*Shades of Red*
by: WhiteGloves
Epilogue pt. 4
Did I just say this was the LAST?
Oh. But apparently NOT YET!
*LeoPika Pairing/BL*
Our four protagonist race against time and ASSASSINS!
Heart beating isn't it?
In this chapter~! Enjoy!
That night people around Kukuroo Mountain noticed it too— that the place and the atmosphere around the Zoldyck property was even darker and ill-omened than before.
Zebro-san looked up warily at the sky with a crease on his forehead. He was standing just beside the guard post. He felt the chill in the air ran up his spine and knew something was happening in the vicinity. His thoughts then immediately jumped to the young people who helped themselves inside and felt a bead of sweat fell down his forehead.
A young woman with curly hair was also seen standing behind a large oak tree with her back pressed on its trunk. She could feel an aura different than the others and knew it must've been one of her masters. She knew the Zoldycks were far scarier than she had imagined but what she was feeling right then was not simple fear... it was terror. An incomprehensible terror she had never felt before...
She clutched her baton and didn't dare move from her spot.
A lightning stroke the black sky sharply, illuminating the monstrous dark clouds for a second, followed by a thundering rumble which seemed to come from the very ends of the world. The dark sky continued to be ominous above a wooden cabin but its darkness was nowhere near the pitch black color of the two orbs possessed by a long, black haired member of the Zoldyck family.
Indeed, these two orbs reflected nothing, not even a single flicker.
It was just pure black.
Another stroke of lighting rendered the electricity in the cabin powerless—and then another one came but this time it reflected Illumi Zoldyck's pale face. It was like glimpsing the very meaning of doom.
"Hmmm..." a voice so lucid yet monotonous came from the black haired man that was enough to silence any other noise in the air, his eyes resting on another person standing across him, "you look pretty shaken."
The young man he was speaking to didn't show any sign of life as he stood there with his hands on his face. It was then obvious how they were in contrast for while the long haired assassin looked composed and indifferent— the blonde young man was the complete opposite.
Another stroke of lighting revealed a pair of red eyes glimmering in the darkness—such a beautiful sight. Yet it was not all for the blonde man was standing with his limbs shaking, hands clutching his face and his eyes wide and wavering.
Thus was the power of Illumi Zoldyck who continued to survey Kurapika with complete indifference.
Silence filled the two and darkness continued to wrap them until Kurapika, finally in motion again but with face sweaty, slowly let his arms fall on his sides. Illumi's facial expression did not change but it was still somewhat apparent that he was amused.
And Kurapika spoke in whisper with eyes hidden behind his hair.
"What... do you want?"
Illumi kept staring as if he was the one immobile between them. And then he opened his thin lips.
"It's funny you ask that... I was not really in any mood to tell you. But if you really want to know I was really looking forward to see you today. See, I got this job from a high profiled person in the Black Market that concerns you... Luckily Kill just had to bring you along. Isn't he just my lucky charm?"
Kurapika this time, managed to raise his head with a fierce look on his face. He felt the power on his numb arms returning and even managed to flex his fingers. It was, after all, no easy feat—to fall on Illumi's mental torture.
"I don't understand..." he whispered, wanting ever to reach his hands on his blades just behind him but with no confidence of being able to fight on par with such a ridiculous enemy, "What do you really want from me?"
The long haired man inclined his head on his right side a little.
"Is there any other reason why I would approach you?"
He held out his hands and pointed it at the blonde man's red eyes. What he said then was enough to make Kurapika's eyes get even wider.
"Do not take it personally but... it's time for the last pair to leave its owner."
Killua was on his wits end as he ran across the hallway of his family's corridor.
He felt murderous yet at the same time... afraid. It was one thing to lose someone amidst a large mansion. It was another if that mansion was filled with assassins capable of killing in a second with a blink of their eye.
"LEORIO!" he shouted at the top of his lungs again, his white hair flying behind him at the speed of his search.
The fact that no stench of blood was in the air gave him a little assurance that the doctor was in no danger. After all, all the member of his family could kill without even shedding a drop of blood. And who the heck needs blood as a proof of torture?
That was how skilled they all were.
The Zoldyck boy felt the irony of the situation as he continued his search. He hoped then that the man was just around and unscathed because he didn't want to face Gon—and certainly not Kurapika—and having to tell them he lost Leorio in the process. That was never an option for him.
Dammit, dammit dammit!
There was no point for Leorio to do anything, let alone scream for he didn't even realize he was taken.
Sure he suddenly felt a tiny change in the air, and sure he felt something pass on his shoulder for a second, but it didn't mean a thing for he couldn't see a thing.
What made him realize it was the unexpected presence of someone that sent cold-blooded chill down his spine. He realized it was not Killua—the Zoldyck boy may sometime give this menacing aura but this presence was a whole level different—like the difference of a cub to a bear. And then it became a fact that Killua's footsteps have completely disappeared when he just heard it not a second ago.
What the hell just happened? He already wanted to freak out but the little manliness left on him stopped him.
But then Leorio's dread came into full manifestation when a voice he had never heard spoke.
"So you really are blind."
It was the only thing the doctor could do not to jump from the spot he was standing on.
"W-who's there?" he gripped his fists with posture ready for a battle.
He heard a chuckle from whomever spoke and the doctor could just picture out a large man with a serious and fierce face by how deep was his voice. Who the hell was he speaking to?
The owner of the voice didn't reply yet his silence brought even more fear to the tall man.
"I may tell you," came the deep voice again, relieving Leorio all of a sudden, "but it may cost you your life."
The light feeling of relief instantly left the tall man whose face set with a sweat drop at the side of his face.
That was when the doctor decided he wasn't just talking to anyone. Heck—his very life may depend on the humor of this guy in front of him! Leorio briefly imagined dying in the hands of a man whose face he wasn't able to see.
It didn't lighten the doctor's mood.
Just who...?
Yet... Leorio felt his impatience growing.
"I'm blind..." he started, his frown deepening every second for this fact was mocking him, "I know already... and I can't see you... you can kill me any second you choose... but I guess you're letting me live longer for a reason. You're Killua's family, aren't you? I don't know what relationship you have with Killua but killing me won't be your best option."
"Is that so?"
Leorio knew whoever he was talking to didn't like what he said at all. It was apparent for there was a curt tone on the voice of whoever Zoldyck it was. He may have even touched a sensitive nerve.
"Don't get me wrong..." Leorio continued feeling as if there was already a blade pointing on his forehead, "I'm not trying to save myself here... and I'm not threatening you. Killua may appear strong on the outside and I guess he's also thick in the inside... but he's still a kid who looks back at his family... having a member of his family kill a friend of his... I don't want him to go through that... no."
Silence.
Leorio stood his ground.
He knew he meant whatever he said. He was not gonna have Killua kill a member of his family because of him—in reality he was the actual one trespassing and the Zoldyck have all the reason to finish him off. So even if he dies here that was a risk he consented to.
But he sure doesn't want to die... not here at least.
He still has someone special he wants to go back to.
Leorio gripped his fists again.
Kurapika...!
Gon waved his fishing rod but it merely went through the image of the clown hanging in midair.
Again? The spiky haired youngster said to himself as he jumped on a tree branch. He looked around, scanned the area and saw the same appearance of the chuckling Hisoka come again across him.
"Master Gon," the head butler's deep voice called, making the hunter look below him to the ground. There he saw the butler engage in another fight with the same silhouette of the clown, "I'm sure you have noticed but these are merely illusions... I do not think the real one is here."
"Yeah," Gon agreed, his eyes resting on Hisoka's form again, "but I can't help wanting to fight him... I've always had this urge ever since I saw him."
His large, bright eyes reflected Hisoka. How sorry he was and relieved at the same time that it wasn't the real one. A smile played at the side of Gotoh's lips.
"You really are Master Killua's friend." The butler's eyes then flashed as he continued, "but we still need to find out... why these images are here... and what is happening inside the house."
Gon shot the butler's cabin a look.
Inside a dark room sat Milluki Zoldyck who continued munching on his snack with his glasses reflecting the monitors in front of him. He watched and monitored everything there with less enthusiasm.
Then out of nowhere, he spoke.
"No reason to kill me, you idiot," he said to someone behind him, "you can see very well I had nothing to do with it."
Killua's shadow appeared behind the big buffy man and by this time the white haired youngster was nowhere near handsome—his eyes were dark and there were lines under his eyes; there was a looming aura around him that signals death—it was also a fact that he has his one sharp hand pointing behind his older brother's nape—another fact that didn't disturb Milluki.
Killua's eyes darted from his brother to one screen on the monitor.
Then his eyes widened.
"Do not take it personally but... it's time for the last pair to leave its owner."
The way Illumi said it sent the most threatening signal on Kurapika. It was as if by that second he—Kurapika—was going to be robbed off of his eyes. With his senses heightened, the blonde haired man felt his emotions affecting his psyche.
This feeling...
The long haired Zoldyck man stared at him raw.
"I can feel you," he then said to the blonde boy, his black eyes not changing, "you are getting excited. I've heard about your prowess against the Ryodan and always thought you were one of a kind. Though, it didn't really concern me at that time I thought someone like you ought to come after them sooner or later. I've actually heard a lot about you from Hisoka but he's still a little secretive from me. It's probably because he knows you're a friend of Kill... and of that other kid Gon."
Kurapika had managed to control the shaking of his knees for it had been a long time since he had experienced this feeling. Yet part of him was only half listening to Illumi... the other part of him was wishing for Leorio to be all right.
What had happened inside the mansion?
"Oh?"
"!?"
It was terror that brought Kurapika back to reality when he found his face in close proximity with Illumi who was peering at him with his dark orbs like a ghost out to terrorize people.
"You." Illumi then said as the blonde man realized he was yet again immobile on the spot, "You lost your excitement. What are you thinking about? Would you mind if I look?"
And with Kurapika screaming inside of him, he felt the tip of Illumi's cold finger touch his forehead.
And his thoughts which were filled with Leorio awhile ago... was suddenly filled with Illumi's face.
"N-noo!"
There was a loud crashing sound like a wall being destroyed to pieces, followed by a sudden violent movement. The next thing Kurapika realized he was on the floor with someone shaking his shoulder.
"Kurapika! Kurapika!"
The blonde man opened his red eyes and saw Gon on top of him. It seemed that his friend crashed in the cabin just in time to help.
"Thank goodness," the young man sighed in relief when he saw his friend stir, "I thought something bad has happened to you. There are full of Hisokas outside... figured he was just an illusion..."
Kurapika blinked, and then touched his face as the remaining image of Illumi hunted him.
"Are you alright?" Gon's concerned face hovered at the blonde again.
"I- I'm fine," though his voice was still shaking, Kurapika firmly gripped his hands, "Thank you, Gon."
Gon nodded, and then his face turned serious abruptly as he stood.
"So I find you here too, am I not lucky?" said Illumi's lucid voice as he stared down at Gon from where he was standing. The spiky haired young man stared at him transfixed with one idea circling on his mind.
I will never like this guy! Never!
Leorio felt a sweat drop at the side of his face. It did not help that he was blind and in the presence of a merciless Zoldyck who seemed to have finally decided to end his life whether Killua is concerned or not.
Maybe... I'm really just unlucky...
It did not help also... that the Zoldyck continued on chuckling as if he was enjoying himself while in acquaintance of someone who deeply fears him. This arrangement always reminds Leorio of Hisoka's sadism.
"You are a friend of Killua, you say?" came the deep voice again after the last chuckle, making Leorio look up in attention, "You are right... killing you would not benefit me in front of that kid. But it is rather surprising how you see it on his perspective rather than your own benefit."
Leorio let a frown on his face show.
"My benefit? You think I can benefit by being friends with Killua?"
"In other's perspective that's how they understand it. Wielding the name 'Zoldyck' has its benefits for normal people such as yourself."
"Are you mocking me?" the doctor felt his blood rush uncontrollably, "You think I'd use Killua like that?"
The Zoldyck yet again gave a chuckle, making Leorio wanting to punch him in every way.
"Apparently not." the mysterious character finished with a long pause, "I can see very well what you truly are. Fear not anymore, I do not hurt a friend of my child. But friend is such a strong word for us Zoldycks."
Leorio paused and let it sink in.
Did he just hear the Zoldyck say 'my child'?
Eh?
All of a sudden, a door was heard being pushed open, followed by a white haired young man's head popping on the doorway.
"What the heck are you doing, dad!" came Killua's voice.
Illumi stared at Kurapika and Gon with the thunder clasp continuously ringing on their ears. Whether he was glad to see Gon or not, or whether he really felt lucky at meeting Gon again just to spite Hisoka who's been telling him to lay off from the spiky haired young man's group, it was not clearly seen for his dark eyes remained dark and emotionless.
This was one of the reasons why Gon hated him to the gut.
It was also one of the reasons why he promised himself to never let Killua fall on his hands again—and never let any of his friends be under his command. No. He hated Illumi Zoldyck from the very moment he saw him. It was a hatred that cannot be explained. It was a kind of loathe the spiky haired young man has never experienced before.
Except now.
"Keep your hands off my friend!" Gon shouted, his bright eyes in contrast to the Zoldyck man's dead ones.
Illumi gave Gon a look, and then to the destroyed wall where Gotoh was left standing.
"Destroying our premises...you really like making an entrance."
He turned to the two again without much as a flicker of his eyes.
"Gon..." Kurapika muttered, finally able to stand beside the youngster with his eyes still red, "be careful."
Gon nodded but it was clear he needn't hear that too as he warily stared at Killua's older brother.
"Why are you bothering us?" he asked with what appeared to be a determined question.
The long haired Zoldyck felt as if he didn't have to answer. But then he saw those bright eyes of the boy and had this urge to shut it forever like what he was planning to do with those glinting red ones.
Hisoka might hate him for it though.
Yet, all must come eventually to an end.
Illumi felt a smile play on his lips that didn't reach his eyes.
"You are as stubborn as ever," he started quietly looking somewhat displeased already. Then diverting his eyes to Kurapika, he continued, "but my objective in this job is to take your eyes. You already know that."
Kurapika felt the black haired man inside his head again and had to clutch his head tightly with scream piercing his very ear drum.
"Kurapika!" Gon shouted, "what are you doing with him—! HEY!"
He jumped toward the Zoldyck man but Illumi easily neglected him with a bare hand.
"A simple glimpse," Illumi answered unconcernedly, his eyes unblinking and still as lively as a dead pan, "of why he forgot the darkness he filled himself in. He did a good job trapping himself in his vengeance... but seeing him now... what exactly changed...? I want to know."
Kurapika thought his head would break into two as illumi explored his thoughts—and all the memories of his past flashed to him again in series of events—his kinsmen killed, their eyes gone missing, his whole tribe eradicated... the spiders walking around... his revenge by killing one of them— making his eyes turn even redder.
Stop... make it stop...!
He kept on pleading.
Stop it! I don't want to see this anymore... no, please make it stop!
STOP IT!
LEORIO!
The image of the man he loved so much appeared on his mind and this above all—stopped Kurapika's torment. It stopped the dark flashes of his past—it stopped the pain in his heart.
A tear fell down the side of the blonde man's face as he knelt on the ground.
And slowly... the red eyes turned back to its emerald color.
"Don't kid around, Killua," Leorio went on, aware of the echo of their footsteps in what felt like a dungeon, ""T-that guy was really your old man!?"
"He is!" the white haired boy confirmed as they ran in the dungeon with him pulling the doctor after meeting with his father. He actually asked why his father suddenly took the blind man but his father merely gave him a smile and meaningful meaning and told them to do what they must in the mansion, "now never mind that old guy we still have pressing matters at hand!"
"Never mind—?! Are you serious!? I just met the most dangerous man in the world of the living!"
"But you didn't see him—and when you do he's practically the one who's gonna kill you now hurry up we don't have much time!"
"Is he really going to kill me?"
"Shut up and just enter here!"
Leorio felt himself getting shoved from the back and then he heard a metal door close behind him. That was when he realized they must've returned to where they first came to—the room with that different lock sound.
Killua's sister's room.
"Oniichan!" the doctor heard a voice call from somewhere, "is that you?"
"Listen, Leorio," Killua whispered in a hushed voice, "don't come near till I call you. I'll be the one to make the wish."
"Wish?"
"I'll explain later."
Killua was about to step toward his sister when he felt the doctor's hand on his shoulder. Turning, the white haired boy saw the man with a serious face.
"What wish? You didn't explain anything about a wish."
"Quit bugging me, old man! We don't have time!"
"Killua."
The man's voice suddenly made the white haired young man look at him again.
"I don't like the sound of 'wishing'..." the doctor then went on with an uncomfortable look, "usually when you wish... there are things bound to get exchanged with..."
Killua realized what Leorio was getting at and had to face him with a sigh.
"All right, there's something to be exchanged with—but don't worry!" he added when he saw protest appearing on the doctor's face, "it's not something I can't handle! And honestly speaking between the two of us I'm the only one who can manage my sister's wishes... unless you want to come out of here with one of your balls missing."
Leorio's face turned pale. And then his hands slipped away from Killua's shoulder.
It made the Zoldyck boy grin.
"Now stay back and don't get taken again!" he whispered as he ran toward his sister.
"Sacrifices," Leorio muttered as he licked his lips and thinking of what Killua might lose as a man, "yeah."
A few minutes later in the middle of the darkness, Leorio heard Killua call for his name.
"Leorio, come!"
Illumi stared at Kurapika who continued kneeling on the ground with his breaths even.
Gon flew at him for the fourth time which he deflected yet again with ease. The young man was thrown backwards but he immediately kicked the ceiling which crumbled to pieces and attacked Illumi again. With debris falling down on them, Illumi could only sigh.
"The red eyes turned dull again," the Zoldyck man muttered to himself thoughtfully as he dodged Gon easily, and floated in midair, "that is not good. My client is willing to pay a huge sum just to get those last pair in the world."
"Shut up!" Gon shouted as he landed back in front of the blonde, then speaking with his back on his friend, he called to the blonde man, "Kurapika! Are you all right?"
Kurapika closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. It was a mental torture nobody could escape—not in his state. It was not about being strong or not... Illumi had always had his way with people's mind... the blonde boy tried to calm his racing mind.
And still... a part of Illumi was inside his head. It made him grit his teeth. He's got to get rid of Illumi's face... he has to think of something that makes him feel safe... Kurapika didn't have to think hard to know whose face he wanted to see.
Illumi suddenly stopped his thoughts and looked down at Kurapika and Gon in wonder.
"So that's it." He said after awhile, making the two hunters look at him with uncertain expressions, "so that's the reason why you are you now... the reason for your salvation."
Kurapika struggled to get up on his feet.
He didn't know what the Zoldyck man was talking about but he knew one thing... he was feeling another level of terror from him.
It was really hard to guess what was Illumi's mind as he continued to survey the two hunters. He didn't look satisfied nor did he look as if he cared at all as he turned his head up and stared at the mansion now visible at the broken roof.
"I guess he's there right? This person who was very important to you?"
Kurapika's eyes widened when he followed where Illumi was looking at. And just then—Illumi disappeared from the air.
"Oi!" Gon shouted as they looked over their shoulder and saw the Zoldyck man walking in the darkness of the trees. Kurapika turned to him with his heart beating very fast.
What was Illumi after?!
"This will be a little tricky since that man is with Kill," Illumi continued as he slowly disappeared from their sight, "but then again I am still lucky. Come to think of it I didn't take this job just because of your eyes. No. It was because Kill is involve. And Kill's gonna help me kill that man after all."
And he vanished completely, leaving nothing but the air of despair and horror on his wake.
And the sudden realization of Illumi's words made Kurapika freeze for a moment.
For the assassin was then after none other than Killua and Leorio who at that time do not yet have an inkling what was awaiting for them outside Alluka's door.
A/N: Trouble looms just outside Alluka's door!
Killua and Leorio meet Illumi head on in the NEXT AND FINALLY...
THE LAST CHAPTER!
A man must protect...! Leorio yet again displays this meaning~!
Thanks for reading!