Chapter 12: Endgame
Kalen's Room…
The hum of musical classics rang through Kalen's room as the boy eagerly wrote names within his Death Note. With Xen gone and the second Death Note destroyed, there was nothing that could lead anyone to think he was Kira.
Meaning he was free to kill without hesitation, and he wouldn't have to worry anymore. That didn't mean he was going to act recklessly, though, as he wasn't leaving anything to chance. But at the same time, Kalen was too happy to think about it.
It had been a few days since the dance, and things had gotten normal for Kalen. For the rest of Vale, things have gotten very tense. Due to his actions, strict restrictions on the citizens have been placed, such as early curfews and constant monitoring by Atlas drones.
While that did complicate things, Kalen was confident in his ability to stay off the radar. He would mainly be using the Death Note at home so as to not be seen using it in public. Kalen would also make sure to schedule deaths throughout the days to avoid anyone noticing a pattern.
Closing the notebook, Kalen placed it in the hiding spot below the floorboards in his room. Once he was done, he put a rug over the spot and sat back down at his desk. Turning off the music, it was time for him to focus on his studies.
"Even with school canceled, it can't hurt to be prepared." Kalen thought as Ryuk chewed on an apple behind him.
"You've been pretty happy the past few days." Ryuk chuckled.
"Why wouldn't I be? I've won Ryuk." Kalen smirked as he leaned back onto his chair before looking back at Ryuk.
"With the greatest threat to my existence eliminated, there is nothing that can stop me from saving the world." Kalen declared.
"Great, that means it'll be boring. You better get some good video games in the future, so I don't get bored." Ryuk replied.
"Fine, fine. Don't worry about that, Ryuk." Kalen waved as he sat straight in his chair and looked at the list of White Fang members he acquired from Neo.
"Just live in the moment. Besides, the news of massive amount of dead White Fang members should be interesting to watch." Kalen smiled as he opened his school notebook.
Before he could even put pen to paper, his scroll went off, notifying him of an incoming call. Picking up the scroll, he saw that it was a call from his father. Upon seeing it was his father, Kalen picked up the call.
"Hey, Dad." Kalen greeted.
"Kalen…how are you doing?" Ironwood inquired.
"Is that what you wanted to ask, or are you having trouble saying it?" Kalen asked.
"I…*Sigh*…even when I'm not there, you can read me." Ironwood sighed.
"Well, you've always had a nervous demeanor when talking to me. You're too careful with how you talk because you're afraid it'll make me hate you." Kalen replied.
"I figured that out a long time ago. But it's fine, I don't mind." Kalen added.
"Well. Thank you." Ironwood murmured.
"I called because I wanted to request you to come back to Beacon. It's safer here than it is in the city." Ironwood explained.
"Against what? Kira or possible retaliation? Because I think we can agree that me being at Beacon will most likely not stop Kira, and I doubt anyone will come after me." Kalen replied.
"I may be the son of the Headmistress of Beacon, but no one knows I'm your son. I doubt anyone would want to come after me." Kalen added.
"I understand your thought process, but I'm…still concerned. So keep the option in mind." Ironwood insisted.
"They canceled the Vytal Festival because of Kira, and morale of the entire populous is at an all-time low." Ironwood sighed.
"No harm there." Kalen thought as he rolled his eyes.
"I'm just worried something bad is about to happen," Ironwood murmured.
"You have nothing to worry about, Dad. I'm sure that everything is going to be just fine." Kalen smirked as Ryuk chuckled.
"Talk to you later, Dad," Kalen said as he ended the call.
"I wonder what your parents would do if they found out just how evil you are." Ryuk laughed.
"Evil?" Kalen questioned as he looked at the Shinigami.
"Well, I guess I can't entirely deny that. I am a murderer, after all." Kalen chuckled as he began his schoolwork.
"But I'm a necessary evil. An evil so just. That I'll change the world for the better." Kalen added.
"Can't say I've ever heard of someone being both evil and good. But then again, I've seen many different interpretations of this justice you humans came up with." Ryuk replied.
"You're like Light, an "evil" who wishes to purge greater evils unlike L who was "good" but "evil" to Light," Ryuk commented.
"Then again, Light never admitted to being evil. He hated being called that." Ryuk murmured.
"Then he was immature," Kalen stated as he continued to work.
"If he's immature, then what does that make you?" Ryuk whispered with a low chuckle seeing the irony and ego in Kalen's statement.
Kalen went about his work while Ryuk floated around the room looking, board. But Kalen was anything but because soon, a massive part of the White Fang would soon die. At least the ones stationed in Vale which will finally strike fear into the faunus organization.
Until now, he had been unable to take on the White Fang due to the Death Note's restrictions. But now that he had both names and faces, he was able to finally strike a blow. Of course, he also wrote for some of the members to send him more faces and names.
Soon if he played his cards right, he could dismantle the entire White Fang if he needed to. However, Kalen wouldn't do that. He would leave a good amount alive and focus on killing the heads of the operation.
That way, the White Fang will be crippled, and the grunts will be able to live their lives and think about what they did wrong. That being said, if someone did act up after he did this, they'd still die.
But It was a step in the right direction, and people will no longer question his supremacy. Then the people will be ready to accept his presence. His thoughts were interrupted by his scroll vibrating as it received a message. With a sigh, he picked it up and read it.
"It's from Weiss," Kalen noted as they began a thread.
Weiss: Hey, have you perhaps seen Blake anywhere?
Kalen: No.
Kalen: Is something wrong?
Weiss: She's been missing since the dance.
Weiss: Yang and Ruby are worried.
Kalen: Are you not?
Weiss: Of course I am.
Weiss: But I also know she can take care of herself.
Kalen: I see…
Kalen: Unfortunately, I haven't seen her. But I'll keep an eye out for her.
Weiss: Thanks :).
"Oh, one of your friends is missing?" Ryuk chuckled as he read the thread over Kalen's shoulder.
"Doesn't matter. I doubt someone who's aspiring to be a huntress can't handle themselves." Kalen replied as he placed his scroll down and finally began his schoolwork.
Vale…
Blake Belladonna made her way through the city, keeping a steady pace. The faunus was preparing for her confrontation against Kalen Goodwitch, or more specifically, Kira. She had witnessed him murder both Xen, technically speaking, and another woman.
Thanks to a device that would restart her heart, she'd be able to prevent her own death during their confrontation. Unfortunately, she couldn't just go up to him and confront him as Xen was looking for her, no doubt.
After all, she "borrowed" the device he used to save his own life, and he most likely wouldn't allow her to make a move on her own. But she had to act after watching Kalen kill before her eyes while doing nothing.
It made her guilty, but the news that afternoon made her even more guilty when massive amounts of faunus associated with the White Fang were found dead. No doubt it was Kalen's doing, having somehow found a way to get to them.
She couldn't let that stand as a former member of the White Fang she felt partly responsible for how the White Fang ended up becoming. So she would stop Kalen by getting his confession then apprehending him.
Besides, seeing as he wasn't training to be a huntsman like his mother, then it shouldn't be too hard to capture him. But she had to be on guard. Who knew what surprises Kalen had in store for her when she confronted him.
Now, after several days of waiting, she was ready to confront Kalen. With her weapon at the ready, she made way to Kalen's home while making sure she wasn't being followed. Thankfully she wasn't being followed.
Beacon…
Team RWBY's Dorm…
"She's still not answering her scroll," Ruby murmured as she looked dejectedly down at her scroll.
"I'm sure she's fine, Ruby. I mean, she's Blake after all." Weiss assured as she placed her hand on her partner.
"Weiss's right. But that doesn't mean we can't go looking for her." Yang agreed as she came out of the bathroom dressed in her alternative clothing.
"Look for her? You mean in Vale? During a lockdown?" Weiss questioned.
"Duh. She shouldn't be that hard to pick out with the little amounts of people outside." Yang responded.
"But we're not allowed to leave Beacon right now," Weiss argued as Ruby got up and readied herself.
"Yang's right. We have to go and find her and make sure she's safe." Ruby said.
"We'll get in trouble if we get caught, you know." Weiss reminded as she picked up her things.
"Does that mean you're not coming?" Yang asked as Weiss grabbed onto her coat.
"Of course, I'm coming," Weiss answered as Yang and Ruby smiled.
"We still don't know where to look for her, though." Weiss reminded.
"We'll just have to leave no stone unturned then," Ruby smirked.
Ozpin's Office…
"With the Vytal Festival canceled and the deaths of hundreds of the White Fang, morale in Vale is at an all-time low." Ironwood sighed.
"Grimm activity has spiked, and our forces are stretched thin. Things aren't looking Oz." Ironwood noted as Ozpin sat at his desk.
"The students are feeling the effects too," Glynda noted.
"Many confine themselves to their rooms, and others request to go home to stay with their families," Glynda explained.
"I see. Please do grant those requests. We need to disperse all these negative emotions one way or another." Ozpin insisted as Glynda nodded.
Things were bleak, and it didn't seem like it was going to end anytime soon. With Xen dead and the notebook gone, their only lead on Kira was lost. What's worse, ever since the massive death of faunus related to the White Fang, some had taken to praising Kira.
Most notably was Jacques Schnee, who began praising Kira as a hero for putting down criminals. Of course, he got blowback from the announcement, but he seemed to be sticking by his statement.
The last thing they needed right now was for this situation to get political. If people began to praise Kira for his actions, then it would only make it harder to catch and convict him. Thankfully his biggest fear had not come to pass, being Salem gaining Kira's power.
It was still something that concerned him, but he doubted Salem could find Kira before he could. But anything was possible, and he couldn't let his guard down. Though the three were stumped at their next move. Though their conversation was interrupted by the elevator.
"Am I interrupting something?" Xen inquired as he walked into the room carrying a small tank of oxygen, shocking the three.
"You're alive!?" Glynda gasped as Ironwood placed his hand on his gun.
"How do we know you're the real Xen?" Ironwood questioned, suspicious of Xen.
"We saw your corpse after all," Ironwood added.
"Yes, I must apologize for the show. You see, while I did technically die that day, I was resuscitated via defibrillator." Xen explained as he coughed and took in oxygen.
"I hid myself because I needed Kira to think he won," Xen added as he leaned against the wall.
"To think you actually managed to survive," Ozpin commented.
"Yes though it seems my health has deteriorated very rapidly over the past few days. I may not have long to live regardless of avoiding Kira." Xen commented as Ironwood removed his hand.
"So we need to move fast," Xen stated.
"You know who he is?" Ozpin inquired.
"Yes. But none of you are going to like it." Xen answered.
Kalen's Home…
Kalen placed his plate in the sink as he got ready to go on about his day while Ryuk chomped down an apple behind him. Having finished his schoolwork, he was free to continue killing criminals for the rest of the day.
But before he could head upstairs, a knock came from the front door. This confused Kalen as he was neither expecting anyone to visit nor did he think anyone would come here. Cautious, he looked through the window and saw Blake on the other side of the door.
"Blake?" Kalen wondered as he went to the door.
"What is she doing here? She's been missing for days, and she comes here. Why?" Kalen questioned as he opened the door.
"What brings you here, Blake? I hear your team is worried sick looking for you?" Kalen inquired as he met face and face with Blake.
"I've been busy. And I needed to talk to you," Blake replied as Kalen let her in.
"Well, what is it you need to talk about?" Kalen asked as he offered Blake a seat, only for her to stand and stare at him.
"I know you're Kira," Blake stated, shocking Kalen.
"Uh oh, someone's in trouble!" Ryuk cackled as he watched over Kalen's shoulder.
He quickly hid his emotions, but several thoughts flooded his mind in that very moment. How did she find out? Is she joking? When did I slip up? Perhaps she put pieces that aren't there. All those thoughts and more bombarded Kalen, but he calmed himself and readied his response.
"Kira? Me? Come now, you must be joking." Kalen scoffed as he leaned against a table.
"What makes you think I could possibly be that killer?" Kalen questioned.
"Because I saw you. I saw you kill Xen and that woman during the dance!" Blake declared as Kalen cursed at himself.
"Damn, she must have seen through a window." Kalen realized, cursing his mistake.
"You killed them with heart attacks and burned a book!" Blake stated before clenching her fists.
"Why? Why do any of this?!" Blake questioned as Kalen remained silent.
"There's no way for me to deny her claims," Kalen noted as he realized that he couldn't lie anymore.
"So persistent." Kalen sighed.
"Well. You got me, Blake." Kalen smirked as he stared Blake directly into her eyes.
"I am Kira." Kalen chuckled as Blake glared at him.
"Honestly, I wasn't expecting something like this to happen, but I guess my overconfidence that night caused me to overlook some things," Kalen stated as he turned his back to Blake.
"But still to think you'd actually come here to confront me face to face." Kalen laughed as he took out a piece of the Death Note.
"You're either very brave or incredibly stupid if you think you're leaving my home alive," Kalen smirked.
But before he could write Blake's name down, she sprung forward and grabbed Kalen, tossing him to the ground and tearing the paper away from him before tossing it. She needed to make sure Kalen realized it wasn't going to be as easy as it seemed.
"I don't know how you kill, but it would be unwise to kill me in your home. It'll only prove even more that you are Kira." Blake pointed out.
"Will it?" Kalen asked as he got to his knees.
"Because let's be honest, without proof of how I kill, I'll never be sentenced." Kalen countered.
"Even if you die as long as I don't place a hand on you, nothing besides where you die can be placed on me," Kalen stated.
"They know Kira can kill without being there," Blake argued.
"True, but not how, and I'll never tell you how I do it," Kalen smirked.
"Is this some kind of game!? You've killed countless hundreds if not thousands of people!" Blake questioned.
"A game! Of course, it's not a game!" Kalen shouted as he got to his feet, surprising Blake that the normally calm boy became agitated.
"THIS! ALL OF THIS! IS JUSTICE!" Kalen declared.
"Our world is one where injustice runs rampant due to the inaction of everyone that inhabits it! Crime, racism, the Grimm all can be resolved if people actually did something!" Kalen began.
"But the people of the world do nothing. They sit back and watch, and it has brought us to this point a point where faunus fight back and Grimm run rampant." Kalen continued.
"So when the power to kill came into my hands, I decided to do something about it unlike those who live in this folly of peace." Kalen finished.
"You're sick," Blake commented.
"Really? Am I sick?" Kalen questioned.
"Or am I ahead of the curve?" Kalen suggested as Blake took out her Gambol and Shroud and pointed the gun at Kalen.
"You're done. I'm taking you to Professor Ozpin and General Ironwood." Blake declared.
"Fine. The Professor might hear you out, but my father doesn't like it when I'm badmouthed." Kalen replied, shocking Blake.
"Your…father?" Blake questioned.
"Yes. My father is General Ironwood. But my mother raised me, and I took her name." Kalen explained.
"So. Still think it's a good idea to bring me there?" Kalen inquired as Blake hissed.
"We'll just have to see," Blake stated as she approached Kalen to lead him out of his home but froze when she heard an inhuman laugh.
"Hehehe. What a "dire" situation. How are you going to get out of this one, Kalen?" Ryuk asked as Blake slowly turned around and locked eyes with the Shinigami.
"Wha…what are you?!" Blake questioned as she pointed her weapon at Ryuk.
"Oh, you can me?" Ryuk questioned as he looked at the scrap Blake tossed.
"I guess you did grab a piece of the Death Note. Didn't cross my mind." Ryuk chuckled as Blake stared at him, confused.
"Who are you?!" Blake shouted as she glared at Ryuk.
"Me? I'm Ryuk, and I'm a Shinigami." Ryuk answered, confusing Blake as Kalen walked back and took out another piece of the Death Note he had on him and began writing.
"What the hell is a Shinigami?" Blake questioned as Ryuk chuckled.
"It's a God of Death," Kalen smirked as Ryuk broke out in laughter, confusing Blake as she spun around looking at Kalen.
"Should have been more careful." Ryuk chuckled as Blake looked at Kalen as he finished writing.
Blake rushed forward and grabbed the paper out of Kalen's hand before locking her left arm around Kalen's neck and placing her blade in his face. Kalen was unfazed as he looked at the clock on the wall and patiently waited.
"I'm done here. I don't know what's happening, but I'm taking you to Professor Ozpin now!" Blake shouted.
"Really? Well sorry Blake, but you are already dead." Kalen stated to an unfazed Blake.
"You'll have to do better than give me a heart attack to kill me, Kalen!" Blake replied.
"I have a way to avoid such a fate," Blake added as Kalen raised a brow.
"Really? Well then, let me inform you of a little secret Blake." Kalen smirked, confusing Blake.
"The source of my power is a notebook called the Death Note. All it takes is for me to write a person's name in it, and they will die." Kalen continued as Blake looked at the crunched paper in her hand.
"And I just wrote down your name." Kalen finished as Ryuk began to laugh.
"I told you even if you give me a heart attack, I'll survive!" Blake reminded.
"Oh, Blake…" Kalen smirked as he looked into her eyes.
"Who said that I could only kill people with heart attacks?" Kalen asked, shocking Blake as he uncrumpled the paper in her hand and read the contents.
Blake Belladonna
Accidental Death – at 2:45 pm, Blake Belladonna will walk to the Vale Library and check out any random book before departing to Beacon, where at 3:05 pm, she will be hit by a car and die instantly.
"Acc-Accidental…death?" Blake stuttered.
"That's right. Unfortunately, I can't have you dying here as it would just cause unnecessary complications." Kalen replied as he snatched the paper from Blake's shaking hand.
"But don't worry. It should be painless. Or at the very least, the pain will only last for a second." Kalen added as the clock struck 2:45, and the sound of Blake's own heartbeat rang through her ears.
"It's a shame that you have to die, but you stuck your nose where it doesn't belong," Kalen stated as he opened the door for Blake.
"Are you ready to die, Blake?" Kalen inquired as Blake mindlessly walked to the door and nodded.
"Then this is goodbye," Kalen said as he waved Blake off as the faunus went toward her death.
Meanwhile, Kalen set the piece of the Death Note on fire before tossing it in the trash as Ryuk rolled through the air in laughter. Once back inside, Kalen texted Weiss that he had seen Blake heading to the library and she might catch her there.
"That was close. It would have been bad if she had been smart and told someone before she came here." Kalen smirked as he closed his front door.
Outside, the scrap from the Death Note he had thrown away continued to burn away in the trash. The fire was too small to spread, but it didn't matter as a hand dove in and snuffed the fire out before taking the paper away.
Later…
Vale…
Team RWBY ran toward the Vale Library, hoping to find their missing team member there, thanks to a tip from Kalen. They were relieved to find any information about their missing teammate and were racing to see her.
"She must have been looking for a book Beacon didn't have." Ruby chuckled as the three ran through Vale.
"She's a bookworm through and through after all." Yang laughed as Weiss nodded.
As they ran, Ruby noticed a crowd surrounding forming on the street surrounding something. It caught the girl's attention as she slowed down and looked at the crowd. Her teammates stopped and looked at her, confused as Ruby slowly approached the crowd.
The young huntress in training pushed through the crowd feeling something was very wrong. Eventually, she made it to the center of the crowd and saw what everyone was looking at. At that moment, her heart dropped as she covered her mouth in horror as the rest of her team joined her.
"Is…is that…?" Weiss stuttered.
"BLAKE!" Yang cried as she fell down to her knees, staring at her friend's dead body.
"What happened here?" Ruby questioned.
"A car ran a light and ran into her. It must have hit her so hard her aura couldn't compensate." A Bystander explained as Team RWBY surrounded their fallen member.
"This…this can't be happening," Weiss whispered as sirens slowly approached.
Nearby Samuel watched the scene with depressed eyes. He had been too late to stop Blake Belladonna from confronting Kalen, and he was too late to save her. It was clear to him that Kalen had killed her as Xen's theory of the Death Note being able to kill in any way proved correct.
Her death was a tragedy, but it would not be in vain. Blake would be avenged, and Kalen would be brought to justice. Samuel swore that it would happen as such an innocent life shouldn't have been sacrificed. It was then that he got a call from Xen.
"Did you find Ms. Belladonna?" Xen inquired in a raspy voice.
"I was too late. She's dead. A car ran into her." Samuel answered, causing the line to go silent.
"I see…" Xen replied.
"That being said, I found something interesting you'd like to see," Samuel stated.
"Then please bring it over quickly *Cough* I want to work as fast as possible." Xen requested.
"Of course, but…her teammates, unfortunately, found her as well," Samuel informed.
"That is some unfortunate news. Please bring them here." Xen insisted.
"Understood," Samuel replied as he hung up the phone and got his badge ready.
Kalen's Home…
"HoHoHo. You have no mercy." Ryuk laughed as he and Kalen watched the news report on Blake's death.
"With what's at stake, I can't afford to have any mercy," Kalen replied as he began to think about some of Blake's words.
"She said she had a way to avoid being killed by a heart attack. But how? And if she really could, how did she figure it out?" Kalen wondered.
He went over man possibilities and scolded himself for not forcing Blake to reveal what she had meant to him, but with the situation as it was, he had no time to be that specific. Even so, he couldn't help but think about Xen.
What if he figured it out too? Could he be hiding? Those thoughts flooded him before he shook his head. He determined it was impossible as the Death Note was absolute, and no one could avoid death.
"She must have been bluffing." Kalen scoffed as he received a call from his mother.
"Hi, Mom." Kalen greeted as if nothing was wrong at all.
"Have you seen the news?" Glynda inquired.
"Yes. It's a tragedy." Kalen answered, making his best impression of a depressed voice.
"Indeed. Ms. Belladonna had so much more to live. I heard from her team that you saw her before she died?" Glynda asked.
"I wouldn't say that. She came over and asked about a book I'd recommend for some research she was doing. We didn't speak much, and I messaged Weiss when she left." Kalen lied.
"I see. Are you doing okay? I know what it's like to see someone just before they die?" Glynda questioned.
"I'm fine. You have no need to worry." Kalen assured as Ryuk bugged him with a game controller wanting to play.
"Listen, I have to go. I'll talk to you later." Kalen said as he hung up and turned on the game Ryuk wanted to play.
Ozpin's Office…
Glynda stood there holding onto her scroll, still thinking about her conversation with Kalen. The call had been on speaker, and everyone in the room was able to hear. Xen sat in a chair, watching everyone's reactions.
"If you don't mind me saying, Glynda, James." Xen began as he breathed in oxygen from the tank.
"He's lying through his teeth," Xen stated, keeping his words blunt.
"How do you know for sure my son is lying?" Ironwood questioned.
"No one is as calm as he is in this situation. From what I heard, he had no reaction to this event and might have tried faking sympathy." Xen explained.
"It felt more like a cold, calculating machine talking than a human," Xen added.
"It still doesn't prove he's Kira," Ironwood argued.
"Tell me, James. How well do you know your son? You too, Glynda? Do you know his dreams? Do you know what he likes? Dislikes? Do you know his personal feelings?" Xen inquired.
"What is this line of questioning?" Glynda questioned.
"I'm just asking is how well do you know your child? He grew up with one parent far away and another busy almost every day." Xen responded.
"I don't mean to question your parenting skills, but from what I've seen of him, he doesn't display any outward feelings and doesn't wish to socialize." Xen began.
"Someone that socially reclusive is bound to have some secrets he doesn't wish to share. Even with his parents." Xen finished as he took another whiff of oxygen.
"As much as I…hate to say it. Sometimes I do feel that I've failed Kalen as a mother. Because I treat him much like a student rather than a son." Glynda sighed.
"I've been there when I'm worried, but. I feel I haven't been there when he really needed me. Sometimes I think I've been too emotionally distant." Glynda murmured.
"No, if Kalen is Kira. Then it's my fault for never being there for him when he was growing up." Ironwood stated, not wanting Glynda to take any blame.
"Please. Don't blame yourselves. We don't need more negativity at this time." Ozpin insisted as Glynda and Ironwood looked down, and Xen received a call.
"Yes?" Xen answered as he listened to the voice on the other side.
"A recording?! Are you sure?" Xen asked, gaining everyone's attention.
"I see then we have all we need," Xen murmured as he hung up.
"Let's continue once my partner and Team RWBY arrive with a recorded confession." Xen insisted.
"Then we can discuss all the evidence and our endgame," Xen stated.
Few Days Later…
"Kalen, are you ready?" Glynda inquired as she stood at the bottom of her home's stairs.
"Yeah, I'm ready," Kalen muttered as he walked down the stairs in formal clothing, same as his mother.
"I'd have been more prepared if this wasn't such a rushed event." Kalen sighed.
"This wake for Ms. Belladonna is necessary to allow everyone to process their grief. It's necessary especially with her parents being present." Glynda replied.
"I understand," Kalen said as he followed his mother out of the house. It was odd, though, he noted that she didn't inspect his attire like usual.
Putting it out of his mind, for now, he snickered internally at the irony of Blake's parents being there, not knowing that her killer was in the same room. He wasn't going to do anything about it though, and the most he'd say to them was his "condolences" for Blake's death.
The wake was being held at Beacon and would take place in the auditorium. Kalen questioned why they would use such a large room for such a small event. He got it was important, but it was a waste to use such a large room when a ballroom would be better suited.
But he didn't care about it. Perhaps it was just a show to make it look like they cared more. Whatever floated their boat. Soon after a silent journey to the bullhead landing Kalen and his mother took a bullhead to Beacon.
During this time, Kalen watched his mother, curious at her silence. He could chalk it off to losing one of her students, but this was…odd. She was like Ryuk was when he was hanging around Kalen during school. Silent as a ghost but ever watching.
Speaking of the Shinigami, he was flying next to Kalen as normal, but for some reason, the God of Death stared at Kalen. It wasn't odd for him to watch, but Ryuk hadn't taken his eyes off of him the entire time.
"The hell is he looking at?" Kalen wondered, thinking that there was something wrong with him. Ignoring the Shinigami, Kalen pressed on with his mother through the empty courtyard.
"Where is everyone? Are they confined to their rooms?" Kalen inquired, breaking the silence between him and his mother.
"Yes, they keep to themselves there while others choose to return home," Glynda explained, not facing her son.
"Something's not right." Kalen thought as he looked at his mother and then at his surroundings.
"Perhaps I am too paranoid." Kalen decided, thinking that the events that led to Blake's death got him too paranoid.
As they traveled around the school, the emptiness felt more and more eerie. Perhaps it was because the school was normally so full of life and now felt devoid of it. All because of his actions, but Kalen didn't feel guilty.
With time people will walk these halls again, and life will return to normal. No, it will be better than before because the world will finally be at peace. Bringing his focus back on the task at hand, he and his mother entered the auditorium, which was dark and empty.
"Are we early?" Kalen questioned as he stepped into the dark room.
"No, we're on time," Glynda responded, still not facing her son and wiping something off her face.
"Tell me, Kalen. Why?" Glynda asked, confusing Kalen and putting him on edge.
"Why what?" Kalen inquired as he looked around before the door behind him slammed shut and locked, and the lights turned on, blinding him.
When his vision cleared, he saw that he was surrounded by several police and huntsmen who aimed their guns at him. Meanwhile, onstage, Professor Ozpin and General Ironwood stood looking at Kalen as Team RWY stood behind them.
"Why did you kill Ms. Belladonna and all those other people?" Glynda questioned as she turned to Kalen with tears streaming down her face.
"Wha-What are you talking about?" Kalen gasped as he looked around in a panic.
"Oh…someone seems in trouble," Ryuk commented.
"It's over. We know you are Kira." Ozpin declared.
"Kira?! Me? That's absurd!" Kalen denied as his father got off the stage and walked toward him.
"Please, son. Don't lie. We have all the evidence we need." Ironwood stated in a calm yet commanding voice devoid of emotion.
"I'm not lying! I couldn't possibly be Kira!" Kalen denied.
"If that's the case, then how do you explain me?" Xen questioned when he stepped onto stage with help from Samuel.
"The night of the dance, you killed me. Unfortunately for you, it didn't stick." Xen stated
"It's over, Kalen," Xen said.
"You are Kira." Xen declared, shocking Kalen.
"How…how is he alive?! I killed him! I watched him die!" Kalen thought as he stared at the weak Xen.
"I...I don't…." Kalen stammered as he didn't know what to do or what to say.
"Don't what? How could you?!" Yang questioned as he stomped off the stage approaching Kalen before Ironwood stopped her.
"You killed her! You killed Blake! Why?!" Yang questioned.
"I…this…" Kalen muttered as he tried to think of an out.
"Please, Kalen. Say something. Anything. Tell us why? Tells us anything? Or please prove us wrong!" Glynda begged, breaking down.
"I…I don't want all of this to be true." Glynda sobbed as she fell, and Ironwood caught her.
"It…it's not true…." Kalen stuttered.
"What are you going do, Kalen?" Ryuk asked with a small laugh.
"Yes, Kalen. What will you do? Don't leave the creature waiting." Xen insisted, shocking Kalen.
"Wha-what are you talking about?" Kalen questioned.
"Don't play coy. I can see that…thing hanging behind you. Most of us can see. Even your mother and father." Xen stated as he held up a scrap of paper.
"That's!" Kalen realized as he saw the scrap of paper, noticing it was the piece of the Death Note he used to kill Blake. He burned it, but it seems they got to it before it could finish.
"Huh? You can?" Ryuk asked as he looked around.
"That's right, creature," Xen answered.
"I'm no creature. I'm a Shinigami. Name's Ryuk." Ryuk introduced himself.
"Are you the one who gave Kalen the power to kill people with the Death Note?" Xen inquired.
"Oh yeah, that was me," Ryuk responded as Kalen cursed the God of Death.
"See that Shinigami even exposed it! You are Kira! So tell us. Why?" Weiss asked as she and Ruby stepped forward.
"Additionally, thanks to the efforts of Ms. Belladonna, we have a recording of your confession," Samuel informed, holding up Blake's scroll.
"SHE WAS RECORDING?!" Kalen gasped as he shook.
"So, what's the answer?!" Xen questioned.
Kalen couldn't say anything. He could only question the world around him. How could Xen be alive? How could they all find him out? Why didn't he see this coming? Why did Ryuk sell him out so easily? How dare…how dare…HOW DARE….
"DAMN IT!" Kalen howled, shocking everyone present.
"HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU STEAL MY VICTORY!" Kalen cursed as the room seemed to shake from his screams.
"You want to know the truth! Fine! I AM KIRA!" Kalen declared.
"I killed all those people! Blake, Cinder Fall, all those students and criminals alike!" Kalen shouted.
"AND SO WHAT! They all stood in the path of true peace! Of true justice!" Kalen announced.
"Justice, you call killing Blake justice!" Yang hissed as she stormed up to Kalen and grabbed him by the collar, only for him to swat her hand away.
"She wanted to expose me, and that was her mistake! She got in my way, and that meant she had to die." Kalen stated.
"Do you do that to all your friends?" Yang questioned.
"Friends? I don't have friends. The fact is I found you all so…annoying and pestering. A distraction from my goal of world peace." Kalen spat.
"What do you mean, world peace? You've sent the entire world into chaos!" Ironwood countered, approaching his son.
"Yes, for now. But once people begin to realize how good the world is without the scum I've cleaned from the world. Life will become far better than it is." Kalen argued.
"How could you talk like this? Throwing away so much for this absurd goal?" Ironwood questioned.
"You're one to talk, Father. Did you not leave Mother and I for your job. To pursue your folly peace? How am I any different from you?" Kalen asked, jabbing his finger into his father's chest.
This statement shook Ironwood as he realized how his absence truly affected his son. It had played a part in turning him into Kira. The knowledge pained Ironwood greatly, but he didn't let that show through his cold exterior.
"What I want is what the world needs. What you wanted was to cover the public eye from the darkness that still spread through the world." Kalen stated.
"The world is at peace. The war is over." Ironwood countered, scared that Kalen somehow found out about Salem.
"The war may be over, but we are not at peace. You say that the kingdoms are unified but are they really?" Kalen questioned.
"Are we really unified? I doubt any kingdom would go out of its way to save one another even though you continue to celebrate the unity of the Vytal Festival." Kalen continued.
"You preach peace and unity. But you fail to practice it." Kalen stated.
"Everyone fails to practice it. They'd rather stay out of it. And do nothing!" Kalen shouted.
"The world is plagued by inaction. SO I CHOOSE TO ACT! TO DO ANYTHING TO FIX IT!" Kalen declared.
"Because anything. Anything at all. Is better than nothing." Kalen finished.
"You've truly lost yourself to darkness, haven't you, Kalen?" Xen questioned as he and Samuel walked off the stage.
"Call it what you want, dead man. But I've done more for this world in a few months than you've done in years." Kalen hissed.
"Tell yourself what you want, but it's over. You are under arrest for mass homicide." Xen stated as the police and huntsmen began to approach Kalen.
"You're forgetting one thing, Xen," Kalen smirked as everyone stopped.
"And that is?" Xen questioned.
"I have a God of Death on my side." Kalen reminded as he pointed toward Ryuk, who was confused at what Kalen was doing.
"You said that before but nothing came of it." Xen pointed out.
"True, but that's because I was still alive." Kalen snickered.
"Take me in, and Ryuk here will be forced to kill me, which will free him from my control, and he will go on to kill everyone in the world." Kalen lied.
"As long as I live and pass down the Death Note. He will be tamed, and the people of the world will be immortal!" Kalen declared his false promise.
Many looked at one another, wondering if what he said was true. He did call Ryuk a God of Death. Does that mean Kalen controls death itself? It made many hesitate as Kalen planned his getaway to get back home and get his Death Note.
"Don't be absurd. You should have polished that rusty silver tongue." Xen countered as he coughed.
"You're not looking so good, Xen. Tell me, what did you do to survive?" Kalen inquired as he inspected Xen's weak body.
"It seems my fate is unavoidable, and I've only staved off death for a while," Xen explained.
"But I won't die. Not until I've seen this job done." Xen stated as he coughed some more, causing Ryuk to look at him and the broken lifetime over his head.
"Then just die already. Just looking at your broken time gives me the creeps. Almost as much as glasses." Ryuk requested as he pointed at Ozpin.
"So many lives, yet you refuse to die." Ryuk chuckled as Ozpin glared at him.
"What does that mean, Professor?" Ruby asked.
"It doesn't matter, Ms. Rose," Ozpin responded as he stepped forward.
"We're done talking. I'm sorry, Mr. Goodwitch, but your time as a free man for the foreseeable future is over." Ozpin declared.
Ryuk looked at Kalen, and the time he had left to live over his head before looking at the people around him. He knew what was about to happen. It was over. There was no way Kalen could get away.
"Say what you want, but Ryuk will still kill everyone here after my apprehension," Kalen threatened as Ryuk unlocked his Death Note.
"The creature is doing something!" One of the Huntsman shouted as everyone turned their weapons on Ryuk, who turned to a specific page of his Death Note.
"Stop him now!" Ironwood ordered as they opened fire on Ryuk, only for the bullets to faze through Ryuk and hit each other, forcing them to stop.
"I told you. It's useless." Kalen smirked. He was surprised at Ryuk's actions, but he was happy to see him help. That is until Ryuk finished writing and displayed the page to Kalen.
"What…What is this? Ryuk?" Kalen questioned as he read the three names on the page.
Light Yagami
Minoru Tanaka
Kalen Goodwitch
Kalen shook in fear as she slowly turned to look at the Shinigami, whose red eyes bore into his very soul. Everyone was confused at what was happening, but Ironwood was the first to move toward Kalen, only for Ryuk's next words to stop him in his place.
"I told you from the beginning, Kalen. I'm not on your side. I'm just a spectator." Ryuk stated as he closed his Death Note.
"When it was time for you to die, I would write your name in my Death Note. That is the contract that formed between us when you picked up the Death Note." Ryuk added.
Ironwood and Glynda were the first to look at Kalen in concern as the others followed. Kalen shook in both anger and fear as he breathed heavily, looking around himself to find a way out. He looked furiously around himself for an exit but found none.
But it was then that he saw them. Two people, one older than him and one a year or two younger. The older had brown hair and was fairly tall, while the younger had black hair and was shorter than the older one. Though he had never met them, Kalen already knew their names.
"Light Yagami. Minoru Tanaka." Kalen muttered before he heard his own heartbeat and collapsed in pain.
He gasped for air as his vision blurred. His father and mother ran to his side and held the dying boy. But he could not see their faces. Kalen could only see the apparitions of Light and Minoru staring back at him.
Kalen spasmed in pain before he became still and his eyes slowly slid shut as his heart stopped. He had died. But Xen wasn't letting him off that easily as he instructed Samuel to get closer, allowing him to place a defibrillator on the boy.
But even after several pulses, Kalen did not resuscitate. Xen tried uping the charge, but it still didn't work much, to the detective's surprise. All the while, Ryuk watched intently as he placed his Death Note back in its holster.
"Why isn't it working? Didn't this work for you?!" Ironwood questioned as he grabbed onto Xen.
"It did. I don't understand why it won't here." Xen answered.
"Perhaps you only came back because you were too stubborn to die," Ryuk suggested getting everyone's attention.
"But the world itself is rejecting you. Honestly, it's interesting, but I don't want to see it." Ryuk spat.
"This is all your fault." Glynda hissed as she glared at the Shinigami.
"You caused all this death and destruction." Glynda accused.
"Me? I only set things in motion. I only dropped the Death Note into Kalen's possession. He did all of this of his own volition." Ryuk explained.
"He could have given the notebook back to me any time he wanted. But he chose not to." Ryuk stated as everyone turned to him.
"So you see, I really didn't do anything. But if it makes you feel better, then blame me all you want. I don't really care." Ryuk said.
"But all things come to an end. See you never. I'm going to grab another apple before I have to go back home." Ryuk waved as he went to leave.
"Hold on. What about the Death Note?" Xen questioned, causing Ryuk to stop.
"What about it?" Ryuk asked.
"Where is it? What are you going to do with it?" Xen inquired.
"I'm taking it back. Beyond that is none of your business." Ryuk responded.
"None of our business? This world has been turned over because of that thing! You won't be taking it back or giving it to anyone else!" Ironwood shouted as he pointed his gun at Ryuk.
"What are you going to do? Shoot me? No matter how much you shoot or attack me, I can't die, so don't waste your time." Ryuk scoffed.
"James, please." Ozpin insisted as he placed a hand on Ironwood's shoulder.
"Mr. Ryuk. I must ask that you please take the notebook back. But never bring it back." Ozpin requested.
"Why should I do that?" Ryuk questioned as he looked at a wall where one of his fellow Shinigami glared at him.
"Am I in trouble?"Ryuk whispered.
"Because this world has enough problems as it is," Ozpin stated as Ryuk watched his fellow Shinigami disappear.
"Fine, whatever," Ryuk muttered as he flew off, knowing he was going to get it from the Shinigami King.
"Do you think he'll give the notebook to someone else?" Ruby asked.
"Who can say. But it is beyond our control." Ozpin sighed.
"But for now, it's over," Ozpin said as he looked down at Ironwood and Glynda, who held onto Kalen's dead body.
"I only wish it had ended differently," Ozpin murmured.
"Yes, it's over. Now no more people will die by Kira's hands." Xen said as his eyes closed and his body slid off of Samuel, falling to the ground.
"What happened to him?" Ruby gasped as Samuel knelt down, checking his pulse.
"He's dead. For real this time." Samuel answered as he closed Xen's eyes.
"He held out for as long as he could. It's a miracle he lasted this long." Samuel added.
"Then I believe it's time we all rest," Ozpin suggested.
After that day, Kira's death was announced to the world though a few still died as Kalen had set up names for a while. But the deaths stagnated, and things began to return to normal as people across the world felt safe again.
This caused the rise in Grimm activity to decline once more, and the fall of crime slowly spur back, but it never returned to what it once was. Blake's remains were sent home to her family at Menagerie, where a large funeral was held.
The rest of her team were allowed to attend, even Weiss, so they could pay their respects. Glynda Goodwitch, though was forever changed by the reveal that Kalen was Kira and felt she was inadequate to continue teaching.
After all, she failed to recognize that her son was Kira and considered herself a failure as a parent. So she resigned, hoping to find some peace about what happened somewhere in the world. As for General Ironwood, he delved himself even deeper into his work than before.
He saw the events with Kalen as a lesson to keep working to protect the world, and he vowed to never let it happen again. The general still kept in contact with Glynda, though, to make sure she was okay after what happened.
Ironwood saw Kalen as his failure, too, so he didn't want to make the same mistake and leave a loved one for his work. As for Kalen's body, he was buried outside of Vale without a funeral. Only his mother and father, along with Ozpin, gave their respects.
Fate was truly cruel to those who possessed the Death Note as Kalen remained in his unmarked grave. The remaining members of Team RWBY, now Team RWY, returned to their studies promising to become huntresses so that they could make a better world.
They wanted to make it so that people like Blake didn't have to die, so they pushed themselves even more. Samuel returned to the police after attending Xen's funeral. He was going to keep the memory of his actions alive as he continued his detective work.
As for Ryuk, he returned to the Shinigami Realm as he was summoned by the king. Once he arrived, he was reprimanded by the Shinigami King for his actions, and a new rule had been added to the Death Note.
All humans who touch this note will die.
Now no one would become Kira, and Ryuk would be forced to find something else to ease his boredom. At least his boredom was eased for a while by Kalen though he didn't last long. As he watched Remnant and Earth from the Shinigami Realm, he took a bite of the last apple he had.
"Perhaps the Death Note also makes us Shinigami suffer bad luck too." Ryuk sighed.
"I wonder what would have happened if those three succeeded in their effort." Ryuk wondered as he flew off into the distance.
The End
Author's Note:
Wow, I can't believe I actually finished this. Honestly, it didn't end up as good as I hoped, but it was better than I expected. Though the journey of this story was a messy one, I enjoyed my time writing it.
I have to admit I know this story has many flaws especially compared to my others, and I think that's probably because I didn't have a road map from a to z. I had the beginning and ending thought up, so this is how I always intended to end it, but I didn't have the path.
So I kinda just went with the flow, and it didn't fully work out in my favor. But that being said, this story was always an experiment for me as I usually write action-oriented and not mystery or however you'd class this story.
Plus this was the second story I made when I first started writing and my skills have vastly improved during the...two years? Damn two years already lol. Anyway my skills have improved in the two years since I started this story so continuing such a story was a little difficult.
Additionally, I won't lie I lost a drive for this story and I think you could definitely tell that from this chapter and the last one. Either way, I'll take this story as a lesson going forward, and one day I actually might come back to this and create a re-write with a more fleshed-out story and characters. Because let's be honest, Kalen was just an edgy "smart guy" character, lol.
Especially since I only brought more of his motivations in this chapter and not previous ones so I think I could definitely do better if I were to re-write this story. But that's probably not going to happen for a long time, as writing this story was hard enough.
But it did make me really happy to see so many people enjoy this story for what it was, and I hope you liked the ending I had, which yeah, it was with Kalen dying, but I felt that it was basically destiny for those who use the Death Note to die.
Before I go, I'll respond to the reviews from last chapter:
TechnicalJoker – Yeah, I get it, and honestly, I couldn't think of another way to keep him alive long enough for the end, so I used this. I know there are other methods to cheat the Death Note, such as writing your own name inside and setting a death date, but L did that in one of the live-action movies.
As I've stated, I didn't want to copy what the original story, so I did this.
Waken Woken – I get it. I knew it was a risky move on my part to do what I did, but it was the only plausible way I could think of. Because technically, Xen did die. He just restarted his heart.
Though I did take this review into account and decided he needed to have some severe adverse effects to this, which is why he still died in the end. If I do re-write this story, I'm definitely going to do something different and keep this review in mind.
CykaBlyatintensifies – Well, glad you liked it.
That's all I have! Thank you to everyone who joined me on this journey, and I hope you all enjoyed the story I had to tell. I hope to see you in some of my other stories if they catch your eye. Goodbye!