Life is fleeting; that lesson was instilled in me early on, taught to me by the clutches of nature and unwanted experiences. The vast strings of tapestry we humans call “life” are something much more demented and frail than most are led to believe. Or it's only that she drew the short end of the stick.

The cold air flowed through the window of the austere quarters, the breeze carrying the unforgettable sickening irony smell. My head was spinning. Senses heightened. Throat dried. Voice weak. Yet my mind was racing.

"What is all of this.....? Alluka are you okay...?" 

What kind of question even is that? I had failed. I'd failed to protect her from the horrors of the Zoldycks. My little sister died at the hands of her own family. It was as clear as day to me, even when I was young. There's no way she'd do this to herself. Not now. Not after that.   

The brightest star dimmed the fastest, the star of a young maiden destined for greatness ending up in an intractable situation… one that ended her life. The silence rang in my ears as my body moved to her side. Hers had almost completely run cold. She was small, brittle and limp. 

I know my sister. She wanted to live.

Alluka Zoldyck was murdered, I'm sure of it. 

The moments after I discovered her were a blur. My butler wished me off and away from the crime scene before leaving me alone to be consumed by my thoughts. 

I wonder how I looked back then. The eyes of somebody who lost the person they love most... Were they burning with emotion? Were they lacking any or all of it, filled with a sense of emptiness caused by the loss? 

I doubt anyone else cared…  Deep down, I know my family did not care about her. 

In the days that followed, I learned a lot. Lots of my family's plans for the current situation. It was strange to watch my Mother stress more about the fact that the image of the Zoldycks would be tarnished than the fact that her only daughter was dead. 

Cruel. That is all she ever has been; nothing will ever change that. 

The event was a push and a shove. I decided after that moment of chaos, my life would be lived to the fullest for her sake.

--------

The boy focused, drowning out the chatter of the city folk around him, keeping his head down. For he had no way of knowing if they knew where he was.

I am being watched or am I being followed? Are two questions that constantly play in his mind like a broken radio.

Knowledge will always be a priority. A statement he would always stand by. Breathing out the cold air. The morning dew was scattered across the grass and trees lining the streets of the small town he settled into. In the Town of Havenwood, a smaller community at the edge of the big city, the residents preferred a simple life.

Something caught Killuas eye as he stared up. "A missing poster..? That's new" He thought to himself. A young girl that hasn't been seen in a long time, went missing at the age of 12. A year passed…

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"She's 13, just like Alluka. A girl who had so much to live for, so many achievements to make, and paths to follow. She was still learning how to live life when her time was cut short..." Killua thought to himself in a daze, reminded of the cool winter day the year before he saw her lifeless body lying on the floor.

On a whim, Killua took a copy of the poster to get the information. This Girl's story intrigued him. A new feeling he'd never felt before swelled in his heart. A need to find this girl was all too real. 

The boy swiftly traveled back to the place he'd been staying in the city. A cheap and run-down motel, the only place he could justify staying at because of the limited resources he ran out of. 

Killua clicked open the door to the room. It was scarcely furnished, the only things really in there being a bed and a desk, which was fine by the young Zoldyck though.

Killua dropped the missing poster down. Even after all this time, her family still yearned to be near their young daughter. The pain of losing her must have been immeasurable. 

Killua scanned the paper for anything useful to go on. Making sure he knew everything he needed to before going on his hunt to find out what happened to her.

Morgan Redfern

Age [at disappearance] 12

Date of report - 11/30/XX

Height- 5’0

Eye color- brown

Hair color- Blonde

Approximate time of disappearance- 2:25 pm

Morgan was wearing her middle school uniform along with a pink bow on the day of her disappearance. If anyone knows anything please call the number mentioned at the bottom of the sheet or please visit this address if you have any leads for us. 

Thank you.

[No pictures provided]

"Her school.. she was on her way home from school... In this town, there's only 2 middle schools and the one closest to this address on the sheet is.." Killua thought  to himself reaching to and into his backpack and pulling out a map of the area. 

Killua searched the sheet. "Haven Wood Middle " that's the one she went to. Killua sighed out. "That's not all that useful at all. Anyone could discover that much"

Killua leaned back in his chair staring at the ticking clock on the wall. What to do? The family already knew this. It isn't much of a help. 

Killua sighed standing up. There's more to know on this and he was sure of it. He walked over to his bed, the cloak he used about a year ago when he snuck out was still a stable fashion choice. 

He slid on the cloak, putting the hood over his head. Throwing the map into his backpack along with the copy of the missing poster he took. 

The sun was setting as he roamed the streets of the now silent Town of Havenwood. 

He made his way quickly across town to the Haven Wood Middle School. School had been out for all the kids for quite a while now. He scanned the area, and everything looked all but normal. 

Any obvious clues to aid Killua had long since vanished. 

Killua looked back at his map. There were 2 residential areas near the school. One just beyond the forest neighboring the school and the other one a bit further into the town.  

"If she was making her way home.. right her address she was going home after school.." Killua pulled out his map of the city staring at it to find the possible path she went on. A place there caught his eye. An intersection leading off in opposite directions

.

Killua's mind raced as he walked over to the spot in question. "She was on her way home from school and then parted ways with her friend... she split off with them for some reason and that might just have been where.." 

-----

Killua walked slowly along the path leading into the forest, the area was dimming by the hour, the moonlight being Killuas only real thing to assist him. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary for a while. This being a case that happened so long ago that was to be expected.

Killua gasped out, slipping slightly to the side before catching himself. A slight tilt in the land. The boy brushed off his knees looking to the side. There was a faint trickle of water in the distance.

"Don't tell me.." Killua thought to himself getting up. He looked over the slight slide down in the land, it led pretty far down. The land was steep, the mud, fallen greenery, and sediment all built up in that one area.

Killua got up trying to look over the area, a safer way to make his way down. Part of the ledge was much less steep than the rest, despite that he ventured down further off the path. 

He walked slowly through the area, in the general direction he believed Morgan Redfern ended up. Just as he suspected. Water. A river cut through the forest after a long set of trees.

 The river showed itself so suddenly. 

"A river down here.. this place can't have been that different than how it was a year ago could it have? Mud.. maybe it began to rain that day when she was walking home and she slipped.. like I did making her travel down here.." Killua thought to himself pacing down the side of the river, following in the direction it flowed towards. The river stretched in for a long time.

Killua nearing the end of the river, noticed another more muddy area, piles of dirt and debris. Scanning the area something caught his eye. A shoe. Covered in dirt and sediment stuck in the ground.

Killua bent down leaning over it before plucking it from the earth.

Bingo 

A first real piece was found.