Pray
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All that could be heard throughout the lair was the dropping of the sewer water in the distance. The three eldest brothers met at the front, using their ninja skills to be as discrete and possible to not disturb the youngest from his slumber. April was able to set up a meeting with Father Mathew at the church to discuss what he might know about the mysterious cult. Unfortunately, April was not going to join them.
Earlier in the day the hunt for Casey was still going. They found his motorcycle at the bottom of the Hudson river but no sign of the hot headed hockey player. The turtles made it clear not to mention that Casey had stopped by the Lair before his trip to the airport simply because they had a funny feeling Mikey had something to do with the disappearance. April would be with the police for the rest of the time till Casey was located and the brothers didnt want to drag her into this mess as well. The priest agreed to meet them after hours and was alerted by April. They were concerned of the priests reaction to their apperance but April told them not to fret.
They didn't dare bring the youngest along with them because for one, they weren't sure if he would even come and if there was an outside source manipulating the family, they didnt want to alert it through Mikey. It was best to keep this quiet and quick as they possibly could. With a fast pace, they left the sewers and headed straight for the surface.
Donnie lead the way, keeping his tracker out to lead them to the church. He looked back as they hopped from one roof to the other, keeping mental notes of his brothers. Raphael looked anxious and on the edge. He wanted this done and over with which was understandable since he was the one who was most affected. He kept note of Leo. He didn't say much when they left. No real plan with this, just tagging along for the ride which he found slightly uncomfortable but pushed it to the back of his mind. Right now he focused on information he needed to solve this problem. Thats all he cared about.
He heard his tracker beep, alerting them tthey had arrived at the church. With stealth, they made there way into the church and found themselves in the middle of the chambers. The church was large by the vaulted ceilings and lit by candle light. The brothers moved slowly, not wanting to catch any unwanted attention. They were comforted by April that only the Priest would be here this evening but they still kept their guard up.
They all flinched at the sound of a door cracking open and quickly took to the shadows. They watched as a older man walked out from the back behind the podium and towards the table of candles and sage. He was humming to himself a simple tune. The turtles immediatly figured out this was Father Mathew. The elder stood up tall and spoke up high.
"You must be the guest April spoke about. Don't be shy, I don't bite." He said. Donnie looked at Leo who gave a nod of approval to drop down from where they were hidden to greet the old pastor. They still kept to the shadows as much as they could.
"Father Mathew?" Leo asked. The man turned to the sound of Leonardo's voice. Donnie observed the old man and noticed the clear film over the elder's eyes. Donnie felt his tension release.
"You're blind." He blurted out.
"Yes, only slightly though. I only see shades of light and shadows. I see you standing there, but I can't determine what you look like." He spoke. All three of the brothers took a breath of air. The elder smiled. "April tells me you boys are looking for assistance what can I help you with today?"
"We were hoping maybe you can give us more information about a cult running around the city." Donnie said.
"Luckily enough Before I went blind I did a study on most groups in the city that did not speak the word of god. Do you have any idea who you are dealing with?" He asked.
"We're not sure, we had a run-in with them not too long ago and they had something to do with the church that burned down that one over on 12th street." The priest took a moment and remember hearing of the church being brought to the ground in the way that it did.
"Follow me." The man turned, and with memory alone was able to lead the turtles into the back where his office was. Father Mathew felt across the room till he reached his desk.
"Why do you feel you are dealing with an unholy group?" He asked. Donnie bit his lip and looked over to Raph and Leo which both kept silent. Odd.
"We interuppted what looked to be a ceremony of some kind." He started. "Our brother Mikey, he is somehow affected by it. He was trying to rescue a child that was apart of it and he bit him. He hasn't been the same since." He explained.
"I see." Mathews said. "Anything about this group you remember?"
"Nothing too noticable." Donnie said. "The only thing that I would consider strange would be that the members of this group refer to him as a vessel." That seemed to have caught the priests attention.
"Vessel?" He asked.
"Yeah. Do you know what theyre referring to?" The priest moved to his book shelf, feeling against the spines recognizing the feel of each book. He pulled back a grey book with no cover. He placed it on the desk.
"Turn it to page 326." He told Donatello. He obliged, flipping through the photos till the photo of a blurred man in a top hat appeared.
"What is it?" he asked.
"You boys have encountered the group known as the White Fang. They are a small group here, probably why you weren't able to find them in whatever database you were trying to find them in. They are not well known here in the United States. They were originally from France, went under the name Les Enfants Voleurs." The priest said.
"The fuck does that mean?" Raph asked.
"The children snatchers." The priest explained. This left a bad taste in Raph's mouth.
"They take children? For what?" Donnie asked.
"For the reason they speak of, they are looking for a vessel."
"Sir, please who are these people?" Donnie asked. He glanced over at Leo and noticed how eerie silent he was.
"The White Fang is an old group, a strange mixture of satanic practice and Wiccan. A spite against god in all shapes. They appeared during the French Reveutionary war, claiming that their savior is what damned the king. The children in Paris were starting to disappear in large numbers. Each being used as an attempt to animate the being they felt was the reason for France's Fall. Children were used as vessels because of the innocence that they hold. Clean of all sin from society and that of being human. Tell me, how old is your brother?" He asked.
"He's 15." Donnie said. The priest creased his eye brows.
"Slightly older than most. Tell me, is he younger mentally speaking?"
"Ya mean if he acts like a 10 year old normally ya." Raph said.
"I see. Is he free of sin?" he asked.
"Excuse me?" Donnie asked. "Uh, sorry were not all that familiar with the bibles definition of Sin."
"He has never harmed another creature, gone against the old testament?" The priest hinted at.
"If you're asking if he's killed or had sex or whatever the book tells ya not to do then no he's pretty squeaky clean." Raph said annoyingly. The priest was silent for a moment, taking in Raphael's tone.
"Boy, you've seen this creature haven't you?" Father Mathew pointed out, making Raph go quiet.
"Yeah, more than I would like to." He admitted. "Fuckers called me a connection, whatever the hell that means." Donnie could see how uncomfortable Raph was talking about the thing that's been watching him. He wasn't surprised considering how frustrated his younger brother was at the fact only he was able to see it.
"Ah, you are closer in age to your brother then?" The Priest said.
"Yea."
"But not free of sin?" He asked. Raph bit his lip.
"No. I've busted a couple of skulls in self defense." He said as if trying to defend himself from being claimed as a murderer.
"A connection is the link between the vessel and this world. Usually ends up being a family member or someone close to the vessel. Keeping bonds secure for the arrival." The priest explained.
"But I don't get it." Donnie mentioned. "This whole process they're doing, it doesn't explain Mikey's behavior."
"There is a specific set of rules that the vessel must abide by before being chosen. More like, forced into." The priest began. "They start by being starved, unable to feed themselves and can only eat the offering."
"The offering?" Donnie asked,reclaiming his memory of Michelangelo's inability to eat then was suddenly cured.
"Normally that of a pig's heart. Once the vessel has agreed to those terms, they are enlightened by the idea they are helping a lone spirit. At that point, they have welcomed in their carrier."
"Carrier?" Donnie asked.
"The figure that you see." The priest referring back to Raph's previous concerns. "Known as the carrier, making sure that the vessel is protected.
"That's why it must have attacked you that first night Raph." Donnie said. "And probably why it keeps torturing you."
"Could be." The Priest spoke, walking to the other end of his desk. "The carrier is known to be mischievous as it begins its process of removal."
"Removal?" Raph asked.
"Removing the soul from the body. This process normally consists of memory loss, delusions, causing the child who once was, becomes no longer." Donnie came to the realization.
"To make the body that of a vessel."
"Exactly." Donnie processed all this information and realized this wasn't some poor excuse of a prank or some over dramatic pity party. This involved something bigger than any of them.
"How do you know all of this?" Leo asked, catching the attention of both Donnie and Raph considering Leo hasn't spoken this entire time.
"Oh, wasn't aware of another person in the room." The priest said half heartedly. "if you would be so kind, in the trunk there by the book shelf take out the tape labeled 'Chrissy A-13' and put it in the telly in the corner." When Leo didn't move, Donnie rushed and followed the instructions given by the elder and placed the tape in the machine and watched as it flickered to life.
It showed a family sitting at the dinner table, seemed all for the most part normal. Donnie looked closely at the little girl sitting at the end of the table.
"You were observing the process." He said out loud.
"Yes, about ten years ago when the White Fang started to appear, I took it upon myself to do an investigation on a family that came to me with a similar story to yours. I tried to help. But I was too late." he said with sorrow. Donnie watched the tape, and saw the little girls antics were similar to Michelangelo's. He looked to the corner of the tape, and saw a man standing in the doorway.
"Who's the guy in the button up?" Raph asked.
"That was David, the eldest son. He too played a role in the ceremony as the deliverer." Father Mathew said.
"The deliverer?" Donnie asked, suddenly feeling anxious as he was no longer able to feel Leo's presence behind him.
"The eldest child was left to deliver the vessel." As the priest had said that, Donnie watched on the tape as the boy named David went to each of the family members and slit their throats and snatched the little girl up and left the shot. "Once I had realized it, they were gone. I have not been able to locate Chrissy or David since."
Donnie bit the inside of his cheek and had a better understanding of Leo's role. He looked back to see his eldest brother was no longer standing in the doorway.
Panic.
"Raph-" He was cut off when he saw his blue banded brother behind the desk with his blade drawn.
"Father Matthew!" He yelled but it was too late, Leo had already made his move. Slicing his blade over the old man's neck like a stick of butter, and watched as he tried to stop the bleeding and fell to the ground.
"The fuck Leo!" Raph yelled, reaching for his sai's to defend off his deranged brother. When Leo faced him, Raph flinched to see a pale pink layer covering over his brother's eyes.
Leo's quick movements were still in tact as he launched at Raph to hit a major pressure point, causing the larger turtle to pass out. Raph fell hard to the ground, giving Donnie some time to plan an attack on his elder brother. As he came forward, Leo met Donnie's staff mid way with his katana and they were left in a stalemate. Donnie was able to get a better look of the pink film and realized quickly Leo was not in control.
"Come on Leo snap out of it! Don't let it get to you!" Leo said nothing, instead pushed hard enough to gain some distance and pull out a poison dart from his pouch, throwing it in Donnie's direction and catching into his arm.
Donnie did his best and removed the dart quickly, but he knew it wasn't quick enough. His vision began to blur as he watched as Leonardo picked up Raphael in a fireman hold.
"What are you-" Donnie couldn't finish, feeling his tongue swell and eyes water. Leo didn't even give him a second look before taking their unconscious brother out the window and leaving Donatello to pass out next to a pool of blood.