Chapter 9
Leonardo was still unconscious after his talk with his father but for now everyone had to move and get out of the house. The only place everyone could think of that was available especially for the turtles was their home in the sewers. It has been over seventeen years since anyone in the Jones family step foot in the house but swallowing anything left of pride everyone made the trudge down the sewer grate to the lair. It didn't take long since they lair was always near the Jones's apartment. This was the first time Shadow and James step foot in the lair. As Donnie undid all the locks and security the wall pushed itself back and opened. The lair was untouched by time as noted by Casey and April as they stepped in seeing everything was still the same. The wall of television with the lumpy couch with stuffy falling out, the trail care used for the lab and med bed was the same as it was years ago. If it wasn't the wrinkles or the presence of Shadow and James it would feel like another day walking in to hang out with the turtles and Splinter but, sadly that wasn't the case as Raph carried Leonardo to the med bed and placed him on the spare cot inside. Covering his body up with a blanket Raph peered down at his face, images of Leo flashed replacing the face of Leonardo with the one of his true brethren when he was sick and laying in bed. Raph clenched his jaw and curled his hand into a fist.
"Don't worry we will protect you." Raph whispered ruffling the young teen's head with his hand.
Leonardo winced and tightly closed his eyes turning his body to the side away from Raph Leonardo returned his sleep state as Raph left the car.
"What do we do now?" Mikey asked.
"First we rest I don't think anyone is up for a battle now." Raph said.
"Agreed where do you want us?" April asked.
"Pick one of our rooms we will be taking shifts with Leonardo." Donnie said.
"But what about me?" Shadow asked.
"What about you?" Casey asked his daughter.
"I have been training for months for something like this why can't I help?" Shadow asked.
"Because of what happened to Mac, Shadow. You need to process everything before making your next move." April stated.
"But- "
"No buts lady take your brother upstairs to the room closes to the stairs." April said in an almost threating tone.
Shadow rolled her eyes and took James upstairs to Donnie's room to rest.
"We should talk for a bit." April said.
"Agreed there is much to talk about." Donnie said.
Mikey ran to the kitchen and made a large batch of coffee for everyone. Pulling out a bottle from the cabinet Mikey added some brandy to each cup.
"Drink. It has been a long day." Mikey said placing each cup in front of everyone at the table.
Casey took a big gulp of coffee ignoring the heat coming off a freshly brewed cup.
"Where do you want to start?" April asked.
"At the beginning." Raph said staying a sip of his own cup.
"After reading the book Casey and I had to leave. We thought that after everything that happened to Leo the year before you guys would have changed but from his notes and writing it looked as if you guys were returning back to your former selves and we couldn't be apart of it. When news of Leo's death hit us, we had to cut you guys off and leave New York for a while. During that time, I found out I was pregnant with Shadow so we decided to get married at the courthouse and move to Maine where we started a new life away from everything in New York. We stayed there until Shadow was three and James was a newborn when we got word from family that we were needed back. So, we moved back into April's old apartment with the shop and reopened everything. It's funny how we were trying to run from our old lives only to return in the end. We ended up staying and raising the kids here since. We missed you guys every day but at the same time we couldn't face you after everything that had happened. I think you know James's whole name by now." Casey said looking up towards Donnie's room.
"James Leonardo Jones." Donnie said.
"Yes, when I was pregnant with James it was a harder pregnancy than it was with Shadow and he was born a month early. The doctors were worried about his low weight and development that needed to continue inside my body. We started to pray day after day until the doctors told us he would be okay. We worry still to this day that something could happen. That's why we choose to give him the name Leonardo because it was a strong name that no matter what happened he could watch over his family and stay with us. After what happened with the twins I feared the other shoe finally fell." April said with a shiver up her spine.
Casey placed a hand on to of Aprils and gave it a light squeeze.
"Nothing has really changed beyond age for us." Raph said.
"Yes, though I can say we have matured a bit." Mikey said.
"And for Mikey to mature that is saying a lot." Donnie joked.
A small chuckle and smile grew across everyone's face.
Just as a feel of happiness grew across everyone the temperature dropped drastically everyone's breath was showing and the once piping hot coffee was starting to freeze over. Turning their attention to the pond in the lair everyone stood up as the once blue green water turned into an inly black color. The water started to move in a spiral motion, the water moved slowly then sped up towards the center of the whirlpool.
"What's going on?" April asked.
"Probably the twins again." Mikey moaned.
Walking towards the edge of the water the turtles readied their weapons. April ran to stay with the kids while Casey grabbed their nearest weapon he could. The center of the whirlpool opened up the everyone readied themselves for the twin's arrival only to drop their arms to their side and side wide eye as a figure with large black wings floated to the top, sickly grey skin and a mask covering the nose and mouth region with an X over it. What scared everyone the most were the eyes; one eye was clouded as if he was blinded in that eye while the other had the whites of the eye replaced to be black with a red iris with the pupil cat eye with a small thin line horizontally across the middle resembling a cross.
"Leo." Donnie muttered under his breath.
Shabriri with weapon in hand float on in the air above the water. The water calmed and went still as Shabriri landed on top of the water. He turned his head towards the tram car then back to everyone.
"You can't have him Leo." Raph stated running over and placing himself between Shabriri and Leonardo.
Shabriri shook his head walking across the water Shabriri paid no mind to anyone in the room and focused on the tram car. Raph rushed Shabriri but all Shabriri had to do was raise his hand and Raph's body flew through the air and crashed landed across the room.
"Raph!" Donnie and Mikey yelled.
Shabriri walked closer to the tram car ignoring the voices of Mikey and Donnie. Mikey and Donnie rushed over to Shabriri with weapons in hand while Casey went to check on Raph.
Shabriri raised his arm in towards Mikey and Donnie the bladeless weapon in one quick movement mist appeared and took the shape of his blade. Shabriri coldly stared at the turtles as his blade took its form, turning his body towards them Shabriri stood there waiting for their move. Donnie and Mikey looked at each other then nodded their head. Charging forward they raised their weapons to strike but Shabriri was not one of the kings of the underworld for nothing. One slice in the air sent Donnie and Mikey flying backwards into the stone ground. Small slices appeared on their arms, legs and chest where open skin appeared. Falling down a pool of blood appeared under them as they laid still. Shabriri returned his weapon back into just a hilt and placed it back in his cloak. Walking towards the tram the doors opened, Shabriri walked in to see the sleep form of Leonardo on the bed. Shabriri picked the boy up and carried him out.
"Stop right there." Raph yelled standing up with the help of Casey.
"I promised to protect him from anyone even if it is you Leo you can't have him." Raph stated.
Shabriri turned to Raph then back to the pond continuing on his trek back home.
Raph growled and charged towards Shabriri with Casey right behind them.
"I don't think so."
Raph and Casey stopped in place looking up to see Lilith now an adult with longer hair and a slight height difference stand on the edge of the second floor.
"Who are you?" Raph demanded.
"Your brothers will remember me but I was tasked by my master to watch the boy until he was ready for us. His power is still dormant but we can fix that easily now if you don't mind my master wants to return him." Lilith said.
Shabriri nodded his head and started to walk on the water's edge. The water returned back to the inky black and spiral again.
"Leonardo!" Raph yelled.
But as he started to run Lilith appeared in front of him with the tip of a crude blade pressing against his throat.
"Don't even think about it. I would be more concerned with your brothers than master after all they took a hit from his cursed blade. Do you really want to go after Shabriri when you are going to be losing two brothers at the same time?" Lilith asked in a mocking tone.
"What?" Raph said in shocked.
Looking over to his brothers Raph now noticed their skin was crawling with black spiderwebbing from the cuts they received from Shabriri.
Raph had a chose his brothers lives or Leonardo.
Raph tightly closed his eyes and charged towards his brothers as Shabriri stepped into the middle of the pond his wings unfurled and motioned to Lilith.
"Coming master." Lilith said placing the blade back in her waist sheath.
"See you around turtle." Lilith said as they descended back to the underworld.
"Leonardo!" Raph yelled.
Hearing his name Leonardo turned his head towards the sound of Raph screaming his name. With heavy eye lids Leonardo turned to see a blurry image of Raph but was slowly consumed back to darkness.
"What's going on?" Casey asked.
"Leo, no Shabriri did something to them and I don't know what to do." Raph stated.
Staring down at his two unconscious brothers the black spiderwebbing started to grow more and more across their bodies. It was as if their bodies were turning to ash.
The air around Raph and Casey flew past them. Turning around they saw Zachriel and Castiel standing behind them.
"What happened?" Castiel asked.
"You tell me." Raph stated motioning towards Mikey and Donnie.
"Crap." Zachriel muttered under his breath.
Castiel walked over and placed one hand on each brother. His eyes turned a bright light blue then returned to his normal brown eyes.
"They have been poisoned by one of the Kings of the Underworld weapons." Castiel said.
"Yes, Shabriri was here and took Leonardo." Raph said.
"Why would they want him?" Casey asked.
"Leonardo is carrying the soul of Dumah who still slumbers after his death. The seal to Yoake is breaking and the kings must believe that the combine power of Shabriri and Dumah will reseal the barrier for good. Unfortunately, this will drain Leonardo's life force and force Shabriri into a deep slumber to regain his power." Castiel said.
"Are you concerned about your son?" Casey asked.
"Yes, but I have to think of the bigger picture now. The power of Dumah is too much for the kings and could cause the rift between the two worlds to open and all the undead and those damn to that plane to escape onto this world. We will return back to heaven and gather an army to combat this." Castiel stated.
"What about my brothers?" Raph roared.
"They will be unfortunate casualties towards this mission. We can help with their progress to the other side if you want." Castiel said.
Casey looked and stared at Castiel but Raph on the other hand knew what could feel better than just standing and using his words like Leo did in the past. Standing straight up Raph ran over and slugged Castiel in the face. Castiel didn't move or try to defend himself. Taking the hit in full force Raph jumped on top of Castiel's chest and rapidly continued to punch him. Castiel just laid there taking each one until Raph was panting heavily; standing up wobbling in place he walked over and collapsed onto his knees next to his brothers.
"Where's the antidote?" Raph asked.
Rubbing the blood off his face with the back of his hand Castiel stood up readjusting his posture and clothes.
"Underworld." Castiel said.
"How can I get there?" Raph asked.
"Die and be one of the souls that needs judgement by Death." Castiel said.
"Or make a bargain with someone high up in the chain of command in the underworld." Zachriel said placing a hand on Castiel's shoulder. Castiel's body glowed and all the damage and blood on Castiel disappeared.
"Twins won't help since we pretty much almost burnt them alive. Can heaven help?" Raph asked.
Castiel shook his head.
"Only souls and angels can past through the gates." Castiel said.
"Then I die." Raph said.
"What? No way man you can't do this!" Casey yelled.
Raph shook his head.
"I have to save my brothers if dying will save them then I hope one day they will forgive me for doing this." Raph said grabbing his sai.
Casey ran over to try to stop Raph but Raph even though years have passed still had the upper hand on Casey. Throwing his fist into Casey's gut, the wind flew out of Casey as he doubled over in pain.
"Tell them Case. Tell them that I better not see them until they are old and wrinkly." Raph joked.
"Please…Raph…don't." Casey pleaded raising a shaking hand out towards Raph.
Raph closed his eyes and shook his head.
"I can't think of a life alone without any of them." Raph said.
In one quick movement Raph plunged the sai into his neck with the largest prong sticking out of the back of his neck while the side prongs nicked the side of his neck. Falling to his side Raph gurgled and coughed blood out. His vision started to blur and grow darker and darker. Smiling as he laid beside his fallen brother he pictured a time long ago during Christmas when everyone was together and they took a family photo together. Pulling Leo into the picture everyone smiled as the timer on the camera went off and a moment in time was captured of what was his happy family.
As Raph laid on the floor dead Castiel and Zachriel nodded their heads and flew away. Casey still struggling to stand pulled his body over and collapsed onto Raph's body. Slowly rolling onto his bottom Casey pulled Raph's body into his lap. Carefully taking the sai out of his throat Casey cradled Raph's head cleaning the blood that was still pouring out of his neck with his hands. Casey didn't hear the sound of April screaming or his son and daughter yelling at Casey. The footsteps of his family stood on deaf ears as they gasped and stared at Raph's lifeless body lying in Casey's lap. Donnie and Mikey full of cuts that were turning their bodies to ask April carefully asked Casey what happened.
Casey shook his head rubbing his thumb over Raph's cheek over and over and over.
"He did it for them. To save them. If…no when they wake we need to tell them." Casey said.
April bent down and kneel next to her husband crying into his shoulder.
"Why did this happen?" April asked.
One word told everyone the cause of Raph's death. Shabriri.
