The scene shifts to modern New York and the funeral of Bob Landries, dead after a long illness. Julius Goldman sees Casca during the burial and is taken to a hotel where Casca begins to tell Goldman of his experiences when he returned to Constantinople hunting for the Brotherhood of the Lamb.
Back in 6th century Byzantium, Casca arrives in Constantinople and seeks out his old friend Sicarus, who helps him track down a Brotherhood agent, Miklos. Miklos is killed by Sicarus thus avenging the deaths of his family. Both men discuss how Casca can get at Narses, the Imperial general who is now in charge of the Bedchamber to the Emperor and Empress. Casca decides to get noticed by the Imperial couple by becoming a charioteer of the Blue faction, the team heavily supported by the Emperor and Empress. Training as a charioteer is tough and Casca falls foul of a trick played by some of the other riders, and after Casca gets even earns the hatred of a Greek rider, Icanius.
Casca searches for a place to stay close to the training track and befriends a little girl, Delia. Her mother, Carina, is wary as she has to supplement her low income by selling her body. Casca finds a lodging with a woman called Zoe, a woman who likes to dominate men with her body, but Casca isn't swayed despite sleeping with her. Eventually he has a bust-up with her and leaves. His friend Delia persuades her mother to take him in, and Carina accepts as Casca has now begun to win his races and has earned some money through winnings. Casca has disguised himself with a helmet and called himself Rufius, so as to remain anonymous.
At the same time the empire has gone to war with the Goths of Italy and their general Belisarius has conquered Naples and Rome but has now become trapped in the former capital of the Roman world. Casca meanwhile has been matched against the top Green rider Manius in the big race in Constantinople. During the long wait for the day to come, Casca seeks out the Brotherhood and infiltrates their secret headquarters after killing the elder Thassus. Casca learns of the Brotherhood's designs on the world and there is an election that Casca take spart in, having murdered one of their inner circle on the way to the meeting. There are two candidates, Narses, and a man called Janus. Janus is successful and Narses is visibly angered. By now Casca has become Carina's lover and they move to a better part of the city.
Casca rides to victory against Manius and he realises Manius is a Brotherhood agent and scares him off. The empress is grateful for Manius' humiliation and the Blues' victory, and begins a sexual relationship with Casca. She also rewards him with a Captaincy in the Imperial Garrison. Narses recognises Casca in the palace and turns the tables on him, and the two finally come to an agreement that Casca can destroy Janus and his supporters so that Narses can advance to the post of Elder.
Casca kills Manius and after a few more races crashes and realises his career has to end, since it has served its purpose and he doesn't want to be too badly injured which may reveal his immortality. His decision angers the Empress and soon after he is sent to Italy to bolster the war effort. He leaves Carina after an argument and asks a friend, Torgeth, to look after Carina. In Rome Casca rises to Vicarius and joins Belisarius and Sicarus in an attack on the Goths outside Rome. Casca's new post means he is in charge of a large body of infantry. When Narses joins the war, they meet close to Ravenna where the Goths are trapped. Casca leads a small party into the city to capture a Gothic officer but Casca is captured himself.
Casca is interrogated by the Gothic king, and the queen, Amalasuntha, tries to seduce Casca in exchange for favours when Ravenna surrenders but Casca refuses. He is thrown into prison and remains there for a few months until the city falls. Tired of the war in Italy he returns to Constantinople to find Carina and Torgeth have become lovers. Cheated, Casca leaves but soon relaises he can't give Carina a normal life, so before he leaves for a new war in Persia, gives the house ot the couple. In Persia he is put in charge of Gothic soldiers and has to mould them into shape. One of them, Gundoric, befriends Casca and becomes his bodyguard. Belisarius assigns Casca's unit to guard the flank and they are hit by a large Persian force but emerge victorious. They don't have time to celebrate however, as they are summoned back to the capital which is gripped by plague.
Belisarius is arrested by Narses and Casca is ordered to find Janus and take the Spear and bring it to Narses, or Casca's true identity will be revealed. Casca and Gundoric go to Janus' house and find him dead from plague. The Spear is gone. Casca decides to try to save Carina and Delia and goes to their house to find Delia as the only survivor. Taking Delia away, they are attacked by a mob but Gundoric saves them and they settle into a new home unknown to Narses. Gundoric leaves once the plague dies out, and Casca brings up Delia himself. He employs a teacher to educate her and the teacher's nephew, Licinus, falls in love with Delia. When they marry, Delia confronts Casca and tells him he hasn't changed in all the years she's known him. Casca tells Delia of his life story and Licinus overhears. He asks permission to adopt the name Longinus and Casca agrees. He promises to visit the family and their descendents from time to time and his story will be passed down from generation to generation.
Casca is arrested shortly afterwards and Narses vows to keep Casca a captive but the immortal soldier breaks free and hides from the Brotherhood. Licinus allows Casca to escape the city and Casca wanders in Illyria for a while before joinign a new army making its way to Italy, led by Narses! At a battle at Taginae Casca takes part in the final victory where the Gothic king dies. Casca leaves Italy with the Lombard infantry, bound for the Lombard homelands, unable to get at Narses.
'Read your book in 2 days....it was great, it was back to the roots....' Sigi, Munich, Germany
'..it's with joy that you have taken a great character and put as much passion into it as the original author.' Barry, Barnet, UK