The Book
Neverland
From the white ashes down the abandoned forest, he was awakened by a bleak gust of wind running through his spine. He cuddled himself closer; the icy smoke he breathes out makes no help. He looked up and saw a leafless branch- making him more hopeless. The sky, however, would never turn into blue again. He closed his eyes. The smoky vision of him would always make him cry, and would utter, “Sujin, come back to me.”
The wild beasts wandering around the woods have hurt them enough. Eli, the wolf-man-being master of their clan had already died. The others left for survival, sacrificing their flesh in exchange for an immortal soul. It feeds those damn beasts. Poor souls who turns into servants- servants of Xander, the most satanic creature ever lived to kill the Rustans- And Kevin is one of them.
“Get up, Kevin! You must live.” Whispers started to fill his ears again. He was alone, but someone’s presence urged him to live more. He grunted by the pain of the unhealed wound around his arm. As much as he wanted to escape and look for that certain voice bugging his entire mind, his situation makes it difficult for him. He needs help, but no one was there to stand by him. He stood up slowly. His wrecked clothes through the cold make him shiver all the time. He started to walk and tracked down an unfamiliar way.
A tear leaked in his eye. Not for being hopeless, but he misses Sujin so much. The Gorgons took her away from him. He also doesn’t have the slightest idea if Sujin’s still alive or where is she. He has to find his sweetheart no matter what happens, but as for now, He has to regain his capability in casting spells. His power was already drained from killing a lot of Gorgons hunting him.
“I have to hide. Again.”
For a while, he fell down on his knees. He roamed his eyes and a figure caught his attention. If it would be a Gorgon, it might attack him already, but no, that shady figure standing a few inches away from him was only staring at Kevin’s torn image.
“W-Who are you?” His cold voice echoed onto that figure which was walking towards him. “I am a Scarab.”
“Scarab?” Kevin furrowed his eyebrows while eyeing the figure standing beside him. “I am Hoon, and I’m here to help you.” He then spread his wings and helped Kevin to stand up. Hoon picked a feather on his enormous wings and Kevin stared at it while it started to glow in caramel limelight. “What’s that?”
“A Feather, I guess.” Hoon’s serious face turned into crap. He wasn’t that stern at all. Actually, He was one of the most mischievous Scarab Guardians. And apparently, they are comrades with Rustans. “Just take it, Okay? I’ve been watching you dreading these few days, and I just can’t stare at your spitting image. We are bound to help you anyways.”
Kevin chuckled at the sudden statement. “What am I supposed to do with that stupid feather?” Kevin was already worn-out. He can’t even take lame statements and he doesn’t even know this Hoon guy talking like a Boss in front of him. So as it is, He thinks that all of what he hears from that time was just a mere witticism.
“I’m doing some benefit here, Kevin, Okay so just shut up and listen." Hoon rolled his eyes and forcefully opened Kevin’s left hand to give the thing he wanted to offer.
“Listen.” Hoon places the feather on the other’s palm and Kevin, on the other hand could see a single percent of the word “Sincerity” through the latter’s look.
“Go on.” Kevin huffed from his words unintentionally. He wasn’t still sure of the things happening at that moment. But he has to risk at least some seconds of his precious time.
“Keep that feather. I repeat, that glowing feather, until it loses light. I’d be sending you to the Human World. There would be some adjustments and I’ll be making you just like the others there. Like a human. A real man, to be certain.” Kevin darted his eyes on Hoon in total misperception. “You what?”
“You heard it right. We aren’t living in the most common Storybooks everyone knew. We, you know, are part of this mythical tome. And things inside this book, here in Neverland, are real. We live in a different facet. So you have to survive. And in this tier, this is the part where I have to help you, and you, Kevin, must seek for the real identity that refuges you.”
Kevin couldn’t process Hoon’s avowals. True, He knows that he and some of his friends were suffering. Eli died because he sacrificed his entire self to save him and the whole clan of theirs. But the Human World? It can’t be real. There’s no ing way.
“You’re crazy. Human world is just a gag. Snap it out, Man. I have to go now. Bye." Kevin swiped his arm away of Hoon and struggled to walk away.
“You bastard. Get back in here!” The feather fell on Hoon’s hands but he still has to follow what shall happen inside the story. Kevin knows nothing about his real identity. And it’s about time for him to be sent out of this whole thing. He’s just a pathetic dupe.
“Forget it. I would never, ever, believe in you, Freak.”
“Sujin is waiting for you, Boy.”
As Hoon was expecting it, Kevin stopped from going anywhere. He knows that Sujin is his life. “She’s in Xander’s quarry. And you know you can’t go there with your worthless situation. Just believe in me, Kevin. I’ll send you there. Rest and regain everything that has lost in you. Neverland will be in aweful state if you’ll be stubborn like hell. Recover all your power until the feather loses its light, and after that come back in here.”
Kevin fisted up and turned around on the winged-guy. “I swear I’m going to kill you-”
“You think this is the time for me to jest around? Will you at least think of it? If I am here to jerk around, I would have killed you instead. Can’t you see it? I’m helping you in the best way Scarabs can.“ Hoon gestured himself to scoot closer through Kevin.
“Please. Help us. Help the Neverland.” Kevin, at that moment was already absorbed into Hoon’s verses. He wasn’t argumenting with such excuses or whatsoever. He was just there, intimately listening. He thinks of it deeply, this is all for Sujin. For her beloved .
“Okay.” He heaved a deep sigh while closing his eyes and everything went black after.
“I’m entrusting you all, Kevin."
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