Tatyana Korsakova’s "Puppets," a summary

This fantasy novel, published in 2025, concludes the story of a girl plucked from a temporal anomaly. It demonstrates how an ancient evil adapts to the conditions of a modern metropolis. It is part of the mystical "Mary" series. The novel concludes the trilogy of the same name. The other parts of the series are titled "Mary" and "The Puppeteer."

Warning signs

Stefania has fortunately escaped eternal confinement in the swampy bog. She’s setting up home on the shores of the picturesque Forest Lake. Her companion is Zveryonysh, a giant swamp dog. He’s forced to regularly drink dead water from an old canteen to maintain his canine form. Stefania deliberately maintains her distance from her savior, Stef, is learning to drive a heavy-duty SUV, and is diligently preparing for her medical school entrance exams.

The peaceful routine is interrupted by a musical concert at the Moscow club "Toska." During the performance, Stef notices a foul-smelling haze swirling in the darkness. The witch Veronica confirms the presence of a powerful otherworldly threat, smelling of swamp. Anxiety drives Stef to secretly rent a neighboring plot of land a hundred meters from the Forest Lake to provide round-the-clock security for Stefania.

Meetings at Forest Lake

On his way to the lake, Stef finds an injured stray cat on the side of the road. The rescued animal is given the mischievous nickname "Bro." The veterinarian identifies the cat as a Lykoi due to its lack of fur, but the animal’s true nature is later revealed. Stef hires a construction crew to build a modular building. He soon recognizes the foreman as an old acquaintance — a black-hat digger nicknamed "Commander." He oversees the work along with his restless nephew, Markusha. The boy displays excessive curiosity, trespasses on Stefania’s property, and fearlessly meets "Bro."

A bro attacks the Commander, defending Stef’s territory. A deep bite quickly develops into a bacterial infection. The construction worker’s temperature reaches critical levels. Later, a swamp cat heals the wound with its vibrating purr. An analysis of police reports reveals a series of mysterious deaths in the surrounding villages. The bodies of the local victims appear completely desiccated, as if they had undergone peat tanning — a natural mummification process in the acidic swamp environment. Stef realizes the terrible truth: Gerhard von Langer has emerged from the swamp. The German officer, who died in 1943, drains the life force of lonely people to preserve his own material form.

Meanwhile, thick, anomalous fogs gather over the surface of Forest Lake. That night, Markusha, under the influence of a ghostly spell, leaves the safe room. The boy heads straight to the surface of the water and comes into contact with dead children — the marevkas. Veronica stops the child at the edge of the swamp, saving him from mortal danger. The commander is horrified and vows to never take his nephew out of sight again.

Abduction and expedition

The Cunning of the Undead

Von Langer strikes without warning. The dead man shoots the Beast with an old pistol and kidnaps Stefanie. The monster infects the lakeshore with a deadly, poisonous mycelium. Von Langer forces the girl to drive the car to Snake Pool. The officer wishes to return to the realm of the dead, as the hostile environment of living people causes him physical suffering. The sorcerer needs Stefanie as a submissive guide through the boundary between worlds.

Stef discovers the dog’s bloody, lifeless body. Veronica uses the last milliliters of swamp water from her army canteen to revive the animal. The ancient swamp magic works instantly: the little beast regains consciousness, and the bullet wounds on its scaly skin begin to heal. Galliano organizes an urgent supply of firearms and camping gear. A group consisting of Stef, Veronica, Galliano, the Commander, and Markusha departs in a rented helicopter to Snake Pool to conduct an immediate rescue operation.

Wandering in the Dark

At the edge of the swamp, the squad encounters the walking dead, Vasil and Anyuta, who are fuming. The swamp’s inhabitants confirm that they recently saw Stefania in the company of von Langer. The girl was holding on with all her strength. The rescue team slowly moves through the haze, led by Veronica’s glowing ball. The swamp actively resists the intruders, changing the outlines of paths and deceiving the eye with optical illusions. Ghostly children point out the fugitives’ precise location near a ruined hut. Stef sternly orders the Commander and Markusha to remain in a safe shelter. Galliano is ordered to guard the child, carbine in hand. Stef, along with Veronica, Beast, and Bro, emerges into the open, black water.

A battle on the border of worlds

Von Langer rudely demands that Stefania open the spatial passage. The girl refuses to comply, heroically enduring the suffocating grip of the ghostly web. The corpse takes Markusha, who has run to the water, hostage. The monster inflicts a deep cut on the boy’s neck with a black claw. Stefania dives into the cold water, hoping to pull the child to shore. At this critical moment, a sudden magical transformation occurs.

The dying Markusha reveals himself to be the physical form of Thirteen, the ancient spirit of primordial fire. The powerful bird soars into the night sky, destroying the poisonous haze with streams of scorching air. Stef opens fire on von Langer with his carbine, but the lead bullets are powerless against the rebellious flesh. The real damage comes from Bro. The Lykoi transforms into a gigantic, scaly, golden-eyed saber-toothed tiger and engages in brutal combat with the dead man. The reanimated Beast joins the attack, tearing the German officer’s putrid husk to pieces. Veronica scorches the enemy with her magical flame. The awakened mistress of the swamp opens a watery vortex, forever drawing the mutilated von Langer back into the darkness.

Stef and Stefania embrace, acknowledging their sincere feelings. The spirit of fire heals Markusha. The boy’s hair turns snow-white, and his eyes turn golden — a sign of the Thirteenth’s supreme protection. The team leaves the territory of the Snake Pool, leaving behind the nightmares of war and the deadly chthonic. The Commander takes his rescued nephew to the bustling city, far from the forest magic.

Memory auction

Three months later, Stef organizes a large-scale charity auction in an abandoned old factory building. The main lot is Stefania’s old flask. The Commander earnestly tries to buy the item for Markusha. The builder bids desperately, raising his stake, but loses to an elderly man in round glasses.

The winner of the auction turns out to be the Puppeteer, formerly known to the backwater residents as Seraphim. In a private conversation with Veronica, the old man reveals the true details of his long-running scheme. While in the otherworldly dimension, he made a risky bet with the spirit of fire. The Puppeteer allowed the Thirteenth to temporarily inhabit the body of the drowned Markusha. It was the cunning old man who carved a saber-toothed cat from ebony, imbuing it with magical armor. The Grandmaster secretly guided the heroes’ actions to save Stefania and break free from their endless captivity. The old man acknowledges the complete superiority of the swamp deity, but remains completely satisfied with the outcome of his multi-move game.