Alex Taylor is an ordinary boy, except for the fact that he has a step-father and no mother. But, even that isn't very remarkable, for his stepfather isn't evil. His step-father is just an ordinary man who owns a tavern called the happy dragon. He also has a step-brother whose name is Todd, who plays lots of tricks, but never means to get anyone in trouble. Only, one day, he goes for a walk on Sildon Lane. It is surprisingly empty, with no cars close to him. He sees a sign in a bookshop that says Adventurers Wanted. Then, he looks away for a second, and it suddenly says, in different colored letters, Adventurers Wanted: Please Apply Within. He goes inside to ask about the sign, and finds himself signing a contract so he can become an adventurer, and suddenly learns about magic from his new fellow adventurers, Arconn and Thrang. Arconn is an elf, and Thrang a dwarf. Then he meets the other adventurers, and goes to get supplies, but while in the blacksmith's shop to get weapons, he learns that he could be a wizard. He also learns about things such as magic bags, and sets off on his adventure with his magic sword, Moonslayer. While on the adventure, he learns about the wall, fights a three-legged troll, and befriends an Oracle.
