Chapter Twelve: Crimson Chains
L's dark eyes snapped open at the sound of metal chains crashing onto the hard cement floor. L scoped out the room looking for the source of the sound that woke him up from his unconscious state. His eyes could only catch a glimmer of light radiating from a small candle on a metal pole. He tried to stretch his limbs, only to be overtaken by the blinding pain in his ankle. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth together as the pain shot through him. L's heart began to accelerate when he felt the cold metal wrapped around his wrists that had him hoisted up and dangling above the floor, locking his body uncomfortably. His mind tracked back to remember how exactly he got himself here.
Blood…fire…Sora…
His heart pounded wildly against his bare chest as he remembered what had happened to his lover. Where is she?
Chains…Pain…Sora…
He began to thrash against the chains, pulling down on his wrists. His breath became erratic and his eyes focused on the metal cuffs. With a final pull, he flicked his hands out from the restraints, leaving him completely free. He crashed onto the floor, his wounded ankle absorbing all the impact. His whole body stiffened as the mind blowing pain snaked through his body. He writhed on the floor, letting out chocked screams of agony, his face contorted with agony. He dug his nails into the wall, pulling himself up and balancing on his wound free leg. He leaned against the wall, his breath tired and ragged, as his eyes searched the empty dull lit room. He hobbled towards the metal pole where the small candle flame was silently flickering, his jaw clenched as he tried to ignore the pain. With a shaky hand, he carefully picked up the candle and looked around the room. As he lifted up the candle, a dark figure loomed above him, smiling at L with an animalistic smile. L let out a frightening scream and he stammered back, his balance overthrowing him. He collapsed onto the floor, his head making contact with the floor, letting out a sharp crack. L's head flicked behind him and his eyes shot forward, staring at the figure that now stood directly over him, crimson orbs eyeing the detective maliciously on the floor.
"Well look what we have here. Looks like Lawliet woke up finally." He stared down at the man, insanity overpowering every feature on his pale face. Beyond crouched down, his face inches away from L's face. L blinked rapidly as trails of blood began to streak down his face, dripping off of his chin. "You had me worried there Lawlipop. I thought I had accidentally killed you!" Beyond let out a spine chilling cackle, his laughter echoing off the dark walls. "That would have been a disappointment to me, for I could have my fun with you dead now could I?" He traced his skeletal finger up the bleeding man's torso, dragging his nail into the skin and flicking up the dripping blood from L's chin. L kept his eyes still and emotionless, but inside he was screaming with rage and pain. His memory betrayed him as it found memories of Sora. How much pain had she endured in the presence of Beyond? How was she not dead from all those gashes and scars inflicted on her? Her once flawless body would be forever scared with the horrible memories of the torture and pain. Her soul would be lost in a cascading sea of pain and loneliness. Even though L had held her broken body in his own hands, he felt so distant. He felt her weak heart yearning to match the rhythm of his own.
Beyond noticed L's emotionless mask and rage fueled the maniac. He shouted angrily as he drew out his knife and flicked it down L's pale chest. L's eyes watered as the burning sensation tore across his chest, his mind stifling the howl of pain that his throat was so willing to let out. He simply gazed back at his "backup", matching his emotionless dark eyes with enraged blood red orbs. Beyond glared at the detective and grabbed a fistful of his jet black hair, yanking his head up painfully and drawing blood from his scalp. L let out a quiet whimper of pain, but his eyes snapped shut and his face cringed with torment. Beyond shook the man roughly, splattering blood all over the darkness of the room. He threw L against the wall, sending another blow to the bloody genius's head.
"You bastard! How dare you ignore me? Hiding behind that emotionless mask of yours, hiding all the pain! Let me see it! Show me how much this really hurts you!" Beyond shouted angrily as he crushed L's broken ankle with his deathly grip, twisting the bloody mangled flesh. L stared directly at Beyond, only letting out a small grunt of pain, his face as emotionless as before. His eyes looked deeply into Beyond's blood red eyes, still refusing to show any emotion. L knew better than to show him any emotion. If he did, he would give Beyond complete power over him.
Beyond realized his methods of getting L to react were being diminished by L's absolute ability to be completely emotionless no matter the situation. He grunted angrily and kicked L swiftly but powerfully across his face. L's whole body flipped sideways with the impact of the blow, blood pooling in his mouth. He sat up, his head fuzzy and blurry, and spat the blood on the floor, a thin trail running down the corners of his mouth.
Beyond turned his back on the battered man and skulked over to the other side of the room. "Well I guess Lawlipop might be too smart and strong for a simple beating to affect him" he shrugged carelessly, picking up the candle in his ghostly hands.
"He calls this simple?" L's mind thought as his eyes fell upon the gash running down his once flawless torso. He felt his blood flow down his unhinged jaw. L's eyes watched blurrily as Beyond walked slowly towards the other end of the room, disappearing into the darkness surrounding them, the only thing signaling his presence was the flickering candle. Beyond suddenly pulled a piece of fabric on what seemed to be a large piece of furniture. L stared blankly at the shadowed object, unable to determine what it was. Beyond chuckled quietly as he lifted up the candle to shine the warm light on a pale listless face, letting it linger for only a few seconds before blowing out the candle. The room was completely consumed in darkness once again.
L's eyes froze, widening at the sight. He looked around worriedly into the darkness where the figure was standing. He threw his body forward in an attempt to stand up, but the blinding agony surrounding his ankle and burning down his face and jaw caused him to fall down into the ground, his already broken jaw slamming down into the cold hard floor. His mangled ankle twisted behind him as he lay on the floor writhing in agony as pain shot in all directions threw his body. He couldn't help but let out a small but sustained grunt. He heard Beyond's devilish cackle off to the right, the laughter echoing through the room once again. L simply flipped his body upright so he could let the blood from his jaw and mouth trickle down his lacerated chest and onto the floor.
"Wow Lawliet. I'm impressed. I had no idea you could endure physical pain so much." Beyond chuckled as he stalked towards the bleeding man on the floor, his cold breath lingering on L's face. L made no attempt to move, but simply waited for Beyond to do something. L had caught a glimpse of Sora before Beyond blew out the candle. He figured that if he wanted to see her again, he would have to comply with this bloodthirsty maniac. Beyond chuckled again as he clicked a metallic handcuff on L's pale shaking wrist, the cold sensation causing L to flinch. Beyond kept staring at his now bound superior in front of him, his bloody eyes staring into L's dark eyes. He quickly stood up and walked back to the right side of the room. With a quick flick, the room's eerie darkness was replaced with an even scarier dim flicker.
L's eyes shot from Beyond to the now clearly visible figure beside the maniac. His eyes fell upon his still lover, her pale complexion emphasizing the dark red scars on her face and body. Her eyes were closed and her head was hung low, her body propped up by a device that wrapped around her chest and hang upwards. At first glance, L thought she was dead, but then there was a slight twitch going down her pale childlike hands.
"Sora!" L cried out at his lover, his hand straining against the handcuff. His voice caused Sora's onyx eyes to flutter open. L stared horrified at the sight of his lover's eyes slowly turning up to glance at him listlessly.
Sora was dead, but not completely. She still breathed and moved, but she was simply dead. Her once loving warm eyes were dead and cold, fear and pain quietly looming within them. She stared blankly into his eyes trying to force a loving look into them, but only managed to stare blankly with the weakest smile lightly dusted upon her ghostly lips. L flailed wildly against his restraint, the metal now cutting into his wrist. He clawed ferociously at the cuff, his eyes filled with sorrow and panic. He cried her name out to try to release her of this trance she was in, but she kept staring, a single tear trickled down her lifeless face. L had been too late. She had fallen too fast into a perpetual world of pain and darkness. He couldn't catch her in time, or pull her out. She had drowned in the dark crimson sea of torture and sorrow. Her soul was dark and broken like a shattered black diamond lying eternally in a dark still room, lacking its lively glimmer. L's whole being ached with pain, but not because of what had happened on his exterior. He had failed miserably. He had let his lover, his reason for living, die on him.
Beyond started to chuckle, and then a frightening laugh exploded from his mouth. L's eyes flickered from Sora to glare angrily at his "backup". His eyes were completely black with rage. "Such hostility! I have never seen you this emotional Lawlipop! It's so amusing!" Beyond leaned against the wall and leaned forward, his pale hands hugging his torso as his hyena-like laugh consumed the room. He stepped idly towards Sora and traced a skeletal finger down the side of her face.
"Get. Your. Hands. Off. Of. Her." L spat out coldly at the psychopath, his trapped arm still straining. The cold metal cuff swiftly rubbed against the bone, a sharp gasp of pain escaping L's broken mouth. Beyond simply chuckled as he cupped Sora's face. Sora simply glanced up at Beyond and let her eyes fall back upon the enraged and battered L.
She simply stared blankly at his, more tears streaming down her face. Beyond then let his hands roam about her body, slowly tracing every scar and curve. Beyond exhaled softly and pressed his body closer to hers, a small groan escaping his lips as he smirked at L. Sora let out a small whimper.
L lost it. With a final pull, he sliced the skin from his hand and broke free of the chain, the large chunk of his hand plopping on the floor leaving a bloody mess. L lunged forward at Beyond like a rabid wolf, punching him in the throat with his good hand. Beyond stumbled back and collapsed on the floor, his red eyes wide as he choked violently. L leaned against the wall, his sight going completely white as his hand surged with pain. He shot a look at Sora. Her face went from completely lifeless to a look of sheer horror. Her fragile lips began to tremble and she let out a blood curdling scream. She thrashed around violently and cried out L's name, her eyes screwed shut. L turned around as he wrapped Sora in a protective embrace, the blood from his chest staining her fresh white robe. Sora immediately clung to L, but her body was still convulsing slightly.
Beyond stared up at the embraced lovers, his eyes filled with a murderous look of insanity. He pushed off the floor and stood up, flicking out his metallic knife. He stumbled towards the couple, his eyes surging with adrenaline. Sora saw the knife in his and her eyes widened. She tried to push her lover away from her, but L had passed out due to all the blood loss. She shook his body violently, screaming at him to wake up. Tears streamed down her face.
"L! L wake up! Wake up dammit!" She screamed hoarsely, her vice ragged. She had been completely snapped out of her corpse like state, her eyes now filled with fear and horror. She shook harder, but the unconscious L simply leaned on her, his bloodied arms draped down her backside. His eyes were now closed heavily. The blood from his hand ran down her back and dripped down her entire body, pooling on the floor besides her feet. He was losing blood fast. Sora could feel the blood from his chest seep through her clothes.
Beyond looked at the scene before him, his once angry eyes were now expressionless. He dropped the knife with a loud clack and he quickly walked and stood behind L. Sora's tear stained eyes looked up from L to meet Beyond. She stared up at him, her cries ragged and strained. Beyond simply looked at Sora, and then his eyes fell upon L. His eyes widened and a smirk played across his face for what seemed like a second before it was wiped away. He picked up the unconscious bloody man and flung him over his shoulder. Sora started to scream in protest, her eyes wide as she saw her lover be taken away. Beyond simply looked at her and with a quick movement, he spun around and slapped her hard across the face. Sora stared up wide-eyed, her breath hitched.
"Stop whining Sora. I'm not letting him die." He stared back at her coldly, flexing and stretching his hand. He turned around and pulled the large metal door open, letting a large glimmer of light in. Sora looked at her now clearly lit lover being carried away by her torturer. She gagged and started to cry at the sight. Half of his hand had been completely torn off, blood oozing rapidly from the limb. His bloody mangled jaw looked as if it would fall right off any second, the skin broken and dirty. L lay limply on Beyond's shoulder, his eyes closed.
Before Beyond closed the door, he dropped L beside the door and walked towards Sora, the scuffling of his feet echoing in the now silent room. He reached his hands out to her face, causing Sora to flinch in fear of being slapped again. He simply stared at her, his eyes completely emotionless. He gently cupped her face and caressed her cheek with the pads of his thumbs. His cold breath loomed on her face and he leaned in closer. Sora simply stood still and stared at him, her mind lost in his crimson eyes. Everything that had just occurred seemed to simply disappear. For a moment, it was just Sora and Beyond and nothing else. Not even the rapidly dying L that had his own blood pooled at Sora's feet and all over her body. She was hypnotized by the look in his eyes. There were no emotions running through Sora. She didn't feel anger or hatred. She didn't feel sadness or pain. She simply stared into his eyes for what seemed like an eternity.
Without warning, he pressed his cold lips onto hers, sending a shock down Sora's spine. Sora froze in place as Beyond began to lightly move his lips against hers, a quiet moan escaping his lips. Before Sora could even move, he quickly pulled away and walked towards the other side of the room where L was chained. He bent down and picked up the other half of L's mangled hand, more of the blood covering Beyond's hand. He looked at Sora, a sadistic smile on his face as he waved the bloody chunk of L's hand at her teasingly. Sora flicked her head away from the sight, her eyes starting to water again. He stood up and walked over to the unconscious L, picked him up, and walked out of the door and closing it, leaving Sora alone in the dark bloody room.