Chapter 29

Donatello shook off the nausea and slowly got to his feet. He didn't blame Raphael one bit for not wanting to come back to this place. He was even less excited about the prospect.

Goddess walked to the center of the room and stood before the pit of blood. "Castellum." She called. The figure of the red haired young man rose out of the blood. "They have tried to break your power I see, well, we shall get it back." She said to the Castle. "For now," She spread her arms wide, the blood in the pit rolling out and filling the etched markings with blood. The markings began to glow red. Goddess took off a gauntlet and used the claws to slice open her palm. Her hair began to whip around as Donatello felt magic begin to flow across his skin.

"Blood to bind the heart and the soul, blood to protect those you love." She whispered softly. She placed her hand palm down in the center of the pit, the room flashed and Donatello closed his eyes tightly against the brightness. He opened his eyes and saw that a double crescent moon had been engraved into the floor. "I have re-bound the Castle. My will is again Its will." She grimaced. "And the Castle is a mess."

She strode towards the stairs and they followed her silently up the short set of stairs to the basement level.

They hit the first zombie a few feet down the tunnel. It stood looking at them with malicious hungry eyes. Its flesh was putrid and had begun dripping fluids onto the floor. When Heterion had dragged both Michelangelo and himself into the subbasement they hadn't encountered anything, but they had heard the terrified screams of the other prisoners. Now Donatello knew why they were screaming in terror. They all stopped and took a step back while Goddess strode towards it in a flurry of capes and bells.

"Yes, I'm back. It is time for you to rest again." She said gently. The zombie's features relaxed as it turned and shuffled back down the hallway.

"That was a little disturbing." Michelangelo observed.

"Yeah, well you should have seen us fighting through those things trying to save you, not fun." Raphael grumbled.

"They only obey the orders of the Castle and myself. They are here to protect and keep safe not only the Castle, but those who reside within its walls." Goddess said as they wound their way through the dimly lit tunnels until they reached the stairs that led to the main level.

"Okay stop." Raphael said as he grabbed Goddess by the arm pulling her to a halt. "I've walked through this place and it is the most disturbing, horror show of a place I have ever seen. I don't get it, how could you live here? There are chambers of blood, chambers of bones, that torture chamber and zombies in the basement. I don't get it. I don't understand. There is nothing of you in this place!"

She looked at him in surprise then tipped her head to the side in thought. She then walked over to one of the giant stone dragons and touched it's foot. "The Castle was built and corrupted a long time ago. Blood, death, pain and suffering, that was all the Castle knew, but it did not mean it was all the Castle could know. Castellum is different than It was. But It will protect Itself if need be." She threw out her arms and souls exploded from the floor in a swirling of blue shimmering light. "I'll have Death pick these up in the morning." She said as she turned towards the staircase in the center of the room.

"Are these all of the souls the Castle consumed?" Leonardo asked softly. Donatello blinked and realized it was the first time Leonardo has spoke since Goddess came back to herself. He looked at his brother who had been oddly quiet. He was looking at the souls with shock.

"Yes." She said as her foot touched the first stair."You are wondering why this place remains a place of torture and torment, are you not Raphael?" She began to climb as they followed.

"Something like that. I mean there is nothing of you in here. Not a single thing except that stupid password on your bedroom door." Raphael said to her.

"That is only because you did not look hard enough Raphael. As for keeping all of the horrible rooms in this place intact, I left everything as it was, as a reminder of what was done in this place. Creatures died, horribly, in here. I always thought it would cheapen the horror of their deaths by trying to pretend they did not happen." She said softly as they reached the upper level. "My library looked empty because you did not enter the inner sanctum. Through the fireplace is a secret chamber where I did most of my reading." They turned right, exiting the central tower and making their way along an open air walkway to a set of double doors. There was a gargoyle crouched over the doorway. The gargoyle began to move stretching out its large membranous wings. "Gunjin," she looked over her shoulder at another gargoyle that was crouched over the door they had just exited. "Sunter." She said pleasantly.

"Mistress." They said as they returned to stone.

She threw the doors open revealing an entire room made of bones. "Oh goody it's the bone room with that sadistic gate." Raphael grumbled she strode purposefully across the room towards the gate.

Donatello stopped to look at the construction of the room. He knelt down running his hands over the worn surface of the bones cemented into the floor. The bones did not look human. Part of him was horrified. He knew all of these bones had belonged to someone who had died horribly, but the scientist in him was fascinated with the possibility of studying the bones closer.

A hand touched his shoulder and he looked up into Goddess' smiling face. He smiled a self depreciating smile because he knew, she knew, exactly what he had been thinking. And then it hit him all at once. She was here, and she was back. He could touch her again, talk to her again. She had been the only person to ever understand him, and she was right here standing in front of him, and he hadn't even given her the slightest idea one way or the other if it was she and she alone, who he loved.

She was watching him intently as he stood up slowly, as if she had sensed the change in his thoughts. He reached out a hand to touch her face and saw the scars that lined the entirety of his arm. He stopped and was going to pull his arm back as he felt ashamed at what he had done to himself.

He looked into her face which was serious. She was looking at the scarring that covered both of his arms. She looked into his eyes and began searching for something. He didn't know what she was searching for, or if she found it because Raphael interrupted her.

"What are we doing in here?" He yelled from the far end of the room.

Goddess turned and looked at Raphael. "Close the two end skeletons jaws." She said to him as she gave Donatello one last searching look.

"I ain't touching those." Raphael said to her as she neared the skeleton gate. There were four skeletons, intertwined in unnatural positions, all had their jaws hanging open to look as if they were screaming. The skeletons looked human, but they weren't. There were certain anatomical structures within the bones that indicated they weren't human, but close. "Sidhe Fae." Goddess said to him.

Michelangelo closed one jaw and moved to close the other. What Donatello could see behind the gate was nothing but more bones that made up the chamber, but the gate opened revealing a passageway that curved around the outer wall of the castle. Straight ahead however was a set of elevator doors.

"That passage connects to my bedroom. And this," She said as the doors opened and they all filed in. "Goes to where I spent most of my time." There were no buttons inside the elevator. "Security code, Tango-Romeo-Echo-Victor- Oscar-Romeo." She said as the elevator shot up. Goddess took his hand and squeezed it. He looked at her in shock as she smiled softly at him. His stomach flipped over a little and the elevator doors opened revealing a darkened room.

She strode out letting go of his hand. "Magi, security code, Charlie-Hotel-Alpha-Romeo-India-Tango-Yankee. " The space lit up with light. On one wall was a giant computer with holographic screens. There must have been twenty different screens beginning to turn on. On another wall there was a giant theatre sized big screen TV. Shelves were filled with rows upon rows of movies and video games from every gaming system you could think of. There was a couch, coffee table, and a small kitchen. There were a few books strewn here and there, a chess board, blankets, a training area with swords, a heavy bag and practice dummies. Donatello blinked in surprise. "Recalibrate all systems between the parameters of Alpha to Omega."

"Welcome Mistress, recalibrating to desired specifications. Operating system will need to be upgraded to deal with the increase of parameters. Time remaining until complete system recalibration, 12 hours." The computer said to her.

"Nice job Magi." She said as he glanced at the screens. Data was flowing faster than even he could understand.

Michelangelo was looking around in awe. He looked at the computer and almost started to vibrate with excitement. He looked at his brother in shock. He hadn't seen Michelangelo act this way since, well since Goddess had died.

"Is this...?" He asked Goddess in a blissful voice.

She laughed. "Yes, it is my version of Watchtower. It is how I kept an eye on all of the gods to make sure they were not causing trouble."

"But I thought you said your world didn't have access to this kind of tech?" Donatello asked her in awe.

"It doesn't," She smiled deviously. "This is so far beyond what any of the gods on T'lae-ran had access to that they have no idea it exists. Of course they have caught up a little technologically, but most gods are pretty stuck in their ways." She said with a smile.

"But you had problems using my computer at home!" Donatello said incredulous.

"Do you know how long ago it was that I used one of those archaic things. Nearly five thousand years, besides Magi may look like a computer, run like a computer, and talk like a computer, and will be able to access the god-net, but It is really more of a scrying mirror."

"What's a scrying mirror?" He asked.

"It is a way to see things with the use of magic. I can see what the gods have done, are doing and intend to do. I cannot see my own future, and anything that is seen is but one possible outcome to a certain course of events, but I find it helpful none the less."

"So that is why Heterion said you were not prophetic, and yet you always seemed to just know things." Leonardo said to her as he perused through one of the scattered books.

"Something like that. All it takes is a hint of a foreseeable event combined with the knowledge of the god, and I can usually figure out what they are up to, and what they are going to do." She said with a shrug.

"This place is awesome!" Michelangelo said happily.

Donatello blinked at the word 'awesome' which had been out of use for a good ten years before they had died.

Goddess got quiet and stood looking intently at them. Michelangelo's face went serious as he strode over to Goddess. He took her face in his hands and kissed her. He pulled back and looked at her intensely. "I've missed you." He whispered. "I've missed you so much. I love you, I have always loved you." He hugged her close. "I know you won't take me as Consort, and I'm okay with that..." Michelangelo began.

"Would you really be okay with that Michelangelo?" She asked cutting him off.

Michelangelo paused. "No." He growled as he pulled her tighter against him.

"Good." She said.

"Don't worry Mikey, she can have as many Consorts as she wants." Raphael said as he strolled over pushing Michelangelo out of the way. "We just all have to be willing to share." He said as her pulled her in and kissed her. He broke away and looked at her. His eyes were intense and there was anger just below the surface.

"No one said it would be easy Raphael." She said softly touching his face.

"It's easy for you." He growled.

She threw back her head and laughed, her laughter flowing out and brimming with joy and happiness.

"Raphael, I don't think there is anything easy about you, or your brothers."

Michelangelo snickered. "I betcha Raph is pretty easy." He said with a grin.

"Shut it Mikey, this comin' from the guy who had a different girl every other week." Raphael said at him angrily.

Michelangelo lost his smile, and Raphael closed his eyes at his own stupidity of letting his mouth run away with him again. Raphael slowly turned his head back to Goddess.

Donatello found himself striding to the couple and pulling Goddess out of Raphael's embrace. He didn't even think, just acted as he knelt down in front of her. He took her hand and brought it up to the side of his face. She knelt down in front of him. "I love you." He said simply.

"I love you too Donatello." She said softly. They both stood together and they all turned to Leonardo who was standing partially in shadow.

"What do we have to do?" Leonardo asked softly, a slight catch in his voice.

"I have to make you all my Consorts by the time the sun rises. Then the binding and marriage will be complete and it will only be able to be sundered through death, specifically my death." She said seriously. "It will also not be able to be added to either."

She grabbed Donatello and Raphael's hands and strode towards the elevator. "So basically Blood Lust night take two?" Michelangelo asked as the elevator doors closed. A short stomach flip flop later and they were following her through the gate, through the chamber of bones and back into the main chamber on the second floor.

"Something like that." She said as she walked to a door pushing it open, revealing a spacious bedroom. "This is Leonardo's room. Donatello that one is yours, Raphael, the one next to that and Michelangelo, that one." She said as she pointed to each bedroom. "All of your belongings have already been placed in your rooms on your beds." She paused and looked at them. "Now the question is, who will share my bed first?"

Donatello blinked. Of course there would have to be someone that went first. He blushed at the thought.

"Donny." Leonardo said suddenly.

Donatello looked at Leonardo in shock, but his big brother wouldn't meet his eyes, no actually he was the oldest now. He shook his head and shoved that thought aside.

"Fine." Raphael agreed.

Michelangelo shrugged.

"Donatello it is, who is next?" She asked. Donatello almost felt like they were picking contest winners. In first place, the prize goes to...

"Raph." Leonardo said gruffly. "And I'll go last."

Michelangelo shrugged. 'Sure, I'm gonna go back up and watch that gigantic TV. Does that thing play reruns of old TV, shows cause I missed the very last episode of the Amazing Race's 50th Season."

"It will play whatever you wish it to play Michelangelo." Goddess said with a smile. "Castellum disable security code clearance for the elevator." She said to the Castle.

"I'll just go up and hit something." Raphael grumbled as he strode back down the hall with Michelangelo.

"I'm going to go check out the Castle, maybe find the library." Leonardo said with a smile as he turned and walked down the stairs.

Goddess turned her full attention on him. His blush deepened. He shook his head. He shouldn't be blushing, he wasn't twenty anymore, hell he wasn't even in his twenties anymore. She took his hand and led him to a blank wall. She cast an arch look at him. "Open sesame." She said with a smile. The wall slid away revealing a hallway that ended in a set of double doors.

"Castellum, disable the secret door to my bedchambers." She said as she pulled him along the hallway and through the double doors at the end.

As soon as the doors opened all he could see was the large bed that dominated the room. It was bigger than a king, with four massive heavily lacquered black posts. It was decked out in black satin sheets with red and black accent pillows. The doors closed behind him. Goddess walked up the raised dais holding the bed and walked past it to a mirror that ran the length of the bed. Donatello looked up at the ceiling and wondered if there was a mirror over the bed as well. He looked to where Goddess had stood and found that she had disappeared. He looked in confusion around the chamber. Bed, sunken tub on another raised dais. There was nowhere for her to go, but then again this place seemed to be riddled with secret passages.

Goddess emerged from the mirror. She looked at him. "Walk in closet behind the mirror." She said softly. She had gotten rid of all of her armour. Her outer robe was open revealing a blue kimono and black Hakama skirt. Her feet were bare beneath the skirt. Her could see Heterion's butterfly on the kimono's front. She looked at him and he closed his eyes.

"If I touch you, I won't be able to let you go." He said softly.

"I know." She said to him as she walked closer.

She was close enough now that he could smell the scent of white heather rolling off of her. He clenched his hands tightly to his sides. She stepped into him. His arms automatically enfolding her.

She held him close burying her face into his neck. She let out a choked sob. He clutched her tighter. "It wasn't as simple or as easy as you made it sound, was it?" He asked her softly.

She clutched at him tighter. "It was so cold. But all there was, was darkness. I couldn't see, smell, touch, hear. It was just nothingness. And I remember every single moment of it." Her voice cracked. He clutched her tighter. "The only thing that helped me keep my sanity was thinking of all of you, of my love for you all. I didn't think I would ever see you again." Donatello felt a tear run down his neck. "That is why other Darkness saved Raphael and Leonardo, because the more tightly I clung to your memories, the more It was confused by them, the more It didn't know if they were Its own memories or mine." She whispered.

He pulled away from her, fingers brushing away tears that fell like diamonds. He searched her tear stained face. "We'll talk later." He said to her softly. She looked over at his arm. She brought her hand up and ran her fingers over the raised ridges of his scars.

"Yes we will." She murmured.

"He's leaving." He said with a tinge of anger mixed with worry.

"I know." She said looking at the door.

"Can you stop him?" He asked.

"It depends on him. As things stand at the moment, I would give 50-50 odds." She said to him seriously.

"Can you increase the odds of him staying?" He asked her.

She smiled a devious lopsided grin. "I think I may have a few tricks left up my sleeves."

"He doesn't mean it." He said as she reluctantly pulled away from his embrace.

"I know."

"He's being an idiot." He said to her.

Her smile deepened. "Since when is this new?"

He gave a half-hearted chuckle. "Good point."

Her face turned serious. "I will see you back here Donatello."

He nodded at her. "I'll take his place. Good luck." He said as she strode towards the doors. She opened one door very softly and exited the room.