CHAPTER 42:
"The Death Ring"
L lifted himself to his feet. He had watched Light Yagami crawl to Demetre Draycott while remaining crouched and then drop seemingly dead next to his friend. In fact, Light Yagami was virtually dead at the moment with a bullet to the heart. But with the Life Note, he could be revived within seventy-two hours, according to what Menace had told him.
On an emphatic level, he found it intriguing that that even after everything that had gone on, Light Yagami still actually cared about someone other than himself.
Draycott and Yagami had been best friends since childhood, and now, they would be prison buddies.
Clavis and Castra came over to him. Clavis blinked, still rubbing particles of debris out of his eyes.
"Nice to have friends," L said openly, looking at Light and Demetre. "They offer a shoulder to cry on, and in this case, one to die on. The Life Note will no doubt revive them, injuries fully healed. A person whose name is written in a Life Note cannot be killed by a Death Note, but they can be killed by conventional human weaponry—just not in this case. Effectively, this supernatural case has finally come to a reasonable conclusion."
Then he noticed something when he looked down at their bodies. It was subtle, but the position of Demetre Draycott, and how he had fallen, with his arms folded into his chest was changed. His left arm was now pulled out straight to his side, underneath where Light Yagami had fallen.
"Hmph," L mused.
"Well, I guess this is my cue to leave," Ryuk, the Shinigami, said. He was Light's partner in all this, but L knew, he would not leave unless certain circumstances warranted it, like as the death of his Death Note handler.
"Gather up my pieces, will ya, Ryuk?" Geist asked. "Take me with you."
L watched Ryuk as he went around and gathered up all of Geist's body parts. It was morbid to see such a display, but at least there was no blood or organs scattered about. It was mainly dried bones and tattered clothing. He set them in a pile for transport.
"Is it truly over?" L wondered quietly to himself. "Something doesn't seem right."
L bent over and picked up Geist's head. The Shinigami's eyes glowered red as they faced each other.
"May I ask you something, Shinigami? Just for clarification, is it true that Light Yagami can't die if his name is written in a Death Note because his name is written in a Life Note? But he can die by other means if not revived within the seven-two hour window?"
"Why ask a stupid obvious question?" Geist spat back. "You and your people will pay for what you did to Demetre. I'll make you pay! But to answer your question: Not if Morph wrote down the Infinity Rule next to Yagami's name, and if instructions are pre-written, even if injured, he can heal much faster—at super speed. The same goes for the Death Note, the Infinity Rule cancels out the Death Clock. It never counts down for a heart attack."
Ryuk snatched Geist's head from L's hands, held him by his hair, said, "Damn it, Geist. You and your big mouth!"
"I knew it was too easy," L mused. He looked down at Light Yagami. He cocked his head, either it was his imagination, or the position of his body at changed again.
"Easy?" Geist said, then began to laugh.
Just then, Geist's body began to reform itself, bone fused with bone, in a floating, supernatural manner. Ryuk tossed Geist's head to the Shinigami's outstretched hands and it caught it with both, fitting it back onto its neck. The only indication of Clavis cutting the Shinigami were burn scars where bone fused together. Unfortunately, Geist's clothes were another story. He now looked like a standard walking skeleton.
"You look naked, Geist, I can see your bones," Ryuk said with a chuckle.
"Well, at least I don't look like a demented husky in tight black, leather bondage," Geist touted back.
Then Light Yagami began to move. He moved slowly, and then rolled over onto his back. He appeared disorientated at first, but then ripped open his shirt and checked his wound. It was completely healed.
With the two Shinigami, L, Clavis and Castra, were forced back, as Light Yagami rolled, and then emerged to his feet. The two gods of death were protecting him. No wonder they stayed, faking to leave, when their handles had lost.
"It would appear you heal quite quickly, Light Yagami," L remarked. "I never realized just how powerful the Life Note can be. You truly do have the resurrection power of a god. When I read the fake 28-Day Rule in the Death Note that time, whereas it states a person who owns a Death Note much keep writing or they will die, it was planted. You were cunning and devious even back then. You planned for every eventuality this time. But, this is a non-zombie zone."
Light Yagami removed his jacket and tossed it away. His shirt was bloodied, now wide open, exposing his chest. He clenched a fist at his side. "I am not a zombie," he responded to L's facetious remark. He then brought up his closed fist, his left hand to eye level. "But now, I do, literally, wield the power of a god in my hands!"
L noticed a gold ring where Light Yagami had no ring before. The position of Demetre's body had changed, as well. But he was still unconscious. Light purposely fell at that spot for some reason. Was it to get this ring? Had Demetre Draycott been wearing it? For what purpose, L wondered.
"This time, I won't lose, L, and there's no way you can stop me! Ryuk, Geist, I can handle things here. Take Demmy back to the car. However, I'm afraid not even the Life Note can do anything about his hand."
Geist shouldered Demetre Draycott over his shoulder and then began to walk out towards the broken warehouse entrance. Ryuk stayed as a buffer, but ultimately joined him.
L looked at Light Yagami curiously. He moved out into the open and seemed to be keeping a tight grip in his left hand. It almost looked comical, like Light was challenging him to fist fight.
L said, "Do you remember that time we fought just after you lost you memories of the Death Note, remember what I said to you back then? I'm stronger than I look. But if you'd like, we can continue where we left off?"
L shifted his body and footing and put his hands up, ready to fight. But his legs and feet were more powerful. But now, Light was trained with police foundations, and he would know how to block sudden kicks. Light would be observant of any indicators in body language, so he would have to somehow counter Light's blocks.
Light laughed. "Oh no, it won't be me who you will be fighting, L…"
Light pointed to ACT, and suddenly Matt emerged from behind the RV, still half-naked in a muscle shirt and boxers. Matt then picked up the gun that Jasper Yuta had dropped and pointed it at L.
L noticed how stiff Matt was moving. Is he being controlled? How?
"You're going to have to make a serious choice," Light continued. "You see, the Death Ring amplifies telepathic-like abilities to such a degree that anyone who has been subjected to its influence before can easily be manipulated and controlled later, overriding the Prefrontal Cortex, and a person's basic moral code—yet another gift from Morph."
"Along with the mouthguard's, I assume," L said back. "We retrieved the one you put in Chastity's mouth after you made her commit suicide. The brutality of it was beyond human! We know about them, we just don't know how many there are. I'm positive, you're in possession of an 'Alpha Guard', the one that controls them all. By example, they work similar to this Death Ring you wield on your left hand? The Death Note weaponized from a notebook. You really are a sick psychopath, Light Yagami."
Light laughed. "No, L. I'm a visionary! I was able to evade you for a long time even with your superior deductive reasoning. If only you did what the law cannot, and that is kill me when you had the chance, you may have won, and all this could've been avoided. But that's what's wrong with this world. Too many rules, too many regulations— criminals appear to have more rights than victims these days. That's where Kira comes in. I wage war on those criminals and punish them. Once Kira returns back to power, the world will be at peace as it was under Kira's original rule. Criminals will run and hide. No more waiting for the courts to punish them—to have then return to the streets years later to re-commit their hideous crimes again. I will deliver immediate justice and lay down the law once more!"
L shook his head. "No, Light Yagami," he said firmly. "Rules are established for the safety of the public. Without them, civilization will fall into chaos. Even the Death Note has rules. One such important rule is, you must have the face of the person in your mind that you wish to kill as you are writing down their name, or everyone with the same name would die of heart attacks. That was not written lightly, that was written with the sheer purpose of protecting others from irresponsibility. So, even murder has its rules. But you abuse the Death Note, because you don't like how the system works. Yes, mistakes are made. But you're basically a protester who uses murder as a tool to serve a persona agenda, and your need control things like a petulant child with the Death Note is pathetic."
Light clapped. "Lovely speech, but it won't make a difference. Words mean nothing. It often takes a large event to alter human behaviour. And Kira will do just that. The Grand Agenda will go forward. This is where you finally lose. I've killed you once, and I'll do it again. I will reign supreme once more. You have no where to run."
"I never run," L stated firmly.
All of sudden, Castra sprung into action, and ran directly at Matt. Matt turned and fired at her with successive shots. But she ducked, bobbed and weaved to avoid every shot—a total of five missed.
Castra was quick like a jack rabbit. She kicked dirt in Matt's face blinding him and then delivered one the most impressive, perfect and powerful roundhouse martial kicks L had ever seen to the side of Matt's head.
Matt twisted end over end and landed with a heavy thud to the ground, he was immediately rendered unconscious.
She kicked the gun away, and then brushed her hands together as if brushing off dirt. She flipped back her long white hair in dramatic fashion, like a supermodel.
"Child's play," she said. "When you need something done right, ask a woman."
"That's the woman I love," Clavis said, smiling. "I hope you didn't hit him too hard. Humans are fragile creatures."
"Ooo," Ryuk voiced, coming back to land next to Light. "Didn't expect that, did ya, Light?" The Shinigami chuckled.
L turned back to Light, saw Ryuk back.
Light's expression was priceless with open mouth shock.
"Well, Light. You're out of options. You can't control a person if they're unconscious. And thanks for telling me about the Death Ring. I already figured out the Grand Agenda. And if you take Kira out from the equation, it's merely commerce—and that's nothing new in the world. People rule over others using power and influence to control people's habits and behaviours, making money off their needs and wants. The Tsuku-Yoki Corporation is no different. You may have built up a powerful company, but you neglected one important aspect in your efforts."
"And what is that?" Light sneered.
"Shinto Izanagi is symbolic, a figurehead, and anyone can be under that mask. It doesn't have to be you."
Just then, the screeching of a car was heard, as if quickly backing away, driving off.
"Takada," L muttered. "I saw her in the car that drove everyone here. Of all the people to bring back, you choose her, Light. Oh, how the heart doth sing.
"I'll go after them," Clavis offered.
L shook his head. "No need, I know where she's going."
To be continued...