"They Are Not People:
Book Three" by Victor Flammer, summary

Viktor Dashkevich’s novel (Flammer) was published in 2024. This book continues the story of detective Hermes Averin in an alternate Russian empire. Magicians control demons called divas. The author develops the idea of the coexistence of humans and demonic entities without unnecessary arguments, focusing directly on political intrigue and exploration of the otherworldly realm.

Back to business

Count Hermes Averin is grieving the loss of his diva, Kuzya. The demon has fallen into the Wasteland — the icy world from which these creatures originate. The detective drinks vodka for days on end and refuses to see anyone. Averin’s friend, police officer Viktor Smirnov, saves the situation. He brings a strange case about a missing girl, Alena Chernysheva. The child allegedly died of stomach flu, but later reported to the police station to report the theft of her dog. Averin organizes an exhumation. Instead of a body, an artfully crafted wax doll is found in the coffin.

Averin recovers from his drinking binge and takes up the investigation. His familiar, Anonymous, suddenly establishes a mental connection with Kuzya. It turns out that the detective’s father, Arkady Averin, created a permanent entrance to the Wasteland in the family crypt many years ago. Averin decides to head there immediately. He takes his brother Vasily’s winter clothes and stocks up on blood in syringes. In the icy wasteland, the detective finds Kuzya. The demon has lost his physical form, but retains his memory thanks to his connection with his master.

A human sacrifice is necessary to return Kuzya to the human world. Averin flies to the capital, Omsk. There, he seeks an audience with the future Empress Sophia Andreyevna. The young ruler is keenly interested in the scientific work of Averin’s father. She agrees to hand over the terrorist Alina Belitskaya, sentenced to death. Sophia wishes to personally witness the experiment and secretly flies to St. Petersburg. In the crypt, Averin opens a passage and feeds the criminal to Kuzya. Div regains a human body.

Witches and abduction

Averin and Victor uncover the details of Alena’s abduction. The girl was kidnapped by the elderly Baroness Frenkel and her daughter, Ekaterina. Many years ago, the Baroness’s youngest daughter summoned a demon. The demon consumed the girl and escaped. Ekaterina turned out to be a brilliant sorceress. She helped her mother create complex illusions and capture children with magical gifts. The women planned to use Alena to control the killer demon, who disguised himself as a Spitz dog.

The detective, along with his niece Lyubava, storms the Frenkel hunting lodge. The house is guarded by a div under the powerful illusion of a giant monkey. Lyubava breaks the spell, the criminals are arrested, and the girl is returned to her parents. Ekaterina confesses to creating the fake magic storage wands.

Meanwhile, high-ranking conspirators disappear from the country’s most secure prison, the Shlisselburg Fortress. Security Ministry investigator Nikolai Serov begins an investigation. Averin inspects the cells and discovers microscopic shifts in the protective circuits on the floor. It turns out that the prison doctor secretly passed blood samples from prisoners to the kidnappers. The blood was used as a beacon to open one-time exits directly from the Wasteland.

A Threat from the Wasteland

Kuzya tells Averin an important detail. He was saved from an icy trap by the former Imperial Div, Alexander V. Kuzya promised that his master would help the captive escape the ice. At the same time, the heroes learn that another exiled Imperial Div, Grigori Rasputin, is alive. The monster, who ruled the country for many years, has subjugated other demons and is now preparing a large-scale invasion of the human world. Rasputin’s accomplice on Earth turns out to be Prince Kantemirov, the head of the Moscow detective agency. The prince transmitted to the Wasteland the corridor plans created by Averin’s father.

During the coronation of Sophia Andreyevna in Moscow, an attack occurs. A gap opens right under the procession’s feet. A huge div, shaped like a hybrid of a wasp and a goat, seizes the ruler. Averin, Kuzya, and the new Imperial div, Vladimir, engage in an unequal battle. Vladimir suffers grievous wounds, but tears off the enemy’s limbs and saves Sophia. The attacking monster escapes back to its world.

The young court magician, Sergei Monchinsky, saves Vladimir’s life. He violates strict instructions and feeds the dying diva living blood from his own veins. A powerful bond develops between the sorcerer and Vladimir. Kantemirov demands the position of Chief Magician be given to him. He plans to take the wounded Vladimir for himself and finish him off.

Expedition to the Ice Hell

To defeat Rasputin, Averin organizes an operation to rescue Alexander V. Empress Sophia, Monchinsky, Vladimir, Averin, and Kuzya descend into the Wasteland. They are carrying a powerful arctic snowmobile and explosives. The heroes drill holes in the ice and plant charges. On the way back, the expedition is attacked by three powerful demons. A fierce battle ensues. Sophia successfully fires a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher.

Vladimir distracts the enemies, while Kuzya and Averin protect the empress. The squad is saved from certain death by the arrival of Anonymous and Lyubava. The heroes manage to return to the human world seconds before the corridor closes. The operation is a success, and Alexander’s icy prison is destroyed.

Battle for St. Petersburg

Empress Sophia flies to safety. They are attacked in the air by Kantemirov’s henchmen. The elderly diva Inessa from the Academy of Magic comes to their aid. It turns out that Rasputin has already seized the Kremlin Palace and taken the ministers hostage. Sophia realizes there’s no time to waste and returns to the palace with Inessa.

In the Kremlin, Inessa challenges Rasputin to a duel. He accepts. Diva Anastasia, the Perovs’ former familiar, unexpectedly deals Rasputin a fatal blow. Anastasia had been pretending to be the monster’s loyal servant for years, waiting for the opportune moment for revenge. Rasputin is defeated, Kantemirov is arrested. But disaster can no longer be averted. A horde of demons begins to break through the prison corridors of the Shlisselburg Fortress.

Averin races to the breach site. The sky above Ladoga is darkened by thousands of winged creatures. The Divas use ships and barges to ferry their wingless brethren. Humans suffer enormous losses. Aircraft bomb the crossing, but the demons are too numerous. One of the kidnapped prisoners, Prince Rozhdestvensky, activates the forbidden spell of the Closed Chain before his death. The chain seals the fortress gates, trapping some of the monsters inside. Investigator Serov sacrifices himself: he enters the Wasteland in the form of a dog and breaks the pattern, stopping the flow of creatures.

Finale and diplomacy

The defenders are exhausted. Averin realizes the people are doomed. He makes a difficult decision and enters his family crypt. The sorcerer cuts his hand with a samurai sword and draws blood onto the Alatyr. He summons Alexander the Fifth. Averin is ready to give his own life so that the demon can gain a corporeal body and protect the city.

Alexander answers the call. He emerges from the corridor with three surviving sorcerer captives, including Ekaterina Frenkel. The demon refuses to kill Averin. He retreats a few meters from the fortress walls and, with the power of his mind, suppresses the will of the attacking horde. Alexander orders the divas to retreat back into the icy wasteland. The monsters obey without complaint and leave through the corridor Averin opened. The battle is won. Alexander returns to the Wasteland, promising to establish diplomatic contacts with humans and build an ice palace for negotiations.

Empress Sophia establishes a women’s department at the Academy. Diva Anastasia officially enters government service. Sergei Monchinsky asks Lyubava’s father, Vasily, for her hand in marriage. Averin declines the offer to move to Moscow. He agrees to head the Directorate in his hometown. Vladimir becomes the chief police diva and reports directly to the detective. Life returns to normal, and Averin prepares for new investigations.