The Story Keepers

A young street juggler named Cyrus is captured during a church raid and sentenced to being thrown to the lions. Anna convinces Ben to launch a rescue operation.

Zakkai and the kids must smuggle a scroll containing a story about Jesus to a church across town, and use the aqueducts to do so. Things seem to go swimmingly until Zak is captured by a Roman centurion named Tacticus.

Ben and the gang must help a missionary named Ephriam escape Rome, but first they need to secure travel papers for him. When Nihilus and Tacticus come searching for Ephriam, Ben and Anna lead the gang through the catacombs. When Anna and Justin are trapped in a cave-in with an injured Tacticus, they learn the value of loving their neighbor from Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan.

Zak's uncle Mordecai has come to visit, and Zak goes overboard trying to impress him. Meanwhile, Nihilus and Nero have plans to renovate the city via fire, and Tacticus must find a way to stall them and give Ben and his church a chance to escape.

Justin learns about a slave ship where his and Marcus' father, Joshua ben Judah, may be imprisoned, and Ben agrees to help Justin search the ship. But the gang is caught off-guard when the ship is suddenly called out to sea to do battle with a rebel slave ship.

Rome has become too dangerous to hold large meetings, so Ben, Helena, and the kids travel to Ostia with an old guide named Milo. It's no easy journey as they are hunted by Roman patrols the entire way. Ben and Helena use the long trip to tell the kids the story of Jesus' birth and the visit of the Magi.

Marcus has befriended two lion cubs who have escaped from Nero's cruel animal trainer. He is determined to find a way to keep the cubs out of Nero's clutches, but that may mean having to release them in Africa instead of keeping them.

Cyrus is captured by a patrol while showing off his acrobatic skills, only to be sold to a local merchant who is impressed by Cyrus' talent. Cyrus finds himself living the good life, and when Ben & co. try to rescue him, he refuses to go back to the bakery. Helena tells the children Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son and encourages them to pray for Cyrus.

Tacticus' faith is discovered when he refuses to participate in the mandatory worship of Nero at the emperor's birthday party. Ben and the gang enlist the help of Empress Sabina's servant Miriam to rescue Tacticus.

The local miller reveals Ben's operation, sending him into hiding. In order to flush him out, Nihilus threatens to burn down the bakery—with Helena, Justin, Marcus and Cyrus still inside!

Ben and his family are living in the catacombs, planning their escape to Shem Hadar. Meanwhile, Nero's soldiers, led by Nihilus and Capella, are searching the catacombs for them. Eventually Ben, Justin and Marcus are captured and imprisoned, and Ben takes advantage of the situation to teach Capella about the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Cyrus is reunited with his parents, who insist on helping Helena rescue Ben and the boys. The attempt is almost successful, but when Ben is recaptured and sentenced to crucifixion, it's up to Capella to save him—even at the cost of his own life.

Ben and the gang are finally on their way to Shem Hadar. But their trek takes them across the desert to avoid a port where the Romans are still searching for Ben and Tacticus. When Nihilus shows up, bent on vengeance, Tacticus faces one last battle with the gang's most ruthless enemy.