
In the cold stone chapel of a border castle, a young noble kneels through the night, haunted by a storm of visions that swirl like phantom wings. He sees ancient battles, mythic beasts, and the faces of historic lovers and curses, all pressing on his mind as the darkness deepens. Yet his vow to keep vigil until dawn holds him fast, even as the walls seem to pulse with unseen histories.
Suddenly a dark figure materializes—Satan himself, offering the redemption of countless souls in exchange for the young lord’s own. The bargain is presented with fiery ceremony, a seal dripping blood that threatens to bind his fate to the underworld. The encounter leaves him trembling, his prayers broken by the sudden intrusion of fear and temptation.
Amid the spectral turmoil, whispers of earthly desire begin to stir, hinting at a connection with a distant noblewoman whose name surfaces in his fleeting thoughts. The promise of love offers a fragile counterpoint to the looming darkness, setting the stage for a battle between duty, desire, and destiny.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (485K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2013-05-24
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1873–1939
A restless, inventive voice of early modernism, he wrote sharply about memory, war, and the messy ways people understand one another. He is best known today for The Good Soldier and the Parade's End novels, but he also helped shape literary culture as an editor and champion of new writers.
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