"Nobody look at him!" Blaze hissed. "Protect Crusher and the dragon!"
"ON IT!" the group all nodded and stood their battle stands against the snakes.
The dragon released a roar before letting go of Crusher, causing him to fall into box just as the snakes multiplied in number around them.
"NO! LET ME OUT!! PLEASE!!"
The dragon snarled slammed the box shut before turning to attack the Medusa with the rest of the gang. As they did, Pickle flew towards the box and knocked on it to make sure the other was okay.
"Crusher, are you all right?!"
"NO!" Crusher pounded his fists against the walls of the box desperately. "LET ME OUT!"
"I'll do my best!"
Pickle flew to the top of the box and waved his wand in an attempt to open it. Just as he was able to, the dragon roared out and slammed the lid shut with it's tail once more.
"Easy... nice dragon...!!"
Pickle gulped as he moved away from the box. The dragon let out a snarl, eyes narrowing at the fairy until he was a distance away from the box.
"Blaze, the dragon won't let me near the box!"
"We have no choice but to keep Crusher there!" Blaze yelled out as he blasted some of the snakes with his fire. "It's safer for him in there than he is out here!"
"Fine…" Pickle sighed in defeat and slowly neared the box. "Crusher! Can you still hear me?!"
"Yeah, I can hear you!" Crusher cried out from inside. "How is the fight going?! Are they kicking the Medusa's butt?!"
"Um…" Pickle glanced over to see Starla turn full werewolf while Stripes enlarged in his Manticore form, as did Blaze and Sparkle in their dragon forms. "Yeah! They're kicking his butt hard! But we need you to stay in there until the fight is over, okay?!"
"Well... okay..." Crusher sighed and nodded. "but as soon as Speedrick's gone, get me out of here!"
"I will! Promise!" Pickle nodded and turned back to the fight, wand out and blasting.
"FOOLS!" Speedrick hissed, eyes gleaming red as his snakes began to snap in irritation. "Give me my treasure! NOW!"
"He's NOT your treasure!" Blaze yelled out.
"Well, he certainly isn't your's, Blaze." Speedrick snarled before smirking. "Or is he? Do you even know what happens when you take him up here in this temple?"
"He's protected...?" Pickle asked.
"No, you cucumber fool." Speedrick rolled his eyes. "He is marked as a treasure of the Guardian Dragons for all eternity! Neither of you would be able to get him out!" He then smirked and held his hand out. "But if you hand him over, he'll be free from that box, and I can have my treasure! It's a win-win!"
"It's NOT a win-win!" Starla growled.
"Yeah!" Stripes agreed. "Only YOU will win because you're going to HAVE the Treasure of Destruction!"
"Suit yourselves, then," Speedrick growled as his eyes glowed brighter toward the group. "I tried to do this the easy way, but let's make it difficult for you all, shall we?"
He approached the group threateningly, eyes trying to meet their's. Darington had been the nearest to him, so he managed to grab him tightly by the arm.
"No... no!"
Darington tried to turn away, but the other's gaze caught his, and before he knew it, his ghost form suddenly solidified into stone.
"NOOOOOOOO!!!" Blaze screamed.
He began seeing red as he zoomed towards the Medusa, his dragon form bursting out in fire as he blasted the Medusa with all his rage. Speedrick swiftly slithered out of the way before grabbing Gabby and Watts with his Naga tail.
"No!"
Starla ran to them at top speed but froze in her spot when they suddenly turned to stone on the spot.
"STARSHIP!!" Watts wailed
Starla was left horrified before she snarled and dashed towards the Medusa, ready to sink her claws into him. Speedrick turned to her, their gazes meeting and causing her to stiffen and solidify into stone as well.
"Starla, no!" Stripes yelled.
He and Zeg charged at the Medusa, ready to avenge their friends. Speedrick scoffed, and with a flash of his eyes, the two turned into stone themselves.
"No!" AJ cried.
"AJ, watch out!" Sparkle cried, but it was too late as Speedrick came from behind the boy and grabbed him.
"NO!!" Blaze screamed. "Speedrick, please!"
"I've given you a chance to hand me my treasure, Blaze," Speedrick hissed. "Now, you suffer."
"BLAZE, HELP!" AJ tried to reach out, but his body turned into stone before he could succeed.
"No... no...!!"
Blaze tried to attack the Medusa, mouth bursting with fire as Pickle flew over to the box. He hid behind it and knocked on it to call for the other.
"Crusher!"
"Pickle? What's wrong?" Crusher asked from within. "How's the fight now?!"
"Speedrick!" Pickle exclaimed. "He's turned everyone else except me, Blaze and Sparkle to stone!"
"GAH! HELP!"
Pickle turned back to the battle field to see Sparkle's form turning back to half-human as she slowly solidified into stone.
"SPARKLE!!!!!" Blaze wailed, tears streaming down his cheeks as he reverted back to his half human form. "Speedrick, STOP! PLEASE!"
"Well, since everyone else is already stone, I'm offering you another deal, Blaze," Speedrick smirked and slithered over to him. "Give me my treasure, and I might just help turn everyone back,"
"Don't do it, Blaze!" Crusher screamed from inside the box. "You know that wouldn't be right!"
"He wouldn't stick to the deal!" Pickle added. "It isn't worth it! Don't do it!"
"I…" Blaze glanced all around him, at all of his stone friends as he felt himself pressured.
What should he choose?
"Come on, Blaze," Speedrick chuckled. "Why are you even protecting lightning boy like this? You're not friends, are you? There's no point of protecting him,"
"He may have done horrible things to us, but I would never let him get hurt..." Blaze shook his head and turned to face him. "so no matter what, I'll protect him. As Guardian Dragon, I'll protect him. As his friend, I'll protect him. Do you worst, Speedrick, because you are NEVER getting him."
"Have it your way." Speedrick smirked, and his eyes flashed to turn him into stone.
Pickle's eyes widened in horror as the dragon began to solidify into stone right where he stood.
"No no no..."
Speedrick cackled victoriously as he watched Blaze turn to stone. He then turned to Pickle and hissed threateningly.
"Your turn...~"
"SHOOT—!" Pickle gulped and turned away to not look him in the eye as he hid behind the box.
"Pickle, what's wrong?!" Crusher demanded, hearing the other whimper.
"Speedrick's after me!" Pickle cried out.
"Oh shoot—" Crusher pounded on the walls of the box. "Pickle, let me out! We'll escape together!"
"I can't!" Pickle told him. "The dragons see you as a personal treasure now! Even if I wanted to let you out, the dragons wouldn't let me!"
"PICKLE, PLEASE, I—"
"SURPRISE!" Speedrick managed to sneak up from behind the fairy and grab him. "No escaping now~"
"NOOO!!!"
Pickle struggled to get free but only managed to scream as his whole body suddenly turned to stone. Speedrick smirked and let go of the stoned fairy before turning to the box.
"Now, you're all mine...~"
He slithered to the top and was just about to open the box when the golden dragon roared out and grabbed him with his golden tail. Speedrick snarled and glared daggers at the ancient dragon, who wailed as he solidified into stone, freeing Speedrick from his grasp.
"Stupid dragon."
He huffed then he turned to the box, turning it into stone before destroying it, freeing Crusher and causing him to land on the ground with a thud.
"Now you're mine, lightning boy~" he smirked as he slithered closer.
"NO!" Crusher snarled and struggled to get up to back away. "Stay AWAY from me!"
"No escaping this time~" Speedrick hissed and grabbed the other with his Naga tail.
"Let GO!" Crusher screamed as he struggled to get free. "LET ME GO! I AM NOT YOUR TREASURE!"
"Of course you are...~" Speedrick purred.
"NO!" Crusher's eyes began to glow gold while his necklace glowed icy blue as he screamed louder and louder. "I said, LET ME GO!"
At his final scream, a blast of magic surged through the whole temple and sending Speedrick back. Crusher felt himself lifted from the ground as he hovered, his whole body lightning up in rage. Speedrick hissed as he looked up at him before smirking.
"See? You ARE treasure, lightning boy~" he got up on his tail and chuckled. "And you're MY treasure now!"
"I AM NO ONE'S TREASURE!" Crusher yelled, another surge of magic knocking the Medusa down. "And I will NOT LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS!"
With that, he released a final surge of magic, causing Speedrick to scream as it hit him with pain.
"OWWW!!!!"
He was forced down with a thud, and he gasped as he found himself slowly turning into dust.
"No... no!!"
Speedrick tried to escape his fate but couldn't as he found himself stuck, causing him to scream one last time before turning to dust completely.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"