My friend read the last chapter, so here's the next one! This is going to be a short author's note, but yet again I'd like to shout out my editor Jule Feather. Please follow, favorite, and review! Have a lovely week!
8:00pm
Shea lowered her stinger.
"What's the deal?"
Kaalee smirked and pointed, "See? You're not as good as your soul says you are. Willing to make a deal with death huh?"
"Just tell me the deal before I turn you into a shish kabob,"
"Straight to the point-I like it," Kaalee flipped her Leviathan stinger and grinned, "You give me your golden soul-and I'll release your parents. I'll even throw in a little bonus-I'll call back my army and let your friends go."
"Really?"
Kaalee nodded, "Your soul will last me far longer than both your parent's combined. Practically eons-and I'll take full credit-so your friends souls will be fine."
"You'll give my parents souls to E'ro'chk? So that she can set them free?"
"If that's want you want," She nodded.
"No loop holes?"
"Simple logic," Kaalee held out her cold hand, "Do we have a deal Shea?"
An injured April called over, "Don't Shea!"
Raphael looked up from the floor, clutching his chest in pain, "Babe-you can't."
Shea turned back to Kaalee and sighed, reaching out her hand and taking the Death Reaper's.
"Okay,"
"No!" Leo tried to run to her, but one of the demons calmly knocked him backwards, "Shea!"
Kaalee set a hand on the blonde's chest, "E'ro'chk is not conscious to prepare your soul."
"So?"
"So this'll be fun," The Death Reaper winked.
Kaalee pulled her hand back and punched forwards, her hand burrowing into Shea's chest and reaching into her flesh.
Shea screamed and watched in horror as Kaalee reached her hand even farther in and felt around her chest, exploring the teenager's heart with her fingertips. She lifted her other hand and snapped her fingers, and her demons stopped fighting. The rest of the teenagers turned and stared as Shea shrieked, a glow emanating from inside her chest as Kaalee raised her arm and lifted the blonde off the ground. For what seemed like ages, Shea dangled in the air, the Death Reaper's arm slipping further and further into her chest. The teenager's entire body began to glow, and then suddenly Kaalee retracted her arm and Shea fell to the ground with a thud.
In Kaalee's hand was a glass orb, the inside swirling with a magnificent glowing gold. It looked horrid though; the outside was covered in blood that slowly dripped down to the floor. Kaalee grinned.
"Oh yes-you'll taste marvelous," She turned to look at Shea.
The girl's skin was drained of all of its color, and had turned cold and grey. Her brown irises were now lifeless, and her bright blonde hair turned into a mess of white locks. All the flesh seemed to have left her body, leaving her nothing but skin and bones. The hole in her chest bled out on the ground slowly and Kaalee tsked. Her breathing was growing slower by the second and the Death Reaper rolled her eyes.
"What a shame-such a sweet little girl," She turned to the closest demon and snapped her fingers, "I have to go eat."
The demon walked towards Shea and helped her stand in her dying moments, and she shook helplessly.
"Gives us her parents souls," Leo growled, "That was the deal."
"Hmm," Kaalee smirked, "She specifically said to give them to E'ro'chk, but she's unconscious...so I guess I'll have to keep them."
"You bitch," Raphael tried to stand but he collapsed and threw up to his side.
The demon next to Shea let out a shriek and turned into a ghostly apparition, stepping into Shea's body and disappearing. The girl stood a little taller, and her standing became less wobbly.
"Shea?" Mikey walked past the demons-who were frozen in a trance-and stepped towards her, "You alright dudette?"
She lifted her head and grinned, "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Uh...guys...that's not Shea…"
The girl cocked her head to the side and flashed a bloody smile, "What do you mean Mikey? Of course it's me...more or less..."
Her eyes were completely white, and the hole in her chest was still bleeding profusely.
Kaalee started to walk away and she snapped her fingers, "Destroy them."
"What about your promise?!" Mikey yelled.
"I broke it,"
Casey ran past the demons, who were waking up from their frozen state and leapt at Kaalee, hitting her with a hockey stick. She turned and punched him across the hall, but not before he latched onto the bag with her souls. It was ripped out of Kaalee's hands and she gasped, running towards the boy as he hit the wall.
"Get the bag!" Kaalee screamed, "Get the damn bag!"
Casey looked down at his hands and back up at Shea and the demons as they closed in on him.
"Crap," He looked over at April, "Yo Red! Catch!"
He tossed it over the demons' heads and the redhead caught it.
"What do we do?" She turned to Leo.
"What do you mean?"
"How do we save Shea?!"
The demons ran at them with the girl at the helm and Mikey pushed them along, "Run! Run!"
"But Shea!"
"Shea's gone! Fricking run!"
Casey shoved past the demons and joined the group as they disappeared into the forest of purgatory. Kaalee leapt out of the large hole in the castle and turned to the possessed Shea.
"Kill the two injured ones,"
The girl nodded and turned around slowly, walking over to Raphael and picking one of the discarded Leviathan stingers off of the floor.
"Please Shea," The red-clad turtle moaned as she approached, "Don't do this."
"I am not Shea," Her voice sounded far away, "Not anymore."
She took his dislocated arm and pulled, and he screamed.
"Shea..."
"Still no,"
She lifted the stinger to kill him, but Raphael frowned as a long, tan finger tapped the platinum-haired girl's shoulder. She turned to see E'ro'chk standing there, a fist full of herbs.
The banshee pressed the various plants to the giant wound in the girl's chest and she screamed, dropping the spear.
"Rosemary, rue, juniper, basil, osha, angelica, copal, garlic, and marigolds," E'ro'chk growled as the girl collapsed, "Get exorcised bitch."
The banshee ran to Raphael, "Are you alright?"
"Ya...I think I broke a few ribs...and my shoulder's dislocated...but I'll live,"
"We have to pop it back in," She took his arm and he hissed in pain, "Count from three, alright?"
He nodded.
"Three,"
"Two,"
She pushed it in and he let out a squeak of pain and leaned his head against the wall.
"That was cruel,"
E'ro'chk chuckled and Raphael immediately sat up, "Shea-"
"-is broken beyond repair."
He turned to her imploringly, "You can't help her?"
"I didn't say that," The banshee smiled reassuringly and crawled over to the girl, resting a hand over the now cauterized wound, "Y-ri-e e-lé-i-son, chrís-te e-lé-i-son, kÿ-ri-e e-lé-i-son, kÿ-ri-e e-lé-i-son."
"What was that?"
"A prayer,"
"What help will that do?"
"If God wants her to wake-she will,"
Raphael scooted over beside her and rested his good hand on Shea's arm. He felt something rub against his side and he turned to see the skeleton siamese cat purring, snuggling into his side. He looked behind him-the hall was empty and the rest of the undead were shattered. The Leviathan beside him was unmoving, and the holes the demons had entered through were gone.
"You the last one?" The red-clad turtle sighed, "Sorry to hear that little buddy."
"Who are you talking to?"
Raphael leaned back to show the cat, and E'ro'chk gasped.
"You poor thing!" She leaned over, picked it up, and pulled it close.
The feline curled into her and nuzzled her neck, quietly meowing in pain and sorrow.
"I know baby," The banshee sniffled, "When this is all over-no more tracking. Just work. I'll even find you a nice lady-cat. How does that sound?"
The cat began purring and turned to Shea, leaping down and climbing on top of her chest.
"It's not working,"
"Don't give up yet-sometimes these things take time," E'ro'chk sighed.
The cat laid down and reached its head out, touching its wet nose to Shea's.
The girl moved slowly and her eyes blinked open, causing the two onlookers to gasp.
"Shea!" Raphael leaned over and kissed her, "You're alright!"
The girl's eyes were no longer white, but her irises were stained a eerie silver color, which seemed to glow.
"Babe?" He watched her vacant expression as she lightly pushed the cat off of her and stood.
Raphael turned to E'ro'chk, "What's wrong with her?"
"She doesn't have a soul Raphael-all that she is, is in that orb. She's just a walking body right now,"
"Can we save her? Put her soul back in, or something?"
"I don't know," E'ro'chk admitted, "This is unheard of."
Raphael's face fell and E'ro'chk rested a hand on his shoulder.
"A few days ago-I would have said it impossible for a body to live without a soul-but look. Living proof. I don't know if we can save her, but I will sure as hell try,"
"What do we do?"
"Can you stand?"
Raphael nodded and shakily got to his feet, E'ro'chk following suit. They helped Shea stand, and the banshee leaned over and picked up the cat.
"Hold this," E'ro'chk set it in Shea's arms and the body complied, carrying it delicately.
"Do you have a phone?"
Raphael nodded.
"Text the others-find out where they are going-I can get us there,"
Shea's mouth opened slightly, but she didn't say anything.
"Alright, let's get moving," Raphael stepped forwards, "At least we know which direction they went."
…
…
…
Michelangelo ran through the forest with the others beside him, all of them in shock and confused.
"Where are we going?" Leo turned to the others as they sprinted past trees and glowing deer, "What are we supposed to do?"
"I don't know," April panted.
"Maybe Donnie or Alopex can help," Casey gasped.
Mikey pulled his phone out of his belt and turned it on, dialing the purple-clad turtle's shell phone.
"Well?"
"It's ringing!"
"Mikey? What's going on?"
"Don! Running away from Death Reaper and demons. What do we do?"
"Are you in purgatory?" Alopex asked.
"Ya,"
"She'll be weak in a holy area…" Donatello thought aloud.
"Bring her to the library," Alopex cut in.
"What? Really?"
"Indeed. Did you enter purgatory through a tunnel?"
"Ya,"
"Go back through, lead her to the library. Bring her to the orb room-you'll find a secret door. It will be open. Go in and you'll find a throne room,"
"A throne room?"
"Ya," Donnie cleared his throat, "You'll have to climb a wall. Crawl through one of the glowing windows."
"Why?"
"Donnie!" Alopex was farther away now, "We have to get ready for them!"
"Oh uh, ok," Donnie coughed, "Love you Mikey-be careful."
Donatello hung up and Mikey's phone shut off.
"What the-?"
He tried to turn in back on, but it was out of power.
"What did they say?" Casey turned his head to the orange-clad turtle.
"Get them back through the tunnel we took to purgatory," Mikey huffed, "According to Alopex, we've got to lead her to the orb room."
"Alright ninjas," Leo pointed forward, "This is our last battle-let's not let Shea die in vain."
April gawked at him and he frowned, "What? Was it lame?"
"No," The redhead smiled, "I couldn't have said it better myself."
"Booyakasha!"
…
…
…
Shea looked blankly into the black lake as Raphael sat at the edge, waiting for a text back from one of his brothers.
The skeleton cat was in the girl's arms, purring quietly and nearly asleep. E'ro'chk sat at the edge of the water, allowing the cool liquid to rush around her thighs.
"Something's wrong," Raphael spoke up, "Why aren't they answering?"
"They're running from Kaalee-they don't necessarily have time to write you a message,"
Raphael frowned at the lake, "Are you sure there's nothing in there?"
E'ro'chk nodded, "Leviathan live alone. They despise other creatures."
The mutant and banshee looked up at Shea, who stood silently, staring into the water. She opened her mouth as if she would say something, but yet again remained quiet. This time, however, she pointed to the pool, and her lips moved like as if she was speaking.
"What?" Raphael stood, "What is it Shea?"
E'ro'chk looked over lazily, "She has no soul Raphael-it's just her nerves firing. Like when a chicken runs around after you cut off its head."
Raphael followed her finger and the cat's gaze, and his eyes widened.
"E'ro'chk?"
"Yes?"
"There's something in the water,"
The banshee stood quickly and leapt backwards, running towards the two.
"Where?"
Raphael pointed as a faint pink glow grew more and more and the surface of the water parted.
A creature that looked part drake, part Leviathan slowly crept out of the water, its pink and purple scales shimmering. It's head had a dragon-like look to it, but it turned into a long serpent; a lavender dorsal fin going down the entire length of its body. It had four legs, two at the beginning of its corkscrewing torso, and two at the end. It's red eyes looked up at the group and blinked slowly, and it let out a light purring noise.
"Is that…?"
"The Leviathan's offspring," E'ro'chk nodded, "Sometimes they lay eggs inside their kill's reproductive organs so that it has the child when it's dead."
"So that's the drake and the Leviathan's baby?"
E'ro'chk nodded and reached out a hand to pet its frill, "It knew it was going to die-so it laid an egg."
"So it doesn't have a mom? Or a dad?" Raphael cocked his head.
"No,"
"Let's keep it," He decided.
"Okay,"
"Really?"
"I told you-I have a soft spot for animals,"
"So what should we name it?"
"Him," E'ro'chk corrected, "How about...Chompy?"
Raphael chuckled, "Sounds generic enough."
"If you'd like to find a name to suit it, then be my guest," E'ro'chk put her hand on her hip.
"No, no," He held up his hands in surrender, "Chompy's fine."
The sea serpent slithered up to Shea and nuzzled her leg, but she had no reaction. The cat in her arms sniffed the creature-and after deciding it harmless-curled back up into Shea.
Raphael patted the horse-sized dragon and smirked, "Do you think we could ride him?"
"One of us," E'ro'chk nodded, "I was thinking Shea since she can barely walk."
The red-clad turtle pouted playfully, "She always gets to have all the fun."
He felt his phone buzz and saw a call from Leo. He answered it quickly.
"Raph?"
"Leo! Where are you?"
"Where are you? Are you okay?"
"Ya, so is E'ro'chk-and we got the demon out of Shea, but we need her soul. Where are you?"
"We called Donnie. He told us to head to-"
The phone cut out and Raphael cursed, trying to call again but getting no answer.
"Try calling Michelangelo,"
"No use," Raphael frowned, "My phone's at one percent-and since none of us have gotten to a charger in a while-theirs are probably going out too."
Shea opened her mouth again and her boyfriend turned expectantly.
"Raphael-she cannot ta-"
"-I feel light,"
E'ro'chk gawked and turned to Shea.
"Did she just talk?"
Raphael nodded slowly.
"Shea?"
She looked at him, "Very bright. Lots of light."
"What does that mean?" Raphael looked up at E'ro'chk and she frowned.
"Shea must have some connection with her soul,"
"So her soul is in a bright place? Does that mean Kaalee ate it?"
"No, her body wouldn't be here if her soul was eaten," E'ro'chk sighed, "I'm not sure where they would be…"
Her voice trailed off and she gasped.
"What?"
"Leonardo said that Donatello told them to go somewhere. He's smart enough to know that the reaper-being a black soul-would be weak in a holy area,"
"And?"
"And if Shea senses glowing then that narrows down the list of possible places they could have ran to,"
"So where are they then?"
E'ro'chk was already setting Shea onto the back of Chompy and creating a portal.
"Heaven,"
…
…
…
...Then the clock struck nine...