Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT, they're copyrights of Mirage Studio.

A/N: a little history of how Ayla met Serph... might be a little confusing but more will be revealed in future chapters! Enjoy!

Chapter Nine: Origin

London, 1863.

'Is that her?' asked a man in black robe; his face hidden by the hood.

The woman in black gown nodded, her face partially hidden by the black veil. She motioned to the man to approach the little girl drawing something on a paper.

Young Ayla looked up from her drawing and she stared at the unknown person with her red eyes. The man smiled and crouched down in front of her, 'Hello there. You must be Ayla.'

'Who are you?' she asked, her curious large eyes fixated at the man's hidden face. Her hand didn't stop moving as she stared at him.

The man smiled and patted her head gently, 'Call me Serph, from today onwards I am your keeper.'

The girl blinked, 'I don't understand.'

'I own you now Ayla. I will take care of you and you must listen to me.'

Her hand stopped moving and she stared at him. Serph smiled and looked at her drawing, 'That's a beautiful woman Ayla.'

Ayla looked down at what she drew and she smiled, 'She's my mother. This is how she looks like in my memories.'

'I'm sure when you grow up, you'll be as beautiful as she is. Now, come with me.'

'Where are we going? What about Isabelle?'

'We're going to France. Isabelle knows you're going with me.'

Ayla's eyes widened with excitement, 'France?! I've always wanted to go there! The buildings there are pretty!'

The woman in black watched them leave. She let out a sigh, 'Goodbye dear Ayla. I hope you will be safe and happy.' She then vanished into the shadows; the black garments made it seem as if she became the shadow itself.

Ten years later,

'Ayla?'

The girl with long wavy dark hair stood up with a gasp. She spun around, her hair swayed in the sudden motion, 'S-Serph?! You startled me!'

Serph, a handsome man in his early thirties with long angular face, short brown hair and narrow grey eyes, chuckled, 'I'm sorry Ayla.'

Ayla flushed, 'W-what brings you here Master?'

'I'm here to remind you what today is. You do remember don't you?'

The teenager blinked, 'Oh! Oh, I remember! Dear me, I can't believe I've forgotten! I have to make the preparations!'

Serph eyed the teenager as she rushed down the hill toward the little cottage they live in together. Her hair shone brightly under the sun and although she is just sixteen, she had grown into a fine young lady. People can mistake her as a young woman in her early twenties. He pulled his eyes off her petite yet attractive body and stared at the flowers surrounding him, 'She has blossomed into a fine young woman. Beautiful, just like her mother.'

Serph shut his eyes and tried to remember the reason he took her under his wings, because she is special. She's different, he thought. He knew what she is capable of as a witch because of her ancestor's bloodline; a family of powerful witches which he envied their power. He crouched down and brushed his fingers at a yellow daisy, 'Is she prepared for what to come? For the Sins she will commit for me?'

Shadows envelop the day as Ayla lit the last candle in the circle. Her face shone golden as the light of the candles bathe her, she smiled and turned to her Master, 'I am done Master.'

Serph nodded, his right hand clutching his left arm. The teenager eyed his arm curiously but never dared to ask, 'You've done enough my dear.'

The man stepped into the circle and Ayla gasped as the white powdered circle glowed. He began chanting and the light shone brighter. A sudden breeze swept around the room. Ayla took a step back and stared at him, 'M-Master?!'

'Do not worry my dear child. This is part of the spell,' said Serph calmly as he took off his vest and shirt.

Ayla gasped again, her eyes wide and hands covering her mouth as she stared at his exposed upper body. The left side of his body seemed to rot and an unbearable stench covered the room. She covered her ears as an ear piercing screech rang. She was startled when a ghostly figure passed through her body, suddenly making her cold. The ghostly figure fused into her Master's body.

She looked up and more spirits entered the room and fused with the man standing in the circle, 'W-what's happening?!'

She froze when a familiar face pass by. The spirit looked at her with sad and terrified eyes, 'Help us!'

'MOTHER?!' cried Ayla as she tried to grab the spirit's hand but couldn't as her hand phased through her.

'NO!! Master! Master, please stop this!'

Serph remained quiet, eyes closed as he absorbed all of the souls. As the souls fused with him, his rotting flesh and skin began to disappear and replaced by normal, healthy skin with no imperfection. Ayla stepped into the circle to try again to pull her mother's spirit away from the man. Serph's eyes snapped open, 'NO!!'

Ayla shrieked as a blinding white light engulfed her. She did not realize that her eyes were shut until she felt strong hands gripping her shoulder. She opened her eyes and stared at Serph's enraged face, an expression she had never seen on his handsome face before, 'You fool! You've tainted the circle!'

The teenager's back arched when she felt a surge of energy filling her. Her eyes wide and mouth open in a silent scream. The white light vanished and she fell limp in her Master's grip. Serph shook with contained anger as he stared at his unconscious apprentice, 'Ayla.'

Fifty years later,

'Ayla, today's the day…'

Ayla turned in her seat. She stared at her Master's handsome face and gave him a weak nod. He left her room and she turned to gaze at herself in the mirror. She touched her face, 'It's been fifty years… and I'm… still the same…'

Fifty years has passed and she looked like herself fifty years ago. Young and beautiful. Because of the incident on that faithful night, she was cursed. She was unable to grow old. Tonight, they are going to perform that ritual again, the one her Master called as the Day of Rebirth. He had convinced her that eternal life is something that they must have, she never asked why though… but she doesn't want to die because she is afraid of the punishment awaiting her in Hell.

The young witch gasped when she felt Serph's lips on her bare shoulder, giving her a chill. She stared at his eyes in the mirror as he looked back at her with a smirk, 'After the ritual is over, you know what happens next…'

'Y-yes Master…' she said nervously.

He kissed her bare shoulder again and stroked her pale smooth skin before he stood straight and walked out the door. Ayla let out a shuddering breath and hugged herself, tears threatening to escape her eyes, 'Mother… please give me strength. I will avenge you today.'

Ayla stood outside the circle, wearing a black hooded robe and a black book floating in midair in front of her. Serph nodded at her and she began chanting. The circle began to glow white and the man shut his eyes as he waited for the sacrifices for the ritual. His eyes snapped open when he realized Ayla was chanting a different spell, 'Ayla!?'

The witch stared at him coldly and continued to chant the spell. Serph growled and tried to move but he found he couldn't move a limb, 'AYLA?!'

The circle began to glow red and Serph looked down at his feet to face a large golden eye staring back at him, 'Sinner… You are mine!'

Serph screamed as his body began to disintegrate, Ayla screamed in pain as well. The sorcerer began chanting a counter spell and eyes his apprentice who fell on her knees, hugging herself. There was a burst of light and the eye was gone. Ayla looked up at him fearfully as he staggered toward her, blood dripping from his missing left arm and other parts of his skin.

'Get away from me!' she shrieked as she moved back until her back hit the wall.

Serph fell in front of her and grabbed her right ankle with his right hand. He began laughing madly, 'Ayla! O-our souls are bonded. Even if my body is no more, as long as you live, my soul will linger. I will be reborn one day and when that day comes, I will come for you!'

'No! I will not let you return!' said Ayla shaking her head, tears falling.

The man's body began to turn to dust, 'One day Ayla… I will return… I will not disappear until you die.'

Ayla cried all night repetitively asking herself, 'What have I done?'

New York City, 1990.

'AYLA!!'

Ayla spun around and gasped, 'Michel?! What are you doing here?!'

'I'm here to save you!' replied the dark haired teenager.

There was an unearthly roar and Michel flew back when an invisible force hit him. He crashed through a wall, 'MICHEL!!'

There was laughter, 'Today will be the day I shall be reborn!'

'NO!! This shouldn't happen!' cried Ayla as she tried to undo the spell. She let out a cry and clutched her belly. The black book dropped to the floor heavily. Michel got up from the floor and saw her in pain. He ran toward her, 'Ayla!'

'Michel! Don't come close!' said Ayla with tears streaming down her cheeks. Her eyes widened when the teenager ignored her and jumped into the circle. They felt a strange tingle deep within their core. Michel pushed her out of the circle and then a red light engulfed him.

'Michel, NO!!'

There was another roar, 'Foolish human! You will die!'

'I'd give up my soul for her! Come, take my soul!' cried Michel.

'No Michel! You don't know what you're doing!' said Ayla fearfully. There was a burst of light and when she opened her eyes, Michel's ghostly figure was left floating in front of her. He stared at his transparent hands, 'Whoa…'

Ayla glared at him with tears streaming down her cheeks, 'Y-You fool! I was so close to destroying him!'

'But Ayla… you'll die…'

'I DON'T care!!'

Michel looked regretful, '…I'm sorry.'

After a few minutes of silence, Ayla spoke, 'I'm no longer bonded with him… but now our souls are bonded.'

'What does that mean?'

Ayla shut her eyes, 'Since you are a human spirit, you will be sent straight to Hell in my place. You will have to suffer because of me… You can linger in this world for three days only.'

Michel stared at her, '…I don't mind.'

'What?' asked the witch as she looked up at him.

The dark haired teen grinned, 'I don't mind. You've suffered enough. I'll face the Devil head on!! Have no fear, your knight in shining armor is here!'

A smile crept onto Ayla's lips and she began laughing at his comical heroic stance. Michel's grinned widened and he joined her in her laughter. Serph watched them through a cat's eyes with anger and envy, our bonds are broken. I have to find a way to bind our souls. I cannot lose her! She's my only way to be reborn as a powerful sorcerer!

Please leave a review! Or you'll be the next unfortunate soul... hehehe X3