Sol of Luna: Near and Far

Author: Gakusangi

Author's Notes and Acknowledgements:
RECAP – After fighting off a large group of bandits, Mikami decides to investigate a trade post, seeking out signs of the Prince. Light gets a moment to himself…that is until Princess Misa clings to him, having snuck out of her coach. While they travel the streets together, Misa notices a young girl who has the same family name as Light…Yagami…Light decides to follow the girl, and they soon arrive at the home of an apothecary. However, Mikami arrives soon afterwards to question the two residents about rumors that they treated two boys from out of town. When Mikami becomes convinced that the two are lying to him, he has them bound inside their home, and sets the house ablaze. Light leaps to their rescue after Mikami leaves, and saves them from the fire. Once everything is said and done, Misa asks Light who the girl was. Light tells her that it's his younger sister…Sayu…

This is a Death Note fan fiction. Many of the characters presented here are not mine, but the legal property of writer Tsugumi Ohba, and artist Takeshi Obata.

Chapter 15: The Nameless Harbor

"So, what was that all about?" Linda asked Mello, her tone almost accusing.

She was dabbing away the blood from the back of the blonde boy's head, where it had collided with the inn table during the scuffle. Straight, golden locks stained red. Near was sitting against a nearby tree, Matt seated next to him, a freshly rolled and lit cigarette was hanging from between his lips.

"Remember when I told you about the thing in the cave?" Mello asked, wincing slightly as the cleaning cloth made contact with his head wound.

"Yeah." Linda replied.

"Apparently, it survived." Mello said.

"It crawled into someone else's body." Linda said gravely. "I've heard of demonic possession before, but I never really believed in it."

"Believe it." Matt said from out of sight. "That was as real as it comes."

"If it survived the fire, and the fall," Linda began, "Then we might have a real problem on our hands."

"Let's just stay focused on moving forward." Mello said, seeming irritated.

"Yeah, with no extra supplies, and a Vile right on our tails." Matt commented. "This is just what the doctor ordered."

There hadn't been a hint of sarcasm in his tone. He seemed genuinely excited about their current predicament.

"Shut up, Matt." Linda responded.

The sun had crept up into the sky by now, the light of dawn spreading over the land. Near's eyelids fell heavily and Matt became aware of his soft, steady breathing. He looked to the smaller boy, and saw that he was asleep. Matt reached over to his travel pack, and withdrew a blanket. He unrolled it and laid it across the white haired boy next to him.

"We should get some rest." Matt said quietly. "I'll take first watch."

(XXX)

L stepped into the beam of light that bled through an opening in the cavern's ceiling, the only source of illumination here. Before him was a large, stone slab, marked with an odd sigil, which warded the room beyond it. L came forward and knocked lightly upon the stone's surface. It slid aside, seemingly of its own accord, admitting the guildsman. L hesitantly stepped through. The last time he had crossed this threshold, it hadn't been on good terms with the person who resided here. The stone slid back into place after L had stepped in with a dull, echoing thud.

Candles, and the occasional ray of sunlight that came through the openings above his head dimly lit the room. Set in the middle of the chamber was a large, circular table. Behind it was an elderly man, wearing a dark green suit, tailor made, small, round glasses and white gloves. L knew that the gloves where only meant to conceal the horrible burn scars that marred the man's hands. L sighed heavily and approached. The man took a sip of tea, his eyes closed, and his body relaxed, but his posture still straight and proud. L had always thought it was funny how the small mustache that hid the man's upper lip moved whenever he drank from his teacup.

L took a seat across from the man, sitting in his usual squat fashion, his dark bangs falling over his face and hiding his bulging, dark eyes, which glistened slightly. There they sat in respectful silence, as the man finished his tea and set it aside on a small coaster. The man cleared his throat, and L straightened slightly at the sound of it.

"I can say, with all honesty, that I hadn't been expecting you." The man said gently.

"Well, certain events demanded my being here." L replied, but there was no edge to his voice.

The elderly man hummed thought fully, folding his gloved fingers together. L fought back the urge to wince as the man did so. The pain in his hands must have been unbearable, and yet he showed no signs of discomfort. Discipline, was always what came to mind when L saw this man, his unwavering discipline, in every aspect, and a true credit to the title of Sage.

"So, Azure," The man began, "What beckoned you to my door?"

"I have discovered the identity of the mortal incarnation of Luna." L told the old man.

The man sighed, leaning forward with his elbows on the table, and his chin resting upon his still interlaced knuckles. His eyes were closed as he fell into a moment of deep, inward thought. L remained silent, as not to disrupt the process of his thinking.

"How does our luck hold?" The man asked suddenly.

"Not too well." L replied.

The man sighed heavily again.

"I'm having my apprentices bring him here." L explained. "They're following the Old Kingdom Road."

The man's eyes opened, and he looked to the guildsman thoughtfully.

"You know what must be done." The man said gravely. "It's our way, the old way."

He reached into the pocket of his vest, the one without a watch chain dangling from it, and withdrew what appeared to be a small pack of playing cards. L's eyes flashed for a moment.

"I'll be playing on their behalf." L said suddenly.

The old man grinned, his mustache curling.

"This is truly a remarkable age we live in." The old man remarked.

"I'm just trying to raise their percentages." L replied, rubbing his hands together.

"I'll shuffle, you deal." The man said.

"Game starts when they arrive." L responded.

"You've put such faith into them." The old man said.

"They are the best of their times." L said. "I can't think of anyone more suitable for this task."

"That's what your head says." The old man remarked. "But what does your heart say?"

L paused for a moment, his eyes, if possible, growing darker.

"I'm here, aren't I?" L replied quietly.

(XXX)

"This fog is unreal." Matt commented.

No one responded. There was no point in it. The fog was dense and pale, like walking through milk. Mello was reminded the swirling mists that had pursued them from the capital, but he pushed these thoughts aside, they only served as a distraction. Near stayed close to the blond boy, something that seemed oddly out of the ordinary, given white haired boy's usual disposition. Matt and Linda would often stop to look around for any signs of the danger, or their destination. A port that had not been used in so long, that no one could remember its true name. The Nameless Harbor, it might as well have been the end of the world for all they knew.

Mello gritted his teeth and pressed on, unwilling to let the fear of the unknown slow his pace or stall his determination. His blade was drawn, and at ready. If an ambush should befall them, then there would be a fight. Still, he couldn't help but hope that nothing of the sort occurred. Things had already been so eventful for them, and break in the action would be well received at this point. But somehow, that cold feeling in the pit of his stomach told him otherwise. Everyone had the feeling now, and they were all too fearful, or proud to admit it to each other. Even Near was touched by the chilling hand of foreboding that gripped the others.

Every stopped for a moment, as a shadow suddenly appeared ahead of them, too obscured by the fog to properly make out what it was. Everyone fell silent, their breath making small plumes of steam, and their hearts racing in their chests. Was it friend, or foe? There was no way of knowing.

"Hey!" Matt called, causing everyone to jump. "Who's out there?"

No response came, and shadow didn't move. Linda squinted and leaned forward, trying to dispel the mist, and bring into focus the shadow ahead.

"I don't think it's a person." Linda said suddenly.

She moved forward pushing passed Mello and avoiding his hand as he reached out for her. She faded into the mist, until she too was as indistinguishable as whatever stood before them. She stopped, and Mello could just make out that she was leaning forward.

"Hey, guys!" Linda called, her voice dampened by the fog. "Come here, quick!"

The boy's rushed forward, Mello grabbing hold of Near and pulling him along. The white haired boy seemed strangely reluctant to progress, but Mello didn't care. He roughly jerked Near up beside him, and forced him to keep pace. More things came into view as they neared Linda, posts and weathered structures, looking ancient and in disrepair. They finally came up beside Linda, and beheld what she had discovered. It was a sign, little more than a piece a drift wood, nailed to a stray fence post. The lettering was browned, and jagged, like someone had carved the characters with a knife or other similar instrument. The words confused them, for they were in no language any of them had before encountered. And yet these words only intensified their sense of wrongness with this place.

VICTUS MORTUUS

They stared for a moment, perplexed by the bluntness of the message, and yet unable to discern its meaning. Then suddenly a sound came to their ears, a sound that filled them with warming hope.

"The tide!" Matt breathed.

"The shore!" Mello burst.

They were off again, rushing further into the mist and the long forgotten town. Only Near remained before the sign. The letters played out in his mind, the familiar characters defining themselves slowly…and then recognition, and a cold, paralyzing terror gripped him. Near glanced about nervously, as if expecting something to suddenly birth itself from the fog and attack him.

"Hey, Near," It was Matt's voice, he had returned for the smaller boy, "Come on, let's go."

Matt held out one gloved hand, and Near hesitantly took it in his own. Then he was being pulled along again, this time more gently than Mello had. But his dark eyes never stopped darting about seeking signs of what he hoped could not truly exist. Not in this world. Mello cut ahead of Linda as she slowed with the realization that Matt and Near were much further behind than they should have been, given the moment they had taken flight. But then Mello stopped quite abruptly. The suddenness of his halting rooted Linda to the spot, and set her heart at a rapid pace. Matt and Near both slowed when they noticed that the other two were no longer moving.

It was man-like in shape, but something about its tattered rages, the jaggedness of its motions, and the shambling, stumbling movements told the blonde boy otherwise. It reached out through the mist, with a wheezing, moaning sound that was unlike anything Mello had ever previously heard. Mello's blade flashed, and the thing's arm flopped wetly to the gravel. But that didn't slow its advance. It ignored the severe wound entirely. Seemingly immune to the pain of Muramasa's cut, it came at the boy again. The speed at which it suddenly lunged forward was startling. But Mello's body reacted, his reflexes trained into motion without the aid of his mind. The sword went in an upward, vertical slash, which would have nearly severed any man in two. The thing reeled for a moment, nearly knocked off its, already unsteady, balance, but it didn't collapse.

Mello swallowed. This thing, whatever it was, was immune to his attacks. Linda and Matt were rapidly reaching the same conclusions. As another of these shambling creatures came at Matt from the mist, he buried the tip of his spear deep into the thing's middle. It continued to move forward. Matt braced himself, determined to push the thing at the end of his spear back, or at least halt its progress, only to find his feet scrapping against the gravel, unable to hold themselves against the unnatural strength of his foe. The Kris Knives flashed as Linda put them in motion, as yet a third creature came stumbling out of the mist. Both arms were severed, landing on either side of the thing. But to Linda's horror, the arms suddenly began pulling themselves towards her, as the main body of the creature continued forward.

Near, who had left Matt's side when the fighting began, suddenly appeared next to the dumbfounded Mello, who could do little more than back up slowly in order to stay out of the creature's reach.

"Got any more tricks?" Mello asked Near.

"Yes." Near answered.

Then Near took off running, leaving the bewildered Mello standing alone. When his shocked sense finally came to him, Mello gritted his teeth, his face flushing with anger.

"Run for the shore!" Mello shouted. "We can't win this, but maybe we can outrun them!"

Mello took flight, Linda and Matt following suit. As they ran, they became aware of the presence of more shambling things, hundreds of the maybe, all making their way slowly towards the fleeing children, driven by some unseen force. The fog thinned, and the shore came into site. Near was frantically trying to push a shoddy looking rowboat into the water, with little effect. Mello came rushing forward, and barreled into the boat, sending it into the water, and forcing Near to overbalance and tumble to the ground face first. The white haired boy didn't stay prone long. Mello grabbed the back of his shirt collar roughly, and nearly rag-doll tossed Near into the boat, before leaping in himself.

"Move it!" Mello called angrily to Matt and Linda.

Linda was the first. She leapt, and somersaulted into the boat, her feet landing lightly, sheathing her blades behind her back as she landed. Matt had a less graceful, but still thrilling entrance. He dug the butt of his spear into ground ahead of him, and pole-vaulted onto the boat, causing it to rock roughly on the shallow water, but still remained upright. Mello took a long wooden pole from inside the boat and used it to push them forward. He knew that it would become a useless means of propulsion, should the water deepen, as it undoubtedly would, near the center of the lake, but he was desperate to put as much distance between them and their pursuers as possible.

Everyone else looked back, fearful of the creatures they had just encountered. To their startled surprise, the shadows of their foes could be seen standing near the edge of the water, but they did not pursue.

"They're not coming into the water." Linda breathed.

"Why not?" Matt asked. "Can they drown?"

"Maybe they know something we don't." Near said suddenly.

Mello turned to face the smaller boy, his stare intense.

"I ask you for an idea, and you run!" Mello snapped.

"It was an idea, and seemed like a good one at the time." Near remarked.

"No wolves, no rain?" Mello asked.

"It wouldn't have done any good." Near replied. "Wolves could rip them asunder, and the parts would still come after us."

"I can vouch for that." Linda said, leaning back and breathing the tension out of her aching muscles.

"What the hell were those things?" Matt asked, set himself beside Linda.

"Victus Mortuus." Near repeated the words from the sign slowly. "It's the, Old Tongue. It means, walking dead."

Everyone fell silent, the white haired boy's words sinking in. Walking corpses…could there be anything more horrifying than when the dead refused to rest? Mello grabbed Near by the front of his shirt, pulling him up to his feet, and nearly capsizing the boat.

"You couldn't have shared this with us earlier?" Mello snapped.

"I needed time to translate the words." Near replied calmly. "Besides, you ran off so suddenly, I wouldn't have had time to warn you."

Mello pistol was out, and pressed up against Near's temple.

"Mello!" Linda shouted in alarm.

"It's not loaded." Near stated flatly.

"What?" Mello asked threateningly.

"It's a flintlock." Near explained. "Good for one shot. You used it on the bear, remember."

"And I didn't load it while you were sleeping?" Mello breathed.

"I'll wager." Near said, and then he grinned.

It was an odd kind of grin. His eyes didn't squint like most peoples, and because they were so dark and lifeless, a stark contrast to his expression, it gave a very unsettling sensation to see. It was dead, a dead expression, like something an undertaker could concoct, but not a living person. Mello fought back the urge to recoil from it. Then he pulled the trigger.

CLICK!

Linda and Matt both jumped at the sound. Near didn't even blink. He never blinked. Mello let out a frustrated sigh, and then knelt down and started rowing the boat with his arms.

"Help me!" Mello barked at Matt, who immediately jumped into action.

Near settled down in Matt's old spot, next to Linda, who only looked at the white haired boy, shaking her head in disbelief. He wasn't afraid of Mello. Everyone was afraid, except for his closest friends, and even then there were moments. But not this boy, he wasn't afraid. It was both admirable, and strangely disturbing at the same time. Their progress was slow, but they made their way across the lake. The shoreline faded into the distance, along with the ghostly outlines of the walking dead that resided there. They were all more than thankful to be putting the distance between them. And silently they hoped that the creatures wouldn't find some way around the lake, and meet them on the other side.

"Look!" Matt suddenly burst.

Everyone glanced up. From the fog came a new shape, a monstrous shape. At first Mello feared that it was advancing on them, but then he realized that it was, in fact, stationary, and they were simply moving past it. As they came closer to it, it began to take on a familiar shape, details coming through as the mist thinned about it. It was ship. From the looks of it, it had been long wrecked here, now a seafaring corpse of its former self, driven up on some jagged rocks, and left to decay. But as they progressed, more phantom shadows appeared on the water. As they neared, they discovered that these too were wrecked vessels. The rocky center of the lake had become a graveyard.

"I bet the waters used to be higher." Mello said quietly. "And the lake bled out into the ocean then."

His theory seemed to ring true, for the ships were of a wide variety of make and models, undoubtedly from all corners of the world. But now they were just empty, lifeless shells. Without realizing it, Linda reached out and gently pulled Near closer to her, her other hand falling on the grip of one of the Kris Knives. Then the boat shook, splashing water up over the lip.

"What was that?" Mello asked.

"Maybe we hit something." Matt offered, trying to peer through the murky waters.

An odd silence seemed to fall over the area, empty, and cold.

"I don't think we hit something." Near said quietly.

Then the boat was struck from underneath, launching its occupants out into the water. As Mello went under, he could have sworn he felt the pull of some unseen current, as though something were moving rapidly beneath the water's surface. But since the water was so dark, he couldn't even attempt to make out anything. He broke the surface, and took a breath.

"Matt, Linda, Near!" Mello shouted, temporarily blinded by the water dripping into his eyes.

"Here!" Linda called, wading not far away. "Matt!"

"I'm alright!" Matt answered. "Near, where are you?"

Matt turned to call again, but his voice caught in his throat at what he beheld. There, not a great distance away, was the white form of Near. He was standing upon the water's surface, as though it were solid ground. Near watched as the shadow of something, seeming too large to actually exist, passed beneath his socked feet. There was a splash, and water flew several feet into the air, and now vacant rowboat was gone.

"Make the ships!" Near shouted to the others.

Near ran across the water, bring himself beside the nearest vessel. Luckily, there was some netting resting over the side, enabling him to climb up. He stopped and turned to the others, beckoning them.

"Come on, swim!" Near shouted.

After the shock of watching Near dash across the waters wore off, the others began to swim rapidly towards the ship. All the while Near called to them.

"Faster, swim faster!" Near shouted. "Don't look back, just swim! Swim!"

Though the volume of his voice had increased, there was still a calm, dead quality to it, which seemed somehow unnatural. But no one was really paying attention to such things at the moment. All their efforts were focused on swimming, and swimming faster. Matt was the first one. Near offered one, small, pale hand, and Matt took it. Near strained with the effort of helping the larger boy out of the water, gripping the netting tightly with his other hand, to avoid being pulled in. Matt grabbed a bit of netting and set himself on it, allowing Near to release him and begin to climb towards the ships deck. Linda arrived next, Matt effortlessly pulling her from the water, and bringing her up to the net.

Mello could hear the thing, whatever it was, coming up behind him. It seemed to pull him back with its advance, slowing him down. But Mello fought the water with everything he had. He reached out with one gloved hand, and felt someone take it. Matt, with some effort, hoisted Mello up clear of the water. Mello grabbed the netting and began to climb, Matt right behind him. They both spilled over the rail and onto the deck, Linda helping them to their feet, while Near looked out to the rapidly approaching monster hidden just beneath the water's surface.

"I can't talk to it." Near said, seeming both puzzled and disturbed.

"What?" Matt asked.

"I can't talk to it." Near repeated.

Mello grabbed Near by the shoulders and spun him around so they were face to face.

"Does it really look interested in talking?" Mello snapped.

Then it collided with the ship. Water was launched over the railing, and everyone was knocked down and sent skidding to the other side of the ship. Everyone stood back up, and glanced around. The ship shook violently, nearly sending them over again. Then with sudden horror, they all realized that it was being pulled under. Not sinking, being pulled under the water by the unseen creature. Mello glanced over his shoulder, and spotted a lifeboat dangling from a pulley.

"The lifeboat!" Mello shouted, grabbing Near and pulling him along.

They rushed across the deck, and began falling into the lifeboat. Once everyone was in, Mello cut the line, and boat fell into the water. Matt took one oar, while Mello took the other, and they began rowing. All the while, Linda and Near watched in silence as the massive ship was pulled down. Strength of the thing in the lake was unbelievable, and horrifying. They had to get away.

"Row in rhythm with me damn it!" Mello snapped at Matt.

"Sorry!" Matt snapped back.

They rowed, and boat moved swiftly across the water's surface. There was another giant splash, and water flew high into the air. The ship was gone, as though it had never been there in the first place. Matt and Mello increased their speed, trying to stay together. Linda stood up and pointed.

"I can see the shore!" Linda said excitedly. "We're almost there!"

"It's coming." Near said, seemingly nonchalant.

The shore seemed to crawl towards them. Closer and closer, and yet just out of reach. Finally the bottom of the boat scraped across the ground beneath. Without waiting, everyone dove out of the boat into waist deep water, and began to run forward. Near simply ran across the surface of the water, and onto the dry land, arriving there before the others. Once everyone was out of the water, they continued to run, putting as much distance between them and the creature as they could. Then, whatever it was broke the surface. They were showered with water, and knocked down by its sheer force.

When everything had settled, Mello rolled over and looked. The lifeboat was gone, and he could see a slit parting in the waves as whatever it was that had been pursuing them, retreated back to the center of the lake. A sound issued, loud and blaring, unlike anything any of them had heard. The called of a monster, the thing in the lake…

To Be Continued…

Author's Comments

Phew, that was close! Sorry I didn't get it in sooner. I'm on FLOOD WATCH down here. I'll try to get the next one in soon, promise.