Claws of Rage Volume One

-The Zaoldyeck Assassins

-All things come to an end….

I am Killua Zaoldyeck, heir of the known Zaoldyeck Assassins in the whole world. We may be renowned, but our name was so feared by many that made our existence rare to some and believed that we are just a mere legend. Few knew that we exist, and many don't. Nobody knew us except ourselves. We are trained professional killers; loitering around, killing people, thirsting for blood and even treating money as gods. That's us, The Zaoldyeck Assassins.

Far away from the very popular city of York, our lair is located in the inactive volcano of Kukulu

Mountain. We own the 3,000-hectare land. And about 30 kilometers from the said area, our mansion lies. People, specifically tourists, just come and go leaving footprints of disgust, discontentment, and even selfishness that people tend to come only to kill us and rob our wealth. But alas, they're wrong because nobody could enter our lair except us, nobody. And besides, even a single bullet couldn't befall us. We are eight in the family: Maha, my great, great grandfather; Zeno, my grandfather; Silva my father; Kikyou, my mother who's selfishness and cruelty had transformed me into a rebellious son; Irumi, my eldest brother; Milki, my fat ugly obnoxious brother; me, then Karuto, the youngest in the family, my younger sister.

My father decides everything in the family. But, he also obeys the decisions of my grandpa and my mother. One of his decisions was inheriting to me all the wealth of the Zaoldyeck, including our business, whenever he dies. My mother Kikyou, who's face was transformed into a cyborg, agreed with this decision. They believed I am the strongest in the family (well maybe only my mother, father and mytwo grandpas…but my brothers loathed this praise). However, I am still too young to possess the strength they're expecting from me. I don't know if that's true. I only believe in myself. And I also believe that I can't run the business…and I hate it. My mother loves me very much, but you don't know what love she's been giving; a love full of egotism, arrogance, captivity, and insolence. These qualities made me hate her, although all her oaths to me are indeed successful, but still it's not enough to impress me. I just always see her doing things that I see so different. I'm tired of killing though. I want to discover something new. Things that would stimulate my senses and bring me to contentment, things that would lead me to discover more about myself, deeper inside. This life just fills me with unhappiness. Even my brothers feel the same thing, but in a different way. Scorn and jealousy are the ones that led

them to unhappiness. And that scorn is because of me. I know that something will happen odd, something that would change everything in us, something I did not expect, the oddest thing that happened in my life.

Wind howled over my window through the dark and misty night, carrying a scent that would change the world. I planned to leave not informing them about it, or just in short, attempting escape. I really want to leave. If they wouldn't defy whenever I leave, I should have left before. Even now just irritates me. All these guards are around, Karuto's ugly pet beasts, and even Irumi's traps just fill a percent of Dread in my heart. But I should do it, to get away from every filthy thing surrounding me. But holy cow, Irumi was waiting, standing beside the big silver door, and he knew that I was leaving. I never knew that he has that oracle thing in him. But who cares if he blocks the door. I could let him get off and let me pass. And so, I tried, still doubting if he'll allow me.

"Get off brother, it's not your way", I said. I can hardly see him, now that only the lit of about 5 torches fill the hall. As I was approaching the ground, I saw a sharp thing on the wall. It was the tip of his very fatal samurai that I saw in the shadow. I took a halt until turned and greeted me with his samurai…and he stabbed me. "What a shame. The strongest member of this family couldn't just even evade from thelone attack of the weaker one" he said.

My head bowed from his unexpected attack that weakened me. He laid down his hands on my gray thick hair and curled his fist clutching my hair so firmly, then raised my head and whispered, "See how better I am than you. Mark my words"

Quickly, he dragged me through the forest. Blood rushed down from my mouth and I can't even let go from gripping my wound with blood slowly flashing out. I was lucky to be given an attack with only a small wound. But I was wondering why he didn't bury it deeply inside to kill me completely…directly. But still it hurt me. Finally, we have arrived as Irumi unhand me from his tight hold of my dress. I fell in the thick grass under the glittering light of the full moon. I look hopeless, but I never feel it. I still stood up with all my might while Irumi was sitting watching my actions. I know he's underestimating me, now that he thinks that no one can beat him in this situation. Hope strengthened me to struggle the situation. I raised my hand as sharp claws emerged from the small normal nails I have. I know the thing in his heart that caused this trouble. It's jealousy. My relationship with my brother was not that really strange. We were close especially when I was young. But it just happened that only the word that I haven't heard before will try broke us, a word so simple to spell, but so hard to accept. No, it's not just a word…it's a feeling that once buried, it will never come out so easily that it could be. So it is.

If this would kill me, I should have left before it gave birth. At last he stood up from his short rest expecting for an attack from me. My ability allowed me to hurt him. Even though it was just my first attack, it hurt him so completely. I buried that sharp claws in his right face and down I slashed his smooth skin. He got back feeling the pain and blood of the wound. The opportunity just took place when he dropped his samurai after that attack. He yelled from the pain. I alertly grabbed his samurai and attempted an assault that would end the show.

"SLASH". And there from that second and violent attack he fell catching his breathe. I didn't know that behind us, was my mother, taking her very last step of the showdown. She saw Irumi fall to the ground…dead, and saw me killed him. Again, my pace led me to reach behind her. I clutched her neck with my blooded brutish arms with all the claws ready to kill in front of her face. She can't start anything else but only to have all her tears rush down from her eyes. She quickly grabbed my hand, and held it away. Now, facing me, she slapped me so hard.

"So this is how you will exchange the love I had given to you for so long? How dare you!".

Even I felt an emotion in my heart that struck me with her words.

"So…tell me the reason, is love more than treating me a captive. No friends, nothing but only the set inheritance for me. Everything's foolish. I was living there seeing nothing but only the well-treated money in front of me. I live to kill, to see and feel the blood, to live full of violence, but it's all over. I'm bored of it and even this single freedom would block me from my happiness. Love is not only a word spoken from our lips. It's not even a toy. It's something precious that you should have treated more precious than you treat money".

I strode away with Irumi's samurai. But my mother called me back. "Killua, don't leave. You are the only one to follow your father's steps. You're the strongest and the deserving one to continue our name full of fame and wealth. And all of those are just the way to let us survive in this world. It's you who must stand and continue our paths.

I thought nothing but the statement I last spoke, "Remember this, plant this in your mind…It's not our abilities that show who we truly are…it's our choices…" I started my journey and left the misery I once lived.