Britain, the Island of the Mighty, stands on the brink of war with the Roman Empire. But the King is without a sword—Excalibur, the sword forged by the gods in the dawn of days, which has been passed down through the generations, has been lost. And it is doubtful that the kingdom can stand, without the help of the gods. But the young prince Emrys, nicknamed Merlin, knows that it is his destiny to seek Excalibur. For the gods have given him a special gift—or a curse, as it sometimes seems—the Sight, the ability to see further into the heart of mysteries than other men.