Unleash the Magic - Meet Zalka, a Hungarian Witch
Zalka is a boszorkány, descended from a long line of Hungarian witches famed for their abilities.
Zalka was born on the night when the Iron Curtain fell and magic seeped back to the East, to all the lands locked away from it for almost half a century …
“Magic had unleashed many dormant powers of both land and people. Only mine seemed to be attending an eternal snooze-fest.”
Zalka lives in the enchanting Hungarian countryside on the shore of Lake Balaton. And even though she has no magic, water calls to her…
“Nothing compares to the peace of being on the water.
Right there in the middle of the emerald lake known as the Hungarian Sea, I felt a contentment so profound that my heart clenched at the thought of the coming winter months when I’d miss this.
I may lack the skill to manipulate water, but my soul hears its call.”
“I let one of my fingers brush the surface of the still lake. The water’s caress was nice and cool.
Tempting.
A drop of sweat slid from the nape of my neck down my back. Here was something I could fix.
I’d been here listening for hours. Surely, I deserved a break.
Having made up my mind, I spun on the board, letting my feet dangle down, sliding them slowly into the water.
I hissed.
The cold, ironically, gave me the sensation of being scorched.
But I knew it’d pass soon.
I braided my hair in a tight French braid. Experience had taught me that if I failed to weave it snugly enough, I’d soon find a curtain of bronze, copper, and golden locks in my face. Which did not improve the already terrible visibility of the murky depths of the lake. So I painstakingly pulled every little curl into the braid.
Eventually, they’d find a way to escape. My hair’s motto was “wild and free.”
Once the braid was done, I started cupping water in my hands to pour over myself, inching my way up until I acclimated to the temperature.
Then I stood up, took a deep breath, and dived headfirst.
Entering the lake was like coming home and being slapped in the face simultaneously. My sense of comfort from being surrounded by water was still there, the cold though … I could feel its sting from my little toes to my eardrums.
I swam as far as I could, exhilarating in the power of my limbs pushing me forward at great speeds, after all that time spent idle.
I broke the surface, took a great gulp of breath, and giggled. I lay on my back for a second, allowing the lake to cradle me. There’s something reassuring about floating, leaving the burdens of body and mind behind you for a bit.”
But dark things stir in the deep and Zalka must take matters into her hand when the mountain she lives on begins to shake. She will follow prophecies of molten metal, hidden paths amid rising boulders and dark forests, and whispers of an awakening primordial beast.
What truly lies beneath the Stone Sea?
She won’t rest until she solves the riddle and stops the quakes. Even if a tall, dark, and dangerous dragon-rider keeps getting in her way.
In a Hungary steeped in mystery and magic, embark on a spellbinding adventure with Zalka to unravel the secrets of the Stone Sea.
Uncover a rich tapestry of folklore and legends that surround the Balaton Uplands. Join Zalka on the adventure of a life-time.
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