Forgive me, for I have sinned.

In the darkness, he waits, guiding his hand to those who do not wish to suffer.

Prompt

Nightmare

Daniel curled his arm over, roping it around the boy in bed with him. It's been a long two days, the exhaustion between training and the recommendations of both of his fathers' Vastorie and Nathaniel. Each had provided their own thoughts on what they should do for the next few days ahead.

Vastorie will be out for at least more than half a day, and his going to be grouchy when he wakes up next. So, Nathaniel offered the idea of going shopping, just the four of them, to buy clothes that fit, while the Vastorie rests. It wasn't so much of a bad idea. They could even buy proper bags for their trip, considering they'll be spending months at a time in certain places.

It won't be like their trip to find Ging, barely any need to keep spare clothes, with Greed Island being the exception thanks to the certain situation as well as cards. This time they had a reason to stop and explore places, to make sure they're well stocked while travelling.

Killua wasn't against the idea. He felt like it would do good to prepare for what's to come. He also needed to get Alluka a phone as well; not only did she not have one, she also needed it just in case she ever needed to call them.

Killua moved around, getting comfortable in Daniel's bed, head turned away from the boy. While he was still mostly awake, he found himself settling in the situation which months ago he would fight against. But now, the comfort of another didn't bother him. He actually enjoyed having Daniel's arms roped around him, holding him close.

Sometimes he would even feel Daniel pressing a kiss to the back of his head or shoulder, the spot warming much like his features. He appreciated it, the comfort, the help he had been receiving. The normalized values of having a family actually spending time with their kids and their company, to keep giving without asking for a single thing back in return.

His childhood needed this, and while he missed out, Alluka still had a chance to bathe in the comfort of having a real family coddle her, protecting her as though she was one of their own. Seeing her smile every second, to this very moment, meant that Nathaniel, as well as their pet Daemon, had already made a positive effect on her life.

She was happy, and so was he. Killua pressed himself back against Daniel, letting his mind wander into the land of sleep as he felt another kiss pressed into the nape of his neck, a small smile spreading across the boy's lips.

He didn't want this to end, so when his mind finally drifted to sleep, he failed to pick it up, something lingering in the darkest corner of the room, a pair of eyes watching them sleep.

Quiet steps paced themselves to the base of the bed, a hand hovering over the boys. A wicked grin showed as aura enveloped the two. The moment Killua felt the presence, his eyes snapped wide awake as he found himself struggling to keep them open.

He darted his attention to the bottom of the bed, finding a figure standing at the base, a finger covering their mouth. Killua tried to open his mouth to call out, but it achieved nothing, his body going limp against his will.

Daniel hadn't reacted at all in his arms, meaning the person was targeting the brunt of his attack at Daniel first, and all the boy could do was feel guilt overcome his body, hoping that whatever the person was going to do to them, wasn't to end them.

Killua just got this wonderful life, and to have it taken away in a single night, isn't something on his to-do list. No, I can't fall asleep…The boy raised one finger, hoping to discharge enough electricity to distract the person's ability, but by the time he had raised it, his mind collapsed in on itself, falling asleep with one lasting thought.

I have to save…

Daniel…

"~"

Daniel blinked slowly, cheering ringing loudly around him. A feeling of confusion settled in the pit of his stomach. This was an unusually vivid dream, hearing his name being called amongst a crowd as well another.

At the moment, his mind couldn't register the name, his eyes were left to gather pieces of the surrounding area as clues. It was a large square stone platform, surrounded by empty space which leads to wall stretching high above the platform, which then led to benches filled with many faces he couldn't quite place.

They were blank. No distinguishing features could be found, not even eyes or mouths to set them apart. This was definitely a dream because he would never become detached, to completely stop caring to the point he removes a person's face from his memory.

He could hear an announcer in the background, his eyes forced to drift back to the stone platform. He saw a figure across him, high heel platforms, leading to baggy pants. He followed his line of sight slowly as if he was stuck in cinematic mode, forced to watch a reveal play out.

White pants led to the pink top, followed by another layer of clothing resting over the top, a back shirt with gold rim, a red heart and diamond etched into the top. It was then his mind forced him to snap his attention to the man's face, a man who caused him grief, nightmares and even made him curl up in disgust.

Hisoka…

Hisoka licked his lips, Daniel showing clear signs of disgust as he put the man as well as the surround area pieces together. He was back in Heaven's Arena. It was then he heard the announcer, Cocco's voice loud and clear over the speaker "We have a special EVENT! Hisoka Vs Daniel Darkscryer! This fight you've all been waiting for. As you can see, the stands are packed. The tension in the air before the start of this match is almost unreal!"

Wait a second…

"His lethal battle with Kastro is still fresh in everyone's minds. His record is 9-3. If he wins, he can challenge a Floor Master. If he loses, he falls all the way down. However, he has yet to lose when he steps into the ring! Will his undefeated record continue?"

It didn't go like this last time…

The boy forced himself to gather his thoughts, eyes drifting towards the crowds, trying to make out the people in the seats. He eventually found them, although, he expected to find himself in the seats, much to the contradiction of having his name being called beforehand. Nonetheless, he found Gon and Killua sitting, cheering out his name, possibly screaming to kick Hisoka's ass.

But this scenario was so wrong. Gon was supposed to be here, not him! Was this some repressed memory, like a fantasy taking over? He can't say he honestly dreamed of fighting Hisoka one-on-one, but this was his dreams… what could possibly go wrong? Besides his dreams taking him to a scenario that makes as much sense as the fight to come.

Hisoka's lips curved upwards after Daniel's thoughts, the boy left to surmise that the man somehow knew what he was thinking. But it just wasn't possible. Hisoka couldn't read minds, so maybe it was something else, something related to the scene before him.

None of this made sense as his eyes wandered back to Hisoka, phasing out Cocco's voice. He was trying to figure out the scene before him, eyes piercing the man. He was met with a usual action, Hisoka's expression heavy-lidded, an almost orgasmic reaction.

Yep, nothing unusual here. He found himself turning slightly away in revulsion.

"This is the match you've been waiting for. The die has been cast! Who will make the first move?"

Daniel pulled himself back slightly, Hisoka only drawing his fingers up, only to flick them back towards himself. The boy didn't know if he should react… or wait until he wakes up from this usually weird dream.

Cocco's voice soon beamed loudly in the arena, drawing Daniel's attention to his surrounding "Huh, neither one has moved? Are both suspicious of each other?"

Daniel quickly drifted his hands to his hips, finding Wolfbane at his side. Yup, everything was still the same as he remembered, although this fight was out of order, considering Cocco's reaction, this wasn't a dream, at least for this moment.

The boy shifted his gaze back to Hisoka, activating Gyo. He knew the man's tricks, but the strangest things about this moment is he remembers everything after this event. His training with Vastorie, which gave him an edge over this battle.

Daniel took off, shifting gears the moment he was a meter away from Hisoka. He hadn't reacted, even when Daniel started running around him, fingers drawn. The man was acting like his fight with Gon, only his eyes following his every movement.

The boy shifted his hands upwards, fingers splitting, curling his shadowy hands out upwards towards his enemy. At this point in the fight, he tuned Cocco's voice out of his mind, instead focusing on the hardest battle ahead of him. Hisoka drifted his body from side-to-side, feet never once moving from the spot, even when he had attacks coming from multiple directions.

It was then Daniel grabbed his weapon, throwing the blade out, Hisoka dodging the attack with ease, his fingers curling backwards. Rather than letting himself get hit, the boy released the mechanism on the blade, swinging it like a whip.

He expected the man to dodge it, but the attack connected, confusing not only Hisoka but Daniel as well.

Hisoka would've never let the weapon connect, dodging it with ease, but he was shocked from the connection, and his reaction caused even Daniel alarm. But he played his part, pretending that nothing had gone wrong, even when the crowd cheered loudly at the connection.

The point had been called in his favour, but the boy paid no mind, watching Hisoka draw a wrist to lip, wiping away the blood on the split lip. How did he cause damage? Daniel didn't know, but it didn't put his mind at ease any less.

Hisoka's wicked features grew, and the uncertainty vanished within an instant, the man's finger being drawn up. Daniel immediately checked with Gyo, purple aura stretching out from the man's fingertips. Daniel stepped off to the side, Hisoka frowning at the action. Daniel instead curled his arms up, letting shadows curl up in front of him, using them as a blockade for Hisoka's next incoming bungee gum attacks.

But they never came…

Hisoka seemed more concerned about what his attacks could do, then test his strength. It was unusual, unlike Hisoka… Or better yet, he was acting out of character. The man wasn't chatty as usual, manipulating the scenario placed before him. He seemed more reserved, quiet like he was holding a secret which wished to keep on the tip of his tongue. On top of that, this man seemed more… inquisitive without the need to ask questions.

This… didn't feel like Hisoka at all, but rather a nightmare fuel being powered by his dreams. Shifting his fingertips, Daniel hurled the shadow out, Hisoka dodging before lunging at him, no longer scared of the shadowy image before him.

He seen that morphed image of terror, widened eyes, lustful stare, a welcoming hand being offered to him. Even when those hands curled around his shirt, latching onto the material, Daniel fought back.

Hisoka grabbed at the leg, gliding the impact along with his arm as he licked his lips in anticipation.

Daniel instead, curled both of his arms downward Hisoka grabbing one of them, but it wasn't enough to stop Daniel's attack. The shadows rippled back like a bolt of thunder, striking the spot where Hisoka once stood, and while the man was airborne, the boy flicked his hands up once more, this time a shadow managed to latch on, and while the boy was shocked at the outcome, he wasn't acting surprised for long.

He instead flicked his hand down, slamming the man against the floor.

This wasn't Hisoka… it couldn't have been. Hisoka could have gotten out of this attack in several ways. Bungee Gum could've been used to make him rubber band off the floor, or better yet, get pulled away from danger.

This imposter had to be addressed, much like the false memory "Who, or what are you…?"

The fake Hisoka remained face planted against the floor, one hand being brought up to slam against the tiles, cracking it in his grip. The boy shifted his weight, jumping out of the field, going out of bounds. He didn't care if the referee called him out.

None of the scenes mattered.

The voice came, and why Hisoka never spoke, now made sense. The voice was older, hallow yet thick, unnatural, like a dream. He heard this voice before, like a viper lashing out at its victims. Wait, at that restaurant. That's where he heard it… but why here… in his dreams. Was this his subconscious trying to scare him to death?

Once the man raised his other hand, he twisted his wrist, everything in the arena stilling "Where, oh where did I mess up on your little fantasy?"

"Hisoka loves to play cruel… disgusting jokes which test someone's mental state."

"Ah… He loves the sound of his own voice." This false Hisoka, new enemy spoke in a calm demeanour, sounding sophisticated at times "Quite hard to do, a downfall on my part. Should have chosen something less… conspicuous."

The man flicked out his hand, morphing the surrounding field. He had forced Daniel into a new set of surrounds, a forest, with a beating pulsating tree. It served as a beacon to a disaster set to come "Remember this…?"

"No…" Daniel hummed, but the tree did draw his attention. It made him feel at home, no matter how disgusting it looked. Resting his hand against it, the tree beat like something else, like how his heart would when near Killua, and that must mean something of great importance to him resided in that tree.

Yet… it also troubled him. If this tree, was supposed to mean something of great importance to him, what was he going to find inside… and will it frighten him?

A hand curled from behind the tree, fingers resting on the bark of the unusual tree. It made the boy's heart race in his chest, but not out of excitement… but out of fear. And when the man revealed himself, Daniel didn't know whether that was from the person or because he had touched the tree.

Long white hair, engulfed by flecks of fiery red tips, a firestorm brewing in a snowstorm. His presence… Daniel has felt it on more than one occasion, but he couldn't quite place his hand on the moment, or why his heart had increased in speed. When he aimed to reach for Wolfbane, it was no longer there. So, he reached for his cards, which were also nowhere to be found.

In fact, he was in his pyjamas for some weird ass reason.

"You should know what this is… it holds everything, including what you love and fear most."

"My…" Daniel gulped, taking a step forward, which only made the man on reflex place his hand on the tree.

"Your heart…" the man's voice was dark, lifeless like Illumi. In fact, everything about the man reminded him of Illumi. The lifeless eyes, although, different in colour. The long hair, again, different in colour. And he also wore different clothing… ok, everything was different when compared to Illumi, but that didn't stop him from arguing about the man's presence.

He, made Daniel feel sick to the stomach, much like Illumi did when in his presence. But he hated Illumi. This guy his known for maybe a couple of minutes, and all he conjured up in the boy's inner thoughts was fear and terror, and he still didn't know who he was!

"Who are you…?"

"No point, you'll forget after this encounter, like the last two times."

"Two…?" Daniel looked distraught after finding out his met the guy twice before this, and he still couldn't remember who he was.

The man impatiently tapped a finger against the tree, drawing Daniel's attention once more "It's sad no one else told you about me… especially your father!"

"I have two…"

The man's face twisted into a snarl, growling in disgust "That man is nothing but sick in the head, feelings conjured from a distorted viewpoint. HE TOOK my SON away from ME…"

That held no sort of clue to who he was talking about. Was he referring to Vastorie or Nathaniel at this point? Either one was a guess.

"My Ercole!"

"Who?" Daniel twisted his face in confusion. Who the fuck is Ercole? "Who on earth are you talking about…?"

"It doesn't matter!" The man's fingers sharpened like Killua's digging into the tree. Daniel clutched at his chest from the action, a long howl of pain, being ripped right out of his throat. He ripped his hands away from his chest long enough to fling his fingers out, forcing shadows hurtling towards the man, but the action was too slow.

The moment he had attacked, the man already completed what he wanted, ripping through the tree to throw whatever he pulled out from within tree "So I'll make him suffer like I have!"

The man's figure dispersed as he threw the object at Daniel, the boy forced to catch it in his arms. It wasn't big, roughly the size of a bowling ball. But what he caught, made his stomach drop, tears filling his eyes as let out a loud scream.

Dripping blood, Killua's decapitated head was resting in his hands, and all he could do was scream himself awake from this cruel nightmare.

"~"

Killua was forced wide awake by a blood curdling scream from beside him, he could hear Daemon growling from Alluka's room, but none of that really mattered, except for the boy screaming beside him. He pulled Daniel into his grip, eyes scanning the room.

He expected to find nothing, except there was something, or more specifically, someone else in the room beside them.

His first thought was Vastorie or Nathaniel, but hearing their door getting kicked open let a blast of light illuminate the figure, a wicked grin showing.

"YOU!" Vastorie addressed the person first, eyes first widened before twisting into slits, now glaring at the figure before him.

The man dashed for the window, Vastorie chasing right after. Broken glass was sent to the floor as well as outside, Daniel's father stopping right at the window, growling in disgust.

Killua had no time to chase after him, instead focusing on the boy in his arms. He forced the boy to look at him, but his eyes were unfocused, hallow like Illumi's "Who is he… what did he do to Daniel?!"

Nathaniel kneeled before Daniel's side, bracing his son's face between his fingertip. He could hear a whisper now coming out of Daniel's mouth, a name specifically being repeated like a mantra. Killua, help me…

Nathaniel's eyes shook in terror. He had no idea what had transpired exactly, but Daniel was curling in on himself, avoiding his surroundings at all cost.

"That man… is supposed to be DEAD, KILLED by none other than YOU, NATHANIEL! YOU LIED TO ME!"

"I-" Before Nathaniel could even respond, the man had already leapt out of the window. It left a hallowed feeling in the man's chest. He made a mistake by letting that man live so many years ago. He let him, as long as he promised to never come after his son, but he did… although, not for his son… but rather his grandson instead.

"Nathaniel, WHO WAS THAT MAN! WHAT DID HE DO TO DANIEL…"

"He…" the man's hands tightened around Daniel's head, Alluka now entering the room with Daemon, terrified "Big Brother… what's going on?"

Killua let out a growl of disgust for the man's lack of words, instead of hugging Daniel closer to his body, effectively pulling Daniel out of his father's grip. He brought one hand to the back of Daniel's head, pressing his face in-between his shoulder "If you won't tell me…"

Killua laid Daniel back down gently, resting the boy's head against the pillow "I'll get answers for myself. Alluka, stay here and look after Daniel, I'm going after him."

"No, it's too dangerous…"

Killua stopped at the window, blood covering some shards of glass from where Vastorie and the stranger both jumped out of. He didn't know whose blood it was, but he didn't really care. He wanted answers, and he wasn't going to get them by standing around.

Even with Nathaniel's warning, he didn't care. He wanted to know what happened to Daniel and staying here wasn't going to help him in the slightest. The boy jumped out of the window to chase after the shadowy figure, electricity engulfing his body as he hit the floor.

"~"

Nathaniel turned his attention back to the boy shivering in bed, eyes wavering in fear. He needed to be put back to sleep, one way or another, but he couldn't do it here, not when the window was shattered. Lifting the boy in his arms, he cradled his terrified son closer "Alluka, come with me. We can't stay here in this room. I'll move him to the guest room, and you need to go back to sleep."

"But, Big-"

"Alluka, please… this isn't a matter Killua should be getting involved in. His life is in danger if he catches up to that man. His Nen is something else… it drives people to sleep, and then he enters it and makes them forget something in a disastrous way. If Killua is caught, he might never wake from a nightmare. We're lucky Daniel screamed, or else we wouldn't have known what just happened until it was too late…"

Alluka stamped her foot down on the matter, standing her ground, "Killua told me to watch Daniel. I'll stay with him… I might not be able to protect him like you could, but I also know you will be out there to save my brother. Don't let him get hurt… Daniel will be upset and-"

Both Alluka and Nathaniel turned to look at Daniel, the boy suddenly changing what he was whispering seconds ago. Rather than whispering Killua name, it was now just a hallowed voice… calling out 'somebody, save me!'. If the change was because of what he thinks it was, both Killua and Vastorie were a threat to Daniel's well-being.

"Alluka, we need to get him in bed now. If your brother or my husband kill that man, Daniel, will be lost in his own nightmare for all eternity. I have to stop them… NOW!"

"~"

Killua drifted through the woods, relying on nothing but his instinct to find the man. He didn't have time to look at his features, but there was no way there would be anyone else but the enemy, Vastorie and himself out at this time of night.

He craned his ears, focusing on the sounds of the night, searching for everything but the intense bloodlust coming from Vastorie. Then he felt it, like a sirens song, luring him in. It may have been a trap, but he saw the third wave of aura trying to escape.

The boy changed his direction, aiming for the third person.

His eyes shifted, focusing on the aura. Yes, the man was straying further away from the house, but it didn't seem like he had noticed Killua's watchful gaze. Either way, Killua pounced.

Outstretching his hand, Killua sharpened his nails, lunging towards the man.

While he was quick, he avoided Killua's brunt of the attack, but the electricity flowing off the boy's aura stunned him. The man was forced to the ground, panting heavily. To think someone not only had the gall to stop him but also hurt him as well as block off his escape route. Judging by how fast he was able to outrun his own son, this wasn't just a normal Hatsu, it was an A-Grade one, one he should get far away from.

"You shouldn't have done that…"

"The same could be said to you, boy." Looking up the man directed his gaze to the white-haired boy " Mr Zoldyck."

"You should know what I'm capable of then. TELL ME… WHAT DID YOU DO TO DANIEL?"

"Nothing that concerns you, boy." As he attempted to raise his hand, Killua struck him once more with a bolt of lightning, the man gritting his teeth as he breathed in and out slowly.

"TELL ME!"

Eyes shifted up, glowering at the boy. The boy had reacted long before could've raised a hand. He'll have to rely on his dirty tactics, letting his En deal with the boy. It might take longer, but no matter, he always gets his way in the end. Blood trickled down from the man's cheeks from where the young Zoldyck struck him "Heh… this is abnormal, wouldn't you say?"

"The only thing abnormal about you is your refusal to answer a question in a life or death situation."

"Agreed, you're right about one thing. But I don't see why I should answer someone who IS going to die soon."

Killua flicked out his aura once more at the man, his body seizing up, this time collapsing to the floor. The boy stepped forward, slamming his barefoot on the man's hand. While he heard no sound, Killua didn't take that as a warning sign. If he was supposed to be dead, he would make that dream a reality "I ask you again wh-"

Killua clutched his face between his fingertips, eyes struggling to stay open. He took a few steps back, electricity fizzling out from his lack of focus. It couldn't have been a poison, his immune to them. Was it Nen? No, it couldn't have been. He would have sensed the slightest force of hostility…

Killua fell to his knee as the enemy stood up, dusting his charred clothes off "Took you long enough. You shouldn't have come closer… it's more potent."

"But, how…?"

"Hush dear child." The man leaned forward, hand inches away from Killua "You'll no longer need to remember me… soon enough."

Killua's eyes felt heavy, unable to keep his eyes open for longer than a flutter. He was so tired… his body refused to listen to him, screaming for him to get up. He needed to fight it before he collapsed before he loses any more time. He wanted to know what happened to Daniel.

Yet even as he struggled with his remaining strength, all he could do was fall asleep.

"You won't need to ever worry about any-" His head snapped in the direction of another attacker, this time losing more than a trickle of blood. He hadn't sensed it, thanks to the lack of aura. But that bloodlust, it made him smile to see it, even when it was being directed at himself "My son… Ercole. You've grown into a fine monster."

Shifting his gaze from his severed hand to the man before him, his smile could only widen at the sight of his son before him, now calling himself Vastorie.

Vastorie shot his father a dirty look, eyes glancing for a second to Killua. The boy seemed unharmed, but who knew what his father did to him before he could reach him, with his distorted lies of love and so-called affection.

Drawing his eyes back to his father, Vastorie hated the man with every fibre of his body, even the thought of letting the man's name escape his lips disgusted him "Victor! If that even was your real name, father…"

Victor bit his lip, hating how easily his own flesh and blood made his name sound so vile and disgusting "I prefer to go by Rushifā, now…"

"Another way of saying Lucifer. So, original… at least the two of you have something in common your both egotistical. But at least he wasn't sucking his own dick."

"I taught you better than that, you foul mouth brat!"

"I'm sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you over the autofellatio you were performing, you self-sucking cum guzzling whore! I? You taught me NOTHING! You took everything away from me!" Vastorie threw out his hand in exasperation, the desire to kill the man intensifying with each passing second.

"Only the things you don't need…"

"YOU TOOK EVERYTHING! My friends, the ones I love… YOU TOOK MY MOTHER'S LIFE BEFORE MY EYES!"

"She tried to stop me from making you into what you've become today!" Victor responded back calmly, the sincerity being expressed through his words. He saw himself acting like a true father, one who cared deeply for his son. He was only removing the aspects of what his son didn't need out of his life.

"A WHAT? A self-hating vengeful brat?! I LOVED that man, and to find out your alive, is the biggest backhand I ever received from him! You're fucken alive… NOT DEAD like I was told. He lied to me, just like you did for all those years… Well, I'm killing you right here, right now!"

"You couldn't kill me now, not while you're a shrivelled husk of your own glory." With a sly smirk, Victor held a single finger out to his son "It was because of your weakness, that I took your son from you. Soon he'll forget about you, and you'll have no reason to look after that freak of nature."

Vastorie glared at the man "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"I made him forget about the one he loves most, you!"

The words made Vastorie breakdown from laughter "Are you kidding me! He loves Nathaniel way more than me! YOU FAILED!" It hadn't occurred to him then, but in the far reaches of the back of his mind, where reason still resides, his mind knew that original thought was wrong. But he didn't allow his mind to go there, he only allowed his nails to extend slightly, sharpening like how his father had taught him. Even if he didn't have his Nen right now, he was going to use the same technique his so-called flesh and blood father, taught him "I took your hand, so taking your heart will be just as easy."

Victor adjusted his stance, aura curling around his fingertips, nails sharpening "We'll see about the-"

It came out of nowhere, a large radiance of aura knocking him aside, propelling Victor into a tree. Three times now he has been denied escape. But that strength, the raw power of aura could belong to only one fighter, the one whom originally took his son away from him.

The man growled at his third enemy, none other than Nathaniel, holding Vastorie tightly against his chest. He could smell a trace of blood, coming from Nathaniel. Although, it was coming from his son's direction.

"NO!" Screamed Vastorie, as he dug his claws into Nathaniel. Harder and harder he dug into his back and arms, in attempts to set himself free. He had one goal in mind, an intense desire to finish his father off. Nathaniel was strong, holding him tightly, almost to the point at which it felt like an anaconda vice tight grip, around his chest. At that moment, Vastorie found himself seeing Nathaniel, as his future ex-husband.

"ONE AFTER ANOTHER!" Victor forced himself up, smiling this time at the outcome. Nathaniel was here, and judging by his distressed look, his plan had worked. It was a win-win situation for him. If he dies, so does Ercole's abomination. His so-called, useless child. But if Victor continued to live, Vastorie will have no other choice, but to come with him. He had no reason to stay with Nathaniel anymore "You-"

"LEAVE NOW! I won't give you a third chance…"

"No! Let me kill him!"

Nathaniel growled once more at Vastorie's father, this time throwing the man's own severed hand back at him "NOW…"

Smirking at the situation, Victor smiled "You were always a good loyal soldier…"

"The only one I'm loyal to is Vastorie. Everything I did, I did it for his sake. Keeping you alive originally, was my biggest mistake… I see that now. You should've left your son alone… I gave him what he needed… what I believed he needed! And I hold true to those ideals today. Letting Vastorie take your life, will only ruin him in the long run. I can't let him raise a hand to his parent, even if he is a monster in my eyes…"

"No, the only monster is your child. He is the true abomination… one whom shouldn't have been born. My Ercole isn't supposed to give birth, let alone look after that thing! He'll soon see the error of his ways, and realise he should be at my side one way or another…" With a cackle, Victor disappeared into the night.

Nathaniel relaxed his guard once the presence was gone, breathing out a retort for the wind to carry "He is compassionate, no matter who he came out of. And unlike you, he can show pure affection…"

Vastorie's arms slowed their movement, now sobbing into Nathaniel's shoulder "You lied…"

Turning slightly, Nathaniel brought a hand up, expression shifting into an apologetic smile "I'm sorry…" snapping his wrist, he knocked out Vastorie cold, hoping he'd stay out long enough to recover his Nen. Hopefully, by then, the man's thoughts would be collected, enough to actually think about the scenario to come.

Slinging the man over his shoulder, Nathaniel picked up Killua next "I'm sorry for what you're about to experience…" He turned after his words, walking back home. Once he's taken the both of them to bed, he can dress Vastorie's wounds, and then his own. After everything his done, the new scars will be the smallest price to pay.

I apologise for what I put Killua and Daniel through, but Victor is what makes Vastorie snap… and once Vastorie snaps, it's then, Daniel is forced to find out new sides of Vastorie.