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Disclaimer: Don't own the ninja turtles, do own most of the other stuff.
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"This act dooms you!"
"Stop your whining, little man!" Ssylvar's hand tightened around the Wiyem's throat. The difference in their strength and power was incredible. A large sword appeared in Ssylvar's hand; the Wiyem gasped and feebly tried to cast a spell against the stonger Reaper, but Orgo had been ready, standing in the background, and swiftly cast a counter spell.
"NO!" the Wiyem screamed, as Ssylvar's hand drove the sword through his gut. The Wiyem's small body writhed for a moment and then wilted in Ssylvar's grasp. The snake man tossed him to the ground with a snarl.
"Too easy," Ssylvar said.
Orgo shrugged, "He was the Wiyem. What did you expect?"
"I figured he might make me bleed a little or something..." Ssylvar extended his hand over the dead Wiyem's body. "I take your power for my own!" he bellowed. There was a flash of blue light, which twisted out of the Wiyem's body and wrapped itself around Ssylvar's hand. He consumed the power greedily.
"At least cutting off Gaia had -some- reward," the snake man said, grinning.
"Glutton," Orgo said. "Come on...we have another errand to run."
----
Shayl waited impatiently for her Xawks to return...she was fed up with the stubborn creatures. She briefly considered the possibility of getting the Reapers to use cell phones, but she immediately dismissed the idea. They were just too unreliable. Xawks could find a Reaper anywhere in the Demon realm, even if it took a while. She slumped down in a chair to wait.
She had been sitting for several minutes when a portal opened in front of her. She stood up quickly, not daring to hope it was Don...he still couldn't make a proper portal. Much to her disgust, Ssylvar and Orgo stepped through.
"Ah...I thought we might find you here," Orgo said, smiling.
"What do you want?" Shayl asked bitterly.
"Oh, nothing..." Ssylvar said, "Well...ok, we DO want something." His hands shot out toward Shayl's throat...she was almost as weak as the Wiyem; this should be easy. However, Shayl had always held a deep hatred for these two, and Ssylvar's action did not come as a surprise. She swiftly dodged, tore open a portal, and was gone before either of them could react.
"Dammit!" Ssylvar exclaimed. He called for his Xawk, which appeared immediately. "Find her!" He exclaimed. The little blue beast wouldn't budge. "What?! Go find her!" Ssylvar was enraged, but the Xawk informed him that Shayl had gone to a place where she could hurt him, and he didn't want to get hurt so he wasn't going to go. Frustrated, Ssylvar waved it away.
"It doesn't matter anyway," Orgo said, "She's no threat to us."
"I know," Ssylvar said, "But I would have really enjoyed getting rid of her."
Orgo sighed sadly, "I know, as would I. We'll get her eventually, not to worry."
"Right," Ssylvar said, his anger dissolved. "Let's go. I want to start that spell."
Orgo nodded and made them a portal. As they exited, Ssylvar spat on Shayl's floor, his serpentine face curled into a sneer.
----
Shayl dove from her portal and whirled around, expecting a Xawk to appear in the air shortly. She called Blackie, who told her he still couldn't find Don, and then went on the lookout for bad Xawks. After some time, Shayl allowed herself to relax...she -had- chosen a good hiding place. It was a cavern, the roof very shallow and the walls very narrow. If a Xawk came to her here, she could easily catch and kill it before it could return to its master. Making light in this place was also no problem for her, so the intruder Xawk would simply have no chance.
Still...she wasn't certain what to do now. If she went anywhere else, she was sure to be caught. She could continue to transport herself from place to place on the run, but what good would that do? Besides, she would run out of energy far quicker than her pursuers. All they had to do was catch her with one spell and she was finished.
Shayl leaned against the wall of the cavern, sighing heavily. If she valued her life, she would have to stay here. Great. Just great. Shayl was not fond of idleness, nor of hopelessness, but that seemed to be what she was faced with.
Grumbling, she did her best to resign herself to her fate...stuck in a cramped cavern with a stupid Xawk. Great.
----
"We'll begin the spell shortly." Orgo rubbed his hands together. He'd already brought Leo and Raph back from Ssylvar's house.
"What the heck is this 'spell,' anyway?" Raph asked.
"We're going to bring the Evil Demon back," Ssylvar said, "You two just be ready with your weapons, so you can take him out when he gets here."
Leo and Raph exchanged glances, and neither of them pulled out their weapons.
"Ok," Orgo said, not looking at them, "This thing is complicated, so it'll take a while for us to set up, but once we're done, it should be quite a show." He turned to Ssylvar, "Ok," he said, "Let's find the new Wiyem. He or she will have been chosen by now, and I think they won't be expecting our little surprise."
Ssylvar chuckled in response and began to chant. Orgo joined him a moment later. Leo and Raph just watched, both with sour expressions on their faces.
----
"Master! Master Splinter!" Mike gasped and staggered into the lair. He had a large bundle slung over his back, and Splinter gave him a puzzled look as he entered the room.
"You'll never believe what I found, Master!" Mike exclaimed and carefully placed his bundle on the couch.
"What is it, Michelangelo?" Splinter asked, stepping away from the couch slightly. Mike reached out and pulled back the cowl that was obscuring a face. Splinter gasped.
"Donatello!" he exclaimed, and Splinter found himself unable to say more.
"I found him right where he'd died!" Mike said, his voice reaching a hysterical pitch. "I...I didn't know what to think, so I brought him here."
Splinter shook his head and uttered a few incoherent sounds. Then, he finally found his voice, "I do not know how to explain this, my son. We must wake him up."
Mike nodded frantically and ran into the kitchen. He returned a few moments later with a small vial. He pulled off the lid and held the bottle underneath Don's nose. Immediately the turtle began to sputter and cough, the smelling salts invading his sinuses in a very unwelcome way.
Don sat bolt upright, and then began to pat on his chest, wondering how he could be alive. Then he remembered the portal, and how he'd managed to escape just in time. He also abruptly noticed that the sword wound in his arm no longer hurt; it must have healed itself....Then, he wondered where he was, and he thought to look up....
"Oh my god..." Don said, staring at Michelangelo and Splinter, "I'm...home."
Mike and Splinter just stared at him, unsure what to say or do. Here sat someone who looked and sounded just like Don....but he was wearing strange clothes, and a huge sword. Plus, they'd cremated him. Don was DEAD.
Don held up his hands defensively, "You're not gonna attack me, are you?" He sounded quite forlorn.
Mike was the first to regain his voice, "Who....who -are- you?"
"Mikey..." Don said, "It's me, Don!"
"It can't be. Don's...he's dead." Mike had tears rolling down his face. Don didn't know how to respond to him. Everything he could think of saying would sound rediculous. Finally, Splinter managed to regain his voice.
"You can't be Donatello, just as he said. We cremated his body and scattered the ashes. What sort of intruder are you?"
Don felt like he was going to puke. First Leo and Raph think he's some kind of impostor, and now the rest of his family did too. "There must be some way to convince you I'm who I say I am," Don said, feeling his gut constrict as Mike's face became even more sad. Then, in a flash, Don remembered something. "Mike," he said, "Do you remember what I said about my journal?"
Mike's eyes widened, "Yeah...." he breathed, "Yeah, I remember."
Don grinned, "I said it was a top secret government manifesto, and you could only read it if I was dead. Did you read it?"
Mike nodded, unable to speak. Splinter couldn't either. Both had begun to cling to a strange hope, that somehow the one they had lost had indeed returned. Don continued to grin, starting to feel more confident.
"I said a bunch of good stuff in there about you guys. Did you read page 64?"
Mike nodded again. Don continued.
"I knew you would. I knew you wouldn't just go reading everything in there right away, even if you wanted to. You've got too great of a conscience for that."
Mike cried even more, and Splinter's hands were shaking. "How can this be?" the old rat asked. "Donatello is dead. How can you know these things?"
Don sighed, "It's very complicated, Master. Rediculously complicated....I...I don't even know where to begin."
"Begin at the beginning, my son, and perhaps Michelangelo and I will come to understand."
Don felt heartened by how Splinter had referred to him, and he began to recount his story. He told them of his death, and how he'd been taken to another world; a world of the dead. He told them about the Reapers and his initation into their group. He told them about Gaia, and a look of great sadness crossed his face. Finally, he told them about how he'd lost Gaia, and how Leonardo and Raphael had shown up at his home and attacked him.
"Leo and Raph were there??" Mike asked, speaking for the first time in a long while.
Don nodded solemnly. "I don't know why...they shouldn't have been there, unless they'd been killed.." Don stopped abruptly. That was not what Splinter and Mike needed to hear right now.
Mike sighed, "I went out to look for them tonight...they'd both been gone for quite a while. Maybe they -are- dead....
Don waves his hand dismissively, "Now, maybe they aren't. There's some weird stuff going on here, so I wouldn't put it out of the equasion. What really concerns me is why Leo and Raph were trying to kill me....um, by the way, demons -can- die. It's all rather confusing. Anyway, I didn't even get a chance to explain myself. Though, I'm not sure what good it would have done. They seemed pretty determined."
"That does not make sense," Splinter said, "Your brothers would not wantonly attack you."
"Unless they had a good reason to, right?" Don sounded sad.
"I did not say that, but the thought did cross my mind," Splinter said, "Though, what you have said certainly makes me think you are the Donatello I raised."
"Maybe there's something else going on that we don't know about?" Mike said, wanting to restore his own faith that Don was really who he said he was.
Don could only shrug, "I wish I knew. The only indication I have is my being cut off from Gaia. My trainer Shayl told me that it was a really big deal, and that I should prepare myself for something bad....and she was right."
Splinter shook his head, "I do not know what to suggest. We must get Leonardo and Raphael back here somehow."
"I don't know if we can," Don said, "I haven't learned much, and someone is out to get me. I really need to-" Don was cut off as the ground began to shake wildly. He fell from the couch with a thump, and Splinter and Mike both lost their footing. Each was on their feet again a moment later, however.
"What's going on?!" Mike yelled.
"I...I don't know!" Don yelled back, and then gasped in horror as a black whirling vortex opened up at Mike's feet.
"What the HELL??" Mike screamed, trying to jump away but finding that his feet were stuck in place. "I can't move!" The vortex began to whirl faster, and Don felt a very strong pull on his entire body. He and Splinter, plus everything else in the lair, began to slide toward the portal. Mike seemed to be the only thing not being sucked in.
Don was sliding slower than Splinter, so he grabbed onto him and fought his way toward a pipe in the wall. It required a massive amount of strength, but he finally managed to reach it. He and Splinter both grabbed on, clinging for dear life.
Don looked around frantically, trying to think of some way to stop this horror. Then, he gasped as searing pain flashed through his skull. It was short, but it got his attention. Then, he heard a voice:
[Donatello....you must....]
The voice cut off and Don gasped again...it was Gaia! He prayed she would finish; he desperately wanted to know what he must do.
[...you must....kill.....Michelangelo...]
That was -not- what Don was expecting. "What!?" He bellowed, refusing to believe what he had heard. Gaia's voice returned.
[You must...he's being used....I chose him as Wiyem so you would have a chance....you must...kill him so the link is severed.]
"What link?? What is this?!" Don was losing his grip on the pipe, and so was Splinter.
[Kill him! I'm...I'm ordering you to kill him! This....is....the only chance. The two Reapers...they are trying to bring you back....you have to stop them...you are the only one who can stop them.]
Don couldn't do it. He knew how important it was, but he couldn't kill his brother...he COULDN'T. Gaia had ordered him to do it, but he couldn't. It was impossible.
Splinter's grip on the pipe failed; Don reached out to him, and as he did so, his tenuous hold failed as well. They both were sliding toward the vortex, where Mike was standing, staring at his feet in abject horror. Don slid closer and closer, but he couldn't reach for his sword. He couldn't kill his brother.
Another migraine pierced his skull. This time, his hands began to shake, and suddenly his arms were moving of their own volition. "NO!" Don screamed, but he couldn't keep his hands from gripping the sword. "Gaia, please don't make me do this!"
[I'm sorry....you know it has to be done. Please...don't lose faith in me, my son.]
Don felt an overwhelming sadness engulf him, both for Michelangelo, as well as for Gaia. He continued to fight his arms, but Gaia was still in control. He slid closer and closer to Mike, though Splinter was moving faster. Don's legs began to move him forward, gaining ground rapidly on the vortex. He reached Mike and his arms pulled back. Don managed to get one look at his brother's horrified face as his possessed arms swung the enormous sword through the air and separared Mike's head from his neck.
The portal closed instantly, and Don staggered back. Mike's headless body slumped to the floor, his head hitting the stone shortly after with a sickening thud. Don felt like he was going to vomit. He threw down the sword with disgust and was just about to turn away when he was met with a kick right to his face. He staggered back, caught off guard but not hurt. Splinter came at him again, and Don reflexively grabbed his master's wrists; Don, greatest of all the demons, was simply stronger and faster than the old rat.
Don continued to hold him, and Splinter snarled angrily. Don could see that his master was consumed by grief and rage. Don had just taken away what was perhaps his last son; there was no way Splinter thought Donatello was 'his son' anymore. Don didn't even try to reason with him, instead looking around the lair. Then, he saw Mike, standing over his own body with a look of pure shock on his face.
"Mike!" Don called, and time stopped. Don released his grip on the now time-frozen Splinter and walked slowly over to Mike.
"That's....me..." the poor turtle said, his voice very tiny. Don sighed.
"I'm so sorry Mike. I didn't want to do it, but I was forced."
"So, you DID kill me..." Mike said, sounding rather like he didn't believe himself.
Don nodded, his expression very sad. "That vortex that was under you...someone was using it to get to me. They were using YOU."
"How were they using me?" Mike asked.
"Gaia...the one who I'd lost. She somehow managed to contact me. She told me that she had chosen you to be....well, to be like me. She did it because she knew that they were going to create that portal. She wanted it to happen near me so I could stop it."
Mike shook his head, "This doesn't make any sense. What did she want to make me into?"
"You remember how I said I was the Siyem...the strongest Demon?"
Mike nodded.
"Well," Don said, "She wanted you to be the Wiyem. The weakest Demon."
Mike looked thunderstruck, "I can't believe this...I just can't..."
Don reached out and put his hand on Mike's shoulder, "I know how you feel. I was going nuts when this first happened to me. I still am...but.." Don waved his hand around, "You can't deny the reality of what's happening right now."
Mike shook his head, "No...I can't. There's my body, yet here I am, and there you are. You're dead, but you're here. You act like Don and know stuff that Don knows and you sound like Don...and..." Mike rubbed his face, "Ok...ok. I can do this. I beleive you Don, I really do."
"You're not just saying that?" Don asked, concerned.
"I have to believe you, Don. I mean, so much weird stuff all at once, and you're the only constant. You are YOU. Nobody could impersonate that."
Don smiled.
Mike grinned as well, but then it faded as he began to look around the lair, "Um....how do we get back to...normal?"
Don looked nervous, "I...I really don't know. I can get me back to normal, but not you."
"What? That's great, Don."
Don opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by yet another horrible migraine. He stifled a scream of pain, and Mike stepped forward, concern evident on his face.
[I'm sorry, Donatello. I know it hurts, but I must speak with you.] Gaia's voice was no longer choppy, but it was very quiet.
[I can help you, but it will be the last time. I am weak.]
Don doubled over, unable to contain his scream of agony as white hot fire seared through his mind. The pain lasted for nearly two minutes, and by the end Don was kneeling on the floor, a small line of drool escaping from his mouth.
[You can now help your brother. You can make him a Demon, make him Wiyem, and you can take him back to Earth. I'm sorry it hurt so much...I must go now. My power is gone.]
"No!" Don said, "You can't!"
[I must.] Gaia's voice was fading rapidly. [I am not dying, only fading into the background. I will no longer be able to prevent them from coming to Earth. Ssylvar and Orgo are your enemies. You must flee.]
"Why didn't you save your power so they couldn't come here?!" Don screamed, "So many will die!"
[I had to..] Gaia's voice was very quiet now [You are the only one who can defeat them...They MUST be stopped. Goodbye Donatello. Perhaps I will speak to you again one day...]
"Wait! Gaia! Don't leave.....dammit." Don pounded his fist on the floor. She was gone. He looked up and saw that Mike was staring at him.
"Sorry," Don said, "Gaia...I....that had to have been weird, I'm sorry."
"No..." Mike said, "I...I heard her too. It was beautiful."
Don was amazed, but, this was Gaia. She was the Spirit of the Earth, and Don was certain she could talk to whomever she pleased.
"So," Don said, "Do you...um...do you accept the job of Wiyem?"
Mike nodded. "Yeah. I kinda have to, I think. After all this, I mean. What else -can- I do?"
Don shrugged, "Heck if I know. Ok...this is going to be tough. Apparently I know how to make you into the Wiyem. Hopefully I have enough power to do it..." Somehow, Don knew that he did indeed have enough power. He began to chant, words coming to his mouth that he didn't even know he knew; he even knew what they meant. Mike gasped as colored runes encircled his body. He could feel himself growing more powerful, becoming...different. The spell went on for several minutes, and finally, Don chanted out the last few words and fell to his knees.
"Woah..." he breathed, "That took a lot out of me." Don started to pull himself up, and Mike offered him his hand. Don gratefully took it.
"Ok," Don said after he'd caught his breath. "I'm gonna start time up again. Stay away from your body. We won't be staying but a few minutes. The guys who are after me know this place thanks to their stupid spell, so we have to go somewhere else."
Mike nodded, "Ok...but, what about Master Splinter?"
"Just grab him. We can sort it all out once we're somewhere safer."
Don grabbed onto Mike's arm and waved his hand. Time returned with a swiftness that took both of the turtles' breath away. Mike looked around, blinking slightly, and then he saw Splinter, looking around in confusion. He ran over to him, grabbing the startled rat by the shoulders.
"I'm sorry, Master," Mike said, "No time to explain!" Don waved his hand and a portal unzipped in front of them. Don guestured Mike through first, Splinter stuggling only slightly in his grasp. Don followed shortly after, glad that he could at least take them somewhere else on Earth. Unfortunately, there would soon be Xawks after him, and Don didn't have a clue what to do about that.
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A/N: Wow...long chapter... Thanks again to all you readers, reviewers and non-reviewers alike! :)
Also, I have a little treat. I did a sketch of Ssylvar, which can be viewed here:
a href="http://www.geocities.com/animtr83/Ssylvar.jpg"http://www.geocities.com/animtr83/Ssylvar.jpg/a
Sorry if it doesn't make a link...I hope it will, but eh. I'll try to do more Demonic pictures, but that may or may not happen. My first priority is getting this written, of course! :P
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Disclaimer: Don't own the ninja turtles, do own most of the other stuff.
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"This act dooms you!"
"Stop your whining, little man!" Ssylvar's hand tightened around the Wiyem's throat. The difference in their strength and power was incredible. A large sword appeared in Ssylvar's hand; the Wiyem gasped and feebly tried to cast a spell against the stonger Reaper, but Orgo had been ready, standing in the background, and swiftly cast a counter spell.
"NO!" the Wiyem screamed, as Ssylvar's hand drove the sword through his gut. The Wiyem's small body writhed for a moment and then wilted in Ssylvar's grasp. The snake man tossed him to the ground with a snarl.
"Too easy," Ssylvar said.
Orgo shrugged, "He was the Wiyem. What did you expect?"
"I figured he might make me bleed a little or something..." Ssylvar extended his hand over the dead Wiyem's body. "I take your power for my own!" he bellowed. There was a flash of blue light, which twisted out of the Wiyem's body and wrapped itself around Ssylvar's hand. He consumed the power greedily.
"At least cutting off Gaia had -some- reward," the snake man said, grinning.
"Glutton," Orgo said. "Come on...we have another errand to run."
----
Shayl waited impatiently for her Xawks to return...she was fed up with the stubborn creatures. She briefly considered the possibility of getting the Reapers to use cell phones, but she immediately dismissed the idea. They were just too unreliable. Xawks could find a Reaper anywhere in the Demon realm, even if it took a while. She slumped down in a chair to wait.
She had been sitting for several minutes when a portal opened in front of her. She stood up quickly, not daring to hope it was Don...he still couldn't make a proper portal. Much to her disgust, Ssylvar and Orgo stepped through.
"Ah...I thought we might find you here," Orgo said, smiling.
"What do you want?" Shayl asked bitterly.
"Oh, nothing..." Ssylvar said, "Well...ok, we DO want something." His hands shot out toward Shayl's throat...she was almost as weak as the Wiyem; this should be easy. However, Shayl had always held a deep hatred for these two, and Ssylvar's action did not come as a surprise. She swiftly dodged, tore open a portal, and was gone before either of them could react.
"Dammit!" Ssylvar exclaimed. He called for his Xawk, which appeared immediately. "Find her!" He exclaimed. The little blue beast wouldn't budge. "What?! Go find her!" Ssylvar was enraged, but the Xawk informed him that Shayl had gone to a place where she could hurt him, and he didn't want to get hurt so he wasn't going to go. Frustrated, Ssylvar waved it away.
"It doesn't matter anyway," Orgo said, "She's no threat to us."
"I know," Ssylvar said, "But I would have really enjoyed getting rid of her."
Orgo sighed sadly, "I know, as would I. We'll get her eventually, not to worry."
"Right," Ssylvar said, his anger dissolved. "Let's go. I want to start that spell."
Orgo nodded and made them a portal. As they exited, Ssylvar spat on Shayl's floor, his serpentine face curled into a sneer.
----
Shayl dove from her portal and whirled around, expecting a Xawk to appear in the air shortly. She called Blackie, who told her he still couldn't find Don, and then went on the lookout for bad Xawks. After some time, Shayl allowed herself to relax...she -had- chosen a good hiding place. It was a cavern, the roof very shallow and the walls very narrow. If a Xawk came to her here, she could easily catch and kill it before it could return to its master. Making light in this place was also no problem for her, so the intruder Xawk would simply have no chance.
Still...she wasn't certain what to do now. If she went anywhere else, she was sure to be caught. She could continue to transport herself from place to place on the run, but what good would that do? Besides, she would run out of energy far quicker than her pursuers. All they had to do was catch her with one spell and she was finished.
Shayl leaned against the wall of the cavern, sighing heavily. If she valued her life, she would have to stay here. Great. Just great. Shayl was not fond of idleness, nor of hopelessness, but that seemed to be what she was faced with.
Grumbling, she did her best to resign herself to her fate...stuck in a cramped cavern with a stupid Xawk. Great.
----
"We'll begin the spell shortly." Orgo rubbed his hands together. He'd already brought Leo and Raph back from Ssylvar's house.
"What the heck is this 'spell,' anyway?" Raph asked.
"We're going to bring the Evil Demon back," Ssylvar said, "You two just be ready with your weapons, so you can take him out when he gets here."
Leo and Raph exchanged glances, and neither of them pulled out their weapons.
"Ok," Orgo said, not looking at them, "This thing is complicated, so it'll take a while for us to set up, but once we're done, it should be quite a show." He turned to Ssylvar, "Ok," he said, "Let's find the new Wiyem. He or she will have been chosen by now, and I think they won't be expecting our little surprise."
Ssylvar chuckled in response and began to chant. Orgo joined him a moment later. Leo and Raph just watched, both with sour expressions on their faces.
----
"Master! Master Splinter!" Mike gasped and staggered into the lair. He had a large bundle slung over his back, and Splinter gave him a puzzled look as he entered the room.
"You'll never believe what I found, Master!" Mike exclaimed and carefully placed his bundle on the couch.
"What is it, Michelangelo?" Splinter asked, stepping away from the couch slightly. Mike reached out and pulled back the cowl that was obscuring a face. Splinter gasped.
"Donatello!" he exclaimed, and Splinter found himself unable to say more.
"I found him right where he'd died!" Mike said, his voice reaching a hysterical pitch. "I...I didn't know what to think, so I brought him here."
Splinter shook his head and uttered a few incoherent sounds. Then, he finally found his voice, "I do not know how to explain this, my son. We must wake him up."
Mike nodded frantically and ran into the kitchen. He returned a few moments later with a small vial. He pulled off the lid and held the bottle underneath Don's nose. Immediately the turtle began to sputter and cough, the smelling salts invading his sinuses in a very unwelcome way.
Don sat bolt upright, and then began to pat on his chest, wondering how he could be alive. Then he remembered the portal, and how he'd managed to escape just in time. He also abruptly noticed that the sword wound in his arm no longer hurt; it must have healed itself....Then, he wondered where he was, and he thought to look up....
"Oh my god..." Don said, staring at Michelangelo and Splinter, "I'm...home."
Mike and Splinter just stared at him, unsure what to say or do. Here sat someone who looked and sounded just like Don....but he was wearing strange clothes, and a huge sword. Plus, they'd cremated him. Don was DEAD.
Don held up his hands defensively, "You're not gonna attack me, are you?" He sounded quite forlorn.
Mike was the first to regain his voice, "Who....who -are- you?"
"Mikey..." Don said, "It's me, Don!"
"It can't be. Don's...he's dead." Mike had tears rolling down his face. Don didn't know how to respond to him. Everything he could think of saying would sound rediculous. Finally, Splinter managed to regain his voice.
"You can't be Donatello, just as he said. We cremated his body and scattered the ashes. What sort of intruder are you?"
Don felt like he was going to puke. First Leo and Raph think he's some kind of impostor, and now the rest of his family did too. "There must be some way to convince you I'm who I say I am," Don said, feeling his gut constrict as Mike's face became even more sad. Then, in a flash, Don remembered something. "Mike," he said, "Do you remember what I said about my journal?"
Mike's eyes widened, "Yeah...." he breathed, "Yeah, I remember."
Don grinned, "I said it was a top secret government manifesto, and you could only read it if I was dead. Did you read it?"
Mike nodded, unable to speak. Splinter couldn't either. Both had begun to cling to a strange hope, that somehow the one they had lost had indeed returned. Don continued to grin, starting to feel more confident.
"I said a bunch of good stuff in there about you guys. Did you read page 64?"
Mike nodded again. Don continued.
"I knew you would. I knew you wouldn't just go reading everything in there right away, even if you wanted to. You've got too great of a conscience for that."
Mike cried even more, and Splinter's hands were shaking. "How can this be?" the old rat asked. "Donatello is dead. How can you know these things?"
Don sighed, "It's very complicated, Master. Rediculously complicated....I...I don't even know where to begin."
"Begin at the beginning, my son, and perhaps Michelangelo and I will come to understand."
Don felt heartened by how Splinter had referred to him, and he began to recount his story. He told them of his death, and how he'd been taken to another world; a world of the dead. He told them about the Reapers and his initation into their group. He told them about Gaia, and a look of great sadness crossed his face. Finally, he told them about how he'd lost Gaia, and how Leonardo and Raphael had shown up at his home and attacked him.
"Leo and Raph were there??" Mike asked, speaking for the first time in a long while.
Don nodded solemnly. "I don't know why...they shouldn't have been there, unless they'd been killed.." Don stopped abruptly. That was not what Splinter and Mike needed to hear right now.
Mike sighed, "I went out to look for them tonight...they'd both been gone for quite a while. Maybe they -are- dead....
Don waves his hand dismissively, "Now, maybe they aren't. There's some weird stuff going on here, so I wouldn't put it out of the equasion. What really concerns me is why Leo and Raph were trying to kill me....um, by the way, demons -can- die. It's all rather confusing. Anyway, I didn't even get a chance to explain myself. Though, I'm not sure what good it would have done. They seemed pretty determined."
"That does not make sense," Splinter said, "Your brothers would not wantonly attack you."
"Unless they had a good reason to, right?" Don sounded sad.
"I did not say that, but the thought did cross my mind," Splinter said, "Though, what you have said certainly makes me think you are the Donatello I raised."
"Maybe there's something else going on that we don't know about?" Mike said, wanting to restore his own faith that Don was really who he said he was.
Don could only shrug, "I wish I knew. The only indication I have is my being cut off from Gaia. My trainer Shayl told me that it was a really big deal, and that I should prepare myself for something bad....and she was right."
Splinter shook his head, "I do not know what to suggest. We must get Leonardo and Raphael back here somehow."
"I don't know if we can," Don said, "I haven't learned much, and someone is out to get me. I really need to-" Don was cut off as the ground began to shake wildly. He fell from the couch with a thump, and Splinter and Mike both lost their footing. Each was on their feet again a moment later, however.
"What's going on?!" Mike yelled.
"I...I don't know!" Don yelled back, and then gasped in horror as a black whirling vortex opened up at Mike's feet.
"What the HELL??" Mike screamed, trying to jump away but finding that his feet were stuck in place. "I can't move!" The vortex began to whirl faster, and Don felt a very strong pull on his entire body. He and Splinter, plus everything else in the lair, began to slide toward the portal. Mike seemed to be the only thing not being sucked in.
Don was sliding slower than Splinter, so he grabbed onto him and fought his way toward a pipe in the wall. It required a massive amount of strength, but he finally managed to reach it. He and Splinter both grabbed on, clinging for dear life.
Don looked around frantically, trying to think of some way to stop this horror. Then, he gasped as searing pain flashed through his skull. It was short, but it got his attention. Then, he heard a voice:
[Donatello....you must....]
The voice cut off and Don gasped again...it was Gaia! He prayed she would finish; he desperately wanted to know what he must do.
[...you must....kill.....Michelangelo...]
That was -not- what Don was expecting. "What!?" He bellowed, refusing to believe what he had heard. Gaia's voice returned.
[You must...he's being used....I chose him as Wiyem so you would have a chance....you must...kill him so the link is severed.]
"What link?? What is this?!" Don was losing his grip on the pipe, and so was Splinter.
[Kill him! I'm...I'm ordering you to kill him! This....is....the only chance. The two Reapers...they are trying to bring you back....you have to stop them...you are the only one who can stop them.]
Don couldn't do it. He knew how important it was, but he couldn't kill his brother...he COULDN'T. Gaia had ordered him to do it, but he couldn't. It was impossible.
Splinter's grip on the pipe failed; Don reached out to him, and as he did so, his tenuous hold failed as well. They both were sliding toward the vortex, where Mike was standing, staring at his feet in abject horror. Don slid closer and closer, but he couldn't reach for his sword. He couldn't kill his brother.
Another migraine pierced his skull. This time, his hands began to shake, and suddenly his arms were moving of their own volition. "NO!" Don screamed, but he couldn't keep his hands from gripping the sword. "Gaia, please don't make me do this!"
[I'm sorry....you know it has to be done. Please...don't lose faith in me, my son.]
Don felt an overwhelming sadness engulf him, both for Michelangelo, as well as for Gaia. He continued to fight his arms, but Gaia was still in control. He slid closer and closer to Mike, though Splinter was moving faster. Don's legs began to move him forward, gaining ground rapidly on the vortex. He reached Mike and his arms pulled back. Don managed to get one look at his brother's horrified face as his possessed arms swung the enormous sword through the air and separared Mike's head from his neck.
The portal closed instantly, and Don staggered back. Mike's headless body slumped to the floor, his head hitting the stone shortly after with a sickening thud. Don felt like he was going to vomit. He threw down the sword with disgust and was just about to turn away when he was met with a kick right to his face. He staggered back, caught off guard but not hurt. Splinter came at him again, and Don reflexively grabbed his master's wrists; Don, greatest of all the demons, was simply stronger and faster than the old rat.
Don continued to hold him, and Splinter snarled angrily. Don could see that his master was consumed by grief and rage. Don had just taken away what was perhaps his last son; there was no way Splinter thought Donatello was 'his son' anymore. Don didn't even try to reason with him, instead looking around the lair. Then, he saw Mike, standing over his own body with a look of pure shock on his face.
"Mike!" Don called, and time stopped. Don released his grip on the now time-frozen Splinter and walked slowly over to Mike.
"That's....me..." the poor turtle said, his voice very tiny. Don sighed.
"I'm so sorry Mike. I didn't want to do it, but I was forced."
"So, you DID kill me..." Mike said, sounding rather like he didn't believe himself.
Don nodded, his expression very sad. "That vortex that was under you...someone was using it to get to me. They were using YOU."
"How were they using me?" Mike asked.
"Gaia...the one who I'd lost. She somehow managed to contact me. She told me that she had chosen you to be....well, to be like me. She did it because she knew that they were going to create that portal. She wanted it to happen near me so I could stop it."
Mike shook his head, "This doesn't make any sense. What did she want to make me into?"
"You remember how I said I was the Siyem...the strongest Demon?"
Mike nodded.
"Well," Don said, "She wanted you to be the Wiyem. The weakest Demon."
Mike looked thunderstruck, "I can't believe this...I just can't..."
Don reached out and put his hand on Mike's shoulder, "I know how you feel. I was going nuts when this first happened to me. I still am...but.." Don waved his hand around, "You can't deny the reality of what's happening right now."
Mike shook his head, "No...I can't. There's my body, yet here I am, and there you are. You're dead, but you're here. You act like Don and know stuff that Don knows and you sound like Don...and..." Mike rubbed his face, "Ok...ok. I can do this. I beleive you Don, I really do."
"You're not just saying that?" Don asked, concerned.
"I have to believe you, Don. I mean, so much weird stuff all at once, and you're the only constant. You are YOU. Nobody could impersonate that."
Don smiled.
Mike grinned as well, but then it faded as he began to look around the lair, "Um....how do we get back to...normal?"
Don looked nervous, "I...I really don't know. I can get me back to normal, but not you."
"What? That's great, Don."
Don opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by yet another horrible migraine. He stifled a scream of pain, and Mike stepped forward, concern evident on his face.
[I'm sorry, Donatello. I know it hurts, but I must speak with you.] Gaia's voice was no longer choppy, but it was very quiet.
[I can help you, but it will be the last time. I am weak.]
Don doubled over, unable to contain his scream of agony as white hot fire seared through his mind. The pain lasted for nearly two minutes, and by the end Don was kneeling on the floor, a small line of drool escaping from his mouth.
[You can now help your brother. You can make him a Demon, make him Wiyem, and you can take him back to Earth. I'm sorry it hurt so much...I must go now. My power is gone.]
"No!" Don said, "You can't!"
[I must.] Gaia's voice was fading rapidly. [I am not dying, only fading into the background. I will no longer be able to prevent them from coming to Earth. Ssylvar and Orgo are your enemies. You must flee.]
"Why didn't you save your power so they couldn't come here?!" Don screamed, "So many will die!"
[I had to..] Gaia's voice was very quiet now [You are the only one who can defeat them...They MUST be stopped. Goodbye Donatello. Perhaps I will speak to you again one day...]
"Wait! Gaia! Don't leave.....dammit." Don pounded his fist on the floor. She was gone. He looked up and saw that Mike was staring at him.
"Sorry," Don said, "Gaia...I....that had to have been weird, I'm sorry."
"No..." Mike said, "I...I heard her too. It was beautiful."
Don was amazed, but, this was Gaia. She was the Spirit of the Earth, and Don was certain she could talk to whomever she pleased.
"So," Don said, "Do you...um...do you accept the job of Wiyem?"
Mike nodded. "Yeah. I kinda have to, I think. After all this, I mean. What else -can- I do?"
Don shrugged, "Heck if I know. Ok...this is going to be tough. Apparently I know how to make you into the Wiyem. Hopefully I have enough power to do it..." Somehow, Don knew that he did indeed have enough power. He began to chant, words coming to his mouth that he didn't even know he knew; he even knew what they meant. Mike gasped as colored runes encircled his body. He could feel himself growing more powerful, becoming...different. The spell went on for several minutes, and finally, Don chanted out the last few words and fell to his knees.
"Woah..." he breathed, "That took a lot out of me." Don started to pull himself up, and Mike offered him his hand. Don gratefully took it.
"Ok," Don said after he'd caught his breath. "I'm gonna start time up again. Stay away from your body. We won't be staying but a few minutes. The guys who are after me know this place thanks to their stupid spell, so we have to go somewhere else."
Mike nodded, "Ok...but, what about Master Splinter?"
"Just grab him. We can sort it all out once we're somewhere safer."
Don grabbed onto Mike's arm and waved his hand. Time returned with a swiftness that took both of the turtles' breath away. Mike looked around, blinking slightly, and then he saw Splinter, looking around in confusion. He ran over to him, grabbing the startled rat by the shoulders.
"I'm sorry, Master," Mike said, "No time to explain!" Don waved his hand and a portal unzipped in front of them. Don guestured Mike through first, Splinter stuggling only slightly in his grasp. Don followed shortly after, glad that he could at least take them somewhere else on Earth. Unfortunately, there would soon be Xawks after him, and Don didn't have a clue what to do about that.
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A/N: Wow...long chapter... Thanks again to all you readers, reviewers and non-reviewers alike! :)
Also, I have a little treat. I did a sketch of Ssylvar, which can be viewed here:
a href="http://www.geocities.com/animtr83/Ssylvar.jpg"http://www.geocities.com/animtr83/Ssylvar.jpg/a
Sorry if it doesn't make a link...I hope it will, but eh. I'll try to do more Demonic pictures, but that may or may not happen. My first priority is getting this written, of course! :P
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