Chapter 17

Disclaimer: Don't own the Ninja Turtles. Respective characters and places are stuff besides the turtles are mine, though.

a/n: Ok....I know I haven't updated in....8 months....but, I'm back! I'm SO sorry that I haven't, but my life got out of control for a while and it took a few admonishing and motivating reviews to get me back on track. This story is my baby and I didn't want to quit writing it, but life got in the way. My updates will still be slow, but not 8 months slow or anything. I'm just rather busy this semester so I'll have to update when I can. Thanks to all the people who encouraged me after I dropped off, and I hope you guys still enjoy the story!

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"How dare you interrupt me like that!" Ssylvar bellowed, his face just inches from Orgo's.

"Oh, shove it," Orgo said, waving his hand, "I interrupted you because Rigai wants to talk to you. He didn't sound happy."

"He talked to you?" Ssylvar sounded abashed.

"Only for a second. His voice was like a thousand needles in my brain. I don't know how you can stand it."

"I'm stronger than you, that's how." Ssylvar sneered and climbed up the steps to his throne. "I'm here, master." He said.

Why is the Siyem not dead?

"He will be soon, master. I want to make an example of him."

He should be dead now. Every moment you wait he grows stronger.

"That's just a myth. Besides, he can't do anything. He's weak."

The Siyem is never weak. You will kill him now or I will kill you."

Ssylvar flinched, "Yes, master."

----

Shayl sat up and rubbed her face. Ssylvar's flames had been very intense, and she could tell that she had been burnt pretty badly. She also wasn't sure how long she'd been out, but she saw that Michelangelo was still unconscious. Splinter was crouched over him.

"He'll be fine," Shayl said, climbing shakily to her feet. She grimaced in pain from her burns. "He and I both have burn, but they'll heal in an hour or so."

Splinter nodded gravely, "I had hoped as much. Where has that snake man taken Donatello?"

Shayl sighed, "I wish I knew. I hate to say it, but Don could be dead already."

"No," Splinter said, and Shayl was startled by the firmness in his voice. Splinter continued, "I have noticed much through this link Donatello and I have. He is very upset right now, but he is not hurt."

Shayl nodded, "Good. I've heard of emotional links before, but I didn't think Don would create one. It must have come naturally." Suddenly, a groan emanated from Michelangelo and he sat up abruptly.

"What happ...ened..." Mike stuttered, rubbing his face and wincing from the burns there.

"Ssylvar captured Donatello," Shayl said angrily, "We're screwed."

"No..." Mike said, feeling his heart sink, "There must be something we can do."

"There isn't," Shayl said, "We're screwed, the world is screwed, everybody's screwed."

Splinter put up a hand, "We are not, as you say, 'screwed.' There is always hope, young one. Someday you will learn that."

"-Young- one? I'm DEAD gramps, there's no such thing as young." Shayl sneered angrily.

Splinter shook his head, "You have much to learn. We must press on and try to find Donatello before they kill him."

"And how to you propose we do that?" Shayl rolled her eyes skeptically.

"Rudy will tell us where Donatello is, and you will make a portal to him."

"That's nuts!" Shayl yelled, "We can't just waltz in there and expect to survive! We'll be meat!"

"They won't be expecting it," Michelangelo said, "We can have the Xawks find us an inconspicuous place to come in, and then Splinter and I can start doing the ninja thing."

"And what am I supposed to do?" Shayl asked.

"You shall create a diversion," Splinter said, "I know you're weaker than the other Reapers, but that does not mean you can't cause some trouble."

Shayl sighed, "That it, huh? We sneak in, I cause a distraction, and you grab Donatello. That's the best plan you've got?"

"I'm afraid so," Splinter said.

"Great. Just great." Shayl shook her head and called upon the Xawks to begin the plan.

----

"Are you going to kill him?" Orgo asked Ssylvar after his exchange with Rigai.

"Soon," Ssylvar said, "I just want to get the word out about an execution." He snapped his fingers and a six-legged demon scuttled into the room. "I want a full range announcement to go out," Ssylvar said, "Execution, in one hour. The Siyem is to die today. I want everyone who is still alive in this city to be here."

The leggy demon nodded and sped out of the room. Ssylvar snapped his fingers and Slug, the ferocious blue Xawk appeared.

"I want you to send out a message to all your buddies about this execution. I want ALL the Reapers to know about it. Not just the ones following me." Slug indicated that he agreed and disappeared.

"This is great," Ssylvar said, reclining in his throne. Orgo shook his head, wondering how much longer Rigai would put up with Ssylvar.

----

Donatello could feel himself beginning to hyperventilate. This was not how things were supposed to go. He was going to die, and everything would go to hell. Don just wished he could talk to Gaia. Just to hear her voice for a second would revive his confidence. It would, at the very least, stave off the rising panic he was feeling.

Suddenly, he felt a slight vibration in his feet, and then, he heard the loudest loudspeaker he'd ever heard in his life:

EXECUTION IN ONE HOUR. REPEAT. EXECUTION IN ONE HOUR. ALL CITIZENS REQUIRED TO ATTEND. IMMENENT DEATH OF SIYEM. ALL CITIZENS REQUIRED TO ATTEND.

Don shuddered. This was it. The last hour of his life. He didn't have the knowledge he need to survive or win; he was doomed. He slumped down on the floor of the tiny cell and buried his head in his hands. All he wanted to do at that moment was go back to the lair and work in his lab. He wanted things to be the way they were before. He wanted to go back to thinking like a scientist. Analyze, learn, study, test. No more magic, no more Demons.

Don sighed. This was all his fault. He should have been able to learn those spells; he didn't know what was holding him back. Maybe he didn't really want to learn them, or maybe he didn't believe in them. Whatever it was, Don felt the failure engulf him like a cloak. He knew the real problem was his desire to understand the spells he was trying to use, rather than just letting them flow through him. He couldn't relax and let the magic flow.

I have to relax, Don thought, Everybody else can do this stuff. I can too. But, Don knew he was just kidding himself. His mind didn't work that way. It had to analyze, predict, hypothesize, understand. That's the way Don's mind worked.

I'm fighting with my mind, Don thought, Who's a thunk it..?

He sighed again and put his head in his hands. Only an hour until death. Don could only sit and wait, contemplating his doom.