a/n: Something a little more on the horror side. This is part of my oneshot anniversary celebration! I've spent four years on fanfiction, whoo!
dedication: To the delightful holiday of All Hallows Eve.
disclaimer: I do not own Death Note.
summary: There is a place that even Shinigami fear. - Light.
nine circles
The flames crackle loudly, almost drowning out the echoing shrieks. The room is empty, except for a thin, emancipated figure, chained to a table. A table that is currently on fire.
Yagami Light's mouth is open in an endless scream as his flesh blackens and burns, cracking to reveal raw, red flesh.
This is his punishment. An eternity of torture as repayment for the lives he took, the families he destroyed, the people he has killed.
Hell.
No Shinigami has ever warned him what the price would be.
But Shinigami are only gods of death – they do not know what happens after death. They do not wish to know. They fear hell – and for good reason.
Soon, the red flesh is also burned away, and there is nothing left but bones. Those, too, begin to char and Light continues to scream, even though he has no mouth left. Hell makes its own rules.
Finally, the bones crumble to ash and Light is free. At least for a short while.
His body begins to reform and he whimpers – he knows what's coming next. He's memorized the pattern, the loops, the code on which his torture runs. But there is no use for a genius mind when there's no way out.
The door opens.
Saya walks into the room, her eyes cold. She's followed by Misa, then his parents, by the police who worked with him. They carry knives and they slowly begin to carve into him.
It isn't the cuts that hurt – those he's gotten used to. It's the words, the rage dripping off Saya's face, the hatred on Misa's, the stark reality of what he's done to achieve his goals. The people he has once manipulated now hold his eternity in the palm of their hands.
It's the helplessness that is the true torture.
Light lies on the table, unable to move, blood gushing out of cuts, his organs pulsing in empty air. Saya, Misa and the others file out, their part done. It's time for the final act, the last scene before the whole cycle resets again.
"Not you," Light whispers through bloody lips, "Anyone but you."
But no one hears his pleas in hell.
The door creaks open again, and a figure walks through, a figure that has haunted Light when he was alive, and haunts him even after death.
"Hello, Kira-san," L says in a monotone. Light watches him silently, tears streaming down his face, mouthing soundless pleas. "It's nice to see you again."
"L, please," Light whimpers.
"You lost, Kira-san," L says and Light feels each word. L could pour salt all over his bleeding body and it wouldn't hurt half as much.
But the worst is still to come.
"Since Kira-san tried so hard, maybe a consolation prize?" L asks – a question that is not a question at all.
"No, L, please, no!"
"How about my name? Kira-san has no Death Note now, but he always wanted to know my name."
"L, I'm begging you, please…"
L reaches towards the mangled flesh that once constituted an ear and whispers a name – just like he has a million times before. And, as always, the sudden rush of fire igniting drowns out his words.
The last hope Light feels flickers out –
- and he begins to scream again.
fin
a/n: This didn't turn out well, but I like the idea that Light's worst torture is being so close to hearing the name he spent his entire life searching for.