(Page 1 of 5) The Red Prince (ch. 1) by Acton BellSUMMARY: A young prince must make his way through the dangerous world after the fall of Atlantis.In those days there was no Emperor in the land and every man did that which was right in his own sight.
Akai was the son of Tiryn, the Emperor-Heir of Atlantis, and of Sae, Prince of Atlantis. His mother was a princess of Ptah, and he was red like the people of Ptah, and he was called the Red Prince.
When Tiryn was slain by the Wyvern, Sae, Prince of Atlantis, took the child Akai into the Wilds that they might find the Holy Man of the Wilds, and there they remained.
Then the Princes of Atlantis and Kings of the World rose up against one another and the world was washed in blood and fire, and Sae returned to Atlantis, giving Akai into the care of the Holy Man of the Wilds. And Akai ministered unto that holy man until he was slain. This is how it came to pass.
The men of Opoteca had risen up against Atlantis, but the Lion of Atlantis had defeated the men of Opoteca and broken their walls and tumbled the stones of their houses. The men of Opoteca then went to the hills and made their homes in the rocks with the jackals and the birds of prey.
Then the men of Opoteca came down from the hills and razed all that was before them. And they rode into the Wilds and came to the place where the Holy Man and Akai dwelt.
"Give us food and drink," they said, "for we have traveled far and are hungry and thirsty."
The Holy Man bowed and served them with his own hands for he was the enemy of no man. And Akai came forth from the hut where he abode with the Holy Man to serve also.
Now night was come unto the land and the fire was lit and Akai glowed in the light of the fire like burnished bronze. He was beautiful to look upon and the men of Opoteca said to the Holy Man, "Give us the boy that we may know him and make him our own."
"No," said the Holy Man. "You must not touch the boy, for if you do, great harm will come upon you."
The men of Opoteca laughed and their leader said, "Give us the boy."
"No," said the Holy Man. "You must not do this wicked thing."
Then the men of Opoteca slew the Holy Man of the Wilds. But when they would have taken Akai, the boy had fled.
There were many secret places in the Wilds and Akai knew them all. He fled into the Wilds and hid from the men of Opoteca. But the men of Opoteca would not be denied and they searched the wilds for Akai.
Then the leader of the men of Opoteca came to where there was a cave and entered in, and Akai was in that cave, hidden in the sides. The man of Opoteca searched the cave and when he passed by the place where Akai was hidden, Akai lifted a stone and crushed the skull of the leader of the men of Opoteca. Then Akai went out of the cave and hid among the rocks above the cave.
The men of Opoteca called for their leader, but there was no answer for he had been slain by Akai, the Red Prince. Then the men of Opoteca entered the cave where their leader lay. And when they had all entered in, Akai took hold of the rocks above the cave, and he pushed with all his might. Then the rocks fell down upon the cave and all that was therein.
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