The Love of the Powerful

An X Unsatisfying X Game

"Ehem!" A sharp voice resonated in the room. "This challenge will either bring you to your deaths or to an instant win." Cain rolled his eyes, he would much rather sit with the prick than to be toyed by a stranger.

"The vials come in pairs, you have to choose between three, with one set filled with sulphuric acid!" The voice grinned, "If you're lucky, the other liquids are either a strong shot of alcohol or a dose of aphrodisiac. Be careful!"

Then, they were met with silence as the intercom shut off. Be careful? Both men hated encouragement that harbour no genuine feelings, they had a third's chance of dying, careful is a word too foolish to worry for their situation.

Despite how Cain acted most of the time, he was pretty terrified of death, especially those ones that serve as a game for others. The real world harboured humans similar to the ones who killed his family. They're selfish, chasing after innocent people in the act of greed.

Illumi's eyes glinted in excitement, sparkling like a child's when offered candy. "Are you insane? We're going to die if something goes wrong here." Cain leered at the quiet man, hoping to receive a response from the deafening silence, cold sweat prickling his neck.

Elegantly, Illumi picked a pair of vials and offered one to Cain, although he had no reasons to decline, he had a suspicion that he would be the one affected the most. The liquid in the vial burned, leaving a hot aftertaste on the tongue. Alcohol. Cain produced a breath he held for the past few minutes, back when he was slightly scared of the more negative outcome. 

The criminal however, screeched until his voice was hoarse, throwing himself onto the wall, the blood that came from his mouth soaked the once white carpet. The man later passed on after quick moments of panic and pain. His body was later picked up by towering men who also adorned the prison attire, who glared at the two with malicious intent, strong enough to kill an average bystander.

Were criminals ever this strong in this region? Must be death-rows.

Illumi carried his apathetic expression, never breaking to a frown or even a grin, that sickened Cain more than if he had laughed at the corpse, to fit the villainous role he had projected onto him. He knew the Gittarakur personality was a façade, but seeing the true Illumi Zoldyck pained him to think about the past he had experienced to achieve this.

The grim atmosphere continued until the pair was met with two doors, and once again an order.

Only one person can make their way through. 

"You can go ahead. I'll meet you outside."

Illumi's bored eyes seemed almost surprised, though the faint emotion was only for a fraction of a second. "I can't allow... someone younger than me to go through such hardship." The 19 year old rolled his eyes, he was going to tell him how feminine he was. Probably, no- most definitely.

A sissy like you can't do things by yourself

That's why you can't save your family!

Awakening from his thoughts with wind being knocked out of his lungs, he was hoisted (or rather swung) over Illumi's shoulder. "What are you doing?" The man curtly smiled, walking through the entry as if it was nothing.

The voice in the confinement room sneered obnoxiously, "You can't go with your companion, that's what this game is for!"

"You never said it was a game." Illumi ran with Cain still over his shoulder like a potato sack, the hidden voice chiding and complaining over his answer.

--

The dull feeling of nausea creeped up with every thud of Illumi-now Gittarackur's steps.

"Can't you put me down already? We're so close to the end." The grip on his waist tightened, "Let me down you little-" Cain howled at the pressure.

He fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"Well anyways." The blond groaned, rubbing his aching joints. "What's with you being so nice to me all of a sudden? You were so shitty before."

He didn't want his hopes up, Illumi was probably those sadistic kinds who get off on manipulating people.

"Why can't I be nice to you?"

"Well..." The man pondered, before leaning sweetly towards Cain's ear, "you remind me of my brother."

Was that perversion? Brother complex?

---

Illumi, surprisingly, liked to insult and complain over things under his breath.

The pair had just reached the resting area - an empty room as they're quite lucky with their path. The only other person was Hisoka, who paid them no attention. A while later, the self proclaimed ninja named 'Hanzo' arrived at the venue.

Illumi (in the guise of Gittarackur) hated him. He despised loud friendly people, it was too much for him. Hanzo had tried to strike a conversation a few times at the beginning of the exam, but to no avail did he ever get an answer from Illumi.

"Hey... so what are we supposed to do here?" Cain groaned, stretching his aching back from sitting down for such a long period of time. Illumi clicked in annoyance, why was he here again? Oh yes, to find his brother and send him back home, and find an easier way to work.

In the list that Illumi despised, there were a lot of things. But surprisingly, the first was work. Who wants to continue a stupid legacy of assassins after so many generations? Apparently the Zoldyck family.