Issue #8

The night air was crisp and the usual bustle of the city seemed nonexistent as the turtles stood at the edge of a roof across from the warehouse where the ominous note instructed them to meet their enemies, the dreaded Foot Clan.

"All looks quiet." Donatello surveyed the warehouse roof through a set of high tech binoculars that he had recently designed. "The infrared scope is not picking up any body heat. They must all be inside the place."

"What the hell are we waitin' for, Leo?" Raph barked with eagerness. "Let's get in there and take 'em out and rescue Splinter."

"I still think Mikey should have stayed behind."

"I'm fine, Leo, damn. I'm not a baby. I just needed rest. Donnie sewed me up and gave me an antibiotic. It's nothing to worry about, dude. I'll just watch my shoulder."

"See, Leo, he's okay. I doubt we could handle this without him anyway. Can we go now?" Raph stood at the edge of the roof ready to pounce.

"April, are you standing by?" Leo gripped the headset that wrapped around his head.

"I'm here, Leo." A voice mixed with static sounded loudly in the eldest turtle's ear. "I'm parked a block away. When I see you guys coming with Splinter, I'll be ready."

"Okay then. Let's move, boys. But be cautious." Leo pulled both swords and launched from the roof.

His brothers followed. Each turtle landed in the street and just as quick disappeared into a nearby alleyway. They then moved to a fire escape and effortlessly traversed it. They jogged across another rooftop and again leapt over, finally arriving at the warehouse roof.

Each turtle looked around. It was definitely quiet but each of them knew instinctively that the Foot Clan was near.

"Shredder. Are you here?" Raphael stepped forward with blades drawn. "Come out! Face us, coward."

As if he dropped out of the sky, a muscled man in gray samurai armor appeared at the other end of the roof. He wore a scarlet ceremonial cape and steel shoulder pads with tiny knife-like blades protruding from them. His shins were also protected with steel plates. His forearms were adorned with matching gauntlets, each with tiny blades. Six-inch razor sharp blades were attached to his knuckles, reaching just past his fingers.

The man wore a fiberglass mask that was the same color as his dark gray tunic. It covered the bottom half of his face, leaving his eyes barely visible. An elaborate helmet with a blade running horizontally across his head and another blade running vertically across his scalp adorned the top of him.

The man stood across from the turtles breathing heavily. He said nothing choosing instead to simply stare at his quarry.

"That's the Shredder?" Donnie looked at Mikey in surprise.

"Well, the name fits. Where do you suppose he got all that hardware?" Mikey stood ready for anything.

"Who cares?" Raph paced the roof, never taking his eye off of the armored man.

"Are you ready, freaks?" the mysterious man finally spoke. "Do you have what it takes to defeat me?"

"Let's do this." Raph gritted his teeth.

"Not yet, Raph. I want to know why? Why did you take our master? What business do you have with us?" Leo pointed his ninjato toward his enemy.

"I am Oroku Saki. The rat was Hamato Yoshi, my mortal enemy in another life. He was the reason my clan was disgraced with weakness. I took the clan from him by taking his wife. And now he has returned in this mysterious form. I have only spared his life to draw you here, tonight. When I have defeated each of you I will hang his head on my mantle."

"Enough talk. C'mon, tough guy." Raph lunged toward The Shredder.

The Shredder briskly removed his cape and simply dodged the turtle's attack. He threw out his arm and stabbed Raphael in the left shoulder, knocking him down. He then threw a hard punch to Raph's face, knocking the turtle unconscious.

"No!" Michelangelo screamed in retaliation.

"Come forth then, weakling." The Shredder provoked.

Mikey raced toward his target, nunchacku flailing with violent speed. As he met Saki's blade, he was quickly dispatched. His chucks fell to the ground and Michelangelo was stabbed in the right leg. The Shredder grabbed the youngest turtle by the throat and held him at arm's length, dangling him in the air.

"Throw down your weapons or this one dies." Saki threatened, squeezing Mikey's neck even tighter and holding a blade at his head.

Leo and Donnie complied, throwing their tools of combat over the side of the roof. Donnie then, as if possessed by some vile demon, ran towards The Shredder and launched a kick towards him. The Shredder lost balance and dropped Michelangelo to the ground. Mikey rolled away from his attacker and Donnie too backed off, grabbing Raph in the process and dragging him away.

It was now Leo's turn. Weaponless, the eldest turtle streaked across the roof and jumped into a roundhouse kick. The Shredder leaned backwards and dodged the assault. The menace smashed his forearm into the turtle, scraping his plastron and then slicing the top of his shoulder. Leo fell to the ground and instantly scrambled back to the safety of his brothers.

"So, the rat has trained you well. I've had enough of these silly games. Your brother is out cold and the three of you cannot defeat me."

"Our Master taught us that if we work together, there is nothing that we can't accomplish."

"Ha, ha, ha. How sweet!" The Shredder mocked. "It appears that we are at an impasse. The four of you are indeed extraordinary. Your ninja skills are impressive. Therefore I offer each of you a role in the Foot Clan. Join me. Become my elite honor guard. Together we will be unstoppable."

"No!" A familiar voice from behind Saki screamed.

The Shredder turned around, surprised at who stood before him. "You! How did you escape?"

It was Splinter. He was visibly battered and had many wounds across his body. He stood on the ledge of the roof, holding a butterfly sword that he commandeered from some unlucky Foot soldier.

"Master. Are you okay?" Leo was relieved to see his father standing there.

"I am okay, Leonardo. But now it is time to end this."

"Big words from such a small creature, Yoshi. You always were weak. You lacked the will to do what was necessary. That is why your wife had to die. That is why you could not avenge her."

"Vengeance is not the way of a true warrior. Justice and peace are what a warrior seeks, Saki. Your ways have brought death and destruction. That is why you dishonored the clan. For that, you will pay."

"Enough talk, damn you!" Saki removed his mask and threw it to the ground. "Fight me!"

With the grace of a swan and the speed of a cobra Splinter leapt at his aggressor. Oroku Saki darted toward the rat with arms in front of him, ready to slice his prey. As the two warriors met their combat was rhythmic. Saki moved with a violent saltation, attempting to punch, jab or stab Splinter, but he was blocked at every turn. Splinter would swing and wave the butterfly sword with elegance and swiftness but repeatedly missed.

"We are too evenly matched, Yoshi. If only you had seen things my way, back when the Clan was at its peak, we could have conquered the world." The Shredder once again threw a punch towards Splinter.

"Your lust for power blinds you, Saki. Your thirst for blood, your hatred will betray you." Splinter kicked Saki as hard as he could in the chest.

The armored madman flew backwards with brutal force, landing on his back. Splinter wasted no time and lunged upon Saki's chest, holding him down. The rat raised a sword preparing to deliver a blow of finality.

"I know not how you have returned to this mortal plane, Saki. But, what I do now, I do for the good of the Clan and for the good of the world. An evil like yours must be extinguished."

"Do it, rat. Take my life. Let me die with honor."

"You have no honor." Splinter dropped the blade with brutal force and watched as Saki's head separated from his body. "It is finished, my sons."

Raphael awoke from his injury and quickly moved to his feet. "Hey, what'd I miss? Master Splinter, you're back. Wait! Is that The Shredder? Master, did you—?"

"Yes, Raphael. The evil is gone. I have taken his life."

The four turtles crowded around their master. Each became somber at the sight of what had taken place. Splinter had always taught them to only kill in self-defense. Each of them knew that their master had no choice.

The honking of a car horn broke the moment of silence. Raph moved to the edge of the roof and saw April's van parked and running below the warehouse.

"Guys, April's here. Are we ready?"

"Yeah, let's go." Leo acknowledged.

As the four brothers leapt from the warehouse roof with their master in tow, a shadowy figure appeared at the side of Oroku Saki. It was Master Tatsu, chunin of the Foot Clan. He waved his hand and six soldiers of the clan appeared. They lifted Saki's body and just as quickly as they had appeared they disappeared into the night.

While Splinter and his turtles had been victorious over Oroku Saki's Foot Clan, it was clear that they had only won the battle. A great war between the two opposing sides remained. Each turtle knew in their hearts that they had not seen the last of the Foot Clan. It was only a matter of time before they would meet again.