42. Unveiling the Memory of Star
“We are here.”
It was Forte, the Thorwayne. Suri, Sabi, Maru, and Marblem had no time to answer. The Thorwaynes wrapped the children in their black cloaks and flew up powerfully. The children screamed shrilly. Although Malta was hot enough to burn everything, the Thor Wayne’s cloaks were unfazed by the murderous heat. Though holes appeared and tears formed in places, the cloaks remained dauntless.
“It’s so stuffy I’m going crazy. It’s hotter inside the cloak. I’m going to become chicken. I’m getting fried.”
Maru yelled from inside the cloak.
“Maru… you look like my breakfast… I’m hungry right now too.”
Thorwayne said nonchalantly.
“What?… Hahaha… That must be humor? High-level humor? Hahaha…”
Maru pretended to laugh but his flesh trembled. It was terrifying to look like breakfast to a lightning wolf.
“Maru… this time seriously lose some weight… This isn’t Thorwayne’s humor. Thorwayne is just being nice… If you meet a monster, you’ll be eaten in one bite.”
Suri teased.
“Well… Earth children… to think they consider this humor… Your sensibilities are still primitive… Well, I guess that’s why Earth’s civilization is still at that level…”
Marblem thought the three children’s level was really low.
“Now… prepare for landing.”
One of Thorwayne shouted. The cloak landed at the prophesied location as elegantly and dynamically as riding a roller coaster. Already the echoes of the Bahar tribe could be heard. When everyone safely arrived at the prophesied location, dozens of Bahar tribe members were waiting around the sacred tree.
“…Ah… It’s me. Me… I’m Suri.”
Suri discovered Bahar and shouted with joy. Next to Bahar was an elf girl with heavenly beauty. Suri’s face turned red. Bahar welcomed Suri warmly. Bahar’s bright demeanor was unexpected, as he had always been expressionless.
“Welcome… You’ve had a hard journey here… Now we must leave this place.”
Bahar held Suri’s hand firmly. Suri’s gaze was directed toward the elf girl.
The prophesied location was our Bahar tribe’s territory. The Bahar tribe was a race that lost their magical powers after being trapped in the Silent Plains, but they retained only their ability to transmit and deliver messages through echoes. Their destiny was to protect the prophesied location.
“In the tapestry of the vast universe exists a name called Memory of Stars. This sword was forged at the cosmic cliff as a mental system that transcends the boundaries of time and space. The crystal-clear blade of this sword, which has witnessed the birth and death of numerous civilizations, contains the chronicles of the universe. The sword’s owner is Empress Aria. She is known to be Nova Emperor’s mother. She was such a mysterious being that besides belonging to the Belia family, even her early bloodline is shrouded in mystery. Legend knows her as the keeper of the universe’s secrets, the guardian of memories that no mortal’s heart could bear. Nova Emperor only knows that his mother was from a magic tribe… but knows nothing else about the legends of her existence. Nova Emperor is searching for the Memory of Stars, the sword… but the Memory of Stars, the sword, does not wish to meet Nova Emperor. They say there is a secret that Nova Emperor has not realized.”
Bahar finally looked like he could tell the secret.
“No ordinary being can approach the Memory of Stars, the sword. Even approaching nearby overwhelms one with visions. This is because they become possessed by fragments of forgotten wars, whispers of extinct civilizations, and the essence of the birth and destruction of billions of planetary systems. Explorers and emperors who tried to approach this sword in the past all failed. Their minds were shattered by fragments of unbearable cosmic truth. The sword stood like a guardian, protecting and preserving secrets older than the oldest civilization. Then a time passed, and a prophecy appeared. According to the prophecy passed down in the language of ancient navigators and cosmic mystics, it foretold the appearance of a chosen one who could understand the language of the Memory of Stars, the sword, and bear the immeasurable weight of its memories. That would be…”
Bahar looked at Suri. Suri was flustered. But Marblem was even more flustered.
“Then what about me? Are you saying I’m not the chosen one?”
Marblem was angry.
“You are… Suri from a very long time ago…”
Bahar’s face held both secret and salvation.
“…No… that…” Marblem couldn’t finish speaking. Marblem looked at Suri and Suri looked at Marblem.
“Are we looking at each other’s past and present?”
[To be continued…]
** 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.
