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™ THE MOUNTAIN GIANT

 ° : {Br
Lincolnshire- COUNTY COUNCIL

COMMUNITIES, CULTURAL SERVICES

and ADULT EDUCATION
This book should be returned on or before
the last date shown below.

MAR 2013

To renew or order library books please telephone 01522 782010

or visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk
You will require a Personal Identification Number.
Ask any member of staff for this.
EC. 199 (LIBS): RS/L5/19

04588032

WMMAANH
—?)
 BEAST QUEST:

ARCTA THE
MOUNTAIN GIANT

Adam Blade
First published in Great Britain in
2007 by Orchard Books Ltd
This Large Print edition published
by BBC Audiobooks
by arrangement with
Orchard Books Ltd 2009
ISBN: 978 1405 663540
Beast Quest is a registered
trademark of
Working Partners Limited
Series created by
Working Partners Limited, London
Text copyright ©
Working Partners Limited 2007
Cover illustrations ©
David Wyatt 2007
Inside illustrations ©
Orchard Books 2007, courtesy of
Orchard Books Ltd
All rights reserved
www.beastquest.co.uk
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data available

Printed and bound in Great Britain by

CPI Antony Rowe, Chippenham and Eastbourne
To Kyle and Tyrell, my family

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Welcome to the kingdom of Avantia. I
am Aduro—a good wizard residing in the
palace of King Hugo. You join us at a
difficult time. Let me explain. . .

It is written in the Ancient Scripts that

our peaceful kingdom shall one day be
plunged into peril.

Now that time has come.

Under the evil spell of Malvel the Dark

Wizard, six Beasts—fire dragon, sea
serpent, mountain giant, horse-man,
snow monster and flame bird—run wild
and destroy the land they once protected.

Avantia is in great danger.

The Ancient Scripts also predict an

unlikely hero. It is written that a boy shall
take up the Quest to free the Beasts from
the curse and save the kingdom.

We do not know who this boy is, only

that his time has come...

We pray our young hero will have the

courage and the heart to take up the
Quest. Will you join us as we wait and
watch?

Avantia salutes you,

Aduro
 PROLOGUE

The caravan of wagons moved slowly

along the high mountain road. As the
road became steeper, the horses
struggled to pull the wagons, which
were loaded with food and supplies for
the trading town in the mountains.
‘How much longer?’ a boy in the first
wagon asked impatiently.
His father looked ahead at the
narrow, winding road as it snaked up
the mountain. It was a dangerous
route, surrounded by trees, and rocks
were scattered everywhere, as if there
3
had been many landslides. ‘Be patient,
Jack,’ he said. ‘Once we get to the pass,
it’s not much further.’ He pointed to a
ridge in the distance.
Jack looked. Above the ridge, dark
clouds were gathering, casting long
shadows down the mountainside. The
air began to cool as the sun
disappeared behind the clouds.
As the wagons rounded a bend in the
road, a fierce mountain wind hit them.
The boy shivered and pulled his coat
tighter.
‘We’d better hurry if we’re going to
beat this storm,’ Jack’s father called to
the other traders, his voice almost lost
in the wind. ‘We don’t want to get
trapped here and freeze to death.’
They pushed on. But the wind
seemed to gain in strength and was

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soon screaming through the trees.
Suddenly a thunderous crash echoed
through the valley. The ground began
to shake. All the wagons stopped,
and the traders looked around in
confusion.
‘What was that?’ one said.
Then they heard a deep rumbling
sound and the loud crack of splintering
wood, as if a tree were being snapped
in half.
‘What’s happening?’ Jack asked,
trying to halt the panic in his voice.
His father looked towards the ridge.
‘I don’t Know, son,’ he said.
It was the first time Jack had seen
fear in his father’s eyes, and it sent
shivers down his spine.
The ground now trembled so
violently that it was hard not to fall off
the wagons. The horses began to rear
up, trying to escape from _ their
harnesses. One wagon broke away and
started to slide back down _ the
mountain road, its contents spilling
everywhere. Men dived out of the way
as heavy barrels tumbled towards them.
Then, in front of the wagons, huge
6
boulders tore through the trees and
crashed across the narrow road, just
missing Jack and his father.
The road ahead was blocked!
The crashing grew louder.
Then, above them on the ridge,
something appeared. In the chaos Jack
was the only one to see it.
It was a giant Beast, as tall as the
trees.
‘Run!’ Jack yelled. ‘Run for your
lives!’
 CHAPTER ONE

A NEW ADVENTURE

Tom and Elenna stopped at a fork in

the road. The road to the east led
towards the farmland of Avantia. The.
road to the north would guide them
into the kingdom’s mighty mountains.
Tom knew which one they needed to
take to find the next Beast in their
Quest. He feared this mission was
going to be even more dangerous than
the last. Behind him, he felt Elenna
9
shiver as she looked at the mountain
peaks in the distance, wrapped in dark,
ominous clouds.
‘Let’s go, Elenna. We'll be all right,’
Tom said. Then, sensing his friend’s
nervousness, he added with a smile, ‘I
mean, I’ve got you and the mutt for
protection, haven’t I?’
‘The mutt? Well, thank you very
much!’ Elenna whistled to her pet wolf,
Silver, who was sniffing some bushes
nearby. ‘Come on, boy—let’s teach our
friend some manners!’
She pointed at Tom, and the wolf
bounded across and playfully nipped
his heels.
‘Ow!’ Tom cried.
‘Take it back!’ Elenna demanded.
‘All right! All right! I take it back!’
Tom laughed.
Elenna gave another short whistle.
Silver immediately left Tom alone and
trotted obediently by Storm’s side.
Tom smiled. They were in this
together.
The four of them set out on the road
to the north.
Before he’d met Elenna, Tom had
10
been chosen by King Hugo and his
royal adviser, Wizard Aduro, for this
Quest. He was to save the kingdom of
Avantia from Beasts who had been
trapped by the evil spell of Malvel the
Dark Wizard and were destroying the
land. Tom’s mission was to free them
from the curse, so that they could
protect Avantia once more.
He wished with all his heart that his
father, Taladon the Swift, could see
him as he took part in the biggest
adventure of his life. But his father had
disappeared when he was a baby.
Before the Quest, Tom thought the
Beasts only existed in legend. But now
that he had fought and freed two of
them himself—Ferno the fire dragon
and Sepron the sea serpent—he knew
just how real they were, and how
deadly they could be. |
So far he and Elenna had survived
by working together. Now they had to
face a new danger that lurked in the
mountains of the north.
Arcta the mountain giant.

i
They travelled north through the
foothills for some time, then Tom
brought Storm to a halt. The trail
before them led up a steep hill,
surrounded by boulders and _ trees.
‘Let’s check we’re going the right way,
he said. He fumbled for the magic map
Wizard Aduro had given him and
unrolled it. Pine trees and mountains
rose up from the old parchment,
standing as tall as Tom’s thumbnail.
The path they were following glowed.
‘Another day’s ride and we should
reach the town,’ Elenna said, peering
over his shoulder.
Tom looked closely at the map. The
town was surrounded by five jagged
mountains, and the road leading to it
was long and winding. One part looked
blocked by a landslide. He touched it
and a plume of dust rose up from the
map. They might have to find another
way round. Tom had never tried to
climb a mountain before. Would it be
as steep and as dangerous as he
imagined?
‘We’d better make camp soon,’ he
said. ‘We’re going to need all our
12
energy to get up that mountain pass
tomorrow.’
They continued up the hill. At the
top they stopped suddenly. Mountains
stretched as far as they could see. Dark
shadows filled the folds and gullies,
while the summits seemed to blaze in
the late afternoon sun. Like rows of
sharp teeth, the mountains stood out
against the deep-blue sky.
‘It’s beautiful,’ whispered Elenna.
Tom nodded. He’d seen many things
on his Quest so far, but no landscape as
breathtaking as this.
They noticed a ragged group of men
coming down the trail towards them.
Tom gripped his sword.
One of the men called out a greeting
as they drew near. Tom could see he
was carrying a young boy over his
shoulder. |
When the group reached them, Tom
and Elenna saw that the men were
traders. But they looked dirty and
tired, and the boy appeared to be
injured—his head was wrapped in a
bloody strip of cloth.
‘Can you help us?’ the man carrying
13
the boy asked. ‘Do you have any water?
AH our supplies have been destroyed.’
Tom immediately passed him his
water canteen. ‘What happened?’
‘We were part of a trading caravan,
bringing supplies to the town, the man
explained, setting the boy down and
giving him some water. “There was a
landslide and we were lucky to survive.’
‘What triggered it?’ asked Elenna.
‘We don’t know. The mountains are
usually very stable. But the weather
was odd and—’
‘The giant .. .’ spluttered the injured
boy. ‘It was a giant...’
Tom and Elenna exchanged glances.
‘Don’t mind Jack,’ one of the men
said quietly. ‘He got a bump on the
head.’
The first man said grimly, ‘I hope
you two aren't going into the
mountains.’
‘l’m afraid we are,’ said Tom.
‘The mountains are dangerous, even
in the best conditions, he warned,
looking concerned. ‘The main road is
blocked now and the weather’s bad. I'd
turn back. That’s what we’re doing.’
14
 ‘We don’t have a choice,’ Tom said
bravely.
‘Well, if you must go, take this.’ The
trader handed Tom a short length of
rope. ‘It’s not much, but it’s all I have
in return for your kindness. It may
come in handy.’
“Thank you,’ said Tom.
They gave the traders some more of
their water and all the food they could
spare, then said goodbye.
‘Beware of the giant .. .’ the young
boy called back, as the traders made
their way south.
Tom, Elenna, Storm and _ Silver
pressed north. Soon the sky grew dark.
It began to drizzle and the ground
became muddy.
‘We’d better hurry up and make
camp,’ Elenna said. ‘We’re going to get
soaked.’ :
Tom scanned the next hill and
spotted an outcrop of rock that would
provide shelter for the night. They
began to climb towards it.
Just then Silver started to growl and
his fur stood on end.
‘What is it, boy?’ Tom jumped off
15
Storm and crouched beside the wolf.
He looked all around but the hillside
was deserted.
Elenna shivered, and Storm pranced
nervously, his ears pricked up.
Then, suddenly, the horse halted,
planting all four hooves firmly on the
ground.
‘Come on, Storm,’ Elenna said,
touching her heels to his sides. ‘It’s all
right .. .’ She stopped with a gasp.
Storm was slowly moving backwards
down the hillside—even though he was
standing still!
16
 Vomiee-Elenna “cried; asi -otorm
started to slide more quickly. “The
ground’s not safe!’
‘Jump off!’ Tom yelled.
Storm fought to keep his balance but
his hind legs slipped from under him.
With Elenna clinging to his mane, the
horse fell heavily onto his side. His
hooves sent great clods of mud flying
into the air, and Elenna crashed to the
ground with a cry.
‘Storm! Elenna!’ Tom shouted, his
voice filled with panic.
Elenna’s eyes were wide with fear as
she pointed up the hill, past Tom.
‘Mudslide!’ she screamed.

17
 CHAPTER TWO
SWEPT AWAY

Tom spun round. A sludgy torrent of

mud was surging down the hill towards
them. It looked as if the ground were »
melting.
With a terrified snort, Storm
struggled to his feet, his coat caked
with mud. Silver tugged at Elenna’s
sleeve, trying to drag her to safety. As
Tom started to make his way back
down the hill to them, the ground gave
19
way beneath him. He cried out as he
was sucked into the thick, swirling
muck and swept down the hillside, his
back scraping over tree roots as he
went. |
Tom saw Elenna gasp as the mass of
dark mud he was caught in rushed
towards her. When the mudslide hit
Elenna, she reached for Tom’s hand.
She caught hold of it for a moment, but
it was soon wrenched away. Tom
reached out for her again but his
fingers closed on grass and mud.
‘Elenna!’ he yelled.
Storm kicked wildly as he tried to
escape the mudslide. Tom _ threw
himself to one side to avoid the horse’s
thrashing hooves. Silver leapt to the
other side of the hill. Elenna’s head
disappeared under the mud.
‘I can’t breathe!’ she yelled, fighting
her way to the surface.
‘Reach out to your right!’ Tom
shouted. ‘Grab hold of Storm’s reins!’
Blindly, Elenna reached out and
managed to catch hold of the trailing
leather.
As the waves of mud tossed Tom
20
around, he caught a glimpse of the
hillside above them. The entire top
half was collapsing. Trees and bushes
were being torn furiously from the
ground, and tumbling into the mud.

‘We'll be buried alive!’ Tom thought.

He reached out for something solid
to grab. His hand scraped against a
boulder and he managed to find a
fingerhold. He fought to hang on to the
wet rock, as mud and debris rushed
past him. He wasn’t sure how long he
could keep his grip.
pat
 Storm swept past, dragging Elenna
behind him as she clung to his reins.
Then the horse slammed into a group
of tall, sturdy trees, and Elenna
crashed into him.
‘Don’t let go of Storm’s reins,
Elenna!’ Tom shouted above the roar.
He saw that Elenna was holding on
with all her might. Snorting with fear,
Storm struggled to haul himself
upright, leaning heavily against the
trees.
Desperately, Tom tried to pull
himself up the side of the boulder. He
was exhausted, but he had to keep
trying! The ground was shaking, the
black mud was sucking at his ankles,
but, using all his strength, he kept
pulling himself up. Just a little
further 2)
But he wasn’t quick enough. With
Elenna’s screams echoing in his ears,
Tom braced himself as another surge
of mud hit him.
He was almost ripped from the
boulder by the force of it. It was all he
could do to drag breath into his lungs
as the heavy wave of mud and debris
2y
roared past, tearing at his clothes and
grazing his skin.
With a final burst of strength Tom
reached for the top of the boulder. He
let out a loud yell as he clawed his way
to the top. His voice echoed above the
angry churning of the mud. He wasn’t
going to be defeated!
But the mud kept coming, pulling
fiercely at Tom’s legs. He could hear
his knuckles popping as he strained to
keep his grip on the slippery boulder.
He thrashed his legs, and found a
foothold just to his right. He wedged
his foot into it, taking the strain off his
fingers. |
Taking a breath, Tom clambered
back onto the top of the boulder. His
tired muscles trembled as he watched
the mudslide gradually become a slow
OOZe. 7
Once he was sure the danger was
over, he eased himself down to the
soggy ground and looked for Elenna.
The hillside was destroyed. Only a few
trees were left standing in the muddy
wasteland. He wiped the mud from his
eyes.
23
 ‘Tom!’ Elenna yelled. She was by the
trees, waist-deep in mud and still
holding tightly to Storm’s reins.
Tom made his way over as they
struggled to free themselves. From the
other side of the hill, Silver padded
across the mud to join them.
Tom was exhausted. It felt as if he
were wearing a suit of armour—every
small movement took enormous effort.
Shivering with cold, he wrapped his
arms round Storm’s neck, sinking his
hands into the horse’s thick, muddy
mane.
‘I was so scared,’ said Elenna,
hugging Tom tight. ‘I thought we were
going to die.’
‘Me too,’ gasped Tom. His legs felt
wobbly.
‘You're freezing,’ said Elenna.
Tom saw that Elenna was shivering
too and her face was pale. This wasn’t
the time to show weakness. He had to
be strong. ‘I’m all right,’ he said. ‘Pll
soon warm up once we get moving.’
Elenna nodded. ‘Good idea. Let’s
get to safer ground and then make
camp.’
24
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 The four of them hiked towards the
rocky outcrop Tom had spotted earlier.
The rain had stopped, but the ground
was still thick with mud. They made
their way up painfully and slowly.
By the time they reached the rocks,
the sun had set. The air had grown
colder and it was now too dark to see.
Guided by starlight, Tom and Elenna
 found a cave in the outcrop.
‘Let’s make camp in here,’ Tom
suggested. He could tell from the look
on Elenna’s face that she was scared.
‘What if there’s another mudslide?’
she asked. “We could be _ trapped
inside.’
Tom knew they didn’t have a choice.
It was too cold and dangerous to spend

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the night without some shelter. They
would have to take their chances.
They stepped into the cave. It
smelled damp and echoed with their
footsteps. As they lay down on some
dry leaves, Tom wished they could have
a warm fire. His stomach was growling
with hunger, too. But before he could
suggest they build a fire or cook some
dinner, he fell asleep.

28
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 CHAPTER THREE

IN THE SHADOW OF
THE MOUNTAINS

Tom and Elenna woke late. The sun

was already shining brightly into the
mouth of the cave. Every muscle in >
Tom’s body ached. Rubbing the sleep
from his eyes, he gazed in amazement
at the cave walls. They were covered
with ancient drawings. It had been too
dark and he had been too tired to
notice them the night before.
The drawings had been made with
Dik
charcoal and seemed to be telling a
story. Tom recognised the five jagged
mountains and simple pictures of men
with spears and clubs. In one picture an
enormous hand held the mountains in
its palm, and men were looking up at it
in awe.
Elenna woke as he was studying the
drawings. ‘What are they?’ she asked.
JT’ don’t. know, ‘said’.Tom. “Bue
they’re very old. And it looks as if
someone knew about Arcta_ the
mountain giant a long time ago.’
‘It’s late. We should get moving,
Elenna said, standing up.
‘All right,’ Tom agreed, tearing his
eyes away from the drawings. He took
hold of Storm’s reins and followed
Elenna to the mouth of the cave.
They stood blinking in the sunlight.
The mudslide had left a thick scar on
the landscape, blocking the main
mountain road. To get round it, they
would have to follow the muddy scar
down into the next valley, then climb
back up to the road.
Tom and Elenna walked beside
Storm with Silver at their heels. It was
ep
a steep journey down into the valley,
with a sheer cliff on one side. The
ground was covered in mud, pebbles
and rubble, and Tom and Elenna had
to pick their way carefully, their feet
slipping and sliding. One wrong step
and it would be a very long fall.
When they reached the bottom of
the valley, Tom looked at his map.
Then he gazed around. ‘This is
strange,’ he said. ‘We’re in a valley
surrounded by five peaks and the
glowing path ends here. We should
have reached the town by now. But it’s
nowhere to be seen.’ |
They walked on. Then, suddenly, a
loud crack rang out from beneath
-Storm’s hooves.
‘What was that?’ Tom asked,
crouching down. He quickly cleared
away some of the dust. His hands -
scraped against something. It was a
piece of slate, neatly overlapped by
others.
‘Roof tiles,’ he said, then realised
where they were. ‘Elenna, we’re
standing on a roof!’
Elenna looked up at the bare rock
53
face above them, which was
crisscrossed by a web of cracks. “This is
a house buried by a landslide,’ she
cried. ‘The mountain could collapse
any minute!’
‘Look,’ said Tom, pointing to a
shape further up the valley. It was the
top of an archway. ‘I think there’s a
whole street buried under this rubble!’
Using the archway as a guide, they
worked out where the street must have
been. Then they made their way over
the rubble. Beyond the archway, they
found a part of town built into the
mountainside. The landslide hadn't
buried these buildings. The houses
were grand and tall with wooden
fronts, and the street in front of them
was neatly lined with cobblestones. But
the place seemed deserted.
‘I hope everyone managed to get to
safety,’ said Elenna.
Silver sniffed the air. He growled
uneasily and looked towards the jagged
mountain peaks.
‘What’s wrong, boy?’ Elenna held
him by the scruff of his neck, but he
strained against her grip. Silver never
disobeyed Elenna. She frowned and
pointed at the cobbled street. “We’re
going this way.’ She looked at Tom.
‘What’s wrong with him?’
But as she spoke, shouts came from
further down the street.
 ‘Stop, thieves!’ someone yelled.
Tom jumped onto Storm, and
Elenna leapt up behind him. He drew
his sword and pressed his heels against
the horse’s sides.
Storm didn’t need telling twice. He
bolted along the cobbled street towards
the sound of trouble.
‘Silver isn’t following us!’ Elenna
emed):
The wolf stood motionless, still
staring towards the mountains.
‘We'll go back for him,’ Tom told
her. Storm thundered over the
cobblestones, making it difficult for
them to hold on. ‘Right now, someone
needs our help.’
They turned into a narrow back
alley. Three men, sacks slung over their
shoulders, were blocking the way.
‘Whoa, Storm.’ Tom eased his horse
to a_ standstill. ‘What’s happening
here;
The tallest man noticed Tom’s sword
and smiled. ‘Well, well. A bold little
knight.’
An old man came puffing and
panting round the corner, pointing a
36
 finger at the three men. ‘Don’t let them
pass!’ he cried, leaning heavily against
the wall of a house as he caught his
breath. “They’re robbing food from
people’s houses!’
‘What else can we do?’ snapped a
small, fat man, shifting the heavy sack
on his shoulder. “We have families to
feed.
‘This month’s supplies never came—
you know that!’ added the thin man
next to him. ‘We need something to
eat.’
‘But those things are not yours to
take!’ said the old man sternly.
‘he three men looked: savy one
another. Their expressions hardened.
Tom looked at the thieves and saw
desperation in their faces. They didn’t
look dishonest. Thanks to Malvel’s
curse, good people were stealing in —
order to survive.
Then the tallest man bunched his
_ fists and turned back to Tom. ‘Get out
of our way, boy,’ he said. ‘Or you'll live
to regret it!’

ay
 CHAPTER FOUR
BURIED ALIVE

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Tom jumped down from_ Storm,

holding his sword out in front of him,
tensing himself for a fight. Elenna |
leapt beside him, readying her bow.
Then a sudden growling made Tom
turn. It was Silver! The wolf bared his
teeth as he stalked towards the thieves,
his fur bristling. Even Tom felt a
moment of awe when he saw Silver’s
glistening fangs.
39
 ‘A wolf!’ cried the short man. ‘It must
have come down from the mountains.’
Silver crept towards the men,
narrowing his eyes and snarling deep in
his throat.
The short man dropped his sack and
took to his heels, followed by the thin
man. The tallest man’s eyes grew wide
with fear, then he fled with the others,
his stolen loot scattering behind him as
he ran.
The old man leaned against a wall.
He was trembling.
‘The wolf won’t hurt you,’ Tom told
him. ‘He’s with us. Are you all right?’
‘T’ll be fine,’ gasped the old man.
‘Thank you for your help. I am Belco,
mayor of the town.’
Just then, in the distance, they heard
a loud crash followed by blood-curdling
screams. |
‘Another landslide!’ Belco cried.
‘Come on!’ said Tom. He helped the
old man onto Storm, then jumped up
in front of him. Once more Tom kicked
his heels into Storm’s side and they
sped towards the sound of the crash.
Elenna and Silver followed them at a
40
run.
As they turned into another street,
Tom brought Storm to a halt. A group
of townspeople stood before a house
that was crushed under a mound of
rocks. From inside the house, they
could hear muffled cries for help.
‘What happened?’ Belco asked a
woman in the crowd.
‘Rocks fell onto the house from the
mountain,’ the woman replied. “Those
three thieves are trapped inside.’
‘Serves them right,’ said another.
‘Aye, they ought to be left in there to
die!’ called out a man.
Others muttered in agreement.
Tom listened to the angry crowd. He
had to do something.
‘No!’ he yelled. Everyone turned to
look at him. ‘We must save these men.
It is our duty as citizens of Avantia to ©
help those in need.’
Elenna and Silver stepped up beside
him, and slowly the crowd began to
nod as they began to agree with what
Tom was saying.
There was a loud groan as the frame
of the house buckled under the weight
41
of the stone. They would have to hurry
and free the men before the house
collapsed altogether.
‘Help us!’ came a muffled voice
from inside.
‘Don’t worry!’ Tom shouted. “We’re
going to get you out!’
A sudden screech of anger echoed
down from the mountains like a gust of
icy wind.
‘What was that?’ gasped Belco.

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42
 ‘Arcta!’ Tom said to himself.
Then his heart jumped at the sound
of heavy footsteps clattering on the
cobbles. Eight burly men appeared
round the street corner and stepped
towards him.

43
 CHAPTER FIVE

DANGER ON THE
MOUNTAIN

Tom gripped his sword.

‘We’re here to help,’ the biggest man
said. |
Relief swept over Tom. Turning
towards the house, he began to think
how they could free the three thieves.
‘We need to know where the door is
sO we can remove the rocks from the
front of it!’ Tom yelled to the trapped
men. ‘Can you bang on it for us?’
45
 A faint thumping started up.
‘The eight men wasted no time. They
braced their shoulders against the
rocks and started to heave them out of
the way. But some of the rocks were
huge. Even when the men_ used
wooden poles as levers, they were
impossible to shift.
One man looked up grimly, his hair
wet with sweat. ‘It will take all night to
clear this.’
‘The house could collapse before
then!’ Tom said, desperately. There
had to be some other way.
Then he remembered something he
had learned from his uncle the
blacksmith: everything has a breaking
point. One day his uncle had
demonstrated this by shattering a sheet
of metal with a soft tap of a hammer.
He had explained that it was just a
matter of finding the point of
weakness, then applying pressure to it.
Tom studied the largest boulder
closely. He didn’t know what he was
looking for until he saw it—a small
crack near the bottom. But it wasn’t a
crack, just a line where two different
46
types of rock met.
Tom pulled his sword out of its
scabbard and held it up in front of him.
Crouching down, he brought the sword
back, keeping his eyes focused on the
small line. With all his strength, Tom
swung the sword, striking just to the
left of the line. The impact sent painful
vibrations up his arms, but nothing
happened to the rock. Tom took aim
again and swung the sword even
harder.
This time, the blow hit the line.
There was a sharp cracking sound and
the rock crumbled into pieces. Tom
could hear gasps of shock from the
men behind him.
‘What is that sword made of?’
someone asked.
‘Never mind that,’ said Tom,
examining the next boulder for its weak
spot. ‘We should clear this rubble.’
The men scrambled to drag away the
smaller pieces of rock. Tom kept
bringing his sword down in ringing
blows against the massive boulders.
The muscles in his arms were soon
trembling with the effort, but he
47
couldn’t stop. Not while people were
still trapped in the house.
With a surge of hope Tom saw the
door to the house slowly being
revealed. He fell to his knees and used
his bare hands to dig away the last of
the rubble.
Finally the door creaked open and
the three thieves staggered out,
coughing and spluttering.
‘Thank you!’ they cried.
The tallest thief shook Tom’s hand.
‘I owe you my life,’ he said. “My name
is Randall.’
Belco smiled at Tom. ‘I don’t know
where you learned to use a sword so
well, but that was quick-thinking, my
young friend.’ He clapped his hands
and turned to the crowd. ‘Let’s forgive
these men—I think they have learned
their lesson. And we must accompany
our new guests to the town hall.’ To
Tom and Elenna he said, ‘Most of the
townspeople are already sheltering
there. Come along.’
‘Thanks, but we’ll have to join you
later, Tom called, hanging back with
Elenna. ‘We have something to do.’ He
48
 if

\
fé yypuinada”fl i!f - i) wy” iyjf

ee)
Yi
)
Yi SS Qty, ” We tl /

said to Elenna in a low voice, ‘We can’t

lose any more time. We must find
Arcta the mountain giant and stop
him before he can cause another
landslide—or kill someone.’
She nodded. ‘Let’s go.’
Tom felt a tap on his shoulder. It was
Randall. ‘Are you going up the
mountain?’ he said worriedly.
Tom and Elenna looked at each
other but said nothing.
‘You do know about Arcta, don’t
49
you?’ he continued.
lenna glanced at Tom, uneasily.
‘Everyone knows the old stories. Arcta
is one of the Beasts,’ she said.
‘But . . . do you believe he’s real?’
asked Randall.
Tom nodded. ‘Yes, we do.’
‘Can you tell us where to find him?’
asked Elenna.
Randall sighed. ‘Well, the town
legend is that he lives somewhere
called the Place of the Eagles. All the
short cuts are buried, but the main trail
will take you there. It splits in five
directions—always take the right-hand
path. Then an hour’s hike will bring
you to a rocky plateau. According to
stories, that is where you will find the
Beast.’
‘Thanks,’ said Tom.
‘Be careful...’ Randall warned. —
Tom and Elenna climbed onto
Storm. With a snort, the horse
cantered towards the mountains, steam
puffing from his nostrils.

Tom was both afraid and excited as

50
they set off up the winding trail.
Looking up at the towering peaks, it
was incredible to think how small they
had looked in the distance. The
mountains seemed to stretch as high as
the stars, their summits lost in dark
wisps of cloud.
The trail twisted and turned up the
mountainside, but Storm kept his
footing. Sheer rock faces rose up to
their right, and to their left cliffs
dropped into nothingness. The higher
they climbed, the colder the air
became. It was harder to breathe, too.
Finally, the trail levelled out onto a
plain, where five paths led in different
directions. It was eerily quiet.
Tom pointed. ‘Randall said always to
take the right-hand path...’
Elenna frowned. ‘But it looks as if
Silver wants to take the left.’ |
The wolf was edging along the left-
hand path with his head cocked to one
side, as if listening to something. Then
he started barking loudly.
‘What’s got into you, Silver?’ Elenna
asked in surprise.
Suddenly the wolf bolted down the
an!
 CHAPTER SIX

THE COMING OF THE

BEAST

lylf
si at iSLE.
Se

<9, e,FakPris \e
~~ ¢ xy fi
it =e
DS WY Py

For a second, Tom hesitated. They

might just be able to get out of the way
of the landslide, but it would mean >
leaving Silver, who was by now far
ahead of them on the path. Before
Tom could make a decision, Elenna
leapt to the ground.
‘There's.’ Silver!’ jynshe- 7 shouted,
pointing as a grey-white figure darted
into the mouth of a small cave, half-
65
 CHAPTER SIX

THE COMING OF THE

BEAST

o \Y
$ Tea.

i ga
d iG bt. | E
¥. y a Faas Jou

For a second, Tom hesitated. They

might just be able to get out of the way
of the landslide, but it would mean —
leaving Silver, who was by now far
ahead of them on the path. Before
Tom could make a decision, Elenna
leapt to the ground.
‘There’s Silver!’ she shouted,
pointing as a grey-white figure darted
into the mouth of a small cave, half-
55
hidden in the mountainside. ‘Silver!’
she yelled above the gathering roar of
the landslide. ‘I have to get him,’ she
cried, running towards the wolf.
Tom looked up and saw enormous
rocks and piles of debris hurtling down
the mountainside towards them. Silver
barked wildly, running back and forth
into the cave. The landslide was almost
on top of them!
Elenna reached Silver as the first
pieces of rock rained down. Storm
reared up, his hooves kicking the air.
‘We've got to get out of the way!’
Tom cried. ‘Or we’re going to be
buried alive!’
Tom brought Storm under control
and turned him round. He didn’t want
to abandon Elenna and the wolf, but if
he escaped the landslide he could
return for them when it was over.
Leaning forward in the saddle, he
saw that the cave’s entrance had been
completely blocked by the landslide.
Tom climbed back up to the cave.
‘Elenna!’
He could just hear her cries for help.
He began to scrape away some of the
tightly packed dirt.
‘Tom! We’re trapped!’ Elenna called
faintly. ‘We’re all right for now, but
we'll soon run out of air!’
Tom looked round, his mind racing.
He had to free his friends. He began
digging wildly at the silt and rubble that
was blocking the cave, when, all of a
sudden, he hit something solid—a
boulder.
‘Blenna, hold on,’ Tom called. ‘Pm
working as fast as |can—’
He broke off as a pounding thump
shook through the ground, soon
followed by another and another, each
one growing louder and becoming
closer,
‘Footsteps!’ he gasped.
Tom turned.
An enormous, — terrifying figure
appeared round a bend in the
mountain path, feeling his way. He
60
saw that the cave’s entrance had been
completely blocked by the landslide.
Tom climbed back up to the cave.
‘Elenna!’
He could just hear her cries for help.
He began to scrape away some of the
tightly packed dirt.
‘Tom! We’re trapped!’ Elenna called
faintly. ‘We’re all right for now, but
we'll soon run out of air!’
Tom looked round, his mind racing.
He had to free his friends. He began
digging wildly at the silt and rubble that
was blocking the cave, when, all of a
sudden, he hit something solid—a
boulder.
‘Elenna, hold on,’ Tom called. ‘I’m
working as fast as I can—’
He broke off as a pounding thump
shook through the ground, soon
followed by another and another, each
one growing louder and becoming
closer.
‘Footsteps!’ he gasped.
Tom turned.
An enormous, terrifying figure
appeared round a bend in the
mountain path, feeling his way. He
60
 Mays
Mo>
g ,LE7G)
yp
? p
Vy) u
| wy a

yf

Toter d 4a,

Ye
: a
paused and gave a terrifying, ground-
shaking roar. The whole mountain
trembled.
Arcta the mountain giant was as tall
as the highest trees, with a body almost
as wide. His arms and legs bulged with
muscle, and his feet left huge
indentations in the ground. His gnarled

is Xi N \
he fo A s|ACE

“ip SS

2 SWS
‘% ) Pid
é 4"! HEC ig

S Ut Vey yl

:
ye Viy fe i
 hands ended in yellow claws and his
mouth gaped open to reveal crooked,
brown teeth. Unlike the Beasts Tom
had already freed—the fire dragon and
the sea serpent—there was no
enchanted golden collar around his
neck. Instead a black blindfold covered
the Beast’s eyes, held in place by a
glowing knot. This was Malvel’s curse.
The Beast must be driven mad by the
loss of his sight.
But despite his pity, Tom felt fear

Ld ) ]
eat
ve WZ Vi
hy Va
/ inMs

yy
“Xn,
WA nl
Wy
(s Lge
soe.
rising up inside him, pushing the air
from his throat.
‘Tom!’ Elenna yelled. ‘What’s going
on out there?’
‘Sshh!’ Tom hissed desperately.
But it was too late. At the sound of
Elenna’s voice, the mountain giant
stiffened. He swung his head slowly in
Tom’s direction. Then, with another
thundering roar, he lumbered towards
the cave.

64
 ie aN
Ete presale
vtat i ‘naif ee.
13 oe
7 9 ee

bitin uci tye inet

vee,

ane Y ip
b we at
tis eo
tpi

Br Bt A beeauiatiy: Oo PUTER

ae D> colar pe
na |
 CHAPTER SEVEN

A RACE AGAINST TIME

, =n

Mp Wy~~\

ON KORE

“tor i <

The giant took another crashing step

towards Tom. Then he stopped and
sniffed the air. 7
Tom dropped to the ground. He
realised that the dirt and silt that had
covered him during the landslide was
helping to hide his scent. He tried to
breathe as quietly as possible so Arcta
wouldn’t hear him. But there was no
way to tell Elenna and Silver inside the
67
cave that they had to be quiet, too.
Silver let out a growl that could be
heard even through the blocked cave.
Arcta turned at the sound and took
another thunderous step closer. Tom
didn’t dare move. He was now right
underneath the giant and his eyes were
level with Arcta’s feet. The rough
yellow toenails were thick with grime.
If Arcta took another step, Tom would
be crushed. He tried to keep his
breathing shallow and quiet, but he
could feel his body shaking with
tension. He clamped his mouth shut
and hoped that his teeth wouldn’t start
chattering. Arcta swung a heavy fist
and let out a roar of frustration.
Then he turned and began to grope
his way back up the mountain. Tom felt
a rush of relief. The giant had given
up! |
But just when he thought he was
safe, Silver growled again—more
loudly this time. Arcta snapped his
head back round. He let out another
gigantic bellow and stomped furiously
back towards the cave. Tom had no
choice. He had to distract the
68
ge

Why

\ ‘a

ZN"
0/0
Zl 4
4
S/o
mountain giant to save Elenna and
Silver. He had to run—and hope Arcta
would hear him and follow. Otherwise
the giant would smash the entrance to
the cave and find his friends! Even with
the blindfold, he would be able to hear
and smell them as they tried to escape.
Tom took off back down the
mountain path, running as fast as he
could. As he passed Storm—who was
still buried up to his middle—he
grabbed the rope the trader had given
him, then veered off the path into the
pine trees. He thought quickly.
‘Somehow I’ve got to climb higher than
Arcta,’ he said to himself, ‘so I’m level
with his head. Then maybe I can undo
the knot of that enchanted blindfold.’
Weaving through the trees, Tom
could hear Arcta coming after him.
Each footstep shook the ground. Tom
could hear trees snapping and crashing
as the giant knocked them out of his
way.
There was no way Tom could outrun
the giant—even with the blindfold he
was too big and too fast. Now that he
had brought him away from the cave,
70
Tom had to find a way to lose him.
Scrambling down a slope, Tom
spotted a patch of blueberry bushes.
He made a quick left into them, and, as
he came out on the other side, he saw a
huge tree with a hollow in the base of
its trunk. Tom dived inside, into the
rough, damp blackness.
The old tree shook with each
pounding step of the giant. Again Tom
tried to calm his breathing and be as
still as possible.
A tremendous roar echoed in Tom’s
ears, and then all was quiet. Tom
waited a few seconds before peering
from his hiding spot.
Just a few short yards away, Tom
could see the giant’s massive legs
standing as still as if they were the
trunks of trees. Now was his chance. If
he could climb to the top of the tree, |
he might be able to lure Arcta close
enough to free him.
But before Tom had a chance to
scale the tree, Arcta began moving
away. Tom listened as the sound of the
giant’s footsteps disappeared into the
distance.
qi
 He had to hurry. Elenna and Silver
would be running out of air soon, but
he knew there was no way he could
save them if Arcta was still on the
loose. He had to free the Beast first.
Then he could come back for his
friends. Tom moved nimbly and
quietly, following the thump of Arcta’s
giant footsteps.
It was hard work climbing the
mountain. With each footstep, loose
rocks and pebbles would shift under
him, threatening his balance. But he
kept climbing, until he reached a
narrow ridge. Clinging to cracks in the

SES
‘| ( A
SQ wr
\ave
‘Ss
SSA

hewh y

( yy feein

My y
7 Ws (hm
lif :
f “Tin
uy Wn ul
 rock, he followed it as it snaked
upwards into the clouds.
Soon he emerged onto a _ rocky
plateau. Looking down, Tom spotted
the giant. He was resting just beneath
him on a narrow ledge, his huge head
in his hands. Below him was a vast,
misty abyss. Tom shivered. Above, a
bird gave a harsh cry. Tom glanced up.
It was an eagle circling on the currents
of air. “This must be the Place of the
Eagles,’ he thought.
Tom lay down flat on the plateau.
The stone was hard and cold. He could
see the glowing knot that held the

iW >
blindfold in place. It looked like a
beautiful black flower. If he edged
forward he might just be able to reach
the knot and untie it.
But he had to hurry. Elenna and
Silver could be suffocating.
Heart pounding, he edged forward
until his arms reached the knot. His
fingers tingled as they touched the
shimmering dark fabric. He pulled very
gently.
‘Come on!’ he silently begged the

as Dap

=| ge
Wi,
_ tre

Ne wn el
knot. He felt it loosen slightly, but
knew he had to be quick.
Starting to panic, he pulled a little
harder.
Too hard.
Arcta suddenly sensed him. With a
furious roar, he swung round and
lashed out with his huge, clawed hand.
It smashed against the side of the
mountain, close to where Tom lay. The
impact echoed around the mountains.
Tom clung to the plateau.
 But to his horror, he saw that a crack
had appeared in the rock beneath him.
Tom could only watch as the crack zig-
zagged its way through the rock and
the ledge below. With a groan, the split
widened and the rocks started to
crumble apart, dirt and pebbles raining
down. Any second now the entire rock
face would give way, and Tom would
plunge to his death.
Realising he had no choice, Tom
took a deep breath. ‘While there’s
blood in my veins, I’ll free this Beast!’
he cried. Then he scrambled to his feet
and jumped through the air towards
the giant. He just managed to grab
hold of the blindfold.
The giant roared, and sprang to his
feet. Tom swung through the air but
somehow kept his grip. Arcta swatted
at his head with his enormous hands,
trying to get at Tom. Tom twisted this
way and that, trying to avoid the blows.
If so much as a finger landed on him,
he would be squashed flat. But he
couldn’t let go—if he did, he would fall
into the abyss.
Enraged, the giant staggered about,
76
trying to regain his balance. The ledge
they were on was narrow, and Tom saw
Arcta was blundering towards the edge.
Suddenly, with a thunderclap of
splitting rock, the ledge gave way.
Arcta and Tom plunged together
into empty space.

Th
 CHAPTER EIGHT

OVER THE EDGE

The world rushed by, as Tom clung to

the giant. For a few seconds they were
in freefall. | 3
Then they landed with a hard thump
on another, even smaller ledge. Tom
felt relief flood through him. But they
were falling so fast that they skidded
straight across the smooth rock.
Without time to stop, they went over
the edge and were falling again.
ie
 The giant tried to thrust his gnarled
fingers into cracks and holes in the
mountainside. But he couldn’t stop
them from tumbling towards the misty
chasm. Arcta roared and threw back
his head.
Tom was shaken free. His fingers
closed round thin air as his hands were
torn away from the blindfold. He
hurtled through the air and fell heavily
on a steep rocky slope, scrabbling for a
handhold. His fingertips dug into a
crack in the rock. Terror swept through
him as he glanced down. The abyss was
waiting to swallow him.
To his left, he saw that Arcta had
managed to cling on to the rocky slope,
too. But now they were both hanging
helplessly.
Tom looked up. He was only an
Rae ) .
A, my

icoi
(f
Ni Ci|

7 Va

/
arm’s length from a path. But he was
barely managing to hold on. His fingers
were already numb, his arms tingling
fiercely with pins and needles.
Swinging his feet, Tom found a
foothold. Then, with the last of his
strength, he dragged himself up onto
the path and lay there gasping.
Time was running out. He had to get
to Elenna and Silver before it was too
late. But he still had to free Arcta.
There might not be another chance. ‘I
will not fail Avantia,’ he said to himself.
Tom peered down. The giant's
fingers were wedged into a crevice just
below the path, his massive body
disappearing into the mist below.
Without his sight he was helpless.
If Tom was going to free the Beast,
now was the time. He crept on his
hands and knees to where the giant’s
fingers gripped the rock. He realised
he was going to have to climb down
Arcta’s arm in order to reach the knot.
Taking a deep breath, Tom took the
rope that the trader had given him and
tied one end round a tree root sticking
out of the cliff face. He then tied the
82
 Wi

by aff
iN a fo
‘ ty
=

RY) Yi [4
4 .
soX
( Uff

¥
, Ph
Wy yy
;
other end round his waist. It was now
or never.
Slowly, Tom climbed onto the giant’s
hand and began to slide carefully down
Arcta’s enormous arm. The Beast let
out a ferocious roar. But Tom was safe.
So long as Arcta was clinging to the
rock, he wouldn’t be able to swat at
Tom.
Trying not to look into the deadly
abyss, Tom held his breath and inched
his way down until he reached Arcta’s
massive shoulders. Then he scrambled
onto the back of the giant’s neck.
Holding onto the enchanted blindfold
with one hand, Tom reached for the
knot with the other. He took another
deep breath as he pulled firmly at the
black knot.
This time the fabric gave as if it were
made of the lightest cobweb. The
blindfold vanished in a bloom of
coloured light. Arcta the mountain
giant was free!

84
yhsmanabegne sechs
ae fe ie <
adds, VeliShy:

Sno eosmths

hy ;
iy wv
5 ¢
mS
: git
 CHAPTER NINE

NEW BEGINNINGS

As the blindfold disappeared, Arcta let

out a roar of relief. Tom fell towards.
the misty depths—and was saved by the
rope tied round his waist.
But they were both still dangling
above the misty chasm. Arcta raised his
head and looked up. Tom gasped when
he saw the giant had only one eye
instead of two, right in the centre of his
87
forehead. It was deep brown, the
colour of the rocks around him.
Tom could see a small ledge just to
the left of the giant. He didn’t know if
the Beast would understand, but he
pointed to it.
Amazingly, Arcta moved his foot to
the ledge. With something to stand on,
he was able to raise himself up onto the
path above. With a great struggle, the
giant pulled himself to safety.
Tom sighed with relief. He had
succeeded in his mission. Another
Beast had been set free from Malvel’s
evil magic.
His relief didn’t last long. With a
lurch of his stomach, he remembered
Elenna and Silver. He had to get them
out of the cave—and soon.
Then Tom felt the rope around his
waist tighten. Someone was pulling him
to safety.
- With a final jolt, Tom found himself
on the path—at the giant, clawed feet
of Arcta! Looking up, he saw a gentle
expression on the Beast’s face. Tom
wanted to say thank you, but there was
no time.
88
 Scrambling to his feet, he called up,
‘IT need your help!’
The Beast let out a booming snort.
‘I need to rescue my friends,’ Tom
cried, pointing towards the pile of
rocks covering Elenna and _ Silver.
“They’re trapped in the cave where you
first found me.’
Without a moment’s hesitation, the
Beast scooped Tom up in his hand and
swiftly made his way down the steep
path, his footing sure now that his sight
had been returned to him.
In an instant, Arcta’s enormous
strides had brought them back to the
cave.
Storm was standing next to the pile
of boulders blocking the cave, pawing
anxiously at the ground. He must have
freed himself while Tom was struggling
with the giant. |
‘In there,’ Tom called out, pointing
to the blocked entrance. “They’re in
there.’
Arcta set Tom down, and, with one
movement of his massive fist, cleared
the rocks and debris from the front of
the cave. Tom tried to peer in, but
89
couldn’t see through the heavy dust
that hung in the air.
Then, in a leaping bound, Silver
burst from the entrance.
‘Silver!’ Tom shouted. ‘Where’s
Elenna?’
‘Here. Over here.’ Elenna’s voice
was faint.
Tom rushed into the cave. His friend
was slumped in a corner. Her face was
pale-blue and she looked very tired,
but she was still breathing. She was
alive!
Carrying her in his arms, Tom
brought her out of the cave into the
sunlight and fresh mountain air.
‘You did it, Tom. You really did it,’
Elenna gasped as she looked up at the
towering giant. She paused. “You know,
he doesn’t look so bad, after all.’
Tom thought about the heart-
pounding chase through the pine
forest, the terrifying fall from the cliff,
and the dangerous move along Arcta’s
arm to untie the enchanted blindfold.
‘No, not so bad at all,’ he said with a
smile. He had survived another chapter
of the Beast Quest!
90
 As Tom set Elenna on the ground, a
beautiful golden-brown feather floated
down and landed at his feet. He bent
down and picked it up. It was an eagle’s
feather. He looked up at Arcta. The
giant bared his brown teeth in a kindly
smile.
After his battles with Ferno the fire
dragon and Sepron the sea serpent,
Tom knew exactly what to do with the
gift. Grabbing his shield, he placed the
feather at the top. As if it were a key to
a lock, it sank right into the shield and
was sealed there, along with Ferno’s
scale and Sepron’s tooth. He ran his
fingers over the surface. It was smooth
again.
With a final snort, the giant raised a
clawed hand in farewell and lumbered
back into the mountains.
Just then, three little wolf cubs came:
tumbling out of the cave! Their coats
were white, with little smudges of grey
around their pricked-up ears and tiny
feet.
‘I found them in the cave,’ Elenna
said. ‘This was why Silver ran off in the
first place. I knew there had to be a
91
 Diff ‘
WW e
oes

* fi.
reason he’d disobeyed me!’
‘He must have sensed they were in
danger, Tom agreed.
‘Not any more, said Elenna,
pointing back down the mountain trail
to where a pure white wolf was
hovering. “‘Look—that must be the
mother!’
The cubs bounded towards her.
They all watched as the mother cuffed
and licked them.
‘She must have lost them in one of
the landslides,’ said Elenna, stroking
Silver behind the ear. He howled at the
mother, who yapped twice, before
nudging her cubs back down the
mountain path.
“We did it!’ cried Tom. Now that the
danger was over he felt full of energy
and excitement.
‘We did!’ agreed Elenna.
They grabbed each other’s hands
and swung round and round, before
noticing that another figure had
gradually appeared before them.in the
mouth of the cave. They stumbled
dizzily to a halt.
‘Wizard Aduro!’ Tom breathed. He
95
knew it was only a magical image that
Aduro had sent, but it still felt good to
see his twinkling blue eyes.
‘Greetings, my young friends,’ Aduro
said, smiling fondly. ‘I have been
watching your progress from the king’s
castle) as
‘We’ve freed the third Beast,’ Tom
told him proudly.
- ‘|-am-aware of that!’ said the wizard.
‘Congratulations! Your bravery 1s
saving the whole kingdom.’
. Tom’s face looked sad for a moment.
‘I, just): wish. my father could see me
now. Lhope’ he would be proud of me.’
‘?'m. sure he would, Tom,’ said the
wizard \kindly, then he added, ‘Your
aunt and;uncle know you are on an
important mission for the king—they
are proud. And I see Arcta has given
you ‘an, enchanted eagle’s feather ‘for
your shield. Just like the dragon’s scale
and the serpent’s tooth, it will give you
magical. protection. Should you: ever
find. yourself falling from a great
height, hold the shield above your head
and it will slow your fall.’
Tom looked at Elenna and srinens
94
‘Fantastic!’ BW TE Wore
“You have. done welt Aduro: told.
them. ‘But the greatest dangers still :lie:
ahead: Will you continue. ce oo
Quest?” ontlime bive
Storm chose. fetemoment) to:atte iy
and Silver barked in bela t Elenna
beamed. ~ nak Gy" o\
Tom nodded fly We will.ful blo
-Aduro smiled. “Then you: must a
further south to the shadowy. plains,”
he
told them. ‘It is where the. cattle roam:
Another cursed Beast <awaits::you
there—Tagus the horse-mam: Until he
was ‘trapped by Malvel’s évil spell}:he
protected the herds of! cattle: that
provide food for all of AvantiaxNow he
is attacking and sens ee he ‘used: to
defend}: 24. 14 ie. UOTE HE FAOKwe
. We will find him,’ ‘said roa OT ons
“§Good luck,’ ‘said::the Bindi: ‘But
first-you must tell Belco the mayor that
the, town here is:safe,: and= that the
people:can begin-to trade again.?#0! 306)
We will,’ promised: Tom\andBlenna:
Then the wizard raised ‘hisihand: ina
aes. and slowly his magical.image
faded to nothing in the thinoniowntain
95
air. He was gone.
Tom and Elenna stood silently for
a moment, Silver and Storm at their
sides, thinking about the next stage of
the Beast Quest. Then Elenna turned
to.Tom, and he grinned at her.
Whatever dangers lay ahead, they
would face them together.

96
BEAST QUEST:
IN X@G YW s SRY COLOINED-VINKE]FNNGD
An evil wizard has enchanted the six
paat-teator:IMelee: RO) WaNye-vels
terbelem eCOumnelay
are terrorizing the kingdom — drying up
rivers, burning crops, destroying villages and
causing chaos and panic everywhere.

Only a true hero can free the beasts and stop

them from ruining the land.

Armed with a sword and shield from the

Wizard Aduro, Tom sets off to face Arcta
id
eQeteetolevetestoWcat-lolmm@r-Tels Royeo MEN omelim everel
jeaeyentne (sin abiels level,

The third thrilling book in the ‘Beast Quest’

series from bestselling author Adam Blade.
Ferno the Fire Dragon and Sepron the Sea
Serpent are also available as Galaxy Larg
Print Books.

MM

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“S-OM
ili
BN 978-1-4056-6354-0

1405"66354 Hl
mm
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Cover illustration © David Wyatt 2007 www.bbcaudiobooks.co
Internal illustrations © Orchard Books 2007