Chapter 5

Raphael woke in confusion. When he had gone to sleep there had been no one in his room. Now all of his brothers were piled in and his door was hanging off its hinges. He rubbed his head and touched his cheek. He vaguely remembered a soft touch and he could smell something, the strong smell of flowers. He knew that smell, it meant that she had been in his room. He felt adrenalin rise in him only to fall. Why were his brothers in here, armed? Had she attacked them, had she escaped?

He moved to get out of bed and let out a small cry of pain. His shoulder, leg, and abdomen burned. He collapsed back into bed.

His cry woke his brothers up. They all looked at him with concern. "How do you feel Raph?" Leonardo asked gently.

"Everything hurts." He said bitterly. His brothers exchanged glances. "What happened last night?" He asked. As Michelangelo and Donatello helped him out of bed.

"You had a little bit of a nightmare." Leonardo said glancing at his brothers.

"What happened to the door?" He asked his trepidation growing.

"The chick broke it down." Michelangelo said as he let go of Raphael.

"Why'd she..." Raphael began.

"She broke out of her containment, and heard yelling, I think she thought someone was killing us." Michelangelo answered.

"Wow, that must have been some nightmare." Raphael said looking around his room. Nothing else seemed to be damaged. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Well the chick sorta bibbidi bobbidy booed our heads into sleeping. We fell down where we were standing." Michelangelo said as he gestured towards his head.

"So where is she now?" Raphael asked. His brothers shrugged. Raphael started towards the door brushing away any need for assistance. His leg bothered him, but he could live with the pain. He stopped at the entrance of his doorway. She was seated in front of his door back facing him, almost as if she was guarding it. She didn't move as he limped around and stood in front of her. She was sitting cross-legged hands resting on her knees.

Michelangelo looked over his shoulder. "Looks like she's sleeping, and she's wearing clothes again."

"What do you mean again?" Raphael asked looking over his shoulder at him.

"You missed it bro, she was totally naked when she bust in your door." Michelangelo said as he approached her.

Her ears twitched as Michelangelo got closer. "You don't think she's fakin' it do you?" Michelangelo said in a small voice.

"Mikey shut it." Leonardo ordered.

Then she moved. Her eyes opened, swords were drawn and she crouched in a defensive stance. Michelangelo yelped and fell backwards scooting out of the way.

She didn't move to attack. They all looked at her eyes which were completely white. They slowly moved back. Her ears flickered again and she sat back down closing her eyes and sheathing her swords.

"That's amazing" Leonardo said in awe. "I think she's meditating, but she is able to still defend herself without breaking her meditation."

Her eyes suddenly opened and they were green again. "I was not meditating, I do not seek any higher thoughts, but I was...occupied." She said as she gracefully got to her feet. "And yes I heard you." She said addressing Michelangelo.

"You don't know their names." Donatello said in surprise. "You only address Raphael and myself by name."

She tipped her head slowly to the side and looked at Donatello. "You are correct."

"But how do you know our names?" Raphael asked. She turned her luminous green eyes upon him. He swallowed.

"You had best eat, Donatello, Raphael, you two as well. I will explain while you eat." She turned and walked towards the kitchen. She stopped and turned back a worried expression on her face. "How are you feeling Raphael?" She asked. He flushed and looked away. He hated being treated as if he was some delicate flower. He looked back at her to tell her to leave him alone and instead found himself looking down into concerned luminous green eyes. She touched his shoulder and traced the line of his scars down until they hit the top of his jeans. It didn't even cross his mind to tell her to stop. His breath caught in his throat. "Your wounds look good, just a bit of a pulled muscle in your shoulder and most likely your thigh, we'll work on those later. She reached up and removed the bandage from his neck, nodded slowly and put it back. "Go eat." She patted him on his shoulder and gently pushed him towards the kitchen.

Raphael tried not to limp but he couldn't help it. She didn't offer to help him which he was thankful for. It would have made him feel weak, to have to rely upon a girl to help him get to his chair. Weak and pathetic.

She grabbed a chair turned it around and sat down watching everyone as they got whatever breakfast they were eating. For Donatello it was toast with Jam; Leonardo was oatmeal; Michelangelo was a sugary cereal and Raphael enjoyed bacon and eggs, which Donatello kindly made for him. She watched silently as they all sat down and ate their breakfast. She seemed mildly fascinated by the process.

Michelangelo looked over at her and looked at his bowl. "Do you want some?" He asked mouth partially full of cereal.

A strange look passed quickly on her face before he could identify it. "No thank you." She said politely.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Leonardo asked her.

She blinked in surprise and thought. "Some hot water would be nice." She said finally.

"We have tea." Leonardo offered.

But she just shook her head. "Just water thank you."

Leonardo poured some hot water from the kettle that he had used to heat his oatmeal. He placed the mug in front of her and sat down waiting expectantly. She picked up the mug and looked curiously at the picture of a white, black eared kitten, head tipped to the side looking at her. She then clasped her hands around the mug and closed her eyes. She didn't drink just held the cup. She opened her eyes and looked at them. "I know Raphael's name because it was needed in order for me to call his soul back to his body. I obtained his Life Glass from Death."

"What's a Life Glass?" Raphael asked. She turned the force of her gaze at him and he felt uncomfortable, overly warm.

"It is shaped and works much like a hour glass, but holds the sand to each person's life. Each grain of sand contained within represents each second the person has lived, and will live. "

"And you took this Life Glass from death, as in Death with a capital 'D'?" Leonardo asked.

"That is correct. He came to claim what was his." Her gaze met Raphael's again and he flinched. There were too many emotions rolling around in her eyes. He would almost say she was angry, but that didn't feel right, maybe possessive?

"Why did you save me?" Raphael blurted out.

She looked at him in shock and then turned towards Donatello. "Donatello's name I know because I fed from him. I could have taken your names as well, but I had more pressing matters to attend."

Leonardo nodded. "I am Leonardo and this is Michelangelo."

She nodded. "I will give you warning, never freely give your name to a Being of Power, they can take your name and use it against you." The warning was given with a deadly chill. Raphael felt his skin grow cold. If she was one of these Beings of Power, had they just made themselves even more vulnerable to her than they already were, and why had she ignored his question?

"I am a Being of Power of sorts, but you need not fear me." She tipped her head to the side as if remembering something, or thinking about something. "Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo." Raphael heard his name upon her lips and felt as if she called him, did something, he could barely find the words to describe it, but if felt as if his soul was rung. His brothers looked at him in horror. She on the other hand did not seem to be aware of their horror.

"Leonardo Da vinci, Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni. Renaissance artists." She said with a smile. She turned her gaze to Raphael. "I am glad you were named after a painter and not an Archangel. Just the thought of Archangels makes me ill.

Raphael looked at her in confusion. "I...that..." He looked at Leonardo for help.

Leonardo also seemed to be having problems forming a sentence. "Would it actually make you ill?" He asked

She shook her head, smile lost. "I do not get ill and am no fan of Raphael, Uriel, Phanuel, Zarachiel and Simiel. Gabriel is the only good one out of the lot, probably because he is...has not been, in God's favour for a very long time. Then there is Michael."Her eyes began to change as she said his name. Her pupils elongated like those of a cat and the green began to be overtaken by yellow amber. "If I ever go to war with Heaven, he will be the first to die by my bade." She blinked and her eyes turned to back to green. "As it stands Heaven is actually in my debt, and I am here because Gabriel asked for my help with a rampaging Syna."

"So you're not a demon?" Michelangelo asked. "You kinda look like a demon. And you said you were damned."

"What do you mean damned?" Raphael asked.

"You were talking in your sleep, and you were upset about not being able to save her." Donatello said as he gestured towards her with a spoon. "She said you can't save what is already damned, and that she couldn't even save herself."

Raphael looked back at her in confusion. Could she really be a demon?

She just looked surprised, then tipped her head in thought. "I guess I can see how you would come to that conclusion. I guess I could be a tempter demon, or an succubus." Donatello looked up at the last word. He slowly put down his spoon.

"What's a tempter demon, or a succubus?" Michelangelo asked.

"A tempter demon is just what it sounds like, a demon designed to tempt you into giving up your soul. They are shape shifters generally, but kind of rare nowadays. A succubus however, they are more common. They are a demon that is able to be what you most desire for a sexual partner. And judging by your reactions last night, I seem to be pushing the right buttons." She said with a seductive smile. "They are everything you want them to be until they begin sucking the life out of you, possibly till death." She paused in thought.

"Succubi have the appearance of a woman with bat like wings and a tail." Donatello said as the others looked at her wings and tail.

"True." She said with a smile.

Raphael tried to swallow, but he couldn't seem to. She was all temptation. Sex oozed out of every pore as she straddled the chair. "But I am not a demon. I've been to Hell and back. Been there done that, didn't buy the t-shirt at the souvenir shop on the way out after I decimated about three quarters of Lucifer's demon army. Ahh good times." She said with a malicious smile.

Raphael noticed that she didn't comment on how she was damned. Just like she did not tell him why she had saved him.

"So what are you?" Donatello asked.

She turned all of her attention on Donatello. He looked back at her steadily. She smiled at him and rested her head upon her hands. Her cup sat on the table getting cold. "I was summoned by Gabriel to contain the Syna. The Syna should have been easy for me to deal with." Her gaze swung around to Raphael again. Her eyes narrowed and began to bleed to amber again. "When I told you to run, I meant run, not stay and taunt the Syna. Because of you..." The last word was a growl. She stopped talking and closed her eyes breathed in and out, and opened them again. "And now I have been cut off from my godhede" She looked at her hand. Looked at their confused faces rolled her eyes and said, "My godhood, basically I am powerless." She closed it into a fist and stood walking away from the table.

Leonardo stood as did Donatello. The glare of that angry gaze had immobilized Raphael. He knew he never wanted to have that gaze directed upon him. He felt bad, but then he pulled his anger around him like a protective cloak and shot to his feet, injuries forgotten. "I was trying to HELP you lady. Do not throw that in my face. I don't run from a fight, the bigger they are, the better I pummel them!" He said with a roar. Her back was to him but he saw her tense.

"Raphael calm down." Leonardo ordered.

"I will not have her lecturing me about my actions!" He yelled at Leonardo. He was furious.

She turned to face him, her eyes blazing amber, her pupil a slit that was so narrow it could barely be seen.

Michelangelo slowly stood. "Raph, it might not be a good idea to taunt the scary vampire lady."

"Shut it Mikey." Raphael said as he stood his ground.

Leonardo stepped between the two of them. Leonardo seemed unsure if he should face Raphael or the woman. He chose to stand sideways between the two. A low growl issued from her as she pulled back her lips exposing her fangs.

She stopped growling and closed her eyes. When she opened them they were moss green again. She looked away from Raphael who felt his anger subside. "I forget sometimes..." She said to herself. She turned back to Raphael and bowed at the waist. "I apologize Raphael, you did not know what it was that you were doing, or what would happen. If I could not have determined such an outcome, I could not expect you to."

Raphael felt like an ass. He wanted to sit down back in his chair as his leg was starting to bother him, but he refused to look weak in front of her.

"Why are you avoiding questions? You are talking in riddles." Leonardo said with a slight edge of anger in his voice.

"I am trying to protect you." She said angrily. "The less you know the better." She turned slightly away and slowly raised her arm. She began saying something under her breath. If he had had hair it would have begun to stand on end. He felt power trickle and move across his body. She was staring intently at something in front of her. A vague outline of something that looked like a staff began to shimmer in the air. But whatever it was she was trying to do was costing her. Her face was strained with concentration, her teeth were clenched as she willed whatever it was to her. It was then that her ears and nose began to bleed. She let her hand drop to her side in defeat.

She began to waver on her feet, Leonardo moved to catch her before she fell. "Donny!" Leonardo shouted as he slung her up into his arms. "Are you okay? You're freezing! Donny grab her a blanket or something."

Her head was cradled by Leonardo's neck. She said in a slightly slurred voice. "A blanket will not help warm my body. I have too little blood in my body to circulate it well. I will only become warmer if I consume more blood. You smell good Leonardo.

Leonardo froze. She opened her eyes and looked at him. They were a blazing green. The blood on her face and in her hair suddenly began to evaporate into a black mist.

"That was a very bad idea." She said still looking at Leonardo. He hadn't moved and was still looking at her. Leonardo was the first to look away and she moved so he put her down. "Do not worry Leonardo I shall not feed upon your family, unless of course it is offered, by their own free will."

Raphael looked at his brother, a wave of something rushed through him, some emotion he didn't want to inspect too closely.

She began to pace back and forth looking at each one of them in turn. She then seemed to come to some conclusion. "Raphael you had better sit back down in your chair before you fall down." She ordered.

Rage boiled through him. He would damn well stand if he wanted to. And he said so.

She looked at him then looked at Leonardo and that look made him see red. "Don't you dare look to him." He said in a deceptively quiet voice.

"Can you do something about him?" Michelangelo asked. "Can you make him have a better personality, that would be helpful. ."

She walked over to him. "Yes. But if I changed his personality it would no longer BE him." He looked defiantly down into her eyes. Her head tilted to the side as if deciding what to do with him. "Sit down Raphael." He sat. His mind hadn't even processed the request, he just obeyed."It was not a request Raphael. I did warn you, I did not however say specifically how you would end up back in the chair." She closed her eyes. "I do not like taking away the will of others." She sighed and seemed to come to some sort of conclusion. "I will give you my word that I will not take away any of your wills again." She said softly.

"What does your word mean to us?" Leonardo asked.

"My word is sacred, I cannot break a vow, unless it is removed by the one upon who it was given." She said seriously. "I am not sure if it is better for you to be ignorant, or to be in full possession of the facts, but considering I am completely without my powers, and have the inability to get home, I would rather you not bumble into something that could get all of us killed." She said to all of them.

"What were you doing?" Donatello asked.

"I was summoning my staff. I should be able to pluck it out of the air, but I am wholly without the ability to do this. My staff allows me the ability to focus my powers better, makes them stronger."

"Great, we're dealing with supernatural stuff aren't we? I hate supernatural stuff." Raphael grumbled.

She ignored him and continued."How much do you know about the gods? She questioned. "And Heaven and Hell for that matter?" She asked grabbing her cup from the table. She took it to the sink, dumped it and refilled it from the kettle. She placed the hot cup against her cheek and sighed.

"Hell is bad, and Heaven is good." Michelangelo said into the silence that the question evoked.

"If you believe that sort of thing, Heaven is said to be populated by God and his angels. It is where those deemed worthy go when they die. Hell on the other hand is populated by demons and ruled by Lucifer. It is where sinners go." Donatello supplied for them.

"True and true. Heaven and Hell are the high rollers of the godly plain at the moment. They have a lot of pushing and pulling power. But Heaven and Hell are not the only places of rest out there, nor is God the only god out there. But Heaven and Hell are the strongest and when Heaven and Hell fight, everyone listens."

"So what, Heaven and Hell are having a rumble?" Raphael asked sceptically. They had seen a lot in their twenty odd years, aliens, Japanese demons, mutant monsters, so the fact that they were talking Heaven and Hell didn't bother him too much. He had never thought much about what would happen when he died, and considering he had been close to death many a time, not to mention now he actually had been dead, was kind of surprising.

She shook her head. "That's the problem, I don't think Heaven and Hell are fighting. I have thought about it and I believe Hell is fighting with itself."

"And that would be bad why?" Raphael asked.

"Heaven and Hell have created a balance. Very much like Yin and Yang, there are elements within each that are darker and lighter. They are structured in such a way that neither can gain an advantage over the other. Only an outside force would be able to tip the balance one way or the other. When last I encountered Lucifer I broke some of the balance by killing so many of Lucifer's army. This may have set things in motion for a rebellion. A rebellion in Hell could result in the breaking of the balance. You see as much Lucifer is topping my bad book at the moment, he keeps the Accords and obeys the Rules. However if a Demon Lord gains power the Accords would have to be re-written, and the demons would not make any Accord with Heaven. They could basically begin the Apocalypse. I do not believe it would be a devil that has started the rebellion, the devils are quite loyal to Lucifer."

"Um, what's the difference between a devil and a demon?" Michelangelo asked.

"Demons are demons, creatures created by all of the evil emotions of humanity. Devils are also known as the Fallen, the angels that followed Lucifer into Hell or were cast out of Heaven." She paused in thought. "Judging by the fact that there was a Shadow Glide hiding within the shadows of that chamber I would have to deduce that it is Beelzebub, who is either the one who is trying to overthrow Lucifer, or at least involved with the rebellion to some degree or another. But Beelzebub is a Fallen so..." She shrugged.

"So the Syna and Shadow Glide, are demons...from Hell." Donatello asked in shock.

"Correct. Fast and incredibly deadly, they are practically impossible to kill."

"But you killed those two all by yourself." Raphael interrupted.

She shook her head. "I didn't have time, I destroyed the Syna's mortal body, but didn't catch its soul. If I had consumed its soul or obliterated it, then the Syna would be dead, as it stands I only sent it back to Hell, which means in three days when it reforms itself, its master will know everything that happened here. The Shadow Glide's soul is currently being housed within Cuthach Fuilteach." Raphael looked at her in confusion. "Bloody Rage, my sword. But it can't stay there indefinitely."

"So this spy demon, would it have harmed Leonardo?" Donatello asked.

"Most definitely. They are extremely poisonous. Much like a spider they inject a venom into their victims that turns their insides into mush. I am sorry for frightening you Leonardo. But I knew that if the Shadow Glide knew it had been spotted, it would either run or attack. I took a great risk in exposing you to the demon's blood, and I am glad you were not injured."

Leonardo looked shocked. "I never did thank you for saving my life...twice. I am grateful to you. The blood it didn't burn you?" Leonardo asked.

"I am immune to demon blood. I really do not know why, as far as I am aware only I and the demons themselves are immune to their blood." She shrugged then put a finger to her lips. " Shhh trade secret, even Lucifer and the Fallen are harmed by it." "

"So why do you think there is a rebellion in Hell?'

"Demons such as the Syna and Shadow Glide are very low ranking demons. They don't have mortal bodies. They would have to make them or have someone make them for them. Otherwise they could not leave Hell. The fact that someone expended this energy to allow for them to leave Hell, feels like a lure to me. Someone would know that it would be I and not a contingent of angels that would be sent to deal with the Syna. You see angels don't like having mortal bodies, they never seem to be able to transition to being angels again very well. Some do, but to take the chance, most are not willing to take the risk. I on the other hand traverse all three plains of existence, mortal, death and godly. I am also in the unique position of being powerful enough to deal with a demon like the Syna with little difficulty. At least in the normal course of events." She grumbled. "But this Syna's poison has been altered probably specifically for me. It has bound me with a Binding of some sort, stripping me of my magic, thereby rendering me not quite powerless but pretty close. The Binding feels like it should be breakable, but I am not sure I would be able to break it at the moment without killing myself." She said grimly. Her eyes shifted to Raphael.

"Considering how much of my magic is bound I am surprised I managed to survive the Syna's attack as well as actually being able to resurrect Raphael. Although it would go a long way in explaining why, even though I took Raphael's wounds upon myself, he is still injured." She said as she looked at the scars that now ran across Raphael's body.

"So that demon, could that thing have killed you?" Raphael asked. His voice heated.

"Oh yes I can die, just like anyone else. If my injuries are bad enough, if I can't heal them, then yes that Syna could have killed me. I can take more damage than most, but even I have a limit as to how much I can heal."

"So that brings me back to my question, why did you risk your life for me. you don't even know me. And what the hell are you? You talk about demons and angels and gods as if they aren't a big deal!" Raphael asked heatedly. He wondered if she was even going to answer his question or avoid it altogether.

She looked at him steadily. "I could ask you they same question Raphael. Why would you jump in the middle of a fight between two combatants who you did not even know. Risk your life for someone you didn't know."

Raphael stood and stalked over to her as best as he could. He got right in her face and said, "Because it was the right thing to do. Because you don't run away when someone is in trouble."

She studied his face intently. Then she said one word. "Yes."

He grabbed her by the shoulders. "But I was dead, I died, I lost, I was no good to you out there. Why? Why go to all of the effort and risk to bring me back, when I was useless to you. You could have been killed by that thing as you tried to bring me back. You had to get my Life Glass from Death himself just to bring me back. I don't understand why!" He shouted at her as he searched her eyes for an answer.

"Do you not believe your life worth saving?" She asked.

Raphael growled, squeezing her shoulders tighter. "Why do you always answer with a question. Just tell me damn it!"

She looked at him, green eyes steadily looking into his brown ones. "I believed you to be worth saving. I also believed you to be a Kappa."

"A what!" Raphael asked.

"A Japanese water demon." Donatello supplied.

"What!" Raphael asked. "You thought I was a demon? Why would you save a demon when that was what you were killing1?" Raphael asked in disbelief.

She broke eye contact with Raphael and looked at Donatello. "Would you like to explain the difference?"

"Japanese demons are not like western demons. They are more like spirits, they can be benevolent or malevolent. If enough offerings are given to a kappa it may help a village with irrigation, or medicine. They like eating cucumbers...and children."

"You thought I was this Kappa thing?"

"Correct, when I got closer I realized you were not a Kappa but a Kame." She paused in thought. "A turtle. A giant walking, talking turtle, with Indonesian Zai."

"What?" Raphael asked.

"You are asking that question quite a bit. Is there something I am not explaining satisfactorily?" She asked with a look of complete innocence.

"Don't bother Raphael, google it later." Donatello said with a smile.

She shared a smile with Donatello and Raphael noticed that something seemed to pass between them. "But then I assume you know that you are a walking, talking turtle...living in the sewers of Manhattan."

"Of course I know that!" He shouted at her.

"So how do you end up being a giant Anthropomorphic turtle living in Manhattan?" She asked.

"A giant Anthro-po-what? It's like talking to Donny!" He shouted.

"Wow, she's good." Donatello observed. Leonardo just nodded in agreement. Raphael glared at his brothers.

"Basically a humanoid turtle Raph." Donatello explained.

Raphael turned back to her and said, "Genetic mutation, it's a long story involving aliens."

She looked slightly confused. "I see. But you seem to practice the eastern art of Ninjitsu. "

"We are ninja. Our father Master Splinter taught us. " Leonardo answered.

"Biological father?"

"Giant walking, talking rat, genetic mutation." Michelangelo said smiling.

"It explains much." She said the confusion leaving her face.

"Explains what! Can't you just give a straight answer?" Raphael roared.

"Is he always like this?" She asked with a smile.

"You have no idea." Michelangelo answered with a laugh.

"But what is the fun of giving a straight answer?" She said with a smile.

Raphael tried to shake her but found it was like shaking a brick wall. He didn't even know if she knew what he had tried to do. If she noticed she did nothing to let him know either way.

"It explains this." She said as she reached out and touched his chest. It suddenly blazed to life with the red markings he had received during the time he spent with the Tribunal.

He looked at his blazing arms and body in shock. They had not been able to use the powers they had received since they had defeated Tengu Shredder.

"What the...?" He asked as he looked at his brothers in shock.

"You each possess a small bit of magic within your soul. It was not born there, but it was magic acquired, and no matter what your origins it makes you mine."

The possessiveness with which she said the last word shocked him. He looked at her again and saw a look of fierce protectiveness.

Something in him loosened a little. He let go of her shoulders and noticed angry bruises had formed on her arms where he had been holding her. He looked at her arms in shock. He quickly stepped away from her and began stammering out an apology.

She looked down at her arms and he and his brothers watched as the bruises faded and disappeared. "You are going to have to be more careful Raphael. Any injuries I sustain are healed by my blood, and I do not have any to spare. You can hurt me, and injure me, but you cannot kill me."

"Are you going to actually tell us who you are now?" Donatello asked. "You got all of the information from him while giving us nothing about yourself. Why is that?"

"It has been a long time since I have had much contact with mortals. I am used to dealing with gods, deities and the like. I am unable to lie, therefore it behoves me to be able to talk and direct conversation in such a way that I can avoid telling the truth if I wish to keep the truth secret. So it is not intentional, more habit. While you have been telling me about yourselves I have been deciding if it would be both prudent and relevant to tell you who and what I am. After your candour I believe I must reciprocate. But be mindful that the information you wish could put you in danger. Are you willing to place yourself in this position?" She looked to each of them.

"Oh get on with it already Lady." Raphael said in exasperation.

She shrugged. "If you have not already guessed I am a god, goddess actually. You may call me Andora, Goddess of Magic. And although this does not sound impressive, let us just say that both Heaven and Hell tremble at the sound of my name. I am from this world but no longer inhabit it. I rule a world of magic and I am the most powerful god on my world, possibly on both worlds." She then smiled a self depreciating smile then said. "At least I was until this binding bound all of my ability to use what I am. Which is incredibly annoying."

"And so now I am trapped on your world, unable to return home or leave the mortal plain, with Hell in rebellion and the possibility that Hell is coming for me to either use me or destroy me. And make no mistake, in the state I am now, Hell could easily destroy me."

Raphael looked at the goddess and was speechless. What could he say to that.

"Is my family in danger?" Leonardo asked.

"I believe so. When the Syna regains its form in Hell it will tell its master what happened. I cannot predict what, if anything, its master will do with the information he or she receives. I give you my word Leonardo I will protect your family with my life. If I fall it is also possible that the demons will leave you alone, but as you are not human and not covered under the Accords of Heaven and Hell you will be fair game for the demons. I will stay here for now."

Raphael looked at Leonardo who looked worried. Raphael felt as worried as he looked. But the question that floated through his head was, who was going to protect them from her?

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