Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter; only my plot and my original characters belong to me.

Author's Note: Oh my gosh, folks! I can't believe I'm able to say this, but Softly, Darkly has accumulated over 15,000 hits, 100 reviews, and 85 favorites, and 145 follows! Those numbers are much more than I could have ever expected when I began this long, strange literary adventure. I have all of you to thank for this story's success. As I said in my last chapter, if I had the chance to reach out and give each of you a huge, grateful hug, I would. Thank you all from the very bottom of my heart. I'm so happy that you all keep coming back to read it, despite my issues! It means the world to me, that my little tale is worth the trouble. Oh, and can I please mention how absolutely joyful it is to me to see you all commenting and giving me feedback? It makes my day. I hope you enjoy the latest installment! Once again, warmest thanks to each and every single one of you. I could never to this without the support of such awesome, lovely readers. Enjoy the 20th chapter, my lovelies!

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Chapter Twenty: Initiation

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"So, why don't we go someplace more...intimate?"

The question hung ominously in the air between them, carrying with it the burden of yet another night of uncertainty. Rhea considered it, a mixture of trepidation and excitement slowly circling her heart. Her pulse quickened. Her lungs ached against the air she held captive inside them. Her muscles tightened, but instead of curling her fingers around each other, she pressed her palms flat against her thighs and felt the warm flesh tremble in anticipation.

Oh god, she thought despairingly to herself. What do I do?

She knew she couldn't refuse Hisoka. The young woman was too deeply drawn into his twisted world, too tangled in his complex web of riddles and half-truths, too far past the point of no return to go back now. Curiosity, desperation, and infatuation overpowered logic and reason. The journalist didn't even have to say anything. She only had to nod.

And with that small gesture, it was done. The magician's perpetual grin widened.

"Excellent," he said, sweeping himself gracefully off his chair and beckoning her with a single finger. "Come."

With that, the man turned on his heel and sauntered towards the exit. Rhea hastily scooped up her belongings-including the tabloid-and obediently followed after him, her mind plunged into a whirlwind of questions.

What does he plan to tell me? she wondered. How will it make me stronger? And why is it so secretive that he can't utter it in public? Or is this all just a ruse to get me alone again?

The young woman remembered all too well the events of the night before, when she'd been summoned by Hisoka to the windswept heights of one of the heavenly tower's many balconies. Hisoka's hands, the sudden heat of his touch, the sweet aroma of his breath wafting down on her face-the mere thought of it made her shudder. Now, as she trailed behind the Heaven's Arena combatant, she tried to banish those memories from her mind, and instead attempted to focus on her newest and most daunting task.

I have to grow stronger, she resolved once again. And I can't let my feelings waver my focus.

The magician led her to the elevator, and when they boarded, she was careful not to stand too close to her companion, but Hisoka barely seemed to notice her presence. He extended a long, pale finger and pressed the level 200 button-but did not offer her so much as a glance. Rhea stared at the man's painted face, listened to the mechanical whirr begin to hum underneath their feet, and swallowed hard, preparing to break the dead air between them. "S-so," she began clumsily. "What's so secret that you can't reveal it in public?"

Hisoka glanced over his shoulder and down at her. He noted her impatient expression and cocked a single eyebrow.

"Eager, aren't we?" he said with a chuckle, and then he turned away again. "Not to worry, Rhea-chan, all will be revealed soon."

The young woman's face creased into an annoyed frown, and she gave her companion a hard, stubborn glare.

"'Soon' may not be soon enough," she insisted, the tremble in her voice subsiding as her conviction grew. "Li Wenxin could be out killing his next victim as we speak. The longer I wait to learn what I can from you, the more women could die."

Hisoka's mouth opened, as though he had a witty retort ready to dislodge from the tip of his tongue. But just before his voice slipped through his parted lips, he seemed to reconsider. He turned back towards the elevator doors and only glanced at Rhea through the corner of his eye.

"Very eager, I see," he remarked."Alright then, if you insist...let's begin."

The Heaven's Arena combatant did nothing for a moment, but then, suddenly, the atmosphere in the small space transformed. Rhea couldn't see any kind of change, but she could feel it. The air rippled around her-became thicker, heavier-and it swelled from Hisoka's body like a series of waves. The moment it made contact with Rhea's skin, every cell in her body recoiled. The ominous sensation invaded her mouth, slid up her throat and face, and sucked the carefully-held breath out of her chest. She instinctively shrank backwards, pressing herself into the corner farthest from the magician, but that did nothing to release her from the stranglehold that the unseen force had on her.

She recognized the horrifying presence: the invisible needle-pricks against her skin, the sudden breathlessness, the inescapable sense of impending doom. It was the same sensation that she'd felt the night before, the same unseen force she'd felt the day she'd first met Hisoka.

She struggled to glance back up at the magician through the haze of dark energy that was emanating from him. He stood in the center of the elevator car, only half facing her, his head tilted back at an unnatural angle, a wide, wolfish grin stretching across his pale, painted face. He looked as though he was in the throes of ecstasy, and it frightened her.

"Amazing, isn't it?" he asked, his voice raspy with wicked glee. "That pressure building, straining against your skin, just begging for release-do you feel it, Rhea-chan?"

The young woman couldn't find her voice. She couldn't breath, and this time it was not because of her own anxiety. The air around her seemed devoid of oxygen. She pressed her hands to her throat and sputtered weakly in desperation.

"H-Hisoka-" she choked just before her knees began to buckle.

The sound of his name seemed to snap her companion from his dark reverie. As soon as he glanced at her slumping form, the ominous sensation filling the space suddenly dissolved into nothingness. As it released its hold, Rhea crumpled to her hands and knees, before throwing back her head and glancing towards the Heaven's Arena combatant.

"W-what...did you...do to me?" she asked between gulping breaths.

The magician looked down at her, an unusually stoic expression on his face. "That was Nen."

The journalist's brow furrowed in confusion, her chest heaving, her heart hammering the white cage of her ribcage. "N-nen?"

"Put simply, it's energy that can be harnessed and manipulated by its owner." The Heaven's Arena combatant threw her a smug smirk. "I just gave you a small taste. Any more than that and you might have suffered serious injury."

Rhea sucked in another deep breath, steadied herself on one knee, and shakily brought herself to her feet. "Great to know," she remarked, glowering angrily at Hisoka as she straightened her wrinkled dress. "Was that actually necessary?"

"Of course," the magician replied, his smirk growing wider as he registered her irritation. "Nen is not something an untrained eye can see. But you can feel it."

"Y-you've used it on me before," she said accusingly. "When we first met. Why?"

Hisoka paused, and turned slowly around to face her. Rhea swallowed hard as she felt the heat from his eyes slide over her flesh, but she pulled her legs together, stuck out her chin, and refused to look away.

"Why, to frighten you, of course," he said, his voice a velvet purr. "Did it work?"

The girl stared him down. "Maybe then it did. But not this time."

The Heaven's Arena combatant rewarded her another voracious grin. "I suppose I'll have to try harder then."

The elevator bell dinged, and the doors swung open with a sudden whoosh of air. Rhea blinked rapidly, trying to digest what she'd just heard, but Hisoka was already swaggering forward into the hallway and down the long corridor. She scrambled out of her protective corner and scurried after him, her limbs still weak from the shock of experiencing the magician's Nen.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked.

But Hisoka didn't answer, he just glanced at her over his shoulder and continued his jaunt down the long, curved hall. That made her uneasy. Rhea thought about stopping to demand a response, but something-some unknown, unnamed feeling-tugged at her instincts. It told her to follow the magician wherever he went, without protest or hesitation.

I will not show fear, she told herself. And I will get what I came for.

It didn't take long.

Rhea heard it before she saw it: A tangle of voices, murmuring to one another, echoing down the hall. As soon as the sound reached her ears, the reporter glanced towards her companion to gauge his reaction. But Hisoka's pale face remained unreadable, forever frozen with that terrible, mischievous smirk. She guessed that he had heard the commotion long before she did. They pressed forward, until the source of the sound came into view. Not too far ahead, there were several other Heaven's Arena fighters crowding the narrow corridor. They didn't seem to be doing anything-just standing around and muttering in soft, hushed tones-as if they were waiting for something.

Rhea glanced again at the man walking just ahead of her, and again towards the throng of warriors. For a fleeting, frightening moment, she wondered if they were lingering in anticipation of Hisoka's arrival. But as they ceased their march and paused just outside of the circle, it became clear that the group had assembled for a different purpose. They were all facing inward, forming a wall of bodies at the junction of two hallways next to another set of elevators.

They are waiting for something... she thought to herself, feeling a sickening twist in her gut. ...or someone.

"Hisoka," she whispered urgently. "What is this?"

Hisoka's eyes dropped down momentarily to meet hers. "This is initiation."

Again, the girl's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's that? W-why are we here? What are they all waiting for?"

"Every combatant that advances to the 200th floor is expected to be well-versed in the art of Nen," the magician explained, looking up again. "If not, other competitors come to test their mettle. The process is called initiation."

Rhea's eyes darted around from face to face, still wary of the situation and the general sense of unease in the air. "Test them? Like-like you tested me?"

Hisoka chuckled darkly. "Somewhat. If the newcomers are strong enough, their ability to use their own Nen will be awakened."

"And-what if they're not?" the young woman inquired with some hesitation. Her nerves were beginning to tighten, to sing. She didn't like this. "Hisoka, what if they're not strong enough?"

As Rhea stared with wide eyes at her companion, desperate for answers, one of the other combatants seemed to notice their presence. The man-who had a large pot belly and a colorful mohawk-glanced over his shoulder and blinked in genuine surprise when he saw Hisoka behind him. The fighter turned to face the magician, his great bulk filling the majority of the hallway.

"Hisoka," he growled menacingly under his breath. "What are you doing here?"

Hisoka didn't even blink. He crossed his forearms and said nothing to acknowledge that the warrior's inquiry. After a few moments of intense silence, the big-bellied man took a threatening step forward.

"There are two new combatants ascending to the 200th floor today. You'd better not be here to spoil our welcome. That would be a deadly mistake," he warned.

Rhea shrank back, her eyes darting between the magician and the huge man looming towards them. Heads swiveled to glance at the new conflict that was brewing behind them. The mohawked warrior took another step closer. The girl felt another burst of dread flowering in the pit of her stomach, but she attempted to remember her earlier conviction.

Show no fear, she repeated. And then she took a step forward and prayed that nothing terrible would happen.

"He-he's with me," she blurted suddenly. "Or...or rather, I'm with him."

The other fighter's aggressive stance softened a bit. "Huh? Who are you?"

"I-I'm a reporter from The Daily Republic," she began earnestly, and then began to carefully spin the truth into a convincing lie. "I'm here under the orders of the Editor-in-Chief, Dirks Beck, to write a piece on the unique culture of Heaven's Arena and its fighters. Hisoka is my guide."

The young woman reached into her purse, yanked out her press pass, and held it aloft for all to see. The man squinted at it, and then looked right over her head back at Hisoka, ignoring Rhea's words entirely.

"Is this a joke?" he snarled angrily. "Why are you bringing civilians to an initiation?"

A dangerous smile Hisoka's slid slowly up his face, but he remained silent, instead choosing to cast his gaze back to the young journalist. That gave Rhea increased confidence.

"It's not a joke," she said matter-of-factly. "I'm sure you're aware of the special relationship Heaven's Arena shares with the paper. Most fighters depend on us for publicity. If you prevent me from reporting on this story, my superiors will want to know why, and you could lose your sponsorship. Is that something you want?"

A silent tension fell over the hall. For a moment it looked as if the mohawked combatant wanted to hit her. The journalist's body went stiff in preparation for the blow, but it never came. Instead, the man rolled his eyes and let out a dismissive grunt.

"Fine," he said, glancing at Hisoka once more. "Just don't get in the way."

He threw the diminutive girl one more unpleasant grimace, before turning his bulk away and rejoining the small crowd. The others who had been watching the tense exchange followed suit. Rhea sucked in a deep, shaky breath as she felt the scrutinizing gazes being lifted off her.

Wow, she marveled silently, tucking her press pass safely back inside her purse. I did it. I showed no fear.

But she still could feel it. No matter how much she tried to suppress it, it was there inside of here: bright and sharp as a razor, cutting deeply into the flesh of her insides. Just because she was getting better at hiding her fear didn't mean that it disappeared altogether. It would take much, much more than a sudden outburst of courage to do that. Rhea closed her eyes, took another breath, and then opened them again. From the corner of her eye she could see Hisoka gazing down at her, a smile gracing his features. She turned to face him, and was immediately caught in the magician's entrancing gaze.

"I'm impressed," he said, his yellow eyes burning into her own.

Rhea felt an electric current zigzag through her body, zapping her beating heart into a frenzied rhythm, and filling her cheeks with a reddened, ruddy blush. She blinked at the Heaven's Arena combatant and then glanced shyly away, not sure how to respond. Did she hear Hisoka correctly? Did he just compliment her? She hadn't heard even a tinge of irony or cruelty in his voice. .

I should thank him, she realized suddenly, but just as she did, she heard the familiar bell of the elevator doors opening.

The young woman lifted her head to face her companion once more, but the magician had turned away towards the source of the sound. Rhea's eyes followed his gaze. Emerging from the elevator was a pair of men. They both paused in alarm when they saw the assembly of brightly-clad fighters standing there, calmly waiting. Another icy twinge of dread burst to life in the depths of Rhea's stomach as the circle of combatants suddenly tightened like a noose around them.

"What's this?" the first of the new arrivals asked. "Why have you blocked our way?"

No one in the circle spoke; instead, they all glanced at each other with dark, knowing expressions creasing their faces. It seemed that, besides the two newcomers, Rhea was the only person who didn't know what was about to happen.

Suddenly, the air stirred with a sudden, unseen energy. Again, the girl couldn't see it, but she could feel the abrupt shift in pressure, the creeping dread, the shiver on her skin as every hair on her body stood upright. Although she had not recognized the feeling before tonight, the young woman now knew with absolute certainty that the empty space around her was rapidly filling with the mysterious substance that Hisoka had called Nen.

This time, however, the assault was not aimed at her; it was instead directed at the two new arrivals. The two unfortunate men realized too late what was happening, and despite bracing themselves against an attack they could not see, it began to wreak havoc upon their bodies. But as it made contact, the Nen didn't just knock them off their feet. Rhea watched with abject horror as the face of one of the men darkened and bubbled, as though his flesh was melting off his bones. An anguished scream tore itself out of his throat, reverberating off the walls and echoing down the corridors. His companion didn't seem much luckier. His body seemed to be possessed by the invisible force, his legs contorting wildly, folding inward and bending at unnatural angles. The young woman's stomach turned as she heard the sharp snapping of each bone in his lower body breaking under the immense strain.

What are they doing? She thought frantically. They're going to kill them!

The journalist took a hesitant step back, but as she did, she backed straight into Hisoka's chest. The sudden contact sent another red-hot electric shock through her flesh, lighting up little fires of sensation all over her body, and she nearly stumbled. Before she could, however, the magician's pale forearm coiled around the girl's shoulders like a snake, holding her upright and forcing her to stare at the terror unfolding in front of her.

"Watch carefully," Hisoka whispered, his voice thin with excitement.

Rhea blinked bewilderingly up at his painted face, her eyes wide with fear and amazement, but then she obeyed. The journalist forced herself to look, and as she did, her front teeth slipped forward and bit down into the tender, swollen flesh of her lower lip. She tasted the bright, metallic taste of blood.

When the ominous presence of Nen finally disappeared, the damage it had inflicted upon its victims was painfully clear. The first man's eyes and mouth were nothing more than drooping slits in his melted, destroyed face. A final, haunting cry ripped out of his throat, before he dropped with a sickening thud to the floor. The other man was disfigured too, but in a different way. His legs were stretched out in front of him, but they were bent at grotesque and unnatural angles. Despite this, the man didn't seem preoccupied by the state of his lower body. Instead, he raised his hands to his face and stared open-mouthed at his palms, as though marveling over a sudden, shocking change that Rhea couldn't see.

"His Nen has been awakened," Hisoka whispered in the horrified girl's ear.

The young woman could hardly comprehend her companion's words. Awakened?

Rhea's gaze shifted again to the fighter who had collapsed. His body no longer moved. "Is-is he-?"

She couldn't finish, so Hisoka did it for her.

"Dead? Almost. But if he survives, both he and his companion will be ten times stronger than before tonight," he explained. His voice was soft, his breath even softer as it wafted down to caress her cheek. "Perhaps someday, even stronger."

A bright, hot lightning bolt of realization struck Rhea's brain. The implications of their earlier conversation burned inside her skull, taking on a sudden, terrifying new meaning.

Stronger? Is this what Hisoka wanted to show me?

Rhea felt panic beginning to rise up her throat. Her limbs felt frozen, but the magician's warm breath against the side of her face was enough to melt away some of the shock. She abruptly reached up and clasped the man's arm, wrenching away from his grasp with all her remaining strength. Once free, she stared at the carnage on the floor just a few feet away, her mind a maelstrom of confusion, shock, and fear.

Is-is this what he intends to do to me? To make me stronger?

She whipped her head around to face Hisoka, but he gave no indication of his intentions-only a sly, ambiguous smile. Rhea's eyes widened, the sense of dread she had fought so hard against finally closing its grip around her pounding heart. She still desperately wanted to get stronger, and the Heaven's Arena combatant was the key to achieving her goal. But she couldn't trust him. She had been a fool to trust him in the first place. The journalist's lungs began to ache, and she gulped down another mouthful of precious oxygen, but it didn't seem to have the usual calming effect. Her chest heaved in vain, and she felt herself spiraling downward into another dark, deep vortex of primal fear. She wanted to scream, but she no longer had any breath to do so. She had lost control, and she realized it too late.

The fear had won. It filled her veins, flushed her skin, and flooded her vision with blurred, cloudy shapes. Darkness came to claim her like an assassin, swiftly and silently. But just before Rhea completely slipped beneath the shadow of unconsciousness, she felt a familiar, well-muscled arm snake protectively around her shoulders, whisking her off her feet, and carrying her off into an entirely new world of uncertainty.

...

Author's Note: Ohhh, I know that's a super-mean cliffhanger to leave you guys off on, and I'm sorry! I love my cliffhangers. I also know that ending this chapter in this manner is a little bit cliche, but I'm letting it slide for the sake of efficiency. My perfectionism is still a problem, but thankfully it didn't give me that much trouble while writing this chapter. I'm hyped for (and also secretly dreading) the interaction I have planned between Rhea and Hisoka in the next chapter though! It's one of the most important events for Rhea's development, but perhaps not in the way you'd expect. Be excited/filled with dread with me, guys! Anyway, thank you all once again for our continued support. I love you all and dedicate this story to you. Please let me know what you think, and thank you for your readership!