His legacy For you and m Hat do you see Gulls on the sea Laughter and glee Right to the T Gone is belief To a night and a thief

He stared at her as she slowly, with a trembling hand, took the paper from his hand. His heart was racing, the horrors of the last hour replaying on double speed in his mind. Her eyes were wide, and for a second he saw years of terror in her eyes, like this had happened to her many a time. Her face hardened, and now she was void of emotion. “I-I’m sorry for your loss-“ His voice cracked, his whole body was trembling with shock, fear, and exhaustion. “No need. There is none.” She leaned over the doorway, looking over his shoulder. “It might be unsafe. You can come in until they’re gone.” Her voice was cold, and hard, as if she felt nothing. She sat him down on the couch, and walked into the kitchen. He stared at her, fits of shivering taking over his body, as she crumpled the letter and threw it into the trash can. She walked away and up the stairs. He felt like he was going to pass out. But something came over him, and before he could stop himself, he walked shakily to the trash can and pulled the crumpled letter out. He smoothed it out, and opened the envelope. _She didn’t even read it? _He took out the small, thin paper (which had mysterious red drops soaked through) and set it on the counter.

_My love please do not cry but it’s the end, I don’t have Time and i am going to die, i’m bleeding out and they’re coming. tHe deal was mAde and You will be safe once more for a little lOnger please don’t stop look for another find the next man. please i love You _ _ _ _ please find the man that won’t have to die for you like me and The others _ __ _ _

I took the item from his trembling hands. Why my father’s messenger was so upset, so distraught, made me confused. Quite honestly, it made me feel ill. I never once felt that way about him, the man who had given me life. He was a troubled person with a legacy of odd debts, secrets, and a mouth that made my mother whimper. So I avoided him, and now he was haunting me again.

With a nod I turned from the messenger who was now wringing his hands together like a wet towel, using the tears flowing from his eyes. I walked back to my car and looked down at what my father left me.

A single skull, from his grave robbing legacy. A legacy that I intended to bury with my death.

Kinda the prompt; follows the idea

"Go for the legs, Dee!" Leo shouted.

Donnie hit a button on his tech bo and hit the monster's legs hard.

Raph used his power punch and knocked the thing down. Mikey wrapped it in his nun chucks just in case.

"Great job team." Leo smiled.

Suddenly, the thing moved and tore itself free from the restraints. It slowly got to its feet and roared.

"Spoke too soon." Leo gulped.

The monster reached a hand down and gripped Donnie tightly. He groaned and the thing tossed him to the side. He broke through the wall and landed against the far one in the next room.

"Donnie!" Raph shouted. "Guys, we have to get him and get out of here! It's too strong now!"

"Leave?! We're not leaving until this thing is down for good. Right, Mikey?" Leo turned to face his orange brother.

"Raphs right, Leo. We won't be able to go home if we don't leave now." Mikey said.

The monster let out a louder roar and swung it's large arm at the three. It hit them with such a force and sent them flying away. Leo skidded against the ground and groaned.

"Ugh. You guys alright?" he looked around for Raph and Mikey.

Raph stumbled toward him. "I'm okay. Mikey?"

Mikey lifted his head and shook it to clear his vision. "I'm all good too, but Dees still in that place. We have to go back."

"No." Leo said firmly. "We'll be on our deathbed if we go back. Donnie can handle it."

"So now you agree when Donnies actually in trouble, huh?" Raph folded his arms.

Leo looked away. "Donnie can handle it. We're going home."

Raph and Mikey hesitantly followed Leo down the closest sewer tunnel.

Donnie groaned. His head felt foggy as he slowly stood back up.

"Where am-" he started to ask, then remembered

He rushed through the hole in the wall. The monster was gone, having left a giant crack in a different wall on the way back to somewhere.

His brothers weren't anywhere around either, and he couldn't here their voices. They had left him there. Donnie raised his left arm, but his wrist tech was broken in his tumble through the wall.

"Okay, just gotta..." Donnie snatched up his tech bo.

He stared down at it for a while. Almost still in shock about his situation. His brothers had abandoned him. But no, they wouldn't do that, right? Maybe the monster had hit them away and they would be back any second.

Sooner or later he realized they weren't coming back. Now driven by a rage beyond his control, Donnie took his tech bo and left the building. He decided on going to Big Mama's, for a reason he would soon find helpful.

"Leo, listen! The thing has to be gone by now! Why can't we go back?" Raph shouted at him.

Leo spun around. "And risk losing someone else? You listen, Raph. Maybe the monster is gone, but if we go back, so could it."

Splinter walked out of the hallway from the living room. "What's this talk about Purple?"

"Leo decided to leave Donnie behind with a monster we were fighting earlier." Raph glared at the slider.

"Blue, is that true?" Splinter asked.

Leo looked away. "We couldn't risk anyone else."

"You three are going back and looking for your brother. Now!" Splinter shouted.

"But, Splinter-"

"No buts! You will return with your brother if it the last thing you three do!" Splinter commanded.

Donnie stormed into Big Mama's office. "Big Mama." he greeted solemnly.

"If it isn't the turtle who made that splendiforous contraption to capture those pesky bugs. What brings you up here?" Big Mama wondered.

Donnie went up to her desk and reached over it to grab her collar. "I need you to get my brothers here."

"Oh? And why might that be, hm?" She asked.

Donnie released her shirt. "They abandoned me."

"Dear, what a terrible fate. I'll get them here for you if you agree to make me more splendiferous machines." Big Mama whispered. "What do you say?"

Donnie didn't waste a second to nod. "You got yourself a deal."

"Very good." Big Mama clapped her hands.

Two large yokai walked into the room. One a fox, the other an owl.

"Yes, Mum?" the fox asked.

"This turtly-boo and I made a deal. Get his brothers here unharmed." Big Mama stated.

Donnie turned to face them. "They should be in the broken building at the dock. If Splinter made them come find me, which he probably did."

The fox and owl nodded and left quickly into the elevator.

Donnie turned back around to Big Mama. "Unharmed and in the Battle Nexus." he straightened himself. "No tricks."

"Not when you're this enthusiastic about getting rid of your bimbly brothers." Big Mama giggled.

"I still don't see why Splinter made us come back here." Leo lifted another chunk of rubble.

"Because Donnies here. And probably hurt." Mikey answered.

"Guys, didn't Donnie get thrown over there?" Raph pointed to the broken wall.

Mikey and Leo scrambled over the rubble over to the wall. They walked cautiously inside and looked around. Donnie was nowhere inside.

"Hey, Raph, I don't think-" a cloud of smoke surrounded Leo.

Leo coughed and his vision started to get blurry. Mikey collapsed from it beside him. Leo tried to call out, but his voice wouldn't come. He gave in and fell.

Leo blinked open his eyes and groaned. He rubbed his forehead. Raph paced nearby and Mikey had curled his legs close against his plastron with his head on Leo's shoulder.

"Where are we?" Leo asked quietly.

"We don't know either." Mikey whispered. "One second we were looking for Donnie and the next we were here."

Leo looked around the cold, damp room. There was a bench we was leaning on. And what looked to be weapon holders above that. The door had only small cracks to let light in.

Donnie waited patiently for Big Mama's bellhops to return. He had made little conversation with her in the meantime.

Eventually, the fox came through the elevator doors. "The turtles were captured, Mum. They were right where he said they were."

"Very good. You may return to your regular post now." Big Mama smiled.

The fox nodded and left.

"Can I make sure they put them in the right place?" Donnie wondered. "Wouldn't want them escaping, now do we?"

"Of course not, turtly-boo. I'll even come with you." Big Mama laughed.

The duo left the office and made their way toward the Battle Nexus gateway. Donnie glanced suspiciously at the two yokai on either side of the portal before he went in. Big Mama guided him through the twisting hallways until they reached the cells.

"That one." she pointed to one in a corner. "Be quick. Big Mama already has her first tech request."

Donnie nodded and walked toward the cell. He peeked through the small bars, laughing a little when he saw his brothers.

"How's it feel to be trapped, huh?" Donnie asked.

The three of them leaped to their feet at his voice.

"Dee? But..." Leo trailed off.

"After you abandoned me, I came to Big Mama's." Donnie told them.

"It was an accident, Donnie, promise!" Mikey shouted desperately.

"None of you deserve to call me that. Brothers who don't abandon me can call me that. I go by something new. Something you especially don't deserve to know. Welcome and good luck in the Battle Nexus." Donatello walked away.

Leo, Mikey, and Raph tried to call him back, but he was too far away to hear them now.

"I can't believe Donnie went to Big Mama of all people. He could've gone to Draxum or even..." Leo trailed off.

Mikey sobbed into Leo's shoulder.

"We just have to get out of here and convince him it was only an accident. That we didn't mean to leave him behind." Raph said.

"I should've listened to you." Leo whispered. "None of this would be happening if I had only listened to you in the first place."

Raph glanced down at him. "I'm glad you're admitting it, but it was an honest mistake. Donnie just took it the wrong way is all."

"No, no that's not true. We left him there! He..." Leo paused and took a deep breath. "He could have died. And it's all because I thought he could handle it on his own."

Raph didn't say anything back. Suddenly, the door behind him opened and a fox yokai appeared.

"Big Mama requested you in her office." the fox said. "Don't try any funny business. Donatello is making Mum some extra security."

Leo, Mikey, and Raph hurried out the door and followed the fox all the way out of the Battle Nexus and up to Big Mama's office.

"There you are turtly-boos! Good for you to join us!" Big Mama laughed. "I got you three seats."

The trio sat in the seats in front of her desk.

"Why'd you call for us?" Raph asked cautiously.

"Because Draxxie came looking for you three. Four, I mean. This betrayal is quite amusing." Big Mama giggled.

Leo looked away and Mikey narrowed his eyes.

Donatello appeared in the elevator doorway. "I finished the security you requested."

"Oh goody!" Big Mama smiled. "Since Draxum came by for you four, we might have to pause the next request and make sure that he doesn't come back. A solution?" she turned to Donatello.

"Give them to him." He said simply.

"That means you're changing your side of the deal. Which also means I get to change mine. I give Draxum your brothers, and you have to work by my side. Deal?" Big Mama held her hand out.

Donatello walked over and shook it. "Deal. No tricks."

"As I said before, there won't be any tricks. It's quite amusing to see you want revenge on your brothers this much." She laughed.

Donatello glanced at the three's shocked faces with no emotion on his.

His brothers would have to face it. The Donnie they knew was gone, replaced by Donatello, abandoned and looking for revenge. Any way he could get it.

The man gave a shrieking breath and collapsed with a thud upon the fresh hay of the stable, where above the roof lay unrepaired for several years, leading to rays of the setting sun to peek through. Daqu bent down, almost deceiving, as if she were about to observe a lowly man's body with empathy. Instead she chose her more logical approach, grasping the small package wrapped in thin twine, damp from the carrier's perspiration. She thoughtfully unwrapped it, unfazed by the corpse beside her, revealing a stone, peridot in color, and intricate patterns woven into its flesh. It emitted a type of glow that burned Corai's eyes when he gazed onto it. It was unmistakeably the possession of someone too familiar with the cluster of people within the dusty room. "Fuga really did it." Hollia shook her head in disbelief, pouncing down from the rack above the four nimbly. She landed on a crate, laying among the other miscellaneous items scattered throughout the horses' lair, most likely a wealthy man's property before it was inevitably discarded to be at the condition it is now currently. "Is isn't worth much I bargain. Though the shine its got gotta make us some sort of profit." Daqu turned the girl's slender body towards hers. "It's not that which pays this significance. It's the fact that he managed to find his way in and out of the walls of the palace, even though this most likely resulted in his untimely death. Saro heal him within the skies." Corai felt calm whenever Daqu uttered reverent words, giving him reassurance of an omnipotent prescence anyone, including as solemn as Daqu, could recognize. Hatz peeked up from behind Hollia, giving her a doubtful look. "We don't know that. This could be a misdirection. Even someone as skilled as Fuga couldn't reach back here alive, how will we assume that all five of us will? Not to mention that its taken two years for this to reach back to us." He placed strong emphasis on "two years".

Corai was unusually paranoid as well, seeing as not a word or letter was sent to them for an entire twenty months after Fuga's departure. It would be wise to be wary for the time being. 
The five knew of the deception the building has used to prey on its meek voctims like common thieves and armies of trained men. A sane person could be trapped in a limbo for eternities, many explain, transforming his demeanor to being carnivorous and malicious if he ever was granted the miracle of touching soil again. For no one knew of the dark power the palace was placed under, but it was strong enough that trees perished into a ghostly, skeleton within a hundred miles of it, previously standing for thousands of years. 
Unsure of how the group would approach the latest information, Corai began to anaylze his mates. Hollia and Hatz often leaned towards a more emotional, impulsive approach, Daqu the drastic opposite, her limitless strength and predictability balancing the twins' often extreme behavior. And Corai felt he himself was a more closed off individual, self-aware enough to let the more knowledgeable and experienced ones lead. Zuat was nowhere to be found, and would remain that way for a long duration. 

Daqu quietly tied her sleek lavendar hair back, it barely touching her broad shoulders, bluntly cut. Corai vaguely remembers the one time watching her rebewing her naturally grape-colored hair's shape outside the arena, carefully sawing off each strand precisely with a dagger. He often wondered how such a stern person was cursed with such bubbly hair, but he mood to it seemed indifferent. "Mind your own business, Cor," she called to me, her fierce gray eyes focused on his. He nodded absently, and glanced away as he flushed with embarrassment at his pathetic thoughts.

"Alright, since Gappi has ceased communication with us like Fuga had, we can only assume the worst. This means we need to do something other than these pointless missions. Ideas?" Daqu scans the room, being met with the empty face of Hatz and the furrowed brow Hollia carried. "Thoughts, Cor?" Corai bit his tongue. He had a suggestion but he deemed it too risky. "Tell us," Daqu could see through his silence,"it's no use to us if you shut your mouth the entire time." He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Fine. Since know that the palace is basically impenetrable, we meed to find another mode of invading Versoll." "And what is it that you are thinking of?" He took a deep breath. "Restricting their most essential alliance. Kilnon." Hollia's thick eyebrows were raised in alarm. "Are you unwell, Corai? Kilnon is the most destructive nation my parents have every come across." She apprehensively twirled her thick, curly chestnut hair. "But they lack what makes Versoll so indestructible. Without any utilization or kniwledge if how to control the Power, it is bound to be easier to capture and control than Versoll. Hatz does have connections, as we know." Hatz nervously rubbed his neck in response. "They are very tense, but I suppose they could be taken advantage of. Although Iwoel still has a price on my head." "Noted. But what other option do we have?" Corai realizes his plan of sharing was brutally torn apart once Daqu asked for his advice. But it was done, and little else was being contributed to the conversation. A moment of silence was present before Daqu spoke up. "Okay. It seems risky, if it wasn't obvious, but I would give the kid a chance. First we need our initial strategy for how to confront this. Hollia I need you to-" "What in Saro's name?" Zuat appeared behind Corai in an instant, causing the jet-black hair on his head to stand on edge like he had been struck with lightning while he jumped back, startled. "Zuat!" Hatz called, just as startled as Corai.

"Why is there a body on the floor?"

In his extended right hand, he held a long, slender dagger. Heston’s dagger. Mallory clicked her tongue, and took it gingerly from the messengers trembling hands, before moving to place it next to Verena’s and Esyllt’s. That was three Korvanthi Knights dead, three more to go. If Mallory was anyone else, she probably would’ve sued for peace right then and there. They had already lost. But she wanted blood, the Lumins hadn’t payed enough for their victory. They would win, but Mallory would ensure it would come with a steep cost. That was why she challenged Lazarus to the duel.

The messenger extended his hand holding out a small locket. She reached slowly to grab the powerful locket from his hand. As she retrieved the item from his hand she nodded to indicate that he can leave. The messenger bowed and quickly scurried away. The queen closed the door behind him and slid her back down the wall. Sobs wracked her body causing her to shake. She clutched the locked close to her heart and it began to glow. The queen pulled it away from her chest and began to slowly open it up. Inside was a picture of the king, her beloved, but he was moving around. “Oh good this worked. I was worried the witch had scammed me for a minute. My love, I knew my time with you was running short so I met up with a witch in the forest to figure out a way to stay with you even after I’m gone. She was able to enchant this locket to trap my soul in it if I died with the locket on my person. It just took the locket being brought up to my true love’s chest for it to truly activate. Now I will be able to stay with you until we can meet again. I know it’s going to be hard but I will be here to help you find love and move on. I never want you to be overwhelmed with grief about me to the point you lose your shine, the shine that made me love you. Just open the locket up whenever you need advice or just need to see me and hear my voice I will be here. I love you my queen,”The king spoke as the queen stared back at the locket in awe. She closed the locket and clutched it closer crying once more. She gets to keep her love with her forever, she gets to experience him anytime she needs him, and for that she could not be more grateful.

“Do you not like your poached quail eggs, Your Highness?”

Meredith usually loved breakfast, quail eggs on toast her particular favorite. But this morning, she hadn’t touched them. It was the third week without her husband, Prince Rupert, who was out of the country with his father, the king, negotiating a trade deal with a neighboring country. She missed him.

The Head Cook, being informed of the untouched plate by the wait staff, was concerned and walked to the dining room to diplomatically inquire as to the problem.

Meredith was raking her fork over the hash browns, lost in thought.

“I’m sorry, Cook,” she answered. “They are lovely as always. I’ve just got things on my mind.”

“I see,” the Cook responded, relieved. “I cannot imagine what milady has on her mind, but starvation will probably not help.”

Nodding, Princess Meredith poked a fork in the eggs and watched the yolks pool onto the sourdough toast. She began to eat.

As she swiped at the last bit of yolk with the bread, a clattering of men and raised voices was heard from the great room. Prince Rupert had returned!

Meredith picked up her skirts so she wouldn’t trip, and hurried to greet her husband.

But alas, something was terribly wrong.

Rupert was on his horse, but barely holding on. He reached out an arm to an attendant, and she could see — was that blood on his chest armor?

His squire knelt beside his Prince. Rupert whispered something to him and them put an object into his squire’s hand.

Meredith sprinted to her husband’s side, but she was stopped. “You mustn’t go further,” the Squire said.

“What has happened? Rupert my husband, are you alright?”

The Squire knelt in front of his Queen, his eyes wide with horror.

“Prince Rupert … my Master … future king … he’s…dead!”

Swallowing, the young man extended a trembling hand.

“But he left this behind and told me to give it to you.”

The Squire opened a clenched fist to reveal a large, iron key.

In the man’s hand was a trio of stones. The stones were known as soul stones, they captured the soul of an innocent and trapped it in the stones, until such time as the captor died or released the souls. Once the captor died the stones were gifted to one of the captors direct bloodline and only by bleeding on the stones could the souls trapped inside be free….

I cut my wrist and bleed the required 7 drops on each stone, placed the stones on the ground and took a step backwards. A brilliant light emitted from the stones releasing 3 beings from within.

All three were tiny infants, all three were my own long thought dead children. My own flesh and blood, his own flesh and blood. Our children, my twin brother and I’s triplets I thought lost to the enemy 15 years past….. all I could do is drop to the ground and cry…. Although their conception had not been my choice, instilled loved them as the grew inside me. To find out now, that he did this, he took my innocence, my trio of kids was thr last straw. I was glad that a fall from his horse killed the great dark prince. I hid my smirk behind my tears as I though of the jury rigged harness that had sent him to his death.

I was not the dark princess for nothing.

Jack was dead. Momma’s, too. And Big Momma and Grandpa Stanley, who I barely remember, are gone too. I take the letter from the messenger, Ortiz, with shaking hands. I smile up at huge, lovable, and furry Ortiz, my big brother Jack’s bestie. At six foot six with a mountain man beard and a luscious mop of wavy hair, Ortiz was my favorite play brother. I remember tagging along with my brother and his bruhs. Summers of popping wheelies and sneaking warm beers in the old apple orchards behind my grandparents’ house. That house, the thought of it made me shudder. I looked at my old friend’s worried eyes, big brown saucers of worry and fear. I gave him a big hug nearly drowning in his flannels and torn into the last letter from my brother.

Dear Harry, You’d better not. Love Jack

Born five years apart, Jack and I were always in sync, more like twins than big brother little sister. We didn’t need a lot of words. But we needed our grandparents’ house. When our folks divorced we lived there with mom until our grandparents died and mom remarried. When mom’s new husband turned into a complete shitheel Jack rented the house and took me in. After mommy died, Jack inherited and stayed there between girlfriends. With a wraparound porch, big kitchen, pretty cedar shakes, and spiral staircases the house could have been a hug, a welcomed refuge. It should have been so many wonderful memories. But it wasn’t. The house was mean. Mom used to say old houses creaked. But this house growled. We held thanksgiving dinners and threw neighborhood parties. But when you were alone the lights would turn off. Faucets turned on in the middle of the night. Enter the crawl space at your own risk. Footsteps from invisible feet would follow you. And there were the indescribable weight of feeling as if you were watched. I know the house left a mark on mommy and Jack. Maybe it was because I saw the house for what it or maybe it was my stint with the Marines or I was just plumb stubborn. I was sick of craptastic teeny tiny studio apartments. No one was going to take my family house from me even the house itself.

Over the edge of the letter I caught Ortiz’ eyes again. He was hopeful until he saw my smile. Ortiz shook his worried head. “You know any good contractors.” “ not again Harriet.”