Night fell over the town of Brzezinowo, and the moon cast a silvery light on the narrow forest path. Natalia, Maks and Igor, three friends from the eighth grade, stopped at the edge of the Deep Forest. For years, stories of strange lights, mysterious voices and missing objects had circulated in their families. But on this night, something told them to go deeper than ever before. The forest was dense, the trees here growing so close together that the branches intertwined like a giant's fingers. Absorbed by the darkness and silence, they walked carefully, each step muffled by the moss litter. Natalia was the first to notice that the watch on her hand had suddenly stopped working. Igor heard a quiet whisper, as if someone had spoken his name. "Can you hear it too?" - he asked anxiously. Maks nodded, his hands trembling. Suddenly, a light flashed among the trees, unlike any torch or lamp they knew. An emerald glow spread through the air, pulsing with an almost lively rhythm. The friends, fascinated and frightened at the same time, followed the pale glow until they came to a non-splintered clearing. In the middle of the clearing floated a stone circle covered with ancient runes. Light shot out from its centre, illuminating the faces of the young explorers. Suddenly, the stones began to tremble and the ground beneath their feet slowly collapsed, revealing a spiral staircase leading downwards. Natalia looked at Igor and Maks, trying to see the courage she herself needed in their eyes. She wanted so badly to turn back - but something was drawing them to the secret underground. Suddenly a whisper came from inside the circle, louder than before, clear and full of emotion: "The guards have returned. Time is running out. Enter or leave.... forever." The friends looked at each other uncertainly, knowing that any decision could change their lives irrevocably. Maks was the first to set foot on the stairs when a bang sounded in the distance - as if the whole forest had held its breath in anticipation of their next step....