5 Ch5-Into The Fortress

CHAPTER 5 INTO THE FORTRESS I am Drake, and this is my dragon, Worm!" Drake called out. His voice echoed across the stone fortress. "And I am Mina of the Far North. This is my dragon, Frost!" Mina announced. "Can we come in? We are friendly. We are here with a warning!" Drake said.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" the voice replied. Drake shaded his eyes as he looked toward the far-right tower. He saw a boy with dark hair. A green Dragon Stone glittered around the boy's neck. "We are Dragon Masters, just like you are," Drake replied. He held up his own Dragon Stone to show him. The boy frowned. "How can I be sure that you are friendly?" Beside the boy, Drake saw a tall gray dragon.

That must be the Stone Dragon, Drake thought. He called up to the boy, "Worm will tell your dragon that we mean no harm." "Have Worm do it, then!" the boy cried. Drake turned to Worm. "Please tell the Stone Dragon that we are not going to cause any trouble." Worm gazed up at the dragon. After a moment, Drake saw the boy's Dragon Stone glow. His dragon was communicating with him. The boy slowly nodded. "Shaka says I can trust you. I will let you in." The boy and dragon disappeared from the tower. Drake heard a groan in front of them as the stone door slowly began to slide to the side.

The Dragon Master from the tower waited for them. Next to him, Shaka's body was glowing with gray energy. The stone door seemed to be sliding on its own. Is the Stone Dragon moving the door with her powers? Drake wondered.

Then he, Mina, Worm, and Frost stepped into the fortress. Drake got a good look at Shaka. She had a strong, sturdy shape. Her gray scales reminded him of stones. The sharp spikes going down her back looked like dark crystals. The Stone Dragon began to glow again, and the door slid closed behind them. "Whoa!" Drake cried. "Can Shaka move things with her mind? Worm, my Earth Dragon, can do that."

"Shaka can connect to anything made of stone," the boy replied, and he smiled for the first time. "I am Caspar." "Jayana, the Head Wizard, told us that this place is very magical," Drake said. "It is," Caspar said. "Let me show you the Garden of the Beasts." They followed Caspar across a courtyard. Giant rocks rose up from the ground. Some of the rocks were bigger than the dragons. Caspar led them into a different courtyard. Scattered across the ground were bones. Hundreds of bones. And the bones were huge. Some of them were as long as Worm, and as thick as a tree trunk!