Distorted Reality

Never offend the otherworldly powers — their revenge is merciless. What began in merriment soon descended into dread: the familiar world collapsed like a fragile house of cards, and from the ruins crawled something alien, hostile, and inexorable. Survival itself becomes a cruel choice — to cling to life alone, or to help friends weather the storm. And in that hour, when shadows devour the light, the veil is torn away, and the true nature of a person is revealed.

After a great catastrophe, their world has shrunk to the Dome. Here everything is perfect: the air is clean, order is flawless, and every day is ruled by the system’s regulations. But sometimes cracks appear between these rules. And through them, a truth begins to seep—one no one was ever meant to see. Arden, Lyra, and Kai are just three among hundreds. They should be preparing for their “Graduation,” but instead they discover traces of something that should not exist in their world: system failures, distorted records, shadows behind the glass. The deeper they search for answers, the more it seems that reality itself is a trap—carefully constructed by someone unseen. And when the system turns against them, one question becomes impossible to ignore: is the world they live in truly safe?

Dark stormy skies. The raging waters of the Dnipro. A lightning strike. An ambulance. A defibrillator. While life hangs by a thread, Melania’s soul slips into other realms—where past and future intertwine, legends breathe beside reality, and those once lost may be found again. Through all the shifting worlds, a fragile spark of true feeling begins to grow—one that defies death itself. Only those whose hearts burn with love can cross time and space to find each other. This novel draws on ancient, lesser-known Ukrainian legends and mystical New Year rituals—especially Melankuvannya, a folkloric celebration blending caroling, masquerade, and magical rites of renewal. Let the journey begin.