The Mysterious Cities of Gold

Father Rodriguez, who has looked after Esteban since he was a baby, tells him a great secret on his deathbed: somewhere his father may still be alive. So Esteban decides to begin his search in the New World. With the help of Mendoza, a mysterious man who claims to have rescued him as a baby, Esteban hides as a stowaway, aboard the Esperanza. As they are about to set sail, he meets a young Inca girl: Zia.

The two children, Esteban and Zia, find out that they both wear the same strange medallion. The Esperanza crosses the Atlantic and nears the entrance of the Straits of Magellan, where wild seas and strong winds create terrible storms. Mendoza, the navigator, prepares to spend four days and nights at the wheel.

Buffeted by a fierce wind and a wild sea, the Esperanza manages to sail through the Straits of Magellan, under Mendoza's guidance. But now, the ship faces another trial of strength: it is in the grip of a hurricane.

Esteban and his friends barely cross through the terrible Straits of Magellan before their ship, the Esperanza, sinks in a storm. Tossed around on a small raft and attacked by sharks, they're left in the middle of the ocean, with no provisions. But a seagull overhead guides them towards the closest shores, and they finally reach a small island.

After a dangerous journey, Esteban and his friends are washed up on a mysterious island. That night, a shadowy figure comes creeping towards them. Silently, the figure steals a chart and a pistol, then snatches up Zia. Esteban gives chase. He discovers a curious house in a tree, where Zia is a prisoner. To Esteban's surprise, the mysterious shadow turns out to be a friendly boy of his own age, called Tao.

On a small island among the Galapagos, Esteban and Zia find a young boy living all alone: Tao. His ancestors left a magnificent ship, the Solaris, which contains their ancient secret knowledge, hidden in a temple on the island. Esteban and Zia want to use the ship to reach the mainland.