13 Ch13-Watch Out!

CHAPTER 13 WATCH OUT! Drake stared at Caspar and Shaka in shock. They were statues. It looked like they had been carved out of stone. Overhead, Frost shot an ice blast at Astrid. The wizard dodged it. Then she aimed gray energy beams at Drake. "Drake, watch out!" Mina cried from above.

Drake turned to see Astrid shooting beams from her eyes. He ducked behind Worm as his Earth Dragon powered up with energy. Mina and Frost swooped down just as Astrid's attack hit a wall of green energy in front of Worm. "Astrid! Stop this at once!" Mina called out as Frost slammed into the wizard.

Astrid fell backward. As she fell, the beams from her eyes changed direction. They zapped Frost! Mina and Frost turned to stone in front of Drake's eyes. They hit the ground with a thud. Then Astrid turned to Drake. "No!" he cried Drake's mind raced. I need to help my friends. But I can't help them if Worm and I are turned to stone.

He put his hand on Worm. "Worm, transport us right outside the fortress!" Drake said. They transported in a flash, landing in the hot desert sand. Drake let go of Worm and tried to think. I don't want to leave Mina and Caspar. But I don't know how to help them. Why haven't Jayana and the other wizards arrived yet? He looked up at Worm. His dragon wasn't moving. Then Drake saw it. A gray glow was slowly spreading across Worm's body.

"Worm, no!" Drake yelled. Drake heard laughter. Astrid stepped out of the fortress. She gazed up at Worm as he turned to stone. "Your dragon will be a nice statue outside my fortress," she said, smiling. "A warning to anyone who tries to stop me." Then she looked at Drake. "And of course I'll need a sad little boy statue, too." Her eyes glowed with gray light. Drake turned to run, and a light flashed in front of him.

Poof! Hulda appeared. She saw the stone statues of Mina, Frost, Caspar, Shaka, and Worm. Her eyes grew wide. Astrid gasped. "Sister!" she cried. Then she laughed again. "Have you come to stop me?" "I will stop you, Astrid, but not today," she said. She wrapped her arms around Drake. Poof! Hulda and Drake disappeared.