Chapter seventeen: It's go time!
The twos appearance catches Leo and Raphs attention.
Mikey attempts to send a blow at Leo with his nunchucks only to be blocked by Leo's arm. He manages to pull his nunchuck away seeing it become frozen. He spots April having to leap back to not be grabbed and burned by Raph. He backs up while Leo advances. He turns and starts to run heading for the place they need to lure them to.
April is soon enough running with him.
Mikey glances back confirming that Leo and Raph are chasing them. He turns away keeping an eye out for any that are under their control. He doesn't want them to accidentally run into a trap. His heart pounding in his chest and his adrenaline is really kicked into high gear. He can hear the two not far behind them still chasing them.
"Mikey." April warns quietly to get his attention nodding to some trees.
Mikey sees some followers moving as if hurrying to somewhere. "Take the path with less hiding spots." He whispers back glad that they set up a few paths to go just in case.
April softly nods her agreement to the idea and the two keep going.
The two take a turn moving away from the path leading to a spot with more trees. They can't let themselves get cornered or caught as they might not make it out alive if that happens. They know that is a high chance so they keep going letting their adrenaline help their speed.
Raph lets out a growl though the two continue to chase after the fleeing two. His growl does indicate that the attempted trap set up has now been foiled.
Mikey can only feel a slight relief for this since he and April are far from being out of danger. He has to focus on continuing onwards.
April has to pause to spin kick an attempted attacker Leo sends at her. She starts running again soon after as it allows the two to get a bit closer to her.
Mikey spots more followers hurrying towards them to try to slow them down. He looks for a way to get through not wanting it to end with them caught by the two.
Not when they've found a way to finally make things right!
"Follow my lead." April whispers and Mikey gives a soft nod to show that he will. She must have noticed a way out of this. "When they get close we dash to the sides and meet back up once we've gone around. Just don't stop and keep going even if one of us falls behind." She clearly hates her own whispers.
Mikey doesn't blame her as they've always looked out for each other as a team. His heart hurts thinking about if he has to leave April behind. He just does understand that they can't let themselves waste this opportunity to save the world.
It is their duty no matter what it takes.
"Try to not fall behind." Mikey whispers showing his understanding of the plan in his tone.
"You too." April whispers back and the two keep heading for the charging followers.
They're almost at the point where they'll have to split up momentarily to get around them.
Just a bit more...
The two dart to either side just as some of the followers try to leap at them. Their movements cause the followers to crash to the ground. They manage to out speed the remaining ones as they have to stop and change the direction they're running in. They keep going meeting up back in the middle after running around a big circle.
"You won't keep getting away that easily!" Raph calls out with a snarl and the two have to dodge some crystals that burst from the ground.
"Jump!" Mikey calls to April spotting some appearing in front of them.
The two jump and dive towards the ground just barely making it over the crystals that come up. They roll on the ground and have to keep going as Raph smashes through the crystals with Leo behind him. They have strong determination to make it and put an end to this terrible world state. They will save the two who were forced to become so evil!
...
It's been so tense waiting for them to show up. It's still not fully certain that the two will even be able to make it so it is so tense.
Donnie and Casey perk up a little as they can hear something or someone approaching fast. They shift to be ready trying to not make noise to alert the enemy.
April and Mikey burst through a bush both breathing heavily as they head for the spot they need to be.
Not far behind them Raph burns down the bush in record time with him and Leo following the two.
Mikey and April skid to a stop and turn to look at the two as if there is no where to run now.
Raph laughs as he stalks forward with an evil grin on his face.
Leo smirks and stands tall at Raph's side as they face the seemingly cornered pair. "This is the end of the line." He tells them and the two raise their hands.
Their hands briefly brush, and as they let the magic spark out there is a soft sizzle and a tiny steam cloud for a moment that vanishes.
Mikey and April jump to either sides rolling into the bushes to dodge a burst of fire and ice under them.
Casey and Donnie come out on either side of the two who turn to them with a glare. They raise their hands mentally reaching out and being open to each others energy.
Donnie starts chanting in another language causing the possessed two to get really angry. He keeps going despite the scowls on the twos faces.
Raph tries to send fire Donnie's way to stop him... Only for his attack to end up being blocked as the wizard sets up a quick shield. He snarls loudly almost like a roar while Leo looks around for the wizard.
Donnies chanting lets a bubbles appear around the two keeping them contained.
Not that the two are going quietly as they strike it with various attacks. Their attempted escape is putting a big strain on Donnie and Casey who feel their energy drain faster.
Donnie and Casey push on trusting each other to be able to keep it up. They can do this! They just need to believe in themselves!
The two in the bubble refuse to give up and keep attacking it.
As it continues Casey starts to hope that it'll be done soon as he's not sure how much more he can take. He can feel those attacks taking a lot of out of him. He still lets himself strongly trust Donnie. He knows that they can do this. He just has to hold on until it's done.
Mikey starts to move seeing how hard it is getting for the two. He stops as April places a hand on his shoulder. He turns to her and she gives him an understating look, quietly reminding him that they can't interfere as the two have to focus. He moves closer to April and continues to watch sending mental support to the two.
The attacks get weaker until they stop all together.
The two in the bubble look a little dizzy perhaps a bit faint. They soon collapse and a swirl of darkness surrounds them.
Donnie stops the chanting though the bubble stays up.
The swirling darkness disappears revealing Leo and Raph a they were before all this lay limp on the ground, the creatures of darkness revealed standing over them clearly having been ejected from their hosts.
The wizard comes out and sends two magic loops to the necks of the creatures. He does this right as soon as Donnie followed by Casey drops the bubble.
April and Mikey hurry out as Casey and Donnie clearly don't have the strength to help. They grab one rope each tossed to them by the wizard. They pull the creatures that struggle against them towards the box.
The wizard follows and puts himself between the creatures and the two limp bodies when there's space.
The creatures tug strongly and the two pulling the ropes have to dig their feet into the ground to keep it up. They refuse to give in that easily and as they keep pulling they might be able to break free. Their larger bodies are helping with their strength.
April and Mikey are so far only managing to hold on from their training and experience.
The wizard takes notice of this and casts another spell shooting what appears to be a moment of purple fog at the creatures.
This hits the creatures faces, as they were too focused on escaping the ropes to notice, causing them to seem stunned for a brief moment. Though they are quickly coming back as if it has only very minimal effect.
Mikey and April use this opportunity to tug as hard as they can.
The creatures are thrown back and when they land in the box the ropes vanish.
The wizard quickly starts saying something in another language, and the way out of the box begins to shut.
The creatures move towards the way out trying to get out before it shuts.
The wizard keeps going as April and Mikey can only watch on in the hopes that it works.
The air is tense in worry that this attempt is going to end in failure.
Just a split second before those things escape the box is sealed.
The air feels lighter at this with relief.
The carvings on the box glows flinging away what was covering it. A wave of light like a single ripple shoots from the box and as it goes by it erases all that was done.
The crystals and anything else that affected the land vanishes turning it back to normal, though the plants do remain as it had turned to likely since it was nature adapting.
Mikey and April look to the sky and at first it seems to stay the same.
However after a bit longer the sky flashes making them cover their eyes.
When the two look again after the light dies down the sky is normal.
The sun is getting low indicating it must be around evening time.
Mikey and April turn and head over to check on Leo and Raph.
Donnie is sitting by Leo.
Casey by Raph.
The two turn as Mikey and April come over. Their looks of sadness stop the two right by them.
Donnie shakes his head making Mikey's heart drop.
Casey looks away causing April to cover her mouth in sadness.
Leo and Raphs spirits weren't able to return. They are truly dead.
"We should find Master Splinter." Donnie mentions making Mikey snap out of his sadness.
Splinter could have been killed by Chompy!