Outside was madness.  A fire had been set, and enemies ran mad-dash between the tongues of flame.  The inn’s guests fought for their lives.  Cherti and witches swarmed the field.  Guts spilled onto the snowy ground; vampir went for necks and vodyanoi summoned water from the mill pond to drown opponents.  Vila and leshy battled above. 

The kolduny and witches that had been staying at the inn formed a circle, casting spells to turn the tide of the battle.  They summoned a storm, directing lightning to strike the swarms of vila above.  The vila’s lightning-charred bodies fell from the sky. 

As the sky darkened and storm winds picked up, the...