Young Marcus is driven by his hatred of snakes. Living on the island of Malta in the first century, he hunts the reptiles with a vengeance. But snakes are not the only ones to bear the brunt of his explosive temper. A brutal fight with another village boy results in the end of a treasured friendship and leaves Marcus without hope.

When a relentless storm carries a battered ship to the Mediterranean island, Marcus is introduced to the survivors of the shipwreck. Among them is a Roman prisoner who miraculously survives the bite of a venomous snake. The unusual man befriends Marcus and helps him confront his troubled past, the source of the storm raging within.