An invisible shield threw Xanthe and Alfie off the side of the spire, landing them messily on the bow of the skyship. Slowly, they climbed to their quivering feet and sat on the crimson wood deck. They lay back and gazed at the beautiful moon. Suddenly, Xanthe realized that the crew was nowhere to be seen. A note, splattered with bioluminescent glow worm juice, was folded over one of the rickety railings. Alfie lunged for the letter, only to feel it turn into dust in his grasp. The curse was already taking over him.

Suddenly, they heard something…

The skyship creaked as it rocked on the point of a tall spire. Hurriedly, Xanthe and Alfie clambered to their feet as harsh rain pelted the ship. Suddenly, the crew heard a crumbling and then a creak followed by an ear-splitting crack! In a flash, the skyship toppled off the side of the building and fell to the ground.

Lying at the foot of the ship, a dingy cave lined with bioluminescent glow worms stretched through a mountain. Xanthe looked up at the tower they’d fallen from. It was made from cracking stone overgrown with ivy. At the top there was a platform lying beneath the spire. On the platform a strange blue light emanated from a cage. Xanthe nudged Alfie. How had they not realized? They stood gawping at the tower for three minutes wondering how they would convince the captain to let them go off by themselves. This was the thing they had been looking for for months; one of only two  things that could protect them from the skyship’s curse. The Gem Of Protection. Finally, they made up their minds. Xanthe and Alfie grabbed fistfuls of ivy and clambered up to the top of the tower.

Alfie reached for the gem, but it was too late. The curse was setting in….

I bet you remember the day you first set foot on an airship. When you felt the sudden rush go through your body as you left the rough earth. When you peered over the side to take a glimpse of the far away land and saw the tiny pinpricks of people scuttling around on the earth miles below. But I bet you haven’t been on an airship when you feel a chill go up your spine as you lurch from left to right. When you hopefully glance down below but only the swirling fog lies beneath you. Well, that was exactly what happened to Xanthe.

Xanthe’s knees buckled beneath her as the airship was thrown around by the harsh wind like a toy boat rocking on a pond. Nervously, she glanced over her shoulder at her older brother, Alfie, who was leaning calmly against the unstable railings surrounding the edges of the airship. Suddenly, lighting struck just ahead of the large ship and a few seconds later they were engulfed in the deathly storm.

That was the moment the sky-pirates struck. Xanthe hobbled over to Alfie, who had backed away into a corner, and took shelter under a loose piece of tarpaulin. Suddenly, cutlasses flew in all directions, bursting the troll-hide balloon that was keeping them afloat.

In a flash, the airship sunk beneath the clouds leaving just enough time for all the crew, Xanthe and Alfie to get into the crash-proof cabin. Then suddenly, “CLUNK!” The airship hit the tip of a towering building…………..

1. An ebony dragon’s scale, sharp enough to slice through cliffs to save you from rockfalls.
2. A spiced perfume made from the tip of an aye-aye’s talon to send your enemies to sleep with the putrid odour.
3. The sacred liquid from the waterfall of wisdom for healing even the worst of wounds.
4. Mystic rings of limestone forged in the depths of the Neptunian Sea used as tokens of immortality.
5. A necklace of amber to trap the most pestering of enemies (especially if they’re insects).
6. A cape of the finest satin that mimics whatever it touches for the best camouflage in the land.
7. Pearls of wisdom to allow the user to find easy solutions for the hardest of problems.
8. A third of Aphroditie’s beautiful heart for making vicious enemies fall in love with the first thing they see.
9. Dracula’s last tear that is used for a drastic change in the climate to burn incoming enemies.
10. The never-melting snow of the carnivorous cliffs to freeze your foes in action.

An overpowering gust of air cleared away the large mountains of dust at the mouth of the cave enabling me to see inside. Frozen like a statue, a giant dragon was stationed at the back of the treasure-filled cave. Slowly, the dragon stretched out its crooked, skeletal wings as gold coins tumbled down the giant pile the monster was perched on. Its amber eyes flashed in my direction piercing me to the very core of my soul. With a deafening screech the dragon let out a blazing blue fire which lit the whole cave. Hurriedly, the dragon cracked its whip-like tail sending dust cascading down mountains of gold towards me. As the creature opened its steely jaws I caught a glimpse of its terrifying dagger-like teeth. Razor sharp talons scraped against cold stone walls sending vibrations through my body. Flaming red scales trickled down the beast’s wrinkled chest causing it to glow in the darkness of the creature’s lair.