The first Crusade, the story of a magical mirror and a mythical kingdom between Africa and India, lead Corto Maltese on a search journey that starts from Venice and passes through Alexandria in Egypt. There he meets his poet friend K. Cavafy, in an unstable and violent political environment. Cavafy helps him continue his search and Corto Maltese saves Winston Churchill. Smugglers, soldiers, revolutionaries, and the allure of Africa lead Corto Maltese to the stunning conclusion of the story and the understanding of its true meaning.