DISCLAIMER: I do not own Death Note or any of its characters. I do not own the cover image.
This one is slightly different from the anime ending. This story uses the idea of 'Light's Reincarnation Theory', which I found interesting. I wanted to write this after I read about that.
It was over, wasn't it?
His long reign as Kira had come to an end. He'd been caught red-handed, almost literally after the flurry of bullets Matsuda had shot at him. Now he was nothing more than a sack of skin, bone and blood, limping away, desperate for escape. A sickening feeling circled inside of his stomach. All hope trickled from inside him, rather like the blood.
"Well…"
Light slowly turned his head to see the shinigami flying beside him, seemingly unaffected by the day's events. The sun set behind him, surrounding him in an orange glow.
"Looks like you've been caught out, huh, Light?" he said, with a heart-chilling chuckle.
Light's eyes narrowed and he snarled a little, rage growing inside of him. He wanted to retort, but he lacked the determination to do so. He didn't want to admit it, but deep down, Ryuk was right.
"Well…" - He paused - "you knew the rules. They were right in the front of the book. You can't blame this on me."
Whilst the remainders of Light's once-excessive hubris kept telling him that he did the right thing, and that he could make his way out of this mess, reality would strike; there really was no way out. He decided not to say anything further. He craved the notebook. He had an uncanny desire to write criminals' names into the pages, a desire that would never be fulfilled ever again.
Eventually, after a tedious and painful hourney, he came to another abandoned warehouse, worn and dull.
Exhausted, he leaned on the wall, slowly sliding until he was sitting on the floor, his head in his hands. Hopelessness continued to develop inside of him, but he couldn't let it happen. He was Light Yagami. Kira. He was God. His mind wavered between giving in or keeping his head up.
"You may have won this time, Ryuk…"
Ryuk gazed down on Kira with a domineering stare and an unmoving expression.
"…but…I'll show you." He had nothing at all that would prove his determination, but he knew that he just couldn't lose the battle like this. Not after he'd held first place for so long.
Ryuk cackled to himself and flew away from him, perching on top of a tower, a gargoyle surveying the evening city.
Light turned and staggered into the building, endeavouring to make the flight of stairs. Despite his desperation to make his way to safety, he dropped onto his back halfway up the stairs, too tired to continue. The light that peered through a hole in the ceiling blinded him. He lay groaning, irritated at Ryuk's lack of concern. Every now and then, he sensed a pang of pride amongst his forlorn hope.
Something felt strange.
A searing pain tore at his insides. He tightly gripped his chest, but despite the tenacity of his clutch, the pain was still excruciating. A translucent image appeared to him- an image of a more-than-familiar face.
L!
"What are you looking at?!"
L stared into him with a smug- looking grin. His lips never moved, but his voice echoed.
"This is it, Light. You may have gotten away with it before, but now, there's nothing you can do except await your death."
He could almost feel his life slipping out. "Don't act so smart! I'm the one that killed you, remember? Besides... This is nothing!"
L smiled another smug smile. "So that's why you're screaming so loud? That's why you're covered in your own blood, only a few mere seconds from dying?"
As his heart cried out for air, he tried to force a comeback from his lips. "That's what you think. But I'll be reborn. I'll become a god in a new life."
He gently lay his head to one side. "This Kira may die, but Kira itself will live on…Just you wait."
His last breath leaked from his lips.
He reappeared from the darkness. He gradually opened his eyes to look upon this new world.
The area was some sort of bleak and peculiar dimension. The area was nothing but a barren, dark wasteland. Not a single breeze blew. Not a single bird tweeted. Not a single tree, not even a tiny speck of grass, was visible across the undulating plains of grey and black.
"Here we are, Light. Welcome to Mu. Have a nice day, heheh."
Mu, he thought. Nothingness…
Then the voice struck him. "Ryuk! What are you doing here?"
"Take a look at yourself, Light. You were right. You are a god in your new life."
Light took a look at his palm. All that remained was bones, and his bony fingers looked like something out of a child's nightmare. He'd completely transformed.
Ryuk handed a black notebook to him. "Well, well. You're one of us now."
He gasped. He was now a shinigami, a god of death destined to live out the rest of his existence in this dying dystopia- but that wasn't the point.
He was a god again.
He had authority. Authority which he could, once again, use to his advantage.
He stroked the front cover of the Death Note, and the leather felt soft against his hand. This time, he would be in control of the human. He could entice them into doing anything he wanted them to- even into carrying on his legacy as Kira. As long as there were humans, there would be Kira. As long as there was Kira, there would be justice.
Light approached a massive maelstrom- the apparent portal to the human world.
"Light? Leaving so soon?" Ryuk laughed.
"Like I said...One Kira may be dead, but Kira's Kingdom will live on, and I'll be the one to make sure it does."
He threw the book into the storm, and patiently awaited the human that found it…
Kira's successor.
Author Note: Thanks for reading! :)
If you're interested in reading a more in-depth analysis of this story, there is one on my blog, 'Rotten Strawberry'. If you are interested in seeing the in-depth breakdown, please send me a PM asking about it and I'll be happy to send you the link! :) There's quite a bit of symbolism in this one.