CHAPTER 40:
"Choice and Conflict"
"Morph, stop this!" Menace said, stepping out into the open from behind the RV. "Or you'll use up all your energy reserves to feed our people inside you."
L watched from the side of the overturned vehicle, peaking around. Menace had his hands up, not in surrender but as a calming tool.
The flames in Morph's eyes erupted forth, burning hotter with a seething anger when he faced his brother. L could feel the heat, and if there had been a sprinkler system installed in the warehouse it would have gone off.
"I would have had all the energy I'd need to feed if you didn't interfere brother," Morph retorted. "You visited Demetre Draycott and told him everything. He then told Light Yagami everything! I made the offer to Clavis a simple one: one million human souls or Light Yagami's soul. I have yet to receive an answer. Choose, Clavis! I know you are here!"
"No!" came Clavis's voice sharply.
L turned, looked at the Quindecum'ium.
Clavis had his back against the side of the overturned RV on the far side. Castra was with him.
"I do not accept your offer, Morph. I will not trade one life for another. In the history of Quindecim, not one person has chosen to return back to their life when given the choice, and for good reason. You did all this to take Light Yagami's soul? To feed your people? You've caused so much damage. Menace and those in Quindecim have been painstakingly closing the rips you've caused to the space-time continuum."
"Why is Light Yagami so important? He's a psychopath with no morals!"
"Then why did you release him? He was fine where he was," Clavis replied.
"So you could offer Clavis the deal, isn't that right?" L chimed in, looking back around the side of the RV at the fiery being that was now Morph. It was a supernatural fire generated from within. But Menace was right, that energy had to have come from somewhere, his people's energy. "You thought it would be an easy decision to make?"
Morph cocked his head to him. L shifted back. He didn't wish to be a target.
"You are correct, Louis Lawliet, better known as L, to your cohorts. And if Clavis chose the right decision, then all parties would satisfied. But he chooses to be self-righteous? Light Yagami would be dead now and I would use his life energy for food. Kira will no longer be a threat. Light Yagami's soul is unique, endowed and touched with a god-like influence, a richness beyond any other. And this has not been the first time his essence has been incarnated. His essence possesses the energy of many of the most powerful and influential leaders, and tyrants, that have ever existed in the Human World, descended from greatness. That's what makes him so special to me. That's why I took interest in him, concocted all this, and went to painstaking efforts to resurrect him. I was the one who dropped the Death Note to where Light Yagami would pick it up. It was not a random drop. I saw the future, the plight of Kira, and I knew I had to experience it for myself. Then to take his energy when it was ripe. All going according to plan until…"
"Until now?" L jumped in. "Surely you don't take me for a fool? The moment Light Yagami dies, then so does everyone else, everyone who is associated with him like threads of a spider's web. They will loose their lives again. Light Yagami is their anchor to the Human World. Without him, they will die. You know this, Morph. I will die as well."
L lied. He knew that wasn't true from what Clavis had told him, about him. When he was resurrected, he was re-birthed from his own flesh and bone, his remains dug up from his gravesite. He was no longer dead, subjected to Quindecim law, and the need to return. And the moment he came back to life, he was given a clean slate. His writing in the Death Note, erased. He was only speculating with the others, but he went with the lie.
"I personally don't wish to die again," he continued with the lie. "I have do much more to do in this life. The Void is a horrible place for those who are sent to it. They experience nothing but negative emotions for all eternity as a disembodied spirit. So, another solution must be made."
And besides, he didn't want Light Yagami to die. L wanted to punish him for his crimes in this realm. That made him selfish, he knew, but he wanted conclusion in his fight with Kira. Light had killed him with the Death Note, it had been a useless death. Now that he was back, he had a second chance to take the bastard down.
"Then one million souls it is," Morph rebuked. "I don't give a damn about any of you. I'll take the one million souls myself without Clavis's choice and his family will remain dead. As for all of this, I will no longer be involved in this cat-and-mouse game you seem to be playing with Light Yagami. I am finished here."
Morph snorted, fire came out of his nose. He looked to Menace.
Then, the Imp vanished.
And the only trace he had ever been in the warehouse was a scorch mark on the ground where he once stood.
Menace looked around, L watched Menace turn every which way.
L came out of his hiding spot. He was a human being and he wasn't stupid. He hid from a supernatural being that was hell bent on violence. Confronting Morph directly would have only got him turned to ash.
"He's gone," Menace said conclusively. "In fact, I don't sense him at all anymore."
Clavis and Castra came out into the open, joining them.
"Menace, your brother plans to kill one million people," L said. "Is there any way to stop him?"
"I had no idea Morph was that desperate," Menace replied, facing him. "I'll do what I can, persuade him that there must be another way to get the energy to feed our people inside him. Trust me, he's a good person at heart. He just has to be reminded of this. I know he feels guilty for almost decimating our entire people in his fight against Clavis. It was an accident, but he feels personally responsible. This is why he keeps the last remnants of our species safe with him. He knows murder isn't the answer. There is always another option."
Suddenly, Menace, too, vanished, in the blink of an eye.
L looked around. "Amazing, here one moment and gone the next; much like life," L said philosophically. He then turned to Clavis. "I'm sorry, but you will not get your revenge against Morph for murdering your family now."
"I always love my family, and I'll miss them. But to live for revenge is never a reason to live," Clavis said, smiling at Castra. He held her hand. "There are other things in life to be thankful for." They kissed. "I hate Morph, I really do," he then said. "But I have to come to terns that I'm no match for him, especially after this recent display of power." He then looked at the scorch mark. "Morph must've burned up a lot of energy with that demoniacal demonstration. Maybe he'll go pester some other civilization and leave the Human Race alone for a while. I'm sure Menace will keep him out of trouble."
"Hope springs eternal," L said back. He turned back to ACT. "We need to check on the others, see if they're okay. They were alive when I checked on them before coming out here."
"Hmm," Clavis mused. "I never thought the battle would end so abruptly. Could Morph have been bluffing?"
"Interesting question," L agreed. "Cowards normally do. They're all bluster, until they actually have to fight. Then run away. Light Yagami was the same way."
All of sudden, they heard a heavy banging against the closed warehouse door, and then another. As if something heavy was hitting it. Hammering at it to get through.
They all turned to observe it.
Then something smashed through it. Debris flew everywhere, as a weapon of some sort came through both the door and a wall. Suddenly, a Shinigami tore through the jagged edges with a free, boney, clawed hand, ripping away the pieces, tearing at each plank like it was a piece fruit.
It wasn't a large god of death, but it was intimidating, carrying a bone club. It was dressed like an old rock groupie with thick brown hair, L noticed. He could see it, but he didn't remember ever touching its Death Note. It was a rule that a person had to touch a god of death's Death Note to recognize its face and voice. Maybe, it purposely wanted them to see it? Then realization hit him and he recognized the Shinigami by its appearance.
"Geist," he said, with a gasp. "Raye and Jasper told me about this one after they returned from Tsuku-Yoki Tower. This is the Shinigami that attacked them and is attached to Demetre Draycott. He's more vicious than Ryuk and Rem combined, according to the profile provided. Clavis, Castra, watch out!"
From their expressions, L knew Clavis and Castra could see Geist, too.
"Found you!" Geist said mockingly. "I knew if we followed Morph, he'd lead us to you, human. Ah...the infamous L."
Then, suddenly, from behind Geist came several powerful gun shots that skimmed through the air at L and the others.
Demetre Draycott came out from behind Geist, firing with a golden luger. The bullets soared considerably close to L, bouncing off the under-carriage of the RV.
L took cover, but Clavis remained, brandishing his katana. He pushed Castra back, and she went to hide, to stand safely next to L. L could still see all the action from his position.
Now Demetre Draycott had a single target to shoot at: Clavis.
Clavis cut the fired bullets in half with his katana as they came at him, precisely choosing the exact moment to slice through the air. None got through Clavis's defence. The supernatural being knew how to wield his sword. To L, it looked like an old Japanese sword from the feudal era. But he wasn't very familiar with them, so he didn't know for sure. But what he did know was that the blade was extremely sharp and Clavis was masterful with it.
Demetre Draycott quickly reloaded with another clip, then positioned himself steadily, openly, and kept firing.
x x x
Jasper Yuta stirred, but he wasn't sure what had happened. He felt his head, and it hurt like hell. He had double vision, and when he attempted to stand, he fell back over his equilibrium compromised. He gave a couple of hit to the his left ear and then shook his head to clear the fogginess.
Near was laying on his stomach over by the front end of the RV. Everything was in a shambles, and the entire New Kira Task Force were out cold. The last thing he remembered was Matt, being tossed back into the rear sleeping quarters from where he had emerged by Clavis after Matt insulted Castra, coming on to her.
He called out to Matt, but didn't get a response. Judging by the others, he must be out cold as well.
Although when he looked around at everyone else that were near him, some were missing. One of them was L. The others were those the supernatural beings, Clavis and Castra.
He stumbled, and fell over a body, no, two bodies—Matsuda and Aizawa, the two NPA detectives. They were laying side by side, obviously thrown over together when the RV tipped over by some sort of powerful force. Raye Penber was also out cold near by.
He checked for vitals, and found them. They were unconscious, but alive. Everyone was still alive.
He heard shouting, but it seemed far away. Then he observed a large cut a hole in the side of the RV, or what used to be the roof of ACT, but the side door, now the ceiling, was also open, and this is where the voices were most prominent.
His mind clearing, but his vision was still a little blurry, he felt his face, it was covered in blood from a head wound. No wonder the fogginess would come and go.
He found something to stand on. He wanted to see what all the ruckus was about.
He dragged the two seater couch over. As he did so, his foot hit something on the floor. Bending over, he saw it was a gun. It must have fallen out from one of the detective's holsters. It was standard police issue.
He checked it for ammo and then ascended the couch to see who was shouting threats of bloody murder.
Then he heard weapons fire.
To be continued...