Two Graves

Chapter one: Chains

Kurapika's mouth felt like he had swallowed an electrical wire and his bones ached like they'd been crushed and sloppily glued back together.

Wincing, he opened his pounding eyes to survey his surroundings. A gloomy room, the only source of light being a small window directly under the ceiling. Stone walls, adorned with big stone pillars, towered menacingly over him.

Kurapika was slumped on the floor, his wrists and waist chained to one of the pillars; he grinned slightly maddened–the irony wasn't lost on him. Chains for the chain user.

Despite the lingering pain from his recent battle coursing through his body, he moved his right arm and discovered that all the bone fractures and cuts were miraculously healed. Why was he still alive? Whatever the reason, he would have preferred to remain dead rather than face whatever awaited him next.

After a lengthy time, a door behind him creaked open. A ray of light spread out on the stone floor, the door swung shut and footsteps approached him slowly, reminiscent of a hunting predator gradually closing in on its prey. The steps halted.

A smooth, serene voice emanated next to Kurapika, and he shut his eyes so he wouldn't have to see the despicable face belonging to it. "I see, you're finally awake, how are you feeling?"

Kurapika remained silent, he felt his eyes glow warm as they turned scarlet. He doubted very much that his contact lenses were still intact after the battle he had fought the previous night.

His enemy clicked his tongue mockingly: "Honestly I expected you to show slightly better manners than this, since you've been working for higher-ups the last time we met."

A shiver ran down Kurapika's spine. His enemy seemed to be analyzing him; Kurapika could practically feel his silver eyes tracing over his face, trying to read his expression like a mildly intriguing book.

He contemplated trying to break the heavy chains tying him to the pillar, but he very much doubted he would be fast enough before he got killed.

He heard the fabric of the Spider's suit rustle as he crouched down to be on Kurapika's level, he even discerned a hint of impatience in the man's voice as he spoke again: "Listen to me. I could torture and kill you, but I have no desire to waste my time or get my suit sullied. Would it be so difficult for you to cooperate just a little?"

"Never in a thousand years would I cooperate with the likes of you!" Kurapika's heartbeat pulsed with suppressed rage as he heard Chrollo pull something out of his coat. Kurapika let his eyelid part ever so slightly, to see what it was and froze.

"I see, now I have your attention! I've heard through the grapevine that you are collecting these."

In Chrollo's hand was a glass jar, filled with a translucent fluid, swaying inside a pair of scarlet eyes. They seemed to look right at Kurapika, the red iris burned itself into his mind, but he couldn't look away like he was being hypnotized.

Kurapika should've expected the Phantom Troupe to still possess some of their spoils but seeing the eyes in his enemy's hand made him sick to his stomach. Who knew who these eyes had belonged to once? Maybe to the nice baker from across the street, who would sneak Kurapika samples of his goods every so often. Maybe to the old lady, who would regularly feed the squirrels at the outskirts of the village, who even allowed Kurapika to hold one of the warm, fluffy beings in the palms of his hands one time. The Phantom Troupe had taken those eyes from them because the organs were valuable. To them, even more valuable than a human's life.

Chrollo tucked the eyes back into his coat and shifted slightly to face Kurapika, who now was staring daggers at him: "You lost our fight last night. I could've easily killed you right there and then, but I kindly decided to spare your life – just as you spared my life back in Yorknew city. What goes around comes around, wouldn't you agree?"