Cursed Guardian

Chapter 2: Black out!

I walked carefully near the road. I could strongly feel a strange presence in my surroundings. I didn't know where it came from, but I felt something bad was about to happen. Even with many people around, I still felt chills. I mingled with the market-goers for a while. I set aside thoughts about the eerie presence. I needed to find someone to steal from. When I saw a man busy talking to his companion, my gaze landed on a shiny object in his pocket.

A golden locket...

I pretended to pass behind him, but as I approached, I was surprised when he stopped my hand from trying to steal his locket.

"What do you think you're doing, Miss?" I got chills seeing his grin, especially with his smiling companion.

"N-nothing..." I nervously replied.

"Oh! Really?" he tightened his grip on my hand.

My heart almost burst when he leaned his face close to mine.

"Come with me, or else," he said, and I saw a flicker in his eyes when he mentioned 'or else'.

His normal eyes suddenly turned pitch black, then back to normal.

So, they were the owners of that strong presence...

I trembled as they dragged me along...

We distanced ourselves from the crowd and entered an old warehouse. Though not dark, I still trembled with fear.

"W-what do you n-need from me?" I was sweating from fear.

They let me go, grinning wider at my expression.

"Give us your Guardian!" said a man with brownish hair, the one I almost stole from earlier.

My eyes widened. It meant they were the ones the woman in the white cloak in my dream referred to. I remembered what she said.

"...please don't let him hunt by the people of Gajeel and Zeraffina it may cost a big trouble when they hunt him."

They're Gajeel and Zeraffina's minions!

This can't be happening! I needed to escape, but how? I won't let them get what they want!

"What guardian are you talking about?" I tried to sound brave, though I was terrified. Even without knowing the consequences if they got Feros from me, I fought my fear for Feros' sake.

"Oh! Don't try to deny it. You have the Fox guardian. I can smell it. Give it to us, or I will force you!" he said sternly, while his grinning companion watched.

"Gigan..."

"...calm down. How about we have some fun first, then apply the force of pain to her?" his companion added.

So, this man in front of me was named Gigan. I couldn't keep my footing still due to their strong presence. I almost wanted to give in to fear and nerves.

"Are you sure about that, Rico?" he asked his companion.

"Of course, I'm sure! And it's our old recreation. Don't you miss those moments? Chasing them while they ran with tears..." I almost collapsed from fear as they both turned to me with a different glint in their eyes.

In their eyes, I saw the word 'death.'

I ran out of the old warehouse.

"That's it baby! Run for your life!" Rico's voice echoed from inside the warehouse.

I gave it my all in my run. I needed to escape them. I took all the winding paths in the alley, even though I was out of breath. When I heard a sharp voice behind me, I immediately turned in its direction.

My eyes widened seeing a huge raccoon following me. It was unusually large. It was twice the size of a lion.

I only noticed the giant bird's shadow above me. When I looked up, a massive crow greeted me.

N-no! I need to escape!

I was surprised when I felt the ground shake.

What's happening?

When I looked back, I could barely see the path due to my tears.

Why did the other people here disappear just now?

Another thing caught my attention. I saw the shadow of a large bird in my path. When I looked up, a huge crow greeted me.

N-no! I really need to escape now!

I was startled when I noticed the ground shaking.

What is happening?

As I looked back, I almost wanted to stop running and face my death because I was just a meter away from Rico's Raccoon.

"You will never escape my grasp!" Rico smirked menacingly. When he raised his hand in the air, I couldn't bear what happened next.

All the ground I passed by started to crumble.

H-how did he do that?

The crumbling ground is also chasing me. If it catches up to me, I will fall into it!

"Hahahaha!" I looked up again in surprise as Gigan laughed while riding the giant crow.

I was shocked when he loudly shouted.

"Chase and Kill!!" then he pulled out a bow and arrow and aimed it in my direction. My whole body trembled even more. I wiped away my tears and forced a bitter smile.

This time I will accept my fate with my whole heart if this is really where I am destined for.

The arrow was still far away, but I could feel and hear it slicing through the air towards me. I immediately stopped and faced the arrow hurtling towards me.

I saw the surprise in Rico's and Gigan's eyes, as they did not expect my actions.

Gasping for breath, sweating, and crying. That's me now, waiting for the arrow that will end my life.

In an instant, time stopped, and so did the movements of the giant crow and raccoon ridden by Gigan and Rico, even the arrow that was just a meter away from me, as well as the crumbling ground chasing me.

A blinding light appeared in front of me, making it hard to see the figure in a white cloak standing with its back to me and facing the light.

"Y-you're here!" I held my breath to face my death, but the sadness I felt earlier suddenly disappeared when I saw her.

"Don't finish your life yet! Make your own decision to survive from the hands of these wicked people! Remember if you die they can also have Feros from you, even, you have not summon Feros yet." She was the woman I dreamed of. She still had a strong presence that could suffocate the breath of a living creature.

"But what if they get Feros from me and how can I survive if I have little time left to escape their clutches?"

"I will guide you. Don't have to worry, even if it could cost all your stamina I will seal your drowning strength that might drag you to your end," as she said that, I was surprised to see a floating tattoo-like mark appear in the air and slowly approach me, feeling like someone was drawing on my forehead. When I looked at it, the tattoo turned into ashes and transferred to my forehead.

"H-how did you do this?" I asked, even though she had her back turned, I didn't expect her to do such a thing.

"Summon your guardian, Feros, now!" as she said that, she disappeared along with the light in front of her. Everything that stopped earlier immediately continued moving.

"Feros auravoir!" my call to Feros made me feel dizzy and weak. The snowflakes appeared in front of me and materialized into Feros' physical form.

I saw the arrow that was hurtling towards me stop in its tracks, just a hand's breadth away from Feros.

How did he manage to stop the motion of that arrow?

Then suddenly the arrow shattered in the air, turning into what seemed like ice.

"That is it! Catch the guardian fox, Rico!" I heard Gigan shout to Rico.

I just knelt down from extreme weakness and could no longer move my feet, struggling to breathe.

Did I lose all my stamina?

Before I could close my eyes, I saw that Feros and I were caught in the collapsing ground.

We fell with the falling rocks, but the most surprising thing was that I saw Feros transform into a huge lion-like creature with three majestic tails. He quickly grabbed my jacket with his mouth and carried me away. I saw him stepping on the falling rocks as he moved.

I slowly closed my eyes, but I saw someone approaching, a girl riding a white tiger and fully equipped as if ready for battle.

She looked like a goddess of war.

Then I blacked out.