Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga - Lady Adellandra Dratianos (books to read in your 20s .TXT) 📗

from her sweet mouth. They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment. Hers were the mix-matched ones he’d seen weeks ago, and his were the darkest of greens.
“You saved me from that thing.” She whispered.
The Unicorn nodded. He brushed some hair from her face, smiling down at her.
“Why?”
“You were in trouble, darling one.” The Unicorn replied. “I could do no other than to rescue you.”
She smiled at that. “Darling one?”
The Unicorn laughed lightly, taking the chance to kiss her ruby-red lips. “What else could I call such a special Dreamer like you?”
“My name, for one.” The woman didn’t even ask what a “Dreamer” was. “I call myself Airmed Starchaser. What’s your name, or should I call you Handsome Stranger?”
“I am the Unicorn, a defender of justice here in the Dream Realm.” The Unicorn explained. He sighed. “I wish I could meet you for real, Airmed. I wish you weren’t just a dream.”
Airmed stood with his assistance. “I have to go now.” She searched his green eyes. “If you believe in the power of dreams, Unicorn, maybe someday, they’ll come true.”
With a kiss to his lips, she was gone.
Again, the Unicorn named Aaron Theodore Schmidt was alone, left to ponder the beauty and powers of Airmed Starchaser.

Story: #1:
The Newest Ancient Mystics

“Are we there yet, Jamie?” Came a voice from the backseat of his car.
Jamie Stewart looked in the rear-view mirror and saw his stepdaughter Tamara Jane leaning against the chest of her brother-boyfriend, Charlie Reynolds. His arm was lovingly around her shoulders. “Almost, TJ. Just a few more miles.”
“This is going to be great.” Came the older female voice of his wife, TJ’s mother, Julie. “I can’t wait to see the twins again.”
“You may have to wait, Jules.” Jamie supplied. “I still have to let them know we’re here.”
“They’re Ancient Mystics.” Julie supplied. “They’ll know.”
“Somehow, I don’t think they will.” Jamie remarked, keeping his eye on the road.
“Where are we going again?” Charlie asked from the backseat.
“Hill View, where I bought a house next door to an old friend.” Jamie supplied. He spotted a restaurant down the road ahead of them. “Anybody hungry?”
“I am!” TJ’s voice peeped, sitting up. “How about you, Charlie?”
Charlie nodded. “You bet. I’m starved!”
Jamie pulled into the restaurant and told Julie. “You get us a table and I’ll call Shadow.”
Julie rolled her eyes. “You’re both away from the System. Why do you insist on calling each other by your codenames?”
Jamie shrugged his shoulders. “Habit.”
“Come on, you two, let’s get a table.” Julie herded the kids away from him and left.
Jamie found a payphone in the back of the restaurant and dialed the Morehouses.
“Hello, Jammins.” A female voice on the other end answered.
Jamie rolled his eyes, remembering Shadow’s wife Luna was a powerful Ancient Mystic who could sense things out of the ordinary. He ignored being called his old codename by her. “Where’s Shadow?”
“He and Reading are getting the house set up for you.”
“I really need to talk to him.” Jamie supplied. “Please, Lu-Lu.”
“Hold on, he just walked in.” Luna huffed.
That kid will never change, Jamie thought to himself with a grin. He looked behind him and saw his family sitting together.
Finally, a family of his own. Jamie’s heart pounded with joy. Julie had made it all possible.
“Quit daydreaming, Jammins.” A male voice joked. It was his old Crusader friend Shadow. “Tell me, what’s up?”
“We’re still a few miles away, but we’re here.”
“I still can’t believe Intelligence hired you.” Shane “Shadow” Morehouse kidded. “Don’t you have to have brains to do that kind of work?”
“Very funny, He-Who-Hides-In-Shadows.” Jamie joked. “It’s good to hear your voice again, Shane. How are things with the Crusaders?”
“Ariana and Aimee are constantly worried about Aaron, Luna’s empathy is always on now, Aaron’s in his own little world, and so is Derrick, sort of.” Shane supplied. “At least Derrick’s agreed to help me with your new house. He took care of all the real estate paperwork with Mrs. Stevenson, the realtor, and even paid for the legal work to be done.”
“Legal work?” Jamie asked.
“You know, to keep your past a secret? That sort of thing.”
“Yeah, I know.” Jamie sighed. “I still can’t get away from the taint formerly known as the System, can I?”
“It’ll follow you around for the rest of your life.” Shane remarked. “Dixie told you that when you signed on, remember?”
“I remember.” Jamie said. “Listen, after we eat, we’re headed to the house. Sound good?”
“Good to me.” Shane said. “We’ll be ready by then.” There was an uncomfortable silence. “Hey, Jamie?”
“Yeah?”
“How’re Julie and TJ’s Ancient Mystic lessons?” Shane asked.
“Okay, I guess.” Jamie said. He thought for a moment. “I know that tone, Shadow. Why? Are they going to be needed?”
“You bet they are.” Shane supplied softly. “Every fighter and magician is going to be needed in the next Dream Realm war.”
Now Jamie’s heart skipped a beat. “Is it Orthos?”
“We’ll explain everything when you guys get here.” Shane said. “Until then, don’t say anything to the girls or Charlie, okay?”
“Gotcha, buddy.” Jamie said softly. “I’ve gotta go. Talk to you later.”
“Later, ‘Gator.” Shadow tried to sound upbeat as he hung up the phone.
The next Dream Realm war? Jamie thought to himself on the way back to Julie. She can’t fight, and neither can TJ. What are we going to do?
“We’re going to eat, that’s what.” Julie supplied as he sat down.
She was getting adept at reading his mind. Or was it the look on his face that gave him away? Who knew?
He didn’t want to think about the upcoming Dream Realm war. He wanted to enjoy his new life with his wife, stepdaughter and stepson. Right now, eating would be a great place to start.

II

Meanwhile, in the Dream Realm’s Grey Area, not everything was as perfect as it seemed.
Lord Maximaniac sat at his throne beside Queen Jezebel, and neither were smiling. In front of them knelt two non-Dream Realm creatures, a lower-level fire-demon named Cyrix and Jezebel’s daughter, the former Maiden of the Dominion, Sabrina. They were each in magical shackles only the Lord and Queen could break. At each of their sides stood guards, ready to fight should either creature wish to escape.
While Cyrix’s eyes never met the Lord and Queen’s, Sabrina’s were red and defiant as they glared at her mother and uncle.
Standing and stepping down to them, Lord Maximaniac’s eyes stared at Sabrina. He stopped in front of the former Maiden and put his hands behind his back. Cyrix never moved.
Take heed of her relation to me, Jezebel sent to him in his mind.
I am well aware Sabrina is your daughter. Maximaniac sent back. You watch the fire-demon.
Jezebel didn’t answer. She only watched the scene playing before her.
“You are losing your touch, niece.” Maximaniac said simply. “Have you grown careless in your years?”
“I am never careless.” Sabrina said.
“How were you caught so easily by my Searchers?” Maximaniac asked.
“I wished it.” Sabrina supplied.
“Why are you back in the Dream Realm, and how did you gain enough power to return?” Jezebel spoke up.
“I took your words to heart, and used the Ancient Mystic Magic to bring me here.” Sabrina sneered.
Jezebel stood. “As before, I wish to handle her, my Lord.” She and Sabrina met eyes. “She is my daughter, therefore my responsibility.”
Maximaniac’s eyes never left Sabrina. “Very well.”
With a knock to the floor with her Ancient Mystic Staff, both mother and daughter were gone. This left the two guards standing at attention, and Cyrix bowed at Maximaniac’s feet.
Maximaniac looked to each of the identical guards. “You are excused.”
With nods, they turned their heels and left. Maximaniac turned to the fire-demon.
“I recall your exploits well, Cyrix.” He announced. “Do you still follow the Master Orthos in his Unknown Realm? Are you still a Dominionite even after your mind was returned to you?”
“Nay, Lord Maximaniac.” Cyrix whispered. “I follow wherever Sabrina leads.”
Maximaniac was curious. “You do not follow Orthos?”
Cyrix met his silver eyes and repeated. “I follow wherever Sabrina leads.”
“Are you not a Dominionite?”
“I was born in the Dragon Nations, Lord.” Cyrix told him. “Long before the Wars for Province.”
“What is your clan-name?”
“I have no clan now.” Cyrix supplied. “My kin were destroyed in the Wars for Power.”
“Many were lost, I agree.” Maximaniac supplied. “I am sorry I was not there to witness the battle between Orthos and O’Dell.”
“You would have been lost to us as well, Lord Maximaniac, had you stayed to fight.” Cyrix announced.
Maximaniac knew what he said was true. He stared at the human-like fire-demon. “You were born a Draconian, but was forced to become Dominionite when Orthos sought to rule the Realm.”
“Aye, Lord Maximaniac.” Cyrix lowered his eyes.
“How is it you are not loyal to the Master, Cyrix?”
“I follow wherever Sabrina leads.” Cyrix announced.
“Not the Merchant Damian?”
“Nay, Lord Maximaniac.”
“Only Sabrina?” Maximaniac asked, curious. The fire-demon nodded. “Why?”
“I have reason to believe she has a caring heart beneath her angry exterior.” Cyrix supplied. “During the Wars, the Merchant took over the Dominionite Army, leaving her in the dust. I was the only one of mind to see what he was doing to her. After all this time, even in the Unknown, and her exploits with the Earthbound Ancient Mystics, she has wanted to be feared more than the Merchant.”
“But a caring heart?” Maximaniac asked. “What would make you believe she has a heart after all this time?”
“She is an Ancient Mystic as well as a Wizard, is she not?” Cyrix announced. “As is the daughter you share, Tempest.”
Maximaniac looked shocked, but allowed him to continue out of patience.
“She has the good Ancient Mystic Magic in her system.” Cyrix said. “I can smell it. I can feel it, and I want her to realize it before it threatens to take over without her knowledge. It is true she has been taught the Dark Magic. The darkest, but the good Ancient Mystic Magic lingers in her soul, screaming for release.”
“How do you know all this?”
“I have watched her since laying eyes on her.” Cyrix supplied. “I have a confession, Lord Maximaniac.”
“Confession?”
“It was my idea to be caught by your Searchers.” Cyrix said. “Orthos has sent her to retrieve your Spell-book. With us came three others; her troll-maid D’Kora, the snake-Warrior Vino and the silent Kasha.”
“Kasha the banshee has been silenced?” Maximaniac asked.
“Aye, for speaking out against the Master.” Cyrix grinned. “You know he is not a kind Lord, even with the Realm of the Unknown at his command.”
“So you wish harm against me and mine?” Maximaniac frowned.
Cyrix lowered his eyes again. “Not I. Orthos, and perhaps Gloriana.”
“Why are you confessing to me?”
“I only wish you aware of what they are planning, so you may stay a step ahead of them.” Cyrix supplied. “I was hoping you would show me leniency. Please, Lord Maximaniac, do not cage us in your dungeons. I firmly believe, down deep, Sabrina wants to be good again. I know it will take time, but she must have that time, that chance.”
“Emotions in a Dominionite such as yourself are impossible.” Maximaniac said. “Pure, true emotions drive your kind to insanity, and can lead to death. How is it you carry such emotions within you and continue to live?”
“The object of my affections has always been and always will be Sabrina.” Cyrix said. “I believe in her as she should believe in herself. As I