Chapter 18
Raphael stomped down the hall in anger. He opened the door to Katherine's room and saw what he had been seeing for nearly two months now. Katherine, Donatello and Gabriel locked in a working. Katherine's door shouldn't have opened up to the lake, but it did. Supposedly the house, or Tree was giving them easier access instead of having to find the center of the house through secret passages. Donatello was kneeling on the ground hands splayed against the calm unmoving surface of the stood a foot from Donatello arms raised in a V, hair gently moving in a wind that did not exist. Gabriel mirrored Donatello''s position. All three figures were in the center of a massive magic circle that covered the entirety of the lake. Three other circles surrounded the three figures. One was vertical, the other two diagonally crossing the central circle. It reminded him of the stuff Donatello had always worked on, he thought it was the symbol for an atom.
Raphael felt himself growl in frustration. After Nightmare had been abducted by Death and returned, Nightmare and Donatello had slept for three days straight. On the fourth day, when he and his brothers had gone to check on them, they had found what he was currently looking at. And they had been this way for almost two months.
According to Samael, Nightmare was creating a massive working or spell. Whatever it was, Samael said that it was very complex. Samael had explained that the circle they were standing in was just a protective circle to keep anything from entering.
The diagonal circle on the one side had something to do with April's baby, some sort of heavy duty protection spell. The vertical circle was twisting a promise, whatever that meant, and the final diagonal circle was also to do with April's child, something to do with twining Destinies together. This last circle was the most bothersome, because unlike the other three circles that glowed golden, this one glowed with a hint of red.
Raphael sighed and sat down next to April. "Any change?" He asked her.
She shook her head.
April spent a lot of time sitting by the lake. He couldn't say he blamed her. He didn't know how he would feel if he knew his child was sitting at the bottom of the lake, being fed by some big giant tree. But he supposed the easiest way to think about it, was that she was going to be fine and he knew that Nightmare was going to protect that child with everything she had, and was doing so even now.
"Raph, I'm scared." She whispered.
He looked at his friend in shock. He put an arm around her shoulders. "I know April." He said softly. He wasn't normally good at the sentimental stuff, but he supposed time and grief had changed him. The shield of anger that he had used to block out anything and everything, was gone. It had shattered with Katherine's death and he didn't want to replace it, life was too short.
"It's just...how am I going to raise a child who isn't human?" She whispered.
"April, Starlight and Starbright weren't human, and you wouldn't even know it." He said softly. "Besides, you and Case can handle anything, and we'll be there every step of the way."
April looked at him and nodded. "Except for Donny." She said sadly.
Raphael knew April was missing Donatello. Even though Donatello was still alive and still in control, Donatello was Nightmare's servant, her Familiar and he would do anything and stop at nothing to protect her, even if it meant his own life or someone else's. Raphael would have liked to have thought he would react the same way and he would protect Nightmare with everything he had, but he knew there were lines he would never cross, and he also knew that Donatello no longer had any lines he wouldn't. But he was hopeful that his brother would regain his usual demeanour as soon as the damn working was finished.
"I know April, but Donny and Nightmare will be there too. We just have to give Donny time." He paused and then continued. "After watching him die, I'm just glad that he's still alive, no matter how it happened." He finished quietly.
April nodded a tear falling silently down her face.
Raphael turned as he heard Casey and Leonardo approach. He watched as April hastily wiped away her tears and pasted a smile on her face.
"We've grabbed almost everything that we needed from the apartment April, but the guys are going back for one more load. Is there anything else you can think of that we will need?" He asked her as she stood.
"No." She shook her head. April's eyes slid to Leonardo. "Are you sure Nightmare won't mind us staying here a for at least a few weeks, until we make sure..." April couldn't finish the rest of the sentence, 'that she is normal', was left unsaid.
Leonardo looked at Nightmare. "I honestly don't think she'll care April." He finally said to her. "Nightmare is as Katherine was, and Katherine was the most caring and understanding person I have ever met." He said as he watched longing flash over his brother's face.
He too felt the same need rip through him, but he squashed the feeling down. Until the working was finished Nightmare was busy. The safety of April and Casey's child was more important than his need to hold the woman he loved in his arms.
"You two going to be okay here alone?" Raphael asked as he finally stood.
"Yeah, bro, we'll be good." Casey said with a nod.
Michelangelo pulled the truck up to April and Casey's apartment. There were still some things that they had to grab, mostly to do with baby supplies like a crib, change table, cradle, diapers, toys and other things he probably couldn't even think of.
"Babies are too much work!" Michelangelo said as he heaved the cradle into the back of the truck. "I mean, this kid owns more stuff than I do! And she hasn't even been born yet!" He exclaimed.
"Yeah." Raphael said as he shook his head, putting two gym bags full of clothing in the truck.
Michelangelo studied Raphael and acknowledged that his brother looked good. He was still scarred, but he had finally lost the gaunt look to his face and he had regained enough muscle that he was broader than Donatello now.
Leonardo slid another box into place. "That's the last of it." He said to them.
"Finally!" He exclaimed as Leonardo closed the doors of the back of the truck.
An arrow struck the side of the truck. They looked in shock at the silent figures in black that slowly moved through the shadows towards them.
The foot ninja's attacked as they pulled their own weapons to defend themselves.
Michelangelo lashed out a kick hitting a foot ninja in the face. He clutched his nunchucks close as he struck out with his weapons to hit another in the chest.
"These guys just won't quit!" Raphael said as he punched a foot ninja in the face. He growled in frustration as he was hit in the left side with a bo.
They were pressed up against the side of the truck. Michelangelo couldn't see an end to the ninjas that attacked. They were everywhere. Michelangelo felt something burn through him. He pulled the dart from his neck. He looked at the dart in shock. He fell to his knees as his whole body went numb. He closed his eyes, the shouts of his brother's ringing in his ears.
April was clutched in Casey's arms. She watched the three figures in the circle intently. Slowly she stood bringing Casey up with her. "You hungry April, we could go and..." Casey began but she was entranced.
"Something's happening Casey." She said softly. She could feel the air getting thicker. The hair on her arms stood on end as she smelled the ozone in the air.
The magic circles that had been encasing the three figures broke sending a massive wave of water and light to encircle them.
April closed her eyes against the blinding light. She heard a cry then. A small wail that made tears fill her eyes as she looked at the woman standing before her, a tiny form clutched in her arms.
"Congratulations April, Casey, she's perfect." Donatello said to her as she handed her the bundle wrapped in a green blanket. Dark indigo eyes looked at her from a face that she fell in love with on sight. She had a tuft of dark black hair that stuck out at odd angles. Her daughter looked at her and she looked back and knew that she would do anything for her.
She looked over at Casey who was looking at their daughter in wonder.
"Thank you." She managed to choke out.
Nightmare looked at her and smiled gently. "What will you name her?" She asked.
"Shadow. Shadow Katherine Jones." She said softly. Nightmare gave a soft chuckle.
"Shadow is a very fitting name I believe." She said with a smile."Thank you." She said softly. "Take care of her. I am being summoned." She said as her and Donatello strode away. Gabriel vanished into the darkness of the forest that surrounded them.
Leonardo blurrily opened his eyes. His head pounded and felt muggy, as if he was having problems thinking clearly. His mouth felt overly dry and had almost a metallic taste to it. He could smell the strong powerful odour of gasoline.
The last thing he remembered was watching Michelangelo collapse onto the ground in front of him.
He hadn't realized what had happened to his brother, other than the fact that shortly afterwards his own world had gone black.
He looked up at his arms which were cuffed above his head to a brick wall. He noticed his brothers beside him all of whom were beginning to wake up.
He looked at the elegant chamber they were in. Braziers lit the room with an orange flickering light. He stared at the figure sitting on the throne in front of them.
He struggled against the metal that encircled his wrists and ankles.
He could see Raphael beginning to thrash."Oh come one. We've done this already!" Raphael shouted at the darkened figure. "Our being captured by the bad guys quota has been reached for this year." He sneered.
Raphael's whole body tensed up as the pain ripped though his body. His brother finally stopped convulsing and slumped.
"Raph!" Leonardo shout in concern.
"M'okay." His brother managed to grind out.
"What do you want Shredder?" Leonardo growled at him. He now knew that the cuffs they were chained to the wall with, were electrified.
The silent figure on the throne slowly stood.
The silver of his armour glinted golden in the flickering firelight. "From you I want nothing." He said in a deep menacing voice dripping with malicious intent. "Well not quite true, I do need something from you."
The shredder's face was in shadow, only the glinting of his dark eyes could be made out from within the confines of his mask. He held up a Tarot card with the image of The Devil. "You see, Hun came to me with, I will admit, an incredible story. Hun claims to have looked into the eyes of the Devil himself, and lived to tell the tale. Now you see, I was quite sceptical at first, for I could not believe that somehow the Devil would align himself with such creatures as yourselves, but then it hit me. You and your brothers always seem to elude me. In impossible situations you always seem to be able to escape. How could this be possible if not for the Devil's own luck? After much 'questioning' Hun revealed to me that you had a way of summoning the Devil to you if you needed him. Hun also confessed that though the Devil did indeed aide you, that he told Hun that if he attempted to harm you in any way, he would grant Hun immortality. Why this should be seen as a punishment I am unsure of, but to me, the offer sounded too good to be true. But under much 'persuasion' Hun revealed to me how I was to summon the Devil himself. I have decided that I would very much like to make my own deal with the Devil, and as added protection, I have had the best mystics in the world construct for me a magic circle powerful enough to remind the Devil who is really in charge of the situation. I will force the Devil to do my bidding." He walked closer to them.
"You have no idea what you are getting into Shredder." Leonardo warned.
The Shredder threw back his head and laughed. "No. The Devil has no idea what I have in store for him. It is too bad Hun killed your brother, the purple one, I should have liked to have had all of you watch and realize that your doom has finally been sealed. You will all become, to me, as insignificant as flies whose deaths will mean nothing. Of course I had heard rumours that the red one was dead, but you seem to be very much alive." The Shredder said as he approached Raphael. "But as only the three of you were together I must conclude that Hun has told the truth for once. Of course the video footage was very convincing." The Shredder said as he turned and pointed a remote at a big screen TV that lowered itself from the ceiling.
The screen was lit with slightly grainy video footage. Leonardo could see himself and his brothers chained to the wall. "Let us fast forward to the good part shall we?" He said as the video moved forward. "Here we go." He said gleefully as they watched their brother cut down, the knife going through his brother's heart.
Leonardo closed his eyes against the image because even though he knew his brother was still alive, his brother had died at that moment.
"Shortly after this the footage goes all grainy and unwatchable. This is the time when Hun claims that the Devil appeared and the men from Hun's gang who managed to survive that night have collaborated Hun's story." The Shredder shook his head. "Leonardo, Leonardo. Always so righteous, so full of honour, and yet here you are, consorting with the Devil. They used to burn people for that you know. In fact I believe that is a very ingenious idea." He said maliciously.
Leonardo was able to move enough that he looked down. Each of them had a pile of wood sitting at their feet and it was then he realized that the strong smell of gasoline was coming from his own skin and clothes. Foot ninja with blowtorches emerged from the shadows to stand in front of them.
"Of course before I burn you to death, I need something from you." He said was he walked up to Michelangelo. The Shredder brought back his clawed left hand and lashed out at Michelangelo's face. The two claws cut viciously into his baby brother's cheek. Michelangelo screamed in pain as he and his brother's yelled in helplessness.
The Shredder looked at the blood on his claws and laughed. He walked over to a circle that had been carved into the stone floor. Runes and other symbols ran around the outside of the circle. The Shredder threw the card into the center of the circle.
"Hun!" The Shredder yelled.
Hun, looking much the worse for wear, entered the chamber holding two struggling figures.
Leonardo felt himself pale as the light hit the figures in the face, revealing their identities. "Miriam! Hunter!" He yelled in horror.
The Shredder chuckled. "Leonardo, you should know that love is a weakness. By loving another creature you leave yourself open and oh so very vulnerable."
"Let them go! They have nothing to do with this!" He said desperately.
"Oh but you see, they do. This woman knows you. She was your lover I believe. Disgusting really. A freak like you touching a human. Her actually letting herself be touched by something like you." He sneered with disgust. "But think about them as being extra leverage. If you try anything I will kill them. Of course, I have no idea what the Devil will wish for payment in regards to my demands, but I would think perhaps a couple lives, a couple souls, may tempt him." Miriam's eyes had gone big, all of the whites showing. Both were gagged so neither could do anything other than to just scream into their gags.
The little boy was terrified.
"You'll pay for this Shredder, mark my words, you are going to pay." He growled out.
The Shredder threw back his head and laughed. "I think not."
Leonardo glared at Hun. He was a dead man too. Hun looked back at him grimly.
His attention was pulled away by The Shredder who walked to the circle. "This summoning circle should keep the Devil right where I want him." The Shredder said as he threw Michelangelo's blood at the card. The card began to glow red as it rose into the air and began to spin. He blinked. Standing in the center of the circle, was Nightmare. She looked to be human and was wearing the same sexy secretary outfit she wore when they had paid a visit to Baёl.
Nightmare frowned and looked around. She took in everything with a momentary flick of her eyes. If she was surprised or feeling any emotion at all, he was unable to see it.
"It's a trap!" He heard Raphael yell as his brother was again shocked into silence.
"Silence Turtle." The Shredder said as he walked slowly around the circle looking at Nightmare. "I had always pictured you as being different. Of course, I suppose this could be some sort of trick. Luckily for me I have designed this circle so that the one in the center of it must tell the absolute truth. After all, we know that the Devil is renowned for his lies"
Nightmare looked at The Shredder and smiled. "So very clever." She said as she looked around the circle that held her. She cocked a hip to the side and crossed her arms over her chest. "A circle strong enough to hold Lucifer himself. Very impressive. I had thought that mortals would have long forgotten how to create such things. Of course, being able to do it and believing in it are two entirely different things." She said with a half smile. "As for my appearance, what were you expecting? The whole red skinned, cloven hoofed, goateed, and horned Devil. Please. That look is so old testament. I rather enjoy the form I am in right now. I don't think the world gives women enough credit, don't you agree?" She asked innocently.
Leonardo looked at her in confusion. He wasn't sure what her game was and she hadn't indicated to them one way or the other how this was going to play out.
"Of course if it will make you feel better." She said with a shrug as her form shifted to that of Samael. "Little cramped in here for this." Samael's voice came out in an angry growl. Her form shifted back to her human form.
"Are you really the Devil?" The Shredder asked her. "I don't want to find out I have summoned some two-bit demon." The Shredder growled out.
Nightmare threw back her head and laughed. "I am no two-bit demon. I am the Devil." She said with a wicked smile. "So tell me Oroku Saki, what is it that you want?"
The Shredder looked momentarily surprised at the use of his actual name but he quickly recovered. "You made an offer to Hun. I wish for the same offer to be extended to me." He said to her.
"You wish me to curse you with immortality?" She said in surprise. "Why would you want such a thing?" She asked him.
"How can one not want such a thing, lust after such a gift?" He asked her. "Think of all I could accomplish. I could have the world at my fingertips and no one would ever be able to stop me!" He shouted as he laughed. "I do however find it interesting that you have allied yourself with such honourable weaklings as these freaks." He said motioning to him and his brothers.
Nightmare's eyes briefly flashed to red and back to green so fast that, if you didn't know what you were looking for, it could have been mistaken for the flickering firelight. "But isn't that the job of Lucifer, to tempt those of Light to the Darkness?" She asked him.
The Shredder threw back his head in laughter. "I did not believe that you existed. I was very sceptical of Hun's story, but I was very determined to get to the truth of the matter."
"Oh, I exist." Nightmare said with a smile. "What is that mortal saying, 'The greatest trick the Devil ever played, was convincing the world that he didn't exist." Nightmare said with a chuckle. Her face turned serious. "You realize that there is always a price Oroku Saki?" She asked seriously.
"Of course. Take your pick. I have three mutant freaks, or if your taste does not run to the perverse, I have brought along a special treat. A woman and child." He said gesturing to Miriam and Hunter who looked at Nightmare and screamed. Miriam struggled briefly before she fainted.
"I was wondering the reason for the mortals." Nightmare said tilting her head to the side as she studied Miriam and Hunter. "But it is against the Rules for me to take one soul for another unless the soul is freely given in exchange, or if the soul offered be related by blood. So you could give me the soul of say, your son, however, I know you do not possess one. So in this regard I have no use for either the human woman and her son or the three mortal turtles." She said with a shrug. "Only you can give the payment, and the price for immortality, is your soul." She said in a deadly serious tone.
"Then all of these hostages are useless to me." The Shredder said. "Kill them all." He ordered. The foot ninja turned on the blowtorches while Hun briefly hesitated looking at the woman and child in his arms.
"No!" Leonardo screamed as he struggled against his bonds. He was going to burn to death with his brothers, and he will have gotten Miriam and her son killed because he had dared to try to love her.