9 Ch9-Battle at the Fortress

CHAPTER 9 BATTLE AT THE FORTRESS Stand back from the door! That is dark magic!" Drake yelled. He pointed to the glimmering red door. Just then, Mina and Frost flew down and landed beside Worm. "We couldn't see Astrid from the tower, so we flew out to find her," Mina said. "She's right on the other side of that door!" "We know. She is casting some kind of spell," Drake said. "Look!"

The Dragon Masters and their dragons watched with wide eyes as the strong, stone door slowly disappeared. "This can't be happening!" Caspar cried. Outside, Astrid stood where the door had been, grinning. Red energy sparked from her fingertips. Behind her, the soldiers were ready to shoot their weapons again.

"You cannot stop us, children," she said. "Move aside and nobody will get hurt." Shaka stomped her feet. "We will never let you in," Caspar said. Astrid stepped forward. Drake noticed something then. The evil wizard had tiny, glowing bottles tucked into loops on her belt. Each bottle held a different color liquid.

What are those for? he wondered. Astrid moved to the side. "You give me no choice, then," she said. "Army, attack!" The soldiers let their arrows fly. "Quick, Worm! Stop the arrows again!" Drake commanded. Worm glowed green. Suddenly, the arrows stopped in midair. Then they dropped to the ground. "Shaka, forward!" Caspar yelled, and the Stone Dragon charged toward the army.

"Drake and Caspar, keep Worm and Shaka focused on those soldiers!" Mina called out. "Frost and I will take care of Astrid! We must destroy her red crystal!" Drake was worried that Shaka might hurt the soldiers. But she didn't. Instead, the Stone Dragon stomped on the catapults, crushing them. The soldiers reloaded their arrows. Their eyes still glowed red from Astrid's magic.

Then an idea hit Drake. He knew that Worm could break up big rocks with his mind powers. Why not a crystal? "Worm, can you use your powers to break Astrid's red crystal?" he asked. I will try, Worm replied.