## **Chapter 2 – Secrets of Ancient Rituals**

 

The night in Skalin was heavy, steeped in cold, as if the fog were carrying memories. Lena couldn't sleep. Instead, she sat on the old terrace by Marta's apartment, drinking cold tea and staring out at the dark city streets.

The mysterious man's words still lingered in her mind.

"Harbinger"…

It sounded as if someone was foretelling the arrival of something bigger. Something they no longer had control over.

--

In the morning, they gathered in Łukasz's small office. On the table were documents from previous cases, photos of runes, notes on rituals, all mixed chaotically with empty coffee cups.

"Let's start from the beginning," Łukasz said. "This guy didn't show up by accident. He knew where to find the runes. He knew where we were. And he knew what we were planning."

Peter threw his pencil.

"But where?"

Marta opened an old notebook, once found while researching rituals from the pre-war era.

"Because this isn't a story about a single demon or a single cult. It's something bigger... it goes much deeper."

Klara tilted her head, reading quickly.

"What's this?"

Marta pushed the book toward her.

"Records about the so-called 'Circle of the Awakened.' A secret gathering of people who believed that cities—especially ones like Skalin—were living organisms capable of reacting to emotions and tragedies."

"And they could awaken dormant energies," Lena finished.

Marta looked at her meaningfully.

"Exactly."

Łukasz raised his eyebrows.

"So... if the Harbinger says the city wants to decide its own fate, then... they believe Skalin is sentient?"

Zofia replied calmly:

"And what if it's not just a belief?"

Everyone looked at her.

"The energy I felt in the power plant… wasn't accidental. It was… a stirring. As if… someone had awakened something that had been sleeping."

Silence ripped through the air.

"So we're dealing with a cult?" Klara asked.

Marta shook her head.

"A cult that's been active for decades. But it's never openly shown itself. And if it's emerging now… it's only because something much bigger than what we've already been through is coming."

--

At that moment, the office door burst open. A young policewoman stood in the hallway, panting.

"You have to… come quickly…."

"What happened?" Łukasz asked.

The girl swallowed.

"Another death. But… not like before."

"What does that mean?" Lena rose from her seat.

The policewoman looked uncertain.

"The body is… not just dead. Symbols… appeared on the walls." Fresh. The same as the ones from the power plant…

Zofia paled.

"Symbols don't just appear…"

"That's the point," the policewoman added. "There's no one on the surveillance. An empty room… and the symbols appear in real time."

Lena looked at everyone.

"It's really started."

"And we're no longer dealing with people," Zofia said quietly. "Just with something that's starting to act on its own."

--

As they left, no one said a word.

But everyone felt the same:

At that moment, a new wave was beginning, much more powerful than the previous ones.

And everyone knew that this time, something would fight to stop them.

--

### If you want a sequel:

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➡️ Chapter 3: "Circle of the Awakened" will begin with a scene at the crime scene – and it will get really dark.