knight's Royal Duty || Gonkillu ||

Just

Two days later, disaster struck.

It started as a routine patrol. Gon's unit had been tasked with scouting ahead of the main forces, checking for enemy movement in the hills near the eastern front. The night was dark, the only light coming from the sliver of the moon hanging low in the sky. Everything seemed quiet—too quiet.

Killua walked beside Gon, his senses on high alert, every shadow seeming like a potential threat. He could feel the tension in the air, the stillness that always came before something terrible happened.

And then it did.

Without warning, arrows rained down from the cliffs above. Killua barely had time to shout a warning before the ambush began. The enemy soldiers—hidden among the rocks and trees—rushed toward them, their weapons gleaming in the moonlight.

The knights in Gon's unit scrambled to defend themselves, raising their shields and swords as the enemy descended upon them. But the attack had come too suddenly, and the chaos of battle erupted around them in an instant.

"Gon!" Killua shouted, his voice hoarse as he drew his sword and plunged into the fight.

Gon was already in motion, his sword cutting through the air as he fought off the enemy soldiers. His movements were fluid, precise, but Killua could see the exhaustion in him—the way each strike took more effort than the last.

Killua fought beside him, the two of them moving in perfect sync as they had done so many times before. But the enemy was overwhelming, and Killua could feel the tide of the battle turning against them.

The knights were falling one by one, and for every enemy they cut down, more seemed to take their place. The ambush had caught them completely off guard, and the enemy was pressing their advantage with brutal efficiency.

"We need to fall back!" Killua shouted, his voice barely audible over the clash of swords.

Gon nodded, his face set in grim determination. "Retreat!" he called out to the remaining knights. "Regroup at the ridge!"

The knights began to fall back, retreating toward the ridge where they could make a stand. Killua and Gon stayed at the rear, covering the retreat as the enemy pressed in from all sides. The air was thick with the smell of blood and sweat, the cries of the wounded filling the night.

But as they neared the ridge, Killua felt a sharp pain in his side. He looked down, his breath catching in his throat as he saw an arrow protruding from his ribs. He stumbled, his vision swimming as the pain flared through his body.

"Killua!" Gon shouted, his voice filled with panic.

Killua tried to stay on his feet, tried to keep fighting, but his body wouldn't obey. The pain was too much, and his legs gave out beneath him. He collapsed to the ground, his vision blurring as the world around him seemed to fade.

The last thing he saw before darkness claimed him was Gon's face, filled with fear and desperation as he rushed to his side.

When Killua awoke, the world was a haze of pain and confusion. His body felt heavy, every breath sending sharp jolts of agony through his side. He blinked slowly, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

He was lying in a makeshift tent, the fabric swaying gently in the wind. The sound of distant battle could still be heard, but it was muffled, as if it were far away. Killua groaned, his throat dry as he tried to sit up, but a firm hand pushed him back down.

"Stay still," a familiar voice said, and Killua turned his head to see Gon sitting beside him, his face pale and lined with worry.

"Gon..." Killua croaked, his voice barely a whisper. "What happened?"

"You were hit by an arrow," Gon said quietly, his eyes dark with concern. "I thought we'd lost you."

Killua winced, the memory of the ambush flooding back. He remembered the arrow, the pain, and then—nothing. He had blacked out.

"How long?" Killua asked, his voice hoarse.

"Just a day," Gon replied. "We had to retreat after the ambush. We're holding the ridge, but the enemy is pressing hard. I didn't want to leave you, but—"

"You shouldn't be here," Killua interrupted, his voice filled with frustration. "You need to be with your knights. They need you."

Gon's eyes hardened. "They have orders. I wasn't going to leave you behind, Killua. Not like this."

Killua clenched his fists, hating how weak he felt. He didn't want Gon to worry about him, didn't want to be a burden when the war was still raging around them. But seeing the concern in Gon's eyes, the depth of his worry, Killua couldn't bring himself to argue.

"You Idiot," Killua said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Gon looked away, his expression tense. "I wasn't fast enough."

Killua's heart ached at the guilt in Gon's voice. He reached out, taking Gon's hand in his. "You were there when it mattered. That's enough."

Gon didn't respond, but the tension between them eased slightly. They sat in silence, the weight of the war hanging over them like a dark cloud. Killua could feel the pull of exhaustion dragging him down, but for now, he was content to sit beside Gon, knowing that they were still together.

For how long, though, Killua didn't know.