A soul lost for a soul

With a sunken heart, he stared at the flickering candles, which danced for him, casting its soft glow against the rough concrete walls, no matter how much he tried to bring clarity to his aching soul with meditation, it didn't distinguish that yearning to save her.

She being a ninja like himself, a flower he so dreamed to hold, treasuring it's beauty, to watch it blossom into perfection, as her potential shined as bright as the morning sun, he knew deep down in the depths of his heart, such things could not be.

Her loyalty tainted by that man, that thing! She calls master… father, who poisons her still, drains what little purity she had within her, leaving a shallow pit of disgrace, dishonor, rotting her precious petals, smothering her very existence.

So he longed to rescue her, so he longed to see her true self once more, to see that sweet smile she once had long ago, the one he cherishes more than anything else, yet it was shattered by that man who broke her, to obey him so many moons ago, in the long painful past!

Yet what was he to do? What can the blue clad ninja do… to save the one he loves, the one he wants to hold once more, he would do anything to bring her back, if it was possible.

Many times he spoke to her, many times he pleaded with her, showing her the errors of her way, bring her foul nature to the light, telling her she isn't that woman, she is more, she could be more, only if she would open her eyes to the cold hard truth.

Alas, she never give in, never bend, only giving him a cold stare, telling him he had no clue what he speaks of, yet he could see the tears within her eyes that told him she believed. Yet could not change her ways, for the man she insisted in calling her father, whom she respected, honored, that still had her on a leash that she could not break.

Even in death, even after the man's passing, the leash remained, choking her evermore, bringing her to his commends, his so called legacy.

Closing his eyes, he breathed, taking one breath at a time, tasting the dry air that brought him no relief.

Only if there was a way, a way to help her, yet he could not think of one...

"You wish to save her?" a voice, un-pure, tainted with a venomous tone, rang into his ears, startling the skilled ninja, who believed he was alone.

"Who is there! Show yourself!" Leo demanded sheathing his sword, as he slowly rose to his feet, peering into the darkness that surrounded him.

Feeling uneasy for the first time in his life, for he became accustomed to the shadows, he felt vulnerable, unable to figure out which direction the mysterious voice came from.

"A friend Leonardo," the voice purred, from all directions, as if it was taking its sweet time closing in on him.

Gripping his blade, Leo narrowed his eyes; if he could not see the intruder he must use his other senses instead.

Focusing on his surroundings, knowing his meditation room quite well, he could not see how anyone could hide in such a small space without him being aware of it. How did this intruder come in without him noticing the door opening, or how could he not realized he wasn't alone all this time?

Shaking his head, the questions that seemed to have impossible answers, Leo couldn't let them distract him, as he kept his guard up.

"A friend? I doubt it, show yourself!" Leo snarled, not enjoying this so call game, scanning the room that seemed bigger than normal all of the sudden.

"Yes a friend… do you wish to save her?" the voice chanted again, empathizing the word 'her', as if to strike a cord, which it did, for Leo's heart sank on the mere thought of losing her forever.

"I don't know what you're talking about! I said show yourself!" Leo barked, lying through his teeth, he wasn't going to admit he did want to save her, yet how did this thing know who he wanted to save and why did it want to help him?

"Poor turtle, you want to save her, you want her to be happy. You want Karai!" the voice boomed behind Leo, making him turn quickly to face his intruder, only to his dismay to come across something he couldn't understand.

There facing him was something, yet nothing at the same time, an outline, yet he could see it was solid? It had no features, yet too much was showing of itself, nothing about it made sense, he felt his eyes were playing tricks in the dim light of his candles, as his brain couldn't make up it's mind to tell him what he was looking at.

The mere impulse hit him hard, yelling at him as loud as a thunderstorm, to get away from it, yet he could not move, he could not think, he could not breathe.

Time itself stood still, as did he, he just stared at the figure, which curled a smile at him, "Do you, or do you not want to save her?"

"I…" Leo fought his answer, fearing what would become of him if he dared, or what would become of her…

"Well turtle, what is your answer," the figure's hand stroked Leo's cheek, bringing shivers down his spine.

"I… I want…" biting his tongue, hoping the pain would break his trance, allowing him to take control of his shaking body, that trembled in fear, yet it did not work, he could only continue answering this foul demons question, "I… I want to save her… I WANT TO SAVE KARAI from herself!"

As the words came out he knew he was done, his heart trembled, his tears came down like a flood.

The figure in the darkness moved, shifting with a delightful coo from his answer, coming closer to him, pressing against him, which felt like nothing, but something at the same time.

"Then your wish is my command, Master," the figure hissed into Leo's ear, making the blue clad turtle shiver, yet feel a spark of joy at the same time.

"Master?" Leo choked out, confused, by not only his building emotions he shouldn't be feeling, but also…, why would this thing call him that, why would it grant him such a wish or how could it?

"Yes, Masterrrr, you did call upon me. Your heart begged for a solution, a way to save the one you longed for all these years. So I am here Master, to give you what you want."

"I… I did no such THING!" Leo barked, trying to break free of the invisible hold on him.

"Oh, you did, you did! Here Master, take your prize," the figure placed a blue jewel in Leo's hand, as it touched his light green skin, Leo's jaw dropped, as he recognized the feeling, the warmth that seeped out of its crystal blue surface; the smell, the aroma he longed to enjoy once again.

"Karai?!" Leo gasped, staring at the stone, unsure why it felt like her, or why it reminded him of her.

"Your link to her soul, she is now yours Master, you can now save her as you wished!"

"I… can save her?… She will not dishonor herself anymore…" Leo hypnotized by the beauty of the stone, the link to her soul, the soul that he could tell was starting to dim by her ways. He was right all along, she was falling into the depths of darkness, but now… but now, he could finally stop that from happening and catch her, pull her back to him.

"Yes Master, she is yours forever, you can create her to be who she was always meant to be, she is yours now Master," the voice purred clinging its long dark fingers around Leo, clenching his soul.

"I can guide her; make her to do the right thing..." Leo smiled, as his eyes glazed over.

Clenching the stone pulling it to his heart, Leo shut his eyes, seeing the chains around Karai's soul, the chains that binded her to him.

"I am going to save you my love, even if I have to make you do what you would not!" Leo grinned, sitting down, feeling Karai soul touching his, whispering to her, telling her she is not that man's possession anymore, now she is his.