Abu Bakr II, Mansa of the Mali Empire and one of history's wealthiest rulers, was driven by a daring mix of ambition and curiosity.

He dispatched an expedition of thirty ships into the Atlantic, instructing them not to return "until you reach the end of it or your provisions and water give out." Months passed without news—until, finally, a single ship returned baring a solitary survivor.

The lone warrior spoke of mysterious lands glimpsed beyond the waves, sparking Abu Bakr’s imagination and resolve. Inspired, the Mansa abandoned his throne, launching a second, even grander expedition, determined to uncover the secrets of the ocean's farthest reaches himself.

This adventure is based on the epic journey of that surviving warrior and his spectacular return home.