It is a bright morning filled with the coos of birds and the fragrance of fresh flowers blooming in the garden of a small house. The weather is warm and the breeze is cool. Sunlight slipped through the curtains of the open windows. It was a small house with two persons living alone and nothing more. But to Lilly it was her world.. She is a little girl with the most purest soul, something that is too much for this cruel world. In her small world the only peace and joy is her big brother Yuki.

"Hey!" Lilly's voice chirped through Yuki's head as he was busy cooking breakfast for bath. He hummed in response. His golden eyes focused on the pan he was stirring. His brown wavy hair glistened in the sunlight.

Lilly climbed the table to reach his height and told with a high pitched voice, "You told you will come home early today! Remember!" Her brown eyes shining as the sun hits. Her soft chocolate hair swishes with the soft breeze coming through the window.

Yuki stilled and totally forgot. With an awkward chuckle he stammered, "Ah… right I… I will try to come home early today."

Lilly pouted, her hand gripping both sides of her hips. She tilted her small head slightly and told with the voice of betrayal, "Huh! You promised me you will come home early today and play with me! You are lying to me again! It's unfair!"

Yuki couldn't handle her wide pleading eyes and gave a tired sigh. Then told, "Fine! If I come late I'll buy your favourite sticky buns and we will go to restaurent for dinner."

Lilly's eyes widened with joy and excitement. "Really!"

Yuki replied with a smile, "promise," and flicked her forehead.

"Ouch! It hurts!"

Yuki then dropped Lilly in the kindergarden and headed to his highschool after admiring her bright smile, which is a soft thing in his tough life.

He is just a 15 years old young man who lost his parents at a very young age and was pushed into the responsibility of raising himself and his little sister alone. He earned little money by working part time job after his school. After everything he is a kind man with pure soul.

As the clock strucked 4:00pm Lilly returned home. "I'm home!" she chirped and placed her tiny shoes on the rack just like Yuki taught her to.

She moved with excitement, grabbed chocolate cookies, jumped on the soft couch and turned on the TV and started watching her favourite cartoon show. As she was watching while munching cookies, she suddenly remembered, "Oh no! Mr. Bunny!"

She then climbed upstairs to grab her favourite plush gifted by Yuki. She didn't notice the slight dimness in the light. Her footsteps echoing lightly as she climbed.

As she took her bunny plush, she heard a voice coming from downstairs. "…Lilly…" a familiar voice… its her brother's voice. She got happy and her face instantly lit up. "Big brother! You are home early!"

She ran downstairs with joyfulness while clutching Mr. Bunny tightly. To her surprise no one is in the living hall, only the TV flickered. Again she hears the voice, this time it is coming from the kitchen, "…Lilly lets play hide and seek.."

Her face lit with pure excitement. "Iam Comming!" She ran to the kitchen expecting to see her big brother. When she entered the kitchen, her smile dropped. She froze. Her eyes widened in terror. Her bunny plush dropped on the ground.

"Glass of wine here!" the sound of another waiter snapped back to Yuki's reality. "Oh right! I'll be there in a minute!" he quickly moved to serve another customer. He feels too tired because he has been working for 2 hours straight. By the time the clock strucked to 5:30pm he remembered his promise he made and watched the sky dimmed.

He then asked permission to the manager and left the restaurent. His steps were faster because the house is too far. He felt something is wrong. "Gosh its late" he muttered to himself. The clouds darkened and the sky dimmed. He hears the rumbling sound of thunder as it starts to drizzle. She is scared of thunder, he thought, and his steps became even faster.

On the way warm steam filled the damp air. He saw freshly baked sticky buns were selling in the stall. He remembered his promise to buy her sticky buns. Then he brought a bag of sticky buns and started walking as the rain started to pour more.

He reached home soaked. It was a heavy downpour. He opened the door gently and placed his shoes on the rack. "Lilly! I am home!" He expected the excited voice of hers but he only hears the suffocating silence. Man.. is she mad he thought to himself. "Lilly! I brought your favourite sticky bun-" he stilled.

He smelled the scent of metalic. The undeniable scent of blood comming from the kitchen. "Lilly?.." his voice slowed.

He ran to the kitchen and when he looked up he froze. His eyes widened. The bag dropped to the ground. His jaw dropped. He saw Lilly… but in a different state.

The bunny plush is stained with blood. Lilly was on the floor bloodied. Her eyes open and rolled up but not alive. Her left leg is torn. Her hand is crushed… She is brutally murdered… like she was torn by a monster.

He covered his mouth. His knees weakened at the sight and gave up. He crawled to her. Tears slipping from his eyes.

Yuki touched Lilly's pale skin of her face which is cold as ice and lacked her usual warmth. The rain still poured outside heavily. He noticed the big kitchen window is opened and the blood is trailed through it. Forest filled the area outside the window.

​Then he hears a voice "...big brother..." he froze. It is Lilly's exact voice coming outside the forest. "...big brother lets play..." he couldn't bear the voice. His body chilled as he looked down and see the lifeless body of his own little sister's. Then whose voice is that?

​Yuki then remembered something from the past when he was little and when his dear grandfather was alive. That was a fresh morning with brightened sky and Lilly was still a baby sleeping on grandfather her little head resting on his chest. Grandfather was a wise and kind person who would grieve every morning for his dead wife and children. Despite everything he cared for his dear grandchildren Yuki and Lilly.

​"Yuki have you ever wondered about the creatures which hunts humans and survive by eating human's flesh. The legends say these are the creatures roaming in the forest with full of greed and hunger and was able to mimic people's voices exactly." Grandfather said with a trembling and deep voice that always carries a wise grace. Little Yuki got scared by the info. "What! Grandfather! Is it real!"

​Grandfather gave a knowing smile "But it was a myth and there is no proof such creatures can be real nor there is a proof such creatures can be fake."

​Yuki clutched his grandfather's hand tightly. "There is no way such creatures can be real! It must be a fake myth!"

​Grandfather chuckled he then said while blowing bubbles "Nothing in the world can be real until you see it with your own eyes and witness its experience."

​Yuki snapped back to reality his grandfather's voice echoed in his mind. "Dont... tell me these wendigos are... real" he breathed.

​As Yuki stepped out the air is damp the rain is pouring heavily. The fire extinguishes and his eyes were read. He clutched the rod tightly as he sensed another presence... something heavy... something different.

​As he moved forward he stilled by the sheer presence he sensed. Suddenly with a massive force he was slammed into the ground. blood drips from his forehead and nose.

​He looked up and his eyes widened looking at its appearance. It is tall and unnaturally thin about 8 feet. It looks like it's been starved for years. Its ribs and bones are clearly visible under tight, pale skin, almost like the flesh is barely holding onto the skeleton. Its head looks creepy... instead of a normal face, it has deer like skull long and hollow with sharp, jagged teeth exposed. The mouth looks made for tearing, not eating normally. Its eyes are deep and dark. Then antlers - huge, branching out in all directions. They're not clean or majestic like a deer's. They look rough, tangled and almost cursed. Its hair is long and messy and stringy, hanging down like its soaked or never been cared for. The arms and hands are stretched and thin but dangerous - ending long, claw like fingers.

​Before it could make another move he throwed the extinguished stick at its long skinny leg. It growled but made no impact on it. It suddenly grabbed by his neck and lifted him. Yuki clutched his rod stick tightly like its his only hope. But his breath started to slower and his vision blurred.

​Thats it? Am I going to die without freeing her soul? He then feels Lilly's soft presence but it is coming from the wendigo. He then quickly hit its face with the rod. His force was massive that it slammed the wendigo to the ground. He continued to smash its face while shouting "I AM NOT GOING TO GIVE UP UNTIL I BREAK YOUR FILTHY FACE!" His punches were strong and its face was crushed and bloodied. The wendigo gave a painful moan. Before he could land another hit, the wendigo kicked him so hard he was thrown up and hit the ground. The wendigo's claw scratched his chest. Blood floods. Just when the wendigo was about to tear his stomach, it was blown back by a sudden force.

​Yuki saw a young man before him standing tall in his blurred vision. "Flame style: Flame burst" he whispered. His voice carried a fine grace and silkness. Suddenly massive fire was ignited on the wendigo's tall frame. The flame pierced through its skin and it screamed in pain. The wendigo tried to regenerate but instead it burned and turned into ashes.

​The young man walked towards the ashes and kept his hands on the ashes. His hands glowed and the ashes started to glow and floated it then joined together and shined too brightly.

​Yuki saw the strange thing but it looks glorious. Then the glow took a shape of a faint human figure. The figure stared at Yuki. Not with pain or anger just... quiet. The man whispered "rest". And the soul flew away in the forest vanishing. The rain softened and the forest fell into silence.

​The man walked towards Yuki. He looks handsome and his golden eyes glowed in the moonlight. He has a long blonde hair. He has a strange but strong presence. The man gave a soft smile. "Are you gonna be okay kid? You're injured."

​

Yuki slowly opened his eyes the room filled with a scent of incense. It is calming he felt comfortable looking at the wooden cieling above. He felt his head aching then... he slowly remembered everything - The promise, rain, smell of blood, Lilly, wendigo, the young man and... the soul. As all the memories flashed into his mind he quickly woke. Because of the sudden movement he felt a sharp pain in his bandged chest and he winced in pain.

​Then suddenly he felt a cool hand on his arm. He flinched at the sudden touch and turned his head. He sees a young woman knelt beside him. She looks like a dream with an amusing beauty. Her calm blue eyes looks like an ocean. Her gaze held care and kindness. Her long dark silky hair moved gently along with the cool breeze comming from the window. Her presence is strangely soothing and calm almost unreal. She helped him to sit upright and spoke with a steady but gentle voice like the water flowing through stones "Don't strain yourself you are not recovered yet. Don't worry you are in safe place." Her hand was placed on his head stroking his hair gently "are you feeling better dear" she held a warm smile that could melt anyone.

​Despite all he faced, he gave a kind smile genuenly feeling safe "Thanks, I am feeling a bit better" he told in a tired voice. Everything felt like a nightmare he wished to wakeup and cannot accept whatever happened. "Where am I?.." he breathed.

​The lady gave a gentle smile and said "Before that I want to heal your injuries". She placed both her palms on his chest and closed her eyes and, her palm starts to glow with energy that passed throughout his body. He felt his injuries healing and warmth replacing his cool body. After the process she opened her eyes and narrowed slightly but quickly composed herself and gave a gentle smile.

​"There... take some rest so you can be fully recovered". Seeing the confused look in his face she realized she hadn't made the situation clear. "Ah! Right I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Remi Françoise and I am the specialized doctor of the Ash hunter corps and the head of the medical department of hunter corps."

​Yuki was still confused "Miss Remi what exactly you mean by ash hunters?" Remi kept her gaze on the table "The creature you fought yesterday night... it is a wendigo. A creature with full of hunger and greed which eats humans flesh to survive. It is an emotionless creatures holding only evil intensions. These creatures has special ability to mimic people's voices exactly and kills people holding the power of emotional control and evilness. There is an organization of people who hunts these creatures with special techniques. They call themselves as the Ash Hunters. This organization is leading under government's secrecy and no other ordinary citizens know about this except few. If you want to know more about this you can ask to a hunter itself... Yuki."

​Yuki listned keenly and wondered how she knows his name. "Thank you so much for the information Miss Remi and also I am really grateful for your help and I'll try to payback for this."

​Remi chuckled "Oh dear! Its my duty also please rest. I am leaving press the call button if you ever need any help."

​Before Remi could leave Yuki called her "Sorry for the trouble but... could you please tell me who is the person saved me?"

​Remi gave a soft smile "Oh! The person who saved you is flame hunter Aiden." Her voice softened while speaking about him "He is a strong special hunter who is a kind and humble person despite the position he held. He is well spoken with everyone and carries a quiet grace that only be found within him."

​Yuki noticed how her expression softened and meant each word speaking about Aiden. "Where can I meet him if I wanted to?"

​Remi looked at Yuki with gentle expression "As a special hunter he is always busy but he has a habit of visiting the flower field located on Celestia. He enjoys the view of sunset and the fragrance of blooming flower" Remi then left the room with a gentle smile.

​Yuki still on the futon with a lone silence. He looked out the window feeling the warmth but his body feels chill from what happened. Everything feels like a nightmare. Then he walked out the place he is staying feels like a traditional mansion but it is actually a hospital and home. As he walked he sees a beautiful garden with fresh flowers and giving a green scent of the grass. He stands under a big tree and listens to the coos of the birds.

​Then he hears a deep voice filled with warm energy "Hey kid! How're you doing? You really had a big battel with a wendigo without being a hunter."

​The presence and voice is familiar. Yuki then turns his head. Its the flame hunter who saved him. Aiden.

​Yuki gives him a polite bow "I am really grateful to you Mr. Aiden"

​Aiden chuckles "No need of that! It's my duty to. You got some potential to become an ash hunter by the way, whats your name kid?"

​"My name is Yuki Fujinugami. I want to ask you something"

​Aiden gave a sheepish smile "Yes! Go ahead no need to hesitate"

​Yuki then asked with a serious voice "Is the 'Soul Capturing' technique done by wendigos are... real?"

​Aiden patted Yuki's head "Absolutely! Its indeed real and... yes, your little sister's soul was captured and is not freed."

​Yuki froze. It is such a cruel thing than a little girl lost her life in a brutal way after all she gone through, even her soul is not in peace made Yuki frustrated but he suppressed his anger. "What can I do to free her soul! Is there a way?!" he asked in a desperation.

​Aiden gave him a bitter smile. "Yes. There is a way wish is likely impossible in your current state but, you can in future with training and experience."

​Yuki then asks with a pleading voice "Please! I'll do anything! What is that!"

​Aiden says in a calm voice "You need to become an ash hunter. Before that you should know about that." He looked at him with a gaze that made him feel... safe? "There are things more than you think. What if I tell you every wendigos are once living humans with emotions and soul"

​Yuki stilled, his eyes widened "wait... what?" His voice small.

​Aiden's eyes were fixed on the flowers as his blonde long hair gently moved with the soft breeze. "Yes. Wendigos are not the same, there are different types. The one you fought yesterday are normal wendigos. They are usually weaker but stronger than ordinary citizens and has the ability to mimic voices like every wendigos. The other one is a shape-shifter wendigos. These can shape-shift, mimic voices and can use strong techniques to fight. And lastly human wendigos. These are special wendigos which looks exactly like humans, behave like humans, speaks like us and mingle with us. These wendigos are intelligent and manipulative and rare. There are only 6 human wendigos and they are lot stronger and use advanced techniques. Finally... the king of wendigos. Azrael. He is the strongest wendigo and the creators of wendigos. He looks exactly like a human just like the special wendigos. He has the ability to turn humans into wendigos just like the special wendigos."

​Yuki looked at Aiden. He could not do anything but accept it and believe these things. Aiden continued "The souls of the humans killed by wendigos are captured. These souls would be immediately taken by Azrael. The souls can be freed only when he is destroyed."

​Yuki gave a tired smile though he is frustrated. "Mr. Aiden. I am willing to become an ash hunter... if that is the way I can apologize to her."

​Aiden chuckled "I see... you have great potential to become one. For that you need training and a mentor to train you. After the hunter selection, you can become an ash hunter. I want you to meet Mr. Rei Itsuki in Mount Hakurei. He is a wise and a strong man who will train you but only if he accepts and aknowledge you. Good luck kid!"

​Yuki gave him a polite bow "I am really grateful to you."

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