He opened the book and read the beginning of the first story:
"In the Forest of Monsters stood a castle under attack by monsters."
At that moment, the surroundings changed, and the Cursed found himself in a large dark corridor. Ahead, a massive figure stood frozen. It blocked the way through the corridor. Suddenly, two red lights ignited in the darkness, and the massive figure began to move. A large fang-bared muzzle turned toward the warrior, and he saw that it was a horrifying monster. It growled at the Cursed, then turned, grabbed one of the warriors attacking it from the other side, and hurled him against the wall. The warrior was smashed against the wall, and his remains slid down it. The monster seized the next warrior and bit off his head. The squad that had attacked the massive creature faced certain death.
The Cursed shot into the air. The sword appeared in his hand in mid-flight, and in a prolonged leap he cut off the monster's head. It crashed down and remained lying on the stone floor. The warriors of the squad gathered around the carcass of the creature.
"We owe you our lives, warrior," said one of them, larger in height and build than the others. On his breastplate was the emblem of three eyes against the background of a dark arch. "Who are you, and how did you end up here? In my castle, I know all the people, and you are clearly not one of them."
"Now your lives will change," the warrior replied. "I am the Cursed."
Magical markings flickered across his face several times, and the warriors involuntarily stepped back. Only their leader remained in place.
"For ten years, we have been fighting off the monsters that besiege the castle. The strongest of them overcome the high walls and break into the corridors. They burst in and devour people."
"I will lead you on a raid. With me, you will have the strength to reach the source of evil and destroy it."
The warriors exchanged glances.
"When do we leave?"
"Now."
The gates of the castle opened, revealing the black darkness that led into the unknown and dangers of the Ancient Lands. The squad of armed riders crossed the bridge and burst into the night. They raced against death. Black monsters with red lights in their eyes emerged from the night and attacked them. The Cursed beheaded them with magic. At times, when several attacked at once, dark streams of smoke pierced them, tearing the entrails from their black bodies. The squad moved into the dark motionless forest that surrounded the castle. More and more monsters attacked them, throwing themselves from behind the trees.
Gradually, the forest revealed its hidden secrets to them. They saw a rider sitting on a black horse whose eyes burned with red lights. He was dressed in a black suit and wore a black hat whose brim partly concealed his burning red gaze.
A few of its arms, each holding swords, rose into the air and came crashing down on the approaching squad. A dozen warriors were thrown from their saddles and fell to the ground. The Cursed joined the battle and cut off one of the rider's arms. The lord of the castle and his warriors rushed in from behind.
The Cursed continued the slaughter, but he saw that his deadly strikes failed to land, as if an invisible magic protected the stranger.
The Cursed's gaze slid further, toward a dark lake among the trees.
"Hold him!" he said, and rode toward the mysterious surface of the water.
He approached the lake and saw that there was no reflection in the dark water. His sword cut through the surface, and that part of the lake filled with a black liquid.
A muffled scream came from behind.
The Cursed turned and saw the blades of the castle warriors pierce the stranger in the hat through the throat. He fell from his black horse and did not rise again. The leader of the monsters had been dealt with.
After that, the monsters no longer emerged from the forest and did not attack the castle.
The squad of warriors approached the Cursed.
"It is done. We have destroyed him," said the lord of the castle.
The Cursed stood and looked across the lake toward the far shore. Where a mysterious mansion stood still.
The lord of the castle looked at the Cursed, then shifted his gaze to where he was looking. The mansion stood among the dark trees—dangerous and unknown. Something horrifying was happening inside the ancient building.
The dark water of the lake behind them began to boil, forming countless bubbles on the surface.
The dead body of the stranger in the hat rose into the air and flew over the trees toward the mansion.
"This is not over," the Cursed said. "I am going to the mansion. The key to the mystery lies there."
"We will go with you," said the lord of the castle.
"No. The forces that dwell there are far too dangerous. You will die there."
"This concerns the monster attack on the castle. That means it concerns us. We are going."
The Cursed shook his head.
"Have it your way. But don't say later that I didn't warn you."