The twilight sun fought to break through the dark, foreboding mass of cloud.The menacing skyline met calm, still water in a line of enveloping and chokingmist. The arms of the bridge wound their way up as if up to the sky itself,ascending and twisting like it was part of a never-ending spiral. Piercing streamsof light illuminated the brooding mist, bringing into view the eerie silhouette ofa lone, mysterious figure... An enchanted world beckoned, awaiting discovery, aland no man had ever dared to tread...

A chill wind whistled along the mountainside while the gentle waves lapped thewater's edge with a quiet hush, like a mother rocking her child to sleep. Thethreatening sky grew darker still while the brooding clouds were swelling andswirling into a dark blanket. It seemed that under the great mass of hoveringgrey clouds, the sun was lost forever. 

Martin took a timid, fearful step onto the first plank of the bridge. The plankswere old and moss covered and some were rotting away. Martin was so veryafraid but he knew he had to continue. The sound of his own footsteps rang inhis ears and echoed eerily around the valley, shattering the sombre silence. Yetonwards he climbed, twisting and turning higher and higher. This path wasstarting to feel like it would never end.

Suddenly, spears of light flashed down through the darkness making the darkconsuming mist glow amber like the embers of a dying fire. Martin quivered withfear as he noticed that the mysterious figure on the lake was not alone. Glidingeerily across the lake were creatures. Hooded creatures, like ghostly boatmenwere casting frightful shadows across the tranquil water. Peering through thebroken light Martin shuddered as he saw one of the shadowy figures beckoninghim with a crooked, bony finger, luring him in deeper and deeper.......

Gripped by fear, Martin desperately tried to run and escape, but the more hestruggled the harder it became. Suddenly the bridge began to collapse and thewood shattered into splinters beneath his feet. Fragments rained down to earthin a shower of dust and as Martin spiralled higher and higher he felt trapped asif he was caught in the centre of a whirling, twisting tornado. Seconds later hewas falling, plunging to the ground so fast that he thought the earth was comingup to meet him. The wind was rushing in his ears. It was a deafening sound, like atrain thundering past him at full speed. But then his ears were filled with a newsound, almost like the rhythm of a beating drum. A mighty golden eagle, with hiswings arched like the wings of the highest angel in heaven, grasped his collar inhis powerful talons and soared up into the blackened sky. Yet in the blur of themurky, thickening mist the ghostly figures drew nearer and nearer still…..

Martin awoke by the water’s edge. He tried to move, but he was trembling somuch it was as if the whole earth was shaking with him. He glanced up as aunicorn of the purest white appeared from the mist. The unicorn’s mane and tailwere as brilliant white as freshly fallen snow. It was the most beautifulcreature Martin had ever seen. Suddenly it reared high in the sky and seemedto be signalling him to follow. Still quivering with fear, Martin followed theunicorn away from the water into a deep, dark forest. Strange noises filled theforest like the ghostly figures that filled Martin’s mind. He felt relieved whenthey finally reached the end of their journey. The unicorn had led him to thegaping mouth of a murky, frightful cave. The unicorn nudged him gently to carryon and go into the cave. Icy cold water dripped from the cave’s walls and spiderswebs were draped all around. The cave was inky black, darker than a midnightsky, as if it had been cursed with darkness. Martin clung to the slimy, wet wallsof the cave as he crept inside, not daring to imagine what he might find there.He looked back but the unicorn had vanished. He was afraid and alone, but hisquest was only just beginning…

Little did Martin know it was the great sun- dragon Isanum who was lying in waitfor him, trapped in the heart of the White Mountains. Hundreds of years ago

the evil sorceress Mordrella had cast a terrible curse on the mystical Kingdomof Ingolt. It was the curse of darkness itself. Every inhabitant in the kingdomhad been turned to stone and embedded in the charcoal rock .Only the unicornwith a smooth silk coat that shone like moonlight and the magnificent eagle,golden like the sun itself, escaped as their magic was powerful enough to resistbeing destroyed. The great dragon Isanum was cursed, trapped in his pitchblack cave in long, rusty chains, jingling and jangling every time he moved, thenrecoiling themselves back into a snake of steel, clanging on the freezing stonefloor.

As Martin tip-toed warily round the corner he could smell the scent of ashes,like the dying embers of a warm log fire. Stronger and stronger the smellbecame until there before him lay a fantastical creature like Martin could onlyhave imagined in his dreams. With a spiny back as sharp as a ridge of daggersand gleaming white teeth embedded in jaws as strong as steel, Isanum was stillvery frightening to Martin. His body had been weakened over the years, but stillit glowed weak, faded amber and his wings were as ragged and thin as crepepaper. In the click of a finger, the dragon’s sword-like tail whipped across thestone floor bringing Martin to his knees. Quivering and trembling with cold andfear, Martin was spellbound as Isanum rose to his feet.

“You have been chosen to take on a very important challenge. To break the evilcurse which grips this land I must be freed from these chains by the Sword ofZirgon. The sword lies buried in the murky depths of the lake and is guarded bythe ghostly soldiers of Mordrella’s army. They will do all they can to try andprotect the sword and prevent you from succeeding in your quest. You must beas brave as a warrior in battle. If you are not courageous and let fear into yourheart you will fail and you also will be doomed. Young warlock, the unicorn andeagle will seek to help you in your quest.”

“Yes, Isanum I accept your challenge.” So with that Martin rose to his feet andas he did so he heard the pawing of hooves in the dust behind him. Martinclambered onto the unicorn’s back and clung onto its silken mane as theygalloped fearlessly back through the gloomy cave and returned once more to thefearsome shadows of the lake. The ghostly boatmen were circling the lake likesharks hunting down their prey. In an almighty rush of air the eagle swoopeddown and caught Martin in its sharp talons and soared silently above the lake.The eagle hovered for a moment until Martin felt himself falling once more,down, down, down…

Martin plunged into the water at great speed sending ripples of water allaround. The ghostly figures were closing in on him but he knew that he must not

let any fear or dark thoughts into his mind. Further and further he dived down,the figures pursuing him. Now they were grabbing and pulling at Martin’s legstrying to prevent him from reaching the sword. The sword was in sight, twinklingand glistening on the lake bed. Martin grasped the sword but as he did so hislegs became entangled in the reeds. He struggled with all his might to breakfree, remembering he had to be brave, he had to be brave…Mordrella’s army wasswirling and spinning around him, churning up the water so he could barely see.All of a sudden the eagle dived down like a bolt of lightning and plucked Martinfrom the water.

The eagle swooped across the shadowy depths of the water and dropped himgently on the shore. Once again with the sword in his hand, Martin rode theunicorn back into the cave until he reached the mighty dragon once more. Theglistening steel of the sword of Zirgon illuminated the darkness. Isanum smiled.“You are a fine warrior, young warlock and your bravery shall never be forgottenin the Kingdom of Ingolt. Your courage will be rewarded.”

Martin swung the sword with all his strength, shattering the chains and shackleswhich had held the dragon captive for so many years. Martin wielded the swordwith so much force that it knocked him off his feet and he fell back to theground, lifeless. The great sun-dragon Isanum, with all his strength and gloryrestored; soared up to the sky. As the dragon ascended, the sun radiated abrilliant light and the darkness lifted. Mordrella’s army was defeated, never toreturn.

Martin awoke to the sunlight streaming through a chink in the curtains andlooked out to see the most spectacular sunrise he had ever seen. That night hehad dreamt of the most exciting adventure in his whole life. Just then, a glintof brilliant light reflected in his bedroom mirror. He hardly dared believe it butmaybe, just maybe…