London 1886. One by one, men of the aristocratic Sexton family die mysteriously. After the last man dies, years pass without a death, and the family believes the Curse has ended. But when a Sexton son reaches the birthday of his eighteenth year, he is found dead in his room. His death is as baffling as ones before. After that, every Sexton son dies on the first day of his eighteenth year. Years pass, and John Sexton is now the next to turn eighteen. John attempts to escape his fate by sailing to South Africa and hiding among the gold fields. But fear of the Curse haunts him. A letter sent to London is forwarded to South Africa and finds its way to John. The letter is from his grandfather in Australia. He has found the cure for the Curse, but John must travel to Australia to receive it. John immediately boards a ship. As he steps ashore in Australia, John enters a world of evil and death; a world centered on the Soul of the Beast, an ancient myth promising powers to its possessor. He has become the target of assassins obsessed with obtaining the Soul of the Beast and its powers. The assassins believe John is the key to finding the Soul of the Beast and pursue him, determined to learn what he knows and murder him after they do. John has no choice but to run, and to keep running. For him to stop is to die.