After Scarlet makes her demands, Killua agrees with the conditions set upon him.
The first thing Killua took note of as soon as he got back was the wet towel on Daniel's forehead, the slow straining breaths as the boy's face scrunched in pain. Alluka did a fine job looking after Daniel while he was away, caring for his boyfriend in his place.
He'll have to make sure to thank her properly once Scarlet has performed her Nen Exorcism, saving Daniel from current suffering. For now, he'd settled on a quick head pat, ruffling her hair with a smile that came naturally to him. It was the one Gon taught him… The one Daniel wanted to nurture…
Letting go of her head, Killua quickly checked on Daniel, seeing what he can do to help with the situation. The boy's forehead was unbelievably hot; the cool towel on his head helping ease the boy's heatstroke, even if it's only a little.
His heart continued to beat, although its tempo was gentle on the ears. Killua rest his head next to the boy's chest, making sure the boy was doing ok as Scarlet worked her Nen.
Her finger dipped in the boy's aura, the texture stretching as if it were a made out of gum. The movements seemed fixated on the composition of the boy's aura as if she were analysing every inch… every grain of aura.
She had remained silent during the process, like a scientist making sure the chemicals mixed correctly. In Killua's eyes, it looked as though she was worried that a single misstep could cause a chemical reaction, one that would combust the boy's entire being.
As her finger let go, Daniel's aura settled, swirling around him once more. "That isn't good…" Scarlet hummed, her fingers settling against her side, constantly tapping against the delicate skin.
Daniel's aura was unnatural, to say the least. He refused to give up… to die… yet the foreign aura was thinking the same thing, trying to amalgamate with Daniel's aura so the two didn't contradict one another.
It is possible to remove it, but judging by Killua's reaction, he had no idea how her ability worked; his words told her as much "So you can't remove it…?"
"Oh, I can't… but you can."
"Huh…?" Killua's eyes widened at the news, he was far from a Nen exorcist. He brought her here for that very reason, not be told that he could've done it since the beginning. Sure, she wasn't entirely wrong, but at the same time… she didn't know about Nanika's powers…
Very few did…
"Didn't Nathaniel, Zaikaria or Vastorie tell you anything about my ability… the way it works?" The boy's confused reaction made her let out a guttural groan; having to explain how her ability works, was not on her to-do list, not while the boy's partner was stretched thin.
Whatever aura is consuming the boy, by a mere glance, she could tell the boy was fighting against it, but that didn't mean he was winning… he was losing, by a mile, "Where do I even begin…?"
"ANYWHERE, just make it quick!"
"Fine… how much do you value your lives?"
There was a slight pause, Killua's eyes narrowing at the question. Daniel means the world to him, but he suspects she wasn't asking that. She wanted an answer that encompassed everyone close to him, "Everything…"
"I'm not talking about that kind." Scarlet huffed in annoyance, "are you willing to put your life on the line…" her hand lifting to point at Daniel, "and his…?"
"He would…"
"But would you…?"
"Yes!"
She didn't believe him, not because he has no faith in himself. It was a tiny clue that gave it away. Killua didn't understand the true meaning of the question, the consequences of failure. So, she continued, "You have to understand. If you fail, not only will you lose your life, but he, will too… Failure results in the death of the requester and the client. Not in a peaceful way either… Your flesh will rot until there is nothing, but dust in the wind…"
Scarlet leaned forward, looking into the boy's eye for confirmation, "You'll be forced to watch each other die, and I will not allow that to happen. You have some potential… I can see it in your eyes, and I will not snuff that out for a maybe. Failure is not an option, so if you commit, you better be prepared to fight tooth and nail! With nothing but the basics, and advanced Nen skills… none of your Hatsus…"
Killua bit his thumb at the news, his strong… he knows he can pull it off, but there are too many variables she's leaving out. However, if Daniel were in his position, he would do the same, no matter the risks… no matter the variables that could lead to failure! If Daniel could do it, he can too. She wants his faith so badly…? He'll give it to her, "I can!"
"Can you do it in less than thirteen minutes…?"
"Do what, exactly…?"
"Long story short, in order to perform a Nen Exorcism, I need someone who has a close relationship with the client, in this case, Daniel. Whether they're a mother, which he has none… a father, sibling, friend, best friend or partner, it doesn't matter. They just have to be close to the boy, and I can tell by just the constant flow of aura, Daniel completely trusts you… no matter the choice you make."
Even in a state discontent, you have faith in me… How Daniel ultimately ended up developing romantic feelings for him, he had no clue. But even when he was in a state of near death, he was still putting his life on the line, for Killua's own sake.
Killua would regret letting go of Daniel's hand in this instance, but by Scarlet's words, if he chose his sister over his boyfriend, the boy would've accepted his refusal to save him, in favour of continuing to protect Alluka. He refuses to give up, even in this circumstance, when he has an actual chance, "You haven't said a thing about what exactly I'm supposed to do. I swear if you tell me to kiss him, first, I'm going to call you a perv, and second of all, this isn't some fairy-tale bullcrap!"
"No," the woman laughed, especially to his reaction to admitting the kissing part. The boy's cheeks were bright red, proving that no matter how flustered he got… how much he wanted to hide it, he did care for Daniel, "You see the aura swirling around the boy that isn't his… you're going to crush it into submission…"
"So… use Ren?"
"Not exactly… with each passing second, the foreign aura gets stronger. I'm going to send you inside Daniel, anthropomorphise both Daniel's and the foreign member's aura, and then with Daniel's help, specifically his Nen techniques, you'll have to defeat whoever cursed Daniel."
"Sounds easy enough…"
"The Maximum Aura Power, M.A.P for short, is going to dictate everyone's health. Daniel has a limit of around two hundred and fifty-thousand, give or take… on the other hand, this curse has about a million."
"So, you're asking me to drop… Victor's curse's health, down below Daniel's… sounds easy enough. Hint, hint… sarcasm…" Killua responded, tongue-in-cheek, his fingers roping in-between the boy's fingers. She's asking for a miracle! A miracle he hopes to prove possible.
"Lucky for you," Scarlet met the boy's sarcasm with a genuine smile, and good news for the boy going through with the plan, "Victor can't block, use Nen, and every one of his attacks uses his so-called health. Unfortunately, the same applies to Daniel… using his abilities will reduce his health. As a bonus, you have your own health, and because you are going to be a physical copy, you have bonus defences in this case, as well as about an M.A.P of around one-hundred-thousand. Sorry for making you use some of your strength earlier…"
This all makes no sense! I have to beat the shit out of Victor's aura, which is unbelievably massive… WHILE I have to maintain Daniel's?! WHICH, Daniel has secretly been amassing for months! He has been training for endurance, just so he can keep up with me… just so he can find a foothold right behind me… The thought made Killua smile, "How do we get started? I want to get a head start on defeating Victor!"
Scarlet kneeled before Killua, "Do you have faith in yourself… that you can defeat Victor? Daniel or your death inside there can result in failure. Think about your sister as well, do you want to leave her alone…?"
Killua closed his eyes, wondering what Gon would do in this situation; unfortunately, he smacked himself for the thought. Gon wouldn't even try to think about the scenario… to ask questions. He would've charged in there without a single clue on how to achieve the goal, "Thirteen minutes, correct?"
"Yes…" Scarlet smiled, standing up once more. Killua has faith in himself; he believes that he can defeat Victor. The longer she delays it, the stronger Victor's aura becomes…
She must make the choice, to have faith in Killua… or refuse to snuff out the boy's potential future. Aura flowed around her hands, joining them together to create a symbol, an eight with her fingers that held no semblance, other than to maintain her focus.
As she pulled her hands away, Mr Dandy showed up behind her, smiling menacingly, but he looked dead unlike before, his eyes containing no life, no soul to manipulate the Nen beast.
That was until Scarlet laid her hand on Killua's chest, drawing his aura away as if she threatening to rip his soul out. Mr Dandy came to life once the connection between he and Killua was made, one eye glowing as he drew an hourglass from thin air.
Once Killua's aura flowed between her Hatsu and the boy, she moved onto Daniel, to repeat the same process.
Except for the moment she pulled his aura away, in the second hand, Mr Dandy brandished a scythe. Killua didn't seem worried about the situation. He had a feeling this would've happened either way. Daniel's life meant more than the fear of death in this instance. He reached out to touch Daniel, his fingers tracing the boy's hair…
"Are you ready…?"
Gon wouldn't have given up on Daniel…
Daniel would've done the same for him, given the chance…
Zaikaria would've killed him if he didn't do anything…
But more importantly, Killua came to accept Daniel as being a part of his life, something he wants to continue. Even if he were to get hurt, he'd refuse to give up just because someone said not possible.
If Scarlet refused to help him, he'd seek out an alternative… even going as far as to beg Nanika to save Daniel, as a last resort! He'd rather not, but at the end of the day, he can see Alluka doing the same given the chance.
Killua turned to face her, nodding at the question, "I can't give up… not while I have a chance!"
Scarlet slammed her hands together at the affirmation, the second eye glowing as the Nen beast turned the hourglass, aura lashing out from within, swirling around Killua, before moving onto Daniel, connecting the three as one.
Killua closed his eyes, feeling the connection between himself and Daniel. It felt like nothing has changed between them. There was still that connection; it's just that this time, the aura that usually connected the two could be grasped a little better.
He could feel the boy's emotions… understanding the boy's thought process, even if it was only a little in this instance.
Daniel felt so alone… scared… I'm coming to save you, Daniel!
"You have thirteen minutes!"
On that note, Killua opened his eyes, witnessing a completely different world.
"~"
Victor stopped in the middle of a crowd. Something was wrong like his aura had been shackled, an existence encased by a fabricated aura. He growled at the idea of a something unnatural chasing after him.
He has allowed his son to use other means to follow him, for far too long, chasing after his shadow like a child, clinging to their parent. This is the last straw; I'm going to kill that child… Ercole!
Flicking his head in the opposite direction, he headed for the airport. I'm going to the Kakin Kingdom, where my aura is being challenged…
"~"
The switch between the worlds was unreal, Killua's eyes laying witness to the inner turmoil of Daniel's body…
His feelings…
His heart…
The darkness swirled around him, ready to consume his body given the chance, while above him a storm raged on. A mix of purple, navy and absolute darkness fighting against each other, dominating the skies in a vicious battle for Daniel's body.
If he were to look at the world without Gyo, it would look like a desolate wasteland, nothing for miles. The shifting darkness that curled around him at times was the only forms of life, for the moment, acting like he were the only light source in this entire area.
The only reason he could even tell there was a raging storm, was because of the purple aura consuming the skies. Without it, he might as well be stuck in the black room.
Except, in this case, Daniel's loss might end up with him fading into a deep slumber.
"Great, I'm here, and I need to somehow find Daniel amongst this rubble of destruction…" He was half expecting Scarlet's voice to boom from the sky, offering advice right then. It never did… the silence being unusual to say in the least. The fact he could hear his own voice, made it weird, considering he couldn't hear a peep of sound lingering off his surroundings.
It was eerie…
Killua stuffed his hands into his pocket, looking around to see if he could spot anything of interest, besides it, stretching for miles. There was nothing special about the place, besides the fact it was spawned from a single ability! He would've never imagined this kind of ability could be possible… A world generated off the aura of two figures.
Sure, it's on par with Vastorie's ability, but that world spawned all in his imagination… Killua, on the other hand, could feel every inch of his body in Scarlet's world. There was nothing being left out. He could touch, feel, even since the whole world around him…
It was as if he belonged here… Scarlet, is amazing!
The situation also came with bad news for him… All the pain he experiences here would rebound to his body, outside this world.
He closed his eyes, wondering what he should do in this instance. Using his God Speed would lead to the best outcome, considering the time constraint. But he couldn't rely on it. Scarlet warned him that it would do more harm to Daniel; his ability was unnatural to the boy's body… like a virus being passed around during Flu season.
He can use all the basic and advanced Nen techniques… So maybe, his assassination training would work here. It doesn't touch Nen, so it shouldn't be something that should hurt Daniel in theory.
The boy drew his right hand up, his claws extending without any need for effort. There was no sound of complaint, the world around him going on without a single peep; looks like he'll be still able to perform those skills when he needs to depend on them. After inspecting his hand, he then notices the watch, a countdown timer. He has 12 minutes and 08 seconds. He has already wasted 52 seconds…
Killua flicked his eyes, using Gyo to survey the area better. If he can't find anything, he'll just pick a direction and run. Walls surrounded him, leaving him with only one direction to go… forward.
So he ran, hoping that he'll find something soon.
"~"
Scarlet looked at Killua, his body floating in suspension, neither of his limbs moving thanks to her ability's process. She was surprised that Killua's sister hadn't said a word during the whole process. One would expect their little sister to at least voice some of their concerns.
Then again, she might also be as smart as Killua. The boy did after all find her, tracking her down with very little facts. The reason she was even hiding, was all for Stefan's sake. Stefan reminded her so much of her little brother, Adam, quiet… intelligent…
She saw it as a gift of redemption, a chance to make up for the mistakes she made in the past. How she wished she could go back, to see if she could have saved her brother. Vastorie wouldn't allow it, only having enough time to break open the cages of the other children, and saving her from her father's torturer.
When Adam was seven, and she was ten, he found out about what his father was doing with her. He demanded their father to cease his actions, to stop hurting Scarlet. She should've stopped her father from what he was about to force upon her little brother… She should have protected him! She was too weak to stop the situation from happening… from her little brother being drawn into the drama.
She was forced to watch the scene unfold over and over again in her dreams, even when she was awake…
It took twelve years to live on from the past, and sometimes… she still dreams about that past, the nightmares coming back for no reason other than to torment her.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, drawing her mind away from the thoughts. She has Stefan, someone she wants to care for, to give him a life that she couldn't give her brother; it was her only form of solace, redemption.
Now that Killua found her… it proved that she needs to move again, to hide once more from the world around them.
She can survive off her Hunter's Licence, only coming out of hiding when someone needs her skills.
"What's your name kid…?"
"Alluka," She would have offered a smile to Scarlet, but her back was turned to her, unable to possibly look away while her ability was active. She felt like she should continue the conversation in Killua's stead, "my brother is very thankful for you helping him… giving him the chance to save Daniel…"
"What about you…? How do you feel about your brother's actions?"
"He's really strong! I know he can pull it off…" Alluka paused, sensing another question in the woman's words, "But I haven't answered your question… have I?"
"No…" Scarlet paused, re-asking the same question, different this time, "If Killua fails, he could die. Aren't you worried about losing your brother? Why didn't you try to stop him…?"
Alluka lost her smile. Was she worried, yes… but she had absolute faith in her brother. She couldn't choose one over the other, because she cared about both of them. She loved Daniel as much as Killua…
Daniel just knew how to click with Killua, offering something her bother has been craving for as long as since… well, possibly since he was born. Their family didn't know how to love a child, to give them the proper attention they wanted.
Killua was starved for love so long; he could only achieve it through her. But now with Daniel in the picture, he didn't need to ask for it… to seek it out on his own. Daniel would do his hardest to make Killua smile, even if he had to suffer alone behind closed doors.
Killua on the other hand… well, he didn't want Daniel to suffer for happiness. He just wanted one thing, the thing that Daniel didn't seem to run out of a supply of, "Big brother is worried about Daniel because he's scared to lose someone precious to him…"
"If I were in Daniel's position, he wouldn't even stop Killua in this situation. He would support him a 100%, even if he couldn't help him out. He would've tried to somehow help him out here, in any way shape or form…"
"They both mean a lot to you… I can only offer so much assistance, and usually, I charge after a successful Nen Exorcism. But instead, I'll offer an IOU… if I ever need assistance from your bother and Daniel… I'll make sure to ask them."
"Daniel also has a request for you…"
"Oh, what about…?"
"He wants to learn about his father from your perspective."
"Nathaniel…?"
"Vastorie…"
Scarlet's jaw dropped as she looked over to Daniel. She doesn't know what she could offer the boy, but she'll help him. If she were to go by Alluka's words, Daniel was kind like Nathaniel. She couldn't exactly turn around to read her emotions, but the kind words seemed genuine.
She doesn't know where she'll be without Nathaniel and Zaikaria's continuous help during her childhood, but she cannot dismiss Vastorie's help either. Without his help, she'll either still be in that hellhole… or dead.
Scarlet turned her focus to the nearest clock…
Killua has roughly 11 minutes… I hope he can pull it off.
"~"
Killua stopped in his tracks, for the first time hearing a voice other than his own breathing. It echoed around him, the utterance of a child that was scared; at least that's what it sounded like to him.
It was a quick 'hello', followed by eerie silence. Either the child had good timing, or he was in a horror story in the making. If it weren't for him paying attention, he would have missed the voice completely, "Daniel…?" Killua asked, hoping that it was indeed Daniel's voice calling out to him, and not Victor who was hoping to get the first blow…
The boy took his time, looking around the area to see if there was anything out-of-ordinary. At first, he didn't notice anything, but then he could feel someone watching him, someone… lurking shadows…
Scared of him…
The boy pressed his own hand to his chest, closing his eyes as he felt the warmth of Daniel nearby. At first, he just thought it was because he was being surrounded by Daniel's aura at all times, considering his situation.
However, the voice got closer…
"Hello…?"
Killua felt a tingling sensation run up his spine, his body freezing solid to the spot; the voice was too close to comfort. When he opened his eyes, there was a shadow lurking in front of him, smaller in stature, with no visible features to distinguish him apart from the surrounding world.
But the aura on the other hand… he couldn't mistake it…
It felt like Daniel's, although Killua had no idea why he was so small, or why he could feel an even bigger one further away, giving off the exact same presence…
Neither could he gauge why he could tell Daniel apart from the surroundings. They were the exact same colour; the only difference is that this figure looked like a human child. The other concern is why he feels the exact same presence further away. Does that mean Victor has somehow found a way to mask his presence with Daniel's…?
"D- Daniel, is that you?"
The shadow didn't move, remaining glued to the spot, as if expecting something from him.
As Killua attempted to pull the figure closer, the shadow stepped away. It was scared of him, and considering the circumstances, he could understand why. This figure must have been fighting Victor for so long; it's suspicious of all outside figures.
Killua kneeled before the shadow, holding out his hand in hopes that the figure, would come closer to him out of its own volition, preferably before wasting too much time. He only has less than 11 minutes to hunt and kill Victor.
"Please, it's me… Killua…?"
The shadow took a step forward, touching Killua's hand. It felt warm, recognizable. It had to be Daniel… there was no denying it, not when it was so close to him. Killua didn't waste any time, pulling the boy closer. His arms wrapped around the figure. He felt his own tears brim, an apology coming out of his mouth before he could stop himself "I'm sorry Daniel… I wish I could have found you sooner!"
He couldn't waste any time, he needs to find Victor now before his aura spreads to unstoppable levels. The boy took a breath, wiping away the tears before asking his first question, "Where's Victor…?"
The shadow turned, its finger pointing toward the sky.
"Great… Am I supposed to fly there…?"
The shadow shook its head at the question, Daniel's aura taking Killua's fingers within its own. He could feel a tugging sensation in reverse, the boy's shadow combining with his own. Then it was gone, Daniel could no longer be felt, its presence completely disappearing without a trace.
"No! No! No! You can't leave me! Tell me how to help you… please?!"
As if acting alone on his thoughts, Killua felt his body become weightless, the shadows now surrounding, supporting his body as though it was now able to fly. No, it wouldn't be correct, by merging with Daniel's shadow, he is now able to manipulate the surrounding area to suit him; the only problem is he doesn't know if it will use Daniel's life force.
Maybe he could instead use what Tsezgerra taught them back on Greed Island, using his own aura to propel himself upward, and then access Daniel's presence, allowing him to anchor himself to the world.
Bending his knees towards the ground, the boy manipulated his aura to cover his feet, offering himself a burst of power to propel himself upward. As he was coming down, he let himself connect with Daniel's aura, his feet settling on the sky. It gave him a spring in his step, the boy smiling as he performed the act once more.
It felt like he was jumping from one cloud to another. A smile soon stretched across his features. He checked the time once more. 10 minutes 42 to go. Not even wasting time, Killua continued on the new path given to him, chasing after the enemy before it's too late to save Daniel…
"Just hang in there. I'm coming to save you…" Killua's eyes darkened, his nails extending as a fraction of his bloodlust escapes, "to kill Victor…"