Lost Prince : Park Jimin

Chapter 23. The Soul Chaser

I placed the book close to my heart and the only thing I cared for the moment for not my life but to protect the book.

Before the scythe sprinted to slay my neck, I yelled with closed eyes, 'Even if I were to be killed, I would never let go of this book'

I was shivering from top to bottom yet I was adamantine. I held the book in my grip that tight, that even a skull can get broken.

Nothing really happened...

I opened one of my crumbled eyes and look ahead of me. The shadow was still there but something was odd.

V? I looked around but he wasn't in sight. Was he somewhere hiding here? I quickly got up and ran into the fields. It wasn't even possible to move up my leg due to the pile of mud that attached to my shoe every time I pressed down on the paddy.

My legs were fatigued within seconds yet I dared not stop. My breath was short but still, I grabbed the book in my arms and ran. The only thing that went inside my mind was, why does it stop all of a sudden.
Before I could even recall anything, I reached by the pathway created and jumped on it. The muddy legs stained the whole way like a tiger was behind me. I ran for my life but suddenly, my feet stumbled upon a stone and I fell on the ground.

By my mouth and almost bleed. One of my teeth also felt missing. My body was numb and cold frozen. Even my muscles were not ready to move an inch. The book too fell away from my reach.

I looked up with the bloody jaw I carried and to the last hope, it stood ahead of me. The Soul Sucker ready to leach out my life.

Yet, I do not care much of it by now. It felt as all my bones were broken or went missing and my body was one pile of flesh.

I can move my left hand.

With all the energy that was left, I moved my only mobile muscle. I placed my palm on the ground and crawled ahead. I wasn't running away, I knew it would be useful. All I wanted is to protect the book, my last hope.

My body pained like never before, yet I manage to place my palm on the book,

'I would never let go of this book', I barely said with trembled work and blood-stained mouth. And without my permission, my eyes closed and head tackled on the ground.

'But you already did', said a voice. The time I near it, the darkness I eyes were surrounded around saw magnificent golden spirals. I abruptly opened my eyes, and all that seemed like magic what was going on.

The book was slowly moving up in the air while rotating on its axis. The soul sucker stood right ahead of me but not that was to snatch my attention.

'Tell me', says the book, 'Why did you try and protect me when your life is at knife too?' it asked.

I went shocked with wide eyes and somehow my other arm got mobile. I tried to lookup by the force exerted by both the arms, 'I..' I said with a broken voice.

'Tell me', a voice reached out again from the box for me.

I looked down and tears shed from my eyes. In time, I pulled them back but still, my cheeks went wet,

'I..., I just wanted to protect the ones I love', I said and almost wept at the end.

'Why is it, that a book can be loved by someone who hasn't even read it', It asked.

I was breathing heavily and felt suffocated yet I answered, 'I don't know...' and smiled for no reason.

'I don't understand you', said the book while revolving on his axis, it's face on one of the sides felt godlike, 'You have earned my trust', it said and suddenly fell on the ground with a speck of loud dust. The soul sucker which was stunned at his position moved again and charged towards me. I with widen eyes wasn't even in a position to retreat this time. I didn't even get to say my prayers.