Meeting

Ashton finished reading the note he received with a frown 'why would my dad tell the clan head anything? much less to meet with me if he disappeared?'

Leaving the cottage Ashton made his way through the old village, looking around everything here is made of wood with very few stone based supports, after all this place is named after the ivy forest that surrounds it, and even if they had the stone for it, it's not like the people could afford to purchase stone based housing, this is after all just a simple village.

Ashton made his way through the village wearing his scraped together leather suit carrying weapons he previously never had a short few yards away a small group of people were talking

"Where do you think he got those weapons? maybe something did happen out in the woods since dean never came back"

"How do you know Dean never came back? It could have just been really late and he is still sleeping."

"Have you ever seen Dean take a day off or leave late? I haven't."

Ashton looked directly at them with hate in his eyes and surprise in his heart considering just yesterday he would have needed to strain his ears to hear them at all and now they were clear as day. Seeing the stare they received from Ashton the few villagers moved on and decided not to stick around to piss off the kid any further.

Ashton made his way on the dirt road that spreads throughout town arriving in front of the village heads cottage.

Samuel's cottage wasn't much larger than everybody else, only slightly larger and a little bit nicer since he has a stone slab foundation but that's it. Ashton moved toward the door and knocked loudly

"Coming!"

An older sounding voice resounded from the other side of the door

"Ah Ashton my boy it's nice to see you alive and well, please come inside let me heat up some tea and we can discuss some important matters"

Ashton took a step into the building and found himself at a small wooden table, taking a seat on one of the stools he sat down his bag and looked to the elder expectantly

"Why did my father tell me to meet with you if something ever happened to him?"

The village elder made his way over with two hot cups of tea and took a seat opposite sighing audibly he looked at the boy with a sad look in his eyes

"I found your father bloody and nearly broken on that day 17 years ago clutching your small form and snarling at anybody who got close which let me tell you it's a very different sight from the norm to find a bloody man covered in wounds and tattered clothes clutching a baby and snarling at people.

After getting him some water and a blanket to cover himself your father gave me a brief explanation of what had happened to him that he was being chased by killers who had slain his wife and tried to murder his son.

Naturally I welcomed him into my village and home to help him feel some semblance of normalcy. After a few months of living here and deeming me trustworthy he told me his secrets namely being a werewolf and an enemy of some powerful clan I'd never heard of prior to this point."

He looked over and spit on the floor before continuing

"Damn secret clans with their strange rules and laws thinking they can control people. Hogwash Men should be responsible for themselves and live their lives freely as long as they ain't bothering other people.

I digress anyway your father told me if he ever went missing or died that id give you some things and some information and prepare you for a journey to Ako."

"Dad..."

Ashton started to speak but tears welled up in his eyes, he clenched his fists. Seeing the boys reaction Samuel reached over for Ashtons shoulder and supported him in his time of mourning

"You don't need to say anything Ashton from how you're feeling I can already tell what happened but if it's as your dad feared then you need to leave today.

Here is a small box your father left with me inside is a pouch of 100 gold, a map that shows the best route to take to Ako city marked with good places to hide.

Your father had mapped out when you were younger.

There's also a few animal claws or something like that and a few small orbs, your father said you'd figure out what you needed to do with them and I don't bother with strange things like this."

Ashton had a surprised expression on his face from the sounds of it. His Father made a starter kit for cultivation just like the starter kit he made for Ashton for hunting.

"Thank you for keeping these secrets and these gifts from my father. I always knew you were a good person even though you're old"

Samuel's face made a slight frown 'does this kid have something against older people??'

"Well as much of a joy that it is to help you, and you're father out he did pay me as well and provide my village with more food than we had in years so long term my people benefited more from the exchange kid."

Ashtons eyebrows knitted together slightly at the tone of the old man 'I guess getting called out makes people annoyed just like my dad...' with this Ashton let out a soft chuckle.

Samuel's eyebrows raised as this was the first time he heard Ashton show any signs of joy since this morning.

"I'm sorry Samuel but seeing you get annoyed at being called old matched how my father would react I couldn't help but chuckle."

Samuel's eye's had softened at this after all the boy had just lost his life line and now had to learn to survive on his own. All things considered he knew Dean had been grooming Ashton for this moment in his own life considering the freakish strength of these two Samuel couldn't help but wonder how Ashton had never caught on to the fact that he was different.

"Alright kid I know this is hard for you but with these things you need to leave and make it to the capital then do whatever your father's note has told you to do, good luck.

After all of this blows over be sure to come back and be our hunter again!"

"Old man I don't know when it will blow over but if it ever does ill be sure to visit"

Ashton had spoken with a soft tone feeling the sadness of leaving everything he had ever known behind. But he wasn't some snot nosed kid any more he had a mission and he had the means to accomplish it.

"Bye Samuel I don't know when I'll ever see you again, but I hope the village prospers farewell."

Samuel stood up and put the box into Ashton's pack.

"A word of advice, Kid. Learn how to use that sword in one of the academy's in the capital if you ever want to accomplish whatever goal you have in mind.

Your eyes match the eyes of my son before he went to war and lost his life.

I can see the ambition and drive to accomplish something dangerous please be safe and learn to protect yourself first."

Shocked Ashton stood up and collected his things before bowing before Samuel and heading out the door.

'How could he tell from my eyes that I need to save my mom and get revenge, maybe I need to learn to control my facial expressions for the future.

If I can't control how my face looks then people can get more information out of me than I care to share. Not only that I clearly need to learn how to fight against man and werewolves.

Life just keeps getting more and more complicated. I didn't ask for any of this, but it's happened so I need to pick myself up and make the most of what I have.

On the road now Ashton knows he was about 8 hours until sunset and the full moon will be overhead. Knowing this he needed to push as hard as possible to get as far away as possible. Setting a brisk pace he noticed after the night had passed his things seemed lighter curious he called the system up

Name: Ashton Silverfoot

Race: Accursed

Soul: Beast (Slumbering)

Strength: 18

Finesse: 16

Vitality: 18

Intelligence: 11

Skills: Bowyer: Beginner Archery: intermediate Survivability: Advanced Hunting: Intermediate

Perception: Intermediate Stealth: Intermediate Sign language: Advanced

'Huh looks like my soul has started to manifest and if I had to guess it will be slumbering until tonight, and I assume my increased stats are from the soul manifesting. Well I wonder how high they will reach after tonight?'