12 A WIZARD DRAGON

CHAPTER 12 A WIZARD DRAGON? The wall of energy protecting Zoltan faded. The wizard stretched his long, dragon neck His dragon whiskers looked just like the yellow mustache he'd had when he was human. His claws sparked with red magic.

"I am not just any dragon!" Zoltan cackled. "I am a Wizard Dragon! You have stopped me from transforming into Maldred. But that does not matter. Now I am powerful enough to rescue him from the Naga!" He can talk! Drake realized. He'd never met a dragon that could speak out loud with human words before. "How powerful is wizard magic combined with the strength of dragon power, I wonder?" the Wizard Dragon crowed. "Let's find out!" The magic symbols on Zoltan's body began to glow. Worm, stop him before he casts a spell! Drake told his dragon. Kishar must have given Mamu a command, too, because Worm and Mamu charged Zoltan at the same time.

The Wizard Dragon pointed his claws at the two dragons, and weak magic sizzled out. "Argh! No fair!" Zoltan complained. Worm shot green beams at Zoltan. A bolt of blue energy streamed from Mamu's mouth. But before they could zap the Wizard Dragon.

Powerful energy shot from Zoltan's claws, zigzagging through the air in all directions. The energy blast was not aimed at Mamu and Worm. Instead, it seemed to supercharge Zoltan. He zoomed straight up in the air, avoiding the incoming attack. Then the Wizard Dragon flew off. "He's heading back to the Dream Gate!" Kishar warned. "We cannot let him reach the real world in this form. He is too dangerous."

"But Zoltan's in physical form. Won't he be trapped here?" Drake asked. "He shouldn't be able to leave, but we can't be sure," Kishar reminded him. "He used powerful magic to open the Dream Gate. If he gets back through the gate, his magic might be able to return him to the real world." "We can beat him to the gate," Drake said. "Quick, Kishar, have Mamu touch Worm." Kishar's Dragon Stone glowed, and one of Mamu's wings touched Worm. "Worm, transport us to the Dream Gate!" Drake cried.