The Desert of the Crescent Dunes — Thom Jones

On their third adventure in Elestra, Derek and Deanna venture outside of Magia for the first time. Derek starts the day by reading a prophecy in the flickering light of a candle after he visits the ancient Gula Badu in a basement deep beneath the Library. Then, after a slow, bumpy ride on drectaws, they find the Desert Realm to be hot and filled with Eldrack's minions. This time, the dark wizard sends tentacled sand beasts and giant knifebirds to try to stop the twins. Their new friend Zorell joins them on the trip, much to Tobungus' dismay. It's a good thing he does, because his dancing proves to be a powerful weapon against the army of tentacled sand beasts. Their guide is a local girl named Dahlia who feeds them sugary lizard tails and reads prophecies woven in a hidden tapestry. After finding the entrance to a secret desert, they enter a lone pyramid and meet a mysterious statue who points out a solution to their problem. To escape from Eldrack's reach and return the moonstone to the arch, they must cross the Great Snort Pit in a boat with bite marks that are frighteningly large. The Desert of the Crescent Dunes again mixes unique fantasy creatures and locations with a healthy dose of humor. As the twins find more moonstones, they learn that there are deeper mysteries than why Tobungus and Zorell hate each other so much. With this third adventure, they grow more powerful and more confused. One thing that they are increasingly sure of is that magic and music are somehow connected in Elestra. With the first set of three moonstones in place, they unlock the first magical instrument and hear the first notes of the song that will call the Lost Army of Light to their side in the Magical Tournament that is close at hand.