When the days are cloudy and it's still dark in the morning, one doesn't feel like getting out of bed – it's easy to pull the blanket over one's head and sleep again. Alluka wonders if this is what animals feel when they hibernate: that they can only sleep through this period...

However, when the weather is clear – be it day or night – then Alluka regrets that there are only so many hours in the day, and even going to sleep is difficult. When it's frosty and the air is filled with ice crystals, a halo forms around the sun, and after dark, the town lights turn from points into pillars. When the temperature drops suddenly, ice grows on the tree branches and the landscape becomes magically beautiful, just like the White City that Alluka had read about once.

With this cold, the sky is clear every day – and at night, it is covered with so many stars that Alluka could count for the rest of her life and never know how many there are. Oniichan teaches her the names of the constellations, which are sometimes accurate, sometimes funny, and sometimes both. And one night, when they are leaning against the window and admiring the full moon, the sky suddenly explodes and ribbons of light begin to dance over their heads, taking on the most fanciful forms! Their glow is so strong that not even moonlight can beat it, and their green reflection can be seen on the snow covering the ground.

"The Northern Lights," Alluka whispers in awe. "I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life."

Oniichan says nothing, but his expression indicates he might actually agree with her.

Not all nights are this good. Alluka knows that Oniichan has been having nightmares more and more often these days. It's not that he shouts and wakes her up – Oniichan never makes a noise, regardless of the situation – she just somehow senses it herself, just as she is always aware of his bad moods during the day. When it happens, she keep lying and listening to Oniichan walking around the apartment – sometimes he opens the window, and sometimes he goes outside – and only after a long while is he able to fall asleep again. Sometimes he doesn't even wake up – Alluka always fights with herself not to get up and wake him from the restless sleep that is tormenting him. However, she knows that it won't help – maybe the nightmares will return as soon as the next night; she has no idea what she could do to make them end for good.

During the day, Oniichan makes it clear that he's fine – he's energetic and cheerful, laughing and joking and paying attention to her in every way – and Alluka tries to convince herself that he's all right. However, when he sinks into thoughts and a serious expression appears on his face, he seems to forget about reality – as if he was transported to another place and time – and when he comes back, it is... If it were someone else, Alluka would say that he suddenly jumps with surprise, but Oniichan controls his reactions much better than anyone.

One day she can't stand it and asks, "Oniichan, is everything okay?" but the response is a smile and the words she was most afraid of, "Sure it is!"

Killua realises he has to pull himself together. The last thing he wants is for his sister to worry, especially about him. He subconsciously feels that, at present, his mental condition is far from perfect, but this is nothing new! He'll get through it, just like he always did before.

Undoubtedly, he's been thinking about the Zoldycks too much lately – that must explain his bouts of bad temper, trouble sleeping and occasional nervousness; he has no other worries in his life that could disturb his mental balance. Besides, being with Alluka has a positive effect on him, so he's certain that if he focuses entirely on her and stops bothering himself with useless memories, he'll soon get better. There's no point in being mad at the family when he can't do anything about what happened before – he can only support Alluka as much as he can, now.

It will never occur to him that he has no one to support him.

In any case, it would be best to keep himself busy so there is not much time left for useless thoughts. At the same time, more physical exercise will certainly have a positive effect on his sleep. If the weather is good, which means it's not too snowy or too cold, he and Alluka spend the whole day actively: skiing, sledding, or ice skating. If the weather forces them to stay at home – Alluka then immerses herself in reading – Killua does various training or other activities that are plenty in winter: he chops trees for an elderly couple living in the house next door, clears snow from the yard and the roof, knocks down the icicles hanging from the eaves, and so on.

And it really helps – he sleeps like a log again and doesn't remember any bad dreams. During the day he is full of energy and has a good mood. He is in excellent physical and mental shape. If any unpleasant thought or bad emotion try to enter his mind, he pushes them away and focuses on something else. The rule 'ignore it and it will go away' works great.

Alluka said she was waiting for what would come after winter – for spring. Killua estimates that it's closer than further, because the days are longer and the sunlight is stronger. Then they would take up the journey, go to new places neither of them had ever seen before, do new things that would keep them both occupied, and always, always, focus on the future.

"We need to slowly start taking the books to the library," Killua says, looking around at the stacks that take up most of the room. It's a miracle that no one has died under them yet.

Alluka looks up from her reading, embarrassment flickering in her eyes. "Just don't let me in there," she mutters after a while. "Because I won't be able to leave."

Killua bursts out laughing. In moments like these, he believes that he doesn't have a single worry in his life.

The day becomes as long as the night, and the sun shines in the blue sky from dawn to dusk. In the morning, the thermometer still shows considerable cold, but during the day the temperature goes up to the red values. The icicles hanging from the roof on the south side are slowly melting – for many hours, one can hear the water dripping and creating small pools in the snowdrifts clinging to the walls of the house. Even the air smells different.

The skating rink has been closed, and the snow has become uneven to the point that running is dangerous – before, Alluka would have been disconsolate about it, but now she feels with her whole being that winter is finally leaving, and she waits impatiently for what will come after it. She can't even concentrate on reading. She spends almost all her time outside, sometimes dancing out of happiness around the yard and hugging the trunks of nearby trees, although she doesn't even know why she's so happy. Oniichan no longer frowns at her not wearing a scarf.

When catkins appear on the willows and alders, Alluka's excitement threatens to tear her to pieces. The snow cover begins to disappear before her the eyes, until the ground that she hasn't seen for many months finally becomes visible. Then the first rain falls – rain! – sprinkling on the snow crust behind the house. And then comes the day when the first flower blooms – a small yellow sun, as if it were the child of the big one in the sky. It's a coltsfoot, considered a sign of spring in these areas.

Spring.

Alluka understands that spring is more than just a season – it is an experience. It's more light, more energy, more joy that comes out of nowhere. It's the smell of the earth, the crazy chirping of birds, the feeling of lightness without all those winter clothes. It's a cobalt blue sky long after dusk – and one doesn't want to go to sleep – and the morning that wakes up before she does (although sometimes Alluka gets up before the morning and doesn't feel tired at all). It is sapphire water in the unfrozen lake and yellow reeds waving in the wind at its shores. It's green – oh, so much green! It seems like the grass grew just yesterday and the leaves on the trees appeared out of nowhere. The plants are climbing towards the sky at an alarming speed, reaching the ankles and then the knees, too. Flowers open their eyes in all colours, spread their baskets and hang their bells, and insects funnily busy themselves among them.

Despite Alluka's fears, nature has returned. After many months of sleep under the snow blanket, it woke up and burst into life almost just like that. Spring broke the bonds of winter and chased it away with its warmth – so far away that one doesn't want to remember that cold time any more. The other seasons melt one into another unnoticeably, but it seems to Alluka that winter and spring are two completely different species.

The world has never seemed as beautiful as on these lily-of-the-valley-scented days.

"Even the word 'May' has a special charm about it," says Alluka. "Don't you think?"

Oniichan, however, remains silent.

Alluka admires spring, and Killua admires her unwavering enthusiasm – he hopes that his sister will never lose her ability to delight in the world – but himself, he's far from joy. Earlier methods lost their effectiveness. And although he no longer has nightmares, doesn't get distracted during the day and hasn't thought about family for many months, the more spring progresses, the greater the burden that falls on his chest. He doesn't understand it, but he tries to rationalise it. He tells himself it's because of the sudden change. He explains to himself that his senses have become unaccustomed to greenery. He argues that he doesn't sleep well because of the light.

But when Alluka speaks of May, Killua clenches his fists, gets tense and closes his eyes. He tries his best to control himself. He tries to focus on his body, on the fact that he's standing in this place and feeling the earth under his feet, on the air being drawn into his lungs and released at a regular rate. He doesn't want to think about anything, wonder about anything, because he knows that if he does, he will feel even worse.

"Oniichan… You don't like spring?" Alluka asks; she didn't miss his distress. "You preferred winter and that's why you feel bad now?"

Killua is unable to speak; he only shakes his head in denial. Alluka comes closer and takes his hand. Only this brings him out of this strange state and allows him to pull himself together. What kind of big brother is he if he lets his sister worry about him? Just a moment or two... and he's able to put a smile on his face again. He opens his eyes and looks at her.

However, before he can say anything, Alluka decides in a determined tone, "Let's get going," and her eyes are serious. "Let's resume our journey. You agreed to let us stay here until now so that I could see... the end of winter. Now there's nothing keeping us here." And she continues, as if she wanted to convince him, "Let's go somewhere completely different. I want to see more of the world. It was good here, but it will definitely be good elsewhere, too."

Killua feels himself calm down. "Where do you want to go?" he asks, already focusing on everything that will need to be dealt with in the coming days.

"Everywhere will be fine," Alluka replies with confidence, still holding his hand.

"We've already seen forests and lakes, towns and cities, the sea... What do you think about the mountains now?"

Alluka nods vigorously, her eyes shining with the eagerness Killua has seen so many times before – and now he gives her a real smile. A warm feeling spreads in his chest, driving away his anxiety, at least for a moment.

"The mountains sound… absolutely fantastic," Alluka says. "Let's go there. As quickly as possible!"

'As quickly as possible' means at least two days, because after half a year of living in one place it's necessary to take care of a few things before moving out. Clean the house thoroughly, take the last books to the library, and pack what they want to take with them. On the third day, they leave the town in the land of forests and lakes behind them, and Alluka hopes that the change of scenery will have a positive effect on Oniichan.

Since that difficult moment a few days ago – Alluka has no idea what provoked it – Oniichan has been himself again… that is, he managed to hide all his feelings behind a mask of a smile and focus on action. Alluka is worried – not about their situation, because they can handle anything, but about his well-being. Oniichan always supports her and cares about her comfort, but he is a human himself. Something clearly makes him sad, torments him, hurts him...

However, if Alluka doesn't have the courage to ask, she'll have to wait until he tells her. Can she even count on it?

The landscape below is changing. Flat stretches, covered with forest like a soft carpet, with blue eyes opening here and there, starts to undulate. Then smaller and bigger hills appear, until finally the terrain rises prominently, creating high rocky elevations that climb towards the sky. Snow can be seen on some peaks, but the southern slopes are clear. There is a town at the foot of a mountain range – and this is their next destination.

The air is fresh and crystal clear – the mountains stretching from one side to the other seem to be at one's fingertips. Seen from below, they appear to be arranged in one plane, even though Alluka knows that each of the peaks is at a different distance and separated by valleys. The view is breathtaking.

She points to one summit, "Are we going to go there?"

"Yes."

"And there?"

"There, too."

"What about that big one?"

"Hmm... We will try."

Alluka spins around in joy, drawing astonished looks from the locals, who quickly become sympathetic as she explains, "I'll go hiking to the mountains for the first time!"

"You'll go hiking in the mountains for the first time," the middle-aged man corrects her, and then adds with a smile, "And you're going to have fun."

The town is built with wooden houses with sloping roofs, usually two-story and with a glazed veranda. The stairs creak when going up, and the floor is covered with woven rugs. From the windows on the north side stretches a wonderful view of the mountains, currently bathed in the glow of the afternoon sun. Killua managed to buy a map of the area, and now he and Alluka keep looking at it and try to match the names to the individual peaks.

"I think that after all that skiing you'll be fit enough to climb," Killua says. "Hiking in the mountains is not much different from what we did in winter, except that we will have no skis and the direction will be uphill."

"I'll climb any mountain," Alluka swears. "You won't have to carry me."

Killua snickers and then folds up the map. "We're going to start slowly to get used to the height."

Alluka nods solemnly. "Acclimatise," she says.

Killua laughs even louder, but at the same time he's filled with pride at the thought that his sister has learned such difficult words in just a few months.

The next day, they walk around the city, looking at the old buildings, and buy everything they will need during their mountain hikes. They already have woollen socks and waterproof jackets, as well as backpacks and thermos flasks. They need new shoes and dry goods, because hunting is prohibited in the mountains, so they have to carry food with them – although it's also possible to eat in tourist huts, as some of them are located on the hiking trails. Either way, the backpacks will fit sandwiches, canned goods and various snacks.

They decide on their first destination: the S valley, which is closest to the town and will not pose any difficulties for a beginner climber. Alluka can't fall asleep before the first day – she sits by the window for a long time, looking at the full moon hanging over the town. Killua doesn't force her to sleep; he knows that tomorrow evening his sister will be exhausted, because such is the effect of exertion and fresh air. They already experienced it in the winter.

Himself, he makes a plan in his mind: he repeats the route they will take, possible difficulties, places where Alluka may need his help... Thanks to the description in the guidebook he has already visualised the entire trail and remembers where it's worth stopping and looking around, what animals can be seen, where they can find a good view point of the mountains and where they can stop for a rest. It's only three kilometres, but it's better to be prepared for any situation.

When he concentrates on the next day – when he only thinks about how to please Alluka – then everything is fine.

Alluka walks along the valley floor unable to speak. She just looks around constantly, until the accumulation of details almost makes her dizzy. Each glance brings out something new from the surroundings. Sunlight breaks diagonally through the treetops, creating speckled images on the path. The rocks come close to the road, at arm's length, and then move away again, hiding behind the bushes. The stream splashes merrily along the trail – sometimes on the left, sometimes on the right, flowing under bridges and hiding under wide leaves of riparian plants. The air is humid and has a distinct smell. And how much lush greenery there is!

The branches hang over the stream, unmoved as there is no breeze here, and their feathery leaves stretch out in their own layers, visually pushing the stream and rocks into the background. The flowers cling to the rock and a thin layer of earth, growing horizontally rather than vertically, as if they wanted to absorb moisture from the air, not from the soil. In some sections, the trees disappear, revealing a larger image of the valley – as much as possible in such a narrow gorge, full of bends. Then Alluka's attention turns to its grey walls, each fragment of which has a different shape. In their folds and crevices, depending on the light, one can see a face, a silhouette, an animal, or something entirely else – at least until Alluka sees completely real flowers there.

The valley floor rises along the entire length from the entrance, but so gently that one doesn't feel it at all. The road is solid earth and rock. The new shoes are comfortable, and Alluka feels that each breath of the fragrant air gives her energy. If she stops, it's only to admire her surroundings – every now and then Oniichan shows her something worth noting: an interesting rock that sticks out into the sky like a finger; a pine tree growing on a cliff at such a strange angle that it's quite hard to understand how it stays there, in the first place; the entrance to a cave that apparently stretches down for many kilometres...

In its last part, the valley forms a small clearing at the foot of the first mountain that Alluka has the opportunity to see up close. A grey wall with white accents rises almost vertically above them, and they have to tilt their heads to see the area around its top. It seems to reach up into the sky, although Alluka remembers exactly how high it is. In the clearing itself there are many places where one can sit and have a bite to eat. Alluka realizes that she's very hungry – despite it being less than two hours since breakfast!

"Mountain air," Oniichan says in an expert voice, reaching into his backpack for rolls and tea.

Alluka follows suit, and once they eat, she looks around the clearing. There, in the shade, she sees a field of familiar nettles, and there, in a sunny spot, unknown plants with thin leaves climb upwards. When it comes to trees, conifers predominate – and Alluka looks fondly at the spruces that have become so familiar to her over recent months.

"Are we going back?" Oniichan asks after they've eaten, and Alluka thinks that it's the first time in her life that her brother has said something silly.

"Absolutely not. I want to go there," Alluka points to the side arm of the valley, and then to the other, "and there! And I must see what's behind that rock!"

Oniichan looks into the backpack. "Good thing that, just in case, I took more provisions."

Alluka is captivated with the mountains – it was to be expected – as she was before with all other places. She tirelessly walks the mountain trails and finds something new in each valley – because, for now, they explore only them. After the S valley, they visit the O valley, that is located a bit off-the-road and leads them to a small hill giving a wonderful view of the high peaks beyond; the slanted B valley, ending with a small but rapid waterfall; the picturesque K valley, where one can admire glacier activity dating back thousands or maybe even millions of years; the majestic C valley, which takes them all day to pass. They even manage to cover the twenty-kilometre cross trail that connects the upper parts of all the valleys – Alluka happily welcomes familiar places that she now reaches by a different route.

The trips are getting longer, but they have a good pace. At this time of year – summer is already starting – the days are long, so if one leaves early, they will be able to return before dark, which is important. Except of a Hunter or another superhuman, it's unwise to go in the mountains at night – there's a risk not only of falling down but also falling prey to wild animals that go out to hunt then. There's no point in risking another injury.

When Killua decides that Alluka is seasoned enough, it's time for the high mountains – of course, starting with the lowest ones. And so they climb a long limestone uplift in the western part, offering a beautiful panorama of the town; three round hills that seem to be cast from the same mould, separated by gentle passes and covered with dense forest; a rock that seems to jump out from among the sea of trees, requiring a steep approach but providing a unique view of the nearest peaks,.

Alluka absorbs the sights as if she wants to remember them for the rest of her life – and, knowing her, that's probably so. Whenever Killua remembers it (very rarely), he takes photos: of her alone against the landscape, or of them together, smiling at the camera as if they didn't have a single care in the world.

When they decide to finally go to higher regions they have yet to explore, Alluka trembles with emotion. "I want to see what lies beyond," she says as they pack their backpacks in the evening since they want to leave as early as possible, so it's best to have everything ready. "Beyond that border that we've only seen from a distance. I think it will be completely different there. It's stupid to think like that, isn't it? It's still the same mountains, after all."

"Every place is different, and the longer we wait to get somewhere, the more magical it becomes," Killua comments and then realises that this is probably the first time in his life that he's said something so wise.

Alluka smiles brightly. "It will definitely be magical," she agrees with him.

They wish each other good night. Killua knows that they will both sleep like rock and at least one of them will also dream of wonderful new places.

When, after climbing a forest-covered ridge, Alluka reaches a pass, a perfect panorama opens before her. In front of her is a vast meadow closed by mountains on three sides. Some she knows – their peaks can be seen from the city below – but some are completely new to her. This is the 'beyond' she was telling Oniichan about... and, at the same time, she realises that if she climbs those mountains that she sees in the distance now, then she will see more chains, and then more... She wants to stay here until she visits them all.

The view before her is as perfect as if it had been created by a talented and sensitive artist. The grey mountain slopes shine in the sunlight, but the bottom of the meadow is covered with lush green vegetation. There are low and tall conifers and soft grass covering every piece of land and climbing up to the peaks. This grey and green is contrasted with or complemented by intense pink flowers – Alluka doesn't remember ever seeing such an accumulation of this colour – that here spread over entire fields, there form smaller clumps, and elsewhere emphasize the landscape with just a single plant.

"Fireweeds," Oniichan says as they move along the path between the plants, that are as tall as both of them.

Alluka sees bumblebees and bees buzzing among the flowers, but she thinks there is enough pollen for everyone because there are so many flowers. There are a dozen or so of them blooming on one plant, and judging by the number of buds, there will be many times more than now. Alluka wonders if the plant will bloom all summer long.

However, it is not only the flowers that are delightful in the new place. The undulating terrain hides numerous lakes, the slopes of the mountains descending into the valley create charming nooks, and the higher one goes, the less rich the vegetation, but then mosses and lichens come to the fore. The trails begin to lead over large stones, which are pleasant to walk on, although sometimes Alluka stops and looks closely at their irregular shapes – or listens to the rumble of the water beneath them.

They reach a large lake, its water reflecting the blue sky and deepening it many times. They sit on the stones by the shore and eat their packed lunch. Alluka scans the ridges above – they seem closer now – noticing the tiny silhouettes of people walking along them. Her smile grows wider.

"You know we'll have to come all the way from of town again to get there?" Oniichan says, guessing her thoughts.

"So we will come," she replies, undeterred. "How long did it take us today? Not even two hours, and it will be even faster to get back. We can leave earlier to have more time. And what are we going to do today? It's a pity to go back, it's not even noon."

Oniichan points to a mountain rising next to the lake. "What about climbing that one?"

"Excellent! My first high mountain!"

The climb takes them relatively little time, and by noon they are sitting on the rocky top of a domed hill. Alluka seems like she could twist her head off as she looks around in all directions.

"If I ever have any worries, all I have to do is remember this sight and I'll feel better right away," she finally says in a charmed voice.

"You can as well remember it without worries," Killua says sarcastically, and in his mind he adds, 'I'll make sure you don't have any.'

The view is truly exquisite: to the south shimmers the sun-drenched city, some closer is a huge pink bloom of fireweeds, and all around are mountain peaks that appear to be so near that all it takes is to reach out and touch them. The sky also seems lower than usual.

At this height, there exists also a downward direction, and now they can see countless lakes on both sides – including the largest one that they were resting by; viewed from above, it's dark blue. Smaller ones are light blue, greenish, even reddish – Alluka describes their shades in much more precise (and more poetic) terms.

When they pass one of them on their way back, Alluka stops suddenly, then bursts out laughing and says with some disbelief but also with joy, "They are even here!"

Killua follows her gaze and notices several seagulls on the far shore, clearly not bothered by the drastic change of scenery from the sea to the mountains. Apparently, the most important thing for them is the presence of water.

The two of them eat a warm meal in a tourist hut, and then wander around the area, planning trips to the next mountains, until the sun begins to set. They then leave the meadow and return to the city through a charming valley in which a multitude of blue bells and the silence that not even a noise of stream disturbs. Spruce trees, standing densely, also muffle any sounds. The valley is already in shadow, but the peaks rising on the sides are bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun...

Killua frowns and decides that any more and he'll turn into a poet. Well, he has the same genes as his sister, he thinks to himself and chuckles.

When they return to the town, it is still light. In the last rays of the setting sun, Alluka looks out for familiar summits – including the one she climbed today.

"It's hard to believe that we were there," she says dreamily but then adds resolutely, pointing to another mountain, "Can it be the next one?"

"Why not? And we won't get tired because it's much lower than the one we climbed today."

They spend the next weeks hiking in the mountains and attaining more and more peaks. Alluka slowly realises that she wouldn't reach all of them even if she spent a whole year here, because when she climbs the ridge she once saw from the lake, more and more mountain ranges stretch out before her... just as she predicted.

She likes it here terribly. Intense fireweeds that reach above her head and tiny bluebells nestling in the grass. Soaring spruces with straight trunks and low-stem pines covering the meadows. Eagles making majestic circles over the peaks and wild goats jumping on the rocks as lightly as if the laws of gravity didn't apply to them. Streams flowing through valleys and huge stones that one can easily walk on. She likes the custom of greeting other tourists on the trail and warm meals in cosy huts.

Summer is in full swing, and the weather is fine. Sunny days prevail over rainy ones, but even in the rain the mountains are wonderful. Once, she sees a rainbow that forms a bridge between two valleys. She sees the fog descending from the ridge to the lakes, covering the slopes like a blanket. There's even a thunderstorm rumbling over the mountain tops and striking them with lightning; this, they watch from a safe distance.

When it comes to views, Alluka every day comes to the conclusion that she will not be able to see anything more beautiful – every day – but the mountains do look different every day. There are breathtaking panoramas from the peaks. There are lakes in the valleys, each in several colours, depending on the weather and light. Huge waterfalls flow from them and fall hundreds of meters down, creating their own streams.

Yes, if she ever has any worries, all she needs to do is call up any of these images in her mind – she now commits them all to memory – and remember the wonderful time she spent here with Oniichan. Such is the power of the mountains.

Oniichan has been much calmer since they came here. Alluka no longer has the feeling of negative thoughts filling him, and since she sleeps through the night, it means that Oniichan no longer has any nightmares. If she can't really help him, she has to simply be happy that the bad phase is over. However, this is a bit unfair, because Oniichan helps her in everything but doesn't give her any opportunity to repay this help.

Today, they reach yet another ridge and see many subsequent ranges of mountains stretching to the horizon. In the bright sun, the farthest ones are almost invisible, they seem only a barely scratched sketch. Alluka's attention is drawn to a mountain standing slightly to the side, seemingly lonely, with a rather regular shape that is neither a cone nor a spire. Its peak is shrouded in fog, so only its outline can be seen. Alluka stares at it for a long time and feels that something strange is going on in her head.

"Have I been here before?" she finally asks, looking at Oniichan with confusion. "Is it possible that I've seen that mountain before?"

"You've never been here," Oniichan replies. "Neither have I."

"Then why… Why does that lonely mountain seem so familiar to me?"

'That's because you used to live at a similar all your life,' Killua replies in his mind, suppressing a grimace. 'No, you were trapped at it...' He looks away and stares at the peak that triggered Alluka's memories. He has no idea how to answer.

"It seems familiar to me, too," he finally says, shrugging like it's nothing important, and then changes the subject. "Shall we go that way?" he points to a path running along the ridge towards the next peaks, the nearest being about an hour away.

Alluka nods. They quench their thirst and move right, turning their backs on the lonely mountain. The trail is very comfortable and pleasant to walk. On one side, they have precipitous northern slopes; on the other, they have gentle southern slopes covered with the forest. The sky is azure and cloudless, and the sun is blazing with heat noticeable even at this height.

They reach the planned mountains without any problems and attempt to climb the domed peak of the nearest one. It takes them some time because the approach is steep and requires use of hands in places – nothing really difficult but slowing them down – and that's why it's only on the top that they notice the dark clouds approaching from the opposite direction. That's when they hear the first rumblings of thunder, too. The storm is coming from the east at high speed, and Killua knows it will soon reach them.

"We're going down!" Killua calls to Alluka to shout over the wind that has suddenly picked up. "I'll take you on my back."

"I can manage!" Alluka replies, shaking her head. Without a moment's hesitation, she starts walking down the same way they came, as agile as a squirrel, and Killua has no choice but to follow her.

The sky above them is darkening, then comes the first rain, and it's getting slippery. Lightning strikes closer and closer. As soon as they leave the steep section, Killua intends to pick up Alluka and use God Speed to descend in the valley. However, when they still have a little way to go, there is a bang louder than before, with a strong shaking and current running through the rock. Killua knows that the peak has been struck by lightning – himself, he's insensitive to its effects – and at the same moment he sees Alluka being forcefully thrown away in the air and falling with a cry several metres, then landing on the rocky path they came from.

In half a second – half a second too late – Killua is next to her, trying to keep his senses. Alluka is unconscious but breathing, so her heart is working. She couldn't have been hit directly, but the lightning energy that ran through the rock must have sent her flying. Killua has no idea about her injuries after such a fall – all he knows is that he needs to get her help as quickly as possible.

Without delay, he takes her limp body and throws himself into the valley, then rushes forward, not wasting a moment on pointless thoughts.

He'll have plenty of time for that later.

Nanika suddenly wakes up as Killua calls her. Alluka is sleeping, so it's easy to answer his call.

"Killua…?"

"Nanika… Nanika, how are you feeling?" Killua asks, his voice is strangled.

"I'm… fine."

"Nanika, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I was supposed to take care of Alluka, but I didn't and she got hurt. Sorry."

"Alluka… is sleeping," Nanika replies confidently.

"Alluka is unconscious," Killua says and looks like he's about to cry.

"Alluka… is sleeping," Nanika repeats calmly. "She… will wake up."

Killua is silent for a long moment.

"And you, Nanika… Are you alright?" he finally asks.

"Alright."

"That's good," Killua says with relief but then asks in a strained voice, "Is Alluka really going to wake up? The doctor said so, but I'm scared..." He goes silent.

"Alluka... will wake up."

"Thank you, Nanika… I'll believe you, you know better."

"I'll tell… Alluka to wake up."

Killua shakes his head. "No, don't wake her up. Let her sleep as much as she needs. She'll wake up when she feels better. She needs to gain strength, she needs to…" Killua sucks in a breath. "She needs to recover. This takes time. She can heal others, but she can't heal himself, right, Nanika?"

"Alluka… will be fine."

Killua touches her fingers. "I can't hug you now, I can't even pet you... But when it's possible again, then, Nanika, I will pet you as much as you want. Please, take care of Alluka because I can't even talk to her."

"Killua… I love you."