Disclaimer: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Splinter, April, Casey and the Shredder are all owned by Mirage Studios. All other characters are of my own creation.
Prologue . . .
Blood . . .
Everywhere . . .
Where is it coming from? Why won't it leave me ALONE?
His eyes darted around in the darkness; his hands clenched the sword tightly. Screams suddenly sounded from all around him, but he saw no one.
Please . . . don't hate me . . .
That voice . . . he thought. Not again.
A bright light shone behind him, causing him to turn around. There on the ground knelt a small child with her back turned toward him. Her abnormally long black hair spilled down onto the ground beneath her. As much as he resisted, some unknown force drew him closer to her. He made no sound as he walked.
He fell to his knees in front of her, and the child looked up at him. The features of her face were unmistakably of Asian decent; even he could see that through the many cuts and bruises she carried. Her large, brown eyes were fixed in a state of horror, and the tears welled inside them.
Please, don't hate me . . .
The sword suddenly grew heavy in his hand, but as he tightened his grasp on the handle, a burning sensation ripped into his palms, and he flung the sword to the ground. He tended to his hands, but glanced at the sword below him. His eyes widen with disbelief. The weapon was not his own, but he at once recognized the engraved dragon with the bright ruby eyes.
I love you . . . please . . . don't . . . hate . . .
He looked back at the child, and she raised her hands to him. Blood spilled out of her palms, and he let out a scream, only to have no sound come out with it. He pushed himself backwards away from the child, clenching his chest. His heart raced so loudly, he felt as if his head was going to explode. He looked back at the child.
A mask, that all too familiar mask, with its sharp points, and its metallic glare, which blinded his eyes. That mask now covered the child's face, and he could still see the child's eyes under it. Her tears were replaced by streams of blood, and it ran down her face onto the ground.
Once again, her voice rang inside of his head.
Leonardo . . . don't hate me . . .
I love you . . .