Victim of treachery, the army of the prestigious kingdom of Parse is defeated by its traditional enemy, Lusitania. Its capital, Ecbatana, falls victim to the flames. Alone, Arslan, the young heir to the throne; Daryoon, a loyal general; and Narsus, a retired military strategist accompanied by his disciple Elam, manage to escape. They are soon joined by Gieve, a wandering minstrel; Alfreed, heiress to the country of thieves and infatuated with Narsus; and the beautiful Pharangese, a priestess devoted since birth to protecting Arslan. Determined to reclaim his throne, Arslan must fight the Lusitanian invaders and the one who proclaimed himself the sole legitimate heir: Hermes, the knight of the silver helm. Thus begins a long and bitter struggle for Arslan, a young man who has disliked war for all his fourteen years, yet who nonetheless aims to free his country from slavery and shatter the shackles of aristocracy...