THE UNEARTHLYS - Baton Rouge's Curse BOOK 1

PROLOG and LIST OF CHARACTERS

The wind howled through the crumbling ruins, carrying the foul smell of death into the dark night. Totilas Arctander lay on the ground, his body heavy as lead, his muscles paralyzed. The cold of the stones beneath him penetrated his bones, and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. He knew he had to get up, that he had to fight, but an unrelenting pain held him captive, keeping him motionless, as if he were bound to the ground with chains.

His gaze wandered through the darkness, and the shadowy figures approaching him were little more than shadows. But he felt their presence, the relentless proximity of death, which had always been his silent companion. The sound of blades clashing echoed through the night, mixed with the desperate cries of people who had once meant something to him.

He had lost so much in his endless life, had seen time devour everything that was dear to him. But this time it was different. This time it wasn't just another battle, another pointless fight. This time he was fighting for someone who meant more to him than his own life. For her.

Willa. Her name was a whisper in the darkness of his mind, a ray of light breaking through the eternal blackness that shrouded his heart. Everything had been different since he had met her. She had touched a side of him that he hadn't even known existed. A feeling that was stronger than the hatred that had driven him for millennia. A longing for a life he had never thought he had.

But now, in this moment, it seemed as if he would lose this life before he could even fully grasp it. He heard her scream again, shrill and full of fear, and it was as if something inside him was breaking. The chains of pain that held him down began to slip away. The darkness gave way to a single thought: to save her at all costs.

Totilas felt a last wave of strength pulsing through his battered body. With a guttural growl, he struggled to his knees, his hand tight around the hilt of his sword. The shadows were closing in, but his eyes now burned with a fire that threatened to engulf even the darkness.

For Willa. For what she had given him. For what they could have had together. Totilas knew he had no choice. He had to fight, he had to save her. Death might be hot on his heels, but as long as she was alive, he would not give up. Not tonight.

He exhaled one last deep breath, tasted the cold air and slowly straightened up. The figures in front of him became clearer, the screams louder. And then he was once again the warrior he had always been, but this time with a heart that beat for something other than revenge. This time he was fighting for love.

LIST OF CHARACTERS

The Unearthlys:

Totilas Arctander:

He is the third eldest of the Supernatural family. His cruelty, brutality and cold-heartedness far exceed that of his brothers, but he is secretly very lonely and vulnerable and hides behind this abnormal façade. When he meets Willa, his behavior gradually changes and much later he learns to love through her. But again and again Totilas dives into old patterns of behaviour and does not shy away from terrorizing or killing friends and family members of himself or Willa. His goal is also to break the curse of Sidonia in order to be permanently reunited with his family.

Charles Arctander:

He is the second eldest of the Supernatural family. Charles delights in the suffering and torment of his opponents and has always been at the forefront of the legendary battles of world history. Torture, mutilation and mass murder are among his favorites. His hot temper always gets in Charles' way. Charles gets his first feelings when he meets the witch Bloom Campbell who reminds him very much of a previous love affair.

Arthur Arctander:

He is the eldest of the Supernatural family. Arthur is a nobleman who lives by laws and oaths of allegiance. However, he will walk over dead bodies to achieve his goal and does not shy away from destroying entire villages. His greatest goal is to reunite the family and lift the curse that lies upon them. Arthur has his eye on the human barmaid Rose Bellamy and is having an affair with her.