The boy was a teenager now, and was currently talking with Eileen on a roof. The boy had his legs hanging off the ledge, and they were eating sandwiches. "Hey mom!" The boy said to Eileen. She left a stab at those words. Those words always bothered her. "I know what I want to do when I grow up!"

"What is it, Hoonter?" She asked.

He beamed at her. "I want to be a hunter, like you!"

She looked at him and opened her mouth to speak. But nothing came out. He looked so happy, she just....couldn't ruin it. She breathed deeply and stood up. "I'm glad that you know what you want, Hoonter. Let us go back. Ludwig said he'd train you some more today." The boy stood up and grabbed his knife. Eileen jumped off the roof, stabbing into the wall to slow her descent. The boy did the same, but landed into a stumble. After getting back up, they began to walk together back to the chapel. Once they got inside, they could hear Ludwig's boasting.

"-Oh, you're the better one? Who has the giant sword here? Yes, me! Now shoo, my boy is here!" The boy heard grumbling, then the chapel side door open and close as whomever left. The boy waved at Ludwig once he was in view. The man sauntered over, a smile on his face. "Ah, my boy! How goes my little Hunter?" He ruffled the boy's hair, before noticing that Eileen, did in fact, exist. "Ah, and Eileen!" He bowed. "What brings you here? Is it to see moi?"

"Hello Ludwig. I'm here because you said you'd train Hoonter." Eileen said goodbye to the boy before leaving.

"Women. So," He clasped his hands together and bent down. "Are you ready to choose a trick weapon?" The boy nodded and ran along, Ludwig keeping up with him easily. After a while, they made it to the Hunter's workshop. There, a man in a wheelchair was working on a doll.

"Blast it!" The man said as his shaky old hands couldn't hold something steady enough to keep it together. Ludwig went up to him.

"Hey Gherman, how's the project going?"

"Project?"

"Yes, the project 'We're not allowed to tell Maria about'? That one. How's it going?"

Gherman held his face with his hands. "I cannot hold it steady!" The boy went up behind him and tugged on his jacket. Gherman shifted, then turned around. "Ah, hello small one. What do you need?"

The boy pointed at the doll. "Why don't you just use clamps to hold it steady? Didn't you do that for the weapons?" A moment passed. Then Gherman facepalmed.

"Why didn't I think of that? Why didn't I....small one, can you bring them over here?" Gherman pointed at them. After he did so, Gherman said thanks and went back to his work. The boy liked helping nice people. He went with Ludwig into a room where a simple model of every weapon was located.

"Here, take your time." The boy thanked Ludwig.

After a while, the boy came back with a sword and hammerhead. "I want this one dad!"

Ludwig didn't mind the 'dad' thing, unlike Eileen. He had a great 'son'! What's the shame in that? "Great choice, my boy! The Kirkhammer, made by the healing church!"

Gherman snapped at Ludwig. "I made it!"

Ludwig rolled his eyes. And gestured and Gherman. "Gherman made it, and the Healing Church just uses it. Whatever, that's boring. Now, when a hunter touches a weapon, they immediately know how to use it. We...don't know how that works, but it probably has something to do with the Great Ones. Anyways, we have to train you to wield it! Luckily, the runes on it make it feel lighter to the wielder. So even though it's 270 pounds of fu-screw you, it feels like 50 pounds."

The boy nodded excitedly. "So what do I need?"

"You need strength and dexterity! Far more for strength, due to the giant stone block. The dexterity is for the sword! Now, usually you'd need a badge, but I'll pull a few strings for this. Consider it your.....birthday present!" Just then, Ludwig heard a familiar tolling. "Oh, today's a night of the Hunt, right. My boy, what do you do on a night of the Hunt?"

The boy grinned. "I stay inside the Oedon Chapel until morning!" Ludwig clapped a few times.

"Excellent, my boy! Now, let's get you there! Maybe that friend of yours will read another of those stories you love so much! What was it called?"

"Dark Souls! We're at the fight against Gravelord Nito!" Ludwig nodded, and brought him back. People were locking their doors, but took a couple seconds to say goodhunt to Ludwig. They arrived at the chapel, and the boy saw his friend.

"Ah, Chapel Beggar. You're on time! Here, my boy's been wanting to read again for a while."

The boy sat down next to his friend, who cracked open the book and began to do his favorite thing....

Enjoying a friend's company.

Author's Note

I changed a bit of lore from the normal game, obviously.