2. THE CRYSTAL CASTLE

CHAPTER 2 THE CRYSTAL CASTLE Drake packed a bag with items for the mission. First, he made sure he had the gold disc that Darma had given him. Darma had said Drake would need it but didn't say why. Darma can be very mysterious sometimes, Drake thought. Second, Drake packed the book about Light Dragons. Third, Drake grabbed the map of the Picland Islands.

Drake and Darma studied the map as they walked into the Dragon Caves. "Do we know which island the Light Dragons live on?" Darma asked. "No," Drake said. "But Worm has a knack for transporting us close to the dragon we're looking for." Darma nodded. "Worm is very good at sensing dragon energy."

The two boys reached the caves. Drake put a hand on Worm, and Darma put one hand on Worm and the other on his Gold Dragon, Hema. Every Dragon Master wore a piece of the green Dragon Stone that allowed them to connect with their dragon. The stone around drake's neck glowed. "Worm, take us to the Picland Islands!" Drake cried. Worm's body glowed with green light. The light flashed, and Drake's stomach flip-flopped as they transported.

When they arrived, Drake noticed the blue sky overhead. The rising sun streaked the sky with orange. "Whew!" Drake said. "The shadow hasn't reached here yet." Darma closed his eyes. "The sun feels good on my skin." Drake looked around. He could see a jagged coastline hugging the sparkling blue ocean. The air smelled of salt.

Drake heard Worm's voice in his head. I can sense something very powerful over the hill. "This way," Drake told Darma. As they walked up the hill, a low rumbling sound rose behind them. The boys and their dragons turned around. A herd of horses galloped across the land—but they didn't look like any horses Drake had seen before. They were smaller than most horses. Some had long, reddish-brown hair, and others were the color of butter. The boys looked at each other in wonder, then kept climbing.

As they reached the hilltop, a stunning sight greeted them. A small castle made of clear crystals overlooked the ocean. The sun's rays hit it, and the light reflected off in a dazzling display. "This castle shines even brighter than Hema's gold temple," Darma remarked. "Something tells me we've found where the Light Dragon lives!" Drake said.