Chapter six:
Casey is laying on his designated bed trying to sleep. He finds things go rather quiet but he keeps his eyes closed not sure he's asleep.
"Casey." A familiar voice speaks up causing the boy to open his noninjured eye. He finds himself in a dark room with the bed still under him. He sits up to look ahead and tears up at seeing Splinter and April. He gets to his feet and hurries over to them sharing an embrace with them. "It's so good to see you both!"
"You as well Casey." April adds as the three hug a little longer before pulling apart. "We only have until you wake up to talk."
"Are you guys able to get through to Leo and Raph as spirits?" Casey feels a little sad at them shaking their heads.
"There's something blocking us." April tells Casey. "We can't get any sort of connection with them."
"Whatever powers Shredder has gotten his hands on is very powerful." Splinter informs Casey. "But I was talking with some spirits who may know a possible place these powers came from."
Casey perks up at hearing this. "Maybe if we go there we can find a way to defeat Shredder!" He speaks up hopefully.
"It can be a stretch. The place is host to dark magic only. Nothing to counter it. But you might be able to learn more about the powers he has." Splinter explains.
"It's a start I guess." Casey nods his head. "So far we've been talking about getting more and more people together to start a resistance. We rescued a lady who has joined us. So far that's the only plan we have."
"That is a very good plan." Splinter nods his head. "I would suggest continue forth with that. In times like this the more that you can gain on your side the better. We may not have used it in the past but the time calls for it now." He encourages to which Casey nods with determination. "Now. Let me tell you how to get to the location I have learned of."
Casey stays quiet as he listens to Splinters instructions. He nods to show that he's got it once the older mutant finishes. "We'll take a look and see what we can find out."
"Be careful out there. I don't doubt that Shredder will order Leo and Raph to kill you on sight. If you see them then avoid them." Splinter tells Casey who is a little sad about that fact though knows it's true.
"We'll be careful. We're going to find a way to break them free." Casey promises to them.
"And Casey. For the time being one of you will need to step up as leader. We'll leave that choice up to you three. Any resistance needs someone to turn to as a leader."
"I'll make sure we decide." Casey agrees then the two fade and his head pops up on his bed. He's in the living world awake. He glances to the others who are still asleep currently. He gets up and repeats Splinters instructions in his head, making sure that he won't forget.
"Casey?"
Casey turns and noticed that Mikey is starting to sit up blinking as if waking up.
"Is everything okay?" Mikey questions rubbing one eye sleepily.
"I just had a dream where April and Splinter came to me." Casey tells him causing Mikey to jump up more awake now. "Wake Donnie and I'll tell you guys all about it."
Mikey is quick to gently shake Donnie awake explaining quietly causing Donnie to sit up.
The two head over to Casey where they all sit together.
Casey tells them about his dream and what he was told in it.
Donnie and Mikey slightly glance to each other once the explanation is done.
"That information could be useful. If we go to the location spoken of we might find an advantage." Donnie hums in thought.
"Shouldn't we try to decide who should be leader first?" Mikey inquires. "Casey said that we needed a leader for now."
"Well I honestly have no interest in leading if I have a choice." Donnie tells them.
"And I don't feel ready to take on such a role. So that would leave..."
The two turn to Casey who blinks at this.
"One of us can do it if you don't want to." Donnie tells Casey who offers a smile.
"I can try. Why don't we try out me being leader with the trip to the location I was told about? That way we'll know if I should continue leading or if one of you should." Casey offers as an idea which the other two do seem to like. "I think that our newest member should hold the fort while we're gone. We don't know what will be waiting for us there. It could prove too dangerous for her currently. She'll need to be trained to fight and it'd be best to check out the place as soon as we can."
"Then maybe we could train up others! We could build an army to fight Splinter!" Mikey smiles at this looking hopeful that this might work.
"It would be a good idea considering the situation at hand." Donnie agrees. "For now let us worry about finding that place Casey was told about. It may help us more than just training more to help fight this battle."
So they all get ready to head out in search of the place.
Gia turns to them inquisitive as she sees them getting ready. "What's going on?"
Casey steps forward to try out the leader role for the first time. "Gia. We just need you to hold down the fort. We got a tip about something that might help us in fighting the footclan. But it may be dangerous. So we need you to keep this place safe." He glances to Donnie when the other steps forward.
"By the way here. If the need arises dash into the tunnels. Don't worry about being lost, we will find you with this." Donnie puts a device in Gia's hand when she holds it out. "It's a tracker so we can find your location quick and easy. If possible flee instead of engaging."
"Thank you. I'll stay behind and make sure nothing happens." Gia nods and with her secure the three head out to search for the location.
Casey leads the way replaying the instructions in his mind to not lose it.
The journey there is rather quiet.
None of them really knowing what to say while they head to what will hopefully have answers.
The walk is a bit long as they have to even head out of town. The path makes them lose sight of the city itself, not even any homes or anything in sight on this path.
Finally Casey breaks the silence. "We're close." He takes them up a hill before pausing at the top.
The two stop on either side of Casey as they all stare at some ruins just a bit ahead.
That must be what they're looking for.
Casey leads them straight for these ruins where they pause at the dark entrance.
Donnie pulls out his phone using its light to help light the way. He takes the lead since he has the light. He still steps carefully though.
The sandstone brickwork still seems solid and along the walls is almost Egyptian like art.
Donnie shines his flashlight around as they look at the art. Also making sure that they don't take a wrong step.
Some of the art seems to show some sort of dark dragon like winged entity. It shows it even looming over some terrified people. Then it almost seems like it was locked away as painted chains are put over it... Until the one that catches the threes eyes enough to stop walking... This one shows a human with red eyes, having a hand raised with a black ball that has beams of red coming from it. This one also shows people with eyes just like how Raph and Leo's eyes were when they last saw them, standing before the human as if being controlled by him.
Donnie glances back to a previous one where there is the human, looking normal, and the entity with chains breaking around it. He swallows a little harshly as he turns back to the one that they stopped in front of.
"This thing must have given Shredder that power." Casey mentions raising a hand to brush his fingertips against the ball in the humans hand.
"Did they find a way to stop it when this guy got that power?" Mikey questions and Donnie is the first, the other two following, to turn to the direction forward.
All hoping that there will be answers on how to stop Shredder.
There is images that tell them about the people who used an item to seal the being into, then put it in this place based by the shape of the building, though to do so they had to kill the host; With a smaller image showing that the hosts power doesn't work on the dead.
The three glance to each other at this. They know that they'd have to find a way to get to Shredder and kill him to stop all of this... However Shredder has not only the Footclan but also Leo and Raph to defend him. They had never won against Leo or Raph in a spar before, and Shredder proved that he is not afraid of forcing the two to kill. They all know that the job to kill Shredder is going to be a lot harder than it might seem. They will find a way if it means saving their brothers. They just hope that they won't be forced to kill the two... They will if they have no choice as they'd rather that then the two being forever under Shredders control... It's just a last resort for them even if they don't say it out loud.
Later...
The three make it back and Gia comes over to them.
"How did it go?" Gia inquires looking hopeful that they'll be able to put an end to all of this.
"We did find a way to stop it. It won't be easy however it may be our only chance." Casey takes a breath. "We need to get to Shredder."
Gia frowns. "Pats his army and assassins? How will you do that?"
"We don't know yet. But we'll find a way."
"Well I can gather more who are willing to fight." Gia offers getting blinks from the other three. "Maybe you'd stand more of a chance if you had an army of your own. And I had some thinking time. I want to do my part even if it's dangerous."
"You'll need to be very careful. And we'll train you as well as anyone you bring. We may have to bring others into this." Casey agrees and Gia nods. "Let us go and start." He turns to the turtles. "Why don't you two start getting this space ready for more people? A true resistance group may be our best chance in this situation."
"We can do that." Mikey confirms and Donnie hums in thought.
"There is a nearby spot I want to check. We could make it into like a mini underground town. It won't be like the surface one but it should do for the time we need it." Donnie adds to which Casey nods his head.
"I trust you both, and I think Donnie's idea is wonderful." Casey heads away with Gia as they head to the surface.
Mikey and Donnie head to check out the spot that they could make into a place for everyone.
Luckily the spot isn't far from the new lair, so they could still potentially use the lair spot that Splinter told them about. It is spacious giving them plenty of places to build places for all those that join them.
"We should also make sure we'll have a spot to train those that will help us against Shredder." Mikey mentions and Donnie nods his agreement to this. He continues with Donnie now that they have that done with.
They find a few spots that look like they will need to be cleaned, which Donnie takes mental note of before continuing. They finish the look around the area and both can tell that they think this will indeed work just fine.
"Might as well get to work. At least in cleaning."
Mikey is about to complain before remembering that there's not really anyone else to do it. "Okay." He follows Donnies lead as they start by moving debris out of here.
The two work a bit hard for a bit hoping that it'll look at least decent when they're done. They finish a good amount and head back to meet up with Casey and Gia as it getting close to the time. Not long after they get back Casey and Gia return with at least eight more people.
The eight people do look a little cautious about Donnie and Mikey, though also like they're ready to give them a chance.
"We have two more. They're just getting more beds for everyone." Casey informs the two turtles who nod.
"If we keep this up then we'll have more than enough to face Shredder." Donnie feels confident about this. He really thinks that it will work. "Also me and Mikey have already started to clear out the area to grow the rebellion."
"Great!" Casey is quite happy to hear this.
"We can help." A bearded ginger man steps forward with shining blue eyes. He offers a hand to Donnie. "The names Ellis. I used to work in mines until I moved to New York and switched to construction." He shakes Donnie's hand. His red plaid shirt looks almost like a stereotype of a contractor, even with his jeans.
"Donnie. And I think that those skills will be useful." Donnie is so happy that they really will have a chance at stopping the Shredder. He just hopes that they'll be able to save Leo and Raph from the evil clutches... Without having to do anything drastic...