I repent terribly for not getting this chapter up sooner. I froze you on the edge of a cliff and forced you to wait in agony to see below. Even though I have been busy, that is no excuse. I've just been too lazy; there's no other explanation. I apologize to all my supportive devotees out there; I have put you through much suffering.
"What a pleasure it is to meet you." Galbatorix said charmingly, "I must admit, I have never meet terrapins of your judgment, skill, or intelligence level. All are quite low." His pleasantries disguised the insult in such a way that it took many minutes before one of the turtles realized it.
"Why are you here, Galbatorix?!" Leo asked in a defiant tone.
"Well, you see, my dear friends, my enemy, the wretch Eragon, had me at his mercy. He had enslaved the souls of poor helpless Eldunari and forced his evils upon my dear Shruikan and I. We had to escape, so I created a portal that led me to this wondrous land of yours. All I wish to do is gather enough power to rid this land of that boy's curse and return to Alagaesia." Galbatorix explained, manipulative sweetness dripping off every word. His voice was so overpowering that it made you want to support his cause whole-heartedly.
Leo wore a fake look of confusion and asked, "Eragon? Who is this Eragon?"
"Eragon Shadeslayer and his cobalt dragon, Saphira Brightscales." Galbatorix stated, somehow fooled by Leo's amateur acting skills, "I am sure that he followed us into this land."
"Wait, a blue dragon?" Raph asked, "There were a blue dragon and some elf-thing in the forest, shot dead."
"Dead! I don't believe you!" Galbatorix exclaimed. A powerful Dragon Rider such as himself would not fall to a simple pellet.
"Yeah dude, he's dead. No way could he've survived that." Mikey said, not moving his eyes away from the giant coaly mass of Shruikan. When the dragon moved his head, Mikey flinched, whispering, "Nice dragon." as he stared down the dragon's icy irises.
"Interesting." Galbatorix muttered, "I had hoped I would be able to win him over." He clapped his hands and cried loudly, "Glaedr! How long it has been! I am terribly sorry for the loss of Oromis. You are quite strong and bold to endure without him."
At the mention of Oromis, Glaedr snarled. "Let me at him!" he growled, "If I still had teeth I would tear him to shreds, claw him to ribbons, incinerate him into a pile of ash and burn the remains." His robotic fists clenched, but he stayed where he was, content to give Galbatorix a stare that could melt Antarctica through his droid eyes.
"Where did you acquire the body?" Galbatorix inquired. Glaedr continued to glare stonily, raising the rage melting levels from Antarctica to all of Hoth. "Never mind that." Galbatorix declare, "What I want to know is why I have the company of such charming people. Ironically, not one of you is actually a human, so 'people' isn't a very accurate term."
"Technically, people can refer to any group of humanoid beings or creatures with a semblance of the human mind…." Donnie began.
"Donnie?" Raph asked.
"Yeah." Donnie replied turning to him. Raph slapped him across the face. "If reincarnation was possible," Donnie growled, "You would be so dead right now!"
"Oh, NOW I get why you guys never help me when Raph attacks." Mikey said in a sudden a-ha moment.
"Why?" Leo asked.
Mikey replied with a grin, "Because it's so funny to watch." Donnie glowered threateningly while Raph smirked.
"Why don't we focus on the task at hand?!" Leo hissed under his breath.
"Which would be?" Galbatorix asked, hearing the turtle's comment.
Simultaneously, the four turtles each said something different. "Nothing!" Leo shouted guiltily. "I am of the innocent!" Donnie cried. Mikey whined, "Raph made me do it!" while Raph cried, "It's all Mikey's fault!"
With an irked look on his face, Galbatorix growled, "If you shall not tell me your secrets, I will merely pry them out of your minds."
With that, Galbatorix stabbed into the four turtle's consciences. Cries of distress emanated from them as their memories were plowed through by the mental knife of Galbatorix. Forcing his way into the turtles' minds, Glaedr cried, "Focus on one thing and one thing only! It is the only way to stop him!" As he withdrew from their minds, Glaedr caught a glimpse of the items each turtle focused on. Leo locked on to the mask of the metal man called Shredder. Mikey focused on a triangular substance Glaedr learned was called pizza. A human with carroty hair and wintry blue eyes appeared in Donnie's mind, accompanied by the name 'April'. In Raph's mind he found an image of Spike, a small turtle of average appearance. For a few moments, the turtles were able to stall Galbatorix. Then, Mikey's focus faltered. Then Raph's. Then Leo's. Donnie held steadfast to the image of the girl, repeating her name over and over as if a mantra. Galbatorix rammed hard into his mind, smashing his defenses and seizing control of his mind. Glaedr watched helplessly as the turtles grappled with Galbatorix. He feared they were fighting a losing battle.
Saphira and Eragon observed the occurrences in the Shredder's bastion of evil. Silently, they watched for a cue, a hint from the turtles or Glaedr to come help. When Galbatorix seized control of heir minds, Saphira stated, "We go now."
"But they gave no signal." Eragon said, "Maybe they are faking faring badly."
"That wasn't a suggestion, it was a statement!" Saphira cried, snatching Eragon in her talons and flying off.
Eragon barely had enough time to prepare a ward before smashed through a glass with a roar and a jet of azure flame.
Glaedr waved his hand exuberantly and pointed at the terrapin quartet, all whose faces were contorted in an attempt to shield themselves from Galbatorix. The 'king', on the other hand, seemed to not even be exerting himself, though he did not take notice of Eragon. Using the opportunity, Eragon silently slinked up to Galbatorix, sword drawn. He hefted Brisingr and risked saying in his head, "Brisingr." The blade flared to life, and he swung it at Galbatorix's neck. In the nick of time, Galbatorix deflected the burning blade with Vrangr. The white blade became illuminated in a ghastly cerulean from the inferno. With Galbatorix distracted, the turtles lunged at his mind, stabbing at him willy-nilly. Galbatorix sank to his knees and howled, attempting poorly to deter the wrath of the turtles. Eragon hacked at the wards surrounding Galbatorix, seeking to lower his already weakened strength. Shruikan rose and swung at Saphira, nearly clubbing her with his onyx tail. She soared up and clawed at Shruikan's head, leaving bloody furrows on his scalp. He roared in pain and swatted her with his massive paw. Saphira smashed into his skull, crushing the top of his head in a most painful way. Dragon blood mixed with dragon blood as Saphira fluttered her battered wings like an injured butterfly. Eragon winced at her pain. Using her pain as motivation, Eragon declared the name of the ancient language and bent Galbatorix's wards against him. Before he could retaliate, Eragon hacked through his ineffective shields and smashed his hip. A pained cry escaped Galbatorix, sending a roar through Shruikan. The black dragon shot fireballs at the azure reptile bobbing unsteadily around him. Saphira landed in the gap between two massive spines on Shruikan's neck.
"I wish I did not have to do this, brother." She said mournfully.
"End me quickly." Shruikan snarly voice pleaded, "And spread stories to your brood of the fearsome Shruikan."
"I shall." Saphira stated before quickly nipping through the main part of his neck, ending his life. "Goodbye, Shruikan." She said, "I would like to think that you would have been kind if not for the evils of Galbatorix."
Meanwhile, the turtles struggled to mentally subdue Galbatorix while Eragon attempted to attack him. When Shruikan died, Galbatorix's drive seems to lessen, as if he had become attached to the dragon in some form of Lima Syndrome. Even with proletarian skills, the turtles were able to overpower him, and Eragon landed blow after blow. Glaedr even struck Galbatorix on occasion. Finally, seeking to end Galbatorix's suffering, Eragon swung at his neck once more. Instead of deflecting, Galbatorix smiled in a sickening way, freezing that demented grin on his face as it detached. Bile rose in Eragon's throat as he stared at the beheaded man. The turtles stumbled backwards, exhausted. Donnie was the first to recover. He looked around. Glaedr helped Mikey to his feet; Leo supported Raph. Saphira stood in a solemn vigil by Shruikan. Eragon stood in front of him, disgust painted in his Elvin features. Suddenly, Eragon's expression shifted from disgust to pain to shock as he fell over forward. The back of his head had been crushed in a similar but less severe manner of what happened to Shruikan. Standing behind him, with a mace in hand was the Shredder.
I know, another cliffhanger. I don't mean to be mean, but I have to add SOME drama. I promise I will get the next chapter up faster. Teachers don't assign homework over weekends, right?