stepped into the fog.

Only one moment later I remembered the problem about fog, you can’t see and you can not hear very clear.

Now I was out of Tardis, right into a very strange land and where was Master?

I stood still and tried to see something? Nothing, only a white wall. I called: “Master?” Nothing! Oh great, I was lost.

But I am not a good cleaner for nothing. I reached into my backpack and took out a special thing to get rid of spider webs. Which is very short until you draw it out.

I did and turned around until I felt a resistance, that had to be Tardis.

I pushed it until I saw the black stone of Tardis and in the door Master standing at her door, arms crossed.

“Tardiscleaner, didn’t I tell you not to run off on your own?” “Yes”, I put the spider web cleaner back to small size. “Sometimes I am a little bit overhasty!”

Master smiled. “Then let us now go together.”

We started wandering through the fog, side by side.

“I wonder, what do we expect here?” Master sighted. “Strange things, as I told you. We are now in a place where the beings exist, which came from the mind of writers, the realm of imagination, you can say!”

“Really? Oh, I wonder what we will meet here?” “Not we but I want someone to meet here and try if I can get from him something.” Master flicked it’s fingers. “Don’t know if it would work but it’s worth the danger.” “I hope you had your screwdriver with you?”

“Did you take my for an idiot, I always got it by my side!” I laughed. “Like an musketeer epee!”

“Don’t say…”Master stood still. I looked at him and suddenly the fog opened before us like a curtain.