chunk: In the past, Connor lives an idyllic life with his wife Heather. One day, the mysterious Juan SĂĄnchez Villa-Lobos RamĂ­rez appears and begins training Connor in sword fighting. He explains that they both belong to a group of immortals, who constantly fight one another but can only be killed by complete decapitation. When one immortal decapitates another, the winner receives a transfer of power called "the quickening". Eventually, all the immortals must do battle until there is only one left alive; the last survivor will receive "the Prize". Ramirez tells Connor that the Kurgan, by that time the strongest of the immortals, must not win the Prize, or mankind will enter a dark age. One night, while Connor is away, the Kurgan attacks, decapitating Ramirez and raping Heather.