"System overload. Self destruct sequence activated. Two minutes to self destruction."
Alarms screamed, lights flashed white and red. Heavy footsteps pounded the wooden floor. He had to find them, before the place blew. He cursed himself. He shouldn't have left his brothers. Now, it would be too late to save them. Amber eyes peered through the smoke and haze, trying to locate any enemies ahead. Why did he leave? Where were they? Had they gotten out in time? Had they been captured? He shook his head, banishing the erratic thoughts. Panic wouldn't help him now. He dashed around the corner, slipping for a quick moment in his momentum. Regaining his footing, he continued on his run.
He came to a sudden stop, eyes going wide at the sight before him. Eight pairs of glowing red eyes pierced through him up ahead. He gasped for breath, suddenly becoming all too aware of how out of breath he felt. His body screamed for air, muscles trembling from lack of oxygen. However, he also felt the too familiar rush of adrenaline as it shot through his veins. Gritting his teeth, he whipped out his sais, spinning them in expert fingers. The Elite Guard readied their weapons. They meant to delay him. He was running out of time. Unfortunately his only route of escape was through them.
Without a second thought, he charged forward. The Elite Guard ran to meet him. The hallway rang with the clash of steel on steel. He grunted in pain as one of the guards slammed the butt of their axe into his side. He stumbled, caught off guard. Another drove their foot into his stomach, knocking him back. The world went dark as something crashed down over the back of his head.
He went down.
Fighting for breath, he pushed himself to his hands and knees, however he buckled and fell forward into an involuntary bow.
"Weak," the leader sneered. "Pathetic."
"Surely, there must be another," one of the others said.
"The Master will rise again. He requires a strong vessel," a third stated.
He strained to look up, eyes blazing with hatred. The leader's eyes turned upward, smiling. The red masked ninja got to his feet.
"Thirty seconds to self destruct," the computerized voice declared.
Longest two minutes of my life, he thought.
His headset sparked to life. "Raph…? Where...are...Raph?"
He tapped the speaker against his ear. "Leo? Leo?"
"Raph…get...out..."
"Sorry, boys. But I gotta go, and you're in my way."
The leader gave him an unsettling look. "Apologies. However, I am afraid, you will not live to see another sunrise."
"Yeah? Well neither will you."
"Ten..."
In the split second he made to move, the leader disappeared.
"Nine..."
The leader reappeared beside him.
"Eight..."
His eyes went wide as white hot pain shot through his left side.
"Seven..."
"Raph? Where are you?"
"Six..."
He hit the floor, blood pooling around him from the gash in his side.
"Five..."
"The Master will rise again," the leader said, kneeling down.
"Four..."
He gazed up at the Elite Guard, vision going dark.
"Three..."
"Raph, get out of there!"
"Two..."
"Leo...I'm...sorry..."
"One..."
Outside, from a safe distance away, the remaining brothers watched in horror as the Foot Tower vanished in a blinding flash of light and fire. Leonardo put his hand to his headset.
"Raph?" he gasped.
Static.
"He's-" Donatello croaked, stopping his train of thought.
Michelangelo stood in stunned shock and terror. Raphael...gone? Leonardo dropped to his knees, chest quaking as he choked on his own breath. He bowed his head, squeezing his eyes tight.
"RAPH!" he screamed in anguish.
A/N: Do I have your attention? *evil grin* Mwahaha!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Simply borrowing.