Returning from an "incident" with the champion of another tribe, Conor and Fergus stumble across a man running through the
trees. Three children are with him; he carries two and the other runs a ways ahead. Ploughing after them through the woods is
a villager, sword raised to strike, as the man cries out that he's trying to hurt the children. Fergus halts the villager, who says
that the man has stolen his son. Conor asks the child, Garth, who his father is, and after his answer, Fergus sends the villager
away. After the villager is gone, a number of children emerge from hiding places in the foliage. On the road with the man and
his "children", Conor asks whether all the children are really his. He replies that they are not, and Conor realizes that he and
Fergus had sent the real father away. The man, Doyle, tells them that his wife Liese, who died in childbirth, had a dream of a
world where there are no orphans and no children lose their parents to the sword. He explains that the children, though not his,
simply share that vision. Offering them refuge, Conor leads Doyle and the children to the Sanctuary, where they're allowed to
stay. Fergus, meanwhile, has been advised by Conor to get rid of his ill temper by getting a woman, and takes a shine to a
young woman, Molly, who travels with Doyle. But soon she tells him of her life: watching her village destroyed while she hid in
a peach tree, her mother who lives and her father who abandoned them when she was a baby. Fergus suddenly no longer
seems interested in a sexual relationship. That night, he goes to Conor and rambles about checking for a scar behind her ear.
The next day at the beach, Doyle wades into the water, feeling the vibrations in the currents to find the fish, and Fergus urges
Conor to check for the scar that he is sure must be there. Conor works a small seduction on Molly to get a glimpse behind her
ear. The scar is there; Molly is Fergus' daughter. Later, as he talks to her by the river, he tells her that he is her father, and that
she got the scar on her second day of life, when he slipped while carrying her and a rock caught her behind the ear. He tells
her that he's been waiting for this day . . . and she agrees that she has, too, and her fist contacts with his jaw quite powerfully
before she stalks away. Conor later finds Fergus burning his weapons, determined to give up his life as a warrior because his
daughter doesn't want a warmonger for a father. Meanwhile, Doyle speaks to the children of what they have in the Sanctuary,
and seems determined that they will stay there. The next day, as Conor and his band practice their fighting skills, Doyle pulls
him aside to insist that, since Fergus has so upset Molly, he should be immediately cast out of the Sanctuary. Conor disagrees,
saying that if Doyle can't life with Fergus, he can't live in the Sanctuary, at which point Doyle calls him a coward and Conor
lays him flat. Molly, who seems unsure of what to do, is counseled by Catlin, who urges her to take the chance to know her
father. Determined to drive out Conor and his lot and secure the Sanctuary, Doyle gives the children a mission, and he takes
Molly to the river as the children sneak into Conor and Fergus' rooms . . . with weapons. The children are stopped easily when
the first misses her mark and wounds Conor only superficially. Headed for the river to find Doyle, Conor and Fergus split up.
Fergus finds Molly with Doyle, who seems to think that Molly is his lost wife. Hearing Fergus, he grabs her, and she is pitched
backwards into the water. She slips away downstream as Fergus fights with Doyle, who stands adamantly in his way. Doyle is
knocked out, and Fergus finds Molly hanging onto a fallen log just feet away from a fatal drop. He reaches out to her . . . and
she slips away, falling over the edge. Fergus, thinking he has failed again, crawls to the rocks and stands up, to see Conor,
holding onto Molly and saving her from the drop. Molly strikes out alone, in order to see all of the places her father has told
her about, sharing his wanderlust. Fergus hates to see her go, but she promises to come back soon and visit often. With Doyle
gone, the orphans are welcomed to stay at the Sanctuary, and Fergus offers to take the others back to their families. It will be
a lot of work, Conor says, taking care of them. Fergus agrees, but knows he can handle it; after all, he is a father.
While hunting together in the woods, Conor and Catlin encounter Daniel, a friend from the Sanctuary. With arrows sticking
from his back, he asks them to take the scroll he carries to a rock tower, and tell his children that he loves them, then he dies.
Around his neck is an amulet that mystifies Conor, and they take it and the scroll and flee when they hear Romans
approaching. They barely escape notice as a group of Romans rides up, searching Daniel's body and coming up without the
scroll. The lead rider, Pasolinus, is a Red Boot; a member of the Emperor's secret guard. He orders Daniel crucified; although
he is already dead. Back at the Sanctuary, the Celts attempt to puzzle out the meaning of the scroll, which is written in a
language they do not understand, and the necklace that Daniel wore. They finally decide to make sure no one knows they have
the scroll, since the Romans killed Daniel for it and would doubtless have no trouble killing more. It is hidden in Conor's cave,
and decided that they will see the Father the next day; he will know what it all means. Meanwhile, Pasolinus is busy putting
Diana in her place (reciting her history in the brothels), and Longinus reveals his true self to the Red Boot, who records the
Emperor's history, in order to make sure his place in history is assured as the merciful Centurion who ended Christ's suffering.
Pasolinus agrees to write it as such, his main motivation being his constant companion Nilus (a very odd little man with whom
he seems to have more than a "working" relationship), whose life Longinus threatens. Longinus later overhears Diana plotting
Pasolinus' death with one of the Red Boot's men. Conor finds her in his cave, looking at the scroll. He asks her what she
knows, and she urges him to leave it all alone. The Celts meet with the Father, who tells them that there is much power in the
scroll, and the amulet is the Roman sign for death. They stumble upon a group of people, all crucified, who wear the same sign,
and the Father tells Conor that those people have been betrayed . . . just as he will be betrayed. Catlin meets with a Roman in
the woods, calling him by name, and shakes his hand. The next time she meets the Roman, she carries the scroll pouch, and
finds him dead, pinned by a spear to a tree. She turns around and runs into Conor, enraged when she things he killed the
Roman, but he assures her that he found the man like that. They are set upon by Pasolinus and his men, and taken prisoner.
Pasolinus' soldier, under Diana's direction, fires at the Red Boot with a crossbow, but is thwarted in the assassination attempt
by Longinus, who catches the bolt in mid-air and hurls it back into the man's neck. Finding themselves in Diana's dungeon,
Conor and Catlin are pressured to reveal the whereabouts of the scroll: Catlin did not carry it in her pouch. Diana arrives, and
is confronted by Pasolinus about the assassination attempt. Nilus attempts to torture the information out of Catlin by sticking
long, wicked needles into her neck. She wakes to find herself in Conor's arms on the dungeon floor, but unable to see more
than shadows. Her eyes are fogged with blue cataracts. She mutters quietly, "Jesus give me strength", and Conor realizes that
she is a Christian, asking why she hid her beliefs from them. She answers that she was afraid they would reject her, and Conor
assures her they will not; they love her. When morning breaks, the Romans take their prisoners out to be crucified. When they
are distracted by an insult-hurling Fergus outside the front gates, Conor and Catlin fight their captors, and though Catlin ends
up losing her battles (she is blind, after all), Conor ends up holding a knife to Nilus' neck. Pasolinus, fearing Nilus' death, gives
in to Conor's demands to free Catlin and provide them with horses. As Conor and Cat race away, Fergus and Tully divide
Roman forces by leading them off in different directions with more scroll pouches. Conor and Catlin search for the rock tower
Daniel spoke of; and though Conor sees no sign of it and is very ready to give up (Pasolinus is hot on their heels, and Diana is
chasing after him), Catlin leads them there, even though she is blind. Inside, they find a man in brown robes (a monk,
apparently), who is recording the truth of the Christ's life and death. The scroll they carry, it is revealed, is a letter written in
Christ's own hand to his brother James, and is of great value to those recording the truth. The monk holds the scroll to the light,
but drops it when Nilus appears in the doorway and throws a sharp weapon (kind of a cross between dagger and dart) into
the man's wrist. A battle ensues, in which Nilus hurls his projectiles and Conor takes one in the leg. Pasolinus tries to pick up
the fallen scroll, but it glows with its own light and seems to burn him. He drops it, it is picked up by Catlin, and her eyesight is
suddenly restored. Grabbing a torch, Pasolinus attempts to burn the collection of scrolls, but is stopped by Longinus. Quite
suddenly, streamers of white light emanate from the scroll and whirl about the room, and as Conor attempts to shelter Cat and
Longinus and the monk look on, the streamers pick up Pasolinus and Nilus and fling them out the window, where they land
dead and flaming in front of Diana. Later, Conor speaks with Catlin in her cave back at Sanctuary, telling her that whatever is
inside her, there's no need to keep it from him ever again. "I think you know my heart," she replies. "The mystery's in yours."
Gathered around the fire, the children urge Fergus to tell them a scary story. He submits, and spins a tale of a young prince and
a spear . . .
Conor, Catlin and Fergus have traveled to the home of the Mountain People, a clan that Conor hopes will join with the
Confederation of Tribes against the Romans. He is generally ignored as the mountain people party, and when he finally gains
their attention, their leader has the head of a killed boar placed on Conor's head, his men holding the prince to the table, as he
plays with the sword and Conor's life. Fergus and Catlin are held by more men, Fergus' sword also stolen. Being forced to
leave and told they are lucky to escape with their lives, Conor and company depart . . . without his father's sword. After they
leave, the chief of the mountain people allows his men to chase the young prince and his friends down. Unarmed, they run from
the threat, and end up in a cave, where the rigid armored bodies of two soldiers still stand guard over a Spear. Conor, thirsting
for revenge after what the mountain people put him through, moves toward the Spear, while Catlin urges him to leave it. He
finally grasps it, its draw irresistable. At Diana's fort, Longinus suddenly begins screaming in the night, finally knowing, now that
it has been touched, that the spear is on the island. The Celts return home to find the crops dead, the cows dried up, goats
who bore their young too soon, and a young girl named Mary clutching her dead horse. Later, in a dream, the Spear shows
Conor its history; how it was used by Longinus to kill Christ. Discussing it, Catlin tells her friends more of Christ's history, and
the others wonder over the power of a weapon that could kill a god. Catlin insists that it is evil, urges them to burn it, and
Conor stands it in the fire. Meanwhile, Longinus sends Romans out to find the Spear and bring it back at any cost. In the
morning, the girl Mary discovers the Spear, unharmed, among the ashes of the burned-out fire. Conor sees her next riding her
once-dead horse . . . and clutching the Spear in her hands. Catlin guesses that perhaps the Spear itself is neither good nor evil,
that its power depends on who holds it, and believes that maybe the weapon was meant for Conor, to help him unite the
island. Returning to the tribe of the mountain people, Conor uses the Spear's power to regain his father's sword and make the
king of the tribe join the Confederation. He goes a step too far, however, in insisting that the king bow to the Spear to show his
sincerity. Conor rides to many of the island's tribes, using the Spear to gain power over kings and queens, and finally realizing
his father's dream of uniting the island against the Romans. But Conor doesn't seem to be himself anymore . . . he forces the
kings to bow to the Spear in council meetings, and gives orders that no one dares contradict. Warriors lay down their weapons
at the sound of his name, and soon he asks Fergus to bow to the Spear, as well. Then he goes a step further, gaining a group
of bodyguards. He dreams not only of driving the Romans out of their land, but also speaks of a world out there, and
comments that they will be in Rome before the snow flies. The day before the planned attack, in which the Romans would be
pushed into the sea by the united tribes, Catlin distracts Conor and Fergus makes off with the Spear, riding back to the cave
where they found it to put it back in its place. The Confederation falls apart without the Spear, the clans resorting to their own
squabbles. Enraged, Conor grabs Catlin and nearly drowns her in an attempt to discover the whereabouts of the weapon. She
finally gets through to him, and he cries as he realizes what he's done. Fergus, back in the cave, is almost pulled in by the
Spear's lures, but puts it back in its place and turns to confront Longinus, who has just appeared to claim it. Longinus defeats
the Celt easily, throwing him against the wall and knocking him unconscious. He pulls the Spear from its place, and remembers
his time in Rome; his wife and two children, and his actions that day in Golgotha. Returning from his reverie, he prepares to
stab himself with the Spear; but it falls from his weak grasp to the steps below. He is sprawled on the steps, weakened so
much that he has trouble moving, the Spear just out of reach, when someone picks up the weapon. Conor holds the Spear
over Longinus threateningly, the Roman lying on his back and begging to die. No longer a slave of the Spear, Conor steps past
Longinus and goes to help Fergus and take him home. Longinus is left on the steps of the cave, begging for death. Back at the
Sanctuary, Conor asks for his friends' forgiveness (which is granted), when a sudden storm boils above. He throws the Spear
hard, and it vanishes in a flash of lighting, the sky suddenly clearing. Back at Diana's fort, the Queen asks what happened.
Longinus explains that he begged Conor to take his life, and for four hundred years he begged for Christ's forgiveness. He says
that he will beg no more, and since the Christ betrayed him, he would do the same; twisting the truth, poisoning Jesus'
teachings. If he is meant to live forever, he will live forever; and recreate the world in his image. He tells Diana to come to him .
. . but she, his love before, now shakes her head and backs away, vanishing into the shadows.
Longinus holds a brand to the fire, then crosses to a sleepy Diana and places it in her hands. He brands
himself, then the brand disappears, rapidly healing itself. Longinus speaks of building his own army to conquer the island, and
says that everyone loyal to him will wear that brand as a sign of allegiance. Against her will, he brands Diana as the first of his
legions.
The chieftains of ten tribes are gathering to offer gifts and be present for the birth of the child of a great chieftain, Alwyn. Conor
and crew are present, and as they leave Alwyn and his very pregnant wife, a Druid stops Conor to tell him that the Father has
summoned him. As he raises his hands, Longinus' brand can be seen on his right forearm.
Leaving Catlin and Tully to handle the gift-giving, Fergus and Conor head for Cathbad to see the Father. When they arrive at
the Father's chambers, the boy rushes out with a towel around his waist, yelling something like "I don't want to take a bath! I'm
the father, you can't make me!" Despite that, he's dragged to the bath and Conor and Fergus just grin at each other.
At the ceremony of gift-giving for the birth of Alwyn's child, Longinus approaches with a gift, also...what he calls prosperty and
freedom. Alwyn disagrees, and calls it lies, thievery, and death. "You might be right on that last one," Longinus says, plunging
his thumbs into Alwyn's eyes and blinding the man.
At Cathbad, the Father informs Conor that as a chieftain of a tribe, he is to marry a young Druid novice, a symbolic wedding
that will bring the Druids and the tribes closer together. Conor resists the idea, but Fergus agrees for him.
Back at his fort, Alwyn dies and Cat and Tully resolve to ride out and find Conor; to warn him about Longinus and the new
army he plans to build. On the road there, they hear a woman scream and come to her aid; but she slashes Tully with her knife
while her compatriots steal their horses. They are urged to join Longinus' alliance, but left alive. Catlin helps an injured Tully,
and together they head on foot toward Cathbad.
In chambers, preparing for his wedding, Conor is tended to by druids maids and teased by Fergus; the older man convinces
Conor that marrying will be a good idea, even though the symbolic union lasts only two years. Fergus also extracts a promise
from Conor; that he'll have his way with his new wife.
Longinus speaks to his Druid spy again, offering the man large sums of gold, which are left on the table as the druid leaves.
That night, the Father informs them that he's chosen Conor's bride, and they go to meet her. A circle of women holding veils
dance around the naked figure of Conor's bride to be, and as the veils lowers with each rotation, Conor realizes that the
woman in the middle is Molly, Fergus' daughter. Fergus realizes it, too...and the ceremony is suddenly interrupted by a very
mad father insisting that his daughter be covered. Molly stalks away in anger as he ruins the ceremony. Conor asks the Father
if he knew about this...and the boy only smiles.
Diana seems to be disgusted with Longinus' new turn, telling him in so many words that she's leaving. He begs to differ -- she
can't hide among the Celts, the know her too well. The Roman guards will now obey only him. She cannot go back to
Rome...they would be disappointed with her handling of the island. She is stuck.
The next day, Molly comes to talk to her father, who acts as stubborn as ever. Conor intervenes and tells her that Fergus is
sorry...which the man protests, but then gives in and apologizes. He goes on to start yelling again, and Molly starts to walk
away in disgust. Conor stops her, tells her to talk to him instead of Fergus, and she explains that Fergus ruined the ceremony,
insulted the druids and hurt her feelings. As she walks away, Fergus comments that when she's around, it's like some jealous
old man takes possession of his mind and he can't think clearly.
Conor goes to see the Father, who has summoned him, and enters the boy's chambers to find him with Diana. He reacts
angrily, but Diana brings word that Longinus has gone mad, and intends to kill Conor. She is escorted by the prince -- bound
-- to the path, where he slices her dress to suit it for riding and mounts her up behind the Druid spy, who had been caught by
the Father's men. They are both sent back to Longinus.
Fergus approaches his daughter and talks to her, apologizing in his roundabout way and explaining his feelings to her. He asks
her to call him Da, and she doesn't seem to like the idea, but they reach a tentative understanding.
At the Roman fort, Longinus receives his people, sent back from Cathbad. The druid, he says, he forgives. But Diana
deserves...life. Longinus plunges a dagger into the druid's head, granting him a rest that has escaped the Roman, but he keeps
Diana alive, wanting her to know his torture.
At Cathbad, Conor speaks to the Father, saying that if Longinus is after him he should leave and not endanger anyone else's
life. Glas speaks of the eternal soul, how the soul moves with death to another form.
The Father tells Conor to go marry his bride, and Conor sets off for the wedding. When they arrive, Conor and Fergus take
their places and are met by a stunning Molly...who comments that the Father should be there by now.
In the Father's chambers, the boy puts on his robe...and is greeted from the shadows by a very ominous-looking Longinus.
The boy whispers, "From this life...to the next," echoing his earlier conversation with Conor, and Longinus' shadow falls across
him.
Catlin and Tully arrive at Cathbad to find the druids in the middle of a funeral. They are met in the corridor by Fergus and
Molly. Fergus tells them that the Father is dead; Conor found him. Molly notices Tully's injury and whisks him away for
treatment. Catlin asks where Conor is...
And the young prince rides through the rain at break-neck speed toward the Roman fort. He bursts in on Longinus, sword at
ready, with an oath to kill him. A sword-fight ensues, in which Conor is slightly wounded. Finally, Longinus puts down his
sword and asks the prince to kill him. Conor thrusts his sword right through Longinus' abdomen...which immediately heals, not
leaving even a scar. Longinus tells him to try again, and Conor goes for the neck...cutting his head halfway off of his neck.
Longinus' face morphs into the old man again, and the head topples back to its place, the neck heals instantly. Conor is saved
from further injury by Fergus, who bursts in and drags him away. Longinus tells him to listen to his friend...he wants the prince
and Diana alive while everything dies around them, to know the hell he's lived.
At Cathbad, Conor speaks to Molly of the injustice; Longinus living forever and the Father lying dead. Later, he addresses the
druids and asks them to fulfill the Father's plan...to go out among the villages of their friends and their enemies.
In a fort in another place, the Father stands beside the bed where Alwyn's widow and child sleep...he touches the baby's head,
then vanishes into mist.
Doyle's Solution
Red Boot
The Spear of Destiny
The Eternal
