# ⭐ PART VI ### **“Awakening of the Underground”** *(extensive, multi-chapter novel)*

 

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## **CHAPTER 1 – City Without Light**

Skalin was plunged into absolute darkness. Not the usual urban darkness when streetlights go out, but complete, as if even the stars had given up their light. A thick, heavy layer of clouds hung over the rooftops, seeming to come not from the sky but from the earth itself.

Zofia stood at the edge of the road leading to the forest, clutching a lit candle. Its flame trembled unsteadily, as if struggling with an invisible force trying to extinguish it.

John and Jacob stood right next to her, both tense and silent. No one wanted to say it aloud, but everyone knew – **something** was happening beneath their feet.

“Can you feel it?” – whispered Jan.

Zofia nodded.

– It's coming back. And it's getting closer.

The ground beneath their feet began to pulsate, as if a great, slow heart were beating beneath the surface.

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## **CHAPTER 2 – Echoes from the Underground**

Deep in the city, people awoke terrified. Some saw shadows standing in doorways, others heard whispers in rooms, even though they were alone. Televisions turned on by themselves, displaying flickering symbols resembling runes.

The media spoke of a "power outage." But the residents of Skaliny knew perfectly well that it wasn't a power outage.

It was something bigger.

Zofia and the boys reached her house. Candles burned in the windows, as if someone had deliberately lit them. Inside, on the table, Grandpa's journals lay open. Runes that hadn't existed before appeared on the new pages.

“They write themselves?” asked Jakub. "He's already here," Zofia replied.

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## **CHAPTER 3 – Runic Map**

When she touched the inscribed symbol, all the candles extinguished simultaneously. The green-gold glow of runes appeared in the darkness, and they began to move across the pages as if alive. They formed the shape of a map of the city – with points marked with pulsating light.

"These are the places where passages will begin to open," Jakub said quietly, as if afraid of his own words.

Jan looked at Zofia.

"Passages to where?"

Jakub swallowed:

"To the underground. To whatever was imprisoned there."

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## **CHAPTER 4 – The First Rift**

As they left the house, the ground shook so violently that for a moment they had to hold on to the trees to keep from falling. The greenery shimmered in the air – as if cracking threads of light were emerging from the roots.

In one place, the asphalt cracked, revealing a dark depth from which cold smoke rose.

Jan looked down and instinctively withdrew his hand.

"This isn't normal..."

"Nothing here is normal anymore," Zofia said, feeling her heart beat in exactly the same rhythm as the earth.

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## **CHAPTER 5 – The Return of the Voice**

Suddenly, a voice filled the air. Deep, unreal, as if spoken from many directions simultaneously.

**We meet again...**

Zofia closed her eyes, feeling a wave of cold run through her body.

"You left," she whispered.

**NEVER**

The ground beneath them trembled as if something were trying to break through.

**I WAS JUST WAITING. FOR YOU.**

Zofia clenched her fists.