"Alchemy's Pet"

Ch. 10

"Bryan… what are you talking about?" Donatello glanced from Bryan to Dominick. "Bryan…?"

The demon scowled, pushing back his hair to reveal a scar where his right eye should have been. "That is not Bryan… Rage… does Bryan care so much about these turtles that it would motivate him enough to let you out?"

The one known as Rage simply frowned. "You know very well Bryan only summons me as a last resort." Sensing the other's confusion he said, "I am Rage, Bryan's Homunculus self... I come out when other is under stress or extremely angry; and he was very angry. I have sensed his feelings for Michelangelo; heard his cry for help and so I have decided to aid you. Now, go free Michelangelo and Raphael… I'll take care of the jackass."

Leo nodded and made a move to help the two other turtles when Dominick went to stop him.

"I don't think so," Rage hissed, a thin line of fire suddenly appearing in his hand and he used it as a whip to keep the demon at bay, Dominick growling under his breath. "You should be more worried about me, Dom." The Homunculus glanced at Leo. "Go on, save your brothers. I'll cover your back."

"Thank you… help me get Mikey free, Don. Gina, you take care of Raph," Leo said, rushing over to Mikey, Don right behind him while Gina helped the red bandana clad turtle to his feet.

"What are you exactly?" Raph asked, staring at Rage incredulously. Never had he seen such a creature; so angry and full of hate and contempt that burned him to his very core. He stared at the fire whip that wavered in the other's hand in awe.

The other chuckled. "Well, every Homunculus has a certain power, and I just happened to get fire powers. Now that's what I call irony." He cracked the fire whip at Dominick again causing the other to flinch.

"You think you can escape??" The demon laughed. "Keep dreaming."

"Big talk for someone afraid of a little fire…" Rage lashed the whip at Dominick again, this time striking him across the face.

The demon winced, bringing his hand up to his face, blood dripping down his neck, staining his shirt.

Leo was busy working on getting the shackles on Mikey's wrists open when suddenly someone tackled him to the floor. It was the kitsune-woman from before.

"Leo!" Mikey, Raph, Don, and Gina cried in unison.

"Ame… what is she doing here?!" Rage growled, glancing at the feral woman. He turned to look back at Dominick glaring at him, the demon just smiling smugly.

"Did you think you could get away from me?" Ame purred, sinking her claws in to the turtle's skin, beads of blood materializing.

Leo clenched his eyes shut in pain as he tried to reach his Katanas which he had dropped when he hit the floor.

"Get off my brother ya crazy bitch!" Raphael shouted, preparing to grab one of Gina's Kusarigama and strike the woman down.

"Don't come near or I'll slit his throat!" Ame hissed, pressing her claws up against Leonardo's throat.

"Damn it…" Rage swore under his breath. All of a sudden he felt a sharp pain in his stomach and looking down he saw Dominick had turned his arm in to a blade, impaling him.

The demon grinned at the Homunculus. "Not good to let your guard down; you should be less worried about them and more about yourself."

Rage growled, lashing the fire whip at the other, hitting his arm causing the demon to retract the blade. Stumbling backwards, he pressed his free hand against the wound panting slightly.

"Dude, we gotta help Rage…" Mikey said as Donatello continued to try and get the shackles open and free the orange bandana clad turtle.

"We gotta free you and help Leo first. Besides, what can we do to help? Dominick's a demon…"

"I don't know!" The younger turtle cried in frustration at being so helpless. "But we gotta do something! He may go by another name… he may have a different personality, but that's still Bryan in that body!"

Ame nuzzled up against Leo's throat. "Now, just be a good boy and do as Master Dominick says."

"I… don't… think so…" The blue bandana clad turtle hissed. Finally getting a hold of one of his katanas, he stabbed the kitsune-woman in the back.

Ame screeched in pain, rolling off the turtle, trying to pull the blade from her back. After a few minutes of thrashing around, she stopped, lying still on the floor, blood pooling around her body.

Getting up, Leo pulled his Katana from her body, swiping the blood off the blade and sheathing it and then he retrieved its sibling. "Get out of the way Don…" When the other did, the older turtle stood in front of Mikey and closing his eyes, seemed to go in to a meditative trance, then opening his eyes again he swiped his swords at the shackles on the youngest turtle's wrists and ankles. After a few moments nothing happened, then suddenly the bonds cracked and fell apart.

Seeing the Leo was able to free Mikey Rage barked, "Get out of here. Now!"

"Rage… Bryan… I won't leave you here!" Mikey exclaimed, leaning on his brother for support. Having been chained up for such a long period of time had left his limbs weak with disuse.

"All things must come to an end… Now go!"

"Come on Bryan, there's not much else we can do…" Don said, helping Leo support the orange bandana clad turtle. "Gina, Raph, hurry up!"

"No! Stop! Let me go! Bryan!"

When they were all out of the room Rage struck the floor in front of the doorway with the fire whip, placing a wall of fire in between them and Dominick. Then turning back to look at the demon he said, "Now… it is time for our end. It's time for the final chapter of this horror story."

"There is no end… there never will be." But as Dominick said this, he began to tremble, staring at the Homunculus.

"That's where you're wrong. Everything has an end and yours is now. I know there is nothing for me after death, no heaven, no Hell. For us Homunculi we won't have peace when we are gone. But I suppose I have accepted that." As he spoke his body became engulfed in flames and something happened; tears began to form in his eyes. He didn't know why he cried or for whom; he didn't even know if they were his own. But as the end became more and more of a reality he couldn't help but feel something cold in the pit of his stomach. "Say goodbye, Dominick and send Hell my deepest regards."

Outside the others were driving away in the Turtle Van. Gina was taking care of Raphael's wounds; Don was inspecting Mikey's wrists and ankles while Leo drove.

"I can't believe you would just leave Bryan!!" There was anger and hurt in the youngest turtle's voice. "We have to go back! We have to help him!"

"Mikey's right! I don't care if that bastard is a demon, I want to kick the crap out of him for hurting Bryan and my baby brother!"

"Raph, Mikey, you two are in no shape to help anyone. I'm sure Rage has everything under control. Besides, Master Splinter is worried about you and I think—." All of a sudden Gina was cut short when they heard an explosion sound in the distance.

Rushing to the back of the van, Mikey stared out the back windows to see a blazing inferno where Dominick's castle once stood. His eyes went wide in horror as he just watched the flames lick the sky. Then he screamed, he screamed like he never screamed before as he fell to his knees, placing his hands over his face. The scream soon dissolved in to sobs. Bryan… He had sacrificed himself to save him and the others.

Raph knelt beside the grief stricken turtle, placing his arms around the other in a hug, Mikey turning around, burring his face in the oldest turtle's chest. Raph stared out the back windows as the burning structure began to become nothing more than a soft glow in the distance then disappear from sight.

A/N: This is the end for this fic. I know you must probably hate me now, but let me assure you, there is a sequel planned for this. Things aren't as they seem.