Emotionless Mutation (Book Three)

Chapter 45: Lessons Learned

The gunshots ring in Leonardo's ears, rattling his bones, and Destiny's scream ignites a fire in his belly. The turtle tries to stumble toward the edge of the building but his knee buckles and he hits the dirt with a heavy grunt, elbows digging into the pavement as he sucks in a choked breath.

"No...no..." he whispers, pressing his forehead against the ground as he clenches his fists. "Father, Destiny—" He gasps and jerks his head up, focusing his gaze on the boy laying slumped against the brick. "Diaval? Diaval, can you hear me?!"

The desperate note in his voice hitches. There has to be someone who's still with him, there has to, but Diaval doesn't stir. Leonardo's teeth grit and his chest burns, his breaths getting faster as he forces himself to keep his head up. Shredder turns away from the scene below him, his neck pivoting towards Diaval before he starts towards him.

"N-No, hey!" Leonardo shouts as he forces himself to move, to try and get up and get his scattered katanas back. "Shredder! FACE ME!"

The armoured man is deaf to the turtle's cries. He reaches Diaval and glares down at him for a second before winding up and sinking his foot into his gut. He grunts and tumbles back, his eyes just managing to flicker open before the Shredder lands another hit.

Leonardo forces himself to his feet and lets out another forceful, "Stop!"

Shredder's gaze is harsh as ever. He extends his blade, eyes on Leonardo, and the turtle swears that he can almost see the sneer beneath the Shredder's helmet. "You cannot win, turtle," he says. "You are not strong enough to protect them. They will fall by my hand...and I will start with him!"

"NO!"

He plunges his blade towards Diaval, but it never reaches its mark. Leonardo trembles with effort as he presses his katana against Shredder's tekkō-kagi. His eyes burn white and he bares his teeth, muscles straining as he forces the blade back.

"You'll have. To go. Through me," he pants.

Shredder's eyes narrow. "Fool."

A warmth spreads from the base of Leonardo's skull throughout his whole body, filling him with memories of pizza parties and laughter and long nights racing across rooftops with his brothers and his friends. He can feel fingertips against his ankle and although he wants to, he doesn't dare look down at Diaval even as his rough voice rings in his head.

"Remember who you fight for. Be strong."

It isn't profound. It isn't a speech that gets his heart pounding, but it gives him the boost that he needs. Leonardo shouts and shoves with all his might, getting Shredder away from Diaval in a second, and he doesn't give his foe a chance to regain his bearings as he starts slashing and jabbing and spinning in a blur. Leonardo is fuelled by hatred for the man before him, but above that, he is moved by truth, justice, passion, and a fierce, blazing love for his family that cannot be put out.

"You have only delayed the inevitable," Shredder taunts as they exchange blows. "The blood of your clan will water the earth."

"Not if I can help it."

Leonardo keeps pushing Shredder back, running through every move in his arsenal like a programmed fighting machine. Shredder is a challenging opponent, as he always has been, but Leonardo has been training for this moment and there is too much at stake. A loss means that the war continues on. A victory means peace.

Both sides land hits. Leonardo feels his skin being sliced open, sweat and blood mingling and rolling down his skin like tears, but he is numb to the pain. Splinter would not give up and neither will Leonardo. Their meticulous dance missteps with exhaustion and crescendos with determination, dipping and slicing and taunting at every turn. They are dancing with death and by the end, Death will choose his partner.