"Deja Vu, or The Hour Before Dawn" by Tatyana Korsakova, summary Automatic translate

This book is a sequel to the mystical novel "The Darkest Night," written in 2013. The plot focuses on the main characters’ struggle with an ancient family curse, the roots of which go back to the distant past and are associated with dark magic.

Dan, aka Denis Kuznetsov, returns from Helsinki to sweltering Moscow. Exhausted by long months of hard work without days off, he heads out of town to visit his grandfather, Arseny Petrovich Kuznetsov, expecting to meet him on the porch of an old house. The grandfather greets his grandson with a gun, but quickly cools down upon recognizing his relative. Arseny Petrovich shares his concerns about what’s happening in the area and mentions strange deaths that began after someone disturbed an old temple in the forest.

Ksanka’s Return

Oksana, or Ksanka, spent a long time in a deep coma following the events described in the previous part. She is in a specialized clinic. Doctors are offering no guarantees, keeping her alive with machines. Dan visits Oksana regularly, talks with her, and believes she will awaken. One day, as he holds her hand and recounts her day, she takes a weak breath and opens her eyes.

The recovery process is difficult and painful. Oksana is learning to walk and talk again. Denis hires the best nurses and doctors and spends every free minute with his beloved. Over time, fragmented memories return, causing intense emotional pain. She recalls the terrible fire and the black shadow that tried to devour her.

An old estate and new secrets

Denis takes Oksana far from the city, to his grandfather’s old estate, hoping the fresh air and peace will help her recover more quickly. Arseniy Petrovich welcomes his guests warmly, but the atmosphere in the house remains tense. At night, Oksana suffers from terrible nightmares. She dreams of rituals, blood, and an old witch demanding repayment of a debt.

Dan begins to notice strange things around the estate. The locals avoid the forest, whispering of a curse and ghosts. Arseny Petrovich finally tells his grandson the history of their family, connected to dark magic and an old temple where sacrifices were made many years ago. His grandfather shows him old diaries and notes, which make it clear that the curse hasn’t been broken, but merely lurks, biding its time.

Dark Legacy

The records reveal that Oksana’s great-grandmother, Lizaveta, was a powerful witch who made a pact with the dark forces to save her lover. She paid a terrible price, and now the debt has passed to her descendants. Oksana is the last of her line, and it is she who must complete what she started, or else the darkness will engulf everything around her.

Preparing for the ritual

Realizing they have nowhere to run, Denis and Oksana begin preparing for a confrontation. They study old books, searching for protective spells and amulets. Arseniy Petrovich helps them gather the necessary herbs and artifacts. Meanwhile, new misfortunes occur in the area. Bleeding animal corpses are found in the forest, and unnaturally black clouds gather over the estate.

Dan turns to an old friend, a paranormal expert, for help. He brings rare books and shares his knowledge of protective circuits. Together, they create a powerful barrier around the house to keep out the dark forces. Oksana, despite her weakness, persistently trains her will, knowing that at the decisive moment, she will need all her inner strength.

Clash at the temple

The hour before dawn is the time when the boundary between worlds is at its thinnest. On this night, Oksana and Denis journey to an old temple to perform a cleansing ritual and sever their connection with the dark forces. The forest greets them with icy cold and ominous whispers. The protective amulets glow red-hot on their chests, barely holding back the onslaught of darkness.

At the temple, they encounter the materialized embodiment of the curse. The dark entity attempts to take over Oksana’s mind, exploiting her fears and guilt. Denis engages in an unequal battle, physically defending his beloved while she struggles internally. He manages to distract the entity using knowledge gained from a friend.

Purification and freedom

Oksana concentrates her will and recites the words of the ancient incantation found in the diaries. The light from the protective amulets merges into a single powerful beam, striking the center of the temple. The entity lets out a piercing scream and begins to disintegrate. The darkness dissipates, giving way to the first light of dawn.

The curse is broken. Denis helps the exhausted Oksana to her feet. They return to their grandfather, who is waiting for them on the porch of the house. Nature comes alive around them. The burning is gone, the ashes have vanished, and green shoots are sprouting from the old dead tree.