CHAPTER 57:
"Contrition"

The moment the spacial aperture vanished, Demetre raced to Dana. He dropped to his knees and cradled her in his arms. He tried to stop the bleeding from her chest, but there was just so much. He knew it was bad, even fatal. But he had to reassure her. Zurn has shot her in the back. But if she did survive the gunshot wound, she would be paralyzed from the waste down. Her legs were completely limp.

"Dana, it'll be okay," he lied.

Dana clutched his hand tightly. "Demmy, please," she said. "Don't be angry with Light."

Demetre looked at her bewildered.

"He's been poisoned by the Death Note," she continued. "But I still know he's a good person at heart. Without the Death Note, he would never have been Kira."
Her eyes fluttered.

Demetre held her tighter. "Dana, stay strong…stay with me," he said, but he didn't know how long she had left. He held back tears.

"Bring Light over, please," she then asked, cringing from the pain.

"Why? He's a murdering psychopath."

"For me, please…"

Demetre looked up at Angel, who was now standing over her. Then he looked over at Light sprawled out in pain on the roof a few meters away. Light was gripping the page of the Death Note tighter now, his strength returning.

Geist picked up Demetre's Death Note for safe keeping that Dana had dropped when Zurn grabbed her, Demetre observed.

"Stay with her, Angel," he said, and the angelic Shinigami nodded.

Demetre laid Dana down gently, then went over and grabbed Light harshly by the neck collar, and dragged him over. Light squirmed, but Demetre would not let him go. Light was dropped next to Dana, he looked shocked. Obviously he wasn't fully aware of what had happened when Zurn came through the portal.

Light cringed momentarily from his own injuries. "What happened?"

"Zurn Wellington came through a Shinigami spacial gateway and shot Dana in the back just after our conflict," Demetre answered. "He is or was a member of the Savant Society. He accused me of ruining his plans to kill you using Bryant Harvey as a scapegoat. Zurn ordered the hit."

"That bastard! He helped me out at the police firing range when I was having trouble with my aim. I had a strange feeling about him. He must have known I was Kira. He obviously wanted to eliminate me using Bryant Harvey seeing me as a threat. I'll kill him for this!"

"Light, Demetre," Dana spoke, they both looked at her. Light was already on the ground, Demetre knelt beside her. "You both know about the other and you both have reasons to hate the other. But don't let that hatred control you and ruin the friendship you have."

Demetre looked at Light. He hated Light with a passion for what he did and what he had become. It was said that forgiveness was divine, but he was no deity and he would never be one. I will never be friends with someone who murders people so senselessly, he thought

"Why did you come here, Dana?" Light asked. "Demmy could've take care of all this on his own. Your presence here was unnecessary."

Dana was silent for a moment, as if to think, then said, "Because I wanted to be with the people I love most. I wanted to see you again, Light, and to explain why I left so unexpectedly. Call it unfinished business, and it was necessary to come here, because I felt guilty in leaving you without saying a word." She coughed. "I know how much I hurt you and I'm sorry."

"No," Light said, shaking his head. "It wasn't your fault. It's clear now and how you two found each other. I know Demetre joined the Savant Society; I learned of it thanks to L. If your father was involved with this cult, then that would explain why you couldn't contact me and why you left without a trace. But I'm glad I can see you again." He smiled. "I missed you, and despite my hurtful words earlier…I still love you."

Dana smiled. She raised a hand and extended it to Light, taking his hand and squeezing it, showing affection.

Demetre saw this and accepted it. He knew that she still had some feelings for Light.

Light turned to him. "Demmy, about your grandfather," he started. "I need to tell you something important that The Kira Task Force found out. My father talked to your mother after your grandfather died and she told my Dad a secret that the family was keeping from you. Your grandfather was dying of terminal cancer. He didn't want you to know."

Demetre shook his head in disbelief. "No, you're lying. Don't lie to me here, not in front of Dana. You murdered him with the Death Note."

"That's true," Light admitted. "But so is what I just told you. Your grandfather didn't want to tell you because he knew you would be devastated, knowing how much affection you had for him. He was a lot older than he looked. I know your family marries and have children at a young age, and developing terminal cancer in one's fifties is horrid. But we also learned that the cancer would be extremely painful. So, please don't take this the wrong way, but your grandfather was saved from a horrible fate."

Demetre grit his teeth, shoved Light in the shoulder. "It doesn't make a right, you bastard! You killed him without a second thought for a personal agenda and to play a trick on L. You told me yourself."

"You may not believe me, but it is one killing I honestly regret," Light said with honest eyes. "If I had recalled your grandfather's name in that moment, I would not have…" Light shut-up. "Yes, I'm sorry. I really am."

Demetre looked into his friends eyes and saw no deception, Light even looked away abashed. This was Light talking. Even though he had the memories of the Death Note, he was still speaking from the heart. But Demetre didn't know what to believe and it conflicted him.

Dana produced a small smile even though she must have been in great pain. Demetre saw it.

"Come closer, both of you," she asked gently, her voice even lower than before.

They did so, and then she took one hand each and cupped them together on her chest, over her heart, so Demetre and Light's hands were touching. Demetre looked at Light, and Light looked at him, bewildered.

"Never forget your friendship," she said; coughed. "Now that the truth is out…Demetre stay true to your morals, and Light, stay true to your principles. Never let anyone take them away from you and never stray away from the path that you feel is right. And always know that I…love… you…"

Dana's voice trailed off as she took her last breath, her eyes closing. Her head slumped to the side, and she died.

"Dana!…Oh, god, no…"

Demetre unlocked his hand from Light and shoved him away in anger, Light fell backwards. He then he took Dana in his arms and cradled her close to his chest. He rocked her back and forth as tears streamed down his face.

"Dana…" Light was heard, aghast.

"I'll kill them both!" Angel's voice reverberated angrily. It almost seemed to boom. Another thunderclap crashed from the sky with ravishing lightning mimicking both anger and heartache. "I'll kill both Zurn and Light Yagami for this!"

"No!" Demetre said a little more hostile than he intended, looking through a fog of tears. "Or you'll die!"

"I don't care!" the Shinigami said with rancor. "I loved Dana Chika! She was not only my handler, but I loved her like a family member. We grew to care for one another. And I won't let it end like this, she deserves better."

Angel stepped towards Light and Light began to scurry away on his hands and knees like a cowardly mouse. Light looked terrified.

Demetre didn't know whether on not he could stop her. The moment that Dana died, the Death Note reverted back to Angel, and it manifested in the Shinigami's hand. Angel had a writing instrument in her other hand and opened the Death Note.

"You murderous son of a bitch!" the Shinigami said to Light. "If it wasn't for you, Dana would still be alive. Death is the least of your worries. Shinigami can write down where their victims will be sent after they die, and for what I have in mind, you, Light Yagami, will spend the rest of your existence in a purgatory of pure hell! I'll take pleasure in killing you, even if it means my own demise!"

"Demmy! Help! Stop her!" Light pleaded.

Only my friends call me Demmy, he suddenly recalled.

Light had called him Demmy twice now, once in a moment of sincerity, and the other, now, in a moment of necessity. When they were speaking, it didn't skip his notice when Light was angry and hostile, Light called him Demetre. Light had affectionately given him the name Demmy out of friendship at an early age. It felt weird at the time, but Demetre welcomed the nickname. Now his friend was asking for his help.

He sighed.

Demetre turned to Dana and gently laid her down, then stood up. Light's words about his grandfather's illness rolled in his mind. Had his grandfather really been sick? Did a quick death really prevent his grandfather from suffering? It was still not right.

He walked past Angel and grabbed his friend by the shirt, hauling him to his feet. Then he pushed Light towards the edge of the building, and held him over open space. Light tried to keep a foothold to prevent from falling. He looked down to the street below, terrified. Then he looked back to Demetre.

"Demmy, please don't kill me," Light pleaded. "I wasn't the one that killed Dana."

Demetre felt nothing but anger and hurt. The pain in his heart made him want to lash out, and right now, Light was the only thing in front of him. He had already killed to save his friend, but what did it get him? The love of his life was now dead.

"Angel is right," he said. "If it wasn't for you, Dana was still be alive." She disappeared long before you picked up a Death Note. Everything that has happened here can be attributed to the birth as Kira and my inclusion in these events. The Kira Incident concluded long before Geist made his way here dropping his Death Note. But it was because of you that he did so. The damage you have done to both worlds is irreparable!

Demetre didn't want Light to have any information about the future or about the full extent of the 'Kira Incident', so he withheld any further incrimination.

"Ask yourself one question, Demmy," Light said, as he dangled over the edge. "Why did Zurn Wellington want me dead?"

Demetre looked into his friend's eyes confused. "To control usage of the Death Note, because you're a lone wolf. The Savant Society frowned upon what you were doing and that is why I was recruited. It was in the hope that I could get through to you and to stop your reign of terror. There are other forces out there that are not so benevolent, they see you as a threat to their domain. They rather eliminate you then deal with your impulsiveness." But he stopped there from mentioning the League of Darkness. The last thing he wanted was to give Light information. "Zurn is a bonafide psychopath, while you still have some redeeming qualities. You showed me such with Dana. So, I'm not going to kill you."

Demetre pivoted and tossed Light on to the roof, his friend rolled. Light kept his arms into his chess holding onto the page of the Death Note. Light obviously did not want to give up his memories.

I want to ask you, Light, if what me told me about his grandfather is true? But I wouldn't know whether to believe you. You lie so easily.

Why hadn't his grandfather told him? Demetre loved him more than life itself, like he loved Dana.

Demetre inhaled deeply and then screamed into the night and has loud as his voice would let him. It was a primordial scream of anger and heartache. The sky seemed to bellow loudly with him in a thunderous roar as if to share his pain.

Then lowered his head and put his hands to his face. He trembled with both anger and sadness.

He wondered for a moment if he should complete Light's name in his Death Note. Would doing so save the future from Kira's oncoming reign of tyranny? But he knew Dana wouldn't want that. And God would never forgive him if he murdered in malice. And Light was probably right about this other Kira, whom Rem, Misa's Shinigami, wrangles to become Kira in Light's stead.

From what he learned about the future, the Third Kira was even more ruthless than Light, killing countless innocent people for a personal financial agenda, selling his services like a hired assassin just like Zurn. And he was not disciplined or smart like Light. The future had changed when it came to the Third Kira, it was not the same person who Geist told him about in the original Kira Incident—this was a new person in the role, and one Demetre, himself, may have caused to become inserted within. He didn't know how.

However, things had a way of playing out in the world that no one would have expected—the timeline changing from random events. It was called the Butterfly Effect. The simple premise that if a person, theoretically, was able visit the past, and if they accidentally stepped on a flower, then this seemingly insignificant thing could alter the future profoundly.

For example, me killing that mugger when I first found the Death Note in that alley, he thought.

But he had no idea how such a thing could had factored in with a new person taking on the role as the Third Kira? Perhaps Misa's Shinigami found this person at random? Or maybe Rem was draw to him because he had similar qualities Light possessed? Maybe if the mugger had not been killed, the Third Kira may have been him? He had no idea, and how no way of knowing.

Demetre hated to think about it, but Light needed to become Kira again. This other Kira needed to be stopped, whomever and wherever he was, giving his friend back control, even if that meant sacrificing lives to do so—less lives—than having an even worse psycho in power.

The lives of the many outweigh the lives of the few, or the one. He heard this once from an old science fiction movie. But it was true.

He had saved Light from Bryant Harvey, but did he do the right thing? And he just saved Light again from being killed by a Shinigami. Was that the best thing to do? It was not about friendship, but about strategy just like in chess. It was the best option.

And every time we played chess, Light, you could never beat me!

Light had been put in checkmate, but the King still survived even though he was surrounded.

He stepped towards Light, the gravel beneath his boots crunching with an uncanny fury.

Light backed off, but he couldn't move fast enough. Demetre grabbed Light by his shirt, ripping buttons. He brought Light face-to-face and looked into his friend's eyes. And for the first time since it all began, he saw genuine fear in 'Kira's eyes'. The tables had turned dramatically.

"I'm a religious person, as you know, and I believe in giving people second chances," Demetre said. "But remember this, Light. Every man has his day and history rears its ugly head when you lest expect it. Good will always prevail over evil."

Light nodded. "I understand, but I'm trying to save the world from evil! Why can't anyone understand this?"

"You're full of shit, Light! You give nothing but excuses for your horrendous actions!"

Light sneered. "Hypocrite!"

Demetre had had enough. He delivered a hard head-butt to Light's face. Blood splattered from his friend's nose, knocking him down to the ground, and unconscious. Light's hand opened that was gripping the page of the Death Note and a sudden wind blew it away. Demetre watched it, as the wind took it. It blew towards his motorcycle which was still smouldering and was charred to cinders when it entered the fray.

The moment Light let go of the Death Note page, he would immediately forget everything about it and Shinigami. When he awoke, he would be amnesiac, and no doubt have a major headache.

Demetre felt his forehead, but he didn't hurt. He figured he was so pumped with adrenaline that the pain didn't register.

He went to Dana and picked up her body, cupping her limp body in his arms. He looked down at her face and tears began to flow from his eyes. Then he pressed his lips to hers and give her one final kiss. "Goodbye, my love," he then said, his voice cracked. "Parting is such sweet sorrow."

He looked at Geist, and the Shinigami then invoked the spatial aperture which erupted into existence like a rip through time. The fissure crackled with spacial-electricity and hovered just above the roof.

Once it was fully formed, Demetre then stepped into its aperture, followed by the others. He left Light to his own fate.

To be continued...