the lazarus job - tmnt (2)

twenty-three

CHAPTER 23

DEATH TO ALL

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SLAUGHTER. 

That was the only word to describe it; slaughter. Nothing could describe how much red was on the charred black floor and how thick the smell of iron was in the air. The freezing wind was no longer noticed by those who fought. All of the attention was on the swords clashing, the guns being fired, and the cries of pain coming from every corner. 

It was a sight that would forever plague someone's mind. 

Yet Nadia could not see the same way as the others. Her mind was running on one action; kill. She hardly paid attention to who's life she took. She simply slashed her long black sword without any gleam in her white eyes. The burn marks on her temples felt as if they'd burn with every hesitation. 

Nadia reached the top of a hill; her opaque eyes watching as death snatched up one soldier after the other. Her gaze never left the battlefield until she saw the three all the way in the center; shell to shell with defensive looks in their eyes as they fought together. 

Next to them was Chief Titawa, swaying her spear around like a smooth river yet with enough precision as an arrow. 

Nadia ran her tongue along her split bottom lip as she walked down the hill, her long sword dragging next to her in the dirt. It was as if the soldiers around her did not notice her as she walked and if they did, they were too afraid to fight her. 

The first to notice her was Michelangelo. Bloody and burning with pain from his upper arm, he spun around just in time to catch her eyes. 

But unlike the other times when he'd see her, his blood ran cold and goosebumps trailed along his arms. 

"Leo," he called out with a quivering tone, successfully catching his brother's attention. Leo turned around, his sapphire eyes widening upon seeing Nadia. For a fraction of a second, he almost smiled, but then he noticed her eyes and her armor and his face fell. 

"Nadia-" he called carefully, but she did not stop walking towards him. In fact, she sped up. 

When Nadia drew her sword from the floor and held it in an attack position, Leo knew that this was no longer the Nadia who'd make fun of his awkward demeanor. Nadia belched out a war cry as she attacked, slashing her blade like a blood-thirsty beast. 

Leo yelped and jumped out of the way, colliding into Raphael who hadn't noticed Nadia at all for he was too busy fighting. He turned to yell at Leo but practically choked on his own spit when he saw Nadia brutally throwing her sword against Mikey's nunchucks. 

"What is she doing!?" Raph bellowed out with horrified gleams in his eyes. 

"I don't know, but that's not Nadia," blurted Leo. "She's under some, some mind control." 

Raph looked up, his doubt beginning to cloud his mind as he watched Nadia sweep out Mikey's feet from under him. Mikey collapsed into the floor, rolling over just in time to dodge the massive sword that embedded into the dirt. 

"Dia!" He cried as he pounced up and jumped back, dodging a swing of her sword. "Dia it's Mikey!" 

"That isn't Nadia!" Leo yelled over the roar of clashing metal and dying cries. "She's being controlled." 

"Then we bring her back," spat Raphael as he ran forward. Nadia didn't notice Raphael charging at her until he completely tackled her into the floor. The two collapsed into the dirt, coating themselves in rubble as they bounced along the ground a few times.