Atlantis: FREEDOM!

Tonight was Atlantis, skippity-doo. Here's last time.

Recall that last time, our heroes were spread out over the continent of Gondwana. Akala and Thanos are leaving the city of Acheron, heading north to Zin. Imani and her companion and friend, Masamba, are traveling through the mountains of Nubia towards Kush. Eithne, the Jinn, is on a ship bound for the port city of Kemul on the northern coast of Sheba. 

Imani and Masamba pass through the mountains, and travel down the northern slopes. Imani notices that the slope has become overgrown with weeds, and gets down from her horse to cut through the brush. She realizes quickly that this stuff isn't just weeds, it's robgrass, a plant that wraps around the legs of animals walking through it and digs into the flesh. She manages to guide the horses down the slop without a problem, until her horse gets spooked and steps in the stuff. She gently cuts away the grass and manages to keep the horses calm, and they continue on. 

They pass into the plains of Nubia, heading east into Kush, and Imani feels someone watching them. She mentions it to Masamba, who readies his spear. Imani notices figures watching from the high grass, and stops to call to them. "I see you! I mean you no harm, and hopefully you mean none to me!" Sheepishly, a pride of young Nemeans emerge from the grass, asking Imani how she spotted them. Imani tells them that she was paying attention, and tells them to hunt easier prey. They strike off into the savanna, and the Taureans ride on.

In Khemit, Akala and Thanos are riding north past the Kha-Em Canal. The Canal requires constant upkeep and maintenance, all of which is performed by slaves. Thanos, a former slave himself, looks out at the workers and notices one stand up, stretch, and wave to him - he remembers these folks. The overseers come over and push the slaves down, telling them to work, and Thanos decides he's about had it with this shit.

He gets down off his horse and summons up dark magic, flinging a spell at the overseers. Both of them develop horrific wounds on their chest, and one of them pitches over dead. Thanos calls upon the slaves to rise up, and they do, striking down the overseers. Akala, happy to go along with this, takes to the sky and spreads the word. The overseers flee, but Akala realizes that there's a garrison of Khemit soliders to the north at the border with Zin. They'll be riding in to quell this uprising sooner than anyone would like. The two liberators decide they'd better head south along the coast, with the mountains to the side. Thanos agrees, and Akala takes to the sky again. Thanos casts a spell and makes her glow brightly, and Akala sings to attract the slaves' attention. She beckons them to follow, and they do, nearly 50 of them, heading south towards the border with Kush.

On the ship, Eithne watches the water and the sailors, but then a terrible storm comes out of nowhere. Eithne realizes it's not a normal storm - too fast, and the lightning flashes purple. The sailors are terrified, but Eithne calls up the wind to push them through the worst of it. She doesn't quite manage to keep them on course, though, and they wind up further west. The captain comes to her and tells her that they aren't going to make it to Kemul, but they'll land first in the town of Mosi. Eithne smiles - that's where she wanted to go anyway. 

The good fortune seems short-lived, though, as a ship closes in. The captain recognizes it as a pirate ship, much bigger than their vessel. The pirates board and seem prepared to rob the ship, but then they spot Eithne. The pirate captain notes that a Jinn is worth a lot of coin, and tells her to come with him. Eithne refuses, and tells them to leave if they don't wish to feel the wind's wrath. The pirate instructs his men to put her in irons, and Eithne casts a spell to shove them all back.

Some of them fall into the water, but the pirate captain keeps his footing. He tries to rally his men, but they're terrified, and the sailors on the ship are finding their pluck. "I am of the elements," says Eithne, "and you are nothing but blood."

"This blood remembers you, creature," spits the pirate, and they return to their vessel.

Akala, Thanos, and their procession of slaves, after a few days of travel, fishing, and worrying about the Khem soldiers catching them, cross the border into Kush. They tell the slaves that they are free - they can follow them to Joktan, or they can make their way. Many of the slaves head into Kush, some accompany Akala and Thanos to the town of Kashta.

Back in Kush, Imani and Masamba stop to water their horses by the river. Imani spots the crocodile seconds before it bursts up at them, and pulls her horse back. The croc lunges, but Imani hurls her spear and kills the thing with one blow. "Tonight, we feast," she says, and Masamba can only agree.

Some days later, a group of slaves passes Imani and Masamba. Imani stops them and greets them, and hears the story of their liberation. She recognizes the name of one of their liberators - the Ulukan, Akala - whom she met in Gorgos some 15 years ago. As it happens, she and Masamba are headed to Kashta to procure a boat across the Red Sea to Joktan, and according to the slave, Akala and her Anubim companion are as well. The two Taureans continue on into Kashta.