Power of the Fire Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters #4) Read online

  his fire high up in the air,” Drake reminded her.

  “And because

  you

  can’t control your dragon,

  Worm didn’t get to show what he can do!”

  Poof!

  The argument ended when a short,

  round wizard appeared in front of them.

  “Rori and Drake! Good.

  Please come with me,”

  Diego said.

  They followed Diego to Griffith’s workshop.

  Diego pushed some papers off a table. He

  pulled a glass ball the size of a large onion from

  his pocket. Next, he put a circle-shaped stand

  on the table and rested the ball on it.

  “Come, look in the gazing ball,” he said,

  waving his hand over it. “Let’s see what we

  can see.”

  “What are we looking for?” Rori asked.

  “Some sign of Maldred,” Diego replied.

  “And his four-headed dragon?” Drake asked.

  “The one you saw in your dream the last time

  you were here?”

  "“Well

  —” Diego began. Rori interrupted him.

  “But we don’t even know what Maldred

  looks like,” she pointed out.

  Diego took a book from another pocket.

  He put it on the table and opened it to a page.

  “

  That's

  Maldred,” he said. Diego pointed to

  a picture of a wizard with a pointy chin. He

  wore an eye patch over his left eye. He had a

  black mustache and a long black beard with

  a white stripe.

  “But I am not looking for Maldred’s face in

  the gazing ball,” Diego explained. “I am looking

  for a red mist — a sign of his dark magic.”

  Drake couldn’t look away from the picture.

  The dark wizard seemed to stare at Drake

  right from the page. He was glad when Diego

  closed the book.

  Rori and Drake crowded around to look in

  the gazing ball with Diego. There was no red

  mist. Just a white fog.

  “Welcome, Diego!” Griffith called, walking

  into the workshop. “So should I be worried

  about Maldred while I am gone?”

  “We should always be worried about

  Maldred,” Diego replied. “But there is no sign

  of his magic in the gazing ball. And if anything

  happens, I will keep your Dragon Masters safe.”

  “I know you will, friend,” said Griffith. Then

  he turned to Drake and Rori.

  “Come!” he said. “It is time to see us off.”

  Griffith swept out of the room.

  T

  hey found Bo and Ana in the Training

  Room, standing next to their dragons.

  “Wow, you look so fancy!” Rori exclaimed.

  Ana wore a yellow dress that shone like

  the sun. Bo had on a silky blue tunic with a

  wave design stitched into it. Shu and Kepri’s

  scales were clean and shiny.

  beHOld, THe DRagONS!

  Bo looked at Drake and gave a little bow.

  “I will miss you, friend,” he said.

  “And I will miss you, too,” Drake said. He

  bowed back.

  Ana squeezed Rori in a hug. “I wish you

  could come!”

  “Someone needs to stay here to guard the

  castle,” Rori said, trying not to show how sad

  she really was. “It’s an important job.”

  “Ana, Bo, it’s time!” Griffith said.

  Bo and Ana got onto their dragons. They

  waved as two of the king’s guards led them

  out of the Training Room.

  Drake and Rori jumped up. They quickly

  climbed to the top of the nearest tower so they

  could watch the parade.

  “Wow!” Rori cried, looking down. “We can

  see all the way to my village from up here!”

  Drake looked, too. A big crowd had come

  to the castle to see the dragons! His mother

  was probably down there.

  Rori sighed. “I wish we were going, too.”

  “So do I,” said Drake.

  At least there’s one

  thing Rori and I agree on!

  Then a trumpet blared loudly in the courtyard.

  “Behold, the dragons!” a guard announced.

  Bo and Ana came out of the castle, riding Shu

  and Kepri, and the crowd gasped. King Roland

  nodded to them as he rode on his horse, leading

  the dragons. Rows of soldiers marched on either

  side. The crowd clapped and cheered as they left

  the kingdom.

  Drake and Rori watched until the dragons

  were out of sight.

  Suddenly, Rori pointed

  to Drake’s Dragon Stone.

  Drake looked down. It

  was glowing green. Then

  he heard the voice of his

  dragon inside his head.

  Trouble is coming!

  Drake ran down the tower stairs, all the

  way to Worm’s cave. Worm was sitting up. His

  eyes were bright green.

  “What is it, Worm? What kind of trouble?”

  Drake asked.

  Worm shook his head, like he wasn’t sure.

  Rori ran up behind Drake. “What’s going

  on? What did Worm tell you?”

  “He said trouble is coming,” Drake replied.

  “But he doesn’t know exactly what or when.”

  “Trouble, eh?” Diego said, walking into

  the cave. “

  Hmm.

  I haven’t seen anything in

  the gazing ball. But Worm is good at sensing

  things. I can make a spell to find out if Maldred

  is blocking his magic so I cannot see it. I will

  get on it, so don’t worry. Go have fun!”

  But Drake found Diego’s orders hard to

  follow. He could not stop worrying about

  Worm’s message.

  T

  he next morning, the sun shone brightly

  through the window in Drake’s room. He

  looked over at Bo’s empty bed. It felt weird

  to be all alone.

  When he got to the dining room, Rori and

  Diego were already eating breakfast. Drake

  sat down. Rori looked mad.

  “No, Rori,” said Diego, “you may not take

  Vulcan into the Valley of Clouds today.”

  TROuble

  iN Th

  e TOWeR

  “So, first, I could not go to Arkwood, and

  now, I cannot even go outside?!” asked Rori.

  “The Valley of Clouds is too open. It may

  not be safe,” said Diego. “But you may take

  Vulcan up to the tower.”

  “Yay!” Rori jumped up.

  “If you see any danger, get right back inside

  the castle!” said Diego. Then he left to keep

  watch for any sign of Maldred.

  “Let’s go, Drake,” said Rori.

  She tapped her foot while Drake quickly

  finished his breakfast. Then they went down

  to the Dragon Caves.

  Worm was still sleeping, so Drake didn’t

  wake him.

  He’ll need his rest if trouble really

  is

  coming,

  Drake thought.

  Rori ran to Vulcan’s cave. He snorted happily

  when he saw her.

  It was a tight squeeze in the stairway, but

  the big dragon followed Rori and Drake up

 
to the tower.

  As soon as they reached the balcony, Vulcan

  spread his wings. Then he launched off the

  balcony and flew up into the blue sky.

  Rori smiled. “Look how amazing he is!”

  Drake nodded. “Yes, he looks really strong.”

  “I know,” Rori said proudly. “And Worm . . .

  I know Worm can do amazing things, too.”

  It was the first time Rori had ever said

  anything nice about Worm.

  “Thanks,” Drake said. “I think that Worm

  is the right dragon for me. Just like Vulcan is

  the right dragon for you.”

  Rori sighed. “I hope so. I just wish Vulcan

  would connect with me.”

  Drake looked up at the sky. “I’m sure he

  will soon.”

  Then he spotted something beyond Vulcan.

  “What’s that?” he asked. He gasped. “Is that a

  dragon flying this way?”

  Rori looked. “Maybe it’s Shu or Kepri?”

  But this dragon had green scales. And

  something else that made it different than

  their dragons.

  “That dragon has four heads!” they both

  cried at once.

  T

  he dragon swiftly flew toward the tower.

  “Remember Diego's dream?” Drake asked.

  “He saw Maldred riding a four-headed dragon!”

  Rori squinted. “There

  is

  a man on that

  dragon's back!”

  GuArding TH

  e cAStle

  Vulcan was still flying beside the tower. He

  hadn’t seen the other dragon yet.

  “Vulcan, come here!” Rori yelled. Her dragon

  circled back to the tower.

  Curious, they watched as the strange dragon

  came closer. It had dark green scales. Each of

  the dragon’s four long necks had lighter green

  scales. On top of each neck was a head with a

  short, thin snout that curved on the end like

  a beak.

  Then they saw the man riding the dragon.

  He was wearing a red robe. He had an eye patch

  and a beard with a white stripe in it.

  “It’s Maldred!” Drake yelled.

  Rori jumped on Vulcan’s back.

  “Rori, where are you going?” Drake asked.

  “I’m going to fight Maldred!” she replied. “I’ll

  show King Roland what Vulcan and I can do!”

  “But Diego said we should get inside the

  castle! And we’ll need Worm’s help, too!” Drake

  said. “We can’t fight Maldred on our own. He’s

  too powerful!”

  Rori wrapped her arms around Vulcan’s

  neck. “This is

  my

  castle and

  my

  kingdom. I

  will stay and fight. You can go for help if you

  want,” she said.

  “Vulcan, let’s go!” Rori cried.

  Vulcan flew off the balcony. Drake knew

  he needed to get Diego and Worm up there

  quickly. Drake closed his eyes. He gripped his

  Dragon Stone.

  Worm, come now! And bring Diego!

  he

  thought with all his might.

  Please, Worm!

  Whoosh!

  A few seconds later, a green glow

  burst next to Drake. Worm and Diego instantly

  appeared on the tower.

  “Drake, what's wrong?” Diego asked.

  Drake pointed to the sky.

  Rori and Vulcan were flying right toward

  Maldred and the four-headed dragon!

  V

  ulcan, fire!” Rori yelled.

  Vulcan blasted the four-headed dragon with

  a stream of fire. The dragon swiftly soared up,

  avoiding the flames.

  “The hydra from my dream!” Diego cried.

  THE HYDRA

  “Diego, I told Rori she can’t fight Maldred

  on her own. But she wouldn’t back down.

  She doesn’t even have her saddle on! She could

  slip off Vulcan any minute!” Drake yelled.

  “Oh, dear!” Diego cried. He pointed a finger

  at Vulcan.

  Poof!

  A saddle appeared underneath Rori.

  Rori looked surprised for a second. Then

  she grabbed onto the reins.

  “Hi-yah!”

  she cried. Vulcan charged up

  toward the hydra.

  The hydra opened all four mouths.

  “Rori, steer away!” Diego yelled. “The hydra

  shoots poison!”

  But Rori didn’t listen. “Fire!” she yelled

  again. Vulcan shot out more flames just as the

  hydra attacked with a green mist. The fire and

  the mist met in midair.

  ROOOOAAARR!

  Vulcan cried out as some

  of the mist hit his wing. Then he dove down to

  the ground toward safety. Rori held on tightly.

  Diego rushed to the edge of the balcony.

  “Maldred! Come over here and fight like a

  wizard!” Diego challenged.

  Maldred turned at the sound of Diego’s voice.

  He steered the hydra down to the balcony.

  Drake ducked behind Worm. Up close, he

  could see that the hydra’s eight eyes were

  glazed over red.

  “I am not afraid of you, Diego! Your magic

  cannot stop me!” Maldred said. He stared right

  at Drake. “You are a Dragon Master, aren’t you?”

  Drake was too scared to answer.

  “It was

  your

  dragon that destroyed my red

  orb,” the wizard went on. “But your dragon’s

  little trick revealed his powers to me.”

  “What do you know about Worm?” asked

  Drake.

  “Yarrrrrrgh!”

  Diego let out a cry. “Begone!”

  He pointed at Maldred. Blue lightning shot

  from his finger. Smiling calmly, the evil wizard

  waved his hand. The blue lightning sizzled

  out in midair.

  Maldred laughed. “Is that all you’ve got for

  me, wizard?”

  Diego turned to Drake. “Maldred is much

  too powerful,” he whispered. “We need Griffith.

  I’ll use magic to get to him quickly. But, Drake,

  you must stay here. Use Worm to get Rori and

  Vulcan to safety!”

  Drake nodded. “I will try.”

  Diego snapped his fingers and vanished.

  Rori and Vulcan swooped down from the

  sky. The Fire Dragon’s wing still sizzled from

  the poisonous attack. Maldred flew up high,

  back into attack position.

  “Fire!” Rori yelled.

  Vulcan blasted the

  hydra again. Then

  the hydra shot more

  poison at Vulcan.

  Vulcan dodged it,

  but it hit one of the

  castle towers. The

  stone sizzled and

  then started to melt!

  51

  Drake caught Rori’s eye. She looked frozen

  in fear.

  “Rori, fly down!” Drake called up to her.

  “Touch Worm! We need to get out of here!”

  “I know this trick!” yelled Maldred. “You

  aren’t going to vanish into thin air this time!”

  Then he pulled on the reins to make the hydra

  dart toward the tower.

  Worm began to glow green. But Rori still

  wasn’t moving
. She would need to touch Worm

  so he could transport them all out of there.

  “Come on, Rori!” Drake urged. Then he

  turned to Worm. “Worm, you’ll need to float

  up there! Hurry! Touch Vulcan! And I’ll jump

  up to touch your tail!”

  Worm nodded. He began to float.

  Then Drake heard an evil laugh. He turned

  and saw Maldred holding up a glowing, red

  stone. Red light shot out from the stone.

  Startled, Vulcan bucked under Rori.

  Zap!

  A beam of red light hit Worm right

  between the eyes. Drake stumbled backward

  as he watched Worm’s eyes glaze over red—just

  like the hydra’s eyes. Then the light formed a

  red bubble around Worm. The bubble floated

  toward Maldred.

  “Worm! No!” Drake yelled.

  Maldred grinned. “Worm is mine now!”

  T

  he red bubble holding Worm floated in

  the air beside the hydra.

  Maldred aimed the red stone at Vulcan.

  “Get him away, Rori!” yelled Drake.

  Rori pulled hard on the reins just as the

  red beam of light came bursting out of the

  red stone. This time, Maldred’s magic was a

  second too late. Vulcan had already shot up

  over the castle. Drake watched Vulcan and

  Rori fly out of sight.

  MaldRed'S PlaN

  He was all alone.

  Did Rori leave me here? And when will

  Diego get back?

  he wondered. Sweat broke

  out on his skin.

  “Let that big brute fly away,” Maldred said.

  “Worm is the dragon I want. Worm is what I

  came for — he is my prize!”

  Drake tried to contact Worm. He touched

  his Dragon Stone.