## **CHAPTER 10 – Hard Earth and Fragile Hearts**

 

Jan tried to calm his breathing, but his whole body was tense. He felt like everything was spinning out of control. Just a few days ago, his biggest problem had been incomprehensible dreams and strange lights in the forest. And now?

Zofia had vanished into a world that shouldn't be there.

Jakub stood a few steps away, staring at the spot where the door had disappeared.

"She's there… alive," he whispered, as if speaking more to himself than to Jan.

"You don't know that," Jan grumbled.

Jakub looked him straight in the eye.

"I know it's not over. And I also know that if we want her back… we have to go down to him."

Jan snorted.

"You're crazy."

Jakub smiled wryly.

"I don't rule that out."

---

## **CHAPTER 11 – The Mark on the Hand**

Zofia felt her body grow heavier. The darkness began to recede, and a vast corridor appeared before her – like a tunnel carved into stone, but without tool marks. As if it had formed naturally, yet it was unreal.

She ran her hand along the wall. It was cool, moist, pulsating. As if it were alive.

And then she felt a burning sensation on her wrist.

She looked.

A symbol appeared on her skin.

A new rune.

One she had never seen before.

“What is this?” she whispered.

The darkness replied:

**I chose you. Now you belong to me.**

Zofia gritted her teeth, feeling a strange surge, as if energy were trying to penetrate her core.

She must not give in.

---

## **CHAPTER 12 – The City That Dies**

On the surface, Skalin was fading. One by one, people lost consciousness, their bodies falling to the streets, benches, and doorsteps. As if someone was sapping their strength.

Someone called 911, but the phones stopped working.

The streetlights sparked and went out.

The night deepened.

The elderly lost consciousness the fastest. Children woke screaming. Dogs howled as if sensing something unnameable.

And the city stopped breathing.

--

## **CHAPTER 13 – Hard Words**

Jan grabbed Jakub by the collar.

“If anything happens to her, I swear…”

Jakub pulled his hands away, looking calmly.

“She’s not defenseless.”

“But she’s alone there!”

“That's precisely why she can win,” Jakub said, turning toward the forest. “There, her power grows. Here… it diminishes.”

Jan felt something there.

But hatred still choked him.

--

## **CHAPTER 14 – Corridor of Memory**

Zofia walked down a corridor that seemed to stretch on forever. Every now and then, she heard footsteps behind her, but whenever she turned, she saw only darkness.

Suddenly, lights appeared.

Delicate, like swirling flames.

They approached her, forming silhouettes of people.

Familiar faces.

Grandpa.

Great-grandpa.

And others—whom she didn't recognize, but she felt they were related to her.

Everyone looked at her with concern.

Grandpa raised his hand.

“Don't let him in.” Zofia wanted to ask: *to whom?*

But the apparitions vanished, as if something had chased them away.

She felt a chill behind her.

"I'm already here," said the voice of darkness.

--

## **CHAPTER 15 – The Conquered Earth**

The earth on the surface began to crack wider and wider. Not in one place, but in many.

As if Skalin were a crust, and something beneath it wanted to emerge.

Jan and Jakub stared in horror at the splitting ground.

"This is only the beginning," Jakub said, his voice devoid of emotion. "If we don't stop him… the whole city will disappear."

Jan turned, suddenly very pale.

"Did you want him back? You have him."

Jakub looked into the darkness.

"I never wanted him back. I wanted the truth. But the truth… always costs mo

ney."

---

If you want **CHAPTER 16**, just write:

👉 **Next**

And I'll continue—we're only halfway through this massive Part VI.