1718. The Russian Tsardom.
The witch Svetoslava does everything in her power to avoid the society of von Rember, believing him to be a monstrosity and a murderer with no heart. Dark priests order Christian to subdue the girl and break her will.
Carrying out the will of the Supreme Priest of the Order of Jesuits, Von Rember makes furious attempts to take the girl for himself—because she must play an important role in the bloody schemes the Dark are plotting.