In 1770, in the Benin village of Dabeya, Akoni, a mischievous 12-year-old boy, is preparing to undergo a rite of passage that will make him a man. His father Djibali is the King of the region, watching over his son and his people. But fate is about to take a turn for the worse, as slavers approach the village. Akoni will have to grow up faster than expected.