CHAPTER 4:

"Challenge Accepted"

Admission authorized Light status as a trainee to be an Arbiter due to his unique situation and he was assigned to train with Decim, who, himself, had just recently learned to judge people not by their memories, but by their reasons for why they did certain things.

"Guilt is not determined by action," he explained, albeit robotically, as they both stood behind the bar. Light was now dressed like Decim, in a black and white bartender's uniform. "There's always a reason for what a human does, even if they don't understand it."

Light knew this all too well. There was plenty in his past that had caused him to commit the actions with the Death Note. Often a person's psyche developed from childhood that determined their mindset to adulthood even if they didn't fully comprehend why. He had read the same premise in a philosophy paper written by a well known expert on the subject when he was studying in school.

He remembered a case when he was working with L. It was a case that began when he was ten years old and it involved a child murderer and his son. Light was instrumental in helping put the murderer away in prison. Years later, he was killed by Kira, hanging himself in his cell by suicide. His son then attempted to enact his revenge on Light. But in the end, Kira won.*

"So, as you explained, guests play games to determine end results and the victor gets to choose Reincarnation or the Void?"

"Not exactly," Decim said. "The Judgment Elevators are the final destination transport. We are just here to bring out a person's true nature to determine a correct assessment, so there are no mistakes in rendering a verdict. There has never been a time when the elevators reversed an Arbiter's judgement. Each elevator is interchangeable, however: one angelic, the other demonic, per se."

Decim then showed Light the very elevators he spoke of, on the other side of the room, and Light took a close look at them, edging a step inside each, but not allowing either door to close behind him. Although the elevator with the Demon Head shook slightly as if it was reacting to something, Light thought it was his weight standing inside. Decim shrugged it off when Light backed away.

They reminded Light of a fancy Italian hotel elevator, but without the wire cages. They looked innocent and common enough, but there was a sinisterness to them that made Light feel a little nervous.

Decim's eyes glazed over, and Light noticed the Arbiter's sudden erect stance.

Light was told whenever he was downloading information from the Data System, Decim would stand still for it, his unusual eyes flashing—a cross replacing pupils would shift.

Decim reminded Light of a human-android doll that Japan was attempting to create. Before he died, the most recent "doll" that had been created was that bordering on self-awareness with a superior artificial intelligence.

"We are about to receive some guests," Decim announced. "I have been feed their profiles." Light was asked to observe, and if need be, recommend a judgement, after everything was said and done. "Let us get ready."

Within moments, a pair of guests came around the corner of the same hallway Light did with its flowing water fall and picturesque walls, designed to act like a serene atmosphere just before entering into the main area, and bar. There were many floors in Quindecim, but Floor Twelve seemed to be the most popular. Decim said he got the bulk of the guests.

Both were escorted by Clavis, the main elevator operator.

The moment the male came into sight, Light gasped, recognizing him immediately. He was the youngest Chess Grandmaster in Japan. Light once watched him in a television match and he blew his competitor away in quick succession, and in four moves. He was like a young Bobby Fischer, and Light felt a pang of sadness that he was now dead. How? Light knew he would find out.

The other guest, a young woman, he didn't know. But she was strikingly beautiful with long brown, flowing hair, with a slim build.

For appearance's sake, Light didn't speak. Decim was in charge. And he was only there to observe and learn.

Clavis had his say, greeting Light, in a non-chalet manner, saying, "Hey, hope you're having fun here?"

And Light said, "Sure. I'm eager to get going on things."

"Well, good luck. Maybe we can have a chat later? Get to know each other better?"

"Sure," Light replied again.

Clavis then left.

The guests approached the bar.

"Greetings, I am your host, Decim, and welcome to Quindecim." The words were spoken robotically, as if from a script. Decim had returned to behind the bar. Light stood just adjacent like an additional greeter. "I am your bartender, and this is my assistant…"

"You can call me L," Light said, with a thin smirk.

Decim gave him a sideways glance, but he let the name stand. He returned his attention to the guests. "Before we begin, I must ask you one question: Do either of you remember anything before your arrival here?"

Both said no, and Decim nodded.

Decim was beginning to sound much like a telemarketer and responding to appropriate scripted answers. Light wondered, if Decim was given an answer he didn't expect, how would he respond?

Decim reached underneath the bar and pulled out a large red button. Behind him, the mirror then separated into nine equal squares. It was a different form a normal Roulette Wheel. Normally they were round, but this one was square, and only had nine slots.

"Allow me to explain a few things first," Decim began. "While you are guests here, you are not permitted to leave unless you play a game. Losing or winning will determine the next course of action. You must not waver to win, or refuse, or relent to your opponent, or you will automatically forfeit, and punishment will be immediately rendered. The intensity will vary on the loss. How you play will be up to you. A game will be chosen at random. Please press the button and we shall begin."

After a few intermittently questions by each guest, and introductions, the button was then pushed by the woman, and the square Roulette Wheel began to blink in random succession, eventually settling on Square #9. The square turned over and revealed the game would be Chess.

The young boy, Sorta Yamamoto, pumped his fist in triumph. Chess being chosen was like the gods of Luck had smiled upon him. "Yes! This is my day. I'm Japan's youngest Grandmaster. I'll wipe the floor with you!"

"But I've never played chess before," the woman, Amari Watanabe, said in an extremely worried tone. "That's not fair!"

Light also remembered the boy was bit of a jerk, arrogant, and somewhat self-absorbing. He was only a child, but both his parents were dead. He did have a guardian, however, for eleven, yet he was brazen and bold, in addition to being extremely smart.

The woman, Light didn't have any information on yet. But this is when his detective skills would come in handy.

During his police training, he was given a picture, and asked to write a profile based on what he saw. Most of the time he was spot on. So, he looked the woman up and down, and determined she had a family, was married, and was a homemaker. She had a kind and gentle quality to her, and it was a stark contrast to the kid, who had narrow, and angry eyes.

Just then, on the other side of the room, the area was seemingly subjected to a holographic projection, and a massive vortex erupted, with smoke, which startled Light, and the others, minus Decim.

When it was settled, a large chess board emerged on the floor, with pieces already placed.

Instead of the normal pieces, mannequins doubled as the King's and Queen's, dressed as such. For the rest of the pieces, each were also represented by 'dolls', namely: Rook, Knight, Bishop, and pawn, and respectfully dressed. Obviously these 'pieces' were not meant to be moved by hand because they were too large, but directed by voice, which would make it even more difficult for someone like Amari Watanabe, who had no clue what to call the squares to call out a move. That didn't seem fair.

Light leaned over the bar to Decim, and said softly: "Don't you think she is at a huge disadvantage going into the game?"

"It's not my call," Decim replied. "The Roulette Wheel is a game of chance and I have no say on the matter. However, the odds can be equalized, even if a player has no knowledge of a game. Wait and learn. And it is at the discretion of an Arbiter."

Decim brought out a device with a button on its head, it looked much like a detonator to a wireless explosive. The guests had moved to the chess board and did not see the device.

"Come, let us observe," he said, and Decim ventured to the board, with Light in tow.

When they were all gathered, even stepping to their respected sides. Light had moved to the woman's side, as per Decim's request, while Decim remained neutral on an empty edge.

He began to explain the rules: "White moves first. The object of the game is to put the others' King in Checkmate. To win, you move your pieces across the board according to their respected rules, capture them, and then corner your opponent to render a forfeit."

Amari cupped her hands together, worried. "How do you play? I don't know the first thing about it! I'm scared, help me, please!"

She looked to Light, and he looked back at her, genuinely sympathetic. He then looked to Decim, and the Arbiter nodded, as if the question Light had in his mind was psychically transformed to Decim. Or, Decim may have just been intuitive?

"With all due respect," Light said to the other, Sorta, "may I explain how each piece moves?"

The young Grandmaster folded his arms across his chest and smirked. "Sure, go ahead. I have no problem. I'm going to win so easily anyway. There's no one, anywhere, that can beat me! So, sure, take all the time you need." He laughed.

"I have a family with two kids, I have little time for games, and my husband is always at work," Amari said. "It's not easy being a mother. Your mother must be proud of you, but you could be a little less rude."

"My parents are dead, killed in a drunk driver accident when I was five years old," Sorta said. "I've had to do everything on my own. I do have a guardian, but he's pretty useless when it comes to my needs. Luckily, I'm a chess prodigy, or life would be hard for me."

Sorta Yamamoto suddenly gasped, as if a flash of memory struck him, Light observed.

Light knew that guests who came here, as Decim told him, would periodically experience flashes of memory from their lives. Once the pieces came to light, only then, could a judgement be rendered by how they lived their lives. Light wondered what Sorta's life had been like other than what he knew about the kid from his chess career. Everyone had a person life.

Sorta shook his head, as if shaking something away, and came back to focus on the immediate moment.

"Are you all right, young man?" Decim asked.

Sorta nodded. "Yes, I had a flashback, kind of—to a moment when I heard screaming from my mother's room when I was a kid; I saw my guardian there, too. Or, was it my father? I'm not sure now. Things are a little hazy."

"Life isn't easy for me, young man," Amari retorted to Sorta. "My husband is never around and my kids are a handful." She paused, as if she had a recollection of her own memories, Light observed. She took a moment, but then settled down. Decim asked if she was okay. "Yes, I am. I just remembered something from…" And she briefly explained what she had seen in her mind.

Light now had a working picture of the pair of guests. And using his detective skills, he was beginning to understand a little bit about their lives, and how they lived. But their deaths were still a mystery.

Light further explained the game, and even did a mock up, reciting what each chess piece was, how it moved, and if Amari didn't remember the designation of each square of the board, to just point, and the piece may be able to move on its own. Decim confirmed that that would happen, each piece would do so when directed by voice command.

Sorta Yamamoto looked intrigued, at Light, as if he was examining a worthy challenger. Light noticed his gaze.

"But strategy is another thing," Light then said. "Even if your opponent is an expert, there are ways to win. It's not just about removing pieces to dwindle your opponent down. You can have up to two pieces, and your opponent half of theirs remaining, and still win, if you know where to move properly." He tried to explain things as simply as possible. Light knew Amari wouldn't necessarily understand proper terms, so he dumbed it down.

"You seem know the game very well, L," Amari said. "Can you play for me? Is that against the rules?"

Light blinked, taken aback. He looked to Decim. "Madam, you wish for my assistant to play in your place?" Decim inquired with curiosity. "That is highly unusual, but please note, if L loses, or a piece is capture, you will still face any lasting consequences. Please understand this before your decision is made."

Amari Watanabe opened her mouth to speak, but then Light, after he gave Sorta a quick glance, noticing a smug smirk, said, "If she wishes it, and agrees to the terms, then I'll play for her. If it's not against the rules?"

Besides, it'd be a thrill-of-a-life-time to play against Japan's youngest Grandmaster, Light thought.

But then Light noticed a certain disappointment on Decim's face. He knew he had outspoken, but the choice of game had been unfair to Amari from the start. He wanted to give the woman an equal playing field and he knew the rules of chess quite well.

He normally wasn't forthright or volunteered his services. When he was working on the Kira Case with L, and he had his memories, he would often hold back. But here was different. At least until Ryuk returned.

Decim said, "It's not, just highly unusual. But as a courtesy, I will allow it. I wish confer with my assistant before the game begins."

Light ventured over to Decim, and they spoke quietly. They turned their backs to the guests.

Decim put a hand to his mouth to hide his words like a catcher talking to a pitcher. "I am fully aware that you wish to play this boy, Light Yagami, and I know you are very good at chess. I have see that much of your timeline. You enjoyed playing with a friend, named Demetre Draycott. But be warned, you playing for Ms. Watanabe may distort the outcome of the verdict."

"Then I think perhaps another game where both have an equal opportunity to win may be more prudent, like a card game?"

Decim waved his hand. "Unfortunately, no," he said, understandingly. "Once a game has been chosen, it cannot be undone. As you will be playing for Ms. Watanabe, then you will suffer any pain for mistakes made. When this game is over, and judgement is rendered, I will need to explain things to you more thoroughly in how Quindecim works. We Arbiters do not play for guests. And there is a reason why. For this one time, I will allow it. As you are new."

"Are you any good, L?" came Sorta's voice from behind their backs.

Light and Decim turned.

Light looked at the boy, and said, "A little, I've played a few worthy opponents in my day."

"Then challenge accepted," Sorta Yamamoto said. "But be warned, I never go easy on anyone."

Light smirked internally. Neither do I.

Decim shrugged. "Very well. Then let the game commence, and to the victor, the spoils, as it is said."

To be continued...

*See: "The Case of Jasper Yuta" novella