Sanctuary Devoured
Prologue
The rain drenched his hair and body as Val stood on the balcony, and the angry wind screamed in the distance - like a nocturne or requiem that was reflected from his inner turmoil onto the physical world. His plans, his carefully crafted dream - ambition - did not matter any longer. Death had snatched it all away, leaving only tattered threads that no longer held purpose.
L was dead, killed by Kira. Nothing mattered, not even the secret Roger privately revealed to him before informing the rest of Wammy's House of the detective's death. Nor the fact L had failed to single out a successor between Mello and Near. It meant nothing to him and his shattered plans - he had no desire to battle against a successor. B had challenged L, and so too did he desire to match wits with the genius detective.
A desire forever impossible thanks to Kira. No…there was one way to outdo L, even in spite of death. It left bitterness lingering on his tongue, but if he out-thought L and succeeded where the detective failed - it would be his victory. If he caught Kira….
'The thing I never wanted to become…but to win I need to succeed L. Become his successor by defeating Kira before Mello or Near…'
The storm winds violently wailed through the trees and homes on the horizon; their shrillness deafening though he didn't flinch, just absently brought his fingertips to his face. He traced the scars around his eyes, colorless patches of skin that were dimly lit by the light issuing from the balcony window behind him. If he closed his eyes, the discoloration continued unbroken over his eyelids, reminders of what he'd lost long ago and what he'd recently regained.
His jaw clenched and eyes narrowed as self-realization clawed at his chest. He would beat Mello and Near to Kira - even if he'd had no desire to defeat L, he would not quietly let Mello and Near compete for succession. They who had stolen his sight and his chance all those years ago he would not abide to easily realize their ambitions.
"I will show them it takes more than talent or intelligence to succeed someone like L. More than the desire, more than the ambition to become someone else…such a fallacy…." He closed his eyes and lifted up his face so that the cold rain drenched the ghostly skin. "To succeed someone who carved their own path means to carve a new path for oneself as well, not to follow what is already laid out. That geniuses could get it so wrong…"
"Val, what are you doing standing on the balcony when it's raining? You'll catch your death of cold." Roger opened the glass balcony door and grabbed the teen's arm before waiting for a response, not that Val's voice could have broken through the bellowing storm.