Donnie's eyes grew wide. The portal! The glow of the rift between dimensions bathed the room in an eerie blue light. Shredder and his minions halted their advance glancing at the strange occurrence behind them.

"What is this…?" he mused. Turning back to the turtles he found hope alive in the eyes of the purple one. Whatever this thing was, it posed a threat.

Turning his hulking body towards the portal the Shredder focused his attention on the rift.

"Take care of these pests," he told his two Foot Elite. "I will deal with that intrusion."

"NO!"

Moving with speed he didn't know he had, Donatello rushed Shredder landing a hard blow at the back of his knees.

A few wires that had been poking out began to fizzle and snap, bringing the deadly man to his knees. Moving in quickly Donnie launched himself forward using his Bo staff to pole vault himself into the air.

Kicking out his foot, he connected with the Shredder's shoulder sending the already fallen ninja careening into the wall.

"Guys quick! You need to get to the portal!"

Dashing forward again, Donnie brought his staff down only to be blocked by Shredder.

With a growl closer to an animal than a human, the Shredder rose to his full height. How dare this insignificant worm get in his way? Snarling, the evil ninja began his counter attack, pushing himself off the wall.

Donnie twirled his staff, deflecting blow after devastating blow.

"Guys! Move NOW!"

Raph stepped forward to help his purple brother only to be blocked by a Foot Elite.

"Donnie!"

"JUST GO!" roared the purple turtle.

Cursing his uselessness, Raph leapt back from another Foot attack to land by the younger Leo.

"We gotta get 'im outta here," he said glancing at Mikey.

Silently Mikey nodded, coming to the other side of their fallen brother. Gently the two placed their arms around the young blue ninja and lifted him between them.

The Foot Elite looked to make this their opportunity, dashing forward to run the three brothers through. Cold steel blocked their path, as the older Leo had placed himself between them.

"Over my dead body," he hissed, the anger he held rolling off him in great waves.

Cautiously the two Foot stepped back figuring their next attack. As one circled to take the back of the older warrior, Master Splinter stepped forward.

"You will not harm my son."

Angrily the two Foot watched the three young turtles make their way towards the portal. They both rushed forward hoping to finish the two older warriors off quickly.

Their clash with Splinter and Leo rang across the room as the four deadly warriors tried to press an advantage.

The older Leo's katana sparked against the Foot's. Again and again the warriors flashed their weapons, matching blow for blow.

Splinter too gave his opponent more than he had bargained for. The Foot jabbed with his naginata, hoping to keep the old rat at bay, giving him the upper hand with his long-range weapon.

Splinter however had other plans, deftly deflecting the thrusts until he was within striking range of the Elite. His limbs were a blur as he rained down heavy blows on the Elite, never giving his enemy a moment to recover.

All the while, Raph and Mikey made their careful way ever closer to the portal.

...

The clang of metal and grunts of pain were all that Donnie could get from the battle the rest of his family fought, his eyes never leaving the deadly form of the Shredder. The older warrior was more experienced than he was, and it was only his youthful speed that had saved him so far.

Again the Shredder's claws came within inches of his plastron. Bending back on himself, Donnie only remained upright after using his staff as a prop. Breathing heavily he dropped back into a defensive stance.

"You will not win this fight turtle," the Shredder said, placing a well-aimed strike at Donnie's legs.

Flipping back once again, the young ninja could feel the truth in those words. His arms had long since turned to jelly, and even his legs were about to betray him, shaking with effort.

Still he knew his family needed time, and if that's what they needed, he would be sure to give it to them.

Sprinting towards the Shredder, the young ninja vaulted himself over the warrior landing lightly behind him. Quickly he landed a series of hits to the back of the Shredder's exo-suit before leaping away. The damage wasn't major but the dents in the metal inhibited the hulking warrior as he swung around to face the young turtle.

His eyes filled with malice, Shredder swiftly reached out, grabbing the staff as it aimed for his head. Yanking the weapon forward, Donatello was launched forward, smacking into a stone pillar.

Shakily he rose again, holding a hand across the middle of his plastron.

Daring a glance behind him he saw that Mikey, Raph, and Leo were almost to the portal. The purple ninja felt just a bit of relief.

All they had to do was get through that portal and they would be safe.

Turning his eyes back to his opponent, Donnie barely had enough time to turn away from the cruel blade coming towards him.

But not quite enough.

Sucking a sharp intake of breath between his teeth, Don flipped backwards landing closer to the portal. The blade aiming for his heart had instead found his shoulder.

Pushing through the pain Don gripped his staff, feeling the slow progression of blood trickle down his arm.

If he was going to protect his family he had to focus!

The Shredder chuckled at the wounded turtle. The young warrior was no match for him and still he tried to defend his loathsome brethren.

Even now with a heavy wound, the brat was standing to face him. Fool.

It was then he noticed the other three turtles making their way towards the strange rift. Turning to his Foot Elite, still battling Splinter and Leo, the Shredder's eyes fell on the sparking, blood-covered blaster.

A small smile spread over his features as a plan began to form in his mind.