Though only 14, Nebi is caught up in events that will shape his country's future. When his master is brutally slain, he barely escapes into the desert. As the sole survivor of the treacherous attack, Nebi knows that only one man can stave off the destruction of this great civilization. That man is Piankhy, ruler of the African kingdom of Kush. In desperation, Nebi flees to this remote but powerful king.