19. Under attack by magical birds
Starting November 2023, The Korea Daily is excited to publish the fantasy novel series “Sword of Malta – Lightning in 72 Years” on our website. This new captivating series follows a trio of young adventurers on their quest to uncover the mysteries of ancient civilizations, including the Maya and Inca. In an exciting development, Netflix is currently adapting the novel’s storyline into a film.
The ‘Sword of Malta – Lightning in 72 Years’ is the latest novel authored by Jeeyoon Ha, who created the “Pangaea series.” Ha’s debut novel, “The Pangaea: Finding Xibalba,” was selected by the Korea Creative Content Agency in 2022 as part of their initiative to support the global export of fantasy literature.
Readers can eagerly anticipate the online publication of two installments each month, with new chapters appearing bi-weekly, offering a regular escape into this magical realm. *Mark Oh translated the Korean novel into English.
Whoo Whoo Whoo
A mysterious sound enveloped the entire temple.
It was a war drum of challenge and threat, signaling the onset of battle.
The sky began to lighten as a swarm of black birds swooped in intimidatingly.
Each flap of their wings revealed red and orange inner feathers, fluttering fiercely as if to symbolize their relentless will to fight.
They signaled merciless killing.
The number of black birds was staggering as they formed a defensive line, standing erect with heads held high.
These were Ariels, magical birds with the faces of lions.
They served as scouts and navigators for the wizards.
The Ariels’ eyes were crystal spheres, clear as ice, and they allowed wizards to see any place or time they desired.
Overwhelmed by the surreal sight, Suri felt his courage waning, like a soldier already defeated before the battle had even begun.
Both Sabi and Maru were equally terrified by the prowess of the black Ariels encircling them.
The Ariels surrounded and trapped the three children completely.
Then, wizards clad in black robes and pointy hats charged in like galloping horses.
Their attire was uniformly black—from their gloves and shoes to their wands.
A dark red, six-pointed star was prominently displayed on the front of their robes and was also present on the center of their hats, gloves, and shoes.
Around their waists, a red pellet with a black border clinked, adorned with a space quartz red star that made a rattling sound.
The wizards’ attire resembled that of noblemen, indicative of noble blood.
“They are wizards of the Arcanus tribe. These wizards possess such a high level of knowledge and culture that they are known as magic scientists. They can even create magic. I wonder what kind of magic they will demonstrate today,” said a Torwayne that was guarding Suri.
“…You are a very old and wise creature. I shall call you Lord Forte…”
Suri was fascinated by Lord Forte.
He developed a deep respect for the wolf, though his admiration for Eridan remained unparalleled. To him, meeting Eridan was like a small ship finding anchor at a vast dock.
“But, if it’s the Arcanus tribe… 357.06.83…”
Suri muttered the numbers, and the Winged Traveler, a book he had kept hidden inside his jacket, sprang to life.
The thin volume opened and its pages began to rise and fall on their own.
It stopped first at page 357, then at page 06, and finally at page 83.
Suddenly, a green canyon materialized, with Sirius lightning roaring wildly within it.
In an instant, the Winged Traveler was tightly bound by a string of lightning, and the green canyon vanished like smoke.
Among the wizards, one wearing an unusually tall hat was casting a spell on the book to bind it with his wand, atop which a large six-pointed star shone like the Lord of Light.
“He’s the archmage…”
Suri was almost in awe, watching the archmage move with the grace of a leopard.
“The robe the archmage is wearing is made of unicorn skin. Unicorns symbolize purity… Initially, these wizards were very pure and intelligent, akin to a group of scholars. Now under someone’s control, they seem to have adopted a different mentality…”
Lord Forte’s expression turned gloomy.
“Who can control such terrifying wizards?” Suri wondered aloud.
Suri was shocked to discover that the wizards were using the six-pointed stars on their wands to draw lightning from the golden Pyramion atop the silver obelisk. The power that such a combination of lightning and wizardry could unleash was beyond his wildest imagination.
Suri was besieged by ominous thoughts that he and his friends would not reach the location of the prophecy.
“He’s likely someone on a par with Eridan, whom you admire so much, no? Or the emperor of the Nova Empire? Didn’t someone say they control with the Altima?”
Maru desperately wished Ms. Golly were there with them.
He even fantasized about him appearing with the Outrageous Hammer to annihilate the wizards.
“However great the Altima may be, it’s just space metal. It’s not magic, it’s not a mental system, it’s not a system…”
Suri cut Maru off, but felt somewhat reluctant to outright define Altima as the most powerful metal in the history of the universe.
Suddenly, a cold, unpleasant sound that made their flesh creep filled the air.
Hiss Hiss Hiss
Soon, a huge snake appeared, large enough to cover the entire temple.
[To be continued…]
