Chapter 3: The Ash Hunters

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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