Contains some graphic scenes that readers may find disturbing. Please go no further if anything you read offends you. I'm still finishing up Deadly Sins. It'll not be abandoned.

Prologue

He wasn't sure what awoken him from the exhausted slumber. Perhaps it was the thunder rumbling among the stormy clouds or the wind pushing against the stone wall. He slowly opened his good eye while the other was swollen shut. All that waited was the sharp pain that suddenly ravaged onto his body like a pack of hungry dogs eating their meal.

His arms suspended above his heads while his toes barely scrapped the cobblestone ground. The fiery burning from his shoulders caused him to hiss. The flash of lightening exposed little red droplets leading to his tiny cell. Deep gashes ran across his calves and thighs as the same welts appeared on his arms.

Drained and heavy his mentality slowly wore down. There was no way to acknowledge how long it was since his captivity and torment. Each precious second that ticked by without a signal from his brothers deepened the hopeless that swelled within. Perhaps it was time to give in to Death's greedy hands and end it once and for all.

The mixture of shamefulness and guilt crashed over him flipping his stomach. He shouldn't wish for such selfish things. The faces of his brothers and father appeared in his thoughts. They would be lost without him. A loving family torn apart by death. A choice that he refused to make.

In the distance heavy footsteps descended down the stairs and across the floor. He could feel his blood run cold as the metal doors swung open. Two guards stood while the third pulled the level in the far corner of the cell. The chains rattled around him. His body weakened and battered crumbled beneath his weight.

"Get up, you filthy freak." The boot caught the turtle under his chin splitting his lips. As the turtle tried to roll to his hands and knees, the others joined kicking his sides and plastron. He bit his bottom lip as the pain surged. Finally they subsided, picked up him off the ground, and tossed him into the dampened hall. A sickening thud echoed as his head hit the wall. Everything spun around making his stomach knotted up in dread.

Somehow adrenaline flowed freely through his veins and weaving in his muscles. He pushed against the wall and onto his feet. A glob of blood and spit flew from his mouth onto one of the guard's chest. Disgusted he went to challenge the mutant turtle only to stop in his tracks. His hand automatically looking from his missing digits. A lesson that was learned too late.

The guards lunged several feet behind as they headed down the hallway into the cathedral room of the abandoned church. Dark oak beams reached across the ceiling supporting the holy retreat. Rows of pews covered with dust and cobwebs. Old pages from book blowing in the breeze. He looked up as the lightening flashed. Suddenly he stopped walking.

There above the wood rotten platform was a glass stained window. Broken and cracked the colors yet seemed colorful and vibrant. The brushes of gold, copper, and red blend seamlessly around the top of the picture and around the deep brown cross. Upon the cross was a man with a crown of thorns upon his head and wrapped in white. His hands spread out to the side, nails impaling his palms and streak of crimson trickling. His face seemed sorrowful while the people wept around his feet.

His mouth went dry as he tried to swallow down the dry lump in the back of his throat. A violent shove from behind sent him sprawling on the steps.

"Leonardo. I've been expecting you."

Leonardo slowly raised his head. His eyes locked onto the face of his enemy. Shredder sat upon the grand chair that stood beneath the window. It was a disgrace for something so evil to think itself highly to measure up to the greater good. Something else caught his attention. His precious katanas and blue mask landed at Shredder's feet.

The roots of hatred grew deeper wrapping themselves within Leonardo. No matter how he tried to cope with it, it never seemed to go away. The man who was responsible for many years hurting his friends, terrifying the city. He who threatened to murder each and every one whom he ever loved. Even her. No it would stop today whatever the payment was to be.

Shredder stood up and walked down the steps. Leonardo caught a glimpse of his own face in the metal mask. The right side of his face along with his eye was puffy and bruised. Blood seeped down the corners of his mouth. Without his mask, Leonardo seemed vulnerable and helpless. Nothing he was.

With the snap of Shredder's fingers, the guards plowed Leonardo to the ground and dragged him across the room. He bucked and thrashed against his attackers with no avail. At last his shell hit something hard on the floor. His arms spread out beside him and bound to wooden post while his feet tied together to the bottom.

"Now, turtle. I'm growing weary of these games you play," Shredder growled standing over. "Where is your family located?"

"I will never tell you."

Shredder nodded briefly. "You're a fool, Leonardo. Just like your father. If you tell, their deaths will be swift and quick. However, you refuse; I will continue to hunt them down like the dogs they are. Then I will bring them here in front of you and torture them. Slowly and painful. Begging me to finish them off. One by one you will watch them die until you're the only one left."

Leonardo shook his head. "You will never touch my family again, you bastard. You'll never find them. If you kill me as you've promised, they will hit you so hard you won't know what happened until it's too late."

Suddenly he screamed a feral scream escape his lips as shots of pain ran down his body. Leonardo twisted his head to either side to see long spike placed into the middle of his palms. He began to thrash. "No, no. AAAAAHHHHHH!"

The thunder crashed as the hammers slammed on top of the spikes piercing through his flesh. Another crack another pound. Leonardo found himself unable to scream anymore. His body shook violently as the spikes continued to be driven in his hands. There was no pain. Just numb. Everything was numb even as the guards did the same to his feet.

At last, Leonardo could see the guards stepping away. The post he was on was halted off the ground until it stood upright. He could feel the flesh struggling and ripping away beneath his weight. The hearty laughter came from below.

"Perhaps a few hours from there will change your mind. Foot, continue the search and report back to me."

The guards bowed deeply before disappearing from the room. Shredder glanced once more at his prize as he hung there on the mocked cross and retreated back to his room. Leonardo looked up at the glass stained window once more. What an ironic position he found himself in. Like the man across from him. A single tear rolled down from Leonardo as he bowed his head and whispered.

"Forgive me."

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