To Bring The Ice!

I'd come back to the Inn with my Talisman, expecting Erynne to be there to greet me. Instead I'd found the red-haired Wicca setting up a spellcasting pentagram in our room!

It took too long to find out that Erynne was down in the caves - acting as bait for the Lamia! Nixi ran up to give the alarm as I was on my way there, and I gave her the Talisman box and smoked out.

I reached a vantage point on the Bluff and then I saw, Erynne and the Lamia - too close. The blonde vampire was sprawled back against a rock. He was moving even then, but clearly out of it. I went near enough to get the Lamia's full attention before I started the spell...

It's winter in California, but that's not nearly cold enough. I was calling the
bone-freezing chill of Icewind territory, as I cast the mojo at the Lamia...

Susuerra! The Shaman old
are linked by this device,
Light surrounds you, burning cold,
Glowing back from ice!
By Hecate and Lykos
they bound you to shadow,
Now Freya and Loki,
shall bind you to cold,
Ice entomb you, Susuerra,
and cage you in eternal dark...

See the snowflakes blow and swarm,
Ice so cold the snow feels warm,
chilling through your scales and meat,
Freezing fire decends like sleet,
Freezing muscles cramp and slow,
Feel the helpless coldness grow,
Freezing, icy to the bones,
frozen still as icebound stones,
clamps the heart to skip its beat,
Freezing to your cold defeat,
Frozen still, though sun returns,
Cold until it burns.....

(I watched her, wondering if I had truly called the snow or only an illusion that was freezing even me. Even the deafest adder may dance - but the Lamia could barely move. The cold was
biting my own bones as I held the token high, singing.)

Susuerra! Shaman old
are linked by this device,
Light surrounds you, burning cold,
Glowing back from ice!
By Hecate and Lykos
they bound you to shadow,
Now Freya and Loki,
shall bind you to cold,
Ice entomb you, Susuerra,
cage you in eternal dark...

She changed into human shape, stumbling from the cold and stiffness even so. I signalled to Willow, watching from the window of the Inn. It was her turn to cast, now.