Chapter 02 - Funis, Guardian of the Dead Forest

"Sir, what shall we do?" Davis second in command, Emeric asked him.

"Let's go!" He commanded the group, but his thought was still lingering by what the young man had mentioned earlier.

They walked a few more distances when he noticed whistling sounds from every direction targeting the carriage.

"Tsk! Annoying pests!" He cursed before swinging his sword, which moved the fog a bit. A few seconds later, they all heard the sound of the falling arrows. All of the knights draw their swords. Then, they listened to a lazy tone coming from the carriage.

"Make it fast. I'm tired."

"As you command!"

The fog was thick, but the knights could see some shadows around twenty in numbers surrounding them. Then, a while later, the sound of shouts and metal friction reverberated in the quiet forest.

---

Lixon wandered inside the thick fog while sighing. He's too tired to walk any further. The young man slumped himself on one of the stones he found. He thought of the group that he had encountered earlier.

"Prince Gavinus, the fifth prince of the Udeville empire, was one of the strongest contenders to the crown. A man with green and purple eyes, an oddity of the royal family."

"Wow, I just met one of the vicious characters out of my novel."

He asked that captain earlier if this was the Dead Forest to confirm his theory. He lowered his head with some frustration.

"I'm doomed. I'm really inside my written novel."

He looked around him, and the fog started to dissipate. Still, the forest was dark and silent.

"Growl."

Lixon cringed when he heard the sound, and his gaze focused straight ahead. There he saw a giant white tiger with eyes looking calmly at him. But instead of being terrified, he leaned on the nearby tree and closed his eyes.

"The Dead Forest was being guarded by a powerful spirit whom the people believed to be a thousand years old. According to the legend, its appearance was a huge white tiger with calm eyes as if he was looking peacefully at the world. The name of the Guardian was...."

"Funis." He spoke in a hushed tone, but the approaching tiger paused when it heard him mention its name.

Lixon, on the other hand, was too lazy to bother. He went through a lot today, and he was too tired. So his consciousness drifted to the dreamland without caring for his situation.

---

Lixon shifted comfortably, feeling a soft fur as his bed. He lazily stretched his arms.

"Am I finally back?" He thought.

He opened his eyes, and a very unfamiliar environment welcomed him, "Maybe not."

He sat and observed his current location. He was on top of a high cliff where he could oversee the whole Dead Forest. The vast tree where he was gave him some shelter. He could now view the clear and blue sky, which showed that it was past noon.

"Where am I?"

"You are in my home." A calm male voice answered him from behind.

Lixon was startled as he turned his head. The white tiger whom he met earlier greeted him. He lightly bowed and greeted the Guardian.

"Hello."

It slowly walked and sat beside him as its eyes roamed the jungle.

"I smell blood."

"Someone might be dead," Lixon responded casually.

He noticed that there were some fruits and roasted meat placed in front of him.

"Can I eat?"

"Sure."

The tiger sighed before continuing.

"That prince brat from Udeville was always giving me a headache." The tiger voiced out his complaint.

"Oh, you mean he was always using the Dead Forest for burying his enemy."

"Tsk, they should at least offer me something if they will keep using my territory."

"They were giving you something."

"Hmm?"

"Blood and the dead's spirit." Lixon turned his head to the tiger before smiling. "They were food for the living creatures of this wilderness."

"Hooo...brat, you know a lot about this place. You even knew my name."

"What can you do if you don't know anything." He answered back.

"What's your name?"

"Lixon Rayver. Nice to meet you."

The tiger licked his paw and lightly scratched his fur.

"You are an unlucky kid," then, he asked, "How did you end up in this dangerous place?"

"Don't ask me. I also don't know the answer."

"I did not feel your presence when you entered the forest. That's interesting."

Lixon kept his silence.

"Then what's your plan?"

"I want to go back."

"Is your place very far?"

"Yes. I don't even know the way to go back, and even a spirit like you cannot help me out."

"Are you saying that I'm a weakling!?"

The young man lightly chuckled.

"No. You are strong, but sending me back is out of your domain. That's what I'm saying."

"If that is the case, you can stay here as long as you like." The tiger offered.

"Then I will become a jungle man? No way!" Lixon readily refused.

He finished his food and drank his water. Then, the tiger and the human conversed until it was already dark, as if they had been friends that had not met for a long time.

"Can you lead me to the exit?"

"That's easy peasy."

"You sure know a lot of expressions for an old spirit."

"And you are fearless even if you are facing an old spirit like me." The tiger retorted, "It's getting dark. I will bring you to the exit by tomorrow."

The white tiger stood and spoke, "I will roam around for a bit; you can go ahead and sleep."

"Okay. I appreciate your help."

The Guardian smirked before responding, "There is no such thing as free lunch in this world. You should know this rule."

"I know. I want to thank you, that's all."

"Yeah, whatever." The spirit jumped off from the cliff where they at and vanished in thin air.

The next day.

The fragrance of roasted meat awakens Lixon. He sat up from his bed and noticed the food placed on the table.

"Eat. I will lead you to the exit after."

Lixon nodded and, in a few minutes, finished his food.

The white tiger then approached him, "Hop in my back."

The young man immediately followed.

Funis made a loud growl. "Hold on tight."

After saying this, he jumped off the cliff, which made Lixon close his eyes and tightly hug the spirit.

---

Lixon gazed at the forest exit with Funis.

"Brat, this is where we part. Do not visit this forest unless you have the power to do so. And do not trust spirit, even me. But, on the other hand, I'm feeling magnanimous, so you have to be grateful."

The young man stared at the Guardian and smiled, "Yes, I'm very grateful."

Before the tiger could react, he stepped forward, hugged the spirit, and patted it lightly before moving back to his position.

The white tiger was slightly taken aback by his action.

"You...What are you doing? Do you have a death wish?! I just mentioned it, do not trust spirit!"

But instead of getting angry, Lixon smiled at him gently.

"Thank you. Now, I know how your story will develop."

"You are speaking cryptically now?"

The young man responded by shaking his head.

"Nope. I will keep my promise to you, so wait a little bit."

"Tsk! You are annoying. I do not want to see you. Don't ever think that I will have the leisure to have free accommodation again."

After saying this, the tiger disappeared.

Lixon stared at the spot where the spirit was earlier and thought, "That fool is as arrogant as ever."

He then turned around and left the place.

---

The young man left a long time ago, but Funis had been staring at the entrance for quite a while. The tiger was sitting in his home, where he could have a full view of the jungle.

"Master, is there something bothering you?" It was a question from the black butterfly that landed on his fur.

A white mist covered the Guardian's body, and when it disappeared, on his spot stood a handsome young man. His hair was white as snow, and his eyes were like an infinite night. He was wearing a robe with a tiger pattern on it.

"That young man has a familiar scent. I think I already met him before." He murmured to himself while trying to remember something.