Chapter 24

1583 Hours

Splinter P.O.V

Banging his fists against the bars, Splinter could only watch, completely helpless, as Adamu threw his sons around like they were nothing. His throat was raw and his voice breaking from his cries of frustration, yet still he called out for them, praying that they would listen and run for help… He just couldn't bear to see them suffer so… For months they had shown unbelievable courage as they slowly begun to heal from their traumatic ordeal, and all for what? To helpless once again at the hands of this monster. How did his children come to deserve such torment? It was so unjust.

Splinter had tugged on the bars until his paws were raw and bleeding, had used all of the strength he possessed in the hope of making one move yet to no avail. He winced as Adamu laid another blow upon his sons, casting aside their weapons from their broken fingers.

"RUN!" He tried again, yet his children just narrowed their eyes and charged once again.

Yet once more, the monster took down turtle after turtle, slamming their bodies to the ground with a cruel smirk at their shortcomings. Splinter could feel the heavy weight of his desperation grow, knowing that if he did not act soon – if their allies did not sense their distress soon – then his sons would not make it. He could not deny it anymore, not even to himself. His sons needed a miracle to get out of this one, and this far, nothing had materialised.

He had hoped the signal he had sent the moment he was imprisoned would have reached the Mutanimals by now, however it seemed as though all communications were being blocked. Their only hope would be for Rockwell to use his psychic abilities to sense their distress, however the range could be too great if he were still laying the trackers, or perhaps he too was engaged in combat to pick up anything further away… The uncertainty of it all left the rat with a sense of powerlessness he had never known.

A groan cut through his thoughts, from the back wall. He could hear the groans of his eldest child, desperately straining again the blades which kept him pinned, could hear his pain and suffering at watching the entire ordeal powerless to assist those he cared for most. Splinter went to turn to his son, when Adamu – grasping Raphael from behind – marched up to the bars and slammed his head against the metal right in front of Splinter's face. He watched Raphael's eyes roll back into his head, saw the fogginess of his gaze just before they did so, and watched as he crumpled to the ground, trembling.

"Raphael!" Instantly Splinter dropped to his knees, ignoring the glare from that man, instead checking desperately for a sign of life. Already the blood was forming a puddle beneath him despite his best efforts to stem the flow, using his son's own bandana as a makeshift wrapping.

Taking a quick look up to survey the scene, he saw Adamu marching towards the other two turtles, yet a groan at his feet brought his attention back to Raphael.

Thankfully he saw an eyelid flutter, a sure sign that his son was trying to awaken and was alive.

The sigh of relief he was about to release froze in his throat as he heard the cry.

Snapping up once more, he watched as Donatello fell limp to the ground as Adamu was eyeing the helpless Michelangelo.

Desperately the rat threw himself at the bars again, knowing he would not succeed in breaking them, but unable to do anything else but try. He pressed the emergency assist button several more times, while focusing his mental energy on reaching out to the psychic chimp, praying that someone, anyone was on their way, but after how long he had already been waiting, he was now filled with doubt. Once this man had defeated Michelangelo who - with no weapons and fear in his eyes - had little chance of beating the monster, and after the inevitable no hope would be left for any of them.

This man's hatred ran deep. That much was certain, and upon hearing the tale of what he had told Leonardo, Splinter understood the man's pain, yet to take such fury out on his family like this was wrong. No loss could justify such brutality.

He opened his mouth to try and reason with the man as he loomed over Michelangelo, yet he saw his youngest son's eyes widen and the sound of footsteps announced a new arrival. Turning to the sound, Splinter's heart froze.

"My turn." The figure growled, eyes blazing in fury.

Splinter found himself gripping the bars tighter, barely able to whisper the name of the one before him, only able to silently compel him to run.

The figure looked to him and nodded grimly.

He wouldn't back down. Not now.

"Be strong." The rat surprised himself with those words. The figure inclined his head before turning back to Adamu and lunged. What would follow would decide all their fates. Splinter bowed his head and began to pray.

1584 Hours

Leo P.O.V

As soon as his father had been trapped behind those bars, Leo knew he had to act.

Adamu would kill his brothers, and he couldn't allow that.

His sins he could justify. Not theirs. Never theirs.

So he did the only thing he could think of to do.

Gritting his teeth, he pulled at the blades pushed through his limbs, strained against the cutting steel and forcing his palms upwards. Biting his cheek, the eldest turtle stifled a scream as he used the wall behind him to help brace against the sensation, ignoring the grating as his bones met the katana, and the rivers of crimson now seeping down his raised arms. With the one leg Adamu had freed by taking back the sword, Leo was able to kick out the remaining blade with minimal discomfort and carefully lowered the steel to the ground so not to alert his enemy with a careless clatter.

Keeping his gaze locked to the scene before him, he continued to push his palms up the blades, nearing the hilts, now using his feet as well to brace against the pain. By watching his brothers struggle, seeing the way Adamu was holding back against them and still taking them down easily, Leo's own pain seemed insignificant. He may be suffering now yet it would be nothing in comparison to watching a brother slaughtered before him.

Another whimper escaped his lips. Now two-thirds up the katanas, the end was in sight. He wouldn't break now.

He wouldn't let himself.

Think of his brothers. Think of the reasons he was doing this.

Raphael.

He inched further, watching as Raph was forced against the bars of Splinter's cage.

Donatello.

Adamu marched forth, aiming a solid kick at the genius' head.

Michelangelo.

Leo's hands reached the undersides of the hilts, and pushed forth, pulling the steel from the wall. Adamu was now posed over Mikey, ready to strike. The former leader had to be fast.

Ignoring the pain, he managed to grasp the hilt of one katana with the opposite hand and pulled it the opposite way, slowly removing the sword from his palm. As slow as the process was, by inching the swords out one by one in alternating movements, he managed to back his palms out backwards, movements made more difficult now by the heavy bleeding, yet soon he had managed to release himself.

Shaking his head to clear the darkness threatening the edges of his vision, he realised Mikey was now staring at him. Part of him wanted to smile in reassurance, yet the rest of his heart – the part which had taken the brunt of Adamu's abuse – shut such a response down, instead forcing all its energy, fear and hatred to fight against the pain bursting through his palms. He bent down and grasped one of the katanas from the ground, wincing as his open wounds pulled and stretched at the slightest movements, but this couldn't stop him now. Nothing would until this nightmare was over.

One way or another…

Raising his head, he met his father's eyes, reading the rat's desire for him to run and save himself. The turtle glared back, hoping to convey the depths of his feelings on the matter.

I'm not running anymore. I can't leave them. Not like this.

Splinter's expression flickered, his gaze softening, jarring the burning determination within the eldest turtle for a brief moment. In those deep brown eyes he saw his own reflection, blood splattered and grim – a true image of hell incarnate.

Appropriate, he thought, the description wasn't too far from what he felt like.

Swallowing, he gripped the blade tighter. For his family. He would attempt this… For them…

He took a step forth.

Then another.

And at that moment Adamu began to turn.

Everything thing else faded away.

He couldn't think, he wouldn't have time for that.

As that monster's face revealed itself to him, Leo took a breath, steeling himself.

This man had broken his mind and body, had removed all honour he believed he possessed and taken the spirits and hopes of his brothers in his hands as he crushed it all. But now he couldn't dwell on that. He looked at the strengths of this man, reality would win over all else. Leonardo, the once fearless leader, would have to step back.

This had to be personal.

That would be the only way he could even hope to stand against this man.

Let it all out.

Another step. The faces of his brothers and father faded away, his vision focusing on Adamu and Adamu alone.

Let your emotions control your actions. Let instinct rule all.

He lowered the sword, instead raising a fist.

Adamu's eyes widened and Leo lunged, slamming a fist into the man's jaw, knocking him off-balance, and most importantly, away from Mikey.

"The hell?" The man cursed, spitting blood.

"My turn." Felt the growl rise deep from within his chest and bubble out over his lips. No more was said. No more needed to be.

He raised the sword only to meet the steel of Adamu's own, hastily pulled from the ground in the nick of time.

"How dare you raise your hand against your master." He hissed.

"No more talking." He swung the katana down at Adamu's neck only to have it parried away. Twisting away he righted his stance and forced himself to breathe, relaxing his tense shoulders. Such dynamic movements was exactly the type of acts Adamu had been trying to prevent in his systematic torture. But would only work if Leo allowed it to.

Mind over matter. That was all it was. Pain could come later.

But then the human caught Leo across the shoulder with a kick, sending a tidal wave of agony through his body, making his breath catch in his throat. Reeling from the blow, he stumbled back, eyes narrowing at his attacker. Adamu was regaining his composure, his own gaze glinting now once again as he clawed back his control of the situation. The Master was returning, his foreboding aura growing around him, choking the turtle with fear.

What did he think he was doing? The man was just too strong…

Gone was the element of surprise, leaving the former leader with nothing but his own tattered instincts to come to his aid. Adamu was skilled and – admittedly – in much better physical condition than Leo currently found himself in.

No!

Leo cursed himself, raising his blood-soaked katana once more. He had something Adamu did not. What he still had was something to lose.

Leo could see that now.

This man had lost all he had loved and it had broken any honourable nature he may have once possessed, while on the other hand, Leonardo still had people who relied upon him.

Honour…

The word came flitting back to his mind despite everything else. It had once meant something powerful, something unbreakable – at least up until the day Adamu tore it from his soul, but now Leo could see another view.

His honour had been lost, yet his brothers' hadn't yet been touched… And Leo was determined to keep it that way.

Honour had once been the centre of his philosophy, the symbol of all he had stood for. As soon as he learned the meaning of the word, he had treasure it. It had started with the belief in bringing honour to his clan before refining itself into honour to his father in particular through following Bushido as any true new ninja should. But over time though extensive training ensuring that every action would come with ease – so that even in the worst of situations his intuition could kick in and assist him, he had realised above all else there was honour to his family. Yet now all of that lay in tatters of the feet who had stollen it away from him, but Leo knew that by focusing on the honour of his brothers instead, he could brave facing up to the man who haunted his nightmares.

Adamu took everything from him, and he would be a fool not to admit he as scared, however what he had to focus upon was that he had only allowed this man to take everything from his in order to protect his brothers – his family.

Ducking under a wide swing of a blade, Leo twisted around so he was facing the man's back and swallowing his fear, kicked out, aiming to knock in the back of Adamu's knee in order to drop him to the ground, yet instead – as if anticipating the move – the human shifted his weight, rendering the move powerless.

With a grunt, the turtle instantly moving past the initial plan, knowing that any hesitation would mean as swift and sudden end – a tempting concept if not for the fact his family was trapped in the same room, awaiting Adamu's judgement.

Once again, the old desire for honour flared up.

He had to fight. He wouldn't forgive himself otherwise.

Blades clashed, sparks flying – the strength of the blow making Leo's palms cry out in agony. Despite this, almost perfect sync, the two warriors lunged, parried, spun and stabbed at lightning speed, neither blinking nor speaking as the pace rapidly increased. No longer could Leo analyse his own or his opponent's moves, so fast they were now moving, instead it was all he could do to keep his trembling limbs from giving in under the physical strain. Somehow, he managed to match Adamu blow for blow, and not lose a limb.

But that wouldn't be enough.

Already he could feel what little strength he possessed failing.

He would have to do something and do it soon or else all hope would be lost.

His attention wavered for just a moment, and that was enough for Admau to take the opportunity, simultaneously slashing at the turtle's katana while swiping at his legs. Stumbling, Leo managed to dodge the kick, yet the slash was too powerful for his damaged grip and his katana was sent spinning from his hands.

Adamu grinned.

But then movement from Mikey caught Leo's attention. His shaking hand was reaching out – no – pointing to Raph. Leo frowned, before widening his eyes as the realisation hit him.

His attention was being directed towards the discarded sais upon the ground. Above him the man's gaze flickered between the bleeding turtle and his sword.

It was decided then.

Adamu had analysed them as individuals. Therefore, it was possible that he was unaware of the dexterity of the turtles with weapons not their own… It was a small chance, but he one he would have to take.

It appeared that he was expecting Leo to go for his weapon of choice, leaving a path to the fallen sais wide open.

With all the force he could muster, the former leader pushed past the man before him, rolling away from Adamu's incoming strike and snatching up the shorter weapons instead, his blood instantly dampening the leather clad hilts, dying them red.

He met the man's sword mid-air, catching the blade between the points of his brothers weapon, twisting to trap it, pleased at the look of surprise upon the monster's face at the move.

"You can't control us anymore." He spat out. Pulling left, he managed to catch the human off balance. Slipping the sais away, he rotated his grip on one, using the hilt to skim Adamu's jaw, letting him know that if he had chosen to do so, the swipe could have sliced open his skin.

But not yet.

More would follow.

For now, at least, he had control.

He risked a glance to his brothers on the floor, and was relieved to see slight movement from the older two, however his attention was quickly diverted as Adamu lunged forth, his own sword only just missing Leo's shoulder, and he had to dive away to avoid serious injury, the tip of the blade just grazing his arm. The turtle's eyes narrowed.

Damn. He got cocky.

Another breath and his attention honed back on his opponent.

He couldn't afford distractions.

He was a warrior. This is what he had trained his entire life for. No damage from Adamu could undo that.

At least he couldn't let it show if it had.

Already their blades were engaged once more, Adamu now into the swing of things and over his surprise – that horrible leer back on his lips proving just that.

"You got luck once, my pet." He purred, lip curling. "I shall just have to beat obedience back into you." The kick that followed these words caught the turtles unawares, catching his plastron and sending shockwaves of pain through the burnt grid pattern melted into his plates. Stumbling back, Leo dropped one sai, only just managing to manipulate the other in time to parry Adamu's sword from gouging out his eye.

Gritting his teeth he lunged straight back into the battle, balling up his free hand so as he attacked Adamu and was predictably blocked, he managed to shoot a fist out. A satisfying crunch followed as Adamu stumbled back, covering his now broken nose with one hand cursing through the blood.

But Leo did not allow him time to recover.

He flew back at the man, this time jumping up and aiming a kick to the man's stomach, catching him just before he could raise his sword, sending him reeling, gasping for breath.

The turtle now slashed out with the sai, opening a thin line across the man's shirt before a thin trickle of crimson seeped into the white fabric.

"You tried to tame Raphael's passion." Leo growled, circling his gasping opponent until his feet touched Donnie's bō staff. Keeping one eye on the dangerous man before him, the turtle crouched down, carefully placing the sai upon the ground and instead picking up the wooden staff.

Doing his best to hide the winces from the movement, he began to spin the staff around in his palms, still watching his opponent like a hawk.

"Lucky…" Adamu gasped.

"No." Leo corrected. "Just desperate."

As one the two beings lunged again, blood down freely flowing from both warriors. The attacked increased in intensity, both fuelled by a desire to prove themselves, yet neither managed to land a single blow. Leo effectively blocked all the stabs and swipes from the sword with his brother's staff, twirling the timber as if his hands were still in peak condition – pain pushed from his mind momentarily. Yet as Adamu stretched out again, Leo used the longer reach of the bō to jab him in the ribs before spinning and delivering a technically challenging combo of a butterfly kick and swipe with the staff, resulting in a violent flurry of feet and weaponry whirling around in mid-air.

As the man was knocked to the floor, Leo grudgingly admitted to himself that his vision was defiantly closing in more with each passing moment, but by pressing a finger into one of his wounds upon his palm, he found everything sharpened. Perhaps not the most effective method, yet he found he no longer cared that much for his own wellbeing.

"You tried to control Donatello's creativity." He looked down his beak at the man desperately struggling to his feet, that calm demeanour which had once been so terrifying was now crumbling, all control slowly disappearing through his fingers.

As the man righted himself, Leo moved round to Mikey's side where he passed his youngest brother the staff before flicking the nunchucks from the floor to his waiting hands with a deft movement of his toes.

Spinning them almost lazily he approached Adamu once more, and before he even could raise his sword, Leo had spun the chucks down, smashing into the man's left jawbone and then the right in rapid succession. He then used a knee to knock his hand, sending the sword clattering from his grip and wrapped a chain around the blade to pull it away from his opponent.

"You tried to silence Michelangelo's positivity." He went to unwind the nunchuck chains to trap Adamu when the man jumped up once again, fists raised and eyes burning.

All sense faded instantly.

Adamu pulled out a small dagger, swiping wildly. Leo ducked, backed up and tried his best to avoid the frenzied attacks, yet a couple caught his upper arms and chest – bring a cry to his lips. Reaching out, he attempted to seize the man's arms, only receiving minor cuts in the process, his shaking fingers only just brushing the hilt of the dagger before it was yanked out of his reach. Narrowing his gaze he clenched his fists and as Adamu stabbed out again, the turtle twisted to avoid his reach while reaching out with his own shot, quickly following with a second before the man whipped the blade around, catching him across the forehead.

Shaking blood from his eyes, Leo used the momentum from the blow to send him spinning around and launch out a kick, catching his opponent's hand in such a way that the dagger was knocked from his grip. For a moment the two bloodied foes stared at each other, then to the knife, and back again.

They leaped forth in sync, both reaching out for the discarded weapon.

Leo's fingers closed around it first, and in one deft action, he twisted behind Adamu, sprawled across the ground, reaching out to a blade no longer there, and pressed the knife to his soft throat.

Silence fell, only the sound of their rasping breaths filling the room.

"And you tried to take my honour." He lowered his head to Adamu's ear, whispering his words– mimicking the gesture he had been on the other end of too many times.

In the reflection of the blade, Leo could see the raising panic in the man's eyes, he savoured it -relished in it. This was it. He could end this nightmare now. All that pain all that humiliation, surely this was only just?

"Leo…" Looking up, he could see his brothers beginning to regain their bearing, sitting up from where they were knocked down. He blinked. Across the room from him, Raphael was pushing himself up on the bars, his emerald eyes still slightly glazed from his earlier blow, yet he held Leo's gaze. "Whatever you decide. We're with you." Turning to his other two brothers, he saw the same look of acceptance in their eyes, the same pride and supressed bloodlust.

His gaze dropped back to the blade against the man's throat and froze.

For a moment he could see his own reflection. He could see the blood cascading from his various wounds, the bruises and old scars all a result of the man kneeling before him – but most worryingly, he saw his own eyes. In that moment, he could see the pure hatred boiling inside his soul, his lust for vengeance and closure.

Looking at the reflection, he could not tell those eyes from the ones Adamu had fixated upon him with so many times.

He closed his eyes and swallowed thickly.

"No." He lowered the blade. "We're not like him." He kicked the man to his front, trapping one arm underneath his own weight. "He can face justice for what he did to Dan and the others. That will be vengeance enough." Raising his head, he met his father's eyes. The rat's gaze was warm with pride. He nodded once.

He turned to get Mikey's nunchucks to tie the man's hands with, when the weight beneath him shifted slightly.

In slow motion, the scene presented itself. Adamu was pulling four throwing knives from a pocket, raising the arm previously trapped under his body – now clearly a ruse to retrieve his final weapons – and pulled back to throw. Leo's eyes followed the intended path in horror. Four blades, four targets. He was going to try and wound all of Leo's family in one go.

The turtle would only be able to save one.

His brothers – all still recovering – wouldn't be able to dodge fast enough.

There was no choice.

Just as Adamu went to release the knives, Leo did the only thing he could do. Using the blade he had taken from the man before, he chopped down with lightning speed, instantly severing the man's hand from the wrist. Leo couldn't help thinking that was the same hand which had touched him so, the one that had taken his dignity so freely.

Adamu howled in agony, clutching the bleeding stump to his chest, pain fogged eyes glaring defiantly up at the mutant.

Darkness was creeping back into the corners of Leo's gaze, his feet no longer feeling stable. He was exhausted, it was all too much. The coppery stench of blood was starting to get to him.

"Don…" He croaked to the resident genius, "Get father outta there…" Not even checking if his brother had heard him, he kept his gaze on the monster before him.

"Yield. You've lost. Accept it."

Please, just give up… He silently pleaded. He couldn't take much more.

Yet he should have known it would never be so easy.

Despite the pain he must have been experiencing, Adamu had one last trick up his sleeve. Something hit the floor, and a cloud of smoke burst around his feet. Coughing as the acrid smoke filled his lungs, Leo lost sight of the monster.

His breath hitched.

A metallic scrape echoed through the gloom, and the thud of footsteps cut into the confusion.

Grasping the bloodied blade, Leo dashed after the noise, heart in his throat. Adamu sounded like he was heading towards Mikey.

Without thinking, Leo stumbled through the darkness, sword raised.

His ears picked up the song of a blade being raised, and the turtle's instincts cut in.

He swung his own blade, felt the bite as it cut into flesh and the scream cut short followed by the clatter of a blade.

Limited vision now swimming, Leo swayed upon unsteady legs – a mixture of blood loss and exhaustion finally catching up with him now that the adrenaline was wearing off. Next thing he knew he was on his knees, blade beside him, slipped from his slick fingers as he fell… Not that he remembered the exact moment he had done so.

Slowly the smoke cleared, revealing the frozen figures of his family, eyes all glued to the scene before them.

Inches from Michelangelo was the tip of Adamu's sword, cradled in an unmoving hand attached to a headless body.

If he hadn't moved when he did, he did not wish to think what would have happened to his youngest brother.

Leo allowed himself to breathe, attempting rid himself of the sickness growing in his stomach.

They were safe. His job was done. That was all that mattered.

Finally he allowed the darkness to claim him as he felt himself collapsing to the ground, finally at peace, the shouts from his family fading away into silence.

They were free.

Their nightmare was over….

Wow.

That was a lot harder to write than expected! XD

So:

- What do you think? What you expected or no?

- What will come next?

- How will everyone react to such a conclusion?!

Thanks for all your support, a couple more chapters to go and I think we're there... We shall see!

Leave your thoughts and anything you think still needs clearing up!

LL99 Out. :)