Death instantly knew their slight advantage was gone, and fear now took hold over her. For the first time, she was actually afraid. And it wasn't helping her fears any that she was still facing the snapping jaws of this blue banded dragon. He seemed to take a personal offense to her earlier attempt to locate the organics. Or was it because of what the stalker had already managed to do that so flamed this dragon's ire... Death had a strong feeling that it was maybe both scenarios. A feeling that was reinforced by the sheer ferocity in which he attacked her.

She found herself diving and rolling as those jaws snapped at her, then those teeth kept coming dangerously close as they followed her path. And just like that the large dragon effortlessly not only widened the distance between her and the edge of the forest where the small beings disappeared in, but now he was firmly placed in between her and that same spot. Again Death believed that killing off those disgusting creature he loved would be the key...but she had no chance to attempt it. That great head lowered a little with a warning growl as he advanced another step. She forced herself to quell the rising panic and her usual calm began to take it's hold on her as her eyes lifted.

Again fireballs filled the skies as even more of The Dark Lord's minions came down. Since the previous batch hadn't quite been eliminated, this presented a problem for the dragons as they were now forced to spread their attacks out over multiple foes. Still, they fought bravely on. Refusing to let the sheer numbers wilt their iron will.

But Death's confidence grew. They would fail, and they would fall. Her regained clear thinking bringing something to mind. Something that had slipped out of the forefronts of her thoughts because she had done it only once, and her fear and confusion further hid it from her. Death came in many forms, and not all physical. Her head turned towards where she had last felt her creation and her arm sent out a different kind of energy, this one clear and quiet as it made it's way through the woods.

Not far away, now ignored by everyone as they worriedly watched the medics tend to the young turtle, the pile of ash twirled into the air as a soft whirlwind hit it. A soft ghostly chuckle could have been heard if anyone had chosen to listen around that ash before it suddenly dropped back to the ground. A chuckle that made it's way to the unconscious Titian.

.

.

Raph was seriously getting fed up. Leo could tell that. And he didn't even need the frustrated tail slam on the ground to notice it either. He sensed it, just as he sensed other emotions coming from his other brothers. Leo himself took in the situation much more calmly than his hotheaded brother, already thinking on how to deal with this, and felt the approval at what came to mind.

It was odd to all of them. They couldn't talk or use any kind of hand signals in these forms, but they still had a bond of communication. He couldn't read their minds like he could with his wife, but they each acutely felt the others emotions. Add that to the years of experience working with each other and their strong brotherly bond, and they could read each other like an open book even in these forms. It was that peculiar combination that let the others instantly understand what leo had in mind, and as soon as it clicked they acted out on it.

All four exploded into motion before the last of the newer pods hit the ground, leaping into the air as one unit. Raph led the charge with dragonfire as they soared above the now grounded pods, taking out the first few new arrivals with a steady stream of red fire. Donnie came rolling under that blast, ripping huge chunks of earth up out of the ground and connecting with the next group as Raph veered skyward. Mikey sleekly barrel rolled around his purple banded brother, keeping the onslaught going with a powerful gust of air that sent the next wave airborne and hitting the ground, and other drones, hard. Leo closed off the round as both Donnie an Mikey banked out of his way, one on each side. His blue dragon eyes flared as the ground suddenly exploded upward, now a muddy marshy mess because of the water that was forcefully brought to the surface, trapping those drones targeted in the marshy pit. Raph came in again, his claws ripping into the drones Leo had trapped, and his momentum ripping them in half.

Over and over the turtles weaved in and around each other. Their smooth flowing attacks making it hard to hit a single target and trying to target the group just made them scatter a moment before they reformed their strange dance formation. The heralds new found confidence was severely tested as they watched the harmonious movements of these champions. Maneuvers that flowed with the balance these brothers carried. War was beginning to understand why the power had been split among them instead of one being chosen. As a group they brought each element into a perfect balance better than an individual he had so far met ever could. Only a god or goddess of balance could wield the power with such skill, but here were four mortals wreaking havoc on the agents of chaos.

War looked up at the now very large globe of his master that was in the sky. He was running out of time, and he wasn't sure anymore that these dragons would fall before the Disciple of Prime struck. "How fars the stalker in his task?"

Death's hesitation to answer spurred War's rage as he glared her down. "He still hasn't defeated them?!" He spun in disgust away from her telling expression and looked at the large group of drones that he had gathered around him. It was time to be more forceful about this matter. "Go out into the forest and destroy anyone you find that seek shelter!"

With the dragons distracted with the large task in front of them, this group was able to sneak away and towards those so very vulnerable fleshlings.

.

.

Ty slipped out of the comforting blackness he was in, pulled from it by something. His two toned eyes opened to find a plain, empty landscape around him. Everything he saw, which wasn't much, was colored in muted shades of grey. It was a depressing place, sad even. And being here made him feel very uneasy.

A feeling that shot up even more as he heard the ghostly chuckle. A sound he couldn't find the source of as his eyes carefully searched around him. It seemed to come from everywhere at once. He was still trying to make sense of where he was and what was here when a very powerful unseen blow connected with his side, knocking him onto the ash colored ground.

He quickly rolled back to his feet his eyes still not seeing anything around him. But that damn laugh was the only thing he got out of his effort. A laugh he knew very well by now.

"Jeff..." Ty snarled.

"Oh yay for the turtle boy... He figured it out."

Another blow hit him this time on his carapace, making the grey masked turtle stumble forward. But he refused to fall and spun around instead. And found nothing there.

"Didn't think you'd be rid of me that easily did you?"

A third time he was hit, this time in the plastron. Ty let himself fall backwards with the impact and rolled with the momentum, stopping himself in a low crouch. Anger and confusion were starting to take hold of him. Anger that once again his tormentor had found a way to harass him and confusion because he didn't even know where he was.

"Aw...what's the matter? Turtle boy don't like the new playing field? I like it...a lot... For obvious reasons. No meddling dragons here to save you this time."

Once again Jeff connected and Ty found himself struggling to stay on his feet. But it was the fact that he was able to stay on his feet this time that calmed his rising unease and panic. There was something...different...about Jeff's strikes. The hits didn't hit him as hard as they had all those times before. And shouldn't he be in a rolled up ball of pain from all the abuse he had already taken? But he wasn't... Why was that? Why did Jeff seem so much weaker here? And how could he use this to his advantage?

He kept that unsuccessful surveillance up as he pondered this mystery placed in front of him.

'What's wrong with him? Why is he jerking like that? Did you lay him on a pile of fire ants?' Came a frantic female's voice. A voice that sounded like it was right next to him, but at the same time muffled and very far away.

His eyes widened, he knew that voice. "Ari?"

'No, I didn't lay him in a pile of fire ants.' Tony's sarcastic voice came next. 'He shouldn't even be moving...'

"You wish your pathetic cousin was here to help you. So do I actually. Then I wouldn't have to hop over there to tear her apart from the inside out."

Ty was distracted by voices that Jeff seemingly couldn't hear. It didn't make sense to him. Nothing here made sense to him. He quickly brought his attention back where it needed to be as this time he felt the hit coming and managed to get an arm up to block it, and hold it back. How in the...

'Ty!' Mother that time. 'What's wrong? Come on sweetie, talk to me.'

'Isn't he too old to be called sweetie?' Thane asked next.

'You just hush.' Aunt Cris' firm voice.

"Not bad, you actually managed to stop that one. Try this one!" That hit came in harder and did send him rolling again as his attention was on the conversation only he could hear.

'There he goes again... Why won't he lay still! It's making him hard to work on when he's bouncing around like that. Emily see if you can hold him down.'

'Me? Hold him? He outweighs me like three times over!'

'More like four.' Thane calmly said. 'I'll do it.'

Ty felt slight pressure on his shoulders, but nothing strong enough to inhibit his movements as he once again got back to his feet. Now more confused than ever, but strangely unafraid as he tried to face his still unseen opponent.

"Come on, oh so mighty ninja. Hit me if you can!" The cackling laughter that followed after was a little unsettling. Ty was beginning to see that Jeff was rapidly loosing whatever sanity he had. Which might explain why he took such pleasure on trying to torture his prey.

Even this revelation really didn't unsettle the turtle. This was a puzzle and he had to figure it out. When an immense pressure slammed against his throat and grew tighter as it lifted him in the air, he knew he better do it soon.

Author's note: Ok folks, sorry about the long update lag. Been dealing with a lot the last few weeks with my son being hospitalized for a few days along with other crap that piled up around the same time and it kinda drained my writing spirit there for a bit. But, as always, my head can't keep the ideas contained and I'm slowly getting back into the flow of writing and video making. My fantasy land is still alive and well.