3 Ch3-Stop Astrid!

CHAPTER 3 STOP ASTRID! Drake threw both arms around Worm's neck. "I've never seen such a strong connection between a Dragon Master and a dragon!" Jayana remarked. "Yes, good work!" Hulda said. Drake patted Worm. "Astrid told me you would be a statue forever." Astrid was wrong, Worm said.

Hulda looked at Jayana. "Astrid has control of the fortress now. There is nobody to keep her away from the bones of the beasts." Drake shivered as he remembered the bones inside the Fortress of the Stone Dragon. Caspar had said that they belonged to enormous beasts who once roamed the earth. Astrid wanted to use a spell to bring the bones to life: a False Life spell.

"We have to stop Astrid," Drake said. "Her stone powers have probably worn off by now. But she has other stolen dragon powers she can use against us." Jayana nodded. "She is dangerous, indeed. She will not be easy to defeat." "The spell is complicated. It takes time to prepare the ingredients before the spell can be cast," Hulda said. "We should have a few days to stop her."

"What if we can't stop her from casting it?" Drake asked. "Then we must break the spell," Jayana replied. Drake remembered something. "Bo's Water Dragon, Shu, can break spells with her mist." Jayana shook her head. "One dragon's mist would not be powerful enough to break the False Life spell. This is very strong magic. That is why we asked Griffith to find a way to reverse it." "Ana told me she found a way to break the spell," Drake said. "But we need to find three dragons first." "Then you Dragon Masters must begin the search immediately," Jayana said. "You and Worm should get back to Bracken."

"And I will return to the Land of the Far North," Hulda said. "Astrid is still angry that King Albin banished her. She has never forgiven our people for turning their backs on her. I must help them prepare for a possible attack." Hulda snapped her fingers. Poof! She disappeared. Drake turned to Jayana. "Can't we stop Astrid before she casts the spell?" he asked. "She is all alone in the fortress." "Astrid is very powerful, but we can try. I will gather as many wizards as I can and go to Navid," Jayana said. "Maybe we can slow her down. And we will work to save those who were turned to stone."

"Please do all that you can," Drake said, and then he put his hand on Worm. "To King Roland's castle!"