***
"Hello mother.
"I know I haven't come to visit in a long time, but so much has happened.
"The Rank have escaped their prison. Father and I were in the Mediterranean when it happened. We immediately went to China, but we were too late, and they were gone. It took us several months to track him to New York in America.
"There were others who helped me after we found them. The Shinobi apprentice Mei Pieh Chi, and her family. They're mutant turtles, and helped me greatly. Mei Pieh, or Venus de Milo as they call her now, is very talented, and I'm tutoring her.
"We defeated Li-Liang. Your little princess is Queen now.
"I miss you."
"Are you going to tell her of your little affair?"
Aura spun around and glared at Hitoshi as he stepped away from the tree he had been hiding behind. "What are you doing here?" she hissed.
Hitoshi glared back. "None of your concern." He walked over to the stone marker and looked it over before giving it a kick.
Aura's eyes burned red. She tackled him to the ground. "How dare you!"
Hitoshi grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked. He flipped over and pinned her under him. "Pathetic," he spat. "A full blooded dragon would never have gone down that easily."
Aura rolled away and got up, ready to fight. "I was willing to spare you once, Hitoshi." Her eyes narrowed. "I will not be so gracious again."
Hitoshi stood looking at her. "You aren't fit to rule," he said calmly. "Look at you, more human that dragon."
"That's not true! Your family was the one to abandon the way of the Dragons. We're suppose to help the younger species, not enslave them!"
"Change comes in all forms." He looked over at the rock again. "Over two thousand years," he shook his head. "I remember when my mother died." His eyes pierced through Aura. "When she was murdered."
Aura flinched, but stood her ground. "Go."
"This isn't over," he said as he turned and disappeared into the thick shadows.
"Not by a long shot," Aura whispered into the wind.
***
"My destiny?" Venus repeated.
Amelia nodded. "You are familiar with reincarnation."
Venus nodded slowly, still confused.
"Long ago there was a glorious island, the home and birthplace of all magick on Earth. Many of the Older Races lived there, including Unicorns, Chimera, and Dragons.
"After several centuries of watching the human race evolve, the Old Races decided to teach their ways to the humans. The Old Races knew their time was ending, so they brought humans to their island and taught them the ways of nature and magick.
"It wasn't long before the island was destroyed and the inhabitants of the island fled. Some of the members of the Old Races stayed on Earth, although most retired their Earthly forms and moved on to the non-physical plains. All the humans returned to their homes, and were welcomed with open arms. They became the shamans and witches that appear in every society, and were sought out by everyone for their wisdom.
"In China, as you know, a race of Dragons settled, and continued to guide their disciples, the Shinobi."
Venus gasped, then quieted so Amelia could continue.
"They lived peacefully for centuries, as did the rest of the world. But it would not last, for the human race is naturally distrustful of that which is unfamiliar. So when a single dragon revolted against the peace, it was like throwing a stone into a pond. The ripples spread across China, and the world, disrupting the peace.
"Even when the Dragons were defeated, the humans still distrusted magick. They eventually shunned the Shinobi and all magick users from society. Even killed a great number of them. The shamans had to flee to other lands, but it was the same there as well. Some simply went into the deep woods, or up into the mountains. Some eventually escaped overseas, to where the news and fear had not spread. Some Shinobi decided to go to an island to the east, and adapted their art, disguising it as a martial art, which was accepted openly.
"The years, centuries, passed, and humanity slowly began to forget all that it had learned. No matter how hard they tried, it was difficult to keep magickal practices alive and some died out. Others managed to survive until humans reached a point where they could accept it once again, but by that time the stories had been twisted to the point where no true magick existed within them."
Leo cleared his throat as soon as he realized that Amelia had finished her tale. "Um, that part about the Shinobi going east..."
"Forget that, Leo," Raphael snapped. "What's all this got to do with Venus?" He was shushed by both Splinter and Venus.
"She must know her past before she can embrace her future," Amelia explained calmly.
"My past?" Venus asked, perplexed.
An explosion from the entrance of the lair cut off Amelia's answer. They all jumped to their feet and grabbed their weapons. Amelia and Splinter were pushed behind the others. The Turtles watched the entrance carefully as the smoke cleared. Through the dust a figure appeared. Actually, it looked like he formed from the dust.
The Dark Arts sorcerer Hadrian tapped his staff on the ground and the red globe on top began to glow. "She has no future," he announced. "And her past is mine!"
***
Chapter Seven