**This Story Contains Tcest**
Pairings: Raphael/Donatello, Leonardo/Michelangelo, Raphael/Michelangelo, Michelangelo/Donatello, Leonardo/Donatello
Info: Alternate Universe, Royalty, Elemental Magic, Action/Adventure, Romance
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Chapter Eleven: The Trial of Water
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Within a half hour they had their packs slung over their backs and were heading out onto the trail, leaving the first campsite behind them.
Each of them had changed back into their traveling clothes - simple trousers and tunics they could easily move in - however, as per tradition, they kept their ceremonial masks on their faces, the delicate embroidery and bright colors standing out against the browns and greens of the forest as they moved through the trees.
Leonardo stayed out in front, choosing their path forward with Michelangelo close on his heels; but, as if in unspoken agreement, Donatello found both himself and Raphael falling behind the other two, not far enough to lose them, but enough to keep a distance.
They walked in an easy silence for the first couple of hours, side by side. Raph would occasionally bump against Don's shoulder and sometimes Don would brush his hand across the back of Raph's wrist, as if they both needed the constant reassurance that the other was there.
Eventually, when they both started to fidget from the lack of conversation, Raph sniffed and cleared his throat. "Before we go any further, I just wanted to tell ya' that I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I never went to Varuna to look for ya'. My father told me to stay away, and he had his reasons, but I shouldn't have listened to him. I should've done whatever it was gonna take to get to ya'."
"Raph…" Don whispered, touched by the sincerity in those words. "You don't have to apologize for that. It was out of your control just as much as it was out of mine."
"Maybe… but I should've pushed the issue, forced my father to try again. He gave up such a long time ago… I never understood why."
"What do you mean? What did he give up?" Don asked, puzzled.
Raph pressed his lips together and shook his head, looking down at his feet. "All I know, is if I'd had any idea what this was gonna be like, I would've…" Suddenly Raph laughed, tucking his chin into his chest. "I just can't wait 'til I can get ya' alone again, is all."
Don pulled up short. An excited tingle shooting down his spine as he looked at Raph.
"Well… we're alone right now."
Failing to notice right away that Don had stopped, Raph kept walking for a few steps, but when those quiet words reached him, he looked up, seeing for the first time that Leo and Mikey had disappeared around an upcoming bend in the trail.
Watching his face closely, Donatello could almost see the wheels turning in his head. The prince of fire went very still and when he turned to Don his gaze was predatory, hungry. He looked like a hunter that had just cornered its prey.
A nervous shiver rocked Don on his feet. He could feel his own pulse. Never in his life had he ever been the focus of such an intense, powerful stare.
He might have laughed at the absurdity of it… if he wasn't so turned on.
Don swallowed but held his ground as Raph moved closer. Raising a determined hand, he pressed it against Don's plastron and pushed, easing the prince of water back, slowly, willingly, giving him the chance to quickly shrug off the bulky pack slung over his shoulder before his shell hit a tree behind him with a dull thunk and Raphael closed the distance, his other hand bracing on the wood next to Don's head.
Anticipation throbbed across the connection between them. Releasing heavy breaths their eyes closed, foreheads touched, skin to skin. Don inhaled, enveloped by the intoxicating smell of burnt sugar and hollyhock.
They held like that, breathing each other in. Don's head was swimming, light and fuzzy from the sudden closeness, and he gave silent thanks for the sturdy tree at his back, afraid he would have fallen over otherwise. He reached out and gripped the fabric at Raphael's hip to steady himself. Only then did he dare open his eyes and he was taken, helpless in Raph's devastating gaze, so close he could see streaks of gold in his irises.
Don pulled until they were flush against each other. Bumping their noses, he tipped his chin up, answering Raph's impatient grunt with one of his own as the prince of fire finally leaned in and took what had always been his.
Their lips met and Donatello eagerly opened under the onslaught. Raphael wasted no time diving in, searching and tasting, a growl rumbling across Don's tongue as Raph sucked it into his mouth.
The tether that had pulled and pushed and teased them both for four long months finally released, searing through them, making them both jerk as it disintegrated forever. Moaning into each other's mouths, the tension was quickly replaced with a smoldering heat as their magic merged, fed by a passion Don was sure could never be satisfied.
He pressed his hips forward with a desperate mewl, begging for more, needing to feel Raphael against every inch of his body all at once. Raph pressed him harder into the tree and Don jumped with startled surprise as a sharp cracking sounded right next to his ear.
Raph's fingers dug into the tree bark, splitting the wood where he tightened his grip. Wisps of smoke twisted around their faces as the tree began to burn, the brittle timber scorching under his palm.
Small dots of moisture popped out across Don's forehead and his upper lip. Raphael was so hot. Even through their clothes the blazing heat under Don's fingers was almost unbearable. He was sure the entire forest was going to erupt into flame with them at its center and he welcomed it. He wanted to be consumed by Raph's fire until there was nothing left of him but ash.
The magic swirled around them, through them, it hummed and pulsed, sparking like lightning across every one of his nerve endings. He clutched and pulled at Raphael, practically crawling up his body in an effort to get closer.
Raph responded with equal desperation, his muscles quivering as he seemed to fight against his own desire for just a moment, like he was afraid to lose control. Don whimpered, sucking on Raph's lower lip, begging him without words to give in, to give up, to take him in any way that he wanted as long as it happened - right now.
His shell was so tight, the pressure from deep within almost unbearable. No single soul could ever hope to contain this much energy, it expanded in his lungs, and he couldn't draw breath, he couldn't feel the ground beneath his feet.
With a low snarl, Raph reached up, grabbed the back of his neck and pulled. He spun them both around, slamming Donatello up against a different tree.
Don gasped as his shell hit the wood, solid and unyielding behind him, shuddering through a wave of pain that mixed with his desire, tingling down his spine. His excitement amplified to a fever pitch as he felt the prince of fire smirk with satisfaction against his lips.
The sharp pain cleared the fog in his head for one quick moment, long enough for him to gather an errant thought or two. He was numb, he couldn't think. He felt stretched like his skin wasn't enough to hold onto his insides anymore. They needed to breathe. He needed just one minute to pull himself together.
He tore his lips away, panting for air, staring up at the canopy of leaves above them. "Raph… oh spirits…"
They were trembling, shaking in each other's arms. Raph's head fell to his shoulder, breathing out a heavy, hot breath across his neck. "Shit, Donnie… never… felt anything like this… can't get enough of ya'…"
He grunted out the words, slurring them as he dragged his tongue hot and wet along Don's collarbone like he just couldn't help himself.
"Ah!… oh…" Don couldn't form a full thought, they had to control themselves or they'd end up fucking right up against the tree. wait, why is that a bad thing!?
Don shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut as his brain screamed contradictions at him. "Okay… okayokay… calm… breathe… just breathe."
Raph's hands were wandering, trailing down his sides, sliding around to graze across his backside, fingernails digging in, drawing another shudder from the prince of water.
"Donnie! You've gotta see this lake! It's pink!"
Blinking furiously Don frowned as the sound of Michelangelo's excited voice drifted through the trees, piercing through the haze of his lust addled thoughts.
"Pink?"
"I'm gonna murder that twerp…" Raph groaned around an incredulous laugh.
Don looked down into Raphael's eyes and smiled, bumping their heads together, moaning happily as Raph pushed back, nudging Don's head to the side so he could nibble on his neck.
"Hey! Where are you guys?!"
Sighing in defeat, they both laughed. Raph tightened his arms, not quite ready to let go. Don leaned in to savor one more kiss, slower this time, the urgency fading.
"We should probably…"
"Yeah…" Raph grudgingly agreed. They both knew this wasn't the right time or place. "I don't want our first to be like this anyway." Reaching up he took Don's head in his hands and looked deeply into his eyes. "When I finally get to have ya', I wanna take my time."
Don shivered, smiling against Raph's lips. "Mmm… hold on to that thought…"
Biting his lip, he pushed away from the tree and got back on the trail, Raph shuffling close behind him, hoping the others wouldn't notice that they were both walking a little funny.
~*~.~*~
The lake was indeed pink. A thin layer of mist hovered over its surface, the strange water tinting the haze in muted shades of rose and mauve. Leonardo carefully sniffed the air, scanning the area slowly for any sign of danger.
They'd only been stopped for a few minutes before Michelangelo grew restless. He'd never had the patience for waiting, especially when he knew he was missing out on something fun. It was a known behavior that the prince of air had developed a tolerance for. He thought it added to Mikey's charm.
Exiting the trees, Mikey had been too distracted by the oddly colored water to notice that Raphael and Donatello weren't immediately behind them. But he quickly caught onto their absence and was soon pacing from the trees to the water's edge and back again, anxiously looking for them.
It didn't take long before Leonardo felt like he needed to do something about Mikey's nervous energy before he wore a ditch in the sand. He told the jittery prince to go find the other two, thinking Mikey would jog back the way they had come while he stayed to monitor their path forward, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.
He hadn't expected Michelangelo to open his mouth and yell loud enough for his voice to echo out across the water, surely attracting the attention of anything that might be lurking within a mile radius of where they were standing, but there was no taking it back now.
Eventually the sound of footsteps reached his ears and Leo looked back over his shoulder just as Donatello appeared, followed closely by Raphael, both of them decidedly flushed.
Leo smirked, choosing not to comment on their disheveled state. Of course, he knew what they had been doing, only a fool would have missed the way Raphael was looking at Donatello, and honestly with the way they had been trailing further and further behind the entire morning he was surprised it took as long as it did for them to stop.
Not that he blamed Raph for being distracted by the prince of water. It made sense. He reacted the same way when Michelangelo was within his radius, and just like himself and the prince of earth, there was something between fire and water that transcended the basic bond they all shared.
The real entertainment was watching the realization slowly dawn on Michelangelo. Looking back and forth between Raph and Don, the expression on his face flickered from excitement to disbelief to envy and back again.
Donatello hardly even noticed. He quickly walked past the earth prince, his full attention on the body of water in front of him. But Mikey wasn't discouraged. With a grin as wide as his face, he turned to give Raph an enthusiastic thumbs up, wilting only a little when the prince of fire pinned him in place with a glower so severe Leo half expected actual daggers to fly out of his eyes.
Mikey feigned offense and looked over to Leo for help, but the prince of air only chuckled under his breath. Michelangelo could fight his own battles, even if Leo did feel a little bad for interrupting whatever moment Raph and Don had obviously been caught up in.
Under any other circumstances he would have been happy to wait with Mikey by the water while they got it out of their systems, but the truth was, right now the four of them couldn't afford to be separated. It wasn't smart to let them fall behind for any reason. They needed to stick together and stay on task. When this was over, they would all have plenty of time to figure each other out.
Ideas for their next steps were beginning to form in his mind and he looked to Donatello, wanting his opinion, but before he could speak Don turned to look at him and Leo was suddenly struck by the darkness of his eyes, deep and warm. He could see why Raphael was so obsessed. Donatello's allure was noticeable, and it seemed that none of them were immune to it.
Leo tensed, almost overwhelmed by an intense urge to pull the prince of water into his arms and taste for himself the delicacy Raphael had just been enjoying. But he knew he couldn't do that, not after the way he had behaved the night before. The trust between them had been damaged by his actions, if not completely obliterated, and he would need to earn back that respect before there could be any thoughts of intimacy.
Shaking off the feeling, Leonardo turned his focus back to their current situation.
"We seem to have come to our first obstacle." He said, stepping forward to indicate their surroundings with a wave of his arm. "The trail ends here, but you can see where it continues into the trees on the far side."
The lake was nestled on what seemed to be some kind of wide-open overlook. To the north was a sheer wall of stone with a solitary waterfall, taller than it was wide, that fed the lake with water that was cloudy, but strangely not pink in color. To the south the water plunged off another cliff, the drop off so severe a thick bank of clouds hid the ground far below from their view. There would be no climbing down at one end or climbing up at the other. The only path forward appeared to be to cross the water.
He waited as Donatello quickly came to the same conclusion, his brow drawing down into a concentrated frown. They could possibly swim the distance, but Leo seriously doubted the elemental spirits were going to make it that easy for them. This place was obviously a puzzle they were being asked to solve.
"Can you look at an echo here?" Leo asked, moving up to stand at Don's shoulder.
"No. The water needs to be clear."
Leonardo hated the sound of disappointment in his voice and immediately began to wonder if they could find a way to purify the water so that Don could work his magic. This lake might hold some of the answers he was looking for and the last thing he wanted was for them to miss the opportunity.
"Is there a way that we could…?"
The question died on his tongue as a loud grinding noise froze them all in place. The sound, like stone dragging across stone, filled the air, echoing all around them.
A hundred yards down the bank, a dark obsidian pillar was rising from under the sand right at the edge of the water. It was identical to the pillars from their first campsite, only it didn't bear the symbols of their elements on the sides, nor did it have a large glowing orb sitting atop it. Instead, there was a rounded sapphire, about the size of an apple seated on the top. It glowed with a dark, purple light.
Slowly, cautiously, they all moved toward it. When they reached the pillar, Leonardo stepped right up to it, reading aloud the inscription carved into the black stone directly underneath the shining jewel.
~ The Trial of Water ~
"Well, that was fast." Raphael said with trepidation.
In unison they all turned to look at Donatello.
The prince of water was a few paces behind them, staring out at the lake, arms crossed over his front like he was pretending not to have heard, but after only a few seconds he took a deep breath and turned away from the water, resignation heavy on his face.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised they want me to go first." His voice was little more than a murmur as he moved closer, stopping next to Leonardo to read the inscription for himself.
"Why's the water this funny color though?" Mikey asked, poking at the surface with one extended finger.
"Salt." Donatello answered.
"Salt? You mean this is salt water?" To answer his own question Mikey licked his finger and jerked back in disgust, gagging and spitting to rid himself of the briny taste.
Don nodded, stepping around the pillar to where the earth prince crouched on the shore. "The high saline content reacts with algae present in the water; the result is this vibrant pink color. Salt also increases the density…"
He reached out, trying to call the water to his hand. A small amount rose from the surface, it wobbled and stretched into a noodle like shape that remained connected to the main body for a moment longer than expected before snapping away, bobbing up to float over his palm. To Leonardo it almost appeared thicker than regular water was supposed to be.
Don grimaced. "It's heavier and doesn't react to my commands as quickly as it should. Makes it slightly more difficult to work with, like this."
The prince of air frowned as he eyed the rose-colored orb. "Is that going to be a problem?"
"No, not a problem." Don answered, shaking his head. He released the orb, letting the water trickle down over his hand and curiously rubbed the liquid between his fingers. "My guess is this is all part of the challenge."
Walking back to the pillar, he shrugged off his pack and set it on the ground near Raphael's feet. Slipping his weapon from its holster he expertly twirled it, stretching his neck before closely inspecting the jewel set within the obsidian.
Leonardo positioned himself next to Donatello, taking a wide stance out of caution. "Do you know what to do?"
"It's weird but… I think I do." Don said with wonder in his voice. "Are you ready?"
They all nodded. "We're with ya', Donnie." Raph said in support, moving closer.
Donatello placed his palm over the sapphire and closed his eyes. Leo glanced at Raph and received a confident nod from the prince of fire. Whatever was about to happen, they were in this together. Mikey moved close to Leo; one nunchaku gripped firmly in his fist.
For a long moment nothing changed. The water quietly lapped against the sand, the wind rustled the branches of the trees, a bird twittered from somewhere behind them.
Then, suddenly and without warning. Silence.
All that was left was the sound of their breathing. Instantly on alert, Leonardo shifted his weight to the balls of his feet. The chain of Mikey's weapon rattled as he let one side fall from his grip, but it was a dead sound - like being under water.
The three looked at each other, but before any of them could even blink the sounds returned. The waterfall roared, the birds sang, and Donatello sucked in a harsh breath through his nose, his entire body going rigid.
His arm remained held taut over the pillar, his fingers splayed as the sapphire rose from its notch in the stone, glowing a bright shimmering violet.
When the jewel was level with his face, he opened his eyes and they all took an involuntary step back, Michelangelo yelping in surprise.
Donatello's eyes had changed, his irises gone, disappeared, replaced by a pure white void.
He pushed with his hand and the glowing jewel shot out over the water, straight to the center of the lake, where it dropped and disappeared into the depths.
~*~.~*~
The magic surged through Donatello's veins in a heady rush. He was fully aware of what was around him, felt the three other elements surrounding and supporting him, but he was also disconnected from all of it, as if the essence of his being had transferred to a separate plane of existence.
It was such a strange feeling, propelling him forward almost against his own will, only he felt no need to reject the pull. The calm of understanding washed over him. His body knew what to do a fraction of a second before his brain did, instinct and impulse directed his responses and erased all his doubts. There was no fear, only determination.
The sapphire was cool in his palm, the power of his element radiating from deep within it. He knew he was meant to place the jewel in the water, he didn't know how he knew it, but that was irrelevant. The water was where the stone belonged and so that was where he was going to put it.
Flush with power he opened his eyes and pushed. All his senses were heightened, smell, sound, touch. His vision was clouded in white, like a veil had been drawn over his eyes, only instead of his sight being obstructed, it was clarified. He could see the smallest grain of sand, the currents in the air, the deepest depths under the water.
He knew the others were near, could see their shapes close to his side, and understood that they had to be protected, above all else, no matter what happened.
The sapphire shot out to the center of the lake and Donatello followed it, sprinting out onto the surface of the water without hesitation. The heavy salt content made the liquid more solid under his feet than he was used to, but he didn't stop to think about it, he rushed out to the spot where the jewel had sunk below the waves.
As he stared down into the pink water it began to ripple, softly at first but soon it was sloshing over his feet, leaving a chalky white film where it dried on his skin. Then all at once it was roiling and foaming and spiraling away from where he stood.
Sliding back, he pushed against the current as the massive head of an ancient beast slowly began to appear from the depths.
The creature rose to tower over him, its serpentine body lifting it high above the surface of the lake, dripping a torrent of briny water onto Don as he braced himself. Its scales glistened in the sunlight, iridescent blues and purples and silver shined all the way down its snake-like body. Fins almost too numerous to count vibrated down its sides, shaking water into the air, each flapping appendage tipped with dangerous wicked black tines.
The beast's head tilted as it looked at the prince of water down the length of a long, skinny snout, rounded nostrils at the end flaring as it scented the air. Razor sharp teeth lined each side of the mouth leading back to bulbous silver eyes perched atop its thin head. The sapphire was seated between them, set into the forehead like a third eye, still glowing a bright crystalline purple.
Donatello thought that he should probably be afraid as he stared up at the magical serpent revealing itself before him, but he wasn't. He was fascinated, curious, even a little confused, but he wasn't frightened. The creature was completely terrifying, he knew that to be true, but he felt no fear whatsoever.
The water below his feet began to swirl as the tail end of the beast appeared to spiral around his body, only it didn't touch him, it didn't surround him or try to squeeze the life out of him. Instead, the water began to rise within the spiral, creating a platform that lifted Don up until they could look at each other, eye to eye.
Now it was Donatello's turn to tilt his head. He looked deep into the serpent's eyes and instantly understood the task he was being asked to complete. This was not to be a battle to the death; this creature was not meant to be defeated.
It was meant to be tamed - in doing so the prince of water would demonstrate complete mastery of his element and fully claim the honor of his birthright.
He nodded his understanding and bowed low, an offering of respect to the great elemental spirit before him.
The creature hissed and reared back. A line of two foot long, shining black spikes, webbed with flesh, rising over the crest of its head and a fanned hood rose from either side of its neck to frame its face, forming wings of translucent skin that reflected the sunlight like a pane of glass.
Don shielded his face from the light, his entire body vibrating as the creature released a guttural, pulsating roar that reverberated in his bones. Unexpectedly the column of water disappeared from beneath his feet, and he scrambled to regain control of the liquid as he fell, only just managing to form a slope he could easily slide down before he slammed into the water.
Keeping a firm grip on his staff he skated across the surface of the lake, gathering his bearings and watching the creature circle opposite him, offering no quarter as the contest began.
~*~.~*~
For long minutes the three stood wide eyed and frozen at the edge of the lake. The serpent unfurling before them was something straight out of myth, almost too fantastical to be believed, but they couldn't deny the reality on display in front of them.
They watched in shock as the beast and Donatello considered each other, only snapping out of their stupor when the creature suddenly let out a blood-curdling roar and Don dropped from the air like a rock.
"What do we do?! Leo! What do we do?!" Michelangelo yelled.
"Stay calm." Leonardo answered with authority, gripping Mikey's shoulder to center them both.
"We can't just stand here and…!" Raph snarled, taking a step toward the water, but Leo grabbed his arm.
"This is Donnie's trial." He said, eyes on the serpent as it circled the lake. "I know you can feel it as strongly as I can. We can't interfere. Just… be ready."
Raphael didn't like that order one bit, but Leo knew he would follow it. The prince of fire was a real pain in the ass sometimes, but he'd never failed to submit to Leonardo's authority, not when it was important. Not since they were kids anyway.
Leo stepped to the edge of the water, trying to get a feel for the true size of the beast. More than half of it remained under the water as it slithered about, but it was clear more of it was unseen than he initially thought.
Donatello was trying to gain a foothold, but Leo could see he was holding back. Watching from the shore he was able to easily identify numerous opportunities where Don could have taken a good shot, but the prince of water ignored each and every one of them until Leo began to think he was doing it on purpose. It wasn't a lack of skill, that much was obvious, he just wasn't outright attacking the serpent. That was strange.
Watching the prince of water in his element was a sight to behold, however. He was lithe and quick, almost as quick as Michelangelo, but more fluid, his responses defined and honed, as if his entire body was an extension of the water itself. It was clear his training had been as rigorous as their own.
The ground shook from the creature's snarls and roars. Its head shot down to snap at Don's heels and the prince spun in a delicate spiral, hitting the serpent in the eye with a jet of water just as he cracked his staff hard across its snout. The beast screeched and shook its head, allowing Don to slide out of its reach once more.
"Leo Leo! Look!"
Leonardo whipped around at Mikey's yell, finding the earth prince bouncing and pointing across the lake. Turning back, Leo could see another obsidian pillar had appeared on the distant side, identical to all the others, except glowing atop this one was three small points of light, one orange, one red, and one clear white.
"We gotta get over there." Raphael said.
"I think you're right." Leo agreed. It seemed their task was to find a way to the other side while Donatello distracted the serpent.
Quickly scanning the area once again he soon realized the only possible way for them to cross without Donatello's help was a small ledge of stone spanning the edge of the cliff where the water from the lake fell over the side, disappearing into the hidden abyss below.
Michelangelo whimpered beside him, obviously following his line of sight. "Are you nuts? You expect us to scamper across that tiny ledge on a hope and a prayer that Don can keep that giant snake thing from eating us?! We'll never make it!"
"Come on, Mikey! Where's yer sense of adventure?" Raph said, grabbing the earth prince by the wrist and yanking him toward the cliff, leaving Leonardo to pick up Don's pack and quickly follow.
~*~.~*~
The water fought his control at every step. He'd never really bothered to practice with salt water before, despite living his entire life within a stone's throw of the ocean, and it was an oversight he was paying dearly for now. He cursed the stupidity of it, but how could he have known he would ever face a challenge like this?!
His arms were caked with a dry, chalky layer of salt and grit all the way up to his elbows and it was getting harder to move his fingers, but he didn't stop, couldn't stop. The future of his kingdom and the health and safety of his people depended on his success today. He would not fail them.
The problem was he had no idea what he was supposed to be doing. So far all he'd done was skirt the edges of the lake, deflecting the serpent's attacks as it tried to catch him in its jaws, but they were just going in circles, and he wasn't getting any closer to gaining even a sliver of control over the beast.
He threw up an arm, sending another wave at the creature's head as he slid through a loop in its coiling body. He came out facing the south western side of the lake and from the corner of his eye he saw the others on the move, halfway across the perilous edge of the southern cliff face, but he barely stopped to acknowledge them. He couldn't afford the distraction and tried to put them out of his mind, thinking that he would have plenty of time to ask them just what the hell they thought they were doing, later.
Only the beast seemed to have other ideas and it was in that instant that the entire world seemed to slow to a crawl.
He heard Michelangelo yell, a terrified screech that flooded his veins with ice. Donatello turned, skidding to a stop, his breath catching in fear.
With a flashing flick of its massive tail, the serpent had Mikey by the leg, dangling him upside down fifty feet above the surface of the lake. Raph and Leo were halted on the ledge, staring up, calling Mikey's name, but there was nothing they could do.
The creature turned its massive head to Donatello and let out a deafening roar that sent the prince of water flying back. He skipped across the water on his shell until he rammed into the sheer wall of stone directly under the waterfall, his staff flying out of his hand with the impact. Struggling to regain his footing he moved out from under the force of the water just in time to see the serpent plunge its tail back under the surface, Michelangelo still clutched in its twisted grip.
Donatello scrambled forward in shock. Logically knew he had only minutes to get to Mikey before he drowned, but from the opposite end of the lake there was no way he would be able to reach him in time.
Panic overtook him. His legs shook, his breath coming in stuttering gasps. He'd only just found them! How could fate be so cruel as to take one of them from him now?!
What was he supposed to do?!
Suddenly the Sindifay, his tiny watery friend, was hovering right in front of his face, screeching a litany of pips and squeaks that Don had no hope of understanding even if this wasn't a life-or-death scenario. The small thing was comically pink, and moving sluggishly from the salt, but it didn't need to move far. In an instant it smacked Donatello across the face with the weight of its entire body and fluttered back to angrily point at the serpent's head.
That was all it took. Somehow, incredibly, Don knew exactly what the sprite was trying to convey.
With a heaving gasp he lunged forward. The beast was distracted, holding a wall of water up along the length of the southern cliff. Don could just make out the sound of screams and shouts coming from behind it and there was a pale orange circle a few feet up the rippling wall where he was sure Raph was trying to blast his way through.
Now was his only chance. Pressing down with both his palms, he forced the water under him, lifting him up until he was high enough to leap at the serpent's scaled head. Right behind its eyes were two curled, jet-black horns and those were what Don grabbed onto, pulling himself up to kneel between them.
Not wasting another second, he slammed his hand down on the sapphire, channeling every ounce of his magic into the stone. The serpent squealed and bucked its head, but Don wouldn't be dislodged. A lifetime of perfecting his ability to control the water poured through him and within a second, he could feel the beast succumbing to his will. It jerked and drooped its head, a rumbling growl gurgling up from its throat.
The wall of water fell in a towering wave, almost knocking Leo and Raph from their perch on the cliff. As they fought to keep their feet, Donatello's other hand shot out toward where Michelangelo had disappeared beneath the water. He clenched his teeth, yelling through them with the effort, and yanked the largest orb of water he had ever pulled from the depths. Mikey's limp form could only just be seen floating within the milky rose-colored liquid.
Don moved his arm, fear lancing through him as nothing happened. The water refused to follow his commands, it was too much weight, and he was too tired, he couldn't move the orb or safely extract Mikey from it without dropping him back into the water.
"LEO!" Don screamed. "I can't… he's too heavy!"
"Let go! I've got him!"
There was no other choice. Exhausted, Don let out a desperate sobbing yell and released the water.
The liquid dropped as quickly as Michelangelo did, but immediately Leo was there, waving his arms in front of him, using his entire body to twist the air into a swirling funnel that caught Mikey as he fell, gently nestling him in the cone. Leo pushed the twister away toward the far shore that had been their original destination and both he and Raph rushed behind in its wake.
Don wanted to follow, but knew he couldn't, not yet. He could only hope that he'd been fast enough, and that Mikey was going to be okay.
Leaning forward he clamped both hands down over the sapphire, now pulsating with a blinding purple-blue light and closed his eyes, funneling every last bit of magic he had, pulled from deep within the depths of his soul, to finally subdue the great serpent.
~*~.~*~
Leonardo had never run so fast in his life. The slippery rock, the water, the treacherous cliff, none of it could stop him from getting to Michelangelo as the air lowered his unconscious form onto the sandy beach a handful of yards away.
From a full sprint Leo hit his knees, sliding into Mikey's body and grabbing his beloved face with both hands, slapping his cheeks in desperation.
"Mikey! Mikey, wake up. Come on…"
Nothing. His face was slack, his chest still.
A primal sound escaped from Leo's throat as he lifted up and planted the heels of his palms directly on the center of Mikey's plastron. He pressed down, sharp, quick, one, two, three.
Nothing.
"Mikey!" Leo shouted, shaking him a little for emphasis.
Raphael was near, shouting something, but Leonardo couldn't make out the words. A rushing wind had filled his ears, straining for the sound of Michelangelo's heartbeat.
Press. One, two, three. Press.
Michelangelo heaved upward, a spout of water erupting from his mouth as he coughed and sputtered and rolled onto his side with a hacking groan.
"Thank the spirits…" Leo gasped in relief, reaching to take Mikey's face in his hands once more. "Hey, you're okay, look at me."
A pained grimace and raspy whisper greeted him, softened only a little by Michelangelo's signature playful grin.
"Told you we weren't… cough… gonna make it…"
~*~.~*~
Donatello had a hold on the serpent's consciousness, but it wasn't quite ready to give up the fight yet. It thrashed, violently tossing its head in an effort to throw Don from his perch.
But nothing could stop him now. This creature, this… animal… had tried to take something precious from him, something he hadn't even realized the value of until that very moment, and he would not let that stand.
With one last act of rebellion the beast aimed for the water, diving into its depths with Don still clinging to its head.
The sudden loss of sound was more of a shock than he expected it to be, the bubbles and foam churned up by the creature as it dove blocked out most of his vision and the salty tang on his tongue was harsh and overpowering, but the sensory overload only lasted a second. Shaking his head, he closed his eyes and pressed down with all his focus centered on the jewel beneath his fingers.
Thoughts of his element flooded his senses - the feel of it as it trickled over his skin when he called it to his hand and the way it supported him, cradled him, both on its surface and in its depths - from the moment he was born he was intrinsically linked to the water and he felt, now more than ever, the connection that would always be a defining part of him.
His magic pulsed with one last sharp thrust and the defensive wall the serpent had in place to protect its own mind collapsed. Exhilaration, relief and an impression of deep approval and pride filled Don's mind.
The elemental spirit stopped struggling, coming to a halt deep beneath the surface of the lake. The silence pressed heavy against Don's ears, but there was no fear in that isolation, only comfort. Sitting back, he rested his hands on the two black horns to each side of him and opened his eyes.
The white veil clouding his vision enhanced the surrounding lake bed, bringing into sharp relief broken logs and rock formations scattered across the field. The serpent's body was coiling in a steady slither far beneath him.
He looked up, searching for the sunlight high above and all at once his body went stiff, his bones shook, goose flesh bubbled up all over his skin as a deep, resonant, powerful voice filled his mind and all his senses.
"Well done, Prince of Water. You have proven your worth."
~*~.~*~
Shaking with a mixture of fear and rage, Raphael's eyes were glued to the spot where the serpent and Donatello had disappeared beneath the water. This wasn't happening! They had to do something!
Sure, they got Mikey back, and he was doing okay nestled in Leo's lap, coughing up the last of the water from his lungs, but that was all thanks to Don. Raph had thrown the full force of his power at that wall of water, but the fire didn't even make a dent. They never would have made it to Mikey in time if Don hadn't… but now he was the one lost in the lake, and Raph had no idea how they were supposed to save him from his own element.
It seemed like a lifetime ago that he'd pressed Donatello up against that tree to finally steal the kiss they'd both been waiting for. But it hadn't been enough, not by a long shot, and the longer Don stayed submerged the more convinced Raph became that they were about to lose him forever.
He paced the beach in front of the obsidian pillar, barely even blinking, his hands flexing, small sparks shooting down from his fingertips.
Finally, he couldn't take it anymore, couldn't stand by and just let this happen. He started to tear at his tunic and stepped closer to the water's edge.
"Screw this! I'm goin' in after him!"
"Raph!" Leo's call was short but firm, his voice almost sad. "You can't do that… you know you have to wait."
He was right. He was always fuckin' right! Raph knew it deep in his bones. It was a fundamental lesson they had all learned at an early age.
Their trials were their own to complete.
The thing was that none of them had ever really understood what that command meant. Not until this one drawn out, agonizingly long second.
"This is BULLSHIT!" Raphael snarled in frustration as twin spouts of flame exploded from his fists to scorch the sand at his feet.
Michelangelo coughed behind him. The water was as flat and still as a pane of glass.
Damn it, No! Damn the spirits and damn these trials and their stupid rules! He wasn't going to just stand there and do nothing.
The ridiculous pink water splashed around his feet as he stepped into the lake. But that step was as far as he got. The second his toes touched the water it began to churn and swirl. Raphael froze.
A whirlpool formed at the center of the lake, and from deep within it the serpent appeared again, this time with Donatello sitting proudly on the top of its head. The beast advanced with speed straight for the beach, forcing Raphael to scramble back, sai twirling around his fingers as he braced himself for an attack that never came.
The serpent stopped just short of the shore and lowered its head to the sand, waiting while Donatello jumped down. He held the sapphire in his hand, the jewel glowing with a soft amethyst hue.
Raph wanted to rush to him, to make sure he was okay. Don looked exhausted and there was a deep cut on his bicep that was trickling blood down to his wrist, but his eyes were still that vacant ghostly white, so Raph clenched his teeth, barely managing to hold himself back.
Donatello approached the pillar and placed the jewel into its notch next to the other three shimmering stones, then he turned and faced the creature again, closing his eyes and bowing low.
The great serpent raised its giant head as the tip of its tail snaked out of the water, dropping Don's lost staff at his feet. It took one last look at the prince of water and turned away, slithering back into the depths of the lake so quickly it disappeared before they could even blink.
The second it was gone, Raphael hurried over to Donatello, grabbing his shoulders and turning him forcefully. Don opened his eyes, blinking rapidly, and Raph sighed with relief to see his warm chocolate irises returned to their rightful place.
"Donnie?"
The prince of water took a deep breath, looking around like he wasn't quite sure where he was, but when he met Raph's concerned gaze, he smiled.
"It's over. It's done."
~*~.~*~
Don almost couldn't believe the feat he'd just completed. He had battled the elemental spirit of water… and won. There were no words for the immense satisfaction that came with knowing what he had accomplished.
He smiled, basking in the glow of Raphael's amber gaze, gasping for breath as he was enveloped in strong emerald arms that squeezed him so tightly, he started to wonder if the prince of fire was afraid of what would happen if he let go.
He settled into the embrace, thankful that Raph was holding him up so he didn't have to do it himself. Now that the magic and adrenaline was wearing off Don was starting to feel everything he had just done deep in his muscles. He happily rested his chin on Raph's shoulder and gave into the exhaustion.
After a minute he peeled his eyes back open and looked over, seeing Michelangelo standing a short distance away. Leo had an arm around his waist, supporting him as he coughed.
Like a bolt of lightning, it all came back to Don in a rush. For one brief moment he had completely forgotten the events from before the serpent had taken him under the water.
The prince of earth looked like he was in pain, clutching his chest as he hacked and spat out a wad of phlegm. Fear and concern gripped Donatello as Mikey stepped away from Leo and took careful, determined steps straight to where he was standing.
"Mikey? Are you alright?" Don croaked, gently pushing away from Raphael.
Michelangelo didn't respond, he just walked right up to Don, took hold of his head with both hands, and pulled him into a passionate kiss.
A surprised whimper escaped Don's throat as Mikey pressed their bodies together, wrapping arms crusted with salt around his neck, deepening the kiss as Don quickly relaxed against him.
This wasn't the intense, heated, inescapable passion he felt when he had kissed Raphael. No, kissing the prince of earth was like snuggling up in front of a warm hearth with a mug of hot cider. He was an easy, familiar comfort, like pillowy moss and soft furs and the sweetest honey.
It seemed as if an eternity passed as they sampled one another, slowly tasting each other like they had been doing it all their lives. In an instant Don developed a craving for Mikey's touch that he knew he was never going to be able to resist ever again.
When Michelangelo finally pulled back Don was sleepy and content. They stared deeply into each other's eyes, everything they had ever wanted to say passing between them without a single word.
Donatello smiled and Michelangelo leaned in, pressing their foreheads together.
"You saved my life."
Don frowned, confused by those softly whispered words. "Of course… I could never let anything bad happen to you."
As soon as he said it, he understood the full gravity of that truth. Over the course of just a few short hours they had forged a bond that could never be broken. Donatello would die for Michelangelo - for all of them - without hesitation or thought.
They belonged to him, and he belonged to them.
Leonardo appeared, laying a comforting hand on Don's shoulder before wrapping an arm back around Mikey's waist and pulling him gently away, saying something about needing to clean up as soon as they were able. Don couldn't really hear him - everything had gone fuzzy, and he was having trouble keeping his eyes open.
Just as he thought he might fall over, Raphael was there, propping him up against his side, holding his weight so all Don needed to do was move his legs. Gratefully he leaned into the prince of fire, resting his head on Raph's bulky shoulder, almost dozing as they took the trail into the trees and left the lake behind them.
~*~.~*~ tmnt ~*~.~*~
