He wore breezy white pants that cinched at his ankles, and a long tunic. A blue stripe ran down his front, and two blue strings hung from beneath the tunic on either side of his legs, knotted at the ends with a single white stone. Around his head lay the simple golden band which served as his crown, now tilted rackishly like a baseball cap. Splinter could almost see the white locks which once were long and tied back beneath the band, a symbol of his bloodlines. Now Jimmy scratched his mousy brown hair and limped over to the bed. "This really is torture you know... these 'clothes'." He knelt down and motioned to himself. It was quite true, how different their garments were now. They had woken late that morning in royal chambers, stripped of their earthly possessions. Splinter had been left one of his old bed robes of yore. The only thing it seemed they could find that would fit his new strange form. He himself was more interested however in the new accomodations. His chambers had remained in immaculate form, right down to the personal effects on his dressing bureau. Apparently his room had not been touched since the seige that forced the court down into the underground tunnels.
The prince seemed less interested with the room, and more bashful about the loss of his trunks. He hastily snatched up the clothes and dressed himself in the corner. Splinter found this briefly charming, then continued to survey his quarters. His old room was almost welcoming to his eyes, like a lukewarm bath. It put him at ease. He felt very much now like taking a rest to evade the pain of his wound, even though outside the door insurgents lurked.
A doctor had come to cleanse and dress his wound earlier when it was apparent he might perish. He could still feel disorder inside him, and grew weaker as time grew. He did not tell his son this, to spare his emotions one less trauma. Jimmy laid his head down and sighed with irritation. "When are they gunna get here." He bemoaned.
"In time, musuko, in time." A cold chill came through the room and they both shivered. "Come and rest." Jimmy crawled up onto the plush bed and curled up beside Splinter. It appeared once he had understood Splinter had once been his father he had immediately becoming affectionately attatched. Splinter petted his hair as he rested his head on the silkiness of the rats robe, careful not to disturb the dressed wound about his torso. He was a young Leonardo in training. Leonardo... you will come soon my son... you would not leave your young charge here alone.
"Oh, he will be be here." His thoughts were answered before he could finish thinking them. Splinter shifted an eye towards the door, tilting his head enough to show he would listen politely. Jimmy on the other hand lept off the bed, ready to attack. He had received that trait from Raphael he was afraid to say.
Just inside the door the sorceror of destruction stood surveying the room, as if it was one of the few times he had set eyes on it. His eyes roamed over the walls and finally settled on the rat propped up by pillows on the bed. He nonchalantly swept back a shard of white hair.
"He'll be here soon." He repeated.
"Then your fall will be here soon as well." A snuff of air responded. "My pupils and their disciples will overturn your forces."
"Two of your guardians have already perished in their first battles."
"Erika!" Jimmy cried. This amused the sorceror and he continued.
"They are weak in, and foolish outside of the battle. I am personally looking forward to your clutzy tortoises fall over their enemies in hand to hand combat." Jimmy made a great roar and charged the man, wobbling a bit on his bad leg. He stumbled forward like a wounded duck and was greeted by a gracefully excecuted spin kick, sending him to the ground.
"Ngh!" Splinter made an attempt to rise and in another second a fine sword was pointed at the princes' throat.
"Stop." The sorceror commanded quickly. Splinter stopped, the clean reflecting on the metal danced for a moment, then stopped just as he. "There." Jimmy watched the tip of the blad while he inched around, preparing some escape back to Splinter. "Do you remember this?" He stopped when the man adressed him. "Well?"
"....n-no?"
"It's yours." The sheen of the blade danced again. "It might be entertaining to run you through with it, had I not other plans for you." He removed the sword and gave his side a kick to roll the boy away. "But yes, they will be here your highness." The sword sheathed back in its catchs. "And you are not the only awaiting their arrival." He left after his inspection was over and recast the seal spell on the door.
He waited a few minutes outside to listen to their pending conversation. The prince expressed worry for his blood sibling, and the king went to explain theories of the tale of the warriors of sacrifice. Nikira snuffed and drew his sword again, walking down the elegant white corridor. Making circles in the air with the tip of the blade he called a sphere up, disclosing the actions of the advisors and the remaining elementals. They had formed the transportation ring and were in the process of dematerializing into light. Two of the freaks had taken their place on the dead elementals. They were unnatural, but they could still use guardian powers that were left unclaimed. They must've been the advisors. Freaks... Nikira slashed the sphere in half, disapearing into air, and resheathed his sword.
White lights sparkled and danced in splotches, spinning around in a sphere. Time slowed as energy moved through material space, twisting with a lack of compal direction. A light blue planet came up by the orb, swirled in white clouds like a marble. Many moons and tinier planets hovered around it serenely, like glitter specks. And a lone star sat astide them all, whisps of firey frey pluming out into space.
The white globe descended down upon the little planet, circling down to a predestined point, far below the clouds, where surf crashed up on shore. The orb settled itself and time immediately snapped back into rhythm, the unstable particles of space that had been traveled through popped in little bursts to expend the extra energy left.
The light of the ball dispersed out gently and left its carry on ground. The six occupants stood up from what appeared to be prayer kneeling and looked towards the sky. Finally a sun looked down on them, bringing memories of their home elsewhere. They stood looking at it for a time, then back down to each other in some silent relief.
Around them stood a magnificent city, with tall tiered and steep pitched buildings of fine blue tile. Levels for walking were perfectly plane over tiers of even spaced buildings, and crossed over above the street. Clean cut white brick stacked side by side set as the road in crisp rows. The roads were lined with white crystal balls atop posts that served as street lights.
In the center of the city was a beautiful crystalline palace, with tall jagged spires of white crystal that jutted into the sky. There was a great balcony that look out on the city, upon which was hung an unbecoming black tapesty, scrawled in red letters.
Behind them was the ocean, which crawled up onto the street and trickled back down the slope. The youngest of the two girls walked to it an knelt down, spritzing water on her face. She placed a wet hand to her cheek and looked out over the water. An image of a young children playing in the surf came to her and she felt light headed. Splashing more water on her face she stood back up and rejoined her group whom examined their new setting.
"Wow. Talk about plush." One male said to no one in particular. "Rit-zy."
"We used to live here?" Another asked.
"There." The eldest of all looked towards the palace. "Let's move-" A crescendoing hiss grew from the alley between the buildings.
Raphael pivoted as an off key melody of sibilation chorused from all around them. The next second his daggers were out and poised as a small regiment of dragons emmerged from the alleys. Oil black transparent wings outstretched in a climactic state. He snarled and made a running jump into the closest one he could find.
Long claws came up in response, Raphael rolled out of its way as far as he could. Long tears grew out of his shoulder as the claws drew down his arm. Raphael landed just as Donatellos bo cut the dragon in the middle. Raphael shot him a look for taking interferring. Don wasn't paying attention however and had moved into a defensive position against another. Raphael made up for his mistake by kicking the wounded dragons head it, sucessfully breaking the skull.
Leonardo grabbed the hilts of his katanas and brought them out, parring his swords. He cut the first with a diagonal slash, and kicked it in the stomach to push it back out of the way. He could see a second coming up to his side from the corner of his eye. Its wings poised up and beat down several times in succession, lifting the creature off the ground the first few feet. He was coming forward just as the other fell to the ground.
Leonardo made a swipe with his sword as he turned, slicing it through the stomach. As it fell from the air he completed the attack with his second sword downwards as he turned.
Donatello made a wide swing of his bo, catching it under the feet of the dragon and half tripping him. It had seen the move coming though and was already halfway in the air. When the bo came around again for another blow he grabbed on, his claws extending into the wood like clamps. As Donatello struggled to free his staff he saw a few of the creatures escaping back into the alleys. He called Raphaels attention to it, giving a mighty tug on the bo. But the claws would not let loose. Damnit, I need this to fight! The force of the flying beast backing upwards was pulling the staff out of his hands. Will you get off already?! He gave it another hearty tug and suddenly vines emmerged from either end of the bo. They grew outwards till it seemed to feel it had enough to move with. Then, giving a small twitch, they flew forwards, spiraling around the dragon like some kind of disease. Don wished to let go, but was too entranced to leave. The vines climbed over the creature as it squwacked and cried out in protest, trying to let go and escape. But the vines had already bound its hands, and effectively fate. Soon enough the wings were reached, and the dragon dropped to the ground, flailing about.
The vines detatched from the bo and finished binding the creature by creating more length within itself. It continued till it just about cocooned the thing, leaving a foot and a few fingers still visible. Donatello backed away from the slowly writhing pile and held his bo against him.
Mike hopped around in defense, forming some kind of barrier for the girls. The two of them gave each other looks after being chastised by Mike for trying to leave his 'circle of protection'. There had seemed to be more enemies when they arrived, he though. The amount left were noticablely fewer. And some of those left standing were making a well intentioned retreat. Raphael caught a lingerer by the wings before it vanished with its bretheren. He propped his foot up against the small of its back, and actually tore its wings off with a mighty roar before the razor-like tail could slice him. Mike slowed to a stop as Raphael threw the wings down on the body and bellowed, nearly foaming at the mouth.
"Shit Raph, take a pill, will ya?" Mike slowly put away his chucks, unsure that his brother might come over and fight him next. Instead Raph heaved his chest with intesity, his fists clenched for battle. He began shaking them around and raised them over his head as his friends watched. Fire shook out of his fists, some turned to fireballs around his hands, remaining bits flicking off onto the ground.
A few puddles of water formed over the fallen flames to extinuish them, and Raphael glared at Lita. Leonardo sheathed his swords and Raphael lowered his fists.
"Alright then." Leonardo looked at Raph a minute more before taking invnetory on the others. Lita was fine. Mikes bandage was bleeding, it looked like he had opened a new wound. Raphaels shoulder was torn like a bitch, and his own thigh had been torn by a misaimed swipe of a claw. The entire attack had lasted only a few minutes. It seemed accidental almost. And definitely without planning.
Injuries weren't as bad as he expected it should have been. His forces had responded quickly enough he reason to himself. It was also that they didn't have any magic spells to deal with either.
It occurred to him then that Mike should not have been protecting Erika and Lita. He himself was tempted to do so. You could never trust a girl in battle. Who knows what they'd go and do to fuck everything over. But they would have been a help if there was any spell casting going on. Leo would have to speak to Mike about that. "Well, we can't stay out in the open now." Leonardo said while turning over the bodies of his foes, straightening them out. His brothers did the same, cleaning up their mess.
"The entrance to the underground is around the west corner of this wing of the city. We can hid out there." Lita said as they stood up.
"Take us there." Leonardo directed. Lita nodded and started walking towards one of the empty streets. "Mike," He pulled Mikey aside as they began walking. "...I don't want you guarding Lita or Erika from now on." Mike furrowed his brow and looked down. "We'll need them too much on the field."
"...I was really guarding Erika." Leonardo sighed. "I don't wann'er to die Leo."
"And I do? I don't want any more deaths than necessary. But sometimes I just.... Just stop guarding Erika, got it?" Mike mumbled to himself.
"Yeah." He finally answered after some prodding. Leonardo nodded in a sort of satisfaction and looked forward again. He fought the anxiousness of being above ground, trying not to upset the rest of his team. They all needed to get underground, at least for some treatment if not for the safety. They were too open on the surface. Too vulnerable. They were in need of the reprieve of the underground yet again.
His friends drew back fraternally together after the fight anyway. Like a job well done. pats on the back, and easy jokes all around. Or at lest between Mike Don and Erika. It was almost as they had done after their old fights with Shredder Shredder.... So friendly that when Lita collapsed in the street, Mike and Don were by her side in mere seconds.
"Your Majesty! Your presence is unwarranted on grounds of this danger." King Artimus set his cane back to the floor after destroying an enemy soldier that had come upon him. His last surviving advisor, Sir Leonardo, tried not to frown at his abrupt appereance. "Please lord, return from whence you came."
"Old friend, you of all should be aware I am least of many who would stay quiescent while ones own inducements be failing mortally in post." Leonardo let his breath out through his nose and bowed his head. His chin was jerked back up by his lord and clean eyes emmanating blue light bore into his. "Your comrades hath met end, hereafter and forthwith you must care after their charges." His sight was jerked to the four elementals fighting rooftop by rooftop towards the fortress. "And I shall take custody for thee the same till your mission in be its repose."
"You honor me, your eminence." His face was jerked back again.
"Hold thy tounge, and thy own. Now, we go." Artimus let his chin go and proceeded across the roofslate, his white robes riding on a breeze, somehow not picking up any of the muck below it. Leonardo looked down at the pit of bodies below him, the foul scent of death offending his nostrils. He spotted a few men he had trained himself among the mass, thin lines of dried blood trailing down their chins. He shook his head and followed after his lord, little knowing how soon he would lie beside them.
"My leige." The fire guardian knelt before the king and bowed her head, the first to finish her enemies. He placed a hand on her head and she stood. Lita was done a soon second, knocking a half dozen men off the side of the building, and down to their deaths. Sir Leonardo came up behind and placed a hand on her shoulder as the rest of the forces were cleaned up. "We are all venerated by thy royal presense."
"Indeed. Now we must depart this rooftop however, intentioned fell power are near." Artimus turned and walked off towards the fortress, his cane end clacking against stone. The glimmerings of light from the cane top cast faint light on his robes, like a lighthouse in the eternal dark. Leonardo watched his lord in reverence as he disapeared onto the next roof. He took his first foot step after him and his breath caught. Looking down and raising a hand to his stomach, he took loose hold of the end of a fine dagger. His eyes narrowed curiously and he fell to his knees. Giving a deep chuckled he fell to his side, his eyes rolling back in his head.
Lita looked down slowly, her eyes dilating. She saw the dagger hilt, and the blood that colored the stiff fabric a rusty brown. A thin line of blood began trickling down. She turned around in two almost clumsy steps, her feet making scuffing noises on the ground.
Two pairs of eyes stared back at her, blinking here and there. "Parting is such sweet sorrow." One of them spoke. The taller of the two, seemingly the master. He brushed black chin length hair away from his face and gained a superior smile. The second smiled the same, this one with shoulder length white hair. "Ah Ha Ha." He added. Lita turned to Leonardo and dropped to her knees, lifting his head up.
"Ah ha. Amusing indeed, my lordship." His colleague added.
"You fight with such scandal, sir. You could only be-" Maddeline tool a step forward and stopped.
"Correct, wench." The master waved his staff out, making a small streak of black energy that surrounded him, illuminating his face. "I am Shujin Tatakai, the master of war, and the master of you now that your foot steps land upon my tract." The fire guardian sneered and raised her fist before her chest. "This is Metsubo Nikira, ronin of destruction." Tatakai motioned to the white haired man, who drew his sword, branishing it with a grin. Tatakai set his staff back down and looked down at Lita, listening in on her quiet plaintiff words.
"Leonardo, my heart of hearts.... Please dear one... Pray your lips move? ...if not to take breath, then speaketh mine name... speaketh" She sobbed, tears dropping onto his jaw. "Give me valediction I beseech." She whispered. The air was cut cleanly with Nikiras sword, stopping just at her throat. She dropped her head and sobbed, her shoulders shaking gently.
"Nay." Tatakai held his staff end to Nikiras chest, looking down at the woman. "I am not wanting in honor... stealing life from this woman would err the child which she holds."
"But your grace! Our intendment!" Nikira growled. Lita took the sword point and placed it against her neck.
"Aye, seize this pith, knave. Fulfill ye fancy... I h-hath died the moment his heart c-ceased its cadence." She pushed the blade against the hollow of her throat.
"Nay I said." Tatakai tapped his staff against Nikiras chest and turned around. "Give time, we shall, for restoration of spirit. Once again complacent, these ladies shall face us anew inside the walls of our own fortress. The hasp shall we leave undone for ease." He added, disapearing down into the shadows. Nikira glared down at the woman for a time before pulling back, sheathing his sword. He turned on her and followed his lord off, leaving as she draped herself over the dead man.
Lita began to weep, as she never had before. Her heart would've gladly died a thousands deaths, than to have known the slaying of her love even to a fraction of what she had already in the passing of hardly a minute. Her fingers clutched the stiff fabric of the tunic, as if they could hold onto his life force just a little bit longer. She didn't care for the akward eyes that looked down at her, acting like a fool. She didn't care at all.
A burning hand on her shoulder forced her to cease for a moment, and give at least some care. She sat back up on her knees and looked behind her, still holding tight his shirt. Maddeline looked down at her, the rival tints gone from her eyes. Replaced they were with a sort of sympathy. Lita closed her eyes and cast her gaze downward.
"Come now, for he is past." Lita took a shuttered breath and laid herself back over the body. Maddeline went to pull her back up again when she sat up on her own. She raised her brow and stepped back. Lita pointed the dagger tip against her stomach, holding it first loosely in the palms of both hands.
"Nay, for I shall follow where he goes. Nothing shall hence cleave our love - and everlastingly we shall keep." King Artimus appeared back again, leaning on his cane contemplatively. Lita tightened her grip on the hilt and took tentative breath, her shoulders tensing in preparation.... Her eyes softened and she let the dagger roll from her fingers. "Nay indeed.... Why am I not competent to this... why does mine mind cry proceed, and-and mine fingers cry stay." Her voice softened. "What confusion is there in my heart that delays my hold... is this animation in the pit of my stomach my love holding me so fixed? Why may I not join him....?"
"Pray, awaken some sensibility." Artimus lifted her jaw with the end of his staff. "Do not heave your heart into your mouth, for I feel you will discharge it most volitally." She cried out and knocked his staff away.
"Hath you no mercy? I show my heart not for you, but for I must. What has been taken from me I cannot express, nor could you comprehend... Leave me now." She draped herself back over Leonardo. "I shall stay, and wait here for end, for there is no where else to end." Artimus set his staff down again. Maddeline looked between her two comrades before taking the first step toward Lita. She had never given much damn about mending broken hearts...
"Come Lita, you must lead us. We entreat you. Stand and bring us to battle as ye have always." Lita turned her head to the side, her shoulders shaking softly. "If you cannot fight, then instruct us. Find resolve to this bloodshed, Lita... before it is too late." She sat up after many akward moments, wiping her eye, now glowing with the royal families light.
"This... war... without foundation of honor. Only fancies for aching egos, and jealous hearts. Destroying all, even what it cannot brave- it will consume." She held her stomach. "I... cannot fight. And I cannot instruct. For these afrontings will close in nothing but the blackest sorrow. This must close before any one life is again emptied." She hobbled to her feet, nearly falling over. Maddeline caught her, and set her straight. "...We shall leave these dying worlds, and find another home... there we shall begin again...away from the hurt, and life underground. We shall live again, and be happy... I shall seal this away... and give it to the future! come my friends, clasp palm to palm each and others." Lita took the Kings hand and gave it to Maddeline's in place of her own, the other elementals joining hands. She stepped back as the four powered up. Kneeling again beside her dead lover she raised his head, as if to address him. "And you, sweet sweet soul. I shall bring your spirit.... Leonardo... We shall transcend time... to live again, this time... perhaps we'll find happiness." She bent down and kissed him lightly, white light drowning out color. A burst came, and the bodies lay strewn on the ground.
The winds of the land blew, and blew, postluding the new reign of silence.