A/N: If anyone wants to make art of Sab or this story, let me know on DA with a note, and I'll be sure to display it for you! And I'll make it a chapter header!

Don set the two nodules in an open space near his lab that was large enough to allow Raph to pass through unhindered. He frowned at the teleporter in his hand. Several wires curled out from it. One to each nodule and a third that was plugged into an control board which in turned was hooked into the main electrical box. A large amount of energy was necessary to trigger the same phenomenon that had occurred before. That meant if this didn't work or if Raph didn't get through quickly enough, the circuits could be fried just like the first one. It was a depressing scenario, as the result would be no more transporters. He hadn't seen a second one at Foot Headquarters, which would mean they'd have to get another from the Triceratons. That could mean weeks, if not months, before they could try again to release Raphael from the void.

For this reason, Don was planning to be extremely cautious. He would increase the voltage slowly until the point it triggered the molecular stabilizer, but before it melted the tech. He checked everything over one more time as the door to the lair opened, and Leo and Mikey entered. His gaze locked on the scepter in his elder brother's hand. "You got it!"

"Yeah, we only had a little trouble." Leo explained as they joined him near the two nodules.

"Says you." Raph grouched over the communicator.

Don raised an eye-ridge and Mikey chuckled. "Raph's just mad because he's a gray blob."

"Huh?" Don shook his head. "Never mind. Let me see the scepter."

Leo extended it to him. "Careful, it's got a little shock to it."

Don nodded, taking the staff and feeling the tingle run through his body. He examined the stone in the viper's mouth. "Fascinating, some type of energy source perhaps."

"That's real interestin' and all, but what I wanna know is will it really kill Sab?"

Don lifted his gaze from the staff and gasped at the sight of the shadow standing between Leo and Mikey, who exchanged an amused look. "Raph, is that you?"

"Yeah, genius."

Don's eyes lit up with excitement. "That's incredible! This stone must have some unbelievable properties! I wish I had a chance to study it!"

"Don," Leo said calmly, placing a hand on his shoulder to gain his attention, "later, okay. Have you had time to finish the equipment?"

He nodded, gesturing to the two apparatuses. "Everything is set. I'm going to increase to voltage slowly in the hopes it won't fry the circuitry this time. But prolonged exposure to a high electrical charge could also cause damage to the Triceraton transporter." He turned back to his brothers to pin Raph's shadow with his gaze. "Which means, I'm not going to be able to hold the door open for long. You'll need to pass between these two frequency enhancers quickly."

"How long will he have?" Leo hoped they wouldn't have to deal with Sabazios, but the likelihood was too high that he was going to show.

"Two minutes max." Don frowned. "I can try to keep the doorway stable after that, but there's no guarantee."

"What ain't ya sayin', Donnie?" Raph could tell his brother was holding something back.

"This may be our only shot at this. If this transporter is destroyed, we don't have any more. We'd have to get another from the Triceratons which could take a long time. In that time you may phase even further out of our dimension. And if that happens, I don't know if we'll be able to get you back."

Leo set his jaw in determination. "Then we'd better do this right the first time. Raph, is there any sign of Sab?"

Raphael looked around the lair. He didn't see the snake-like creature hiding anywhere. But that didn't mean he wasn't close. "Right now I don't."

"Then we should do this before he returns." Leo took a step towards Donatello with the intention of taking the scepter.

But his brother put up a hand. "How do you plan on killing Sab with the stone as it is now?"

Leo frowned. "Well, it hurt him in the museum."

"But if he comes through the portal when I do, hittin' 'im with that thing ain't gonna do much." Raph pointed out. Donnie examined the scepter for a long moment, turning to view how the stone was set in the serpent's mouth.

"What are you s-? Donnie!" But before Leo could finish his thought, Don slammed the scepter into the floor. The viper's head shattered and the stone rolled free.

Mikey snickered. "Man, and you guys complain about me breaking stuff."

"I had to break it, to free the firestone. The scepter itself isn't important. It was just made of bronze." Don picked up the stone. This time the shock wave was a little more severe, but nothing he couldn't handle. He was more surprised by Raph, who'd knelt down near him. His brother was more visible now. No longer just a gray blob, actual features could be seen. The trepidation in Raphael's face, tore at Don's heart. "It'll be alright."

Raph gave a small nod. "What're ya gonna do with it now?" Even Raph's voice seemed clearer.

Don looked down at the stone. It was nearly six inches in length and came to a fine point at the ends. "Make it more useful as a weapon." He stood and fetched his bo, where he'd left it nearby. Taking a roll of electrical tape, he affixed it to the end of the bo effectively creating a spear. He noted that when he handed the spear over to Leo, Raph's image had faded back to a shadowy gray shape. Apparently the stone was more powerful when one was in direct contact with it. "I think it's going to be very unwise to allow Sabazios to get his hands on that stone. It's very likely it will increase his power."

"Then we shall make certain such a thing does not occur." Splinter crossed the room to stand near Leo. "If our enemy is not here, then this may be our best opportunity to retrieve Raphael."

Leo nodded. "I agree."

Don picked up the Triceraton transporter and switched it on, before reaching for the small control board that would regulate the voltage. "Ready Raph?"

"I'm more than ready to get out this place." Raphael's disembodied voice replied.

Donnie didn't wait for further confirmation. The quicker this was done the better. He flipped the main switch, bringing the voltage quickly up to normal ranges. Then with more caution he began to steadily increase it. There was no way to know at exactly what level the power surge had originally triggered the teleporter. But Don had an educated guess of the range and just as he'd predicted when the level reached three-hundred-ten volts it opened the doorway.

Mikey eyed the two nodules that seemed to be spitting sparks at one another. "Donnie?"

"It's fine, Mikey. Raph, let's give this a try. Just take it slow and let me know if you don't feel right." Don watched his control board for any sign of trouble.

Raph moved towards the nodules. "Don't feel right? Don, I'm a freakin' ghost right now!"

"Raph, move it!" Leo snapped. "We don't want Sab finding out what we're up to!"

But it was already too late. A shriek ripped through the lair. Raph spun around in time to raise his sai and prevent Sab's sharp teeth from digging into his shoulder. He growled, glaring into Sab's yellow eyes. "Come to tell me goodbye? I appreciate it, but I'd rather you hadn't!"

Leo took a step forward as he saw the attack unfold. "Raph! No!"

Sab whipped his spiked tail around trying to through Raph off his feet again. But the ninja had already seen that trick and anticipated it. He jumped back and the spikes sliced across his leg instead. He let out a growl of pain.

The creature let out a bone chilling laugh. "I warned you not to cross me, turtle."

Mikey took a step forward. "Hurry up, Raph!"

Sab turned his gaze on the portal and with a swish of his tail shot towards it. Raph dove at him. "Oh, no you don't, slimy!" He gasped as Sab's head whipped around like that of a snake and his fangs sank into his forearm. "Ah!" Raph couldn't keep his grip as fire raced through his veins. He stumbled, falling to the ground mere inches from the portal.

Sab cackled in victory as he flew through the doorway. The others gasped as the black scaly creature appeared and began flying about the lair, making a shrieking noise which one could only classify as joy. "At last! I am free!"

"Uh, oh…" Mikey glanced from Sab to the portal. "Raph!" No response came from the communicator.

Leo stared half in shock at the shadow of his brother not moving just past the frequency enhancers. His eyes narrowed and he growled, glaring up at Sab. "What did you do!"

Sab swooped down to float a few feet away. His gray tongue shot out and somehow managed an amused expression through his grotesque features. "He should have heeded my warning." His amusement fell away as he spotted his broken scepter. His mouth opened displaying his sharp fangs. "You will regret that!"

Leo swung the spear up. "No, you're going to regret attacking our brother!" He jumped at Sab, but the serpent was too quick. It easily dodged the turtle's blow.

"And that belongs to me!" Sab roared as his body began to expand.

Donnie gasped as he came to stand near Leo with his spare bo. "He's a shape shifter!"

Splinter appeared on Leo's other side. "We must not allow him to take possession of the firestone!"

Before their eyes, Sab transformed from a creature barely five feet in length to a giant beast that nearly touched the roof of the new lair. Horns jutted out from the pointed muzzle and four large legs with clawed feet sprang from his slender body. His tail grew in length and razor sharp barbs with jagged edges appeared along it. From the beast's shoulders two massive wings appeared. They clutched their ears as the beast threw its head back and let out a roar that was no doubt heard on the surface.

Mikey stared up at it, his mouth hanging open and eyes as wide as they could get. "So, Sab is a huge hideously ugly terrifying dragon!"

The beast looked down at him. "This is my truest form, little turtle!" He thrashed his tail, crushing the couch and shattering the television.

Mikey clutched his head in panic. "Ah! The TV!" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the nodules flicker. "Ah, shell! Raph!"

"Mikey! No!" Don's cry of protest was a heartbeat too late as without thinking Mikey dove through the portal.

While in the outside world his brothers and father began battling the gigantic creature, Mikey found Raph just inside the portal. He lay in a heap, his body trembling all over. "Raph! Bro, are you alright?"

Raphael cracked open an eye. "Mikey? What are ya doin'? Ya shouldn't be here."

Mikey quickly crouched down and pulled his brother's arm over his shoulder. "You can yell at me later. Right now, we need to get you out of here."

Raph groaned as he was pulled to his feet. Every movement sent waves of pain through his entire body. "Leave me. Ya gotta get out before the door closes."

Mikey pulled his arm further over his shoulder and turned them towards the portal. "No way, bro. No turtle left behind, remember?" Taking a deep breath and hoping that this wouldn't scramble their molecules or disintegrate them, Mikey pulled his brother to safety only moments before the Triceraton teleporter exploded. He turned their shells towards it in time to shield them from the small blast. Behind them the nodules sparked one last time and went quiet. Mikey stumbled forward, bearing the majority of his larger brother's weight. "Master Splinter!"

Across the lair the old rat dodge a large clawed foot and dashed in their direction. He gasped at the sight of his son as he reached them. "Raphael!" He frowned, his ears flattening. "My son…"

Donatello suddenly gave a cry as he was smashed against the ceiling by Sab's large rock hard head. He'd attempted to get above him with the hopes of taking out an eye or at least causing some major damage. Sab had spotted him though and caught him in mid-air smashing him shell first into the roof.

"Donnie!" Leo watched helplessly as he brother began to tumble through the air. He tried to rush forward in an attempt to at least break his fall but Sab's tail bore down on him. Gasping, he attempted to dodge only for it to catch his shoulder, leaving a large gash in its wake. Several feet away Don landed with a thud.

"Michelangelo, help your brothers. I will tend to Raphael."

Mikey needed no more encouragement as he darted across the space, nunchakus already twirling. Splinter watched for a moment as he engaged the large creature, drawing his attention away from his injured brothers. As Leonardo rejoined the fray, the rat turned his attention back on the son half cradled in his arms. "Raphael, what has happened?"

"Sensei…" Raph ground his teeth. "He bit me." Splinter noted the two rather large holes in Raphael's forearm. "It hurts like shell."

Splinter frowned. "He must posses some type of venom." He racked his mind for an antidote that would cure such a poison.

Don sat up and rubbed his head. Gasping, he rolled aside just in time for one large foot to come crashing down on the spot he'd vacated. Eyes wide, he watched as Mikey sprang about the lair, while Sab lifted a clawed forelimb and swatted at him as if he were a gnat. Between the two they were wreaking havoc on the lair's interior.

Leo suddenly landed beside him. "You alright?"

Don nodded, coming to his feet. "Yeah, but the lair won't be if this continues."

Leo frowned down at the spear in his hand and then to where Splinter knelt beside Raphael. "We need to end this quickly."

Mikey suddenly let out a cry of surprise as flames shot from Sab's mouth. He landed beside his brothers rubbing a spot on his leg where the fire had gotten a little too close for comfort. "Guys, I could really use some help here!"

"Don, where do you think his heart is?"

The genius eyed the creature as they all scattered avoiding the onslaught of the dragon's breath. A moment later they regrouped. "Based on his skeletal structure, I'd say it's right between his front legs."

Leo's gaze narrowed. "Mikey distract him. Don get above him again, make him look up." The two charged off to do as their leader instructed. Leo waited until Sab's attention was on his brothers then raced forward. But as soon as he moved to jab the firestone into the creature's chest, he was discovered. Sab's foreleg crashed down on him. The bo snapped in half and the top rolled away from him. Above him, Sab's body changed into that of a giant black crow and he swooped down to grasp the staff. "No! The firestone!"

Mikey snatched the broken bo from the ground just in time. He brought it up intending to catch Sab in his now feathered chest. But once again Sab was too fast. His body morphed once more into that of a giant black wolf. "Ah!" Mikey dove to the side to avoid the sharp teeth that snap the air where he'd been standing.

Raphael suddenly went deathly still in Splinter's arms. "Raphael!" Splinter tried his best to rouse him but to no avail. His breathing was shallow and quick. "Leonardo! You must destroy that creature now or I fear Raphael will not survive much longer!"

Leo's eyes narrowed as Splinter's urgent call reached him. He growled. "Mikey! The spear!"

Michelangelo was busy leading the giant wolf on a wild game of chase, which was clearly infuriating Sab. Using his massive body, he charged the young turtle slamming him into the wall. He stepped back to watch with satisfaction as Mikey slide to the floor unconscious. Only then did he notice the spear was gone. This time he was not fast enough to avoid Leo as the spear was plunged into his side. Sab recoiled with a howl of pain as the firestone left a gaping wound in his side.

Leo jumped back out of range as Sab spun on him and launched himself at the leader. Donnie charged forward to keep the beast at bay with a blow to its large head. "You hurt him! But it wasn't deep enough!"

Leo grunted. "Thanks, Don! I didn't notice!"

A large paw suddenly hit Donnie from the side, sending him careening into the same wall as Mikey. He fell to his knees with a groan, clutching his head. Alone now, Leo backed away from the slobbering snarling creature as it circled him.

"Give me the firestone!"

"That's not going to happen!" Leo found himself backed into the same corner as his brothers.

Looming over them with bared teeth and hot breath, Sab laughed. "You no longer have a choice."

A/N: *evil laugh* You thought this was the last chapter didn't you! I'm so cruel!