Ch 26 One Last Time

The demon held his now bloody sword above Splinter's head. Splinter stared up into his eyes and looked hard. He saw the demonic entity inside, but he could also see the brightness behind the darkness. Leonardo was there, and he was fighting to come out.

"You may kill me, but you will not win akuma." Splinter told him.

"I will win this time." He readied the sword and turned to look at the other turtles who were struggling in their bindings. "Say goodbye to daddy bros." He mocked in Leo's voice.

"Leo, no please stop!" They yelled out. "We know you can hear us, fight that bastard Leo, we know you can!"

The demon started to bring down the sword, suddenly he fell to his knees and let out a loud scream.

"NO. I WILL NOT LET YOU HURT MY FAMILY." Leo's voice suddenly rang out.

"HOW DO YOU STILL FIGHT ME?!" The demon screamed as the turtle stood and stared around the lair. "WHAT POWER LIES WITHIN YOU THAT ALLOWS YOU TO RESIST!?"

Splinter and the other turtles along with the rest of the mutants watched in both fascination and horror as a war seemed to wage inside Leo's body. "Leonardo!" Splinter held his hand out. "Hear me my son!"

The turtle turned toward him, his eyes now blue and pleading. "Sensei!" He cried, his face twisted in pain. "Help me!" He grabbed at his head, tilted it back and let out another anguish scream and fell to the floor.

"NO!" The demon was now back. "I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO TAKE AWAY MY REVENGE!" The demon yelled out. The turtle once again tried to stand and use the Tengu sword but he was failing as the two souls continued to battle for dominance. The pain was evident in his eyes as Leo fought for his soul and his family. He was determined not to let the demon win.

Splinter rushed toward Leo and pulled the sword away from his hands and flung it across the room. He placed his hands on Leo's head and stared into his eyes. "Hear me Leonardo." He commanded. "You are stronger then this demon. Fight him."

The turtle stared back and grabbed his wrist. "Forgive me Sensei." He pushed Splinter away from him and reached out where Tiger Claw's tanto blade still laid. Before anyone could stop him, he suddenly plunged the small knife through the breastplate and into his stomach.

The whole lair stared in fright as Leo's eyes widen in shock and a bright light suddenly lit around him. Leo fell back onto his knees, he opened his mouth wide and a thick black stream of smoke suddenly poured forth.

Splinter ran to his other sons and quickly untied them. He then held them tight and shield them as their brother's scream echoed through out the room and a bright light lit up the darkened lair. After several seconds, the lair quieted and Splinter and the turtles looked to see Leo staring at them. A small stream of blood flowed steadily through the breastplate from his stomach where the tanto blade was. They watched in disbelief as he swayed for a few moments then fell to his side, a few inches from where Shredder laid.

Splinter ran over to his son and turned him over. "Leonardo?" His son's face was pale and tears flowed from his eyes. "My son, why?"

"Had to." Leo choked out, his voice sounding tired and slowly fading away. "Only way...to keep...you safe." His eyes slowly fluttered closed and his head fell to the side against Splinter's chest.

Splinter cradled his son close to his body, he removed the black mask, and with the help of the other turtles, slowly removed the blade and breastplate, then used the mask to push against his son's bleeding stomach in hopes of stopping the blood flow. He looked up to see Tiger Claw and the rest of Shredder's mutant army coming toward them. His other sons gathered their weapons and prepared to fight.

Tiger Claw bent down in front of Shredder and brought him up into a sitting position, cradling his upper torso. Saki still breathe and his eyes were still open, he was alive, for the moment. He watched Splinter with anger still filling his evil soul. 'Splinter still alive and he was dying, but at least so was his eldest son.' Shredder thought to himself.

When Splinter saw he was still alive, he had to know. "Why Saki?" He asked him. "Why did you try and kill the demon instead of me?"

Saki looked up at him as Tiger Claw lifted his body. "As much as I hate you Yoshi." He whispered. "I love Karai more." He took one more breath. "You would have been next." He told him. Splinter watched feeling a sadness wash over him as Saki's eyes closed.

Splinter understood. He watched Tiger Claw pick up Shredder's body, he was dying and they knew this. "Go Yoshi-san." The large tiger ordered. "But know this war is not over." He watched as Splinter picked up Leo and was surprised to feel a twinge of sadness come over him at the sight of the dying turtle.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Splinter and his sons left for home.

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Splinter held Leonardo close to his body as he and the other turtles trudged along the dank sewers. Where he found the strength to carry his son, he did not know, but he held him as tightly as possible, as though he was afraid to let him go.

The other turtles walked slowly along, somber and fighting back tears. So much that happened had them exhausted and in need of getting home. Donnie thought of the things he needed to take care of his brother. He was determined to keep his brother alive one way or another.

A small whimper from Leo caused them to stop and Splinter gently lowed himself to his knees. "My son, can you hear me?" Something deep inside told him he need to stop and check on his eldest. The others turned and anxiously bent down to check on their brother.

Leo opened his eyes and stared up them. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Nothing to be sorry about." Raph said. "It wasn't you who did those things."

"Leo?" Donnie placed his hand on Leo's chest. His pulse was slow and blood continued to flow through the fabric from the wound. "We need to get you to the lair." Leo looked up at his brothers. A slight smile formed on his mouth.

"I love you." He whispered to them. His hand reached out to them and Mikey gently placed it in his. Leo turned his eyes to Splinter. "Thank you...father." His voice seemed to trail off as he whispered those last words.

"Leo?" Mikey squeezed his hand. "Try to stay with us bro." Tears began to flow from his eyes and he quickly wiped them away. "Please Leo." He begged. "Don't give up."

"Sensei." Raph whispered, he was looking over Splinter's shoulder anxiously at his brother whose eyes continued to look up at Splinter. "We need to get Leo back to the lair."

But Splinter did not move. He continued to stare down at his son laying in his arms and choked back a sob. His other sons had not seen the light in Leo's eyes go out. Nor did they feel his breath leave his body at his final words. Splinter place a shaking paw on Leo's forehead and gently moved it down along his face, closing his eyes. He gently brought Leo up against him and whispered a small prayer as he gently stroked his son's head.

Donnie sat back on his ankles and stared at his brother in disbelief. The sound of sobbing coming from Mikey made him place his arms around him and bring him into a hug. The two crying softly together. Raph stood up and looked down at the scene before him. Splinter holding Leo's now lifeless body seemed surreal. He shook his head and told himself over and over again that this was some horrible nightmare that he would wake up from anytime. After several seconds ticked by and nothing in front of him changed, he turned toward the wall and letting out a loud scream, smashed his fist against it. The sound echoed throughout the sewer and lasted for several moments. When it finally died down, Splinter picked up his son's body and they continued the long walk home.