AN: I'm back! And it's been 10 long months! I know this chapter is short. I did not reread, so there's provably a lot of grammar error, just to warn you.

I'm sure most of you have already forgotten this. I also have to reread some of the chapters to be able to go back to writing and continue this.

I hope you're still interested in reading this. I cannot promise to update soon and regularly, but I am planning to finish this.

I would also love to hear (read) your thoughts. Please read and review.

Disclaimer: I do not own HxH

Chapter 26: Memorial

It is a rule in the Kuruta village that only upon turning 16 that a member can go outside of the village after taking an examination to make sure that the those who wants to travel to the outside work are able to control their eyes and most are able to protect themselves. Most of the children of the Kuruta tribe dreamed of going to the outside world to see new thinks, to learn new things, to experience new thing and many more. And Pairo is not different from these children.

As soon as he turned 16, he took to said examination to be able to go outside the village. Kurapika was only 12 that time, so he was a bit hesitant to take the exam and leave Kurapika. But the young girl was very supportive of him, telling him that he should pursue his dream and not to deprive himself because of her. She also told him to tell her stories and bring her some books from the outside world whenever he comes home. As a parting gift, Pairo gave her a magical earring which she kept very dearly.

Every month, Pairo would come home bringing with him some gifts from the outside world and some books as he had promised to Kurapika. But one of those days has come when Kurapika wished that he did not come home that very day. The day that a band of thieves came to wreck havoc on their once peaceful village and murder every single being that leaves in that village.

Kurapika and Rain were away at that time, playing in their usual play ground at Lumier's dwelling place in the mountain. They were running wildly like children without any care in the world especially Kurapika who is more physically able that Rain who on the other hand can only do normal things that a normal person can do, if nen is not included. Therefore, Kurapika is always on the upper hand whenever they do activities like this.

"Wait for me, Kurapika!" Rain would call her cousin every now and then but the other girl did not hear her and continued running down the mountain, jumping from one three to another. "That's unfair!" she shouted and resorted to using her power, a power that she can use ever since she knew. Her father called it nen, but she never paid much attention to it. As much as she can, she never wants to use her power, only at a certain time like this.

Rain created a red, crystallized platform that she can use to ride and fly her to where Kurapika is. She found Kurapika standing near a clearing, looking intensely at the sky.

"Kurapika!" she shouted. "Thanks goodness, I managed to catch up to you," she said as she vanished the crystallised platform and went beside Kurapika. "What are you doing," she asked when she saw the intense look on the eyes of her cousin.

"There," Kurapika said as she pointed at the sky where she is currently staring at.

Rain looked at that direction and saw a collection of gray clouds coming from a distance. No, it's not a cloud. "Smoke!?"

A loud cry suddenly echoed from the same direction where the smoke is coming, scaring the wit out of the two girls.

"What is that?" the dark haired girl asked.

"It's coming from the village," Kurapika told her. "Let's go."

They continued running strait to the forest, not minding the scratches that they get from the small branches, protruding everywhere, until they arrived at the entrance of the village, their home.

Their eyes widened at what they saw in front of them. The village that they used to live not anywhere recognizable, it was no longer the peaceful village that they know.

The people are lying here and there. Blood splattered everywhere. The houses were ransacked without mercy and some are burned to ashes and still burning. Even plants and trees were not left safe.

"We should go back to the mountain and call for help," Rain told the other girl out of fear. But Kurapika did not listen to her; instead, she entered the wrecked village despite how her whole body trembles at every step while looking at the lifeless bodies on the ground.

"Everyone," her voice wavered. "What happened here?"

Slowly, we reached the centre of the village and found a man in black uniform-like suit. His back was facing toward them.

Kurapika's heart rose as she looked down at the man lying in front of him. It was her father.

Rain's small hand grabbed her arm, making her head turn back and saw her face, full of tears.

She turned her head back at the man and saw him looking at her. He was crying and looked so lost. But she only saw one thing, the face of a young man that she knew so much, that she loves so much, the face of the killer who murdered their family.

All went red as Kurapika shouted and lost her control. Her power run wild as vines started to grow uncontrollably and the wind blows everywhere, making the fire go wild and burning everything that it reaches.

"Kurapika!" she heard her cousin called at her name, but she can no longer stop herself until her vision became blurry and darkness consumed her.

The next thing she knows, she can no longer remember the most important person in her life along with her cousin. Her memories about Kuroro and Rain were gone.

-0-

"I'm sorry, Pairo. I'm sorry, Rain. I'm sorry, Kuroro!" The single drop of tear in Kurapika's check fell down on the ground and Kurapika's determination build up with a strong resolve. She will seal the darkness with her two hands and she will definitely save Kuroro.

The three of them, Kurapika, Teito and Gon, met Killua in front of the tower. Kurapika wasted to time to tell them her plan in sealing the darkness inside Illumi. And for this, she need's her friends' help.

"I do not want to put you in danger, but do as much as you can to distract Illumi," she said to Gon and Killua. "On the other hand," she looked at Teito, "you will carry me on your back to bring me closer to him to conduct the sealing while he is occupied in fighting."

"Killua also have to use his kanmuru and watch Illumi if he managed to noticed us. With that, we can avoid unexpected attack."

Despite what she said, her friends are more than willing to face whatever danger that comes before them, knowing that they are helping their friend. They will do anything they can to help.

The ongoing battle has become intense. While Frau is taking care not to accidentally kill his opponent, he is doing his job to distract him and weaken him and at the same time, slowing his movements. Gon and Killua came to join him although he doesn't really need their help, but they proved to be useful in his task. He is sure that Teito is helping Kurapika to prepare herself to get to a perfect spot to seal the darkness, and while they are doing that, they have to keep Illumi distracted to avoid him noticing Kurapika's presence.

To be able to seal the darkness, Kurapika should not be more than seven meters away from the target. The nearer she is, the more easily she can seal the darkness.

Teito looked at Kurapika's friends at the distance while he carried Kurapika on his back. "Let's go," he said as his eyes turned into red. And as if on cue, some of the platform, creating the ladder, spread in front of him, as if telling him to use them as his stepping stone toward their target. Soon they came at a good distance to seal the darkness.

"I call upon you who hold the darkness of greed." Some needles came flying toward them, but Killua is much faster than the needles and came to catch those needles with his bare hand as he landed swiftly on the ground, throwing the deedless carelessly.

"You should not forget, I am here," he said mockingly to his brother.

Illumi was unable to do a second attack as Gon and Frau prevented him to do so. They attack him simultaneously, leaving him fully occupied in fending for himself.

"Go out of that body and return to the void!" Kurapika's enchantment is done and air around Illumi became intense while his writhed as if in pain. Gon and Frau stop attacking him and let the void suck the darkness away from him.

Illumi shouted as he brought his hands on his neck as if he was preventing the air to come out of his throat. A mass of darkness came out of his body and lifted up to him and went at the hole which Kurapika made with her hands and Illumi fell down on the ground unconscious. The kor also vanished into thin air.

Teito jumped out from the platform he was standing and landed to the ground swiftly. He also let Kurapika go down from his back and took a deep breath. "Finally, it's done."

"Not yet," Kurapika said as he went over the direction of Reliquie (the ghost with curly golden hair) who was carrying an unconscious Kuroro on his shoulder.

"When the moon vanished," he spoke up, "seven stars will shine to their brightest."

TBC