"Are you tiring, Little Warrior? Join me and I will let you rest," he says enticingly as he slowly backs her into a wall.
"If you think I'd accept that offer, then you're far more stupid than you look," she responds, suddenly leaping up and off the wall, flipping over his head just as he thrusts his sword forward.
He growls as his sword gets stuck in the wall, and he spins, growling in anger when he hears Diana's laughter.
"How DARE you laugh at me?!" he bellows angrily.
"Very easily!"
She grins, dancing away from him as he tries to grab her.
Instead of finding Diana in his grip, he finds her sword imbedded painfully in his side.
As she tears her sword through his body, Diana says coldly, "It's called karma, and yours has caught up with you."
"I am...the Dark...Master...and you...Diana...will pay!"
"I already have," Diana says, her voice raising in volume, "IT'S YOUR TURN NOW!!" she screams as she tears her sword up through his body the rest of the way.
She stands victorious as his body dissolves into nothingness.
George and the others blink, stopping mid attack and suprising the turtles into stillness.
"It's over," Diana says softly.
"You mean...he's gone?" Raph asks.
"We're free?" one of the guards asks.
"Hai...he's gone...you're free," Diana answers quietly.
"WE'RE FREE!!" George bellows, hugging Raph, who just happens to be the closest.
"WOAH! Watch it!" Raph shouts in suprise.
George puts him down, grinning sheepishly.
"Sorry, it's just so great to be free!"
"Free? You mean you were all...slaves?"
There's a shimmering of light not far from Diana.
"Yes," the voice of the ghost comes as her image forms.
"They where all slaves, captured by the Dark master to do his bidding.
He hunted down those he deemed strong enough or who had the powers he had use for and then captured them through bribery or threats or any number of other methods, just as he did with Diana for a short time, and he did to me.
He sent one of his slaves to steal me from my home village, and once he got me, he broke my spirit.
He killed me when I bore him a daughter instead of a son, like he wanted, then cursed me to remain in that tunnel for as long as he was alive," the ghost explains.
"It was the same with the slaves," George says.
The ghost nods, "But thanks to you five, we're finally free."
The ghost smiles radiantly as she slowly disappears in a ray of light.
Diana sheaths her sword, her armor suddenly turning into her battered clothing and her injuries reappearing.
"Ahh! I thought I was healed!" Diana cries out in suprise as her knees buckle and Raph catches her.
"So did we," Don says, eyes wide.
"Dudette...uh...your sword's kinda...glowing," Mike tells Diana, eyes wide.
"We must leave," the sword's voice echoes into everyones' heads.
"Huh?! Who said that?" Leo asks in suprise.
"'Tis I, the sword hanging at Lady Diana's side."
"...Lady Diana...?" Diana asks incredulously at the same time as Raph asks, "Where we goin'?"
"'Tis a long story, and only I and Lady Diana will be leaving this reality, Lord Raphael."
"What?? But...she can't go!" Raph cries out in despair.
"She must."
Raph turns to her, tears in his eyes.
"But...Diana...this can't be true...will I ever see you again?"
"I...don't know," Diana answers in a soft, broken voice.
"One day, you two will be reunited, but the circumstances will be different."
Diana looks up into Raph's tear filled eyes.
"If the sword says we'll see each other again, we will see each other again," she says softly.
"There's something I want to do before you have to go," Raph whispers, his arms gently tightening around her.
"Yes? What is it?" she whispers back, heart starting to race.
"This," he whispers, leaning down and pressing his strong, warm lips to hers.
She slides her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him, deepening the hungry, desperate kiss, knowing this would be the only one they'd share.
After a few moments, they pull apart.
"We could have had so much more," Diana whispers, gently wiping a few tears from Raph's face.
"Yeah," Raph swallows a bit, "guess it just wasn't meant ta be..."
"Hai...I won't ever forget you, or your kindness towards me," she says in a soft voice.
"I won't forget you, either," he says, pulling her into a tight hug.
"Neither will the rest of us," Leo speaks up.
She goes around, giving each of them their hugs before she comes back face to face with Raph. The look in his eyes almost bringing her to tears.
"Well...ah...tell Splinter, April, Casey and Keno all good-bye and thanks them for everything on my behalf, ok..?" Diana asks, voice trembling.
Raph nods, again finding himself in her arms and her in his.
"I think I love you, Diana," he whispers so only she could hear.
"Oh, Raph...I love you, too...and I don't want to go," she whispers back with feeling.
"Then why don't you dump the sword and stay?"
"I can't...I'm sorry..." her voice breaks and a small sob escapes as she feels the sword building in power.
"I have to go...I love you, Raphael."
"And I you, Diana..."
He watches as she backs away and draws her sword.
"I won't forget any of you!"
With that, she slices down, the sword seeming to cut through the very fabric of reality itself.
As the tear falls open, gale force winds seem to come out of nowhere, kicking up dust and leaves and trash, as well as blowing hair, clothing and bandana tails around.
Sparkling tears fall from both Raph and Diana's eyes as she's pulled into the shining darkness beyond the tear.
After a few moments, the winds die down and there is absolute stillness for a few minutes as the four let the shock wear off.
Raph sighs softly, staring at the spot where Diana was last.
"Well, c'mon bros...we gotta get back to the lair," Leo says softly.
"Yeah..." Mike answers as they start off to the lair.
Don turns, seeing Raph still standing there.
"Comin', bro?"
"Yeah...gimme a minute, go on, I'll catch up, k?"
"Ok," Don turns, following his other two brothers after pausing for a moment to look at Raph for another second.
After he's alone, Raph sighs again and closes his eyes, imbedding Diana's image into his memory.
"No, I will never forget you, Diana," he whispers softly, "and I hope we'll see each other again."
With that, he turns and follows his brothers home.
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Diana's story is continued in Book Three of the story "Beginnings and Endings"
Chapter Nineteen
Realities Index