Two Mercenaries
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings from Forgotten Realms are the property of R.A. Salvatore/Wizards of the Coast and all recognizable characters and settings from Death Note are the property of Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata, and Viz Media.
Author's Note: This is a crossover between Forgotten Realms and Death Note, though more of a stranger-in-a-strange-land tale taking place in the FR universe. This also connected to the alternate FR timeline I created in my fic Legend of the Phoenix Brothers as well as the background story I created for L (so any first name or other information from his non-canon past is my creation only.)
This is more of a play fic and does not really have a grand plot (yet at least), so updating this might be slow and please don't take what happens here too seriously. Any constructive comments are appreciated.
Chapter 1: The Awakening
"So for what reason would you want this man dead?"
It had become Entreri's standard question for all potential clients.
In olden days a certain partner of his would be asking that question and Entreri would be waiting for the price and the basic details of his target. Eventually he learned the practicality of that question, especially with clients like this.
Adolfus of the Third Order furrowed his neatly trimmed eyebrows at the question, one side of his curling moustache going up in an annoyed grimace as he tapped his emerald ring against the side of his desk.
"Is Artemis Entreri a moral assassin?" the high mage asked.
It was the kind of annoyance that came with some guilt for calling on an assassin's services, though any hesitation was nonexistent.
"No, a cautious one," Entreri said. "When I leave here with my coin and my orders, I cannot be called back so your mind had well have been made up. That and I take extra caution with any matters involving grudges between wizards; I will not be a shield or a tool for anyone."
Adolfus carefully adjusted his position in his seat, though Entreri saw a shiver. His black eyes remained fixed on the high mage, though his expression was calm.
"Understandable," the high mage said. "The answer to your question is a bit complicated though it will be part of my instructions."
"I'm listening," Entreri said.
His concentration was momentarily broken by the sight of a creature scurrying across the desk. Entreri looked to the side to see a small, green creature with leathery skin and short limbs carefully walk to Adolfus with a few squeaks.
Adolfus reached into his desk and produced some dead flies, holding one out for his homunculus to gently take with its toothy mouth.
"As I said in my initial communication, your intended target is a human wizard formally of the Third Order," Adolfus said. "This individual is named Rylan Marn, though he goes by the name of Rylan the Blue. His specialty is evocation but he is well skilled in necromancy. Rylan was one of the high mages of our order actually, a close peer of mine, until his magical interests turned a bit more unorthodox.
"He took a sabbatical from the order in 1388 with the reason that he wanted to take a rest from his duties and learn some more spells. What we learned was that he had fallen into the worship of Shar. I assume you know what that black goddess' purpose is."
"Darkness, revenge, the Void, the embodiment of wickedness, something like that," Entreri rattled off, looking a little bored with the turn of the conversation and wanting to get back to the point. This wasn't a quiz, this was business.
"Exactly," Adolfus said, flinching a little more as Entreri calmly glared at him at the response. He cleared his throat and continued. "He had associates who were priests in Shar's church and we believe he was initiated into the priesthood himself, though he did not last long in it. He stuck around long enough to learn some of their magical methods and disappeared with a trail of dead Sharrans in his wake.
"Now to the point where you come in. Our intelligence has told us that Rylan Marn has been experimenting with the motley bits of dark magic he has accumulated over the past several years. I have taken a look at his activities and he is working on something that is highly dangerous to him and to the overall well-being of Faerûn. I do not assume you understand the nature of the Void, Master Entreri, but mages and scholars have known for centuries that pure Nothingness does not exist; it is an unending line of scientific opposites.
"My point is there are creatures and beings that reside in the cosmic void, some like the creatures on our planet some of a completely alien nature. Rylan Marn is using his magical knowledge to summon these creatures. To our knowledge he has already summoned smaller beings, those around the size of Friederich here."
Entreri looked at the homunculus scratching its head with the tip of its claw and cocked an eyebrow. How he hated wizards and their little toys.
"My scrying has revealed this success. Just a month ago he summoned a creature that resembled a moth the size of a bat, a creature I believe he lets fly around his castle. The only direction Rylan can go is onward. I believe he will try to summon a humanoid creature within the tenday, and from there we do not want to think on what he will do next."
"I assume that your request is to have Master Marn and his 'dangerous knowledge' released back to the Void or in the realm of whatever god will take them," Entreri said.
"In so many words, yes," Adolfus said. "His next attempt at a summoning will be at the next waning moon. I want you to arrive in time for him to do the summoning, then kill him and bring the creature to back here."
Entreri's eyes narrowed. He reached back and adjusted his ponytail, though his gaze never left Adolfus.
"You want me to be present for a bizarre creature of unknown power to be summoned from the black Void and you want me to capture said creature and bring it back here," Entreri said, pointing downward to emphasize his point.
"As I said, Rylan will only be summoning a humanoid," Adolfus said. "He will not summon something that is beyond his control and anything of alien power is still out of his knowledge. I will give you a spell to allow you to understand any language."
Adolfus reached in his desk and produced a long, metal tube inscribed with various sigils.
"I will also give you this," he said.
The high mage opened the top and pointed it at the homunculus saying a command word. A ray of light washed over the creature, shrinking it and sucking it into the tube.
"This can hold any creature up to the size of a bugbear," Adolfus continued. "It is an extra dimensional space and the creature will be comfortable in this environment and after you bring them back," he pointed the tube back at the desk and said another word.
Another ray of light projected forward and the homunculus reappeared in its original size on the desk. It squeaked at its master and scurried down the edge of the desk.
Entreri nodded. He had a few more answers, possibly a little more confidence in this mission knowing some of the parameters. That didn't mean he was entirely comfortable with the situation.
"If the creature does not come willingly, you have this," Adolfus said. "I will pay you 100,000 gold pieces for the job."
It was a generous offer, though Entreri knew he was in more of a position to bargain.
"I will do it for 150,000, I insist on receiving extra for magic tricks," Entreri said.
Adolfus scowled, though eventually nodded.
"150,000 gold it is, though I will pay you half now and the other half when you return with the creature."
"80,000," Entreri said.
"Fair enough," Adolfus said. "I will provide you with a map and a full set of instructions."
----------
The wooden doors of the order creaked behind him. Entreri looked back to see the robed apprentice through the crack before the door fully closed.
A map of the Western Heartlands was folded in his hand with the location of Rylan Marn's modest castle on the outskirts of the Forgotten Forest a thumbnail print on the parchment. A pouch containing 80,000 gold pieces worth of jewels and coin was in his belt as was the small metal tube he would utilize if his secondary prey was not as cooperative.
Entreri decided to set off for the Forgotten Forest at dawn, spending the night in Baldur's Gate to rest up and plan his tactics. It would three days travel on foot, though he had not yet decided if he would get a horse as he would be carrying potentially dangerous cargo he would not want to handle for too long.
Then again he was somewhat liking the idea of a challenge.
Entreri had been taking jobs like this a bit more often. Leaving his small guild in Calimport in the hands of a few senior members was an insane move, even those trusting fools who were more on the side of good-natured roguery then all out scheming. Treachery lurked in every heart and he could leave for a tenday to return to a hundred swords aimed at him.
He had been caring less and less of late; the prospect of being tied down grated on him a bit more. It was what many his age referred to as the "empty nest syndrome."
Khallis was happily learning songs and stories at New Olamn with his own little adventuring band (including Salmryn Do'Urden, the son of his father's one-time arch nemesis, though Entreri was more amused than threatened by that.) He hinted on many occasions he did not enjoy the idea of returning to Calimport's intrigues and dangers. Khallis' father did not see this as weakness or cowardice; it was practicality. Truthfully the elder Entreri was not a fan of seeing Khallis trapped in his father's old hell if he didn't need to be.
Entreri had no issues running the guild, or rather the motley collective of thieves and mercenaries, by himself. However, a future as a fat pasha confined to his quarters by personal comfort or fear of the outside world did not appeal to him either.
He had traveled all over Faerûn on thousands of missions, though now he wanted to do more of such work voluntarily and by his own terms. Maybe he wasn't meant to settle down, maybe taking on such missions as this was what he was meant to do and not what he was required to do in the past. Or maybe Jarlaxle rubbed off on him a little more than he cared to admit.
Regardless of who or what influenced it, Entreri's sense of wanderlust had grown stronger and he was taking missions like this on a more regular basis. It kept his skills honed and it made him learn more about various common localities for possible further threats or opportunities.
It wasn't as hard as of late, however, to just admit he needed the adventure.
A light breeze blew in off the Sword Coast and Entreri could hear the churning of waves a few hundred meters away. He grabbed the edge of his black cloak and walked for the main road to Baldur's Gate.
--------
He heard the words but did not remember them, nor did he remember the force compelling him.
Voices and forces floated around Nothingness every second and after six years he had learned to block them out.
What he did know was the searing burn in his chest and a pounding through his entire being.
He gasped for air, his eyes shooting open as the renewed rush of blood flooded into his veins.
He threw his head back, the shrill gasp rising to whimpers and at last a scream; his working lungs forcing air through his vocal cords as if getting out every unspeakable sensation and terror.
Long arms flailed, his back arched and he closed his eyes again giving another long scream.
It was all coming too fast; light flowed through his eyes, blood pounded in his ears, and his naked form felt a hard surface.
This was not residual sensations from memory; this was sensations of life.
The last sensation he knew was the stabbing pain through his heart and gasping for breath as the life drained from him. The last sight he ever saw was Light Yagami standing over him and grinning before the blackness took him.
His screams went back to whimpers and then a series of gasps. The initial reaction passed and his logic forced itself to the forefront as he asked himself a series of questions to make sure he was fully aware.
Name? Liam Lawliet. Code name? L, also Eraldo Coil and Denuve. Last alias? Ryuzaki. Date of birth? October 31, 1979. Place? Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Last location? Tokyo, Japan. Last case? The Kira investigation.
His mind cleared a little more with each question and each realization. He forced his muscles to remain still against the violent shaking and desperately tried to control his breathing.
At last he opened his eyes, seeing a ceiling of wooden beams and the flickering of candles overhead.
A figure gradually came into view; the face of a man likely in his late 50's with close-cropped white hair and a neatly trimmed white beard.
"Can you hear me, my son," the man said in English with an accent L could not immediately place, though slightly British.
L nodded, his mind trying to grab any explanation as to what was going on.
"Where am I," L said softly, the words shaky though coming to him naturally.
"You are in my care," the man said, gently clasping his shoulder. "All will be explained in good time."